teaching how to write an informative essay

Informative Essay — Purpose, Structure, and Examples

What is informative writing?

Informative writing educates the reader about a certain topic. An informative essay may explain new information, describe a process, or clarify a concept. The provided information is objective, meaning the writing focuses on presentation of fact and should not contain personal opinion or bias.

Informative writing includes description, process, cause and effect, comparison, and problems and possible solutions:

Describes a person, place, thing, or event using descriptive language that appeals to readers’ senses

Explains the process to do something or how something was created

Discusses the relationship between two things, determining how one ( cause ) leads to the other ( effect ); the effect needs to be based on fact and not an assumption

Identifies the similarities and differences between two things; does not indicate that one is better than the other

Details a problem and presents various possible solutions ; the writer does not suggest one solution is more effective than the others

Purpose of informative writing

The purpose of an informative essay depends upon the writer’s motivation, but may be to share new information, describe a process, clarify a concept, explain why or how, or detail a topic’s intricacies.

Informative essays may introduce readers to new information .

Summarizing a scientific/technological study

Outlining the various aspects of a religion

Providing information on a historical period

Describe a process or give step-by-step details of a procedure.

How to write an informational essay

How to construct an argument

How to apply for a job

Clarify a concept and offer details about complex ideas.

Explain why or how something works the way that it does.

Describe how the stock market impacts the economy

Illustrate why there are high and low tides

Detail how the heart functions

Offer information on the smaller aspects or intricacies of a larger topic.

Identify the importance of the individual bones in the body

Outlining the Dust Bowl in the context of the Great Depression

Explaining how bees impact the environment

How to write an informative essay

Regardless of the type of information, the informative essay structure typically consists of an introduction, body, and conclusion.

Introduction

Background information

Explanation of evidence

Restated thesis

Review of main ideas

Closing statement

Informative essay introduction

When composing the introductory paragraph(s) of an informative paper, include a hook, introduce the topic, provide background information, and develop a good thesis statement.

If the hook or introduction creates interest in the first paragraph, it will draw the readers’ attention and make them more receptive to the essay writer's ideas. Some of the most common techniques to accomplish this include the following:

Emphasize the topic’s importance by explaining the current interest in the topic or by indicating that the subject is influential.

Use pertinent statistics to give the paper an air of authority.

A surprising statement can be shocking; sometimes it is disgusting; sometimes it is joyful; sometimes it is surprising because of who said it.

An interesting incident or anecdote can act as a teaser to lure the reader into the remainder of the essay. Be sure that the device is appropriate for the informative essay topic and focus on what is to follow.

Directly introduce the topic of the essay.

Provide the reader with the background information necessary to understand the topic. Don’t repeat this information in the body of the essay; it should help the reader understand what follows.

Identify the overall purpose of the essay with the thesis (purpose statement). Writers can also include their support directly in the thesis, which outlines the structure of the essay for the reader.

Informative essay body paragraphs

Each body paragraph should contain a topic sentence, evidence, explanation of evidence, and a transition sentence.

A good topic sentence should identify what information the reader should expect in the paragraph and how it connects to the main purpose identified in the thesis.

Provide evidence that details the main point of the paragraph. This includes paraphrasing, summarizing, and directly quoting facts, statistics, and statements.

Explain how the evidence connects to the main purpose of the essay.

Place transitions at the end of each body paragraph, except the last. There is no need to transition from the last support to the conclusion. A transition should accomplish three goals:

Tell the reader where you were (current support)

Tell the reader where you are going (next support)

Relate the paper’s purpose

Informative essay conclusion

Incorporate a rephrased thesis, summary, and closing statement into the conclusion of an informative essay.

Rephrase the purpose of the essay. Do not just repeat the purpose statement from the thesis.

Summarize the main idea found in each body paragraph by rephrasing each topic sentence.

End with a clincher or closing statement that helps readers answer the question “so what?” What should the reader take away from the information provided in the essay? Why should they care about the topic?

Informative essay example

The following example illustrates a good informative essay format:

Writing an Informative Essay

Informative essays engage readers with new, interesting, and often surprising facts and details about a subject. Informative essays are educational; readers expect to learn something new from them. In fact, much of the reading and writing done in college and the workplace is informative. From textbooks to reports to tutorials like this one, informative writing imparts important and useful information about a topic.

This tutorial refers to the sample informative outline and final essay written by fictional student Paige Turner.

Reasons to Write Informatively

Your purpose for writing and the audience for whom you are writing will impact the depth and breadth of information you provide, but all informative writing aims to present a subject without opinions or bias. Some common reasons to write informatively are to

• report findings that an audience would find interesting,
• present facts that an audience would find useful, and
• communicate information about a person, place, event, issue, or change that would improve an audience’s understanding.

Characteristics of Informative Essays

Informative essays present factual information and do not attempt to sway readers’ opinions about it. Other types of academic and workplace writing do try to influence readers’ opinions:

• Expository essays aim to expose a truth about an issue in order to influence how readers view the issue.
• Persuasive essays aim to influence readers’ opinions, so they will adopt a particular position or take a certain course of action.

Expository and persuasive essays make “arguments.” The only argument an informative essay makes is that something exists, did exist, is happening, or has happened, and the point of the essay is not to convince readers of this but to tell them about it.

• Informative essays seek to enlighten and educate readers, so they can make their own educated opinions and decisions about what to think and how to act.

Strategies for Writing Informatively

Informative essays provide useful information such as facts, examples, and evidence from research in order to help readers understand a topic or see it more clearly. While informative writing does not aim to appeal emotionally to readers in order to change their opinions or behaviors, informative writing should still be engaging to read. Factual information is not necessarily dry or boring. Sometimes facts can be more alarming than fiction!

Writers use various strategies to engage and educate readers. Some strategies include

• introducing the topic with an alarming fact or arresting image;
• asserting what is true or so about the subject in a clear thesis statement;
• organizing the paragraphs logically by grouping related information;
• unifying each paragraph with a topic sentence and controlling idea;
• developing cohesive paragraphs with transition sentences;
• using precise language and terminology appropriate for the topic, purpose, and audience; and
• concluding with a final idea or example that captures the essay’s purpose and leaves a lasting impression.

Five Steps for Getting Started

1. Brainstorm and choose a topic.

• Sample topic : The opioid epidemic in the United States.
• The opiod epidemic or even opiod addiction would would be considered too broad for a single essay, so the next steps aim to narrow this topic down.

2. Next, write a question about the topic that you would like to answer through research.

• Sample question : What major events caused the opioid crisis in the United States?
• This question aims to narrow the topic down to causes of the epidemic in the US.

3. Now go to the Purdue Global Library to find the answers to your research question.

As you begin reading and collecting sources, write down the themes that emerge as common answers. Later, in step four, use the most common answers (or the ones you are most interested in writing and discussing) to construct a thesis statement.

• Sample answers: aggressive marketing, loopholes in prescription drug provider programs, and economic downturn.

4. Next, provide purpose to your paper by creating a thesis statement.

The thesis attempts to frame your research question. The sample thesis below incorporates three of the more common answers for the research question from step two: What caused the opioid crisis in the United States?

• Thesis Statement : Aggressive marketing, loopholes in prescription drug provider programs, and economic downturn contributed to the current opioid crisis in the United States.
• Writing Tip : For additional help with thesis statements, please visit our Writing a Thesis Statement article. For help with writing in 3rd person, see our article on Formal Vs. Informal Writing .

5. Now follow each numbered step in the “Suggested Outline Format and Sample” below.

Sample answers have been provided for “I. Introduction” and “II. First Cause.” A complete sample outline can be seen here. A complete sample informative essay can be seen here.

Suggested Outline Format and Sample

I. INTRODUCTION

A. First provide a topic sentence that introduces the main topic: Sample topic sentence : There is a current prescription pain medication addiction and abuse epidemic possibly caused by an excessive over prescription of these medications.

B. Now provide a couple sentences with evidence to support the main topic: Sample sentence one with evidence to support the main topic : According to Dr. Nora Volkow, Director of National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), in testimony before the 115th Congress, “In 2016, over 11 million Americans misused prescription opioids … and 2.1 million had an opioid use disorder due to prescription opioids” (Federal Efforts to Combat the Opioid Crisis, 2017, p. 2).

C. Sample sentence two with evidence to support the main topic : Volkow indicated “more than 300,000 Americans have died of an opioid overdose” since 2013 (Federal Efforts to Combat the Opioid Crisis, 2017, p.2).

D. Sample sentence three with evidence to support the main topic : According to Perez-Pena (2017), the Center for Disease Control and Prevention reported more than 25,000 people in the United States died in 2015 from overdosing on opioids Fentanyl, Oxycodone, and Hydrocodone.

E. Toward the end of the introduction, include your thesis statement written in the 3rd-person point-of-view: Sample thesis statement : Potential solutions to the growing opioid epidemic may be illuminated by examining how opioid addiction is triggered through aggressive pharmaceutical marketing, how opioid addiction manifests among prescribed patients, and how economic downturns play a role in the increase of opioid addiction.

F. Write down the library sources you can use in this introductory paragraph to help support the main topic.

• Federal Efforts to Combat the Opioid Crisis, 2017
• Perez-Pena, 2017
• Writing Tip : For more help writing an introduction, please refer to this article on introductions and conclusions .

II. FIRST CAUSE

A. First provide a topic sentence that introduces the first cause of the opioid epidemic: Sample topic sentence that introduces the first cause : One issue that helped contribute to the opioid epidemic is aggressive marketing by pharmaceutical manufacturers.

B. Now provide sentences with evidence to support the first cause: Sample sentence one with evidence that supports the first cause : Perez-Pena (2017) concluded that while the healthcare industry was attempting to effectively and efficiently treat patients with chronic pain, pharmaceutical companies were providing funding to prominent doctors, medical societies, and patient advocacy groups in order to win support for a particular drug’s adoption and usage.

C. Sample sentence two with evidence to support the first cause : In fact, pharmaceutical companies continue to spend millions on promotional activities and materials that deny or trivialize any risks of opioid use while at the same time overstating each drug’s benefit (Perez-Pina, 2017).

D. Next, add more information or provide concluding or transitional sentences that foreshadows the upcoming second cause: Sample concluding and transitional sentence that foreshadow the second cause : Although aggressive marketing by pharmaceutical companies played a large role in opioid addiction, patients are to blame too, as many take advantage of holes in the healthcare provider system in order to remedy their addiction.

E. Write down the library sources you can use in this body paragraph to help support the first cause:

• Writing Tip : For more assistance working with sources, please visit the Using Sources page here.

III. SECOND CAUSE

A. First provide a topic sentence that introduces the second cause.

B. Now provide sentences with evidence to support the second cause.

C. Next, add more information or provide concluding or transitional sentences that foreshadows the upcoming third cause.

D. Write down the library sources you can use in this body paragraph to help support the second cause:

• Writing Tip : Listen to Writing Powerful Sentences for information and features of effective writing.

IV. THIRD CAUSE

A. First provide a topic sentence that introduces the third cause.

B. Now provide sentences with evidence to support the third cause.

C. Next, add more information or provide a concluding sentence or two.

D. Write down the library sources you can use in this body paragraph to help support the third cause:

V. CONCLUSION: Summary of key points and evidence discussed.

• Writing Tip : For more help writing a conclusion, refer to this podcast on endings .
• Writing Tip : Have a question? Leave a comment below or Purdue Global students, click here to access the Purdue Global Writing Center tutoring platform and available staff.
• Writing Tip : Ready to have someone look at your paper? Purdue Global students, click here to submit your assignment for feedback through our video paper review service.

See a Sample Informative Essay Outline here .

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dang bro i got an A

Having faith with all this mentioned, that i will pass my english class at a college. Thank you for posting.

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Informative Writing | Teaching Tips and Unit Plans

Informative writing is a fundamental element of education, serving as the backbone for students to convey knowledge and ideas in a clear and structured manner. It is crucial in developing critical thinking and communication skills. As educators, it is essential to equip students with the skills necessary to excel in informative writing through effective teaching strategies and well-crafted unit plans.

Teaching Tips for Informative Writing:

Start with Understanding Purpose:

Educators should first ensure that students understand the purpose of informative writing – to educate the reader without reflecting personal opinion. Teachers can present examples of informative texts like news articles, encyclopedic entries, or how-to guides.

Focus on Structure and Clarity:

Teach students the standard structure of an informative essay: an introduction with a thesis statement, body paragraphs with supporting evidence, and a conclusion that summarizes key points. Stress the importance of clarity and conciseness in conveying information.

Develop Research Skills:

Informative writing requires reliable information. Teach students to research from credible sources, how to take notes effectively, and the importance of cross-referencing information to ensure accuracy.

Enhance Vocabulary:

Encourage students to expand their vocabulary; a rich vocabulary aids in more precise and engaging writing. Incorporate activities that introduce new words and their usage within informative contexts.

Practice Paraphrasing:

Students should learn to paraphrase research findings. This skill prevents plagiarism and allows them to process and communicate information in their own words.

