This document provides guidance on writing introductions for essays. It explains that an introduction should tell the reader what question will be answered, outline the main ideas that will be discussed, and offer a brief rationale for why the presented ideas are valid. Two sample introductions are then provided. The first introduces an analysis of how Philip Pullman creates a realistic world in his novel "The Golden Compass." The second introduces an argument about whether Lyra's character traits make her trustworthy enough to wield the power of the alethiometer.