Expository Writing. Focus: The purpose of an expository essay is to communicate ideas and information to specific audiences for specific purposes.

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1 Expository Writing SUGGESTED LEARNING STRATEGIES: Quickwrite, Close Reading, Marking the Text, Graphic Organizer, Think Aloud, Think-Pair-Share, Brainstorming, Webbing, Outlining, Drafting, Rearranging, Deleting, Sharing and Responding Focus: The purpose of an expository essay is to communicate ideas and information to specific audiences for specific purposes. Goal: Write a multi-paragraph expository essay that: Presents effective introductory and concluding paragraphs. Contains a clear thesis or controlling idea. Uses a clear organizational schema for conveying ideas. Includes relevant and substantial evidence and well-chosen details. Includes information on multiple, relevant perspectives. Considers the validity, reliability, and relevancy of primary and secondary sources. Uses a variety of rhetorical devices. Uses transitions between paragraphs. Uses a variety of sentence structures. To achieve this goal, you will practice writing in the expository genre of definition. You will engage in a series of activities in which you work with your teacher and with your classmates to construct two model definition essays. You will use these models to write your own definition essay. Activity 1: Discovering Elements of a Multi-Paragraph 1. Quickwrite: What do you know about expository writing? How might the purpose of a definition essay fit into the genre of expository writing? 42 SpringBoard English Textual Power Level 6

2 2. Read the following essay to discover the thesis or controlling idea. Mark the text to locate supporting information (relevant and substantial evidence and wellchosen details from multiple perspectives). Sample Text Is a Hero Really Nothing but a Sandwich? by Ted Tollefson For several years, a picture of Warren Spahn of the Milwaukee Braves hung on my closet door, one leg poised in mid-air before he delivered a smoking fastball. Time passed and Spahn s picture gave way to others; Elvis, John F. Kennedy, Carl Jung, Joseph Campbell, Ben Hogan. These heroic images have reflected back to me what I hoped to become: a man with good moves, a sex symbol, an electrifying orator, a plumber of depths, a teller of tales, a graceful golfer. Like serpents, we keep shedding the skins of our heroes as we move toward new phases in our lives. Like many of my generation, I have a weakness for hero worship. At some point, however, we all begin to question our heroes and our need for them. This leads us to ask: What is a hero? Despite immense differences in cultures, heroes around the world generally share a number of traits that instruct and inspire people. A hero does something worth talking about. A hero has a story of adventure to tell and a community who will listen. But a hero goes beyond mere fame and celebrity. Heroes serve powers or principles larger than themselves. Like high-voltage transformers, heroes take the energy of higher powers and step it down so that it can be used by ordinary mortals. The hero lives a life worthy of imitation. Those who imitate a genuine hero experience life with new depth, zest, and meaning. A sure test for would be heroes is what or whom do they serve? What are they willing to live and die for? If the answer or evidence suggests they serve only their won fame, they may be celebrities but not heroes. Madonna and Michael Jackson are famous, but who would claim that their adoring fans find life more abundant? Heroes are catalysts for change. They have a vision from the mountaintop. They have the skill and the charm to move the masses. They create new possibilities. Without Gandhi, India might still be part of the British Empire. Without Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King Jr., we might still have segregated buses, restaurants, and parks. It may be possible for large-scale change to occur without charismatic leaders, but the pace of change would be glacial, the vision uncertain, and the committee meetings endless. Though heroes aspire to universal values, most are bound to the culture from which they came. The heroes of the Homeric Greeks wept loudly for their lost comrades and exhibited their grief publicly. A later generation of Greeks under the tutelage of Plato disdained this display of grief as unmanly. Writing Expository Writing 43

