forms of informative essay

How to Write an Informative Essay: Everything You Need to Know

Did you know that informative essays aren't just for school? They're also used in jobs like journalism, marketing, and PR to explain complex ideas and promote things. This shows how useful they are outside of the classroom.

So, if you're planning to write one, that's a great choice! It's interesting but can be tough. To do it well, you need to plan, research, and organize carefully. Keep your tone balanced, give clear info, and add your own thoughts to stand out.

In this guide, our essay writer will give you tips on starting and organizing your essay effectively. At the end, you'll also find interesting essay samples. So, let's jump right into it.

What is an Informative Essay

To give a good informative essay definition, imagine them as windows to new knowledge. Their main job is to teach others about a particular topic. Whether it's for a school project or something you stumble upon online, these essays are packed with interesting facts and insights.

Here's a simple breakdown from our admission essay writing service of what makes an informative essay tick:

• Keeping It Real: These essays are all about the facts. No opinions allowed. We want to keep things fair and honest.
• Topics Galore: You can write about anything you find interesting, from science and history to things about different cultures.
• Where You Find Them: Informative essays can pop up anywhere, from your classroom assignments to the pages of magazines or even online articles.
• Research: Like a good detective, informative essays rely on solid evidence. That means digging into trustworthy sources to gather reliable information.
• Stay Neutral: To keep things fair, informative essays don't take sides. They present the facts and let readers draw their own conclusions.
• Structure: These essays have a clear roadmap. They start with an introduction to set the stage, then present the main points with evidence, and wrap up with a summary to tie it all together.
• Write for Your Audience: Keep your writing simple and easy to understand. Think about who will be reading it.
• Give Just Enough Detail: Don't overload people with info. Find the right balance so it's interesting but not overwhelming.

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Reasons to Write an Informative Essay

Writing informative essays, whether following the IEEE format or another style, is a great way to teach and share ideas with others. Here's why it's worth giving it a try:

• Make Complex Ideas Easy : Informative essays simplify complicated topics so everyone can understand them. They break down big ideas into simple parts, helping more people learn and share knowledge.
• Encourage Thinking : When you read these essays, you're encouraged to think for yourself. They give you facts and evidence so you can form your own opinions about different topics. This helps you become better at understanding the world around you.
• Inspire Doing : They can motivate people to take action and make positive changes by raising awareness about important issues like the environment, fairness, or health. By reading these essays, people might be inspired to do something to help.
• Leave a Mark : When you write informative essays, you're leaving a legacy of knowledge for future generations. Your ideas can be read and learned from long after you're gone, helping others understand the world better.

How to Start an Informative Essay

If you're still doubting how to start with an informative essay outline, no worries! Here's a step-by-step guide to help you tackle this task like a pro. Alternatively, you can simply order essay and have it done by experts.

• Choose an Exciting Topic : Pick something that really grabs your attention. Writing about what you're genuinely interested in makes the whole process way more fun. Plus, it's easier to write confidently about things you know a bit about.
• Dig into Research : Spend some quality time digging up info from reliable sources. Take good notes, so you have all the facts you need to back up your essay. The better your research, the stronger your essay will be.
• Set Your Essay's Goal : Decide what you want your essay to do. Are you explaining something, analyzing a problem, or comparing ideas? Knowing your goal helps you focus your writing.
• Sketch Out Your Essay : Make a simple plan for your essay. Start with an intro that grabs attention and states your main idea. Then, map out your main points for the body paragraphs and plan a strong finish for your conclusion.
• Kick Off with an Awesome Introduction : Start with a killer opening line to hook your readers. Give a bit of background on your topic and clearly state your main idea.
• Flesh Out Your Body Paragraphs : In each paragraph, cover one key point backed up with evidence from your research. Keep it clear and simple, and don't forget to cite your sources.
• Wrap Up Strong : Sum up your main points in your conclusion and restate your main idea in a memorable way. Leave your readers with something to think about related to your topic.

Informative Essay Outline

Many students don't realize how helpful outlining can be for writing an informative essay. Spending a bit of time on it can actually save you loads of time later on when you're writing. To give you a head start, here's a simple format from our term paper writing services :

I. Introduction

• Start with something catchy to grab attention
• Give a little background info on your topic
• State your main idea clearly in your thesis statement

II. Body Paragraphs

A. Talk about your first main idea

• Share evidence or facts that support this idea
• Explain what the evidence means
• Transition smoothly to the next point

B. Move on to your second main idea

• Provide evidence or facts for this point
• Explain why this evidence matters
• Transition to the next paragraph

C. Address your third main idea

• Offer supporting evidence or facts
• Explain the significance of this evidence
• Transition to the next part

III. Conclusion

• Restate your thesis statement to remind readers of your main point
• Summarize the key points you've covered in the body paragraphs
• Leave readers with some final thoughts or reflections to ponder

IV. Optional: Extra Sections

• Consider addressing counterarguments and explaining why they're not valid (if needed)
• Offer suggestions for further research or additional reading
• Share personal anecdotes or examples to make your essay more relatable (if it fits)

Informative Essay Structure

Now that you've got a plan and know how to start an essay let's talk about how to organize it in more detail.

Introduction :

In your informative essay introduction, your aim is to grab the reader's interest and provide a bit of background on your topic. Start with something attention-grabbing, like a surprising fact or a thought-provoking question. Then, give a quick overview of what you'll be talking about in your essay with a clear thesis statement that tells the reader what your main points will be.

Body Paragraphs:

The body paragraphs of an informative essay should dive into the main ideas of your topic. Aim for at least three main points and back them up with evidence from reliable sources. Remember the 'C-E-E' formula: Claim, Evidence, Explanation. Start each paragraph with a clear point, then provide evidence to support it, and finally, explain why it's important. Mastering how to write an informative essay also requires smooth transitions from one section to the next, so don't forget to use transition words.

Conclusion :

You may already guess how to write a conclusion for an informative essay, as it's quite similar to other writing types. Wrap up by summarizing the main points you've made. Restate your thesis to remind the reader what your essay was all about. Then, leave them with some final thoughts or reflections to think about. Maybe suggest why your topic is important or what people can learn from it.

Informative Essay Examples

Essay examples show how theoretical ideas can be applied effectively and engagingly. So, let's check them out for good structure, organization, and presentation techniques.

Additionally, you can also explore essay writing apps that offer convenience and flexibility, allowing you to work on assignments wherever you are.

7 Steps for Writing an Informative Essay

Before you leave, here are 7 simple yet crucial steps for writing an informative essay. Make sure to incorporate them into your writing process:

• Choose Your Topic: If you're given the freedom to choose your topic, opt for something you're passionate about and can explain effectively in about five paragraphs. Begin with a broad subject area and gradually narrow it down to a specific topic. Consider conducting preliminary research to ensure there's enough information available to support your essay.
• Do Your Research: Dive deep into your chosen topic and gather information from reliable sources. Ensure that the sources you use are credible and can be referenced in your essay. This step is crucial for building a solid foundation of knowledge on your topic.
• Create an Outline: Once you've collected your research, organize your thoughts by creating an outline. Think of it as a roadmap for your essay, briefly summarizing what each paragraph will cover. This step helps maintain coherence and ensures that you cover all essential points in your essay.
• Start Writing: With your outline in hand, begin drafting your essay. Don't strive for perfection on the first attempt; instead, focus on getting your ideas down on paper. Maintain an objective and informative tone, avoiding overly complex language or unnecessary embellishments.
• Revise Your Draft: After completing the initial draft, take a break before revisiting your work. Read through your essay carefully, assessing how well your arguments are supported by evidence and ensuring a smooth flow of ideas. Rewrite any sections that require improvement to strengthen your essay's overall coherence and clarity.
• Proofread: Once you've revised your essay, thoroughly proofread it to catch any spelling or grammar errors. Additionally, verify the accuracy of the facts and information presented in your essay. A polished and error-free essay reflects positively on your attention to detail and credibility as a writer.
• Cite Your Sources: Finally, include a citations page to acknowledge the sources you've referenced in your essay. Follow the formatting guidelines of the chosen citation style, whether it's MLA, APA, or Chicago, to ensure consistency and proper credit to the original authors. This step is essential for maintaining academic integrity and avoiding plagiarism accusations.

Final Remarks

Fantastic! Now that you know how to write an informative essay and absorbed the essentials, let's recap the key points:

• You've learned the basics of informative essay writing.
• Ready to choose an interesting topic that connects with your audience.
• You've understood how to organize your essay clearly, with each paragraph serving a purpose.
• You have step-by-step guidance for writing engagingly.
• You've gained valuable tips to improve your writing skills and make your essay stand out.

By applying these insights, you're set to write an engaging essay that informs and inspires your readers!

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is an expert in nursing and healthcare, with a strong background in history, law, and literature. Holding advanced degrees in nursing and public health, his analytical approach and comprehensive knowledge help students navigate complex topics. On EssayPro blog, Adam provides insightful articles on everything from historical analysis to the intricacies of healthcare policies. In his downtime, he enjoys historical documentaries and volunteering at local clinics.

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Informative Essay — Purpose, Structure, and Examples

What is informative writing?

Informative writing educates the reader about a certain topic. An informative essay may explain new information, describe a process, or clarify a concept. The provided information is objective, meaning the writing focuses on presentation of fact and should not contain personal opinion or bias.

Informative writing includes description, process, cause and effect, comparison, and problems and possible solutions:

Describes a person, place, thing, or event using descriptive language that appeals to readers’ senses

Explains the process to do something or how something was created

Discusses the relationship between two things, determining how one ( cause ) leads to the other ( effect ); the effect needs to be based on fact and not an assumption

Identifies the similarities and differences between two things; does not indicate that one is better than the other

Details a problem and presents various possible solutions ; the writer does not suggest one solution is more effective than the others

Purpose of informative writing

The purpose of an informative essay depends upon the writer’s motivation, but may be to share new information, describe a process, clarify a concept, explain why or how, or detail a topic’s intricacies.

Informative essays may introduce readers to new information .

Summarizing a scientific/technological study

Outlining the various aspects of a religion

Providing information on a historical period

Describe a process or give step-by-step details of a procedure.

How to write an informational essay

How to construct an argument

How to apply for a job

Clarify a concept and offer details about complex ideas.

Explain why or how something works the way that it does.

Describe how the stock market impacts the economy

Illustrate why there are high and low tides

Detail how the heart functions

Offer information on the smaller aspects or intricacies of a larger topic.

Identify the importance of the individual bones in the body

Outlining the Dust Bowl in the context of the Great Depression

Explaining how bees impact the environment

How to write an informative essay

Regardless of the type of information, the informative essay structure typically consists of an introduction, body, and conclusion.

Introduction

Background information

Explanation of evidence

Restated thesis

Review of main ideas

Closing statement

Informative essay introduction

When composing the introductory paragraph(s) of an informative paper, include a hook, introduce the topic, provide background information, and develop a good thesis statement.

If the hook or introduction creates interest in the first paragraph, it will draw the readers’ attention and make them more receptive to the essay writer's ideas. Some of the most common techniques to accomplish this include the following:

Emphasize the topic’s importance by explaining the current interest in the topic or by indicating that the subject is influential.

Use pertinent statistics to give the paper an air of authority.

A surprising statement can be shocking; sometimes it is disgusting; sometimes it is joyful; sometimes it is surprising because of who said it.

An interesting incident or anecdote can act as a teaser to lure the reader into the remainder of the essay. Be sure that the device is appropriate for the informative essay topic and focus on what is to follow.

Directly introduce the topic of the essay.

Provide the reader with the background information necessary to understand the topic. Don’t repeat this information in the body of the essay; it should help the reader understand what follows.

Identify the overall purpose of the essay with the thesis (purpose statement). Writers can also include their support directly in the thesis, which outlines the structure of the essay for the reader.

Informative essay body paragraphs

Each body paragraph should contain a topic sentence, evidence, explanation of evidence, and a transition sentence.

A good topic sentence should identify what information the reader should expect in the paragraph and how it connects to the main purpose identified in the thesis.

Provide evidence that details the main point of the paragraph. This includes paraphrasing, summarizing, and directly quoting facts, statistics, and statements.

Explain how the evidence connects to the main purpose of the essay.

Place transitions at the end of each body paragraph, except the last. There is no need to transition from the last support to the conclusion. A transition should accomplish three goals:

Tell the reader where you were (current support)

Tell the reader where you are going (next support)

Relate the paper’s purpose

Informative essay conclusion

Incorporate a rephrased thesis, summary, and closing statement into the conclusion of an informative essay.

Rephrase the purpose of the essay. Do not just repeat the purpose statement from the thesis.

Summarize the main idea found in each body paragraph by rephrasing each topic sentence.

End with a clincher or closing statement that helps readers answer the question “so what?” What should the reader take away from the information provided in the essay? Why should they care about the topic?

Informative essay example

The following example illustrates a good informative essay format:

Informative Essay

What is an Informative Essay and How to Write One?

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Published on: Aug 11, 2021

Last updated on: Jan 31, 2024

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Good Informative Essay Topics for All Academic Levels

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Have you been assigned an informative essay but don’t know where to start? This guide has got you covered! 

An informative essay is a common assignment for school or college students. The goal is to provide detailed information to the readers about the specific topic. 

Read on to find simple step-by-step instructions for writing an interesting and engaging informative essay. You’ll also get to read helpful examples and tips you can follow to make your essay even better! 

Let’s dive in!

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Informative Essay Definition 

The informative essay can be simply defined as,

"A form of essay writing that aims to educate and inform the reader about a specific topic."

Informative essays can cover a variety of topics. It could be written about a particular thing, event, or natural phenomenon, etc. 

This type of essay highlights the objective facts and evidence without reflecting the writer's subjective point-of-view about the topic. 

What is the Purpose of an Informative Essay?

An informative essay presents objective and verifiable information about a topic. It relies on factual evidence and reliable sources. 

The main goal of writing an informative essay is to;

• Inform the reader about something.
• Explain a particular subject.
• Transmit verified knowledge clearly and concisely.

Types of Informative Essay

There are several types of informative essays, and each type has its own purpose and style. Here are some of the informative essay types that you need to know.

• Descriptive Essay 

A descriptive essay is an essay that describes something about an event, person, place, or idea in detail. The descriptive essay aims to provide enough information to the readers to visualize or imagine the matter described.

Want to know more about descriptive essays? Check out this descriptive essay writing blog to learn more.

• Cause and Effect Essay 

The cause and effect essay describes the cause of an event or idea and then explains its effects on today’s world and people. Also, this type of essay is a common form of organization in academic writing.    

However, the cause-and-effect essay requires strong research skills. Without them, your essay will not become a successful piece of writing. 

• Compare and Contrast Essay 

In a compare and contrast essay, the writer discusses the similarities and differences between two or more things. This type of essay also requires strong critical thinking skills. 

Therefore, when you start writing the compare and contrast essay , you should identify and analyze the subject from all angles and characteristics.

• Process Essay 

The process essay is also known as the "How-To" essay. This essay provides information about how a process occurs or about the process of doing something.

• Problem-Solution Essay 

A problem-solution essay is another common type of informative essay in which you describe a problem and then propose its solution. Its main purpose is to educate the readers on the problem and its significance.  

Looking for more information? Visit our problem-solution essay guide and learn to write perfect problem solution essays.

• Expository Essay 

The expository essay explains, illustrates, or interprets something in a way that becomes easy for the readers. This essay provides a fair analysis of the subject based on facts without the writer’s opinions.  

Here is a simple video that explains informative writing:

How to Start an Informative Essay?   

Before you can start writing, you have to do some "rewriting." Here are the steps involved in prewriting: 

• Brainstorm Ideas 

Brainstorming is the first step in writing any type of essay. Here, you brainstorm several topic ideas and generate a list of potential topics. 

So think about all the possible ideas that are related to your interest and subject. This will help you choose an interesting topic for your essay.  

• Choose a Topic 

Choosing the right topic is essential for writing a great essay. A good topic will not only make your writing process easy but also make the research phase interesting. 

So choose a topic you can easily write about and support it with facts, evidence, and statistics. In short, the topic should be interesting and easy to research.

• Know Your Target Audience 

Your audience determines the style and tone of your essay. Consider who will be reading your essay and what their background, knowledge, and interests might be.

For instance, if you are writing for school children, your language should be simple, easy, and interesting. Meanwhile, writing for a professional audience requires you to use technical terminology and jargon. 

So always think about who you are writing for and determine your audience before proceeding.

