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How to Brainstorm for an Essay

Once you get going on a paper, you can often get into a groove and churn out the bulk of it fairly quickly. But choosing or brainstorming a topic for a paper—especially one with an open-ended prompt—can often be a challenge.

You’ve probably been told to brainstorm ideas for papers since you were in elementary school. Even though you might feel like “brainstorming” is an ineffective method for actually figuring out what to write about, it really works. Everyone thinks through ideas differently, but here are some tips to help you brainstorm more effectively regardless of what learning style works best for you:

Tip #1: Set an end goal for yourself

Develop a goal for your brainstorm. Don’t worry—you can go into brainstorming without knowing exactly what you want to write about, but you should  have an idea of what you hope to gain from your brainstorming session. Do you want to develop a list of potential topics? Do you want to come up with ideas to support an argument? Have some idea about what you want to get out of brainstorming so that you can make more effective use of your time.

Tip #2: Write down all ideas

Sure, some of your ideas will be better than others, but you should write all of them down for you to look back on later. Starting with bad or infeasible ideas might seem counterintuitive, but one idea usually leads to another one. Make a list that includes all of your initial thoughts, and then you can go back through and pick out the best one later. Passing judgment on ideas in this first stage will just slow you down.

Tip #3: Think about what interests you most

Students usually write better essays when they’re exploring subjects that they have some personal interest in. If a professor gives you an open-ended prompt, take it as an opportunity to delve further into a topic you find more interesting. When trying to find a focus for your papers, think back on coursework that you found engaging or that raised further questions for you.

Tip #4: Consider what you want the reader to get from your paper

Do you want to write an engaging piece? A thought-provoking one? An informative one? Think about the end goal of your writing while you go through the initial brainstorming process. Although this might seem counterproductive, considering what you want readers to get out of your writing can help you come up with a focus that both satisfies your readers and satisfies you as a writer.

 Tip #5: Try freewriting

Write for five minutes on a topic of your choice that you think could  be worth pursuing—your idea doesn’t have to be fully fleshed out. This can help you figure out whether it’s worth putting more time into an idea or if it doesn’t really have any weight to it. If you find that you don’t have much to say about a particular topic, you can switch subjects halfway through writing, but this can be a good way to get your creative juices flowing.

Tip #6: Draw a map of your ideas

While some students might prefer the more traditional list methods, for more visual learners, sketching out a word map of ideas may be a useful method for brainstorming. Write the main idea in a circle in the center of your page. Then, write smaller, related ideas in bubbles further from the center of the page and connect them to your initial idea using lines. This is a good way to break down big ideas and to figure out whether they are worth writing about.

 Tip #7: Enlist the help of others

Sometimes it can be difficult coming up with paper topics on your own, and family and friends can prove to be valuable resources when developing ideas. Feel free to brainstorm with another person (or in a group). Many hands make light work—and some students work best when thinking through ideas out loud—so don’t be afraid to ask others for advice when trying to come up with a paper topic.

Tip #8: Find the perfect brainstorming spot

Believe it or not, location can make a BIG difference when you’re trying to come up with a paper topic. Working while watching TV is never a good idea, but you might want to listen to music while doing work, or you might prefer to sit in a quiet study location. Think about where you work best, and pick a spot where you feel that you can be productive.

Tip #9: Play word games to help generate ideas

Whether you hate playing word games or think they’re a ton of fun, you might want to try your hand at a quick round of Words With Friends or a game of Scrabble. These games can help get your brain working, and sometimes ideas can be triggered by words you see. Get a friend to play an old-fashioned board game with you, or try your hand at a mobile app if you’re in a time crunch.

Tip #10: Take a break to let ideas sink in

Brainstorming is a great way to get all of your initial thoughts out there, but sometimes you need a bit more time to process all of those ideas. Stand up and stretch—or even take a walk around the block—and then look back on your list of ideas to see if you have any new thoughts on them.

For many students, the most difficult process of paper writing is simply coming up with an idea about what to write on. Don’t be afraid to get all of your ideas out there through brainstorming, and remember that all ideas are valid. Take the time necessary to sort through all of your ideas, using whatever method works best for you, and then get to writing—but don’t be afraid to go back to the drawing board if a new inspiration strikes.

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Brainstorming

What this handout is about.

This handout discusses techniques that will help you start writing a paper and continue writing through the challenges of the revising process. Brainstorming can help you choose a topic, develop an approach to a topic, or deepen your understanding of the topic’s potential.

Introduction

If you consciously take advantage of your natural thinking processes by gathering your brain’s energies into a “storm,” you can transform these energies into written words or diagrams that will lead to lively, vibrant writing. Below you will find a brief discussion of what brainstorming is, why you might brainstorm, and suggestions for how you might brainstorm.

Whether you are starting with too much information or not enough, brainstorming can help you to put a new writing task in motion or revive a project that hasn’t reached completion. Let’s take a look at each case:

When you’ve got nothing: You might need a storm to approach when you feel “blank” about the topic, devoid of inspiration, full of anxiety about the topic, or just too tired to craft an orderly outline. In this case, brainstorming stirs up the dust, whips some air into our stilled pools of thought, and gets the breeze of inspiration moving again.

When you’ve got too much: There are times when you have too much chaos in your brain and need to bring in some conscious order. In this case, brainstorming forces the mental chaos and random thoughts to rain out onto the page, giving you some concrete words or schemas that you can then arrange according to their logical relations.

Brainstorming techniques

What follows are great ideas on how to brainstorm—ideas from professional writers, novice writers, people who would rather avoid writing, and people who spend a lot of time brainstorming about…well, how to brainstorm.

Try out several of these options and challenge yourself to vary the techniques you rely on; some techniques might suit a particular writer, academic discipline, or assignment better than others. If the technique you try first doesn’t seem to help you, move right along and try some others.

Freewriting

When you freewrite, you let your thoughts flow as they will, putting pen to paper and writing down whatever comes into your mind. You don’t judge the quality of what you write and you don’t worry about style or any surface-level issues, like spelling, grammar, or punctuation. If you can’t think of what to say, you write that down—really. The advantage of this technique is that you free up your internal critic and allow yourself to write things you might not write if you were being too self-conscious.

When you freewrite you can set a time limit (“I’ll write for 15 minutes!”) and even use a kitchen timer or alarm clock or you can set a space limit (“I’ll write until I fill four full notebook pages, no matter what tries to interrupt me!”) and just write until you reach that goal. You might do this on the computer or on paper, and you can even try it with your eyes shut or the monitor off, which encourages speed and freedom of thought.

