An informative essay informs the reader about a particular subject. This type of essay does not involve the author’s particular point of view on the subject that has been chosen, nor does the writer argue for or against the subject. The goal of the informative essay writer is to give an objective, fair view of a particular subject. Examples of informative writing include instruction manuals, encyclopedias, and other types of reference material.
A Well‐Focused Subject
In an informative essay, the primary concern of the writer is to inform readers of a given topic.
Obviously, there is no way to inform readers about everything on a subject, so the writer must be reasonably selective in what they will discuss in the essay. The subject should not be overly broad, but a manageable, focused topic.
Example: Instead of the subject, “the problem of divorce in America”, try, “the effect of divorce on children in America”.
Thesis
All informative essays must make a point about the topic that they are discussing. The thesis is usually a summation of what the reader has discovered in the course of their research, and will point in the direction that the essay will take.
Example: “When parents obtain a divorce, their children usually react with feelings of guilt; they feel that they somehow did something to cause the divorce”.
A Logical Plan
An informative essay writer must take great care to keep their readers on a logical track when they read their paper. This means that the writer must clearly organize the main points of their paper. A writer should use such tools as topic sentences in order to alert the reader that a main point concerning the thesis is about to be made, and also sentences to effectively show the relationship between the main points discussed in the essay. It is wise to clearly summarize particularly difficult points in a paper after they have initially been explained, as well as to