Expository/Example Essays: use examples to support your point/thesis
Types of examples:
- examples from personal experiences (narrative/anecdotes – brief narratives), informal
style involved in this type of personal essay: colloquialisms, contractions, “I”
- hypothetical examples, speculate on what would/could happen “if” certain situations
developed
- statistics can function as examples in more formal/scientific essays (facts), or historical
details in a social studies’ paper (often cause/effect examples)
- quotations can be used as examples to make a point about a piece of literature (formal –
no “I,” no colloquialisms, no contractions, no abbreviations….)
- reasons (persuasive), definitions, explanations, classifications
Issues:
- coherence (order): how to proceed logically and how to organize examples
- unity (on topic): what to include/what to leave out – to illustrate your point
- read paper aloud: to gauge the logic of the examples and how they illustrate your point
Read “Safety First, Fun a Distant Second” and address the first 3 questions under
“Structure” directly on this sheet – by highlighting and making notations in the margins.
Also, consider the following “Style” questions (directly on the essay using marginalia):
1. Analyze Cross’ TONE: does she just amuse us with scenes of ridiculous
behaviour, or behind the laughs is there a serious message? Identify ridiculous,
hyperbolized examples and serious ones.
2. What is the effect of the use of SENTENCE FRAGMENTS in the first
paragraph? Of the DASH in several others?