The crucial point is that you keep on writing even if you believe you are saying nothing. Word must follow word, no matter the relevance. Your freewriting might even look like this:

“This paper is supposed to be on the politics of tobacco production but even though I went to all the lectures and read the book I can’t think of what to say and I’ve felt this way for four minutes now and I have 11 minutes left and I wonder if I’ll keep thinking nothing during every minute but I’m not sure if it matters that I am babbling and I don’t know what else to say about this topic and it is rainy today and I never noticed the number of cracks in that wall before and those cracks remind me of the walls in my grandfather’s study and he smoked and he farmed and I wonder why he didn’t farm tobacco…”

When you’re done with your set number of minutes or have reached your page goal, read back over the text. Yes, there will be a lot of filler and unusable thoughts but there also will be little gems, discoveries, and insights. When you find these gems, highlight them or cut and paste them into your draft or onto an “ideas” sheet so you can use them in your paper. Even if you don’t find any diamonds in there, you will have either quieted some of the noisy chaos or greased the writing gears so that you can now face the assigned paper topic.

Break down the topic into levels

Once you have a course assignment in front of you, you might brainstorm:

• the general topic, like “The relationship between tropical fruits and colonial powers”
• a specific subtopic or required question, like “How did the availability of multiple tropical fruits influence competition amongst colonial powers trading from the larger Caribbean islands during the 19th century?”
• a single term or phrase that you sense you’re overusing in the paper. For example: If you see that you’ve written “increased the competition” about a dozen times in your “tropical fruits” paper, you could brainstorm variations on the phrase itself or on each of the main terms: “increased” and “competition.”

Listing/bulleting

In this technique you jot down lists of words or phrases under a particular topic. You can base your list on:

• the general topic
• one or more words from your particular thesis claim
• a word or idea that is the complete opposite of your original word or idea.

For example, if your general assignment is to write about the changes in inventions over time, and your specific thesis claims that “the 20th century presented a large number of inventions to advance US society by improving upon the status of 19th-century society,” you could brainstorm two different lists to ensure you are covering the topic thoroughly and that your thesis will be easy to prove.

The first list might be based on your thesis; you would jot down as many 20th-century inventions as you could, as long as you know of their positive effects on society. The second list might be based on the opposite claim, and you would instead jot down inventions that you associate with a decline in that society’s quality. You could do the same two lists for 19th-century inventions and then compare the evidence from all four lists.

Using multiple lists will help you to gather more perspective on the topic and ensure that, sure enough, your thesis is solid as a rock, or, …uh oh, your thesis is full of holes and you’d better alter your claim to one you can prove.

3 perspectives

Looking at something from different perspectives helps you see it more completely—or at least in a completely different way, sort of like laying on the floor makes your desk look very different to you. To use this strategy, answer the questions for each of the three perspectives, then look for interesting relationships or mismatches you can explore:

• Describe it: Describe your subject in detail. What is your topic? What are its components? What are its interesting and distinguishing features? What are its puzzles? Distinguish your subject from those that are similar to it. How is your subject unlike others?
• Trace it: What is the history of your subject? How has it changed over time? Why? What are the significant events that have influenced your subject?
• Map it: What is your subject related to? What is it influenced by? How? What does it influence? How? Who has a stake in your topic? Why? What fields do you draw on for the study of your subject? Why? How has your subject been approached by others? How is their work related to yours?

Cubing enables you to consider your topic from six different directions; just as a cube is six-sided, your cubing brainstorming will result in six “sides” or approaches to the topic. Take a sheet of paper, consider your topic, and respond to these six commands:

• Describe it.
• Compare it.
• Associate it.
• Analyze it.
• Argue for and against it.

Look over what you’ve written. Do any of the responses suggest anything new about your topic? What interactions do you notice among the “sides”? That is, do you see patterns repeating, or a theme emerging that you could use to approach the topic or draft a thesis? Does one side seem particularly fruitful in getting your brain moving? Could that one side help you draft your thesis statement? Use this technique in a way that serves your topic. It should, at least, give you a broader awareness of the topic’s complexities, if not a sharper focus on what you will do with it.

In this technique, complete the following sentence:

____________________ is/was/are/were like _____________________.

In the first blank put one of the terms or concepts your paper centers on. Then try to brainstorm as many answers as possible for the second blank, writing them down as you come up with them.

After you have produced a list of options, look over your ideas. What kinds of ideas come forward? What patterns or associations do you find?

Clustering/mapping/webbing:

The general idea:

This technique has three (or more) different names, according to how you describe the activity itself or what the end product looks like. In short, you will write a lot of different terms and phrases onto a sheet of paper in a random fashion and later go back to link the words together into a sort of “map” or “web” that forms groups from the separate parts. Allow yourself to start with chaos. After the chaos subsides, you will be able to create some order out of it.

To really let yourself go in this brainstorming technique, use a large piece of paper or tape two pieces together. You could also use a blackboard if you are working with a group of people. This big vertical space allows all members room to “storm” at the same time, but you might have to copy down the results onto paper later. If you don’t have big paper at the moment, don’t worry. You can do this on an 8 ½ by 11 as well. Watch our short videos on webbing , drawing relationships , and color coding for demonstrations.

How to do it:

• Take your sheet(s) of paper and write your main topic in the center, using a word or two or three.
• Moving out from the center and filling in the open space any way you are driven to fill it, start to write down, fast, as many related concepts or terms as you can associate with the central topic. Jot them quickly, move into another space, jot some more down, move to another blank, and just keep moving around and jotting. If you run out of similar concepts, jot down opposites, jot down things that are only slightly related, or jot down your grandpa’s name, but try to keep moving and associating. Don’t worry about the (lack of) sense of what you write, for you can chose to keep or toss out these ideas when the activity is over.
• Once the storm has subsided and you are faced with a hail of terms and phrases, you can start to cluster. Circle terms that seem related and then draw a line connecting the circles. Find some more and circle them and draw more lines to connect them with what you think is closely related. When you run out of terms that associate, start with another term. Look for concepts and terms that might relate to that term. Circle them and then link them with a connecting line. Continue this process until you have found all the associated terms. Some of the terms might end up uncircled, but these “loners” can also be useful to you. (Note: You can use different colored pens/pencils/chalk for this part, if you like. If that’s not possible, try to vary the kind of line you use to encircle the topics; use a wavy line, a straight line, a dashed line, a dotted line, a zigzaggy line, etc. in order to see what goes with what.)
• There! When you stand back and survey your work, you should see a set of clusters, or a big web, or a sort of map: hence the names for this activity. At this point you can start to form conclusions about how to approach your topic. There are about as many possible results to this activity as there are stars in the night sky, so what you do from here will depend on your particular results. Let’s take an example or two in order to illustrate how you might form some logical relationships between the clusters and loners you’ve decided to keep. At the end of the day, what you do with the particular “map” or “cluster set” or “web” that you produce depends on what you need. What does this map or web tell you to do? Explore an option or two and get your draft going!

Relationship between the parts

In this technique, begin by writing the following pairs of terms on opposite margins of one sheet of paper:

Looking over these four groups of pairs, start to fill in your ideas below each heading. Keep going down through as many levels as you can. Now, look at the various parts that comprise the parts of your whole concept. What sorts of conclusions can you draw according to the patterns, or lack of patterns, that you see? For a related strategy, watch our short video on drawing relationships .

