how to teach writing an informative essay

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 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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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!

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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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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:

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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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! 

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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How to Teach Essay Writing

Last Updated: June 26, 2023 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Christopher Taylor, PhD . Christopher Taylor is an Adjunct Assistant Professor of English at Austin Community College in Texas. He received his PhD in English Literature and Medieval Studies from the University of Texas at Austin in 2014. 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 88,905 times.

Teaching students how to write an essay is a big undertaking, but this is a crucial process for any high school or college student to learn. Start by assigning essays to read and then encourage students to choose an essay topic of their own. Spend class time helping students understand what makes a good essay. Then, use your assignments to guide students through writing their essays.

Choosing Genres and Topics

• Narrative , which is a non-fiction account of a personal experience. This is a good option if you want your students to share a story about something they did, such as a challenge they overcame or a favorite vacation they took. [2] X Trustworthy Source Purdue Online Writing Lab Trusted resource for writing and citation guidelines Go to source
• Expository , which is when you investigate an idea, discuss it at length, and make an argument about it. This might be a good option if you want students to explore a specific concept or a controversial subject. [3] X Trustworthy Source Purdue Online Writing Lab Trusted resource for writing and citation guidelines Go to source
• Descriptive , which is when you describe a person, place, object, emotion, experience, or situation. This can be a good way to allow your students to express themselves creatively through writing. [4] X Trustworthy Source Purdue Online Writing Lab Trusted resource for writing and citation guidelines Go to source
• Argumentative or persuasive essays require students to take a stance on a topic and make an argument to support that stance. This is different from an expository essay in that students won't be discussing a concept at length and then taking a position. The goal of an argumentative essay is to take a position right away and defend it with evidence. [5] X Trustworthy Source Purdue Online Writing Lab Trusted resource for writing and citation guidelines Go to source

• Make sure to select essays that are well-structured and interesting so that your students can model their own essays after these examples. Include essays written by former students, if you can, as well as professionally written essays.

Tip : Readers come in many forms. You can find readers that focus on a specific topic, such as food or pop culture. You can also find reader/handbook combos that will provide general information on writing along with the model essays.

• For example, for each of the essays you assign your students, you could ask them to identify the author's main point or focus, the structure of the essay, the author's use of sources, and the effect of the introduction and conclusion.
• Ask the students to create a reverse outline of the essay to help them understand how to construct a well-written essay. They'll identify the thesis, the main points of the body paragraphs, the supporting evidence, and the concluding statement. Then, they'll present this information in an outline. [8] X Research source

• For example, if you have assigned your students a narrative essay, then encourage them to choose a story that they love to tell or a story they have always wanted to tell but never have.
• If your students are writing argumentative essays, encourage them to select a topic that they feel strongly about or that they'd like to learn more about so that they can voice their opinion.

Explaining the Parts of an Essay

• For example, if you read an essay that begins with an interesting anecdote, highlight that in your class discussion of the essay. Ask students how they could integrate something like that into their own essays and have them write an anecdotal intro in class.
• Or, if you read an essay that starts with a shocking fact or statistic that grabs readers' attention, point this out to your students. Ask them to identify the most shocking fact or statistic related to their essay topic.

• For example, you could provide a few model thesis statements that students can use as templates and then ask them to write a thesis for their topic as an in-class activity or have them post it on an online discussion board.

Tip : Even though the thesis statement is only 1 sentence, this can be the most challenging part of writing an essay for some students. Plan to spend a full class session on writing thesis statements and review the information multiple times as well.

• For example, you could spend a class session going over topic sentences, and then look at how the authors of model essays have used topic sentences to introduce their claims. Then, identify where the author provides support for a claim and how they expand on the source.

• For example, you might direct students to a conclusion in a narrative essay that reflects on the significance of an author's experience. Ask students to write a paragraph where they reflect on the experience they are writing about and turn it in as homework or share it on class discussion board.
• For an expository or argumentative essay, you might show students conclusions that restate the most important aspect of a topic or that offer solutions for the future. Have students write their own conclusions that restate the most important parts of their subject or that outline some possible solutions to the problem.

Guiding Students Through the Writing Process

• Try giving students a sample timeline for how to work on their essays. For example, they might start brainstorming a topic, gathering sources (if required), and taking notes 4 weeks before the paper is due.
• Then, students might begin drafting 2 weeks before the paper is due with a goal of having a full draft 1 week before the essay's due date.
• Students could then plan to start revising their drafts 5 days before the essay is due. This will provide students with ample time to read through their papers a few times and make changes as needed.

