How to write an expository essay

How to write an expository essay

Your professor asks if you know how to write an expository essay. Before recalling if you have already been taught how to write an expository essay, you get confused and answer that yes, you do know. You confuse it with a persuasive and argumentativeessay and then your professor re-educates you in front of the whole class, much to your embarrassment. Knowing how to write an expository essay relies on one mission – to expose. An expository essay is a form of essay that aims to expose and in the process, inform, illustrate, explain, and enlighten the reader. Now, let’s expose the expository essay.

Things to remember:

• Fact and reason - Contrary to an argumentative/persuasive or personal narrative essay, knowing how to write an expository essay requires that you focus on facts and on facts alone. Your paper must contain a rich amount of information, details, samples, clarifications and they must be organized in a way that will make reader fully understand the issue.
• No emotion, no opinion - You must refrain at all times from expressing your personal opinion or appealing to the reader’s emotion, however you may feel about the issue you’re writing about. You focus only on facts and reason and the thesis statement. Understand the executive summary: you collect, present, and analyse facts about the issue.
• Formal language – An expository essay requires that you write in a formal, academic manner, most preferably in third person. Unlike the other more informal types of essay, an expository essay requires an approach that is farthest from personal. It requires you to be take a neutral approach like a reporter and be informative like a teacher, both at the same time.
• Start from the top – You must assume that the readers do not have any knowledge about the issue. Do not hesitate to explain even the littlest details, even if you are personally sure that the reader must have even the slightest idea about them.
• Focus on the issue – Avoid going away from the main issue. While you need to cite examples and other relevant facts, the focus must remain on the main issue. You must ensure that the number of examples does not reach a level where it can be distracting to the reader.
• Be efficient – An expository essay needs to be written in a concise manner. Avoid using deep, unfamiliar words, do not construct confusing and lengthy sentences, and do not inject any intent to impress reader with your vocabulary. Remember, you are writing to expose, not narrate.

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The writing part:

An expository essay, surprisingly, follows the same structure as those of other essay types.

• Knowledge - At all times, it is best to fully familiarize yourself with the issue first before writing. Doing so saves time, effort, and energy.
• The title – Be brief. The title should instantly give the reader a clue of what your essay is about.
• Introduction –It’s important to use a good hook. You may begin with a general statement about the issue that grabs the reader’s attention and curiosity. You may also pose a question that will make the reader want to finish your essay. Or, you may start by simply defining the issue or by writing the basic information that the reader has to know. Then you can declare your thesis statement.
• The body – Depending on the word count/number of paragraphs required, start off with the main idea and back it up with evidence from reputable sources. After which, you must provide thorough analysis of the evidence you cited and explain why the evidence is enough to support your thesis statement. The frequency of this cycle depends on the number of paragraphs required. Regardless of the number of paragraphs your essay body has, the paragraphs should smoothly transition to one another and they have to have a sense of continuity. 
• The conclusion – Present the reader a summary of the issue. After which, emphasize its importance as expressed by the flow of the issue in essay’s body. Close the conclusion by stating the new elements created by your essay - the new questions, possible solutions, or further explanation.