Does the thesis have to appear at the end of an introduction paragraph?
No. Many composition instructors find it acceptable for the thesis statement to appear in the introduction’s first sentence or somewhere in the body of the opening paragraph. It is important, however, that your argument appears somewhere in the introduction paragraph. There are exceptions to this convention. For instance, research papers are very long and explore and address multiple issues. Here, theses statements may appear in the 2nd, 3rd, or 4th paragraphs following other necessary information such as critical definitions or historical contexts. For most essays, however, we suggest that the argument appear at the end of the introduction paragraph. This format allows you to set up background and supporting information that serve as a spring board for your argument.
