Collection 1 Performance Task B:
Expository Essay – Due 10/23/15
Expository essays require that the writer give information, explain a topic, or define
something. To develop a well-rounded expository essay, they are best developed by the
use of facts and statistical information, cause and effect or examples. Since they are
factual, they are written without emotion.
Assignment Expectations:
You will submit your essay at my.hrw.com as well as in paper-copy format in class.
These should be the same essay, and you may copy and paste from one to the other in
order to turn in a paper copy. However, I do need both copies. Below are the guidelines,
including formatting for the typed essay.
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Your essay should have an introduction, three body paragraphs and a conclusion
paragraph.
Your introductory paragraph must include a thesis statement that indicates three
clear points in regards to your topic.
Write in third person.
Include a title centered at the top of the page, and indent your paragraphs.
Research is required for this type of essay, but the focus should be upon
explaining your ideas.
Your goal is to explain your topic in as much detail as possible by providing
relevant information, facts, or statistics.
In sum, an expository essay requires the writer to consider an idea,
investigate
the idea, and finally explain the idea.
Your essay should be a minimum of 2 and maximum of 3 pages.
Your essay should be typed in 12-point Times New Roman Font and doublespaced throughout.
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Include your name, the date, the name of your teacher, and class period on the top
left-hand side of your first page (see formatting example on next page). DO
NOT INCLUDE A COVER PAGE.
Expository Essay Topics:
Explain a fear from those we studied in our Collections textbook. This topic should be
one of the following fears:
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insects (including spiders and bees)
animals
death or illness
sports-related performance anxiety
social fears (including public speaking, fear of rejection)
childhood fears (including fears of the dark, monsters, being alone)
weather-related
heights or rollercoasters
Your essay should inform readers on three points:
1. What causes this type of fear,
2. What happens to our bodies and emotions in response to this fear, and
3. What methods can be used to overcome this fear.
More details about the assignment can be found on page 67 of your Collections textbook.
You must have one direct quote per body paragraph as evidence of your research and
support for your ideas. These quotes need to be properly cited using MLA format.
Approved sources for this information include the following:
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Selections in the first Collection of your textbook and the close reader articles that
we have worked on this quarter.
Teacher-approved websites from credible sources (found under the Useful Links
tab on my teacher webpage), including those ending in .org, .gov, and .edu as well
as from the MyFYI site linked from your eText (through my.hrw.com). If your
source is not on this list, please get it approved ahead of time.
Grading
Your essay will be graded using the Informative Writing rubric on page 100 of your
iNotebooks. This is the same rubric used for all Informative writing in the FSA for upper
grades. It will be worth 10 points and will be part of your Language Arts Performance
Task grade for the first quarter.