1. 2/4/08 Expository Writing Period 7/8
Writing Strategy Tips
2/4/08
Expository Writing
Period 7/8

2. Things go watch out for…
Description
Things go watch out for…

3. Description
Dominant impression: the single quality, mood, or atmosphere the writer wishes to emphasize.
All your details should be working to create a particular mood or atmosphere

4. Example:
“As you walk up the stairs into my attic you are overwhelmed by a musky odor and a frigid draft. When reaching the top of the staircase it is quite, but you can hear a faint aggravating sound…”
Details= uncomfortable, unsettling

5. Sensory Details: Senses: touch, taste, smell, sight, sound Examples:
Touch = “lazy-boy chair that you sink into…”
Smell = “the fleeting aroma of rose spray”
Sight = “cob webs drape the dull blades of the fan”
Sound = “content silence fills my space”

6. Things to watch out for…
Comparison/Contrast
Things to watch out for…

7. Purpose—So What? (unclear)
“The two are both alike but yet at the same time they are very different”
Ok, but why should we know or care about these similarities and differences?

8. Clear Purpose (answers “so what?”)
“Small colleges and universities have many of the same characteristics as large universities, but certain aspects of smaller colleges make the level of education slightly higher.”
“Education in a small college might be better than a large for several reasons.”

9. Organization Tips: Types: Point by Point Subject by Subject
Plan before you write.
(Make an outline, a list, etc.)
Pick a structure and stick with it.