Journalistic questions

In this technique you would use the “big six” questions that journalists rely on to thoroughly research a story. The six are: Who?, What?, When?, Where?, Why?, and How?. Write each question word on a sheet of paper, leaving space between them. Then, write out some sentences or phrases in answer, as they fit your particular topic. You might also record yourself or use speech-to-text if you’d rather talk out your ideas.

Now look over your batch of responses. Do you see that you have more to say about one or two of the questions? Or, are your answers for each question pretty well balanced in depth and content? Was there one question that you had absolutely no answer for? How might this awareness help you to decide how to frame your thesis claim or to organize your paper? Or, how might it reveal what you must work on further, doing library research or interviews or further note-taking?

For example, if your answers reveal that you know a lot more about “where” and “why” something happened than you know about “what” and “when,” how could you use this lack of balance to direct your research or to shape your paper? How might you organize your paper so that it emphasizes the known versus the unknown aspects of evidence in the field of study? What else might you do with your results?

Thinking outside the box

Even when you are writing within a particular academic discipline, you can take advantage of your semesters of experience in other courses from other departments. Let’s say you are writing a paper for an English course. You could ask yourself, “Hmmm, if I were writing about this very same topic in a biology course or using this term in a history course, how might I see or understand it differently? Are there varying definitions for this concept within, say, philosophy or physics, that might encourage me to think about this term from a new, richer point of view?”

For example, when discussing “culture” in your English, communications, or cultural studies course, you could incorporate the definition of “culture” that is frequently used in the biological sciences. Remember those little Petri dishes from your lab experiments in high school? Those dishes are used to “culture” substances for bacterial growth and analysis, right? How might it help you write your paper if you thought of “culture” as a medium upon which certain things will grow, will develop in new ways or will even flourish beyond expectations, but upon which the growth of other things might be retarded, significantly altered, or stopped altogether?

Using charts or shapes

If you are more visually inclined, you might create charts, graphs, or tables in lieu of word lists or phrases as you try to shape or explore an idea. You could use the same phrases or words that are central to your topic and try different ways to arrange them spatially, say in a graph, on a grid, or in a table or chart. You might even try the trusty old flow chart. The important thing here is to get out of the realm of words alone and see how different spatial representations might help you see the relationships among your ideas. If you can’t imagine the shape of a chart at first, just put down the words on the page and then draw lines between or around them. Or think of a shape. Do your ideas most easily form a triangle? square? umbrella? Can you put some ideas in parallel formation? In a line?

Consider purpose and audience

Think about the parts of communication involved in any writing or speaking act: purpose and audience.

What is your purpose?

What are you trying to do? What verb captures your intent? Are you trying to inform? Convince? Describe? Each purpose will lead you to a different set of information and help you shape material to include and exclude in a draft. Write about why you are writing this draft in this form. For more tips on figuring out the purpose of your assignment, see our handout on understanding assignments .

Who is your audience?

Who are you communicating with beyond the grader? What does that audience need to know? What do they already know? What information does that audience need first, second, third? Write about who you are writing to and what they need. For more on audience, see our  handout on audience .

Dictionaries, thesauruses, encyclopedias

When all else fails…this is a tried and true method, loved for centuries by writers of all stripe. Visit the library reference areas or stop by the Writing Center to browse various dictionaries, thesauruses (or other guide books and reference texts), encyclopedias or surf their online counterparts. Sometimes these basic steps are the best ones. It is almost guaranteed that you’ll learn several things you did not know.

If you’re looking at a hard copy reference, turn to your most important terms and see what sort of variety you find in the definitions. The obscure or archaic definition might help you to appreciate the term’s breadth or realize how much its meaning has changed as the language changed. Could that realization be built into your paper somehow?

If you go to online sources, use their own search functions to find your key terms and see what suggestions they offer. For example, if you plug “good” into a thesaurus search, you will be given 14 different entries. Whew! If you were analyzing the film Good Will Hunting, imagine how you could enrich your paper by addressed the six or seven ways that “good” could be interpreted according to how the scenes, lighting, editing, music, etc., emphasized various aspects of “good.”

An encyclopedia is sometimes a valuable resource if you need to clarify facts, get quick background, or get a broader context for an event or item. If you are stuck because you have a vague sense of a seemingly important issue, do a quick check with this reference and you may be able to move forward with your ideas.

Armed with a full quiver of brainstorming techniques and facing sheets of jotted ideas, bulleted subtopics, or spidery webs relating to your paper, what do you do now?

Take the next step and start to write your first draft, or fill in those gaps you’ve been brainstorming about to complete your “almost ready” paper. If you’re a fan of outlining, prepare one that incorporates as much of your brainstorming data as seems logical to you. If you’re not a fan, don’t make one. Instead, start to write out some larger chunks (large groups of sentences or full paragraphs) to expand upon your smaller clusters and phrases. Keep building from there into larger sections of your paper. You don’t have to start at the beginning of the draft. Start writing the section that comes together most easily. You can always go back to write the introduction later.

We also have helpful handouts on some of the next steps in your writing process, such as reorganizing drafts and argument .

Remember, once you’ve begun the paper, you can stop and try another brainstorming technique whenever you feel stuck. Keep the energy moving and try several techniques to find what suits you or the particular project you are working on.

How can technology help?

Need some help brainstorming? Different digital tools can help with a variety of brainstorming strategies:

Look for a text editor that has a focus mode or that is designed to promote free writing (for examples, check out FocusWriter, OmmWriter, WriteRoom, Writer the Internet Typewriter, or Cold Turkey). Eliminating visual distractions on your screen can help you free write for designated periods of time. By eliminating visual distractions on your screen, these tools help you focus on free writing for designated periods of time. If you use Microsoft Word, you might even try “Focus Mode” under the “View” tab.

Clustering/mapping. Websites and applications like Mindomo , TheBrain , and Miro allow you to create concept maps and graphic organizers. These applications often include the following features:

• Connect links, embed documents and media, and integrate notes in your concept maps
• Access your maps across devices
• Search across maps for keywords
• Convert maps into checklists and outlines
• Export maps to other file formats

Testimonials

Check out what other students and writers have tried!

Papers as Puzzles : A UNC student demonstrates a brainstorming strategy for getting started on a paper.

Works consulted

We consulted these works while writing this handout. This is not a comprehensive list of resources on the handout’s topic, and we encourage you to do your own research to find additional publications. Please do not use this list as a model for the format of your own reference list, as it may not match the citation style you are using. For guidance on formatting citations, please see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial . We revise these tips periodically and welcome feedback.

Allen, Roberta, and Marcia Mascolini. 1997. The Process of Writing: Composing Through Critical Thinking . Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Cameron, Julia. 2002. The Artist’s Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity . New York: Putnam.

Goldberg, Natalie. 2005. Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within , rev. ed. Boston: Shambhala.

Rosen, Leonard J. and Laurence Behrens. 2003. The Allyn & Bacon Handbook , 5th ed. New York: Longman.

University of Richmond. n.d. “Main Page.” Writer’s Web. Accessed June 14, 2019. http://writing2.richmond.edu/writing/wweb.html .

