difference between expository essay and argumentative essay

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Expository vs Argumentative Essay: How Do They Compare?

by  Antony W

June 9, 2024

One of the most commonly asked questions about essay writing is on the differences and similarity between expository essay vs argumentative essay. 

While they both have some common elements, the two essays have a number of attributes that set them far apart.

That’s what we’re going to look at in this guide. Before we get deeper into the topic, let’s first make sure you understand, in summary, what each type of these essays focus on.

What is the Focus Angle of an Expository Essay?

If asked to write an expository essay, your focus angle will be to explain a subject in a clear and concise manner. Unlike with an argumentative essay, an expository assignment doesn’t have to make an argument.

However, you have to be as objective as possible in your approach to writing, while making sure you present a balance exploration of a topic.

In expository essay writing, students shouldn’t take a position on an issue. Rather, your writing needs to include a set of evidence, facts, and statistics for the entire topic.

More often than not, your instructor will ask you to write this type of essay primarily to test your knowledge and understanding of a given issue, which explains why they are a lot more common in the universities than argumentative essays are.

If you check the prompt of an expository essay, part of the instruction will ask you to classify concepts, compare and contrast a subject, explain how something works, or simply give a clear definition and explanation.

Notice here that you don’t have a room to take a side and therefore you shouldn’t try to convince your audience on anything.

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What is the Focus Angle of an Argumentative Essay?     

The focus of an argumentative essay is to make a claim and give an original argument based on a given subject.

You will have to do a lot of independent research to come up with a claim. Besides making a strong claim in the thesis statement of your argument , you will have to provide objective, statistical, and factual evidence to defend your position.

While the length of an argument writing tends to vary depending on the topic, the essay will be longer than an expository. Your primary goal with this assignment is to try to convince your audience that your side of an issue is the correct one so that they can agree with you even if they initially hadn’t.

When it comes to writing an argumentative essay , the number one mistake you need to avoid is being biased.

Keep in mind that while you have taken a position and you’re willing and able to convince your readers that your position on an issue is the correct one, it doesn’t mean the other side is wrong.

If you make your entire essay look so, you end up portraying yourself as prejudiced and narrow-minded. But this is something you can avoid. You do that by including counterclaims in the persuasion, so you show that you have looked at both sides of an issue before arriving to your conclusion.

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Expository vs Argumentative Essay: What are the Differences?

Now that you know the focus angle of an argumentative and expository essay, it’s time to look at how the two differ from each other. Knowing the difference will enable you to handle each assignment with the right approach.

Expository vs Argumentative Essay: Arguments

An expository essay doesn’t require you to make a value judgment. As such, the essay shouldn’t reflect a personal position on an issue in question. 

On the other hand, an argumentative essay requires that you take a personal position on an issue and then use reasonable evidence and arguments to convince an audience that your stand on a subject is the right one. It’s here that you can even make valuable judgments.

Expository vs Argumentative Essay: Writing

These two essays even differ in terms of writing, so it’s important to know the rules to get the writing concept right.

When it comes to writing an expository essay, the general rule of thumb is that you should use third person pronoun.

Also, you need to analyze an issue in question in-depth and then look at the topic from all the possible angles. In other words, instead of being taking a side, look at the issue from multiple perspective.

It’s different with an argumentative essay. Sometimes your professor may instruct you to use a first person language.

An argumentative essay also requires you to look at an issue in-depth and explore it on multiple perspective. 

However, you eventually do have to take a position which you feel the most appropriate for the subject and then support your stand with reasonable, objective evidence.

Expository vs Argumentative Essay: What are the Similarities?

There are some similarities between argumentative and expository essays that we’d like you to know before you start writing either assignment.

Frist, both essays must have an introduction, which should include a thesis statement, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Make sure that every paragraph covers one primary idea, each starting with a topic sentence and ending with a strong closing link.

Second, your essay should include referencing to back any point that you make in the assignment. You can learn more about sources and citations .

Third, an important rule to observe when writing either essay is to make sure you refrain from using subheadings in the essay. This is something you shouldn’t even do in the first place.

Help With Essay Writing

You now know the difference between an argumentative essay and an expository essay. And you can comfortably write either assignment given that you have all the knowledge and resources to do so.

However, what about if you don’t have the time to complete the assignment within the assigned deadline? Or maybe you have too many assignments to complete for the week to write your essays?

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About the author 

Antony W is a professional writer and coach at Help for Assessment. He spends countless hours every day researching and writing great content filled with expert advice on how to write engaging essays, research papers, and assignments.

Argumentative Essay vs. Expository Essay

What's the difference.

Argumentative essays and expository essays are both types of academic writing that aim to inform and persuade the reader. However, they differ in their purpose and approach. An argumentative essay presents a clear and concise argument on a specific topic, supported by evidence and logical reasoning. The writer takes a stance and attempts to convince the reader to agree with their viewpoint. On the other hand, an expository essay provides a balanced and objective analysis of a topic, presenting facts and information without personal bias. The goal is to educate the reader and enhance their understanding of the subject matter. While both essays require research and critical thinking, the argumentative essay is more focused on presenting a strong argument, while the expository essay is more focused on providing information.

Further Detail

Introduction.

When it comes to academic writing, two common types of essays that students often encounter are argumentative essays and expository essays. While both essays serve different purposes and require distinct approaches, they share some similarities as well. In this article, we will explore the attributes of argumentative essays and expository essays, highlighting their differences and similarities.

Argumentative Essay

An argumentative essay aims to present a well-reasoned argument on a specific topic. The primary goal of this type of essay is to persuade the reader to adopt the writer's point of view or take a particular action. In an argumentative essay, the writer must provide evidence, logical reasoning, and counterarguments to support their claim.

One of the key attributes of an argumentative essay is the presence of a clear thesis statement. The thesis statement presents the main argument or position that the writer will defend throughout the essay. It serves as a roadmap for the reader, guiding them through the writer's line of reasoning.

Additionally, argumentative essays often include a strong introduction that grabs the reader's attention and provides background information on the topic. The body paragraphs present the main arguments, supported by evidence and analysis. These arguments are usually structured in a logical and coherent manner, with each paragraph focusing on a specific point. Finally, the essay concludes by summarizing the main arguments and restating the thesis statement.

Furthermore, argumentative essays require the writer to anticipate and address counterarguments. By acknowledging opposing viewpoints and refuting them with evidence, the writer strengthens their own argument and demonstrates a comprehensive understanding of the topic. This aspect of argumentative essays distinguishes them from other types of essays, as it encourages critical thinking and the ability to consider multiple perspectives.

Expository Essay

An expository essay, on the other hand, aims to explain or describe a particular topic in a clear and concise manner. Unlike argumentative essays, expository essays do not require the writer to take a stance or persuade the reader. Instead, they focus on providing information, analyzing a concept, or exploring a specific subject.

One of the key attributes of an expository essay is its informative nature. The writer must present factual information, statistics, examples, or expert opinions to support their analysis. The essay should be well-researched and rely on credible sources to ensure accuracy and reliability.

Similar to argumentative essays, expository essays also have a clear and concise thesis statement. However, the thesis statement in an expository essay does not present an argument but rather states the main idea or purpose of the essay. It serves as a guide for the reader, informing them about the topic that will be explored in the subsequent paragraphs.

Moreover, expository essays often follow a logical structure, with each paragraph focusing on a specific aspect or subtopic related to the main idea. The body paragraphs provide detailed explanations, examples, or evidence to support the thesis statement. The essay concludes by summarizing the main points and restating the thesis statement, reinforcing the overall message of the essay.

Furthermore, expository essays may include different types of organizational patterns, such as cause and effect, compare and contrast, or problem and solution. These patterns help to structure the information and make it easier for the reader to understand the topic being discussed.

Similarities

While argumentative essays and expository essays have distinct purposes and approaches, they also share some similarities. Both types of essays require a clear thesis statement that presents the main idea or argument of the essay. Additionally, both essays should be well-structured, with each paragraph focusing on a specific point and providing evidence or analysis to support it.

Moreover, both argumentative essays and expository essays require the use of reliable sources to support the claims made. Whether it is statistical data, expert opinions, or examples, the information presented in both types of essays should be accurate and credible.

Furthermore, both types of essays benefit from a strong introduction that engages the reader and provides context for the topic. The introduction should clearly state the purpose of the essay and grab the reader's attention, setting the stage for the subsequent paragraphs.

Lastly, both argumentative essays and expository essays require a well-crafted conclusion that summarizes the main points and reinforces the thesis statement. The conclusion should leave a lasting impression on the reader and provide a sense of closure to the essay.

In conclusion, argumentative essays and expository essays serve different purposes in academic writing. While argumentative essays aim to persuade the reader and present a well-reasoned argument, expository essays focus on providing information and analyzing a specific topic. Despite their differences, both types of essays require a clear thesis statement, a logical structure, and the use of reliable sources. By understanding the attributes of argumentative essays and expository essays, students can effectively approach these essay types and excel in their academic writing.

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What is an argumentative essay?

The argumentative essay is a genre of writing that requires the student to investigate a topic; collect, generate, and evaluate evidence; and establish a position on the topic in a concise manner.