Utilize Graphic Organizers:

Graphic organizers can help students plan their writing by organizing their thoughts, outlining main ideas, supporting details, and data before they begin drafting their essays.

Incorporating Technology:

Use technological tools for research, collaborative writing, or presenting information in different formats such as slideshows, blogs, or digital posters.

Peer Review Sessions:

Incorporate peer review sessions where students read each other’s work and give constructive feedback focussing on the content’s informativeness.

Unit Plans for Informative Writing:

Week 1: Introduction to Informative Writing

– Objective: Students will understand what informative writing is.

– Activities: Explore various informative texts and discuss characteristics. Practice identifying thesis statements and main points.

Week 2: Research Skills

– Objective: Students will learn to gather information from credible sources.

– Activities: Library session on research databases, practice note-taking methods, start preliminary research on chosen topics.

Week 3: Writing Process – Organizing Information

– Objective: Students will outline their essays using graphic organizers.

– Activities: Brainstorming sessions; teach how to organize facts into introduction, body, and conclusion; construct thesis statements.

Week 4: Drafting

– Objective: Students will write the first draft of their informative essay.

– Activities: Provide class time for drafting. One-on-one consultations with teacher for guidance.

Week 5: Revising & Editing

– Objective: Student will refine drafts for clarity and correctness.

– Activities: Peer reviews focused on content; teacher reviews focused on grammar, style, punctuation.

Week 6: Finalizing & Presenting

– Objective: Students will complete final draft and present their work.

– Activities: Preparation of final draft; students present their essays or create a visual representation of their topic for class discussion.

By integrating these teaching tips and unit plans into the curriculum, educators can help students master the art of informative writing – a skill that transcends academic purposes and prepares them for real-world communication challenges.

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How to Write an Informative Essay: Everything You Need to Know

Did you know that informative essays aren't just for school? They're also used in jobs like journalism, marketing, and PR to explain complex ideas and promote things. This shows how useful they are outside of the classroom.

So, if you're planning to write one, that's a great choice! It's interesting but can be tough. To do it well, you need to plan, research, and organize carefully. Keep your tone balanced, give clear info, and add your own thoughts to stand out.

In this guide, our essay writer will give you tips on starting and organizing your essay effectively. At the end, you'll also find interesting essay samples. So, let's jump right into it.

What is an Informative Essay

To give a good informative essay definition, imagine them as windows to new knowledge. Their main job is to teach others about a particular topic. Whether it's for a school project or something you stumble upon online, these essays are packed with interesting facts and insights.

Here's a simple breakdown from our admission essay writing service of what makes an informative essay tick:

• Keeping It Real: These essays are all about the facts. No opinions allowed. We want to keep things fair and honest.
• Topics Galore: You can write about anything you find interesting, from science and history to things about different cultures.
• Where You Find Them: Informative essays can pop up anywhere, from your classroom assignments to the pages of magazines or even online articles.
• Research: Like a good detective, informative essays rely on solid evidence. That means digging into trustworthy sources to gather reliable information.
• Stay Neutral: To keep things fair, informative essays don't take sides. They present the facts and let readers draw their own conclusions.
• Structure: These essays have a clear roadmap. They start with an introduction to set the stage, then present the main points with evidence, and wrap up with a summary to tie it all together.
• Write for Your Audience: Keep your writing simple and easy to understand. Think about who will be reading it.
• Give Just Enough Detail: Don't overload people with info. Find the right balance so it's interesting but not overwhelming.

Ready to Ignite Minds with Your Informative Essay?

Our qualified writers are here to craft a masterpiece tailored to your needs worthy of an A+

Reasons to Write an Informative Essay

Writing informative essays, whether following the IEEE format or another style, is a great way to teach and share ideas with others. Here's why it's worth giving it a try:

• Make Complex Ideas Easy : Informative essays simplify complicated topics so everyone can understand them. They break down big ideas into simple parts, helping more people learn and share knowledge.
• Encourage Thinking : When you read these essays, you're encouraged to think for yourself. They give you facts and evidence so you can form your own opinions about different topics. This helps you become better at understanding the world around you.
• Inspire Doing : They can motivate people to take action and make positive changes by raising awareness about important issues like the environment, fairness, or health. By reading these essays, people might be inspired to do something to help.
• Leave a Mark : When you write informative essays, you're leaving a legacy of knowledge for future generations. Your ideas can be read and learned from long after you're gone, helping others understand the world better.

How to Start an Informative Essay

If you're still doubting how to start with an informative essay outline, no worries! Here's a step-by-step guide to help you tackle this task like a pro. Alternatively, you can simply order essay and have it done by experts.

• Choose an Exciting Topic : Pick something that really grabs your attention. Writing about what you're genuinely interested in makes the whole process way more fun. Plus, it's easier to write confidently about things you know a bit about.
• Dig into Research : Spend some quality time digging up info from reliable sources. Take good notes, so you have all the facts you need to back up your essay. The better your research, the stronger your essay will be.
• Set Your Essay's Goal : Decide what you want your essay to do. Are you explaining something, analyzing a problem, or comparing ideas? Knowing your goal helps you focus your writing.
• Sketch Out Your Essay : Make a simple plan for your essay. Start with an intro that grabs attention and states your main idea. Then, map out your main points for the body paragraphs and plan a strong finish for your conclusion.
• Kick Off with an Awesome Introduction : Start with a killer opening line to hook your readers. Give a bit of background on your topic and clearly state your main idea.
• Flesh Out Your Body Paragraphs : In each paragraph, cover one key point backed up with evidence from your research. Keep it clear and simple, and don't forget to cite your sources.
• Wrap Up Strong : Sum up your main points in your conclusion and restate your main idea in a memorable way. Leave your readers with something to think about related to your topic.

Informative Essay Outline

Many students don't realize how helpful outlining can be for writing an informative essay. Spending a bit of time on it can actually save you loads of time later on when you're writing. To give you a head start, here's a simple format from our term paper writing services :

I. Introduction

• Start with something catchy to grab attention
• Give a little background info on your topic
• State your main idea clearly in your thesis statement

II. Body Paragraphs

A. Talk about your first main idea

• Share evidence or facts that support this idea
• Explain what the evidence means
• Transition smoothly to the next point

B. Move on to your second main idea

• Provide evidence or facts for this point
• Explain why this evidence matters
• Transition to the next paragraph

C. Address your third main idea

• Offer supporting evidence or facts
• Explain the significance of this evidence
• Transition to the next part

III. Conclusion

• Restate your thesis statement to remind readers of your main point
• Summarize the key points you've covered in the body paragraphs
• Leave readers with some final thoughts or reflections to ponder

IV. Optional: Extra Sections

• Consider addressing counterarguments and explaining why they're not valid (if needed)
• Offer suggestions for further research or additional reading
• Share personal anecdotes or examples to make your essay more relatable (if it fits)

Informative Essay Structure

Now that you've got a plan and know how to start an essay let's talk about how to organize it in more detail.

Introduction :

In your informative essay introduction, your aim is to grab the reader's interest and provide a bit of background on your topic. Start with something attention-grabbing, like a surprising fact or a thought-provoking question. Then, give a quick overview of what you'll be talking about in your essay with a clear thesis statement that tells the reader what your main points will be.

Body Paragraphs:

The body paragraphs of an informative essay should dive into the main ideas of your topic. Aim for at least three main points and back them up with evidence from reliable sources. Remember the 'C-E-E' formula: Claim, Evidence, Explanation. Start each paragraph with a clear point, then provide evidence to support it, and finally, explain why it's important. Mastering how to write an informative essay also requires smooth transitions from one section to the next, so don't forget to use transition words.

Conclusion :

You may already guess how to write a conclusion for an informative essay, as it's quite similar to other writing types. Wrap up by summarizing the main points you've made. Restate your thesis to remind the reader what your essay was all about. Then, leave them with some final thoughts or reflections to think about. Maybe suggest why your topic is important or what people can learn from it.

Informative Essay Examples

Essay examples show how theoretical ideas can be applied effectively and engagingly. So, let's check them out for good structure, organization, and presentation techniques.

Additionally, you can also explore essay writing apps that offer convenience and flexibility, allowing you to work on assignments wherever you are.

7 Steps for Writing an Informative Essay

Before you leave, here are 7 simple yet crucial steps for writing an informative essay. Make sure to incorporate them into your writing process:

• Choose Your Topic: If you're given the freedom to choose your topic, opt for something you're passionate about and can explain effectively in about five paragraphs. Begin with a broad subject area and gradually narrow it down to a specific topic. Consider conducting preliminary research to ensure there's enough information available to support your essay.
• Do Your Research: Dive deep into your chosen topic and gather information from reliable sources. Ensure that the sources you use are credible and can be referenced in your essay. This step is crucial for building a solid foundation of knowledge on your topic.
• Create an Outline: Once you've collected your research, organize your thoughts by creating an outline. Think of it as a roadmap for your essay, briefly summarizing what each paragraph will cover. This step helps maintain coherence and ensures that you cover all essential points in your essay.
• Start Writing: With your outline in hand, begin drafting your essay. Don't strive for perfection on the first attempt; instead, focus on getting your ideas down on paper. Maintain an objective and informative tone, avoiding overly complex language or unnecessary embellishments.
• Revise Your Draft: After completing the initial draft, take a break before revisiting your work. Read through your essay carefully, assessing how well your arguments are supported by evidence and ensuring a smooth flow of ideas. Rewrite any sections that require improvement to strengthen your essay's overall coherence and clarity.
• Proofread: Once you've revised your essay, thoroughly proofread it to catch any spelling or grammar errors. Additionally, verify the accuracy of the facts and information presented in your essay. A polished and error-free essay reflects positively on your attention to detail and credibility as a writer.
• Cite Your Sources: Finally, include a citations page to acknowledge the sources you've referenced in your essay. Follow the formatting guidelines of the chosen citation style, whether it's MLA, APA, or Chicago, to ensure consistency and proper credit to the original authors. This step is essential for maintaining academic integrity and avoiding plagiarism accusations.

Final Remarks

Fantastic! Now that you know how to write an informative essay and absorbed the essentials, let's recap the key points:

• You've learned the basics of informative essay writing.
• Ready to choose an interesting topic that connects with your audience.
• You've understood how to organize your essay clearly, with each paragraph serving a purpose.
• You have step-by-step guidance for writing engagingly.
• You've gained valuable tips to improve your writing skills and make your essay stand out.

By applying these insights, you're set to write an engaging essay that informs and inspires your readers!

Want to Unleash the Brilliance of Your Ideas?

Claim your expertly crafted informative essay today and command attention with your brilliant insights!

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Mar 20, 2023

How to Write an Informative Essay | Outlines and Examples

Discover the Art of Informative Essays: Engage, Learn, and Be Inspired by These Compelling Examples – Read on to Elevate Your Writing Skills!

An informative essay is written to disseminate knowledge about a specific subject. These writings will typically address one of the five W's (who, what, where, when, and why) in a given topic. Naturally, they can also respond with "how," suggesting a method.

Opinions and attempts to persuade readers to adopt your point of view have no place in informative writing. Only argumentative writing is allowed to play that part. If your instructive essay is particularly engaging, it may inspire your readers to pursue further research on the topic; however, they will have to make that decision independently.

To get you started, we've provided some informative essay samples as well as resources to help you select a subject and craft your paper.

What Is an Informative Essay?

An informative essay is a type of academic writing that explains about a particular topic or subject. The primary goal of an informative essay is to provide information on a topic, idea, or concept in a clear, concise, and organized manner. The purpose of the essay is to increase the reader's knowledge and understanding of the subject matter.

An informative essay is different from other types of essays, such as persuasive or argumentative essays. While persuasive essays aim to convince the audience to take a particular viewpoint or to take action, informative essays are written solely to provide information. This means that the essay should be unbiased, objective, and free from personal opinions or biases.

When writing an informative essay, it is essential to choose a topic that is interesting and relevant to the audience. It is also essential to conduct thorough research on the topic and to use credible sources, such as academic journals, books, and reputable websites. It is also essential to use a formal tone, clear language, and appropriate grammar and punctuation.

An informative essay is a type of academic writing that aims to provide information on a particular topic or subject in a clear, concise, and organized manner. The essay should be unbiased, objective, and free from personal opinions or biases.

The structure of an informative essay typically follows a basic format, including an introduction that provides background details and a distinct thesis statement, body paragraphs that outlines key arguments along with supporting proof, and a conclusion that offers a synopsis of the information presented. When writing an informative essay, it is essential to choose a topic that is interesting and relevant to the audience and to use credible sources and a formal tone.

How to Create an Informative Essay Outline?

Writing an informative essay outline is an essential step in the essay writing process. An outline provides a structure and a framework for the essay, allowing the writer to organize their thoughts and ideas before beginning to write. A good outline will help to ensure that the essay is clear, concise, and well-structured.

The outline for an informative essay typically includes the following sections: introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. Each section has a specific purpose and should be structured in a particular way.

I. Introduction

The introduction of an informative essay should provide background information on the topic and introduce the thesis statement, which is the main idea of the essay. The introduction should also capture the reader's attention and motivate them to continue reading.

