should an argumentative essay have a hook

10 Good Hooks for Argumentative Essays to Captivate Your Readers

Crafting a compelling hook for an argumentative essay can make all the difference between capturing your reader’s attention or losing them within the first few sentences. A good hook not only grabs attention but also sets the stage for a persuasive argument, drawing readers in with curiosity and intrigue.

Whether it’s a provocative question, a startling statistic, or a powerful quote, the right hook can engage readers and make them eager to dive into the essay’s core arguments. Understanding the various types of hooks and how to use them effectively can elevate any argumentative essay from mundane to memorable.

Understanding Hooks in Argumentative Essays

Hooks are essential for capturing the reader’s interest at the beginning of an essay.

What Is a Hook?

A hook is a sentence or a few sentences at the start of an essay that grabs the reader’s attention. It sets the tone for the essay, encouraging readers to continue reading. Different types of hooks exist, including provocative questions, startling statistics, and powerful quotes.

Why Are Hooks Crucial in Argumentative Essays?

Hooks play a vital role in argumentative essays. They engage readers from the start, making them more likely to invest time in the essay. A strong hook fosters curiosity, setting the stage for the argument. If the hook is compelling, readers are more likely to be persuaded by the subsequent arguments. Without an effective hook, even well-constructed arguments may lack impact.

Types of Good Hooks for Argumentative Essays

Start With a Quote

Quotes from influential figures can add credibility to an argumentative essay. A well-chosen quote aligns with the essay’s thesis and engages readers. For instance, “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself,” by Franklin D. Roosevelt, immediately prompts reflection and sets a serious tone.

Pose a Provocative Question

Questions provoke thought and invite readers to explore the essay further. A good provocative question aligns with the essay’s topic and challenges the reader’s perspective. An example: “What if everything you believed about climate change was a lie?” This kind of question entices readers to seek answers.

Use a Startling Statistic

Statistics lend authority and immediacy to an argument. A shocking number grabs attention and reinforces the essay’s stance. For example: “Every year, around 8 million tons of plastic waste end up in the oceans.” This statistic highlights the scale of an issue, compelling readers to continue.

Set the Scene

Setting a scene immerses readers in the essay’s context. Descriptive language helps readers visualize and connect emotionally with the essay’s subject. For instance: “Imagine walking through a city where the air is so thick with pollution that the sky is perpetually gray.” This vivid imagery sets up a discussion on environmental policies.

Deploy Personal Anecdotes

Personal stories create a human connection, making the essay relatable. Anecdotes from the writer or others personalize the argument and draw readers in. An example: “Growing up in a small town, I saw firsthand the effects of factory closures on the community.” This approach adds a compelling personal touch to the essay.

Crafting an Effective Hook

Know Your Audience

Understanding the audience is crucial for crafting effective hooks in argumentative essays. Writers should consider the readers’ interests, values, and prior knowledge of the topic. For instance, a hook that appeals to a young audience might differ from one targeting professionals or academics. Tailoring the hook to the audience ensures it resonates and captures attention.

Keep It Relevant to Your Thesis

An effective hook should align with the essay’s thesis to maintain coherence. Irrelevant hooks can confuse readers and dilute the essay’s impact. For example, if the thesis addresses climate change, a relevant statistic or fact about environmental degradation can serve as a compelling hook. Maintaining relevance strengthens the essay’s argument from the start.

Make It Engaging and Thought-Provoking

An engaging hook stimulates readers’ curiosity and encourages them to continue reading. Thought-provoking hooks challenge readers’ perspectives or present surprising information. For example, posing a controversial question or revealing a lesser-known fact can intrigue readers. Engaging and thought-provoking hooks enhance the essay’s persuasive power by drawing readers into the argument.

Examples of Effective Hooks in Action

Analyzing hooks in famous essays.

Famous essays often start with compelling hooks that capture the reader’s interest instantly. For instance, Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail” opens with a powerful statement: “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” This bold declaration addresses a universal concern, engaging readers from diverse backgrounds and compelling them to read further. King’s choice utilizes emotional appeal, setting the stage for a persuasive argument on civil rights.

In George Orwell’s “Politics and the English Language,” Orwell starts with a provocative question: “Most people who bother with the matter at all would admit that the English language is in a bad way, but is it beyond saving?” This hook piques curiosity by presenting a familiar issue and questioning its resolution, motivating readers to explore Orwell’s insights further.

Case Studies: Hooks That Captured Attention

Analyzing specific case studies reveals how effective hooks can significantly impact an essay’s success. In a study on climate change, an essay opens with the startling statistic: “According to NASA, 2020 tied with 2016 as the warmest year on record.” By introducing a credible source and a shocking fact, this hook draws readers’ attention to the urgency of the issue, prompting them to engage with the argument.

Another example involves an essay on cyber security, which starts with an anecdote: “In 2017, the WannaCry ransomware attack affected over 200,000 computers across 150 countries, causing billions in damages.” This hook combines a real-life event with dramatic numbers, creating an evocative entry point that emphasizes the topic’s relevance and seriousness.

Lastly, a piece on social media’s effects might use a quote as a hook: “As Mark Zuckerberg once stated, ‘The question isn’t, what do we want to know about people? It’s, what do people want to tell about themselves?’” This quote from a prominent figure in the industry engages readers by spotlighting the inherent complexities and ironies of social media use, encouraging them to delve deeper into the essay’s discussion.

Together, these examples illustrate how well-crafted hooks in argumentative essays can effectively capture readers’ attention and set the stage for compelling arguments.

Crafting a compelling hook is a crucial step in writing an effective argumentative essay. It serves as the gateway to capturing the reader’s interest and setting the stage for a persuasive argument. By employing strategies such as powerful statements, provocative questions, and startling statistics, writers can significantly enhance their essays’ impact. The examples from renowned essays and case studies underscore the importance of a well-crafted hook. Ultimately, mastering the art of creating engaging hooks can transform an argumentative essay into a memorable and convincing piece of writing.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a hook in an argumentative essay.

A hook in an argumentative essay is a sentence or two designed to grab the reader’s attention and make them want to read more. It sets the tone and engages the reader right from the start.

Why are hooks important in argumentative essays?

Hooks are important because they catch the reader’s interest, making them more likely to stay engaged with the essay. A strong hook can effectively set up the argument and make a lasting impression.

What are some types of hooks used in argumentative essays?

Some types of hooks include quotes, startling statistics, anecdotal hooks, thought-provoking questions, and bold statements. Each type serves to captivate the reader in different ways.

Can you give an example of an effective hook in a famous essay?

An example of an effective hook is Martin Luther King Jr.’s opening statement in his “I Have a Dream” speech: “I am happy to join with you today in what will go down in history as the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our nation.”

How can a hook improve the impact of an argumentative essay?

A hook can significantly improve the impact of an essay by immediately engaging the reader, setting the stage for the argument, and making the content more memorable and persuasive.

What is a case study that demonstrates the effectiveness of hooks in essays?

A case study might involve using a startling statistic about global warming in the introduction of an essay to draw immediate attention and highlight the urgency of the issue, compelling the reader to continue.

What strategies can be used to craft a strong hook?

To craft a strong hook, consider starting with a surprising fact, a powerful quote, a brief anecdote, or a provocative question. Tailor the hook to your audience and the main argument of your essay for maximum effect.

How do quotes function as hooks in argumentative essays?

Quotes function as hooks by lending authority and credibility to your essay. They can provide a powerful, concise insight or perspective that aligns with your argument, making the reader more invested in what follows.

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• How to write an argumentative essay | Examples & tips

How to Write an Argumentative Essay | Examples & Tips

Published on July 24, 2020 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on July 23, 2023.

An argumentative essay expresses an extended argument for a particular thesis statement . The author takes a clearly defined stance on their subject and builds up an evidence-based case for it.

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Table of contents

When do you write an argumentative essay, approaches to argumentative essays, introducing your argument, the body: developing your argument, concluding your argument, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about argumentative essays.

You might be assigned an argumentative essay as a writing exercise in high school or in a composition class. The prompt will often ask you to argue for one of two positions, and may include terms like “argue” or “argument.” It will frequently take the form of a question.

The prompt may also be more open-ended in terms of the possible arguments you could make.

Argumentative writing at college level

At university, the vast majority of essays or papers you write will involve some form of argumentation. For example, both rhetorical analysis and literary analysis essays involve making arguments about texts.

In this context, you won’t necessarily be told to write an argumentative essay—but making an evidence-based argument is an essential goal of most academic writing, and this should be your default approach unless you’re told otherwise.

Examples of argumentative essay prompts

At a university level, all the prompts below imply an argumentative essay as the appropriate response.

Your research should lead you to develop a specific position on the topic. The essay then argues for that position and aims to convince the reader by presenting your evidence, evaluation and analysis.

• Don’t just list all the effects you can think of.
• Do develop a focused argument about the overall effect and why it matters, backed up by evidence from sources.
• Don’t just provide a selection of data on the measures’ effectiveness.
• Do build up your own argument about which kinds of measures have been most or least effective, and why.
• Don’t just analyze a random selection of doppelgänger characters.
• Do form an argument about specific texts, comparing and contrasting how they express their thematic concerns through doppelgänger characters.

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An argumentative essay should be objective in its approach; your arguments should rely on logic and evidence, not on exaggeration or appeals to emotion.

There are many possible approaches to argumentative essays, but there are two common models that can help you start outlining your arguments: The Toulmin model and the Rogerian model.

Toulmin arguments

The Toulmin model consists of four steps, which may be repeated as many times as necessary for the argument:

• Make a claim
• Provide the grounds (evidence) for the claim
• Explain the warrant (how the grounds support the claim)
• Discuss possible rebuttals to the claim, identifying the limits of the argument and showing that you have considered alternative perspectives

The Toulmin model is a common approach in academic essays. You don’t have to use these specific terms (grounds, warrants, rebuttals), but establishing a clear connection between your claims and the evidence supporting them is crucial in an argumentative essay.

Say you’re making an argument about the effectiveness of workplace anti-discrimination measures. You might:

• Claim that unconscious bias training does not have the desired results, and resources would be better spent on other approaches
• Cite data to support your claim
• Explain how the data indicates that the method is ineffective
• Anticipate objections to your claim based on other data, indicating whether these objections are valid, and if not, why not.

Rogerian arguments

The Rogerian model also consists of four steps you might repeat throughout your essay:

• Discuss what the opposing position gets right and why people might hold this position
• Highlight the problems with this position
• Present your own position , showing how it addresses these problems
• Suggest a possible compromise —what elements of your position would proponents of the opposing position benefit from adopting?

This model builds up a clear picture of both sides of an argument and seeks a compromise. It is particularly useful when people tend to disagree strongly on the issue discussed, allowing you to approach opposing arguments in good faith.

Say you want to argue that the internet has had a positive impact on education. You might:

• Acknowledge that students rely too much on websites like Wikipedia
• Argue that teachers view Wikipedia as more unreliable than it really is
• Suggest that Wikipedia’s system of citations can actually teach students about referencing
• Suggest critical engagement with Wikipedia as a possible assignment for teachers who are skeptical of its usefulness.

You don’t necessarily have to pick one of these models—you may even use elements of both in different parts of your essay—but it’s worth considering them if you struggle to structure your arguments.

Regardless of which approach you take, your essay should always be structured using an introduction , a body , and a conclusion .

Like other academic essays, an argumentative essay begins with an introduction . The introduction serves to capture the reader’s interest, provide background information, present your thesis statement , and (in longer essays) to summarize the structure of the body.

Hover over different parts of the example below to see how a typical introduction works.

The spread of the internet has had a world-changing effect, not least on the world of education. The use of the internet in academic contexts is on the rise, and its role in learning is hotly debated. For many teachers who did not grow up with this technology, its effects seem alarming and potentially harmful. This concern, while understandable, is misguided. The negatives of internet use are outweighed by its critical benefits for students and educators—as a uniquely comprehensive and accessible information source; a means of exposure to and engagement with different perspectives; and a highly flexible learning environment.

The body of an argumentative essay is where you develop your arguments in detail. Here you’ll present evidence, analysis, and reasoning to convince the reader that your thesis statement is true.

In the standard five-paragraph format for short essays, the body takes up three of your five paragraphs. In longer essays, it will be more paragraphs, and might be divided into sections with headings.

Each paragraph covers its own topic, introduced with a topic sentence . Each of these topics must contribute to your overall argument; don’t include irrelevant information.

This example paragraph takes a Rogerian approach: It first acknowledges the merits of the opposing position and then highlights problems with that position.

Hover over different parts of the example to see how a body paragraph is constructed.

A common frustration for teachers is students’ use of Wikipedia as a source in their writing. Its prevalence among students is not exaggerated; a survey found that the vast majority of the students surveyed used Wikipedia (Head & Eisenberg, 2010). An article in The Guardian stresses a common objection to its use: “a reliance on Wikipedia can discourage students from engaging with genuine academic writing” (Coomer, 2013). Teachers are clearly not mistaken in viewing Wikipedia usage as ubiquitous among their students; but the claim that it discourages engagement with academic sources requires further investigation. This point is treated as self-evident by many teachers, but Wikipedia itself explicitly encourages students to look into other sources. Its articles often provide references to academic publications and include warning notes where citations are missing; the site’s own guidelines for research make clear that it should be used as a starting point, emphasizing that users should always “read the references and check whether they really do support what the article says” (“Wikipedia:Researching with Wikipedia,” 2020). Indeed, for many students, Wikipedia is their first encounter with the concepts of citation and referencing. The use of Wikipedia therefore has a positive side that merits deeper consideration than it often receives.

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An argumentative essay ends with a conclusion that summarizes and reflects on the arguments made in the body.

No new arguments or evidence appear here, but in longer essays you may discuss the strengths and weaknesses of your argument and suggest topics for future research. In all conclusions, you should stress the relevance and importance of your argument.

Hover over the following example to see the typical elements of a conclusion.

The internet has had a major positive impact on the world of education; occasional pitfalls aside, its value is evident in numerous applications. The future of teaching lies in the possibilities the internet opens up for communication, research, and interactivity. As the popularity of distance learning shows, students value the flexibility and accessibility offered by digital education, and educators should fully embrace these advantages. The internet’s dangers, real and imaginary, have been documented exhaustively by skeptics, but the internet is here to stay; it is time to focus seriously on its potential for good.

If you want to know more about AI tools , college essays , or fallacies make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

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An argumentative essay tends to be a longer essay involving independent research, and aims to make an original argument about a topic. Its thesis statement makes a contentious claim that must be supported in an objective, evidence-based way.

An expository essay also aims to be objective, but it doesn’t have to make an original argument. Rather, it aims to explain something (e.g., a process or idea) in a clear, concise way. Expository essays are often shorter assignments and rely less on research.

At college level, you must properly cite your sources in all essays , research papers , and other academic texts (except exams and in-class exercises).

Add a citation whenever you quote , paraphrase , or summarize information or ideas from a source. You should also give full source details in a bibliography or reference list at the end of your text.

The exact format of your citations depends on which citation style you are instructed to use. The most common styles are APA , MLA , and Chicago .

The majority of the essays written at university are some sort of argumentative essay . Unless otherwise specified, you can assume that the goal of any essay you’re asked to write is argumentative: To convince the reader of your position using evidence and reasoning.

In composition classes you might be given assignments that specifically test your ability to write an argumentative essay. Look out for prompts including instructions like “argue,” “assess,” or “discuss” to see if this is the goal.

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How to Write Great Essay Hooks (Tips + Examples)

Table of contents

Yona Schnitzer

Blank screen. Cursor blinks. Clock ticks. Brain freezes.

You stressfully wonder, “How will I ever finish this essay?”

I’ve been there. 

Every time you write an essay, you want to catch your readers’ undivided attention from the very first word. The opening hook has to be *perfect* — no compromises. 

But, instead of reeling under pressure to come up with this elusively perfect essay hook at the eleventh hour, I’ve found a better way to write great essay hooks. 

In this guide, I’ll tell you what it takes to write the most compelling and attention-grabbing hooks. I’ll also break down six awesome types of essay hooks you can experiment with and share examples to inspire your next opening statement.

What is an Essay Hook?

An essay hook is the opening statement of an essay, written to capture readers' attention and nudge them to learn more about the topic. Also known as a lede or lead, this hook introduces readers to the topic/theme of the essay and piques their curiosity to continue reading. 

The hook creates the entire narrative for your essay. It tells readers what to expect from the rest of the essay and creates context around your main argument or thesis statement. 

6 Types of Essay Hooks You Can Experiment With

I’ve created this handy list of six different types of essay hooks. You can choose the one that best fits your essay’s context and create a stellar opening statement within minutes. 

1. Compelling fact or statistic

Lead with evidence and use a powerful fact or statistic as your essay hook. It’s one of the best ways to capture readers’ attention from the start and keep them intrigued throughout your essay. 

For example, if you’re writing about the importance of time management for freelancers, you have two options to create your opening sentence:

Generic : “Managing time as a freelancer is no easy feat.”

Impactful : “Nearly 70% of freelancers struggle to effectively divide and manage their time between multiple clients.” 

This data point, linked to the original research, sets a strong tone for your essay and draws people in to read more. It communicates  

Find a shocking statistic with AI

Finding relevant statistics for any topic is one of the hardest parts of the job. 

But you don't have to spend hours looking for these data points anymore. Wordtune can do this heavy lifting for you in three easy steps.

• Open the Wordtune editor and add your essay title. 
• Type in any content you've written, click on 'Add spice,' and select the 'Expand on' option.
• Write 'statistics,' and Wordtune will add relevant data points to your content.

2. Bold claim hook

When working on an argumentative essay , I always write with the mindset that nobody has the time to read my thoughts from start to finish. So, I have to get to the point quickly and make a solid argument worth people’s time. 

That's when opening with a bold claim works best. Condense all your views on the topic into a few thought-provoking lines that would make readers go, hmmm…

But remember, you can't open with a claim that people already know and accept as fact. It has to be something original and unique to make your readers tick, nudging them to dive deeper into your essay. 

For example, if you’re writing about water crisis, you have two options to open your essay: 

‍ "In some regions, there is not enough clean water for people to use."

‍ "Imagine a world where every drop of water is a battle, a precious commodity fought over by scores of people and animals alike. This can become a reality as early as 2050."

This bold claim presents a convincing argument about the global water crisis. It also emphasizes the urgency of this argument with a research-backed statistic.

Create a bold claim suggestion using AI

Can’t think of a strong opening sentence for your essay? Wordtune can translate your thoughts into a bold claim and create a compelling essay hook. 