Please note : Some confusion may occur between the argumentative essay and the expository essay. These two genres are similar, but the argumentative essay differs from the expository essay in the amount of pre-writing (invention) and research involved. The argumentative essay is commonly assigned as a capstone or final project in first year writing or advanced composition courses and involves lengthy, detailed research. Expository essays involve less research and are shorter in length. Expository essays are often used for in-class writing exercises or tests, such as the GED or GRE.

Argumentative essay assignments generally call for extensive research of literature or previously published material. Argumentative assignments may also require empirical research where the student collects data through interviews, surveys, observations, or experiments. Detailed research allows the student to learn about the topic and to understand different points of view regarding the topic so that she/he may choose a position and support it with the evidence collected during research. Regardless of the amount or type of research involved, argumentative essays must establish a clear thesis and follow sound reasoning.

The structure of the argumentative essay is held together by the following.

• A clear, concise, and defined thesis statement that occurs in the first paragraph of the essay.

In the first paragraph of an argument essay, students should set the context by reviewing the topic in a general way. Next the author should explain why the topic is important ( exigence ) or why readers should care about the issue. Lastly, students should present the thesis statement. It is essential that this thesis statement be appropriately narrowed to follow the guidelines set forth in the assignment. If the student does not master this portion of the essay, it will be quite difficult to compose an effective or persuasive essay.

• Clear and logical transitions between the introduction, body, and conclusion.

Transitions are the mortar that holds the foundation of the essay together. Without logical progression of thought, the reader is unable to follow the essay’s argument, and the structure will collapse. Transitions should wrap up the idea from the previous section and introduce the idea that is to follow in the next section.

• Body paragraphs that include evidential support.

Each paragraph should be limited to the discussion of one general idea. This will allow for clarity and direction throughout the essay. In addition, such conciseness creates an ease of readability for one’s audience. It is important to note that each paragraph in the body of the essay must have some logical connection to the thesis statement in the opening paragraph. Some paragraphs will directly support the thesis statement with evidence collected during research. It is also important to explain how and why the evidence supports the thesis ( warrant ).

However, argumentative essays should also consider and explain differing points of view regarding the topic. Depending on the length of the assignment, students should dedicate one or two paragraphs of an argumentative essay to discussing conflicting opinions on the topic. Rather than explaining how these differing opinions are wrong outright, students should note how opinions that do not align with their thesis might not be well informed or how they might be out of date.

• Evidential support (whether factual, logical, statistical, or anecdotal).

The argumentative essay requires well-researched, accurate, detailed, and current information to support the thesis statement and consider other points of view. Some factual, logical, statistical, or anecdotal evidence should support the thesis. However, students must consider multiple points of view when collecting evidence. As noted in the paragraph above, a successful and well-rounded argumentative essay will also discuss opinions not aligning with the thesis. It is unethical to exclude evidence that may not support the thesis. It is not the student’s job to point out how other positions are wrong outright, but rather to explain how other positions may not be well informed or up to date on the topic.

• A conclusion that does not simply restate the thesis, but readdresses it in light of the evidence provided.

It is at this point of the essay that students may begin to struggle. This is the portion of the essay that will leave the most immediate impression on the mind of the reader. Therefore, it must be effective and logical. Do not introduce any new information into the conclusion; rather, synthesize the information presented in the body of the essay. Restate why the topic is important, review the main points, and review your thesis. You may also want to include a short discussion of more research that should be completed in light of your work.

A complete argument

Perhaps it is helpful to think of an essay in terms of a conversation or debate with a classmate. If I were to discuss the cause of World War II and its current effect on those who lived through the tumultuous time, there would be a beginning, middle, and end to the conversation. In fact, if I were to end the argument in the middle of my second point, questions would arise concerning the current effects on those who lived through the conflict. Therefore, the argumentative essay must be complete, and logically so, leaving no doubt as to its intent or argument.

The five-paragraph essay

A common method for writing an argumentative essay is the five-paragraph approach. This is, however, by no means the only formula for writing such essays. If it sounds straightforward, that is because it is; in fact, the method consists of (a) an introductory paragraph (b) three evidentiary body paragraphs that may include discussion of opposing views and (c) a conclusion.

Longer argumentative essays

Complex issues and detailed research call for complex and detailed essays. Argumentative essays discussing a number of research sources or empirical research will most certainly be longer than five paragraphs. Authors may have to discuss the context surrounding the topic, sources of information and their credibility, as well as a number of different opinions on the issue before concluding the essay. Many of these factors will be determined by the assignment.

Home » Language » English Language » Difference Between Argumentative and Expository Essay

Difference Between Argumentative and Expository Essay

Main difference – argumentative vs expository essay.

Argumentative essay and Expository Essay are two types of essays that deal with facts and information. The main difference between Argumentative essay and expository essay is that Argumentative essay is a genre of writing that attempts to convince the reader to accept writer’s point of view while expository essay is a genre of writing that provide information and explanations in a straightforward manner to the readers .

What is an Expository Essay

Expository Essay is a type of writing that evaluates and explains a certain issue or a topic. A writer should always maintain an objective, neutral tone throughout the essay. In this type of an essay, the writer should refrain from pointing out his personal ideas and beliefs. The structure of an expository essay includes an introduction containing a thesis/opening statement, a body that contains sufficient facts, information to cover the topic and a conclusion that briefly summarizes all the points explained in the body. Some expository essay topics include, ” The role of social media in contemporary society”,”Causes for Global Warming”, “Analysis of a piece of literature,” “The economic growth of the country in the last 10 years.”

What is an Argumentative Essay

An Argumentative Essay is a type of writing in which the writer attempts to convince his audience that his argument is valid. An argumentative essay contains a combination of facts and writer’s personal ideas. A writer preparing to start an argumentative essay have to do a  lot of research and gather evidence to prove as well as to defend his point. An argumentative essay is biased and subjective, although the writer has to be aware of the opposing views on the subject. This type of essay appeals to the logic and the reasoning. Examples for some argumentative essays are “Should English be the official language in the United States?”, “Is dieting useless ?” ,”Should cigarettes be banned from the society?” etc.

The main difference between argumentative and expository essay is that an expository essay contains only information, explaining the topic, whereas an argumentative essay contains statistics, facts and writer’s personal ideas. Another vital difference between argumentative and expository essay is that an expository essay always give a balanced account of a subject while an argumentative essay may be unbiased and subjective. First person point of view is usually used in an argumentative essay (I strongly believe, In my opinion, I do not agree with…, etc.) while, in an expository essay, third person narration is preferred. It should be also noted that an argumentative essay can contain elements of an expository essay, as argumentative essays also state explanations and information. Another central difference between argumentative and expository essay can be noted in the opening sentence in the essay; the opening sentence in an argumentative essay states the argument, and the opening line in an expository essay introduces the topic.

What are the Types of Essays

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How to Write an A+ Argumentative Essay

Miscellaneous

You'll no doubt have to write a number of argumentative essays in both high school and college, but what, exactly, is an argumentative essay and how do you write the best one possible? Let's take a look.

A great argumentative essay always combines the same basic elements: approaching an argument from a rational perspective, researching sources, supporting your claims using facts rather than opinion, and articulating your reasoning into the most cogent and reasoned points. Argumentative essays are great building blocks for all sorts of research and rhetoric, so your teachers will expect you to master the technique before long.

But if this sounds daunting, never fear! We'll show how an argumentative essay differs from other kinds of papers, how to research and write them, how to pick an argumentative essay topic, and where to find example essays. So let's get started.

What Is an Argumentative Essay? How Is it Different from Other Kinds of Essays?

There are two basic requirements for any and all essays: to state a claim (a thesis statement) and to support that claim with evidence.

Though every essay is founded on these two ideas, there are several different types of essays, differentiated by the style of the writing, how the writer presents the thesis, and the types of evidence used to support the thesis statement.

Essays can be roughly divided into four different types:

#1: Argumentative #2: Persuasive #3: Expository #4: Analytical

So let's look at each type and what the differences are between them before we focus the rest of our time to argumentative essays.

Argumentative Essay

Argumentative essays are what this article is all about, so let's talk about them first.

An argumentative essay attempts to convince a reader to agree with a particular argument (the writer's thesis statement). The writer takes a firm stand one way or another on a topic and then uses hard evidence to support that stance.

An argumentative essay seeks to prove to the reader that one argument —the writer's argument— is the factually and logically correct one. This means that an argumentative essay must use only evidence-based support to back up a claim , rather than emotional or philosophical reasoning (which is often allowed in other types of essays). Thus, an argumentative essay has a burden of substantiated proof and sources , whereas some other types of essays (namely persuasive essays) do not.

You can write an argumentative essay on any topic, so long as there's room for argument. Generally, you can use the same topics for both a persuasive essay or an argumentative one, so long as you support the argumentative essay with hard evidence.

Example topics of an argumentative essay:

• "Should farmers be allowed to shoot wolves if those wolves injure or kill farm animals?"
• "Should the drinking age be lowered in the United States?"
• "Are alternatives to democracy effective and/or feasible to implement?"

The next three types of essays are not argumentative essays, but you may have written them in school. We're going to cover them so you know what not to do for your argumentative essay.

Persuasive Essay

Persuasive essays are similar to argumentative essays, so it can be easy to get them confused. But knowing what makes an argumentative essay different than a persuasive essay can often mean the difference between an excellent grade and an average one.