A. Hook: The hook is the opening sentence or two of the essay. It should be attention-grabbing and relevant to the topic.

B. Background information: The background information provides context for the topic and helps the reader understand why the topic is important.

C. Thesis statement: The thesis statement is the main idea of the essay. It should be clear, concise, and specific.

II. Body Paragraphs

The body paragraphs of an informative essay provide detailed information on the topic. Each paragraph should focus on a particular aspect of the topic and be organized in a logical and coherent manner.

A. Topic sentence: The topic sentence is the first sentence of each body paragraph. It should clearly state the main point of the paragraph.

B. Supporting details: The supporting details provide evidence and examples to support the topic sentence.

C. Transitions: Transitions help to connect the paragraphs and make the essay flow smoothly.

III. Conclusion

The conclusion of an informative essay summarizes the main points of the essay and restates the thesis statement in a new way. The conclusion should also leave a lasting impression on the reader.

A. Restate thesis statement: The thesis statement should be restated in a new way to remind the reader of the main idea of the essay.

B. Summarize main points: The main points of the essay should be summarized in a concise and clear manner.

C. Final thoughts: The conclusion should end with final thoughts that leave a lasting impression on the reader.

Crafting an outline for an informative essay is a crucial stage in the process of essay writing. The purpose of creating an outline for an informative essay is to establish the topics you aim to address and to structure ideas accordingly.

The outline should include an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion, each with a specific purpose and structure. By following these guidelines, writers can create an informative essay that is clear, concise, and well-structured.

A Step-by-Step Guide to Writing an Informative Essay Format

Despite the fact that all essays have a similar structure, each type has its own distinctive features and peculiarities. It is a must to be aware of them in order to create a well-structured informative research paper outline. Structuring an informative essay outline can help you organize your thoughts and ideas and ensure that you cover all the necessary information.

Here are 7 steps to help you create a well-structured informative essay outline:

Choose a Topic

Select a topic that you are familiar with and that you find interesting. Ensure that the topic is suitable for an informative essay and that there is enough information available for you to research.

Conduct Research

Research your topic thoroughly using reputable sources such as academic journals, books, and websites. Gather information that will help you to support your arguments and make your essay more persuasive.

Create a Thesis Statement

Write a clear thesis statement that summarizes the main argument or purpose of your essay. Your thesis statement should be concise and focused, and it should provide a clear direction for your essay.

Create an Introduction

Begin your essay with an introduction that provides background information on your topic and introduces your thesis statement. Your introduction should be engaging and informative, and it should capture the reader's attention.

Create Body Paragraphs

The body of your essay should consist of several paragraphs, each of which should focus on a specific point or argument. Use clear and concise language to convey your ideas, and support your arguments with evidence such as examples, statistics, and other forms of evidence.

Create a Conclusion

Conclude your essay with a summary of your main points and a restatement of your thesis statement. Your conclusion should provide closure to your essay and leave a lasting impression on your reader.

Proofread and Edit

Edit and proofread your essay for grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors. Ensure that your essay is well-structured, easy to read, and well-supported with evidence.

Overall, following these seven steps will help you create a well-structured informative essay outline that will guide you in writing an effective and persuasive essay.

Comprehensive Analysis of All of the Outline's Subsections

Outlines for informative papers typically consist of the same five or six parts as those for other kinds of essays. This type of writing task usually requires a specific structure. Begin with a one-paragraph opening, then move on to the body—which should be at least three paragraphs long—and end with a closing. It's likely that this will appear recognizable to you.

Let's read more carefully through the parts of the research report. See to it that you have painted a distinct image of the content that each paragraph will address.

Introduction:

In the introduction of your informative essay structure, you should define your subject in simple terms. Rather than relying on your own assumptions, check that you are using the actual definitions provided by reputable sources. The so-called "prehistory" of the subject can be included, as it often contains fascinating tidbits that aren't common knowledge.

To back up the thesis assertion made at the outset of the paper, you should provide arguments in the body of your work. It is suggested to devote each paragraph to a single subject idea, so the number of body paragraphs will be determined by the number of arguments.

Controversial Arguments: 

Before responding to an opponent's claims, make sure you've done your homework and collected all the information you'll need to present a well-reasoned response. There will be more than one way to look at the heart of any given subject. It is for this reason that you must exercise caution when gathering evidence and showing your opponent's arguments.

Each line needs to not only make a case but also provide proof to back up that case. Include the identities of the scientists and scholars who created the relevant references in your citation. Paint a vivid image of the subject at hand. That's why it's up to you to clarify everything that's crucial.

The Conclusion: 

Many students make the mistake of thinking that the conclusion section of a summary must be a direct reiteration of the thesis statement. In the final section, you should restate the processed data and direct the reader's attention to the most important parts of the study.

The most important guideline to follow is to explain in the conclusion how the reader can profit from the study findings.

2 Informative Essay Examples

The Key Causes Resulting in Water Pollution

Water pollution is a serious environmental issue that poses a significant threat to human health and the ecosystem. It occurs when harmful substances are introduced into water bodies such as rivers, lakes, oceans, and groundwater, making them unsuitable for human consumption and other uses.

The causes of water pollution are diverse, ranging from industrial and agricultural practices to household activities. This essay examines the key causes of water pollution and their impacts on the environment and human health.

Industrial activities:

Industrial activities are a significant cause of water pollution, especially in developed countries. Industries such as mining, manufacturing, and oil drilling often release harmful chemicals and waste into water bodies, contaminating them with toxic substances.

For instance, the discharge of untreated wastewater from factories and refineries leads to high levels of pollutants in water bodies. These pollutants can cause waterborne diseases, kill aquatic plants and animals, and render water unsafe for human consumption.

Agricultural practices:

Agricultural activities are another significant cause of water pollution. The use of fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides in farming has led to the contamination of water bodies. When these chemicals are washed away by rain or irrigation, they end up in rivers and lakes, causing water pollution. Excessive use of fertilizers, in particular, has been linked to the eutrophication of water bodies.

Eutrophication is a process in which excessive nutrients in water promote the growth of algae, which reduces the amount of oxygen available for other aquatic organisms, leading to the death of fish and other aquatic life.

Household activities:

Household activities are also responsible for water pollution. These activities include the disposal of household waste, cooking oils, and detergents into water bodies. Septic systems and faulty sewer lines also contribute to water pollution. When households dispose of their waste improperly, it ends up in water bodies, contaminating them with harmful substances.

Detergents contain phosphates, which can cause eutrophication when they enter water bodies. Moreover, septic systems and faulty sewer lines can cause water contamination when they leak or overflow.

Mining activities:

Mining activities, particularly those involving open-pit mines, can cause significant water pollution. Open-pit mines generate large amounts of waste, which is often dumped into nearby water bodies. This waste contains toxic substances such as heavy metals, which can contaminate water and cause severe health problems.

The use of chemicals such as cyanide and mercury in mining operations also contributes to water pollution. These chemicals are used to extract gold and other minerals from ores, but they can contaminate water bodies if not handled properly.

Oil spills:

Oil spills are one of the most devastating causes of water pollution. When oil spills occur, they can have catastrophic effects on the environment and the economy. Oil spills can result from accidents involving oil tankers, pipeline leaks, and offshore drilling.

The spilt oil can spread over large areas, contaminating water bodies and killing aquatic plants and animals. The toxic substances in the oil can also pose a significant health risk to humans who come into contact with them.

Impacts of water pollution:

Water pollution has severe impacts on the environment and human health. For instance, water pollution can lead to the death of fish and other aquatic organisms, reducing biodiversity. Water pollution can also make water unsafe for human consumption, leading to waterborne diseases such as cholera and typhoid fever.

Furthermore, water pollution can lead to the destruction of ecosystems, reducing the ability of natural systems to provide essential services such as water purification, flood control, and erosion prevention.

In conclusion, water pollution is a significant environmental problem that can have severe consequences for aquatic life and humans. The causes of water pollution are diverse and can come from industrial and agricultural practices, household activities, mining activities, and oil spills.

To prevent water pollution, it is crucial to implement measures that reduce the release of pollutants into water bodies, such as improved industrial processes, sustainable agriculture practices, proper disposal of household hazardous waste, responsible mining practices, and oil spill prevention measures.

By working together to address water pollution, we can protect our water resources and ensure a healthier future for ourselves and the environment.

The Importance of Education in the 21st Century

Education is a fundamental pillar of society, and it plays a crucial role in the development of individuals and nations. In the 21st century, education has become more critical than ever before, given the rapid pace of technological advancements and globalization. This essay discusses the importance of education in the 21st century and how it impacts individuals and society as a whole.

Globalisation and Technological Advancements:

The 21st century is marked by a new era of globalization, characterized by the integration of economies, cultures, and societies across the world. Technological advancements, such as the internet and social media, have made it easier for people to communicate and access information, breaking down traditional barriers and boundaries.

In this context, education is essential for individuals to acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to navigate this new world successfully. Education enables individuals to communicate, think critically, and adapt to changes in the environment, including technological advancements.

Employability:

In the 21st century, the job market is highly competitive, and employers demand a skilled and knowledgeable workforce. Education plays a crucial role in ensuring that individuals are equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge to meet the demands of the job market.

Education enables individuals to acquire specialized knowledge and skills in their fields of interest, making them more competitive in the job market. Additionally, education fosters the development of soft skills, such as communication, teamwork, and problem-solving, which are highly valued by employers.

Personal Development:

Education is not just about acquiring knowledge and skills; it is also about personal development. Education enables individuals to develop a sense of identity, values, and beliefs, shaping their character and worldview. Education also promotes personal growth by exposing individuals to new ideas, perspectives, and cultures, broadening their horizons and promoting tolerance and diversity.

Social Development:

Education is critical for social development, promoting social mobility and reducing inequalities. Education enables individuals from different backgrounds and social classes to access the same opportunities and pursue their dreams, irrespective of their socioeconomic status.

Education also promotes social cohesion and community building by fostering a sense of civic responsibility and promoting active participation in society.

Environmental Sustainability:

In the 21st century, environmental sustainability is a crucial global issue that requires urgent action. Education plays a crucial role in promoting environmental awareness and sustainability. Education enables individuals to understand the impact of human activities on the environment and develop strategies to mitigate these impacts.

Education also promotes a culture of environmental stewardship, encouraging individuals to take responsibility for their actions and work towards a sustainable future.

Innovation and Creativity:

Innovation and creativity are critical drivers of economic growth and social progress in the 21st century. Education plays a crucial role in promoting innovation and creativity by fostering a culture of experimentation and risk-taking. Education enables individuals to develop critical thinking skills, think outside the box, and come up with creative solutions to complex problems.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, education is critical for the development of individuals and society in the 21st century. It enables individuals to acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to navigate a rapidly changing world, compete in the job market, and pursue personal and social goals. Education also promotes environmental sustainability, innovation, and creativity, promoting economic growth and social progress.

As such, investing in education is essential for building a better future for individuals and society as a whole.

In conclusion, writing an informative essay can be a rewarding experience, as it allows you to share your knowledge on a particular topic with others. By following the steps outlined in this article and utilizing the examples provided, you can create a well-structured and informative essay that will captivate your audience. Remember to thoroughly research your topic, organize your ideas, and use clear and concise language to convey your message. If you're looking for additional support in creating high-quality essays, sign up for jenni.ai ! Our AI-powered writing assistant can help you generate ideas, structure your essay, and even provide autocompletion suggestions to help you write faster. With jenni.ai, you can create engaging and informative essays with ease. Don't hesitate, click the button below to sign up for jenni.ai today and start writing your best essays yet!

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How to Write an Informative Essay

Last Updated: February 14, 2023 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Megan Morgan, PhD . Megan Morgan is a Graduate Program Academic Advisor in the School of Public & International Affairs at the University of Georgia. She earned her PhD in English from the University of Georgia in 2015. There are 12 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 243,156 times.

An informative essay educates the reader about a topic. You'll need to know a good deal about your subject and convey information in a clear, organized fashion. If it seems overwhelming at first, remember to take it step by step. Working methodically can help you write a successful paper, and you may even enjoy the process!

Selecting and Researching Your Topic

• Be sure you know how your teacher wants you to cite your sources so you can keep track of what you research. Some schools provide reference software like EndNote or RefWorks, which can make collecting and keeping track of research sources easier.
• Be aware of any formatting requirements. The essay prompt will often tell you things such as whether the essay needs to be handwritten or typed, and what font type and size to use. If it doesn't stipulate, the safe choice is a standard, readable 12-pt font such as Times New Roman or Arial. Avoid using "cute" or "quirky" fonts in an academic paper unless given specific permission to do so.
• Know the due date! Get started early so that you have plenty of time to complete the essay.

