- Expository Paragraph tips - cohdra, morguefile
Exposition paragraph is one of the seven types of paragraphs. It stresses the importance of formal, academic language use, focuses on evidence, cites authority, and provides useful information or advice. Expository paragraphs are used, predominantly, not separately but as parts of larger academic writing forms. Situated in-between other paragraphs, they allow of elaborating on a somewhat unclear – yet particularly crucial issue.
What Is an Expository Paragraph?
Often times, this kind of a paragraph is used as a component of other types. It’s created in order to clarify or explain a problem or a phenomenon. Writing exposition paragraphs requires strict focus on evidence and objective language. It can contain elements of comparison and contrast or cause and effect writing - both facilitate accurate exposition of its subject-matter.
Example of an Expository Paragraph
Read the following sample of an expository paragraph paying attention to clarity, objective third person language, and instructional value:
A disease that causes chronic gastrological disorders, IBD, is envisioned in a spectrum of severities. Cats can vomit heavily, and suffer from continuous diarrhea. Reasons for the disease are yet unknown. Bacterial infections, gastrological irritation, lack of vitamins are often quoted as factors contributing to the development of the disease. Veterinarians, treating IBD in cats, usually prescribe medicine and advice on the dietary management as well as make surgical choices. If untreated, IBD, can be fatal for cats. Research - conducted mostly by pet owners - shows that a cat’s diet can be critical. Further research will include inspection of several vaccines. So far, grain-free, raw meat diet has already proved to be largely beneficial.
Expository paragraph, apart from explaining how something works or occurs, uses formal language containing domain-specific terms, and provides essential examples as well as comparisons.
Elements of an Expository Paragraph
Expository paragraphs contain the following elements:
- Formal language – third person voice and scientific terms are used instead of informal, emotive vocabulary;
- Evidence – includes references to research, naming of the author(s) of the inquiry, practical examples, and comparisons;
- Explanation – the paragraph accounts for the variety of ailments characteristic of a disease explaining the risks and symptoms;
- Background information – the paragraph relates to already conducted researches and their preliminary results as well as provides information on further medical inquiry. It also gives examples of possible medical interventions;
In order to write good paragraphs, you need to know how paragraphs are constructed and what types of paragraphs can be used in writing. Check out the Writing Paragraphs section for full information on the subject-matter.
Daria Przybyla - After joining the site in 2008 as a Contributing Writer and breifly featuring the Academic Writing section in 2009, Daria Przybyla became ...