Persuasive essays seek to persuade a reader to agree with the point of view of the writer, whether that point of view is based on factual evidence or not. The writer has much more flexibility in the evidence they can use, with the ability to use moral, cultural, or opinion-based reasoning as well as factual reasoning to persuade the reader to agree the writer's side of a given issue.

Instead of being forced to use "pure" reason as one would in an argumentative essay, the writer of a persuasive essay can manipulate or appeal to the reader's emotions. So long as the writer attempts to steer the readers into agreeing with the thesis statement, the writer doesn't necessarily need hard evidence in favor of the argument.

Often, you can use the same topics for both a persuasive essay or an argumentative one—the difference is all in the approach and the evidence you present.

Example topics of a persuasive essay:

• "Should children be responsible for their parents' debts?"
• "Should cheating on a test be automatic grounds for expulsion?"
• "How much should sports leagues be held accountable for player injuries and the long-term consequences of those injuries?"

Expository Essay

An expository essay is typically a short essay in which the writer explains an idea, issue, or theme , or discusses the history of a person, place, or idea.

This is typically a fact-forward essay with little argument or opinion one way or the other.

Example topics of an expository essay:

• "The History of the Philadelphia Liberty Bell"
• "The Reasons I Always Wanted to be a Doctor"
• "The Meaning Behind the Colloquialism ‘People in Glass Houses Shouldn't Throw Stones'"

Analytical Essay

An analytical essay seeks to delve into the deeper meaning of a text or work of art, or unpack a complicated idea . These kinds of essays closely interpret a source and look into its meaning by analyzing it at both a macro and micro level.

This type of analysis can be augmented by historical context or other expert or widely-regarded opinions on the subject, but is mainly supported directly through the original source (the piece or art or text being analyzed) .

Example topics of an analytical essay:

• "Victory Gin in Place of Water: The Symbolism Behind Gin as the Only Potable Substance in George Orwell's 1984"
• "Amarna Period Art: The Meaning Behind the Shift from Rigid to Fluid Poses"
• "Adultery During WWII, as Told Through a Series of Letters to and from Soldiers"

There are many different types of essay and, over time, you'll be able to master them all.

A Typical Argumentative Essay Assignment

The average argumentative essay is between three to five pages, and will require at least three or four separate sources with which to back your claims . As for the essay topic , you'll most often be asked to write an argumentative essay in an English class on a "general" topic of your choice, ranging the gamut from science, to history, to literature.

But while the topics of an argumentative essay can span several different fields, the structure of an argumentative essay is always the same: you must support a claim—a claim that can reasonably have multiple sides—using multiple sources and using a standard essay format (which we'll talk about later on).

This is why many argumentative essay topics begin with the word "should," as in:

• "Should all students be required to learn chemistry in high school?"
• "Should children be required to learn a second language?"
• "Should schools or governments be allowed to ban books?"

These topics all have at least two sides of the argument: Yes or no. And you must support the side you choose with evidence as to why your side is the correct one.

But there are also plenty of other ways to frame an argumentative essay as well:

• "Does using social media do more to benefit or harm people?"
• "Does the legal status of artwork or its creators—graffiti and vandalism, pirated media, a creator who's in jail—have an impact on the art itself?"
• "Is or should anyone ever be ‘above the law?'"

Though these are worded differently than the first three, you're still essentially forced to pick between two sides of an issue: yes or no, for or against, benefit or detriment. Though your argument might not fall entirely into one side of the divide or another—for instance, you could claim that social media has positively impacted some aspects of modern life while being a detriment to others—your essay should still support one side of the argument above all. Your final stance would be that overall , social media is beneficial or overall , social media is harmful.

If your argument is one that is mostly text-based or backed by a single source (e.g., "How does Salinger show that Holden Caulfield is an unreliable narrator?" or "Does Gatsby personify the American Dream?"), then it's an analytical essay, rather than an argumentative essay. An argumentative essay will always be focused on more general topics so that you can use multiple sources to back up your claims.

Good Argumentative Essay Topics

So you know the basic idea behind an argumentative essay, but what topic should you write about?

Again, almost always, you'll be asked to write an argumentative essay on a free topic of your choice, or you'll be asked to select between a few given topics . If you're given complete free reign of topics, then it'll be up to you to find an essay topic that no only appeals to you, but that you can turn into an A+ argumentative essay.

What makes a "good" argumentative essay topic depends on both the subject matter and your personal interest —it can be hard to give your best effort on something that bores you to tears! But it can also be near impossible to write an argumentative essay on a topic that has no room for debate.

As we said earlier, a good argumentative essay topic will be one that has the potential to reasonably go in at least two directions—for or against, yes or no, and why . For example, it's pretty hard to write an argumentative essay on whether or not people should be allowed to murder one another—not a whole lot of debate there for most people!—but writing an essay for or against the death penalty has a lot more wiggle room for evidence and argument.

A good topic is also one that can be substantiated through hard evidence and relevant sources . So be sure to pick a topic that other people have studied (or at least studied elements of) so that you can use their data in your argument. For example, if you're arguing that it should be mandatory for all middle school children to play a sport, you might have to apply smaller scientific data points to the larger picture you're trying to justify. There are probably several studies you could cite on the benefits of physical activity and the positive effect structure and teamwork has on young minds, but there's probably no study you could use where a group of scientists put all middle-schoolers in one jurisdiction into a mandatory sports program (since that's probably never happened). So long as your evidence is relevant to your point and you can extrapolate from it to form a larger whole, you can use it as a part of your resource material.

And if you need ideas on where to get started, or just want to see sample argumentative essay topics, then check out these links for hundreds of potential argumentative essay topics.

101 Persuasive (or Argumentative) Essay and Speech Topics

301 Prompts for Argumentative Writing

Top 50 Ideas for Argumentative/Persuasive Essay Writing

[Note: some of these say "persuasive essay topics," but just remember that the same topic can often be used for both a persuasive essay and an argumentative essay; the difference is in your writing style and the evidence you use to support your claims.]

KO! Find that one argumentative essay topic you can absolutely conquer.

Argumentative Essay Format

Argumentative Essays are composed of four main elements:

• A position (your argument)
• Your reasons
• Supporting evidence for those reasons (from reliable sources)
• Counterargument(s) (possible opposing arguments and reasons why those arguments are incorrect)

If you're familiar with essay writing in general, then you're also probably familiar with the five paragraph essay structure . This structure is a simple tool to show how one outlines an essay and breaks it down into its component parts, although it can be expanded into as many paragraphs as you want beyond the core five.

The standard argumentative essay is often 3-5 pages, which will usually mean a lot more than five paragraphs, but your overall structure will look the same as a much shorter essay.

An argumentative essay at its simplest structure will look like:

Paragraph 1: Intro

• Set up the story/problem/issue
• Thesis/claim

Paragraph 2: Support

• Reason #1 claim is correct
• Supporting evidence with sources

Paragraph 3: Support

• Reason #2 claim is correct

Paragraph 4: Counterargument

• Explanation of argument for the other side
• Refutation of opposing argument with supporting evidence

Paragraph 5: Conclusion

• Re-state claim
• Sum up reasons and support of claim from the essay to prove claim is correct

Now let's unpack each of these paragraph types to see how they work (with examples!), what goes into them, and why.

Paragraph 1—Set Up and Claim

Your first task is to introduce the reader to the topic at hand so they'll be prepared for your claim. Give a little background information, set the scene, and give the reader some stakes so that they care about the issue you're going to discuss.

Next, you absolutely must have a position on an argument and make that position clear to the readers. It's not an argumentative essay unless you're arguing for a specific claim, and this claim will be your thesis statement.

Your thesis CANNOT be a mere statement of fact (e.g., "Washington DC is the capital of the United States"). Your thesis must instead be an opinion which can be backed up with evidence and has the potential to be argued against (e.g., "New York should be the capital of the United States").

Paragraphs 2 and 3—Your Evidence

These are your body paragraphs in which you give the reasons why your argument is the best one and back up this reasoning with concrete evidence .

The argument supporting the thesis of an argumentative essay should be one that can be supported by facts and evidence, rather than personal opinion or cultural or religious mores.

For example, if you're arguing that New York should be the new capital of the US, you would have to back up that fact by discussing the factual contrasts between New York and DC in terms of location, population, revenue, and laws. You would then have to talk about the precedents for what makes for a good capital city and why New York fits the bill more than DC does.

Your argument can't simply be that a lot of people think New York is the best city ever and that you agree.

In addition to using concrete evidence, you always want to keep the tone of your essay passionate, but impersonal . Even though you're writing your argument from a single opinion, don't use first person language—"I think," "I feel," "I believe,"—to present your claims. Doing so is repetitive, since by writing the essay you're already telling the audience what you feel, and using first person language weakens your writing voice.

For example,

"I think that Washington DC is no longer suited to be the capital city of the United States."

"Washington DC is no longer suited to be the capital city of the United States."

The second statement sounds far stronger and more analytical.

Paragraph 4—Argument for the Other Side and Refutation

Even without a counter argument, you can make a pretty persuasive claim, but a counterargument will round out your essay into one that is much more persuasive and substantial.

By anticipating an argument against your claim and taking the initiative to counter it, you're allowing yourself to get ahead of the game. This way, you show that you've given great thought to all sides of the issue before choosing your position, and you demonstrate in multiple ways how yours is the more reasoned and supported side.

Paragraph 5—Conclusion

This paragraph is where you re-state your argument and summarize why it's the best claim.

