expository research essay example

“I really don’t think they should let the other sort in, do you? They’re just not the same, they’ve never been brought up to know our ways. Some of them have never even heard of Hogwarts until they get the letter, imagine. I think they should keep it in the old wizarding families.” (Rowling 61)

Harry doesn’t respond to Draco’s comment. Even though Harry is from an “old wizarding family” like Draco’s, he is one of those people who had not heard of Hogwarts because of his Muggle upbringing. Draco’s negative opinion about families he believes to be “lower” than his family creates his first conflict with Harry.

The way that Draco and Harry treat people from other backgrounds is another difference between them. On the Hogwarts Express, Harry and Draco meet again, this time with Ron Weasley. Harry makes friends with Ron, while Draco immediately insults him.

“You’ll soon find out some wizarding families are much better than others, Potter. You don’t want to go making friends with the wrong sort. I can help you there.” [Draco] held out his hand to shake Harry’s, but Harry didn’t take it. “I think I can tell who the wrong sort are for myself, thanks,” he said coolly. (Rowling 81)

Harry won’t join in with Draco’s put-down and even refuses to shake his hand. Harry is the kind of person who stands up for people, while Draco tears them down. But even though Harry and Draco are early enemies, their character traits can be quite similar, too.

They are both competitive and passionate about their houses. Both boys are even willing to break Hogwarts rules for their own purposes. When Hagrid, the school groundskeeper, has an illegal dragon that is about to hatch, Harry convinces his friends to break the rules and see it.

“Hermione, how many times in our lives are we going to see a dragon hatching?” (said Harry.) “We’ve got lessons, we’ll get into trouble, and that’s nothing to what Hagrid’s going to be in when someone finds out what he’s doing.” (Rowling 171)

Harry and his friends end up sneaking out to see the dragon. But, as they are about to leave, they find out that another student has also broken the rules to see the dragon: Draco.

Harry bolted to the door and looked out. Even at a distance there was no mistaking him. Malfoy had seen the dragon. (Rowling 172)

Harry broke the rules to protect Hagrid, and Draco broke the rules to get Harry in trouble. Their motivations are different, but neither character seems to care too much about Hogwarts rules. Later on, they both get detention at Hogwarts for different reasons, demonstrating that their behavior is treated the same way.

Even though Harry and Draco are enemies throughout the book, they are not completely different. Their similarities help them grow, and their differences help them make choices that are right for their character. Their houses may be opposites, but their characters certainly aren’t.

High School Expository Essay Example

Read another example of an expository essay. This Cause and Effect essay about World War I is from the perspective of a high school student.

The Cause and Lasting Effects of World War I

It’s almost impossible to imagine a war that involved 32 countries, 40 million fatalities, and 186 billion dollars. But World War I, also known as The Great War or The War to End All Wars, ended up being one of the costliest global conflicts in terms of both funds and human lives. While it’s difficult to understand the magnitude of World War I, it’s even harder to comprehend how the actions of Gavrilo Princip, a Bosnian assassin, could trigger such an international chain event.

Though there were many underlying causes to World War I, the events of June 28, 1914 are considered the inciting incident. Princip’s assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophie in Sarajevo was designed to influence the creation of Yugoslavia. As a result, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia one month later during the July Crisis.

Though Serbia effectively accepted all of Austria’s demands except for one, the Austrian government broke diplomatic relations with the other country on July 25 and went ahead with military preparedness measures. (“Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia,” History.com)

When Austria-Hungary entered the war, Germany was immediately involved. Serbia’s ally, Russia, posed a significant threat to Austria-Hungary’s objective. What could have been a small-scale skirmish turned into a larger operation when Germany then declared war on Russia.

His Majesty the Emperor, my august Sovereign, in the name of the German Empire, accepts the challenge, and considers himself at war with Russia.” (“The German Declaration of War on Russia,” wwi.lib.byu.edu/ )

By bringing Russia to the war, Germany found itself at war with Russia’s ally, France. Soon after, Germany began “The Rape of Belgium,” in which it illegally invaded Belgium in an attempt to bring its troops to Paris. The atrocity quickly attracted international attention, including that of Britain, who declared war on Germany on August 4, 1914. Britain’s declaration of war is considered the true beginning of World War I. The assassination that caused the initial conflict was left behind long ago, as its effects were rapidly escalating long past that fateful day.

The effects of Princip’s actions quickly ricocheted around the world. The Ottoman Empire entered the war after making a secret alliance with Germany, and Montenegro and France declared war against Austria-Hungary. The Battle of the Marne in 1914 between Germany, France, Russia, and Britain began four years of constant trench warfare. Soldiers suffered from the advances of chemical warfare, as detailed by nurse Vera Brittain in her 1933 memoir Testament of Youth.

