Expository Paragraphs

When you read your textbook, the newspaper, magazine articles, or any other types of
publications, you are reading expository writing. When you write answers for an essay test,
you use the expository form.

In an expository paragraph, you give information. You explain a subject, give directions,
or show how something happens. In expository writing, linking words like first, second,
then, and finally are usually used to help readers follow the ideas.

This paragraph, like any other, organizes itself around three parts. A topic sentence allows
the reader to understand what you are writing about. The middle part of the paragraph
contains supporting sentences that follow one another in a logical sequence of steps. The
concluding sentence closes your subject with an emphasis on the final product or process
desired by the topic.

Remember that all paragraphs should contain a topic sentence. It may be even more
important in the expository paragraph because this is where the main idea of the paragraph
is expressed. This topic sentence lets the reader know what the rest of the paragraph will
discuss.

Example:

Going to college can be expensive. First, college tuition and room and board can cost
anywhere from $2,000 to more than $10,000 per semester. Other expenses make going to
college even more expensive. For example, books typically cost between $100 and $500
each term. Second, materials are also very expensive. Paper, notebooks, writing utensils,
and other supplies required often cost more at the college bookstore than at any local
discount department store. For instance, a package of notepaper costing $2 at a discount
store might cost $5 at a college bookstore. Finally, there are all kinds of special fees added
onto the bill at registration time. A college student might have to pay a $50 insurance fee, a
$20 activity fee, a $15 fee to the student government association and anywhere from $500
to $100 for parking. There is another fee if a student decides to add or drop classes after
registration. The fees required to attend college never seem to end.

The topic sentence in the example lets the reader know that the paragraph will talk about
the expenses of going to college. Immediately following the topic sentence is the first
supporting sentence (underlined) and two detail/example sentences. Each support sentence
and its two detail/example sentences are shown in different colors so you can see where one
ends and the next begins. Finally, the closing sentence neatly ties back to the topic sentence
by rephrasing it.
Notice the use of transitional words to help the reader follow the ideas. Also, notice the use
of third person point of view in this paragraph. The third person point of view (he, she,
one) is most commonly used for expository writing, technical writing, and any other sort of
writing that has a business-minded or persuasive intention or purpose. For our purposes in
this class, you will always use third person point of view when writing expository
paragraphs, unless otherwise directed. This means there should be no "I" or "you" words
anywhere in the paragraph.

Taken from: http://www.time4writing.com/uncategorized/expository-paragraphs/

Expository Paragraphs
 Prove your Point with Details

Thus far this semester, the paragraphs we have been writing have had a
structure to them but each of them somewhat different based on their
content and of course, the context we are writing in. Now we will turn
our attention to a mor "formal-type" of academic writing which is very
useful in writing papers and exams at the university: the expository
paragraph.

As we have seen, descriptive paragraphs describe something (by giving

a series of details) and narratives tell a story (by describing a series of
events). The details and events used in these paragraphs are intended to
directly support the controlling idea of the paragraph. Expository
paragraphs are similar because they too require detail to support their
controlling ideas. Expository paragraphs often explain or analyze ideas
or theories. An expository paragraph is therefore more analytically
structured than series like. A topic sentence is often supported by more
than one idea that is then supported even more by details.

The writer's objective is to "prove" his/her position regarding the topic.

You as the writer are like a lawyer trying to convince the jury of your
stand point. Without enough support and detail, no one will believe
you! The following example illustrates this:

Adventure camping is good for families.

This topic sentence has a strong controlling idea because certainly not
everyone would agree with this statement. It is therefore debatable and
needs to be proven in what way or ways camping (topic) is good for
families (controlling idea). This topic sentence does not suggest a
description of a campsite or a story about one family's adventure at
Yellow Stone National Park but rather statements proving that camping
is beneficial for families. Two general statements that might support this
are that camping enables families to 1) spend much time together and
2) experience nature together. These two statements (called support)
give good reasons to believe that camping would be good for families.
In normal conversations, this is probably enough proof. Going into more
detail might bore your listeners. But written academic writing looks at
this differently! In this case details are necessary to prove each of the
main supports. The paragraph might then read:

Adventure camping is good for families. First of all, families have no

choice but to spend much time together. They are dependent on each
other for solving all of the new tasks. Everyone is needed for setting up
camp. Not just the mother is involved in cooking. Many people are
needed for gathering firewood and for making a fire. Putting up the tent
and laying out the equipment requires a lot of teamwork. Without any
distractions such as the telephone, Internet, TV, or DVD games to
occupy the children, they are able to concentrate on what has to be done
to survive. Camping also gives families a chance to experience nature
together. During the day when they go hiking or swimming they are all
busy exploring and conquering the new terrain together. Looking at the
starlit sky at night and listening to the sounds of the forest are very
exciting and relaxing. They have the opportunity to talk about the world
around them that gets forgotten in a busy city or tourist stomping
ground and to discuss the wonders of nature. When the families arrive
home they will have a new found closeness that has been awakened by
time spent together in a peaceful natural surrounding.

The details about TV, campfires, hikes, swimming, watching the stars,
and wonders of nature all help to prove the general support that families
that go camping have more time together and can experience nature
together, which in turn is good for the family.

Here is another short expository paragraph by a fellow student.

School Uniforms

School uniforms are good for the development of children. First of all,
everyone is dressed unified. So no one has "better" clothes than others
and no one can threaten others only because of their clothes. In many
schools ganging up on others because of what they are wearing is
already normal and uniforms are a way to protect the children from such
acts. School uniforms also keep everyone from having to buy expensive
brands of clothes to be part of the society, which relieves especially the
parents and takes the pressure of being "cool" away from the children.
School uniforms also helps to put off children being overly concerned
about keeping up with the latest fashions. This gives young children
more time to concentrate on more important developmental things. Of
course, there are also critics, who say that school uniforms make the
children lose their own individuality but in general it is possible to say,
that school uniforms have a good influence on most children.

For this week your assignment is to choose a topic and controlling idea,
which you can support, making use of details for each support. Here
are some suggested topics to choose from:

1. The Internet is helpful for learning;

2. Design can change the way we look at the world;
3. Reading is good for the soul;
4. An experience I had changed my outlook on life;
5. Being good at English is important for my career;
 6. Free choice.

Try to pick a topic that interests you so that you can enjoy your
writing!
Taken from: http://www.uni-koeln.de/owc/expository.htm

http://www.hmhco.com/~/media/sites/home/education/disciplines/language-
arts/homeschool/write-source-homeschool/samplers/g4_sampler.pdf?la=en pdf books

Wording for expository Paragraphs

Use these handy words for transitions when writing expository essays.

First Reason Starters: first of all, most important, to begin with, to start with
Second and Third Reason Starters: also, another reason, equally important, furthermore, in
a like manner, in addition, in fact, last of all, likewise, moreover, of greatest importance,
undoubtedly
Summary/Conclusion Starters: all in all, although there may be more reasons, in
conclusion, in summary, on the whole, to conclude, to summarize

Set the examples now work on controlled practices about the kind of paragraph.

Identify the elements in topic sentences for the following topic sentences: