Each student deals with countless essay topics while getting their higher education. And many students wonder how to make their papers interesting and how to overcome writer’s block.
To make things more engaging and intriguing, one should choose the right hook. What is it? It’s the beginning part of your essay that makes a reader want to keep reading more and wonder what’s going to happen next.
Let’s consider some ideas for a great hook below.
Data
One of the simplest ways to have a good start is to use some specific data or facts. Those pique your reader’s interest since they provide accurate information about a subject. From the start of your essay, you may sway the reader with your expertise and proof.
However, you must offer factual, intriguing, and trustworthy facts. Make sure your information comes from a reliable source. Don’t just come up with some statements.
So, instead of getting help with my assignment, you can just look up facts online. Of course, it will take more time and effort. However, it’s not so difficult considering that we are living in the 21st century and have many options available.
Question
Asking questions is a proven technique to engage your readers. So, why not use it to your advantage?
Imagine that the only way for someone to find the answer to your question is to read your work. People are naturally curious. As a result, starting your essay with an intriguing question tells your audience that if they keep reading, you’ll provide the solution.
Moreover, you can ask rhetorical questions to make your reader think. But make the question interesting and unique because students use it very often. Do your best to stand out from the crowd.
Quote
This could be an expression said by a famous person or some sentence from a book. Anyway, it should be something really powerful and memorable.
Use your quote to support your argument and make things clear. However, some teachers may not appreciate this technique because it is overused, and the quotes are mostly the same. So, if you really want to use a quote, try to find the one that is very rare and maybe even unexpected.
This could be an expression from modern literature or some international magazine. Search thoroughly for the right one and from the right source. You might even choose it after you finish the main part of an essay to have a better idea of what you need.
Misconception
A mistaken belief is another nice tool to use. It may be a bit surprising because a reader doesn’t expect to see it. Your topic is decided, so there are some expectations that you can use in your favor.
You want to achieve the feeling of surprise with your hook. The misconception could be something nobody expects from you personally or in general from the issue in question. Research well and use your knowledge of the topic to make things interesting.
However, try not to dig too deep into the issue. If you start from afar, a reader may not understand the connection between your thesis and the mistaken belief you present. Keep it simple, and you will achieve your goal.
Description
Some may think that description only annoys your audience. However, you just need to do it right. We are not talking about long and boring narration.
At this point, you are probably considering getting help, but you can do it on your own as well. Although describing a situation, real or imagined, may not be easy, you can just use some tricks and a little creativity.
For example, imagine that you are telling a story to your best friend. Don’t go too much into details because your story shouldn’t distract from the main topic.
Your description should touch the reader’s emotions; otherwise, it won’t work. Try to help a person feel the ambiance in their imagination. All this should be done with the main thesis in mind.
Personal Story
To make an essay more relatable, you can use your own story. The main goal is for it to get your point across.
Furthermore, the story could be personal but not yours. You could tell about the adventures of your father or grandparent. Even more fun is talking about funny or fascinating stories and situations your friends encountered in their lives.
Nonetheless, you should remember that it is not appropriate to use such stories in certain types of essays. This hook could be good for college applications but not for argumentative or formal writing. Just to make sure, you can clarify this with your professor.
To Sum It Up
Ernest Hemingway once said: “It’s none of their business that you have to learn how to write. Let them think you were born that way.” These days, some say fake it till you make it. The point is – do your best, and you will succeed.
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