Open essay

An opening hook to catch the reader’s attention. Relevant background information that the reader needs to know. A thesis statement that presents your main point or argument. The length of each part depends on the length and complexity of your essay. What is a hook? The “hook” is the first sentence of your essay introduction.

Particularly in longer essays, it’s helpful to end the introduction by signposting what will be covered in each part. Keep it concise and give your reader a clear sense of the direction your argument will take. Example: Signposting This essay begins by discussing the situation of blind people in nineteenth-century Europe.

The personal statement introduction is basically the wriggly worm that baits the hook to catch your reader. It's vital to grab attention from the get-go—the more awake and eager your audience is, the more likely it is that what you say will really land. How do you go about crafting an introduction that successfully hooks your reader?

We might say, it borrows meaning from what it surrounds and sets off, the head with its supremely important material contents, and the face, that register of the soul.