Expository vs. Argumentative Writing

What is Expository Writing?Purely informational, objective writingWritten to inform, explain, or describeAuthor assumes the reader has no prior

knowledge of the topicUnlike argumentative/persuasive writing, the

primary goal of expository writing is to deliver information about the topic, not to persuade the reader

Types of Expository WritingDescription

Topic is described using details, characteristics, features, and examples.

SummaryTopic is summarized in your own words

SequenceItems are listed in a numerical order

ComparisonCompare and contrast that explains how

various items are alike and/or different

Examples of Expository WritingNewspaper articles, journals, textbooks,

interviews, studies, letters, memosCNN article:

What is Argumentative Writing?Written to persuade the reader to adopt your

position, beliefs, or behaviorPurpose is to convince the reader that your opinion

is correctAuthor assumes the reader already has prior

knowledge of the topicTherefore, do not devote large sections of the essay to

simply summarizing the topic, texts, or material.

Writing an Argumentative Essay Choose a topic that is:

1. Narrow and focused2. Contains an argument3. Can be adequately supported with evidence

(outside sources, statistics, studies, news articles, expert opinion, etc.)

Narrow and FocusedMake sure your thesis statement isn’t too broad and

unfocused.Zero in on a particular aspect of the media or text to discuss in-

depthBetter to focus on one aspect in-depth than to try to cover a wide

range of issues superficiallyExample:

“Fantasy literature uses a good vs. evil plot.” Too general. “Much of fantasy literature, such as Harry Potter and The Lord of the

Rings, features an over-simplistic binary of good versus evil, which reduces its characters to one-dimensional didactic devices.”

Focused on particular books and how a good vs. evil plot has impacted characterization.

Contains an ArgumentMake sure your thesis statement takes a clear

standAvoid indecisivenessExample:

“Fantasy literature uses a good vs. evil plot, which can be good or bad.”

Vague and indecisive. What is the position? Which side is supported?

“Much of fantasy literature, such as Harry Potter and The Lord of the Rings, features an over-simplistic binary of good versus evil, which reduces its characters to one-dimensional didactic devices.”

A clear position is stated (against the good vs. evil plot).

Contains an ArgumentMake sure your thesis statement takes a clear

standAvoid expository writingExample:

“Sam Harris says that there can be a moral truth that science can provide.” Merely expository/factual writing that gives the reader

information about Harris’ speech Facts cannot be arguments

“Contrary to Harris’ assertions, morality cannot be an objective truth. Morality is relative to a person’s viewpoint.” Takes a clear position of disagreement with Harris’ claim

EvidenceMake sure your thesis statement can be adequately

supported with evidence (outside sources, statistics, studies, news articles, expert opinion, etc.)Avoid stating personal feelingsExample:

“I feel that Harry Potter is a boring book to read.” Personal feelings cannot be supported with empirical evidence“Although Harry Potter may be a bestseller, it lacks substance

due to flat characterization.” Can be substantiated using examples from the books and

quotations from literary critics

Court RoomArgue like a lawyer presenting a case in a court

roomA lawyer would:

Take a clear position Ex. Either guilty or not guilty

Present concrete evidence Ex. DNA samples, studies, witnesses, interviews, etc.

A lawyer would NOT: Make an indecisive claim

“Maybe he’s guilty, maybe he’s not… I’m not sure… There’s no point in arguing…”

Build a case entirely on hypothetical scenarios or use examples from his/her personal life as evidence “The dog must not have bitten the plaintiff, because when I was a child,

I had a dog who was so friendly…”

Purpose• Expository

– Used to inform, describe, explain, compare, or summarize in a neutral and objective way

• Argumentative– Used to persuade the reader that your opinion

is correct– Opinion is clearly stated, rather than appearing

neutral• Expository = Facts

Argumentative = Opinion

Focus• Expository

– Focused on information– Main point: To tell the reader of the facts– Consider:

• What does the reader need to know about the topic?• How can I clearly summarize the topic?

• Argumentative– Focused on an opinion, a debatable claim– Main point: Convince the reader of the validity of your

opinion using concrete evidence (studies, news articles, expert opinion, statistics, etc.)

– Consider: • What real-world examples can I use to support my thesis

statement?• What experts in the field might agree with me?• How can I address and refute the opposition’s claims?

Structure• Expository

– Introduction: Introduces the reader to the topic– Body: Describes, explains, informs, classifies, summarizes,

and/or compares various issues regarding the topic– Conclusion: Reminds the reader of main points and gives

sense of closure• Argumentative

– Introduction: Leads the reader to your opinion on the topic, which is clearly stated in a thesis statement of 1-3 sentences

– Body: Discusses the ways in which external sources (ex. studies, news articles, journals, interviews, etc.) are evidence that support your thesis statement. Refutes opposing arguments, saying why counterarguments are incorrect.

