connects the hook to the thesis statement
summarizes the overall claim of the paper
» Opening with a Story (Anecdote)
A good way of catching your reader’s attention is by sharing a story that sets up your paper. Sharing a story gives a paper a more personal feel and helps make your reader comfortable.
This example was borrowed from Jack Gannon’s The Week the World Heard Gallaudet (1989):
Astrid Goodstein, a Gallaudet faculty member, entered the beauty salon for her regular appointment, proudly wearing her DPN button. (“I was married to that button that week!” she later confided.) When Sandy, her regular hairdresser, saw the button, he spoke and gestured, “Never! Never! Never!” Offended, Astrid turned around and headed for the door but stopped short of leaving. She decided to keep her appointment, confessing later that at that moment, her sense of principles had lost out to her vanity. Later she realized that her hairdresser had thought she was pushing for a deaf U.S. President. Hook: a specific example or story that interests the reader and introduces the topic.
Transition: connects the hook to the thesis statement
Thesis: summarizes the overall claim of the paper
» Specific Detail Opening
Giving specific details about your subject appeals to your reader’s curiosity and helps establish a visual picture of what your paper is about.
Hands flying, green eyes flashing, and spittle spraying, Jenny howled at her younger sister Emma. People walked by, gawking at the spectacle as Jenny’s grunts emanated through the mall. Emma sucked at her thumb, trying to appear nonchalant. Jenny’s blond hair stood almost on end. Her hands seemed to fly so fast that her signs could barely be understood. Jenny was angry. Very angry. | a specific example or story that interests the reader and introduces the topic. connects the hook to the thesis statement summarizes the overall claim of the paper |
» Open with a Quotation
Another method of writing an introduction is to open with a quotation. This method makes your introduction more interactive and more appealing to your reader.
“People paid more attention to the way I talked than what I said!” exclaimed the woman from Brooklyn, New York, in the movie American Tongues. This young woman’s home dialect interferes with people taking her seriously because they see her as a New Yorker’s cartoonish stereotype. The effects on this woman indicate the widespread judgment that occurs about nonstandard dialects. People around America judge those with nonstandard dialects because of _____________ and _____________. This type of judgment can even cause some to be ashamed of or try to change their language identity.* | a specific example or story that interests the reader and introduces the topic. connects the hook to the thesis statement summarizes the overall claim of the paper |
» Open with an Interesting Statistic
Statistics that grab the reader help to make an effective introduction.
American Sign Language is the second most preferred foreign language in the United States. 50% of all deaf and hard of hearing people use American Sign Language (ASL).* ASL is beginning to be provided by the Foreign Language Departments of many universities and high schools around the nation. The statistics are not accurate. They were invented as an example. | a specific example or story that interests the reader and introduces the topic. connects the hook to the thesis statement summarizes the overall claim of the paper |
» Question Openings
Possibly the easiest opening is one that presents one or more questions to be answered in the paper. This is effective because questions are usually what the reader has in mind when he or she sees your topic.
Is ASL a language? Can ASL be written? Do you have to be born deaf to understand ASL completely? To answer these questions, one must first understand exactly what ASL is. In this paper, I attempt to explain this as well as answer my own questions. | a specific example or story that interests the reader and introduces the topic. connects the hook to the thesis statement summarizes the overall claim of the paper |
Source : *Writing an Introduction for a More Formal Essay. (2012). Retrieved April 25, 2012, from http://flightline.highline.edu/wswyt/Writing91/handouts/hook_trans_thesis.htm
The conclusion to any paper is the final impression that can be made. It is the last opportunity to get your point across to the reader and leave the reader feeling as if they learned something. Leaving a paper “dangling” without a proper conclusion can seriously devalue what was said in the body itself. Here are a few effective ways to conclude or close your paper. » Summary Closing Many times conclusions are simple re-statements of the thesis. Many times these conclusions are much like their introductions (see Thesis Statement Opening).
Because of a charter signed by President Abraham Lincoln and because of the work of two men, Amos Kendall and Edward Miner Gallaudet, Gallaudet University is what it is today – the place where people from all over the world can find information about deafness and deaf education. Gallaudet and the deaf community truly owe these three men for without them, we might still be “deaf and dumb.” |
» Close with a Logical Conclusion
This is a good closing for argumentative or opinion papers that present two or more sides of an issue. The conclusion drawn as a result of the research is presented here in the final paragraphs.
As one can see from reading the information presented, mainstreaming deaf students isn’t always as effective as educating them in a segregated classroom. Deaf students learn better on a more one-on-one basis like they can find in a school or program specially designed for them. Mainstreaming lacks such a design; deaf students get lost in the mainstream. |
» Real or Rhetorical Question Closings
This method of concluding a paper is one step short of giving a logical conclusion. Rather than handing the conclusion over, you can leave the reader with a question that causes him or her to draw his own conclusions.
Why, then, are schools for the deaf becoming a dying species? |
» Close with a Speculation or Opinion This is a good style for instances when the writer was unable to come up with an answer or a clear decision about whatever it was he or she was researching. For example:
Through all of my research, all of the people I interviewed, all of the institutions I visited, not one person could give me a clear-cut answer to my question. Can all deaf people be educated in the same manner? I couldn’t find the “right” answer. I hope you, the reader, will have better luck. |
» Close with a Recommendation
A good conclusion is when the writer suggests that the reader do something in the way of support for a cause or a plea for them to take action.
American Sign Language is a fast growing language in America. More and more universities and colleges are offering it as part of their curriculum and some are even requiring it as part of their program. This writer suggests that anyone who has a chance to learn this beautiful language should grab that opportunity. |
202-448-7036
Gallaudet University, chartered in 1864, is a private university for deaf and hard of hearing students.
Copyright © 2024 Gallaudet University. All rights reserved.
800 Florida Avenue NE, Washington, D.C. 20002
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
Writing an exciting hook for a boring topic is more challenging than it looks. But Wordtune makes it a breeze with just two steps:
You can also change the tone of voice to make the text more in tune with your theme.
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.”
