The introduction of an article serves as a brief "executive summary" that captures the key points of the topic. This is especially important for standard articles. Keep the introduction concise—usually a single paragraph and rarely more than four sentences. Avoid using bullet points in this section. Every article should include an introduction, making it the only universally required section.
Placement
The introduction is the first paragraph of the article and appears above "Epidemiology" (or "Terminology" when applicable). It does not have its own heading.
Structure
First Sentence
Use of Bold and Plural Forms
The title of the article should appear in bold in the first sentence. Most article titles use the plural form:
e.g. "**Lymphomas** are..."
In cases where pluralizing isn’t appropriate—often for anatomical structures—use the singular form with "The" or "A" preceding it. The article ("The" or "A") should not be bolded:
e.g. "The stomach is..."
If the singular or plural form is irregular, include it in parentheses following the bolded term:
e.g. "The fistula (plural: fistulas or fistulae) is..."
Format the parenthetical like this: (plural: form) or (singular: form), separating multiple options with "or".
Alternative Names
If the condition has a commonly used alternative name, include it immediately after the primary term, separated by "also known as." Both names should be bolded:
e.g. "**Cervical spondylomyelopathy (CSM)**, also known as Wobbler disease, is a..."
If there are multiple alternative names or ambiguity around naming, consider adding a separate "Terminology" section after the introduction.
Historical or now-discarded terms (e.g. “heaves” for recurrent airway obstruction) are better suited to a History and Etymology section.
All name variants, including spelling alternatives, should be listed in the 'Synonyms' section at the bottom of the article. This ensures proper indexing and helps users find the page through search.
Related or Confused Terms
If the article topic could be confused with another condition, include a clarifying sentence like:
This condition should not be confused with [name of similar condition].
Contextual Links
The introduction should include a reference (with link) to a broader or “parent” topic. This helps readers explore foundational information before diving into the specifics.
e.g. "See splenic lesions and anomalies for an overview."
Additional Clarifications
If there are related or subset articles on similar topics, add a second paragraph using this format:
Please refer to the article on [name of related condition] for a specific discussion of that entity. The remainder of this article pertains to [this article topic].
Examples
See the following articles for strong examples of introductions:
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