Introductions
Many writers find the opening of any paper to be a struggle. How should I begin? Is there a sure-fire way to set the stage for my paper that's sure to engage and draw readers in?
Not surprisingly, there is no one answer to that last question. But if you want suggestions, here are some introductions that have been used in a variety of contexts, and any one of these might be just the kind of introduction you could use for our expository assignment.
The Quotation
We're reading a number of articles to help get a sense of what can be said about the definition of a good college education. Perhaps opening with a quote from one of these articles will get the ball rolling. For example:
"College needs to be an expansive adventure, yanking students toward unfamiliar horizons and untested identities rather than indulging and flattering who and where they already are." New York Times columnist Frank Bruni, in his essay, "Demanding More From College," addresses the biggest challenge you all face as you are about to embark on this adventure called college. Whatever else you think college should be when you step onto the campus this coming fall, it should be an uncomfortable "expansive adventure." Here's how.
The quotation articulates something you yourself may not have been able to say quite as well. It also can be a reference point through-out your paper to remind readers of your definition. And, it may give you terminology (in the case above, "expansive adventures") that will require further explanation and elaboration to be fully understood.
The Ironic Opening
One of the reasons articles get written on any number of subjects is because the author believes the conventional or typical point of view is wrong or misguided. Thus, the article becomes a counterpoint to what may be perceived as the commonly held viewpoint.
To set up that distinction and offer a new perspective, writers will use the ironic opening. In it, the status quo is held up and acknowledged, and then that view is undercut with a thesis that suggests a new way of seeing. Here's an example:
When people hear the phrase "a good college education," most assume that this means students will have taken a certain set of courses, written a certain number of papers, covered a diverse collection of subject areas, and maybe even participated in the life of the campus. And that may all be a fulfilling experience of college, but I don't know if it should be called "good." In my experience, a college education cannot be called "good" unless it nurtures these non-cognitive qualities that you won't find listed in a typical college course catalogue: attitude, perseverance, and transformation.
This has the effect of waking your readers out of a state of complacency. That is, readers probably do have preconceived notions of what a good college education should be, but your essay is a wake-up call, so that your readers might say, "I didn't expect that..." after reading your opening paragraphs.
The Personal Story
Open with an episode from your own college experience and use it as a signature moment in your experience that can become a warning or reminder or clear illustration of what you want your readers to know. For example,
I walked into my first college classroom sure that I was in the wrong place. I was the first in my family to go to college and I felt like I belonged on campus about as much as a fish belongs in a barn. The professor spelled out the expectations for us in that first hour, and I felt doomed. For several weeks, I did the assignments wondering if I was doing them right. After six weeks, and after turning in my first written assignment, I got my first results: a "B." I belonged. So I would say to you: if you are ever to make the experience you hope to have in college "good," you will need to do whatever is necessary to feel and believe that you belong.
This is a personal definition. Yes, it should be useful to your audience, but it becomes most useful when your audience can see your personal stake in the issue. A story is a way of establishing that stake.
The Direct Address
If all else fails, consider writing your opening literally as a speech delivered from a podium to this hypothetical assembly of college-bound high school seniors. One student began this way:
Congratulations class of 2020. You have successfully completed your high school education. For most of you, college is in the future. The majority of you already know which college you will be attending and may have chosen a major. Some of you may even have your entire career planned out. But before you leave these hallowed grounds and venture into the vast unknown, I would like to propose that we all take stock of what we want and need to succeed in this next chapter. So before heading off to receive a higher education, I would like to offer a small set of guidelines that I believe will enable you to achieve a truly good college education.
In this case, you write as if you are making eye contact with your audience. The language sounds more intimate, more personal. You "talk" to your audience as if you are one of them. That can engage them to listen to what you have to say.
There are other ways of opening essays, but these are good models to consider if you feel you don't know how to begin.