Hooking the Reader

Ask a Question

Tell a Short
Anecdote
Quote a
Famous
Person
Correct a false
assumption
Give facts
or statistics
State a Bold
or Controversial
Opinion
Hook Your Reader!


The introduction of your essay grabs
your reader's attention.
In other words, it hooks the reader.
A strong hook is kind of like a movie trailer: it
gives readers the highlights of your paper.
A strong introduction provides an overview of
the content of your essay, so readers know what
to expect.


THE RULE OF 3


Your introduction should have at least 3 concise and clear
sentences.

You should accomplish 3 things with your introduction:

Get the readers attention
Present your topic and purpose
Connect with your audience
What would you
do for $500,000?
No, you will not
have to do
anything illegal.
So, would
you like to
know how
to get it?


Studies show that people who graduate from
high school will earn at least $500,000 more in
their lifetime than people who do not.

Staying in school will determine whether or
not you get $500,000.
This is an example of two ways
to hook your reader in the
introduction: asking a question
and providing facts.

Not all questions are effective.
AVOID meaningless questions that dont ask
the reader to think critically.
Examples of Meaningless Questions
Do you hate school uniforms? I do.
Do you have a favorite season? Well, I do.
Have you ever wondered why people love
sports? Well, Ill tell you.
Lets take a closer
look at some more examples of
strong introductions.

Acne, baldness, sterility, and
kidney damage. All of these
unappealing attributes are side
effects of using steroids, yet people
continue to use them. Are steroid
users ignorant about the potential
harm steroids can cause to their
bodies? Or do they know the risks
and use steroids anyway?
You can also present the
facts first,
and end with the questions
Whatever you do, make sure that if
you ask a question in your
introduction, you answer it in the
essay.
Another technique that writers use
to hook the reader is to share a brief
anecdote.


I walked into the cold, white room on
April 23, 1992. The beeping of the
machines echoed in my head, and I
knew that noise would haunt me for the
rest of my life. I kept walking, and
joined my family who stood beside the
bed. I hung my head in grief and felt
the tears start to flow.

I bent over the bed, and gently
whispered, Good-bye, Grandma. I
love you. A few minutes later, the
nurse flipped a switch, and the
machines made an even more painful
sound than the noisy beeping. This
time, it was the sound of silence.
I had just witnessed euthanasia, a
decision many families make when the
choice is death or suffering.
Another effective
technique is using
a quote.

WHAT PHRASE
IS THIS GREAT
CIVIL RIGHTS
LEADER MOST
FAMOUS FOR?
I Have a Dream
Open with a quotation that relates to
your topic.
Be sure to put quotation marks around
it the quote.
Attribute the quote (tell who said it).
Example

President John F. Kennedy once said, Ask not what
your country can do for you, ask what you can do for
your country. Too many Americans have forgotten
Kennedy's message. We expect our country to take
care of us, but we are not taking care of our country.
We can change this by requiring high school students
to spent time volunteering in their communities.


What well-known quotes,
catchy phrases, and idioms
(common expression) could you
use in your introductions?
Correct a False Assumption
Many people believebut actually
Even though many people assume
doctors actually recommend
Its tempting to believebut that isnt
the whole story.





Example:
Many people believe teenagers are impulsive
because they are immature. However, the
truth is that adolescent brains are more
impulsive than the brains of adults or
children. When a teenager makes a risky
decision, it isnt because the teen wants to
cause trouble. Its because his or her brain is
hardwired to make snap decisions. Yelling,
threatening, and punishing wont change how
teens react, but over time their brains will
mature and the impulsivity will decrease.
Lets Review:
Ask a question
Provide facts or statistics
Share a brief anecdote
Open with a quotation
Correct a false assumption
Give a shocking or
controversial opinion.
Make a Bold Statement




You can hook your reader by sharing a
shocking or controversial opinion.
Just be sure that you support your bold
opinion in the paper!
MAKE A BOLD STATEMENT
Making a bold or
strong statement gets
the readers attention.

It also establishes
you as someone who
has clear ideas.
Remember, a claim is a position that can be challenged.
Making a bold statement is one way of making a claim.

Example:
Its time we faced the facts: they have been gassed,
poisoned, starved, and sterilized. Yet, they still thrive
today in vast numbers and are multiplying at alarming
rates. If we do not fight back, they could take over the
world! I deeply regret to inform you that the Orkin
man has not accomplished his mission. We must wipe
out these disgusting creatures. Im talking, of course,
about cockroaches.
More examples
Students shouldnt just be allowed
to have cell phones at school; they
should be required to have cell
phones.
The drinking age should be
lowered to sixteen.
Sex education should be
mandatory for all students,
beginning in second grade.
One final tip
Do NOT use the following phrases:
In this essay
I am going to tell you about
I will write about