Expository Essay

Types of Expository Essays Definition Example Compare and contrast Cause and effect Classification Process analysis

Introduction Grab your reader’s attention Thesis Statement Ask a question State a fact/statistic Tell a short short story Quote from someone famous Thesis Statement Also called controlling idea Does 3 things Announces the topic to the reader Reflects judgment about the topic Provides the reader with a blueprint for what is to come in the paper.

Creating a Thesis Statment 1. TOPIC: School uniforms 2. TOPIC: Your parents and trust 3. TOPIC: Texting and driving 4. TOPIC: Changing high schools 5. TOPIC: Endangered species protection 6. TOPIC: Life on other planets 7. TOPIC: Nutritious foods 8. TOPIC: Going to college 9. TOPIC: Legalizing gay marriages 10. TOPIC: Lowering the driving

Creating a Thesis How to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of a thesis statement Broad Thesis Statements are claims that are vague, ambiguous or over reading. These are claims that do not meet at least 2 of the 3 criteria and/or attempt to address a topic with too many issues to deal with in a given writing assignment. Narrow Thesis Statements are claims that do not meet at least 2 of the 3 criteria and/or too specific and single-minded to be developed into a thorough essay. Use the topic-comment approach to specifically identify what you believe to be your topic and the comments about the topic By isolating the topics from the comments, writers can evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the comments they are attempting to put forth.

Thesis Practice Directions: For each of the following statements, identify whether the statement is strong, too narrow, or too broad. If the statement is too narrow or broad, rewrite it to fix the problem. 1. Media violence is harmful to society. 2. The death penalty is wrong. 3. School uniforms provide many benefits to students, parents and educators. 4. Technology has changed our lives. 5. Violent crime is up. 6. The recall election will do more harm than good. 7. I like my apartment. 8. Taking care of older pets can be challenging. 9. Participating in volunteer work is essential to the development of strong character. 10. The neighbor’s cat is unfriendly.

Body Paragraphs Topic Sentence Evidence Commentary Major support/reasons for your position/thesis Evidence Backs up your major support/reason You can use facts, examples, and/or expert opinions Make sure that you provide proper citations and works cited when you are quoting someone else. You need 2-3 per body paragraph One evidence may be more than one sentence. Use as much detail as possible Commentary Sums up your paragraph

MLA Parenthetical Documentation If the author's name is mentioned in the text If the author's name is used in the text introducing the source material, then cite the page number(s) in parentheses: Branscomb argues that "it's a good idea to lurk (i.e., read all the messages without contributing anything) for a few weeks, to ensure that you don't break any of the rules of netiquette" when joining a listserv (7). Use the same rule if you used the same author in the previous quote Parenthetical documentation goes at the end of the sentence. Period goes after the parenthetical documentation.

MLA Parenthetical Documentation If the author's name is not mentioned in the text If the author's name is not used in the sentence introducing the source material, then include the author's last name in the parenthetical citation before the page number(s). Note that no comma appears between the author's name and the page number(s). The modern world requires both the ability to concentrate on one thing and the ability to attend to more than one thing at a time: "Ideally, each individual would cultivate a repertoire of styles of attention, appropriate to different situations, and would learn how to embed activities and types of attention one within another" (Bateson 97).

MLA Parenthetical Documentation If no author is identified If a source does not include an author's name, substitute for the author's name the title or an abbreviated title in the text or parenthetical citation. Underline the title if the source is a book; if the source is an article, use quotation marks: The use of Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems has grown substantially over the past five years as companies attempt to adapt to customer needs and to improve their profitability ("Making CRM Work").

MLA Works Cited Page Easybib.com Setting up the page Title the page Works Cited Center your title. Continue with the header as in paper, if your paper ended on page 5, then your Works Cited page is page 6. Continue with the same set up as the rest of the paper, so double space between all lines on the Work Cited page.  Setting up the entries Begin each entry with the left margin. Indent each additional line five spaces. Single Spacebar after each period in a Works Cited page (usually double spacebar after each period in a paper. List entries in alphabetical order. Don’t number your entries. Easybib.com

Conclusion Attention grabber again Restate Thesis with Main Points Like when you warm-up and cool down when working out, you must do the same with your essays. You could even create a circular effect with your attention grabber in the introduction. In a persuasive essay, this is your call to action Restate Thesis with Main Points Don’t be repetitive Use different words Add you main points/3 reasons from each body paragraph (topic sentences)

Transitions Don’t forget to use transitions between each paragraph and between different ideas within each paragraph. Example transitions: Above all Also Another fact to consider Another reason Another thing Best of all Consider that Especially For example In addition In the first place In particular More important Most important Remember The last point to consider Worst of all

Additional MLA rules Double Space- Skip lines On the first page only, include your heading on the top left hand side of the page First and last name Teacher’s Name Class Name – Period Number Due Date On pages past the first page (thus not on the first page), you must put your last name followed by the page number at the top right-hand side of the page. Go to “View” -> click on “Header/Footer” -> click “right indent” from the main toolbar -> type last name -> click the spacebar -> click “insert page number” from header/footer toolbar -> click on “page setup” from header/footer toolbar -> click on the “layout” tab -> check the box marked “different first page” -> click “OK”

Additional MLA Rules Must have 1 inch margins all the way around Only 12 point Times New Roman font is allowed Indent the beginning of a new paragraph If you include dialogue, every time a different person speaks, it should be in a new paragraph.  Don’t put extra lines in between paragraphs Don’t bold, italicize or underline anything!!! Don’t use parenthesis, unless citing in a research paper Give a creative title- Can’t be bolded, underlined, change font type, color, or put in a larger font. Centered

Additional MLA Rules Do not include slang (ex. “cause”, “gonna”, “hangin out” ), except if it appears in the dialogue and enhances the story  Don’t use contractions (didn’t = did not, I’m = I am, They’re = They are, We’ve = We have)  Do not abbreviate words (ex. bc, etc.) or symbols ($, %, &, #, @) – you are not texting!!!!  Numbers one through nine must be spelled out, you may use numbers for 10 and beyond. If a number starts a sentence, the number must be spelled out, no matter the amount of the number.

Additional MLA Rules  Check for correct grammar, spelling, punctuation, capitalization (the first word of a sentence, “I”, proper nouns, etc) Be cautious of spell check because it will not pick up homophone errors, like their, there, and they’re or too, to, and two   Avoid Clichés  Avoid “very” – synonyms: awfully, dreadfully, exceedingly, exceptionally, extremely, greatly, etc.  Avoid “a lot” – synonyms: many, several, multiple, bountiful, plentiful, numerous, etc.

PREWRITE The most important thing you can do for your essay All you have to do is turn your outline/prewriting into sentence format.