HOW TO GET A READER’S ATTENTION HOOKS OR HOW TO GET A READER’S ATTENTION By Heather Wolpert-Gawron www.tweenteacher.com

WHAT PAPERS USE THEM? EVERY GENRE OF PAPER NEEDS A HOOK OF SOME KIND. IT’S JUST UP TO YOU TO CHOOSE THE ONE THAT IS MOST APPROPRIATE. THIS IS BASED ON THE INTENT OF THE ESSAY AND THE AUDIENCE. YOU NEED A HOOK FOR: NARRATIVES PERSUASIVE ESSAYS LITERARY RESPONSE Research Paper

THE INTRODUCTION important definitions Hook: An opening sentence or two that grabs the reader’s interest and introduces the general topic of the essay Examples: Historical information An anecdote A surprising statement A declarative statement A quote A definition

POSSIBLE HOOKS: Historical Information Over 420 million years, before man walked the earth, sharks were gliding through the great oceans. Anecdote The horrifying story of Robert Pamperin goes back to June of 1959. The scene: San Diego’s La Jolla Cove. Pamperin was diving for sea snails with his buddy Gerald Lehrer and all was going smoothly, until Lehrer heard Pamperin scream. He looked over and saw Robert hoisted high out of the water without his mask. Why was he so high up? The entire lower half of his body was in the mouth of a shark.

POSSIBLE HOOKS: Surprising Statement Declarative Statement U.S. beach goers beware: Shark experts predict that there will be more shark attacks this summer than last, affecting the estimated 200 million people who visit American beaches each year. Declarative Statement There have already been 25 shark attacks this year, the most recent one reported over the weekend, again off the coast of the North Carolina's Outer Banks.

POSSIBLE HOOKS: Quote Definition "If something is wrong with the largest, most powerful group in the sea, then something is wrong with the sea, so it's a relief to find they're in good shape…” (Burgess) Definition An apex predator, also known as an alpha predator, is a predator residing at the top of a food chain upon which no other creatures prey.

GENERAL TOPIC SENTENCES NEXT: The GENERAL TOPIC SENTENCES after the hook

General Topic Sentences Why do we need them? They keep the reader focused on the point of the essay They serve as a transition between the hook and the thesis statement

U.S. beach goers beware: Shark experts predict that there will be more shark attacks this summer than last, affecting the estimated 200 million people who visit American beaches each year. While it’s good to be aware, there is no need to panic. Despite the rise in shark sightings, there are ways to protect yourself at the beach. Swimmers can ensure their safety by avoiding dangerous swimming spots, avoid swimming at dawn, dusk, or night, and avoid swimming in cloudy or murky water.

Writing a Good Concluding Paragraph   Time4Writing provides these teachers materials to teachers and parents at no cost. More presentations, handouts, interactive online exercises, and video lessons are freely available at Time4Writing.com.  Consider linking to these resources from your school, teacher, or homeschool educational site. The rules: These materials must maintain the visibility of the Time4Writing trademark and copyright information.  They can be copied and used for educational purposes. They are not for resale. Want to give us feedback? We'd like to hear your views:    info@time4writing.com  Copyright 2012                    www.time4writing.com/free-writing-resources                    Copyright 2012 

What does the conclusion do? 1. it summarizes the essay 2. it shows you proved the point you set out to make   3. it gives the reader a sense of completion 4. it leaves the reader remembering your main point  Copyright 2012                    www.time4writing.com/free-writing-resources                    Copyright 2012 

Wait, that sounds kind of like the introduction Wait, that sounds kind of like the introduction!     So, what is the difference between  the introductory paragraph & the concluding paragraph? The difference is in the approach to the topic.  Copyright 2012                    www.time4writing.com/free-writing-resources                    Copyright 2012 

Think of these two paragraphs as funnels, one leading toward the body of your essay, while the other leads the reader away from the body. The introduction begins with a general approach to the topic and then moves toward the more specific aspect(s) of it The conclusion begins with the more specific aspect(s) and moves toward the general topic of your essay  Copyright 2012                    www.time4writing.com/free-writing-resources                    Copyright 2012 

What main point did you want to make in your essay? Did you make that point? Summarize it in your conclusion. Often you can use the introductory paragraph as a guide. This will help you come full circle and give your reader a sense of completion.  Copyright 2012                    www.time4writing.com/free-writing-resources                    Copyright 2012 

Then you might make this the first sentence of your conclusion: Perhaps you began your essay by saying: U.S. beach goers beware: Shark experts predict that there will be more shark attacks this summer than last, affecting the estimated 200 million people who visit American beaches each year. Then you might make this the first sentence of your conclusion: All in all, swimmers can ensure their safety at the beach by avoiding beaches where sharks are known to attack, being careful of the time of day they swim, and avoiding murky water. Do you see how the first is more general and the last is more specific?  Copyright 2012                    www.time4writing.com/free-writing-resources                    Copyright 2012 

Other Ways to Summarize the Essay's Main Points:  Refer briefly to the topic of each paragraph you wrote.     Leave readers with something to think about.  Suggest something readers can do about what they've just read.  Copyright 2012                    www.time4writing.com/free-writing-resources                    Copyright 2012 

How to Structure the Final Paragraph 1. Topic sentence: repeat the ideas in your thesis statement, but with deeper understanding 2. Supporting sentences: summarize the main points in the body of your essay   3. Closing sentence: connect back to the introduction to "clinch" the ideas in the essay, showing their importance  Copyright 2012                    www.time4writing.com/free-writing-resources                    Copyright 2012 

The conclusion paragraph is not the place to introduce new information or make points about the topic. Summarize what you’ve already said.

Strategies for Ending the Concluding Paragraph: 1. Perhaps add a quotation or surprising insight from the materials you researched. 2. Suggest some action to take or a solution to an issue. 3. Bring up questions for further study. 4. Point out broader consequences of the points you've made.  Copyright 2012                    www.time4writing.com/free-writing-resources                    Copyright 2012 

Think about it… Does your introduction have a “hook” Does it start out general and then get specific? How will you conclude your essay? What are the most important points you want to reiterate? How will you leave your reader?