• The topic should not be too broad or too narrow. See Write an Essay for more information. There should be enough information about the topic to write about, but not so much that you can't present clear, concise information. For example, writing on "the history of animal shelters" is probably much too broad, while "the history of Sunny Days Animal Shelter in X County" is probably too narrow. A happy medium might be "the history of breed-specific animal shelters in America."
• The topic should be appropriate and interesting to your audience. Think in advance about who might be reading your essay. Obviously, if this is for school, your teacher is your primary audience, but you should always have a target audience in mind. What will they want to know? What do they probably not know already that your essay will provide?
• Ideally, the topic should be one that interests you. This will make the writing process that much easier, and you can pass your enthusiasm on to your reader.

• For best results, try to find online sources from reputable organizations, government agencies, and universities. Google Scholar can be a good place to start.

• For your informative essay, you will need an introduction, at least three main points, and a conclusion. You may want to make these sections and write notes down under the section where you expect it to go.

• Make an ideas map. Put your topic in a circle at the center of a piece of paper, then write down the most important pieces of information or ideas related to it in circles surrounding the topic. Make lines connecting each idea to the topic. Next, add details around each idea, circling them and making lines to show connections. There may be lines connecting ideas to each other, as well, or between supporting details.
• Make a list. If you prefer the linear format of a list, write down your topic at the top and then below it any ideas you have. Under the ideas, add extra details that support them. Don't worry about putting them in specific order - that comes next.
• Free write. Free writing can help you generate ideas, even if it usually doesn't provide polished prose you'll use in your final draft. Set a short time limit, such as 15 minutes, and then write whatever comes to mind about your topic. Don't stop to edit or change spelling, and keep writing even if you aren't sure you have anything to say. The important thing is to write for all 15 minutes.

Making an Outline

• Don't worry about getting your thesis just right at this point - that comes later. If you don't feel ready to write the thesis out, jot down some notes in the introductory part of your outline. At the very least, you need some idea of what you want to say in your essay.
• While it may seem odd to summarize your essay before you've begun, writing your thesis at the beginning of your outline will help you organize your ideas and select the most important details that you want to present.

• The number of details you use depends on the paper length: if you're writing a five-paragraph essay, then you have three paragraphs for the body, so you'll need three main ideas.
• Make sure you choose the most important details, and that they are all distinct from one another.
• Details used to support your thesis are also called "evidence."

• Make sure you have enough supporting details for each paragraph. If you don't have enough to say about the paragraph's main topic, consider changing the topic or combining it with another paragraph. Alternatively, you can research a bit more to find additional supporting details for the paragraph.

Writing Your Essay

• Do not worry about spelling errors or mistakes. Remember that this is just a rough draft, not your final copy. Just focus on writing it down, and later you can fix mistakes.
• Write your rough draft by hand or type it - whichever is easier for you.

• For example, a topic/transition sentence might look like this: "While some factories allow union labor, others, such as those in X, argue that unionizing harms the workplace." This sentence gives a clear direction for the paragraph (some factories argue against unionizing) and links it to the paragraph before it (which was probably about pro-union factories).
• Remember: each paragraph needs unity (a single central idea), clear relation to the thesis , coherence (logical relationship of ideas within the paragraph), and development (ideas are clearly explained and supported). [11] X Trustworthy Source University of North Carolina Writing Center UNC's on-campus and online instructional service that provides assistance to students, faculty, and others during the writing process Go to source

• Make sure you're clear about what the idea of each paragraph is. To keep yourself on track, refer to your outline as you write.

• Have you told the reader everything you need to about your topic?
• Do you have a clear thesis statement, expressed in two to three sentences?
• Do all your paragraphs relate to the thesis?
• Does each paragraph have one main idea, supported by accurate, objective details?
• Does your conclusion summarize your thoughts on the topic without adding new information or opinions?
• How does the paper flow? Are there clear, logical transitions between paragraphs?
• Have you used clear, concise prose and avoided flowery language?
• Did the reader learn something new from the essay? Is it presented in an interesting way?
• Have you cited sources as instructed by your teacher?

• As you write your final draft, keep track of coherence in particular. Rough drafts often have all of their ideas jumbled up without a clear, logical progression. A key difference between a rough draft and a final draft is that the final draft should offer its information in a smooth, clear, easy-to-read fashion that builds on previous points as it goes along. Keeping an eye out to make sure you've followed the C-E-E- formula will help you.

• Also keep an eye out for word echoes, or words that show up many times within the space of a few sentences or paragraphs. If you use the word discusses multiple times in the same paragraph, it will make your writing seem clunky and unpolished.

• Sometimes our eyes "fix" mistakes for us as we read, so it's hard to catch mistakes reading silently. Reading aloud helps you find mistakes your eye might not.

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• ↑ http://writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/understanding-assignments/
• ↑ https://library.carleton.ca/guides/help/choosing-essay-topic
• ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/subject_specific_writing/writing_in_literature/writing_in_literature_detailed_discussion/conducting_research.html
• ↑ https://advice.writing.utoronto.ca/researching/notes-from-research/
• ↑ https://libguides.rio.edu/c.php?g=620382&p=4320145
• ↑ http://writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/brainstorming/
• ↑ https://examples.yourdictionary.com/20-compelling-hook-examples-for-essays.html
• ↑ https://examples.yourdictionary.com/examples-of-informative-essays.html
• ↑ https://wts.indiana.edu/writing-guides/paragraphs-and-topic-sentences.html
• ↑ http://writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/paragraphs/
• ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/revising-drafts/
• ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/editing-and-proofreading/

About This Article

To write an informative essay, start with an introduction that presents a thesis statement articulating your argument in 2-3 concise sentences. For the body of the essay, focus on one main idea per paragraph and start each paragraph with a topic sentence that establishes that main idea. Then, follow the topic sentence with cited evidence and explanatory detail. Finish up with a conclusion that summarizes your main points and restates your thesis. Don't forget to proofread carefully before turning in your essay! For helpful tips on researching and using good sources, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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How to Write an Informative Essay?

09 May, 2020

15 minutes read

Author:  Tomas White

The bad news is that if you're anything like the majority of students, you're overwhelmed with all kinds of essays your teachers ask you to create. It feels as if they multiply day on day. However, the good news is that here, at HandMade Writing blog, you can find all the answers on how to craft a decent informative essay in no time. So, without further ado, let's dive into the essence of the issue together!

What is an Informative Essay?

An informative essay is a piece of writing that seeks to inform or explain a subject or topic to educate the reader. When writing an informative essay consider the audience and correspond to their level. Do not over-explain to experts where knowledge can be assumed or under-explain to novices that lack basic understating.

There are in four main categories:

• To define a term
• To compare and contrast a subject
• To analyze data
• To provide a how-to guide on a subject

An informative paper should be written in an objective tone and avoid the use of the first person.

You may order an informative essay written from scratch at our professional essay writing service – our essay writers are available 24/7.

What is the Purpose of an Informative Essay?

The purpose of an informative essay is to educate the reader by giving them in-depth information and a clear explanation of a subject.  Informative writing should bombard the reader with information and facts that surround an issue. If your reader comes away feeling educated and full of facts about a subject than you have succeeded.

Examples of informative writing are pamphlets, leaflets, brochures, and textbooks. Primarily texts that are used to inform in a neutral manner.

What is the Difference Between an Informative Essay and Expository Essay?

An expository essay and an informative essay are incredibly similar and often confused. A lot of writers class them as the same type of essay. The difference between them is often hazy and contradictory depending on the author’s definition.

In both essays, your purpose is to explain and educate. An expository essay is here to define a single side of an argument or the issue. It’s the first step to writing an argumentative essay through taking the argument on the next level. Informative essays are less complicated. They are just about the information. Such essays generally require less research on a topic, but it all depends on the assignment level and subject. The difference between the two essay types is so subtle that they are almost interchangeable.

How to Plan an Informative Essay Outline

Your plan for an informative essay outline should include:

• Choosing a topic
• Conducting research
• Building a thesis statement
• Planning the structure of introduction
• Choosing the topic of a body paragraph
• Forming a satisfying conclusion

By following the list above, you will have a great outline for your informational writing.

Related Post: How to write an Essay outline 

How to Choose an Informative Essay Topic

One of the most difficult tasks when writing is coming up with a topic. Here is some general advice when you are choosing a topic for your essay:

• Choose a topic that you are interested in. Your interest in writing on the subject will make the essay more engaging.
• Choose a theme that you know a little about. This way you will be able to find sources and fact easier.
• Choose a topic that can explain something new or in a different way.
• Choose a topic that you can support with facts, statistics, and
• Choose a topic that is relevant to the subject.
• Remember the four types of categories information essays cover.

Inspiration and Research for Your Ultimate Topic

Your perfect informative essay title can come from numerous sources. Here is where you can potentially seek for relevant topics:

Not only will they inspire you, but they will also provide with some of the research you need.

Researching an Informative Essay

The best sources should be objective. Some excellent sources for an informative essay include:

Always remember to check if the source of information will have a bias. For example, a newspaper journalist may have a political leaning, and their article might reflect that. A charities site for motor neuron disease may also come as biased. Analyze the source for the writer’s agenda.

Informational research should answer the five W’s (who, what, where, why and how), and these will form the majority of your essay’s plan. So, if I were writing about the different types of pollution I’d research what kinds of pollution there are, who and how they affect, why they happen, and where they are most likely to occur.

Collating and organizing this information will form your thesis statement and paragraph layout.

Still struggling to find a topic for your informational writing? Then, here are some ideas to that might inspire you.

Examples of Informative Essay Topics for College Students

• How to avoid stress
• What ecological problems are we faced with today?
• What are the effects of obesity?
• What is cyberbullying?
• How has the internet changed the world?
• How to adjust to college life
• Where to find the best part-time jobs
• How to get along with your room-mate
• Guidance on how to write a college application
• How caffeine affects studying

Examples of Informative Essay Topics for High School

• How to start your own vegetable garden
• The reason for and effects of childhood obesity
• Outline the consequences of texting and driving
• How to make your favorite food
• What is climate change? And what are its effects?
• The different types of pollution
• The history of the Titanic.
• An essay on the Great Depression
• The life and times of Ernst Hemmingway
• How to have a great vacation

Related Posts: Argumentative essay topics | Research paper topics

Informative Essay Example

When you have finished planning and research, you have to start writing. But, how do you start an informative essay? The simple answer is to just go with it. Do not get overly critical. Just pour out all the information you have. You can shape it up later.

Important points to consider are: never use first person pronouns and keep the topic objective not subjective . Remember, your purpose is to educate the reader in the most thorough way possible by explaining a topic with statistics and facts.

As usual, the essay should include an introduction, main body, and conclusion. All information should be presented in a clear and easy to understand manner. The flow of information should be signposted. We will delve into these areas in more detail now.

Related Post: How to Write a Narrative essay

How to Write an Introduction for an Informative Essay?

An introductory paragraph of an informative essay should comprise of the following things:

A Hook to Ensnare the Reader

An introductory paragraph for informative writing should start with a hook. A hook needs to be in the first sentence and something that will ‘wow’ the reader and impel them to read on. Alarming statistics on the subject/topic make up great hooks for informative essays. For example, if you were writing an essay on cyber-bullying, citing the number of children who have considered suicide due to cyberbullying could be a powerful opening message.

A Thesis Statements for Direction

All introductions should include a thesis statement. The best practice is to place it at the end of the introductory paragraph to summarize your argument.  However, you do not want to form an argument or state a position. It is best to use the thesis statement to clarify what subject you are discussing.

Related Post: What is a thesis statement

It may also be better to place the statement after the hook, as it will clarify the issue that you are discussing.

For example, ‘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.’

How to Write the Body of an Informative Essay

When writing the body of an informative paper, it is best to break the paragraph down into four distinct steps.

 The Claim or Statement

The claim or statement is a single, simple sentence that introduces the main topic of the paragraph. It can be narrow or broad depending on the level and depth of the essay. Think of this as 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 to signposting your essay. It provides a logical and easy way to follow a discussion.

The Supporting Evidence

After making a claim you want to back it up with supporting evidence. Supporting evidence could be findings from a survey, the results of an experiment, documented casual effects or a quote. Anything that lends support to the claim or statement in the first sentence would work. This is the ‘why’ aspect of your research. By using supporting evidence like this, you are defining why the statement is essential to the topic.

Explanation

After you state the supporting evidence, you want to explain ‘how’ this finding is important to the subject at hand. That 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 affects your thesis statement.

Concluding Sentence

You should always finish a body paragraph with a concluding sentence that ties up the paragraph nicely and prompts the reader on to the next stage. This is a signpost that the topic and the paragraph are wrapped up.

How to Write the Conclusion of an Informative Essay

Writing a conclusion to an informative paper can be hard as there is no argument to conclude – there is only information to summarize. A good conclusion for these types of essays should support the information provided on the subject. It should also explain why these topics are important.

Here are some Tips on writing informative essay conclusions:

Rephrase Your Thesis Statement

It is vital that you rephrase the thesis and not copy it word for word. That will allow you restate the theme or key point of your essay in a new way. You will simultaneously tie your conclusion back to the introduction of your essay. Echoing your introduction will bring the essay full circle.

Read Through Your Body Paragraphs

Read through the body paragraphs of your essay and ask if a brief overview of the main points of the essay would form a good conclusion for the essay. Generally, it is best to restate the main points of the essay in a conclusion using different words.

