Why Ignoring Audience-Centered Hooks in Your Academic Papers Will Cost You

Here's the harsh truth that your university professors probably won’t tell you about why your academic papers get lackluster responses from them.

When you write an academic paper, no matter how serious & studious you want to be, you still have to think about your audience.

And you are most likely losing them from the start!

So, that’s why I try to get my students to take the hooks in their introduction paragraphs very seriously

Mastering the art & science of coming up with powerful hooks in introduction paragraphs in your academic writing is essential.

Think of it this way, you are taking your readers on a journey, and the territory can be foreign because they’re going on a trip through your experiences and your mind.

Consequently, your introduction is the starting point, and a great hook is the ticket to invite your audience to join the adventure.

When you write a hook, you should ask who your audience is, what matters to them, and how the ideas & information you will present should appeal to them…

And remember this…

You have to really expand your perception about who that audience is.

It’s NOT just your professors…and if you keep the scope that narrow, expect the level of your success to be that low too.

Instead, I coach my clients to think bigger.??

Set your sights on all those who form a community that has studied, discussed, and argued about the subject area the topic you’re writing about falls into.

Sometimes that community is newly formed, while others have existed for centuries.

Whatever subject, whoever is in the community studying it, THEY are the audience you most want to appeal to!

Your hook should draw them into your paper by connecting them to the journey they share with you, as well as giving them new, novel, or important features they may not have seen or experienced before.

Use this checklist of criteria below to help you compose and evaluate that hook:

• Did you grab the attention of your readers by introducing a curious question, an intriguing image, or a powerful or odd scenario that relates to who they are and what they want or need?
• Did your hook set a clear, and potent tone for the rest of the paper?
• How well did your hook provide a tempting reason to delve further into the essay to learn more about the journey you want to take them on?

Understand:? No matter the scholarly subject area, you must craft captivating introductions to entice readers into caring about, and retaining your ideas long after they’ve forgotten you and your paper.

This is actually the REAL mark of a skilled academic writer.??

This is the holy grail, the endgame you must always strive to win.

And what most students don’t realize is that it’s “game on” from the very first words of their academic paper!

Dare to be different….and see what happens next.

Brandon

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I empower university students to reach their true potential by mastering their mindset and academic English communication skills while learning to navigate the culture of American academia.

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