WHAT IS EXPOSITION?
Expository Writing
English I
WHAT IS EXPOSITION?
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EXPOSITION, or an EXPOSITORY ESSAY, is:
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describes, or discusses a topic
An EXPOSITORY ESSAY:
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Writing that explains,
Is built around a thesis statement
Includes factual, evidence to explain and support the
thesis statement
The goal of an expository essay is:
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To clearly explain what the writer thinks about a
topic
A THESIS STATEMENT:
 Is
one complete sentence
 Is
statement, not a question
 Is
the controlling idea of an essay
 Makes
 Is
a claim that others might dispute
narrow and specific and can be supported
with evidence and explanation
THESIS STATEMENT DOS AND DON’TS:
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“Do” –
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“Do Not” –
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During the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln was the
President of the United States.
“Do” –
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Abraham Lincoln was one of our country’s best
presidents.
Global Warming is a real threat, and Americans should
do their part to conserve energy.
“Do Not” –

If our nation’s leaders do not act fast, Global Warming
is going to kill us.
HOW ARE THESE THESIS STATEMENTS?
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Prompt:
Write an explanation about how a sport or activity can
teach life lessons to those who participate in it.
All sports teach you life lessons.
Everything in life teaches us a lesson whether it’s good or
bad.
Volleyball is a great sport to learn life lessons because every
time you get on the court, you have to work with five other girls
to succeed.
There are a couple of things you can learn from shopping
that will help you in life.
Like basketball, life demands good decision making, hard work,
and cooperation.
Which of these thesis statements meets ALL the
requirements of a quality thesis statement?
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YOU TRY IT.
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Prompt:

Write and explanation about how a sport or activity
can teach life lessons to those who participate in it.
First – make a short list of sports or activities that
you enjoy.
 Next, pick one, and think about how it can be
compared to life and the lessons you might learn
from it.
 Now, draft a thesis statement that has ALL the
qualities of a strong thesis statement.
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WHAT DOES A WRITER “DO” IN AN
EXPOSITORY ESSAY?
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DO Clearly explains what s/he thinks about the topic.
 Is aware of the audience/reader
 Writes in either 1st or 3rd person. 3rd person is best!
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NOT DO–
Try to persuade or convince the reader to think a
certain way.
 Write in 2nd person - “you” – No! No! No!
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WHAT DOES A WRITER USE TO DEVELOP &
EXPLAIN THE TOPIC?
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In order to thoroughly develop and explain the
topic, a writer must use EVIDENCE.
Evidence used in expository writing comes in
several forms.
We will focus on:
Logical Evidence
 Empirical Evidence
 Anecdotal Evidence
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WHAT IS LOGICAL EVIDENCE?
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Logical evidence, simply put, refers to FACTS.
When a writer uses facts to develop an expository
essay and to support their thesis statement, the
writer is using LOGICAL EVIDENCE.
Logical evidence is convincing for the
reader/audience because a fact is something that
can be verified, something real or actual.
WHAT IS EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE?
Empirical evidence is evidence that can be
experienced or observed.
 Scientific research is considered empirical
evidence.
 Scientifically-based research from fields such as
psychology, sociology, economics, and
neuroscience is considered empirical evidence.
 Empirical evidence is data used to analyze,
compare, evaluate, and monitor progress.
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WHAT IS ANECDOTAL EVIDENCE?
Anecdotal evidence consists of an anecdote or a
descriptive story about an event or
experience. phenomenon. Another name for this
type of evidence is a testimonial.
 We are all familiar with this kind of evidence and
commonly use it in everyday decision
making. For example, when choosing a
babysitter or dentist, we would often ask for the
experiences of friends and family.
 Anecdotal evidence falls short of what is
necessary for a reasonable standard of proof.
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QUICK REVIEW:
Expository writing is writing that clearly
explains a topic; it is informational.
 An expository essay is built around a thesis
statement, or controlling idea.
 A thesis statement must be specific and able to
be supported with evidence.
 There are several types of evidence used to
develop expository writing.
 Logical evidence is factual.
 Empirical evidence is scientific; it is
observable.
 Anecdotal evidence is like “word of mouth”; it
is based on personal experiences.
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