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The

Expository Essay

An Overview
1
The function of the
expository essay is to
explain, or to acquaint
your reader with a body
of knowledge.

2
By explaining a topic to
the reader, you are
demonstrating your own
knowledge.

3
For example, if you are
asked to write an essay
about how to drive a car,
you decide what you plan
to concentrate on, create
a paragraph structure,
and describe the process
step by step. 4
When describing, or
exposing the process by
which one drives a car,
all you are doing is
explaining the steps or
process.
5
An essay becomes more
complicated when a
position has to be
defended, as in the
persuasive essay, which
is one of the reasons
expository essays are
more popular. 6
Expository essays
require that the writer
give information,
explain the topic or
define something.

7
To accomplish that,
expository essays are
best developed by the
use of facts and
statistical information,
cause and effect
relationships, or
examples. 8
Since they are factual,
they are written without
emotion and usually
written in the third
person.
9
The third person means
that the use of the
pronoun "I" is not
usually found within the
essay. Instead the
writer will refer to the
first person (I) in the
third person (one). 10
Expository essays also
have a distinct format.
The thesis statement
must be defined and
narrow enough to be
supported within the
essay.
11
Each supporting
paragraph must have a
distinct controlling topic
and all other sentences
must factually relate
directly to it.
12
The transition words or
phrases are important
as they help the reader
follow along and
reinforce the logic.

13
Finally, the conclusion
paragraph should
originally restate the
thesis and the main
supporting ideas.

14
Finish with a statement
that reinforces your
position in a meaningful
and memorable way.

15
Never introduce new
material in the
conclusion.

16
As they like to state at
the essay info writing
center

17
The purpose of an
expository essay is to
present, completely and
fairly, other people's views
or to report about an
event or a situation.
18
Expository writing, or
exposition, presents a
subject in detail, apart
from criticism, argument,
or development; i.e., the
writer elucidates a subject
by analyzing it.
19
Such writing is discourse
designed to convey
information or explain
what is difficult to
understand.

20
Exposition usually
proceeds by the orderly
analysis of parts and the
use of familiar illustrations
or analogies.

21
Such an analysis requires:
1) Reading with
understanding the ideas
developed in an article by
clearly stating another's
thesis, outlining the facts used
by the author to support that
thesis, and the "values"
underlying the ideas. 22
2) Putting what is read
into a larger context by
relating another's article
or book to other work in
the field.

23
3) Clearly and effectively
communicating this
information to a defined
audience.

24
4) In other words, you
must write clearly and fully
enough for your readers
to know how you have
arrived at your analyses
and conclusions.
25
Your reader should never
have to guess what you
mean; give your readers
everything they need to
know to follow your
reasoning.
26
This practice is not "just
for students." Accurate
analysis is a fundamental
professional activity in
almost all careers.

27
Like any other
fundamental skill, it must
be constantly practiced in
order to maintain and
improve it.

28
Other goals, such as
learning "time
management" and note-
taking, are also developed
by this activity.

29
Do not be afraid to revise
your essay! In fact, you
will probably want to
change it at least once;
this is called "thinking
through a 'problem'" or
"learning."
30
The revisions will
consist of the following:

1) Finding the precise


words to express your
thoughts

31
2) Correcting
typographical, spelling,
and grammatical errors

32
3) Making sure that your
paragraphs are "tight" and
sequenced properly.

33
4) Making sure that the
transition ("segue") from
one major topic to another
makes sense.

34
Expository Essay
Writing Prompt

Topic:

Voting is an Important
Act of Citizenship
35
Many US citizens do not
exercise their right to vote
at any level of
government.

36
They give up their right to
important input on issues
because they do not take
the time to investigate the
issues, or go to the polls
to cast a ballot for a
candidate that may have
similar values. 37
Some think that one vote
does not make a
difference so why should
they bother.

38
Often elections are
decided by a very small
percentage of those
eligible and registered to
vote.

39
Your job is to explain
the value of having and
exercising the right to
vote.

Use the five-paragraph


form for the explanation.
40
Be sure to think of
reasons why it is
important to vote. Think
of the kinds of laws that
effect the average
individual.
41
Think how the stated
platforms of the various
parties influence the
outcomes of actions of
lawmaking bodies.

42
Use a planner.

Be sure to state that it is


important to vote in
your topic sentence.
43
That is the assignment.

You do not have a


choice.
Think of three good
reasons why everyone
should vote.
44
Once you have written
them down, think about
some supporting
reasons or examples.

45
If you can think of some
examples from history,
you might be able to
include some concrete
examples from the past of
how a law came about or
was changed by the
actions of the lawmakers.
46
Or you can give
examples from the
present or recent times
to explain how voting
does make a difference.
47
Feel free to reference
things that have
happened in your
school that could
parallel events in the
local, state or national
government.
48
Think of some excuses
that you might have
heard and explain why
they are not valid.

49
Once you have the three
reasons and have three
supporting facts or
ideas for each one, it is
time to plan for the
summary ending.
50
Be sure that you have a
strong summary and
restate, in an original
manner, the main points
of your essay.
51
It is necessary to restate
and remind people of
the main facts that you
brought out throughout
the essay.
52
It is necessary to remind
them of the focus and
the main points that you
have brought out.
When you have finished
the planner, it is time to
write.
53
Try to think of a good
opening sentence that
clearly focuses in on the
topic.

54
Be sure that it is
sufficiently broad to
cover your points, but
not so broad as to loose
the interest of the reader
right off the bat.
55
Using something like,
"voting is important."
Does not create interest
or clearly define the
topic.

56
As you write, take time
to phrase each sentence
in your mind.

57
Pay attention to the
arrangement of the
sentence that went
before so that you are
varying the sentence
structure.
58
Be sure that the subject
and the verb agree. Try
to write in active voice
as it is so much more
powerful.

59
Thanks to UVIC and Geo
Cities for much of the
content here-in.

60

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