• Do the Research 

You have to do some research to gather information for your essay. Make sure the information that you collect is reliable and accurate. 

Use a variety of sources for research, including research articles, books, documentaries, etc. You should also take detailed and organized notes to keep track of the information you find, so you can use it later.

• Create an Outline 

An essay outline helps the writer keep their focus strong and narrow. With the help of an outline, you will easily organize your thoughts and ideas. 

So create an outline of your essay to lay out a structure. 

Don't know how to make an informative essay outline? Don’t worry, read on to find out.

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Informative Essay Outline 

Crafting a well-structured essay involves planning what points to include and how it all ties together. Creating an outline is the best way to ensure that your work is well-structured. 

An informative essay outline is outlined in the following way:

Let’s discuss these outline parts in detail.

Introduction 

• Start with a captivating hook that grabs the reader's attention. It could be an intriguing fact, a relevant quote, or a thought-provoking question.
• State your thesis statement . It is the last part of the introduction that clearly presents the main idea or argument of your essay. It should reflect the informative nature of your essay and guide the reader on what to expect.
• Divide the body of your essay into several paragraphs. Each paragraph should focus on one specific aspect or subtopic related to your main thesis.
• Start each paragraph with a topic sentence that introduces the main point of that paragraph.
• Analyze and discuss your supporting evidence. They could be examples, facts, or statistics that provide informative content.

Conclusion 

• Summarize the main points covered in your essay.
• End with a thought-provoking statement, a call to action, or a suggestion for further exploration of the topic.

Here is an example outline template that you can use to write your informative essay outline

Informative Essay Outline Template

Creating an outline is necessary for writing any type of essay. Check out our 10+ essay outline templates and make excellent outlines with ease!

How to Write an Informative Essay?  

Once you have done the prewriting, you have got everything you need to start. Following the steps below will help you write a great informative essay.  

How to Write an Informative Essay Introduction? 

The introduction of an essay sets the tone of the essay and provides an overview of the topic. Here are some key elements you need to include when writing an informative essay introduction:

• Attention-Grabber / Hook:

The hook is the first line of the essay that aims to pique the readers’ interest. This can be: 

• An interesting fact,
• A thought-provoking question,
• Or a compelling anecdote related to your topic, etc.

The hook should be related to your topic and should be engaging enough to grab the reader's attention.

Struggling to come up with a good hook? These 200+ hook examples will help you craft an excellent hook!

• Background Information:

After grabbing the reader’s attention, you have to them to your topic. Discuss some background details on the topic to provide context. 

Also, discuss the relevance or importance of the subject matter. This helps the reader understand the significance of the information you're about to present. Moreover, use clear and concise language to provide essential and interesting details to make the reader want to continue reading. 

• Thesis Statement:

The thesis statement presents the main topic or idea of the essay in a concise and clear way. It provides an overview of what will be covered.

The thesis statement is the last part of the introduction. It should be specific, focused, and encompass the main ideas you'll be discussing in the body of the essay.

How to Write an Informative Essay Body Paragraphs? 

The body paragraphs are the major chunk of your essay. They provide all the information about your chosen topic. There should be at least three body paragraphs in your essay, although there can be more depending on your topic. 

Here are the key elements of the informative essay body paragraphs:

• Topic Sentence

Begin each body paragraph with a clear topic sentence that introduces the main point you will be discussing in that paragraph. It is the first sentence of the paragraph and should be clearly related to the thesis.

• Provide Information and Evidence

In an informative essay, information and evidence should be presented clearly and logically. So present the facts, examples, statistics, or quotations that inform the reader about the topic. This information should come from reliable and credible sources.

• Discuss and Elaborate

After presenting the evidence, explain and discuss them to ensure a thorough understanding of the information. Clarify any complex terms, concepts, or ideas that may require explanation for understanding the topic effectively.

• Use Transitional Phrases:

Use transitional phrases or sentences to connect paragraphs and ideas. This helps maintain a cohesive flow of information throughout the essay. 

For instance, transitional words such as "moreover," "furthermore," "on the other hand," or "in addition to" can be used to link ideas logically.

Having a difficult time with smooth transitions? Here’s a list of transition words for essays to help you out!

How to Write an Informative Essay Conclusion?

In an essay conclusion , you wrap up the essay and provide a sense of closure. Writing the informative essay conclusion includes the following steps:

• Summarize the Main Points:

Revisit the main points covered in your essay's body paragraphs and provide a concise summary of the information presented. Do not introduce any new information or arguments in the conclusion.

• Restate your Thesis Statement

Begin your conclusion by restating your thesis statement in a slightly different way. This helps remind the reader of the main objective of your essay. 

• Provide a Thought-Provoking Statement:

End your conclusion with a thought-provoking statement, reflection, or question that leaves a strong impression on the reader. This can help inspire them to continue exploring the topic beyond your essay. 

Edit and Proofread the Essay

Once you are done with your first draft, take some time to proofread and revise you essay. Check for grammar and spelling, format, logical coherence, and clarity. Remove any repetitive statements or unnecessary details. 

Revising your essay will make it even better and more interesting to read.

Informative Essay Examples

Reading some good examples will make writing an informative essay easier for you. Here are a few short informative essay examples that demonstrate how it looks like. Be sure to read them out.

Informative Essay about Stress

Informative Essay on Diabetes

Informative Essay on Netflix

Informative Essay on Tree in Winter

Informative Essay Topics

A good essay topic is a key to a successful essay. Here are a few ideas that will get you inspired:

• The Benefits of Regular Exercise
• The Importance of Recycling
• The Process of Photosynthesis
• What was the Big Bang?
• The History of the Internet
• How did the Dinosaurs go extinct?
• The Benefits of Meditation
• The Impact of Climate Change on Ecosystems
• The Role of Technology in Education

Stuck on choosing your topic? Don’t worry! Check out our list 200 informative essay topics to get inspiration!

To Sum Up, 

This guide introduced everything you needed to start writing an informative essay. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can confidently embark on your informative writing journey.

Are you in a race against the deadline and need professional help? We’ve got you covered!

We are a legit essay writing service with professional essay writers. Our team of experts writes high-quality, original, and customized essays tailored to your unique requirements.               

Our essay writing service has worked on informative essays and academic papers on various topics, with a high rate of customer satisfaction! 

You can also maximize the benefits of our AI writing tool to polish and refine your writing skills.

Frequently Asked Questions

What should be included in an informative essay.

Here are some points that should be included in an informative essay. 

• Thesis statement 
• Strong evidence 
• Examples 

What is the main topic of an informative essay?

The main topic of an informative essay is to educate the readers on a specific topic.

Nova A. (Literature, Marketing)

As a Digital Content Strategist, Nova Allison has eight years of experience in writing both technical and scientific content. With a focus on developing online content plans that engage audiences, Nova strives to write pieces that are not only informative but captivating as well.

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How to Write an Informative Essay

Last Updated: February 14, 2023 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Megan Morgan, PhD . Megan Morgan is a Graduate Program Academic Advisor in the School of Public & International Affairs at the University of Georgia. She earned her PhD in English from the University of Georgia in 2015. There are 12 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 243,410 times.

An informative essay educates the reader about a topic. You'll need to know a good deal about your subject and convey information in a clear, organized fashion. If it seems overwhelming at first, remember to take it step by step. Working methodically can help you write a successful paper, and you may even enjoy the process!

Selecting and Researching Your Topic

• Be sure you know how your teacher wants you to cite your sources so you can keep track of what you research. Some schools provide reference software like EndNote or RefWorks, which can make collecting and keeping track of research sources easier.
• Be aware of any formatting requirements. The essay prompt will often tell you things such as whether the essay needs to be handwritten or typed, and what font type and size to use. If it doesn't stipulate, the safe choice is a standard, readable 12-pt font such as Times New Roman or Arial. Avoid using "cute" or "quirky" fonts in an academic paper unless given specific permission to do so.
• Know the due date! Get started early so that you have plenty of time to complete the essay.

• The topic should not be too broad or too narrow. See Write an Essay for more information. There should be enough information about the topic to write about, but not so much that you can't present clear, concise information. For example, writing on "the history of animal shelters" is probably much too broad, while "the history of Sunny Days Animal Shelter in X County" is probably too narrow. A happy medium might be "the history of breed-specific animal shelters in America."
• The topic should be appropriate and interesting to your audience. Think in advance about who might be reading your essay. Obviously, if this is for school, your teacher is your primary audience, but you should always have a target audience in mind. What will they want to know? What do they probably not know already that your essay will provide?
• Ideally, the topic should be one that interests you. This will make the writing process that much easier, and you can pass your enthusiasm on to your reader.

• For best results, try to find online sources from reputable organizations, government agencies, and universities. Google Scholar can be a good place to start.

• For your informative essay, you will need an introduction, at least three main points, and a conclusion. You may want to make these sections and write notes down under the section where you expect it to go.

• Make an ideas map. Put your topic in a circle at the center of a piece of paper, then write down the most important pieces of information or ideas related to it in circles surrounding the topic. Make lines connecting each idea to the topic. Next, add details around each idea, circling them and making lines to show connections. There may be lines connecting ideas to each other, as well, or between supporting details.
• Make a list. If you prefer the linear format of a list, write down your topic at the top and then below it any ideas you have. Under the ideas, add extra details that support them. Don't worry about putting them in specific order - that comes next.
• Free write. Free writing can help you generate ideas, even if it usually doesn't provide polished prose you'll use in your final draft. Set a short time limit, such as 15 minutes, and then write whatever comes to mind about your topic. Don't stop to edit or change spelling, and keep writing even if you aren't sure you have anything to say. The important thing is to write for all 15 minutes.

Making an Outline

• Don't worry about getting your thesis just right at this point - that comes later. If you don't feel ready to write the thesis out, jot down some notes in the introductory part of your outline. At the very least, you need some idea of what you want to say in your essay.
• While it may seem odd to summarize your essay before you've begun, writing your thesis at the beginning of your outline will help you organize your ideas and select the most important details that you want to present.

• The number of details you use depends on the paper length: if you're writing a five-paragraph essay, then you have three paragraphs for the body, so you'll need three main ideas.
• Make sure you choose the most important details, and that they are all distinct from one another.
• Details used to support your thesis are also called "evidence."

• Make sure you have enough supporting details for each paragraph. If you don't have enough to say about the paragraph's main topic, consider changing the topic or combining it with another paragraph. Alternatively, you can research a bit more to find additional supporting details for the paragraph.

Writing Your Essay

• Do not worry about spelling errors or mistakes. Remember that this is just a rough draft, not your final copy. Just focus on writing it down, and later you can fix mistakes.
• Write your rough draft by hand or type it - whichever is easier for you.

• For example, a topic/transition sentence might look like this: "While some factories allow union labor, others, such as those in X, argue that unionizing harms the workplace." This sentence gives a clear direction for the paragraph (some factories argue against unionizing) and links it to the paragraph before it (which was probably about pro-union factories).
• Remember: each paragraph needs unity (a single central idea), clear relation to the thesis , coherence (logical relationship of ideas within the paragraph), and development (ideas are clearly explained and supported). [11] X Trustworthy Source University of North Carolina Writing Center UNC's on-campus and online instructional service that provides assistance to students, faculty, and others during the writing process Go to source

• Make sure you're clear about what the idea of each paragraph is. To keep yourself on track, refer to your outline as you write.

• Have you told the reader everything you need to about your topic?
• Do you have a clear thesis statement, expressed in two to three sentences?
• Do all your paragraphs relate to the thesis?
• Does each paragraph have one main idea, supported by accurate, objective details?
• Does your conclusion summarize your thoughts on the topic without adding new information or opinions?
• How does the paper flow? Are there clear, logical transitions between paragraphs?
• Have you used clear, concise prose and avoided flowery language?
• Did the reader learn something new from the essay? Is it presented in an interesting way?
• Have you cited sources as instructed by your teacher?

• As you write your final draft, keep track of coherence in particular. Rough drafts often have all of their ideas jumbled up without a clear, logical progression. A key difference between a rough draft and a final draft is that the final draft should offer its information in a smooth, clear, easy-to-read fashion that builds on previous points as it goes along. Keeping an eye out to make sure you've followed the C-E-E- formula will help you.

• Also keep an eye out for word echoes, or words that show up many times within the space of a few sentences or paragraphs. If you use the word discusses multiple times in the same paragraph, it will make your writing seem clunky and unpolished.

• Sometimes our eyes "fix" mistakes for us as we read, so it's hard to catch mistakes reading silently. Reading aloud helps you find mistakes your eye might not.

Community Q&A

You Might Also Like

• ↑ http://writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/understanding-assignments/
• ↑ https://library.carleton.ca/guides/help/choosing-essay-topic
• ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/subject_specific_writing/writing_in_literature/writing_in_literature_detailed_discussion/conducting_research.html
• ↑ https://advice.writing.utoronto.ca/researching/notes-from-research/
• ↑ https://libguides.rio.edu/c.php?g=620382&p=4320145
• ↑ http://writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/brainstorming/
• ↑ https://examples.yourdictionary.com/20-compelling-hook-examples-for-essays.html
• ↑ https://examples.yourdictionary.com/examples-of-informative-essays.html
• ↑ https://wts.indiana.edu/writing-guides/paragraphs-and-topic-sentences.html
• ↑ http://writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/paragraphs/
• ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/revising-drafts/
• ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/editing-and-proofreading/

About This Article

To write an informative essay, start with an introduction that presents a thesis statement articulating your argument in 2-3 concise sentences. For the body of the essay, focus on one main idea per paragraph and start each paragraph with a topic sentence that establishes that main idea. Then, follow the topic sentence with cited evidence and explanatory detail. Finish up with a conclusion that summarizes your main points and restates your thesis. Don't forget to proofread carefully before turning in your essay! For helpful tips on researching and using good sources, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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How to Write an Informative Essay?

09 May, 2020

15 minutes read

Author:  Tomas White

The bad news is that if you're anything like the majority of students, you're overwhelmed with all kinds of essays your teachers ask you to create. It feels as if they multiply day on day. However, the good news is that here, at HandMade Writing blog, you can find all the answers on how to craft a decent informative essay in no time. So, without further ado, let's dive into the essence of the issue together!

What is an Informative Essay?

An informative essay is a piece of writing that seeks to inform or explain a subject or topic to educate the reader. When writing an informative essay consider the audience and correspond to their level. Do not over-explain to experts where knowledge can be assumed or under-explain to novices that lack basic understating.

There are in four main categories:

• To define a term
• To compare and contrast a subject
• To analyze data
• To provide a how-to guide on a subject

An informative paper should be written in an objective tone and avoid the use of the first person.

You may order an informative essay written from scratch at our professional essay writing service – our essay writers are available 24/7.

What is the Purpose of an Informative Essay?

The purpose of an informative essay is to educate the reader by giving them in-depth information and a clear explanation of a subject.  Informative writing should bombard the reader with information and facts that surround an issue. If your reader comes away feeling educated and full of facts about a subject than you have succeeded.

Examples of informative writing are pamphlets, leaflets, brochures, and textbooks. Primarily texts that are used to inform in a neutral manner.

What is the Difference Between an Informative Essay and Expository Essay?

An expository essay and an informative essay are incredibly similar and often confused. A lot of writers class them as the same type of essay. The difference between them is often hazy and contradictory depending on the author’s definition.

In both essays, your purpose is to explain and educate. An expository essay is here to define a single side of an argument or the issue. It’s the first step to writing an argumentative essay through taking the argument on the next level. Informative essays are less complicated. They are just about the information. Such essays generally require less research on a topic, but it all depends on the assignment level and subject. The difference between the two essay types is so subtle that they are almost interchangeable.

How to Plan an Informative Essay Outline

Your plan for an informative essay outline should include:

• Choosing a topic
• Conducting research
• Building a thesis statement
• Planning the structure of introduction
• Choosing the topic of a body paragraph
• Forming a satisfying conclusion

By following the list above, you will have a great outline for your informational writing.

Related Post: How to write an Essay outline 

How to Choose an Informative Essay Topic

One of the most difficult tasks when writing is coming up with a topic. Here is some general advice when you are choosing a topic for your essay:

• Choose a topic that you are interested in. Your interest in writing on the subject will make the essay more engaging.
• Choose a theme that you know a little about. This way you will be able to find sources and fact easier.
• Choose a topic that can explain something new or in a different way.
• Choose a topic that you can support with facts, statistics, and
• Choose a topic that is relevant to the subject.
• Remember the four types of categories information essays cover.

