An overview in an essay is a short summary of the main points of the essay that typically precedes the essay itself. It includes a brief but comprehensive summary of the essay's main points and arguments. The purpose of an overview is to provide readers with an understanding of what to expect from the essay before they even begin reading.
An overview helps readers quickly and easily get a sense of what the essay will include and what it is about. It also gives readers a chance to decide whether they want to continue reading or not. If the overview does not provide enough information, readers may skip over the essay altogether. However, if it does provide enough information, readers will be more likely to read the full essay.
The content for an overview usually comes from the introduction and body paragraphs. The introduction typically outlines the essay's main points in an organized way, while the body paragraphs expand on those ideas in greater detail. The overview should be a condensed version of these elements, providing readers with a summary of how the essay will unfold.
An overview should not be confused with an introduction as they are two distinct elements. An introduction is an introductory paragraph that comes before an overview, which serves as an introduction for the essay itself. An overview is a summary of the essay's main points, which should come after the introduction and before the body paragraphs.
In conclusion, an overview in an essay is a short summary of its main points that helps readers understand what to expect from the essay. It should come after the introduction and before the body paragraphs, and provide readers with a condensed version of the essay's main points.