Introductions are very important.

An effective introduction shows an immediate awareness of the central issues of the question, defining any difficult words, or ones that require clear parameters for the purpose of the discussion. Often, however, candidates waste too much time in defining unnecessarily simple ideas, such as a 'school' or a 'business'. Of course, it is useful to give a brief account of the different types in each case, but there are occasions when an over-pedantic attempt at definition merely blurs the introduction, rather than clarifying the direction that the essay will aim to pursue. Similarly, it is not uncommon to find the introduction concluding with a simple re-statement of the question. Although this can show a sense of focus, it can also suggest that the introduction has merely gone in a circular direction. The development of the argument can also be indicated in a more imaginative way than the use of numerical signposts i.e. 'Firstly...', `Secondly...'. Words such as `Furthermore ..... `Moreover...', `Similarly...', 'In addition...' can be useful as well as varying the key phrases of the question. When attempting to discuss a contrasting viewpoint, less successful scripts merely adopt the opposing position with no indication that the direction of the argument is being modified. Again, simple words and phrases, such as 'On the other hand...', 'Nevertheless...', 'However... `Whilst...', 'In contrast...'. Examples are essential for any script to gain a good mark for content. The best scripts show the candidate to be well-informed about recent and current events. Examples are up-to-date and pertinent, with their relevance to the argument clearly demonstrated. Therefore, candidates who read widely and keep abreast of current events benefit significantly.