Inspiration and Research for Your Ultimate Topic

Your perfect informative essay title can come from numerous sources. Here is where you can potentially seek for relevant topics:

Not only will they inspire you, but they will also provide with some of the research you need.

Researching an Informative Essay

The best sources should be objective. Some excellent sources for an informative essay include:

Always remember to check if the source of information will have a bias. For example, a newspaper journalist may have a political leaning, and their article might reflect that. A charities site for motor neuron disease may also come as biased. Analyze the source for the writer’s agenda.

Informational research should answer the five W’s (who, what, where, why and how), and these will form the majority of your essay’s plan. So, if I were writing about the different types of pollution I’d research what kinds of pollution there are, who and how they affect, why they happen, and where they are most likely to occur.

Collating and organizing this information will form your thesis statement and paragraph layout.

Still struggling to find a topic for your informational writing? Then, here are some ideas to that might inspire you.

Examples of Informative Essay Topics for College Students

• How to avoid stress
• What ecological problems are we faced with today?
• What are the effects of obesity?
• What is cyberbullying?
• How has the internet changed the world?
• How to adjust to college life
• Where to find the best part-time jobs
• How to get along with your room-mate
• Guidance on how to write a college application
• How caffeine affects studying

Examples of Informative Essay Topics for High School

• How to start your own vegetable garden
• The reason for and effects of childhood obesity
• Outline the consequences of texting and driving
• How to make your favorite food
• What is climate change? And what are its effects?
• The different types of pollution
• The history of the Titanic.
• An essay on the Great Depression
• The life and times of Ernst Hemmingway
• How to have a great vacation

Related Posts: Argumentative essay topics | Research paper topics

Informative Essay Example

When you have finished planning and research, you have to start writing. But, how do you start an informative essay? The simple answer is to just go with it. Do not get overly critical. Just pour out all the information you have. You can shape it up later.

Important points to consider are: never use first person pronouns and keep the topic objective not subjective . Remember, your purpose is to educate the reader in the most thorough way possible by explaining a topic with statistics and facts.

As usual, the essay should include an introduction, main body, and conclusion. All information should be presented in a clear and easy to understand manner. The flow of information should be signposted. We will delve into these areas in more detail now.

Related Post: How to Write a Narrative essay

How to Write an Introduction for an Informative Essay?

An introductory paragraph of an informative essay should comprise of the following things:

A Hook to Ensnare the Reader

An introductory paragraph for informative writing should start with a hook. A hook needs to be in the first sentence and something that will ‘wow’ the reader and impel them to read on. Alarming statistics on the subject/topic make up great hooks for informative essays. For example, if you were writing an essay on cyber-bullying, citing the number of children who have considered suicide due to cyberbullying could be a powerful opening message.

A Thesis Statements for Direction

All introductions should include a thesis statement. The best practice is to place it at the end of the introductory paragraph to summarize your argument.  However, you do not want to form an argument or state a position. It is best to use the thesis statement to clarify what subject you are discussing.

Related Post: What is a thesis statement

It may also be better to place the statement after the hook, as it will clarify the issue that you are discussing.

For example, ‘Research conducted by Bob the Scientist indicates that the majority of issues caused by cyberbullying can be overcome through the informative literature on the subject to educate bullies about the consequences of their actions.’

How to Write the Body of an Informative Essay

When writing the body of an informative paper, it is best to break the paragraph down into four distinct steps.

 The Claim or Statement

The claim or statement is a single, simple sentence that introduces the main topic of the paragraph. It can be narrow or broad depending on the level and depth of the essay. Think of this as the ‘what’ aspect. For example, the claim for a high-school informative paper would be broader than a claim written at the university level. This is the first step to signposting your essay. It provides a logical and easy way to follow a discussion.

The Supporting Evidence

After making a claim you want to back it up with supporting evidence. Supporting evidence could be findings from a survey, the results of an experiment, documented casual effects or a quote. Anything that lends support to the claim or statement in the first sentence would work. This is the ‘why’ aspect of your research. By using supporting evidence like this, you are defining why the statement is essential to the topic.

Explanation

After you state the supporting evidence, you want to explain ‘how’ this finding is important to the subject at hand. That usually unpacks the supporting evidence and makes it easier for the reader to understand. So, an explanation is to explain how this claim and the supporting research affects your thesis statement.

Concluding Sentence

You should always finish a body paragraph with a concluding sentence that ties up the paragraph nicely and prompts the reader on to the next stage. This is a signpost that the topic and the paragraph are wrapped up.

How to Write the Conclusion of an Informative Essay

Writing a conclusion to an informative paper can be hard as there is no argument to conclude – there is only information to summarize. A good conclusion for these types of essays should support the information provided on the subject. It should also explain why these topics are important.

Here are some Tips on writing informative essay conclusions:

Rephrase Your Thesis Statement

It is vital that you rephrase the thesis and not copy it word for word. That will allow you restate the theme or key point of your essay in a new way. You will simultaneously tie your conclusion back to the introduction of your essay. Echoing your introduction will bring the essay full circle.

Read Through Your Body Paragraphs

Read through the body paragraphs of your essay and ask if a brief overview of the main points of the essay would form a good conclusion for the essay. Generally, it is best to restate the main points of the essay in a conclusion using different words.

Finish the Conclusion With a Clincher

A clincher gives your concluding paragraph a powerful finish. It is a sentence that leaves the reader thinking about your essay long after they have put it down.

Some excellent examples of clinchers are:

• A statement of truth
• A thought-provoking quote relevant to the subject and thesis statement
• A lingering question that none of the research has answered or puts the research into a new light
• Whether it provides an answer to a common question
• Challenge your reader with a quote from an expert that forces them to think about or change their own behavior
• Something that shifts the focus onto the future and the long-time implications of your research

Context and Significance of the Information

A conclusion should always try to frame why the topic was important, and in what context it was important. By doing this your research matters.

Remember: A concluding paragraph should never include new information.

Informative Essay Sample

Be sure to check the sample essay, completed by our writers. Use it as an example to write your own informative paper. Link:  Tesla motors

Tips for Writing an Excellent Informative Essay

Here are a few tips for writing an informative paper

• When writing the main body paragraph, concentrate on explaining information only once. Avoid repeating the same information in the next section.
• Focus on the subject. Make sure all the information that you include is relevant to the topic you are describing. Do not include information that “goes off.”
• Write in a logical way that is signposted. Writing like this will make an essay flow and mean it is easier to understand.
• Always revise the essay at least three times. This way, you will find where to expand ideas in the paragraph, where to trim back ideas until everything has the right balance.
• Be familiar with the academic reference style you are writing in
• Write to your audience. Make sure you know who you are writing it for.

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How to Write an Informative Essay | Outlines and Examples

Discover the Art of Informative Essays: Engage, Learn, and Be Inspired by These Compelling Examples – Read on to Elevate Your Writing Skills!

An informative essay is written to disseminate knowledge about a specific subject. These writings will typically address one of the five W's (who, what, where, when, and why) in a given topic. Naturally, they can also respond with "how," suggesting a method.

Opinions and attempts to persuade readers to adopt your point of view have no place in informative writing. Only argumentative writing is allowed to play that part. If your instructive essay is particularly engaging, it may inspire your readers to pursue further research on the topic; however, they will have to make that decision independently.

To get you started, we've provided some informative essay samples as well as resources to help you select a subject and craft your paper.

What Is an Informative Essay?

An informative essay is a type of academic writing that explains about a particular topic or subject. The primary goal of an informative essay is to provide information on a topic, idea, or concept in a clear, concise, and organized manner. The purpose of the essay is to increase the reader's knowledge and understanding of the subject matter.

An informative essay is different from other types of essays, such as persuasive or argumentative essays. While persuasive essays aim to convince the audience to take a particular viewpoint or to take action, informative essays are written solely to provide information. This means that the essay should be unbiased, objective, and free from personal opinions or biases.

When writing an informative essay, it is essential to choose a topic that is interesting and relevant to the audience. It is also essential to conduct thorough research on the topic and to use credible sources, such as academic journals, books, and reputable websites. It is also essential to use a formal tone, clear language, and appropriate grammar and punctuation.

An informative essay is a type of academic writing that aims to provide information on a particular topic or subject in a clear, concise, and organized manner. The essay should be unbiased, objective, and free from personal opinions or biases.

The structure of an informative essay typically follows a basic format, including an introduction that provides background details and a distinct thesis statement, body paragraphs that outlines key arguments along with supporting proof, and a conclusion that offers a synopsis of the information presented. When writing an informative essay, it is essential to choose a topic that is interesting and relevant to the audience and to use credible sources and a formal tone.

How to Create an Informative Essay Outline?

Writing an informative essay outline is an essential step in the essay writing process. An outline provides a structure and a framework for the essay, allowing the writer to organize their thoughts and ideas before beginning to write. A good outline will help to ensure that the essay is clear, concise, and well-structured.

The outline for an informative essay typically includes the following sections: introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. Each section has a specific purpose and should be structured in a particular way.

I. Introduction

The introduction of an informative essay should provide background information on the topic and introduce the thesis statement, which is the main idea of the essay. The introduction should also capture the reader's attention and motivate them to continue reading.

A. Hook: The hook is the opening sentence or two of the essay. It should be attention-grabbing and relevant to the topic.

B. Background information: The background information provides context for the topic and helps the reader understand why the topic is important.

C. Thesis statement: The thesis statement is the main idea of the essay. It should be clear, concise, and specific.

II. Body Paragraphs

The body paragraphs of an informative essay provide detailed information on the topic. Each paragraph should focus on a particular aspect of the topic and be organized in a logical and coherent manner.

A. Topic sentence: The topic sentence is the first sentence of each body paragraph. It should clearly state the main point of the paragraph.

B. Supporting details: The supporting details provide evidence and examples to support the topic sentence.

C. Transitions: Transitions help to connect the paragraphs and make the essay flow smoothly.

III. Conclusion

The conclusion of an informative essay summarizes the main points of the essay and restates the thesis statement in a new way. The conclusion should also leave a lasting impression on the reader.

A. Restate thesis statement: The thesis statement should be restated in a new way to remind the reader of the main idea of the essay.

B. Summarize main points: The main points of the essay should be summarized in a concise and clear manner.

C. Final thoughts: The conclusion should end with final thoughts that leave a lasting impression on the reader.

Crafting an outline for an informative essay is a crucial stage in the process of essay writing. The purpose of creating an outline for an informative essay is to establish the topics you aim to address and to structure ideas accordingly.

The outline should include an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion, each with a specific purpose and structure. By following these guidelines, writers can create an informative essay that is clear, concise, and well-structured.

A Step-by-Step Guide to Writing an Informative Essay Format

Despite the fact that all essays have a similar structure, each type has its own distinctive features and peculiarities. It is a must to be aware of them in order to create a well-structured informative research paper outline. Structuring an informative essay outline can help you organize your thoughts and ideas and ensure that you cover all the necessary information.

Here are 7 steps to help you create a well-structured informative essay outline:

Choose a Topic

Select a topic that you are familiar with and that you find interesting. Ensure that the topic is suitable for an informative essay and that there is enough information available for you to research.

Conduct Research

Research your topic thoroughly using reputable sources such as academic journals, books, and websites. Gather information that will help you to support your arguments and make your essay more persuasive.

Create a Thesis Statement

Write a clear thesis statement that summarizes the main argument or purpose of your essay. Your thesis statement should be concise and focused, and it should provide a clear direction for your essay.

Create an Introduction

Begin your essay with an introduction that provides background information on your topic and introduces your thesis statement. Your introduction should be engaging and informative, and it should capture the reader's attention.

Create Body Paragraphs

The body of your essay should consist of several paragraphs, each of which should focus on a specific point or argument. Use clear and concise language to convey your ideas, and support your arguments with evidence such as examples, statistics, and other forms of evidence.

Create a Conclusion

Conclude your essay with a summary of your main points and a restatement of your thesis statement. Your conclusion should provide closure to your essay and leave a lasting impression on your reader.

Proofread and Edit

Edit and proofread your essay for grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors. Ensure that your essay is well-structured, easy to read, and well-supported with evidence.

Overall, following these seven steps will help you create a well-structured informative essay outline that will guide you in writing an effective and persuasive essay.

Comprehensive Analysis of All of the Outline's Subsections

Outlines for informative papers typically consist of the same five or six parts as those for other kinds of essays. This type of writing task usually requires a specific structure. Begin with a one-paragraph opening, then move on to the body—which should be at least three paragraphs long—and end with a closing. It's likely that this will appear recognizable to you.

Let's read more carefully through the parts of the research report. See to it that you have painted a distinct image of the content that each paragraph will address.

Introduction:

In the introduction of your informative essay structure, you should define your subject in simple terms. Rather than relying on your own assumptions, check that you are using the actual definitions provided by reputable sources. The so-called "prehistory" of the subject can be included, as it often contains fascinating tidbits that aren't common knowledge.

To back up the thesis assertion made at the outset of the paper, you should provide arguments in the body of your work. It is suggested to devote each paragraph to a single subject idea, so the number of body paragraphs will be determined by the number of arguments.

Controversial Arguments: 

Before responding to an opponent's claims, make sure you've done your homework and collected all the information you'll need to present a well-reasoned response. There will be more than one way to look at the heart of any given subject. It is for this reason that you must exercise caution when gathering evidence and showing your opponent's arguments.

Each line needs to not only make a case but also provide proof to back up that case. Include the identities of the scientists and scholars who created the relevant references in your citation. Paint a vivid image of the subject at hand. That's why it's up to you to clarify everything that's crucial.

The Conclusion: 

Many students make the mistake of thinking that the conclusion section of a summary must be a direct reiteration of the thesis statement. In the final section, you should restate the processed data and direct the reader's attention to the most important parts of the study.

The most important guideline to follow is to explain in the conclusion how the reader can profit from the study findings.

2 Informative Essay Examples

The Key Causes Resulting in Water Pollution

Water pollution is a serious environmental issue that poses a significant threat to human health and the ecosystem. It occurs when harmful substances are introduced into water bodies such as rivers, lakes, oceans, and groundwater, making them unsuitable for human consumption and other uses.

The causes of water pollution are diverse, ranging from industrial and agricultural practices to household activities. This essay examines the key causes of water pollution and their impacts on the environment and human health.

Industrial activities:

Industrial activities are a significant cause of water pollution, especially in developed countries. Industries such as mining, manufacturing, and oil drilling often release harmful chemicals and waste into water bodies, contaminating them with toxic substances.

For instance, the discharge of untreated wastewater from factories and refineries leads to high levels of pollutants in water bodies. These pollutants can cause waterborne diseases, kill aquatic plants and animals, and render water unsafe for human consumption.

Agricultural practices:

Agricultural activities are another significant cause of water pollution. The use of fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides in farming has led to the contamination of water bodies. When these chemicals are washed away by rain or irrigation, they end up in rivers and lakes, causing water pollution. Excessive use of fertilizers, in particular, has been linked to the eutrophication of water bodies.

Eutrophication is a process in which excessive nutrients in water promote the growth of algae, which reduces the amount of oxygen available for other aquatic organisms, leading to the death of fish and other aquatic life.

Household activities:

Household activities are also responsible for water pollution. These activities include the disposal of household waste, cooking oils, and detergents into water bodies. Septic systems and faulty sewer lines also contribute to water pollution. When households dispose of their waste improperly, it ends up in water bodies, contaminating them with harmful substances.

Detergents contain phosphates, which can cause eutrophication when they enter water bodies. Moreover, septic systems and faulty sewer lines can cause water contamination when they leak or overflow.

Mining activities:

Mining activities, particularly those involving open-pit mines, can cause significant water pollution. Open-pit mines generate large amounts of waste, which is often dumped into nearby water bodies. This waste contains toxic substances such as heavy metals, which can contaminate water and cause severe health problems.

The use of chemicals such as cyanide and mercury in mining operations also contributes to water pollution. These chemicals are used to extract gold and other minerals from ores, but they can contaminate water bodies if not handled properly.

Oil spills:

Oil spills are one of the most devastating causes of water pollution. When oil spills occur, they can have catastrophic effects on the environment and the economy. Oil spills can result from accidents involving oil tankers, pipeline leaks, and offshore drilling.

The spilt oil can spread over large areas, contaminating water bodies and killing aquatic plants and animals. The toxic substances in the oil can also pose a significant health risk to humans who come into contact with them.