Finish the Conclusion With a Clincher

A clincher gives your concluding paragraph a powerful finish. It is a sentence that leaves the reader thinking about your essay long after they have put it down.

Some excellent examples of clinchers are:

• 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 into a new light
• Whether it provides an answer to a common question
• Challenge your reader with a quote from an expert that forces them to think about or change their own behavior
• Something that shifts the focus onto the future and the long-time implications of your research

Context and Significance of the Information

A conclusion should always try to frame why the topic was important, and in what context it was important. By doing this your research matters.

Remember: A concluding paragraph should never include new information.

Informative Essay Sample

Be sure to check the sample essay, completed by our writers. Use it as an example to write your own informative paper. Link:  Tesla motors

Tips for Writing an Excellent Informative Essay

Here are a few tips for writing an informative paper

• When writing the main body paragraph, concentrate on explaining information only once. Avoid repeating the same information in the next section.
• Focus on the subject. Make sure all the information that you include is relevant to the topic you are describing. Do not include information that “goes off.”
• Write in a logical way that is signposted. Writing like this will make an essay flow and mean it is easier to understand.
• Always revise the essay at least three times. This way, you will find where to expand ideas in the paragraph, where to trim back ideas until everything has the right balance.
• Be familiar with the academic reference style you are writing in
• Write to your audience. Make sure you know who you are writing it for.

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5 Mini Lessons to Begin Your Informational Writing Unit

The informational writing genre is huge! There are so many components to this type of writing that need to be considered before teaching your informational writing unit.

The teacher needs to decide on the sub-genre: how-to article, speech, blog article, podcast episode, YouTube video script, the sky is the limit! Teachers might also consider giving students the option to choose their sub-genre. Doing this will definitely increase student motivation!

Students need to learn how to come up with ideas, narrow their topic, research their topic, take notes, put learning into their own words, understand copyright, write a hook, use anecdotes, utilize nonfiction text features and so much more! Here’s a comprehensive list of informational writing vocabulary for your reference.

In this blog post you will find five mini lessons, in the order I would teach them, for your next informational writing unit. These mini lessons have been created based on standards and using common struggles students face with this type of writing.

So let’s get started!

Mini Lesson one

Read mentor texts.

Students need to understand the many sub-genres that informational writing contains. They need exposure to lots of mentor texts. You could create something like the picture below for your students. It is a clickable Google Slideshow to show students that informational writing is everywhere and overlaps with other genres such as argumentative writing. Argumentative writing includes informational components. If you don’t have time to search for mentor texts check out this resource that includes an editable version of the slideshow pictured below.

Mini Lesson Two

List topics ideas.

Once students are familiar with this genre you need to narrow down which sub-genre they will write and then get down to brainstorming! The best way I’ve found to help students brainstorm is with lists. Have students lists questions they are curious about, hobbies, passions and topics they might consider writing about. They need pages and pages of lists.

But, not all students need to spend a ton of time listing. Some students might know exactly what they want to write about from the very beginning. For those students, allow them to get right to the drafting stage. No research yet! You don’t want students copying articles they find online. Instead, force students to write all they know first, before diving into research.

Mini Lesson Three

Build drafting stamina.

Once students have chosen a broad topic they are interested in informing an audience of their peers about, you’ll want to have them spend a silent class period writing nonstop! Call it a writing race, set a timer and tell students their goal is to write two full pages on their topic, then say, “ready-set-go”.

Yes, students will struggle during this process. Students will say, “I don’t know that much about this, I need to research!” and to this you should reply, “Awesome! Write down all your questions, just keep writing, don’t put your pen/pencil down!”.

During this drafting stamina session, take notes about your observations of students. Who is struggling with this task? Who seems perfectly at ease writing all they know without stopping? Keep a class roster on a clipboard and use symbols to notate which students are doing awesome and which are struggling.

Mini Lesson Four

Narrow your topic.

Often students will pick very broad topics in the beginning and that’s perfectly normal. It’s our job to show students how to narrow their topic and why it’s important to do so. The first way you could have students narrow is by having them list broad topics first (they already did this in mini lesson two) then have them write new lists from items on their broad list. This new list can be questions about the broad topic. A second way to have students narrow their topic is by analyzing the titles of mentor texts and emulating those titles using their own topic.

Mini Lesson Five

Research online.

Teaching students how to research online might seem a little daunting but it doesn’t have to be. All you have to do is model the process with your own topic. First, write specific questions about your topic. These might come from a list you created when you narrowed your topic in mini lesson four. Then, type a question into Google and model looking for articles and websites that meet three requirements: reliability, readability and relevance. Talk aloud as you browse your search results. This video models the process.

Informational writing is an excellent way to build student confidence and motivation. The more you can allow students to write about what they are interested in, the more motivated they will be and the more confidence they will build in their writing skills. Hopefully these mini lessons have inspired you to consider a unit that incorporates informational writing!

Related Resource

Further Reading

Teaching Email Etiquette

5 Worst Research Habits and How to Fix Them

Why You’re Probably Teaching Information Writing Wrong

5 Steps Students Should Take After Googling

About the Author

Amanda Werner is a full time middle school English teacher in the Bay Area. She has been teaching for twelve years and still feels like a novice. Every year is a unique and exciting challenge to inspire a new group of students to become avid readers and writers. Amanda reads educational literature voraciously and writes about the teaching of reading and writing on her website amandawritenow.com . Amanda received her B.A. in English Literature with an emphasis in Humanities at Western Washington University. In her free time, Amanda loves being outdoors with her husband and daughter.

How to Teach Informational Writing

You probably already know that I LOVE teaching writing. And you might think I’m crazy, but nonfiction writing might be my favorite type of writing. It’s hard to call favorites, but truthfully – I find it the easiest (personally) than other types of writing. I think that might be because informative writing is about “teaching.” And, well, if you’re a teacher…it just makes sense, right? 

What makes informative writing really fun for your students is that they become “experts on a topic.” And becoming an expert on something builds confidence – and that confidence can translate into their writing. So I have 3 big tips for you when it comes to teaching nonfiction/informative writing. 

Know Where You are Going!

If you don’t know where you are going, then how will you know when you get there? When you get ready for a unit of writing, you want to get really clear on what you expect of your students as an end result. You know it’s not going to look the same (how boring would that be!), but you know there is a goal and structure to produce something. Between here and there is a process. 

On the low end, your goal may be a 3 paragraph essay/article/book/project.

• An Introduction
• A Body Paragraph
• A Conclusion

There is a clear beginning, middle, and end. Let’s not discredit that – it’s better than many adults!

In the middle, it may be a 4 paragraph essay.  

• An Introduction: States Controlling Idea or Main Idea of the Whole
• A Body Paragraph: Main Idea #1
• A Body Paragraph: Main Idea #2
• A Conclusion: Restates the Controlling Idea, possibly with a Call to Action

On the high end, it may be a 5 paragraph essay.  

This is a basic structure, but it is a skeleton of what you are trying to do. And it’s important to understand that not all writers will be able to pull off even a 3 paragraph essay. And many will struggle with just a paragraph. But you know where you are going.

I’m going to get on my soapbox real quick and then I’ll get off to stay on topic. DON’T stress yourself out about what your students can’t do. Focus on THEIR growth and progress. I KNOW you are hearing from possibly your admin, testing results, and your internal thoughts about all the things that your students can’t do. But you know what, ten years from now— they won’t care about their 4th Grade Writing FSA score. They’ll be sitting in their high school classroom having some kind of emotional attachment to writing. a) I love it so much – this is no big deal to write an essay on the Lord of the Flies b) I don’t really care about writing. I’ll do it, but it’s not that important.  c) any time the word “writing” is mentioned:  eyes roll, slump in seat, exasperated.

I’m telling you this because I lived it. I’m telling you this because I care. I’m telling you this because I think EVERYTHING we do in elementary – especially upper elementary has a big impact on our students’ ability to communicate via writing.

So, yes, I love writing. But I also know everybody doesn’t. And I ALSO know there is a reason for that. Who helped you decide how you feel about writing? And how is it empowering you to impact your students?  Don’t let that define how you show up as a writing teacher. I KNOW that every teacher thinks writing is important. You think writing is important. That’s why you are here. The problem is with our beliefs about writing or US as writers. And I want to help you shift that thinking. 

Thanks for that soap box moment. Moving along…

Once you know what your end goal is, then you can map out your teaching points to get you from here to there. I love using a unit calendar to see the unit as a whole. The writing calendar helps you determine what you are teaching and when.

Use the Unit Calendar for Writing Conferences

You can also keep a copy of your unit calendar inside your conferring binder or writing notebook to refer to during conferences and small group. If you aren’t sure what to teach your students during a conference, then just go to your calendar to see which teaching points fit with their needs. Your students may need something that is not on the calendar, but this is a great way to gauge determine whether your students are applying the skills taught in the unit. 

Begin with choice!

If you teach in an upper elementary testing grade, then this part might be difficult if you have a set curriculum that you must follow. If that’s you, then you might need to be more strategic – more about that in a moment.

Giving students choice in their topic increases engagement. This is because they are invested in the quality of their work. They genuinely care about what they are writing about. If they are reading about their topic, then they are also going to make meaning of the content on their own terms. Hello, reading comprehension benefits!

Giving students choice leads to their voice.  When students are writing about a topic they care about, they are going to write in a way that they might speak. They get excited and enthusiastic about the topic. Our job as a writing teacher is to help them translate that excitement and enthusiasm to their writing.

Think about that one student in your classroom that can’t stop talking about sharks. He teaches you about the Megalodon and how he thinks it possibly still exists. He reminds you of Ross talking about rocks. (Are you a Friends fan, too? ?) THAT’s the writer in that student. Giving that student the power to write about something that he cares about will unlock his writing voice. And it’s also going to make him care about his writing far more than any assignment would! 

In my 4th Grade classroom, we aligned this unit with our Life Science unit. Students chose an animal for their topic and then we used the things we were learning about in science to figure out the different parts/paragraphs of their writing. For example, learned behaviors vs. instincts, life cycles, and seasonal behaviors. This way students were deepening what they were learning in science by writing about it. 

If you teach 2nd or 3rd Grade, you might begin with All About Books. And I’m not saying they aren’t appropriate for 4th or 5th either – you just might want to up the rigor by having them do actual research. This was one of my favorite units to teach in 3rd Grade. Let me tell you how much teaching 3rd grade writing teaches YOU about YOURSELF. 🙂 I’ve got an All About book unit in the works, but for now I’ll leave this little throwback teaser for you.  I hear you. 

What if my students need to write in response to prompts and texts to prepare for a state writing test? 

If you don’t have time in your teaching progression to have students first write about a topic of choice, then here are some ways you can hack choice. I can’t believe I just wrote that – but let’s go with it. 

1.Students can write about a topic of choice, but they must have 2-3 teacher-approved articles from the internet and/or books from the library. In my classroom, we had access to laptops one day a week. Students were able to find an article online. If you go this route, you might have students copy and paste the link into a Google Doc and share with you OR simply write the website in their notebook. 

2. Have a Class List of Topics that Students Choose From. One way that you can give choice is by having specific topics you want students to write about based on a theme, or integrate into your Science or Social Studies content areas. Then, allow students to choose from a list. You can make these around a theme such as animals, endangered animals, state animals, inventors, women inventors, inventions, and the list goes on. 

3.  Select the texts based on your students’ interest. You could have students vote on a topic they write about or as a class, make a list of their interests that they would like to write about. Exude enthusiasm about all topics, but if they are helping you come up with the list, then there is going to be way more engagement. 

4.  Select high-interest texts. At the end of the day, you may be teaching in a setting where you know giving student choice is best practice, but you also have to get them ready for state testing or writing to deadline. There are a lot of texts out there, but be a critical consumer when it comes to what you put in front of your students. If YOU aren’t interested in a text, then that may be a sign that your students most likely won’t be either. You won’t bring that same energy into teaching how to write in response to the text, so if you find yourself with a lackluster text set in front of you – scrap it and move on.

One of the reasons I created the monthly text sets was to have more options for the topics my students were writing about. You can grab this free Informational Shark Text Set here!

Select a Mentor Text (s)

Once you have determined WHAT your students will write about, select a mentor text or two that you will use throughout the unit. Animals are always high-interest with kids, so I tend to go that route because it’s a low-hanging fruit. Kids are naturally interested in animals – even – especially with the creepy ones like snakes or spiders. And the majestical ones like butterflies. You also want to choose a text that has the features that you want to teach!

If you have the option – teach your nonfiction reading unit at the same time you are teaching your nonfiction writing unit. This will work wonders! Your teaching will be side by side. If you’re teaching students how to identify and use text features as a reader, then you can deepen your teaching by showing them how to do the same thing as a writer. Snakes by Time for Kids is a wonderful way of doing this. 

My 3 favorite books for teaching informational writing are: 

• Snakes by Time for Kids
• Butterflies by Kevin J. Holmes
• Spiders by Seymour Simon (His books are AMAZING for craft, voice, main idea, and elaboration!!!)

