1. Exemplification Kirszner & Mandell

2. Defined Exemplification uses one or more particular cases, or examples, to illustrate or explain a general point or an abstract concept.

3. Using Exemplification Use specific examples (observations, anecdotes, details, opinions) versus general/vague statements General and Vague –The mayor is corrupt and should not be reelected. –The mayor should not be reelected because he has fired two city workers who refused to contribute to his campaign fund, has put his family and friends on city payroll, and has used public employees to make improvements in his home.

4. To Explain and Clarify “Even though horror movies seem modern, they really aren’t” –What does this tell the reader. (Vague sentence) Despite the fact that horror movies seem modern, two of the most memorable ones are adaptations of nineteenth-century Gothic novels. –Continue by discussing Frankenstein and Dracula

5. To Add Interest If the examples don’t grab your attention in some manner, they won’t grab the reader’s attention either. Find some examples that are thought- provoking or spirited.

6. To Persuade Examples are not just stories or situations, they can also be statistics and reports –“…the number of students with limited English skills increased from 8,900 in 1993 to 52,500 in 2008.” –“Although DDT has been banned since December 31, 1972, scientists are finding traces in the eggs of various fish and waterfowl.”

7. Planning an Exemplification Essay Start with a thesis statement Provide enough examples –No general rule but more often than not, one example shows existence but more than one starts proving the essay’s point Fair Range of Examples –Examples should be used to represent ALL areas of your thesis –If enough examples cannot be found then narrow the scope your thesis Use transitions

8. Structuring an Ex. Essay Standard organization as traditional essay Three ways to organize within a paragraph –Chronologically –In order of increasing complexity –In order of importance

9. Revising an Ex. Essay Does the essay have a clear thesis? Do the examples explain and clarify thesis? Have your provided enough details? Have you used a range of examples? Are your examples persuasive? Do your examples add interest? Have you used transitions to reinforce the connection?