Open your Wordtune editor and write a few lines related to your topic. These sentences should have a consensus among your audience. Then, choose the 'Counterargument' option from the list of suggestions. 

And you’ll have a bold claim for your essay with no effort at all!

3. Story/Anecdote hook

In all my years of writing, I’ve noticed how stories have a unique effect on people. A good story can resonate with a bigger audience, pique their curiosity, and deliver a more personal message. 

That's why you can cite a personal anecdote or talk about a publicly known story as a good hook for your essay. This hook allows you to play with words and work in more storytelling . 

One of my favorite writing tips applies here: enter the scene as late as possible and leave as early as possible. You have to keep it crisp instead of rambling on and on. 

Consider these two examples:

Either of these hooks could work fine if we were just writing a personal essay about a move to a new place. But if we’re specifically writing about the sky, the second example is better. It sticks to the point — the sky and the color of the sky — and doesn’t stray into irrelevant details. 

Create a compelling story with AI

I get it—not all of us are natural storytellers. But you can use AI to your advantage to create a concise and exciting story for your essay.  

Wordtune can help you write a short story from scratch or trim down your writing into a quick anecdote. Click on the expand or shorten button to edit your story any way you like. 

4. Question Hook

Humans have a tendency to immediately look for answers every time they come across fascinating questions. Using questions as essay hooks can reel people into your essay and feed their curiosity.

But questions are also fairly overused in essays. You don't want to use a generic question that makes people say, " Not another question ." 

Instead, think of questions that approach your topic from a fresh angle. This means honing in on what was especially interesting or surprising from your research—and maybe even brainstorming different questions to find the most fascinating one.

For example, if you’re writing about the psychology behind why we buy, you have two options to open your essay:

‍ “Do you know what factors compel us to buy certain things?”

Plugged in :

“Before buying anything, have you ever taken a moment to pause and think about possible reasons driving you to this purchase?”

The latter is more descriptive and creates a realistic scenario for readers to truly think about the topic of the essay.

5. Description hook

A descriptive hook works best when writing an explanatory or opinion-led essay. Descriptive hooks, as the name suggests, illustrate a topic in detail to create context for the essay. It's a good way to build awareness for and educate readers on lesser-known themes.

But a descriptive hook can easily become too plain or unexciting to read. To make it work, you have to write an engaging description using imagery, analogies, and other figures of speech. 

Remember to make your hook reader-friendly by avoiding passive voice, mainstream cliches, and lengthy sentences.

Consider this example:

Describing a sunset is too cliche, so cross that one off the list. Describing the sky as it is on a normal day wouldn't be shocking or unexpected, so scratch that one, too.

This example creates something unique by using analogies to describe the color of the sky and painting a beautiful picture. 

Write a gripping description with AI

Writing an exciting hook for a boring topic is more challenging than it looks. But Wordtune makes it a breeze with just two steps:

• Open the Wordtune editor and write your essay topic.
• Click on Explain or Emphasize and let it work its magic.

You can also change the tone of voice to make the text more in tune with your theme. 

6. Metaphor hook

One of my favorite essay hooks is to open with a persuasive metaphor to contextualize the topic. Metaphors can help you approach the topic from a completely different lens and wow your readers with interesting insight. 

Metaphors are also super versatile to make your writing more impactful. You can write a one-line metaphor or create a scenario comparing one thing to another and linking it to your topic. 

For example, if you’re writing about the experience of working at a startup, you can open your essay with these two options:

Short & sweet: "Joining a startup is like strapping into a rollercoaster: be ready to witness thrilling highs and sinking drops."

Long & descriptive : “Picture a small sailboat navigating the unpredictable winds and tides in a vast ocean. That’s a startup operating in a massive market. And with the right vision, this journey is filled with risks and rewards.” 

Create a convincing metaphor with AI

Writing good metaphors takes up a lot of creative brain power. You can always use Wordtune to find some extra inspiration if you're out of creative ideas. 

Type your opening line in the Wordtune editor and click on the 'Give an analogy' option. You can ask for as many suggestions as you want till you find the best one! 

What to Know About Your Essay (and Topic) Before You Write the Hook

Whether you’re writing a research paper on economics, an argumentative essay for your college composition class, or a personal essay sharing your thoughts on a topic, you need to nail down a few things before you settle on the first line for your essay.

‍ Let me break them down for you. 

1. Gain in-depth knowledge of your topic

Before you start writing your essay, you need to know your topic — not just in name, but in-depth. You don't have to become a subject matter expert overnight. But you do need to research the topic inside out 

Your research will help you:

• Narrow your focus
• Build an argument
• Shape the narrative

Your research insights determine your essay’s structure and guide your choice of hook. 

After organizing your research in a neat outline, think to yourself: ‍Did you uncover a shocking fact? A compelling anecdote? An interesting quote? Any of those things could be your hook.

⚡ ‍ Take action:  After finishing your research, review your notes and think through your essay. Mark or make a list of anything compelling enough to be a good lead.

2. Type of essay

In academic settings, there are generally three kinds of essays:

• Argumentative: Making the case for a certain stance or route of action.
• Expository: Explaining the who, what, when, where, why, and how of some phenomenon.
• Narrative: Telling a true story as a way to explore different ideas.

‍ The type of essay you’re writing is key to choosing the best hook for your piece. 

A serious argumentative essay can start with a shocking statistic or a bold claim. And an expository essay can open with a descriptive hook while a metaphor hook would work best for a narrative essay.

⚡ ‍ Take action: Go through your list of potential hooks and cross out anything that doesn't fit the type of essay you're writing, whether it's persuasive , argumentative, or any other type.

3. Audience and tone

A best practice I often share with writers is to think of one reader and keep yourself in their shoes . This exercise can tell you so much about your audience — what kind of tone they like, what matters the most to them, what topics interest them, and so on. 

You can use these insights to create a compelling essay hook. Here’s how:

• For an argumentative essay, you’re trying to convince someone who doesn’t agree with you that what you’re claiming is right or, at least, reasonable. You don’t want to turn them off with snarky or offensive language — but you do want to be authoritative. Your hook should match that tone and support your effort.
• A narrative essay is likely to welcome more lyrical language, so starting with a colorful description or an anecdote might make more sense than, say, a bold claim or surprising fact. Whatever tone you choose for your narrative essay — comical or gentle or bold — should be used for your hook.
• ‍ Expository essays can use all sorts of tones and be written to a variety of audiences, so think carefully about the tone that best fits your subject matter. An essay explaining how the human body shuts down when overdosed will likely require a different tone than one on the lives of circus masters in the late 1800s. 

⚡ ‍ Take action: Look at your list. Can you write these potential hooks in a tone that suits your subject and audience?

4. Length of essay

Are you writing a 10-page paper or a three-page reflection? Or is this your senior thesis, pushing over 100 pages?

‍ If you’re writing a shorter paper, you’ll want to keep your hook quick and snappy.  

Readers are expecting a quick read, and they don’t want to spend five minutes only going through the introduction. 

In contrast, you can approach a longer essay — like a senior thesis or a term paper — with a longer hook. Just make sure your hook relates to and supports the core point of your essay. You don’t want to waste space describing a scene that ultimately has nothing to do with the rest of your piece.

⚡ ‍ Take action: If you write out the items on your list, how long will they be? A sentence or paragraph? Perfect. Two to five paragraphs? Unless your essay is on the longer side, you may want to save that information for later in the piece.

‍ Now that you know the basic facts about what you’re writing, let’s look at some approaches you could use to catch those readers — and reel them in.

3 Approaches to Avoid When Writing Hooks 

I’ve read hundreds of essays — enough to recognize lazy writing from the first few words. It’s equally easy for readers to discard your essays as ‘poorly written’ just by reading the first line. 

So, I made a list of three types of essay hooks you want to avoid at all costs because these hooks can only disappoint your readers. 

1. Quotations

Quotes are probably the most overused type of hook in any form of writing. What's even worse is rinsing and repeating the same old quotes from Abraham Lincoln or Nelson Mandela in your essays. 

No matter how powerful a quote sounds, you shouldn’t slap it at the opening of your essay. It doesn’t give readers the excitement of reading something original and looks lazy.

For example, if you’re writing an essay on productivity, here’s what a good and bad lede looks like:

“Amateurs sit and wait for inspiration, the rest of us just get up and go to work” – Stephen King

Did you know that consuming 100 gms of sugar can slash your productivity levels by over 50% in a day?  

2. Definitions

The New Oxford American Dictionary defines a hook as "a thing designed to catch people's attention." 

If I opened my article with this dictionary definition of a hook, you’d have either dozed off or left this page long back to find something more interesting. 

Here's the thing: definitions put people to sleep. Readers don't want to see a formal, jargon-heavy definition of a topic as the very first line of an essay. Your opening statement should have some personality in it to show readers they're in for an exciting read. 

For example, if you’re writing about happy hormones, here’s what a good and bad lede looks like:

Happy hormones are known to boost the happiness levels in your body by creating positive feelings.

Ever wondered why cat videos make you instantly happy, and ice creams give you an extra dose of energy? It's all about how happy hormones control our brain chemistry.

3. “Imagine this”

Opening your essay with "Imagine this" used to be an interesting way to put your readers in a scenario and set the context for your essay. But now, it's far too cliched and just another lazy attempt to write an essay hook. 

You can create a relatable scenario for users without asking them to imagine or picture it. Use the descriptive hook format with an interesting choice of words to convey the same ideas more creatively.

For example, if you’re writing an essay on preparing for higher studies abroad, here’s what a good and bad lede looks like:

Imagine this: You’ve been applying to multiple universities, writing SOPs, and preparing for exams without guidance. Everything can go south any minute. 

College application season is officially here. But with each passing day, you’re under more and more stress to apply to your chosen colleges and tick all the items off your list.

‍Our Go-To Trick for Writing Catchy Hooks

This opening statement can make or break your entire essay. While I’ve broken down my best tips to create the best essay hooks, here’s a surefire way to write compelling openings :

Go through your notes and either outline your essay or write the whole thing. This way, you’ll know the central thread (or throughline) that runs throughout your piece. 

Once your essay or outline is complete, go back through and identify a particularly compelling fact, claim, or example that relates to that central thread.

‍Write up that fact, claim, or example as the hook for your essay using any of the methods we’ve covered. Then revise or write your essay so the hook leads smoothly into the rest of the piece and you don’t repeat that information elsewhere.

Does your hook spark curiosity in you? 

Did that fact surprise you in the research stage? 

Chances are, your readers will have the same reaction.

And that’s exactly what you want.

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How To Write An Argumentative Essay

Table of Contents

Crafting a convincing argumentative essay can be challenging. You might feel lost about where to begin. But with a systematic approach and helpful tools that simplify sourcing and structuring, mastering good argumentative essay writing becomes achievable.

In this article, we'll explore what argumentative essays are, the critical steps to crafting a compelling argumentative essay, and best practices for essay organization.

What is an argumentative essay?

An argumentative essay asserts a clear position on a controversial or debatable topic and backs it up with evidence and reasoning. They are written to hone critical thinking, structure clear arguments, influence academic and public discourse, underpin reform proposals, and change popular narratives.

The fundamentals of a good argumentative essay

Let's explore the essential components that make argumentative essays compelling.

1 . The foundation: crafting a compelling claim for your argumentative essay

The claim is the cornerstone of your argumentative essay. It represents your main argument or thesis statement , setting the stage for the discussion.

A robust claim is straightforward, debatable, and focused, challenging readers to consider your viewpoint. It's not merely an observation but a stance you're prepared to defend with logic and evidence.

The strength of your essay hinges on the clarity and assertiveness of your claim, guiding readers through your argumentative journey.

2. The structure: Organizing your argument strategically

An effective argumentative essay should follow a logical structure to present your case persuasively. There are three models for structuring your argument essay:

• Classical: Introduce the topic, present the main argument, address counterarguments, and conclude . It is ideal for complex topics and prioritizes logical reasoning.
• Rogerian: Introduce the issue neutrally, acknowledge opposing views, find common ground, and seek compromise. It works well for audiences who dislike confrontational approaches.
• Toulmin: Introduce the issue, state the claim, provide evidence, explain the reasoning, address counterarguments, and reinforce the original claim. It confidently showcases an evidence-backed argument as superior.

Each model provides a framework for methodically supporting your position using evidence and logic. Your chosen structure depends on your argument's complexity, audience, and purpose.

3. The support: Leveraging evidence for your argumentative essay

The key is to select evidence that directly supports your claim, lending weight to your arguments and bolstering your position.

Effective use of evidence strengthens your argument and enhances your credibility, demonstrating thorough research and a deep understanding of the topic at hand.

4. The balance: Acknowledging counterarguments for the argumentative essay

A well-rounded argumentative essay acknowledges that there are two sides to every story. Introducing counterarguments and opposing viewpoints in an argument essay is a strategic move that showcases your awareness of alternative viewpoints.

This element of your argumentative essay demonstrates intellectual honesty and fairness, indicating that you have considered other perspectives before solidifying your position.

5. The counter: Mastering the art of rebuttal

A compelling rebuttal anticipates the counterclaims and methodically counters them, ensuring your position stands unchallenged. By engaging critically with counterarguments in this manner, your essay becomes more resilient and persuasive.

Ultimately, the strength of an argumentative essay is not in avoiding opposing views but in directly confronting them through reasoned debate and evidence-based.

How to write an argumentative essay

The workflow for crafting an effective argumentative essay involves several key steps:

Step 1 — Choosing a topic

Argumentative essay writing starts with selecting a topic with two or more main points so you can argue your position. Avoid topics that are too broad or have a clear right or wrong answer.

Use a semantic search engine to search for papers. Refine by subject area, publication date, citation count, institution, author, journal, and more to narrow down on promising topics. Explore citation interlinkages to ensure you pick a topic with sufficient academic discourse to allow crafting a compelling, evidence-based argument.

Seek an AI research assistant's help to assess a topic's potential and explore various angles quickly. They can generate both generic and custom questions tailored to each research paper. Additionally, look for tools that offer browser extensions . These allow you to interact with papers from sources like ArXiv, PubMed, and Wiley and evaluate potential topics from a broader range of academic databases and repositories.

Step 2 — Develop a thesis statement

Your thesis statement should clearly and concisely state your position on the topic identified. Ensure to develop a clear thesis statement which is a focused, assertive declaration that guides your discussion. Use strong, active language — avoid vague or passive statements.  Keep it narrowly focused enough to be adequately supported in your essay.

The SciSpace literature review tool can help you extract thesis statements from existing papers on your chosen topic. Create a custom column called 'thesis statement' to compare multiple perspectives in one place, allowing you to uncover various viewpoints and position your concise thesis statement appropriately.

Ask AI assistants questions or summarize key sections to clarify the positions taken in existing papers. This helps sharpen your thesis statement stance and identify gaps. Locate related papers in similar stances.

Step 3 — Researching and gathering evidence

The evidence you collect lends credibility and weight to your claims, convincing readers of your viewpoint. Effective evidence includes facts, statistics, expert opinions, and real-world examples reinforcing your thesis statement.

Use the SciSpace literature review tool to locate and evaluate high-quality studies. It quickly extracts vital insights, methodologies, findings, and conclusions from papers and presents them in a table format. Build custom tables with your uploaded PDFs or bookmarked papers. These tables can be saved for future reference or exported as CSV for further analysis or sharing.

AI-powered summarization tools can help you quickly grasp the core arguments and positions from lengthy papers. These can condense long sections or entire author viewpoints into concise summaries. Make PDF annotations to add custom notes and highlights to papers for easy reference. Data extraction tools can automatically pull key statistics from PDFs into spreadsheets for detailed quantitative analysis.

Step 4 — Build an outline

The argumentative model you choose will impact your outline's specific structure and progression. If you select the Classical model, your outline will follow a linear structure. On the other hand, if you opt for the Toulmin model, your outline will focus on meticulously mapping out the logical progression of your entire argument. Lastly, if you select the Rogerian model, your outline should explore the opposing viewpoint and seek a middle ground.

While the specific outline structure may vary, always begin the process by stating your central thesis or claim. Identify and organize your argument claims and main supporting points logically, adding 2-3 pieces of evidence under each point. Consider potential counterarguments to your position. Include 1-2 counterarguments for each main point and plan rebuttals to dismantle the opposition's reasoning. This balanced approach strengthens your overall argument.

As you outline, consider saving your notes, highlights, AI-generated summaries, and extracts in a digital notebook. Aggregating all your sources and ideas in one centralized location allows you to quickly refer to them as you draft your outline and essay.

To further enhance your workflow, you can use AI-powered writing or GPT tools to help generate an initial structure based on your crucial essay components, such as your thesis statement, main arguments, supporting evidence, counterarguments, and rebuttals.

Step 5 — Write your essay

Begin the introductory paragraph with a hook — a question, a startling statistic, or a bold statement to draw in your readers. Always logically structure your arguments with smooth transitions between ideas. Ensure the body paragraphs of argumentative essays focus on one central point backed by robust quantitative evidence from credible studies, properly cited.

Refer to the notes, highlights, and evidence you've gathered as you write. Organize these materials so that you can easily access and incorporate them into your draft while maintaining a logical flow. Literature review tables or spreadsheets can be beneficial for keeping track of crucial evidence from multiple sources.

Quote others in a way that blends seamlessly with the narrative flow. For numerical data, contextualize figures with practical examples. Try to pre-empt counterarguments and systematically dismantle them. Maintain an evidence-based, objective tone that avoids absolutism and emotional appeals. If you encounter overly complex sections during the writing process, use a paraphraser tool to rephrase and clarify the language. Finally, neatly tie together the rationale behind your position and directions for further discourse or research.

Step 6 — Edit, revise, and add references

Set the draft aside so that you review it with fresh eyes. Check for clarity, conciseness, logical flow, and grammar. Ensure the body reflects your thesis well. Fill gaps in reasoning. Check that every claim links back to credible evidence. Replace weak arguments. Finally, format your citations and bibliography using your preferred style.

To simplify editing, save the rough draft or entire essay as a PDF and upload it to an AI-based chat-with-PDF tool. Use it to identify gaps in reasoning, weaker arguments requiring ample evidence, structural issues hampering the clarity of ideas, and suggestions for strengthening your essay.

Use a citation tool to generate citations for sources instantly quoted and quickly compile your bibliography or works cited in RIS/BibTex formats. Export the updated literature review tables as handy CSV files to share with co-authors or reviewers in collaborative projects or attach them as supplementary data for journal submissions. You can also refer to this article that provides you with argumentative essay writing tips .

