It’s Monday afternoon, your informative five-paragraph essay on your favorite animal is due Friday, and you haven’t even begun. Don’t worry; I have your back. To write an informative essay that will keep professor engaged, follow these simple steps. Once you’ve completed your draft, review it and make any necessary changes.
While your essay may “sound” correct to you, it may not be the best way to phrase it for someone else. Finally, make any changes your reviewer suggests, and you have an informative essay ready to submit. Where do I even begin with my informative essay? To begin, you must understand what style your essay must be written in: informative, persuasive, or argumentative.
What is an Informative Essay?
It is an academic paper written with the primary goal of informing the audience about an object, person, event, or phenomenon. This type of essay requires you to gather information about your topic. Your goal is to respond to the prompt question by explaining the topic in depth.
Second, you must be familiar with your writing prompt. The prompt for today is as follows:
- Write about your favorite wild or domesticated animal. Include interesting facts about this animal in your essay.
- What is your favorite animal? I know that sounds simple, but the point is that you want to write about something that interests YOU. It will make writing your paper less of a chore. For today’s example, I’ll write about the platypus. Perry, the Platypus from Phineas and Ferb, may be familiar to Disney fans.
Next, you must identify three reasons why this is your favorite animal. This step may necessitate some research on your animal’s behalf. During your research, ask yourself, “What are three interesting facts about this animal that some people may not know?” Remember, this is an informative essay, so your goal is to teach your reader about your topic.
But how do I “research”?
The research step is enjoyable and straightforward if you know where to look! This is the section where you will learn things about your topic that you may not have known before. Copy the links to where you found the information online or the title and page number of the book that contains the information that you will be using in your paper as you find it.
How do I know if I can rely on this source?
The first rule of research is never to use wikipedia.com because anyone on the internet can edit it. So, if you’re looking for information on the internet, go to mytpl.org/reference. Once on the library’s reference page, click “database by name,” then “academic search complete.” This will allow you to search all of the library’s online resources. You can also try “Google Scholar” at scholar.google.com, which will provide you with a wide range of reliable sources. Avoid using a standard Google or Bing search because it may not provide you with reliable results.
You will need to find more than one source. Your teacher will tell you how many sources you need for your bibliography or works cited page, which will appear at the end of your paper. Don’t worry! I’ll be here to assist you as well! In most cases, you will need at least three to four credible sources to include in your bibliography. The more sources you have, the better—it shows that you spent time researching new information before writing your paper.
When can we begin writing?
Not so fast! We must first create an outline of our ideas before we can begin writing. This will assist you in staying on track and organizing your writing. This is one of the most critical steps in writing. I’ll show you an example first, then a blank frame that you can fill in with your own information!
Outline your essay
To outline your essay, keep in mind that it is a 5-paragraph essay, so paragraph one will be your introduction, paragraph two will be your first main point, paragraph three will be your second main point, paragraph four will be your third main point, and paragraph five will be your conclusion. Remember that each paragraph must begin with a topic sentence, followed by three supporting detail sentences, and a concluding or transitioning sentence.
It appears simple enough, doesn’t it? Look at my completed outline example using today’s example prompt: Write about your favorite wild or domesticated animal. Include interesting facts about this animal in your essay.
Your outline will keep you organized and will serve as a repository for your research. Add interesting facts or information about your topic to your outline as you discover them. Remember to keep track of where you got your information.
Format of an Informative Essay
Your teacher may require you to write in “MLA format.” This is the standard writing format for school papers. To begin, ensure that your margins are one-inch-wide (this is standard when you open a new word document). Next, you should double your line spacing to make it easier for your teacher to read and correct your writing.
The font must be Times New Roman in size 12. Finally, you will begin your paper with a heading. According to MLA format, your four-line heading should be aligned to the left and read as follows: your full name, instructor’s name, class name, and the date you are submitting it.
Informative Essay Topics for College Students
- What are the current environmental problems?
- What are the effects of obesity?
- What is cyberbullying?
- How has the internet altered the world?
- Where to look for the best part-time jobs in college
- How to get along with your roommate
- Advice on how to write a college application
- Caffeine’s impact on academic performance
Informative Essay Topics for High School
- How to start your own vegetable garden?
- The causes and effects of childhood obesity
- The dangers of texting and driving
- What is climate change? What are the consequences?
- The different types of pollution
- The Titanic’s history
- The life and times of Ernest Hemingway
- How to have a fantastic vacation
How to Write an Informative Essay?
When you have completed your planning and research, you must begin writing. But how do you begin an informative essay? The simple solution is to just go with it. Don’t be too harsh. Simply pour out all of the information you have. You can shape it later.
Essential considerations include never using first-person pronouns and keeping the topic objective rather than subjective. Remember that your goal is to educate the reader as thoroughly as possible by explaining a topic with statistics and facts.
