The process of researching, planning, and writing an informative paper can seem challenging. Besides, informative essays come in many forms, further confusing a student. However, once you know how to write an informative essay, you will have an easier time completing the academic task.
What is informative writing?
Informative writing requires you to present a wealth of information that helps the reader know more about a certain topic or subject. It avoids taking a stand or giving opinions but aims to explore a topic logically and clearly.
Since the main function of informative writing is to educate the reader, it can fall into a wide variety of academic tasks such as:
Definition
- Persuasive or augmentative
- Expository
- Compare and Contrast
- Cause and effect
A well-written informative paper gives facts that demonstrate the writer’s expertise on the topic. Thus, mastering the art of writing excellent informative essays is a skill that lays the foundation for writing other academic papers and future career.
What are the 5 parts of an informative essay?
An informative paper has five essential parts:
- Introduction
- Background information
- Thesis statement
- Main body
- Conclusion
How to write an informative essay
The procedure for producing a superb essay can be simplified into easy-to-follow steps. So what are the four steps to writing an informative essay?
Step 1: Select a Good Topic
Selecting a topic is the first and most challenging part of writing an informative essay. Do it the right way, and you end up with a topic that makes it easier to compose high-quality content. To choose a good topic you should:
Work within the guidelines requested by your teacher/instructor
Consider your area of interest and a subject you want to learn more about
Consider whether the available sources will meet your writing needs
Go for a subject matter that is unique yet interesting
A good topic is original, adheres to the teacher's instructors, and is from a subject of interest to make the writing enjoyable.
Step 2: Research
You might have background information on the topic, but you don’t know everything, and that’s where research comes in. Reading books, journals, online content, and articles written by subject experts will give you more insight on the subject.
But don’t limit your research to just reading written text. If you can go further and conduct interviews to get first-hand information or go to the laboratory and set up an experiment. The aim is to get valid information that shows you are the subject expert, and the reader will find it easier to believe your paper.
Besides, research begins because you have a broad topic you want to know more about. But after conducting extensive research, you narrow down the idea and end up with a specific area of interest. When researching, evaluate, and analyzing the information, then take notes of crucial information that will enrich your text.
Step 3: Create an Outline
An outline plans the essay structure, organizes the information in a logical order, and prevents you from going off-topic. Thus an Informative essay outline should give you a clear picture of what the paper will cover and look like. Organize all the material into specific themes and put them in the order they will appear, starting with stronger points. Ensure there is a single main point under each paragraph and evidence. To save time, use short phrases to write your outline.
Step 4: Start Writing
The writing process is divided into three crucial sections: The beginning, middle, and end. Write the essay in the third person to ensure a neutral point of view.
How do you start an informative essay?
Begin the essay with a hook. A good introduction will be capture attention and motivate the reader to keep reading the next paragraphs. The hook can be shocking statistics, interesting facts, funny anecdotes, rhetoric questions, or famous quotes. Background information comes after the hook.
The first paragraph tells the reader what the topic is about and its importance. End the introduction with a thesis statement that expresses the essay's main ideas. Keep it within one or two sentences.
How to Write the Main Body of an Informative essay
While the introduction will briefly state the main points, the body section should present all main points in detail. Examples should act as evidence to support the thesis statement. Depending on the final word count, the main body will have three or more paragraphs, each starting with a topic sentence. Use appropriate transitions to connect the paragraphs and achieve a smooth flow.
How to Write the Last Essay Paragraph
The conclusion of an informative paper should restate the thesis statement and paraphrase the main points covered in each paragraph in the main body. The whole section should answer any lingering questions the reader might have and wrap up the essay without introducing new information. Use the conclusion to provide an overall view of the topic.
Step 5: Review the Essay
The writing process of an informative essay ends with a thorough review. This includes editing and proofreading to ensure the whole paper is free of errors that might lower the quality. Apart from checking grammar, spelling, punctuations, and structure, reread the assignment instructions and ensure your essay adheres to them. Do a thorough review to improve clarity and style and ensure the informative paper engages from the first to last sentence and is unbiased.
While the above information helps any student knows how to write an informative essay, the actual writing process is time-consuming and energy-draining. You must also set ample time aside to proofread and ensure the text meets the professor’s requirements. Unfortunately, if you rush through the writing process, you might end up with a low-quality essay. Luckily, we have experts that will ensure you always hand in top-notch work on time. Students worldwide trust us to help them meet their academic goals, and you too can enjoy the same experience. So don’t hesitate to contact us or visit our homepage to learn more about the benefits you stand to gain.