Inside my Informational Writing Unit, I’ve included Read Aloud plans that identify the specific strategies and teaching points you can pull from the books: Snakes by Time for Kids and Butterflies by Kevin J. Holmes.

Read Like a Writer

Before you teach strategies and techniques about informative writing – study that type of writing. And I don’t mean just you. You and your students. Each of my units begin with the same lesson tweaked in the slightest bit – the genre. 

Writers study the characteristics of the kind of writing they will do – ______. For this unit, it’s informational writing. We spend a full day studying the characteristics of that type of writing. This is important because students see the big picture! They see what their endgame is. As humans, that’s important! We want to know what we are working towards. We want to see our end. We are beginning with the end in mind.  

1.Read the text once for the gist. Preferably, you have already read this text as part of Reading Workshop to model reading strategies. If you have not already read the text before the lesson, then select a section of the text. I highly recommend first introducing the text to your students during your reading block. I can’t stress this enough. You can use this SAME BOOK to teach your Reading teaching points. Don’t create more work for yourself. Leverage what you are already using. You could even use a text you have already used in reading and then repurpose it for your writing block.

2. Read the text a second time with a “writer’s eye.” Slow down and stop to notice what  the writer to identify what the writer did to make this writing so amazing. Use the Read  Aloud Plans included with this book as a guide.

3. Create a class anchor chart to note the characteristics of informational writing.  Use the notebook chart included to guide students thinking, but you want them to come up with some characteristics on their own.

4. Use the notebook chart as a guide. You can then give them the writing notebook  chart after the lesson OR hand out the chart before the lesson. They can use  highlighters/colored pencils to highlight certain things they notice or key words while you are teaching. The more I use notebook charts, the more I find the value of using  them to teach the lesson so that students know how to use them during Independent  Practice. Also, they begin to use them as a continuous resource, not just another sheet of paper.

Messy = Learning in Progress

You definitely want to have some ideas in mind for what you expect students to identify as the characteristics. And that’s when the notebook chart comes in handy! 

This is only the beginning of what’s possible when teaching Informational Writing, but I promise you it sets a powerful foundation for you and your students. I’ve put together a unit sampler of the Informational Writing unit. Inside this sampler, you will get: 

• teaching point calendar
• the first 3 lesson plans in the unit
• notebook charts for the first 3 lessons
• PowerPoint/Google Slides for the first 3 lessons

I also want to walk you through what is provided for you inside the complete unit.

Each lesson includes a PowerPoint or Google Slide. You can use these during whole group or share with your students using Google Classroom. 

If you are looking for more support in teaching Informational Writing, be sure to join the TLL Membership , which and includes ALL of my ELA resources for Grades 3-5 at a low monthly price. You can also purchase the Informational Writing Unit as part of any of the bundles below: 

What is your favorite nonfiction mentor text? Let me know in the comments!

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Informative/explanatory writing in the classroom, grades 3–12, by: tiffany rehbein.

Lets explore the importance of teaching informative/explanatory writing in the classroom. Students need to have the ability to clearly convey concepts and information in their writing. This skill is crucial for communication in future careers and life! Download a FREE Informative/Explanatory Writing Kit now!

The Purpose of Informative/Explanatory Writing

The primary purpose of informative/explanatory writing is to increase knowledge. When writing an informative/explanatory text, the writer answers questions of why or how. Informative writing educates the reader by imparting straightforward information on a certain topic. Unlike other types of writing, informative writing does not aim to change the reader's thinking or move the reader to take action.

Download a kit of resources that will help students improve their informative/explanatory writing skills.

Elements of an Informative/Explanatory Essay

A well-written informative essay should include the following elements:

Has an introduction that introduces a topic and grabs the reader's attention

Clearly conveys information and ideas about a topic

Develops a topic with a variety of specific, relevant details, such as facts, examples, quotations, and anecdotes

Clearly organizes ideas and information, using strategies such as compare/contrast, cause/effect, definition, and classification

Uses formatting, graphics, and multimedia, such as hyperlinks when appropriate

Uses precise language and vocabulary appropriate to the topic

Uses appropriate transition words and phrases that clarify the relationship among ideas

Uses a formal style and tone

Ends with a conclusion that summarizes the main points and follows logically from the information presented

Follows the conventions of standard English

This checklist is a great tip sheet for students to keep in their folders! Teachers can access this checklist in the Informative/Explanatory Writing Kit .

Introductions and Conclusions for Informational Writing

Introductions

In many essays, the first paragraph should introduce your topic to readers and include a thesis statement, or claim. A thesis statement is one or two sentences that state your main idea.

A strong introduction also needs to capture the readers’ attention. Students can use one of the following to get readers interested right away:

• Include an unusual fact
• Ask a question
• Include vivid description
• Tell a brief story

Introduction examples for informative/explanatory texts...

WEAK – Money has been important to people throughout history. This paper will describe the history of money and explain why people started using it. It will also describe different types of money.

STRONG – Think of these four things: knives, beads, cows, and whales' teeth. What do they have in common? The answer is that people have used them as money in trades. Through history, different cultures have used some surprising forms of currency.

Conclusions

A good conclusion sums up your main point and restates the these statement in a new way.

Students should use their conclusion to bring your writing to a satisfying finish. Students can use the following strategies to wrap up an essay:

• Summarize key points
• Make a prediction
• Offer an opinion or a suggestion
• Explain the topic's importance

Download a tip sheet for students that outlines strategies for writing introductions and conclusions for informative/explanatory texts!

Transition Words and Phrases for Information Writing

A well-written informational essay uses techniques to build coherence between and within paragraphs. Coherence in writing means that a reader can move easily and clearly from one idea to the next. To achieve coherence, writers use transitions words and phrases. Linking ideas and key information with transition words and phrases will tie one sentence to another and show the connections between ideas.

Below is a tip sheet that lists transition words and phrases that can be used to build coherence between and within paragraphs. Download my Informative/Explanatory Writing Kit to make get the worksheet for your students!

Informative/Explanatory Writing Assignments

There are a number of ways for students to practice writing informative/explanatory texts. Some of my favorite informative writing assignments are:

• Basic Paragraph
• Brochure/Pamphlet

Writing Assignment Idea #1

My Informative/Explanatory Writing Kit includes an informational writing activity worksheet for students! With this informative writing assignment students will write about something they like to make or do. It could be their favorite recipe or craft, a game they like to play or hobby. Using the worksheet, students will write the directions of how to follow the rules, recipe, or steps to create something. In addition to writing about something they like to make/play, students will underline all linking words and draw an illustration!

Below are two additional writing assignments you could assign students to work on their informative writing skills. In addition to looking at the ways your students write informative or explanatory texts, you will also have the chance to check that proper nouns are capitalized properly. What a great way to combine writing and grammar!

Writing Assignment Idea #2

To assess how well your students write informative/explanatory texts, use calendar holidays as a writing topic. For instance, you might ask students to choose their favorite holiday and explain in writing why they like it the best.

To help students choose a holiday for an explanatory essay, you could provide them with a list. Some common holidays follow:

• Thanksgiving
• New Year’s Eve
• Valentine's Day
• St. Patrick's Day
• Fourth of July

Writing Assignment Idea #3

Want to be more creative? You can add a twist to the informative essay and provide your students with some lesser-known days of celebration. This would encourage students to do some research and inform their audience. Here are some possible calendar celebrations students could research and write about:

• Metropolitan Museum of Art Opened in NYC (1872)
• Jackie Robinson Day
• World Fish Migration Day
• National Plush Animal Day
• King Tut Day
• William Shakespeare's Birthday
• Transportation Week
• World Architecture Day

Informative/Explanatory Writing Format

Informative or explanatory writing follows an organized format. Using the anagram INFORM, teachers and students can easily remember the elements of an informative essay . Download a poster to remind your students about the parts of the INFORMative essay! 

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Thrifty in Third Grade

By Cassie Smith - Teaching resources and blog posts for second, third, fourth, and fifth grade!

How to Teach Informational Writing: Lessons & Activities (25 Topic Ideas)

Are you wondering how to teach informational writing to your second, third, fourth, or fifth-grade students?

Informational writing is an essential skill for elementary students. It teaches them how to communicate facts and ideas.

In this blog post, we will explore lessons, activities, and ideas to help you teach informational writing in an engaging and effective way.

Choose Engaging Informational Writing Topics

To capture students’ interest, select high-interest and relevant topics for them to write about.

Consider their personal experiences, hobbies, or subjects they are curious about. This will make the writing process more enjoyable, motivate students to research, and will cause them to be eager to share what they learn.

Here are some informational writing topics that elementary students could research and write about:

• Ancient Egypt
• Space exploration
• Endangered species
• Human body systems
• Native American tribes
• Recycling and its importance
• Rainforests
• The solar system
• Famous landmarks around the world
• Ocean life and ecosystems
• The water cycle
• Revolutionary War
• Inventors and their inventions
• Different types of rocks and minerals
• Historical events (such as World War II or the Civil Rights Movement)
• The Great Barrier Reef
• How plants grow from seeds
• The human digestive system
• Natural disasters (hurricanes, earthquakes, tornadoes)
• The life cycle of a butterfly
• The history of video games
• The importance of exercise and healthy eating
• The process of photosynthesis

If you want your whole class to research and write about the same topic, you can use my informational writing units.

Each unit has a science-based topic and includes two research texts (one two-page article and one mini book) that you can print so all students have the same materials!

Butterflies

Solar System

Use informational writing anchor charts.

Anchor charts serve as visual references throughout the writing process.

Use anchor charts or posters that can assist students and that they can later refer back to as they write.

Create your own anchor charts that outline the key elements of informational writing, such as introductions, text features, writing in their own words, and strategies for gathering information.

Teach Using Informational Writing Examples

Whenever you are teaching your students a specific type of writing, it’s crucial that you have mentor texts, or writing examples, for them to look at.

These exemplar pieces allow students to visualize what a finished writing piece should look like.

For informational writing, you can give your students a variety of nonfiction texts to explore.

Some examples are:

• Nonfiction books
• Previous student’s exemplar writing piece (save some each year!)
• Mentor Texts

12 Informational Writing Lesson Plans

• What’s an Informational Report?
• Choosing a Topic and Finding Sources
• Finding Facts (Researching)
• In My Own Words
• Informational Report Outline
• Write an Introduction
• Writing as Paragraphs
• Writing an Ending
• Editing to Add Text Features
• Editing with a Partner
• Revising & Revisiting the Rubric

You can get these 12 lesson plans in my informational writing units.

These lessons are designed to walk your students through the process of writing an informational report step-by-step.

Classroom Activities and Games for Teaching Informational Writing

• Informational or Not Informational Sort: Present students with specific topic and have them determine whether each topic is an informational report topic or not. Example: How to Save the Panda, Goldilocks and the Three Bears
• Just Right Topic Sort: Present students with a variety of topics and have them determine if the topics are just right or too narrow in focus. (Example: Life cycle of a frog vs. tadpoles to frogs.)
• Informational Writing Stations: Set up different stations where students can explore different topics, conduct research, gather facts, and create their own informative pieces. This hands-on approach keeps students engaged and encourages independent learning.
• Create an Informational Brochure: Have students design and create informative brochures on various subjects. This activity allows them to practice rewriting information into in their own words and adding text features.
• Virtual Field Trips: Take students on virtual field trips to explore different places and gather information. After the trip, students can write informational reports about their virtual experiences.
• Infographic Creation: Have students create visually engaging infographics that present key information in a concise and attractive manner. This activity combines writing, design, and critical thinking skills. Example: Students can research their home state and make a set of visually appealing flashcards that have information teaching others about their state.
• Informational Writing Gallery Walk: Display students’ informational writing pieces around the classroom. Arrange a gallery walk where students can read and provide feedback on their peers’ work. Invite other classes to visit.

Ready to Teach? Get Everything Your Need to Teach Informational Writing In These Units!

Teaching Personal Narrative Writing?

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I’m Cassie Smith and I’m so glad you decided to stop by. I am passionate about creating engaging curriculum for teachers in grades K-5! I believe learning can be fun AND aligned to standards! Learn More

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How to teach informational writing.

In my third installment of how to teach Common Core-aligned writing units, I’m going to discuss teaching informational writing. In the last couple of weeks, I also wrote about Narrative Writing and Opinion Writing. We’re going to target informational writing today. I’m going to share what I think best practices are, how to break apart the components of informational writing, and how to keep your kiddos engaged when you are teaching informational writing! All of the images you see below (except for the read-aloud) are part of my ELA writing units. The links to all grade levels are at the bottom!

Informational Writing Common Core Expectations

Common Core writing domain focuses on three big types of writing: informative, narrative, and opinion writing! Today, we’re going to dive into the informational writing standards. It begins kindergarten and each year, gets progressively more in-depth and detailed. Here is a look at K-5’s expectations for opinion writing, according to Common Core.