The essay should, as usual, include an introduction, main body, and conclusion. All information should be presented clearly and understandably. The flow of information should be marked. We will now go over these topics in greater depth.
How Do You Write an Informative Essay Introduction?
The following should be included in the introductory paragraph of an informative essay:
a. A hook to entice the reader
An introductory paragraph for informative writing should begin with a hook. The first sentence should contain a hook that will ‘wow’ the reader and compel them to continue reading. Alarming statistics about the subject/topic make excellent hooks for informative essays. For example, if you were writing an essay about cyberbullying, citing the number of children who have considered suicide as a result of cyberbullying could be a powerful opening message.
b. A Thesis Statements for Direction
A thesis statement should be included in every introduction. It is best to place it at the end of the introductory paragraph to summarize your argument. However, you do not want to form an argument or take a position. It is best to use the thesis statement to clarify what topic you are discussing.
What is a thesis statement?
Placing the statement after the hook may also be better, as it will clarify the issue you are discussing. ‘Research conducted by Bob the Scientist indicates that the majority of issues caused by cyberbullying can be overcome through the informative literature on the subject to educate bullies about the consequences of their actions,’ for example.
Three Sentences That Link
The thesis statement should be followed by three sentences connecting and expanding on the statistic and topic. Consider the five Ws when writing these three sentences. So, in the cyberbullying example provided above, the three sentences could expand on what cyberbullying is and who it affects, why Bob the Scientist believes informative literature can help, and the effects that informative programs have had on cyberbullies. That gives you three topics to expand on in body paragraphs.
In a nutshell, the introduction paragraph of an essay is the paper’s first paragraph. As a result, it is also the first thing your reader will notice in your essay.
What is the purpose of an introduction paragraph? A practical introduction serves two purposes. To begin, it informs the reader of what you intend to discuss in your paper; simply put, it should identify the essay topic and provide some insight into the essay’s main point. Second, it must pique the audience’s interest and motivate them to read the rest of your paper.
How Long Should an Introduction Be?
In general, there are no hard and fast rules about how long an introductory paragraph should be. Experienced essay writers will usually shape the lengths of their introductions with the overall length of the paper in mind. For example, if you are writing a five-paragraph essay, you should keep your opening clause brief and fit it into a single paragraph. When writing longer papers, such as a 30-page paper, your introduction can take up multiple paragraphs, if not several pages.
Although there are no hard and fast rules, experienced writers recommend that your introductory paragraph(s) be between 8% and 9% of the total word count of your essay.
What Makes a Good Introduction?
A solid introductory paragraph should meet the following criteria:
- Include a hook at the beginning of the paragraph to catch the reader’s attention.
- It should provide background information on your topic.
- It should provide all necessary information in terms of time frames, characters, setting, and so on.
- At the end of your introduction, there should be a clear thesis statement reflecting your essay’s main idea.
What Are the Three Elements of an Introduction Paragraph?
What should an introduction include? It usually consists of three parts: a hook, connections, and a thesis statement. Let’s take a closer look at each one.
Part 1: Essay Hook
One of the most effective essay introduction starters is a hook. A hook’s purpose is to draw the reader’s attention (always in a single sentence). In other words, it is a draw.
Now, let’s look at “how to make an interesting hook.” There are several strategies you can use to create a powerful hook:
- A shocking fact
- An anecdote
- A question
- A brief summary
- A quote
Here are some things to avoid when using a hook:
- Cliches
- Dictionary definitions
- Generalizations
- Broad statements that include words like “everywhere,” “always,” and so on
Following a compelling hook, you should provide a broad overview of your main topic and some background information for the subject matter of your paper. If you’re wondering how to start an essay introduction, the best way is to provide a broad explanation of your theme before leading your readers to specific points. Simply put, you should start with general information and then gradually narrow it down to your specific points.
Part 2: Connections
After you’ve provided a hook and some background information about your essay topic, move on to giving readers a better understanding of what you’ll be discussing throughout your paper. In this section of your introduction, you should briefly mention you’re critical ideas in the same order you will discuss later and gradually lead your reader(s) to your thesis statement.
- Who? • What?
- Where? \s• When?
- How? • Why?
Answering these questions in 2-3 sentences each will help you ensure that you provide your readers with complete information about the topic of your essay. However, keep these sentences brief and to the point.
Your main goal is to gradually progress from general information about your topic to something more specific (i.e. your thesis statement). To simplify the process, imagine your introduction as an upside-down triangle. The attention grabber (read hook) is at the top of this triangle, followed by a broader explanation of the topic and ending with a particular claim. Here’s a quick tip for writing an essay introduction using this “upside-down triangle” strategy:
Make each sentence in your introduction a little more narrow and specific than the one before it. This simple trick will assist you in gradually drawing your reader(s) into the main body of your paper.
