How to hook your reader?

Harpoons vs. Hooks

Hooks

Hey! Look at me!

Harpoons

Look at this!

Read on!

In this important essay...

This paper is about...

Possible Hooks

Start with a simile or metaphor

Searching for freedom is like looking for an oasis in the desert, it is a difficult journey, but the end result is rewarding and refreshing.

Possible Hooks

Begin with a definition

According to websters.com, freedom is "the absence of necessity, coercion, or constraint in choice or action."

Possible Hooks

Begin with a quotation

In a 1925 address at Faneuil Hall, in Boston, Massachusetts, Charles Evans Hughes said, "When we lose the right to be different, we lose the privilege to be free."

Possible Hooks

Begin with an interesting fact

Today, in the United States, people of all types are still fighting to be free. Many are fighting for free speech, access to resources, and even the right to marry.

Possible Introduction

In a 1925 address at Faneuil Hall, in Boston, Massachusetts, Charles Evans Hughes said, "When we lose the right to be different, we lose the privilege to be free." As seen in nature and in the movie Antz, freedom is not just about doing whatever you want, it is about making choices that support you and those around you.

Possible Introduction

According to websters.com, freedom is "the absence of necessity, coercion, or constraint in choice or action." As seen in nature and in the movie Antz, freedom is not just about doing whatever you want, it is about making choices that support you and those around you.

Possible Introduction...

Today, in the United States, people of all types are still fighting to be free. Many are fighting for free speech, access to resources, and even the right to marry. As seen in nature and in the movie Antz, freedom is not just about doing whatever you want, it is about making choices that support you and those around you.

Topic Sentence 1

TS 1: Freedom is not just about doing whatever you want, it is about making choices that support you and those around you.

Topic Sentence 2

TS 2: Many examples in nature demonstrate that freedom is not just about doing whatever you want, it is about making choices that support you and those around you.

Topic Sentence 3

TS 3: The movie Antz demonstrates that freedom is not just about doing whatever you want, it is about making choices that support you and those around you.

For the Math-Minded...

Thesis: As seen in nature and in the movie Antz, freedom is not just about doing whatever you want, it is about making choices that support you and those around you.

Thesis: Freedom is about X, Y, and Z.TS 1: Freedom is about X.TS 2: Freedom is about Y.TS 3: Freedom is about Z.

Conclusions

Summary and Catch

Summary: Restate your thesisCatch: Make it memorable (relate to your hook)

The Catch: Pulling out the hook

Pulling the hook out...● As seen earlier...● As I said earlier...● As you can see...● To conclude..● To summarize...● This essay shows that...

Reel Them In: If your hook is...Hook: Searching for freedom is like looking for an oasis in the desert, it is a difficult journey, but the end result is rewarding and refreshing.

You catch could be...

Catch: Like finding an oasis in the desert, everyone and everything is searching for freedom. Once found, it is fulfilling, invigorating, and allows for greater opportunities to expand and explore.

Possible Conclusion

As seen in nature and in the movie Antz, freedom is not just about doing whatever you want, it is about making choices that support you and those around you. Like finding an oasis in the desert, everyone and everything is searching for freedom. Once found, it is fulfilling, invigorating, and allows for greater opportunities to expand and explore.

Reel Them In: If your hook is...

Hook: In a 1925 address at Faneuil Hall, in Boston, Massachusetts, Charles Evans Hughes said, "When we lose the right to be different, we lose the privilege to be free."

Your catch could be...

Catch: Freedom can be elusive, but because all people, all things in nature, and even all ants are unique, we are all truly free.

Possible Conclusion

As seen in nature and in the movie Antz, freedom is not just about doing whatever you want, it is about making choices that support you and those around you. Freedom can be elusive, but because all people, all things in nature, and even all ants are unique, we are all truly free.