The introduction is the start to the essay but also ties in the conclusion in the end.  Introduction paragraphs are the most important eye catching, topic starting, and reader engagement that must be made to make a perfect essay.  This is about a paragraph or two about what the writer believes is the general information that is going to strike the reader.  Introductions should raise a question or topic which creates the reader to respond with the notion of wanting more.  This is where the writer can describe background and general information that would develop into a more complex explanation and development of ideas, supported by evidence and reasoning.  The introduction is the beginning of a paper that must be well constructed because this is what starts the whole process in what will develop throughout the paper.  People take the introduction too lightly, there is much more that is needed in the introduction that in the body of an essay. 

            The body is just the evidence for the introduction.  The introduction should broadly note what is going to be discussed in the paper and have a thesis statement that is not only eye catching but also intriguing to the reader.  A well developed thesis statement will engage the reader in the exact question that constructed this whole essay.  Some ways to support the introduction is through life experiences that influenced why this might be important, in-text citation, paraphrases, and reasoning the writer provides which will support the topic sentence and evidence provided.  The importance of an introduction is state the general information going to be addressed in the essay, develop a question or thesis in which your body of the essay answers, and create a stepping stone into your essay that is obtainable to the reader.  The introduction states the questions but the conclusion will answer your questions.