Expository Essay!
Created!by:!Brandon!Everett!
Spring 2020
What is an Expository Essay?
An expository essay explores various angles of a specific topic to provide information in an objective
manner. For example, if the subject is universal healthcare, the paper would provide information on
what universal healthcare is, how it works, which countries use it and how it differs from privatized
healthcare. All of these issues would be expressed in a neutral tone, without trying to convince the
reader of either one side or the other.
Expository vs Argumentative
Many students confuse these types of essays. Your goal with the argumentative essay is to convince
the reader of your chosen position. In an argumentative paper, using the same example of universal
healthcare, you would choose either to convince the reader that universal healthcare is the better
healthcare system or that privatized healthcare is better. In short, the main difference between the
expository and argumentative essays is that one is objective (expository) while the other is subjective
(argumentative).
Argumentative
Expository
Chooses a position either for or
against something
Explores multiple viewpoints of a
topic in a neutral way
May be written in the first person
(as designated by your
instructor/assignment prompt)
Is usually written in third person
Thesis statement presents the
writer’s argument
Thesis statement presents the
writer’s topic
Is subjective
Is objective
Steps for Writing an Expository Essay
Key in on Your Topic
• Review your instructor’s prompt – if they provided you with a topic, then become as familiar
with it as you can.
• If you’re left to find a topic on your own, start with something you’re familiar with. This will
help the research portion go more smoothly.
Expository Essay!
Created!by:!Brandon!Everett!
Spring 2020
Do Your Research
• Even if you already know a lot about the topic you’ve chosen, don’t skip this step.
• You will probably need to cite sources as evidence, and you should learn more about the topic.
• When researching:
Ø Start broadly by reading a variety of articles on the topic you’ve chosen/were assigned to
see which themes or subtopics are most commonly researched and discussed.
Ø Then, start to narrow your research to include only credible subjects (respected
publications, peer reviewed articles, websites written by experts in the field).
Ø As you research, take notes on all of the possible topics you might want to cover in your
work.
Ø Once you have a list of topics to cover, pick and choose a few of them that you can develop
a discussion around.
Developing Your Thesis
Remember, an expository essay "exposes" the reader to a topic; it informs the reader with details,
descriptions, or explanations of a subject. If you are writing an expository essay, your thesis statement
should explain to the reader what they will learn in your essay. For example:
“The United States spends more money on its military budget than all the industrialized nations
combined.”
“Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) increases the risk of stroke and arterial fibrillation (irregular
heartbeat).”
These statements provide a declaration of fact about the topic (not just opinion) but leave the door
open for you to elaborate with plenty of details.
Outline and Draft Your Paper
• Introduce your topic in an interesting way by telling a compelling story, citing a shocking
statistic or a quote that eloquently sums up the main point or central idea of your paper. The
introduction will also include your thesis statement which outlines the chosen topics of
discussion.
• Include multiple body paragraphs (depending on assignment length), each covering one of the
topics outlined in the thesis.
• Conclusion: Drive home the discussion with a conclusion that focuses on the significance of
your topic and, if relevant, suggest further research or discussions that should be conducted.
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Reference:
https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/academic_writing/essay_writing/expository_essays.html