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Writing an Informative Essay

Informative essays engage readers with new, interesting, and often surprising facts and details about a subject. Informative essays are educational; readers expect to learn something new from them. In fact, much of the reading and writing done in college and the workplace is informative. From textbooks to reports to tutorials like this one, informative writing imparts important and useful information about a topic.

This tutorial refers to the sample informative outline and final essay written by fictional student Paige Turner.

Reasons to Write Informatively

Your purpose for writing and the audience for whom you are writing will impact the depth and breadth of information you provide, but all informative writing aims to present a subject without opinions or bias. Some common reasons to write informatively are to

• report findings that an audience would find interesting,
• present facts that an audience would find useful, and
• communicate information about a person, place, event, issue, or change that would improve an audience’s understanding.

Characteristics of Informative Essays

Informative essays present factual information and do not attempt to sway readers’ opinions about it. Other types of academic and workplace writing do try to influence readers’ opinions:

• Expository essays aim to expose a truth about an issue in order to influence how readers view the issue.
• Persuasive essays aim to influence readers’ opinions, so they will adopt a particular position or take a certain course of action.

Expository and persuasive essays make “arguments.” The only argument an informative essay makes is that something exists, did exist, is happening, or has happened, and the point of the essay is not to convince readers of this but to tell them about it.

• Informative essays seek to enlighten and educate readers, so they can make their own educated opinions and decisions about what to think and how to act.

Strategies for Writing Informatively

Informative essays provide useful information such as facts, examples, and evidence from research in order to help readers understand a topic or see it more clearly. While informative writing does not aim to appeal emotionally to readers in order to change their opinions or behaviors, informative writing should still be engaging to read. Factual information is not necessarily dry or boring. Sometimes facts can be more alarming than fiction!

Writers use various strategies to engage and educate readers. Some strategies include

• introducing the topic with an alarming fact or arresting image;
• asserting what is true or so about the subject in a clear thesis statement;
• organizing the paragraphs logically by grouping related information;
• unifying each paragraph with a topic sentence and controlling idea;
• developing cohesive paragraphs with transition sentences;
• using precise language and terminology appropriate for the topic, purpose, and audience; and
• concluding with a final idea or example that captures the essay’s purpose and leaves a lasting impression.

Five Steps for Getting Started

1. Brainstorm and choose a topic.

• Sample topic : The opioid epidemic in the United States.
• The opiod epidemic or even opiod addiction would would be considered too broad for a single essay, so the next steps aim to narrow this topic down.

2. Next, write a question about the topic that you would like to answer through research.

• Sample question : What major events caused the opioid crisis in the United States?
• This question aims to narrow the topic down to causes of the epidemic in the US.

3. Now go to the Purdue Global Library to find the answers to your research question.

As you begin reading and collecting sources, write down the themes that emerge as common answers. Later, in step four, use the most common answers (or the ones you are most interested in writing and discussing) to construct a thesis statement.

• Sample answers: aggressive marketing, loopholes in prescription drug provider programs, and economic downturn.

4. Next, provide purpose to your paper by creating a thesis statement.

The thesis attempts to frame your research question. The sample thesis below incorporates three of the more common answers for the research question from step two: What caused the opioid crisis in the United States?

• Thesis Statement : Aggressive marketing, loopholes in prescription drug provider programs, and economic downturn contributed to the current opioid crisis in the United States.
• Writing Tip : For additional help with thesis statements, please visit our Writing a Thesis Statement article. For help with writing in 3rd person, see our article on Formal Vs. Informal Writing .

5. Now follow each numbered step in the “Suggested Outline Format and Sample” below.

Sample answers have been provided for “I. Introduction” and “II. First Cause.” A complete sample outline can be seen here. A complete sample informative essay can be seen here.

Suggested Outline Format and Sample

I. INTRODUCTION

A. First provide a topic sentence that introduces the main topic: Sample topic sentence : There is a current prescription pain medication addiction and abuse epidemic possibly caused by an excessive over prescription of these medications.

B. Now provide a couple sentences with evidence to support the main topic: Sample sentence one with evidence to support the main topic : According to Dr. Nora Volkow, Director of National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), in testimony before the 115th Congress, “In 2016, over 11 million Americans misused prescription opioids … and 2.1 million had an opioid use disorder due to prescription opioids” (Federal Efforts to Combat the Opioid Crisis, 2017, p. 2).

C. Sample sentence two with evidence to support the main topic : Volkow indicated “more than 300,000 Americans have died of an opioid overdose” since 2013 (Federal Efforts to Combat the Opioid Crisis, 2017, p.2).

D. Sample sentence three with evidence to support the main topic : According to Perez-Pena (2017), the Center for Disease Control and Prevention reported more than 25,000 people in the United States died in 2015 from overdosing on opioids Fentanyl, Oxycodone, and Hydrocodone.

E. Toward the end of the introduction, include your thesis statement written in the 3rd-person point-of-view: Sample thesis statement : Potential solutions to the growing opioid epidemic may be illuminated by examining how opioid addiction is triggered through aggressive pharmaceutical marketing, how opioid addiction manifests among prescribed patients, and how economic downturns play a role in the increase of opioid addiction.

F. Write down the library sources you can use in this introductory paragraph to help support the main topic.

• Federal Efforts to Combat the Opioid Crisis, 2017
• Perez-Pena, 2017
• Writing Tip : For more help writing an introduction, please refer to this article on introductions and conclusions .

II. FIRST CAUSE

A. First provide a topic sentence that introduces the first cause of the opioid epidemic: Sample topic sentence that introduces the first cause : One issue that helped contribute to the opioid epidemic is aggressive marketing by pharmaceutical manufacturers.

B. Now provide sentences with evidence to support the first cause: Sample sentence one with evidence that supports the first cause : Perez-Pena (2017) concluded that while the healthcare industry was attempting to effectively and efficiently treat patients with chronic pain, pharmaceutical companies were providing funding to prominent doctors, medical societies, and patient advocacy groups in order to win support for a particular drug’s adoption and usage.

C. Sample sentence two with evidence to support the first cause : In fact, pharmaceutical companies continue to spend millions on promotional activities and materials that deny or trivialize any risks of opioid use while at the same time overstating each drug’s benefit (Perez-Pina, 2017).

D. Next, add more information or provide concluding or transitional sentences that foreshadows the upcoming second cause: Sample concluding and transitional sentence that foreshadow the second cause : Although aggressive marketing by pharmaceutical companies played a large role in opioid addiction, patients are to blame too, as many take advantage of holes in the healthcare provider system in order to remedy their addiction.

E. Write down the library sources you can use in this body paragraph to help support the first cause:

• Writing Tip : For more assistance working with sources, please visit the Using Sources page here.

III. SECOND CAUSE

A. First provide a topic sentence that introduces the second cause.

B. Now provide sentences with evidence to support the second cause.

C. Next, add more information or provide concluding or transitional sentences that foreshadows the upcoming third cause.

D. Write down the library sources you can use in this body paragraph to help support the second cause:

• Writing Tip : Listen to Writing Powerful Sentences for information and features of effective writing.

