Expository Essay

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Expository Essay

• Junior Essay

Choose one of the following topics 1. Life is
full of momentous events that change the course
of our futures. These events may occur because
of a decision that someone makes or because of
uncontrollable circumstances. Describe a
momentous event in your life and explain how it
affected your future in a multiple-paragraph
short essay. 2. Think of something that is
important to you that you learned in school or
outside of school. In several paragraphs, write
a letter to your teacher explaining what you
learned and why it is important to you.
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THE EXPOSITORY ESSAY EXPLAINED

• The essay is the basic form of writing assigned
  in all academic areas. You write essays
• about important concepts covered in your reading
  and class discussion. You research
• related topics. You compose procedure (how-to)
  papers. You take essay tests. Anytime
• you are asked to inform, explain, analyze or
  write persuasively about a subject, you are
• developing an essay. Basic essays usually
  contain at least three to five paragraphs.
• The purpose of an expository essay is to present
  important information about a specific subject.
  
• On the following slides the basic expository is
  explained in detail Introduction, body
• paragraphs, and conclusion.

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THE EXPOSITORY ESSAY AT A GLANCE

• Introduction
• This paragraph is 40-80 words or four to five
  sentences in length.
• Body Paragraph
• Each paragraph contains these parts.
• Each is also about 100-150 words or ten or more
  sentences.
• Essays can contain as many body paragraphs as
  necessary to prove the thesis.
• Conclusion
• This paragraph contains 40-80 words or three to
  five sentences.
• 
  

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Key Terms

• Hook - catches readers attention
• Link explains hook, gives background or summary
  information transitions to
• THESIS STATEMENT (subject opinion)
• Topic sentence for each body paragraph relates
  directly to proving thesis. Gives argument that
  will be presented in that body paragraph.
• The rest of the paragraph offers evidence
  (concrete detail) to support the topic sentence
  and explains its importance (commentary).
• Transitions are used between sentences.
• The concluding sentence
• Wraps up the paragraph and leads to the next body
  paragraph or to the conclusion.
• Restates the thesis in different words.
• Summarizes the main points of each body
  paragraph.
• State the significance or importance for the
  thesis. Goes further in your thinking about the
  thesis.

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Expository Holistic Scoring Guide
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THE INTRODUCTORY PARAGRAPH

• An introductory paragraph catches the readers
  attention, gives some background information
  about the topic in general, and states the
  thesis. This paragraph can be divided into three
  parts.
• 1. Introductory Technique Some teachers call
  this the Hook or Attention Getter.
• Whichever technique you use, it must focus
  attention on the essays topic.
• 2. Link This section explains the hook and
  leads the reader to the thesis statement. Its
  length depends on the type of essay. For
  example, if you are writing a literary analysis
  essay, you need to give a brief summary of the
  book as you lead to the thesis.
• 3. Thesis Statement This is the topic sentence
  for the essay. It has two parts a specific
  topic and your attitude about it
• (subject opinion)

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More On Introductory Techniques

• 1. Definition Explain a term that is central
  to the thesis. This may be a dictionary
  definition or the writers definition.
• 2. Rhetorical Question This question needs to
  be central to the thesis and answered in the
  essay.
• 3. Startling Statement or Relevant Fact Either
  one can serve to interest the reader and direct
  attention to the thesis.
• 4. Quotation A quotation from the book works
  especially well when writing a literary analysis
  essay. Remember a quotation may be any section
  of the book, dialogue, description, or narration.
  
• 5. Anecdote A short interesting or humorous
  incident is another popular introductory
  technique. With this hook, the writer must be
  careful to keep it short in relation to the
  overall length of the essay.
• 6. History or Background Information This type
  or hook gives information that establishes
  context for the paper.
• Never start an essay with a statement such as
  In this essay I am going to write about

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Organizing Your Position

• Step 1 Figure out exactly what your answer is to
  the topic question and phrase it as a statement.
• Step 2 Decide who your audience is.
• Step 3 Brainstorm points/arguments that support
  your position. What is true about the topic that
  supports your point of view?
• Step 4 Brainstorm/research facts that prove each
  of your points/arguments.

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Constructing a Thesis Statement

• What do you believe to be true?
• What do you want your audience to agree to?
• Is there an opposing viewpoint?
• Is your topic specific enough to argue in a short
  paper but broad enough to allow at least three
  distinct points/arguments to be made?

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Constructing Points/Arguments

• Brainstorm points that are true about your topic
  that support your point of view.
• All three points should be different from one
  another and support the point of view you have
  taken with your thesis.
• Choose your three strongest or combine to create
  three and rank from strongest to weakest.

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Fact Finding

• Research and brainstorm concrete details/examples
  that support each of your three points.
• Possible evidence includes the following quotes
  from others, past events, facts, personal
  anecdotes.
• Evaluate the examples
• Separate fact from opinion only expert opinions
  carry weight in an argument.
• Confirm that evidence is directly relevant to
  your point and does not contradict your point of
  view.

