Writing a Hook: Best Tips to Start Your Research Paper

By Staff Reporter

Sep 25, 2019 10:20 AM EDT

Don't listen to those who tell you that academic writing is a tedious job. By finding the right approach towards research work, you are likely to compose an outstanding paper. So, what should you start with? Right, you should grab your reader's attention from the first lines.

In this article, we are going to suggest a couple of practical recommendations for doing this in the best way.

What is a hook?

Let's start by defining the meaning of this notion. A research paper hook is 1-2 opening sentences of your work. Though this is not much, they are likely to capture your readers' attention and to convince them your study is worth considering.

We can compare a hook sentence with a visit card to your investigation. Imagine you are an entrepreneur and you have to persuade your business partners that your idea is great. So, if you want to hook your reader like a professional fisherman catches big fish, you should choose suitable wording to make your subject sound interesting and unexpected.

What can help you make a nice hook? 

Before you start writing an original hook sentence, you should prepare. You need to understand the type of your research and the features of the issue you're going to discuss in it. So, try to do the following:

  • Figure out the type of study

  • Analyze your audience

  • Clarify what you are going to write about

Such preliminary research will help you create an  outline for your study and gain a better understanding of its purpose. Thanks to this, you will be able to choose an appropriate way to write a hook.

What are the best ways to do this? Here are some ideas about how you can cope with this task:

1. State the thesis statement

You can start your research with the main idea of your writing. Since this information encompasses essential points of your study, it's a good strategy to present it in the opening part of your research. By choosing this approach, you promise the reader to develop this basic throughout your paper.

2. Introduce a quote you like

Choose a saying from a good book you like that is relevant to your topic. This will take away the barrier between you and your readers, since they will understand at once that your work promises to be thought-provoking. As a result, they will eagerly read it.

3. Provide stats and numbers

Using figures will make your paper solid and reasonable. By supplying your audience with numbers, you will prove you are a skillful researcher who has completed a deep study to explore a topic.

4. Begin with an unknown fact

Look for information that will be interesting to your readers and may sound sensational. Presenting such data will definitely stir keen interest.

5. Tell about a famous personality

People like stories about celebrities. This method works well when you disclose unfamiliar things about them. So, if you mention a famous person at the beginning of your work, this won't leave your readers indifferent. Yet, make sure the material you find has nothing to do with fake news or gossip.

6. Create a metaphor or a simile

Think about ways subjects you write about resemble other things or notions. Then, try to compare them. This stylistic device will make issues you analyze easy to understand. Again, this will motivate your readers to follow ideas you have presented in the study.

7. Add a bit of humor

Tell a joke or a funny story that has happened to a celebrity, to someone you know, or to you personally. This will make an introductory part of your writing not so formal. But mind the word choice and ensure your research paper has nothing to do with a scenario from a comedy show.

8. Highlight a contradiction

When you draw your readers' attention to a misconception, you make a hidden problem visible. For example, you can compare actual figures with those which people see in ads, magazines, or newspapers. Making the disagreement obvious, you will found a solid platform for further investigation.

9. Give advice

Give a polite recommendation at the beginning of your writing. Consequently, you will share relevant experience connected with the topic. By doing so, you will touch upon the practical side of the subject that will lead to a better understanding of it.

10. Set a scene

Use this method if you study topics involved with literature, poetry, or art. By creating a bright description of a definite place, you can make your paper lively. This will not only add colors to your investigation but will make the whole writing more human-like.

11. Show a dilemma

Select two options that are both equally important. For example, you can ask how your readers will act in a particular situation or what they will choose. Select any issue connected with human life, behavior, reactions, feelings, decisions, etc. Introducing such challenging ideas is a perfect way to evoke emotional feedback from your audience.

Give a professional team of academic writers a try and check yourself how well these tips work in practice. By using them, you will compose a great beginning to your research paper. We bet your readers won't take their eyes off your paper and will read it until the end. Yet, if you prefer using a professional research paper writing service, place your order online. They will quickly engage in a profound study of any topic. A group of efficient writers will satisfy your academic expectations within 24 hours.

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