“I wish those people who talk about going on with this war whatever it costs could see the soldiers suffering from mustard gas poisoning. Great mustard-coloured blisters, blind eyes, all sticky and stuck together, always fighting for breath, with voices a mere whisper, saying that their throats are closing and they know they will choke.” (Brittain)

Operations continued in the Pacific as Japan, New Zealand, and South Africa declared war against Germany. Italy, having already proclaimed their neutrality, declared war on Germany after the Treaty of London. In 1917, Germany tried to coerce Mexico to declare war against America, leading President Woodrow Wilson to finally bring the United States into the strife.

But the right is more precious than peace, and we shall fight for the things which we have always carried nearest our hearts—democracy. . . . .” (Wilson)

Immediately following the United States’ entrance into the war was Cuba and Panama, who declared war on Germany the next day. Greece followed suit in June 1917, followed closely by Liberia and China. Over the next year, countless battles and operations pushed boundaries and lost hundreds of thousands of soldiers to the cause. The final offensive of World War I, the Hundred Days Offensive, led Germany to the brink of defeat. After Germany signed the Armistice of Compiègne on November 11, 1918, the fighting was officially over – but the effects of the war were just beginning.

World War I may seem like it took place over four very busy years, but the effects of the international strife would come to define the 21st century. By the time the Paris Peace Conference began in January 1919, Germany’s economy and morale had plummeted. They had fought against nearly 30 countries and had come close to complete destruction, only to feel cheated by the Versailles Treaty.

The social and economic upheaval that followed World War I gave rise to many radical right wing parties in Weimar Germany. The harsh provisions of the Treaty of Versailles led many in the general population to believe that Germany had been "stabbed in the back" by the "November criminals." (“WWI: Aftermath,” encyclopedia.ushmm.org/ ).

The discouraged nation was resistant to the provisions of the treaty and to their new democratic rule. Many German citizens longed for more authoritarian rule as they’d had prior to World War I. A ruined economy led to hyperinflation, which made Germany fearful of Communism as well. Adolf Hitler, an Austrian extremist and leader of the Nazi Party, became a welcome voice in right-wing nationalist politics.

Beyond Marxism he believed the greatest enemy of all to be the Jew, who was for Hitler the incarnation of evil. (“Rise To Power,” britannica.com)

Hitler’s leadership in the years following World War I was a direct result of the war’s events. The next global crisis, World War II, would result in atrocities far beyond the scope of its predecessor. The world would spend the second half of the 20th century recovering from the enormous costs of both of these wars.

One assassin on an ordinary day in 1914 ended up starting an unfathomable chain of events. The wars that resulted would define an entire century, several generations, and countless government actions. It’s important to consider the effects of any action, political or not, to decide whether it’s the best path to take.

More Expository Writing Ideas

Need some ideas to get started on your expository essay? Check out a list of 100 writing prompts for middle school students. You can also find some writing strategy tips or more examples of informative essays to get your creative juices going.

Expository Essay Samples

When writing an expository essay, you need to show the deeper side of your chosen subject. Check out our expository essay samples to better understand the process of writing one yourself.

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How to Write an Expository Essay

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Does Expository Writing Have You Confused?

Maybe you find yourself on this page because your instructor asked you to write an expository essay, and you aren't exactly sure what's expected of you—if so, you've certainly found the right place. Expository writing, or exposition, is a type of discourse used to describe, explain, define, inform, or clarify. It literally means "to expose." Exposition can be found in writing or oral discourse, but for the sake of this article, we'll stick with expository writing.

You are likely familiar with expository writing already, even if the name sounds unfamiliar. Common examples include newspaper articles, how-to manuals, and assembly instructions. Expository writing is also the most frequent type of academic writing !

Present the facts, and only the facts

If you are asked to write an expository essay, then you are essentially being asked to present the facts; there is no place for bias or opinion in expository writing. In a way, this makes writing simple—it is a matter of gathering and presenting the facts about a certain topic.

Something important to keep in mind when writing exposition is that you should not assume your readers have any knowledge of the topic; don't gloss over basic or important details, even if you think they're common knowledge.

When writing expository essays, it is best to use third person narration, although second person is acceptable in some instances, such as for instructions—or articles on expository writing.

Characteristics of expository writing

There are a few characteristics of expository writing you should remember when crafting an expository essay. The first is to keep a tight focus on the main topic, avoiding lengthy tangents, wordiness, or unrelated asides that aren’t necessary for understanding your topic.

In the same vein, be sure to pick a topic that is narrow, but not so narrow that you have a hard time writing anything about it (for example, writing about ice cream would be too broad, but writing about ice cream sold at your local grocery store between 5:00 and 5:15 pm last Saturday would be too narrow).

You must also be sure to support your topic, providing plenty of facts, details, examples, and explanations, and you must do so in an organized and logical manner. Details that can support your expository writing include:

Formatting an expository essay

The typical format for an expository essay in school is the traditional five-paragraph essay. This includes an introduction and a conclusion, with three paragraphs for the body of the paper. Most often, these three paragraphs are limited to one subtopic each.