Final thoughts

Remember, the strength of your argumentative essay lies in the clarity of your strong argument, the robustness of supporting evidence, and the consideration with which you treat opposing viewpoints. Refining these core skills will make you a sharper, more convincing writer and communicator.

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How to Write an Argumentative Essay

4-minute read

• 30th April 2022

An argumentative essay is a structured, compelling piece of writing where an author clearly defines their stance on a specific topic. This is a very popular style of writing assigned to students at schools, colleges, and universities. Learn the steps to researching, structuring, and writing an effective argumentative essay below.

Requirements of an Argumentative Essay

To effectively achieve its purpose, an argumentative essay must contain:

●  A concise thesis statement that introduces readers to the central argument of the essay

●  A clear, logical, argument that engages readers

●  Ample research and evidence that supports your argument

Approaches to Use in Your Argumentative Essay

1.   classical.

●  Clearly present the central argument.

●  Outline your opinion.

●  Provide enough evidence to support your theory.

2.   Toulmin

●  State your claim.

●  Supply the evidence for your stance.

●  Explain how these findings support the argument.

●  Include and discuss any limitations of your belief.

3.   Rogerian

●  Explain the opposing stance of your argument.

●  Discuss the problems with adopting this viewpoint.

●  Offer your position on the matter.

●  Provide reasons for why yours is the more beneficial stance.

●  Include a potential compromise for the topic at hand.

Tips for Writing a Well-Written Argumentative Essay

●  Introduce your topic in a bold, direct, and engaging manner to captivate your readers and encourage them to keep reading.

●  Provide sufficient evidence to justify your argument and convince readers to adopt this point of view.

●  Consider, include, and fairly present all sides of the topic.

●  Structure your argument in a clear, logical manner that helps your readers to understand your thought process.

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●  Discuss any counterarguments that might be posed.

●  Use persuasive writing that’s appropriate for your target audience and motivates them to agree with you.

Steps to Write an Argumentative Essay

Follow these basic steps to write a powerful and meaningful argumentative essay :

Step 1: Choose a topic that you’re passionate about

If you’ve already been given a topic to write about, pick a stance that resonates deeply with you. This will shine through in your writing, make the research process easier, and positively influence the outcome of your argument.

Step 2: Conduct ample research to prove the validity of your argument

To write an emotive argumentative essay , finding enough research to support your theory is a must. You’ll need solid evidence to convince readers to agree with your take on the matter. You’ll also need to logically organize the research so that it naturally convinces readers of your viewpoint and leaves no room for questioning.

Step 3: Follow a simple, easy-to-follow structure and compile your essay

A good structure to ensure a well-written and effective argumentative essay includes:

Introduction

●  Introduce your topic.

●  Offer background information on the claim.

●  Discuss the evidence you’ll present to support your argument.

●  State your thesis statement, a one-to-two sentence summary of your claim.

●  This is the section where you’ll develop and expand on your argument.

●  It should be split into three or four coherent paragraphs, with each one presenting its own idea.

●  Start each paragraph with a topic sentence that indicates why readers should adopt your belief or stance.

●  Include your research, statistics, citations, and other supporting evidence.

●  Discuss opposing viewpoints and why they’re invalid.

●  This part typically consists of one paragraph.

●  Summarize your research and the findings that were presented.

●  Emphasize your initial thesis statement.

●  Persuade readers to agree with your stance.

We certainly hope that you feel inspired to use these tips when writing your next argumentative essay . And, if you’re currently elbow-deep in writing one, consider submitting a free sample to us once it’s completed. Our expert team of editors can help ensure that it’s concise, error-free, and effective!

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How to Write a Hook for An Argumentative Essay in 5 Minutes

by  Antony W

October 24, 2022

In this guide, you’ll learn how to write a hook for an argumentative essay without trying so hard.

At Help for Assessment, we understand that introducing an argument isn’t as easy. You might find yourself writing and rewriting the introduction more than you can count.

However, if you can write a solid hook for your argument, the rest of the essay will be easy to write even if you’re already running out of time.

Key Takeaways

Writing a strong hook for your essay doesn’t have to be difficult. You can:

• Grab a reader’s attention with a common misconception.
• Share a unique story your audience have never read anywhere else.
• Start the essay with a quote provided the quote within the context of your argument.
• Use statistics as a means to raise curiosity.
• Ask questions to grab reader’s attention and draw their interest in the topic.
• If everything else fails, buy an argumentative essay online from our team of creative custom writers.

What is a Hook in an Argumentative Essay?

In an argumentative essay, a hook is an opening statement that introduces the focus topic to the target audience. The hook can be one or two sentence long, and it serves the purpose of drawing in the attention of a target to read the next consecutive paragraphs.

To be abundantly clear:

A hook is not an introduction of the essay. It’s a part of the introduction, and it makes the starting point just immediately after the argumentative essay topic .

When it comes to writing a solid hook for an argument, the goal isn’t to present oneself as a formal writer to an audience.

Don’t hesitate to wear your creativity hat and write the hook in a way that piques your audience’s interest. That way, they’ll want to read the rest of the essay to learn more about your argument.

How to Write a Hook for an Argumentative Essay and Grab Readers’ Attention

Here are five ways to write a hook for an argumentative essay and grab your reader’s attention:

1. Use a Common Misconception

The purpose of a hook is to grab the attention of a reader instantly, and one of the best way to do that in an argumentative essay is to use a common misconception.

A common misconception is a statement, event, person, or something many people accept to be true but is actually false.

Starting the essay with such a misconception will startle and intrigue your reader, giving them the urge to read the rest of the essay because they want to know more about what you have to say. 

2. Share a Short Story

Can you tell a whole story in a sentence or two? If you can, don’t hesitate to use an anecdote to illustrate your points.

Stories mostly work well for narrative topics and descriptive essays . They can also fit well in your argumentative essay if you know how to incorporate them.

To be clear, you have a very small chance to impress your readers with your story. To impress your audience, make your story short, clear, and direct to the point.

In addition to being something that you can relate to, the story you share should be free from personal feelings. In other words, unless your instructor allows you to incorporate personal pronouns in your argument , your essay shouldn’t reflect personalization.

Also, you must ensure that the story you share relate to the essay’s main idea.

3. Start with a Quote

We never recommend starting an essay with a quote .

Quite too often, professors discourage the use of quotes in an essay for two reasons:

• A quote reflect another author’s thoughts and hiders the presentation of your ideas.
• Quotes can limit your ability to express yourself, hence crippling your creativity.

However, if the quote falls within the context of an argument, it could make a solid hook for your assignment.

For a quote to fit in your work, it must be relevant to the topic and agree with your argument’s thesis statement. Also, ensure the quote you use in your hook is neither general nor insanely overused.

4. Use Statistics

Statistics raise curiosity. They can hook readers to facts and information they didn’t even know existed, thus sparking their interest in reading the rest of the essay.

Academic writing requires clarity and authenticity.

With this respect, do some preliminary research to validate the statistics before including them in your essay. Also, you must include the source where you collected the data for reference.

5. Ask a Rhetorical Question 

Starting an argument with a question can grab a reader’s attention and draw their interest in a topic so much that they develop the urge to keep reading.

However, the case of questions is only viable if the question isn’t too general or already obvious.

Let’s say you’re writing about phones.

A question such as “are smartphones bad?” is vague and obvious. Everyone is familiar with the details. Such a question will do very little to capture anyone’s attention.

You must refrain from questions that require Yes or No answers and come up with interesting questions that engage your audience in critical thinking.

Rhetoric should be your secret weapon.

For example, “ should kids own smartphones before going to college?” is a question that, in addition to being argumentative, draws a reader’s attention from the get go. Also, such a question leaves room for debate. 

6. Get Essay Writing Help

Even if you can write a strong hook for an argumentative essay yourself, you still might find the assignment challenging to compete.

If that’s the case, you can contract our writers to help you write your argumentative essay for you.

If there’s one thing you should learn from this guide, it’s that writing a hook for an argumentative essay doesn’t have to be difficult.

We’ve shown you six ways to grab your audience’s attention. Pick an option that best suits you. Then utilize it to write a solid hook that can draw your readers’ attention on the spot.

If that’s the case, and you feel like you need a helping hand, our writers can help you write great argumentative essays in a short time. Simply click the button on the right and talk to us about your assignment.

About the author 

Antony W is a professional writer and coach at Help for Assessment. He spends countless hours every day researching and writing great content filled with expert advice on how to write engaging essays, research papers, and assignments.

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3 Key Tips for How to Write an Argumentative Essay

General Education

If there’s one writing skill you need to have in your toolkit for standardized tests, AP exams, and college-level writing, it’s the ability to make a persuasive argument. Effectively arguing for a position on a topic or issue isn’t just for the debate team— it’s for anyone who wants to ace the essay portion of an exam or make As in college courses.

To give you everything you need to know about how to write an argumentative essay , we’re going to answer the following questions for you:

• What is an argumentative essay?
• How should an argumentative essay be structured?
• How do I write a strong argument?
• What’s an example of a strong argumentative essay?
• What are the top takeaways for writing argumentative papers?

By the end of this article, you’ll be prepped and ready to write a great argumentative essay yourself!

Now, let’s break this down.

What Is an Argumentative Essay?

An argumentative essay is a type of writing that presents the writer’s position or stance on a specific topic and uses evidence to support that position. The goal of an argumentative essay is to convince your reader that your position is logical, ethical, and, ultimately, right . In argumentative essays, writers accomplish this by writing:

• A clear, persuasive thesis statement in the introduction paragraph
• Body paragraphs that use evidence and explanations to support the thesis statement
• A paragraph addressing opposing positions on the topic—when appropriate
• A conclusion that gives the audience something meaningful to think about.

Introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion: these are the main sections of an argumentative essay. Those probably sound familiar. Where does arguing come into all of this, though? It’s not like you’re having a shouting match with your little brother across the dinner table. You’re just writing words down on a page!

...or are you? Even though writing papers can feel like a lonely process, one of the most important things you can do to be successful in argumentative writing is to think about your argument as participating in a larger conversation . For one thing, you’re going to be responding to the ideas of others as you write your argument. And when you’re done writing, someone—a teacher, a professor, or exam scorer—is going to be reading and evaluating your argument.

If you want to make a strong argument on any topic, you have to get informed about what’s already been said on that topic . That includes researching the different views and positions, figuring out what evidence has been produced, and learning the history of the topic. That means—you guessed it!—argumentative essays almost always require you to incorporate outside sources into your writing.  

What Makes Argumentative Essays Unique?

Argumentative essays are different from other types of essays for one main reason: in an argumentative essay, you decide what the argument will be . Some types of essays, like summaries or syntheses, don’t want you to show your stance on the topic—they want you to remain unbiased and neutral.

In argumentative essays, you’re presenting your point of view as the writer and, sometimes, choosing the topic you’ll be arguing about. You just want to make sure that that point of view comes across as informed, well-reasoned, and persuasive.

Another thing about argumentative essays: they’re often longer than other types of essays. Why, you ask? Because it takes time to develop an effective argument. If your argument is going to be persuasive to readers, you have to address multiple points that support your argument, acknowledge counterpoints, and provide enough evidence and explanations to convince your reader that your points are valid.

Our 3 Best Tips for Picking a Great Argumentative Topic

The first step to writing an argumentative essay deciding what to write about! Choosing a topic for your argumentative essay might seem daunting, though. It can feel like you could make an argument about anything under the sun. For example, you could write an argumentative essay about how cats are way cooler than dogs, right?

It’s not quite that simple . Here are some strategies for choosing a topic that serves as a solid foundation for a strong argument.

Choose a Topic That Can Be Supported With Evidence

First, you want to make sure the topic you choose allows you to make a claim that can be supported by evidence that’s considered credible and appropriate for the subject matter ...and, unfortunately, your personal opinions or that Buzzfeed quiz you took last week don’t quite make the cut.

Some topics—like whether cats or dogs are cooler—can generate heated arguments, but at the end of the day, any argument you make on that topic is just going to be a matter of opinion. You have to pick a topic that allows you to take a position that can be supported by actual, researched evidence.

(Quick note: you could write an argumentative paper over the general idea that dogs are better than cats—or visa versa!—if you’re a) more specific and b) choose an idea that has some scientific research behind it. For example, a strong argumentative topic could be proving that dogs make better assistance animals than cats do.)

You also don’t want to make an argument about a topic that’s already a proven fact, like that drinking water is good for you. While some people might dislike the taste of water, there is an overwhelming body of evidence that proves—beyond the shadow of a doubt—that drinking water is a key part of good health.  

To avoid choosing a topic that’s either unprovable or already proven, try brainstorming some issues that have recently been discussed in the news, that you’ve seen people debating on social media, or that affect your local community. If you explore those outlets for potential topics, you’ll likely stumble upon something that piques your audience’s interest as well.  

Choose a Topic That You Find Interesting

Topics that have local, national, or global relevance often also resonate with us on a personal level. Consider choosing a topic that holds a connection between something you know or care about and something that is relevant to the rest of society. These don’t have to be super serious issues, but they should be topics that are timely and significant.

For example, if you are a huge football fan, a great argumentative topic for you might be arguing whether football leagues need to do more to prevent concussions . Is this as “important” an issue as climate change? No, but it’s still a timely topic that affects many people. And not only is this a great argumentative topic: you also get to write about one of your passions! Ultimately, if you’re working with a topic you enjoy, you’ll have more to say—and probably write a better essay .

Choose a Topic That Doesn’t Get You Too Heated

Another word of caution on choosing a topic for an argumentative paper: while it can be effective to choose a topic that matters to you personally, you also want to make sure you’re choosing a topic that you can keep your cool over. You’ve got to be able to stay unemotional, interpret the evidence persuasively, and, when appropriate, discuss opposing points of view without getting too salty.

In some situations, choosing a topic for your argumentative paper won’t be an issue at all: the test or exam will choose it for you . In that case, you’ve got to do the best you can with what you’re given.

In the next sections, we’re going to break down how to write any argumentative essay —regardless of whether you get to choose your own topic or have one assigned to you! Our expert tips and tricks will make sure that you’re knocking your paper out of the park.

The Thesis: The Argumentative Essay’s Backbone

You’ve chosen a topic or, more likely, read the exam question telling you to defend, challenge, or qualify a claim on an assigned topic. What do you do now?

You establish your position on the topic by writing a killer thesis statement ! The thesis statement, sometimes just called “the thesis,” is the backbone of your argument, the north star that keeps you oriented as you develop your main points, the—well, you get the idea.

In more concrete terms, a thesis statement conveys your point of view on your topic, usually in one sentence toward the end of your introduction paragraph . It’s very important that you state your point of view in your thesis statement in an argumentative way—in other words, it should state a point of view that is debatable.

And since your thesis statement is going to present your argument on the topic, it’s the thing that you’ll spend the rest of your argumentative paper defending. That’s where persuasion comes in. Your thesis statement tells your reader what your argument is, then the rest of your essay shows and explains why your argument is logical.

Why does an argumentative essay need a thesis, though? Well, the thesis statement—the sentence with your main claim—is actually the entire point of an argumentative essay. If you don’t clearly state an arguable claim at the beginning of your paper, then it’s not an argumentative essay. No thesis statement = no argumentative essay. Got it?

Other types of essays that you’re familiar with might simply use a thesis statement to forecast what the rest of the essay is going to discuss or to communicate what the topic is. That’s not the case here. If your thesis statement doesn’t make a claim or establish your position, you’ll need to go back to the drawing board.

Example Thesis Statements

Here are a couple of examples of thesis statements that aren’t argumentative and thesis statements that are argumentative

The sky is blue.

The thesis statement above conveys a fact, not a claim, so it’s not argumentative.

To keep the sky blue, governments must pass clean air legislation and regulate emissions.

The second example states a position on a topic. What’s the topic in that second sentence? The best way to keep the sky blue. And what position is being conveyed? That the best way to keep the sky blue is by passing clean air legislation and regulating emissions.

Some people would probably respond to that thesis statement with gusto: “No! Governments should not pass clean air legislation and regulate emissions! That infringes on my right to pollute the earth!” And there you have it: a thesis statement that presents a clear, debatable position on a topic.

Here’s one more set of thesis statement examples, just to throw in a little variety:

Spirituality and otherworldliness characterize A$AP Rocky’s portrayals of urban life and the American Dream in his rap songs and music videos.

The statement above is another example that isn’t argumentative, but you could write a really interesting analytical essay with that thesis statement. Long live A$AP! Now here’s another one that is argumentative:

To give students an understanding of the role of the American Dream in contemporary life, teachers should incorporate pop culture, like the music of A$AP Rocky, into their lessons and curriculum.

The argument in this one? Teachers should incorporate more relevant pop culture texts into their curriculum.

This thesis statement also gives a specific reason for making the argument above: To give students an understanding of the role of the American Dream in contemporary life. If you can let your reader know why you’re making your argument in your thesis statement, it will help them understand your argument better.

An actual image of you killing your argumentative essay prompts after reading this article! 

Breaking Down the Sections of An Argumentative Essay

Now that you know how to pick a topic for an argumentative essay and how to make a strong claim on your topic in a thesis statement, you’re ready to think about writing the other sections of an argumentative essay. These are the parts that will flesh out your argument and support the claim you made in your thesis statement.  

Like other types of essays, argumentative essays typically have three main sections: the introduction, the body, and the conclusion. Within those sections, there are some key elements that a reader—and especially an exam scorer or professor—is always going to expect you to include.

Let’s look at a quick outline of those three sections with their essential pieces here:

• Introduction paragraph with a thesis statement (which we just talked about)
• Support Point #1 with evidence
• Explain/interpret the evidence with your own, original commentary (AKA, the fun part!)
• Support Point #2 with evidence
• Explain/interpret the evidence with your own, original commentary
• Support Point #3 with evidence
• New paragraph addressing opposing viewpoints (more on this later!)
• Concluding paragraph

 Now, there are some key concepts in those sections that you’ve got to understand if you’re going to master how to write an argumentative essay. To make the most of the body section, you have to know how to support your claim (your thesis statement), what evidence and explanations are and when you should use them, and how and when to address opposing viewpoints. To finish strong, you’ve got to have a strategy for writing a stellar conclusion.

This probably feels like a big deal! The body and conclusion make up most of the essay, right? Let’s get down to it, then.

