Expository Writing
Exposing your Thoughts about
Non-Fiction . . .
English 10
8 February 2012
22 days until CAHSEE!
Standard WA2.3 – Write expository compositions, including
analytical essays and research reports:
a. Marshal evidence in support of a thesis and related
claims, including information on all relevant
perspectives.
b. Convey information and ideas from primary and
secondary sources accurately and coherently.
c. Make distinctions between the relative value and
significance of specific data, facts, and ideas.
d. Include visual aids by employing appropriate
technology to organize and record information on
charts, maps, and graphs.
e. Use and address readers' potential
misunderstandings, biases, and expectations.
f. Use technical terms and notations accurately.
Purpose for an Expository Essay
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The purpose is always to inform. You can have additional
purposes (like to persuade) but to inform is always the main
purpose.
This primary purpose includes a need to:
 Convey information about a topic from primary and
secondary sources
 Primary source – a firsthand account of an event
 Secondary source – a source that presents information
compiled from or based on other sources
 Inform your audience about important and relevant
details about a topic
 Anticipate possible misunderstandings, biases, and
expectations from your audience
Two Types
From Your Head
There are two possible types of
Expository Essay prompts that
could be on the CAHSEE. We will
learn both today, practice “From
your Head” types today, and
practice “Writing with Text” at a
later date.
Writing With Text
Like in All Essays, You Must
Include the Following:
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A Thesis Statement
Introduction and Conclusion paragraphs
Three (3) Body Paragraphs (for a total of 5
paragraphs in the essay, including the
introduction and conclusion)
Evidence to support your thesis
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Outline of an Expository
Essay
Introduction
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For Each Body Paragraph #1,#2, and #3
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Hook
TAG (only if a text is provided)
Thesis
Topic Sentence
Evidence – Statistics, quotes, and/or information from the text (primary or
secondary), use technical terms in your evidence
Anticipation of misunderstandings, bias, or expectations.
Interpretation of this evidence (Your thoughts and why the evidence is
important to the topic sentence and thesis)
Concluding sentence – wrap up your thoughts.
Conclusion
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Revisit your Hook
Subtle restatement of thesis statement.
Anticipation of Misunderstanding
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This is much like a counterargument in a persuasive essay.
You need to anticipate (def: think or be fairly sure that something will
happen) that your reader will have a bias (def: unfair preference),
misunderstanding, or expectation about your argument.
Be ready to state a bias, misunderstanding, or expectation and address it
with evidence from the reality of the situation.
To anticipate misunderstandings, biases and expectations, use one of the
following:
 One may think that . . . ;however, [reality].
 It may seem natural that . . . , but [reality].
 One may be tempted to think that . . . , but [reality].
Example Body Paragraph
Thesis – The 2008 presidential election of Barack Obama will be written about in the
history books because he became our first African-American president.
Just seeing Obama as a candidate for President was important in the
United States. The 2008 election was the first election to have a an African-American
as a candidate for president. In 2008, Obama’s election to the presidency broke
down the stereotype that only white men can be president of the United States. One
might consider it natural for Americans to embrace an African-American for
president; however, many Americans were hesitant to do. This may have opened the
door for other people from ethnic minorities to run for higher political office ,
including the presidency, in the future.
Topic Sentence
Evidence
Anticipation of Misunderstanding, Bias, or Expectation
Interpretation
Concluding Sentence
Expository with Non-fiction
Text
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Sort of like a Response to Lit. with non-fiction
texts
Accurate Source = the text provided for you
Uses “quoted” facts, statistics, data, and ideas
from text
Draws conclusions from “quoted” facts,
statistics, data, and ideas from text
From Your Head
• Sometimes the Expository prompt does not
come with a text.
• You have to use information that you already
know about.
• Usually it is about your own experience, so
you are your own credible primary source.
• In this case, you do not have to quote
exactly, but you do have include as much
detail as possible.
Example
History is happening all around you. Although you can't
know for certain which events will end up in the history
books, you probably have a sense about which current
events will have a significant effect on the future.
Think of an important current event, and write an essay
describing the event and why you think it will be historically
important to future generations. Make sure you provide a
detailed description of the event and use examples to
support your ideas about its importance.
Pre-write for this using the ABC2 Strategy. Remember:
• Thesis Statement
• Evidence
• Accurate Source (You)
• Technical Terms