Essays
... why we write them and how.
Why do we write essays?
Hint: The answer is NOT ‘because sir/miss told me to’
Why do we write essays?
Measurement
Development
Professionalism
Measurement??!!??
Implying that it is to:
Assess your knowledge and understanding?
Grade your achievements?
Judge your writing skills?
Measure you against your peers?
Measurement??!!??
Implying that it is to:
Assess your knowledge and understanding?
Grade your achievements?
Judge your writing skills?
Measure you against your peers?
Of course, but it isn’t the main reason
Development
Far more important is that you are given the
opportunity:
oto explore what you think
oto improve how you think
oto practice communicating your
thoughts
Development
Writing is a tool which can allow us to:
Organize our thoughts clearly
give ourselves room to examine
what we think
why we think it
whether we should continue to
think it
Professionalism
Sustained, coherent and complex thinking cannot
be done silently.
That is to say, most people cannot sit alone and think
CLEARLY about something COMPLICATED for A
LONG PERIOD of time
Professionalism
But, what do you do when there is no-one you can
talk to
Professionalism
Planning an essay is like having that conversation with
yourself
Writing the essay is sharing those thoughts with other
people
Professionalism
Which is important because….
Professionalism
Anybody can make a gut decision
but
only someone who is practiced in communicating
and reasoned argument will be able to justify how
the more difficult decision was made
So anyway, …..
….what kind of essays are there.
Expository
Writing
The “How and Why” of Writing
What is Expository
Writing?
• Expository writing is defined as presenting reasons,
explanations, or steps in a process
• Informational writing
• An expository essay should follow a logical
sequence and have three different main points
• Logic and coherence is the main focus of an
expository essay
• Is a multi-paragraph essay with a specific structure.
• It provides adequate textual evidence to support
that opinion.
How is it different ?
• Expository writing does not tell a story
• Expository writing does not persuade a reader but
only gives facts and reasons
• Expository writing can also give the steps of a
process
• It is not a summary of the book.
• It is not a book review or a book report.
• It is not ONLY your opinion. You must base your
ideas on events from the text.
Organization
• When you organize an
essay it needs to follow
a logical sequence.
• Novel: beginning of the
book, middle of the
book, end of the book.
• 2/3/1: 2nd best idea, 3rd
best idea, best idea.
• Directions:
• 1st step, 2nd step, 3rd
step.
FORMAT OF AN
EXPOSITORY ESSAY
• An EXPOSITORY essay contains ____ paragraphs.
• All paragraphs have a name:
o 1st Paragraph(s): Introductory Paragraph(s)
o Paragraph #2, 3, 4, etc.: Body Paragraphs
o Final Paragraph(s): Concluding Paragraph(s)
Topic Sentences, Thesis Statements,
and Subtopic are the Heart
Thesis: a statement
discussing the topic
of your paper.
Subtopics: the main
ideas that support
your thesis.
Topic Sentences: a
statement that
discusses the topic
of each paragraph.
Definition of Terms
• Thesis Statement: The main idea of the
whole essay
• Transition words: Words such as first, second,
as a result, which make transitions easy in
the essay.
• Main Ideas: Each paragraph should have a
main point or idea
• Supporting Details: Details support the main
ideas
Introductory Paragraph
Body Paragraphs
= Subtopics
Concluding Paragraph
Expository Writing
• Introduction of an expository should include the
main idea and what the essay is about
• The three main reasons supporting this main idea
should also be included in the introduction
Introduction
• Hook- Hook your reader with a question, quote,
short anecdote, or personal experience statement
Thesis Statement
• The thesis statement can be first in the paragraph,
last in the paragraph or implied throughout the
paragraph
Body Paragraphs
Purpose of Body Paragraphs:
To support your topic statement using direct quotations,
specific textual detail, and strong explanations
Elements of a Body Paragraph:
Topic Sentence
Textual Evidence
Explanation of Evidence
Concluding/ Transition Sentence
Vocabulary of Body
Paragraphs
TOPIC SENTENCE
The first sentence in each body paragraph. It gives the reader
specific information about what will be explained in the body
paragraph. It is best to use words from the TOPIC
STATEMENT in this sentence.
TEXTUAL EVIDENCE
Sentences in the body paragraph which use the AUTHOR’S
EXACT WORDS to help support your topic statement.
EXPLANATION OF EVIDENCE
Sentences in the body paragraph which explain to the reader HOW
YOUR TEXTUAL EVIDENCE SUPPORTS YOUR TOPIC
STATEMENT.
Expository writing contd.
• Paragraph two should introduce the first reason
and give details to support the first reason
• Paragraph three should introduce the second
reason and give details to support the second
reason
• Paragraph four should introduce the third
reason and give details to support the third
reason
• The conclusion should re-state all the reasons
Evidence and Examples
Your evidence is the
meat of the essay.
