Simply put, informative writing is writing with the purpose to inform.
It might be in the form of an not say a time or date when this will happen. Yes, the text is informative, and yes it is factual, however
instruction manual, an academic journal, an encyclopedia, or even just the back of a box of cereal.
Anything that is written with the aim to explain a topic to the reader is informative writing - the reader
will often come away having learned something new and interesting. You might see informative
writing go by other names, such as explanatory writing, expository writing, or exposition. They all aim
to impart information to the reader, and are therefore all informative writing.
Informative writing is one of the main ways that we can communicate through the written word.
Informative writing is found everywhere in daily life and it is important to be able to recognise and
evaluate what it is saying, where it comes from, and understand the features of informative writing.
Informative writing is one of the most trustworthy forms of writing. It is similar to persuasive writing,
as it deals in facts and statistics, but is fundamentally different to persuasive writing as it is impartial.
Persuasive writing tends to skew facts or only show one half of the story, in order to get the reader to
come round to a particular viewpoint. Purely informative writing on the other hand provides the reader
with a rounded overview of all aspects of a topic, from where a person can come up with their own
conclusions.
Common Examples
Informative writing is something that you’ll come across without even recognising it. It can be quickly
categorised into a piece of writing that contains useful, relevant, or informative information. In short,
anything that tells you something you wouldn’t already know. The closest example to hand is this very
page. The text being written here is attempting to provide the reader (that’s you!) with information on
the features of informative writing. This is because you have searched for the page, and in a way asked
a question.
Other examples of informative writing don’t always rely on the reader participating in a question.
Things like signs and notices are small pieces of informative writing that act to no specific audience
but to a specific purpose.
Facts about informative writing
Informative writing needs to be factual. When you create something that purpose is to give knowledge
the knowledge itself needs to be correct. Academic texts, for instance, are often researched and
referenced before being given out. This shows that the author has checked through the work for
accuracy. As a feature of informative writing it is the most important. People who write factual
information are often seen as having a sense of authority over the topic, and trustworthy expertise. This
is why you will often see cookbooks written by chefs, or workout plans made by personal trainers -
you wouldn’t accept advice on how to make ice cream from a politician. To write good informative
texts the information needs to be factual.
Specificity
Once the information has been verified as accurate it next needs to be specific. Broad information is
not always useful, for instance; a road sign that informs drivers a certain street will be closed, but does
the lack of specific information means it isn’t helpful.
A great way to ensure that your informative writing is specific is to ask the questions who, what, why,
where, when, and how. It seems like a lot to do but often it’s the best way to narrow down the words
into something that's definite. Bare in mind that some information can be left to the readers ability to
assume. If a piece of writing has no clear who, then the reader can assume it means them.
Clarity
Popular forms of informative writing include things such as recipes or instructions. These provide step-
by-step actions for the completion of a task and need a lot of clarity. When you are providing
information that requires action it’s always best to be as clear as possible. Writers won’t know exactly
who reads every piece they create and so you have to assume there may be some people who are new
to the information. In a recipe, this may mean being extra clear about the differences in measurements,
or why using one ingredient over the other is preferable. The clearer you are, the more knowledge gets
passed on from the writing.
Persuasive writing is any written work that tries to convince the reader of the writer’s opinion. Aside
from standard writing skills, a persuasive essay author can also draw on personal experience, logical
arguments, an appeal to emotion, and compelling speech to influence readers.
Persuasive writing relies on different techniques and strategies than other written works: In a
persuasive essay, it’s not enough to simply inform; you also have to convince the reader that your way
of thinking is best.
What is persuasive writing?
Unlike other forms of writing meant to share information or entertain, persuasive writing is specifically
written to persuade, which is to say it convinces the reader to agree with a certain point of view.
Persuasive essays are most closely related to argumentative essays, in that both discuss a serious issue
with logical arguments and offer conclusive resolutions. The main difference between a persuasive
essay and an argumentative essay is that persuasive essays focus more on personal experience and
appeal to emotions, whereas argumentative essays mostly stick to the facts.
Moreover, argumentative essays discuss both sides of an issue, whereas persuasive essays focus only
on the author’s point of view. The language and tone in persuasive essays tend to be more
conversational as well—a tactic of persuasive speech intended to build a more personal and intimate
relationship between the author and reader.
Why is persuasive writing important?
For starters, there’s always a demand for persuasive writing in the world of business. Advertising,
website copywriting, and general branding all rely heavily on persuasive messaging to convince the
reader to become a customer of their company.
But persuasive writing doesn’t always have to be self-serving. Historically speaking, persuasive essays
have helped turn the tide in many political and social movements since the invention of the printing
press.