IV. THIRD CAUSE

A. First provide a topic sentence that introduces the third cause.

B. Now provide sentences with evidence to support the third cause.

C. Next, add more information or provide a concluding sentence or two.

D. Write down the library sources you can use in this body paragraph to help support the third cause:

V. CONCLUSION: Summary of key points and evidence discussed.

• Writing Tip : For more help writing a conclusion, refer to this podcast on endings .
• Writing Tip : Have a question? Leave a comment below or Purdue Global students, click here to access the Purdue Global Writing Center tutoring platform and available staff.
• Writing Tip : Ready to have someone look at your paper? Purdue Global students, click here to submit your assignment for feedback through our video paper review service.

See a Sample Informative Essay Outline here .

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dang bro i got an A

Having faith with all this mentioned, that i will pass my english class at a college. Thank you for posting.

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How to Write an Informative Essay

Last Updated: February 14, 2023 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Megan Morgan, PhD . Megan Morgan is a Graduate Program Academic Advisor in the School of Public & International Affairs at the University of Georgia. She earned her PhD in English from the University of Georgia in 2015. 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 244,762 times.

An informative essay educates the reader about a topic. You'll need to know a good deal about your subject and convey information in a clear, organized fashion. If it seems overwhelming at first, remember to take it step by step. Working methodically can help you write a successful paper, and you may even enjoy the process!

Selecting and Researching Your Topic

• Be sure you know how your teacher wants you to cite your sources so you can keep track of what you research. Some schools provide reference software like EndNote or RefWorks, which can make collecting and keeping track of research sources easier.
• Be aware of any formatting requirements. The essay prompt will often tell you things such as whether the essay needs to be handwritten or typed, and what font type and size to use. If it doesn't stipulate, the safe choice is a standard, readable 12-pt font such as Times New Roman or Arial. Avoid using "cute" or "quirky" fonts in an academic paper unless given specific permission to do so.
• Know the due date! Get started early so that you have plenty of time to complete the essay.

• The topic should not be too broad or too narrow. See Write an Essay for more information. There should be enough information about the topic to write about, but not so much that you can't present clear, concise information. For example, writing on "the history of animal shelters" is probably much too broad, while "the history of Sunny Days Animal Shelter in X County" is probably too narrow. A happy medium might be "the history of breed-specific animal shelters in America."
• The topic should be appropriate and interesting to your audience. Think in advance about who might be reading your essay. Obviously, if this is for school, your teacher is your primary audience, but you should always have a target audience in mind. What will they want to know? What do they probably not know already that your essay will provide?
• Ideally, the topic should be one that interests you. This will make the writing process that much easier, and you can pass your enthusiasm on to your reader.

• For best results, try to find online sources from reputable organizations, government agencies, and universities. Google Scholar can be a good place to start.

• For your informative essay, you will need an introduction, at least three main points, and a conclusion. You may want to make these sections and write notes down under the section where you expect it to go.

• Make an ideas map. Put your topic in a circle at the center of a piece of paper, then write down the most important pieces of information or ideas related to it in circles surrounding the topic. Make lines connecting each idea to the topic. Next, add details around each idea, circling them and making lines to show connections. There may be lines connecting ideas to each other, as well, or between supporting details.
• Make a list. If you prefer the linear format of a list, write down your topic at the top and then below it any ideas you have. Under the ideas, add extra details that support them. Don't worry about putting them in specific order - that comes next.
• Free write. Free writing can help you generate ideas, even if it usually doesn't provide polished prose you'll use in your final draft. Set a short time limit, such as 15 minutes, and then write whatever comes to mind about your topic. Don't stop to edit or change spelling, and keep writing even if you aren't sure you have anything to say. The important thing is to write for all 15 minutes.

Making an Outline

• Don't worry about getting your thesis just right at this point - that comes later. If you don't feel ready to write the thesis out, jot down some notes in the introductory part of your outline. At the very least, you need some idea of what you want to say in your essay.
• While it may seem odd to summarize your essay before you've begun, writing your thesis at the beginning of your outline will help you organize your ideas and select the most important details that you want to present.

• The number of details you use depends on the paper length: if you're writing a five-paragraph essay, then you have three paragraphs for the body, so you'll need three main ideas.
• Make sure you choose the most important details, and that they are all distinct from one another.
• Details used to support your thesis are also called "evidence."

• Make sure you have enough supporting details for each paragraph. If you don't have enough to say about the paragraph's main topic, consider changing the topic or combining it with another paragraph. Alternatively, you can research a bit more to find additional supporting details for the paragraph.

Writing Your Essay

• Do not worry about spelling errors or mistakes. Remember that this is just a rough draft, not your final copy. Just focus on writing it down, and later you can fix mistakes.
• Write your rough draft by hand or type it - whichever is easier for you.

• For example, a topic/transition sentence might look like this: "While some factories allow union labor, others, such as those in X, argue that unionizing harms the workplace." This sentence gives a clear direction for the paragraph (some factories argue against unionizing) and links it to the paragraph before it (which was probably about pro-union factories).
• Remember: each paragraph needs unity (a single central idea), clear relation to the thesis , coherence (logical relationship of ideas within the paragraph), and development (ideas are clearly explained and supported). [11] 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

• Make sure you're clear about what the idea of each paragraph is. To keep yourself on track, refer to your outline as you write.

• Have you told the reader everything you need to about your topic?
• Do you have a clear thesis statement, expressed in two to three sentences?
• Do all your paragraphs relate to the thesis?
• Does each paragraph have one main idea, supported by accurate, objective details?
• Does your conclusion summarize your thoughts on the topic without adding new information or opinions?
• How does the paper flow? Are there clear, logical transitions between paragraphs?
• Have you used clear, concise prose and avoided flowery language?
• Did the reader learn something new from the essay? Is it presented in an interesting way?
• Have you cited sources as instructed by your teacher?

• As you write your final draft, keep track of coherence in particular. Rough drafts often have all of their ideas jumbled up without a clear, logical progression. A key difference between a rough draft and a final draft is that the final draft should offer its information in a smooth, clear, easy-to-read fashion that builds on previous points as it goes along. Keeping an eye out to make sure you've followed the C-E-E- formula will help you.

• Also keep an eye out for word echoes, or words that show up many times within the space of a few sentences or paragraphs. If you use the word discusses multiple times in the same paragraph, it will make your writing seem clunky and unpolished.

• Sometimes our eyes "fix" mistakes for us as we read, so it's hard to catch mistakes reading silently. Reading aloud helps you find mistakes your eye might not.

