Essay Assignment #2:

Informational or Expository Essay

ARCC campus along the river

For this assignment, you are asked to consider a topic about which you have some knowledge and experience, and present this information in a three- to four-page paper. While the emphasis is on presentation of information, understand that the well-written paper will find a way to make that presentation engaging and useful to the reader.

To get started on this assignment, here are three questions:

1. What exactly is exposition or informational writing?
   
   
2. What is the specific concept I am going to explain?
   
   
3. What resources will I use to explain it?

Part of what you'll need to do to be successful in this assignment is practice being critical readers. We will read a number of essays  from our Reader, from photocopies distributed in class, and from essays online that I will invite you to print. Remember that as you read, you should not simply accept everything each offers without criticism. But more than that, you should not consider an article helpful unless you feel you truly understand it. Do that by reading texts critically and comparing your understanding of them with our discussion. Ask yourself these three questions when wrestling with a text:

• Do I understand the diction of the text? If not, look words up or ask questions to be sure you understand what is being said.
  
  
• Do I agree or disagree with the text? Why?
  
  
• Can I corroborate the information provided in the text? If not, perhaps the information is untrustworthy.
  

Practicing the note-taking skill of summarizing can enable you to better understand what you read.

If it helps, consider these sample introductions if you're finding it hard to begin.

This assignment helps you learn to combine critical reading skills and analytical writing skills to accomplish your task. This synthesis of cognitive skills will have benefits for you beyond our course: I believe it will help you in so many ways, both academically and professionally.

Before you call your paper done, please proofread the document thoroughly.