You need to prove
what you know.
Remember the Es:
-Examples
-Explanations
-Evidence
-Elaboration
Transitions
• Like shifting from
one gear to the
next in a car, a
transition shifts from
one paragraph to
the next. It is the
glue of an essay.
Transition words
•
•
•
•
•
Add your transition words
First
Second
Third
Finally, or In Conclusion
Conclusion
• Purpose: To summarize
your main ideas for your
reader, so they leave
your writing with clarity.
• Conclusions restate
your thesis and
subtopics, and
remind your reader
what you wrote
about.
• Do not include any
new information in
your conclusion.
Re-Cap- Expository writing needs:
•
•
•
•
•
•
One topic
Reasons supporting that topic
Details supporting the reasons
A conclusion re-stating the reasons
Transition words
Clear, concise, logical and informative language
Outlining an Expository
Essay
• Use an outline to organize your essay
• Preplanning ensures you don’t forget anything.
• Essay practically writes itself from the outline.
Tips on Expository/Informative
Writing
 It should be fact-based.
 Facts can be quotes, statistics, definitions, names, dates, events.





It should be formal.
Remember who your reader is (the teacher!).
Use examples.
Explain what you mean.
Don’t be overwhelmed. You have a lot of
valuable stuff to say. Your teachers want to read
it.
Revision
• Circle your THESIS statement
o Number your three main points
• Underline the topic sentence in each body
paragraph
o If your paragraph does not have a clear topic
sentence, write one
• Number your three support sentences
o If the sentence does not support your topic, cross it
out
• Count sentences in each paragraph and write
the number in the margin
o If there are less than 5 sentences you need to write
more
Revision
• In your conclusion paragraph, CIRCLE the
restatement of your THESIS
• Number the restatement of your 3 main points
Editing your essay
• Check that you have all the elements of an
expository essay:
• Reasons
• Details
• Transition words
• Conclusion that re-states your topic
• Grammar
• Coherence, logic and clearly written
Outline for Expository - Title Of Essay__________________________________________
I. Introduction:
A. Attention Grabber/Hook___________________________________________
B. THESIS STATEMENT________________________________________
C. Background information on topic 1______________________________________
D. Background information on topic 2_______________________________
E. Background information on topic 3_______________________________
F. Statistic or personal anecdote-optional___________________________
G.Transition Sentence
II. III. IV. Body Paragraphs 1, 2, 3
A. Topic Sentence__________________________________________________
B. Fact/ example_________________________________________
C. Explain__________________________________________________
D. Fact/example/quote___________________________________________
E. Explain_________________________________________________
F. Fact/Example____________________________________________
G.Explain__________________________________________________
H. Sum- up statement_______________________________________
I. Conclusion:
A.Re-state Thesis
B. Re- state all reasons in conclusion
C.Clincher sentence- gives a summation of the above and a “feeling” about
the whole essay.
Expository
Essay
Assignment
Rough Draft with revision markings &
Final Copy Due NEXT CLASS
Assignment
• Write an expository essay in which you convey
information and ideas about the Great Depression
and the experiences of people who lived during
that time. Develop your topic by analyzing the
understanding you gained from two or more
readings in this section
o FDR, Women on Breadlines, any other readings in this section or your own
research
• Clearly present, develop, and support your ideas
with details from the text.
Prewriting and Planning
• Select sources. Review the texts in this section,
paying attention to the ones that contributed the
most to your understanding of the era. Select at
least two that will provide strong material to support
your analysis.
Prewriting and Planning
• Gather information and develop your central idea.
Use a chart like the one show to gather your
observations and generate a central idea to
explore in your essay.
Prewriting and
Planning
Focus question: How did our nation’s response to the
Great Depression help to define our national character?
Response
Evidence
Notes
Unwilling
to give up
selfreliance
Americans turned to family and
local businesses before seeking
help from the government. (will
cite “Americans in the Great
Depression”)
Americas have a strong
do-it-yourself spirit
Tried hard
to seek
employme
nt
Women returned to employment Americans are very
offices on a daily basis on the
determined.
hopes of getting work ( will cite
“Women on the Breadlines”)
Example Central Idea: Despite the harsh circumstances of the
Depression, Americans were resilient, determined and self reliant.
Drafting, Revising, & Editing
• Drafting
o Focus your ideas.
o Develop your topic.
o Make connections among ideas.
• Revising
o
o
o
o
o
Evaluate content.
Review Language, word choice, tone
Add/remove sentences
Rearrange topics order/paragraph order
Add supporting evidence that is missing
• Editing
o Spelling
o Grammar
o Word choice