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Have you been assigned an informative essay but don’t know where to start? This guide has got you covered!
An informative essay is a common assignment for school or college students. The goal is to provide detailed information to the readers about the specific topic.
Read on to find simple step-by-step instructions for writing an interesting and engaging informative essay. You’ll also get to read helpful examples and tips you can follow to make your essay even better!
Let’s dive in!
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The informative essay can be simply defined as,
"A form of essay writing that aims to educate and inform the reader about a specific topic."
Informative essays can cover a variety of topics. It could be written about a particular thing, event, or natural phenomenon, etc.
This type of essay highlights the objective facts and evidence without reflecting the writer's subjective point-of-view about the topic.
An informative essay presents objective and verifiable information about a topic. It relies on factual evidence and reliable sources.
The main goal of writing an informative essay is to;
There are several types of informative essays, and each type has its own purpose and style. Here are some of the informative essay types that you need to know.
A descriptive essay is an essay that describes something about an event, person, place, or idea in detail. The descriptive essay aims to provide enough information to the readers to visualize or imagine the matter described.
Want to know more about descriptive essays? Check out this descriptive essay writing blog to learn more.
The cause and effect essay describes the cause of an event or idea and then explains its effects on today’s world and people. Also, this type of essay is a common form of organization in academic writing.
However, the cause-and-effect essay requires strong research skills. Without them, your essay will not become a successful piece of writing.
In a compare and contrast essay, the writer discusses the similarities and differences between two or more things. This type of essay also requires strong critical thinking skills.
Therefore, when you start writing the compare and contrast essay, you should identify and analyze the subject from all angles and characteristics.
The process essay is also known as the "How-To" essay. This essay provides information about how a process occurs or about the process of doing something.
A problem-solution essay is another common type of informative essay in which you describe a problem and then propose its solution. Its main purpose is to educate the readers on the problem and its significance.
Looking for more information? Visit our problem-solution essay guide and learn to write perfect problem solution essays.
The expository essay explains, illustrates, or interprets something in a way that becomes easy for the readers. This essay provides a fair analysis of the subject based on facts without the writer’s opinions.
Here is a simple video that explains informative writing:
Before you can start writing, you have to do some "rewriting." Here are the steps involved in prewriting:
Brainstorming is the first step in writing any type of essay. Here, you brainstorm several topic ideas and generate a list of potential topics.
So think about all the possible ideas that are related to your interest and subject. This will help you choose an interesting topic for your essay.
Choosing the right topic is essential for writing a great essay. A good topic will not only make your writing process easy but also make the research phase interesting.
So choose a topic you can easily write about and support it with facts, evidence, and statistics. In short, the topic should be interesting and easy to research.
Your audience determines the style and tone of your essay. Consider who will be reading your essay and what their background, knowledge, and interests might be.
For instance, if you are writing for school children, your language should be simple, easy, and interesting. Meanwhile, writing for a professional audience requires you to use technical terminology and jargon.
So always think about who you are writing for and determine your audience before proceeding.
You have to do some research to gather information for your essay. Make sure the information that you collect is reliable and accurate.
Use a variety of sources for research, including research articles, books, documentaries, etc. You should also take detailed and organized notes to keep track of the information you find, so you can use it later.
An essay outline helps the writer keep their focus strong and narrow. With the help of an outline, you will easily organize your thoughts and ideas.
So create an outline of your essay to lay out a structure.
Don't know how to make an informative essay outline? Don’t worry, read on to find out.
Crafting a well-structured essay involves planning what points to include and how it all ties together. Creating an outline is the best way to ensure that your work is well-structured.
An informative essay outline is outlined in the following way:
Topic Introduction
Main Body Paragraph 1
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 3
Conclusion
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Let’s discuss these outline parts in detail.
Here is an example outline template that you can use to write your informative essay outline
Once you have done the prewriting, you have got everything you need to start. Following the steps below will help you write a great informative essay.
The introduction of an essay sets the tone of the essay and provides an overview of the topic. Here are some key elements you need to include when writing an informative essay introduction:
The hook is the first line of the essay that aims to pique the readers’ interest. This can be:
The hook should be related to your topic and should be engaging enough to grab the reader's attention.
Struggling to come up with a good hook? These 200+ hook examples will help you craft an excellent hook!
After grabbing the reader’s attention, you have to them to your topic. Discuss some background details on the topic to provide context.
Also, discuss the relevance or importance of the subject matter. This helps the reader understand the significance of the information you're about to present. Moreover, use clear and concise language to provide essential and interesting details to make the reader want to continue reading.
The thesis statement presents the main topic or idea of the essay in a concise and clear way. It provides an overview of what will be covered.
The thesis statement is the last part of the introduction. It should be specific, focused, and encompass the main ideas you'll be discussing in the body of the essay.
The body paragraphs are the major chunk of your essay. They provide all the information about your chosen topic. There should be at least three body paragraphs in your essay, although there can be more depending on your topic.
Here are the key elements of the informative essay body paragraphs:
Begin each body paragraph with a clear topic sentence that introduces the main point you will be discussing in that paragraph. It is the first sentence of the paragraph and should be clearly related to the thesis.
In an informative essay, information and evidence should be presented clearly and logically. So present the facts, examples, statistics, or quotations that inform the reader about the topic. This information should come from reliable and credible sources.
After presenting the evidence, explain and discuss them to ensure a thorough understanding of the information. Clarify any complex terms, concepts, or ideas that may require explanation for understanding the topic effectively.
Use transitional phrases or sentences to connect paragraphs and ideas. This helps maintain a cohesive flow of information throughout the essay.
For instance, transitional words such as "moreover," "furthermore," "on the other hand," or "in addition to" can be used to link ideas logically.
Having a difficult time with smooth transitions? Here’s a list of transition words for essays to help you out!
In an essay conclusion, you wrap up the essay and provide a sense of closure. Writing the informative essay conclusion includes the following steps:
Revisit the main points covered in your essay's body paragraphs and provide a concise summary of the information presented. Do not introduce any new information or arguments in the conclusion.
Begin your conclusion by restating your thesis statement in a slightly different way. This helps remind the reader of the main objective of your essay.
End your conclusion with a thought-provoking statement, reflection, or question that leaves a strong impression on the reader. This can help inspire them to continue exploring the topic beyond your essay.
Once you are done with your first draft, take some time to proofread and revise you essay. Check for grammar and spelling, format, logical coherence, and clarity. Remove any repetitive statements or unnecessary details.
Revising your essay will make it even better and more interesting to read.
Reading some good examples will make writing an informative essay easier for you. Here are a few short informative essay examples that demonstrate how it looks like. Be sure to read them out.
A good essay topic is a key to a successful essay. Here are a few ideas that will get you inspired:
Stuck on choosing your topic? Don’t worry! Check out our list 200 informative essay topics to get inspiration!
To Sum Up,
This guide introduced everything you needed to start writing an informative essay. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can confidently embark on your informative writing journey.
Are you in a race against the deadline and need professional help? We’ve got you covered!
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Here are some points that should be included in an informative essay.
The main topic of an informative essay is to educate the readers on a specific topic.
WRITTEN BY
Nova A. (Literature, Marketing)
As a Digital Content Strategist, Nova Allison has eight years of experience in writing both technical and scientific content. With a focus on developing online content plans that engage audiences, Nova strives to write pieces that are not only informative but captivating as well.
As a Digital Content Strategist, Nova Allison has eight years of experience in writing both technical and scientific content. With a focus on developing online content plans that engage audiences, Nova strives to write pieces that are not only informative but captivating as well.
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