Life, Death and Good Topics Ideas for Essay Project

Life, Death and Good Topics Ideas for Essay Project The Rise of Good Topics Ideas for Essay Project Therefore, if you learn how to think, through writing, then you'll develop a well-organized, efficient mind and one which is well-founded and certain. When you're picking your topic, remember that it's much simpler to write about something which you currently have interest ineven in case you don't know a good deal about it. So whenever you're writing an essay, you're harnessing the complete might of culture to your life. If you are a newcomer to writing informative essays or simply struggle when it has to do with thinking of informative essay topics, then there's an excellent chance you might be looking for some help. Writing a proposal essay isn't exactly among the toughest things which you will ever get to do, and it is for precisely the same reason that you must think about learning not just how to write one, but also how to be certain the one which you decide to write about is among the best that you could ever get to supply your tutors. Finding the proper question has become the most important step in the writing procedure, and a bad decision can be disastrous. You may find that a number of the topics can be adapted to suit almost any sort of writing assignment. Locating a solid topic is just one of the main steps when writing any kind of paper. As a way to write a distinctive paper, you will need a distinctive topic. Much like any research paper essay, the main issue is to construct your topic and paper with the robust evidence. On the flip side, a troublesome topic will set you in an extremely tight spot. Once you receive an idea, the practice of writing will be much simpler. It is crucial to mention that the idea doesn't need to be a good one. Photo projects supply a good way to try out something new and will be able to help you escape from a rut. A personal project is something that you choose to do for yourself in your spare time. In spiration to make your own advertising or media argumentative essay topics isn't challenging to discover. Also, you'll find college essay ideas on our website! Thanks to the correct option of presentation style and a thorough understanding of the goals you wish to attain in your essay, there are plenty of categories essay themes may be broken into. Ultimately, if you are supposed to write and essay but have very little knowledge or interest in the topic, don't forget that there are lots of custom essay writers which will gladly do the task for you. The Good Topics Ideas for Essay Project Chronicles An important part of creative and fun statistics projects is that a student provides a succinct outline of the report at the start of the paper. Using good informational essay topics can have an impact on how good a grade you get. You should develop a notion and offer some evidence. Your project needs to be thought-provoking and have credible facts to spell out the objective of you r statistics research. You don't need to find super technical with legal argumentative essays, but be certain to do your homework on what the present laws about your favorite topic actually say. A great writer will have the ability to create any topic interesting, and one which knows and understands how to construct the essay as effectively as possible will have the ability to acquire excellent grades, regardless of what the topic is. Let's delve deeper into topics and see the reason why they are important and the way to get the ideal ones. You should simply locate a special perspective. Of course, when you opt to use topic ideas from old papers, it is necessary you take care to earn the title is unique as possible, so as not to put yourself in danger of plagiarism. Therefore, to write a great essay you've got to brainstorm all thoughts concerning your life experiences. It's recommended that you just opt for the topic that you're able to deal with, for instance, if you're n ot t sketching the personality characteristics then you ought to better not elect for it. Another place at which you can find some advertising research topics for college students is the web. Therefore, students who study industry and other associated subjects may be interested in writing on a number of the subsequent topics. In the event the topics are excessively easy, you won't have the ability to impress your teacher. These topics are supposed to help students identify some helpful sources. Detecting a topic for your study can be tough, but there are a lot of great methods to develop intriguing ideas. To assist you think of ideas, it can be helpful to look around in your community area at groups of people who might be intriguing to study. Whilst looking at old papers which other individuals have written, in order to help think of topic ideas for yourself, you may even get an idea about what research methods it is possible to use and a wide range of other info. While yo u might find a great deal of interesting suggestions and facts, you might not be in a position to cover everything adequately. When it has to do with writing an argumentative essay, the most essential matter to do is to select a topic and an argument you could really get behind. You should compose an observation essay, which is already a fairly tricky job. Therefore, here are a few basic ideas that will help you in writing of good descriptive essay. Researching and selecting an intriguing topic is the major point of writing an essay. An analytical essay topic that's engaging and effective is vital. Following are a few of the suggested sociology essay topic for those students that are unable to choose a great topic for their assignment.

