There are many types of academic writing. Various essays have different objectives to pursue and, therefore, different structure. Further still, you may probably know the difference between fiction & non-fiction. Fiction refers to the imaginary stories made for fun and entertainment while non-fiction is based on real events.
In this post, we are going to discuss an expository essay which has many subcategories. Its primary goal is to inform the audience about a chosen topic or explain something.
We can say that our daily read such as magazines, books, e-books, and articles (both online and print media) belong to the category of an expository essay. The author should explain the way something happens and list the reasons to justify such a statement. The possible topics could be:
- Features each good movie should have.
- The ways to retrieve information from the print/online sources.
- The reasons for “Silent Hill” to be a popular horror game.
- The most prominent scientific innovation of the XX century.
Below, you will learn more about the expository essay variations.
What is an Expository Essay?
We have learned that an expository essay is a type of academic assignment or any other writing that interprets events or provides valuable information about a specific topic. It is based on real events. In fact, it depends on the category of the essay which forms it takes. Anyway, it should be compliant with the purpose of writing. Typically, an assignment you’ve been given by your tutor would specify which type of essay you write. Yet, if you have to choose, consider an essay topic based on the following notes provided by our experts.
Depending on the purpose, an expository paper may:
- Explain how to do something.
- Provide detailed instructions.
- Share results of an experiment.
- Specify a process.
- Investigate a problem.
- Define a term.
You should present the ideas in a well-organized manner, justify them by the pieces of evidence and/or real-life examples. Often, the opinion of the writer is not required at all. Thus, you should focus on allowing the reader to have materials derived from the relevant sources you manage to find on the web or in the college library.
6 Types of Expository Writing
There are 6 various types of expository essays you should consider as a student:
- Cause and effect essay
- Problem and solution essay
- Classification essay
- Comparison or contrast essay
- Definition essay
- Process essay
Below, we discuss the objectives each type of essay should pursue. Of course, we won’t fail to provide specimens that are typical of a class or group of the essay we are talking about.
Comparison or Contrast Essay
In a compare and contrast essay, you should expose the differences and similarities between two or more objects, events, phenomena, people, etc. Finding differences refers to comparing while contrasting things equal to finding similarities. Either way, you may emphasize just differences or just similarities. It is likely you will be told by your tutor to include both of them. What do the objects have in common? What does make them differ from one another?
Examples: Obama vs. Trump, World War I and World War II, grapes and oranges, statistics and accounting as MBA subjects, etc.
Cause and Effect Essay
As the name implies, this type of paper lists the reasons why something has occurred along with the consequences caused by the occurrence. Those could be both negative and positive consequences. The example could be describing the effects of a tornado in California as well as the reasons (climate change, pollution, and other things) that must have caused this. To describe consequences, list the number of victims, state figures, etc. How about sharing statistics on unemployment based on both the labor force survey and registers in this or that regions?
Problem and Solution Essay
It is simple as ABC to reveal the objectives of this type of writing. Provide an in-depth analysis of a subject-derived rather from a strong statement. Provide a solution to the problem. To do so, study the issue from different angles to find out the best possible solution.
For example, while evaluating the problem of high school bullying, offer several solutions like group therapy, parental involvement, government aid for the victims, and witnessing and reporting the acts of bullying. You may add that you believe that telling about the cases of harassment to your teachers is the most effective solution, but do not forget to explain why you think so.
Classification Essay
Have you ever categorized things by specific features? You will need this skill in both academic life and professional career. For instance, you may want to divide your earnings in freelance earnings and fixed salary. Just group items based on their differences and common features. Do not simply come up with a single list of all items. Set priorities!
Process Essay
Have you ever shared some cooking receipts or mourning physical exercises with someone? There are many other examples when you need to compile a step-by-step to describe any given process. As such, any instruction is made to describe these steps. This subgenre should be written in chronological order, meaning in order of time. Unlike in a process analysis essay, you shouldn’t pinpoint the procedure itself — focus on the stages instead.
Definition Essay
To provide a dictionary interpretation of the word or concept in such type of paper is not enough. You should find the right definition and possibly paraphrase it, mentioning the source of information. Also, add your interpretation of the word as the examples of its usage in real life. You may also mark what this word usually means to other people (associations). In rare cases, you should add its linguistic characteristics.
Now that you know what types of expository essay you have to handle, the one that suits your topic best is an easy lot. Should you face problems with your academics, consider making us your ongoing help — place an order and get your copy tailored to your needs by professional online writers!