– Conclusion: Restates overall argument and gives sense of closure. (Do not introduce a new argument.)

Argumentative• Example:

– Thesis: “Sam Harris is correct that morality is objective and all his claims are true.”• Paper then goes on to summarize Harris’ speech, inserting quotations

from Harris– A weak thesis statement that demonstrates little insight or individual

thought, and an overall essay that is highly expository in merely summarizing what Harris has already said.

– Thesis: “As Sam Harris says, science is indeed capable of providing a universal moral truth that is based on the goal of decreasing human suffering, an idea that is supported by scientific findings and contrary to the claims of moral relativists.”• Paper then goes on to explain why Harris is correct, using scientific

studies as evidence that humans share a universal morality and that moral relativism is incorrect.– A strong thesis statement that clearly agrees with Harris, addressing

the counterargument of moral relativism. Overall essay supports the thesis statement using concrete evidence from external sources.

– Does not simply repeat Harris’ claims, since Harris never examines specific scientific studies or moral relativism in-depth.

Using Expository WritingWhere to use exposition in an argumentative paper

Introduction:J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series and J. R. R.

Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy are among the bestselling works of fantasy literature. Both series have had wide appeal and been adapted into profitable films. However, much of fantasy literature, such as Harry Potter and The Lord of the Rings, features an over-simplistic binary of good versus evil, which reduces its characters to one-dimensional didactic devices. Expository writing is used to introduce the reader to

background information about the topic

Using Expository WritingWhere to use exposition in an argumentative paper

As supporting evidence in the body of your essay:For instance, little insight is given into the internal lives of Tolkien’s evil characters, and they become an essentially homogeneous group defined simply by their label as ‘evil.’ As Hourihan says, “Nor is Sauron himself more than a cipher. He has no discernible motivation […] Neither Sauron nor his servants the Orcs provide any insights into the nature of institutionalized or individual evil […] The Lord of the Rings simply reasserts the traditional dualisms” (34). Expository writing is used to inform the reader

of a critic’s comments

Using Expository WritingMake sure that your argumentative essay is not

actually an expository essayExpository writing should be embedded within an

overall argumentative frameworkAsk yourself:

Is my entire essay a compare and contrast? Does the majority of my essay merely summarize the

topic? Does my essay only describe the events? If the answer to any of the above is ‘yes,’ then you have

written an expository essay, not an argumentative essay

Writing an Argumentative Essay Overall steps

1. Choose a topic2. Consider both sides of the topic and take a

position3. Find evidence to support your position4. Plan your essay

○ Consider making an outline to gain a clear picture of how you will structure your essay and how you will incorporate the evidence

5. Write your essay

Template Introduction

Thesis statement (clearly stated in 1-3 sentences at the end of the introductory paragraph)

Body My thesis statement is correct because of [cited quotation/paraphrase from

Example #1]. Example #1 supports my thesis statement in the following ways: x, y, z…

My thesis statement is correct because of [cited quotation/paraphrase from Example #2]. Example #2 supports my thesis statement in the following ways: x, y, z…

Counterarguments: Some people do not agree with my thesis statement. For example, [opponent] claims that [cited quotation/paraphrase from opponent]. However, [cited quotation/paraphrase from opponent] is incorrect in the following ways: x, y, z…

Conclusion Re-establishes the main points of your argument Brings essay to a feeling of closure

Checklisto Thesis statement: Clear Focused Takes a position

o Body paragraphs: Thesis statement is supported using external sources (newspaper articles,

interviews, studies, statistics, etc.) How these external sources support your thesis statement is clearly articulated Quotations and paraphrases are accurately documented in the MLA style Counterarguments are refuted

o General: Free of spelling, grammar, and citation errors Avoids first person narration Overall paper is not expository

Does not extensively summarize the text or speech Is not a mere repetition of what the author or speaker has already stated Is not just a compare and contrast

RememberIt is not enough to simply state whether you

agree/disagree with the author or speaker. Instead, you must clearly articulate why you agree/disagree.

Always provide evidence from valid external sources (newspaper articles, studies, interviews, statistics, expert opinion, etc.) to support your thesis.

Works CitedHarris, Sam. “Science Can Answer Moral Questions.” TED, 11 Feb 2010, Long Beach Performing Arts Center, Long Beach, CA, USA. Conference Presentation. Hourihan, Margery. Deconstructing the Hero: Literary Theory and Children’s Literature. Routledge, 1997.