What Is An Informative Explanatory Essay: A Guide For Newbies

The main purpose of an explanatory (expository) essay is to inform and to explain a topic. You should write as if your reader has no knowledge of the subject. Usually informative essays give an extensive definition, contrast two phenomena, draw the line between the cause and the effect, or describe a step-by-step process. This kind of writing doesn’t criticize or argue a certain viewpoint or situation; it simply provides a detailed description, analysis, or instruction without giving the author’s opinion. You should write in great detail even though you personally might skip some obvious parts. Your aim is to educate the readers, clarifying difficult points for them and helping them understand what may seem easy for you. Pay special attention to the structure, which is usually five-step: the introduction, three body paragraphs, and the conclusion. Consider the following tips while doing your written assignment:

• Make sure you totally understand the guidelines of the assignment.


• Think over a topic until you can answer the most important questions and fully reflect the problem.


• Define your audience.

Think how familiar your target readers may be with the chosen theme. If their knowledge is pretty vague, be very thorough while presenting new information to them.

• Brainstorm ideas.

Find the necessary material on your topic. This could be facts, opinions, or reviews. Remember to use them only as sources of ideas; don’t refer to them in your text.

• Create an outline.

As you’re going to be dealing with a lot of details in your writing, you need to plan out the sequence in which they will appear and what ideas they will support. To facilitate your work, make an outline. It will help you organize your thoughts and stick to the structure.

• Write the introduction.

The opening part of your essay is considered the most important because it actually defines what you’re going to elaborate on in further paragraphs. It should clearly state the things to be analyzed or the processes to be described. Your introduction should contain a thesis statement (the last sentence of the paragraph). It should be engaging and catchy and make the reader feel that they will find out all the details if they read until the end.

• Each body paragraph should focus on a particular answer to your thesis or present a distinct supporting detail.
• Make sure there is a proper transition between the paragraphs.
• Summarize everything you’ve said and restate your thesis in the conclusion. Don’t introduce any new information, just reinforce your position.
• Edit and proofread what you’ve written.