An explanatory essay is a writing style in which the author expresses a viewpoint on a particular topic, case, or circumstance.
You should present facts or arguments from others in an objective manner, encouraging readers to draw their own conclusions rather than persuading them to agree or disagree with a point of view.
Step 1: Choose a topic
An explanatory essay may seem difficult to find a topic about, but it is actually quite easy. As long as it fits within the instructions of your assignment, you can describe almost everything.
Explanatory essay topics are usually assigned to students beforehand. If you need to choose your own topic, it is better to consider some factors.
Explanatory essay topic checklist
- Keep in mind that explanatory essays are objective and fact-based. Choose an essay topic which you can explain objectively.
- Choose a neutral, non-controversial topic.
- The more divisive the topic, the more point of views you’ll address in your academic essay, making it more challenging to write.
- Although you can have facts to support your points in an explanatory essay, your aim is to make a strong argument, not to persuade the reader, unlike a persuasive essay.
- Similarly, your explanatory essay should be more like a dialogue than a step-by-step instructional guide, unlike a process essay.
Important
Don't confuse an explanatory essay with a persuasive or process essay! While they all basically “explain something,” they differ in some ways.For this guide, we will be choosing the topic of the events that led up to World War I in our explanatory essay. We choose this topic because it is fact-based and non-controversial.
Step 2: Do your research
Strong arguments to support the main theory are the secret to a well-written explanatory essay. Therefore, you must remember to do proper research and data collection before starting the writing process.
This essay type relies mainly on data and research. You need to make a list of all the critical details from your references and include them as facts in your essay.
Research checklist
- Check for references (APA or MLA) in online publications such as Google Scholar or JSTOR.
- Alternatively, you can search for appropriate books to use as primary sources in your college library.
- During the research, create a list of related facts or quotations.
- Remember to keep track of the references. You’ll need to cite them later to avoid plagiarism!
- Create an essay outline with an introduction, three main body paragraphs, and a conclusion based on the study.
Reminder
The point of view must be a blend of personal ideas and knowledge from the outside world. Your ideas can only be fully validated after that.Step 3: Create a thesis statement
Once you’ve gathered all of the necessary data, the next and most critical step is to write a thesis statement.
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Thesis statement example
For our sample explanatory essay on the events that led up to World War I, we have created this thesis statement:
With this thesis statement, we have made it clear what the essay will be about and stated the main points in the essay.
Important
Remember, you’re not debating or condemning anything; you’re just stating the truth.Step 4: Prepare an outline
Preparing an essay outline will help you organize your headings, findings, and thoughts. If you do not want to prepare an outline, you can try mind mapping or writing your thoughts on individual index cards, as in the old days.
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Introduction
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Body paragraphs
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Conclusion
Step 5: Write an introduction
The hook, contextual information, and thesis statement are the three critical components of the explanatory essay introduction.
Introduction tips
- First, write a hook sentence. This may be a fascinating fact, an exciting quotation, or something else that might pique the audience’s curiosity.
- Following that, include some relevant contextual information that does not seem to be common knowledge.
- Finally, write the thesis statement at the end to keep your essay’s emphasis. This will clear up any misunderstandings about what would be covered in the body paragraphs.
Explanatory essay introduction example
World War I was one of the most destructive battles in modern history. Because of the war’s global effect and historical importance, it is also known as “The Great War.” Hook: Write something interesting, a fact maybe, to draw the attention of the reader. World War I was the first global disruptive battle in which Western Civilization had ever been involved. The War has been the subject of several studies that have presented numerous factors contributing to the outbreak of the conflict. Background: Inform the reader about the subject by providing a background of the issue. The studies on the war tell us that militarization, colonialism, and mutual defense treaties heightened tensions among European countries, leading to the outbreak of World War I. Thesis statement: State your main argument on the subject.
Step 6: Write body paragraphs
Unless the subject is highly detailed, the body should most certainly include three paragraphs, each with its own topic sentence. Here are the steps to a great body paragraph.
Four steps to a great body paragraph
- First and foremost, introduce a topic sentence that clearly outlines what info you will be presenting.
- Present a stance or argument that explicitly supports the thesis statement after that.
- Then, present the information you discovered during your research. This will substantiate your point and back up your claim.
- Finally, make a closing argument that summarizes the claim’s meaning in relation to your thesis statement.
Explanatory essay body example
Militarism, which was one of the leading concepts that caused World War I, was highly relevant during that time. Topic sentence: Start with a topic sentence that supports your main argument on the subject. Militarism is the creation of military forces for both national defense and imperial interest’s security. Context: Provide contextual information so the readers understand the issue better. A race of guns had started between the world’s leading powers at the beginning of the 20th century. By 1914, Germany had increased its military spending the most. Furthermore, the military establishment, especially in Russia and Germany, began to exert a significant impact on public policy. Background: Provide additional background information in detail. This rise in militarism prompted countries to join the war effort. Closing sentence: Finish the paragraph by explaining and evaluating the arguments of the paragraph.
Step 7: Write a conclusion
Best practices for conclusion
- First and foremost, reaffirm your thesis statement. This will attract the reader’s attention back to the key point while further enhancing your argument.
- After that, summarize the supporting points from the body paragraphs.
- Finally, write a general conclusion that will clarify the importance of the topic you have chosen from a global context.
Explanatory essay conclusion example
After all, it is clear from these points that militarization, colonialism, and mutual defense treaties were the main events that led up to the outbreak of World War I. Restatement: Restate your main argument in the conclusion. The rise in military power led the countries to join the war. Colonialism practices of some European countries had derived from the quest for bigger empires. This increased rivalry culminated in an increase in warfare. This moved the globe closer to World War I. Also, countries throughout Europe developed mutual defense alliances over time, which gradually drew them into war. Summary: Mention the key points of your body paragraphs. All these practices and concepts were steps toward World War I, a destructive war whose effects we still feel today. Concluding sentence: Finish the essay with a memorable sentence to attract the readers.
Frequently Asked Questions
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