It is not enough to makeup your verse of plain words Horace 65 - 8 B.C.E Roman satirist

Writing assignment series

Expository essays

When writing your expository essay, follow these eight basic steps:

• Select a topic:
  Be sure the topic is narrow enough to make it manageable within the space of an essay
  
• Write a thesis sentence:
  Be sure the thesis statement(or sentence) expresses a controlling idea that is neither too broad nor too specific to be developed effectively
  
• Select a method of development:
  Check through all the methods before you finally settle on the one
  which will best serve your thesis:

definition | example |
compare and contrast | cause and effect |
classification | process analysis

• Organize the essay:
  Begin by listing the major divisions which the body paragraphs in your essay will discuss; then fill in the primary supports that each body paragraph of the essay will contain
• Write topic sentences for the body paragraphs of the essay:
  For each body paragraph, furnish a topic sentence that directly relates to the thesis sentence
  
• Write the body paragraphs of the essay:
  Each body paragraph should develop the primary support covered in that paragraph's topic sentence
  
• Furnish a paragraph of introduction:
  An introductory paragraph should state the thesis of the essay, introduce the divisions in the body paragraphs of the essay, and gain the interest of the reader
  
• Write a paragraph of conclusion:
  
  • Restate the thesis and divisions of the essay
  • Bring the essay to an appropriate and effective close
  • Avoid digressing into new issues

Writing assignments

Writing for the "Web" | The five-paragraph essay | Essays for a literature class |
Expository essays | Persuasive essays | Position papers | Open book exams |
Essay Exams | White papers | Lab reports/scientific papers |
Research proposals | Elements of a Research Paper
Seven stages of writing assignments | "Lessons learned"