How to Write a Strong Argument

Once you have your topic and thesis, you’re ready for the hard part: actually writing your argument. If you make strategic choices—like the ones we’re about to talk about—writing a strong argumentative essay won’t feel so difficult.

There are three main areas where you want to focus your energy as you develop a strategy for how to write an argumentative essay: supporting your claim—your thesis statement—in your essay, addressing other viewpoints on your topic, and writing a solid conclusion. If you put thought and effort into these three things, you’re much more likely to write an argumentative essay that’s engaging, persuasive, and memorable...aka A+ material.

Focus Area 1: Supporting Your Claim With Evidence and Explanations

So you’ve chosen your topic, decided what your position will be, and written a thesis statement. But like we see in comment threads across the Internet, if you make a claim and don’t back it up with evidence, what do people say? “Where’s your proof?” “Show me the facts!” “Do you have any evidence to support that claim?”

Of course you’ve done your research like we talked about. Supporting your claim in your thesis statement is where that research comes in handy.

You can’t just use your research to state the facts, though. Remember your reader? They’re going to expect you to do some of the dirty work of interpreting the evidence for them. That’s why it’s important to know the difference between evidence and explanations, and how and when to use both in your argumentative essay.

What Evidence Is and When You Should Use It

Evidence can be material from any authoritative and credible outside source that supports your position on your topic. In some cases, evidence can come in the form of photos, video footage, or audio recordings. In other cases, you might be pulling reasons, facts, or statistics from news media articles, public policy, or scholarly books or journals.

There are some clues you can look for that indicate whether or not a source is credible , such as whether:

• The website where you found the source ends in .edu, .gov, or .org
• The source was published by a university press
• The source was published in a peer-reviewed journal
• The authors did extensive research to support the claims they make in the source

This is just a short list of some of the clues that a source is likely a credible one, but just because a source was published by a prestigious press or the authors all have PhDs doesn’t necessarily mean it is the best piece of evidence for you to use to support your argument.

In addition to evaluating the source’s credibility, you’ve got to consider what types of evidence might come across as most persuasive in the context of the argument you’re making and who your readers are. In other words, stepping back and getting a bird’s eye view of the entire context of your argumentative paper is key to choosing evidence that will strengthen your argument.

On some exams, like the AP exams , you may be given pretty strict parameters for what evidence to use and how to use it. You might be given six short readings that all address the same topic, have 15 minutes to read them, then be required to pull material from a minimum of three of the short readings to support your claim in an argumentative essay.

When the sources are handed to you like that, be sure to take notes that will help you pick out evidence as you read. Highlight, underline, put checkmarks in the margins of your exam . . . do whatever you need to do to begin identifying the material that you find most helpful or relevant. Those highlights and check marks might just turn into your quotes, paraphrases, or summaries of evidence in your completed exam essay.

What Explanations Are and When You Should Use Them

Now you know that taking a strategic mindset toward evidence and explanations is critical to grasping how to write an argumentative essay. Unfortunately, evidence doesn’t speak for itself. While it may be obvious to you, the researcher and writer, how the pieces of evidence you’ve included are relevant to your audience, it might not be as obvious to your reader.

That’s where explanations—or analysis, or interpretations—come in. You never want to just stick some quotes from an article into your paragraph and call it a day. You do want to interpret the evidence you’ve included to show your reader how that evidence supports your claim.

Now, that doesn’t mean you’re going to be saying, “This piece of evidence supports my argument because...”. Instead, you want to comment on the evidence in a way that helps your reader see how it supports the position you stated in your thesis. We’ll talk more about how to do this when we show you an example of a strong body paragraph from an argumentative essay here in a bit.

Understanding how to incorporate evidence and explanations to your advantage is really important. Here’s why: when you’re writing an argumentative essay, particularly on standardized tests or the AP exam, the exam scorers can’t penalize you for the position you take. Instead, their evaluation is going to focus on the way you incorporated evidence and explained it in your essay.

Focus Area 2: How—and When—to Address Other Viewpoints

Why would we be making arguments at all if there weren’t multiple views out there on a given topic? As you do research and consider the background surrounding your topic, you’ll probably come across arguments that stand in direct opposition to your position.

Oftentimes, teachers will ask you to “address the opposition” in your argumentative essay. What does that mean, though, to “ address the opposition ?”

Opposing viewpoints function kind of like an elephant in the room. Your audience knows they’re there. In fact, your audience might even buy into an opposing viewpoint and be waiting for you to show them why your viewpoint is better. If you don’t, it means that you’ll have a hard time convincing your audience to buy your argument.

Addressing the opposition is a balancing act: you don’t want to undermine your own argument, but you don’t want to dismiss the validity of opposing viewpoints out-of-hand or ignore them altogether, which can also undermine your argument.

This isn’t the only acceptable approach, but it’s common practice to wait to address the opposition until close to the end of an argumentative essay. But why?

Well, waiting to present an opposing viewpoint until after you’ve thoroughly supported your own argument is strategic. You aren’t going to go into great detail discussing the opposing viewpoint: you’re going to explain what that viewpoint is fairly, but you’re also going to point out what’s wrong with it.

It can also be effective to read the opposition through the lens of your own argument and the evidence you’ve used to support it. If the evidence you’ve already included supports your argument, it probably doesn’t support the opposing viewpoint. Without being too obvious, it might be worth pointing this out when you address the opposition.

Focus Area #3: Writing the Conclusion

It’s common to conclude an argumentative essay by reiterating the thesis statement in some way, either by reminding the reader what the overarching argument was in the first place or by reviewing the main points and evidence that you covered.

You don’t just want to restate your thesis statement and review your main points and call it a day, though. So much has happened since you stated your thesis in the introduction! And why waste a whole paragraph—the very last thing your audience is going to read—on just repeating yourself?

Here’s an approach to the conclusion that can give your audience a fresh perspective on your argument: reinterpret your thesis statement for them in light of all the evidence and explanations you’ve provided. Think about how your readers might read your thesis statement in a new light now that they’ve heard your whole argument out.

That’s what you want to leave your audience with as you conclude your argumentative paper: a brief explanation of why all that arguing mattered in the first place. If you can give your audience something to continue pondering after they’ve read your argument, that’s even better.

One thing you want to avoid in your conclusion, though: presenting new supporting points or new evidence. That can just be confusing for your reader. Stick to telling your reader why the argument you’ve already made matters, and your argument will stick with your reader.

A Strong Argumentative Essay: Examples

For some aspiring argumentative essay writers, showing is better than telling. To show rather than tell you what makes a strong argumentative essay, we’ve provided three examples of possible body paragraphs for an argumentative essay below.

Think of these example paragraphs as taking on the form of the “Argumentative Point #1 → Evidence —> Explanation —> Repeat” process we talked through earlier. It’s always nice to be able to compare examples, so we’ve included three paragraphs from an argumentative paper ranging from poor (or needs a lot of improvement, if you’re feeling generous), to better, to best.

All of the example paragraphs are for an essay with this thesis statement: 

Thesis Statement: In order to most effectively protect user data and combat the spread of disinformation, the U.S. government should implement more stringent regulations of Facebook and other social media outlets.

As you read the examples, think about what makes them different, and what makes the “best” paragraph more effective than the “better” and “poor” paragraphs. Here we go:

A Poor Argument

Example Body Paragraph: Data mining has affected a lot of people in recent years. Facebook has 2.23 billion users from around the world, and though it would take a huge amount of time and effort to make sure a company as big as Facebook was complying with privacy regulations in countries across the globe, adopting a common framework for privacy regulation in more countries would be the first step. In fact, Mark Zuckerberg himself supports adopting a global framework for privacy and data protection, which would protect more users than before.

What’s Wrong With This Example?

First, let’s look at the thesis statement. Ask yourself: does this make a claim that some people might agree with, but others might disagree with?

The answer is yes. Some people probably think that Facebook should be regulated, while others might believe that’s too much government intervention. Also, there are definitely good, reliable sources out there that will help this writer prove their argument. So this paper is off to a strong start!  

Unfortunately, this writer doesn’t do a great job proving their thesis in their body paragraph. First, the topic sentence—aka the first sentence of the paragraph—doesn’t make a point that directly supports the position stated in the thesis. We’re trying to argue that government regulation will help protect user data and combat the spread of misinformation, remember? The topic sentence should make a point that gets right at that, instead of throwing out a random fact about data mining.

Second, because the topic sentence isn’t focused on making a clear point, the rest of the paragraph doesn’t have much relevant information, and it fails to provide credible evidence that supports the claim made in the thesis statement. For example, it would be a great idea to include exactly what Mark Zuckerberg said ! So while there’s definitely some relevant information in this paragraph, it needs to be presented with more evidence.

A Better Argument  

This paragraph is a bit better than the first one, but it still needs some work. The topic sentence is a bit too long, and it doesn’t make a point that clearly supports the position laid out in the thesis statement. The reader already knows that mining user data is a big issue, so the topic sentence would be a great place to make a point about why more stringent government regulations would most effectively protect user data.

There’s also a problem with how the evidence is incorporated in this example. While there is some relevant, persuasive evidence included in this paragraph, there’s no explanation of why or how it is relevant . Remember, you can’t assume that your evidence speaks for itself: you have to interpret its relevance for your reader. That means including at least a sentence that tells your reader why the evidence you’ve chosen proves your argument.

A Best—But Not Perfect!—Argument  

Example Body Paragraph: Though Facebook claims to be implementing company policies that will protect user data and stop the spread of misinformation , its attempts have been unsuccessful compared to those made by the federal government. When PricewaterhouseCoopers conducted a Federal Trade Commission-mandated assessment of Facebook’s partnerships with Microsoft and the makers of the Blackberry handset in 2013, the team found limited evidence that Facebook had monitored or even checked that its partners had complied with Facebook’s existing data use policies. In fact, Facebook’s own auditors confirmed the PricewaterhouseCoopers findings, despite the fact that Facebook claimed that the company was making greater attempts to safeguard users’ personal information. In contrast, bills written by Congress have been more successful in changing Facebook’s practices than Facebook’s own company policies have. According to The Washington Post, The Honest Ads Act of 2017 “created public demand for transparency and changed how social media companies disclose online political advertising.” These policy efforts, though thus far unsuccessful in passing legislation, have nevertheless pushed social media companies to change some of their practices by sparking public outrage and negative media attention.

Why This Example Is The Best

This paragraph isn’t perfect, but it is the most effective at doing some of the things that you want to do when you write an argumentative essay.

First, the topic sentences get to the point . . . and it’s a point that supports and explains the claim made in the thesis statement! It gives a clear reason why our claim in favor of more stringent government regulations is a good claim : because Facebook has failed to self-regulate its practices.

This paragraph also provides strong evidence and specific examples that support the point made in the topic sentence. The evidence presented shows specific instances in which Facebook has failed to self-regulate, and other examples where the federal government has successfully influenced regulation of Facebook’s practices for the better.

Perhaps most importantly, though, this writer explains why the evidence is important. The bold sentence in the example is where the writer links the evidence back to their opinion. In this case, they explain that the pressure from Federal Trade Commission and Congress—and the threat of regulation—have helped change Facebook for the better.

Why point out that this isn’t a perfect paragraph, though? Because you won’t be writing perfect paragraphs when you’re taking timed exams either. But get this: you don’t have to write perfect paragraphs to make a good score on AP exams or even on an essay you write for class. Like in this example paragraph, you just have to effectively develop your position by appropriately and convincingly relying on evidence from good sources.

Top 3 Takeaways For Writing Argumentative Essays

This is all great information, right? If (when) you have to write an argumentative essay, you’ll be ready. But when in doubt, remember these three things about how to write an argumentative essay, and you’ll emerge victorious:

Takeaway #1: Read Closely and Carefully

This tip applies to every aspect of writing an argumentative essay. From making sure you’re addressing your prompt, to really digging into your sources, to proofreading your final paper...you’ll need to actively and pay attention! This is especially true if you’re writing on the clock, like during an AP exam.

Takeaway #2: Make Your Argument the Focus of the Essay

Define your position clearly in your thesis statement and stick to that position! The thesis is the backbone of your paper, and every paragraph should help prove your thesis in one way or another. But sometimes you get to the end of your essay and realize that you’ve gotten off topic, or that your thesis doesn’t quite fit. Don’t worry—if that happens, you can always rewrite your thesis to fit your paper!

Takeaway #3: Use Sources to Develop Your Argument—and Explain Them

Nothing is as powerful as good, strong evidence. First, make sure you’re finding credible sources that support your argument. Then you can paraphrase, briefly summarize, or quote from your sources as you incorporate them into your paragraphs. But remember the most important part: you have to explain why you’ve chosen that evidence and why it proves your thesis.

What's Next?

Once you’re comfortable with how to write an argumentative essay, it’s time to learn some more advanced tips and tricks for putting together a killer argument.

Keep in mind that argumentative essays are just one type of essay you might encounter. That’s why we’ve put together more specific guides on how to tackle IB essays , SAT essays , and ACT essays .

But what about admissions essays? We’ve got you covered. Not only do we have comprehensive guides to the Coalition App and Common App essays, we also have tons of individual college application guides, too . You can search through all of our college-specific posts by clicking here.

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Ashley Sufflé Robinson has a Ph.D. in 19th Century English Literature. As a content writer for PrepScholar, Ashley is passionate about giving college-bound students the in-depth information they need to get into the school of their dreams.

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How to Get the Perfect Hook for Your College Essay

What’s covered:, developing your hook.

• 5 College Essay Hook Examples

5 Tips and Examples for Crafting a Great Hook

Your essay is one of the best tools available for standing out in a crowded field of college applicants (many with academic portfolios similar to yours) when applying to your dream school. A college essay is your opportunity to show admissions committees the person behind the grades, test scores, and resume. To ensure your college essay receives the full attention of admissions committees, you need to lure them in with a great hook—that is, a compelling opening that makes your audience hungry for more.

You need a strong start to capture the attention of the admission committees. When it comes to college essays, first impressions are everything. In fact, there’s no guarantee that anyone is going to read more than your first sentence if you bore them to tears within a few words, which is why it’s essential to craft an effective and engaging hook.

There’s no one-size-fits-all strategy for composing an attention-grabbing hook. A well-crafted hook can be anything from an image to an anecdote to an interesting fact while factors like writing style, essay structure, and prompt can all influence what makes for a good hook. That said, memorable hooks share a number of attributes, most notably they draw readers in,  connect with the topic you’re writing about, and leave a lasting impression, often in a creative or unexpected way.

For example, let’s construct a hypothetical essay. Let’s say that after some careful consideration, Jane Doe has decided to write her personal essay about her experience running canine obedience classes. She isn’t quite sure how to start her essay, so she’s practicing with some proven essay hooks. If you’re ready to develop your own hook, check out four of our favorite college essay hook strategies and how they work for Jane below!

College Essay Hook Examples

There are a number of proven strategies that Jane can use to craft a compelling hook. A few tried-and-true hooks include:

1. Open with an Anecdote

People love stories, so it makes sense that telling one is a great way to attract readers. Detailing a relevant anecdote provides context for your essay and can give the reader an idea of what you are up against if you’re overcoming an obstacle or rising to a challenge.

On the day that I told my mother I wanted to start my own canine obedience school, she smiled and muttered something under her breath about the irony of my youthful disobedience and my newfound passion for enforcing rules. What she didn’t know then was that it was not in spite of, but rather because of, my tendency to push the boundaries that I was confident in my ability to succeed.

2. Set the Scene

One fantastic way to get your essay moving and to draw your readers in is to plunge them into the middle of an important scene. Provide readers with descriptive details and dialogue to make them feel like they’re watching a movie from your life and have just tuned in at a critical moment.

I jumped back as the dog lunged for my leg, teeth bared and snarling. “It’s okay, Smokey, it’s okay,” I soothed as I tried to maneuver closer to the post where I had tied his leash. In the back of my head, I heard my brother’s taunts swirling around.

“A dog trainer?” he had scoffed. “What kind of person would hire you as a dog trainer?!”

I pushed the thoughts away and grasped the leash, pulling it tightly to my side as Smokey, surprised by my sudden confidence, fell into stride beside me.

3. Ask a Question

Asking a question at the beginning of your essay can activate your reader’s critical thinking and get them hungry for the answer that you won’t offer until later. Try to come up with a question that’s broad enough that they won’t know the answer right away, but specific enough that it isn’t a generic hook that could work on just any college essay.

How do you respond when you’re faced with a very real physical threat to your safety, yet you literally can’t afford to back down? This is the question I faced on my very first day as a dog trainer.

4. Use a Metaphor or Simile

A metaphor or simile can pull readers in by helping them make connections between seemingly unrelated topics or by encouraging them to think about topics from a different point of view.

Running canine obedience classes is a lot like navigating high school. It’s a dog-eat-dog world with a lot to learn, many personalities to manage, peril around every corner, and everyone anxious to graduate.

Selecting the right hook is a great first step for writing a winning college essay, but the execution is also important.

1. Narrow Down Your Scope

Sometimes the best way to tackle big projects like writing an attention-grabbing hook or captivating college essay is to think small. Narrow down on a specific incident or even a moment that leads into your topic.

It’s my first time teaching a canine obedience class. I’m surrounded by strangers and the dogs are barking so loud I can’t hear myself think, but I have a gnawing feeling that I’m losing control. I put my fingers to my lips and let out the loudest whistle I’m capable of. Suddenly there was silence.

2. Use Adjectives

Adjectives are used to add a description and make your writing clearer and more specific. In other words, they’re the details that make your writing stand out and suck readers in. Jane didn’t simply reward the dog for sitting, she…

It was a battle of wills between me and the eight-month-old Australian Shepherd—defiance was in his sparkling blue eyes, but so was desire for the bit of hot dog hiding in my hand. Reluctantly he sat, earning his treat while I claimed my alpha status.

3. Use Emotion

Use emotion to connect and entice your reader. Emotions make readers feel, pulling them into your essay, and are memorable. You can use them for everything from sharing a fact about yourself to putting the reader in your shoes.

When I was young, I would have been extremely lonely if not for my dog Trevor. I struggled to make friends and Trevor provided companionship, helped me overcome my shyness (he was a great icebreaker), and is responsible for shaping who I am today. When Trevor passed away in high school, I set out to train canine obedience and help dogs become the best versions of themselves—just like what Trevor did for me.

4. Short and Sweet

Admissions committees have a lot of essays to read, so the quicker you get to the point and capture their attention, the better.

Mere moments into my dream job, someone had already peed on the floor and another had bitten a person. Welcome to the life of a dog trainer.