Community Q&A

You Might Also Like

• ↑ http://writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/understanding-assignments/
• ↑ https://library.carleton.ca/guides/help/choosing-essay-topic
• ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/subject_specific_writing/writing_in_literature/writing_in_literature_detailed_discussion/conducting_research.html
• ↑ https://advice.writing.utoronto.ca/researching/notes-from-research/
• ↑ https://libguides.rio.edu/c.php?g=620382&p=4320145
• ↑ http://writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/brainstorming/
• ↑ https://examples.yourdictionary.com/20-compelling-hook-examples-for-essays.html
• ↑ https://examples.yourdictionary.com/examples-of-informative-essays.html
• ↑ https://wts.indiana.edu/writing-guides/paragraphs-and-topic-sentences.html
• ↑ http://writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/paragraphs/
• ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/revising-drafts/
• ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/editing-and-proofreading/

About This Article

To write an informative essay, start with an introduction that presents a thesis statement articulating your argument in 2-3 concise sentences. For the body of the essay, focus on one main idea per paragraph and start each paragraph with a topic sentence that establishes that main idea. Then, follow the topic sentence with cited evidence and explanatory detail. Finish up with a conclusion that summarizes your main points and restates your thesis. Don't forget to proofread carefully before turning in your essay! For helpful tips on researching and using good sources, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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How to Brainstorm a College Essay

June 10, 2024

Brainstorming often gets a bad rap. Many people either find it completely useless or outright hate it. Quick, try it—what do you think of when you hear “brainstorm”? A group of students sitting awkwardly around a whiteboard, waiting for someone else to share their idea first? Staring at a blank page with ever-increasing bewilderment slash terror? Producing a list of ideas, only to think every single one of them is a dumpster fire? Now, it’s time to write your college essay, and word on the street is that you should brainstorm first—but what does that even mean, and do you have to do it? If you’ve ever wondered how college essay brainstorming works or how to brainstorm college essay ideas, we’ll be getting into all that and more in today’s blog.

What is brainstorming?

In general, brainstorming is the process of producing ideas, whether individually or in a group. Although it can be employed in a number of different contexts, from board rooms to PTA meetings, we’re going to focus on its relevance to the college essay writing process in particular.

Why should I brainstorm college essay ideas?

The goal of brainstorming is not to simply transcribe the ideas you already have but to unlock ideas that you didn’t even know you had.

For example, it’s very likely that your brainstorm will reveal forgotten memories or events. It almost always generates surprising connections. And at the very least, it will help you understand why you want to write about a particular topic, which is an essential piece of information to keep in mind as you move forward.

Brainstorming college essay ideas is also a way to overcome a fear of the blank page, which is a legitimate form of writer’s block. Usually, writers either feel like they have no ideas or so many ideas that committing to just one is causing anxiety. Either way, it’s debilitating. Don’t worry, though—a good brainstorming process will either produce at least a few viable ideas or help you pare down your list.

Finally, brainstorming and writing are creative processes, which means we can better understand what goes on in our brains—and develop new ways to spark creativity during both acts—by delving into literature on the subject. For starters, according to many researchers , creativity is often characterized by an interplay between divergent and convergent thinking, or the process of producing as many ideas as possible in a spontaneous, unfiltered way and then narrowing those ideas down in a logical, evaluative way. Fortunately, both types of thinking can be harnessed during the brainstorming process to help you choose your best possible topic.

Do you always have to brainstorm?

Nope! Some students do enter the college essay process with a very clear sense of what they want to write about. This tends to happen when 1) you have an all-consuming passion or 2) you have undergone a significant challenge or life event. In either case, you just can’t imagine writing about anything else but your topic.

For example, when I wrote my college personal statement, I knew right away that I wanted to write about writing. I spent most of my free time seriously crafting and revising fiction, and it was a part of my life that felt indistinguishable from me as a person. To know me, I felt that admissions readers had to know that I loved to write, what my writing meant to me, and how I wanted it to influence my future. Although I spent many hours refining how the essay would begin and unfold, the topic itself felt non-negotiable.

So if you already know your Common App topic, that’s incredible. Check that item off your to-do list!

That said, students who enter the essay process knowing what they want to write about are few and far between. For this reason, we ask all our students to at least humor us with the brainstorming process, even if only to gather potential ideas for future supplemental essays. Moreover, many students are stuck between 2 to 3 potential topics, and engaging in brainstorming exercises tends to clarify the way forward.

How do I brainstorm college essay ideas?

Have a piece of paper or word processing document ready, and let’s begin!

College Essay Brainstorming Step #1: Set the mood.

Before you try to brainstorm college essay ideas, set yourself up for success by evaluating where and how you work best. Do you like being in a quiet space, listening to instrumental music, or being outside? Do you enjoy physically writing your ideas down on a piece of paper, using a digital mind mapping tool, or speaking your ideas into a voice recorder? Maybe you need to be at your desk in your room with some instrumental pop in your headphones and a snack at the ready, or sitting outside at your favorite café with a coffee. Whatever your ideal set-up is, get it ready!

If you need to center yourself before you sit down, try going for a quick walk, doing a meditation, or listening to some music that makes you feel positive or motivated. Feel free to pause and do this again at any point during your brainstorming process if you begin to feel too unfocused.

College Essay Brainstorming Step #2: Iterate.

To kickstart the creative process, you’ll want to activate your DMN, or default mode network, via divergent thinking. Divergent thinking is the process of amassing as many ideas as possible in a spontaneous, non-judgmental way. There is a great deal of freedom at this stage so it’s important not to censor yourself, even if some of your ideas seem far-fetched or unlikely. Why? That far-fetched or unlikely idea will spark even more ideas, some of which may be surprisingly perfect. Bottom line: write down anything (yes, anything!) that comes to mind.

So how do you do this? In our opinion, brainstorming works best when it’s semi-structured. Instead of sitting down in front of a blank Google Doc and waiting for inspiration (spoiler alert: you’ll be there for a while), use targeted brainstorming questions and lists to help, like Nancie Atwell’s Writing Territories or Georgia Heard’s heart maps . Set a timer for each exercise if you’d like–10-15 minutes is usually sufficient, but feel free to go beyond that.

College Essay Brainstorming (Continued)

Still not sure where to start? Try out the following list of questions, inspired by the Common App prompts . Bullet point as many ideas/experiences as possible underneath each, even if they feel silly or “out there.” We also hereby give you permission to doodle, draw, use different colors, go crazy with Post-It notes, or whatever you feel like you need to do to get this first step done.

• When you think of your background (racial, cultural, socioeconomic, family, etc), what comes to mind? What about your background is most important to you?
• When you think of your identity (religious, family, language, sexual, gender, etc.), what comes to mind? What about your identity is most important to you?
• If you had one hobby or interest that you could pursue forever, what would it be?
• Do you have any special talents (artistic, athletic, etc) that you’ve poured a great deal of time and energy into? What are they?
• Have you ever experienced a challenge, setback, or failure? What was it?
• Have you ever questioned or challenged a belief? An idea? Which ones?
• When have you felt deeply happy or thankful? Why?
• What have you accomplished that you are most proud of?
• Have you ever had a realization that made you see the world differently? What was it?
• What topics keep you up at night? What sends you down a Google or Wikipedia rabbit hole? What could you research, write, read, or talk about for hours? Make a list.

Although you might naturally gravitate towards certain types of brainstorming exercises, try to keep an open mind. Sometimes, the strangest brainstorming activities produce the best ideas. In addition, aim to complete more than one exercise—we typically have our students do 2 to 3 exercises in various modalities, such as sketching, drawing, and listing.

