Let us what The Explanatory Writing stile is. Professional writers who set out to explain something – perhaps how to organize a fund raising project or how do distinguish between reliable and unreliable sources on the Internet – usually have a good idea of what they are going to write before they start. They may not know all the details and will often discover more material as they work, but their general content is set. Most start of with a plan - a page of notes or perhaps even full outline. Such plans help them organize their material and keep track of it as they write. Professional writers frequently start out with assertion, and then support it with evidence. They may draw comparisons to make a point, use an anecdote to clarify an idea, or give and illustrative example. Much of the writing that you’ll do in college will be explanatory; so is most business writing.


For instance, you’d be engaged in explanatory writing if you write an essay on Jean – Jacques Rousseau’s ideas on the education of women or showed how a network of canals helped communication in colonial America. A business report on the impact of radio advertising would also be explanatory writing. This kind of writing takes work. You have to invest time and effort to present factual material clearly and accurately and in a way that holds reader’s interest. Much of your work – gathering information and organizing it effectively – comes before you ever put down a word. You also have to think who your readers will be before you start and decide on the language and writing style that will work best with them.


When you finish a substantial first draft for piece of explanatory writing, go over it and ask your self these three questions

Is it clear?

Is it true?

Is it useful?

If you can say “I think so” to all three questions, you’re off to a good start.


Other Pages in This Section :


• Exploratory Writing


• Writing That Explains and Explores