• Freewriting, which is when you write freely about anything that comes to mind for a set amount of time, such as 10, 15, or 20 minutes.
• Clustering, which is when you write your topic or topic idea on a piece of paper and then use lines to connect that idea to others.
• Listing, which is when you make a list of any and all ideas related to a topic and ten read through it to find helpful information for your paper.
• Questioning, such as by answering the who, what, when, where, why, and how of their topic.
• Defining terms, such as identifying all of the key terms related to their topic and writing out definitions for each one.

• For example, if your students are writing narrative essays, then it might make the most sense for them to describe the events of a story chronologically.
• If students are writing expository or argumentative essays, then they might need to start by answering the most important questions about their topic and providing background information.
• For a descriptive essay, students might use spatial reasoning to describe something from top to bottom, or organize the descriptive paragraphs into categories for each of the 5 senses, such as sight, sound, smell, taste, and feel.

• For example, if you have just gone over different types of brainstorming strategies, you might ask students to choose 1 that they like and spend 10 minutes developing ideas for their essay.

• Try having students post a weekly response to a writing prompt or question that you assign.
• You may also want to create a separate discussion board where students can post ideas about their essay and get feedback from you and their classmates.

• You could also assign specific parts of the writing process as homework, such as requiring students to hand in a first draft as a homework assignment.

• For example, you might suggest reading the paper backward 1 sentence at a time or reading the paper out loud as a way to identify issues with organization and to weed out minor errors. [21] 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
• Try peer-review workshops that ask students to review each others' work. Students can work in pairs or groups during the workshop. Provide them with a worksheet, graphic organizer, or copy of the assignment rubric to guide their peer-review.

Tip : Emphasize the importance of giving yourself at least a few hours away from the essay before you revise it. If possible, it is even better to wait a few days. After this time passes, it is often easier to spot errors and work out better ways of describing things.

Community Q&A

• Students often need to write essays as part of college applications, for assignments in other courses, and when applying for scholarships. Remind your students of all the ways that improving their essay writing skills can benefit them. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

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• ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/academic_writing/essay_writing/index.html
• ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/academic_writing/essay_writing/narrative_essays.html
• ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/academic_writing/essay_writing/expository_essays.html
• ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/academic_writing/essay_writing/descriptive_essays.html
• ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/academic_writing/essay_writing/argumentative_essays.html
• ↑ https://wac.colostate.edu/jbw/v1n2/petrie.pdf
• ↑ https://www.uww.edu/learn/restiptool/improve-student-writing
• ↑ https://twp.duke.edu/sites/twp.duke.edu/files/file-attachments/reverse-outline.original.pdf
• ↑ https://www.niu.edu/citl/resources/guides/instructional-guide/brainstorming.shtml
• ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/faculty-resources/tips-on-teaching-writing/situating-student-writers/
• ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/faculty-resources/tips-on-teaching-writing/in-class-writing-exercises/
• ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/revising-drafts/

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How to Write an Informative Essay: The Beginner’s Guide

In the world of the internet, it’s getting progressively harder to get reliable sources of information that you can use. But if you know how to write an informative essay, you can get the value you’ve been looking for.

This is our informative essay guide, where we’ll look at the ideal style to  write your essay for money shortly.

What is an Informative Essay?

As the name suggests, the goal of an informative essay is to supply “information”. By definition, it’s a piece of content written to “educate the reader on a particular topic”. The topics for informative essay can be anything relative to your studies, work, or other hobbies.

One of the biggest differences between an informative essay and a blog is the use of interesting facts to back the provided details. In a blog, the writer has the freedom to create a narrative with examples from personal experience. But an informative essay must be backed by reliable sources and proof. There’s no room for speculation or storytelling.

There are four main essay types: narrative, expository, descriptive, and persuasive. The last one is mostly used for marketing needs. The remaining 3 types can be cumulatively considered informative. The person in charge should focus on  narrative essay writing guidelines to ensure their work corresponds to all the requirements.

How to Write an Informative Essay Outline?

Like any other content, the informative essay outline is crucial when creating a college essay, academic project for school or case study. This procedure not only helps the reader grasp each area of the discussion easily but also shows professionalism.

A typical outline may include:

• Introduction of the main point
• Background information
• Transition words
• The body section containing “x” number of paras with all the relevant data and arguments on the topic
• Restatement of the thesis statement to contextualize the discussion
• A conclusion summing up the discussion

Writing an Introduction For the Informative Essay

The introduction section of the informative essay should grab the readers’ attention by reflecting on the problem you’re trying to solve. It’s true when you get custom essay writing help too. You need to research background information on what the essay will bring to the table.