College Essay Brainstorming Step #3: Evaluate.

When we underwent Step #2, we eschewed evaluative thinking and tried to let our brains be as “unfiltered” as possible. Now, we want to turn that evaluative thinking back on and start to filter what ideas or topics would be the best possible options for this particular essay. This part of the process stimulates the CCN, or cognitive control network, and is also known as convergent thinking. Before you do this, remind yourself of the point of the Common App essay: t o add dimension to the rest of your application . This will help you evaluate your ideas according to your essay’s purpose.

For example, let’s say you completed Nancie Atwell’s Writing Territories. Under “Pets” you listed “Mr. Sparkles Jr.”, AKA the guppy that made the journey to Fish Heaven when you were seven. This might be a great topic for an essay about a childhood memory, but likely wouldn’t be a good Common App topic. (Unless Mr. Sparkles inspired your love of ichthyology and you now give presentations at your local elementary school about caring for pet fish, in which case, we stand corrected.)

Two ways to engage in evaluative thinking:

• Go back through your exercises and code each of your responses. Circle the responses that you’re most interested in or drawn to. Cross out the responses you don’t want to write about or feel uninterested in. Underline the responses that you’re not sure about.
• Read through your exercises. Highlight your top five ideas. Then, circle your top three.</li></li>

College Essay Brainstorming Step #4: Test your ideas.

When you’ve narrowed your brainstorm down to a few ideas, a great way to decide between them is to do a quick test run. You can do this quickly and easily by freewriting. When freewriting, you write down everything you can think of about this topic—anecdotes, sensory details, connections, people, etc.—for at least 10 minutes without stopping or censoring yourself. You can write in paragraph form or use bullet points. For example, a freewrite about Mr. Sparkles, Jr. might look like this:

Mr. Sparkles Jr was a gift from my godmother. I added him to my tank happily and he soon became my favorite fish because he was different from all the other fish. He was black-and-white striped and I used to sit for hours watching him swim around the tank. I remember coming home from school and my mother told me that he had died, and my dad had already flushed him down the toilet.  Devastated, I cried for hours and my godmother even brought me a backpack with fish printed on it, with one that looked like Mr. Sparkles so that I could remember him. I think I still have that backpack somewhere.

Anyway, it was also the first time that I had thought about death. I wondered if Mr. Sparkles had felt anything when he died, or if the other fish in the tank were sad, or whether there was anything I could have done to help him stay alive longer?

After you finish a freewrite for each topic, see which topic satisfies all three of the below conditions:

• The topic feels interesting and/or exciting to you and gives you room to explore.
• The topic shows the reader something positive about you: a trait, a value, a way of thinking, etc.
• The topic is recent, or you are able to draw recent connections (i.e., the essay does not start in first grade and end in third grade, with no connection to present day).

You can do this a few times—there are no rules!

Keep going until you narrow down to one topic or discover that you can combine more than one topic because they have a hidden connection (this is always exciting).

Okay, seriously…what topic should I pick, though?!

If you’re stuck between a few possible topics, you might be wondering “What does it matter what I want to write about? What topic is the strongest one for my college application?!”

Okay, hear us out—the topic that you are most excited to write about, that presents you in a positive light, and that is recent—IS the strongest one for your college application! Not only will the resultant essay be authentic to you and demonstrative of you (which is the whole point) but research suggests that revision is most effective when you are invested in your topic . So if Person in Your Life thinks it would be the best move for you to write about your extensive hand-sewn collection of mini animals and how it showcases your creativity, but you’re like “eh…” listen to that gut feeling! You like your mini animals, sure. But maybe what you really want to write about is how you overcame the fear of learning to scuba dive .

Neither topic is inherently better or worse than the other, and neither will necessarily strengthen your application more than the other. The topic that will strengthen your application is the one that you are excited to write about and feel committed to working on over an extended period of time.

Final step…write!

You can start by creating an outline or writing a 1-2 page (double-spaced) topic exploration draft. This can also be called a zero draft or a brain dump. Call it whatever you want to make it less intimidating.

Final Thoughts — College Essay Brainstorming

Brainstorming college essay ideas doesn’t have to be overly stressful or intimidating. If you do it right, it can actually be (dare we say) low-stress and enlightening.

Want to work with one of College Transitions’ highly skilled essay coaches? Click here to see available packages or schedule a free consultation.

Need more resources? You might consider checking out the following:

• Common App Essay Prompts
• 10 Instructive Common App Essay Examples
• College Application Essay Topics to Avoid
• UC Essay Examples
• 150 Journal Prompts
• How to Start a College Essay
• How to End a College Essay
• “Why This College?” Essay Examples
• Best College Essay Help
• College Essay

Kelsea Conlin

Kelsea holds a BA in English with a concentration in Creative Writing from Tufts University, a graduate certificate in College Counseling from UCLA, and an MA in Teaching Writing from Johns Hopkins University. Her short fiction is forthcoming in Chautauqua .

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Mind Maps for Essay Writing (Guide + Examples)

In this article we’ll show you how to use mind maps for essay writing . Mind maps can not only make this often dreadful task a whole lot easier, but also save you a huge amount of time. If you want to learn how this simple yet effective technique works, just follow the steps as outlined below.

Looking for even more ways to use mind maps? Get inspired with these 13 mind map examples .

What Is a Mind Map?

A mind map is a diagram that displays information visually. You can create mind maps using pen and paper, or you can use an online mind mapping tool such as MindMeister . Whatever you use, the rules for creating a mind map are simple:

1) Write the subject in the center of your paper / canvas.

2) Draw branches that point away from the center. Each branch symbolizes one thought or idea related to the subject. Use meaningful keywords to write these ideas onto the branches.

3) From each branch more ideas can branch off . There is no limit to the number of hierarchical levels in a map.

4) Use colors, icons and images whenever possible. These function as mental triggers and can help spark new ideas in you, which is important during brainstorming sessions .

Now that you know how to create a basic mind map, let’s go over how you can use mind maps for essay writing.

Step 1: Using a Mind Map to Find a Good Topic for Your Essay

If you have the opportunity to choose the topic for your paper yourself, try to find one that’s been covered by other researchers before but still gives you a chance to come up with new findings and conclusions . If you choose a topic that has already been explored in depth by a gazillion other researchers, you might be hard-pressed to develop a unique perspective.

Ideally, the topic should be something you are also personally interested in, or at least something you can relate to in some way. This will make the whole task of writing your essay a little less dreadful. The best way to find such a topic is a  brainstorming session .

How to brainstorm topic ideas in a mind map

Create a new mind map and simply write “My Essay” or “My Paper” in the center of the map. Now, start adding ideas around the center. These can be things your professor suggested, related subjects you discussed in class, or anything else relevant to get you started.

Next, note down your own areas of interest and see where they intersect with the former. Once you have a few good ideas for the subject of your paper, you can start weighing them against each other, noting down pros and cons . Eliminate topics until you’re left with only one. This will be the topic of your paper.