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!
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.
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:
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.
In academic settings, there are generally three kinds of essays:
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.
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:
⚡ Take action: Look at your list. Can you write these potential hooks in a tone that suits your subject and audience?
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.
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.
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?
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.
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.
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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In this lesson, you will learn about the two parts of an introductory paragraph. An introductory paragraph is usually the first paragraph of an essay. The two parts of an introductory paragraph are as follows:
According to University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Writing Center, the hook has two basic purposes:
As the writer, you only have one chance to draw your reader in and make them want to read your essay. While it can sometimes be difficult to know what combination of thoughts and words might draw your reader in, there are some things you can do to have a much better chance of success. Let’s explore this by looking at an example.
Imagine for a moment that you were asked to write an essay in response to the following question:
If you were writing an essay in response to that prompt, how could the first paragraph in your essay, the introductory paragraph, draw your reader in and make him or her want to read your essay? What kind of hook could you use?
Let’s explore this question by looking at a few examples of some approaches you could take.
Another basic purpose of the hook is to give context to the essay topic. So what is “context” and why is it important when writing a hook? Let’s explore that a little bit further with a simple analogy.
Have you ever had access to a cell phone or computer? If so, you have likely seen or even used some of the “Map” applications or features it has. Perhaps you typed in your home address and then saw some satellite (aerial) images of your home. Perhaps you then zoomed out so you could see your yard, the surrounding neighborhood, and even some of the other neighborhoods close by. Maybe you even zoomed far out enough to see surrounding buildings, neighborhoods, or even cities you had not seen before—context around your own home or neighborhood that made you view where you live a little differently or more clearly.
Think of your hook and its purpose of giving context to your essay topic as the “zoom” feature of your essay. Much like the zoom feature on a digital map gives you context for your home by allowing you to see how it fits in with the neighborhood, surrounding neighborhoods, and even surrounding cities, the hook of your essay can give your reader context for your essay topic and thesis statement by zooming out a little so your reader can see how the topic you are addressing fits in with the other more broad (and perhaps more familiar) topics that surround it. Taking the time to adjust the “zoom” feature within your hook will ensure that your reader has enough context for your essay topic to find and understand your thesis statement (the heart and home) of your essay.
It may take some time and practice to determine how far you need to zoom out on your essay topic to provide your reader with the right amount of context to find and understand your thesis statement, so don’t be afraid to experiment a little bit. A good way to test if you are on the right track is to write out your best version of a hook (one that does what it can to draw your reader in and give context to your essay topic) and your best version of a thesis statement (a sentence that establishes the controlling idea of your essay based on your essay topic) and then have a close family member or friend read it over. If the hook zooms out enough (gives enough context) for your thesis statement to seem logical and make sense, then you probably have the right amount of zoom. If not, then you may have to look at zooming out or in a bit more so the location and content of your thesis statement make sense.
As you review the above material, please consider the following questions and record your answers:
Another important part of the introductory paragraph is the thesis statement. The thesis statement serves as the road map for the rest of your essay —it indicates the controlling idea you will be focusing on throughout your essay (your response to the prompt question) and also outlines the controlling ideas of each of your body paragraphs.
To write a truly effective thesis statement, there are a few simple things you should remember. Your thesis statement should do the following:
One of the keys to a great basic (or body) paragraph is a single controlling idea—as stated in the topic sentence of that paragraph. The basic essay is no different. Just as the basic paragraph requires a single controlling idea, so too does the basic essay. And just as that controlling idea is established in the topic sentence of a basic paragraph, the controlling idea of the basic essay is established within its thesis statement.
To illustrate this idea, let’s look at an example. Imagine once again that you were asked to write an essay in response to the following question:
What might your answer be? Perhaps it might be something like the following:
The answer to that question indicates the controlling idea of your essay. Since one of the roles of your thesis statement is to establish the controlling idea of your essay, this same answer, if phrased properly, can become the thesis statement for your essay.
Based on the prompt question example above, what would your thesis (or answer) for that prompt question be?
Another thing your thesis should do is outline the controlling ideas for each of your body paragraphs. Sometimes, the prompt question you are answering asks for only one specific answer, resulting in just one specific controlling idea in one body paragraph. This is the case with the prompt question above. It asks for one thing that can be done to overcome a specific thinking error.
This is not always the case though. Many prompt questions may ask for two or three items to be focused on instead of just one. What might a thesis statement like that look like? How could a thesis statement indicate not only the controlling idea for the entire essay, but also the controlling ideas that will be addressed by the two or three body paragraphs to follow?
Let’s explore this by looking at a different version of the same prompt question. Imagine for a moment that the prompt question did not simply ask for “one thing” you could do to overcome a specific answer, but rather “two” or “three”? It might be something like the following:
What might a thesis statement that needs to address not just one but three things a person can do to overcome a specific thinking error look like? It could take on many forms, one of which can be seen in the example below:
Notice how this thesis statement answers the prompt question while also outlining the controlling ideas for each of the three body paragraphs to follow?
How might your thesis statement change if the prompt question asked to indicate not one but three things you could do to overcome a thinking error?
This expectation sounds simple, but you would be surprised by how many students struggle with this sometimes. When writing a basic essay, it is important that you place your thesis statement at the end of your introductory paragraph. It should come after the hook, as shown in the graphic below:
This will help your reader to quickly identify the direction your essay is headed. It will also help your reader know what controlling ideas will likely be shared in your other body paragraphs.
Sometimes, the body paragraphs and their supporting details slightly (or even greatly) change the direction of the essay or your answer to the prompt question. After you have written the other parts of your essay (especially the body paragraphs) it is always a good idea to go back and review the introductory paragraph (specifically the thesis statement) to ensure that the thesis “answer” to the prompt question and the answer you support throughout the body paragraphs of your paper match with one another.
Think of it this way, how frustrated would you be if you were promised a map to the local theme park for a day of fun, only to receive directions to an oil refinery? You would likely be frustrated by the fact that what you were promised up-front was not delivered to you in the end.