How to Write a College Essay on Alalizing a Poem

How to Write a College Essay on Alalizing a PoemWriting a college essay on analyzing a poem can be a difficult task if you have never attempted it before. This is because a lot of college students tend to want to use these sorts of things as a means of expressing themselves, but they are not aware of the fact that they are not supposed to write anything. However, this can be done. In fact, if you just put a little bit of effort into it, you will be able to complete this essay successfully.Firstly, it is important that you learn what is an acceptable piece of poetry and what is not. This should be something that you must learn from your teachers at school, but also from other students. Most people tend to associate poetry with love and romance, but poetry is often used in different ways. It can also be used to express certain emotions, such as sadness or anger. So, in order to be able to write an essay on analyzing a poem, you need to know what is a good piece of poetry, and what is n ot.Secondly, you must remember that when writing an essay on analyzing a poem, you are supposed to be an expert on the topic. In other words, you are not supposed to just pluck a poem from the dictionary and try to use it as a means of expressing yourself. You should study the poem properly in order to understand how the poet uses their style.The end result of this kind of essay should be that the student becomes a better writer. The point here is that, by being able to express himself better, he becomes a better writer, and this is what is wanted. The more he can express himself, the more popular he will become.Finally, you should always make sure that the good poem is used. If you try to use other people's poems, you will be seen as poor form and should be avoided. The poem is important because it helps the student to understand the different ways in which poems are written. When this happens, the student will be able to show his ability in the future.Writing a college essay on an alyzing a poem can be done if you know the basics. Remember, this is not something that you should do casually. You need to put a lot of effort into it and you should try to create a professional-looking essay.In order to write a college essay on analyzing a poem, you must remember that it has to be an essay. In addition, you should do it according to the rules set out by your school. There is no point in trying to use something other than the rules set out by your school.Last but not least, it is important that you also get a good poem to use. You should remember that the poem that you use should be something that you like, and it should represent the type of person that you are. After all, if the student does not like the poem, there is no point in writing it, and the student will not be able to write one.

Persuasive Essay Topics on Mental Illness and Treatment of People With Mental Illnesses

Persuasive Essay Topics on Mental Illness and Treatment of People With Mental IllnessesYou can write persuasive essays for medical students who are studying for exams on the topic of mental illness. An interesting task is to develop an essay that is persuasive and can get people to really believe in your arguments. Although we usually look for tests that will show how well an essay will read, when it comes to finding things that will actually help the student, writing persuasive essays is the best choice.Writing persuasive essays on topics like mental illness and treatment of people with mental illnesses is a great way to get into medical school. Medical schools rely heavily on persuasive essay topics and research papers to assist in the admissions process. So, what are the most common arguments used to convince potential students?Some of the persuasive essay topics on mental illness and treatment of people with mental illnesses that are used in medical schools include: coping mechan isms, natural responses, and inaccurate assumptions. These topics are important in helping to change students' perceptions about mental illness and ways of treating people with mental illnesses.One of the most common persuasive essay topics on mental illness and treatment of people with mental illnesses is using humor as a means of achieving change. Humor can be used to bring out positive feelings and lessen negative feelings in students. However, one must exercise caution when writing humor that is used as a medium for raising the opinion of students. Personal references or anecdotes can actually be detrimental if they are used in an essay.Of course, one of the most persuasive essay topics on mental illness and treatment of people with mental illnesses is portraying mental illness as a person having no control over their illness. An essay that portrays a person as being 'not responsible' for their illness will not be accepted by the admissions committee. However, using humor as a w ay to make people think differently about mental illness can be very powerful and a persuasive essay topic.Another persuasive essay topics on mental illness and treatment of people with mental illnesses is to talk about ways in which you have found coping mechanisms for your own mental illness. Coping mechanisms are a way of managing stress that have become very effective for students with severe cases of anxiety and depression. However, there are also ways in which coping mechanisms have been successful and therefore would be helpful to others.Students who want to learn how to develop persuasive essays on topics like mental illness and treatment of people with mental illnesses should read books that contain examples of persuasive essays on a variety of topics. When reading books, be sure to look for examples from a variety of backgrounds, in addition to providing proof that the author wrote the essay. Citing someone else's work is often considered a form of plagiarism and therefore is treated as such.