Impacts of water pollution:

Water pollution has severe impacts on the environment and human health. For instance, water pollution can lead to the death of fish and other aquatic organisms, reducing biodiversity. Water pollution can also make water unsafe for human consumption, leading to waterborne diseases such as cholera and typhoid fever.

Furthermore, water pollution can lead to the destruction of ecosystems, reducing the ability of natural systems to provide essential services such as water purification, flood control, and erosion prevention.

In conclusion, water pollution is a significant environmental problem that can have severe consequences for aquatic life and humans. The causes of water pollution are diverse and can come from industrial and agricultural practices, household activities, mining activities, and oil spills.

To prevent water pollution, it is crucial to implement measures that reduce the release of pollutants into water bodies, such as improved industrial processes, sustainable agriculture practices, proper disposal of household hazardous waste, responsible mining practices, and oil spill prevention measures.

By working together to address water pollution, we can protect our water resources and ensure a healthier future for ourselves and the environment.

The Importance of Education in the 21st Century

Education is a fundamental pillar of society, and it plays a crucial role in the development of individuals and nations. In the 21st century, education has become more critical than ever before, given the rapid pace of technological advancements and globalization. This essay discusses the importance of education in the 21st century and how it impacts individuals and society as a whole.

Globalisation and Technological Advancements:

The 21st century is marked by a new era of globalization, characterized by the integration of economies, cultures, and societies across the world. Technological advancements, such as the internet and social media, have made it easier for people to communicate and access information, breaking down traditional barriers and boundaries.

In this context, education is essential for individuals to acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to navigate this new world successfully. Education enables individuals to communicate, think critically, and adapt to changes in the environment, including technological advancements.

Employability:

In the 21st century, the job market is highly competitive, and employers demand a skilled and knowledgeable workforce. Education plays a crucial role in ensuring that individuals are equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge to meet the demands of the job market.

Education enables individuals to acquire specialized knowledge and skills in their fields of interest, making them more competitive in the job market. Additionally, education fosters the development of soft skills, such as communication, teamwork, and problem-solving, which are highly valued by employers.

Personal Development:

Education is not just about acquiring knowledge and skills; it is also about personal development. Education enables individuals to develop a sense of identity, values, and beliefs, shaping their character and worldview. Education also promotes personal growth by exposing individuals to new ideas, perspectives, and cultures, broadening their horizons and promoting tolerance and diversity.

Social Development:

Education is critical for social development, promoting social mobility and reducing inequalities. Education enables individuals from different backgrounds and social classes to access the same opportunities and pursue their dreams, irrespective of their socioeconomic status.

Education also promotes social cohesion and community building by fostering a sense of civic responsibility and promoting active participation in society.

Environmental Sustainability:

In the 21st century, environmental sustainability is a crucial global issue that requires urgent action. Education plays a crucial role in promoting environmental awareness and sustainability. Education enables individuals to understand the impact of human activities on the environment and develop strategies to mitigate these impacts.

Education also promotes a culture of environmental stewardship, encouraging individuals to take responsibility for their actions and work towards a sustainable future.

Innovation and Creativity:

Innovation and creativity are critical drivers of economic growth and social progress in the 21st century. Education plays a crucial role in promoting innovation and creativity by fostering a culture of experimentation and risk-taking. Education enables individuals to develop critical thinking skills, think outside the box, and come up with creative solutions to complex problems.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, education is critical for the development of individuals and society in the 21st century. It enables individuals to acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to navigate a rapidly changing world, compete in the job market, and pursue personal and social goals. Education also promotes environmental sustainability, innovation, and creativity, promoting economic growth and social progress.

As such, investing in education is essential for building a better future for individuals and society as a whole.

In conclusion, writing an informative essay can be a rewarding experience, as it allows you to share your knowledge on a particular topic with others. By following the steps outlined in this article and utilizing the examples provided, you can create a well-structured and informative essay that will captivate your audience. Remember to thoroughly research your topic, organize your ideas, and use clear and concise language to convey your message. If you're looking for additional support in creating high-quality essays, sign up for jenni.ai ! Our AI-powered writing assistant can help you generate ideas, structure your essay, and even provide autocompletion suggestions to help you write faster. With jenni.ai, you can create engaging and informative essays with ease. Don't hesitate, click the button below to sign up for jenni.ai today and start writing your best essays yet!

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ENG 101: The Informative Essay

About the informative essay.

• Developing Questions
• The Thesis Statement
• Reading Scholarly Sources
• Collecting Scholarly Information
• Research Databases
• MLA Resources

Writing Resources

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Write an informative essay that does the following:

• Clearly informs the reader about a topic without presenting your opinion.
• Correctly uses required style (e.g. MLA or APA ) to organize and format the essay, and to create in-text citations and a bibliography.
• Cites research from academically reliable sources from library databases.
• Includes a properly developed introduction and conclusion.
• Is grammatically correct with few errors in spelling or mechanics.

NOTE: For specific requirements (i.e. - formatting style, number of pages, etc.) follow your instructor's guidelines.

Image from page 3 of Myles, R., & Tuang, H. (2014). Grade 2: Informative writing lessons . The Los Angeles Unified School District's Academic English Mastery Program. https://achieve.lausd.net/cms/lib/CA01000043/Centricity/Domain/217/MELD_Informative_CCSS_Lesson_2.pdf

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Links in the menu on the left of the page will give you access to videos, books, articles, websites, and even test prep resources for your project or program of study!  These have been curated by the library staff in collaboration with Gateway Faculty.  The intention is to create something interesting and useful for your studies.

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Meet your gateway librarians:, urban metro campus.

Greetings!  My name is Elizabeth Hartlaub.  I have been the Director of Library and Information Services at Gateway since the Summer of 2020.

I have been a librarian for over 15 years with both public and academic library experience.  Some professional positions I held prior to coming to Gateway are as follows: 

~ Library Operations Manager - UC Blue Ash

~ Branch Manager - Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County

I am originally from Cincinnati and attended Xavier University for my undergraduate degree in International Affairs. My career in libraries started when I worked as a Student Assistant at the XU Library! 

I was a first generation college student and found that the library provided the academic support and empowerment I needed to succeed in my studies. This doesn't go without saying that I also had an amazing group of family, friends, and other academic support at the university to help me along the way.  My advice to any student is that you are not alone as you work through your courses!  Engage with your school and personal support system early and often!

A few years after I graduated from XU, I earned a Master's Degree in Library Science at Indiana University - Bloomington. 

My favorite part of being a librarian is connecting with students and guiding them through the research and information literacy process.  Research is one of my favorite parts of being a librarian and I feel very lucky to be able to do what I love and share that knowledge with others!

In my free time, I love hiking and playing outside with my two children, going to baseball games at Great American Ball Park, and gardening in my small-but-mighty backyard garden.

One fun fact about me is that I started learning French when I was in Kindergarten.  I kept with it all the way through to earning a minor at XU.  I have visited France three times, including living there for 6 months as a part of a study abroad opportunity.  I am really rusty, but I think I can still carry on a conversation if needed.

Contact Elizabeth by...

Email: [email protected]

Phone: 859-442-4162

Office Location: UB208 (in the TIE building)

EDGEWOOD CAMPUS

Before I became a librarian, I was an architect and an historical archaeologist.  I renovate homes, and research history and genealogy for fun; I am interested in everything, so bring bring me your research questions and let's learn together!  Email, call, or chat if I can help with your information needs.

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Office Location: Boone Campus (CAM Building) Ground Floor B05

Hello, my name is Priscilla Kapungu I am your Library Specialist based at the Boone Campus.

I have 20 plus years of experience working in a special-public library at the Department of State's Harare Embassy as the Deputy director, for the Information Resource Center.

Before joining Gateway College I worked as a Customer Support Associate at Cengage Learning Group for four plus years.

One thing I enjoy in my line of work - Information Management, Program Evaluation, Interlibrary Linkages, Information Resources Literacy, is patrons and colleagues alike who are incredibly friendly and willing and ready to ask questions.

Fun fact about me is, I strongly believe in the the spirit of Ubuntu - namely “I am because we are…”

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I have worked at Gateway since 2015, receiving my MLIS from Wayne State University in Michigan, after leaving an internship at Xavier University's library. My primary areas of interest were and are how to best catalog, curate, and organize information to make it easy to learn from and use.

As you might expect, I enjoy reading and researching history for fun.

Please note that the best way to contact me is by email. If you need to meet in person, I will schedule an appointment by email. I try to reply to all emails made during the work week within 24 hours.

Given my role extends beyond traditional library services, I would encourage those who are embedded in my classes to contact me for more general questions, as well as research related ones: If I cannot find an answer for you, I can find someone who can!

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Phone: 859-442-1122

Office Location: UC - TIE Information Commons desk

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State your topic

Your topic is the essential idea of your paper. It is usually a few words or a phrase that summarizes the subject of your paper. For your thesis statement, try to make your topic as specific as possible.

State your main idea about this topic

What are you trying to state or prove about your topic? What are you trying to persuade the reader to believe? When stating your opinion, be sure to:

• express one major ideal
• name the topic and assert something specific about it
• take a stance on an issue that you can support with facts and reasons.
• state your position on or opinion about the issue.

Give a reason that supports your main idea

Write your reason as a clear statement. Be sure that you can support this reason with logical facts and evidence.

Give another reason that supports your main idea

Give one more reason that supports your main idea.

Tell us one reason that supports your opinion. Write your reason as a clear statement. Be sure that you can support this reason with logical facts and evidence.

Include an opposing viewpoint to your main idea, if applicable

A good thesis statement acknowledges that there is always another side to the argument. So, include an opposing viewpoint (a counterargument) to your opinion. Basically, write down what a person who disagrees with your position might say about your topic.

Click the button to generate your thesis statement!

Use this assignment calculator  to determine when you should complete each part of a writing project, such as research papers and speeches (1).

1. University of Minnesota Libraries. (n.d.). Assignment calculator . University of Minnesota. Retrieved May 24, 2022, from https://www.lib.umn.edu/services/ac

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Informative Essay Outline – Ultimate Guide & Examples

Amanda Green was born in a small town in the west of Scotland, where everyone knows everyone. I joined the Toastmasters 15 years ago, and I served in nearly every office in the club since then. I love helping others gain confidence and skills they can apply in every day life.

Writing an informative essay requires excellent research skills to educate your audience; I know this from first-hand experience. But creating an outline for your paper is easier said than done. I promise!

I created this guide to show you the correct outline for writing an informative essay with examples. Follow my tips so you can organize your thoughts and ideas.

What Is an Informative Essay?

An informative essay’s purpose is to inform and educate readers on a specific topic. Some reports seek to define a term, while others compare and contrast different objects. Some informative essays analyze data or provide procedures for doing something.

It’s the type of essay that should present something other than an opinion. That means you should omit personal pronouns “I” and “me” on the paper. You should also not persuade your reader in an informative essay.

Informational Essay Outline

Most essays and speeches follow four parts: an introduction, thesis, body, and conclusion. The main purpose is to help the writer connect all the information and support their thesis statement. Below is an outline for an informative essay structure with examples.

• Introduction

The essay introduction is where you introduce the topic of your choice. It should be shorter than the body paragraphs because it merely provides a background of your informative essay topic. Give the readers an overview of the body paragraph.

This part also includes the relevance of your topic. Ask yourself why you are writing about this subject. What makes it timely?

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Here’s an example:

“Tobacco, a plant that contains an addictive drug called nicotine, kills over 8 million people worldwide annually. It occurs as individuals inhale and exhale the burning plant material’s fumes.”

The thesis statement is often part of the introduction. It’s a complete sentence at the end of the first paragraph discussing what the informative essay will inform its readers. The thesis should be brief, concise, and written in simple terms.

For example:

“Smoking is the major cause of respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, such as cancer, diabetes, and stroke.”

• Body paragraphs

The main body of the essay includes a paragraph for every supporting detail. Teachers usually require students to have three points in this section. For every target point, the writer should support it with facts.

The target point is also known as the topic sentence. This statement will serve as the basis of the paragraph for cohesion. After that, support the sentence with facts and studies. Don’t forget to cite your sources to avoid plagiarism.

Don’t forget to summarize each point after every body paragraph to tie everything together.

Below is an example of a body paragraph about one target point.

“Smoking can cause cancer because it weakens the body’s immune system or damages a cell’s DNA. According to the US Department of Health and Human Services (2014), nearly 9 out of 10 deaths caused by lung cancer are caused by smoking cigarettes or exposure to second-hand smoke. Although treatments are advancing, it continues killing more people than other types of cancer.”

The informative essay conclusion summarizes the entire essay, highlighting the key points. Here, you should restate your thesis statement and the paper’s purpose. Do not introduce any new ideas or recommendations.

Here is a quick sample informative essay conclusion.

“Smoking is responsible for a majority of cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. It increases the risk of cancer, stroke, and diabetes. Nevertheless, people consume it because of the adrenaline rush that creates short-term energy and pleasure. With an effective action plan, anyone can quit this bad habit for good.”

How to Write an Informative Essay: The Writing Process

Now that you know the correct structure of an informative essay, here are some tips for writing one.

Review the Instructions

If you’re writing an informative essay for school, the teacher might have specific instructions for the activity or topic. Find out what you should write about and what they want to read from your paper.

Then, learn the required word and paragraph count. Some professors also have instructions for the writing style guide you should follow.

Formatting guidelines are also common among high school and college professors. Make sure to follow the font style, spacing, and size instructions.

A good essay is about more than just content. Teachers also grade these aspects to help you practice formality in writing. Don’t hesitate to ask questions if you’re unclear about the instructions.

Choose a Narrow Topic

Broad themes like love, weather, music, and technology are not recommended when writing an informative essay. Pick a topic that does not include general knowledge.

Consider smoking, for example. This topic is too broad for a 500-word essay. Try focusing on a subtopic, such as the diseases it causes or why people smoke. Perhaps you can also write about the correlation between smoking and poverty.

Create a Logical Thesis Before Writing the Body

You can only create subtopics for your informative essay if you already have a solid topic and thesis statement. Consider what you want your reader to know and why you choose this subject.

Start with a question in mind and write an initial answer. Research the topic, then formulate a tentative response. Make sure it’s based on facts with credible sources and summarizes your overall exposition. A logical thesis statement for this essay type also doesn’t include an opinion.

Create Several Drafts

Whether you’re asked to submit drafts or not, making several versions of your paper is crucial to ensure its quality. After every draft, you should create a more improved version of it with a better structure and fewer errors.

If you have to submit every draft, the lecturer may write their comments and return the paper for revision. Revising is the process of adding or removing information, fixing sentences, rearranging, or changing your evidence. It helps make your writing more understandable.

Here are some guide questions when revising your informative essay.

• Are some parts of your informative essay in proportion with others?
• Do you spend too much time on general knowledge and less on evidence?
• Does the paper follow the thesis statement?
• Is the formality appropriate?
• Does the essay follow a logical pattern?
• Are all the facts accurate?
• Have you cited all information appropriately?

Write a Successful Conclusion

Your outline for an informative essay should include a successful conclusion. It wraps up what you have been informing your readers. You can take from general to specific information while focusing on restating your topic.

Do not add extra information to your conclusion unless it’s a call to action for possible future research. In general, this part of the essay should restate your thesis statement, explain why the topic is essential, and address your main points.

One tip for writing a successful conclusion is to use your introductory paragraph as a guide. It also contains the thesis statement and main points. So, you can reword it and add a closing sentence. Provide closure to the reader, leaving them with a significant impression.

Proofread Your Paper

Proofreading is the final stage in the essay writing process before submitting your informative paper or persuasive essay. This step is crucial because professors also grade your essay or academic paper based on a technicality in informative writing. Check for grammar, punctuation, formatting, and spelling errors to make your writing more precise and accurate.

Review from the larger aspects of your text to the narrow ones. Check your complex sentence constructions, variety, vocabulary, and repetitive phrases. You also want to review your list of references. Are you using the correct style guide?

Learn More Writing Tips for Essay Writers

Writing an informative essay takes more than just research skills. You also need to ensure clarity, organization, and coherence in your work. Take a moment and read some informative essay examples you can find online. 

The best method to write an informative essay is to have a specific thesis statement which you can expand in the body paragraphs. Revise, edit, and proofread your work before submitting the final draft. I hope my guide and tips helped you on your way!

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How to Write an Informative Essay | A Step-by-Step Guide

Writing an essay, regardless of the type or format, can be a daunting task. However, with the right approach and understanding of the essay format, you can make the process more manageable. In this blog, we will provide a comprehensive step-by-step guide on how to write an informative essay effectively. Whether you are a student working on an assignment or someone seeking to share information with others, this guide will equip you with the necessary tools to create a well-structured and informative piece of writing.

