Hook for Research Paper: Best Ideas and Easy Tips

Looking for interesting research paper hook examples for inspiration? Students have to write a lot of different types of academic assignments, including such complex projects like research papers. But the success of most written projects depends on the first impression that they make on their readers. And that impression depends on the paper’s introductory paragraphs, in particular their hooks. That’s why it’s crucial to learn to write engaging hooks that can make a strong impression on your readers. Keep reading to learn how you can do it right.

What Is a Hook and Why Is It Important?

A hook is typically the first sentence of the paper or several sentences. They are written with the purpose of introducing your topic and engaging the readers. You need to make them motivated to read your piece of writing until the end. You need to think carefully what hook to use when you are writing research papers and other types of college assignments. Besides, you should keep in mind that there are different types of hooks, and their use greatly depends on a variety of aspects, for example, the subject of your paper, the type of assignments, your audience etc.

Different Types of Hooks for Research Papers

It goes without saying that every research paper should be based on thorough research of good scholarly sources, be well structured and perfect in content and in style. But even if your paper conveys great ideas, no one will know about that if they don’t read the entire paper. Therefore, you should start your project in an engaging way to ensure that you will be able make a powerful first impression and will show your audience that your paper is worth reading, so they won’t waste their precious time.

To achieve that goal, you should write a strong introduction with a highly specific thesis statement and start this part of your paper with an attention grabber – the hook. You need not just write any statement or question that you think is interesting to your readers or conveys new information. You should choose the most appropriate type of good hooks for research papers and ensure that it is relevant to your topic. Here are some examples of different types of hooks that you can use.

Surprising Fact

We all love interesting facts. You can start your research paper with some fact that offers valuable information to your readers and proves that you are an expert on the topic. But you should be very careful with such type of hooks and always make sure that your information is reliable and have been taken from a credible source. Besides, you should choose only those facts that are related to your topic.

Quotation

A relevant quote from an expert in the field makes the perfect hook for research paper. A good idea is to use a quote from a well-known person. Make sure that the quote is inspirational and thought provoking. By quoting a famous person, you will show your readers that you have done some good research and know a lot on your topic. Then they will be more inclined to get acquainted with the content of your paper.

Interesting Statistics

Statistics and other data always provide valuable information. If you provide numbers, your readers with see what your project is about and will be more motivated to read it. Statistics hook is a great option for informational pieces of writing like research papers and term papers. You should use data related to the main point of your paper. It’s important to ensure that the statistics are based on original research and you should also provide a reference to your source. If you provide some number the meaning of which may not be clear to your readers, you should provide a short explanation of how they relate to your subject.

Rhetorical or Provocative Question

Questions are not common as hooks for research papers but they are often used in informative and argumentative speeches and presentations and articles. It’s an interesting example of a hook. Typically, you may ask questions that your paper has to answer. Rhetorical questions are often used in persuasive and argumentative writing to appeal to the audience’s emotions.

Statement

This is the most common type of hooks. A strong statement can easily show the importance of your research and convince your audience to find out what your paper is about. You can appeal to your readers’ curiosity and motivate them to learn what you are going to say.

There are also other types of hooks, like a dialogue, a story, a description, a simile or metaphor, etc. However, they are most used in creative writing and in blog articles. Research papers are written in a formal style, and such types of hooks are inappropriate for academic content.

Looking for Research Paper Hook Examples?

Now you know what types of hooks exist. Now let’s take a look at some examples to help you get a better idea of how to start your research paper.

• Now, there are more than 3.5 billion smartphone users across the globe. (statistics)
• Global warming caused by human activity makes droughts more frequent and severe. (statement)
• Galaxies started from one tiny pinpoint more than 14 billion years ago. (statement)
• Can people live without water? (question)

How to Write a Strong Hook for a Research Paper

Now you know that a strong hook is very important for the success of your academic paper. Here are some easy tips that will help you cope with this task.

• Always know the purpose of your writing project. You need to have a good idea of what message you want to convey to your readers. Then you will be able to identify the best type of hook that is suitable for your research paper.
• Do additional research to find interesting hook ideas. Besides, you should make sure that you take information from a credible authoritative source. Use articles from scientific journals, textbooks, research reports, study surveys, interviews, newspapers, and more.
• Always create an outline. Start with the thesis statement or research question that you will argue in your research paper. Then think about the major points and evidence that you can use to support your argument. Plan your introduction and think about the most appropriate way to make your readers read your piece of writing until the end.
• Resist the temptation to include a shocking fact or surprising statistics if they are not related to your topic. Your readers will not see the connections and may feel bored. Make sure you always include only relevant information and always provide additional explanations to show your readers how your hook is connected to the subject of your research paper.

And so, we have discussed how to write a good hook in research paper and provided you with some interesting examples. We hope that this article will be useful for you and it will help you learn how to start your research papers with strong attention grabbers and engage your readers. You should follow our easy tips and do your best to motivate your audience to read your paper and find out what happens next.