The Glorious Revolution in England Free Essays

The Glorious Revolution of England happened in the seventeenth century, and the French Revolution, happened in the late eighteenth century to early nineteenth century this is during the age of enlightenment. The revolutions where started because of the new ideas and wants of the common people. They have a lot of similarities because they influenced each other but they also have many differences because they are different countries and people. We will write a custom essay sample on The Glorious Revolution in England or any similar topic only for you Order Now Because the ideas from the revolutions are so new and smart they influenced many other countries and their governments. The Glorious Revolution of England came fist during the eightinth century was the idea to overthrow King James II and replace him with a ParliamentThe French Revolution began with members of the Third Estate pronouncing the Tennis Court Oath in June, the assault on the Bastille in July. The similarities are mostly in how the revolution was started. Both King Charles I and Louis XVI were in debt because of the lack of money left behind from past monarchs. Both kings gave the problem on the peasants which made them very angry. They didn’t want to pay off the debt of the monarchs who they already payed large taxes to. King Charles I and Louis XVI had to summon on Parliament and the Estates to fix their financial issue. Instead of fixing the money problem they came up with new ways of government and planned against the monarchy. The main differences between the revolutions came from the philosophers. The main philosopher that influenced the revolution in France was Jean-Jacques Rousseau and the main philosopher for England was John Locke. John Locke was known as the father of libertarionism and is reguarded as one of the most influencial elightenment thinkers. Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s political philosophy influenced the French Revolution and the advance of modern political and educational ideas The political and social ideas of both the English and the French revolutions influenced many governments in the world such as America, Canada, Germany.. tc. Because of the English revolution the political idea of a constitutional monarchy rose and allowed more freedom and input from the common people in England. The French revolution made way for new government systems, such as democracy and socialism. The glorious revolution in England and the French revolution both are key turning points during the age of enlightenment and have influenced many of today’s governments as well . How to cite The Glorious Revolution in England, Papers

Welcome to Your Nightmares The Weird Appeal of Horror Movies

Introduction: When the Lights Are out Fear is a good feeling to experience. It stimulates the brain, helps to put oneself together and act fast yet efficiently. However, one would not expect that people would want to experience fear. However, they do, which the rates of classic horror movies show.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Welcome to Your Nightmares: The Weird Appeal of Horror Movies specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Although people generally consider horror movies pointless nerve-tickler, this genre attracts many viewers, since it has a lot to offer for the audience in psychological, physiological and social aspects. The Psychological Aspect: It Feels Good to Be Alive Movies offer a lot of food for thoughts and affect people’s subconscious greatly, which means that the psychological motives for people to watch horror movies deserve being considered first. Though it is generally considered that the mo tivations of those who enjoy horror movies to watch something that disturbing concern mostly the need to feel excited, there is much more to it than meets the eye. A look at what movies can offer for one’s subconscious will explain a lot. Beware the petrifying beast: warning of evil It is commonly known that those who are forewarned are forearmed. As a bunch of messages that the movie director gives to the viewers, horror movies can be considered a lesson about violence and brutality, which one can face in real life as well. Of course, the chances that one meets a Giant Purple People Eater are rather low, yet not all horror movies are directed in a sci-fi genre; many of them offer typical suburban settings and a quite realistic portrayal of a serial killer. On a second thought, even the horror movies featuring supernatural monsters can be considered as a metaphor of the cruel world that people live in. A monster under your bed: the change of settings As it was said above, a l ot of horror movies follow the traditions of the genre and have their characters portrayed in the most ordinary settings imaginable, which can be a small town, a ranch, a flat in a megalopolis, etc.Advertising Looking for essay on art and design? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Though one might have thought that such plain setting kills the entire thrill, in fact, it produces a petrifying effect because of the idea that something that terrible can happen literally everywhere, including the place where the viewer lives. This is a successful attempt to cash in on every child’s ancient fear of the monster under the bed. Making the audience believe that what is happening can actually be true, the movie thrills the viewers into paying attention. Motivation for living: it could have been worse Paradoxically, watching the movies in which the characters get terribly harmed or killed mercilessly can make the audience appreciate their lives more. Though this kind of motivation definitely reveals some of the least appealing features of people’s nature, it still serves the purpose, namely, making people appreciate their own lives. After the victim in the movie encounters a monster or experiences any other kind of life threat, an instant thought rushes through the viewer’s mind: â€Å"Thank God, this is not me.