English 1301 Freshman Composition I, Fall 2014
Instructor: Sampada Chavan
Email Address: sampada.chavan@hccs.edu
ASSIGNMENT # 2 – EXPOSITORY WRITING
Introduction:
An expository essay is an effective means of exploring and thinking through a topic,
informing an audience, and explaining your ideas. Your Essay #2 is an expository essay
that will be the result of your personal, creative exploration involving self-inquiry,
investigation, question-asking, reflection, and introspection. This project will result in an
admissions essay, more specifically the personal statement, the kind of essay often
required as part of your application process when you apply for entrance into a senior
institution.
The admissions committee at your next college wants to know more about you as an
individual. In addition, the committee wants to see how well you write. Your personal
statement adds value to your transcript and application form and lets the admissions
committee hear your voice. Your essay is an opportunity to present a good image of
yourself.
WRITING ASSIGNMENT
Writing Prompt:
In a 3-5 page, thesis-controlled expository essay in the genre of a personal statement,
explain why you have chosen your career path OR explain to the committee why you are
a good candidate for admission.
PLANNING YOUR EXPOSITORY ESSAY (PLANNING PAGE)
Let’s consider the fundamental decisions that we note on our planning pages: (1)
purpose, (2) audience, (3) genre, (4) tone, (5) strategy/strategies, (6) tentative thesis
(1) Your writing purposes are to inform and explain. “To inform” means to give
information. For example: Today more women enroll in college than men. “To explain”
means to clarify, enlighten, interpret, and account for the information. Therefore, to
explain why more women are in college today, you might say that young women want to
assert their independence and secure satisfying, high-paying jobs requiring a college
degree.
(2) Your audience for your expository essay is a university admissions committee at your
next college. These committees have high standards for and expectations about your
thinking and writing.
(3) Your genre is an expository essay, specifically a personal statement in response to
the given writing topic (or prompt).
(4) Carefully select an appropriate tone that reveals your attitude about your subject
matter. Keep your audience in mind. Your tone might be, for example, serious or
confident. This essay will be more formal than the informal personal narrative you wrote
for Essay #1.
(5) Strategies that help you accomplish your expository purposes of informing and
explaining are (1) exemplification, (2) definition, (3) comparison/contrast, (4) and
classification. You may also use narration and description studied for Essay #1. For your
organization, you might pick one strategy (a primary strategy) to develop your essay or
several strategies working together (multi-strategy).
(6) Your thesis for this essay should express the main point of your essay.
Essays will be graded on the following
 Length of the essay is 3-5 pages
 Recognizes its audience and explains the topic with details and examples
 Has a thesis statement that is clearly developed in the essay
 Has a good introduction and a satisfactory conclusion
 Uses MLA format correctly, with proper use of grammar, punctuation, sentence
structure, etc
Due Date: Check TurnItIn and class announcements
Helpful Organizational Patterns:
Pattern
Description
Description
The author describes a topic by listing
characteristics, features, and examples
Cue Words
for example,
characteristics are
Sequence
The author lists items or events in numerical or
chronological order.
first, second, third; next;
then; finally
Comparison
The author explains how two or more things are
alike and/or how they are different.
different; in contrast;
alike; same as; on the
other hand
Cause and
Effect
The author lists one or more causes and the
resulting effect or effects.
reasons why; if...then;
as a result; therefore;
because
Problem and
Solution
The author states a problem and lists one or more problem is; dilemma is;
solutions for the problem. A variation of this
puzzle is solved;
pattern is the question- and-answer format in
question... answer
which the author poses a question and then
answers it.