This is the basic essay format, but expository writing does not need to be limited to five paragraphs. No matter how long your essay is, be sure your introduction includes your thesis statement and that the paper is based on facts rather than opinions. And, as with all good essay writing , make sure to connect your paragraphs with transitions.

Methods for writing an expository essay

There are a few different methods for writing an expository essay. These include:

Generally, you will want to pick one method for each piece of expository writing. However, you may find that you can combine a few methods. The important thing is to stay focused on your topic and stick to the facts.

Now that you have a clearer understanding of expository writing, you're ready to write your essay. One final tip: be sure to give yourself plenty of time for the writing process. After you've completed your first draft, let your paper sit for a few days—this lets you return to it with fresh eyes. If you'd like a second opinion, our essay editors are always available to help.

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How to Write an Expository Essay

Explaining a complicated concept is a very useful skill to pick up in life which is why expository essays are one of the four basic types of essays taught in school. We might think we're good at explaining but writing an expository essay is a challenge because it requires critical thinking, research skills, and the ability to present your ideas clearly. In this article, our research paper service will explain what an expository essay is, how to structure it, get an outline, get step-by-step instructions for every paragraph, a list of topic ideas, and general tips and advice.

What Is an Expository Essay?

Put simply, an expository essay exposes facts about a subject. It relates information to the reader about a situation, person, concept, or phenomenon, and explains something about them. It does not try to convince the reader about a certain viewpoint or make a persuasive argument. The goal of an expository essay is to educate the reader about something, therefore, it relies on facts not personal opinion.

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What Is Expository Writing?

Since the goal of expository writing is to convey information to the reader, many types of writing you come across in your daily life are expository. This includes articles found in newspapers, magazines, social media websites, and listicles as well as scientific papers, textbooks, business communication, and a host of other things. Expository writing is the most common form of writing in the world because it includes everything from conveying information about your day to explaining a work project.

Remember, the main distinction between expository writing and other forms of writing is that the goal is not to convince or persuade someone, rather just to provide information. However, this doesn't mean that you cannot use techniques from descriptive, narrative, or persuasive writing to make your exposition more interesting. Borrowing techniques from descriptive or narrative writing can make the information you convey more real in the reader's mind and when presenting facts and figures for persuasive writing you automatically use techniques from expository writing.

When writing an expository essay make sure you are using facts and logic rather than personal opinion or subjective truths. An expository essay definition could be “a type of writing that aims to expose the facts about a certain topic”, which means that the reader can expect trustworthy information about a topic presented in a logical way. Depending on the type of expository writing, you may have to structure it in different ways, but using an expository essay outline is always going to be beneficial to organize your research and to visualize the flow of the essay. Later on in this article you will come across an in-depth section about expository essay outlines.

Expository Essay Topics

Now that you know what expository writing is, you should think about what kind of topics you would like to write about. Finding the right topic is incredibly important because it will guide your research as well as help you determine the specific pieces of information that you will include in the final essay.

The single biggest piece of advice when coming up with a topic is to choose one that you are actually personally interested in. Doing research and relaying information can be boring, but if you choose something that you have a passion for then the entire process can become more enjoyable. What might be considered a boring assignment can be transformed into a fun way of talking about something you are passionate about.

Make sure that the topic you choose isn't too broad. Broad topics may seem easier to write about but they don't let you showcase in-depth research and bring up interesting facts. It may seem easier but most likely you will end up with a low grade. On the other hand, don't choose a topic that is too specific. You need to make sure that there is enough information out there from reputable sources to back up any point you are trying to make.

Don't just go with the first topic idea that pops into your head. Brainstorm several ideas and conduct a little bit of research on all of them to find a topic that you enjoy as well as a topic that has interesting research about it.

The most important thing to be careful of when coming up with an expository essay topic is to make sure that the topic you choose isn't trying to convince or persuade somebody of something, rather it is just conveying information.

Here are some interesting topics for expository essays for you to consider and draw inspiration from.

10 Expository Essay Topics About Education

10 Expository Essay Topics About Mental Health

10 Expository Essay Topics About Society

10 Expository Essay Topics About Politics

You can always ask us for help. It does not matter if you need an expository or college admission essay writer , our team contains professionals from all fields.

The Different Types of Expository Essays

Writing an expository essay can be easier if you know the different types of expository essays. Because expository writing can take on so many forms, knowing the different types of essays can help you choose a topic as well as plan the overall flow and structure of the essay. The following list of different types of expository essays is not exhaustive but contains the most common ones you will come across in an academic situation.

Process Essays

You can think of a process essay as a formal how-to guide. The goal of this type of essay is to give a step-by-step explanation of how to do something. A typical process essay introduces what you will learn in the introduction paragraph, uses the body paragraphs to provide step-by-step directions, and talks about the importance of what you have learned in the conclusion. A process essay can cover something like “how to groom your dog” or can be as complicated as “6 methods to expand your online digital marketing business”.