† As the movie ends and the audience realize that what they have just witnessed is finally over, they start appreciating their life just for the sake of it. The Physiological Aspect: From Fear to Euphoria and Back On the surface, horror movies might seem interesting only because of the psychological challenge that such movies offer. However, the physiological reactions that they trigger also serve as the reason for people to enjoy this genre. In the aftershock: tasting incredibly sweet relief It has already been mentioned that a lot of people watch horror movies to feel the contrast between the shocking film content and the calming light of reality. Though the given effect is classified as a psychological one, it actually has an underlying physiological motive. Thus, the transition from the negative feelings to positive ones is another thing that people seek in horror movies (Andrae and Cohen 283). Need for the thrill: when life gets too boring There is no secret that not all people like the horror genre; some even despise it, considering that shooting a movie merely for the sake of producing a horror is not worth the time and money spent.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Welcome to Your Nightmares: The Weird Appeal of Horror Movies specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Some, on the contrary, appreciate horror movies for different reasons, from their artistic values, like the famous Dracula, to the doubtfully enjoyable thrill that such movies offer. The given disagreement can be considered a matt er of taste; researchers, however, have recently found out that the lust for thrill can be explained by a very low level of adrenalin (Ginsburg 12). When danger is close: learning to fight As studies show, the gorier the movie gets, the more the male part of the audience enjoys it (Fahu 18). Though the given result might seem somewhat disturbing, the justification for the given phenomenon is rather prosaic and, weirdly enough, has nothing to do with revealing people’s susceptibility to manic illnesses. As the study shows, men learn subconsciously to substitute their fear with aggression and to act fast and efficiently in life-threatening situations (Fahu 19). Therefore, the more horror movies men watch, the better fighters they become. The Social Aspect: Breaking Bad for a Moment Horror movies also shape the audience’s social behavior greatly. Often considered a challenge to the social culture, this genre changes people’s patterns of social behavior. Moreover, h orror genre can cement a number of prejudices against certain types of people. On the edge of morality and at the top of the world To make the shock values even higher, horror movies scriptwriters often write socially awkward and even dangerous characters, thus, blurring the line between the socially acceptable behavior and letting the â€Å"child within the viewer† out. While the monster in the movie embraces everything that the viewer considers â€Å"bad,† or â€Å"dangerous,† be it a school bully, a rowdy neighbor, global warming, etc., the character in the movie embodies everything that the viewer would like to do to the threat, yet cannot due to the social, moral or legal restrictions. One cannot beat the boss, but can watch a movie in which the leading character fights the monster, and project the social conflict onto the one in the movie.Advertising Looking for essay on art and design? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Back to the gender stereotypes: giving the audience People are social animals, and, therefore, they are in desperate need for the examples of acceptable social behavior that they will further on imprint on their own behavioral pattern. Moreover, people need the examples of certain stereotypes to make sure that there is an established order in society. Most mainstream horror movies can offer each, which is why this genre is appreciated so much. Among the most famous stereotypical imagery, a damsel in distress clichà © beats all possible records. Women who do nothing except getting in trouble are featured in Godzilla, Dracula and many other films. Losing the control over the situation: the leader’s badge is taken away Becoming a leader is what has been the primary goal of most members of society since the latter came into existence. Unfortunately, changing social roles in real life is hard; when it comes to plunging into a movie reality, however, one can face the challenges th at are inaccessible in real life. A born leader, for example, will inevitably feel that the movie is trying to put him/her out of the traditional leader position, and make him/her feel weak and terrified. Therefore, the viewer needs to regain his/her dignity, which (s)he can do by controlling his/her fear. While in real life, it is hard to find the source of fear to exercise in controlling the latter, while the movie provides ample opportunities for that. Conclusion: After the Thrill Wears out Its Novelty There is no point in denying that the genre of horror movies is still popular and that the legacy of such great films as the above-mentioned Dracula (1931), Psycho (1960), The Haunting (1963), The Exorcist (1973), and many others will live on. Horror movies allow one to feel the rush of adrenaline and at the same time feel more certain about the real world, compared to the world of the horror movie insanity. However, it is also necessary to point out that horror movies have very li ttle to offer in terms of personal development or aesthetics, except for giving the audience thrill. Therefore, it would be preferable that the substance of most horror movies should be as profound as their style. Works Cited Andrae, Eduardo B. and Joel B. Cohen. â€Å"On the Consumption of Negative Feelings.