To begin with, selecting an appropriate topic is crucial for an informative essay. Consider your audience and purpose, and choose a topic that is both interesting and informative. Conduct thorough research to gather relevant information from credible sources such as academic journals, books, and reputable websites. Taking organized notes and keeping track of your sources will help you in the later stages of writing.

Next, create an outline that will serve as a roadmap for your essay. Start with an attention-grabbing introduction that provides background information and ends with a clear thesis statement. Divide the body of your essay into paragraphs, each addressing a specific aspect or supporting point. Support your arguments with evidence, examples, and analysis. Finally, summarize the main points in a concise conclusion that reinforces your thesis statement and leaves a lasting impression on the reader.

By following these steps and paying attention to the details of essay writing, such as the essay format and structure, you can confidently write an informative essay that engages and educates your audience. Remember to utilize informative essay examples and informative essay topics as sources of inspiration and guidance. If you find yourself struggling, you can seek help from essay services that specialize in writing and editing. With a well-structured essay and a compelling thesis statement, you can effectively convey your message and provide valuable information to your readers.

Understanding the Essay Format In an Informative Essay

Before delving into the process of writing an essay, it is essential to understand the essay format. Whether you’re working on a research paper, an informative essay, or any other type of writing assignment, the essay format remains consistent. It consists of an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. The introduction is crucial as it serves as the gateway to your essay, captivating the reader’s attention. It should include an essay topic, an engaging thesis statement, and an essay outline that highlights the main points to be discussed. Once you’ve hooked the reader, the body paragraphs come into play. They provide a detailed exploration of your thesis statement, supported by research and examples. To ensure coherence, it’s important to use an essay outline format that clearly organizes your ideas. Each paragraph should have a topic sentence, supporting evidence, and analysis. Finally, the conclusion wraps up your essay by summarizing the key points and reinforcing the main argument, leaving a lasting impression on the reader.

Writing an essay involves several steps that begin with selecting suitable research paper topics or informative essay topics. Once you have chosen a topic, it’s time to create an essay outline. This outline acts as a roadmap, guiding you through the writing process. A w ell-structured essay outline example will ensure that your essay flows smoothly. With your outline in place, you can start developing the content. Conduct thorough research using reputable sources, such as academic journals and books, to gather information and support your arguments. Take note of relevant details and organize your research material. This will serve as a solid foundation for your essay or research paper. As you start writing, pay attention to the essay format example and the introduction essay examples. Craft a clear and concise thesis statement that articulates the main argument of your essay. Remember, an informative essay introduction must be compelling and provide a glimpse of what’s to come. Follow your essay outline , dedicating each body paragraph to a specific supporting point or idea. The conclusion should summarize the key points discussed and leave the reader with a strong impression. If you need assistance, there are essay services available that can help you with writing, formatting, and structuring your essay or research paper.

Selecting an Informative Essay Topic

When it comes to writing an essay, particularly an informative one, understanding the essay format and structure is essential. Knowing how to write an essay effectively involves following a specific essay format that includes an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. The essay format serves as a guideline for organizing your thoughts and presenting information in a logical and coherent manner. Additionally, creating an essay outline can greatly assist in structuring your writing. A well-crafted outline provides a roadmap for your essay, helping you stay focused and ensuring that you cover all the necessary points. It helps you organize your ideas, decide on the order of your arguments, and create smooth transitions between paragraphs. By following the proper essay format and utilizing an outline, you can present your ideas clearly and concisely, making your essay more impactful.

Choosing a topic for an informative essay is a crucial step in the writing process. Research paper topics, personal experiences, and current events can all serve as excellent starting points. It’s important to select a topic that not only interests you but also provides valuable information to your readers. Once you have chosen a topic, conducting thorough research is essential. This research will help you gather relevant information and supporting evidence to back up your claims and make your essay more credible. Having a clear thesis statement is also crucial in an informative essay, as it sets the direction for your writing and guides your readers. Overall, selecting an informative essay topic , conducting comprehensive research, and developing a strong thesis statement are key elements in creating an engaging and informative essay that effectively communicates your message to your audience.

Conducting Research and Creating an Outline

Once you have chosen a topic for your essay, it is essential to follow a structured approach to ensure a well-written and informative piece. Start by conducting thorough research to gather relevant and reliable information from credible sources such as academic journals, books, and reputable websites. Utilize these sources to find supporting evidence, examples, and expert opinions that strengthen your arguments and lend credibility to your writing. As you delve into your research, take organized notes and keep track of your sources for proper referencing. This will help you create an essay outline that outlines the main points and subtopics you want to cover, ensuring a coherent and logical flow in your writing.

The essay format typically consists of an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. In the introduction, provide an overview of your topic, engage the reader’s interest, and present a clear thesis statement that outlines your main argument. The body paragraphs should each focus on a specific point or idea related to your thesis statement. Support each point with evidence, examples, and analysis to strengthen your arguments . Ensure smooth transitions between paragraphs to maintain the coherence of your essay. Finally, in the conclusion, summarize your main points, restate your thesis, and provide a closing thought or reflection on the topic.

Writing an essay can be a daunting task, but with proper research, organization, and adherence to the essay structure, you can produce a well-crafted and informative piece of writing. If you find yourself struggling, there are essay services available that can provide guidance and assistance throughout the writing process. Remember to proofread and edit your essay before submission to ensure clarity, coherence, and proper grammar and spelling.

Writing the Introduction

The introduction is a critical component of any essay, and understanding how to write an effective one is crucial. When writing an essay, it is important to follow a specific format and structure to ensure clarity and coherence. One common format is the research paper outline, which helps to organize your thoughts and ideas before you begin writing . By following an outline, you can ensure that your essay has a logical flow and covers all the necessary points.

To illustrate the essay format and structure, it can be helpful to refer to an essay example. Examining a well-written essay can provide insight into how to organize your own writing and present your ideas effectively. By analyzing the essay outline and structure, you can gain a better understanding of how to create a cohesive and well-structured essay .

There are different types of essays, each with its own unique characteristics and purposes. Some common types include informative essays, personal essays , and persuasive essays. Understanding the different essay types can help you choose the appropriate approach and style for your topic. It’s important to select a topic that is both interesting and manageable, and that aligns with the requirements of your assignment.

If you need assistance with your essay, there are various essay services available that can provide writing help, proofreading, and editing. These services can be particularly useful if you’re struggling with certain aspects of your essay or need guidance in refining your ideas. Hence, understanding the essay format, conducting proper research, creating an outline, and selecting an appropriate topic are crucial steps in the essay writing process. By following these steps and utilizing the available resources, you can enhance your essay writing skills and produce well-structured, engaging, and informative essays .

Developing Body Paragraphs

When writing an essay, it is crucial to follow a proper essay format and structure. The body paragraphs of your essay play a vital role in presenting your ideas and supporting your thesis statement. To effectively convey your message, start each paragraph with a topic sentence that introduces the main idea. This helps to maintain clarity and organization throughout your essay . As you delve into each paragraph, provide relevant evidence, such as statistics, research findings, or expert opinions, to support your claims. Including real-life examples and situations can make your content more relatable and understandable to the reader.

Furthermore, it is essential to consider different types of essays and their specific requirements. For instance, when writing an informative essay, your focus is on providing valuable information and insights on a particular topic. In this case, you need to choose informative essay topics that are engaging and relevant. Additionally, ensure that your essay has a clear introduction that grabs the reader’s attention and includes examples or personal essay examples to make it more relatable. Developing an informative essay outline can help you structure your content in a logical and coherent manner.

When conducting research for your essay, create a research paper outline to organize your findings and ideas. This outline format serves as a roadmap for your essay, guiding you on what information to include in each paragraph. It helps to maintain a s mooth flow of ideas and ensures that you cover all the necessary points. Additionally, properly citing and referencing all the sources used in your essay is essential to give credit to the original authors and avoid plagiarism.

If you need assistance with your essay, GradeSmiths is available to provide comprehensive guidance and support. Our range of services includes essay writing, where our expert writers can help you craft a well-structured and engaging essay. We can also assist you in developing an outline that effectively organizes your ideas and arguments, ensuring a coherent flow throughout your paper. Additionally, our team can refine your thesis statement, helping you to articulate a clear and concise focus for your essay.

Formatting your essay correctly is essential, and GradeSmiths can ensure that your essay adheres to the required style, whether it be APA, MLA , or any other formatting guidelines. Our experienced editors will meticulously review your essay to guarantee proper formatting, citation, and referencing. If you are struggling to find suitable research paper topics, our knowledgeable team can provide suggestions that align with your subject area and interests. Furthermore, if you are pressed for time or simply need some extra assistance, our writers can even collaborate with you to write the essay from start to finish, ensuring a high-quality and well-crafted final product.

At GradeSmiths , we understand the challenges that students face when it comes to essay writing, and our goal is to alleviate your stress and help you achieve academic success. Our team of skilled professionals is dedicated to providing top-notch assistance tailored to your specific needs. So, if you require any support with your essay, don’t hesitate to reach out to GradeSmiths . We are here to help you every step of the way.

Structuring the Conclusion

When it comes to structuring the conclusion of your essay, it is essential to consider several key elements to ensure a comprehensive and impactful ending. The conclusion serves as the final opportunity to leave a strong impression on your reader and reinforce the main points discussed throughout your essay . Additionally, incorporating your provided keywords will further enhance the content. Let’s explore the key components to include:

• Summarize the Main Points: Begin your conclusion by summarizing the main arguments and ideas presented in your essay. This serves as a reminder to your reader of the key takeaways and provides a cohesive overview of the entire essay .
• Restate the Thesis Statement: While avoiding repetition, restate your thesis statement in a fresh and impactful manner. Use different words or sentence structure to reinforce the central theme or argument of your essay. This restatement helps to solidify your message and emphasize its importance.
• Avoid Introducing New Information: One crucial rule in conclusion writing is to refrain from introducing new information. The conclusion should primarily focus on reinforcing and synthesizing the existing content. Including new ideas can confuse or dilute the overall impact of your essay .
• Provide a Thought-Provoking Ending: Aim to conclude your essay with a thought-provoking statement or idea that resonates with your reader. This could be a reflection, a call to action, or a rhetorical question that encourages further exploration or consideration of the topic.

By skillfully structuring your conclusion with these elements, you can create a powerful and memorable ending for your essay. The summarized main points and restated thesis statement reinforce the core message, while the absence of new information ensures clarity and focus. Finally, ending with a thought-provoking statement leaves a lasting impression on your reader and prompts them to engage further with the subject matter.

Polishing Your Essay

When it comes to writing an essay , the process doesn’t end with completing the initial draft. It is crucial to invest time in polishing and refining your work to ensure its quality and effectiveness. One of the first steps in this process is to thoroughly proofread your essay, checking for any grammar or spelling errors. This careful review helps to ensure that your writing is clear, professional, and free from mistakes . Additionally, pay close attention to the coherence and flow of your essay by reading it aloud or seeking feedback from others. This step allows you to identify areas that may require further clarification or restructuring. Revise your sentence structure and word choice to enhance readability and engage your readers effectively. Simplify any complex or convoluted sentences to make your ideas more accessible. By devoting time to polish your essay , you can elevate its overall quality and leave a lasting impression on your audience.

Citing Sources and References

Maintaining academic integrity is of utmost importance when writing an essay. To demonstrate the credibility of your work and acknowledge the contributions of other authors, it is essential to include proper citations and references for any external sources used . Familiarize yourself with the required citation style for your essay, such as APA, MLA, or Chicago, and adhere to its guidelines meticulously. Throughout your essay, ensure that all in-text citations are accurately formatted and correspond to the entries in your bibliography or reference page. Consistency and accuracy are key in this process. Compile a comprehensive bibliography or reference list that encompasses all the sources cited in your essay. Double-check the accuracy of each entry, including authors’ names, publication dates, titles, and page numbers. By appropriately citing your sources and providing accurate references, you demonstrate your respect for intellectual property and contribute to the scholarly conversation. Following these guidelines for citing sources and references helps maintain the academic integrity of your essay and enhances its credibility.

Finalizing Your Essay

When it comes to finalizing your essay, there are several important steps to take to ensure that your work meets the necessary requirements and is ready for submission. It is crucial to pay attention to detail and make any necessary adjustments. Here’s a detailed breakdown of the finalization process:

• Formatting and Styling: Before submitting your essay, make sure to format it according to the given guidelines. Adjust the font style and size, margins, line spacing, and indentation as required. Consistency in formatting throughout your essay enhances its visual appeal and readability.
• Review Assignment Requirements: Double-check that you have met all the assignment requirements, including the word count and any specific instructions or prompts. Ensure that your essay aligns with the expectations set by your instructor or the assignment guidelines.
• Proofreading and Editing: Take the time to thoroughly proofread your essay for grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors. Correct any typos, awkward phrasing, or unclear sentences. Ensure that your writing is clear, concise, and coherent. Reading your essay aloud or asking someone else to review it can help you identify areas that need improvement .
• Citations and References: Verify that you have properly cited all the sources used in your essay. Follow the required citation style, such as APA, MLA, or Chicago, and ensure accuracy and consistency throughout your essay. Create a bibliography or reference page that lists all the sources cited in your essay.

Overall Coherence and Flow: Read your essay from start to finish to evaluate its overall coherence and logical flow. Ensure that each paragraph connects smoothly to the next and that your ideas progress in a logical and organized manner. Make necessary revisions to improve the clarity and cohesion of your essay.

Writing an informative essay is a process that requires careful planning, research, and organization. By following the step-by-step guide provided, you can confidently navigate the essay writing journey and produce high-quality work. It all starts with selecting a suitable topic that is interesting and relevant to your audience. Conduct thorough research and gather credible information to support your ideas.

Creating a solid outline helps you structure your essay and ensures that you cover all the necessary points. Focus on developing well-structured paragraphs that clearly present your ideas and provide supporting evidence. Throughout the writing process, be mindful of polishing your essay by proofreading it for errors and refining your writing style to enhance clarity and impact.

At GradeSmiths , we understand the challenges of writing an informative essay. That’s why we offer comprehensive essay services to provide guidance and support at every stage of the writing process. Our experienced writers can help you with essay formatting, proofreading, and refining your content to ensure a polished and impressive final product. Trust GradeSmiths to assist you in crafting compelling and informative essays that captivate readers and convey valuable information.

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How to Write Informative Essays

Informative essays are one of the main types of academic writing students must complete as part of the educational process. While this is a typical assignment in any curriculum, it can be hard to distinguish between different types of essays and how to write them.

In this article, we’ll delve into the genre of this essay type, learn the definition of an informative essay, and how to write an informational essay.

What is an informative essay?

An informative essay is a piece of academic writing that aims to give a reader information on a certain topic.

This essay type should include a succinct unbiased description of a certain matter. Its goal is to provide an analysis or an overview of facts, which would help the readers draw their own conclusions and encourage them to study the issue independently.

Information essay: functions and objectives

As we already learned, an information essay is an educational paper based on real-life facts. It’s generally written in a style that is very similar to textbooks or encyclopedia entries. This type of essay aims to fulfill the following objectives:

• Enlighten the audience . The most important function of any information essay is educating the readers. You need to give your readers insight into topics they may have never heard of before, so your writing must be insightful and provide a detailed account of new knowledge.
• Correct misinformation . If the topic you choose is associated with misleading myths, your essay must aim to debunk it. Give accurate information with believable evidence to educate your audience and clarify existing misconceptions.
• Raise awareness . Information essays are great avenues to raise awareness about certain issues. By providing well-researched information and keeping your analysis objective, you can motivate readers to study the issue further and make their own conclusions about the subject matter.
• Clarify complex ideas . In this type of essay, it's crucial to outline all important details in easily comprehensible terms. The author of an informative essay must strive to give an overview of difficult concepts in simple words to improve the readers’ understanding.
• Relay objective data . To support your chosen topic, your writing must include factual data. It can be backed up by statistical data, expert opinions, or research studies to give your audience a broader background and understanding of the issue.

As you can see, all objectives of information essays revolve around providing the readers with knowledge and understanding about the subject matter. These texts aim to broaden the audience’s perspective on the world by presenting it with an unbiased account of certain issues.

How to write an informational essay: tutorial

Now that we answered the question “What is an informative essay?”, let’s talk about how to actually write it.

There are several things you need to do before you begin to write the text.