Compare and Contrast Essays

Compare and contrast essays analyze a topic by looking at how it is similar or different from something else. Remember that this is still an expository essay, so the goal of comparing or contrasting isn't to make a judgment on whether one is better or worse, rather it is to provide information and let the reader make a decision for themselves. Comparison essays can either focus on similarities, differences, or both.

Cause and Effect Essays

Cause and effect essays look at how something came about or what the impact of something was. It provides information about the relationship between two connected things. An essay about the impact of being bullied on self-esteem as an adult is an example of a cause and effect essay. Cause and effect essays explore why things happened or what the impact of something might be and can point out interesting connections or highlight information about a cause or effect.

Classification Essays

Classification essays compare different things in the same category, highlighting what makes them different from each other but also noting what puts them in the same category. For example an essay about casual video games can talk about games like Mario Party as well as Candy Crush, and explain why even though they exist on different platforms they are both considered casual games. Classification essays can be particularly interesting when trying to fit something into a form of classification it usually does not belong.

Definition Essays

A definition essay or descriptive essay is one of the most pure forms of expository writing because it's goal is to give information that defines a topic. This can be made more interesting by presenting information about the history of the topic, the etymology of the word, and by presenting information about how the definition has changed over time or will change with time. A definition essay doesn't just give the dictionary definition of the word, rather it provides information that expands the overall idea of the term while explaining it in depth.

The Expository Essay Structure

If you are writing an expository essay for school then the essay will usually follow the typical 5-paragraph essay structure.This means that there will be an introductory paragraph, followed by three body paragraphs, followed by the conclusion. While the expository essay format can and should change based on the assignment and the audience, this is a general expository essay outline. Our article about argumentative essay format also contains a lot of additional useful information, check it out.

Introduction paragraph

Body paragraph 1

Body paragraph 2

Body paragraph 3

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Expository Essay Outline

Creating an outline is one of the most important steps before you actually start writing the essay. Many people think making an outline is a waste of time, but the truth is that the more thorough your expository essay outline, the less time you will need to spend researching and writing.

An outline breaks down each paragraph of the essay into different sections. This allows you to break down a larger task into manageable chunks as well as helps you visualize how different pieces of information will fit together. Let's go through each section of the expository essay structure.

Expository Essay Introduction

An introduction is the first thing somebody reads. It is your first opportunity to impress the reader and to explain what the essay will be about. Writing a good introduction can be challenging, but If you follow the outline below you will have an introduction that is clear and engaging.

A hook is the very first sentence of the introductory paragraph and therefore the essay. It's called a hook because the goal is to hook a reader's attention the same way a hook catches the mouth of a fish. A good hook for an expository essay can pose a question or state an interesting fact with the goal of engaging the reader as quickly as possible. Whether it's writing an article or an assignment for school, making the reader interested from the beginning is going to make you stand out.

The next few sentences of the introduction paragraph should give background information about the topic you want to discuss. This does not have to be too specific because you will expand upon these points in the body paragraphs, but make sure that the background information you present is both interesting as well as directly connected to the topic. The reader should have a basic understanding of some of the key terms and concepts that will be discussed in the paper after these sentences.

Next comes the thesis statement. A thesis statement is a one- or two-sentence declaration of what the purpose of the paper is. For an expository paper, a thesis statement clearly states the topic being explained and how it will be explained. As usual for expository writing, make sure that your thesis statement is not making an argument or trying to be persuasive.

You can either end the paragraph after your thesis statement or include a brief one-sentence transition to the body paragraphs. This transition sentence is usually more common when writing articles rather than writing academic papers.

Expository Essay Body Paragraphs

Body paragraphs are where you put your research. In an expository essay, you don't need to build an argument, which can make body paragraphs simpler to write, but that doesn't mean you should just dump information randomly. Typically, you should have three body paragraphs, each one talking about a specific issue related to your topic.

When conducting research, distill three main ways you want to explain your topic and explain each of them in a different body paragraph. You may be tempted to present as much information as possible, but a paper that is too dense with information can be complicated to understand. The goal of the body paragraph is to express information in a way that is clear, logical, and interesting.

Start a body paragraph with a topic sentence that clearly states what the paragraph will be about. Make sure you connect the topic sentence to the overall topic and make it clear to the reader how they are related.

Next, present the facts and information, making sure that each fact you present is correctly cited and comes from a reputable source. Since the purpose of an expository essay is to explain something objectively, the quality of your sources is very important.

Finally, end a body paragraph with a transition sentence that either wraps up the information in the paragraph or hints at what the next paragraph will be about. Transition sentences improve the flow of an essay by giving the reader either a recap of important information or by clearly marking the end of one subtopic and connecting it to the next one.