† Journal of Consumer Research, 34 (2007): 283–300. Fahu, Thomas R. The Philosophy of Horror. Lexington, KY: University Press of Kentucky, 2010. Print. Ginsburg, Mitchell. â€Å"Enduring Horror.† The Jerusalem Report (2003): 12. This essay on Welcome to Your Nightmares: The Weird Appeal of Horror Movies was written and submitted by user Zayden Tyson to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Ethical Issues and Future Trends

Ethical Issues and Future Trends Abstract This essay analyzes two recent news stories wherein the issue of standard business communication consent forms has proved controversial. Legal action resulted when plaintiffs found that their DNA had been used and stored for purposes beyond the scope of the consent form and for which they did not give permission. Consent forms remain inadequate and incomplete in the area of DNA collection and do not provide proper information for donors so that they can make an informed choice about how their DNA will be used.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Ethical Issues and Future Trends specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Ethical Issues and Future Trends No one disputes the value of DNA research in the ongoing battle against disease. However, the business of scientific research in the future may face stiff ethical challenges on the basis of its existing communication tools. Universities and private DNA research firms often use consent forms to manage the acquisition and collection of DNA for one specific purpose, yet research itself often uses the DNA – without express permission from the donor – to underwrite a host of other unrelated research, some of which can cause harm to the donors. One such recent example occurred in the case of Arizona’s Havasupai tribe, based in the Grand Canyon (Harmon, 2010). In the early 1990s 41 members of the tribe donated samples of their blood and DNA to researchers working with the Arizona State University (Harmon, 2010). In April of 2010 these same members won a settlement against the University in the amount of $700,000, plus the return of their blood and samples, for what the tribe deemed â€Å"genetic era betrayal† (Harmon, 2010). The members discovered that the DNA they donated specifically for research into the tribe’s inordinately high incidence of type II diabetes onset was also used to support research into inbreeding, menta l illness and migration patterns of the tribe’s ancestors (Harmon, 2010). The tribe knew nothing of these others areas of research and did not offer permission for their DNA to be used in this manner. Also, the research employed to study the migration patterns and origins of the tribe’s ancestors suggested that the Havasupai arrived in North America via passage across the frozen Bering Sea (Harmon, 2010). This not only discredited the tribal elders’ stories, but also threatened to undermine the tribe’s sovereign rights and endanger their ongoing land claim battles (Harmon, 2010). The Arizona State University spent nearly $2 million contesting the lawsuits launched by the Havasupai by tribe members (Harmon, 2010). The April 2010 settlement â€Å"appears to be the first payment to individuals who said their DNA was misused† (Harmon, 2010). At the heart of this ethical issue lies the problem of the consent form. In the age of the business of scientifi c research’s increasing dependence of DNA to crack disease, to what extent does the consent form protect the rights of donors? This essay studies the case of the Havasupai tribe and so called â€Å"vulnerable† populations whose limited understanding of DNA research can lead to miscommunication and misappropriation in the business environment.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More DNA holds personal information, and in cases such as the Havasupai tribe, the consent form often does not adequately communicate the full scope of how this personal information may be used or in certain instances abused by the scientific industry. Similar to many other businesses, universities and private research firms typically employ a standard consent form to cover the harvesting of DNA from willing subjects. Federal law dictates that scientific researchers who hail from univer sity campuses as well as those private enterprises in the business of DNA collection and testing must obtain â€Å"informed consent† from subjects (Harmon, 2010). The idea behind these protections is to ensure that participants remain clear on their rights. However, the consent forms themselves typically originate from research that may expose participants to â€Å"physical risks, like experimental drug trials or surgery† (Harmon, 2010). These same consent forms often cannot predict the risks of DNA collection, since the culture surrounding DNA research demands full access. DNA donated for one purpose may prove useful for numerous others, and researchers themselves expect that once the DNA is in hand, all scientific uses become fair game. The geneticist who initially harvested and used the Havasupai blood samples, Therese Markow, upheld the ethical consistency of her actions within the scientific industry (Harmon, 2010). Her detractors, in Markow’s words,  "failed to understand the fundamental nature of genetic research, where progress often occurs from studies that do not appear to bear directly on a particular disease† (Harmon, 2010). In the words of David Karp, M.D., a professor of internal medicine at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, â€Å"the potential benefit from unencumbered biomedical research trumps the value of individual control. Everyone wants to be open and transparent, [but] the question is, how far do you have to go? Do you have to create some massive database of people’s wishes for their DNA specimens?