Methods of Development
Effective essay development requires sufficient elaboration and enough concrete
evidence, detail, and explanation of facts to support your thesis statement. The way
you develop your information and ideas will depend on your subject and how well
you know it. It will also depend on your audience and purpose for writing the essay.
(Dawe, Mallot Reference Points, 2001)
DEFINITION
EXAMPLE AND
ILLUSTRATION
Answers “What is it?”, explains important term, must be
complex enough to justify analysis
Answers “for example”, to clarify an idea
CLASSIFICATION
AND DIVISION
Answers "what kind is it?” or “what are it’s parts?”
Demonstrates relationships between concepts and
ideas
COMPARISON OR
CONTRAST
Answers “how are these two things alike or not alike?”
Comparison is for similarities and contrast is to
illuminate differences.
Answers “why did happen (causes)?” and “what were
CAUSE AND EFFECT the results (effects)?” Interdependence of events are
analyzed
Answers “how does it work?” / “How did it happen?”
PROCESS ANALYSIS Logical sequence of analysis to understand parts then
the whole
NARRATION AND
DESCRIPTION
Narration involves telling a story, while description
involves creating mental picture. Sensory details to
recreate event / moment.