One of the most difficult tasks as a college student was writing an explanatory essay. In most cases, I struggle with meeting word count and writing a great essay. The issue is that I usually write a couple of sentences before I am done with the essay.
However, with a couple of strategies I will share with you, I was able to overcome this difficulty and write a great explanatory essay. In this article, we will talk about how to master explanatory essays, what they actually entail, their importance, and ways to execute them effectively.
What Is an Explanatory Essay?
For the most part, this sort of essay entails explaining a topic and articulating an idea properly. Basically, it’s breaking down an idea even for the layman to understand it without making it seem like they were supposed to follow a certain perspective. In this essay, you are sharing the facts, and statistics, helping them comprehend the complexity of the topic, and providing instances to help them understand better.
Why Is an Explanatory Essay Important?
These essays are more than academic exercises. They refine your skill at researching, organizing information, and presenting it coherently. And, whether you’re describing the effects of climate change or the process of photosynthesis, the skills you are building are invaluable, academically and in everyday life.
How to Write an Explanatory Essay
Here are the steps to writing the perfect explanatory essay;
Choosing a Topic
Step one: choose a topic you care about — and one you can get at least an inch deep on. It should be specific but broad enough to find enough data on. Rather than addressing “technology,” you could address “the evolution of smartphones over the last 10 years,” for example. The specificity still leads to a narrower and better-informed essay.
Know Who You Are Writing For
Who exactly is the audience? Who are you writing your essay for? It could be your lecturer, a friend, or whoever. You need to pay attention to your kind of audience as this will help you write your essay in a language they understand.
Carry out Detailed Research
After knowing your audience and picking the perfect topic you believe you can write well, the next step is to carry out detailed research on the topic. One way to ensure that your explanatory essay is credible is by using the right academic sources from journals like ACM and IEEE, among others. These reputable sources ensure your essay is credible and that every sentence you cite has been peer-reviewed and certified to be correct.
How to Write a Strong Thesis Statement
Your thesis forms the backbone of your essay. It concisely states the idea you’ll be explaining. Example: “The growth of smartphones in the last 10 years has changed each aspect of communication, entertainment, and information access.” This presents the opportunity for what’s to come.
Creating an Outline
An outline is your roadmap. That is why it helps your essay to be coherent and include all the key points. A typical structure includes:
Introduction
- A hook: I don’t mean the hand-on-hook kind with this, but some captivating text will ensure that the audience keeps reading from the first paragraph to the end.
- Context: Why the topic matters.
- Main Idea: At the end of the essay, what message are you trying to convey?
Body Paragraphs
Each paragraph must make one point that supports your thesis.
- Start with a topic sentence.
- Support for your claim: evidence, examples, or explanations.
Conclusion
- Finally, what do you need them to do with the information?
- The thesis statement should be restated here.
- Provide some form of closing remark here or any implications of the information. You may even consider adding future considerations.
Writing the Introduction
All of this, and then your introduction, sets the tone. Introduce your topic with a hook — a surprising fact, an unfamiliar question, or a short anecdote. Give some background to set the stage, and then present your argument clearly and confidently.
Developing Body Paragraphs
Discuss one aspect of your topic in each body paragraph. You need a topic sentence that states what the point is. Substantiate it with data or evidence. How does this point connect to your argument? Use plain and simple language, and avoid jargon unless it’s absolutely necessary — and if you use any, make sure to explain it.
Using Transition Words
To facilitate a seamless flow in your essay, use transition words and phrases to connect intuitive thinking such as “furthermore,” “in addition,“ “however,“ and “consequently.“ They also help guide readers through your arguments and link ideas together smoothly.
Writing the Conclusion
Your conclusion is the closing statement of your essay. Recap the conversation’s highlights without restating them verbatim. Reframe your thesis, given the narratives you’ve painted. Finish with a last thought — a call to action, a prediction, a meditation on the broader importance of the topic.
Revising and Editing
Do not take the importance of revision for granted. After coming up with your first draft, step away from the paper. Come back with a clearer mind to check for any missing or incorrect information or any grammatical, spelling, or punctuation mistakes. Using the contrary – reading your essay aloud – can also be quite helpful in finding some problems that may have gone unnoticed when reading through the text silently.
Seeking Feedback
Before submitting the final version of your essay, it is recommended that you ask for other people’s opinions. Share it with your friends, elders, or teachers. They can give some useful suggestions, and notice some problems which you have not thought about.