Always make sure the roadmap you issue to your reader in the introductory paragraph matches the actual directions they receive in the body of your essay.
4-minute read
Never underestimate the power of an essay hook . This opening statement is meant to grab the reader’s attention and convince them to keep reading. But how do you write one that’ll pack a punch? In this article, we’ll break this down.
An essay hook is the first thing your audience will read. If it doesn’t hook them right off the bat, they might decide not to keep reading. It’s important that your opening statement is impactful while not being too wordy or presumptuous.
It’s also crucial that it clearly relates to your topic. You don’t want to mislead your readers into thinking your essay is about something it’s not. So, what kind of essay hook should you write? Here are seven ideas to choose from:
Everyone likes a good story. If an interesting story or anecdote relates to your essay topic, the hook is a great place to include it. For example:
The key to a good story hook is keeping it short and sweet. You’re not writing a novel in addition to an essay!
Another great essay hook idea is to lay out a compelling fact or statistic. For example:
There are a few things to keep in mind when doing this. Make sure it’s relevant to your topic, accurate, and something your audience will care about. And, of course, be sure to cite your sources properly.
If you want to get a little more creative with your essay hook, try using a metaphor or simile . A metaphor states that something is something else in a figurative sense, while a simile states that something is like something else.
Metaphors and similes are effective because they provide a visual for your readers, making them think about a concept in a different way. However, be careful not to make them too far-fetched or overly exaggerated.
Asking your audience a question is a great way to hook them. Not only does it make them think, but they’ll also want to keep reading because you will have sparked their curiosity. For example:
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Try to avoid using questions that start with something along the lines of “Have you ever wondered…?” Instead, try to think of a question they may never have wondered about. And be sure not to answer it right away, at least not fully. Use your essay to do that!
Making a bold statement or declaring a strong opinion can immediately catch people’s attention. For example:
Regardless of whether your reader agrees with you, they’ll probably want to keep reading to find out how you will back up your claim. Just make sure your declaration isn’t too controversial, or you might scare readers away!
Laying out a common misconception is another useful way to hook your reader. For example:
If your readers don’t know that a common belief is actually a misconception, they’ll likely be interested in learning more. And if they are already aware, it’s probably a topic they’re interested in, so they’ll want to read more.
You can put your descriptive powers into action with your essay hook. Creating interesting or compelling imagery places your reader into a scene, making the words come alive.
A description can be something beautiful and appealing or emotionally charged and provoking. Either way, descriptive writing is a powerful way to immerse your audience and keep them reading.
When writing an essay, don’t skimp on the essay hook! The opening statement has the potential to convince your audience to hear what you have to say or to let them walk away. We hope our ideas have given you some inspiration.
And once you finish writing your essay, make sure to send it to our editors. We’ll check it for grammar, spelling, word choice, references, and more. Try it out for free today with a 500-word sample !
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Published March 26, 2021. Updated May 5, 2022.
The introduction is the first interaction with the audience, which helps to engage the reader, provides background information to establish context, and states the main claim and organization of the paper.
A well-written introduction should engross the audience and make them want to keep reading. Introductions should also inform readers of what they are about to read and make the readers focus on the rest of the paper with the thesis statement. The three main parts of an introduction are the hook, background information, and a thesis statement. An introduction should not include “fluff” sentences: sentences that take up space without saying anything. Such vague introductions do not provide the reader with any meaningful context and are often seen as a way to meet a word count.
Worried about your writing? Submit your paper for a Chegg Writing essay check , or for an Expert Check proofreading . Both can help you find and fix potential writing issues.
There are three main parts of an introduction: the hook, background information, and a thesis statement.
The hook is an attention-grabbing first sentence or a short paragraph. The hook is the first thing your audience reads, and its purpose is to engage the reader. It also establishes the context for what you are writing. There are many ways to write a hook, but some common methods include using surprising statistics, interesting quotations, funny anecdotes, or thought-provoking questions.
If you were writing an argumentative paper on climate change and the developing world, you might want to start with a surprising statistic that highlights the challenges climate change presents.
Example hook: The World Health Organization predicts that climate change will contribute to about 250,000 deaths per year by the year 2030.
This sentence has a large yet simple-to-understand statistic that directly relates to the main topic and catches the eye of readers.
The second part of the introduction is the background information. This section varies quite a bit in content and length depending on the discipline, complexity, and type of paper. However, its purpose is always to provide a background that helps your reader understand the context in which you write. This information mentally prepares your reader to be ready to tackle the claim you make in the thesis statement and the evidence and analysis you write in your body paragraphs.
It is important to have some background information in the introduction. The information should not include extremely broad phrases such as “since the beginning of time” or “throughout the history of the world,” but it also cannot be so specific that readers who are unfamiliar with your topic lack context. Background information often makes the connection your readers need to relate your hook to your thesis statement.
If you added background information to the hook presented above regarding climate change in developing countries, you would want to include information that expands the readers’ understanding of the statistic on predicted casualties.
Example background information: These deaths, however, are preventable. They are not from hurricanes, tsunamis, or other natural disasters, but instead are by-products of poor environments for growing food and a lack of economic opportunity. Additionally, The United States Pentagon labels the devastating impact of climate change as “threat multipliers” because climate problems contribute substantially to global conflict and instability.
These sentences provide readers with context regarding the seriousness of climate change in the developing world. Since the sentences mention agriculture, economic opportunity, and global conflict, it is likely that the writer will reference those topics specifically at some point in the paper.
The final part of your introduction is the thesis statement. A thesis statement is a claim or argument you are making in your paper. The thesis statement also acts as a guide for your paper by telling readers the order in which you will write your main points. It is usually the last sentence of your introduction, and it is the last sentence your audience sees before they read your body paragraphs.
The following sentence is an example of a thesis statement that can be used to complement the hook and background information presented above.
Example thesis statement: Due to the devastating physical and economic impact climate change has on the developing world, industrialized nations need to increase their physical and monetary involvement in finding solutions to the crisis.