5. Just Start Writing

Sometimes the hook of your college essay isn’t clear. Rather than getting hung up, start developing your essay and see if it adds clarity as to how to best implement a hook. Some students even find that it’s easiest to write a hook last, after writing the body of the personal statement.

Where to Get Feedback on Your Essay Hook

Wondering if you created an effective hook? It’s difficult to evaluate your own writing, especially a line or two you read and reworked numerous times. CollegeVine can help. Through our free Peer Essay Review tool , you can get a free review of your hook, and overall essay, from another student. Then you can pay it forward and improve your own writing skills by reviewing other students’ essays.

If you want a college admissions expert to review your essay, advisors on CollegeVine have helped students refine their writing and submit successful applications to top schools. Find the right advisor for you to improve your chances of getting into your dream school!

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How to Write Captivating Hooks for Your Argumentative Essays

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How to write a good hook for an argumentative essay

When it comes to writing an argumentative essay, the introduction is crucial. It is the first thing that your reader will see, and it is your chance to grab their attention and make them want to read more. One of the most effective ways to do this is by using a good hook. But before we dive into how to write a good hook, let’s first understand the purpose and audience of your essay.

The purpose of an argumentative essay is to persuade your reader to agree with your point of view on a specific issue or topic. To do this, you will need to present a clear and logical argument, supported by evidence and examples.

Knowing your audience is also important in order to tailor your argument and hook to their interests and level of understanding. For example, if you are writing an essay for a college-level class, you can assume that your audience is familiar with the topic and can handle more complex arguments. On the other hand, if you are writing for a general audience, you may need to provide more background information and simplify your argument.

Once you have a clear understanding of the purpose and audience of your essay, the next step is to identify the main argument and thesis of your essay. The main argument is the central point or position that you will be arguing for in your essay. The thesis statement is a clear and concise statement that summarizes the main argument of your essay. It should be included in the introduction and will guide the rest of your essay.

Having a clear and concise main argument and thesis statement will make it easier to write a hook that aligns with the overall argument and purpose of your essay. Enhance your writing skills with this informative piece, which is just one part of our comprehensive guide, “ Master the Art of Writing “.

What is the Purpose of an Argumentative Essay Hook?

A hook in an argumentative essay is a statement or phrase that entices readers and encourages them to keep reading. It serves as an introduction to the essay’s topic, giving the reader a general idea of what the essay will be about. The goal of a hook is to grab the reader’s attention and make them interested in the story you are telling. An effective essay hook has the power to keep the reader intrigued and wanting to know more.

The purpose of a hook is to make an impactful first impression. It should reflect the topic of your paper and set the tone for the rest of the essay . The hook should provide the necessary context and introduce the main ideas of your essay. It should also create a connection between the reader and your essay topic, giving them a reason to read on.

Strong hooks should be creative and emphasize the main themes of your essay. It should be intriguing enough to capture the reader’s attention, but not so complex that they lose interest. Be sure to use interesting and engaging language to ensure that it makes an impact.

Different Types of Hooks for an Argumentative Essay

When writing an argumentative essay, it is essential to have an effective hook statement. A hook is a sentence or two that captures the attention of the reader, making them want to read on. There are several types of hooks you can use, depending on your topic and purpose.

Rhetorical questions can be a great way to engage the reader. They should not be answered within the essay but rather posed as a thought-provoking statement. Quotes can also be used as a hook, especially if they are from a well-known figure or relate to your topic in some way. Statistics can be an effective hook too – they peak the reader’s interest and give a clearer idea of the point you’re trying to make.

Anecdotes and stories can provide interesting insight into your thesis statement and draw the reader into the essay. Metaphors and allegories can help illustrate complex ideas in a more creative, accessible way. You can also use visual imagery to evoke strong emotions from the reader.

No matter which type of hook you choose, it is important to craft it carefully. Make sure it connects directly to your argument and paints a vivid mental image for the reader. When done correctly, a hook will make your argumentative essay stand out from the crowd.

Provide Examples of Each Type of Hook and Analyze Their Effectiveness

A hook is a statement at the beginning of an essay that grabs the reader’s attention and makes them interested in reading more. It is an essential component of any argumentative essay, as it helps make the essay more persuasive and engaging. There are several different types of hooks that can be used, each having its own distinct purpose. In this section, we will provide examples of each type of hook and explain how they can be used effectively.

Rhetorical Questions

Rhetorical questions are statements posed in the form of questions which do not necessarily require an answer. These can be used to make the audience think about the issue and become curious about what follows in the essay. For example: “Do you ever wonder why people act so differently around different groups of people?”

Quotes from famous people can help draw the reader in and get them to think about the argument in a different light. For example: “The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance,” – Alan Watts.

Statistics can be used to show the reader just how common or rare a particular problem is and can be especially helpful when trying to make a point about a social issue. For example: “Over 50% of all homeless individuals in the US are veterans.”

Anecdotes, Stories, Metaphors and Allegories

These literary devices can be used to paint a vivid picture in the reader’s mind and create a strong emotional response. For example: “She was like a leaf in the wind, desperate for someone to take her by the hand and give her a chance, but no one came.”

Each type of hook can be effective when used correctly, as long as it is relevant to the argument being made. While some hooks may work better for certain types of essays, it is important to experiment and find the best fit for your topic.

Hook Structure and Form

A hook is the most important part of your argumentative essay because it grabs the reader’s attention. There are several different types of hooks you can use to start your essay, each with its own specific structure and form. It’s important to know the structure and form of each type of hook so that you can create an effective one for your essay.

A rhetorical question is a statement that does not require an answer from the reader. Rather, it encourages them to think more deeply about your topic and helps to set the tone for the rest of your piece. Rhetorical questions should be direct and concise, but also be thought-provoking and engaging. For example, you could start your essay with a question such as, “How can we tackle environmental degradation?”

Quotes can be used to grab the reader’s attention and bring extra depth to your essay. It’s important to choose a quote that accurately reflects your argument and resonates with your audience. Make sure to explain how the quote relates to your argument and why it’s relevant to the reader. For example, you could start your essay with a quote from Mahatma Gandhi: “Be the change you wish to see in the world.”

Statistics can be a powerful way to make a point and engage readers. Be sure to cite the source of your statistics and explain why they are important and relevant to your argument. You can provide a shocking statistic to grab people’s attention or use a statistic to back up your point. For example, you could start your essay with the statistic: “Over 80% of the world’s coral reefs are in danger due to human activity.”

Anecdotes or Stories

Anecdotes or stories can be a great way to engage your readers and draw them into your essay. Keep your story relevant to the topic and make sure it has an impactful ending. For example, you could start your essay with a story about a person who overcame a challenge related to your topic. This could be a great way to illustrate your point and show the reader the importance of your argument.

Metaphors and Allegories

Metaphors and allegories can be useful tools for expressing complex ideas in a simple way. Metaphors are comparisons between two seemingly unrelated objects, while allegories are longer moral stories. When using metaphors and allegories, make sure to explain their relevance to your argument so that readers can understand them. For example, you could start your essay with an allegory about a tree and how it has been affected by pollution.

Discussing Relevant Topics for a Strong Hook Statement

A hook statement, also known as an attention grabber, is the opening sentence of an argumentative essay. The primary purpose of a hook statement is to grab the reader’s attention and make them interested in the essay. It is also important to create a hook that is relevant to the topic of the essay, so that the readers have an understanding of what the essay is about.

There are many topics and ideas that can provide a strong hook statement for an argumentative essay. It is important to consider the overall tone and theme of the essay when selecting a topic. Some potential topics for an argumentative essay include: immigration, gun control, social media, education, health care, and climate change.

For example, if your essay is about gun control, you could start with a rhetorical question such as “Should civilians have the right to own firearms?” or a quote such as “Guns don’t kill people, people kill people.” Other possible hooks could be a statistic, anecdote, story, metaphor, allegory, or even a personal experience related to the topic.

No matter what route you decide to go in terms of creating your hook statement, it is important to ensure that it is relevant to the topic of your essay and captures the reader’s attention. Once you have chosen an appropriate topic, you can begin crafting your hook statement and making sure that it is effective and compelling.

Citing Examples of Good Hooks from Literary Works and Public Speeches

Creating a strong hook for an argumentative essay can be difficult if you’re starting from scratch. Fortunately, there are many examples of hooks that have been used successfully by writers and speakers in the past. Examining these examples can give you ideas and inspiration for your own hooks.

When looking for example hooks, begin by researching literature and public speeches. Popular authors often write hooks that grab their audience’s attention. The same is true of well-known speakers. Consider examining some of the most famous works of fiction as well as speeches given by influential people.

Fiction is full of great hooks. In Charles Dickens’ novel A Tale of Two Cities , Dickens starts with the memorable line, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” This instantly grabs the reader’s attention and sets up the conflict of the story.

Public speeches also provide plenty of examples of great hooks. Martin Luther King Jr. famously begins his “I Have a Dream” speech with the stirring words, “I am happy to join with you today in what will go down in history as the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our nation.”

Reading literature and speeches from the past can help you develop unique hooks for your own argumentative essays. By analyzing how other writers and speakers have captured their audiences’ attention, you can develop your own creative ideas for hooks.

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Synthesizing data for an argumentative essay hook.

Writing a good hook for an argumentative essay  is an essential step to engage the reader’s attention from the very start. Synthesizing data is the process of gathering information, analyzing it, and combining it in order to create an original idea or argument. When it comes to developing an effective hook statement for an argumentative essay, synthesizing data can be a great way to come up with a unique and intriguing statement that will grab the readers’ attention.

To begin, you should start by researching your topic and gathering all the relevant facts, statistics and opinions related to it. It is important to assess the credibility of the sources you use, and make sure that any facts you use are current and up-to-date. Once you have gathered your data, analyze the material and look for common patterns or trends. This will help you to identify any similarities between different points of view, and identify potential arguments.

Once you have identified potential arguments, take some time to think about how they could be combined and used to create a unique and original hook statement. Consider how each of the components of the data could be connected in order to create a powerful statement. The key is to draw on the facts and details that you have gathered in order to construct a persuasive claim that will capture the readers’ attention.

You should also consider the form and structure of the hook statement. Ask yourself questions such as “What type of statement would grab the readers’ attention?” and “Where and how should I include quotations or statistics?” The answers to these questions will help you to refine your hook statement so that it is engaging and effective.

By synthesizing the data that you have collected and using it to create an original and effective hook statement, you can ensure that your argumentative essay will be attention-grabbing and persuasive. With this method, you can guarantee that your audience will be interested in reading more and will be more likely to follow your argument.

Strategies for Developing an Effective Hook Statement

The hook of an argumentative essay is the first impression your reader will get of your essay. As such, it is important to make sure that your hook statement is effective and makes the reader want to read more. Here are some strategies for developing an effective hook statement:

• Focus on a Problem:  A great way to capture your reader’s attention is by introducing a problem that your essay will be discussing. This can help to draw readers in, as they will want to know what the solution to the problem is, and how it is relevant to them.
• Create a Sense of Urgency:  Make it clear to the reader that if they don’t read your essay, then something bad will happen. Use phrases like “time is running out” or “now is the time for action”. You will also want to highlight the consequences of not taking action, as this can motivate readers to continue reading.
• Include Surprising Facts:  Startling facts or statistics can be a great way to grab the reader’s attention. By incorporating something unexpected into your hook statement, you will make the reader curious about what other surprises may be awaiting them in your essay.
• Ask a Thought-Provoking Question:  Ask a question that requires the reader to think. This will make them more engaged in the essay and push them to think further on the topic beyond the scope of the introductory paragraph.
• Tell an Interesting Story:  Stories have a special way of captivating readers. If you are able to tell an interesting story as part of your hook statement, it will entice the reader to find out how the story links to the main  topic of the essay .

By following these strategies, you can ensure that your hook statement will be effective and engaging. It should captivate the reader’s attention and encourage them to continue reading your essay. Crafting a great hook statement can be the difference between having a successful argumentative essay or one that does not achieve its purpose.

Connecting the Hook to the Introduction Paragraph

It is important to make sure that the hook statement in your argumentative essay is connected to the introduction paragraph. This will ensure that readers are kept engaged and interested in your essay. The hook must be relevant to the main point of the essay and set the tone for the arguments that follow.

In order to make an effective connection between the hook and the introduction, it is important to first plan out the main points you want to cover in your essay. Think about the most interesting and engaging way to introduce each point and then use this idea as the foundation for your hook statement. Once you have a hook statement, start writing your introduction paragraph by introducing the thesis statement. This will provide a bridge from the hook statement to the body of the essay.

The hook statement should also give the readers an idea of the content and the  structure of the essay . Make sure to explain how the hook connects to the main argument and provide a short summary of what the reader should expect. Try to avoid using too much detail in the hook statement and focus more on the essence of the argument. Using a captivating hook and effectively linking it to the introduction paragraph will ensure that your readers will stay hooked on your essay until the end.

Revising a Hook Statement in an Argumentative Essay

Writing a powerful, attention-grabbing hook statement can be difficult, and even experienced writers can find it a challenge. Once a hook statement has been written, it is important to evaluate and revise it. There are several useful tips for revising a hook statement:

• Check for clarity. Make sure the hook statement is clear and succinct so that readers can understand it quickly.
• Ensure accuracy. Make sure the facts included in the statement are correct and relevant to the essay.
• Evaluate for relevancy. Ensure that the hook statement is connected to the main point of the essay topic.
• Verify credibility. Make sure all sources used are credible and properly cited.
• Read it aloud. This can help to identify any potential grammar or syntax errors.
• Seek feedback. Ask a peer, mentor, or teacher to look over the hook statement and offer constructive criticism.

Taking the time to go back and revise the hook statement will ensure that it is strong and successful in captivating the reader’s attention. Additionally, it can also help to strengthen the overall argument of the essay.

Topics to Read:

• How to Write an Executive Summary for an Essay
• How to Write an Essay on a Book
• How to Write an Explanatory Essay
• How to Write Interesting Essays
• Argumentative Essay Introduction
• Strong Transition Words for Essays
• How to Write a Reaction Paper About an Article
• How to Ask Questions in an Essay
• How to Create Essay Title
• How to Analyze a Short Story

Summarizing the Key Points

A strong hook statement is critical for grabbing the reader’s attention and engaging them in an argumentative essay. A good hook will captivate the reader, generate interest in the essay topic and make them want to read further. Different types of hooks can be used to achieve this, such as rhetorical questions, quotes, stories, statistics, anecdotes, metaphors and allegories. Each of these has its own structure and form and can be used to craft an effective hook statement.

To create a strong hook it is important to carefully select the topics that the statement will cover. A well thought-out argumentative essay should be based on current topics that are relevant to the audience, and the hook should be tailored to reflect this. Additionally, it’s important to synthesize data to create an original hook statement which serves to introduce the main arguments of the essay in a concise manner.

When writing a hook statement for an argumentative essay, different strategies can be employed. It is recommended to start with a small summary and explain the importance of the essay topic before moving on to introducing the main argument. Finally, it’s important to revise the hook statement to make sure it is as effective as possible.

The Importance of a Strong Hook

A strong hook statement is essential when writing an argumentative essay. It captures the reader’s attention and encourages them to learn more about the essay topic. By using a variety of hooks such as rhetorical questions, quotes, stories, statistics, anecdotes, metaphors and allegories, a  writer  can create an effective hook that entices the reader to read further. Furthermore, the hook should be tailored to the audience by choosing relevant topics and synthesizing data to create an original statement. Writing an effective hook statement also requires the use of different strategies, such as starting with a small summary followed by an introduction to the main argument. Finally, it is important to remember to revise the hook statement for maximum effectiveness.

Final thoughts

In conclusion, writing a good hook for an argumentative essay is an important step in the writing process. It is the first thing that the reader will see, and it is your chance to grab their attention and make them want to read more. A good hook should be relevant to the main argument and thesis of your essay, and it should be interesting and engaging.

The key to writing a good hook is to understand the purpose and audience of your essay, identify the main argument and thesis statement, gather information and evidence to support your argument, brainstorm potential hooks, incorporate the hook into the introduction, revise and edit the introduction and hook, practice reading the introduction and hook out loud, and getting feedback from others.

However, it is important to remember that a good hook is just one part of an overall effective argumentative essay. It should be combined with a good thesis statement, clear and logical structure, and solid evidence to support your argument. Taking the time to revise and edit your essay, and to make sure that it is well-organized and well-supported, will help to ensure that your essay is effective in persuading your reader to agree with your point of view.

• Last Edit 27 APR 2023

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73 Essay Hook Examples

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An essay hook is the first one or two sentences of your essay that are used to grab the reader’s attention and draw them into your discussion.

It is called a hook because it “grabs” the reader and doesn’t let them go! It should have something in there that makes the reader feel curious and intrigued, compelling them to continue reading.

Techniques for Good Essay Hooks

Here are a few techniques that you can use to write a good essay hook:

• Use a Quotation : Sometimes, a relevant quotation from a well-known author or expert can help establish the context or theme of your essay. Next time you’re conducting research for an essay, keep an eye out for a really compelling quote that you could use as your hook for that essay.
• Start with a Statement that is Surprising or Unusual: A surprising or unusually statement will draw a reader in, making them want to know more about that topic. It’s good if the statement contradicts common knowledge or reveals an insight about your topic that isn’t immediately obvious. These can be particularly good for argumentative essays where you’re putting forward a controversial or compelling argument as your thesis statement .
• Tell a Brief Anecdote : A short, interesting story related to your topic can personaize the story, making it more than just a dry essay, and turning it into a compelling narrative that’s worth reading.
• Use Statistics or Facts: Interesting, surprising, or shocking facts or statistics work similarly to surprising statements: they make us want to know more about a topic. Statistics and facts in your introductions are particularly useful for analytical, expository , and argumentative essays.
• Start with a Question: Questions that make the reader think deeply about an issue, or pose a question that the reader themselves has considered, can be really effecitve. But remember, questions tend to be better for informal and personal essays, and are generally not allowed in formal argumentative essays. If you’re not sure if you’re allowed to use questions in your essays, check with your teacher first.

Below, I’ll present some examples of hooks that you could use as inspiration when writing your own essay hook.

Essay Hook Examples

These examples might help stimulate your thinking. However, keep in mind that your essay hook needs to be unique to your essay, so use these as inspiration but write your own essay hook that’s perfect for your own essay.

1. For an Essay About Yourself

An essay about yourself can be personal, use “I” statements, and include memories or thoughts that are deeply personal to you.