† (Harmon, 2010). The Havasupai tribes argued yes, and the court agreed with them. In another case that originated in Austin, Texas, a group of parents took federal legal action against the Texas Department of State Health Services, Commissioner David Lakey, M.D., Texas AM, and Texas AM Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs Nancy Dickey, M.D., for failure to produce satisfactory conse nt forms that informed parents of the collection and storage of blood drawn from their babies at birth (Roser, 2009). The parents’ lawsuit claimed that the defendants â€Å"unlawfully and deceptively collected blood samples from their children at time of birth and stored those samples indefinitely for undisclosed research purposes, without plaintiffs’ knowledge or consent† (Roser, 2009).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Ethical Issues and Future Trends specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The parents’ ire flared after they learned that their infant’s blood â€Å"was now state property† (Roser, 2009). The parents’ main fears stemmed from lack of information provided by the consent forms, and they were concerned that â€Å"the blood spots might be used someday to discriminate against their child† (Roser, 2009). The suit also charges that the state of Texas violates ex isting constitutional shields â€Å"against unlawful searches and seizures,† while simultaneously flouting existing privacy laws (Roser, 2009). DNA research offers infinite potential in the area of disease control. Medical advances certainly owe much of their sustained growth and innovation to the use of DNA. Support definitely exists for the continued use of DNA testing and research to combat debilitating conditions such as diabetes, Alzheimers, heart disease and cancer. However, business communication tools have not grown apace with DNA improvement, and as a result donors consistently receive inadequate information. The lack of information leads to lack of trust, and lack of trust in the public sphere has the potential to undermine public support, not to mention severely curtail the number of willing DNA donors. Existing consent forms do not â€Å"fully inform†¦research participants how their DNA may be used† argues law professor Hank Greely, and this communicat ion glitch â€Å"sows distrust† (Harmon, 2010). Researchers will be hard pressed to continue their work without the trust and participation of donors. DNA creates a new era of ethical challenges for business. Rather than continue to surreptitiously glean DNA via ignorance and inadequate consent forms, business communicators in the scientific industry need to open their process up to public scrutiny and become more transparent with their communication tools. References Harmon, A. (2010, April 21). Indian Tribe Wins Fight to Limit Research of Its DNA. The New York Times. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/22/us/22dna.html Harmon, A. (2010, April 22). Havasupai Case Highlights Risks in DNA Research. The New York Times. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/22/us/22dnaside.html?ref=us Roser, M. (2009, March 18). Parents Sue Texas Health Dept. and Texas AM over Infant Blood Databank. Texas Civil Rights Project. Retrieved from https://texascivilrightsproject.or g/Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More

How To Write Blog Post Introductions That Hook Readers

How To Write Blog Post Introductions That Hook Readers There are eight  other people reading this post along with us. In just a few minutes, there will only be the two of us. Dont believe it? The challenge was already insurmountable.  People read about 18% of your blog post. Readers are overwhelmed with information and are  purposefully not reading  for their own sanity.  Heck, weve been bemoaning the death of reading since 1991, and even again in 2007. So what to do about getting readers to read? How do you keep people reading to the end? Master The Art Of Blog Post Introductions And Keep Your Readers Reading via @JulieNeidlinger A  Blog Post  Introduction Must Have A Hook Let me introduce you to introductions.  Introductions are first impressions.  You get to make them once. Your blog post introduction must have a hook. Here are six good hooks to use in your blog post introductions. 1. Start with an interesting fact. "Niagara Falls has traveled  7 miles upstream in the past 12,000 years. Let's hope you're growing your web traffic at a faster rate." Start with a fact that is interesting, because not all facts are. Facts that are uninteresting are facts that: Are overused and often repeated. Too common in your niche. Related perfectly to your topic in an unsurprising way. Pick facts that have nothing obviously to do with your topic (Niagara Falls and website traffic?), or are perfectly in line with your topic and thesis, but are so shocking as to be gasp-worthy.  