Expository Essay Conclusion

The conclusion of an expository essay aims to recap the main pieces of information in the essay and restate the hypothesis to remind the reader about the purpose of the writing.

You can summarize the main pieces of information by looking at your topic sentences and transition sentences. Include all the main information that relates to your thesis so that the reader is reminded about it.

You should restate the thesis statement so that the audience understands how the information you have presented in the body paragraph connects to the main purpose of the essay. Follow this up with an explanation of why the topic is important, highlight interesting connections, and identify other interesting ways the information can be explained.

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Even though you now know a lot about the expository essay format, there are other things to keep in mind as well. In this section, we'll go over the specific steps you should take when figuring out how to write an expository essay.

Brainstorming Ideas

The absolute first thing you should do when given an expository essay assignment is to carefully go over the guidelines. Make sure you completely understand what is required of you. If it is for class, you may be limited to certain topics and word counts, there may be restrictions on the quality of sources you can use, etc. You might write an incredible essay but get a low grade because you missed out on some small restriction or guideline.

Once you know exactly what you are supposed to do, it's time to think about different concepts you would like to explain. Make sure you are aware of the different types of expository essays so that when you brainstorm topics you have a tentative idea of what type of expository essay would be best suited for that topic.

Think about what has been covered in class, what the teacher might expect, and what you find interesting to try and come up with a list of topics. Do a little bit of research on each topic to figure out whether you can easily find reputable sources and to gain a further understanding of the topic. After keeping all these things in mind, you should end up with an expository essay topic that is appropriate, engaging, and high-scoring.

Fill Up an Outline

Once you have zeroed in on a topic it's time to do research. One of the best ways to plan your writing is to use an expository essay outline to organize interesting information. While conducting research focus on the body paragraphs rather than on the introduction or conclusion. Think about three main ways you can explain the topic and put information that fits into those subtopics under the appropriate body paragraphs.

While conducting research and filling out an outline, think about potential thesis statements. Coming up with a thesis statement too early will restrict your research, so it is better to develop a thesis statement as you find out more and more information. That being said, by the end of the planning stage you should have a finalized thesis statement

Planning out your essay beforehand will give direction to your research, cut down on the amount of time you spend on the assignment, improve the overall flow of the final essay, and make the actual writing process much easier.

Write the First Draft

Now is the time to translate your outline into full sentences. It is often useful to leave the writing of the introduction till the end because after writing the body paragraphs you will have a better idea of what to say in an introduction, but make sure that you write down your thesis statement.

Use the information you have found to create a cohesive analysis of the topic in each body paragraph. Make sure that the information you present is on topic and connects to the other facts around it. Think about what the purpose of each body paragraph is and question whether the information you are presenting fits that purpose or not. Make sure to use transition words within the paragraph and use transition sentences between paragraphs to improve overall comprehensibility and flow.

Finalize Your Draft

Go over the first draft of the essay and focus on whether the different paragraphs make sense or not. Don't be afraid to reorganize sections or completely get rid of some pieces of information. As you write your draft, new ways of expressing the information can come to mind that will make the overall essay more powerful.

Make sure that you are not trying to make a persuasive argument and that you are using facts rather than opinions as evidence.

Go over each sentence to make sure that it is clear and that it fits the purpose of the paragraph it is in. Look at the information you have included and make sure that it is useful and enhances understanding of the topic. It is better to have less information than more if the information is distracting or does not add anything to the essay.

Try and read the paper as if it is the first time you are coming across the topic to see if it makes sense or not. Congratulations, you are just one step away from being able to submit an expository essay!

Editing and Proofreading

Go over the final draft of your essay and check for formatting errors, grammatical errors, spelling mistakes, etc and make sure that it complies with all the guidelines of the assignment. Finally, ask a friend or relative to go over the paper to do the last check. If you feel like you still need to make a lot of changes, don't be disheartened, spend the extra time to make the changes or reach out to a professional service.

Expository Essay Examples

One of the best ways to learn how to write an expository essay is to look at an expository essay example. Looking at expository essay examples can give you a deeper understanding of what is expected as well as how to write an essay that flows well. Make sure that you use any examples you find as inspiration rather than a place to directly source information or text!

Expository Essay Example

At the bottom of this page is a link to an essay Pro example of an expository essay. I don't know how to link to it but someone on your side should.

The shift from traditional to current methods in treating diseases has improved the quality of many services, products, and processes. However, many regions worldwide are still applying traditional medicines (Stefanov et al., 2020). Therefore, conventional western medicine and alternative Eastern medicine are two recognized approaches to treating multiple diseases. Researchers have developed the foundational differences between these two approaches that have helped establish the pros and cons of each. Each approach has advantages and drawbacks. There have been debates on which approach is cheaper in terms of time and cost of treatment. Also, there is ongoing concern on which approach is safer than the other.