• Question: “Have you ever met someone who could turn even the most mundane events into a thrilling adventure? Let me introduce myself.”
• Anecdote: “The smell of freshly baked cookies always takes me back to the day when I accidentally started a baking business at the age of nine.”
• Intriguing Statement: “I’ve always believed that you haven’t truly lived until you’ve read a book upside down, danced in the rain, or taught a parrot to say ‘I love pizza.'”
• Quotation: “As Mark Twain once said, ‘The secret of getting ahead is getting started.’ That’s a philosophy I’ve embraced in every aspect of my life.”
• Humorous Statement: “I’m a self-proclaimed ‘professional chocolate tester’ – a title that’s not only delicious but also requires extreme dedication.”
• Start with your Mission Statement : “My life motto is simple but powerful: be the person who decided to go for it.
• Fact or Statistic: “According to a study, people who speak more than one language tend to be better at multitasking . As a polyglot, I certainly live up to that statistic.”
• Comparison or Metaphor: “If my life were a book, it would be a blend of an adventurous novel, a suspense thriller, and a pinch of romantic comedy.”
• Personal Revelation: “Ever since I was a child, I’ve had an uncanny ability to communicate with animals. It’s an unusual skill, but one that has shaped my life in many ways.”
• Narrative: “The day everything changed for me was an ordinary Tuesday. Little did I know, a single conversation would lead me to discover my true passion.”

2. For a Reflective Essay

A reflective essay often explores personal experiences, feelings, and thoughts. So, your hooks for reflective essays can usually be more personal, intriguing, and engaging than other types of essays. Here are some examples for inspiration:

• Question: “Have you ever felt as though a single moment could change your entire life? This essay is going to explore that moment for me.”
• Anecdote: “I was standing on the edge of the Grand Canyon, looking at the vast emptiness, and for the first time, I truly understood the word ‘perspective’.”
• Bold Statement: “There is a part of me that is still trapped in that room, on that rainy afternoon, holding the letter that would change everything.”
• Personal Revelation: “The first time I truly felt a sense of belonging wasn’t in a crowded room full of friends, but in the quiet solitude of a forest.”
• Intriguing Statement: “In my life, silence has been a teacher more profound than any words could ever be.”
• Quotation: “Einstein once said, ‘The only source of knowledge is experience.’ Now, looking back, I realize how profound that statement truly is.”
• Comparison or Metaphor: “If my life is a tapestry, then that summer was the vibrant thread that changed the entire pattern.”
• Narrative: “As the train pulled out of the station, I realized I wasn’t just leaving my hometown, I was leaving my old self behind.”
• Philosophical Statement: “In the theater of life, we are both the actor and the audience, playing our part and watching ourselves simultaneously.”
• Emotive Statement: “There is a sort of sweet sorrow in remembering, a joy tinged with a hint of sadness, like the last notes of a beautiful song.”

For an Argumentative Essay

Essay hooks for argumentative essays are often the hardest. This type of essay tends to require the most formal type of academic writing, meaning your hook shouldn’t use first person, and should be more based on fact and objectivity, often at the expense of creativity. Here are some examples.

• Quotation: “Thomas Jefferson once said, ‘Whenever the people are well-informed, they can be trusted with their own government.’ If Jefferson were alive today, he would likely feel that this meed for a well-informed citizenry is falling well short of where he would aspire.”
• Provocative Statement: “Despite what romantic films may portray, love at first sight is merely a myth perpetuated by society. This essay will prosecute the argument that love at first sight is a myth.”
• Statistical Fact: “According to the World Health Organization, depression is the leading psychological disability worldwide. Yet, mental health is still stigmatized and often overlooked. This essay will argue that depression should be seen as a health issue, and stigmatization of depression causes serious harm to society.”
• Comparison: “Much like an unchecked infection, climate change, if left ignored, can spread far beyond what it is today, causing long-term economic and social problems that may even threaten the longevity of humanity itself.”
• Contradiction : “While we live in an era of unprecedented technological advancements, millions around the world are still denied basic internet access.”
• Bold Declaration: “Animal testing is not only ethically unacceptable, but it also undermines the progress of medical research.”
• Challenging Belief: “Despite popular belief, the automation of jobs is not a threat but an opportunity for society to evolve.”
• Quotation: “George Orwell wrote in ‘1984’, ‘Big Brother is Watching You.’ In our modern society, with the advancement of technology, this is becoming more of a reality than fiction.”
• Intriguing Statement: “Despite countless diet fads and fitness trends, obesity rates continue to rise. This argumentative essay will argue that this is because medical practitioners’ approaches to health and weight loss are fundamentally flawed.”
• Statistical Fact: “Research reveals that over 90% of the world’s plastic waste is not recycled. This alarming figure calls for a drastic change in social attitudes towards consumption and waste management.”
• Challenging Assumption: “Society often assumes that progress and growth are intrinsically good, but this is not always the case in the realm of economic development.”
• Contradiction: “Western society upholds the value of freedom, yet every day, members of society cede personal liberties in the name of convenience and security.”
• Analogy: “Like an overplayed song, when a news story is repeated too often, it loses its impact. In the era of digital media, society is becoming desensitized to critical issues.”
• Relevant Anecdote: “In a village in India, the arrival of a single computer transformed the lives of the residents. This small anecdote underscores the importance of digital inclusion in today’s world.”
• Call to Rethink: “In a world where success is often equated with financial wealth, it is time for society to reconsidered what truly constitutes a successful life.”

For a Compare and Contrast Essay

A compare and contrast essay examines two issues, looking at both the similarities and differences between them. A good hook for a compare and contrast essay will immediately signal to the reader the subjects that are being compared and why they’re being compared. Here are sine ideas for hooks for a compare and contrast essay:

• Quotation: “As Charles Dickens wrote in his novel ‘A Tale of Two Cities’, ‘It was the best of times, it was the worst of times’. This could equally apply to the contrasting dynamics of urban and rural living.”
• Provocative Statement: “Despite popular belief, cats and dogs have more in common than society tends to think.”
• Comparison: “Comparing being an only child to growing up with siblings is like contrasting a solo performance with an orchestral symphony.”
• Contradiction: “While many view classic literature and contemporary fiction as worlds apart, they are more akin to two sides of the same coin.”
• Bold Declaration: “Android and iPhone may compete in the same market, but their philosophies could not be more different.”
• Statistical Fact: “Statistics show that children who grow up reading books tend to perform better academically than those who do not. But, the jury is out on how reading traditional books compares to reading e-books on screens.”
• Quotation: “As Robert Louis Stevenson once wrote, ‘Sooner or later, we all sit down to a banquet of consequences.’ This statement can be used to frame a comparison between short-term and long-term thinking.”
• Provocative Statement: “Democracy and dictatorship are often seen as polar opposites, but are they are not as different as they seem.”
• Comparison: “Climate change and plastic pollution are two major environmental issues, yet they demand different approaches and solutions.”
• Contradiction: “While traditional classrooms and online learning are seen as separate modes of education, they can often blend into a cohesive learning experience.”
• Bold Declaration: “Though both based on merit, the structures of capitalism and socialism lead to vastly different societal outcomes.”
• Imagery: “The painting styles of Van Gogh and Monet can be contrasted as a stormy sea versus a tranquil pond.”
• Historical Reference: “The philosophies of the Cold War-era – capitalism and communism – provide a lens to contrast economic systems.”
• Literary Comparison: “The dystopian societies portrayed in George Orwell’s ‘1984’ and Aldous Huxley’s ‘Brave New World’ serve as contrasting visions of the future.”
• Philosophical Question : “Individualism and collectivism shape societies in distinct ways, but neither one can truly exist without the other.”

See Here for my Guide on Writing a Compare and Contrast Essay

For a Psychology Essay

Writing an engaging hook for a psychology essay involves sparking the reader’s interest in the human mind, behavior, or the specific psychology topic you’re discussing. Here are some stimulating hooks for a psychology essay:

• Rhetorical Question: “How much control do we truly have over our own actions?”
• Quotation: “Sigmund Freud once said, ‘Unexpressed emotions will never die. They are buried alive and will come forth later in uglier ways.’ This essay will explore whether this is universally true.”
• Provocative Statement: “Contrary to popular belief, ‘venting out’ anger might actually be fueling the fire of fury.”
• Comparison: “Just as an iceberg reveals only a fraction of its bulk above water, conscious minds may only be a small piece of who humans truly are.”
• Contradiction: “While it may seem counterintuitive, studies show that individuals who are more intelligent are also more likely to suffer from mental health issues.”
• Bold Declaration: “Despite advances in technology, understanding the human brain remains one of the final frontiers in science.”
• Statistical Fact: “According to a study by the American Psychological Association, nearly one in five adults in the U.S. lives with a mental illness. Yet, mental health continues to be a topic shrouded in stigma.”

For a Sociology Essay

Writing an engaging hook for a sociology essay involves sparking the reader’s interest in social behaviors, cultural phenomena, or the specific sociology topic you’re discussing. Here are ideas for hooks for a sociology essay:

• Quotation: “As Karl Marx once noted, ‘Social progress can be measured exactly by the social position of the fair sex.’ Sadly, society has not made much progress in gender equality.”
• Provocative Statement: “Social media, initially created to connect people, is ironically leading society into an era of unprecedented isolation.”
• Comparison: “Comparing society to a theater, where each individual plays a role, it is possible to start to see patterns and scripts embedded in daily interactions.”
• Contradiction: “While people often believe that technology is bringing society closer together, evidence suggests that it’s actually driving a wedge between people, creating ‘digital divides’.”
• Bold Declaration: “Human societies are constructed on deeply ingrained systems of inequality, often invisible to those benefiting from them.”
• Statistical Fact: “A recent study found that women still earn only 81 cents for every dollar earned by men. This stark wage gap raises questions about equality in the workforce.”

For a College Application Essay

A college essay is a personal statement where you can showcase who you are beyond your grades and resume. It’s your chance to tell your unique story. Here are ten potential hooks for a college essay:

• Anecdote: “At the age of seven, with a wooden spoon as my baton, I confidently conducted an orchestra of pots and pans in my grandmother’s kitchen.”
• Provocative Statement: “I believe that life is like a game of chess. The king might be the most important piece, but it’s the pawns that can change the entire course of the game.”
• Personal Revelation: “It wasn’t until I was lost in a foreign city, armed with nothing but a map in a language I didn’t understand, that I truly discovered my love for adventure.”
• Intriguing Question: “Have you ever wondered how it feels to be part of two completely different cultures, yet wholly belong to neither?”
• Bold Declaration: “Breaking a bone can be a painful experience. Breaking stereotypes, however, is an entirely different kind of challenge.”
• Unusual Fact: “I can recite the periodic table backwards while juggling three tennis balls. It’s a strange talent, but it’s a perfect metaphor for how I tackle challenges.”
• Quotation: “As Albert Einstein once said, ‘Imagination is more important than knowledge.’ This quote has defined my approach to learning.”
• Narrative: “It was a cold winter’s day when I first discovered the magic of turning a blank page into a world full of characters, stories, and ideas.”
• Metaphor: “Like a caterpillar transforming into a butterfly, my high school years have been a period of profound metamorphosis.”
• Humorous Statement: “Being the youngest of five siblings, I quickly learned that the best way to be heard was to become the family’s unofficial lawyer.”

Conclusion: The Qualities of a Good Essay Hook

As I wrap up this article, I want to share a few last tips on qualities that a good essay hook should have. Keep these tips in mind when writing your essay hook and using the above essay hook examples:

First, relevance . A good hook should be directly relevant to the topic or theme of your essay. The hook should provide a preview of what’s to come without giving too much away.

Second, Intrigue. A great hook should make the reader want to continue reading. It should create a question in the reader’s mind or present a fascinating idea that they want to know more about.

Third, uniqueness. An effective hook should be original and unique. It should stand out from the many other essays that the reader might be going through.

Fourth, clarity. Even though a hook should be captivating and original, it should also be clear and easy to understand. Avoid complex sentences and jargon that might confuse the reader.

Fifth, genre conventions. Too often, my students try to be so creative in their essay hooks that they forget genre conventions . The more formal an essay, the harder it is to write the hook. My general approach is to focus on statistics and facts, and avoid rhetorical questions , with more formal essay hooks.

Keep in mind that you should run your essay hook by your teacher by showing them your first draft before you submit your essay for grading. This will help you to make sure it follows genre conventions and is well-written.

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• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd-2/ 15 Red Flags Early in a Relationship

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Write an Attention-Grabbing Opening Sentence for an Essay

• M.Ed., Education Administration, University of Georgia
• B.A., History, Armstrong State University

You can think of the first sentence of your essay as you would a fishing hook. It grabs your reader and allows you reel the person into your essay and your train of thought. The hook for your essay can be an interesting sentence that captures a person's attention, it can be thought-provoking, or even, entertaining.

The hook for your essay often appears in the first sentence . The opening paragraph includes a thesis sentence . Some popular hook choices can include using an interesting quote, a little-known fact, famous last words, or a statistic .

A quote hook is best used when you are composing an essay based on an author, story, or book. It helps establish your authority on the topic and by using someone else's quote, you can strengthen your thesis if the quote supports it.

The following is an example of a quote hook: "A man's errors are his portals of discovery." In the next sentence or two, give a reason for this quote or current example. As for the last sentence (the thesis) : Students grow more confident and self-sufficient when parents allow them to make mistakes and experience failure.

General statement

By setting the tone in the opening sentence with a uniquely written general statement of your thesis, the beauty is that you get right to the point. Most readers appreciate that approach.

For example, you can start with the following statement: Many studies show that the biological sleep pattern for teens shifts a few hours, which means teens naturally stay up later and feel alert later in the morning. The next sentence, set up the body of your essay, perhaps by introducing the concept that school days should be adjusted so that they are more in sync with the teenager's natural sleep or wake cycle. As for the last sentence (the thesis) :  If every school day started at ten o'clock, many students would find it easier to stay focused.

By listing a proven fact or entertaining an interesting statistic that might even sound implausible to the reader, you can excite a reader to want to know more. 

Like this hook: According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics , teens and young adults experience the highest rates of violent crime. Your next sentence can set up the argument that it's dangerous for teenagers to be on the streets at late hours. A fitting thesis statement might read: Parents are justified in implementing a strict curfew, regardless of a student's academic performance.

The Right Hook for Your Essay

The good news about finding a hook? You can find a quote, fact, or another type of hook after you determine your thesis. You can accomplish this with a simple online search about your topic after you've developed your essay .

You can nearly have the essay finished before you revisit the opening paragraph. Many writers polish up the first paragraph after the essay is completed.

Outlining the Steps for Writing Your Essay

Here's an example of the steps you can follow that help you outline your essay.

• First paragraph: Establish the thesis
• Body paragraphs: Supporting evidence
• Last paragraph: Conclusion with a restatement of the thesis
• Revisit the first paragraph: Find the best hook

Obviously, the first step is to determine your thesis. You need to research your topic and know what you plan to write about. Develop a starting statement. Leave this as your first paragraph for now.

The next paragraphs become the supporting evidence for your thesis. This is where you include the statistics, opinions of experts, and anecdotal information.

Compose a closing paragraph that is basically a reiteration of your thesis statement with new assertions or conclusive findings you find during with your research.

Lastly, go back to your introductory hook paragraph. Can you use a quote, shocking fact, or paint a picture of the thesis statement using an anecdote? This is how you sink your hooks into a reader.

The best part is if you are not loving what you come up with at first, then you can play around with the introduction. Find several facts or quotes that might work for you. Try out a few different starting sentences and determine which of your choices makes the most interesting beginning to your essay.

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Home ➔ Essay Structure ➔ Essay Hooks

What is a Hook in an Essay?

Imagine starting your essay with a surprising statistic: “Over 40 million adults in the United States suffer from anxiety each year.” Or perhaps a captivating anecdote: “When I was in high school, I hated running, but one day, after a grueling run, I felt a surge of exhilaration and realized I had come to love it.” These examples illustrate what we call “hooks.”

What is a hook in an essay? A hook is a technique used to seize the reader’s attention, intriguing them and compelling them to read more. Created in myriad ways, a hook usually begins with something fascinating or shocking that prompts the reader to continue. The type of hook you choose often depends on your subject matter.

In this article, we’ll delve into when and why hooks are used and provide various examples to enhance your understanding of essay hooks.

Hook Applications and Usage Outside Essays

The art of crafting a compelling hook isn’t just confined to academic essays. It permeates various realms of writing, each with its unique demand for attracting attention.

In advertising , a well-crafted hook—be it a catchy slogan or an unforgettable jingle—can be the key to imprinting a product or service in the consumer’s mind.

Example: “Picture this: a phone so intuitive, it seems to read your mind.”

In academic writing , a hook at the outset helps set the tone, guiding the reader’s expectations and maintaining their focus. It captivates the reader’s interest and steers them away from potential distractions.

Example: “While the theory of relativity is often associated with the genius of Einstein, few realize the groundbreaking contributions of women scientists to this revolutionary concept.”

Creative writing , with its storytelling essence, employs hooks predominantly. A well-conceived hook at the very beginning of a story can captivate the reader, keeping them engrossed and eager to unravel the narrative.

Example: “It was the kind of morning that made him wonder if God had created the color blue just for this one sky.”

Journalistic writing utilizes hooks to great effect. With readers often skimming headlines and opening lines, a compelling hook is crucial to entice the reader to delve deeper into the article.

Scientific writing , often commencing with the main argument or findings, might seem less inclined to utilize hooks. However, introducing a novel concept or theory through a well-framed hook can engage readers, making them more receptive to complex ideas.

Example: “Imagine a world where cancer is no longer a death sentence but a curable disease. Recent advancements in gene editing technology are bringing us closer to that reality.”

In sales writing , hooks are indispensable. They serve to grab the reader’s attention, arouse their curiosity, and lead them down the sales funnel, with the ultimate goal of converting them into buyers.

Example: “Tired of feeling drained at the end of your workday? Our ergonomic office chairs are scientifically designed to provide unparalleled comfort and support, boosting your productivity without compromising your health.”

Essay Hooks: Types and Examples

In our exploration of essay hooks, we intentionally bypass mid-text hooks such as cliffhangers , often seen in longer prose and various visual methods that are less relevant to academic essays. Instead, we will delve into ten prevalent types of hooks that can be strategically used in academic writing:

• Descriptive Imagery
• Intriguing Fact
• Literary Devices
• Thought-Provoking Musings
• Rhetorical or Direct Question
• Pertinent Quote
• Startling Statistic
• Thesis Statement

The choice of an essay hook is contingent on your subject matter and the most effective method to capture your reader’s attention. These hooks are commonly employed across various essay types, including narrative, persuasive , expository , and argumentative writing .