Briefly touch on your supporting evidence and voila! A finished argumentative essay.

Your essay should have just as awesome a skeleton as this plesiosaur does. (In other words: a ridiculously awesome skeleton)

Argumentative Essay Example: 5-Paragraph Style

It always helps to have an example to learn from. I've written a full 5-paragraph argumentative essay here. Look at how I state my thesis in paragraph 1, give supporting evidence in paragraphs 2 and 3, address a counterargument in paragraph 4, and conclude in paragraph 5.

Topic: Is it possible to maintain conflicting loyalties?

Paragraph 1

It is almost impossible to go through life without encountering a situation where your loyalties to different people or causes come into conflict with each other. Maybe you have a loving relationship with your sister, but she disagrees with your decision to join the army, or you find yourself torn between your cultural beliefs and your scientific ones. These conflicting loyalties can often be maintained for a time, but as examples from both history and psychological theory illustrate, sooner or later, people have to make a choice between competing loyalties, as no one can maintain a conflicting loyalty or belief system forever.

The first two sentences set the scene and give some hypothetical examples and stakes for the reader to care about.

The third sentence finishes off the intro with the thesis statement, making very clear how the author stands on the issue ("people have to make a choice between competing loyalties, as no one can maintain a conflicting loyalty or belief system forever." )

Paragraphs 2 and 3

Psychological theory states that human beings are not equipped to maintain conflicting loyalties indefinitely and that attempting to do so leads to a state called "cognitive dissonance." Cognitive dissonance theory is the psychological idea that people undergo tremendous mental stress or anxiety when holding contradictory beliefs, values, or loyalties (Festinger, 1957). Even if human beings initially hold a conflicting loyalty, they will do their best to find a mental equilibrium by making a choice between those loyalties—stay stalwart to a belief system or change their beliefs. One of the earliest formal examples of cognitive dissonance theory comes from Leon Festinger's When Prophesy Fails . Members of an apocalyptic cult are told that the end of the world will occur on a specific date and that they alone will be spared the Earth's destruction. When that day comes and goes with no apocalypse, the cult members face a cognitive dissonance between what they see and what they've been led to believe (Festinger, 1956). Some choose to believe that the cult's beliefs are still correct, but that the Earth was simply spared from destruction by mercy, while others choose to believe that they were lied to and that the cult was fraudulent all along. Both beliefs cannot be correct at the same time, and so the cult members are forced to make their choice.

But even when conflicting loyalties can lead to potentially physical, rather than just mental, consequences, people will always make a choice to fall on one side or other of a dividing line. Take, for instance, Nicolaus Copernicus, a man born and raised in Catholic Poland (and educated in Catholic Italy). Though the Catholic church dictated specific scientific teachings, Copernicus' loyalty to his own observations and scientific evidence won out over his loyalty to his country's government and belief system. When he published his heliocentric model of the solar system--in opposition to the geocentric model that had been widely accepted for hundreds of years (Hannam, 2011)-- Copernicus was making a choice between his loyalties. In an attempt t o maintain his fealty both to the established system and to what he believed, h e sat on his findings for a number of years (Fantoli, 1994). But, ultimately, Copernicus made the choice to side with his beliefs and observations above all and published his work for the world to see (even though, in doing so, he risked both his reputation and personal freedoms).

These two paragraphs provide the reasons why the author supports the main argument and uses substantiated sources to back those reasons.

The paragraph on cognitive dissonance theory gives both broad supporting evidence and more narrow, detailed supporting evidence to show why the thesis statement is correct not just anecdotally but also scientifically and psychologically. First, we see why people in general have a difficult time accepting conflicting loyalties and desires and then how this applies to individuals through the example of the cult members from the Dr. Festinger's research.

The next paragraph continues to use more detailed examples from history to provide further evidence of why the thesis that people cannot indefinitely maintain conflicting loyalties is true.

Paragraph 4

Some will claim that it is possible to maintain conflicting beliefs or loyalties permanently, but this is often more a matter of people deluding themselves and still making a choice for one side or the other, rather than truly maintaining loyalty to both sides equally. For example, Lancelot du Lac typifies a person who claims to maintain a balanced loyalty between to two parties, but his attempt to do so fails (as all attempts to permanently maintain conflicting loyalties must). Lancelot tells himself and others that he is equally devoted to both King Arthur and his court and to being Queen Guinevere's knight (Malory, 2008). But he can neither be in two places at once to protect both the king and queen, nor can he help but let his romantic feelings for the queen to interfere with his duties to the king and the kingdom. Ultimately, he and Queen Guinevere give into their feelings for one another and Lancelot—though he denies it—chooses his loyalty to her over his loyalty to Arthur. This decision plunges the kingdom into a civil war, ages Lancelot prematurely, and ultimately leads to Camelot's ruin (Raabe, 1987). Though Lancelot claimed to have been loyal to both the king and the queen, this loyalty was ultimately in conflict, and he could not maintain it.

Here we have the acknowledgement of a potential counter-argument and the evidence as to why it isn't true.

The argument is that some people (or literary characters) have asserted that they give equal weight to their conflicting loyalties. The refutation is that, though some may claim to be able to maintain conflicting loyalties, they're either lying to others or deceiving themselves. The paragraph shows why this is true by providing an example of this in action.

Paragraph 5

Whether it be through literature or history, time and time again, people demonstrate the challenges of trying to manage conflicting loyalties and the inevitable consequences of doing so. Though belief systems are malleable and will often change over time, it is not possible to maintain two mutually exclusive loyalties or beliefs at once. In the end, people always make a choice, and loyalty for one party or one side of an issue will always trump loyalty to the other.

The concluding paragraph summarizes the essay, touches on the evidence presented, and re-states the thesis statement.

How to Write an Argumentative Essay: 8 Steps

Writing the best argumentative essay is all about the preparation, so let's talk steps:

#1: Preliminary Research

If you have the option to pick your own argumentative essay topic (which you most likely will), then choose one or two topics you find the most intriguing or that you have a vested interest in and do some preliminary research on both sides of the debate.

Do an open internet search just to see what the general chatter is on the topic and what the research trends are.

Did your preliminary reading influence you to pick a side or change your side? Without diving into all the scholarly articles at length, do you believe there's enough evidence to support your claim? Have there been scientific studies? Experiments? Does a noted scholar in the field agree with you? If not, you may need to pick another topic or side of the argument to support.

#2: Pick Your Side and Form Your Thesis

Now's the time to pick the side of the argument you feel you can support the best and summarize your main point into your thesis statement.

Your thesis will be the basis of your entire essay, so make sure you know which side you're on, that you've stated it clearly, and that you stick by your argument throughout the entire essay .

#3: Heavy-Duty Research Time

You've taken a gander at what the internet at large has to say on your argument, but now's the time to actually read those sources and take notes.

Check scholarly journals online at Google Scholar , the Directory of Open Access Journals , or JStor . You can also search individual university or school libraries and websites to see what kinds of academic articles you can access for free. Keep track of your important quotes and page numbers and put them somewhere that's easy to find later.

And don't forget to check your school or local libraries as well!

#4: Outline

Follow the five-paragraph outline structure from the previous section.

Fill in your topic, your reasons, and your supporting evidence into each of the categories.

Before you begin to flesh out the essay, take a look at what you've got. Is your thesis statement in the first paragraph? Is it clear? Is your argument logical? Does your supporting evidence support your reasoning?

By outlining your essay, you streamline your process and take care of any logic gaps before you dive headfirst into the writing. This will save you a lot of grief later on if you need to change your sources or your structure, so don't get too trigger-happy and skip this step.

Now that you've laid out exactly what you'll need for your essay and where, it's time to fill in all the gaps by writing it out.

Take it one step at a time and expand your ideas into complete sentences and substantiated claims. It may feel daunting to turn an outline into a complete draft, but just remember that you've already laid out all the groundwork; now you're just filling in the gaps.

If you have the time before deadline, give yourself a day or two (or even just an hour!) away from your essay . Looking it over with fresh eyes will allow you to see errors, both minor and major, that you likely would have missed had you tried to edit when it was still raw.

Take a first pass over the entire essay and try your best to ignore any minor spelling or grammar mistakes—you're just looking at the big picture right now. Does it make sense as a whole? Did the essay succeed in making an argument and backing that argument up logically? (Do you feel persuaded?)

If not, go back and make notes so that you can fix it for your final draft.

Once you've made your revisions to the overall structure, mark all your small errors and grammar problems so you can fix them in the next draft.

#7: Final Draft

Use the notes you made on the rough draft and go in and hack and smooth away until you're satisfied with the final result.

A checklist for your final draft:

• Formatting is correct according to your teacher's standards
• No errors in spelling, grammar, and punctuation
• Essay is the right length and size for the assignment
• The argument is present, consistent, and concise
• Each reason is supported by relevant evidence
• The essay makes sense overall

#8: Celebrate!

Once you've brought that final draft to a perfect polish and turned in your assignment, you're done! Go you!

Be prepared and ♪ you'll never go hungry again ♪, *cough*, or struggle with your argumentative essay-writing again. (Walt Disney Studios)

Good Examples of Argumentative Essays Online

Theory is all well and good, but examples are key. Just to get you started on what a fully-fleshed out argumentative essay looks like, let's see some examples in action.

Check out these two argumentative essay examples on the use of landmines and freons (and note the excellent use of concrete sources to back up their arguments!).

