Authoritative Voice:
A narrator or expert (often referred to as the "voice of God") provides a clear and direct commentary, guiding the audience through the film's narrative. This authoritative voice accompanies the documentary’s images, defining the visuals for the audience, and explaining rhetorical content to help make the film’s case. The voice-over conveys information and does not provide personal accounts or subjective experiences to share a narrative.

Clear Argument:
Expository documentaries often present a clear point of view or argument, supported by evidence and visuals. Expository documentaries don’t leave much to subjectivity—they want the audience to feel a certain way about the content they are seeing. Rhetorical questions, recounts of history, and interviews are often presented to support the film’s claims, along with any other relevant evidence.

Informative and Persuasive:
The goal is to inform the audience about a subject, often with the intention of persuading them to adopt a particular perspective. 

Research-Based:
Expository documentaries are heavily researched, ensuring that the presented information is accurate and factual. 

Visuals Support Narration:
The visuals are carefully selected to support and illustrate the spoken narration, creating a cohesive and engaging experience. Expository filmmakers use images as a means to support their claims. Images on-screen are explained or supported by captions or commentary. This kind of editing style is also used for news broadcasts.