How long should a hook be in an essay?

A hook in an essay should be concise, typically one to two sentences long. Its primary purpose is to pique interest and draw the reader into the main content of the essay, so it should be relevant to the topic and compelling enough to encourage continued reading.

1. Anecdote Hook

An anecdote is a concise, engaging story often used to underscore a key point. Such a hook is ideal for a descriptive or narrative essay where formality is not a primary concern.

Consider an essay on the benefits of exercise. A personal story about your transformation from a reluctant to an avid runner can serve as an effective essay hook. Example:

“High school days saw me donning the track team captain’s armband, running every day not out of love but obligation. Yet one day, amidst the exhaustion, I experienced an unexpected surge of exhilaration. Suddenly, I realized that running wasn’t a chore but a passion.”

2. Analogy Hook

An analogy draws comparisons between two scenarios that share commonalities yet differ in other aspects. This thought-stirring hook can clarify complex concepts or emphasize points effectively.

An analogy for an argumentative essay discussing anxiety can help convey the feeling to the reader. Example:

“Living with anxiety can be akin to being trapped in a pitch-black room. The uncertainty, the isolation—it’s overwhelming. But just as one can fumble for a light switch in a dark room, so too can one navigate through the challenges of anxiety to find relief.”

3. Description Hook

A detailed description can transport your reader into the scene, making it an excellent hook, especially for descriptive essays .

For example, in an essay about a beach vacation, you could vividly imagine the tranquil setting with the following description hook:

“The waves croon a gentle lullaby, coaxing a sense of tranquility. The sun glistens on the water, and the sand, so brilliantly white, might as well be a blanket of snow.”

4. Fact Hook

A captivating fact is a powerful tool to spark interest. For maximum impact, it can be paired with other hook types.

In an argumentative essay discussing anxiety, the use of a fact intertwined with a question and a statistic can engage the reader effectively. Example:

“Did it ever occur to you that anxiety is the most prevalent mental health disorder in the United States, affecting over 40 million adults annually?”

5. Literary devices as Hooks

Many  literary devices  can serve as engaging essay hooks. Let’s consider a few prominent ones, followed by corresponding hook examples.

A metaphor is a figure of speech that uses one thing to represent another. It can be used to grab the reader’s attention and make them think about what you are saying in a new way.

For instance, if your essay tackles the issues surrounding pollution, your metaphorical hook could be:

“Pollution is the invisible cancer slowly gnawing at the vitality of our earth.”

By juxtaposing two seemingly contradictory terms, an oxymoron prompts the reader to rethink their preconceived notions and engage with the text on a deeper level.

Suppose you are addressing the complex topic of gun control in your essay . In that case, you could start with an oxymoronic hook such as:

“The impassioned debate between pro-gun control and pro-gun rights advocates reflects a surprising truth – they both are right in their own ways.”

Foreshadowing

Foreshadowing is when the author gives a hint or clue about what will happen later in the story. It can grab the reader’s attention and make them want to keep reading to find out what happens next.

For example, while narrating a personal story in a narrative essay , you could foreshadow the story’s climax with:

“Little did I know that seemingly ordinary day was set to alter the course of my life forever.”

Humor is a great way to grab readers’ attention and make them want to keep reading. But, it should be used sparingly and only when it is appropriate for the tone of the essay.

For instance, in an essay emphasizing the importance of recycling, you could use humor as a hook:

“Do you know the catastrophic consequence of not recycling? Spoiler alert – absolutely nothing… at least not immediately.”

Irony, the twist of expectations, can be a good hook as it provokes readers to challenge their assumptions and encourages critical thinking.

For instance, if your essay discusses issues within the education system, you could start with an ironic statement:

“It’s an ironic paradox that the education system, designed to equip us for real-world challenges, often seems more like an obstacle course distracting us from them.”

A paradox, a seemingly contradictory statement that harbors an underlying truth, can be an intriguing hook, compelling the reader to unravel its hidden meaning.

For instance, in an essay discussing urban life’s trials and tribulations, you could initiate with a paradoxical hook:

“City life, often portrayed as a whirlwind of stress and haste, can paradoxically offer pockets of serenity and exhilaration.”

6. Musing Hook

A musing is a reflective statement usually used to introduce the reader to the writer’s thoughts on a topic. It can be used as a strong essay hook to engage the reader and make them think about their own opinions on the topic.

For instance, in an essay on the significance of family, you might muse:

“Sometimes, I find myself questioning if we, as a society, overemphasize the importance of family ties.”

7. Question Hook

A well-placed question, either straightforward or rhetorical, can stimulate the reader’s curiosity and thought process. A question hook is often used in academic writing to make a point or start an argument.

For example, if you were writing an essay about the problems with pollution, you could start with a straightforward question such as:

“What are the causes of pollution?”

You could also use a rhetorical question, which is a question that doesn’t require an answer.

For example, if you were writing an essay about the importance of education, you could start with a rhetorical question such as:

“Can we genuinely hope to resolve the world’s dilemmas without prioritizing education for our youth?”

8. Quote Hook

Incorporating a well-chosen quote from an influential figure or a pertinent literary passage can serve as a good hook to pique the reader’s curiosity. A quotation hook is often used in academic writing to make a point or provide evidence for an argument.

For example, if you were writing an essay about the importance of exercise, you could start with a quote such as:

“Exercise is the miracle cure we’ve always had, but for too long we’ve neglected to take our recommended dose,” – an NHS statement.

Using a quote as a hook is considered a bit cliche , so make sure it fits well within the concept of your essay and avoid common inspirational fluff by famous people.

Note: If you want to learn more about using quotations in essays, you can read our guide: How to Introduce a Quote

9. Statistic Hook

You can use a surprising statistic hook to grab readers’ attention and make them want to know more. Or, you can try to find a hardly known statistic that sheds new light on the subject.

For example, if your essay is about the benefits of physical activity, you could start with a statistic like this:

“Did you know? Regular exercise can lower your risk of heart disease by as much as 50%.”

10. Thesis Hook

While a thesis statement is typically found at the end of an introduction, it can also make for a good hook if used as the opening sentence. Boldly stating your viewpoint can spark interest, encouraging your reader to either challenge your stance or continue reading to understand your argument better.

The primary purpose of a thesis statement is not to act as a hook, but it can certainly be crafted in an engaging way that catches the reader’s attention. For example, by making your thesis statement provocative, surprising, or counterintuitive, you can pique the reader’s interest.

For example, if you were writing a persuasive essay against capital punishment, you could start with a powerful assertion like:

“It’s time to admit it: The death penalty is a brutal, outdated method of punishment that has no place in our society.”

Transitioning from the Hook to the Main Part of the Essay

Successfully transitioning from the hook to the main part of your essay can be daunting for many students. However, it’s crucial for maintaining a coherent and engaging narrative. Here’s how you can effectively bridge your hook and the main body of your essay :

• Create a Link: The hook and the main body of your essay should not stand as two isolated components. Instead, they should flow into each other seamlessly. One effective strategy is to extend the idea or concept introduced in your hook into the first few sentences of the main body. This way, you are creating a natural link that guides the reader from the attention-grabbing hook into the substance of your essay.
• Contextualize: After presenting the hook, provide some context that will lead the reader into the main part of your essay. For instance, if you’ve used a quote or a statistic as a hook, you could present some background information or explain its relevance to your topic. This will help the reader understand why you chose that particular hook and how it connects to the main idea of your essay.
• Use a Transition Sentence: A transition sentence can help you move smoothly from your hook to the thesis statement or the main idea of your essay. It should be designed to maintain the reader’s interest while steering the narrative toward your main argument or your point.
• Maintain Consistency in Tone and Style: It’s essential to ensure that your hook matches the tone and style of your essay. If your essay is academic, a serious, fact-based hook would work best, while a narrative or personal essay might benefit from a more creative or anecdotal hook. Maintaining a consistent tone will prevent the reader from getting disoriented and help keep their engagement throughout the essay.

Transition Example

Let’s consider an essay on climate change:

• Hook: “Imagine a world where summer never ends, where fires burn unchecked, and where hurricanes become a common occurrence. That’s not a dystopian novel—it’s our future if we don’t act on climate change.”
• Link: “While this might sound extreme, scientific studies on global warming present a very similar picture, painting a grim forecast for the Earth’s future.”
• “The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), in their latest report, has revealed that our planet’s temperature has been rising at an alarming rate.”
• “Understanding the severity of this situation is fundamental to recognizing the urgency of immediate action.”
• The tone of the essay is serious and academic, matching the urgency and gravity of the hook. The transition from the hook to the essay’s main body maintains this tone, ensuring a smooth flow and sustained reader engagement.

The main part of your essay can then delve into the specific consequences of climate change, what actions are needed, and why there is an urgent need for these actions.

Remember, a hook is more than just a gimmick to grab the reader’s attention; it’s an integral part of your essay that sets the stage for what’s to come. Making sure there is a smooth transition from the hook to the main part of your essay will help establish a good flow, keep your reader engaged, and enhance the overall readability of your essay.

Selecting the Perfect Hook for Your Essay

The process of choosing a good hook for your essay necessitates careful consideration of a few key factors:

• Identify Your Key Message: Your essay’s central theme or argument should guide your choice of a hook. Understanding what you want to communicate to your readers is essential. Are you arguing a specific point of view, narrating a personal experience, or explaining a concept? Once you’ve established your essay’s main message, you can then pick a good hook that aligns with it.
• Understand Your Audience: Your audience’s interests, knowledge level, and expectations should also influence your choice of a hook. What kind of information would they find intriguing or valuable? What type of hook would resonate with them the most? For instance, if you’re writing for a scholarly audience, a striking statistic or a relevant quote from an expert might be an effective hook. On the other hand, a personal anecdote or a provocative question could be more appropriate for a more general audience.
• Consider Your Essay’s Tone: The overall tone of your essay is another important factor to consider when choosing your hook. If your essay is an academic piece that argues a point, a fact, quote, or statistic may be most fitting. However, if your essay is a personal narrative or a piece meant to entertain, a joke, anecdote, or some creative imagery might make for a better hook.
• Suitability and Relevance: Finally, the hook you choose must be relevant and suitable for your essay. It should not only grab the reader’s attention but also guide them into the main topic of your essay in a natural and smooth way. Using a dramatic hook only to switch to a mundane topic can leave the reader feeling confused and cheated, and such an abrupt transition can disrupt the flow of your writing.

Remember, the primary purpose of your hook is to capture your reader’s attention and entice them to read further. So, take the time to brainstorm and choose a good hook that aligns with your essay’s purpose and tone and piques your reader’s curiosity.

What should be the length of a hook in an essay?

The optimal length of a hook can be elusive as it is largely influenced by the nature of your essay and the intended function of the hook. A reliable guideline is to aim for brevity—your hook should ideally be between one to three sentences. Although exceptions exist, it is generally advantageous to err on the side of conciseness. A short, impactful hook is always preferable to a drawn-out one that risks losing the reader’s interest.

Is a hook always the first sentence?

While a hook is typically the first sentence (or sentences) of an essay, its placement is not strictly defined. The primary function of a hook is to grab the reader’s attention and draw them into the essay, and this is often most effectively achieved at the very beginning.

However, in some cases, a hook may come after a brief introduction or background information. The hook can be a surprising fact, a provocative question, or a vivid description that comes after setting up some context.

For instance, in an essay discussing a historical event, you might start by providing some basic information about the event and then introduce a hook that presents an intriguing fact or perspective about that event to pique the reader’s interest.

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How to Write a Catchy Hook for an Essay: Types, Examples, and Tips

• by Lesley V.
• January 9, 2023 June 7, 2023
• 10 Comments

What is a hook in an essay?

But there’s a catch:

A hook in an essay is NOT an introduction! It opens your introductory paragraph rather than substitutes it. Writing hooks serve to grab attention and encourage the audience to keep reading. Here you’ll find the top five hook ideas, with practical tips and examples for different essay types.

Let’s dive right in.

What Are Good Hooks for Essays? 

Writing hooks are many, and they work to capture interest and generate curiosity. A reader stays focused on your academic paper, immersing in the context and examining it till the end.

Good hooks for essays give people a reason to invest their time into your content. In the world of a short attention span, when we don’t read but scan texts (1), such grabbers matter.

I’ve been writing educational content for many years, you know. So, I had enough practice to define the features of a good hook. That’s how to craft it so that readers welcome it gratefully:

Good Hooks Are Intriguing

Although most essays refer to formal academic writing, remember a hook’s primary purpose:

It grabs attention and captures interest to motivate the audience to keep reading. With that in mind, make hooks a bit intriguing. It will engage and evoke readers’ interest.

Mistakes to avoid: Say no to irrelevant hooks; don’t cheat a reader to get a wow effect. Your hook should refer to the essay’s topic and fit its thesis. (More on that below.)

Good Hooks Guide a Reader

It’s essential because your reader should understand what they’ll get from an essay. Scanning the hook, they already assume your topic and background information. A good hook guides a reader to your thesis statement.

Mistakes to avoid:  Don’t use common knowledge or boring facts in hooks. Think of something controversial yet relevant to your topic. Otherwise, the hook will “say” to the audience that your paper isn’t worth reading. Remember that it sets the tone for the rest of your essay.

Good Hooks Are Short and Up-to-Point

Even in formal papers, writing hooks make readers crave more and continue investigating. You have only five seconds (2) to grab their attention! So it’s essential to make hooks short and up-to-point:

Thus, you’ll catch the audience at once and encourage them to stay with you.

Mistakes to avoid:  Don’t use long sentences with many filler words. Be concise, use an active voice, and remember the purpose of your essay. What effect do you intend to have on the reader? Vague words, redundant adverbs, and no clear point in a hook can ruin the impression of your whole essay.

Good Hooks Fit Your Thesis

You know every essay has a thesis statement in the introduction. When writing a hook, make it super relevant to your thesis. It should sound natural and fit the context of your paper.

It’s critical for the logical flow of your essay introduction. Such hooks communicate the paper’s idea, helping readers get involved in the topic.

 Mistakes to avoid:  Don’t hurry up to craft a hook for an essay. Start with a thesis instead. Once ready, it will help you decide on the hook type that looks and sounds best in the context.

5 Types of Essay Hooks (With Examples)

So, what are the hook types in formal works like academic writing?

Below I’ll share five hook ideas with examples. It will help you see how they work for reader engagement. All based on my writing experience and the editorial feedback I got on my drafts.

1. Statement

A statement writing hook is a sentence making a clear claim about the topic and research you’ll cover. It should reflect the essay for people to see what they’ll get if they continue investigating.

Why are statements so engaging?

They make readers want to see what arguments you use to support your research. It’s about curiosity again. The audience continues reading to confirm their view of your statement is true.

This hook makes a strong statement about the transformative power of education. It highlights the belief that education can bring significant change, and explains how.

In college papers, a thesis can also be an attention-grabber. Start your text with the core statement you’ll support throughout the essay.

A thesis statement can be a hook if you have an alternative (unexpected) take on the subject. Readers may want to see where and how you came up with such a new idea.

2. Statistics

A statistic hook works for more formal and informative academic papers. Consider numbers, percentages, and decimals related to your research to grab readers’ interest.

First, it’s about psychology again. People tend to perceive the information with numbers as more authoritative and trustworthy.

And second, surprising statistics boost intrigue. Readers will want to find out what’s behind those numbers. (Consider something rare or unexpected for a hook to reach this effect.)

Be sure to include the source: Where did you get those numbers? Do not “invent” facts for a wow effect; be honest with your audience when choosing hooks for essays.

In this hook for an essay, the statistic about food waste grabs the reader’s attention. First, it presents a surprising fact. Second, it sets the stage for delving into the causes and consequences. Finally, it signals that you’ll propose solutions to this critical problem.

3. Question

The most popular essay hook type, a question grabs attention at once. It signals to readers that if they continue reading — they’ll find the answer.

People are curious by nature, and questions leave them wanting more. It’s psychology: Curiosity won’t let them put your writing aside.

Not all questions work like writing hooks. You need to ask a thought-provoking one or involve further exploration of the issue. Use open-ended questions in essays. Avoid those too general or expecting short “yes” or “no” answers.

4. Quotation

Some content experts say this hook is “for lazy authors,” meaning those who don’t know how to engage readers.

Literary quotes or quotes from famous people are super engaging. (Example: Motivational quotes’ crazy popularity on social media.)

Yes, this hook has a controversial reputation. It’s because newbie writers overuse it, placing random sayings in their content.

A quotation can be an effective way to start an essay by drawing on the insight of a notable individual.

This powerful quotation reveals the essence of resilience and perseverance in challenges. Using it as an essay hook, you can introduce a topic on overcoming obstacles or personal growth.

If you decide to use a quotation hook for your essay, here go some tips from me:

• Find a rare quote related to your topic. Don’t use overused sayings we’ve all been reading hundreds of times already.
• Ensure the quote is from a credible source and check the authorship before publishing it. Otherwise, you risk attributing your chosen quote to the wrong person. (A primary example is “ Write drunk, edit sober,” attributed to Ernest Hemingway though he didn’t tell it.)

• Use quotations that can add to the credibility of your argument. Choose those with powerful and memorable thoughts. Ensure you explain the quote after including it to prevent misunderstanding and confusion.

It’s the perfect hook for narrative writing : storytelling, blog posts, social media, etc.

Start your paper with a short episode that relates to the essay topic. It can be a real-life or fictional story with a hero to gain the reader’s attention and reflection.

Using a short personal story as an essay hook is a compelling way to make your essay more relatable. Opening lines like this captivate attention and create a sense of intrigue.

It introduces an experience or moment that connects to the topic you will be discussing. This approach can create a personal connection between the reader and your essay.

How to Create Attention-Grabbing Hooks for Different Types of Essays

With so many academic papers to write in college, it’s critical to understand what hooks work for each. Depending on the essay type and topic, opening sentences may vary.

Below are the best writing hooks practices for different essay types.

How to Write a Hook for Argumentative Essays

Start with a strong statement or question related to the topic of your essay. It will help the reader understand the point you’ll support. Besides, a question evokes curiosity:

The audience will expect the answer and continue reading your essay to find it.

Argumentative writing in schools is about learning critical thinking and communication skills. You try to convince the audience with arguments. Ensure your essay hook matches that confident and convincing tone.