As you can see from the persuasive writing examples below, the techniques of persuasive speech can
help change or challenge majority beliefs in society. In fact, if you look into any major cultural
movement of the last few centuries, you’ll find persuasive writing that helped rally the people behind a
cause.
Ethos, logos, and pathos in persuasive writing
There are lots of ways to persuade people, but some methods are more effective than others. As we
mention in our guide on how to write a persuasive essay, good persuasive writing utilizes what’s
known as the modes of persuasion: ethos, logos, and pathos.
First put forth by Aristotle in his treatise Rhetoric from 367–322 BCE, ethos, logos, and pathos have
since become the core of modern persuasive speech and should be incorporated into any persuasive
essay. Let’s break them down individually.
Ethos
The ancient Greek word for “character” or “spirit,” ethos in persuasive writing refers to how the author
presents themself. Authorities on an issue are most likely to convince the reader, so authors of
persuasive writing should establish their credibility as soon as possible.
Aristotle suggests that the author demonstrates their useful skills, virtue, and goodwill toward the
reader to present themselves in the best light.
Logos
The ancient Greek word for “logic” or “rationale,” logos refers to using logical arguments and
evidential data. A good writer doesn’t rely only on persuasive speech—they also back up their
perspective with statistics and facts.
Logos isn’t just about backing up arguments with plenty of research (although that is essential). In
persuasive writing, logos also refers to structuring your argument in the best way possible. That
includes knowing how to start an essay, progressing your points in the right order, and ending with a
powerful conclusion.
Pathos
The ancient Greek word for “suffering” or “experience,” pathos involves an author’s appeal to
emotion. As much as we’d like to think of ourselves as logical creatures, study after study has shown
that humans tend to make decisions more from emotions than from reason—and a good persuasive
writer is well aware of this.
Persuasive speech often “tugs at the heartstrings.” The author might share a personal experience, such
as describing a painful event to either win the reader’s sympathy or urge them to consider someone
else’s feelings.
Aristotle emphasizes the importance of understanding your reader before employing pathos, as
different individuals can have different emotional reactions to the same writing.
PERSUASIVE WRITING TECHNIQUES
When is a question not a question? Whether you’re writing an essay for school or conversing with a
friend, you’ve likely asked a rhetorical question at some point. Rhetorical questions are said or written
to make a point rather than to solicit an answer from the audience.
What is a rhetorical question?
A rhetorical question is an inquiry that ends in a question mark but is asked for effect rather than to
elicit an answer. It’s often used in persuasive writing but is also common in everyday conversation.
Depending on the context of the rhetorical question, its purpose may be to emphasize a point, prompt
the audience to consider a topic, or lend intrigue to an argument. The answer to a rhetorical question is
usually very obvious or the opposite, meaning it can’t be easily discerned.
What are the different types of rhetorical questions?
Rhetorical questions are broken down into different types that are used to gain specific outcomes. The
different types of rhetorical questions include anthypophora, epiplexis, and erotesis.
Anthypophora (hypophora)
Anthypophora, also known as hypophora, involves asking a question in order to answer it immediately.
As a rhetorical question, it allows one to promptly answer a question that the audience or speaker
wants addressed without giving others an opportunity to develop a different response or voice
opposition.
Who is impacted by pollution? Everyone.
What are the signs of spring? New growth, pollen, and rain.
Why should you believe in me? I’ll give you three good reasons . . .
Epiplexis
Epiplexis is a rhetorical device in which one asks a question in order to admonish rather than receive
an answer. This figure of speech is meant to chide and convert those who either hold an opposing or
neutral perspective on a point.
Who wouldn’t want to save the whales?
Can’t you see what’s happening?
How could you do that?
Erotesis
Erotesis positions the question in a way that elicits a strong reaction, either in agreement or rejection.
However, this type of rhetorical question typically anticipates a negative response.
Are you against freedom?
Am I my brother’s keeper?
Do you want to lose?
What Is Repetition in Writing?
Repetition is a literary device that involves using the same word or phrase over and over again in a
piece of writing or speech. Writers of all kinds use repetition, but it is particularly popular in oration
and spoken word, where a listener’s attention might be more limited. In such circumstances, it can add
emphasis and catchiness.
7 Types of Repetition
There are many different types of repetition—and most have their own unique term, usually of Greek
origin. Here are a few key types of repetition:
1. Anaphora. Anaphora is the repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of several successive
clauses that have different endings. This is such a popular tactic in oration that it appears in two of
history’s most famous speeches—Martin Luther King’s “I have a dream” speech and Winston
Churchill’s “We Shall Fight on These Beaches” address.
2. Epistrophe. The counterpart to anaphora, this involves repetition of the last word or phrase across
successive phrases, clauses or sentences. There is a good example in the Bible: “When I was a child, I
spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away
childish things.”
