Explanatory Essay Writing
Are you currently enrolled in college or university? If so, it’s important to familiarize yourself with explanatory writing. When assigned an explanatory essay, students often feel confused and seek online help. Don’t wait until it’s too late. Continue reading this article to gain a better understanding of explanatory essays.
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An explanatory essay, also known as an expository essay, aims to clearly and straightforwardly explain a specific topic. These types of essays can be found in newspapers, periodicals, and internet publications, and are commonly used in educational settings.
What is an explanatory essay?
An explanatory essay is a genre of academic writing that seeks to provide readers with a deeper understanding of a subject. Unlike an opinion essay that argues for or against a specific point of view, an explanatory essay presents information in a neutral and objective manner. By the end of the essay, the reader should have a comprehensive understanding of the subject and be able to explain it to others in their own words.
How to write an explanatory essay
Starting an explanatory essay can be challenging, especially if you’re unsure where to begin. However, by following a few simple steps, you can successfully kickstart the writing process and create a well-organized essay. Here are some guidelines and examples:
1. Choose a topic:
Select a topic that is engaging for both you and your readers. The topic should be relevant, significant, and capture the readers’ interest. For example, if you’re writing about climate change, you could focus on a specific aspect such as the impact of rising sea levels on coastal areas.
2. Research:
Become as knowledgeable as possible about your chosen topic. This may involve studying scholarly works, conducting surveys, or analyzing data. For instance, if you’re writing about the benefits of practicing mindfulness, research the emotional and physical advantages it offers.
3. Create an outline:
Developing an explanatory essay outline is essential for organizing your thoughts and ensuring a well-structured and coherent essay. An outline helps you arrange your ideas systematically, ensuring that you address all the crucial aspects of your topic. It also facilitates the editing and revision process, allowing you to identify any gaps in your research or argument. An outline greatly enhances the effectiveness and quality of your explanatory essay.
4. Provide clear justifications:
When writing an explanatory essay, it is crucial to clearly and concisely explain complex ideas. Avoid technical jargon and strive for clarity. Visual aids and diagrams can be useful for illustrating your arguments, such as when explaining the process of respiration.
5. Use credible evidence to support your arguments:
Back up your claims with reliable evidence. This helps establish credibility and convinces your readers. For example, if you’re writing about the benefits of exercise, you can cite research studies demonstrating how it improves mental health and memory retention.
Explanatory essay outline
To ensure your writing is well-structured and coherent, it is important to develop an explanatory essay outline. This outlines the three essential parts of constructing an explanatory essay:
1. Introduction:
The introduction should be engaging and set the tone for the entire essay. It should include a hook to capture the readers’ attention, provide background information on the topic, present your thesis statement, and give a preview of the main points you will discuss.
2. Body paragraphs:
The body paragraphs should be well-structured and supported by evidence. Use reliable sources to back up your claims, logically organize your paragraphs to build upon each other, use transitional words and phrases for coherence, and provide analysis and explanations for the evidence presented.
3. Conclusion:
The conclusion restates the thesis statement and summarizes the main points of the essay. It can also offer recommendations based on the provided data and emphasize the significance of the topic.
What are the characteristics of an explanatory essay?
Explanatory essays possess several characteristics:
– Descriptive:
Explanatory essays provide initial descriptions of subjects or processes, often organized historically or hierarchically.
– Illustrative:
Relevant examples and allusions are used to support the conceptual points being made.
– Explanatory:
The essay should present a clear thesis statement and provide explanations to support the arguments made.
– Clarity:
Explanatory writing should be clear and avoid ambiguity, ensuring the author’s viewpoint is evident.
– Unbiased:
Explanatory essays should present facts and realities without bias.
– Impersonal:
First-person language should be avoided in explanatory essays.
– Analytical:
The topic is broken down into smaller areas of discussion for thorough analysis.
Conclusion
To sum up, now that you have a better understanding of explanatory essays, remember to choose a researchable and interesting topic, conduct thorough research, create an outline, and write the first draft. Edit and proofread your essay to eliminate grammatical errors and typos.
If you still feel intimidated or uncertain about writing an explanatory essay, don’t worry. Our skilled writing staff is available to provide excellent academic support tailored to your specific needs.