Explanatory/Informative Essays

An explanatory/informative essay is a written piece that either explains how to do something or gives information on people or events. But what makes a good explanatory/informative essay?

You want your reader to both understand and believe what you're writing, so you'll need to include a few things. For your reader to believe what you've told them, you need to reinforce your claims with evidence. If you already knew about your topic, you'll need to find and site a credible source that backs it up. Other wise, you should conduct some research, and write down where you find your information.

To make your work easy to understand, it needs to be both cohesive and precise. For a cohesive essay, make sure it flows nicely, and doesn't bounce from topic to topic. Planning in advance can make this easier.

Cohesion can also be boosted by understanding your audience, and writing for them. If you intend your work to be read by a teacher or colleague, you should make the vocabulary formal. If you're writing for someone much younger than you, or a friend, you can use more casual vocabulary. If you're not sure who will be reading your paper, it's best to make it formal

To make your writing precise, use vocabulary specific to your essay's topic when possible. This will convey your knowledge of the subject, and increase your credibility. If you're unsure what terms to use, look back at your sources.

When all of these practices are combined, you'll end up with an easy to read essay, tailored to your audience, and credible points.