Expository/Informative Essay

Write an informative or expository essay on ONE of the following topics.

 Discuss the purpose, conditions and significance of the Middle Passage.

 The Widening Gap. Describe the causes and effects of the increasing levels of economic inequality.
 Discuss the causes, events, and significance of one the current alleged ethnic cleansing: The Rohingya in
Myanmar, Darfuris in Sudan, OR Uyghurs in China.
 Explore the recent innovations made in biotechnology or bioengineering in the last 20 years.
 Describe a revolutionary movement from 1959 – 2021.
 Describe the impact of European contact with the Indigenous peoples in ONE of the following
countries: US, Australia, Brazil, Canada or Mexico.
 Explore the causes and events of economic collapse in one of the following countries: Venezuela,
Lebanon, or Greece.
 Describe the key aspects of the leadership of one of the following leaders: Idi Amin, Benito Mussolini,
Robert Mugabe, Pol Pot, Mobutu Sese Seko, Muammar Gaddafi or Ne Win.

Writing Process
1. Choose one of the listed topics.
2. Identify three main details you will focus on.
3. Research online sources which contain information that provide support for each of the main points you
will discuss. Make note of the sources on a Works Cited page. You must use MLA to cite your sources.
You can use an online citation generator like https://www.citationmachine.net/mla or
https://www.mybib.com/tools/mla-citation-generator to make sure sources are cited correctly.
4. Write your sentence outline. Use the MLA Outline template to create your sentence outline for the
thesis, conclusion and each of the six body paragraphs.
5. Submit the sentence outline via email to your teacher’s SABIS email address.
6. Once you have received feedback on your outline, begin to write your full report. You must use
summary, paraphrase and direct quotes to support your topic sentences. You must use MLA in-text
citation.
7. The following must be submitted as one Word Doc or PDF that includes a cover page (using the
template), sentence outline (edited and amended based on teacher feedback), report itself (the report at
minimum must be 1500-2000 words and must not exceed 3500 words) and a Works Cited page.
8. Submit the completed report by 18:59 on the stated deadline.
 Format
Introduction
 Attention Getter (Question, Startling/Interesting Statistic, Startling Statement, Anecdote, Quotation,
etc.):
 Description and/or definition of the topic.
 Importance of the topic (How does it impact society OR what is the relevance of the topic)
 Your THESIS: A sentence stating the three main points that will be discussed in the essay. The
points be organised in the order they will be discussed in the essay.
Body paragraphs (six paragraphs in total)
Each of the three main points will be discussed in two paragraphs
PARAGRAPH 1
 Topic sentence introduces the first point
 Provide the supporting facts/quotes/evidence (three supporting details from at least two sources
with parenthetical citation)
 Elaboration (explain the evidence or clarify its significance)
 Closing Sentence for Point #1
PARAGRAPH 2
 Linking Device, topic sentence with analysis of point (previously discussed main idea)
 Provide the supporting facts/quotes/evidence (three supporting details from at least two sources
with parenthetical citation)
 Elaboration (explain the evidence or clarify its significance)
 Closing Sentence for Point #1
PARAGRAPH 3
 Topic sentence introduces the second point
 Provide the supporting facts/quotes/evidence (three supporting details from at least two sources
with parenthetical citation)
 Elaboration (explain the evidence or clarify its significance)
 Closing Sentence for Point #2
PARAGRAPH 4
 Linking Device, topic sentence with analysis of point (previously discussed main idea)
 Provide the supporting facts/quotes/evidence (three supporting details from at least two sources
with parenthetical citation)
 Elaboration (explain the evidence or clarify its significance)
 Closing Sentence for Point #2
 PARAGRAPH 5
 Topic sentence introduces the third point
 Provide the supporting facts/quotes/evidence (three supporting details from at least two sources
with parenthetical citation)
 Elaboration (explain the evidence or clarify its significance)
 Closing Sentence for Point #3
PARAGRAPH 6
 Linking Device, topic sentence with analysis of point (previously discussed main idea)
 Provide the supporting facts/quotes/evidence (three supporting details from at least two sources
with parenthetical citation)
 Elaboration (explain the evidence or clarify its significance)
 Closing Sentence for Point #3
Conclusion
 Restate thesis to summarize the main points
 State the importance, impact, or effect on society/world, etc.
 Provide a final, profound thought that “calls the reader” to action (final comment)
 Transition Words/Linking Devices/Signposts
Listing
first, second, third...; / firstly, secondly, thirdly, lastly,...;
to begin with,…; to start with,…, next,…; then; finally,…; lastly,…; to
conclude,…; last but not least…,
Adding
Always followed by a comma:
furthermore,…; moreover,…; on top of that,…; in addition,…; (even) more importantly,…; what is more,…;
At the end of a sentence always after a comma: …, too
Comparing
The same goes for…(sth.); The same is true of/for (sth.) likewise,…; similarly,…; in the same way,…; while…
(no comma)
Examples
namely…; such as…, for instance…; e.g./for example:
Drawing conclusions
therefore; as a result (of…), what this means is…; in conclusion,…
Rephrasing
actually,…; in other words,…; the fact of the matter is…; Let me put it this way: …
Contrasting
on the one hand... on the other hand… in contrast,…; …, however, …; in spite of… ;
nonetheless. . . :notwithstanding. . . ; in contrast. . . ; on the contrary. . . ; still yet. . . :whereas…; (no comma) at
first (I thought) but now… (I know)
Conceding
still,…; however,…; nevertheless,…; nonetheless,…; in spite of that,…; for all that,...;
despite (the fact that)…
When pointing out opposing arguments (Cons):
 Opponents of this idea claim/maintain that…
 Those who disagree/ are against these ideas may say/ assert that…
 Some people may disagree with this idea,
 Some people may say that…however…
Methods to introduce counter-arguments and templates for structuring them:
 Yet some readers may challenge the view that _________.
 After all, many believe _________.
 Indeed, my own argument that _________ seems to ignore _________ and_________.
 Of course, many will probably disagree with this assertion that _________.
Methods to rebut counterargument
1 Quote acknowledged experts that support your position
 While many may see this argument as flawed, ____________John Smith, an expert in his field, also
finds_________.
2 Redefine the criteria of “known” concepts
 Although I grant that _________, couldn’t it also be possible that _________.
3 Find agreement and show how your new idea supports a shared idea
 I agree with X that _________. Furthermore, this idea actually supports my point because
_________.
4 Pointing out faulty assumptions in your critic’s arguments where:
 the facts are wrong
Proponents of X are right to argue that _________. But they exaggerate when they claim that
_________.
 the analysis is incorrect
While it is true that _________, it does not necessarily follow that _________.
 the values it is based on are not acceptable
It is dangerous to believe _________________ because ____________________.