Exemplification …a mode

What does it do? It uses one or more particular cases, or examples, to illustrate or explain a general point or an abstract concept. Essentially, it supports a thesis!

Exemplification can… Explain and clarify. Weak: “The mayor is corrupt and should not be reelected.” Strong: “The mayor should not be reelected because he has fired two city workers who refused to contribute to his campaign fund, has put his family and friends on the city payroll, and has used public employees to make improvements to his home.” Effectively selected examples also add interest, so look for examples that are interesting as well as pertinent!

Using examples to persuade Examples are also an effective way of persuading people that what you are saying is reasonable and worth considering. Weak (when presented alone): “School districts across the country cannot cope with the large number of students with limited English skills.” Strong: In North Carolina, the number of students with limited English skills increased from 8,900 in 1993 to 52,500 in 2002.

How many examples should I give? It depends… For example: if your thesis is that an educational institution, like a business, needs careful financial management, a detailed examination of one college or university could work well. However, if your thesis is that conflict between sons and fathers is a major theme in the writing of Franz Kafka, a single example would only show that this is a theme in one of his works.

Range Be sure that your examples are not limited. For example: a thesis arguing that billboards ruin the scenic views from major highways would not be well supported by examples of highways in one geographical location. If you want to persuade readers that Colin Powell was an able general, you should choose examples from several stages of his military career.

Representation Be sure that your examples fairly represent the group you are discussing. Example: If you want to support a ban on smoking in all public buildings, you should not limit your examples to restaurants. ***Beware! Don’t get so caught up in your examples that you lose focus of your thesis!

Transitions Use them! They should: Introduce your examples Connect your examples to your thesis statement (Another successful program for the homeless provides telephone answering services for job seekers.) Link examples to the topic sentence (For instance, I have written articles for my college newspaper)

Organization How you organize your examples is up to you, but you must have some sort of organization. Examples: Chronologically Increasing complexity Increasing importance For an example of an effective exemplification essay structure, look on page 196 of Patterns.

Individual Practice Read the sample student essay entitled “Midnight” on p. 201 of Patterns. The thesis statement is “I could see in their tired faces the grief and hardship of working at a dry-cleaning plant.” In the examples given, what specific parts support the visual element of the thesis? Is the thesis and overall support effective? Explain. How is description important in exemplification, as evidenced by this essay?

Practice with a Friend Ms. Hohman is planning to rearrange the classroom desks. With one or two friends, draft an organized outline of an exemplification essay that supports a thesis on this topic. Possible thesis statements might be, “Ms. Hohman should not rearrange the room,” “I hate rows,” or “Ms. Hohman should abandon the use of desks.” Be creative, and be sure to incorporate the elements of effective exemplification. 

Practice at Home For homework, read “Make that a Double,” by David Sedaris, in your Patterns book. Answer questions on page 221; under Purpose and Audience, answer question 2. Under Style and Structure, answer questions 3 and 4.