While academic research papers call for formalism when writing, it can be a boring idea to write a large paragraph without including interesting facts or ideas that will make the reader want to read your paper without getting bored. The ideas that make a paper interesting are called research paper hooks.

So, what does it take to hook for paper appropriately? Keep reading as we describe how to write a good hook for a research paper, among many other details.

Hook for research paper definition

A hook for an academic paper is a catchy phrase that can be a quote, a question, or any interesting fact used to spice up a piece of writing. While using these hooks, you should take note of the topic you are writing about. Not all hooks will fit in all topics. Therefore, ensure you have a better understanding of a specific hook before using it just anywhere.

Types of hooks in writing with research paper hook examples

The following are the best hook types that you can use in your essay to get the reader’s attention.

Statement hook

Depending on your argument, you can kick-start your research paper with a solid statement related to the topic you are handling. Such statements should be controversial, making the reader eager to know how you will argue out your facts to fit the bold statement. A statement hook can fit perfectly in history-related topics.

For example, when your topic is about unleashing facts about French cinema and its significance, you can add a bold statement like:

French cinema has remained to be the best film genre in the past fifty years.

Question hook

Have you ever read a question and got eager to get in-depth answers? `Well, that is what this hook does to the readers. You can hook sentence with an open-ended question, giving the reader many thoughts and concepts about the topic or question. A question hook should not have a yes or no approach because you want to give the reader reasons to get answers to the question, and this will push them to read your whole paper.

For instance, assume you are handling a topic on psychology about dogs. You can include a question such as:

What differentiates anxious dogs from well-adjusted ones?

Anecdotal hook

This hook will require you to narrate a short story as you relate to a personal experience on a given topic. Here, you simply open up to the reader about who you are. While it is not appropriate to write an essay in the first person, this approach can only be practical in the case of narrative essays.

In this hook, you may have a lot to say about a particular experience. However, you must keep the narrative short and interesting, especially when your essay has a pre-defined word or paragraph limit.

Quotation hook

Among the best hooks for research papers, quotes are the most commonly used hooks since they are short and precise. Many people are already familiar with famous quotes, and once they read such a quote, they will be eager to learn more about how you related the quote to the topic. Therefore, it is significant to give more explanation once you use a quote in your paper to avoid confusion when the reader reads through your paper.

Note: not any quote can fit in every topic. Therefore, make sure the one you settle for matches and give your argument value.

These quote hooks fit best in literature-related topics.

Statistic hook

Statistics are basic facts about something. The reader, once they read the fact, will want to explore more and see how you reinforced your points with the evidence you presented in your arguments, motivating them to read.

Conclusion

There are many good hooks for research papers. Whether it is a narrative, argumentative, expository, or any other paper, you can always have a perfect hook.