Expository Essay Basics

General Bckgrnd Info.  Specific Thesis Statement INTRO Topic Sentence Balance of CD/CM BODY PARAGRAPHS Restate thesis statement  General, interesting info. CONCL

Terminology...

Thesis Statement: declarative statement/statements not questions that preview what your paper is about states your topic and your specific focus on the topic Avoid beginning with “The purpose of my paper is...” or “In this paper, I will write about...”

Thesis Statement cont’d controls the paper’s content (everything in paper provides support) should have a confident tone Avoid: using hedge words and phrases such as probably, might, I think, seems, apparently, etc.

Topic Sentences tell the reader what you’ll discuss in each paragraph connect to the thesis statement to form a strong “backbone” for your paper Avoid using lead-in sentences for your topic sentences.

Concrete Details (CDs)... specific details that form the backbone of your body paragraphs

Concrete Details (CD) Synonyms  facts  specifics  examples  descriptions  illustrations  support  proof  evidence  quotations  paraphrasing  plot references

Commentary (CM)... opinion or comment about something; analysis

Commentary (CM) Synonyms  opinion  insight  analysis  interpretation  inference  personal response  feelings  evaluation  explication  reflection

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