Informative Essay

An informative essay educates a reader about a topic. When you are given 3 texts to read, make sure all three of the texts are mentioned in your essay. If one of your sources is a map, picture or a chart, mention it in your essay! This is a formal essay! USE THIRD PERSON ONLY. Do not use you, me, we, or I! Do not begin your essay with a question! ALWAYS ASSUME THAT YOUR READERS KNOW NOTHING ABOUT WHAT YOU ARE WRITING. YOU MUST WRITE YOUR ESSAY AS IF YOU ARE EDUCATING YOUR READER! MOST IMPORTANTLY, BEFORE READING THE PASSAGES, READ THE QUESTION(S) FIRST!

d) Your fourth sentence can be THE MAIN IDEA/POINT from the third text.

e) Your last sentence is YOUR THESIS STATEMENT. The thesis statement is the main idea of your informative essay. This is when you will mention the three main points you are about to discuss. ALWAYS place the thesis sentence last in the 1st paragraph of your essay.

STEP 2: WRITING YOUR SECOND PARAGRAPH

1. Add a transition word here. THIS is where you provide supporting details from the FIRST text. Provide examples and supporting details from the text to back up what you wrote on your second (2nd) sentence (letter b from the first paragraph). Mention the text and author (if applicable). Use parenthetical citations or text evidence sentence starters. For example, The Jones Family owned a successful pineapple plantation. (Source 1). You can use the textual evidence sentence starters. For example, In Source 1, it states… In other words, this is where you will write IN DETAIL what the first source is about in your own words. Use the RACE(S) method.

STEP 3: WRITING YOUR THIRD PARAGRAPH

2. Add a transition word here. This is where you will write IN DETAIL what you wrote in your third sentence (letter c from the first paragraph). Repeat what you did in your second paragraph using Source 2. Provide examples, etc. Remember, you must provide supporting details from the text to back up what you wrote on your third (3rd) sentence. Mention the text and author. For example, IF A MAP or a graph IS YOUR SECOND SOURCE, write how the map/graph supports the information you are discussing. USE the RACE(S) method.

STEP 4: WRITING YOUR FOURTH PARAGRAPH

3. Add a transition word here. This is where you will write IN DETAIL what you wrote in your third sentence (letter d in the first paragraph). Provide examples, etc. Mention the text and author. For example: In “The Birth of Biscayne National Park,” it states, “ … “ USE the RACE(S) METHOD

Step 5: WRITING YOUR CONCLUSION

4. Add a concluding transitional word here. (To conclude, in conclusion, etc.) In this paragraph, rephrase the thesis statement. You should also briefly summarize all of the main points from each of the 3 texts and end your paragraph.