3 Expository Writing Though the heroic tradition of white Americans is barely 300 years old, it already shows some unique and unnerving features. While most traditional heroes leave home, have an adventure and return home to tell the story, American heroes are often homeless. They come out of nowhere, right what is wrong, and then disappear into the wilderness. Throughout most of the world, it is acknowledged that heroes need a community as much as a community needs them. And most Americans seem to prefer their heroes flawless, innocent, forever wearing a white hat or airbrushed features. Character flaws unbridled lust, political incorrectnessare held as proof that our heroes aren t really heroes. Several heroes on my own list have provided easy targets for the purveyors of heroic perfectionism. The ancient Greeks and Hebrews were wiser on this count. They chose for their heroes men and women with visible, tragic flaws. Oedipus fierce curiosity raised him to be king but also lured him into his mother s bed. King David s unbounded passion made him dance naked before the Ark and led him to betray Uriah so he could take Bathsheba for his wife. American heroes lack a sense of home that might limit and ground their grandiose ambitions. American heroes avoid acknowledging their own vices, which makes them more likely to look for somebody else to blame when things go wrong. Our national heroes seem to be stuck somewhere between Billy Budd and the Lone Ranger; pious, armed cowboys who are full of energy, hope and dangerous naïveté. 3. Revisit the sample text, and number each paragraph to help you analyze the organizational structure of the essay. Work with a partner to discuss the purpose of each paragraph, and note your thoughts in the margin. Think about how the organizational plan serves to convey ideas. 4. Create a graphic organizer of the components and characteristics of a multiparagraph definition essay. This organizer will serve as a model for you during the writing process as you generate and refine your own essay. Activity 2: Writing a Class Essay Prompt: Write a multi-paragraph essay that defines an abstract concept (e.g., morality, patriotism, equality) or a common phrase or idea (a good movie, the ideal vacation, the perfect friend). Be sure the essay meets the requirements listed in the goal statement for writing an effective multi-paragraph expository essay. 1. Read and mark the prompt to clarify the task. 2. With your class, choose a topic for the essay, and write it here. 44 SpringBoard English Textual Power Level 6

4 Prewriting 2. Conduct prewriting on separate paper. 3. To create an effective draft, you will need a thesis to give focus to the essay. A thesis statement has two purposes: to express a central opinion to be proven and to provide direction as to how the writer intends to show or develop the opinion. An effective thesis should include an opinion to be proven; it is not a fact. Consider a three-part process when developing a working thesis: Define or identify the task set by the prompt. Consider what needs to be addressed in the response. Decide how to best respond. Your thesis shows your reader that you are competent in what you are saying and fully committed to your opinion on the subject. Generate a working thesis statement, and write it here. Sources 4. Review your familiarity with primary and secondary sources. For this essay, explaining your definition is central; the sources should support your explanation. What is a primary source? What is a secondary source? What types of sources might you anticipate being presented for this writing task? To help ensure that you use substantial, accurate, and timely sources to support your position, it is important to consider each source s validity, reliability, and relevancy. Validity: Does the information appear to be well researched? Is there a bibliography or list of sources? Does the information appear to be free from bias or a single position? Reliability: Are the author s name and qualifications clearly identified? Is the information from a respected institution (e.g., a university)? If it is an online resource, is the site listed as.gov,.edu, or.org rather than.com? Writing Expository Writing 45

5 Expository Writing Relevancy: Is there a date when the information was created or last updated? Who is the intended audience? Consider the tone, style, level of information, and assumptions the author makes about the reader. Are they appropriate for your needs? 5. Examine the sources provided for you or that you have gathered to help write the class-constructed definition essay. Analyze the sources and determine what information can be used in your essay. Add new information to your prewriting. 6. Successful definition essays go beyond dictionary definitions to extend the definition in order to show the writer s personal opinion. To extend your definition of a concept or term, use a variety of strategies by defining by function, classification, example, and negation. Define by function by showing what something does or how something operates in the world. Define by classification by explaining to what group(s) something belongs. Define by example by showing specific, relevant examples that fit the writer s definition. Define by negation by explaining what something is by showing what it is not. Using negation helps to contrast your definition with others definitions. 7. Consider a clear organizational schema that will convey your ideas and is appropriate to your purpose, audience, and context of your topic. Drafting the Essay Next, you will draft body paragraphs. A body paragraph consists of these elements: Topic sentence: A strong, clear, organizing sentence which consists of a subject and opinion that works directly to support the thesis. Transitions: Words or phrases used to connect ideas (e.g., for example, for instance). Supporting information: Well-chosen information, facts, and details from multiple perspectives. Information should be relevant and substantial, synthesized from a variety of primary and secondary sources, and from sources that are valid, reliable, and relevant. Commentary: Sentences that explain how the information is relevant to the thesis/topic sentence. These sentences are vital as they serve to reflect, analyze, explain, and interpret. Sentences of commentary also bring a sense of closure to the paragraph. 8. With your class, generate an outline for the body paragraphs. Draft your body paragraphs on separate paper. 46 SpringBoard English Textual Power Level 6