As of 2019, there were over 3.5 billion social media users globally, and this figure still increases by 9% each year. It is impossible to deny that social media has become an important part of many people’s lives. There are various positive effects linked with the platforms, including better connectivity. However, addiction to social media platforms, the increased comparisons between individuals, and the fear of missing out have increased depression and sadness. Social media addiction has become rampant, which has negatively influenced the lives of many individuals in society. Checking and scrolling through the different social media platforms has become increasingly popular over time, leading to excessive and compulsive use.

In Conclusion

An expository essay can be a challenge to write if you don't choose the right topic and don't have a plan. On the other hand, expository papers are a fun way of exploring something you are passionate about and learning how to share information in a powerful way. Expository writing is one of the most common types of writing and chances are you will find it useful throughout your life. Learning how to present information and explain things will benefit you professionally and personally in a variety of ways, so, good luck!

We also recommend reading the autobiography example .

Do You Have an Expository Essay Prompt but Have No Idea Where to Start?

Essay writing or rewrite essay process is never as easy as ABC, it takes time, knowledge, skill, attention, and dedication to handle the task well. And, in the case of an expository essay in particular, it also requires conducting an in-depth investigation on the given topic. With the tips, tricks, and guidelines from this article, you should be able to handle this task quickly and fairly easily. Still not sure if you can cope with it on your own? If that’s the case, remember that you have a loyal friend — college essay writer from EssayPro, who is always ready to provide you with any essay help and create top-notch papers to boost your grades. We process all your requests fast.

Expository Essay Guide

Expository Essay Examples

Last updated on: Feb 9, 2023

5+ Expository Essay Examples to Help you Get Started

By: Donna C.

Reviewed By: Jacklyn H.

Published on: Apr 14, 2020

Want to write an expository essay that will elevate your grades? Don't know what to do and what to avoid?

This blog explains the key features of this type of essay by presenting detailed examples. These expository essay examples will help you understand the basics and apply them when writing your own essay.

Let's get started.

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What is an Expository Essay?

An expository essay is a genre of investigative type of writing that investigate and examine an idea, concept or belief and present relevant evidence to back and support the presented ideas. Writing an expository essay is quite common in classroom evaluation as the teachers assign this type of essay to evaluate the middle school and high school students’ analytical abilities.

Expository writing is objective in nature and is entirely based on presenting and explaining plain hard facts. These facts are explored and presented with the help of a number of types of evidence. Especially the visual presentation of data like charts, statistical data, graphs, and presentations work best to explain the facts clearly.

Here is a complete guide that will help you learn more about writing an expository essay .

The expository essay examples will demonstrate how to write an expository essay without missing anything. These examples will help you in understanding the basics and once you are through them, you will be ready to write your essay in no time.

THE RISE OF TEENAGE GANGS AND ITS CONSEQUENCES

WAYS STUDENTS CAN SPEND THEIR LEISURE TIME

THE HISTORY OF CHESS

THE HISTORY OF THE AMERICAN FLAG

AN ANALYSIS OF CULTURAL DIVERSITY AND WHY DOES IT MATTER

WHY DO WE NEED EXCELLENT COMMUNICATION SKILLS

STEPHEN HAWKING - A LIFE HISTORY

WASTE MANAGEMENT FACTS AND FUTURE

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How to Write an Expository Essay Outline?

An expository essay outline is just like any other essay and because you have been writing essays since your school years, you will have no difficulties. However, the difficult part is to know about the type of information that will go into each section.

We have divided and explained the entire process that is essential to write an expository essay successfully.

The Prewriting Phase

For an effective essay, you need to plan the entire essay before writing. Many students try to do the essay without planning and end up nowhere. Instead of just getting into the paper writing process, brainstorm and think about how you can present the ideas in a structured manner.

Make points of what you will add in each section.

Preparing the First Draft

After brainstorming and noting down every main detail and theme, prepare the first draft of the essay. Add what points you will add in each section. An expository essay structure has the following sections:

Introduction: An introduction is the first section of an essay. It is a brief mentioning of the main points and themes of the essay. It includes the background of the main topic and some information about it. However, everything is added briefly.

Thesis Statement: A well-defined but brief thesis statement will elevate your essay and inform the readers about the main theme of your essay. However, the thesis statement should be brief and should not present the whole theme of the essay.

Body Paragraphs: Generally, these are three in number and present three main ideas. These paragraphs of the essay examine, analyze and present the main ideas along with the supporting evidence. Each sentence must begin with a topic sentence and expound on the main idea of that paragraph.

Conclusion: It is the last encounter between you and the readers and this is why it must be strong and memorable. Restate your thesis statement and the overall essence of the essay. You can do it by mentioning the main points briefly or by just presenting the answer to the main essay question.

Final Revision

Revision is the most important part of the writing process. In this phase, you can revise, modify and restructure your essay and rectify it according to the guidelines and main essay question. Some of the things to consider while revising your essay are:

Answering these questions is a must and therefore, you should never miss this part.

