ABSTRACT
Most markers form an opinion of the essay writer’s ability very early on. First impressions are extremely important. One of the best ways of creating a good first impression is to show that we are engaging immediately and critically with the specific question asked. If we are really struggling with the opening lines, then postpone writing them: pick a paragraph later on in our essay that we know we can write, and write that. One of the delights of writing on a word processor is that we aren’t obliged to write in the order we will be read. We can begin at the end of an essay, then write the introduction, then write the middle. When writing by hand, or using a typewriter, unless we are prepared to rewrite material it is very difficult to do this.
