Expository Writing “26-liner” STAAR “The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and a lightning bug.” - Mark Twain (a genius)

Expository Essay  Expository  You take a stance on a subject (give your opinion)  Explain with examples  You are not trying to get someone to agree with you  So do not argue  just explain why you believe your thesis  Provides clear explanation about what you think about your thesis (opinion)

So… How professional do I need to sound?  Professional enough for your audience to clearly understand your logic (and think you’re intelligent)  Your tone should be very academic (think: Professor)  You may use 1 st or 3 rd person. Why now?  The essay will reflect your thinking about your life and your world, so first person is allowed, but do not overuse it.  Ex: “I think cats are beneficial to a person’s health.” –Ms.C “Cats are beneficial to a person’s health.” –Ms. C

THE PROMPT  Will list FOUR tasks:  Read – A 2-3 sentence story / summary to get the student thinking about an idea. Or it may be a quotation of some sort to get students thinking.  Think – They give you a one sentence statement that they ask you to think about. This helps you to get closer to understanding your topic. It helps you to construct an idea of what you will be talking about.  Write – What you will write about.***  Be sure to… (lists important reminders that students will need to do to pass the essay)

Attacking the Expository Prompt  DO NOT WRITE ABOUT THE STIMULUS (THE READ) OR THE STATEMENT YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO THINK ABOUT.  Write only about the sentence where it says “Write an essay …”  The top part should stimulate your thinking and help you to better understand what they are asking, but it should ABSOLUTLEY NOT appear anywhere in your essay AT ALL.

Introductions  Short but effective  2-3 sentences long.  Needs to include:  Attention Getter  Shocking statement, fact, insightful thought, anecdote…  Thesis***  Answers question (very clearly)  Explains why (you prove this part with your examples)  Get to the point and take a side.

Body Paragraph Format: TS- Main points of paragraph CD – example #1 CM – Why that example proves thesis CM - Elaborate on explanation CD – example #2 CM CD – example #3 CM CD – example #4 CM CS – Sums up the points

Body Paragraphs What are my concrete details (pieces of evidence)?  SPECIFIC EXAMPLES FROM:  The real-world (not the TV show)  News / Politics  History  Your life How many do I need to have?  Four concrete details (CDs)  Only use SPECIFIC examples.  BAD EXAMPLE: “Black people were discriminated against in the 1900s.”  GOOD EXAMPLE: “In the early 1900s, the Jim Crow Laws relegated black citizens into a lower social class by forcing blacks to segregate themselves from white citizens.

Examples of Evidence  Everything from a local news story…  “This year, a Dripping Springs student walked several miles home from school because she was being bullied.”  To a personal anecdote –  "When I became friends with Sharla, a sunny cheerleader, my popularity increased for a few days; when I befriended Aaron, a shaggy-haired introvert, my reputation plummeted”  To a modern or historical example –  “Political candidates like Mitt Romney are often judged for the lobbyist friends they keep”  "During the Red Scare, it became dangerous for people to be friends with a known Communist”

Commentary in Body Paragraphs  After each example:  Thoroughly explain how this example proves your thesis  What about my second CM?  In order to be thorough and specific, YOU NEED TWO SENTENCES to explain why that example proves the opinion you stated in thesis

Conclusions (necessary).. You can’t just walk away from the conversation.  Wrap up argument…don’t leave reader hanging on an undeveloped idea.  Don’t repeat yourself  WASTE OF SPACE  Tie it to bigger ideas. The bigger meaning behind what you believe  2-3 sentences. Really explain yourself here. Delve deeper into why you believe this…and the impact of believing what you do.

Be sure to…  PREWRITE  Underline words in PROMPT (Write about…)  Develop a thesis  States the subject and what your opinion is (answers prompt)  Organize your concrete details  Ex: If you have two historic concrete details and two present day… keep the historic examples together

Example Pre-Write Thesis: Ms. Cordell is an enthusiastic teacher who tries to engage her students. CD - __Specific example #1___ CD - ______________________ CD - _Specific example #2 ____ CD - ______________________ Must connect to THESIS

Length  One page – MAXIMUM!  26 lines (includes bottom “heavy border line”)  No “double-lining” allowed  Do not skip lines  15 – 20 sentences  Indent for intro, body paragraph, and conclusion ONLY

Dictionaries  Can use a dictionary on any part of test.  Revision / editing – check misspelled words or make sure right word used (i.e. correct spelling with correct meaning).  Essays – check words that you may have misspelled or look up good words to use.  Multiple-choice questions – make sure you know the correct answer when it asks you about a definition.

Class Pre-Write  READ the following quotation.  A famous businessman once said, “Players win games; teams win championships.”  THINK carefully about the following statement.  Sometimes you can accomplish good things by yourself but better things with other people.  WRITE an essay explaining the benefits or disadvantages of working in a group.

Individual Essay Practice  READ the following quote.  “Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there.” -- Will Rogers  THINK carefully about the following statement.  Success comes from hard work. If you are not willing to work for what you want, then you will probably never achieve it.  WRITE an essay explaining how hard work contributes to success.