Every well-written piece follows a pattern or structure. The structure determines the flow and organization of the work. However, developing the structure starts with an outline. Once you’ve drafted an outline, navigating the rest of the writing will be easier.
There are several types of essays you can write. But, here, we will be focusing on informative essays. An informative essay focuses on delivering specific information to the reader. Hence, when writing it, your informative essay outline has to contain all the relevant information needed in the essay.
In this article, we will be looking at informative essays and guides on how to write an informative essay.
What is the purpose of an informative essay?
Every type of essay has its purpose. For an informative essay, the purpose is to educate and inform the readers on a particular issue or topic.
Informative essays are essays that define, compare, and contrast a subject. They are also how-to essays that provide and analyze data on a particular topic. The purpose of informative essays is not to persuade but to teach readers. Some of the essential purposes of an informative essay are:
- Imparting new knowledge
- Clarifying a topic/concept
- Describing a process
- Providing insights and unique data on a subject
Parts of an informative essay
An informative essay has three main parts. These parts are:
- The beginning: this is the introductory part where the writer introduces the subject/topic of discourse. Here, they provide the background of the essay. It’s also known as the thesis statement of informative essays.
- The middle: the middle is also the body of the essay. Here, the writer explores more on the subject. They illustrate, provide details, and give examples to readers to achieve this.
- The end: the end is also the concluding part of the essay. It summarizes everything that has been said in the beginning and middle. The ending part of an informative essay has a falling tone.
First step to writing informative essay
When it comes to essay writing, something comes first. For an informative essay, the first thing is the title/topic. Without a topic, it’s impossible to build up your intended essay.
Therefore, before you start writing, find a suitable topic. Also, to find a suitable topic, you will need to carry out extensive research. Researching your topic(s) before choosing helps you find a topic that suits you.
Make sure that your chosen topic is one you possess adequate information on. It should also be a to
How many paragraphs should an informative essay have?
An informative essay follows a specific structure. If you wonder how many paragraphs there are in an informative essay, there are five.
The first paragraph is the introductory paragraph, the following three are the middle paragraph, and the last is the concluding paragraph.
In most cases, a paragraph could extend beyond five. But it depends on the topic and word count of your informative essay.
An informative essay template
Every essay follows a specific pattern. Therefore, various templates apply to different types of essays. Here’s a template to guide you when writing an informative essay:
- Introduction
Hook: The sentence that piques the reader’s interest
Main points
Thesis statement
- Body Section 1
Evidence 1
Analysis 1
- Body Section 2
Evidence 2
Analysis 2
- Body Section 3
Evidence 3
Analysis 3
- Conclusion
Restate the thesis statement differently
A brief explanation of why the thesis is true
The above template will guide you while writing an informative essay. The standard structure is five paragraphs, but if yours extends, the additional paragraph should be in the body section.
Conclusion
When writing an informative essay, using an outline is essential because it helps you remember all your points. Break down all the points to fit into each paragraph. Remember that one paragraph should contain only one central idea that connects to your thesis statement and topic.
