1. Expository Writing
Writing Unit 2015

2. Expository
For this unit, you will be learning how to write an expository essay. What does the word “expository” mean?
Sounds like the word “explain” or “expose”
Expository means: Writing that is intended to explain or describe something.

3. DON’T ask yourself, “How do I make my essay longer?”
Elaboration
DON’T ask yourself, “How do I make my essay longer?”
Instead, ask yourself, “How do I make my essay more elaborative?”
Elaboration means:
To explain
To give more details

4. What is an “expository” essay? What does “elaboration” mean?
Quick Quiz!
What is an “expository” essay?
What does “elaboration” mean?

5. Elaboration One way to elaborate is to use DESCRIPTION
Definition: details such as smell, taste, touch, hearing, sight (the 5 senses)
Example: The ice cream felt gooey, it tasted like vanilla, and it looked like snow. It smelled sweet and I could hear it dripping off of the cone.

6. Elaboration One way to elaborate is to use an ANECDOTE
Definition: A short, personal, true story
Example: “When I was 13, I decided that I needed to improve my grades…”
Example: “Yesterday, I opened the refrigerator and I found…”

7. Elaboration One way to elaborate is to use EXAMPLES
Definition: Showing a specific instance of something
Example: I like tropical fruit; for example, guava and papaya.
Example: My family members are crazy. For example, my uncle.

8. Elaboration One way to elaborate is to use DEFINITIONS
Definition: Explaining what you mean by something by giving a definition.
Example: I am really frustrated. What I mean by that is my face is getting red, my anxiety is going up, and I feel like I might start yelling.
Example: After Spring Break, you’ll take the SBAC, which is the state test.

9. Elaboration One way to elaborate is to use STATISTICS.
Definition: Numbers
Example: The soccer game last night was 3 to 1.
Example: There are sixteen students in the room.

10. Elaboration One way to elaborate is to use QUOTES
Definition: Something that somebody said. Use “quotation marks” around it.
Example: As a great man once said, “The only thing to fear is fear itself.”
My friend yesterday said, “You’re so awesome.”

11. Elaboration One way to elaborate is to use SCENARIOS
Definition: Something that could happen, hypothetically. An “if” situation. It hasn’t happened yet, but it might.
Example: If I were to be an astronaut, I would go first to the moon.
Example: Let’s say you’re a lawyer. You might work weekends trying to start your own law firm, and you’d make more money than you make right now.

12. Do it yourself Teach yourself: What is expository writing?
What is “elaboration”?
What are the 7 different types of elaboration and what do they mean?
Description
Anecdotes
Example
Quotes
Definitions
Scenarios
Statistics

13. Elaboration Group assignments:
Descriptions (Sound, taste, touch, smell, sight)
Anecdotes (One time I…)
Examples (For example…) (For instance…)
Definitions (What I mean by that is…)
Quotes (When I saw that, I thought…)
Statistics (#s)
Scenarios (If…) or (Let’s say…)
With your team, write an example of your type of elaboration on your index card.

14. Elaboration Elaboration options:
Descriptions (Sound, taste, touch, smell, sight)
Anecdotes (One time I…)
Examples (For example…) (For instance…)
Definitions (What I mean by that is…)
Quotes (When I saw that, I thought…)
Statistics (#s)
Scenarios (If…) or (Let’s say…)
By yourself, write an example of your type of elaboration on your piece of paper.

15. Match it! Elaboration Example Anecdote Scenario Description Statistic
Quote
Definition

16. How do people’s accents impact the way other people perceive them?
Expository Writing
How do people’s accents impact the way other people perceive them?
Write down your thoughts in your notebook
Share with a partner
With your partner, go share with another partnership

17. Expository Writing
How do people’s accents impact the way other people perceive them?
Practice! On a HALF SHEET of paper, write an EXPOSITORY PARAGRAPH about this topic. Use and LABEL all of the elaboration strategies in your paragraph:
Anecdotes
Examples
Definitions
Quotes
Statistics
Scenarios
Descriptions