While you do have quite a bit of creative freedom in choosing how to engage your audience and provide context for the reader, there are a few things you should not include in the introduction.
You should not include “fluff” sentences: sentences that take up space without saying anything. These sentences often include phrases like “[topic] was a big problem in society,” or “there are many different parts of [topic].” These vague introductions do not provide the reader with any meaningful context and are often seen as a way to meet a word count.
Similarly, dictionary definitions take up space without providing valuable context. Often, writers try to provide dictionary definitions of abstract concepts or themes such as love, friendship, or conflict, but this is not the most engaging method to introduce a theme.
If you are writing a paper in response to a prompt, avoid simply restating the question. You will want to be sure to specifically address all aspects of the prompt, but you want to answer it, not restate it.
A final word of caution on plot summaries, particularly for literary analysis essays. While you may need to include a concise overview of what happens in a short story, novel, or play, do not summarize the entire text. Instead, focus on the section of the text that provides the necessary context for your reader.
Below is a complete sample introduction showing how each of the three parts of an introduction work together.
The World Health Organization predicts that climate change will contribute to about 250,000 deaths per year by 2030. These deaths, however, are preventable. They are not from hurricanes, tsunamis, or other natural disasters, but instead are by-products of poor environments for growing food and a lack of economic opportunity. Additionally, the United States Pentagon labels the devastating impact of climate change as “threat multipliers” because climate problems contribute substantially to global conflict and instability. Due to the devastating physical and economic impact climate change has on the developing world, industrialized nations need to increase their physical and monetary involvement in finding solutions to the crisis.
Remember that writing a strong introduction is a process. You will likely draft your introduction and revise it several times. Regardless of how engaging or interesting an introduction is, it is not effective if it does prepare the audience for what you write in the body of the paper.
Before you turn in that paper, don’t forget to cite your sources in APA format , MLA format , or a style of your choice.
Run a free plagiarism check in 10 minutes, generate accurate citations for free.
Published on January 11, 2019 by Shona McCombes . Revised on August 15, 2023 by Eoghan Ryan.
A thesis statement is a sentence that sums up the central point of your paper or essay . It usually comes near the end of your introduction .
Your thesis will look a bit different depending on the type of essay you’re writing. But the thesis statement should always clearly state the main idea you want to get across. Everything else in your essay should relate back to this idea.
You can write your thesis statement by following four simple steps:
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What is a thesis statement, placement of the thesis statement, step 1: start with a question, step 2: write your initial answer, step 3: develop your answer, step 4: refine your thesis statement, types of thesis statements, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about thesis statements.
A thesis statement summarizes the central points of your essay. It is a signpost telling the reader what the essay will argue and why.
The best thesis statements are:
The thesis statement generally appears at the end of your essay introduction or research paper introduction .
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 and among young people more generally is hotly debated. For many 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 many benefits for education: the internet facilitates easier access to information, exposure to different perspectives, and a flexible learning environment for both students and teachers.
You should come up with an initial thesis, sometimes called a working thesis , early in the writing process . As soon as you’ve decided on your essay topic , you need to work out what you want to say about it—a clear thesis will give your essay direction and structure.
You might already have a question in your assignment, but if not, try to come up with your own. What would you like to find out or decide about your topic?
For example, you might ask:
After some initial research, you can formulate a tentative answer to this question. At this stage it can be simple, and it should guide the research process and writing process .
Now you need to consider why this is your answer and how you will convince your reader to agree with you. As you read more about your topic and begin writing, your answer should get more detailed.
In your essay about the internet and education, the thesis states your position and sketches out the key arguments you’ll use to support it.
The negatives of internet use are outweighed by its many benefits for education because it facilitates easier access to information.
In your essay about braille, the thesis statement summarizes the key historical development that you’ll explain.
The invention of braille in the 19th century transformed the lives of blind people, allowing them to participate more actively in public life.
A strong thesis statement should tell the reader:
The final thesis statement doesn’t just state your position, but summarizes your overall argument or the entire topic you’re going to explain. To strengthen a weak thesis statement, it can help to consider the broader context of your topic.
These examples are more specific and show that you’ll explore your topic in depth.
Your thesis statement should match the goals of your essay, which vary depending on the type of essay you’re writing:
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!
College essays
(AI) Tools
A thesis statement is a sentence that sums up the central point of your paper or essay . Everything else you write should relate to this key idea.
The thesis statement is essential in any academic essay or research paper for two main reasons:
Without a clear thesis statement, an essay can end up rambling and unfocused, leaving your reader unsure of exactly what you want to say.
Follow these four steps to come up with a thesis statement :
The thesis statement should be placed at the end of your essay introduction .
If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.
McCombes, S. (2023, August 15). How to Write a Thesis Statement | 4 Steps & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved June 25, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/academic-essay/thesis-statement/
Other students also liked, how to write an essay introduction | 4 steps & examples, how to write topic sentences | 4 steps, examples & purpose, academic paragraph structure | step-by-step guide & examples, what is your plagiarism score.
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Part Two Paragraph Writing Skills and Essay Introduction
Learning Objectives
Read the following paragraph and essay. Discuss the questions that follow.
Places in Making American Friends
There are three places to make friends in the United States. The first place is in the neighborhood. When I visited the U.S. as a child ten years ago, I met an American girl whose house was near mine. We were shy in the beginning but soon started riding our bikes in the neighborhood. We chased [1] each other and had a good time. A few months later, her family moved to another state. I have fond [2] memories of her and think that we will be able to reconnect and renew our friendship if we meet again. Secondly, going to an American school provides an opportunity to make friends. I attended an American elementary school for about six months. I was very nervous about being the only one who looked different. However, some classmates and teachers were kind enough to approach me. They were very understanding even though I did not always understand them. Some of them even helped me with school work and in the gym class. As a young girl in a foreign country, I was very grateful for their friendship. Now I am in America again. I need and value friendship as much as when I was a child. I go to a church once a week and attend a Bible study class where I meet many young adults. There, I have made some friends with whom I talk about not only God but also different cultures. For example, some of them are interested in Japanese music and Anime, so I share some of my favorite music and Anime with them. Sometimes I teach Japanese to them, and they teach English to me. Exchanging information with each other is a good way of establishing and strengthening [3] the relationship. I have learned from my experiences in the neighborhood, school, and church in America over the years that with an open and sincere heart, I am able to find good friends.
