Found the secret sauce: it's all about the hook!

[OwenLirr]

I have to share this revelation because it literally saved my GPA last semester. I used to think expository essays were just boring information dumps—introduction, three points, conclusion, done. But I had this amazing TA who told me to think of my introduction like a movie trailer.

You can't just say "This essay will discuss climate change." You have to show why it matters now. For my last paper on urban beekeeping, I started with a statistic about pollinator decline in just one city, and my professor wrote "EXCELLENT HOOK" in the margins. It felt better than an A!

It’s like you’re inviting the reader into a conversation instead of just lecturing them. So for anyone struggling, spend that extra 20 minutes crafting your first few sentences. It changes the whole vibe of the paper, for you and for the reader!

 

[JaneCops]

I see so many students sleepwalk through introductions. They treat them as obligations instead of opportunities.

The hook does three things:

1. Grabs attention. Your reader is tired, distracted, grading 50 papers. Give them a reason to care.
2. Establishes stakes. Why does this topic matter? Not in a grand philosophical way, but right now, to real people.
3. Promises something. A good hook hints at what's coming without giving everything away.

Your pollinator statistic hits all three. It's startling (grabs attention), shows real-world impact (stakes), and makes readers wonder "what happened in that city?" (promise).

The "movie trailer" metaphor is perfect. Trailers don't spoil the movie—they make you desperate to see it. Your intro should do the same.