Category: EXPOSITORY WRITING

037 – Below the surface

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Today we are going to look at the importance of digging a little deeper with your writing by moving below the surface of a question or prompt. This is related to the idea of setting the limits of a questions (where you define keywords) or formulating a complex contention by stating it using the words ‘yes, but…’ or ‘no, but…’

When writing an expository piece it is equally important to deliver complexity in your response; this can be done by looking carefully at the question and trying to identify ambigious or undefined terms.

For example, for the prompt Social networking sites destroy our ability to communicate the words ‘ability to communicate’ are not clearly defined. Does this refer to our ability to hold a face-to-face conversation? Or does it refer to our ability to express complex ideas? Is this a reference to all forms of communication? Or is this only talking about the written form? Clearly, how YOU decide to interpret the words ‘ability to communicate’ will have a big impact on the direction your response takes.

The structure of your introduction should look something like this:

INTRODUCTION

  1. Background – define ‘conflict’ / what types of conflict are there?
  2. Hook: not necessarily a statistic, can be an interesting fact
  3. Present different responses to conflict
  4. Pose question that these different response naturally raise
Therefore, you would define the limits/focus of your response in area 1 or 2.
You will receive your prompt tomorrow. In readiness for looking at that prompt and defining the limits of your response, see if you can identify any poorly defined terms by looking for unresolved questions (as your saw in the above example):
  • Education provides everything young people need to develop into happy individuals
  • If you can’t beat them join them

Expository essay: Intro and Conclusion

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INTRODUCTION

  1. Background – define ‘conflict’ / what types of conflict are there?
  2. Hook: not necessarily a statistic, can be an interesting fact
  3. Present different responses to conflict
  4. Pose question that these different response naturally raise
CONCLUSION
  1. In a subtle way, state the most reasonable conclusion based on the ideas presented
  2. Identify a common link between the different responses to conflict that you have presented
  3. Speculate on what it might take for more people to respond in the way that those you presented did

EXPOSITORY WRITING TIPS

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WRITING GUIDELINES

When writing an expository essay:

  • Keep in mind your specific purpose and audience as these affect your language use and how you organise the material

In your introduction:

  • Clearly establish your topic
  • Devise a ‘hook’ or ‘attention grabber’ such as an unusual piece of information, an interesting fact/statistics or question

In you body paragraphs:

  • Organise your ideas carefully as clarity is of paramount importance
  • Compare contrast is the structure you should follow.

Finally, as you are writing to inform or explain rather than mount a persuasive argument, your conclusion does not need to be as strong and emphatic as in an argumentative essay.

 

Introduction

  • Establish your topic.
  • Present the main points-of-view by briefly stating what they are and why that position is held.
  • Introduce a ‘hook’ or ‘attention grabber’.
  • Set up a question/issue you think the topic naturally raises and make it clear that this what your essay aims to explore.

 

Establish your topic.

Eg. Schools are places of learning where parents entrust teachers with the responsibility of protecting and developing their children; an important part of making this possible is school discipline.

Present the main points-of-view by briefly stating what they are and why that position is held.

Some educators think that physical punishment is the most effective way to deter students from doing the wrong thing; while, others think that such practices are primitive and set a bad example.

Introduce a ‘hook’ or ‘attention grabber’.

However, regardless of your opinion on the topic, given that violence in schools have increased clearly some form of discipline is extremely important.

Set up a question/issue you think the topic naturally raises and make it clear that this what your essay aims to explore.

It seems then the issue is: What is the best type of school discipline and what are the consequences of not getting it right?

Schools are places of learning where parents entrust teachers with the responsibility of protecting and developing their children; an important part of making this possible is school discipline. Some educators think that physical punishment is the most effective way to deter students from doing the wrong thing; while, others think that such practices are primitive and set a bad example. However, regardless of your opinion on the topic, given that violence in schools has increased, clearly discipline in some form is extremely important. It seems then the issue is: What is the best type of school discipline and what are the consequences of not getting it right?

Conclusion

  • In a subtle way, state the most reasonable conclusion based on the ideas presented.
  • Identity a dilemma you have come across but reinforce the primary finding of your exposition.
  • Give one general reason why the conclusion you have stated is valid; include any important detail you have identified that will make the dilemma less of a dilemma in the future.

E.g.

In a subtle way, state the most reasonable conclusion based on the ideas presented.

Given the ideas that have been discussed it seems that the importance of school discipline should not be underestimated.

Identity a dilemma you have come across but reinforce the primary finds of your exposition.

It is clear that effective school discipline is vital to student well being, teacher morale and academic achievement; however, ‘effective’ will mean different things at different times and in different places.

Giving one general reason why the conclusion you have stated is valid; include any important detail you have identified that will make the dilemma less of a dilemma in the future.

Therefore, ‘effective’ school discipline will require continuous review and improvement based on the specific needs of individual school communities. It may never be possible to have students behave as expected at all the times, but schools that remain responsive and dynamic in their approach to school discipline will likely fair better that most.

Given the ideas that have been discussed it seems that the importance of school discipline should not be underestimated. It is clear that effective school discipline is vital to student well being, teacher morale and academic achievement; however, ‘effective’ will mean different things at different times and places. Therefore, ‘effective’ school discipline will require continuous review and improvement based on the specific needs on individual school communities. It may never be possible to have students behave as expected at all the times, but schools that remain responsive and dynamic in their approach to school discipline will likely fair better that most.

Useful words and phrases to use in your conclusion

  • Given/ considering/ with/ based on
  • It seems/ it would seem/ it appears as though/ the evidence suggests/ it seems reasonable to conclude.
Write an introduction and conclusion of you own for the following prompt:
Mobile phones are used by millions of people everyday as important tools for work and business; it is little wonder that students bring them to school.