Assignment 1.2: Expository Writing

1. Learning Targets

2. Expository Writing

Expository writing may give information, explain something or develop an idea. It is more difficult to develop than descriptive or narrative writing. In description you organize your writing around a person, place or object and then you fill in the details. A narration is centred around events and these events are related in some order, usually chronological.

In expository writing you have to establish your own order. The paragraph has a single controlling idea or topic. It uses various kinds of details to develop it. It is composed of:

• a topic sentence that arouses interest
• details arranged in a way which makes procedures easy to follow and explanations very clear. These details must be broken down into small steps, stay on topic, and follow a natural order, particularly if you are trying to explain something successfully.  Use transition words to move smoothly from one supporting detail to the next.
• a concluding sentence that ties things together.

To best understand the expository writing style, it might be helpful to recognize its root word:  expose. To expose means to uncover or lay something bare. In other words, it means to explain something: to present the facts and to write truthfully, without bias. It is meant to be based on fact and free of the writer's prejudices. Initially, this might sound like expository writing is as simple as stating the obvious. But it’s more than that. The following video will give you an in-depth explanation of this useful writing style:   

3. Using Expository Writing

There are many circumstances wherein the ability to communicate effectively, using the expository style, is a necessity:

• When explaining cause and effect relationships
• When making comparisons or contrasts
• When illustrating a point or providing examples
• When writing research reports or conducting scientific studies
• When creating ‘how-to” content and other instructional materials

     ...and these are just a few examples.  





Source: https://literarydevices.net/expository-essay/

4. 5 Point Paragraph

Throughout the unit and course, you'll be asked to respond to questions in paragraph form.  For some this comes easily but for others this can be a challenge.  The following strategy can be an effective tool for communicating in writing.  Every well-written paragraph response has these five pieces:

1. Introductory sentence (statement of purpose)
2. Elaboration (unpack the statement of purpose)
3. Support (back up your idea with a quote or reference)
4. Explanation (explain HOW the quote or reference supports your idea)
5. Conclusion or Transition
1. Wrap up your idea so that it feels finished.  Avoid, "I have shown you that..."
2. Transition to the next idea (next paragraph) if applicable

Here is a handout on paragraph writing from the Class Handouts folder.

5. Taking it to the Next Level

Taking it to the Next Level:

Recognize that each STEP can be REPEATED within a paragraph.  This step begins to demonstrate MASTERY of paragraph writing.  You simply aren't memorizing the 5 pieces but you are able to understand their purpose and use them to your advantage.  For example, you may have more than one support for your idea (perhaps two or three quotes).  Rather than just listing all three quotes and then explaining them in bulk, it would be wise to provide one quote and its explanation followed by the next quote and its explanation and so on. 

For example: 

1. Introductory sentence
   • Elaboration
2. Support
   • Explanation with transition
3. Support
   • Explanation with transition
4. Support
   
   • Explanation with transition
5. Conclusion

Try to remember this as you work through the unit and the rest of the course.

6. Structure of a Paragraph

Click here to review an example paragraph broken down into its perfect hamburger parts.

7. ASSIGNMENT 1.2

Go to "1.2 Expository Writing" Assignment on the main page of the course to complete this section.