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Ap36-37 Thesis Exp Essay 123 PDF
Ap36-37 Thesis Exp Essay 123 PDF
A
lthough the
name may be new
to you, chances are,
you’ve written several
expository essays in
your lifetime. Every time
you wrote about your summer vacation or
did a book report, you were practicing expository
writing. You’ve also read a lot of expository
essays, both big and small. How-to articles,
encyclopedic entries, science textbooks, and
history textbooks are all examples of
expository writing that you have no doubt
encountered. Sound less intimidating?
> THE
THE ESSAY
ESSAY EXPOSED
EXPOSED
The expository essay is actually one
of the most straightforward
assignments you will ever
encounter. Its purpose is simply to
describe or explain a specific
topic to the reader, using factual
information. You do not have to
develop an argument or prove anything in an expository contains the thesis statement. The next three body
essay; you only have to understand your topic and paragraphs each develop a separate point to support
present it to the reader in a logical, cogent manner. An the thesis, and provide factual examples and
expository-writing prompt will ask you to describe the information. The fifth and final paragraph is the
changes wrought by the Industrial Revolution, but it will conclusion, which ties the body paragraphs together
ILLUSTRATION BY ROB DUNLAVEY
not require you to take a position on whether the and sums up the essay. Since the content is factual,
Industrial Revolution had a positive or negative impact you will need to write in the third person only. This
on America. means no “I” or “you” in the essay.
1
Define your topic. If you have sources for your paper. Some good source easily as you review your
to come up with your own sources are encyclopedias, history notes. It will also make writing
topic, be sure that it is narrow books, and magazine and footnotes a breeze.
and specific enough that you can newspaper articles. A librarian can
4
thoroughly address it in five point you in the right direction if Draw a conclusion. Once
paragraphs. The Revolutionary War you feel overwhelmed. Do not rely you have gathered all your
is probably too broad a topic to on the Internet for factual facts, you’ll need to evaluate
address in a short essay, but the information unless you are going to them. What is the main thread
Boston Tea Party is just the right a well-known, reliable source like that ties together all of the
size. Even if your teacher has given bartleby.com or to the Web site of information? What do you want to
you a writing prompt, it’s important a major newspaper or magazine. say about this particular topic?
for you to recognize the exact nature Brainstorm on paper, then boil
3
and scope of your topic, so that you Take notes. Research has your answer down to one
can be efficient in your research. two parts: finding the sentence. This is your thesis.
sources and then digesting
2
Find sources. Once you know them. You will need to write down >>STAY TUNED: Next month,
what you are looking for, it important facts—dates, statistics, we’ll show you the thesis
will be easy for you to quotations—as you read, noting statement in action. You’ll learn
identify relevant information. Plan where you found each one of them how to go from a thesis to an
to spend a few hours at your (i.e., the source and page number). outline, and from an outline to a
library looking at several different This will enable you to refer to the perfect five-paragraph essay.