Remember: Constructing a good paragraph (or a good sentence, or a good whole piece of writing) is easiest when you’re thinking functionally, asking yourself not only what do my sentences say but also what do my sentences do?

When you’re putting together an introduction, if your sentences do the following, in the following order, you should be in good shape:

Sentence 1: Hook — something to grab the reader’s attention. Write a sentence that pulls your reader in (this could be a provocative or surprising statement, or something very dramatic — or very understated. You might aim to entertain with your hook or to impress).
Example: Sorry, but I don’t speak proper English, and I never will. 

Sentence 2: Context — if you’re discussing an article or book or film, for example, this would be where you mention the author or director; you also include a summary of the main idea. In something like your social science research report, here’s where you might talk about some of the bigger ideas and concepts behind the project (with references to the sources you read).
Example: In the article “On Not Writing English,” Aurora Levins Morales argues that people in power, who tend to be male, white, and wealthy, decide what is and what is not acceptable English, and anyone who speaks in alternate ways speaks an invalid language.

Sentence 3: Elaboration and link to thesis — explain terms, say more about the main idea, add any information that has to be added in order for the reader to understand the background and follow your logic.
Example: What those in power fail to recognize is that English has become a rich language only through the creative ways in which those not in power — the working class, immigrants, minorities, women, artists — have changed and added to the language over time.

Sentence 4: Thesis statement — presents your main idea — your opinion about what you’re responding to, your promise to the reader about what your essay will discuss. A strong thesis statement also will include the reasons why you have the opinion you do. Every point you make in your essay should relate to this central idea.
Example: While proper English is useful in some contexts, and perhaps even necessary, English is “good” whenever it is successfully used to communicate and when it is changed creatively to produce new meaning.

Here’s the resulting paragraph:
Sorry, but I don’t speak proper English, and I never will. In the article “On Not Writing English,” Aurora Levins Morales argues that people in power, who tend to be male, white, and wealthy, decide what is and what is not acceptable English, and anyone who speaks in alternate ways speaks an invalid language. What those in power fail to recognize is that English has become a rich language only through the creative ways in which those not in power — the working class, immigrants, minorities, women, artists — have changed and added to the language over time. While proper English is useful in some contexts, and perhaps even necessary, English is “good” whenever it is successfully used to communicate and when it is changed creatively to produce new meaning.

Of course, different types of writing will require variations of this formula, and at times you might need more than one sentence in order to fulfill one of the functions outlined here. That’s okay: the structure is designed to expand and shrink as needed. (For example, with the social science research report you’ve been working on, you’ll probably need a few sentences to fully fulfill both the background/context and the elaboration functions.) If you find yourself stuck on how to begin a piece of writing, try out this approach and see if it becomes easier.