The Use of Landmines

A Shattered Sky

The Take-Aways: Keys to Writing an Argumentative Essay

At first, writing an argumentative essay may seem like a monstrous hurdle to overcome, but with the proper preparation and understanding, you'll be able to knock yours out of the park.

Remember the differences between a persuasive essay and an argumentative one, make sure your thesis is clear, and double-check that your supporting evidence is both relevant to your point and well-sourced . Pick your topic, do your research, make your outline, and fill in the gaps. Before you know it, you'll have yourself an A+ argumentative essay there, my friend.

What's Next?

Now you know the ins and outs of an argumentative essay, but how comfortable are you writing in other styles? Learn more about the four writing styles and when it makes sense to use each .

Understand how to make an argument, but still having trouble organizing your thoughts? Check out our guide to three popular essay formats and choose which one is right for you.

Ready to make your case, but not sure what to write about? We've created a list of 50 potential argumentative essay topics to spark your imagination.

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Expository Essay

Definition of expository essay, types of expository essay, difference between an expository essay and an argumentative essay, examples of expository essay in literature, example #1: how chinese mothers are superior (by amy chua).

“I’m using the term ‘Chinese mother’ loosely. I know some Korean, Indian, Jamaican, Irish and Ghanaian parents who qualify too. Conversely, I know some mothers of Chinese heritage, almost always born in the West, who are not Chinese mothers, by choice or otherwise. I’m also using the term ‘Western parents’ loosely. Western parents come in all varieties. All the same, even when Western parents think they’re being strict, they usually don’t come close to being Chinese mothers. For example, my Western friends who consider themselves strict make their children practice their instruments 30 minutes every day. An hour at most. For a Chinese mother, the first hour is the easy part. It’s hours two and three that get tough.”

Example #2: Learning to Read (by Malcolm X)

“It was because of my letters that I happened to stumble upon starting to acquire some kind of a homemade education. I became increasingly frustrated at not being able to express what I wanted to convey in letters that I wrote, especially those to Mr. Elijah Muhammad. In the street, I had been the most articulate hustler out there. I had commanded attention when I said something. But now , trying to write simple English, I not only wasn’t articulate, I wasn’t even functional. How would I sound writing in slang , the way I would say it, something such as, ‘Look, daddy , let me pull your coat about a cat, Elijah Muhammad — ‘ Many who today hear me somewhere in person, or on television, or those who read something I’ve said, will think I went to school far beyond the eighth grade. This impression is due entirely to my prison studies.”

Example #3: Summer Ritual (by Ray Bradbury)

“About seven o’clock you could hear the chairs scraping from the tables, someone experimenting with a yellow-toothed piano , if you stood outside the dining-room window and listened. Matches being struck, the first dishes bubbling in the suds and tinkling on the wall racks, somewhere, faintly, a phonograph playing. And then as the evening changed the hour, at house after house on the twilight streets, under the immense oaks and elms , on shady porches, people would begin to appear, like those figures who tell good or bad weather in rain -or-shine clocks. Uncle Bert, perhaps Grandfather, then Father, and some of the cousins; the men all coming out first into the syrupy evening, blowing smoke, leaving the wSWomen’s voices behind in the cooling-warm kitchen to set their universe aright. Then the first male voices under the porch brim, the feet up, the boys fringed on the worn steps or wooden rails where sometime during the evening something, a boy or a geranium pot, would fall off.”

Functions of an Expository Essay

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What is an Expository Essay and How to Write It

You’ve been asked to write an expository essay on a particular topic. You know that an essay is generally a written composition that is usually limited in length and reflects the author’s perspective. However, the “expository” part is a little less clear. Keep reading, and you’ll get enough information to understand what an expository essay is and how to create an effective expository essay that meets the assignment requirements.

Table of Contents

What is an expository essay, what is the purpose of expository writing, when should you write an expository essay, 5 types of expository essays, how to structure an expository essay.

• How to write an expository essay with Paperpal 

Key takeaways

Frequently asked questions about expository essays.

The expository essay is the appropriate type of essay to write if you need to inform your audience. If your intent is to critically compare, argue, or persuade, you will want to consider a different essay format. To explain it in more detail:

• An expository essay is a type of academic writing that aims to present a balanced and objective analysis of a specific topic.
• Expository essays often employ various techniques to enhance clarity and understanding. These techniques may include definition, comparison and contrast, cause and effect analysis, problem and solution exploration, or descriptive explanations. The writer should also ensure that the essay maintains a neutral and objective tone, avoiding personal biases or emotional language.
• In an expository essay, the writer typically starts with an introduction that presents the topic and provides an overview of what will be discussed in the essay. The body paragraphs then delve into the details, presenting evidence, examples, and relevant information to support the main points. Each paragraph should focus on a specific aspect or subtopic, and the information should be organized logically and coherently.
• Expository essays are commonly assigned in academic settings as they encourage critical thinking, research skills, and the ability to present information in a clear and concise manner.
• The ability to write an expository essay is an essential skill for students and professionals. It promotes critical thinking, objectivity, and clear and concise communication.

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The primary goal of expository writing is to explain or clarify a concept, process, or phenomenon using evidence, examples, and logical reasoning. Unlike persuasive or argumentative essays, the purpose of an expository essay is not to convince the reader of a particular viewpoint or opinion, but rather to provide clear and concise information.

The main objectives of expository writing are:

• Informing: Expository writing aims to educate and provide readers with new or valuable information. It seeks to convey facts, details, concepts, or ideas about a topic in a straightforward and concise manner.
• Explaining: Expository writing helps readers grasp complex subjects by breaking them down into simpler terms. It aims to clarify abstract concepts, processes, or phenomena, making them more accessible and understandable.
• Instructing: Expository writing provides step-by-step instructions or guidelines on how to perform a task, accomplish a goal, or understand a process. It offers a clear sequence of actions or explanations to ensure readers can follow and replicate the instructions.
• Presenting an analysis: Expository writing often involves analyzing and evaluating information, data, or evidence related to a particular subject. It may include comparing and contrasting different viewpoints, examining cause-and-effect relationships, or offering an objective evaluation of a situation.

Overall, the purpose of expository writing is to provide readers with accurate, unbiased, and well-organized information about a specific topic. It aims to enhance understanding, broaden knowledge, and facilitate learning by presenting information in a clear, coherent, and logical manner.

An expository essay is a good choice when the goal is to inform, explain, describe, or instruct. You may be assigned an expository essay as part of an in-class exam or coursework assignment. Here are some common situations in which writing an expository essay would be appropriate:

• Academic Assignments: Expository essays are frequently assigned in educational settings. Teachers often use this type of essay to assess students’ understanding of a particular subject or to teach them how to research and present information effectively. They are common in subjects such as English, history, science, social studies, or any discipline that requires a clear explanation or analysis of a topic.
• Instructional or How-to Writing: When you want to provide step-by-step instructions or guidance on how to perform a task, solve a problem, or achieve a specific outcome, an expository essay can be an appropriate format. This type of writing is commonly used in manuals, guidebooks, tutorials, or any instructional material.
• Journalism or News Writing: Expository writing is prevalent in journalism, where the goal is to inform readers about current events, news stories, or investigative reports. Journalists strive to present objective information, provide background details, and explain complex issues clearly to their audience.
• Professional or Technical Writing: In various professional fields, such as business, healthcare, engineering, or law, expository writing is utilized to convey information to colleagues, clients, or the general public. This includes writing reports, memos, manuals, research papers, or any form of communication that requires clear and factual presentation of information.

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Expository essays can serve different purposes and present information in various ways. Here are five common types of expository essays:

• Descriptive essay: This type of expository essay focuses on describing a person, place, object, event, or any subject in detail. It aims to create a vivid and sensory-rich portrayal of the topic, using language that appeals to the reader’s senses and emotions.
• Process essay: Also known as a “how-to” essay, a process essay explains a sequence of steps or procedures to accomplish a task or achieve a particular outcome. It provides clear instructions and guidance, breaking down complex processes into manageable and easy-to-follow stages.
• Compare-and-contrast essay: This type of expository essay explores the similarities and differences between two or more subjects. It involves examining various aspects, characteristics, or elements of the subjects and highlighting their similarities, differences, or both.
• Cause-and-effect essay: A cause-and-effect essay explores the reasons (causes) behind an event, situation, or phenomenon, as well as the consequences (effects) that result from it. It aims to analyze and explain the relationship between causes and effects, demonstrating how one factor leads to another.
• Problem-and-solution essay: In this type of expository essay, a specific problem or issue is identified and analyzed, followed by the presentation of potential solutions or strategies to address it. The essay outlines the problem, examines its causes and effects, and proposes practical solutions or recommendations.

It’s important to note that these are not the only types of expository essays, and there can be variations or combinations of these types. Additionally, within each type, the specific approach and structure can vary depending on the requirements of the assignment or the writer’s purpose.

