Writing, for a very few people, is a natural born talent. For most of us, it is an acquired skill. The good news is that, as any skill, writing can be improved through practice, process, and the acquisition of skills. The following basic information has been provided for you in order to guide you in your writing. Expository writing is the most common type found in the social sciences. Perhaps, persuasive writing would rank second. Each of the four types of writing described below can be useful in the social sciences.
Good writing just does not happen. Even the best writers go through a time-consuming process to ensure that the quality of their work is worthwhile. As a high school student, you should by now be familiar with what is often referred to as the “writing process.” At first, going through this process will seem like a lot of work, however, as you gain experience with it, the time required will diminish and the improvements in your writing will soon have a positive affect on your ability to express yourself and the knowledge that you have gained from your participation in class. Good grades are sure to follow.
There are more than one model of the writing process, however, most are based on the following formula:
For more information regarding the writing process, ask your English teacher for assistance or type “writing process” into your favorite Internet search engine and explore the many links that are sure to present themselves.
There are four basic types of writing that may be used in class. Each is briefly described below. Each is important and useful, however, the most common form of writing in the field of social studies is expository writing.
Descriptive Writing: Descriptive writing describes something, someone, or some place in a way that shows the readers, often through the use of numerous adjectives, rather than tells. One of the keys is to use descriptive words in the writing. After choosing a topic, begin by brainstorming as many adjectives as possible regarding the topic. When writing, attempt to appeal to the reader’s five senses (sight, sound, touch, taste, smell). When done successfully, descriptive writing paints a picture of the topic in the reader’s mind.
Narrative Writing: Narrative writing is often referred to as “creative” writing. It is telling a story, either fictional or non-fictional. Examples of narrative writing are stories, fables, myths, poems, plays, or biographies.
Persuasive Writing: Persuasive writing tries to convince a reader to accept an idea or way of thinking. To write an effective persuasive argument, it is important to look at evidence, state ideas clearly, consider opposing views, and justify your position.
Expository Writing: Exposition is a type of oral or writing that is used to explain, describe, give information or inform. The creator of an expository text cannot assume that the reader or listener has prior knowledge or prior understanding of the topic that is being discussed. One important point to keep in mind for the author is to try to use words that clearly show what they are talking about rather then blatantly telling the reader what is being discussed. As a pre-writing exercise, answer the following questions about a topic: who, what, when, where, why, and how. This will provide a basic outline or framework from which to construct your final work. Since clarity requires strong organization, one of the most important mechanisms that can be used to improve skills in exposition is to provide directions to improve the organization of the text. Five examples of expository organizational patterns follow.
|
Pattern |
Description |
Cue Words |
Example Graphical Organizers |
|
Description |
The author describes a topic by listing characteristics, features, and examples
|
for example; including; characteristics are; traits include |
spider web |
|
Sequence |
The author lists items or events in numerical or chronological order. |
first, second, third; next; then; finally; eventually; ultimately |
sequence flow chart |
|
Compare and/or Contrast |
The author explains how two or more things are alike and/or how they are different. |
different; in contrast; alike; same as; on the other hand; similarly; opposite |
comparison Venn diagram |
|
Cause and Effect |
The author lists one or more causes and the resulting effect or effects. |
reasons why; if...then; as a result; therefore; because; since; so |
single-single single-multiple chain |
|
Problem and Solution |
The author states a problem and lists one or more solutions for the problem. A variation of this pattern is the question- and-answer format in which the author poses a question and then answers it. |
problem is; dilemma is; puzzle is solved; question... answer |
problem-solution |
The above table has been adapted from, and therefore should be credited to, the Expository Writing Program, a University of Michigan-sponsored program. For more information visit their website at: <http://www.stanford.edu/~arnetha/expowrite/index.html>.
Students are encouraged to seek assistance from a variety of sources. These may include people, such as other teachers, family members, or friends. They may also include other resources, such as printed materials (books, journals, magazines, academic papers, newspapers, letters, interview notes), electronic sources (Internet/CD-ROM), or media (television, radio). However, work turned in should be the original work of the students turning it in. When parts of a student’s work are borrowed from other sources, that information must be clearly indicated and properly credited. If it is discovered that work turned in by a student has been used without being credited, then the student turning in such work will be considered as having committed plagiarism. This is absolutely unacceptable and will result in disciplinary action.
The Modern Language Association (MLA) is one of a few highly recognized organizations that provide guidelines on how to properly credit work borrowed from other sources. MLA is the required format for crediting work turned in when participating in one of my courses.