Primary Standards

• Kinder: Use a combination of drawing, dictating, and writing to compose informative/explanatory texts in which they name what they are writing about and supply some information about the topic.
• 1st Grade: Write informative/explanatory texts in which they name a topic, supply some facts about the topic, and provide some sense of closure.
• 2nd Grade: Write informative/explanatory texts in which they introduce a topic, use facts and definitions to develop points, and provide a concluding statement or section.

Intermediate Standards

• 3rd Grade: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly. (a- Introduce a topic and group related information together; include illustrations when useful to aiding comprehension.) (b- Develop the topic with facts, definitions, and details.) (c- Use linking words and phrases (e.g., also , another , and , more , but ) to connect ideas within categories of information.) (d- Provide a concluding statement or section.)
• 4th Grade: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly. (a- Introduce a topic clearly and group related information in paragraphs and sections; include formatting (e.g., headings), illustrations, and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension.) (b- Develop the topic with facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples related to the topic.) (c- Link ideas within categories of information using words and phrases (e.g., another , for example , also , because ).) (d- Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic.) (e- Provide a concluding statement or section related to the information or explanation presented.)

Let’s Look at Informational Writing Outline

• Introduce WHAT Informational Writing is
• What are facts and definitions?
• Writing introductions
• The body: strong facts & supporting detail
• Writing conclusions
• Teach specifics such as how-to and all-about pieces
• Practice, practice, practice

Informational Writing Mentor Texts

All of the components and learning pieces within this blog post should have a mentor text example along with it. Each time you teach your students about a component of narrative writing, use a strong example! Each of the book links below are affiliate links to Amazon.

• What is the Moon Like? by Franklyn Branley
• The Honey Makers by Gail Gibbons
• What If You Had Animal Feet? by Sandra Markle (entire series)
• How to Teach a Slug to Read by Susan Pearson
• Assorted National Geographic Kids Readers
• From Milk to Ice Cream by Stacy Taus-Bolstad
• I am Martin Luther King Jr. by Brad Meltzer (entire series)
• How a House is Built by Gail Gibbons
• Why are the Icecaps Melting? by Anne Rockwell
• Hippos are Huge! by Jonathan London

Let’s Start! What is Informational Writing?

Just like with the opinion writing and narrative writing blog posts, I suggest starting with teaching what informational or informative writing is. The students need to understand the components of informational writing. First, you’ll teach them the different types of informative writing. These are how-to pieces, all about pieces, biographies, articles, explanatory pieces, and more. Then, you’ll teach them the structure of informational writing pieces. This is the introduction, body, and closure.

After you use an anchor chart about teaching informational writing, you can give them practice. Let them identify different examples from an informational text and which part of the structure it belongs to. In the picture above, you see two different activities. In the first activity, the teacher shows a sample writing piece that is color-coded into different parts. Then, the students will have follow-up activities where they will put the informational writing cut-outs in order. This will help them get comfortable with what is expected of them.

Big Picture: Facts and Definitions

Once you’ve taught students what informational writing is, it’s time to give them a lot of practice with facts, details, and definitions. When we did our opinion pieces, students took a day or two to simply write opinions. We will do the same with informative writing. Students will need to practice simply writing facts and definitions because they must include only facts, definitions, and details in their informational writing.

Here are two activities to practice fact writing. First, the students will get a topic card and have to come up with a sentence about that topic. This will help them practice facts, instead of opinion sentences or even narrative sentences. For example, you want a student to draw a card such as working dogs and say, “Working dogs can have real jobs, such as airport security,” instead of “I think working dogs are helpful” and “I once saw a working dog helping a police officer”. This helps shift their mindset to only facts and definitions. Then, you can have students independently practice fact writing with informational writing graphic organizers or flip books.

Teaching Informational Writing Introductions

You’ve taught what informational writing is and how to focus on facts. Now, it’s time to dive into the structure of teaching informational writing. First, you’re going to teach students about writing introductions. Begin by teaching them the different ways that you can introduce a writing piece. They can use a fact or statistic to open their piece. Or they could include a quote or an anecdote. You’re trying to teach them to hook their reader to interest them in their writing topics. Give students lots of different ways to practice this, such as matching games where they’re working with real examples. You can also give them writing practice where they have a topic and they have to come up with their own introduction.

The Body: Facts & Details

Now, we can move on to the biggest chunk of teaching informational writing… the body. The body is where your big facts and supporting details exist. In Common Core, students are eventually expected to include supporting details for all the strong facts they include. One way to get them to eventually do this is to give them a strong fact and ask them to come up with a supporting detail. Since you’re giving them the facts, their job is to focus on that specific topic and come up with an important detail. The more practice you give them, the better they’ll be at naturally giving detail for each fact they include.

If you need to back up a little bit when teaching facts and details, give students topics and simply ask for adjectives or describing words. If you give a student a card with a desert on it, they’ll need to come up with adjectives to describe that desert. Then, they can use those adjectives to further develop their facts and details.

Teaching the Conclusion

And finally, we can teach conclusions. Just like with introductions, you’re going to teach what a conclusion is and the different ways they can give a sense of closure. They can give a summary, share their feelings, give a suggestion, provide a quote, and other high-interest ways to wrap up their writing pieces. One way to give students a firm grasp of strong conclusions is to use your mentor texts. Use 2-3 different mentor texts and read the conclusions in each. Then, ask students how the author provided a sense of closure.

Give students a lot of practice when teaching informational writing conclusions. Give them real examples that they have to sort into strong or weak. Then, give them topics where they have to come up with their own conclusions! You can even give them activities where they have to sort what type of conclusion they’re reading.

Specific Informational Writing Pieces: How-to and All-About

How-to writing pieces are specific types of informational writing. Students must learn the different types of informational writing after they learn the structures. How-to writing follows the same structure as we have been discussing throughout this blog post. However, there will be more step-by-step fact writing within the body, plus students will need to include more sequencing details and transitional words.

All-about writing is another type of informational writing. These writing pieces follow the same structure we’ve discussed in this blog post. First, students come up with a topic. Then, they provide facts about that topic. Finally, they wrap up with a closure. Many times, though, these all-about pieces are turned into mini books and the facts are more developed on each page.

Practice Makes Perfect!

Finally, you’ve taught all the components of informational writing unit. Therefore, it’s time to practice, practice, practice. Choose high-interest and engaging topics for students to write about. Give them lots of different prompts to pick from. Provide them with scaffolded graphic organizers that will help them brainstorm and pre-write. They’re going to rock those informational writing pieces!

Then, it’s also important to let students assess themselves. Once they learn about informational writing and get lots of practice, it’s time to assess themselves. Asking students to self-assess is important because it allows them to truly understand the expectations of them in these types of writing.

Time to find your grade level!

Interested in Free Graphic Organizers for Your Writing Unit?

Download your free narrative writing graphic organizers.

Want more writing tips?

• Tying writing into your math block
• Warming up for your writing block
• How to make their writing interactive
• Read more about: Common Core Aligned , Writing Blog Posts

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How to Teach Informative Writing

n this post, I share 5 tips for How to Teach Informative Writing and provide details about my Informational Writing Unit resources for for Kindergarten, 1st and 2nd grade students. Be sure to download 3 FREE Informational Writing Graphic Organizers!

We write for a variety of purposes. The most popular are to inform, entertain, explain, or persuade. While we teach our students to write for each of these different purposes, the ability to effectively write an informative piece of writing is a highly important skill for students to learn. It is one of the most common types of writing we use in our everyday lives.

Today I’m excited to share 5 tips for teaching informational writing, as well as a valuable resource that has everything you need to teach informative writing to your kindergarten , first grade , or second grade students! 

1.  Read Informative Writing Mentor Texts 

As a teacher, you may “Start with the end in mind”  when you plan out your units of study, but it also applies to students learning about different genres of writing.  Before you can ask your students to write in a genre that is new to them, you must first immerse them in it.  

So to begin your informational writing unit, you’ll want to share lots of quality informational texts with your students.  These mentor texts provide students with excellent examples of informational writing. As you read them aloud, highlight the way the author structures their writing and the features they include to help make their writing more clear for the reader.  All of these things will help students better understand what type of writing we are asking them to do.    

When you’re picking informative mentor texts to share with your students there are a few things to consider .  First, do you (the educator) think it is excellent?  Second, is it easy for your students to understand?  And finally, is it relevant to the type of writing you are teaching?  If you answer “Yes!” to all three, then you’re good to go!

To help you out I’ve created a list of excellent mentor texts you can use when teaching Informative Writing to kindergarten, first, or second grade students.  

A List of Informative Writing Mentor Texts:

Gail Gibbons

• The Moon Book
• The Pumpkin Book

Nicola Davies

• One Tiny Turtle
• Big Blue Whale
• Bat Loves the Night
• Surprising Sharks

Jim Arnosky

• Slither and Crawl
• Frozen Wild
• Beachcombing: Exploring the Seashore

Diana Aston

• An Egg is Quiet
• A Beetle is Shy
• A Seed is Sleepy
• A Rock is Lively

I’ve saved all these titles on one board so you can easily take a closer look at these mentor texts. Click here to see this list on Amazon .  

2.   Model Your Own Informational Writing

Never underestimate the importance of modeling!  It’s the most powerful tool in your arsenal.  

When teaching informative writing first model how to choose a topic.  Picking a topic is fun and easy because you get to choose something you already know a lot about!

Remind students that they are already experts in so many areas!!  This can be a big confidence booster for kids who might normally struggle to come up with ideas to write about.  Use think alouds to show them how you brainstorm a list of topics you already know a lot about and show them how you narrow it down to one.  

Next, model how you gather information and organize your ideas.  For informative writing you can show them how you use your prior knowledge, as well as pull important information from outside resources like books and websites. 

Finally, reread your work aloud and show students how you catch silly mistakes such as spelling, capitalization or punctuation errors.  You can also show how you add more details to make your piece more informative for your reader.  

3.  Use Anchor Charts

You want your students to know that when they write an informative piece they are sharing facts, or true information, with their reader. They are not sharing their opinion. It is important to take time to review fact vs. opinion with your students. You can create an anchor chart that clearly defines fact vs. opinion and then practice determining if different statements are facts or opinions.

You will also want to create an anchor chart using the writing you model. This will serve as another example of excellent informative writing. As a class, add labels to identify the topic sentence, supporting facts/details and the closing sentence in your shared writing. 

Post these anchor charts in your writing center so your students can refer back to them and use them as support as they write their own pieces.

4.  Allow students to edit and share their writing

Provide a good writers checklist at your writing center.  For informative writing you’ll want the checklist to include items such,  “Does my writing have a topic sentence?”  “Did I include enough facts?” and “Do I have a closing sentence?”, as well reminders to check for spelling, capitalization, and punctuation errors.  

Give students the opportunity to share their writing with others!  Pair students with partners and let them read their pieces to each other. 

You can teach them to provide each other with a bit of feedback by encouraging them to use sentence starters such as, “I like the way you….:” ,  “I learned that….” or “Your writing made me wonder….”.  Of course, this is also something you’d first want to model. Posting these sentence starters in your writing center provides support and helps to keep students focused and on-task.  

 5. Provide Daily Opportunities for Students to Write

As with all things, writing takes PRACTICE!  Informative writing requires students to do a lot of hard work. It requires that they think carefully about their purpose for writing. Then they must plan what they’ll say and how they’ll say it.

Finally, they’ve got to get it down on the paper in a way that is clear for the reader.   That’s a lot for a young child! 

Students need dedicated instructional time to learn the skills and strategies necessary to become effective writers, as well as time to practice what they learn. When you think about your daily instructional schedule, make sure you are giving your students ample opportunities to practice their informational writing through whole group instruction, small groups and/or through independent practice in writing centers. 

Informative Writing Unit For Kindergarten, First, and Second Grade Students

We know informational writing requires a lot from students, but planning these informative writing units is also A LOT of work for you as the teacher!

To help you out I created informative writing units that have the essential resources you need to teach and students to independently practice informational writing!  These units are a perfect addition to your literacy work in writing centers.

Today I’m excited to share with you the details about my Kindergarten Informative , 1st Grade Informative, and my 2nd grade Informative writing units!

These units were developed with standards-based research specific to each grade. They have EVERYTHING you need to give your students ample amounts of practice writing informational pieces. You can use them within whole class or small group lessons, or as a literacy center where students can practice independently!  

What’s Included in these Informative Writing Resources?

The kindergarten , first grade, and the second grade resources all include information to help you teach the unit, as well as mini-lesson to provide your students a review of informative writing.  You’ll get a list of suggested mentor texts and online resources, academic vocabulary posters, a printable fact vs. opinion anchor chart, and graphic organizers appropriate for each grade level.

The kindergarten resource also includes the materials needed for students to create seasonal writing mini-books . Each mini-book comes with traceable sentence stems and a picture supported vocabulary word bank. This helps your young writers brainstorm ideas for what to write about and support their spelling.

You’ll also get an editing checklist that is specific to informative writing but also appropriate for the kindergarten level.

Instead of a seasonal mini-book, the first grade and second grade resource comes with seasonal writing prompts . You’ll get 5 informative writing prompts for each season, so you can practice informative writing all throughout the year. 