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THE BODY PARAGRAPH

• The body paragraphs provide proof and support for
  the thesis statement. A typical expository essay
  includes three or more body paragraphs. The more
  evidence the writer can provide, the more likely
  the reader will accept the validity of the thesis
  statement.
• Organization of body paragraphs in a particular
  essay generally follows one of the patterns
  listed below.
• 1. Chronological Order time order
• 2. Order of Importance least to most important
  argument
• Or
• second strongest, least strong,
  strongest argument
• 3. Comparison/Contrast showing similarities
  and differences
• 4. Cause and Effect relationship between event
  and outcome

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Body Paragraph Structure

• The topic sentence of each body paragraph must
  help prove the thesis statement.
• Supporting sentences give concrete proof,
  examples, details, and/or facts that prove the
  thesis (concrete details).
• The writer must explain the importance of each
  specific piece of evidence in one or two
  sentences following the evidence. This is often
  referred to as commentary about the evidence.
  Commentary means that the writer explains why the
  evidence helps prove the thesis in his or her own
  words.
• The paragraphs last or concluding sentence
  brings the paragraph to a conclusion and
  transitions to the topic sentence of the next
  paragraph.
• Each paragraph of the essay is linked to the next
  one by various kinds of transitions the
• sentences within each paragraph are also smoothly
  connected to one another by transitional
• words and phrases.
• English teachers often ask students to write body
  paragraphs of ten or more sentences or 100
• 150 words. The purpose of this is to make sure
  the paragraphs will be specific and well
• developed. It is a good idea to remember this
  when writing your essay.
• On the following page is a simple pattern that
  shows exactly how a body paragraph is structured.

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Sample Body Paragraph

• Each line represents one sentence in the body
  paragraph.
• 1. Topic sentence (TS) This idea helps prove
  that the thesis statement is true.
• 2. Concrete Detail (CD) A fact, example,
  quotation, paraphrase, or piece of evidence to
  back up the topic sentence.
• 3. Commentary (CM) Shows why CD provides
  proof.
• 4. Commentary (CM) Shows why CD provides
  proof.
• 5. Concrete Detail (CD) A fact, example,
  quotation, paraphrase, or piece of evidence to
  back up topic sentence.
• 6. Commentary (CM) Shows why CD provides
  proof.
• 7. Commentary (CM) Shows why CD provides
  proof.
• 8. Concrete Detail (CD) A fact, example,
  quotation, paraphrase, or piece of evidence to
  back up topic sentence.
• 9. Commentary (CM) Shows why CD provides
  proof.

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THE CONCLUDING PARAGRAPH

• The concluding paragraph effectively ends the
  essay by summing up the discussion in a few
  sentences. It gives the writer one last chance
  to make the point.
• For the beginning writer, a three part conclusion
  is often taught.
• 1. Restate the thesis in slightly different
  words.
• 2. Summarize the main points of the body
  paragraph.
• 3. Go further in explaining the significance or
  importance of the thesis.

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Six ways to write a concluding paragraph.

• 1. The paragraph emphasizes the main points by
  summarizing them. This could be used for a
  fairly complex, long essay or a research paper.
• 2. The paragraph draws a conclusion from the
  body paragraphs.
• 3. The paragraph evaluates what has been done.
  This works when the essay is describing a process
  or a historical event.
• 4. The paragraph answers the question posed by
  the thesis statement.
• 5. The paragraph recommends a specific course of
  action. This works for a persuasive or
• reflective essay.
• 6. The paragraph gives a final powerful example
  to emphasize the main point. This, too,
• works for a persuasive essay.

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TRANSITIONS

• Transitions are very important in writing
  paragraphs and essays. They are the links that
  hold the chain of ideas together. These links
  occur in the manners shown below.
• 1. Use pronouns to refer to ideas or people
  previously mentioned (he, she, it, you, I, etc.).
  
• Pronouns must agree with their noun antecedent in
  gender and number.
• Example When the children left the bus, they
  discovered that they were in an
• unfamiliar neighborhood. This place had bright
  lights and tall trees.
• 2. Repeat words or phrases from one sentence to
  the next. This method is especially
• effective between the last sentence of one
  paragraph and the first sentence (topic
• sentence) of the next paragraph.
• Example In this situation, Jacques was very
  jealous. (last sentence of paragraph)
• Another time, he became jealous when his
  mother brought his brother a gift.
• (first sentence of next paragraph)

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Various Purposes of Transitions

• a. To introduce an example thus, for example,
  for instance, to illustrate
• b. To add an idea or fact again, also,
  besides, furthermore, in addition, moreover,
  similarly
• c. To establish spatial order above, below,
  here, there, inside, outside, nearby, beyond,
  over, under
• d. To establish time order first, then,
  before, after, finally, meanwhile, later, second,
  next
• e. To tie together several reasons and show
  cause-and-effect relationship because, for, in
  the second place, since, inasmuch as, to that end
  
• f. To restrict, to contradict, to show
  contrast although, however, nevertheless, on
  the contrary, otherwise, instead, yet, on the
  other hand, despite this fact
• g. To indicate a conclusion or result
  therefore, in conclusion, to sum up,
  consequently, as a result, accordingly, in other
  words