3. Symploce. This is a combination of anaphora and epistrophe. That means one word or phrase is
repeated at the beginning of a line and another at the end. Bill Clinton once used in this example:
“When there is talk of hatred, let us stand up and talk against it. When there is talk of violence, let us
stand up and talk against it.”
4. Antanaclasis. From the Greek for “bending back,” this is the repetition of a word but using a
different meaning each time. Benjamin Franklin used it once when he said: “Your argument is sound,
nothing but sound.” In the first instance, he implies the argument is solid; in the second, that it’s just
noise.
5. Antistasis. When antanaclasis goes so far as to incorporate opposite meanings, it is antistasis. It’s
visible in another example attributed to Franklin: “We must, indeed, all hang together, or assuredly we
shall all hang separately.” Here the two meanings—unity and victory on the one hand and defeat and
death on the other—could not be more contrary.
6. Negative-positive restatement. Another useful formula for oratory, this involves making a similar
statement twice—first negatively, then with a positive twist. A famous example comes from John F.
Kennedy, who implored: “Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your
country.”
7. Epizeuxis, a.k.a. “palilogia.” This is the simple repetition of a single word or phrase in immediate
succession. Take this example from Macduff in William Shakespeare’s Macbeth: “O horror, horror,
horror!”
Bandwagon is a persuasive technique and a type of propaganda through which a writer persuades his
readers, so that the majority could agree with the argument of the writer. He does this by suggesting
that, since the majority agrees, the reader should too. For instance, “Everyone is voting for David, so
definitely he is the best presidential candidate,” is intended to convince others. The
term bandwagon means, to “jump on the bandwagon,” to follow what others are doing, or to conform.
While listening to a politician, or reading a book, it is often observed that the speaker or the writer tries
to encourage the audience to think or act in a particular way because others are doing that, despite
having ideas and beliefs of their own.
Appeal to Emotion
(also known as: appeal to pathos, argument by vehemence, playing on emotions, emotional appeal, for
the children)
Description: This is the general category of many fallacies that use emotion in place of reason in order
to attempt to win the argument. It is a type of manipulation used in place of valid logic.
Appeal to emotion fallacy occurs when someone tries to convince another person by evoking their
feelings rather than providing evidence.
With the appeal to emotion fallacy, people accept a claim as true because they react emotionally to it.
As a result, they focus on factors irrelevant to the question at hand, ignoring facts and logical
reasoning.
Appeal to emotion fallacy example. Your sibling is trying to convince you to let them eat the last piece
of the dessert:
“Can I have the last piece of cake? You know how much I love it, and it’s been a tough day for me.
I’ve had such a bad day, and this cake would just make me feel so much better. You don’t want me to
be sad, right?”
Appeal to emotion fallacy occurs when someone tries to win an argument by evoking emotion, without
using facts or logic. Arguments that appeal to our emotions often attempt to influence our viewpoints
in a manipulative way. However, feelings like anger, frustration, or sympathy are not always relevant to
establishing the truth of a claim.
Emotional appeals are an effective persuasive technique because they can bypass our critical thinking
and target any emotion (including fear, hate, love, and compassion). When someone successfully
evokes a positive or negative feeling in us, they cause us to neglect reason and to ignore the actual
evidence.
Because emotional appeals can create a strong personal connection between the speaker and the
audience, they are often memorable. When we feel emotionally connected to a message, we are more
likely to pay attention and engage with it. As a result, emotionally charged messages are very likely to
influence our decisions.
An emotional appeal is sometimes combined with incomplete facts or information that is taken out of
context in an attempt to make the argument appear logical. However, this is superficial. Propagandists,
for example, employ this tactic to stir up hatred or fear against minorities. Because it’s hard to argue
against emotions, such appeals are often effective, even if they lack factual evidence.
Appeal to authority fallacy refers to the use of an expert’s opinion to back up an argument. Instead of
justifying one’s claim, a person cites an authority figure who is not qualified to make reliable claims
about the topic at hand. Because people tend to believe experts, appeal to authority often imbues an
argument with credibility.
Appeal to authority fallacy example“My favorite actor, who starred in that movie about a virus that
turns people into zombies, said in an interview that genetically modified crops caused COVID-19. So I
think that’s what really happened.”

Appeal to authority fallacy occurs when we accept a claim merely because someone tells us that an
authority figure supports that claim. An authority figure can be a celebrity, a well-known scientist, or
any person whose status and prestige causes us to respect them.
An appeal to authority (also known as an appeal to false or unqualified authority) plays on people’s
feelings of respect or familiarity towards a famous person to bypass critical thinking. It’s like someone
is telling us “accept this because some authority said it.”