How to Master Expository Writing

How to Master Expository Writing Expository writing sounds formal and exacting (it is), but never fear, you already use it every day. Instruction manuals, textbooks, voter guides, research papers, news articles, posters, game directions, recipe books, movie reviews, furniture assembly instructions, city guides, white pages, certain blogs, and the academic essay are all examples of expository writing. Its the documentary film of the writing world.Expository writing informs readers by explaining, describing or exposing truth with a supporting set of facts. The goal is to enlighten your audience by presenting information in a clear and organized way. Think creatively, but expository writing is not creative writing. Support your argument, but expository writing is not persuasive writing.Straightforward expository writing builds your credibility. Its essential for writing winning proposals and grant applications, and informed decision definition essay titles could be Attributes of a Superhero, The Official Meaning of Fam ily, and Define Laziness: A Portrait of My Younger Brother.The Descriptive Essay – Describes an event, person, place, thing or idea with supporting details. This could be writing about a travel destination, an admirable or villainous character, your first cooking experience, or how you imagine the world without borders. Generously use vivid language, adjectives and adverbs, and imagery that involves all the senses to paint a picture for readers.The Explanatory Essay – Explains how something works or how to do something. Use this model to clarify unfamiliar terms or special vocabulary. Form comparisons or analogies if appropriate, connecting new information to knowledge the reader already has, or give a new perspective or insight. Possible explanatory essay titles might include: What Exactly is Bit Coin?, Latin Declensions: A Primer, and Understanding the Allegory of Animal Farm. A subs include how to make a soufflà ©, or how to clear a scuba mask underwater. Use direc tional verbs like rotate, mix, or blow when describing each step. Present a materials list, if applicable. Avoid lengthy phrasing, but be sure to include all information needed to get the job done.Fourth, outline to create an organized structure that flows logically.An outline deconstructs a complex subject into small, understandable components. The conventional outline form helps organize your points in a logical order. Sequence is especially important when explaining steps in a process. You neednt be a slave to the form. Make the outline work for you.Now, structure the essay into paragraphs: the introductory paragraph, the body, and the concluding paragraph. The introductory paragraph must hook the readers and hold their attention. A hook could be a scintillating fact, an astounding statistic, a fitting simile, a stirring quote or a joke. A narrative opening introduces the topic with a riveting anecdote or story. The reader feels she must know what happens next. Rhetorical questio ns as opening hooks might engage some readers, but may be considered inappropriate for academic essays. Place the thesis statement around the middle or end of the introductory paragraph.The body is usually formed by two to five paragraphs. Each paragraph in the body has a topic sentence that directly relates to the thesis. Support each topic sentence with evidence. Use facts, examples or anecdotes that your readers will understand. Put your most important messages in the first paragraphs, and in the first sentences of those paragraphs. Fill in the paragraphs by providing readers with all the necessary information. Check that the transition from one body paragraph to the next seems logical and natural.The concluding paragraph closes the essay by restating the main idea and salient points in a new way. Beyond summarizing, give the audience a final thought or call to action. Avoid digressing into new issues. Explain why your reader should care about your idea. You may end with a quote that sums up the essence of the essay.Check again for a logical connection between the introduction, body paragraphs and the conclusion.Finally, transform the outline into proseSelect a point-of-view (i.e. a first-, second-, or third-person narrator). Journalists write effective exposition using all perspectives.Write the paragraphs, smoothly incorporating your supporting evidence, and integrating quotations or paraphrasing.Expository prose is objective. Present the facts, even if you do not like them.Cite your sources according to conventions appropriate to your audience, be it MLA or APA, newspaper-style attribution, or the Web protocol of linking to source information.Accuracy and objectivity build your credibility. Dont call something a fact unless it is verifiable. Refrain from superlatives, such as best or most unless they can be quantified. Provide a date instead of writing recently. State 73% instead of writing many or more.Delete any word that does not add anything crucial to the meaning of a sentence. Discard information that seems interesting, but is not germane to the immediate topic. Less is more.Fact-check, proofread and review. Check spelling and grammar. Ask someone who understands your topic to check for accuracy. Ask someone unfamiliar with your topic to check for clarity. Consider any suggested edits, ultimately relying on your own judgment. Polish the final draft.You, the expository writer, are the most important figure in your essay. The reader will gain understanding of a topic important to you, through the clarity, integrity and knowledge of your author-voice. At the same time, you gain credibility and a reputation for fair, accurate analysis. When trust is paramount, issues are complex, and the stakes of decision-making are high, do employ industry experts and professional writers to help you inform your audience.