By M. Ohbayashi (student), ESL Writing III, Harper College. U sed with permission.
When I was a child, I had an opportunity to come to the United States a few times to visit my grandmother, uncle, and aunt, who were living in the U.S. Many years later, in January 2020, my mother and I were able to immigrate here. Since I was not an outgoing type of person, I had just a few friends in Japan. However, I have met a lot of Americans and have been able to make friends with some of them. The three places to make friends in the U.S. for me are my neighborhood, school, and church.
The first place is in the neighborhood. When I visited the U.S. as a child ten years ago, I met an American girl whose house was near mine. We were shy in the beginning but soon started riding our bikes in the neighborhood. We chased each other and had a good time. I also went to the pool with my grandmother and her family in summer. Although the pool was deep and I was scared, she and her family helped me enjoy swimming without fear. Besides riding bikes and swimming, we both loved dogs. We each had one. Even the dogs became friends as we played with them with balls. A few months later, her family moved to another state. I have fond memories of her and think that we will be able to reconnect and renew our friendship if we meet again.
Secondly, going to an American school provides an opportunity to make friends. I attended an American elementary school for about six months. I was very nervous about being the only one who looked different. I also did not know how to behave differently in an American school. However, some classmates and teachers were kind enough to approach me. They spoke slowly and patiently with simple English words. They were very understanding even though I did not always understand them. Some of them even helped me with school work and in the gym class. As a young girl in a foreign country, I was very grateful for their friendship. Thanks to them, school became wonderful to me.
Now I am in America again. I need and value friendship as much as when I was a child. I go to a church once a week. One day I met a girl who was studying Japanese. We began to talk with each other. She invited me to a Bible study class, and there I met many young adults. In the beginning, I felt nervous and shy just like the time when I attended the American elementary school for the first time many years before. However, as time went by, I started to like the Bible study class and made some friends with whom I talk about not only God but also different cultures. For example, some of them are interested in Japanese music and Anime, so I share some of my favorite music and Anime with them. Sometimes I teach Japanese to them, and they teach English to me. Exchanging information with each other is a good way of establishing and strengthening the relationship.
Fortunately, I have met many kind Americans who have become my good friends. Though my shyness sometimes stands in the way, I have been trying hard to overcome it by initiating conversations with as many people as possible. I have learned that with an open and sincere heart, I am able to find good friends.
By M. Ohbayashi (student), Writing III, Harper College. U sed with permission.
Discussion Questions:
You have learned and practiced how to write well-organized, well-developed paragraphs. Now it is time to expand your writing expertise [4] to essays!
In Unit 3 Parts and Characteristics of a Good Paragraph, you learned that a paragraph is a group of sentences about one main idea . ( Open Unit 3 here . )
In this unit, you will learn that an essay is a group of paragraphs about one main idea . An essay can be as short as three paragraphs but as long as many paragraphs that span [5] multiple pages.
Here is a summary of similarities and differences between a paragraph and an essay:
Similarities | Paragraph | Essay |
---|---|---|
√ | √ | |
√ | √ | |
√ | √ | |
√ | √ | |
√ | √ | |
√ | √ |
Differences | Paragraph | Essay |
---|---|---|
topic sentence, usually in the beginning | thesis statement, usually at end of introduction | |
some details | more details | |
one paragraph | three or more paragraphs (In this course, we are studying five-paragraph essays.) | |
shorter time | longer time |
Essay assignments are very common in college courses. In this course, you are going to learn only the basic concepts and organization of essays that contain five paragraphs. There are other ways of writing built on this basic model, and you will learn them in future semesters.
As you already have much experience writing paragraphs, a good start with essays is to expand [6] an existing paragraph, as you have seen in the beginning of this unit. Below is a structural comparison between a paragraph and an essay.
Read the following paragraph and then the essay. Compare the two by answering the questions that follow.
My Joy in Baking
Baking is my favorite hobby. When I was a child, I like d sweets a lot, especially pastry. Since my mom could not bake, I always went to my friend Natalia’s house to learn baking because her mom was excellent in it. Though t he learning process was not that easy , I enjoyed it . I tried and ruined [7] a lot of ingredients, but I did not lose hope. Then I started to get better and better. I tried cupcakes and cookies. It gave me confidence and excitement to think that I could bake for myself. Now I am an adult with a family of my own, and this hobby has not changed. It relaxes me to bak e. When I have a n exhausting day or feel stressed out, the idea of crea ting something sweet and fresh makes me feel relaxed . I also like to share the fruit [8] of my hobby with my family and friends. Baking for them gives me joy. To have a happy moment together on any occasion [9] with sweet treats makes my relationship with them stronger. These are all the reasons why baking is my favorite hobby. I would recommend it to anyone who loves sweets and is looking for ways to bring happiness to other people.
By N . Mamurova (student), ESL Writing III, Harper College. Used with permission.
A hobby is a regular activity performed for enjoyment during spare time. People can choose any hobbies that are right for them: music, sports, cooking, sewing, gardenin g , and so on. As a child, I like d sweets a lot, especially pastry. This is why baking became and has always been my favorite hobby.
Though the learning process was not easy, I enjoyed it . Since my mom could not bake, I always went to my friend Natalia’s house to learn baking because her mom was excellent in it. I tried and ruined a lot of ingredients, but I did not lose hope. After a few months, I started to get better and better. On Natalia’ s 10 th birthday, I made pretty cupcakes, even with yellow and pink icings on them. Her mom was very impressed. It gave me confidence and excitement to think that I could bake by myself and bring more happiness to an already joyful event.
