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Practical Tips for Expository Essay

An expository essay assignment is one of the most challenging essay tasks that students get in college. It is a specific kind of essay where you need to explain and describe events or processes – how they work and what drives them. You should present the thesis and provide relevant and logical evidence in their favor. 

Unlike other essays where you can rely on your own experience and reasoning, for expository essays, you have to perform thorough researches of reliable sources. This assignment takes more time and more effort from your side. However, it is a feasible job. The main factor is that you understand what you need to do and why. That’s why we’ve prepared this article with a guide and recommendations. Read it, and we’ll tell you how to create a perfect expository essay that both you and your professor will love.

What should you consider to start?

Every essay starts with preliminary examining:

1. Consider how you would explain the topic, what aspects you would focus on.
2. Run the research. It is essential to get honest and precise information, so select the sources carefully. Analyze the results and choose the evidence to use in your text.
3. Outline the essay before you start to write.

It is useful to refer to ready examples of expository essays. Don’t copy their fragments – it is unacceptable for academic work and will ruin your records. But you can check the structure of the text, the style, and the author’s approach to plan your own writing. 

How to select an appropriate topic for an expository essay

If the teacher offered you a general direction and allowed you to choose yourself what to expose, it is excellent. You can find the winning option for you – something that you know better and love. It will be much easier to explain its essence to other people then. Consider the following points too:

• How relevant and appealing the topic is in the present days;
• How it matches your personality – your audience will perceive it via your point of view and beliefs;
• How the issue works for your target audience. Consider if they have the necessary knowledge to understand what you want to explain;
• How specific the topic is? If you deal with general concepts, you might not reach the target of making a “sharp” essay.

Hence, think the possible ideas over and sort them – chose that one that interests you. When you are genuinely keen on the topic, your enthusiasm helps to ignite the audience too.

We’ve also prepared a collection of topic ideas that might be useful for you. Choose some topic, or change it to match your preferences. Or, one of them might inspire you to create a brand-new statement that you would like to expose in your essay.

Expository Essay Topics for 8^th Grade

1. The best way to spend free time – what is it and why?
2. Whom do you choose as a role model, and why?
3. Explain how to play baseball.
4. How to learn efficiently new foreign language words?
5. Explain the method to overcome the disappointment of bad grades?
6. The effects of frequent moving from place to place on school results.
7. Explain the pros and cons of working in a team.
8. Which nonmaterial things can influence our lives more than material?
9. Explain the effects of music on the mood.
10. What are the consequences of inadequate education?

Great Expository Essay Topics

1. Is it possible to combine a healthy lifestyle on a cost-saving basis?
2. What to do against bullying?
3. Explain the influence of Internet technologies on people’s behavior.
4. Explain the positive and negative effects of computer games.
5. How to appreciate non-material things?
6. What are the most likely moral and practical consequences of the death penalty abolishing?
7. Explain which factor could change the direction of society?
8. Is there a practical value of giving your vote under the current election system?
9. Explain the “tolerance” meaning and if it really works.
10. Explain the meaning of the “glass ceiling,” and is it still present.

Good Expository Essay Topics

1. What is time management – explain the most efficient techniques.
2. What are your three strongest points and how they help you/
3. Did the Internet ruin personal communication?
4. How to fight shopping addiction?
5. What are the three main reasons for divorces?
6. Explain how gun control will influence society on different levels.
7. What are the consequences of Instagram addiction?
8. The Crusaders Myth – the real grounds of the Crusades.
9. How did religions direct the development of society?
10. Explain the positive and negative aspects of home education.

Expository Essay Topics for High School Students

1. Who is the most influential superhero in modern culture?
2. Is independence so important?
3. Explain the three definitions of “love.”
4. Explain what a friendship for you is?
5. Is it possible to combine having a job and high school efficiently?
6. Is there a secret key to success?
7. The consequences of abolishing the existing grading system in high school?
8. The consequences of leaving school at 16.
9. Which three objects are the most significant symbols of Western culture?
10. The consequences of introducing the obligatory school uniform.

Topics for Expository Essays for College

1. Minimization of the negative influence of digital media.
2. The best strategy for money investment.
3. Explain the ways to learn leadership vs. the natural-born leaders.
4. Explain the influence of gangs on teenagers.
5. Explain what you think the best career choice.
6. Explain who you think to be the most prominent writer of the 21^st century.
7. Explain your understanding of Aristotle’s Republic.
8. The possibility to combine college studies with a job and leisure – is it real?
9. The difference between “being educated” and “being smart.”
10. Is teamwork compatible with creativity?

The process of creating an expository essay

After choosing the topic and doing researches, you can start to write your essay. It has the same 3-part structure as the rest of the academic essays you do in high school and college. You need to start it with the Introduction, present your ideas and proofs in the Body, and finish the text with the Conclusion.

Define your thesis statements

This is the pillar of your essay. You might not formulate the statements precisely at that moment, but you need to understand them very well.

• State the fact or idea that you expose in the essay;
• Consider the best way of presenting this main idea;
• Formulate the goal of your research – what you want to prove.

The expository essay is very demanding to the logic – all your ideas must be adequately organized; the causes and effects must be visible throughout the text. That’s why it is best of all to start with an outline.

How to compose the outline

The outline is a “skeleton” of your expository essay. Here you plan its order: which statements you present and how you will expose them. You can select the arguments supporting your opinion and their order. Having an outline lets you “play” with your essay plans until you come to the optimal form and can imagine the future text. After that, start to write.

It is better to compose the Body at once. This part takes about 75-80% of your expository essay, and it includes all your ideas, their analysis, and logical evidence. The Introduction and the Conclusion parts frame the Body, so it is better to work on them when you get the text.

The Introduction

This part is smaller, but it is crucial. Here you catch the attention of the audience, explain what your essay is about and why other people should be interested. Refer to the below tactics:

• Make a strong opening sentence that evokes the reaction of your audience – a joke, and interesting fact, a controversial statement, or a question;
• Provide the information that your listeners or readers need to know;
• Introduce the thesis statement – pay attention to the wording; it must be brief and informational.

The Body

The standard scheme of the college essay Body section is the “three-paragraphs” build. Use one paragraph for one idea and support it with logical arguments and proofs. Note that each paragraph must be a completed fragment with its own mini-opening and mini-conclusion.

The Conclusion

This part must be strong as well, as here you need again to appeal to the audience and leave an impression:

• Refer to your thesis statement back and paraphrase them to emphasize the main idea;
• Compose the “hit” final sentence – you may use the same recommendations as for the Introduction. The goal is similar – you need the emotional reaction of the audience.

More Tips on Writing

• Consider your language thoroughly. Your vocabulary must be precise. Avoid rare and sophisticated words, but try to find synonyms that emphasize the meanings.

• Be concrete and present facts and details.

• Read the text and remove any clumsy fragments, paraphrase sentences for better literacy. Your essay must be easy to grasp.

• Edit the text several times with proper time intervals between the sessions. The trick is to let your mind rest and get a fresh eye. Then you will find the omitted errors and fix them all.

Still in doubt about your skills? Refer for Professional Help!

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