This hook is a controversial statement that grabs the reader’s attention. It sets the stage for an essay where you use evidence and persuasive arguments to support the point.

How to Write a Hook for Research Papers

Start with a question or surprising statistics. Research papers in college serve to develop your searching and fact-checking skills. A question or statistics in essay hooks will show you can form arguments based on facts.

This hook engages the reader with an intriguing question about the research topic. It highlights the field’s impact, sparking curiosity and setting the stage for exploration.

How to Write a Hook for Compare and Contrast Essays

Use a question or a short story as writing hooks here. The task is to set up a contrast of concepts to show their nature through comparison.

This hook captures by presenting a relatable situation and teasing the exploration. It creates anticipation for the analysis, encouraging one to continue reading for answers.

How to Write a Hook for Informative Essays

Start with a story or a quotation. Informative essays aren’t as formal as other papers in schools, making these hook ideas fit. Consider the topic of your essay to choose a proper tone. Quotations work for more formal subjects, and stories serve best for less formal ones.

This opening paragraph begins with a quotation. It helps grab attention to the topic and guide readers through the information in the essay.

How to Write a Hook for an Analytical Essay

For analytical essays, consider hook types like strong statements or rhetorical questions. This paper type resembles a critical analysis . So your hook will guide the audience through the context your analysis will tackle.

This hook begins with a thought-provoking rhetorical question, engaging the reader. It introduces the essay focus: analyze the persuasive language and explore its techniques.

How to Write a Hook for a Rhetorical Essay

Use a rhetorical question or a quotation from the work you’ll explore. Rhetorical essays are about analyzing someone’s non-fiction piece (4). So these writing hooks will work best here.

This hook is a thought-provoking question. It sets the stage for a rhetorical analysis of Martin Luther King Jr.’s iconic speech. Readers understand you’ll explore the writing techniques employed by King to inspire change.

Tips to Create an Effective Essay Hook That Improves Your Writing

Below are actionable tips for a writing hooks practice. Remember them when working on your essays. They’ll make your texts sound professional.

Use AI Content Generators

While tools like ChatGPT are controversial in academia (5), you can still use them for good. Consider AI assistants to help you with writing hooks ideas. They’ll offer examples that you can polish for your paper’s purpose.

Or, at least, you’ll see how to write a hook for an essay. Ask AI to share hook types for different papers — and you’ll know how to craft each and improve your writing skills.

Write in Simple Language

Say no to sophisticated terms and fancy words in your essays. Write the way you speak and use words everybody knows. Simple sentences can be informative and persuasive, too.

Please don’t try to sound smart. Bunches of lengthy, hard-to-pronounce words make your work sound artificial. Plus, they hurt the essay’s readability.

Avoid Passive Voice

I have no idea why it’s so, but students love using passive voice in essays. Do they believe it makes them sound formal and authoritative? It’s not so.

If you want to improve your writing, don’t use passive voice in texts. It makes writing sound weak and uncertain as if you aren’t sure about what you are saying. Passive voice also signals poor writing skills.

Add Power Words

Power words are active verbs and descriptive adjectives in your essays. They help communicate intrigue, surprise the audience, and evoke emotions.

Also, don’t hesitate to use sensory language in essay hooks and throughout your text. They enhance your vocabulary and make your writing sound professional.

NB! Know your limit. Remember that you write an academic paper, not a blog post or a novel. So, consider the type and purpose of your essay, and add those lexical items only when appropriate.

Forget Redundant Adverbs

Tons of so-called -ly adverbs in essays or web texts make me cry. Not only do they weaken your writing, but they also signal a lack of vocabulary. Examples of such words are very, really, truly, extremely, absolutely, etc.

Filler words and redundant adverbs in essay hooks don’t work. They will make readers skeptical about your writing skills and knowledge at once. Remember:

You can always find a stronger verb or adjective to communicate your message.

Consider “intelligent” instead of “very smart,” or try “excellent” instead of “very good.” The same rule works for verbs: “Sprint” or “race” sounds better than “run quickly.” And “grin” is more descriptive and powerful than “smile happily.”

Ready to Grab Readers With a Catchy Essay Hook?

Hook ideas are many, and content writers find pros and cons in using each for reader engagement. Depending on the academic paper you write, some hooks can be more effective than others. Consider the message you want to convey with your essay — and craft your opening sentence.

Now that you know the most efficient types of hooks for an essay, it’s time to practice them! You’ll see which grabs the most interest. Statements, statistics, questions, stories, or quotations — all work when used right.

Do you use writing hooks in essays? Share your favorite hook type in the comments!

References:

• https://www.nngroup.com/articles/how-users-read-on-the-web/
• https://business.fiu.edu/graduate/doctor-of-business-administration/2021/maribel-diz.pdf  
• https://writingcenter.tamu.edu/Grads/Writing-Speaking-Guides/Alphabetical-List-of-Guides/Academic-Writing/Analysis/Rhetorical-Analysis
• https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/chatgpt-threat-education

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How to Write an Introduction Paragraph: Examples and Guide

There are times when an introduction predicts what your entire essay will say—it’s essentially a reflection. If done successfully, it grabs the reader’s attention and entices them to read further into the essay. As a writer, I know the importance of a strong and engaging introduction, and with practice, I have excelled in the art of writing a good intro. Here’s how you can write a compelling introduction with examples.

The Purpose of the Introduction Paragraph

A good introduction serves as a roadmap for your essay, setting the stage for what is to come. Its primary purpose is to grab the reader’s attention, provide necessary background information, and clearly state the main argument or thesis of the essay. By doing so, it helps the reader transition from their own world into the context of your analysis, making them interested in reading further. A well-written introduction also outlines the structure of the essay, ensuring that the reader knows what to expect in the body paragraphs. This initial section is crucial for making a strong first impression, establishing the tone, and demonstrating the quality and direction of your work. A good introduction paragraph should be able to:

Engage the Reader: Capture interest with an intriguing opening sentence or a compelling story.

Provide Context: Offer background information needed to understand the topic.

State the Thesis: Clearly present your main argument or thesis statement.

Outline the Structure: Briefly mention the main points or sections covered in the essay.

Establish Relevance: Explain why the topic is important and worth discussing.

Set the Tone: Establish the style and tone of your writing.

Write an Introduction Paragraph

An introduction paragraph sets the tone for your entire essay, shaping your reader's expectations and mood. It's like the gateway to your ideas - a good one hooks the reader, compelling them to continue, while a weak introduction might make them lose interest before they've even begun. That's why learning how to start an introduction paragraph for an essay is crucial for students and writers alike.

With tools like WPS Office at your fingertips, you're not just getting a word processor, but an AI assistant to guide you through the entire journey of crafting that perfect opening. In fact, I'll be using WPS Office for this tutorial to demonstrate its features. So, let's dive in and explore how to write an essay introduction step by step:

The hook is the opening sentence or a few sentences of an essay designed to grab the reader's attention and entice them to keep reading. It serves to engage the reader by presenting something intriguing, surprising, or relevant to the essay's topic.

The main purpose of the hook is to spark the reader's interest and make them want to read more. It's the first impression the reader gets, so it needs to be compelling and relevant to the essay's subject.

1.Start with a Surprising Fact or Statistic: Begin with an interesting or shocking fact that relates to your topic. This immediately grabs the reader's attention.

Bad Example: "Drunk driving is a serious issue."

Good Example: "Every year, over 1.25 million people die in car accidents, many of which are caused by drunk driving."

2.Use a Quote: Introduce your essay with a relevant quote that encapsulates your main point.

Bad Example: "Drunk driving is defined as driving while impaired by alcohol."

Good Example: “At eighteen, Michelle had a lifetime of promise in front of her. Attending college on a track scholarship, she was earning good grades and making lots of friends. Then one night her life was forever altered…”

3.Pose a Rhetorical Question: Ask a question that provokes thought and engages the reader.

Bad Example: "Have you ever driven a car?"

Good Example: "What if every time you got behind the wheel, you risked not only your life but the lives of others?"

4.Tell an Anecdote or Story: Share a brief, compelling story that relates to your topic.

Bad Example: "I once heard a story about a drunk driver."

Good Example: "At eighteen, Michelle had a lifetime of promise in front of her. Attending college on a track scholarship, she was earning good grades and making lots of friends. Then one night her life was forever altered..."

If you need ideas to help you improve on the hook for your introduction, consider providing WPS AI with a prompt such as:

"Write an introduction on the topic 'Risks of Driving Intoxicated' and provide four individual hooks: one with a surprising fact, one using a quote, one with rhetorical questions, and one through telling an anecdote."

WPS AI will produce a catchy hook statement that you can use for your introduction, such as:

Background Information

Background information provides the reader with the necessary context to understand the essay's topic. This may include historical, geographical, or social context, definitions of key terms, or an outline of the debate surrounding the topic.

The background helps to bridge the gap between the hook and the thesis statement. It gives the reader the context they need to understand the main argument of the essay and why it's important.

1.Provide Context: Explain the broader context of your topic to show its significance.

Bad Example: "Drunk driving is bad."

Good Example: "Michelle's story is not isolated. Each year, over 1.25 million people die in car accidents, many of which are caused by drunk driving."

2.Introduce Key Terms and Concepts: Define any terms or concepts that are crucial to understanding your thesis.

Bad Example: "Drunk driving is when you drink alcohol and drive."

Good Example: "Drunk driving, legally defined as operating a vehicle with a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.08% or higher, is a preventable cause of many fatalities."

3.Set Up the Problem: Briefly discuss the scope of the issue or debate you will be addressing.

Bad Example: "People drive drunk sometimes."

Good Example: "Despite strict laws, drunk driving continues to be a significant problem worldwide, leading to devastating consequences for victims and their families."

To give an effective and detailed background information in your introduction consider proving WPS AI with a prompt like this:

“This serves as the background to my introduction: 'People frequently choose to drive under the influence of alcohol.' Please enhance it to address the problem and discuss its scope."

WPS AI will produce a detailed background passage for your introduction, give as:

Thesis Statement

The thesis statement is a concise summary of the main point or claim of the essay. It usually appears at the end of the introduction and states the essay's central argument or position.

The thesis statement guides the direction of the essay by informing the reader what the essay will argue or discuss. It sets the tone and focus of the entire paper.

1.Be Clear and Specific: Clearly state your main point and how you will support it.

Bad Example: "This essay will talk about drunk driving."

Good Example: "Drunk driving laws need to include stricter penalties for those convicted of driving under the influence of alcohol to reduce accidents and save lives."

2.Make an Argument: Present a claim that requires evidence and can be debated.

Bad Example: "Drunk driving is bad and should be stopped."

Good Example: "Implementing harsher penalties for drunk driving will deter offenders and significantly decrease the number of alcohol-related accidents."

3.Outline Your Main Points: Indicate the main points you will cover in your essay to support your thesis.

Bad Example: "I will discuss the problems with drunk driving."

Good Example: "Stricter penalties are necessary because they act as a deterrent, they can prevent repeat offenses, and they provide justice for victims."

You can take help from WPS AI to extract the thesis statement of your essay using the WPS AI chat box.

Step 1: Click on the WPS AI widget at the top corner of the WPS Writer interface.

Step 2: The WPS AI pane will open on the right side of the screen. Type in your prompt to extract the thesis statement of your essay and then paste the essay.

Here is a prompt example that you can use:

"Extract the thesis statement from the following essay:"

Step 3: WPS AI will provide the thesis statement. To refine it further, engage with the WPS AI chatbot by asking more questions or queries.

The summary or road map briefly outlines how the essay will be structured. It provides a preview of the main points that will be covered, giving the reader a sense of the direction of the argument.

1.Summarize Main Points: Briefly mention the key arguments or points you will discuss in your essay.

Bad Example: "I will talk about drunk driving laws, penalties, and justice."

Good Example: "This essay will first examine the current state of drunk driving laws, then explore the impact of stricter penalties on reducing incidents, and finally discuss how these penalties can bring justice to victims."

2.Be Concise: Keep it short and to the point, providing a clear outline without going into too much detail.

Bad Example: "I will write about drunk driving and why it is bad."

Good Example: "By examining the effectiveness of current laws, the potential benefits of stricter penalties, and the importance of justice for victims, this essay argues that harsher punishments for drunk driving are essential."

“Write a concise summary for the introduction of an essay on the topic "Risks of Driving Intoxicated." The summary should briefly mention the key points that will be covered in the essay, without going into too much detail."

The summary should briefly outline the main points covered in the essay, emphasizing the societal impact, legal ramifications, and personal consequences of driving under the influence. Ensure clarity and coherence, setting the stage for a comprehensive exploration of the topic in the subsequent sections.

Examples of Different Essays

Essays come in various forms, each serving a unique purpose and following specific structures. Understanding these different types can help you write an essay introduction more effectively. Let's explore three common types of essays: Argumentative, Expository, and Literary. Each example below demonstrates the key elements of its respective essay type, including the hook, background information, and thesis statement.

Argumentary

An argumentative essay aims to present a position on a topic and support it with evidence.

An expository essay explains a topic in a clear and concise manner without arguing a specific position.

A literary essay analyzes and interprets a work of literature, focusing on elements such as theme, character, or style.

More Examples of Different Topics

Let's take a look at some sample introductions of essays in different disciplines. This will further help you in writing an effective essay introduction.

Example #1 Medicine

Example #2 literature, example #3 social sciences, example #4 engineering, example #5 business & marketing, using wps ai to perfect your introduction.

With WPS Office, you have access to a comprehensive suite of tools designed to support your academic writing needs. Its AI-powered features enhance your writing process, from initial drafting to final proofreading. Specifically, WPS Office AI will help perfect your introduction, ensuring it captures attention and sets the stage for your paper. Plus, WPS Office is available for free, making it an accessible and indispensable resource for students and academics alike.

1.Check the Grammar and Syntax

Your introduction sets the tone for your entire essay, so it's crucial that it's grammatically correct and free from syntax errors. WPS AI careful checks for any grammatical mistakes and syntax issues, ensuring that your introduction is polished and professional. It provides suggestions for corrections, helping you present a clear and error-free first impression.

2.Rewrite Your Statement for Clarity

WPS AI can improve the clarity and coherence of your introduction by rewriting complex or awkwardly phrased sentences. It identifies areas where your writing may be ambiguous or convoluted and offers alternative phrasing that enhances readability. This feature ensures that your introduction is clear, concise, and compelling.

3.Automatically Expand Content

When you need to elaborate on a point or expand your introduction, WPS AI can automatically generate additional content. This feature helps you add relevant information that aligns with your essay's theme and tone. It’s particularly useful for developing a strong hook, providing context, or setting up your thesis statement.

4.Give an Outline for Your Paper

Writing a strong introduction often involves giving your readers a brief outline of what to expect in your essay. WPS AI can assist in structuring your introduction to include a concise overview of your main points, providing a roadmap for your readers. This feature ensures that your introduction effectively sets the stage for the rest of your essay. Here is an example of an outline generated using WPS AI Writer for an essay:

If you find this outline suitable for your essay, simply scroll down and click on "Insert" to use the outline for your essay.

1. What is the structure of an essay?

An essay is divided into three main parts:

Introduction: This section introduces the topic and presents the main idea (thesis). It provides some background information and outlines what the essay will discuss.

Body: The body forms the essay's core, where you develop arguments to support your thesis. It is organized into several paragraphs, each presenting a distinct point backed by evidence.

Conclusion: The conclusion summarizes the main points covered in the essay and strengthens the thesis statement. It wraps up the discussion and may offer final insights or suggestions.

2. Why do I need a thesis statement?

A thesis statement plays a crucial role in academic essays and research papers by presenting the central argument or idea to be explored and developed. Here are several key reasons why a thesis statement is essential:

It provides clear direction and focus for your writing.

It summarizes your main argument for the reader.

It maintains clarity and coherence throughout the essay.

It serves as the foundational basis for structuring the entire essay.

3. How long should the introduction paragraph be?

The introduction paragraph for a research paper typically spans one to two paragraphs. As a general rule, the entire introduction section—which includes the opening paragraph, literature review, and research questions—should constitute approximately 10% to 15% of the paper's total length. This structure allows for a comprehensive yet concise setup of your research topic, providing readers with the necessary context before delving into the main body of your work.

Beyond the Hook: Building a Strong Introduction Paragraph

Writing an introduction is perhaps the most thought-provoking and critical task in crafting any assignment. With the myriad features offered by WPS Office, you can effortlessly create a phenomenal essay introduction. WPS AI enhances this process with tools that ensure clarity, coherence, and creativity. Whether it's organizing your thoughts or refining your language, WPS Office empowers you to craft introductions that captivate readers from the start. Download WPS Office today and experience firsthand how it transforms your writing process into a seamless and impactful journey.

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The Polls Have Shifted Toward Harris. Is It Real, or Something Else?

A review of the Trump team’s critique of our surveys, and the surprising fact that a lot of people don’t seem to remember how they voted.

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By Nate Cohn

Last week’s New York Times/Siena College polls showing Vice President Kamala Harris leading in three swing states led some Republicans and Democrats to ask the same question: Is this real?

At the center of this question is whether the Times/Siena polls have enough voters who supported Donald J. Trump in 2020. The Trump campaign released a memo arguing that our polls would have actually showed a Trump lead if we had weighted the results properly.

The Trump campaign’s critique focused on something pollsters refer to as “recalled vote.” In the polls of Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, respondents recalled backing President Biden over Mr. Trump by six points, 52 percent to 46 percent, even though Mr. Biden actually won these three states by an average of about 1.5 points. The Trump campaign used this data point to say Mr. Trump would have led if the poll had the “right” number of Trump 2020 supporters.

This isn’t an absurd argument. In recent years, many pollsters have embraced recalled vote in exactly the way the Trump campaign describes: as an accurate measure of how people voted in the last election, which can then be used to evaluate the partisan balance of the sample. As an idea, it makes logical sense.

But over the longer run, recalled vote hasn’t usually been very reliable. Oddly enough, this is one of the first things I remember learning when I started getting interested in polling methodology in the fall of 2004 . Back then, it was George W. Bush who led the polls, and it was the Democrats trying to prove that the polls were skewed. Among other things, they argued the polls had too many Bush ’00 voters, based on recalled vote.

A CBS News/Times poll at the time, for instance, found Mr. Bush and John Kerry tied, but Bush ’00 voters outnumbered Al Gore ’00 voters by six points. Mr. Gore won the popular vote in 2000; if the poll had the “right” number of Gore supporters, Democrats thought, Mr. Kerry would have led — perhaps by a lot. Plausible, right?

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