Lecture 19

Expository Essay


Recap
• Sharing your experience . . .
– Emerson and Thoreau

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Basics in a Box
Writing Your Reflective Essay
Planning Your Reflective Essay
Steps for Writing an Reflective Essay
Topic Selection
Key Points to Consider
Dos and Don’ts
Common Mistakes
Example
o Information Pressure: Ignorance Is a Bliss

What is an Expository Essay?
• The expository essay is a genre of essay
that requires the student to investigate:
– an idea
– evaluate evidence
– expound on the idea
– and set forth an argument concerning that
idea in a clear and concise manner.


What is an Expository Essay?
• This can be accomplished through:
– comparison and contrast
– Definition
– Example
– the analysis of cause and effect, etc.


What is an Expository Essay? It
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Gives facts
Explains
Gives steps in a process
Presents ideas in logical order or
correct sequence.



What are the key words that show it is
an expository essay?
• Most people enjoy some type of music. Think
about your favorite type of music and explain why
you like that particular type of music.
• Sometimes even the best drivers can get lost at
times. Explain how you would direct a lost man to
get back to the expressway/highway from your
neighborhood.
• Tell how to make a hamburger.
YOU WILL FIND THESE WORDS IN THE ESSAY
EXPLAIN or TELL HOW.


Structure of the Expository
Essay
• The structure of the expository essay is
held together by the following:
– A clear, concise, and defined thesis
statement that occurs in the first paragraph of
the essay.
– Clear and logical transitions between the:
• introduction,
• body, and
• conclusion.


Structure of the Expository

Essay
• Body paragraphs that include evidential
support.
– Evidential support whether:
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factual
Logical
statistical, or
subjective


Structure of the Expository
Essay
• A bit of creativity!
• A conclusion that does not simply restate
the thesis, but readdresses it in light of
the evidence provided.


A Complete Argument
• Perhaps it is helpful to think of an essay in terms
of a conversation or debate with a classmate.
– If I were to discuss the cause of the Great
Depression and its current effect on those who lived
through the chaotic time, there would be a beginning,
middle, and end to the conversation.

– In fact, if I were to end the exposition in the middle of
my second point, questions would arise concerning
the current effects on those who lived through the
Depression.
– Therefore, the expository essay must be complete,
and logical so, leaving no doubt as to its intent or
argument.


Technique for Brainstorming


Think – Brainstorm-PACO
• P• A-

What is your purpose?
Who is your audience?

• C- Content -- What are your ideas for details,
facts, or reasons?

• O- Organization -- Think
to

how you want
structure your paper.

NOW START YOUR OUTLINE!



Steps for writing Expository
Essay

• When writing your expository essay, follow these
eight basic steps:

• Select a topic:
– Be sure the topic is narrow enough to make it
manageable within the space of an essay

• Write a thesis sentence:
– Be sure the thesis statement(or sentence)
expresses a controlling idea that is neither too
broad nor too specific to be developed effectively


Steps for writing Expository
Essay
• Select a method of development:
– Check through all the methods before you
finally settle on the one which will best serve
your thesis:
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Definition

Example
compare and contrast
cause and effect
Classification
process analysis


Steps for writing Expository
Essay
• Organize the essay:
– Begin by listing the major divisions which the
body paragraphs in your essay will discuss;
then fill in the primary supports that each body
paragraph of the essay will contain

• Write topic sentences for the body
paragraphs of the essay:
– For each body paragraph, furnish a topic
sentence that directly relates to the thesis
sentence


Steps for writing Expository
Essay
• Write the body paragraphs of the
essay:
– Each body paragraph should develop the
primary support covered in that paragraph's
topic sentence


• Furnish a paragraph of introduction:
– An introductory paragraph should state the
thesis of the essay, introduce the divisions in
the body paragraphs of the essay, and gain
the interest of the reader


Steps for writing Expository
Essay
• Write a paragraph of conclusion:
– Restate the thesis and divisions of the essay
– Bring the essay to an appropriate and
effective close
– Avoid digressing into new issues


Types of Expository Essay?
• There are three main types of expository
essays.
– They are pieces of scholarly writing, which
describe or examine a process of some kind in a
comprehensive way;
• analyze a concept,
• describe and explore a written work or an event; or
• set out and explain detailed instructions or a
description of a method or procedure.

• It is not always easy to separate these three
types.
• It does become clearer after one has decided

on a topic and found a way to present an
argument about it.


Key Points to Consider
• Describing a procedure or process
need not be boring or dull.
– Find an interesting way to present material to
the reader, without too much irresistible detail.

• Compare and contrast aspects of your
topic in two ways:
– different methodology found in the literature,
or
– alternative ways used by different scholars or
exponents.


Key Points to Consider
• If using the ‘cause and effect’ method– ensure you match each pair correctly, and support
each example with a citation to demonstrate it truly.

• When attempting a classification– write in a clear and simple way.
– It is not a good idea to introduce too much
complication, which might bore or confuse the reader.


Key Points to Consider
• Examples chosen to demonstrate or illustrate
an argument must be suitable and relevant.

– A good way to decide if an example is appropriate, is
to try to argue against it yourself. If you succeed, it
was not a good example.


Key Points to Consider
• Defining is not as simple as finding
something in a dictionary and copying out
the description.
– Dictionaries are not among the most relevant of
scholarly references.
– Good definitions can be sought in sources from the
relevant literature.
– Many authors start a book or journal article by writing
a good definition without resorting to dictionaries, so
they provide excellent quotes if used with care.


Dos
• Do decide on your topic and method of
exposition first.
• Do read all your chosen sources
properly.
• Do understand that an expository essay
need not be boring or too long.
• Do use philosophical devices such as
deduction, logic and inference to support
any claims you make.



Dos
• Do make sure that you paraphrase
precisely and efficiently when using
material found in books and journals.
• Do avoid using blanket statements and
broad generalizations:
– they only serve to destroy an argument.


Don'ts
• Don’t lose track of your train of thought
and deviate.
• Don’t actively or negatively criticize the
text or event in a subjective manner.
– Although your opinion will be apparent from the
way you arrange your argument, writing opposed
material is not the scope of any academic paper.

• Don’t make unqualified statements without
the support of referenced data and
quotations.