Assume you’re writing a paper about the importance of work-life balance. In this case, you can ask, “Have you ever considered how a good work-life balance can influence different aspects of your life?” or another hook, then proceed by providing general facts and statistics, and finally, you can narrow down your topic to match your thesis statement.
Part 3: The Thesis Statement
If you’re wondering how to write an introduction in the best way possible, you should focus on developing your core statement.
Without a doubt, the most crucial aspect of your paper is its thesis. Because your entire essay revolves around this statement, it must be included in the introductory clause of your paper. A thesis statement provides your audience with a brief summary of the paper’s primary claim. In the body section of your paper, you will reveal or argue your crucial claim.
A good thesis statement is usually very concise (disclosed in one sentence), accurate, specific, clear, and focused. Your thesis statement should typically appear at the end of your introductory paragraph/section.
Here’s an example thesis statement for an essay about the importance of work-life balance to give you a better idea of what a good thesis should look like:
Example of a Thesis Statement: “To increase overall employee productivity, large corporations should create comfortable and flexible work schedules for their employees, allowing them to have a better work-life balance.”
How to Write the Body of an Informative Essay?
1. The Claim or Statement
The claim or statement is a simple sentence that introduces the paragraph’s main topic. It can be narrow or broad, depending on the level and depth of the essay. Consider this to be the ‘what’ aspect. For example, the claim for a high school informative paper would be broader than a claim written at the university level. This is the first step in directing your essay. It provides a logical and straightforward way to follow a discussion.
2. The Proof
After making a claim, you should provide evidence to back it up. A survey result, the results of an experiment, documented casual effects, or a quote could all be used as supporting evidence. Anything that supports the claim or statement in the first sentence would suffice.
This is the ‘why’ aspect of your research. You are defining why the statement is essential to the topic by using supporting evidence like this.
3. Explanation
After stating the supporting evidence, you should explain ‘why’ this finding is essential to the topic at hand. This usually unpacks the supporting evidence and makes it easier for the reader to understand. So, an explanation is to explain how this claim and the supporting research affect your thesis statement.
4. Sentence Ending
Always end a body paragraph with a concluding sentence that neatly ties up the paragraph and prompts the reader on to the next stage. This indicates that the topic and paragraph are complete.
How to Write the Conclusion of an Informative Essay
Writing a conclusion to an informative essay paper can be difficult because there is no argument to conclude – only information to summarize. A reasonable conclusion for these types of essays should support the information provided on the subject. It should also explain why these topics are essential.
Here are some pointers for writing informative essay conclusions:
1. Revise Your Thesis Statement
You must rewrite the thesis rather than simply copy it word for word. This will allow you to restate your essay’s theme or critical point in a new way. You will connect your conclusion to the beginning of your essay. Reiterating your introduction will bring the full essay circle.
2. Go Over Your Body Paragraphs
Read through the body paragraphs of your informative essay and consider whether a brief summary of the essay’s main points would make a reasonable conclusion. In general, it is best to restate the essay’s main points, in conclusion, using different words.
3. Finish with a Clincher
A clincher provides a solid conclusion to your concluding paragraph. It is a sentence that makes the reader think about your essay long after they have put it down.
- A statement of truth
- A thought-provoking quote relevant to the subject and thesis statement
- A lingering question that none of the research has answered or puts the research in a new light
- Whether it answers a common question
- A quote from an expert that forces your reader to think about or change their own behavior
- Something that shifts the focus to the future and the long-term implications of your research
4. Information Context and Importance
A conclusion should always attempt to frame why the topic was essential and in what context it was necessary. Your research will benefit from this.
Remember that a concluding paragraph should never contain new information.
Example of an Informative Essay
Check out the sample essay written by one of our writers. Use it as a model to create your own informative paper. Tesla Motors
Tips for Writing an Excellent Informative Essay
Here are some pointers for writing an informative paper:
- When writing the main body paragraph, focus on explaining information only once. Avoid repeating the same information in the following section.
- Concentrate on the topic. Ensure that all of the information you include is relevant to the topic you describe. Do not include information that “goes off.”
- Write clearly and logically. Writing in this style will help an essay flow and make it easier to understand.
- Always revise your essay at least three times. This way, you’ll know where to expand ideas in the paragraph and where to cut back on ideas until everything is in balance.
- Be familiar with the academic reference style in which you are writing.
- Address your audience. Make sure you know who you’re writing for.
Conclusion
Some people will always find it easier to write an informative essay than others. However, employing the above strategies in your informative essay should put you in an excellent position to produce work you can be proud of.
Remember to re-read and check the tempo of your creative piece multiple times before submitting it, and if possible, ask others to analyze it as well. Another set of eyes could spot errors you’ve overlooked.
If you need assistance from professional paper writers, contact us.
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