Proofreading

After you are done, proofread the entire essay before submitting it. It may seem daunting and dull but, just like revision, proofreading is also important. Proofread the essay thoroughly and see if everything is in line. At this stage, you can still make the changes.

We hope that these tips will act as a writing guide for you and will help you in writing an excellent expository essay.

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What are the Other Types of an Expository Essay?

This type of essay is further divided into the following types of expository writing. These are explained below

Descriptive Essay: This essay requires describing a place, person, or event in detail. It includes great sensory details and is written to persuade the reader to see the writer’s viewpoint.

Definition Essay: A definition essay describes a certain phrase or term in detail. The topics can be concrete or abstract in nature and include the explanation of both literal and contextual meanings of the chosen word.

Compare and Contrast: These essays explain two or more things by comparing and contrasting them. They highlight the main points and describe the chosen objects by elaborating their various elements and qualities.

Classification Essay: The writer breaks down the main essay topic and divides it into several classes and categories and explains them one by one.

Process Essay: The writer breaks down a process and explains it in detail. This could be a manufacturing process, a recipe, and even a writing process. It explains the how-to process and how to do it in detail.

Cause and Effect Essay: This essay describes the reasons behind a phenomenon or happening. It explains why something happens and what are the causes behind them. In short, a cause and effect essay explains the relationship between a certain event and its reasons.

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Expository Essay - A Complete Guideline to Help You Write

Expository Essay Topics Recommended by Experts

How to Write an Expository Essay Outline - Complementary Template Added

Interesting Expository Essay Examples For Your Help

Published on: Jan 19, 2023

Last updated on: Jan 19, 2023

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High school and college students are mostly assigned to write expository essays. This type of essay is written to explain something to the readers.

If you are assigned to write an expository essay, know what to do and what to avoid for an A+ paper.

You can also refer to the following great expository essay examples to better understand the basics.

Expository Essay Definition and Examples

An expository essay is a genre of writing that explores several aspects of a particular topic to provide information.

For a perfect expository essay , the topic should be discussed in an objective manner. The writer should not try to convince the reader about any side of the issue.

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The following are some other ways of writing expository essays.

The structure of an expository essay will vary according to the scope of the assignment and the nature of your topic.

Refer to the following section and find interesting expository essay examples for students of all academic levels. These examples will help you understand the basic writing process for a great expository essay.

Expository Essay Examples for Different Grades

No matter if you are in grade 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, or 9th, the following examples will help you understand the expository writing style.

4th Grade Expository Essay Examples

5th Grade Expository Essay Examples

6th Grade Expository Essay Examples

7th Grade Expository Essay Examples

8th Grade Expository Essay Examples

9th Grade Expository Essay Examples

Expository Essay Examples for Different Academic Levels

Expository essays explain and evaluate an idea and provide an argument in a clear and concise manner. Similar to other types of essays, expository essays also consist of an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion.

Usually, the body section contains three paragraphs but it can be increased according to the essay requirements and topic.

For a perfect expository essay, understand its purpose and follow the required steps for this type of academic writing.

Expository Essay Examples Middle School

Expository Essay Examples for High School

Expository Essay Examples College

Expository Essay Examples University

5 Paragraph Expository Essay Examples

There are many ways to write an expository essay but the most common approach is the 5-paragraph structure.

Here is how a 5-paragraph expository essay should be written.

Have a look at them in detail now.

Introduction - Here present a brief description of your essay. It should end with a strong thesis statement.

3 Body Paragraphs - Expand the idea in the body paragraphs and present evidential information. Each body paragraph should start with a topic sentence followed by relevant details and examples. Make sure all the ideas discussed in the body paragraph should correlate to one another. Information provided through topic sentences and paragraphs of an essay is the main essence of the topic under discussion.

Conclusion - Here summarize the whole point in a strong and memorable way.

Informative Expository Essay Examples

Expository Essay Examples on Bullying

Expository Essay Structure Examples

As we know, it is not easy to write an effective expository essay without the right disposition and enthusiasm.

This type of essay examines and evaluates a topic in great detail. The main purpose of expository writing is to provide all the details about an idea in a definite and concise manner.

An expository essay does not usually have in-depth research as compared to other academic essays. It follows a 5-paragraph structure approach which includes an introduction, 3 body paragraphs, and a conclusion.

Expository Essay Introduction Paragraph Examples

Expository Essay Conclusion Examples

Hopefully, now you know what a perfect expository essay looks like. All the above examples are for assistance purposes only. You can also read our free essays if you are looking for more essay examples to improve your writing skills.

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Expository Essay Writing Help

Writing a perfect expository essay is never an easy task. It takes time, attention, and skills to handle such an important writing task.

With the right guidelines and some examples in hand, you will be able to handle this task easily. After this blog, you can easily write your essay in a great way.

