Writing your essay is only the first bit. Getting your paper read by multiple scholars is the feat writers in various niches aim to achieve. The introduction is thus a great section to capture your reader’s attention and convince them to go through the content of your paper.
Here, we’ll cover various tips for writing an essay hook to help you conjure your readers into reading your pieces. Well, also cover some strong hooks for essays to inspire your writing.
What is a hook in an essay?
A hook is a sentence or a group of sentences that induce readers into your work by arousing their curiosity. Often, the hook is the first sentence of your introduction and shows your reader the reason as to why the essay is relevant to analyze.
This section often precedes the background, essay topic and thesis and contains two sentences.
How to write an essay hook
Writing a good hook for your essay takes more effort than reiterating a fancy quote from your favourite persona. When writing your introduction, you should devise a way to infuse your essay with the background research and thesis to show your standpoint from the get-go clearly.
Here are some hook examples for essays that are worth emulating:
e.g.1.
Why bother about an imperfect education system? A common fallacy in underdeveloped countries is that improving the quality of education is not enough to improve the employment rates. However, the truth is that developing countries require quality education systems to facilitate growth in various sectors. You can achieve this change by phasing out colonial systems and developing a suitable approach to education that develops skills relevant to exploiting the country’s resources.
e.g.2.
According to the WHO, climate change can cause up to 250000 deaths between 2030 and 2050. Although this is a fairly alarming statistic, this issue seems to be overlooked by various governments around the globe. The failure to address this issue is expected to worsen the outcomes, exceeding the current projections.
How to write a good hook for an essay
As seen in these examples, there are multiple ways to employ hooks depending on the discipline and topic under study. Although a good hook can work like a charm, a bad one may also cause readers to lose interest in your work on the get-go.
Some tips that should come in handy when preparing your hook are:
- Keep your topic in mind- the hook to your essay should be relevant to your thesis. You should also note that different fields are suited by varying hook approaches. For instance, languages may rely heavily on anecdotal hooks, while sciences are better suited with statistics hooks.
- Select your hook after compiling your essay- like the introduction; ideally, you should cater for your hook last when you are properly versed with your topic. This will ensure relevance to the topic and fully cover your key idea.
- Limit the hook to two sentences.
Types of essay hooks
You must master various hooks to widen your glossary and determine how to open your essay. Some of the popular hooks include:
1. Statistic hook
These hooks often comprise an intriguing fact that arrests a reader’s attention. These facts may lend support/ credence to your argument earlier in the essay.
e.g.3.
According to a study by the WHO, 50% of adults in the USA suffer from a psychological issue. The stress among this group is often associated with financial stress and a feeling of slow development in their careers.
2. Quotation hook
These types of hooks include a quote from a credible source. After the quote, you should expound on the quote and state its relevance to the essay. Be keen to punctuate the quote and indicate the source and persona responsible for the quote.
e.g.4.
“Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to them who prepare today,” wrote Malcolm X.
3. Anecdotal hook
These hooks usually include a short story meant to highlight the main idea of your thesis and paint a picture of the scenario you intend to examine. If you are writing about depression, your hook may appear as:
e.g.5.
Jane was a model student in her institution. While her teachers praised her for her academic exploits, fellow students idolized her qualities and cosy lifestyle. However, were the school aware of Jane’s depression, they could have mitigated the looming tragedy they were to face.
4. Rhetorical hook
These types of hooks usually contain a question meant to spark thought and leave your reader craving for answers to the question you’ve posed. You should note that these questions should be open-ended instead of yes/no types of questions.
e.g.6.
Is a crime to be blamed on the perpetrator or vices nurtured by society in the criminals?
5. Advice hook
These types of essay hooks often start with words that impact the life of the reader. This approach promises a solution to their condition and shows your reader that you are well versed with the topic under discussion.
e.g.7.
Avoid prioritizing people that treat you as an option.
6. Contradictory hook
e.g.8.
“I must be cruel to be king.” Hamlet, William Shakespeare.
7. Definition
This approach includes defining terms and ideas that are key to your topic. Avoid quoting the dictionary, as many tutors often frown upon this.
e.g.9.
“Altruism is the inclination to do something for others even if it brings you harm.
8. First-person story
When writing about reward systems and their role in motivation, for instance, you may hook in your readers with an introduction within the lines of:
e.g.10.
When working at the call centre, the company usually rewarded the employees who handled the most calls monthly. This resulted in poor customer service as we were inclined toward handling bulk orders instead of catering to problems with well-thought solutions.
