How To Write An Explanatory Essay: What Is An Explanatory Essay? Essay writing is the ability to gather, process, and express information using one’s creativity. There are several types of essays, including those which argue in favor or against a specific standpoint. However, explanatory essays are not the Types of essays in which one has to demonstrate their argument placing skills. Instead, it is an essay where individuals need to describe their opinion about the chosen/given topic.
An expository essay or Informative essay is another name given to the so being discussed explanatory essay. Explanatory essays are quite commonly assigned to high school and college students because they primarily train them to convey information objectively. Informative content is typical in our daily communication, yet to enhance that skill; explanatory essays are assigned as an academic paper in our life at one point or another.
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The view on a topic in an explanatory essay might not be something they agree with, but it is an important aspect of the essay. For gaining knowledge about the topic of an explanatory essay, it is not necessary to have happened to you in real life. Usually, an individual decides on a set topic to base the explanatory essay on, and then that topic is approached by the writer from several angles.
The approached angles are quite complicated because it provides the readers with the room for discussion. However, the strategic way to deal with this problem is to present an efficient perspective, which explains the outcome’s logic. It is best to maintain a neutral perspective while writing the explanatory essay by providing sufficient research and logical reasoning. An explanatory essay is only good enough when, in the end, the reader has a clear idea about the chosen topic.
Students have found composing an explanatory essay to be one of the most manageable academic tasks. But like any other type of essay, the explanatory essay also follows a particular format, and a structure is maintained. All in all, the explanatory essays are formal pieces of write-up that fulfill the essay’s specific demands, including the structure and the content.
Types of Explanatory Essay
A well-known tool taught to students in the academic world is the Explanatory Essay. It is so popular that we can claim every individual must have written one if they have attended school. For those who are new to writing explanatory essays, they must remember there are a few Types of explanatory or expository essays. Sometimes assignments specify the Type, and on those instances, it is essential knowing the following Types of explanatory essays:
- Type 1 – The cause and effect Type of Explanatory Essay: This type of essay is built around the reasons that resulted in causing something and eventually had an effect as well. The key questions an individual needs to address while writing a cause and effect essay is assigned ‘what were the reasons behind its cause’ and ‘what outcomes were or are going to be faced because of this.’ The approach of writing this type of essay is either the chain pattern (each cause and its effect in a repeated fashion) or the block structure (all causes and then their effect in a mass fashion).
- Type 2 – The Classification Type of Explanatory Essay: In this type of essay, an individual chooses or is given a broad topic and meticulously sorts it by dividing it into various groups. A writer described a topic well in this type of essay by analyzing each part of it very carefully. The quality of the classification essay is enhanced by providing solid samples. The writer in the conclusion paragraph summarizes all the divided areas of this type of essay.
- Type 3 – The Problem And Solution Type Of Explanatory Essay: A problematic issue is raised as the main topic in this type of essay, and the writer also proposes the best solution. A probable solution to the issue is achieved by viewing the problem from various angles. In some ways, including this essay’s structure, it has some significant similarities to the cause and effect essays.
- Type 4 – The Comparison And Contrast Type of Explanatory Essay: This type of essay focuses on the similarity and the contrast between two ideas, events, or objects. The structure of this essay is either maintained block or the chain pattern. As the name suggests of this Type of essay, a notion is compared to another to find the similarity or dissimilarity between them.
- Type 5 – The process Type of Explanatory Essay: This type of essay explains the procedure and the necessary steps to do something, and that is also why the topics of this essay start with ‘how-to.’ The introduction begins with the problem or what the topic concerns about, then the body paragraphs consist of the main steps that must be taken to complete. In the last conclusion paragraph, the writer has to remind readers about the importance of the project.
- Type 6 – The definition Type of Explanatory Essay: In the definition essay, an explanation is provided to a complicated concept. The introduction has to contain a definition of the topic chosen/given, and then a personal take on understanding the concept must be expressed. The body of the definition essay contains a detailed and complete analysis of the topic in organized parts. Lastly, in conclusion, all critical points should be summarized.
Steps Of Writing An Explanatory Essay
For students writing an expository or explanatory essay is a very common task. Writing an explanatory essay is comparatively easy because it doesn’t require the writer to debate the information’s validity. It is easy to compose an excellent explanatory essay if a few steps are followed.
- Step 1 – Choosing a Good Topic: It is sensible to select a topic that an individual has some understanding about in reality. But even if you are assigned a topic about which you have a minimal idea, then it is not very complex to find information in today’s age.
- Step 2 – Gathering of Evidence: The key to writing an excellent explanatory essay is by gathering valid and enough information to support the essay. An essay will only be considered well-written when the reasoning made in it are strong. It is best to collect information from reliable sources while writing your essay.
- Step 3 – Construct a Proper Outline: An outline gives the writer about the idea of how they are going to proceed further. It is like forming a framework for your essay, which is similar to drawing the guidelines before sketching the final lines in artwork.
- Step 4 – Fill in the Gaps: In this Step, the first draft is formed by presenting the writer’s own words’ collected information. The composition should consist of a minimum of five paragraphs. However, each essay’s word count differs as per the criteria given or the writer’s choice. It is also essential to keep check of your writing style so that the explanatory essay one is trying to write doesn’t sound like other types of essays.
- Step 5 – Reread, Edit And Form The Final Draft: The last step is very vital because this is when the final submit worthy draft will be constructed. Revising and editing the essay is the ideal way of polishing the essay quality. Once you are satisfied with your writing, you can rewrite it correctly and submit it.
Explanatory Essay Writing Format
Even though there is more than one type of an explanatory essay, the format of all Types of the explanatory essay remains the same. The structure of writing the explanatory essay begins with an introduction and then comes the body portion, which covers the majority of the essay. Lastly, the explanatory essay ends with a striking conclusion paragraph.
- Introduction: It covers the first or the first two paragraphs of the essay, where the writer has to give a brief description or definition of the topic. The introduction is a significant portion of an essay because the reader’s decision to read the rest of the essay depends on the attractiveness of writing in the introduction.
- Body: The central portion of the essay belongs to the body because two or three paragraphs belong to a standard-size explanatory essay body. This is where the writer describes the chosen or given topic in detail and supports their reasoning with useful researched facts. Examples and quotes are also used in the body of the essay to support the issue being explained.
- Conclusion: The portion where the critical points of the essay and all views of the writer are summarized is called the conclusion. The ending paragraph is called the conclusion, requires an excellent quality of writing so that the readers are left with a good impression at the end.
FAQ’s On How To Write An Explanatory Essay
Question 1.
What common elements do an explanatory essay has with other essays?
Answer:
The explanatory essay has the following similar requirements just like any other category of essay writing-
- A thesis that is clear and is able to maintain the focus of the writer.
- Writing a striking opening paragraph that gives a proper introduction to the thesis.
- An informative body with evidence laden analytic points.
- Each paragraph should be linked with each other well for a smooth transition.
- Re-emphasizing the central argument in the concluding paragraph.
Question 2.
Mention some explanatory essay pre-writing Steps.
Answer:
The steps that need to be fulfilled before writing an explanatory essay are-
- Selecting a neutral topic that can be explained well.
- It is vital to search valid sources of information online and from books.
- Jotting down of relevant information that appeals to you the most.
- Constructing an organized essay outline.
- It is important to start writing after reviewing the material well.