Now I am an adult with a family of my own, and this hobby has not changed. It relaxes me to bake. When I have an exhausting day or I am stressed out, the idea of creating something sweet and fresh makes me feel relaxed. Being a mom and a student, my schedule is full. However, nothing else relieves my stress more than baking after a difficult examination at the college: the aroma of butter and sugar, the slowly forming cookies in the oven, and the pleasant and crunching sound as I bite into my creations – all eases the tension of my whole being.
Most importantly, sharing my baking has strengthened my relationship with my family and friends. Enjoying a happy moment together on any occasion with sweet treats gives me joy. Once a friend of mine was sick, but she immediately got much better when I brought her a home-baked, mouth-watering apple pie. I have learned that helping others does not have to be a huge endeavor [10] . Small acts of kindness are just as valuable and meaningful.
A hobby takes time to perfect but brings joy in the process. I am so glad that I have found my pleasure in baking, and I intend to enjoy it for many more years to come. I would recommend it to anyone who loves sweets and is looking for ways to bring happiness to other people.
By N . Mamurova (student), ESL Writing III, Harper College. Used with permission.
Questions | Paragraph | Essay |
---|---|---|
The word “hook” may remind you of a piece of plastic or metal on the wall on which you can hang your coat. The hook holds the coat and prevents it from falling to the floor. In the same way, a hook in the beginning of an essay aims to hold the readers’ attention so that they keep reading. The main purpose of a hook is to introduce the topic and to get the readers interested.
There are different ways to write a hook. The most common ones are introducing the background or discussing some general information related to the topic.
Discuss the hook in the essays “Places in Making American Friends” and “My Joy in Baking”. Does it introduce the topic and get you interested in reading the essay?
Thesis Statement
The thesis statement is a sentence that contains the main idea of the entire essay.
The rules for the topic sentence also apply to the thesis statement.
Exercise 1. Use the expressions below to develop thesis statements.
surprises / U.S.
Thesis statement: I encountered some surprises in my first few weeks of living in the U.S.
1. children / parents’ influence
2. marriage / fights
3. dream job / hard work
4. self-discipline / success
5. bilingual / benefits
6. money / problems
7. government / assisting college students
8. personality / happiness
Exercise 2. Study the introductory paragraph in “Places in Making American Friends” and “My Joy in Baking”. Then choose two of the thesis statements from Exercise 1 to write two introductory paragraphs.
The principles for the transitions, supporting ideas, and conclusion in a paragraph also apply to an essay. In an essay, there are more supporting details than in a paragraph.
Study and discuss the following outline developed from the example thesis statement in Exercise 1.
Parts of an Essay | Outline ideas |
---|---|
Introductory Paragraph | |
Hook | my background of coming to the U.S. and love travelling |
Thesis Statement | I encountered some surprises in my first few weeks of living in the U.S. |
Supporting Paragraphs | |
Topic sentence 1 | surprise about nature |
Details 1 | from airport to house, saw trees, flowers, squirrels, geese, cardinal, not in my country |
Topic sentence 2 | surprise about customs |
Details 2 | no air dry laundry outside, dandelions not ok, clean lawn |
Topic sentence 3 | surprise about friendly people |
Details 3 | friendly to strangers, parks, stores, smile, not in my country, afraid of getting hurt, teach children |
Concluding Paragraph | three good surprises about nature, customs, people. Like US, second home. |
Exercise 3. Use the above outline as an example. From the two topics you worked on in Exercise 1 and Exercise 2, write an essay outline for each.
Parts of an Essay | Outline ideas |
---|---|
Introductory Paragraph | |
Hook | |
Thesis Statement | |
Supporting Paragraphs | |
Topic sentence 1 | |
Details 1 | |
Topic sentence 2 | |
Details 2 | |
Topic sentence 3 | |
Details 3 | |
Concluding Paragraph |
Read the two essays below. The first one is developed from an earlier outline. As you read, discuss the questions:
Now you are ready to write your own essay! As you have learned in Unit 2 The Writing Process ( Open Unit 2 here ), the best way to plan a paragraph is to follow the proper steps.
An Essay Writing Assignment
Purpose : To show your understanding of planning and writing an essay. Use the writing process to help you.
Topic : You have three choices from below.
Brainstorm and Outline : Brainstorm for ideas. Then organize the ideas by using the outline template below to make an outline. Your outline is due on _________. Bring it to class.
Essay : Your essay should have a title, an introductory paragraph with a hook and a thesis statement, 3 supporting paragraphs each starting with a topic sentence followed by lots of details, and a concluding paragraph. Use appropriate transitions to connect the supporting paragraphs. There should be a total of 5 paragraphs in the essay.
Format : Type your essay, double spaced, font size 12, with 1-inch margins on four sides of the page. Type your name, class, and date on the upper right-hand corner of the page. The first line of each paragraph should be indented. Save your essay in a Word file.
Self Checklist : When you finish writing, use the Self Checklist below. Put a checkmark beside each item if you think you did a good job in that area. Otherwise, improve your essay until you can check off the item. Save your work again.
Submission : Submit your essay on the Blackboard. Go to your Blackboard course site and follow the instructions there. Due by __________.
You have three choices for your topic.
Choice 1:
Choose one of the paragraphs you have written in this course and expand it into an essay.
Choose one of the thesis statements, introductory paragraphs, and outlines in Exercise 1, 2, and 3 in this unit. Then write an essay based on your outline.
Choose one of the following new topics. If you plan to have a different one, please talk with your professor first.
Essay Outline Template
Essay Self Checklist
1 | Is my essay clear to understand? | |
---|---|---|
2 | Do I have an interesting hook and a clear thesis statement? Is the thesis statement located at the end of the introductory paragraph? | |
3 | Did I begin each supporting paragraph with a topic sentence? Did I include lots of details in each paragraph? | |
4 | Did I connect the supporting paragraphs with appropriate transitions? | |
5 | Did I include a concluding paragraph? | |
6 | Did I try my best to use correct sentence structure (simple, compound, complex)? | |
7 | Did I try my best to use correct grammar such as nouns, pronouns, word form, word order, and others? | |
8 | Did I try my best to have correct spelling, punctuation, and capitalization? | |
9 | Did I follow the proper paragraph format? |
Note: #6 – #8 may include more specific aspects of grammar depending on how many editing units you have already studied.
NSNT Practice
Go to The NSNT Free Writing Approach and Additional Weekly Prompts for Writing in Appendix A. ( Open Appendix A here. ) Choose two topics that you have not written about. You may start with the NSNT approach. Then revise and edit at least one of them into an essay. You are encouraged to share your writing with your partner and help each other improve.
Vocabulary Review
The words here have appeared in this unit. The best way to learn them is to guess the meaning of each word from the context. Then hover your computer mouse over the number beside each word to check its meaning and part of speech. These words are also listed in the footnote area at the end of each unit.
Here, you can use the flashcards below to review these words.
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WRITING TIPS
Writing the introductory paragraph
By PresenterMedia.com
Why are they important???
Four points it must accomplish…
THE HOOK SENTENCE - A writer may begin with…
THE LEAD OR HOOK SENTENCE
A literary quote
Such a hook for essay�may be perfect when you write about some particular author, story, literary�phenomenon, book, etc. Even if your essay is not fictional in nature, a�literary quote will make it sound more “alive” and “fresh” .
“So we beat on, boats�against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.” These words of Nick�Carraway perfectly describe…”
“Not all those who�wander are lost.” And yes, indeed, every person is so…”
“When we love, we always�strive to become better than we are. When we strive to become better than we�are, everything around us becomes better too.” Agree or not, but these words�from The Alchemist determine…”
Quotes of famous people
A person whom everybody knows may be more authoritative and influential than others; that is why writing a quote from his/her speech can be a really good essay hook.
“John Wooden once said, ‘Never mistake activity for achievement.'”
“Learn to laugh” is something my kindergarten teacher told me after Ralph Thorsen spilled paint on my daffodil picture.
Anecdote (for informal essays)
Do not be afraid of spoiling your essay with such an unusual hook. Even if you start writing with some humorous hook, it does not mean your essay will become a funny absurd at once. Some humor can help you grab readers’ attention and awake their interest to the topic.
“As my cousin and I pedaled our new bikes to the beach, 6 years old, suntanned and young, we met an old, shaggy-haired man weaving unsteadily on a battered old bike.”
“When I was a young boy, my father worked at a coal mine. For 27 years, he made it his occupation to scrape and claw and grunt his way into the bowels of the earth, searching for fuel. On April 19, 2004, the bowels of the earth clawed back.”
But remember, that in most cases it is not allowed to use the first person in essays, that is why check everything twice before using “I” in your paper.
Some fact or definition
Such types of hooks for essays serve to surprise your reader. Give the interesting fact about something you are going to describe and discuss in your essay’s body, and you will grab the attention of your audience at once.
“Spain, though hardly a literary juggernaut, translates more books in one year than the entire Arab world has in the past one thousand years.”
“Amiable is the best way to describe Elizabeth’s personality: she was friendly and caring.”
It’s not the worst essay hooks idea as well. By giving some proven facts at the very beginning of you paper, you will interest your readers and make them want to read more details about the fact provided.
“The average iceberg weighs over 100,000 metric tons.”
“70% of all jobs found today were got through different networking strategies”
In thesis statements, you should avoid using
statements like, “This essay will discuss…” or
“I’m going to write about…” Try to write a
thesis statement that captures your reader’s
attention without announcing your main topic
and stating the obvious. Look at the examples
In the next slide.
Key Features
Don’t State the Obvious
Identify the specific topic …
In this essay, I am going to discuss the effects of long-term drug abuse.
Long-term drug use can have disastrous effects on one’s marriage, career, and health.
Write a clear thesis statement
Explain how your paper is organized
The Thesis Statement
A Road Map for Your Essay
Introduction
Thesis Statement
Body Paragraph #1
Body Paragraph #2
Body Paragraph #3
After you have brainstormed and you have some main
ideas of what you would like to write in your essay, you can
begin thinking about writing a thesis statement .
Thesis Statements
What’s a thesis statement ????
A thesis statement is a complete sentence
that contains one main idea. This idea controls
the content of the entire essay. A thesis
statement that contains subpoints also helps a
reader know how the essay will be organized.
Look at the introductory paragraph below. See
if you can identify the thesis statement and
subpoints .
Thesis Statement: The Essay’s main idea
Since the thesis statement is the main idea for the entire essay, it should express a complete thought and be a complete sentence. The thesis statement is asserting an opinion or idea, so it should not be a question. The writer of the essay then uses the body paragraphs to prove his or her opinion . Look at the next examples to see how they can be made into thesis statements.
More about thesis statements…
For most of my life I have lived with bad health, smelly clothes, and a chronic cough. My children and husband begged me to stop the habit that caused these conditions, but I couldn’t. The habit of smoking had wrapped its addicting arms around me and was slowly strangling me until one day I realized I had to stop. This realization came after three terrifying events occurred in my family.
The thesis statement comes at the end of the introductory paragraph. This sentence tells the reader that he/she can expect to read about the events that caused the author to stop smoking in the rest of the essay.
When I was young, I always knew that I wanted to become a teacher someday. When I played, I would often gather my dolls together and pretend to teach them how to do math problems or how to read a book. As I grew older, my desire to become an ESL teacher became clearer as I did some volunteer teaching overseas and in the United States. As I look back on my reasons for becoming a teacher, there are three reasons that stand out. These are: my love for the English language, my innate interest in how people learn, and my desire to help other people .
Thesis Statements and Subpoints (This is a personal essay.)
The thesis statement contains the main idea that controls the content of the essay.
Subpoints in the thesis or nearby help the reader know how the essay will be organized
Psychologists have argued for decades about how a person’s character is formed. Numerous psychologists believe that one’s birth order (i.e. place in the family as the youngest, oldest, or middle child) has the greatest influence. B irth order can have a significant impact in the formation of a child’s character . Birth order can strongly affect one’s relationship with parents, relationships with others, and how one views responsibility as an adult.
Another Example: Written in third person… more formal.