Structuring an expository essay involves organizing your thoughts, ideas, and information in a clear and logical manner. Here is a commonly used structure for an expository essay:

• Begin with an attention-grabbing hook to engage the reader.
• Provide some background information on the topic to set the context.
• Present a clear and concise thesis statement that states the main idea or purpose of the essay.
• Start each paragraph with a clear topic sentence that introduces the main point of the paragraph.
• Support your topic sentence with evidence, facts, examples, or expert opinions that relate to the main point.
• Provide detailed explanations, analysis, or descriptions to clarify and develop your ideas.
• Use transitional words and phrases to ensure smooth flow and coherence between paragraphs and ideas.
• Each paragraph should focus on a specific aspect or subtopic related to the main idea.
• Restate the thesis statement but rephrase it in a way that reinforces the main idea.
• Summarize the main points discussed in the body paragraphs.
• Avoid introducing new information or ideas in the conclusion.
• End with a closing statement that leaves a lasting impression.

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How to write an expository essay with Paperpal  

Writing an expository essay involves a systematic approach to presenting information in a clear and objective manner. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to write an expository essay with Paperpal:

• Understand the purpose and requirements: Familiarize yourself with the purpose of the essay and any specific guidelines or requirements. Then, determine the topic or subject of your expository essay and gather relevant information and resources.
• Conduct research and gather information: Conduct thorough research on your topic to gather factual information, examples, evidence, or expert opinions. Leverage Paperpal’s Research feature to get factual insights with citations from 250M+ verified research articles. 
• Plan and outline: Develop a clear and coherent outline that includes an introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. You can just enter your topic and a few lines and Paperpal will create a detailed outline . Use this to develop the main points or subtopics to be covered or add your own ideas to create a logical structure that flows well. 
• Write the introduction: Be sure to include a clear and concise thesis statement that states the main idea or purpose of your expository essay.
• Write the body paragraphs: Write one paragraph for each main idea, using transitions to ensure a smooth flow throughout. Feeling stuck at a certain point? Use Paperpal Write to keep writing and maintain that flow.  
• Write the conclusion: Restate your thesis statement and summarize the evidence.
• Revise and edit: Review your expository essay for clarity, coherence, and logical flow, and check for grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors with Paperpal Edit . If you wish to rewrite certain text to make it academically coherent, use Paperpal Rewrite . Remember to always maintain an objective tone and focus on presenting information rather than expressing personal opinions. 

As you can see, effective expository essays vary widely based on their topic and ultimate purpose. However, they have several important characteristics in common. When you’re writing an expository essay, keep the following tips in mind:

• Use clear, concise, and formal language, avoiding unnecessary jargon or complex terms.
• The thesis statement needs to be clear, concise, and appropriately focused.
• Provide sufficient evidence and examples to support your claims and make your writing more credible.
• Consider the logical flow of your ideas and make sure they are presented in a coherent manner.
• Use appropriate transitions to connect your sentences, paragraphs, and ideas.
• Remember that the specific structure of your expository essay may vary depending on the requirements of your assignment or the complexity of your topic. Adapt the structure as needed while ensuring that your essay is organized and focused on conveying information effectively.

By strategically using Paperpal, you can streamline your expository essay writing process, save time, and focus on crafting a clear, well-researched, and insightful piece. Sign up to Paperpal for free and start writing now!  

You should consider writing an expository essay when you need to explain, inform, or describe a particular topic or subject to your readers. Expository essays are usually assigned in academic settings, but they can also be used in other contexts, such as writing articles or blog posts. For example, an expository essay would be appropriate for purposes such as explaining the benefits of a healthy lifestyle, describing the process of a scientific experiment, or discussing the impact of technology on society.

Expository essay: The main purpose of an expository essay is to explain, describe, or inform the reader about a particular topic or subject. It should be written in a neutral manner, focusing on presenting facts, explaining concepts, and offering a clear understanding of the topic. Argumentative essay: The primary purpose of an argumentative essay is to present a well-structured argument or position on a specific issue. The writer takes a clear stance on a topic and provides strong arguments, counterarguments, and evidence to support their position. The language used may be more passionate and persuasive to convince the reader.

The length of an expository essay can vary depending on the specific requirements or guidelines provided by your instructor or the purpose of your writing. Expository essays can range from a few hundred words for shorter essays to several thousand words for more in-depth or research-based essays. The number of body paragraphs typically range from three to five, but it can vary based on the complexity of the topic and the amount of information you need to convey.

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5 Expository Essay Examples (Full Text with Citations)

Chris Drew (PhD)

Dr. Chris Drew is the founder of the Helpful Professor. He holds a PhD in education and has published over 20 articles in scholarly journals. He is the former editor of the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education. [Image Descriptor: Photo of Chris]

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An expository essay attempts to explain a topic in-depth, demonstrating expert knowledge and understanding.

This form of essay is structured around the clear, factual presentation of information, devoid of the writer’s personal opinions or arguments.

The primary goal is to inform or explain rather than persuade.

Unlike an argumentative essay, which is built around defending a particular point of view with evidence and persuasion, an expository essay maintains a neutral stance, focusing on delivering straightforward facts and explanations.

An example of expository writing could be an article explaining the process of photosynthesis.

The article would systematically describe each stage of how plants convert sunlight into energy, detailing the role of sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide.

It would explain the sequence of reactions – first, second, third, fourth, fifth – that occur and the importance of each step in supporting the life of the plant.

An expository essay generally follows this essay format:

• A) To persuade the reader to adopt a particular viewpoint
• B) To inform or explain a topic clearly
• C) To present the writer’s personal opinions and arguments
• D) To entertain the reader with creative writing
• A) An expository essay uses creative storytelling techniques
• B) An expository essay remains neutral and avoids personal opinions
• C) An expository essay focuses on persuading the reader with evidence
• D) An expository essay prioritizes the writer’s personal experiences

Expository Essay Examples

#1 impacts of technology on education.

955 words | 4 Pages | 15 References

Thesis Statement: “The integration of technology in education represents a complex and critical area of study crucial for understanding and shaping the future of educational practices.”

#2 Impacts of Globalization on Education

1450 words | 5 Pages | 9 References

Thesis Statement: “This essay examines the profound and multifaceted effects of globalization on education, exploring how technological advancements and policy reforms have transformed access to, delivery of, and perceptions of education.”

#3 The Role of Emotional Intelligence in Interpersonal Relationships

1211 Words | 5 Pages | 22 References

Thesis Statement: “The central thesis is that EI, defined as the ability to perceive, understand, and manage emotions, is a crucial determinant of success and well-being.”

#4 The Future of Renewable Energy Sources and Their Impact

870 words | 4 Pages | 20 References

Thesis Statement: “The essay posits that although renewable energy sources hold immense promise for a sustainable future, their full integration into the global energy grid presents significant challenges that must be addressed through technological innovation, economic investment, and policy initiatives.”

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Thesis Statement: “The thesis of this essay is that consumer behavior is not merely a product of rational decision-making; it is deeply rooted in psychological processes, both conscious and subconscious, that drive consumers’ choices and actions.”

How to Write an Expository Essay

Unlike argumentative or persuasive essays, expository essays do not aim to convince the reader of a particular point of view.

Instead, they focus on providing a balanced and thorough explanation of a subject.

Key characteristics of an expository essay include:

• Clarity and Conciseness
• Structured Organization (Introduction, Body, Conclusion)
• Objective Tone
• Evidence-Based (Cite academic sources in every body paragraph)
• Objective thesis statement (see below)
• Informative purpose (Not argumentative)

You can follow my expository essay templates with AI prompts to help guide you through the expository essay writing process:

How to write a Thesis Statement for an Expository Essay

An expository thesis statement doesn’t make an argument or try to persuade. It uses ‘is’ rather than ‘ought’ statements.

Take these comparisons  below. Note how the expository thesis statements don’t prosecute an argument or attempt to persuade, while the argumentative thesis statements clearly take a side on an issue:

💡 AI Prompt for Generating Sample Expository Thesis Statements An expository essay’s thesis statement should be objective rather than argumentative. Write me five broad expository thesis statement ideas on the topic “[TOPIC]”.

Go Deeper: 101 Thesis Statement Examples

Differences Between Expository and Argumentative Essays

Expository and argumentative essays are both common writing styles in academic and professional contexts, but they serve different purposes and follow different structures.

Here are the key differences between them:

• Expository Essay : The primary purpose is to explain, describe, or inform about a topic. It focuses on clarifying a subject or process, providing understanding and insight.
• Argumentative Essay : The goal is to persuade the reader to accept a particular point of view or to take a specific action. It’s about presenting a stance and supporting it with evidence and logic.
• Expository Essay : It maintains a neutral and objective tone. The writer presents information factually and impartially, without expressing personal opinions or biases.
• Argumentative Essay : It often adopts a more assertive, persuasive, and subjective tone. The writer takes a clear position and argues in favor of it, using persuasive language.
• Expository Essay : The reader is expected to gain knowledge, understand a process, or become informed about a topic. There’s no expectation for the reader to agree or disagree.
• Argumentative Essay : The reader is encouraged to consider the writer’s viewpoint, evaluate arguments, and possibly be persuaded to adopt a new perspective or take action.

Go Deeper: Expository vs Argumentative Essays

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• Writing Tips

Essay Tips: Four Types of Essay

• 3-minute read
• 25th March 2019

Every essay is different. But we can identify four common types of essay:

• Expository essays (i.e., essays that explain something)
• Descriptive essays (i.e., essays that describe something)
• Persuasive essays (i.e., essays that aim to persuade the reader)
• Narrative essays (i.e., essays that tell a story)

These are not always clear distinctions (e.g., a narrative essay may also be descriptive). Nevertheless, most essays fall into one of the categories above, and knowing the differences between them can be useful when planning your work . Read on to find out more.

