How to Write a Good Expository Essay Outline
One of the questions that can easily go through your mind when assigned an expository essay is how to write a good a good expository essay outline. To answer the question, you need to define an expository essay. An expository essay is a catch all category paper that defines or describes an essay by thoroughly exposing the topic’s inner workings, considers the idea, investigates it, explains it, makes an argument and teaches the reader something new.
Steps that will help you know how to write a good expository essay outline
With an idea of what an expository essay, it is also imperative to note that is more than one way strategy to writing the paper. It includes a spatial, topical and sequential or even a chronological pattern depending on the topic of the paper. Even so, you must always adhere to the structure or outline of the essay no matter the pattern you use in your writing because it contains the vital components of the structure including
The introduction
In the introductory part of your essay, you need to start with hook and offer a context and background details of the topics. A question or thesis should also be identified in the introduction.
Body paragraphs
The body paragraphs of an expository essay are divided into sub topics of the essay. In this part, you state facts, offer evidence and a clear analysis of the sub topics of your paper.
The conclusion
The conclusion part summarizes the thesis of the essay or the question, discusses its greater significance and reveals any an unanswered question.
Breaking down an expository essay outline for better understanding
If you are wondering how to write a good expository essay outline, you need to have an outline that is clearly defined. Therefore, this section breaks down parts of the outline to make your writing simpler.
Introductory part of an expository essay outline
Start with a hook
The introductory part of an expository essay should grab the attention of a reader. For this reason, you have to begin with a hook sentence that is directly related to the topic of the paper and is interesting.
Offer context of the topic
You should also offer a background of the topic or its context. Many students tend to assume that the reader understands what the topic is all about. This is not the way to go about your paper because making an assumption makes the essay vague. Therefore, give detailed background information on the topic and guide your reader to an interesting essay.
Identifying the thesis
The thesis is the point where you get to the most significant part of your paper. In this relevance, you have to take an arguable stance on the essay topic that you will end up supporting with factual evidence in your body paragraphs.
Expository essay outline body paragraphs
With an idea of how to write a good expository essay outline and having caught the attention of your reader, you should work on your body paragraphs. These are the parts that set up to provide a deeper investigation into the topic of the paper.
The number of paragraphs to use when writing your paper is not restricted. This entirely relies on the parameters of your expository essay topic or assignment. However, you should always ensure that each body paragraph has the following features
- A topic sentence that offers the main idea in the paragraph
- Factual information or evidence answering the essay question and supports the thesis. To give the essay an edge, two or three pieces of factual evidence supporting the topic is the way to go.
- Your analysis is equally a significant element that each paragraph should have. This part digs in with your annotation on the importance of evidence you provide. Therefore, you need to ask yourself why you included specific evidence and how does it support the thesis.
- A good transition sentence should be included as it weaves an expository essay together. As a result, ensure to connect each of your paragraphs with one sentence or two while clearly demonstrating how one idea leads to the other and how they work together to support your stance.
The conclusion paragraph of an expository essay outline
The conclusion part of an expository part summarizes the thesis or the question, discusses the greater significance and reveals any unanswered question. In this part, offer the target audience a clear overview of main ideas as discussed in the essay.
However, ensure that you highlight your thought’s progression, provide solutions, next steps and present any new question generated in your essay. Most importantly, show the importance of your synthesis of details in your paper and avoid restating the thesis only.
The following examples will help you know How to write a good expository essay outline
Example 1
Essay topic: Leukemia
Leukemia is a blood cancer disease. It is characterized with easily discovery of the bone marrow through irregular increase of leukocytes or white blood cells. The cells are immune system cells that offer protection that the body needs when invaded by foreign bodies or any infections. When there is abnormal infection of the white cells, the normal functioning of the leukocytes is affected as well as other cells in the bloods. This hinders the functioning of the body in general.
Leukemia is also categorized amongst hematological neoplasm diseases and a leading cause of many deaths today. Leukemia cases according to a research carried out in the 2006 fiscal year research statistics reveals that more than 34,000 cases of leukemia were treated in the US. Even so, many cases of the diseases are not treatable but the life of a person suffering from the disease can be enhanced by quality healthcare and quality treatment (Amer, 2008, par. 6) – Leukemia grant proposal expository essay.
Example 2
Essay topic: Play and Child Development
Play is a freely chosen activity that is inspired and directed from within. Sufficient space for play and a wide range of play materials can be significant in the development of children. In early childhood education, play is specifically valued and incorporated in the curriculum because it contributes significantly to physical, social, cognitive and emotional growth of children. It also enhances emotional maturity and social competence. Play is also the pillar of the society as it enhances communication between different individuals.
The development of cognitive skills largely depends on play and this is an important aspect for adaptive functioning of children…play and child development sample essay )
Follow the example on how to write a good expository essay outline on this link sbcc.edu/ExpositoryEssay.pdf to make your writing simpler.
When writing an expository essay on any topic, you can simply apply the outline below by incorporating corresponding information of your introduction, body paragraphs and the conclusion in the space below.
| Introduction
Start with a hook on your topic to grab the attention of your reader. You can always have a list to help reference the main ideas of your topic |
| Include your context for detailed background information to help a reader understand the topic of your essay |
| State the thesis statement while ensuring it is arguable based on the stance you take on the topic. Answer the following questions to make your writing easy
What stance will you take? What will you prove in your essay? What are the details you are going to explore? |
| The Body Paragraphs
Write the first general topic sentence stating the main idea of the paragraph. This can be an idea of the first body paragraph especially if you experience difficulty organizing your ideas |
| Provide specific textual evidence from other sources that you are using to support your thesis statement |
| Offer an analysis of your evidence and tell your target audience or the reader what is important or significant about the evidence you state. You can ask yourself
How does the evidence support your thesis and what are your reasons for including it? |
| Do not forget to include the transition sentence connecting one paragraph to the other. Ensure the sentence clearly demonstrates how one idea generates the other. |
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The conclusion When writing the conclusion, connect the reader with it. This means that you should always refer back to your question or thesis. However, do not restate it. The following questions will help you to conclude your expository essay Ask yourself whether you proposed any solutions to the problem Are there any solutions to be discovered in the future? What questions still have to be answered What is the greater significance of the subject of your expository essay topic you were assigned to work on or you choose to write about? What should a reader think or do after going through your essay? |
The above expository essay outline is applicable in a wide range of essay topics. Use the outline as a guide to composing your essay effortlessly. However, if after going through the above guidelines on how to write a good expository essay outline, you still find difficulties in your essay writing, you can always contact us for assistance.
Visit our homepage to see what other services we offer and how we can assist you. You may also want to continue reading more guidelines on writing different academic papers or other non-related material. To do so, continue looking in this blog where you will also find academic sample papers under different disciplines.
Online Sources:
http://www.wikihow.com/Write-an-Expository-Essay
https://www.kibin.com/essay-writing-blog/expository-essay-outline/
https://www.sbcc.edu/clrc/files/wl/downloads/StructureofaGeneralExpositoryEssay.pdf