6 Introducing and Concluding the Essay Now that you have co-constructed a thesis and body paragraphs, you are ready to create the introduction and conclusion of the essay. Introductions open an essay and set the writer s ideas in motion. The introduction should spark the reader s attention and accurately introduce the writer s position. Introductory paragraphs include the following: A hook or lead: Consider using a quote, question, anecdote, or statement of intrigue to create your hook or lead. A connection between the hook/lead and the thesis. A clear thesis statement describing the subject and opinion. The conclusion brings a sense of closure to the essay. The most satisfying essay is one in which the conclusion provides an interesting way of wrapping up ideas introduced in the beginning of the essay and developed throughout. Use levels of questions to guide your thinking in crafting a conclusion that echoes, but does not exactly repeat, your controlling idea or thesis: What ideas have you presented in the essay? (literal) How are the ideas significant? (interpretive) Why does it matter in a larger context? (universal) 7. Now write the introduction and conclusion for your Definition essay. Revising Now that the class essay is fully drafted, consider the language used to convey the ideas. A writer makes stylistic choices in language for effect, variety, and coherence. Rhetorical devices serve to communicate a particular purpose to an intended audience and to help ideas have a lasting effect on the reader. Some examples of rhetorical devices are allusion, asyndeton, and polysyndeton. Incorporate rhetorical devices into the class essay. An allusion is a direct or indirect reference to a well-known person, event, or place from history, music, art, or another literary work. Allusions can serve to provide energy to what could be a limited discussion and to help the reader make personal connections to the writer s point. Example: The software included a Trojan Horse. (allusion to the Trojan horse from Greek mythology) Asyndeton consists of omitting conjunctions between words, phrases, or clauses. In a list of items, asyndeton gives the effect of automatic multiplicity. Example: An empty stream, a great silence, an impenetrable forest. The air was thick, warm, heavy, sluggish. Joseph Conrad, Heart of Darkness Polysyndeton is the use of a conjunction between each word, phrase, or clause, and is thus structurally the opposite of asyndeton. The rhetorical effect of polysyndeton, however, often shares with that of asyndeton a feeling of multiplicity and a lively building up. Example: And soon it lightly dipped, and rose, and sank John Keats, Endymion Writing Expository Writing 47

7 Expository Writing Varying sentence structure can be achieved by using different syntactical constructions. Certain types of sentences, their lengths, or their arrangement can affect the text significantly by adding interest or emphasis. Experiment with sentence lengths to help strengthen your definition essay. Telegraphic sentences are shorter than five words in length. Short sentences are approximately five words in length. Medium sentences are approximately eighteen words in length. Long sentences are thirty words or more in length. Coherence: A coherent essay is one that presents ideas that tie together and flow smoothly, making the essay easy to follow for the reader. Revise for coherence by using transitional words within and between paragraphs and using varied sentence structures. Transitional words that can be used to prove include the following: because, since, for the same reason, obviously, evidently, furthermore, besides, indeed, in fact, in any case. Words used to give examples include: for example, for instance, in this case, on this occasion, in this situation, to demonstrate, take the case of, as an illustration, to illustrate this point. 8. Revise the essay for coherence. 9. Reflection: What additional support might you need to write a definition essay? Activity 3: Writing an Essay with Peers Prompt: Write a multi-paragraph essay that defines an abstract concept (e.g., morality, patriotism, equality) or a common phrase or idea (a good movie, the ideal vacation, the perfect friend) that is different than the topic chosen for the class essay. Be sure the essay meets the requirements listed in the goal statement for writing an effective multi-paragraph expository essay. Generating Content 1. In your writing group, review and mark the prompt to highlight major elements of the task you re being asked to do. Use a prewriting strategy to explore ideas that may address the prompt. 2. Select the best ideas from your prewriting to construct a working thesis for your essay. 48 SpringBoard English Textual Power Level 6