Non-examples and Examples
How to revise weak thesis statements
The sport of cross-country running.
Why do I want to be a teacher?
This is not a complete sentence.
The sport of cross-country running has allowed me
to get in better shape and meet some interesting people.
Being a teacher is a great profession because it allows me to work with students and be creative.
This is a question, not a statement.
I learned to play many musical instruments when I was young.
This would not be considered a good thesis statement because it is only expressing a fact. It doesn’t give the writer’s opinion or attitude on playing musical instruments. This thesis statement doesn’t give the writer very much to explain or prove in his/her essay.
Learning to play many musical instruments when I was young helped me to become a more intelligent and well-rounded person.
This thesis statement is much better because it expresses how the writer feels about the experience of learning to play musical instruments. This thesis statement requires the writer to explain how and why playing a musical instrument made him/her a better person.
How to revise weak thesis statements by adding the opinion element
Thesis Statement Review
You can make your thesis statement more
specific by including subtopics or supporting
ideas. By doing this, you give your reader a
clear idea of what will follow in the body
paragraphs of your essay.
Adding Subtopics to your Thesis
Adding Subtopics
The large influx of people to California has had major effects on the state.
No subtopics are named in this thesis statement.
The large influx of people to California has had major effects on the ability of the state to provide housing, electricity, and jobs for all residents.
This statement names three subtopics. Can you find all of the subtopics?
subtopic #1
subtopic #2
subtopic #3
Key Features of the Thesis
1. states the main idea of the essay in a complete sentence, not in a question.
3. states an opinion or attitude on a topic. ( doesn’t just state the topic, itself)
2. is usually at the end of an introduction.
4. often lists subtopics.
5. does not directly announce your main topic.
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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 ...
The "hook" is the first sentence of your essay introduction. It should lead the reader into your essay, giving a sense of why it's interesting. To write a good hook, avoid overly broad statements or long, dense sentences. Try to start with something clear, concise and catchy that will spark your reader's curiosity.
The thesis should answer the prompt question. The examples below show are several ways to write a good introduction or opening to your paper. One example shows you how to paraphrase in your introduction. This will help you understand the idea of writing sequences using a hook, transition, and thesis statement. » Thesis Statement Opening
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.
Next, the context helps relate the hook to the thesis. Clearly, the moving quote delivered by President Roosevelt transformed a nation during a desperate time. Finally, the thesis statement is the ...
Thesis Statement; Hook. According to University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Writing Center, the hook has two basic purposes: ... If the hook zooms out enough (gives enough context) for your thesis statement to seem logical and make sense, then you probably have the right amount of zoom. If not, then you may have to look at zooming out or ...
And be sure not to answer it right away, at least not fully. Use your essay to do that! 5. Declaration. Making a bold statement or declaring a strong opinion can immediately catch people's attention. For example: Putting an end to school shootings is the most important issue facing the United States.
The purpose of the introduction is to engage the reader, provide background information to establish context, and state the main claim and organization of your paper. An introduction should include a hook, background information on your topic, and a thesis statement. Avoid using filler sentences, restating the assignment prompt, providing ...
The hook grabs the reader's attention. Background information provides context and introduces the topic. The thesis states your claim. When structuring your introduction this way, you might come up with something like this: Hook: Even in the 21st century, some people still believe that women do not belong in the workplace.
Determine the effect you wish to accomplish before selecting a hook. Choose a hook at the end of the writing process. Even though it should be the first sentence of your paper, it doesn't mean you should write your hook first. Writing an essay is a long and creative process. So, if you can't think of an effective hook at the beginning, just ...
Approaching Writing. First, we must recognize academic writing as a Process. Strong essays cannot be written overnight! Be sure to schedule in time for: Pre-writing - brainstorm words or phrases, free write for 5 minutes, create a thought cluster, etc. Planning - create a thesis, assemble evidence, create an outline.
Step 1: Start with a question. You should come up with an initial thesis, sometimes called a working thesis, early in the writing process. As soon as you've decided on your essay topic, you need to work out what you want to say about it—a clear thesis will give your essay direction and structure.
Anecdotal Hook. When a writer uses a short story to relate to the topic and gain the reader's attention, they are using an anecdote. This story can be a short, personal story or one that is a figment of your imagination. Make sure that it relates to the main idea of the paper. Show the relevance that it has to the topic of the paper.
It consists of a title, an introductory paragraph with a hook and a thesis statement, a few supporting paragraphs, and a concluding paragraph. A hook consists of a few sentences to introduce the topic and to get readers interested in the essay. A thesis statement is a sentence containing the main idea of the entire essay.
1. Identify your purpose, audience, and scope. 2. Research and select relevant background information. 3. Craft a hook and a thesis statement. Be the first to add your personal experience. 4 ...
An introduction paragraph begins with a hook, or attention-grabber, then adds context and a thesis statement. A brief example: Cooking shows make decadent desserts look easy, but kitchen ...
Creating a thesis statement requires narrowing down your topic, taking a stand, and making a claim. To start, consider the specific issue or question you want to address in your essay, as well as ...
The hook doesn't provide any other context, so it leaves the reader wanting to know why the quote is being used. ... The bridge is the transition between the hook and the thesis statement. It can ...
thesis). x End with a clear thesis statement that reveals the author ¶s purpose for writing, expresses the essay ¶s main idea/argument, and provides a direction or outline for the body of the paper. For more on thesis statements, see our handout Writing an Effective Thesis Statement . Parts of an introduction (hook, background, and thesis)
A thesis statement is a concise (brief, not wordy) sentence or two that states what the essay is about. gives direction to the essay. usually placed at the end of the introductory paragraph. Explain how your paper is organized. This sentence may be part of the thesis or a separate sentence after the thesis.
Strong Bridge: Connects Hook to Thesis. According to the Dalai Lama, "Our prime purpose in this life is to help others.". Yet in Jeff Kinney's Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Greg believes that his prime purpose is to take care of himself. Though he is occasionally friendly to his classmates, Greg only helps others when it benefits him.