1. Expository Essays

Expository essays focus on explaining something. The aim is to test how well you can communicate your understanding of a topic. This often involves comparing and contrasting two ideas, or defining something and giving an example. Expository essays are typically structured as follows:

• An introduction that sets out the subject matter, how you will answer the essay question, and any key background information.
• A series of logically connected paragraphs setting out your understanding of the subject, along with evidence to support your claims.
• A conclusion that addresses your essay question.

This type of essay is often used for shorter assignments and exams.

2. Descriptive Essays

Descriptive essays are less about arguing a point and more about creating a detailed picture. The problem is that you need to create this picture with words! These essays are sometimes quite personal or creative (e.g., reflective essays often include a descriptive element). However, they should still be clearly structured and written to make them easy to follow.

Your aim should be to leave your reader with a clear idea of what you are describing. This is a very useful skill to have in any form of writing, in fact, as it will make your work more compelling.

3. Persuasive Essays

Persuasive (or argumentative ) essays are a lot like expository essays. They are often structured similarly, for example. And both types of essay ask you to answer a question via research.

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However, a persuasive essay is also about presenting a thesis and backing it up with evidence or arguments. For example, rather than just setting out and comparing two theories, for a persuasive essay, you might need to research different aspects of these theories, address them critically, and argue for one over the other. This may involve in-depth research or an experiment.

As such, persuasive essays are usually longer than expository essays. They are often used as end-of-module assignments in colleges, too.

4. Narrative Essays

Finally, narrative essays tell a story. This doesn’t mean that you have to write your essay as a short story, but it will draw on the conventions of storytelling.

In terms of content, narrative essays are usually quite personal or anecdotal, but they should also have a point (a moral to the story or a lesson that you have learned from an experience).

The language used in a narrative essay should be clear and concise, but it will also be descriptive and emotive. Using the first-person pronoun “I” is much more common in this type of essay than others, too, as you will often be writing about your own experiences.

Finally, whatever type of essay you are writing, don’t forget that having your work proofread is a great way to boost your marks.

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Kinds of argumentative academic essays and their purposes

Published on November 5, 2014 by Shane Bryson . Revised on July 23, 2023.

Most of the time, when your supervisors and others talk about academic essays what they mean is essays that present well-reasoned points of view on various topics . This article explains some essential kinds of these essays—exegetical, discursive, expository, and argumentative—and outlines their key differences and similarities. We’ll call the group of them “persuasive essays,” since they all require you to persuade your reader in some way.

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Table of contents

Kinds of persuasive academic essays, difference between persuasive academic essays and standard scientific articles, differences between kinds of persuasive academic essays, other interesting articles.

Exegetical essays persuade your reader to interpret a theory in a certain way and show your ability to understand and accurately explain difficult ideas.

Discursive essays persuade your reader to see the different sides of a debate in a certain way and present your ability to compare different approaches to a topic.

Expository essays persuade your reader that your opinion is the right one and that you are a competent critical thinker.

Argumentative essays persuade your reader to see something new in a field of research and to see that you have some authority in that field.

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One thing that separates a persuasive academic essay from a standard scientific article or an article in a newspaper is that the author’s point of view plays a more obvious role. Whereas a scientist is taught not to present the facts as she sees them but as anyone can see them, an essayist always presents information from a certain point of view (usually her own), even if she usually avoids referring to herself in the text.

The different kinds of persuasive academic essays are distinguished by the different things they do, but also by the prominence of the author’s point of view. The following tables presents the differences.

What all persuasive academic essays do

The first thing to notice is that, while essay assignments do sometimes ask for one or the other of these types of essay, often persuasive academic essays will need to mix these styles. For example, in order to properly situate her view in the current literature on a topic, the author of an argumentative essay will sometimes need to present a brief exegesis of someone else’s view. Many other combinations are possible, and the argumentative essay, especially, may draw on each of the other three styles.

Second, each of these academic essay forms is argumentative, even though we call only one of them “the argumentative essay.” In fact, you should keep in mind that, speaking loosely, people sometimes do refer to all of these as “argumentative essays.” This term is not entirely inaccurate, since they all require skillful treatment of argumentation, and they all require you to persuade your reader of something.

If you want to know more about AI tools , college essays , or fallacies make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

• Ad hominem fallacy
• Post hoc fallacy
• Appeal to authority fallacy
• False cause fallacy
• Sunk cost fallacy

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Shane Bryson

Shane finished his master's degree in English literature in 2013 and has been working as a writing tutor and editor since 2009. He began proofreading and editing essays with Scribbr in early summer, 2014.

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What is the Difference Between Expository Essay and Persuasive Essay?

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• 13 minute read

What’s the Difference Between Halibut And Flounder?

Share article, table of contents hide, expository vs. persuasive essays, definition and purpose of an expository essay, characteristics of an expository essay, definition and purpose of a persuasive essay, characteristics of a persuasive essay, writing style, tone and language, goal and objective, structure and organization, use of evidence and examples, when to use each type of essay, what is the difference between an expository essay and a persuasive essay, how does an expository essay present information, what does it mean to “take a stand” in a persuasive essay, what kind of evidence is required in a persuasive essay, can a persuasive essay include opposing arguments, where are expository essays commonly used.

Expository essays aim to explain or inform, while persuasive essays seek to convince or persuade the reader of a particular viewpoint or argument .

Expository and persuasive essays differ in their purpose and approach:

Expository Essays:

• An expository essay aims to inform, explain, or describe a topic to the reader.
• The writer presents factual information and provides a balanced analysis of the topic.
• The focus is on presenting objective information and supporting evidence rather than trying to persuade the reader.
• Examples of expository essays include research papers, informative articles, and explanatory essays .

Persuasive Essays:

• A persuasive essay aims to convince or persuade the reader to adopt a certain viewpoint or take a specific action.
• The writer presents arguments, opinions, and evidence to support their position.
• The focus is on persuading and influencing the reader through logical reasoning , emotional appeals, and strong arguments.
• Examples of persuasive essays include opinion editorials, argumentative essays, and advertisements .

While expository essays primarily focus on providing information and explaining a topic, persuasive essays aim to change the reader’s perspective or behavior through persuasive techniques and compelling arguments.

What Is an Expository Essay?

An expository essay is a type of essay that aims to inform or explain a specific topic to the reader. This form of writing focuses on presenting facts , evidence, and logical explanations to provide a clear understanding of the subject matter. It does not involve personal opinions or bias.

An expository essay is a type of essay that aims to explain or describe a specific topic in an objective and factual manner. The purpose of an expository essay is to provide information , educate the reader, and present a clear understanding of the subject matter. This type of essay does not involve personal opinions or biases.

The definition and purpose of an expository essay involve presenting a balanced and unbiased view of the topic. The writer should focus on providing evidence , facts , and examples to support their claims and help the reader understand the subject. The aim is to clarify and illuminate the topic, leaving no room for ambiguity or confusion.

The purpose of an expository essay is to inform , instruct , or explain . It may involve exploring a concept, analyzing a process, or defining a term . The writer’s goal is to convey information in a clear and concise manner, using appropriate evidence and examples to support their points.

An expository essay serves the purpose of enlightening the reader about a particular subject, presenting facts and evidence, and providing a comprehensive understanding of the topic. It is important for the writer to maintain objectivity , stick to the facts, and avoid any personal biases or opinions.

The characteristics of an expository essay, which are clarity , objectivity , and a focus on providing information or explaining a topic, are essential for effective writing.

• Clarity: An expository essay aims to present information in a clear and concise manner. It avoids ambiguity, vague language , and unnecessary complexity. The writer should use simple and straightforward language to ensure that the readers easily understand the information being presented.
• Objectivity: Unlike a persuasive essay, an expository essay does not aim to persuade or convince the readers of a particular viewpoint. Instead, it focuses on presenting facts, evidence, and unbiased information. The writer should maintain a neutral tone and avoid personal opinions or biases.
• Factual Assertions: In an expository essay, the writer should utilize factual assertions rather than modal verbs. This strengthens the credibility and reliability of the information being presented.
• Logical Organization: An expository essay typically follows a logical structure, such as an introduction , body paragraphs, and a conclusion. The information should be organized in a logical manner, with each paragraph focusing on a specific aspect or sub-topic.
• Use of Evidence and Examples: To support the information being presented, an expository essay should include relevant evidence, examples, and data. These help to strengthen the arguments and provide further understanding to the readers.

Pro-tip: When writing an expository essay, be sure to thoroughly research the topic and gather reliable sources. This will ensure that the information presented is accurate and credible.

What Is a Persuasive Essay?

A persuasive essay is designed to convince the reader to adopt the writer’s viewpoint or take a specific action. This type of essay employs persuasive techniques, such as emotional appeals and logical reasoning, to sway the reader’s opinion. It involves the use of arguments and evidence to support the writer’s stance.

The definition and purpose of a persuasive essay are to convince the reader to adopt a particular viewpoint or take a specific action. The writer aims to persuade the audience by presenting arguments, evidence, and examples that support their position.

• The definition of a persuasive essay is an academic paper that seeks to convince the reader of a particular idea or point of view.
• The purpose of a persuasive essay is to influence the reader’s beliefs , attitudes, or behaviors on a specific topic.
• The writer’s objective is to present logical and compelling arguments that support their position.
• A persuasive essay uses rhetoric and persuasive techniques to appeal to the reader’s emotions and values.
• The writer must establish credibility and trustworthiness by providing evidence and examples to support their claims.