8 Drafting 3. Review and organize the ideas from your prewriting as you draft your body paragraphs. Use an outline to organize the ideas in your body paragraphs. Be sure to brainstorm topic sentences that support the thesis and include relevant and substantial evidence with well-chosen details to support the topic sentences and thesis statement. Make sure you consider the validity, reliability, and relevance of primary and secondary sources. Draft your body paragraphs and include commentary. 4. Read your body paragraphs and discuss an effective way to introduce and conclude your key ideas. Use a prewriting strategy to generate a draft that demonstrates the parts of an effective introduction (e.g., hook/lead, connection, and thesis) and conclusion (response to the levels of questions). Revising 5. Reread the goal statement at the beginning of the workshop, and use the bullet points as a writer s checklist. Read aloud your draft in your writing group to gather feedback based on the criteria of an effective expository informational definition essay. 6. Review your draft for language use. Select ideas to emphasize by incorporating appropriate rhetorical devices such as allusion, asyndeton, and polysyndeton. 7. Review your draft for syntactical choices and coherence: Discuss how your syntactical choices help achieve your desired effect. Revise for purposeful sentence lengths (telegraphic, short, medium, and long). Discuss which transitions can be used effectively to link ideas within and between your body paragraphs. Incorporate transitions into your draft. Editing for Publication 8. Read your draft and peer edit to correct errors in grammar, punctuation, and spelling. 9. Discuss the key ideas present in your essay, and generate a list of potentially creative titles for your essay. Rank them and select one. Place a title at the top of your essay. Activity 4: Independent Writing Prompt: Write a multi-paragraph essay that defines your interpretation of the American Dream. Be sure the essay meets the requirements listed in the goal statement for writing an effective multi-paragraph expository essay. Writing Expository Writing 49

9 Expository Writing SCORING GUIDE Scoring Criteria Exemplary Proficient Emerging Development of Ideas asserts a focused, clearly stated thesis develops and supports the thesis thoroughly with relevant, significant, and substantial facts, concrete details, quotations, or other information appropriate to the audience selects and applies support information from primary and/or secondary sources that are valid, reliable, and relevant synthesizes information on multiple, relevant perspectives. asserts a clear thesis develops and supports the thesis with relevant facts, concrete details, quotations, or other information appropriate to the audience chooses support from primary and/or secondary sources after considering validity, reliability, and relevancy incorporates information on various perspectives. presents an unfocused or limited thesis contains facts, concrete details, quotations, or other information that may not develop and support the topic or may be inappropriate to the audience demonstrates limited consideration of the validity, reliability, or relevancy of primary and/or secondary sources contains insufficient information on various perspectives. Organizational Structure organizes complex ideas so that each new element builds on that which precedes it to create a unified whole creates an effective and engaging organization that articulates the implications or significance of the topic and sequences ideas effectively using a variety of meaningful transitions. organizes ideas so that each new element builds on that which precedes it to create cohesion presents a clear and focused introduction and conclusion and sequences ideas, using transitions to create coherence to connect the larger ideas of the essay. demonstrates limited cohesion; expected parts may be missing contains an underdeveloped and/or unfocused introduction presents disconnected ideas and limited use of transitions contains an underdeveloped or unfocused conclusion. Use of Language uses precise diction and a variety of sentence types and structures deliberately chosen to enhance the reader s understanding of a complex topic uses a variety of rhetorical devices with skill and purpose demonstrates superior command of conventions of standard English. uses diction and a variety of sentence types or structures that appropriately manages the topic uses a variety of rhetorical devices effectively demonstrates a command of conventions so that minor errors do not interfere with meaning. uses diction that is inappropriate at times for managing the topic shows little or no variety in sentence structure uses few or no rhetorical devices contains errors in grammar, punctuation, capitalization, or spelling that interfere with meaning. Writing Process reflects skillful revision and editing to produce a draft ready for publication. reflects revision and editing to produce an essay ready for publication. demonstrates minimal revision and editing and is not ready for publication. 49a SpringBoard English Textual Power Level 6