18. Expository Writing
How has language evolved over time? What have you noticed even in your lifetime?
Write down your thoughts in your notebook
Share with a partner
With your partner, go share with another partnership

19. Expository Writing
How has language evolved over time? What have you noticed even in your lifetime?
Practice! On a HALF SHEET of paper, write an EXPOSITORY PARAGRAPH about this topic. Use and LABEL all of the elaboration strategies in your paragraph:
Anecdotes
Examples
Definitions
Quotes
Statistics
Scenarios
Descriptions

20. Expository Writing Writing a THESIS STATEMENT
Any expository essay that someone writes should have a thesis statement in the introduction
Sometimes you’ll hear this called a “position statement”
The thesis statement shows readers the main point you’re going to make in your paper
It also shows 3 “sub points” you’re going to make
Example:
I like summer because we go to the beach or the pool, it gets darker at a later time, and we go on vacations during summer.

21. Expository Essay Organization
One way to write an expository essay is to plan it in FIVE PARAGRAPHS:
Introduction with thesis statement. Thesis statement lists your 3 main points.
Point 1
Point 2
Point 3
Conclusion wherein you restate your thesis & 3 points

22. Expository Essay Organization
FIVE PARAGRAPH essay example:
My favorite holiday is Halloween because I love gruesome things, I enjoy dressing up, and candy is delicious.
Gruesome things I love
Dressing up
Candy is delicious
In conclusion, dressing up, candy & gore are what make Halloween my favorite holiday.

23. Expository Essay Organization
Thesis statement here
Elaboration!
Elaboration!
Elaboration!

24. Expository Essay Organization
Pre-AP students: STOP writing 5 Paragraph Essay!
The five-paragraph essay basically exists so that it can be transcended.
Writers are not supposed to ignore the rules of the five-paragraph essay for their entire writing career, but they should not always be governed by its elementary principles.

25. Expository Essay Organization
Pre-AP students: Avoiding THE FIVE PARAGRAPH ESSAY
Is not about the number of paragraphs
You can have a 12 paragraph “five paragraph” essay
The main problem is NOT that it’s just 3 points about a subject
Though that’s part of the problem
The main problem is not that the intro merely says what you’re going to say and the conclusion repeats it all in the most boring way possible

26. Expository Essay Organization
Pre-AP students: THE FIVE PARAGRAPH ESSAY is…
Any essay where the order of the points seems completely arbitrary
Any essay where mixing up the order of the paragraphs would have no real effect on the essay as a whole
Any essay where a point is made and never referenced again (either for reminding the reader or further broadening/examination)
Any essay where the connection between points is non-existent or not pointed out to the reader

27. Expository Essay Organization
Pre-AP students: How can I connect my ideas?
Quickly recap the point of previous paragraph(s)
Preview where the next paragraph(s) are going
Highlight the connection between the two ideas (why are you discussing them in this order?)
How can you connect your ideas to your thesis?

28. Expository Essay Organization
Pre-AP students: How do I organize my essay, then?
Cause and Effect
Comparison and Contrast
Better and Worse
If Then
Either Or
Chronological
Problem/Needs/Solutions
Theory/Practice/Example
Specific topic/debatable view /significance to the audience

29. Expository Essay Organization
Pre-AP students: How do I organize my essay, then?
Examples:
Read the two student examples above. How did they structure their essays?

30. STUDY TIME Expository Essay Friday, you’ll have a group grade quiz!
*Your job is to make sure everybody gets it!*
The 7 types of elaboration
(anecdote, example, scenario, description, quotes, statistic, definition)
Define each one
What words do I use when I use each elaboration strategy?
What is a thesis statement?
How do I organize an expository essay?

31. STANDARD ASSIGNMENT!!! (DUE FRIDAY)
Write an EXPOSITORY ESSAY about any main topic you like.
Have a thesis statement
Use great organization
Use and LABEL all of the elaboration strategies in your paper:
Anecdotes
Examples
Definitions
Quotes
Statistics
Scenarios
Descriptions
Length: At least one page.