In a persuasive essay, the writer takes a clear stance on the issue and uses persuasive language and rhetorical devices to convince the reader of their viewpoint. The writer must anticipate and address counterarguments to strengthen their position and undermine opposing viewpoints.

The purpose of a persuasive essay is not only to inform but also to persuade and compel the reader to adopt the writer’s perspective. It is essential for the writer to use persuasive strategies effectively and present a well-structured and coherent argument.

A persuasive essay incorporates various characteristics that make it effective in convincing readers. It utilizes persuasive language, a clear thesis statement, evidence and examples, counterarguments and rebuttals, appeals to emotions, and a strong call to action.

• Persuasive language: A persuasive essay makes use of persuasive language to sway readers towards a specific point of view or encourage them to take certain actions. The language used in this type of essay is often passionate , emotional, and impactful.
• Clear thesis statement: Every persuasive essay presents a clear and concise thesis statement that outlines the main argument or position of the writer. This statement serves as a guide for the essay and helps the reader understand the writer’s standpoint.
• Evidence and examples: A persuasive essay relies heavily on the use of evidence and examples to support its main argument. The writer presents facts, statistics , expert opinions, and anecdotes to convince the reader of their perspective.
• Counterarguments and rebuttals: Acknowledging counterarguments is an important aspect of a persuasive essay. It involves presenting opposing viewpoints fairly and then providing strong rebuttals to discredit them. This strengthens the credibility of the essay.
• Appeal to emotions: An effective persuasive essay often appeals to the reader’s emotions. This can be achieved through the use of powerful language, personal anecdotes, or emotional examples that evoke a strong response from the reader.
• Call to action: Typically, a persuasive essay concludes with a strong call to action. This urges the reader to take specific measures or adopt the writer’s viewpoint. The aim is to prompt the reader to actively engage with the essay’s argument.

The Differences Between Expository and Persuasive Essays

The differences between expository and persuasive essays can be summarized in several key aspects.

When it comes to writing style, the key factor to consider is the tone and language used in the essay. The Writing Style of an essay can greatly influence how the information is conveyed to the reader.

In an expository essay , the Writing Style is typically objective and informative . It focuses on presenting facts , evidence , and examples in a clear and unbiased manner. The language used is formal and precise , avoiding personal opinions and emotions. The goal of an expository essay is to educate the reader and provide them with a deeper understanding of the topic.

On the other hand, in a persuasive essay, the Writing Style tends to be more subjective and persuasive. The language is often more passionate and uses rhetorical devices to appeal to the reader’s emotions and beliefs. The tone can be assertive and persuasive, aiming to convince the reader to adopt a certain viewpoint or take a specific action. The objective of a persuasive essay is to change or reinforce the reader’s opinion on a particular subject.

The Writing Style in an expository essay is focused on presenting factual information, while the Writing Style in a persuasive essay aims to convince and persuade the reader. Both styles have their own characteristics and approaches, but understanding the differences can help writers effectively convey their message to their audience.

The manner and choice of words employed in an essay are critical factors in effectively communicating the intended message and purpose to the readers. In expository essays specifically, the tone typically assumes an informative, unbiased, and impartial stance. The language utilized is concise , transparent , and devoid of any bias or emotional influence. The objective is to present verifiable information, elucidate concepts, and offer logical explanations to the audience. This approach enables readers to comprehend the subject matter in an impartial manner.

Conversely, persuasive essays employ a more assertive and compelling tone. The language used often exudes passion and conviction, with the aim of convincing readers to adopt the writer’s viewpoint or take action. In persuasive essays, rhetorical devices, emotional appeals, and potent, vivid language may be employed to craft a persuasive argument.

Authors must consider the tone and language employed in their essays in order to effectively convey their message and captivate the readers. The tone and language should be suitable for the purpose and target audience of the essay. Utilizing an informative and neutral tone in an expository essay ensures objectivity and enhances credibility. On the other hand, adopting a persuasive tone in a persuasive essay assists in influencing and persuading readers.

To elevate the tone and language of your essay, it is advisable to employ rhetorical techniques, appropriate vocabulary , and well-structured sentences. Utilize precise and specific language to clearly convey ideas, while avoiding vague or ambiguous statements. Additionally, maintaining consistency in tone and language throughout the essay will ensure a cohesive and coherent flow of ideas.

By giving due attention to the tone and language, writers can effectively convey their message and influence their audience in both expository and persuasive essays. Thus, it is essential to carefully select the appropriate tone and language to make a profound impact on readers.

The goal and objective of a persuasive essay are different from those of an expository essay. Here are the differences:

• The goal and objective of a persuasive essay are to convince the reader to adopt a certain viewpoint or take a specific action. The objective is to persuade and influence the reader’s opinion or behavior.
• In contrast, the goal and objective of an expository essay are to inform or explain a topic to the reader. The objective is to present factual information and provide a clear understanding of the subject matter.
• A persuasive essay uses language and techniques that appeal to emotions , logic , and credibility in order to sway the reader’s opinion. The objective is to persuade the reader through the use of persuasive devices such as rhetorical questions , anecdotes , and expert opinions .
• An expository essay, on the other hand, uses an objective and neutral tone. The language is focused on providing factual information and evidence to support the topic. The objective is to educate the reader and present a balanced view of the subject matter.
• In terms of structure, a persuasive essay usually follows the introduction, body paragraphs with supporting evidence, and a conclusion with a call to action . The objective is to guide the reader towards a specific viewpoint or action.
• An expository essay typically follows a logical and organized structure with an introduction, body paragraphs that present facts and evidence, and a conclusion that summarizes the main points. The objective is to present information in a clear and coherent manner.

The goal and objective of a persuasive essay are to persuade and influence the reader’s opinion or behavior, while the goal and objective of an expository essay are to inform and explain a topic in a neutral and factual manner.

Structure and organization are vital components of both expository and persuasive essays. When crafting your essay, it is essential to consider the following key points:

• Clear structure: Both types of essays should possess a clear and logical framework. This includes an introductory section that provides context and presents a thesis statement, body paragraphs that offer evidence and arguments, and a conclusion that succinctly summarizes the main points.
• Organized paragraphs: Each paragraph should revolve around a single idea or argument. Begin with a topic sentence that clearly articulates the main point, support it with evidence or examples, and conclude with a sentence that smoothly transitions to the next paragraph.
• Coherence and flow: It is crucial to ensure that your ideas flow seamlessly and are logically connected throughout the essay. Employ transitional words and phrases to guide your readers through the various sections and paragraphs.
• Use of evidence: Both expository and persuasive essays necessitate the use of evidence to bolster your claims. Be sure to utilize reliable and pertinent sources, and properly cite them following the appropriate citation style.
• Formatting and presentation: Pay close attention to the overall formatting and presentation of your essay. Employ a consistent font, font size , and formatting style. Additionally, thoroughly proofread your essay to rectify any grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors.

By adhering to these guidelines, you can ensure that your expository or persuasive essay demonstrates a well-structured and organized format, enabling your ideas to be conveyed clearly and effectively.

The use of evidence and examples is crucial in both expository and persuasive essays. These elements play a vital role in supporting the claims made by the writer and effectively convincing the reader of the validity of the argument.

In an expository essay, evidence and examples are utilized to provide factual information and explanations. The writer will skillfully present data, statistics, and expert opinions to support their topic and offer a deeper understanding to the reader. For instance, if the essay discusses climate change , the writer may incorporate scientific studies and research to present compelling evidence of its impact on the environment.

Similarly, in a persuasive essay, evidence and examples are employed to sway the reader towards adopting the writer’s point of view. The writer will present compelling facts, intriguing anecdotes, and real-life examples to reinforce their argument and persuade the reader to agree with their stance. For example, if the essay highlights the benefits of exercise , the writer may provide personal stories and success stories from individuals who have achieved improved health through regular exercise.

Both types of essays heavily rely on the use of evidence and examples to support their claims. In an expository essay, evidence is used to inform and educate, whereas in a persuasive essay, evidence is used to influence and persuade. By effectively incorporating relevant and compelling evidence and examples, writers can successfully convey their message and enhance the overall impact of their essays.

Knowing when to use an expository essay or a persuasive essay depends on the purpose and goal of your writing. Here are some guidelines to help you determine when to use each type:

• Expository Essay:

An expository essay is used when:

• You want to inform or explain a topic or concept to your readers.
• You want to present facts, evidence, and examples to support your points.
• Your goal is to provide a clear and objective analysis of a subject.
• You want to educate and increase knowledge on a specific topic.
• You want to describe a process, event, or phenomenon in a straightforward manner.
• Persuasive Essay:

A persuasive essay is used when:

• You want to convince or persuade your readers to adopt your viewpoint or take a specific action.
• You want to present arguments and evidence that support your position on a particular issue.
• Your goal is to influence the reader’s opinion or behavior through logical reasoning and emotional appeal.
• You want to address and refute counterarguments to strengthen your position.
• You want to call for action or propose a solution to a problem.

Understanding the purpose and goal of your writing will help you determine whether an expository essay or a persuasive essay is more appropriate. Consider your audience and the desired outcome of your writing to make an informed decision.

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