Easy steps to becoming a great writer on the ALABAMA Writing Assessment

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The Truth is Stranger Than Fiction
Expository Writing
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What is an Expository Essay?

• Expository Writing Purposes

• Gives Facts
• Informs
• Gives Steps in a Process.
• Presents Ideas in logical order or correct
  sequence.

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Expository Writing

• Examples of Expository Writing Giving Facts and
  Informing

• News Articles
• Non-Fiction Books
• Graphs and Charts
• Textbooks
• Classroom notes
• Comparing and Contrasting
• Most letters

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Expository Writing

• Examples of Expository Writing Giving Steps,
  Order and Sequence

• Instructions and Directions
• Recipes
• Résumés
• Science or math equation

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Expository Writing

• Key Difference Between Exposition and Narration

• Expository, non-fiction, informational writing
  does not have characters, a setting, or other
  story elements.

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Expository Writing

• When to Write in an Expository Style

• When an author creates a piece of writing, he or
  she has a purpose for writing
• If an author wants to share information with you,
  he or she will write an expository piece.

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Expository Writing

• Identifying Exposition

• Remember expository, informational, and
  non-fiction are all synonyms.
• The author will not share his or her opinion on
  the topic.

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Expository Writing

• Methods of Development

• Definition
• Compare and Contrast
• Classification
• Example
• Cause and Effect
• Process Analysis

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Expository Writing

• Elements of an Expository Writing

• A clear, concise, and defined thesis statement
  that occurs in the first paragraph of the essay
• Body paragraphs that include evidential support
• Evidential support (whether factual, logical,
  statistical, or anecdotal).

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Expository Writing

• Paragraph Structure Topic Sentence

• Begin with a topic sentence thats broad enough
  to include all the ideas of the paragraph, but
  narrow enough to be limited to a single paragraph.

Ex. Overloading your schedule with too many hours
of class may cause you to achieve less than you
hoped.
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Expository Writing

• Paragraph Structure Supporting Idea

• The topic sentence is then developed by the first
  of two supporting ideas

First, you may spend so many hours attending
class that you have very little time for the
research and homework that university classes
require.
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Expository Writing

• Paragraph Structure Example or Illustration

• The supporting idea is then developed with a
  real-life example or quotation from an outsider

Felicia, a mother of twins, added extra hours of
class to her schedule because she wanted to
finish her degree as soon as possible. However,
the extra hours gave her no time at all to study,
and she had to re-sit a course, thus losing time
instead of gaining it.
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Expository Writing

• Paragraph Structure Concluding Statement

• A concluding sentence ties up the thoughts and
  drives home the main idea using new vocabulary to
  emphasize the topic sentence

Thus, consider carefully the number of courses
you sign up for an overload may spell disaster.
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EXPOSITORY PARAGRAPH SCHEME

• Overview Expository Paragraph Scheme

• Topic Sentence
• Supporting Idea
• Illustration/Example
• Supporting Idea 2
• Illustration/Example 2
• Conclusion

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Identifying Purpose Expository Writing
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Non-Volunteer What are the key words that show
it is an expository prompt?

• Most people enjoy some type of music. Think about
  your favorite type of music and explain why you
  like that particular type of music.

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Non-Volunteer What are the key words that show
it is an expository prompt?

• Describe your favorite outfit including any
  accessories.

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Non-Volunteer What are the key words that show
it is an expository prompt?

• Sometimes even the best drivers can get lost at
  times. Explain how you would direct a lost man to
  get back to the interstate highway from your
  neighborhood.

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Non-Volunteer What are the key words that show
it is an expository prompt?

• Tell how to make a hamburger.

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Non-Volunteer What are the key words that show
it is an expository prompt?

• Everyone has days that they will always remember
  as being very special. Think about a special day
  that you have had. Write an essay telling why it
  was so special.

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Expository Writing Topics

• As a student familiar with this school, explain
  the procedure for (fire drills, forming a line,
  moving between classes, moving into learning
  groups, finding a sentence pattern, outlining a
  chapter, solving an equation) to a new student.

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P.A.C.O.

• Purpose ?
• Audience ?
• Content ?
• Organization ?

• Prompt
• As a student familiar with this school, explain
  the procedure for (fire drills, forming a line,
  moving between classes, moving into learning
  groups, finding a sentence pattern, outlining a
  chapter, solving an equation) to a new student.

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Expository Writing Topics

• The telephone has become a most important part of
  everyone's life. Most of us have difficulty
  imagining what it could be like to live without
  it. Write an essay explaining how the American
  family uses it for business, pleasure, and
  emergencies. Assume that this will be published
  as a part of an encyclopedia article.

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P.A.C.O.

• Purpose ?
• Audience ?
• Content ?
• Organization ?

• Prompt
• The telephone has become a most important part of
  everyone's life. Most of us have difficulty
  imagining what it could be like to live without
  it. Write an essay explaining how the American
  family uses it for business, pleasure, and
  emergencies. Assume that this will be published
  as a part of an encyclopedia article.