Lastly, you finish the introduction by giving your supporting argument. Wondering how to include an essay hook, a thesis statement, and a transition sentence (usually the same sentence) to ensure everything moves smoothly? Well, we have a dedicated section coming up, so stay tuned.

Writing an Informative Essay Body

The informative essay outline is just as important as the introduction. This is the section where you source information, including all the ideas, statements, inspiration, and statistics, to solidify your point on the selected topics.

Ideally, when you learn how to write an essay, it’s common to choose 3 paragraphs in the essay’s body. You have the freedom to change the number of sections based on what topic you’re covering and how in-depth you want to go.

Each paragraph typically contains 3 main ideas.

• The claim: You start a paragraph by making a declaration. It should state specific reasons, which you will prove in the evidence section.
• The evidence: The audience believes in proof, regardless of the industry. So, present your supporting evidence and cite reliable sources to back up your point.
• The explanation: Now that you’ve given your topics and stated the reality, let’s link the two with an explanation. Describe how the stated points support the topics.

How to Write a Strong Thesis Statement for the Informative Essay?

The first paragraph is the most important element of the informative essay, as this is the most powerful tool to build credibility. A good-quality thesis statement always states the purpose of the essay without beating around the bush. It must also be in-depth to capture the essence of the essay in one line.

For an informative essay example, think about writing a narrative essay about yourself or why “your favorite culture in history” is Ancient Egypt. A low and high-quality thesis statement may look like this:

— Bad Dissertation: “My favorite culture in history is Ancient Egypt because it was interesting.”

— Quality Dissertation: “My favorite culture in history is Ancient Egypt, as it was one of the most powerful civilizations, and they built the pyramids of Giza.”

As you can see, a decent thesis not only provides the statement but also provides the reason behind it.

How to Write an Excellent Informative Essay Conclusion?

The conclusion, or the wrap-up, is just as important as the rest of the sections of an essay. It must reflect the same idea and tone you’ve been providing throughout. Also, the statements must align with the ones you provide in the introduction.

When you write an article, you can write the conclusion in one or two subdivisions. The final paragraph must contain remarks on the entire discussion and send the message again. Also, it’s mandatory to reiterate the thesis to bring the opinion full circle in the conclusion section.

A Good Example of an Informative Essay

To this day, the human race has gone through many civilizations. The modern society that we live in now is nothing but a reflection of thousands of years of evolution. Among all civilizations, Ancient Egypt was one of the most powerful and intricate civilizations in terms of architecture, religion, and technology. Particularly, the mummification procedure to preserve the dead intrigues me the most.

The mummification guides start with cleaning the dead with palm wine. Palm wine contains nutrients that are proven to nourish the skin, hair, and nails. These attributes of the deceased mummies are often found unaltered after thousands of years.

The embalmers then take out the internals of the dead, except for the heart. The heart was believed to be measured by the gods. The organs were preserved in canopic jars filled with natron salt and other unknown Egyptian spices for preservation. These jars were later placed on the tombs. The internals of the dead was rubbed with natron salt, oil, and spices. After 70 days of initial embalming, the body was covered in strips of linen. The fabric keeps the moisture out and keeps the element in shape.

Finally, the sculptors were tasked with making the death mask for the head and the coffin, known as a sarcophagus. The death masks were made from waste papyrus or linen. The purpose of the mask was for the soul to recognise the dead. After the process was complete, the mummy was put in the sarcophagus and then in the designated tomb.

The mummification in the Ancient Egyptian culture has been the highlight for historians as well as scientists. The ingredients used in the idea are still unknown to modern civilizations. This is the main reason why the time of Ancient Egypt is my favorite in history. The advancement in technology and the efficiency in execution are still unmatched.

If you’re looking for professional help in writing an informative essay just like this, feel free to reach out. We have some of the best writers and the best admission essay writing service in the industry who can make your vision a reality in 2023. We also have highly qualified professional case study writers who are experts in their field and can provide you with top-notch papers for your needs.

The informational essay in the previous section encompasses all the attributes we’ve discussed. We’ve started with the introductory examples containing the informative essay thesis statement. Then, we added 3 clauses containing the question, the inspiration behind the thoughts, and the explanation. Lastly, we conclude the writing process and include a conclusion paragraph.

As you may have noticed, there are no heading tags in the paper writing. It’s simply because a paper doesn’t require them. The piece is divided into the introduction, main point, and conclusion by tone.

Related posts:

• Argumentative Essay Topics, Examples, and Free Ideas
• How to Write a Research Paper Outline: The Complete Step-by-Step Guide
• How to Write a Critical Thinking Essay: Effective Tips
• How to Structure and Write an Effective Critique Paper

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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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