But if you still think that you can not cope up with this task on your own, better get professional help.

A professional essay writer at FreeEssayWriter.net can help you create a top-notch expository essay.

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How to Write an Expository Essay | Structure, Tips & Examples

Published on July 14, 2020 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on December 7, 2022.

“Expository” means “intended to explain or describe something.” An expository essay provides a clear, focused explanation of a particular topic, process, or set of ideas. It doesn’t set out to prove a point, just to give a balanced view of its subject matter.

Expository essays are usually short assignments intended to test your composition skills or your understanding of a subject. They tend to involve less research and original arguments than argumentative essays .

When should you write an expository essay, how to approach an expository essay, introducing your essay, writing the body paragraphs, concluding your essay, frequently asked questions about expository essays.

In school and university, you might have to write expository essays as in-class exercises, exam questions, or coursework assignments.

Sometimes it won’t be directly stated that the assignment is an expository essay, but there are certain keywords that imply expository writing is required. Consider the prompts below.

The word “explain” here is the clue: An essay responding to this prompt should provide an explanation of this historical process—not necessarily an original argument about it.

Sometimes you’ll be asked to define a particular term or concept. This means more than just copying down the dictionary definition; you’ll be expected to explore different ideas surrounding the term, as this prompt emphasizes.

An expository essay should take an objective approach: It isn’t about your personal opinions or experiences. Instead, your goal is to provide an informative and balanced explanation of your topic. Avoid using the first or second person (“I” or “you”).

The structure of your expository essay will vary according to the scope of your assignment and the demands of your topic. It’s worthwhile to plan out your structure before you start, using an essay outline .

A common structure for a short expository essay consists of five paragraphs: An introduction, three body paragraphs, and a conclusion.

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Like all essays, an expository essay begins with an introduction . This serves to hook the reader’s interest, briefly introduce your topic, and provide a thesis statement summarizing what you’re going to say about it.

Hover over different parts of the example below to see how a typical introduction works.

In many ways, the invention of the printing press marked the end of the Middle Ages. The medieval period in Europe is often remembered as a time of intellectual and political stagnation. Prior to the Renaissance, the average person had very limited access to books and was unlikely to be literate. The invention of the printing press in the 15th century allowed for much less restricted circulation of information in Europe, paving the way for the Reformation.

The body of your essay is where you cover your topic in depth. It often consists of three paragraphs, but may be more for a longer essay. This is where you present the details of the process, idea or topic you’re explaining.

It’s important to make sure each paragraph covers its own clearly defined topic, introduced with a topic sentence . Different topics (all related to the overall subject matter of the essay) should be presented in a logical order, with clear transitions between paragraphs.

Hover over different parts of the example paragraph below to see how a body paragraph is constructed.

The invention of the printing press in 1440 changed this situation dramatically. Johannes Gutenberg, who had worked as a goldsmith, used his knowledge of metals in the design of the press. He made his type from an alloy of lead, tin, and antimony, whose durability allowed for the reliable production of high-quality books. This new technology allowed texts to be reproduced and disseminated on a much larger scale than was previously possible. The Gutenberg Bible appeared in the 1450s, and a large number of printing presses sprang up across the continent in the following decades. Gutenberg’s invention rapidly transformed cultural production in Europe; among other things, it would lead to the Protestant Reformation.

The conclusion of an expository essay serves to summarize the topic under discussion. It should not present any new information or evidence, but should instead focus on reinforcing the points made so far. Essentially, your conclusion is there to round off the essay in an engaging way.

Hover over different parts of the example below to see how a conclusion works.

The invention of the printing press was important not only in terms of its immediate cultural and economic effects, but also in terms of its major impact on politics and religion across Europe. In the century following the invention of the printing press, the relatively stationary intellectual atmosphere of the Middle Ages gave way to the social upheavals of the Reformation and the Renaissance. A single technological innovation had contributed to the total reshaping of the continent.

An expository essay is a broad form that varies in length according to the scope of the assignment.

Expository essays are often assigned as a writing exercise or as part of an exam, in which case a five-paragraph essay of around 800 words may be appropriate.

You’ll usually be given guidelines regarding length; if you’re not sure, ask.

An expository essay is a common assignment in high-school and university composition classes. It might be assigned as coursework, in class, or as part of an exam.

Sometimes you might not be told explicitly to write an expository essay. Look out for prompts containing keywords like “explain” and “define.” An expository essay is usually the right response to these prompts.

An argumentative essay tends to be a longer essay involving independent research, and aims to make an original argument about a topic. Its thesis statement makes a contentious claim that must be supported in an objective, evidence-based way.

An expository essay also aims to be objective, but it doesn’t have to make an original argument. Rather, it aims to explain something (e.g., a process or idea) in a clear, concise way. Expository essays are often shorter assignments and rely less on research.

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