Expository essay examples

Features of an expository essay

It is necessary to understand how this genre differs from many others. Each good expository essay example is written in a logical manner and does not contain excessive emotions, artistic elements. In this case, information is much more important than beauty of the narration or personal revelations of the author. The main instruments of a writer are the facts that must be submitted in an objective manner (that is, without a personal assessment).

When compiling the task, the teacher probably included in it such words as "define", "explain" and the like. Example: "Explain how genetically modified food affects the human body." As you can see, there is not a single word about a personal attitude of an author in the assignment. So, it is enough to provide an unbiased analysis.

The popularity of such tasks is explained by the fact that their performance develops skills which are incredibly useful in various spheres of life. Many posts provide daily writing of explanatory texts. Therefore, starting to study the expository essay examples for high school today, you develop abilities that will be helpful not only at a university, but also in a workplace.

Expository essay types

There are several subspecies of this genre. Before you will start writing a paper, find out what kind of result the teacher expects from you. Here are the most popular options:

• Compare and contrast essays are focused on the common and discrepant characteristics of several objects, personalities, phenomena.
• Cause and effect essay tells the reader how certain phenomenon provokes the other one. It is necessary to identify a clear connection between the two studied objects.
• "How to" essay is a kind of an instruction aimed at giving a reader the knowledge which helps to perform a certain task.
• Definition essay. In this case, it is necessary to explain what a certain concept means. Phenomena that have ambiguous meanings are considered most often, for example, envy, honesty, love, courage, etc. Each author can interpret them from different angles. The writer must provide an official dictionary definition and additional descriptions associated with it.
• Similar goals are pursued by the classification essays. However, various categories, elements and manifestations of one phenomenon are considered separately.

How to write an expository essay?

To begin with, you need to think thoroughly about the main purpose of the essay, to gather information from various sources. Write out interesting ideas which you found in specialized literature and media. The text itself should be composed in accordance with a classical structure. Typically, each expository essay outline example consists of the following elements:

1. Introduction. Here you should disclose the central idea of the paper. One duly compiled sentence is enough to formulate a thesis. Remember that you should not take any position or express a personal opinion. Choose a clear statement that can be substantiated in a text consisting of 5 paragraphs (the classic volume of small essays).
2. Each of the next three paragraphs should consider some sub-thesis confirming the main idea. Use a large number of facts and practical examples. At the end of a paragraph, there should be a mini-conclusion leading a reader to a certain thought.
3. The conclusion should not leave any doubt that the thesis indicated at the beginning is really truthful and right. Do not enter any new statements. If you have additional ideas, it's worth returning to the main part.

Looking through the expository essay examples for college, you will probably notice that such words as "I", "we" and "you" are rarely found in the text. Much more often, the authors write from a third party and occupy a detached position, play the role of an outside observer who opens a picture of a phenomenon under consideration to a reader.

Checking and editing

Is the text written? Do not hurry to close the laptop and rest. You still need to check your essay. Surely you will notice many details that should be changed. Do not be lazy. Always use the opportunity to bring your paper to perfection. Make sure that an essay meets the following criteria:

• Non-biased analysis.
• Ease of reading. Even if there are a lot of scientific facts in the text, avoid complex phrases which will tire a reader.
• A typical omission of inexperienced authors is a loss of thought. They often receive conclusions that have nothing to do with the purpose of the work. Having encountered such a mistake, get rid of unnecessary details and rephrase the text.
• Sentences of an optimal size. There should be no intensive flows of information stated in a row.
• Smooth transitions between paragraphs. The reader should understand why you moved from one thought to another.
• If something is still wrong, but you can't understand what exactly, experts advise to reconsider the thesis, because it determines the quality of all text. Once again, review the expository essay introduction examples and choose a wording that will set a good tone for further research.

Care about for absolute literacy, unique writing style, clarity of expressions. Be accurate but not too serious. The absence of emotional phrases does not mean that your essay should turn into an article from an encyclopedia. The text should be lively and involving.

If you want to get an objective assessment of a paper before submitting it to a teacher, ask a friend to read it or compare your own text with a finished example of an expository essay.

Remember that no writer has become respected and famous after composing his first work. Gradual acquisition of experience is quite a normal practice. You will need time to become a master, to improve the skills, to develop an original manner of writing. But believe, all efforts will not be in vain. One day, you will start creating masterpieces that will receive high marks and arouse the readers' admiration. Tasks that previously seemed complicated will turn out to be simple and will even bring pleasure. Good luck!