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Expository Writing and Summary Tips

The document discusses different types of expository writing and summarizing techniques. It defines expository writing as seeking to explain, illuminate, or expose a topic. There are five main types of exposition: cause and effect essays, compare and contrast essays, descriptive essays, problem and solution essays, and process essays. The document also provides tips for writing a summary, such as reading the article twice, writing the summary in chronological order, highlighting main points, and keeping the summary concise at around 120 words.

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58 views4 pages

Expository Writing and Summary Tips

The document discusses different types of expository writing and summarizing techniques. It defines expository writing as seeking to explain, illuminate, or expose a topic. There are five main types of exposition: cause and effect essays, compare and contrast essays, descriptive essays, problem and solution essays, and process essays. The document also provides tips for writing a summary, such as reading the article twice, writing the summary in chronological order, highlighting main points, and keeping the summary concise at around 120 words.

Uploaded by

rehanna life
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Summary Writing

Expository Articles- seek to explain, illuminate or 'expose' (which is


where the word 'expository' comes from). This type of writing can
include essays, newspaper and magazine articles, instruction manuals,
textbooks, encyclopedia articles and other forms of writing, so long as
they seek to explain. An expository article provides a clear, focused
explanation of a particular topic, process, or set of ideas.

 The introduction- will state the topic of the paper and have a
thesis statement as well as brief indicators of what information the
rest of the paper will include.

 Body Paragraphs- each body paragraph will focus on a main


point and will have two to three supporting points. This will be in
the reasons, facts, statistics, quotations, examples, or a mix of
these.

 The concluding paragraph- The author looks back at the main


idea of each section/paragraph and try to summarize the point
using words different from those he /she have already used. The
conclusion will never include any new points in the concluding
paragraph.
Five main types of Exposition

Cause and effect essay: This essay type requires the writer to explain
why something occurred and what happened as a result.
For Example:
Cause and effect is the relationship between two things when one thing
makes something else happen. For example, if we eat too much food and
do not exercise, we gain weight. Eating food without exercising is the
“cause;” weight gain is the “effect.”

Compare and contrast essay: For a comparison essay, the writer takes
two subjects or ideas and analyzes their similarities and differences.
For Example:
Virtual vs real classrooms
Literature vs English Language

Descriptive essay: This essay type is simply a detailed description or


explanation of a topic. The topic may be an event, place, person, object,
or experience. The writer has considerable creative freedom in this essay
type.

Problem and solution essay: In this type of expository essay, the writer
must shed light on a specific problem and write a thorough breakdown
of valid potential solutions.
For example:
Global Warming

Process essay: Also called a how-to essay, this essay type breaks down a
step-by-step procedure in order to teach the reader how to do something.
For Example:
Baking a Cake

Summary Writing Tips

Summarizing means giving a concise overview of a text’s main points


in your own words. A summary is always much shorter than the original
text. Writing a summary does not involve critiquing or analyzing the
source—you should simply provide a clear, objective, accurate account
of the most important information and ideas, without missing any of the
key points.

 Read the article at least twice


 When writing a summary the points must appear in chronological
order ie the order in which it occurs in the article
 Read each paragraph highlighting the main points
 Exclude all facts, statistics, quotations, examples and dates.
 Avoid the use of first person pronouns I,WE and Us (being
opinionated)
 Use transition words to link your points.
 Must be 120 words.
Transition Words

Common questions

Powered by AI

Transition words are crucial in summaries as they help to maintain the flow and logical progression of ideas, allowing readers to easily follow the narrative while ensuring coherence. This enhances the summary's effectiveness by providing clarity and connecting disparate points seamlessly .

Each body paragraph in an expository article will focus on a main point and be supported by two to three supporting points, which can include reasons, facts, statistics, quotations, examples, or a mix of these .

Expository articles aim to explain, illuminate, or expose topics, using styles like cause and effect essays to demonstrate relationships, compare and contrast essays to analyze similarities and differences, descriptive essays for detailed depiction, problem and solution essays to discuss issues and solutions, and process essays for procedural instructions. Each reflects a distinct writing style suited to specific explanatory goals .

The introduction of an expository article must state the topic of the paper, include a thesis statement, and provide brief indicators of what the rest of the paper will cover .

A cause and effect essay explains why something occurred and its results, focusing on relationships between events or conditions (cause) and their outcomes (effect). In contrast, a compare and contrast essay analyzes the similarities and differences between two subjects, offering a balanced view of each .

The concluding paragraph of an expository article summarizes the main idea of each section without using previously used words. It should avoid introducing new points to ensure clarity and coherence in presenting the discussed ideas, reinforcing the article's arguments and conclusions .

Excluding facts, statistics, quotations, examples, and dates ensures that the summary remains concise and focused on conveying the main ideas or concepts. These elements can make the summary too detailed and can detract from the primary goal of delivering an overarching understanding of the text's key points .

A process essay organizes information in a step-by-step procedure, breaking down the task into manageable sections that sequentially guide the reader through the process, ensuring clarity and comprehensive understanding .

A descriptive essay allows considerable creative freedom, focusing on richly detailing an event, place, person, object, or experience using descriptive language. This contrasts with other types of expository writing which are more structured and factual, such as compare and contrast essays or problem and solution essays .

Effective summarizing involves reading the article at least twice, highlighting the main points of each paragraph, maintaining chronological order, excluding facts, statistics, quotes, examples, and dates, using transition words to link points, and avoiding the use of first-person pronouns .

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