Tips on Writing a Hook for a College Research Paper
What is a college research paper hook? The most effective way to begin any piece of writing is by incorporating a statement or two that immediately grabs the reader’s attention. This is known is an essay “hook,” which can take on the form of a question, a quotation, an anecdote, or a fact that convinces the reader that he or she must keep reading.
How Do You Write a Great Research Paper Hook?
There are no hard and fast rules for writing a great research paper hook for a college assignment. But there are several tried and proven techniques that work for writers at all levels. Here are the four tips we believe will be the most beneficial to you. Incorporate one or two of them into your writing process at a time until you are comfortable doing them all without a second thought.
4 Tips for Writing a Great Hook for College:
- What Kind of Assignment Are You Writing
Argumentative, Compare and Contrast, Descriptive, and Narrative are four common types of academic assignments you will see in college. You need to know precisely what it is you are required to do before researching and writing your research paper. If you have any doubts or questions, be sure to ask your professor as early as possible. Don’t do more work than you absolutely have to.
- Consider Readers’ Expectations & Knowledge
Your aim is to set the right tone at the start. This takes careful consideration of your readers’ expectations and knowledge of the subject. If you are introducing a subject the reader might not know much about, then an interesting fact might not be as impactful as a funny anecdote. Conversely, a familiar subject to the reader might be embellished with a well-known quotation or joke.
- Brainstorm Several Different Hook Options
As we mentioned above, there are several different ways you can start a research paper and you may feel more comfortable sticking with one form over the others. However, it’s a good idea to give different forms a try before choosing the one you feel will have the greatest impact. You will have opportunities to revise the opening statement as your paper takes shape and having a few options available to you makes this easier.
- Review It in Connection with the Entire Paper
Finally, during the process of reviewing and revising, read the opening statement and evaluate its connectedness with the rest of the assignment. While you should start with a captivating sentence, it must transition nicely into the introduction and fit the main subject perfectly without causing any confusion or shifting theme or mood.
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