The prompts are both PRINTABLE & DIGITAL.  The digital version has been  PRELOADED  for you,  with 1 click add them  to your Google Drive or upload them to SeeSaw.

Each seasonal prompt also comes with publishing paper that includes a story specific vocabulary bank to provide spelling support and help students get ideas for what to write about.  

Finally, you’ll also get a self-editing checklist and rubric that have both been made specifically for informative writing.  This rubric can be used to help guide students as they work on their pieces, and/or as a self-assessment tool.     

I love these resources because they can be used in so many different ways.  They offer opportunities for students to practice informative writing as a whole class, in small groups, as a literacy center activity, for homework, or as a meaningful activity for when you have a substitute teacher!  They provide k-2 students with all the practice they need to master informative writing! 

FREE Informational Writing Graphic Organizers

Are you ready to begin teaching informative writing in your classroom? To help get your students started, I am happy to offer you 3 FREE informational writing graphic organizers! Download them here!

Helping your students to develop their ability to explain their ideas and share information with others is a valuable academic and life skill they will use well beyond the walls of your classroom.  I hope the information and resources I’ve shared today will help to bring stronger informative writing instruction and more meaningful practice to your kindergarten, first and second grade classrooms!

Be on the lookout for my next post that will focus on another genre… Opinion Writing ! I’ll share information and tips for teaching opinion writing, as well as give you details about my Opinion Writing Units for Kindergarten , First and Second grade students!

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How to Write an Essay Introduction (with Examples)   

The introduction of an essay plays a critical role in engaging the reader and providing contextual information about the topic. It sets the stage for the rest of the essay, establishes the tone and style, and motivates the reader to continue reading. 

Table of Contents

What is an essay introduction , what to include in an essay introduction, how to create an essay structure , step-by-step process for writing an essay introduction , how to write an introduction paragraph , how to write a hook for your essay , how to include background information , how to write a thesis statement .

• Argumentative Essay Introduction Example: 
• Expository Essay Introduction Example 

Literary Analysis Essay Introduction Example

Check and revise – checklist for essay introduction , key takeaways , frequently asked questions .

An introduction is the opening section of an essay, paper, or other written work. It introduces the topic and provides background information, context, and an overview of what the reader can expect from the rest of the work. 1 The key is to be concise and to the point, providing enough information to engage the reader without delving into excessive detail. 

The essay introduction is crucial as it sets the tone for the entire piece and provides the reader with a roadmap of what to expect. Here are key elements to include in your essay introduction: 

• Hook : Start with an attention-grabbing statement or question to engage the reader. This could be a surprising fact, a relevant quote, or a compelling anecdote. 
• Background information : Provide context and background information to help the reader understand the topic. This can include historical information, definitions of key terms, or an overview of the current state of affairs related to your topic. 
• Thesis statement : Clearly state your main argument or position on the topic. Your thesis should be concise and specific, providing a clear direction for your essay. 

Before we get into how to write an essay introduction, we need to know how it is structured. The structure of an essay is crucial for organizing your thoughts and presenting them clearly and logically. It is divided as follows: 2  

• Introduction:  The introduction should grab the reader’s attention with a hook, provide context, and include a thesis statement that presents the main argument or purpose of the essay.  
• Body:  The body should consist of focused paragraphs that support your thesis statement using evidence and analysis. Each paragraph should concentrate on a single central idea or argument and provide evidence, examples, or analysis to back it up.  
• Conclusion:  The conclusion should summarize the main points and restate the thesis differently. End with a final statement that leaves a lasting impression on the reader. Avoid new information or arguments. 

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to write an essay introduction: 

• Start with a Hook : Begin your introduction paragraph with an attention-grabbing statement, question, quote, or anecdote related to your topic. The hook should pique the reader’s interest and encourage them to continue reading. 
• Provide Background Information : This helps the reader understand the relevance and importance of the topic. 
• State Your Thesis Statement : The last sentence is the main argument or point of your essay. It should be clear, concise, and directly address the topic of your essay. 
• Preview the Main Points : This gives the reader an idea of what to expect and how you will support your thesis. 
• Keep it Concise and Clear : Avoid going into too much detail or including information not directly relevant to your topic. 
• Revise : Revise your introduction after you’ve written the rest of your essay to ensure it aligns with your final argument. 

Here’s an example of an essay introduction paragraph about the importance of education: 

Education is often viewed as a fundamental human right and a key social and economic development driver. As Nelson Mandela once famously said, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” It is the key to unlocking a wide range of opportunities and benefits for individuals, societies, and nations. In today’s constantly evolving world, education has become even more critical. It has expanded beyond traditional classroom learning to include digital and remote learning, making education more accessible and convenient. This essay will delve into the importance of education in empowering individuals to achieve their dreams, improving societies by promoting social justice and equality, and driving economic growth by developing a skilled workforce and promoting innovation. 

This introduction paragraph example includes a hook (the quote by Nelson Mandela), provides some background information on education, and states the thesis statement (the importance of education). 

This is one of the key steps in how to write an essay introduction. Crafting a compelling hook is vital because it sets the tone for your entire essay and determines whether your readers will stay interested. A good hook draws the reader in and sets the stage for the rest of your essay.  

• Avoid Dry Fact : Instead of simply stating a bland fact, try to make it engaging and relevant to your topic. For example, if you’re writing about the benefits of exercise, you could start with a startling statistic like, “Did you know that regular exercise can increase your lifespan by up to seven years?” 
• Avoid Using a Dictionary Definition : While definitions can be informative, they’re not always the most captivating way to start an essay. Instead, try to use a quote, anecdote, or provocative question to pique the reader’s interest. For instance, if you’re writing about freedom, you could begin with a quote from a famous freedom fighter or philosopher. 
• Do Not Just State a Fact That the Reader Already Knows : This ties back to the first point—your hook should surprise or intrigue the reader. For Here’s an introduction paragraph example, if you’re writing about climate change, you could start with a thought-provoking statement like, “Despite overwhelming evidence, many people still refuse to believe in the reality of climate change.” 

Including background information in the introduction section of your essay is important to provide context and establish the relevance of your topic. When writing the background information, you can follow these steps: 

• Start with a General Statement:  Begin with a general statement about the topic and gradually narrow it down to your specific focus. For example, when discussing the impact of social media, you can begin by making a broad statement about social media and its widespread use in today’s society, as follows: “Social media has become an integral part of modern life, with billions of users worldwide.” 
• Define Key Terms : Define any key terms or concepts that may be unfamiliar to your readers but are essential for understanding your argument. 
• Provide Relevant Statistics:  Use statistics or facts to highlight the significance of the issue you’re discussing. For instance, “According to a report by Statista, the number of social media users is expected to reach 4.41 billion by 2025.” 
• Discuss the Evolution:  Mention previous research or studies that have been conducted on the topic, especially those that are relevant to your argument. Mention key milestones or developments that have shaped its current impact. You can also outline some of the major effects of social media. For example, you can briefly describe how social media has evolved, including positives such as increased connectivity and issues like cyberbullying and privacy concerns. 
• Transition to Your Thesis:  Use the background information to lead into your thesis statement, which should clearly state the main argument or purpose of your essay. For example, “Given its pervasive influence, it is crucial to examine the impact of social media on mental health.” 

A thesis statement is a concise summary of the main point or claim of an essay, research paper, or other type of academic writing. It appears near the end of the introduction. Here’s how to write a thesis statement: 

• Identify the topic:  Start by identifying the topic of your essay. For example, if your essay is about the importance of exercise for overall health, your topic is “exercise.” 
• State your position:  Next, state your position or claim about the topic. This is the main argument or point you want to make. For example, if you believe that regular exercise is crucial for maintaining good health, your position could be: “Regular exercise is essential for maintaining good health.” 
• Support your position:  Provide a brief overview of the reasons or evidence that support your position. These will be the main points of your essay. For example, if you’re writing an essay about the importance of exercise, you could mention the physical health benefits, mental health benefits, and the role of exercise in disease prevention. 
• Make it specific:  Ensure your thesis statement clearly states what you will discuss in your essay. For example, instead of saying, “Exercise is good for you,” you could say, “Regular exercise, including cardiovascular and strength training, can improve overall health and reduce the risk of chronic diseases.” 

Examples of essay introduction 

Here are examples of essay introductions for different types of essays: 

Argumentative Essay Introduction Example:  

Topic: Should the voting age be lowered to 16? 

“The question of whether the voting age should be lowered to 16 has sparked nationwide debate. While some argue that 16-year-olds lack the requisite maturity and knowledge to make informed decisions, others argue that doing so would imbue young people with agency and give them a voice in shaping their future.” 

Expository Essay Introduction Example  

Topic: The benefits of regular exercise 

“In today’s fast-paced world, the importance of regular exercise cannot be overstated. From improving physical health to boosting mental well-being, the benefits of exercise are numerous and far-reaching. This essay will examine the various advantages of regular exercise and provide tips on incorporating it into your daily routine.” 

Text: “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee 

“Harper Lee’s novel, ‘To Kill a Mockingbird,’ is a timeless classic that explores themes of racism, injustice, and morality in the American South. Through the eyes of young Scout Finch, the reader is taken on a journey that challenges societal norms and forces characters to confront their prejudices. This essay will analyze the novel’s use of symbolism, character development, and narrative structure to uncover its deeper meaning and relevance to contemporary society.” 

• Engaging and Relevant First Sentence : The opening sentence captures the reader’s attention and relates directly to the topic. 
• Background Information : Enough background information is introduced to provide context for the thesis statement. 
• Definition of Important Terms : Key terms or concepts that might be unfamiliar to the audience or are central to the argument are defined. 
• Clear Thesis Statement : The thesis statement presents the main point or argument of the essay. 
• Relevance to Main Body : Everything in the introduction directly relates to and sets up the discussion in the main body of the essay. 

Writing a strong introduction is crucial for setting the tone and context of your essay. Here are the key takeaways for how to write essay introduction: 3  

• Hook the Reader : Start with an engaging hook to grab the reader’s attention. This could be a compelling question, a surprising fact, a relevant quote, or an anecdote. 
• Provide Background : Give a brief overview of the topic, setting the context and stage for the discussion. 
• Thesis Statement : State your thesis, which is the main argument or point of your essay. It should be concise, clear, and specific. 
• Preview the Structure : Outline the main points or arguments to help the reader understand the organization of your essay. 
• Keep it Concise : Avoid including unnecessary details or information not directly related to your thesis. 
• Revise and Edit : Revise your introduction to ensure clarity, coherence, and relevance. Check for grammar and spelling errors. 
• Seek Feedback : Get feedback from peers or instructors to improve your introduction further. 

The purpose of an essay introduction is to give an overview of the topic, context, and main ideas of the essay. It is meant to engage the reader, establish the tone for the rest of the essay, and introduce the thesis statement or central argument.  

An essay introduction typically ranges from 5-10% of the total word count. For example, in a 1,000-word essay, the introduction would be roughly 50-100 words. However, the length can vary depending on the complexity of the topic and the overall length of the essay.

An essay introduction is critical in engaging the reader and providing contextual information about the topic. To ensure its effectiveness, consider incorporating these key elements: a compelling hook, background information, a clear thesis statement, an outline of the essay’s scope, a smooth transition to the body, and optional signposting sentences.  

The process of writing an essay introduction is not necessarily straightforward, but there are several strategies that can be employed to achieve this end. When experiencing difficulty initiating the process, consider the following techniques: begin with an anecdote, a quotation, an image, a question, or a startling fact to pique the reader’s interest. It may also be helpful to consider the five W’s of journalism: who, what, when, where, why, and how.   For instance, an anecdotal opening could be structured as follows: “As I ascended the stage, momentarily blinded by the intense lights, I could sense the weight of a hundred eyes upon me, anticipating my next move. The topic of discussion was climate change, a subject I was passionate about, and it was my first public speaking event. Little did I know , that pivotal moment would not only alter my perspective but also chart my life’s course.” 

Crafting a compelling thesis statement for your introduction paragraph is crucial to grab your reader’s attention. To achieve this, avoid using overused phrases such as “In this paper, I will write about” or “I will focus on” as they lack originality. Instead, strive to engage your reader by substantiating your stance or proposition with a “so what” clause. While writing your thesis statement, aim to be precise, succinct, and clear in conveying your main argument.  

To create an effective essay introduction, ensure it is clear, engaging, relevant, and contains a concise thesis statement. It should transition smoothly into the essay and be long enough to cover necessary points but not become overwhelming. Seek feedback from peers or instructors to assess its effectiveness. 

References  

• Cui, L. (2022). Unit 6 Essay Introduction.  Building Academic Writing Skills . 
• West, H., Malcolm, G., Keywood, S., & Hill, J. (2019). Writing a successful essay.  Journal of Geography in Higher Education ,  43 (4), 609-617. 
• Beavers, M. E., Thoune, D. L., & McBeth, M. (2023). Bibliographic Essay: Reading, Researching, Teaching, and Writing with Hooks: A Queer Literacy Sponsorship. College English, 85(3), 230-242. 

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