Lake Cormorant Middle School

 Let's think about the type of writing that most of us encounter in our daily lives. When you pick up and read a non-fiction book, magazines, or newspaper article the author uses expository writing to inform you, the reader, about the topic.  At school, students are required to submit school exams and research papers as a means for their teachers to grade their progress.  Finally, at work, people are required to produce business reports and memorandums to inform their superiors and co-workers about the occurrences that take place at other levels of the company.  In addition, oral exposition is primarily observed in oral academic presentations, business talks, and speeches that are delivered to a group of people. As each of these different cases illustrate, expository writing and speech surround us in our everyday lives.

Exposition is a type of oral or written writing that is used to explain, describe, give information or inform.

 tells the reader how you will interpret the significance of the subject matter under discussion.  is a road map for the paper; in other words, it tells the reader what to expect from the rest of the paper.  directly answers the question asked of you. A thesis is an interpretation of a question or subject, not the subject itself. The subject, or topic, of an essay might be World War II or Moby Dick; a thesis must then offer a way to understand the war or the novel.

 makes a claim that others might dispute.  is usually a single sentence somewhere in your first paragraph that presents your argument to the reader. The rest of the paper, the body of the essay, gathers and organizes evidence that will persuade the reader of the logic of your interpretation.

Description  The author describes a topic by listing characteristics, features, and examples Cue words: for example, characteristics are Sequence  The author lists items or events in numerical or chronological order. Cue Words: first, second, third; next; then; finally Comparison  The author explains how two or more things are alike and/or how they are different. Cue Words: different; in contrast; alike; same as; on the other hand

Cause and Effect  The author lists one or more causes and the resulting effect or effects. Cue Words: reasons why; if...then; as a result; therefore; because Problem and Solution  The author states a problem and lists one or more solutions for the problem. A variation of this pattern is the question- and-answer format in which the author poses a question and then answers it. Cue Words: problem is; dilemma is; puzzle is solved; question... answer

 Select a topic: Be sure the topic is narrow enough to make it manageable within the space of an essay  Write a thesis sentence: Be sure the thesis statement(or sentence) expresses a controlling idea that is neither too broad nor too specific to be developed effectively  Select a method of development: Check through all the methods before you finally settle on the one which will best serve your thesis: definition | example | compare and contrast | cause and effect | classification | process analysis

 Organize the essay: Begin by listing the major divisions which the body paragraphs in your essay will discuss; then fill in the primary supports that each body paragraph of the essay will contain  Write topic sentences for the body paragraphs of the essay: For each body paragraph, furnish a topic sentence that directly relates to the thesis sentence  Write the body paragraphs of the essay: Each body paragraph should develop the primary support covered in that paragraph's topic sentence

 Furnish a paragraph of introduction: An introductory paragraph should state the thesis of the essay, introduce the divisions in the body paragraphs of the essay, and gain the interest of the reader  Write a paragraph of conclusion:  Restate the thesis and divisions of the essay  Bring the essay to an appropriate and effective close  Avoid digressing into new issues

 Handout from d.edu/~arnetha/ex powrite/info.html