1. Pick your subject matter

The very first step on your way to writing your essay is selecting the subject matter. Unless you were given a task to detail a specific issue, you will have to search for one on your own. The best option is to choose topics that have extensive research to back them up, are interesting to you, and are relevant to your audience.

Make a list of potential topics and consider which ones you can comfortably cover within your essay. Remember that essays generally have a limited word count. You have to select a subject matter that you will be able to explain to your audience fully.

2. Gather information

All informative essays must contain factual information from credible sources. Research your chosen topic and use only reliable references like academic journals, reputable websites, books, and so on. Keep track of all sources you use to provide proper citations later.

3. Create a draft

Like any other text of this kind, an informative essay can be divided into three main parts: the introduction, the body, and the conclusion.

The introduction is the part where you introduce the subject matter of your essay. This is also where you can provide background on the issue in question and give your audience more context.

The body paragraphs of an informative essay should center on giving your audience detailed and factual information about the subject matter. A typical information essay can address the following questions:

• Who? Introduce a person or persons who are known for doing a particular thing.
• What? Analyze an important object or an event that was caused by a specific person or persons.
• Where? Describe the place where a particular event occurred.
• When? Give the timeline of specific events.
• Why? Explain the reasons behind a particular event.
• How? Illustrate existing and proven methods for doing something.

Organize your research into main ideas, note which sources you plan to use, and create a cohesive and interconnected outline of your future narration. 

The conclusion provides a summary of everything you talked about in your essay. You can use bullet points to write down which facts you plan to restate in your conclusion.

4. How to write an informative essay introduction

Your introduction’s main goal is to give your readers information about the subject matter and attract their attention to continue reading your essay. Begin your writing with a hook like a quote or a rhetorical question to pique the readers’ curiosity.

Next, you need to provide a brief overview of the issue, which will help the audience understand why the topic of your essay is significant.

The most important part of your essay is the thesis statement. Students often don’t know how to write a thesis statement for an informative essay because this part generally introduces the author’s opinion. However, an informative essay should not represent the opinion of its author. Instead, give a preview of what your readers will learn from your essay and outline the main that will be covered next.

5. How to write the body of an informative essay

In this part, you should present your research points and evidence. Here are some rules that will help you write a perfect informative essay.

• Dedicate each body paragraph to a separate fact. This will keep your essay organized and easy to follow.
• Start each new paragraph with a topic sentence. Topic sentences give your audience an indication of what you’re going to discuss next.
• Provide evidence that supports your topic sentence. Use only credible sources and don’t forget to include citations in the text.
• Explain how the evidence relates to your topic sentence and the subject matter of the entire essay. Analyze the evidence and provide insights or interpretations that help deepen the audience’s understanding.
• Avoid repetitions. Be concise in your explanations and provide clear, relevant, and specific details that directly contribute to supporting your main ideas.

6. How to write a conclusion for an informative essay

The conclusion of your essay should briefly restate your thesis statement and provide an overview of all the ideas developed in the body. In the context of informative essays, you may recount what the audience learned from your essay. Finish your narration with suggestions for further research or action.

7. Prepare a list of references

Compile a list of all sources used in your research and mentioned in your essay. Learn which reference standard you’re supposed to use and organize your list per the established rules.

Conclusion: How to write informative essays

In this article, you learned everything you need to know to write a perfect informative essay. Remember that this type of academic writing should provide only factual information based on trustworthy sources.

If you have more questions, you can use our essay generator Aithor. Aithor is an innovative tool specifically designed to assist students in writing academic essays. Use the essay generator Aithor to generate essay ideas, find sources for your research, check your writing for plagiarism, and much more.

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Informative Essay

Informative Essay - Writing Tips, Examples and Topics

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The Ultimate Handbook for Informative Essay Topics

Informative Essay Outline - Steps, Template. & Samples

Do you find writing informative essays a bit tricky? You're not alone—many students feel the same way.

It can be tough to figure out how to start and organize your essay.

But don't worry! This blog is here to help. We'll guide you step by step on how to write great informative essays. By the end, you'll feel confident and ready to tackle your assignments with ease! 

Let's get started!

• 1. What is an Informative Essay?
• 2. Types of Informative Essay 
• 3. How to Start an Informative Essay?
• 4. How to Write an Informative Essay?
• 5. How To End An Informative Essay
• 6. Informative Essay Examples
• 7. Informative Essay Topics
• 8. Informative Essay Writing Tips

What is an Informative Essay?

An informative essay is a type of academic writing where you objectively share facts, statistics and about a specific topic. It's like being a helpful guide, presenting information without adding your own opinions. It's an organized way of communicating to ensure clarity in academic discussions.

Why Write an Informative Essay?

Writing an informative essay is all about sharing knowledge. It helps explain complex ideas, teach important concepts, or describe detailed processes. 

Whether you're a student meeting academic needs or a facts enthusiast, this essay style provides a clear structure for easy understanding.

Types of Informative Essay 

According to the functions that an informative essay performs, it can be divided into several types. If you are a high school or a college student, understanding each informative essay type is essential to score well.

Expository Essays

Expository essays aim to explain a process or concept with clarity and precision. 

They provide a detailed, step-by-step breakdown, ensuring the reader gains a comprehensive understanding of the subject. The focus is on presenting information logically to make complex ideas more accessible.

Descriptive Essays

Descriptive essays strive to create a vivid and sensory-rich experience for the reader. 

By incorporating detailed descriptions and appealing to the senses, these essays go beyond mere facts. They immerse the audience in the subject, fostering a deeper connection and understanding through the power of vivid language.

Compare and Contrast Essays

In compare and contrast essays , the writer explores the similarities and differences between two subjects. 

This type of essay facilitates a nuanced understanding of relationships and distinctions, providing valuable insights into the characteristics that bind or differentiate the chosen subjects.

Cause and Effect Essays

Cause and effect essays delve into the reasons behind a particular event or phenomenon, examining the factors that lead to its occurrence. 

Simultaneously, these essays explore the consequences or outcomes that result from these causal factors. 

This type of informative essay is valuable for comprehending the interconnected nature of events and understanding their broader implications.

How to Start an Informative Essay?

Here are some steps that will help you to start writing an essay. 

Choose a Topic

Selecting an engaging and relevant topic is the foundational step in starting your informative essay. 

Consider your interests, the preferences of your audience, and the requirements of the assignment. Choose a subject that not only captivates your curiosity but also has enough credible information available for thorough exploration.

Conduct Research

Once you've chosen your topic, delve into research to gather credible and reliable information. Utilize reputable sources such as academic journals, books, and reputable websites. 

Take comprehensive notes, making sure to distinguish between various perspectives and collecting relevant data that will contribute to a well-informed and compelling essay.

Create an Outline

Organize your thoughts and research findings by creating a structured outline. Divide your essay into sections, including an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. 

Establish a logical flow by arranging your main points and supporting details in a cohesive manner. The outline serves as a roadmap for your writing, ensuring that your informative essay unfolds in a clear and organized fashion.

Here is the basic structure of an informative essay outline:

 Have a look at this in-depth guide on how to outline informative essays effectively!

How to Write an Informative Essay?

Now that you have your basic information organized in an outline, you can get started on the writing process. Here’s what you need to include:

Introduction

The first section of the essay is the introduction . Here you will present the essay’s purpose and attempt to grab the reader’s attention towards the content. An informative essay introduction includes the following information:

• A hook statement to excite the audience
• The background context of the chosen topic
• The main thesis statement

Writing an introduction that tells your reader what to expect is essential for your informative essay’s effectiveness. 

Body Paragraphs

An informative essay body contains all the details on the topic. Each body paragraph starts with a topic sentence which indicates what the paragraph is going to be about. In addition, it includes supporting information and evidence on the thesis statement. 

This section has several paragraphs that together form informative content for the audience. All the body paragraphs contain a single point or claim and an explanation that describes a topic. 

How To End An Informative Essay

After the body paragraphs, you close your essay by writing your conclusion. Here’s how you can end informative essay:

All the body paragraphs lead the audience towards the end of the essay. The conclusion is the last section of the essay in which the closing statements are presented. It gives closure to the whole discussion. 

The concluding paragraph of an informative essay should contain the following information:

• Restated thesis statement 
• Summary of the major points

The purpose of writing a conclusion is to highlight the essay’s significance and where this information can be applied. 

Editing and Proofreading 

After finishing your essay's conclusion, take the time to read through and make improvements. Check it a few times to catch any mistakes and make sure it follows the rules of writing. Look out for:

• Punctuation
• Sentence structure

Fix all the errors to make your essay more interesting. Lastly, confirm that you've  used the right format for an informative essay. This ensures your essay is well-presented and engaging.

Informative Essay Examples

When drafting an academic assignment for the first time, students need examples to understand the correct procedure and structure. 

Here is a short informative essay example:

Check out more essay examples: 

Informative Essay Sample

Informative Essay on Bullying

Informative Essay on Poverty

Informative Essay Format

Thesis Statement for Informative Essay

Informative Essay Introduction Examples

Informative Essay Topics

Choosing an effective informative essay topic is crucial for creating a compelling piece of writing. 

An ideal topic should not only captivate your interest but also resonate with your audience. The subject matter should hold contemporary significance or contribute to a better understanding of various aspects of life. 

Here are some good informative essay topics for you:

• The Impact of Climate Change on Global Weather Patterns
• The Evolution and Importance of Renewable Energy Sources
• The Role of Artificial Intelligence in Modern Healthcare
• Understanding the Effects of Social Media on Mental Health
• Exploring Sustainable Practices for a Greener Lifestyle
• The History and Significance of Space Exploration
• The Benefits and Risks of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) in Agriculture
• The Influence of Cultural Diversity on Global Business Practices
• The Rise of E-commerce and Its Effects on Traditional Retail
• The Importance of Financial Literacy for Young Adults

Can’t pick a topic? Check out more interesting and creative informative essay topics !

Informative Essay Writing Tips

Here are some essential tips to enhance your essay writing:

• Clearly articulate why you are writing the essay.
• Tailor your content to the knowledge level and interests of your readers.
• Conduct in-depth research consulting credible sources of information to make the content authentic.
• The thesis statement of the essay should be concise, direct, and readable. 
• Use examples and facts to support your claims.
• Maintain an unbiased and factual tone throughout your essay.
• Do not share extra information in the introduction paragraph. 
• Create an outline to make the essay’s content structured
• The length of the conclusion should not exceed the length of the introduction. 

To sum up, you now have all the steps and valuable tips laid out, you can get started on your informative essay!

It's as simple as crafting an interesting introduction, organizing ideas in paragraphs, and wrapping it up with a strong conclusion. 

However, if you find yourself struggling or needing extra help, our essay help online is here for you. Our skilled writers are ready to assist, making sure your essay stands out for being clear, thorough, and impactful.

So, why wait? Order now!

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Dr. Barbara is a highly experienced writer and author who holds a Ph.D. degree in public health from an Ivy League school. She has worked in the medical field for many years, conducting extensive research on various health topics. Her writing has been featured in several top-tier publications.

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Informative Essay Guide

Informative Essay Outline

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Learn How to Create an Informative Essay Outline

By: Jared P.

Reviewed By: Melisa C.

Published on: Jun 1, 2021

An informative essay is written to educate readers on a particular topic. This type of essay can be written for several purposes, such as defining a term or comparing and contrasting something. This type of essay doesn’t require your opinion on the topic.

The purpose of writing an informative essay is to educate others on a certain topic. You should not express your opinion and do not try to persuade others to take a certain action.

If you are writing an informative essay for the first time, better create an outline first. The informative essay outline will help you structure your essay in the best way possible.

In this blog, you will learn about the basic rules for creating an informative essay outline. These guidelines and a sample outline are designed to help students get started with their projects successfully.

On this Page

What is an Informative Essay Outline?

An informative essay outline is like a checklist or action plan that you need to complete. The outline helps the writer not to lose focus while working on the essay. Creating an outline is not necessary, but expert writers recommend it. An outline is the only way not to get lost in the middle of the writing process.

The purpose of an outline for an informative essay is to highlight ideas that you want to include in your essay.

Writing an outline is important because of the basic structure that it provides. In addition, the outline should contain some specific details regarding the layout of the essay. Creating an outline prior to the essay writing process is the key to writing a successful essay.

Outline Your Way to Writing Excellence!

How to Write an Informative Essay Outline?

The layout of an informative essay is similar to other types of academic essays. These include argumentative essays, persuasive essays, narrative essays, etc.

The outline for an informative essay should include an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Understanding what to include in each part of the informative essay is very important for a successful informative essay.

Informative Essay Introduction

Any idea how to start an informative essay?

Remember this is the section where you need to introduce your topic and provide a thesis statement. In a few lines, introduce the topic you are writing your essay on and provide some background information.

The introduction should end with a strong thesis statement. This statement should tell the audience what direction your essay is going to take. Therefore, make sure the thesis statement is brief, clear, and concise.

Tips for Writing an Effective Introduction:

• Make sure to narrow down the scope of your essay.
• There must be a connection between your introduction and thesis statement.
• Hook your readers at the start of your introductory paragraph.

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Informative Essay Body Paragraphs

The main body of an informative essay is usually composed of three paragraphs. There are two things that you should consider while composing the body paragraphs of an informative essay. One is the target point, and the second is supporting facts.

Each body paragraph of an informative essay should begin with an idea (topic sentence). This is one sentence statement on which the whole paragraph will be based on. This statement must be in cohesion with the thesis statement written in the introductory paragraph.

After that, provide supporting evidence from the most credible sources. The evidence you provide must relate to your main target point. Don’t forget to quote sources and properly cite information to avoid plagiarism.

At the end of each body paragraph, summarize your points and explain their relevance to the thesis statement. Effective body paragraphs for an informative essay depend on the following points.

• Making a claim
• Evidence in support of the claim
• Provide an explanation in the last

The informative essay can have more than three body paragraphs depending upon the chosen topic.

Tips for Effective Body Paragraphs:

• Do not provide your opinion or point of view on the topic.
• Completely rely on facts and research.
• Discuss the strongest point in the first body paragraph.
• Don’t forget to use transition words for a smooth flow of information in your body paragraphs.

Informative Essay Conclusion

This is the last part where you need to wrap up your information. Begin the conclusion by restating the thesis statement. After that, write about your major arguments and their purpose. The goal of the conclusion is to provide the reason for your informative essay and its importance in the real world.

The conclusion should describe the purpose of your informative essay and what it means for your readers. You should summarize your key arguments and provide a strong closing statement to summarize all your key points.

Tips for a Strong Conclusion:

• Highlight the key points of your argument.
• Do not introduce any new ideas in the conclusion.
• Restate the thesis in other similar words and terms.

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Informative Essay Outline Template Free

Most of the essay outline contain the same elements. But each essay outline has particular points that you need to focus on. It is important to be well-aware of the distinctive features to come up with a good informative paper.

INFORMATIVE ESSAY OUTLINE ELEMENTARY

5Th TO 8TH GRADE INFORMATIVE ESSAY OUTLINE TEMPLATE

INFORMATIVE ESSAY OUTLINE TEMPLATE FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL

INFORMATIVE ESSAY OUTLINE HIGH SCHOOL

INFORMATIVE ESSAY OUTLINE FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS

Informative Essay Outline Example

Wondering where you can get free informative essay outline examples? Having a well-written example in hand will help you in coming up with successful work. You can easily find many informative essay examples online for your help.

5 PARAGRAPH INFORMATIVE ESSAY OUTLINE

Sample Informative Essay Outline

Hopefully, the above guidelines and examples help you in writing a great informative essay. However, informative writing is sometimes not easy, especially when you are working on an unfamiliar topic.

In this situation, it is better to get help from professional writers. At 5StarEssays.com, we provide the best ‘ do my essay paper ’ help to students struggling with their academic papers.

Our essay writers can help you create high-quality essays and research papers in no time. To get the best custom essay writing help, all you need is to contact us and hire our essay writer.

Whether you need help with your informative essay topic or with the complete writing process, we can help.

Place your order now and get the best essay writing help from professionals.

Masters Essay, Literature

Jared P. is a renowned author and writing service provider with over fifteen years of experience in the publishing industry. He has a Ph.D. degree in English Literature and has spent his entire career helping students achieve their academic goals by providing expert writing assistance.

