The purpose of an informative essay is to educate others on a certain topic. Typically, these essays will answer one of the five Ws: who, what, where, when, and why. Of course, they can also answer "how," indicating how to do something. Show
Informative essays must never express your opinion or try to convince others to take a certain action or stance. That role is expressly reserved for persuasive essays. Of course, if your informative essay is interesting enough, it may move readers to learn more about the subject, but they'll have to come to that on their own, thanks to the wealth of interesting information you present. Read our examples of informative essays and learn more about choosing a topic and how to write an informative essay to help you get started. Structure of an Informative EssayThe basic structure of an informative essay is very simple. It needs to have a beginning, middle, and end. These are known more formally as the introduction, body, and conclusion, respectively. The IntroductionThe beginning, otherwise known as the introduction, is your opportunity to present your thesis statement and grab the attention of the reader. Your thesis statement must be one sentence, making it very clear what the reader will be informed about. The introduction can be anywhere from a paragraph to a page, depending on the requirements and circumstances. Use this opportunity to introduce the main idea, provide any pertinent definitions, and briefly describe what will be covered. Above all else, the introduction must clearly state what readers are about to explore. Be sure to steer clear of any evidence of your opinion on the topic. Below, you'll find two informative essay introduction examples to help you brainstorm your own ideas. Sample Introduction #1: This essay discusses the topic of donating blood.
Sample Introduction #2: This essay explores the history of Ireland from the perspective of its iconic castles.
The BodyThe middle, otherwise known as the body, is your opportunity to expound upon the thesis statement and grab the attention of the audience with solid facts, statistics, statements, and other supporting details. The body will be several paragraphs long, comprising the bulk of the essay. This is where you'll provide further details about the main idea. Be sure you delve deeply into every area previously outlined in the introduction. The ConclusionThe end, otherwise known as the conclusion, is your opportunity to summarize the essay in a paragraph or two. It should spur the reader to want to learn more about the topic. Be sure to reiterate the thesis statement clearly. In your introduction, you may have laid out what would be covered in the essay. Offer a sentence or two reiterating what was learned about those topic areas. After that, offer up a few closing remarks that gloss over the most important elements. End on a high note, encouraging your readers to learn more or contemplate the most important elements of your essay. You may even pose a rhetorical question. Below, you'll find two sample conclusions to help you brainstorm your own ideas. Sample Conclusion #1: This concludes the essay example above on the topic of donating blood. Note how it emphasizes the simplicity of the process.
Sample Conclusion #2: This conclusion to the Ireland essay example reiterates the "ferocity of its people."
Sample Informative EssayIn the sample below, note a few things as you read. Try to keep an eye out for the thesis statement in the first paragraph. Then, note the transition words in two of the body paragraphs. They are, "Also in line with safety…" and "In terms of fun…" Finally, in-text citations will vary, based on your teacher's style guide, so be sure to double-check those. Download the PDF version below the essay to keep as a handy reminder. The title of the following essay is "How to Travel Solo Successfully."
View & Download PDF Subject MatterHave you been tasked with writing an informative essay? If the topic is open, the first thing you must ask yourself is, "What interests me the most?" This will make the task far less laborious. Take something you're already knowledgeable about and share it with the world, citing other sources and stating current facts and statistics. This is your chance to add to others' viewpoints on a subject as long as you don't include your own opinions. Allow them to analyze the data, perhaps in a cause and effect layout. Or, you can educate them on how to do something, create something, or solve a problem. Here are some examples of informative essay topics to get your creative juices flowing:
Example Essay TitlesWhile your introduction must be carefully crafted in order to reel readers in, your essay title is the first thing they encounter, and it needs to be enticing. Formulate a clear title, indicating what's about to be discussed. Find a way to invite others to want to learn more. Remember to follow these rules for capitalization in titles. Here are some possible titles for inspiration:
Essay Writing StepsMost of the work on an informative essay is done before you actually sit down to type.
What is the conclusion of an informative essay?Informative Essay Conclusion
Like most other essays, the conclusion of an informative essay summarizes the main pieces of information. Remind the reader about the purpose of the essay, explain why it is important, and leave them with a few questions to think about.
How do you write a good conclusion for an informative essay?So, when you wonder how to write a conclusion for an informative essay, follow these three steps: Restate your thesis statement (the same thoughts with other words) Restate main ideas (subtopics you covered in body paragraphs) Finish with a call to action (What should the audience do after reading your work?
How do you start a conclusion in an essay?The conclusion paragraph should begin by restating your thesis, and then you should broaden back out to a general topic. End with a closing statement. This paragraph looks like the reverse of your introduction paragraph, going from specific to general.
What is a conclusion example?Conclusion Example: Definition
The conclusion example is the final section of your thesis, comprising the closing paragraph or sentence and the summation of the points made in the thesis.
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