Unrelated facts make the reader think "how is this bozo going to tie that into the topic at hand?" while shocking facts make the reader think "that CANNOT be true, can it?!" Either way, it's a hook. 2. The end of the story first. There are two ways to tell the end of the story first and have a successful hook. Find a way to tell the end of the story without giving away the surprise. "The 20,000 customer registered in our system, and the team let out a victorious yell. We'd hit our goal, thanks to the red button." How does the story end? Because that's a perfect place to start. In this example, the introduction tells the reader what happened, but it doesn't do so in a way that ruins the surprise. There's a lot of action, both by the final customer and the team. There's the suggestion of a competition and success (a goal was met). And there's a cryptic suggestion that a red button did something amazing. Plus, 20,000. That's impressive for anyone wanting lots of customers. This would be a less effective version of the introduction for that post: "After five months of intense A/B testing in which we tested different CTA button colors, we finally hit 20,000 customers. Red was the winning color." Yawn. There is jargon. There are unexplained acronyms. An inanimate button has become the winner instead of the people (customers and the team). What little action there is, is passive.  And you spilled the beans on what the post was about: A/B testing colors. Give a heads-up summation without giving away the surprise. This method gives your reader some respect by saying "hey, this is what I'm going to talk about with you today. If this is interesting, stick around."  Derek Halpern tends to get right to the point with his blog posts, and often introduces them by telling readers what they can expect if they keep reading. Adding "a quick request" is a fine bit of intrigue for the reader. "What in the world could Halpern want from me?" the reader thinks, and keeps on reading. Knowing what's coming and how things will end is helpful for readers. It gives them an idea of whether or not they should take the time and what expectations to have. The danger for you, the writer, is if you have an unexciting topic and give your readers a heads-up  to that. "Today I am going to talk about the value proposition of going paperless at your office, and ultimately prove that you will want to buy a small scanner and ban the paper." Meh. That's not an introduction to remember for all eternity. Halpern's version has a bit more intrigue and zip, though, admittedly, some readers will appreciate the above example. It has its place, but isn't the greatest hook. 3. Use an anecdote. "I once wrote a newspaper story that killed a man." That's the actual blog post introduction I wrote on a post for this blog. It's a one-sentence anecdote. That's an extremely short anecdote; most anecdotes are longer, like those you find in this post about social proof in which several anecdotes are used. Anecdotes are wee bitty stories that put a larger idea or thesis in a different context. Speakers know that starting with a story instead of a philosophical or fact-filled lecture is a sure-fire way to get people's attention. It's the same for your readers. What makes a good anecdote? Something that happened to you, in your life. This makes you the expert on how to apply the story and what it means. I would rather hear an anecdote about your trials and failures rather than the tired anecdote of how many times Edison tried to invent the lightbulb. Something either funny or poignant. Make 'em laugh or make 'em cry (or somewhere close). At the very least, end at a different level than where you started. You start at ground zero with your reader. Your anecdote can't end there. It's no hook if it does. Something related to your thesis. Don't be that speaker that tells a random joke or story and then segues with an "but I digress" and launches into Yawnville. Your anecdote should illustrate your thesis in a new way, or start leading the reader's thought patterns towards where you want to take them with your thesis. A quote can work. Quotations can work, and sometimes make a fine opening. But people quickly get in the habit of using the words of others to boost their own, so watch out for overuse of this technique. And avoid quotations that are overused for your niche. Steve Jobs had some good things to say,  but after a while, those excellent words lose their power because they are overused. Find new quotations from surprising sources. And avoid quotations that are overused for your niche. Steve Jobs had some good things to say, but after a while, those excellent words lose their power because they are overused. – @JulieNeidlinger 4. Ask a (worthwhile) question. Yes, there are stupid questions, and a good share  of them are rhetorical. In their best use, asking a question is a fine way to force the reader to identify with the problem you are about to solve. Questions can be powerful. But some questions are a waste of time. Go easy with  rhetorical questions.   "What are we going to do about your low-performing blog?" Rhetorical questions cannot be answered by the reader. They are asked not to prompt thinking or discover knowledge, but to make a point. They are often dramatic. They can be insulting. "Have you stopped beating your dog yet?" is a classic example. The question assumes someone is being cruel to an animal. It can't really be answered. Or "How do you solve a problem like Maria?", which assumes first that Maria is a problem. It's similar to what I see  being used a lot in lead generation and calls-to-action where one button says "Yes, I want more traffic. Take my email!" while the other button says "No, I want to see my website die a painful slow death." Rhetorical questions set up the reader in a similar, psychological way. The reader has to accept the underlying assumption in order to answer. It can work, but if you make an offensive or insulting assumption, your reader leaves. Use rhetorical questions carefully. Don't ask questions intended to limit the answer. Pet peeve alert: I despise  when people speak in questions so they can pre-empt any difficult or real questions and give softball answers. Here's how it works (and I'm sure you'll recognize the technique): "Do I love web traffic? Yes. Did I mean to send my disgruntled blog readers a skunk in the mail? Of course not." By asking the questions you, the writer, want to answer instead of providing the answers the reader wants, you can create the appearance of forthright and complete discussion without actually doing so. Plus, you slip into passive voice of sorts, where you don't own the action and behavior. How does that work in an introduction? "Do I love web traffic? Yes. Do I know the secret to building it? You bet." Ok, we get it. But what a waste of your reader's time. "My love of web traffic is bested only by my ability to build it." Kind of a silly  example, but you get the idea: be direct, not passive. Do you want more traffic on your blog? Write better blog post introductions with these tips.Don't ask obvious questions. Every time I find myself tapping out an introduction that starts with "do you want more traffic on your blog?" I'm sure somewhere a philosopher dies. What I'm trying to do is tell the reader "yes, this is the post you were looking for" but what I'm really telling the reader is "I don't know how to write." "Do you want more traffic on your blog?" Really? That's your Bob Woodward? "98 percent of blog owners want more traffic. Yeah, we don't understand that remaining two percent, either." You can identify with your reader without asking them obvious questions that they skim over. 5.  Go for the  cliffhangers. Robert Bruce  (who is someone else entirely than Robert the Bruce)  is a writer and a tease. Once in a while but not too often, mind you he sends out an email of Unusually Short Stories. He also posts them on his web site. He is all sparseness and tortuous brevity, his unusually short stories impeccable. They hook, and leave you hanging off the cliff. One of Robert Bruce's unusually short stories. Take a page from Bruce's book: these are the introductory paragraphs that get readers hooked. I know, because I've sat and stared at them willing the next sentence to appear (which  will not happen). I'm a firm believer mimicking and dissecting the successful work of others as a form of practice. Artists often paint from the masters to learn about color, light, and technique (I've done it). While at a writers' conference a few months ago, best-selling author James Hall told of a class he taught his graduate students (which included Dennis Lehane) where they were instructed to find a novel they loved and write their own novel based on the structure of it. He later turned this class into a book called Hit Lit: Cracking The Code Of The 20th Century's Biggest Best Sellers. So let's look at Bruce's example. What makes it work? It's only two sentences, and I'm dying to read the next paragraph. The setup tells us there is a competition known only to us (we have exclusive knowledge). There is a setting, both in place and time. And we know the startling end result. The cliffhanger isn't what happened next, but what happened in between. How do you get from intriguing point A to hilarious and startling point Z? So. A cliffhanger can be either "what happens next" or "what happened in between." Let's say your headline was: How We Went From Zero To 10,000 Customers In Just One Year.   Here's an example of a "what happened in between" cliffhanger: "We started with  three team members  and a plant in the window. One year later, we were taking sledgehammers to the office walls." The rest of the post talks about how you grew your customer base, and how it meant your team grew, too, and you had to expand your office space. (Or how things went poorly and you demolished the office in a fit of rage, but let's hope not.) 6. Gentle confrontation can be a friend. "You were getting 100 new sign-ups a week, and thought your email conversion rate was as good as it could get. But you were wrong, and I'll tell you why." Confrontation is sure to get a reader's attention. Of course, not all confrontation is created equal.  There is insulting and trollish confrontation (always wrong), and there is gentle confrontation. A gentle confrontation takes a soft  swipe at a controversy, or pokes a long-held belief of the reader in a way that encourages them to read on and reconsider. What happens when you do that? The reader feels indignant and keeps reading if only to prepare to prove you wrong. Or the reader is intrigued and keeps reading to see if it's true. The reader skips to the end and leaves a ranting comment never having read your post, meaning you have to gently say "but I said that later in my post." So in the case of the first reaction, gentle confrontation can be a friend. In the case of the second reaction...less so. Either way, introductions that are confrontational can often lead to active comment sections.