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How to Write an Informative Essay With Tips and Examples

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Writing an informative essay is a crucial academic exercise for students because it provides an opportunity to develop and perfect writing skills. Like any other papers, an informative essay has a format that comprises of three main sections: introduction, body, and conclusion. Moreover, the significant difference between this essay and other types of papers is that its purpose is to educate the audience about a topic or an issue. Ideally, an informative essay: defines a term, topic, or issue; compares and contrasts; analyzes data, a problem, or a phenomenon; or provides a how-to guide on a subject. In turn, these four goals represent four categories of informative essays. Hence, students need to learn how to write a perfect informative essay to master their writing skills and shape knowledge on delivering an intended message to readers.

General Guidelines of Writing an Informative Essay

Informative essays are standard academic texts that students need to write during their college years. Unlike research essays that investigate a phenomenon to advance knowledge in specific fields, informative essays provide information or explain a subject, topic, or issue to readers. In this case, authors of this type of paper consider the audience when providing information that corresponds to their understanding level. Moreover, writers must never over-explain to experts if it is possible to make assumptions or under-explain to novices that lack basic understating. Since the purpose of these informative essays is to educate readers by providing in-depth information and a clear explanation of a subject, topic, or issue, tailoring the message to the readers’ level of understanding is key.

Why and Where to Write an Informative Essay

When it comes to why and when to write an informative essay, students should judge what an informative essay prompt requires them to do. Basically, there are four main categories of informative essay prompts. Hence, these elements are:

• Prompts that require students to define a term, topic, or issue.
• Assignments that require students to compare and contrast.
• Tasks that require analysis of data, an issue, or a phenomenon.
• Instructions that require students to provide a how-to guide on a subject.

Possible Examples of Informative Essay Topics

1. domestic violence.

Here, informative essay prompts may require students to analyze data related to domestic violence with a view of educating readers about the trend that the vice is taking. In this case, writers need to inform cases of domestic violence that are rising or falling across communities and what dynamics are involved in either situation. After reading an informative essay, the audience must know what leads to domestic violence, including why it is on the rise or a decline in contemporary society.

Here, informative essay assignments may require students to educate readers about specific circumstances that lead to or reflect poverty. In writing an informative essay, a student may mention factors, like low levels of education, unemployment, a lack of basic amenities, substance abuse, policy failure, infrastructural barriers, and a lack of economic opportunities. Hence, writers should provide essential details that help characterize the reality of poverty in society.

3. Plastic Surgery

Here, informtaive essay tasks may require students to give a detailed explanation of what the term “plastic surgery” means. In their response, students should educate readers by defining the term and outlining its various manifestations. Then, a critical detail relevant to the audience would be why celebrities prefer to have plastic surgeries more than ordinary citizens. More importantly, writers should inform the audience of the pros and cons of having plastic surgery.

Here, informative essay instructions may require students to provide a how-to guide about stress management. Basically, the information that readers may find insightful includes what leads to stress, the adverse health effects of stress, and how stress affects social functioning. However, the bulk of the information should be about the mechanisms of stress management that readers may follow if they are stressed or advise a stressed person to follow to avoid adverse effects.

5. Procrastination

Here, informative essay prompts may require students to define procrastination and state its advantages and disadvantages. In writing an informative essay, authors should educate readers about a topic with a view of shedding light on whether one can consider it as a vice. Moreover, it would be beneficial for the audience to have all the facts about the benefits and drawbacks of procrastination in diverse settings, such as school and workplace environments.

6. Illegal Immigration

Here, informative essay assignments may require students to go into details about the issue of illegal immigration. Basically, important details should cover its history, recent trends, and political and social significance in today’s globalized world. Also, writers may identify countries that produce illegal immigrants and those that host them, giving specific reasons on why for each. In their conclusion, authors may provide suggestions as to what needs to happen to protect illegal immigrants’ human dignity in politically hostile environments.

Here, informative essay tasks may require students to define racism and give its various manifestations. Basically, students need to provide a brief background of the issue in their response, identifying its victims and perpetrators. Moreover, writers should choose a community or country as a case study and provide details that show whether the vice is historical or current and what sentiments prevail concerning it at the community and national levels.

Here, informative essay instructions may require students to explain a tattooing trend, including its historical root. In writing an informative essay, students may provide details about this trend’s demographic distribution and its cultural significance. Identifying a link between pop culture and a tattoo trend is something that readers might relate to themselves by considering that a majority of celebrities in the modern world have tattoos.

9. Teen Pregnancy

Here, informative essay prompts may require students to provide a detailed explanation of teen pregnancy and why it is on the rise in urban centers compared to rural areas. In writing an informative essay, students may decide to compare and contrast teen pregnancy in urban and rural areas, giving specific details about some factors that lead to the trend in both cases. In their conclusion, writers should inform readers about what makes either region lead in teen pregnancy cases. In turn, details about parental failures due to career commitments can explain why teens are becoming pregnant in cities.

10. Homelessness

Here, informative essay assignments may require students to discuss the homelessness phenomenon, educating readers on why it is common in cities and not in rural areas. In writing an informative essay, authors should focus on diverse issues that lead to homelessness, such as population growth, failure of government policies, unemployment, substance use and misuse, and so on. Moreover, an informative essay should give readers insights about what leads to homelessness. As a case study, students can identify a city where official statistics show rising numbers of homeless people.

How Students Know That They Need to Write an Informative Essay

Like with any essay, students write informative essays due to prompts given to them by their instructors. Basically, students can write an informative essay after receiving direct instruction from their instructors or by judging that assignments suggest that papers should be informative. In turn, an assigned prompt indicating an essay needs to be informative falls under one of the four categories:

• define a term, topic, or issue;
• compare and contrast something;
• analyze data, an issue, or a phenomenon;
• provide a how-to guide on a subject.

Writing an Informative Essay: Step-by-Step Guide

Writing an informative essay is an academic exercise that requires students to observe specific protocols of effective writing. Basically, these protocols include preparation, idea generation, thesis development, creation of an outline, note-making, and actual writing. In this case, each of these activities is essential if students are to create documents that meet the scholarly texts’ threshold. For example, on idea generation and note-making, writers need to rely on extensive research. On its part, thesis development provides students with a guide on argument construction and defense throughout an informative essay.

Step 1: Preparation

The first step in writing an informative essay is preparation, which, basically, means ensuring everything is in order before the actual writing starts. Basically, some components of this stage are choosing a topic, generating ideas, and identifying the audience and its needs. In short, when writing an informative essay, students must prepare themselves adequately to avoid writing irrelevant content.

A. Choosing a Topic

In most cases, instructors provide essay topics that students should address in their writing. As already mentioned, these topics indicate a specific category of an informative essay out of the four identified above. However, it is not always the case that instructors provide students with a topic that offers such direct guidance. In such cases, writers should use creativity to guide their writing, including coming up with a topic. Examples of informative topics:

• History of Cryptography and Its Modern Applications
• Revolutionizing Medicine With 3D Printing
• Mechanisms Behind Dream Formation and Interpretation
• Understanding the Mechanism Behind Dreams
• History and Evolution of the Internet
• The Life Cycle of a Star
• The Process of Photosynthesis in Plants
• Impacts of Climate Change on Ocean Currents
• Basics of Blockchain Technology
• Roles of the Electoral College in U.S. Presidential Elections
• How Vaccines Work: A Scientific Explanation?
• Cultural Significance of the Olympic Games
• The Process of Human Digestion
• Development and Impact of Artificial Intelligence
• History and Techniques of Traditional Japanese Tea Ceremony
• How Solar Panels Generate Electricity?
• Roles of DNA in Forensic Science
• Causes and Effects of the Great Depression
• Evolution and Impact of the Printing Press
• The Anatomy of the Human Brain
• History and Development of Jazz Music
• Importance of Bees in Ecosystems
• The Process of Recycling and Its Environmental Benefits

B. Idea Generation

College topics that instructors provide to their students or ones that students come up with guidelines for the writing process mean those ideas that help writers on how to go about writing an informative essay. As indicated in the section about possible informative essay topics, students can develop ideas on how to address an issue. Generally, a good approach should fall within one of the four categories identified. Moreover, informative essay prompts may or may not direct students concerning the type of paper. In either case, authors should generate ideas about writing their papers, including what content is significant and what is not.

C. Audience Identification

One of the secrets to effective writing is understanding the audience and its needs. When writing an informative essay, students should first seek to understand who would read their texts and tailor the information to their understanding level. As mentioned earlier, writers should not over-explain for experts since they can make assumptions and should not under-explain for those that lack basic understanding.

Step 2: Setting Up the Stage

After preparation, the second stage in writing an informative essay involves setting up the stage for the paper’s actual writing. Here, students identify credible sources that they would use to strengthen their writing, make notes during research, create an essay outline for their papers, and create an annotated bibliography (if one is needed). In turn, this stage’s essence is that it boosts students’ confidence levels, an essential factor in effective writing.

A. Identification of Sources

During this initial stage of preparation, students should use a topic as a research topic. Basically, this aspect would help identify reliable sources, such as books, peer-reviewed journal articles, and official documents (such as government reports), essential for critical information. For example, official documents provide data and statistics about initial information, being useful in informative essays that require students to analyze data. In short, researching the topic gives access to documents that aid in generating ideas about the issue.

B. Note-Making

As students go through various sources, they should make notes. Ideally, this process involves writing down data, statistics, arguments, findings, and any other information that they determine useful in writing an informative essay. Although authors may have generated ideas during the preparation stage, note-making serves to strengthen those ideas by providing evidence, such as statistics and research findings. Therefore, when making notes, writers should have in mind their topics and ideas that they have generated on how to go about writing an informative essay. In turn, identifying the category of a paper out of the four mentioned above is critical when making notes.

C. Creating an Outline

Essay writing requires students to follow a particular essay structure, which becomes an essay’s outline. For example, a standard outline means an introduction-body-conclusion structure, and students should observe it when writing an informative essay. Moreover, creating an outline is essential because it enables writers to separate information that should go to each part of an informative essay. Depending on the essay’s length, writers use their outlines to determine some essay’s sections, headings, and subheadings. 

D. Creating an Annotated Bibliography

By definition, an annotated bibliography summarizes scholarly sources that a student decides to use to get critical information, such as statistics and arguments. Unless there is a direct requirement for an annotated bibliography, writers do not need to provide one when writing an informative essay. However, they can create it during the identification of sources that they find relevant to their topics. Thus, an annotated bibliography helps students to link the information to source documents with easy citations.

Step 3: Actual Writing

The third stage in writing an informative essay is the actual writing of a paper. Here, students start by writing the draft document, organizing their ideas, and developing a thesis. Moreover, the draft document is vital, as it allows authors to make mistakes that they can later correct before writing the final paper. In turn, the draft enables students to organize their thoughts to make an informative essay have a natural flow of ideas. Besides, developing the thesis allows writers to determine what arguments should be in the main text.

A. First Drafts

Writing the first draft is essential in writing an informative ssay. Basically, this process allows students to make mistakes that can be costly if found in the actual document that they submit. In this case, the first draft is mostly unorganized and has many instances of illogical arguments and conflicting ideas. Since it is not the final document, students use this draft to perfect their paper. Then, another critical role of the first draft is to give authors a chance to develop a thesis and develop arguments in body paragraphs that align with the thesis statement’s central argument.

Step 4: Wrapping Up

The final stage in writing an informative essay is where students get to wrap up their papers. Basically, this aspect involves revising areas that seem off and editing grammatical mistakes. Moreover, such a strategy involves ensuring that each paragraph has a topic and concluding sentence with transitions that create a natural flow. In turn, writers take time to format their papers in line with academic writing conventions, subject an informative essay to peer reviews, and write final drafts.

A. Revision and Editing

As stated, the first draft is usually full of mistakes and errors that undermine the natural flow of arguments and ideas. Basically, these mistakes and errors include inconsistent statements and grammatical errors, such as wrong or missing punctuation. When wrapping up an informative essay, students should correct these mistakes by revising their papers. After writing the first draft, authors should read it through at least twice to identify mistakes and errors. Where writers identify grammatical errors, they should edit their papers as appropriate.

B. Topic Sentences

One of the standards of academic writing is that students should begin body paragraphs with topic sentences. Basically, if authors know how to write a topic sentence, they introduce an argument about a topic that strengthens a thesis statement. As an informative thesis guides an essay, a topic sentence represents what students write in their body paragraphs. In turn, the idea that writers should focus on when writing a topic sentence is that the paragraph’s content should be congruent with a central thesis.

C. Concluding Sentences

As the name suggests, a concluding sentence ends each paragraph in the main text. Here, writers rely on the evidence provided in the section to make concluding remarks about the idea introduced in a topic sentence. When writing a concluding sentence, the most important thing for authors is to connect a topic sentence to a thesis statement. 

D. Transitions

One of the main factors that determine the quality of an informative essay is the flow of a paper. Basically, a natural flow indicates a high-quality paper, and an illogical flow suggests a low-quality informative essay. In turn, such features that enhance the natural flow are transitions – words and terms that connect ideas between sentences and paragraphs throughout an informative essay. Moreover, examples of transitions include “additionally,” “hence,” “furthermore,” and “as a result.”

E. Formatting

When writing an informative essay, students should pay attention to several things, one of which is formatting. Here, the format that writers are required to use in their papers is critical. For example, there are different formatting standards for APA, MLA, Harvard, and Chicago/Turabian papers. When perfecting the first draft, students should confirm that their documents satisfy applicable paper formatting standards.

F. Peer Review

The main aspect that makes an academic text to be of high quality is the lack of mistakes. For example, scholarly documents, such as journal articles, are academic documents of high quality simply because they meet the highest quality standards. Basically, these standards include the absence of grammatical mistakes, well-developed arguments, and a natural flow of ideas throughout a paper. To ensure that an informative essay meets these standards, authors need to subject them to a peer review. In turn, this exercise involves giving a written document to friends, a mentor, or an instructor to determine a paper’s quality. Also, if they highlight mistakes and errors, it is an indication that students need to revise and edit their work accordingly.

Step 5: Writing a Final Draft of an Informative Essay

The last stage of writing an informative essay is writing the final draft. Basically, it is the document that writers submit to relevant authorities for assessment. In this case, final papers represent the culmination of the essay writing process. However, since mistakes are natural when writing any document, authors must read and reread the final draft to be sure it is perfect. Upon being satisfied with the paper’s quality, students submit their informative papers. In article writing, this process culminates with the publication of a written piece in a journal or a website. In short, the final draft reflects quality writing.

Informative Essay Outline

The outline of an informative essay consists of three major parts: introduction, body, and conclusion. Firstly, the introduction must conclude with a thesis statement, which becomes the guide for the entire informative essay. Then, body paragraphs represent ideas that support the thesis, while the conclusion captures the writer’s concluding thoughts about an informative essay. Generally, the body, which is the main text, is longer than the introduction and the conclusion. Hence, a simple outline of an informative essay should look like:

I. Introduction II. Body Paragraphs III. Conclusion

1. Defining Features of an Informative Outline

Several features define the outline of an informative essay. Basically, these elements include: an introduction that concludes with a thesis; a body that consists of several paragraphs; and a conclusion that restates a thesis, summarizes main points, and captures writer’s concluding thoughts. In turn, body paragraphs should have topic and concluding sentences.

2. How to Determine if an Essay Is Informative

When students write an informative essay as per their tutor’s instructions, they should check that they have, indeed, presented an informative essay. Basically, the way that authors can tell that an essay they have written is informative is by confirming that it falls within one of the four main categories. In turn, an informative essay should: define a term, topic, or issue; compare and contrast; analyze data, a problem, or a phenomenon; or provide a how-to guide on a subject.

3. How an Informative Essay Differs From Other Papers

Generally, there are different types of essays, and an informative essay is one type. Basically, the main feature that differentiates this essay from other types is that its mission is to educate readers. Then, authors focus on providing information that advances the audience’s understanding concerning a topic or an issue. In contrast, an argumentative essay, for example, focuses on defending a position and convincing the audience to adopt the writer’s perspective about a topic or an issue.

Components of an Informative Outline

As indicated, the main components of the informative essay’s outline are introduction, body, and conclusion. About the introduction, writers should introduce the topic and the paper’s main agenda. After providing a brief background on the topic, students should develop a thesis statement, which is the introduction’s key defining feature. When it comes to the body, the key elements are body paragraphs that begin with a topic sentence and a concluding sentence. Consequently, other features that make the body well-developed are transitions and the sandwich rule. Then, transitions are words that enhance the natural and logical flow of the main ideas. Moreover, the sandwich rule enables authors to offer content between topic and concluding sentences. In turn, this evidence serves to support the claim that writers make in the topic sentence, which should align with the paper’s thesis.

A. How to Write a Better Introduction

• Narrow the informative essay’s scope.
• Contextualize the topic by providing background information.
• Develop a persuasive thesis that captures the audience’s attention.
• Ensure that there is cohesion between the background information and the thesis.
• Focus on content that aligns with the audience’s level of understanding.
• Avoid cliché wording.

B. How to Write Better Body Paragraphs

When it comes to an informative essay’s body paragraphs, students should develop three main arguments, each in a separate section. For example, authors must consider two points when writing this part of an informative essay: the target point (thesis) and the evidence (supporting facts). As indicated previously, each paragraph should open with a topic sentence that introduces the idea that informs the paragraph’s content. In turn, the statement must blend with the target point. What follows is the evidence, which must be credible. Moreover, students must cite academic sources from where they have taken supporting facts.

C. How to Write a Better Conclusion

When writing the conclusion part of an informative essay, students should restate the thesis and explain each of their central arguments. Basically, the goal should be to advance the agenda of their work. In this case, they should avoid introducing new information in this section. Also, writers should only summarise the informative essay’s main points. As a result, authors close with a personal statement that captures their thoughts about the topic, such as suggestions or recommendations.

An Example of an Informative Essay

Informative Topic: The Great Gatsby and the Great War

I. Introduction

The Great War was a significant moment of disruption of order in different parts of the world. In the United States, the government conscripted young, energetic citizens to military service and sent them to Europe, the War’s battleground. In his masterpiece, The Great Gatsby , F. Scott Fitzgerald makes a case of the devastating effects of the Great War on Americans’ lives, noting how Gatsby, the novel’s main character, lost his lover Daisy and sunk into depression upon returning home.

II. Body Paragraphs

A. background information on the great war.

The Great War made many American youths leave everything they held dear, including their families and loved ones, to fight a battle in an unfamiliar battleground. By considering the fact that a majority were conscripted into the military service, the whole experience altered their lives inexplicably. In this case, the European terrain was terrible, with many soldiers being forced to launch offensive and defensive strategies in conditions that defied human dignity. Moreover, Fitzgerald blames this experience for driving many Americans insane after returning home (Bloom, 2010). What is more shocking or annoying is that the government took no initiative to help the veterans live a dignified life. The novel states how many ended up living in deplorable conditions, even unable to afford basic amenities. Hence, the story of Gatsby is heartbreaking.

When Gatsby went to fight in Europe, he was unexpectedly separated from his lover Daisy. Although they corresponded regularly via letters, Daisy eventually got tired of waiting and married Tom Buchanan. In this respect, the Great War cost Gatsby the love of his life. Even more heartbreaking is that after returning home, Gatsby, who was supposed to be an American hero, could not afford to buy civilian clothes. Then, the novel talks of how he struggled to survive from day to day, still dressed in his military attire. On one occasion, Meyer Wolfshiem offered him lunch, and it is said that Gatsby “ate more than four dollars’ worth of food in half an hour” (Bloom, 2010, p. 179). In turn, this description paints a picture of an individual whose dignity has been taken away from him. Therefore, whether it is by the government or circumstances is a matter of personal opinion.

C. Results of War

Nonetheless, what is clear from this sad story is that the Great War destroyed Gatsby’s life. Basically, with no money or decent living, he could not attract Daisy, even if she was still single (Bloom, 2010). In turn, Gatsby’s story is the story of many Americans whose youth was forcefully taken away, and their adulthood spent in want.

III. Conclusion

Despite the necessity of the Great War, Fitzgerald paints it as a period in world history that brings back many bad memories for many Americans. In particular, Americans that the government forcefully sent to the battleground lost not only their youth but also many things that they held dear. For Gatsby, his service to the nation cost him his relationship with Daisy and took away his pride. Moreover, spending months with his military attire, because he could not afford civilian clothes, was a low moment for him. In turn, by reading Fitzgerald’s masterpiece, one can only conclude that fighting in the Great War was a great price to pay for many young Americans.

Bloom, H. (Ed.). (2010). F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby . New York, NY: Infobase Publishing.

Summing Up on How to Write a Good Informative Essay

An informative essay is a type of academic text that provides students with an opportunity to develop and perfect their writing skills. Like any other essay, an informative essay’s outline has three main parts: introduction, body, and conclusion. Hence, for writing an informative essay, students should remember:

• Develop a clear thesis in the introduction that determines the purpose of an essay.
• Open body paragraphs with topic sentences and close them with concluding sentences.
• Use transitions effectively to foster a natural and logical flow of ideas and arguments.
• Observe the sandwich rule.
• Do not offer a personal opinion on the subject matter but researched facts.

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39 Introduction to Informative Writing

Amy Minervini

By Amy Minervini

Exposition is writing that explains, informs, or describes. This type of writing is also known as the informative mode in that the main objective is not to narrate a story or persuade readers of something but rather to convey factual information , including observations and personal/others’ experiences. However, when writing an expository essay, you can include elements from other modes (storytelling, analysis, writer impressions, persuasion, etc.) although these would be secondary aims or even implied. The expository composition is a practical, authentic kind of writing that can stand on its own or serve as the foundation for your more developed research essays.

Key Characteristics

Expository writing generally exhibits the following:

• Emphasis on facts, observations, or personal/others’ experiences
• Organization marked by a logical flow or progression of information; chronological, order of importance/priority, or the step-by-step approach are the most common; transitions that guide the reader
• Close attention paid to detail and description
• No noticeable writer bias

Essay types within this Chapter

• Process analysis (how-to)
• Illustration

Introduction to the General Expository Essay

The following is excerpted from Crystle Bruno’s Commonsense Composition 3.1 Expository Essay

The main aim of an expository essay is to provide an effective explanation of a topic. While a descriptive essay strives to describe a subject or a narrative essay seeks to show personal growth, an expository essay tries to explain a topic or situation. Thus, expository essays are written as if the writer is explaining or clarifying a topic to the reader. Since an expository essay is trying to clarify a topic, it is important that it provides the categories or reasons that support the clarification of the paper. Moreover, these categories and reasons also provide the framework for the organization of the paper.

Components of the expository essay as the parts of a house.

Much like the categories are essential to clarifying the topic, organization is the key to any well-developed essay. When composing your essay, think of its organization as a house, with each component of an essay representing a major part of a house. Just as the foundation provides support on which a house can be built, a thesis represents the foundation upon which to build an essay. The introductory paragraph then functions as both the door and framework for an expository essay. Like a house door, the introductory paragraph must allow the reader to enter into the essay. Additionally, just as walls are built upon the framework of a house, the body paragraphs of an essay are organized around the framework or organizational scheme, presented in the introductory paragraph. The body paragraphs, much like the walls of a house, must be firm, strong and complete. Also, there must always be as many body paragraphs as the framework of the introductory paragraph indicates otherwise your essay will resemble a house that is missing a wall. Finally, an essay must include a conclusion paragraph that tops off the essay much like a roof completes a house. As the roof cements the structure of the house and helps hold the walls in place, the conclusion paragraph must reiterate the points within your body paragraphs and complete an essay.

Although the overall organization of an expository essay is important, you must also understand the organization of each component (the introductory, body and conclusion paragraphs) of your essay. The chart below identifies the essential parts of each component of your essay, explaining the necessary information for each type of paragraph. While the guidelines listed below may feel constrictive, they are merely meant to guide you as a writer. Ultimately, the guidelines should help you write more effectively. The more familiar you become with how to organize an essay, the more energy you can focus on your ideas and your writing. As a result, your writing will improve as your ability to organize your ideas improves. Plus, focusing your energy on your argument and ideas rather than the organization makes your job as a writer more exciting and fun.

Introductory Paragraph:

• Introduce the issue.
• Present the topic and its explanation or clarification.
• Provide the categories used to explain the topic.
• Provide the thesis statement.

Body Paragraphs:

• Begin with a topic sentence that reflects an explanation of the paper and the category being discussed in the paragraph.
• Support the argument with useful and informative quotes from sources such as books, journal articles, etc.
• Provide 2-3 quotes that connect the category being discussed to the explanation
• Provide 2-3 sentences explaining each quote more full, drawing stronger connections between the category and the explanation.
• Ensure that the information in these paragraphs is important to the thesis statement.
• End each paragraph with a transition sentence which leads into the next body paragraph.

Concluding Paragraph:

• Begin with a topic sentence that reflects the argument of the thesis statement.
• Briefly summarize the main points of the paper.
• Provide a strong and effective close for the paper.

Introductory Paragraphs

A strong introductory paragraph is crucial to the development of an effective expository essay. Unlike an argumentative essay which takes a stand or forms an opinion about a subject, an expository essay is used when the writer wishes to explain or clarify a topic to the reader. In order to properly explain a topic, an expository essay breaks the topic being addressed into parts, explains each component in relation to the whole and uses each component to justify the explanation of the topic. Thus when writing an introductory paragraph, it is crucial to include the explanation or clarification of the topic and the categories or components used to produce this explanation.

Since the success of the paper rests on the introductory paragraph, it is important to understand its essential components. Usually, expository papers fail to provide a clear explanation not because the writer’s lacks explanations or clarifications but rather because the explanations are not properly organized and identified in the introductory paragraph. One of the most important jobs of an introductory paragraph is that it introduces the topic or issue. Most explanations cannot be clarified without at least some background information. Thus, it is essential to provide a foundation for your topic before you begin explaining your topic. For instance, if you wanted to explain what happened at the first Olympic Games, your introductory paragraph would first need to provide background information about how the first games happened. In doing so, you ensure that your audience is as informed about your topic as you are and thus you make it easier for your audience to understand your explanation.

Below is a table describing and explaining the main jobs of the introductory paragraph.

Introductory paragraphs introduce the topic and suggest why it is important.

Example:   An analysis of the essay exam results of the new English class shows that the new class format promotes close reading and better essay organization.

This sentence tells the reader both that the topic of the paper will be the benefits of the new English class and that the significance of these benefits is the improvement of close reading and essay organization.

Introductory paragraphs outline the structure of the paper and highlight the main ideas.

Example:   Considering the results of the High School Exit Exam, it is apparent that school curriculum is not properly addressing basic math skills such as fractions, percentages and long division.

This sentence indicates that main ideas (fractions, percentages and long division) of the essay and indicates the order in which they will be presented in the body paragraphs.

Introductory paragraphs state the thesis.

Example:   California high schools will require all students to take a resume and cover letter writing workshop in order to better prepare them for employment.

This thesis statement indicates the explanation of the paper.

In addition to introducing the topic of your paper, your introductory paragraph also needs to introduce each of the arguments you will cover in your body paragraphs. By providing your audience with an idea of the points or arguments you will make later in your paper, your introductory paragraph serves as a guide map, not only for your audience but also for you. Including your main sub-points in your introduction not only allows your audience to understand where your essay is headed but also helps you as a writer remember how you want to organize your paper. This is especially helpful if you are not writing your essay in one sitting as it allows you to leave and return to your essay without forgetting all of the important points you wanted to make.

Most importantly, when writing an introductory paragraph, it is essential to remember that you must capture the interest of your reader. Thus, it is your job as the writer to make the introduction entertaining or intriguing. In order to do so, consider using a quotation, a surprising or interesting fact, an anecdote or a humorous story. While the quotation, story or fact you include must be relevant to your paper, placing one of these at the beginning of your introduction helps you not only capture the attention or the reader but also introduce your topic and argument, making your introduction interesting to your audience and useful for your argument and essay.

Body Paragraphs

In an expository essay the body paragraphs are where the writer has the opportunity to explain or clarify his or her viewpoint. By the conclusion paragraph, the writer should adequately clarify the topic for the reader. Regardless of a strong thesis statement that properly indicates the major sub-topics of the essay, papers with weak body paragraphs fail to properly explain the topic and indicate why it is important. Body paragraphs of an expository essay are weak when no examples are used to help illuminate the topic being discussed or when they are poorly organized. Occasionally, body paragraphs are also weak because the quotes used complicate from rather than simplify the explanation. Thus, it is essential to use appropriate support and to adequately explain your support within your body paragraphs.

In order to create a body paragraph that is properly supported and explained, it is important to understand the components that make up a strong body paragraph. The bullet points below indicate the essential components of a well-written, well-argued body paragraph.

Body Paragraph Components

• Support the argument with useful and informative quotes from sources such as books, journal articles, expert opinions, etc.
• Provide 1-2 sentences explaining each quote.
• Provide 1-3 sentences that indicate the significance of each quote.
• Ensure that the information provided is relevant to the thesis statement.
• End with a transition sentence which leads into the next body paragraph.

Just as your introduction must introduce the topic of your essay, the first sentence of a body paragraph must introduce the main sub-point for that paragraph. For instance, if you were writing a body paragraph for a paper explaining the factors that led to US involvement in World War II, one body paragraph could discuss the impact of the Great Depression on the decision to enter the war. To do so, you would begin with a topic sentence that explains how the Great Depression encouraged involvement in the war because the war effort would stimulate certain aspects of the economy. Following this sentence, you would go into more detail and explain how the two events are linked. By placing this idea at the beginning of the paragraph, not only does your audience know what the paragraph is explaining, but you can also keep track of your ideas.

Following the topic sentence, you must provide some sort of fact that supports your claim. In the example of the World War II essay, maybe you would provide a quote from a historian or from a prominent history teacher or researcher. After your quote or fact, you must always explain what the quote or fact is saying, stressing what you believe is most important about your fact. It is important to remember that your audience may read a quote and decide it is indicating something entirely different than what you think it is explaining. Or, maybe some or your readers think another aspect of your quote is important. If you do not explain the quote and indicate what portion of it is relevant to your clarification, than your reader may become confused or may be unconvinced of your explanation. Consider the possible interpretations for the statement below.

Example:  While the U.S. involvement in World War II was not the major contributor to the ending of the Great Depression, the depression was one of the primary motives for entering the war.

Interestingly, this statement seems to be saying two things at once – that the Great Depression helped spark involvement in the war and that World War II did not end the depression alone. On the one hand, the historian seems to say that the two events are not directly linked. However, on the other hand, the historian also indicates that the two events are linked in that the depression caused U.S. involvement in the war. Because of the tension in this quotation, if you used this quote for your World War II essay, you would need to explain that the significant portion of the quote is the assertion that links the events.

In addition to explaining what this quote is saying, you would also need to indicate why this is important to your explanation. When trying to indicate the significance of a fact, it is essential to try to answer the “so what.” Image you have just finished explaining your quote to someone and they have asked you “so what?” The person does not understand why you have explained this quote, not because you have not explained the quote well but because you have not told him or her why he or she needs to know what the quote means. This, the answer to the “so what,” is the significance of your paper and is essentially your clarification within the body paragraphs. However, it is important to remember that generally a body paragraph will contain more than one quotation or piece of support. Thus, you must repeat the Quotation-Explanation-Significance formula several times within your body paragraph to fully explain the one sub-point indicated in your topic sentence. Below is an example of a properly written body paragraph.

Example of an expository body paragraph paired with an explanation of its parts.

Conclusion Paragraph

The conclusion paragraph of an expository essay is an author’s last chance to create a good impression. Hence, it is important to restate the thesis statement at the beginning of the paragraph in order to remind the reader of your topic and explanation. Since it is at the end of the paper, the conclusion paragraph also should add a sense of closure and finality to the clarification of the paper. It is important to re-emphasize the main idea without being repetitive or introducing an entirely new idea or subtopic. While you can conclude your conclusion paragraph by suggesting a topic for further research or investigation, do not make this question the focus of the paragraph. Thus, you should briefly and concisely reiterate the strongest clarifications of the paper, reminding the reader of the validity of your thesis or explanation and bringing closure to your paper.

You may feel that the conclusion paragraph is redundant or unnecessary; However, do not forget that this is your last chance to explain the significance of your argument to your audience. Just as your body paragraphs strive to present the significance of each fact or quote you use, your conclusion paragraph should sum up the significance of your argument. Thus, you should consider making a bold statement in your concluding paragraph by evoking a vivid image, suggesting results or consequences related to your argument or ending with a warning. Through using these components, you not only make your conclusion paragraph more exciting, but you also make your essay and your argument, more important.

  Review Questions

What are three of the main purposes of an introductory paragraph?

• What should you never do in an introductory paragraph?
• How should you refute counterpoints?
• What is the formula for a well-argued body paragraph?
• What should you include in a conclusion paragraph? What should never include in a conclusion paragraph?

Introduction to Informative Writing Copyright © 2020 by Amy Minervini is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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