In the example below, the only requirement that had been given was to write a paper about literature from the English Renaissance. You’ll see various famous writers of this time mentioned in the map, as well as various aspects of their work that could be examined in a paper, such as the symbolism, dramatic conflicts or themes.

Step 2: Start the Research Process

While working through both primary and secondary sources, it’s quite easy to get confused about the numerous arguments and counterarguments mentioned by the different authors. Many students get frustrated and waste time just trying to figure out how to make all the different pieces of information fit together into a coherent text.

What you need, therefore, is a system to collect and structure all this information  in one central place, so you can easily review the materials while you write.

How to collect research in a mind map

Create a new mind map for each source (book, article, essay) you read and take notes in this mind map while you work through the text . Alternatively, you can use  one single map where you list all your sources and create branches for every page/paragraph/quote you want to use in your paper.

In the map below, you’ll see that — based on our initial brainstorming session — we chose ‘Love in Romeo and Juliet’ as the topic of our paper. For our research map, we wrote this topic in the center and created individual branches for each secondary source we read.

Next to the book title, we noted down the topics covered in the source, its central question as well as important passages that we thought we might want to quote in our essay.

Here are some practical tips to set you up for success:

• Use colors , arrows and icons to indicate connections between the arguments and quotes.
• Be sure to add the page numbers of your secondary sources to the topics in the map so you can quickly go back to do some more fact checking if necessary. If you’re working with online sources, you can also attach their links directly to the topics in your map.
• As you go along, you can restructure the sources according to their common themes. This usually provides a better overview of the material you have available for each section of your paper.

Here’s another example of a research map. This is the map we used to take notes while reading Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet , the subject of our paper. As you can see, we created branches for each of the text passages we wanted to analyze in the essay.

Step 3: Outline Your Paper in a Mind Map

Before you start with the actual writing , it’s very important that you first  create an outline of your paper . This will help you create a coherent structure of your arguments, counterarguments, examples, quotes, and the sources you want to reference in each argument.

You can quickly review this outline whenever you get sidetracked in your writing process, or when you’re unsure about how to continue. A mind map is a great format for such an outline because it provides you with a visual overview of your thesis statement  and the entire text structure .

If you’re using mind mapping software such as MindMeister , you can also…

• Link the individual topics in your map with the respective research maps you’ve created.
• Add notes and deadlines to each step to make sure your writing stays on schedule.
• Export your finished outline as a Word document and use it as the basis for your paper.

Using mind maps to plan and outline your essay will not only make the writing process a lot easier. It will also enable you to work through sources more efficiently and help you find and review information more quickly . Of course, you can use mind mapping for all types of writing assignments — from essays to short stories and from book reports to blog posts . Try it out!

Plan and outline your essays

See also: The Student’s Guide to Mind Mapping

Informative Essay

What is an Informative Essay and How to Write One?

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Published on: Aug 11, 2021

Last updated on: Jan 31, 2024

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Have you been assigned an informative essay but don’t know where to start? This guide has got you covered! 

An informative essay is a common assignment for school or college students. The goal is to provide detailed information to the readers about the specific topic. 

Read on to find simple step-by-step instructions for writing an interesting and engaging informative essay. You’ll also get to read helpful examples and tips you can follow to make your essay even better! 

Let’s dive in!

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Informative Essay Definition 

The informative essay can be simply defined as,

"A form of essay writing that aims to educate and inform the reader about a specific topic."

Informative essays can cover a variety of topics. It could be written about a particular thing, event, or natural phenomenon, etc. 

This type of essay highlights the objective facts and evidence without reflecting the writer's subjective point-of-view about the topic. 

What is the Purpose of an Informative Essay?

An informative essay presents objective and verifiable information about a topic. It relies on factual evidence and reliable sources. 

The main goal of writing an informative essay is to;

• Inform the reader about something.
• Explain a particular subject.
• Transmit verified knowledge clearly and concisely.

Types of Informative Essay

There are several types of informative essays, and each type has its own purpose and style. Here are some of the informative essay types that you need to know.

• Descriptive Essay 

A descriptive essay is an essay that describes something about an event, person, place, or idea in detail. The descriptive essay aims to provide enough information to the readers to visualize or imagine the matter described.

Want to know more about descriptive essays? Check out this descriptive essay writing blog to learn more.

• Cause and Effect Essay 

The cause and effect essay describes the cause of an event or idea and then explains its effects on today’s world and people. Also, this type of essay is a common form of organization in academic writing.    

However, the cause-and-effect essay requires strong research skills. Without them, your essay will not become a successful piece of writing. 

• Compare and Contrast Essay 

In a compare and contrast essay, the writer discusses the similarities and differences between two or more things. This type of essay also requires strong critical thinking skills. 

Therefore, when you start writing the compare and contrast essay , you should identify and analyze the subject from all angles and characteristics.

• Process Essay 

The process essay is also known as the "How-To" essay. This essay provides information about how a process occurs or about the process of doing something.

• Problem-Solution Essay 

A problem-solution essay is another common type of informative essay in which you describe a problem and then propose its solution. Its main purpose is to educate the readers on the problem and its significance.  

Looking for more information? Visit our problem-solution essay guide and learn to write perfect problem solution essays.

• Expository Essay 

The expository essay explains, illustrates, or interprets something in a way that becomes easy for the readers. This essay provides a fair analysis of the subject based on facts without the writer’s opinions.  

Here is a simple video that explains informative writing:

How to Start an Informative Essay?   

Before you can start writing, you have to do some "rewriting." Here are the steps involved in prewriting: 

• Brainstorm Ideas 

Brainstorming is the first step in writing any type of essay. Here, you brainstorm several topic ideas and generate a list of potential topics. 

So think about all the possible ideas that are related to your interest and subject. This will help you choose an interesting topic for your essay.  

• Choose a Topic 

Choosing the right topic is essential for writing a great essay. A good topic will not only make your writing process easy but also make the research phase interesting. 

So choose a topic you can easily write about and support it with facts, evidence, and statistics. In short, the topic should be interesting and easy to research.

• Know Your Target Audience 

Your audience determines the style and tone of your essay. Consider who will be reading your essay and what their background, knowledge, and interests might be.

For instance, if you are writing for school children, your language should be simple, easy, and interesting. Meanwhile, writing for a professional audience requires you to use technical terminology and jargon. 

So always think about who you are writing for and determine your audience before proceeding.

• Do the Research 

You have to do some research to gather information for your essay. Make sure the information that you collect is reliable and accurate. 

Use a variety of sources for research, including research articles, books, documentaries, etc. You should also take detailed and organized notes to keep track of the information you find, so you can use it later.

• Create an Outline 

An essay outline helps the writer keep their focus strong and narrow. With the help of an outline, you will easily organize your thoughts and ideas. 

So create an outline of your essay to lay out a structure. 

Don't know how to make an informative essay outline? Don’t worry, read on to find out.

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Informative Essay Outline 

Crafting a well-structured essay involves planning what points to include and how it all ties together. Creating an outline is the best way to ensure that your work is well-structured. 

An informative essay outline is outlined in the following way:

Let’s discuss these outline parts in detail.

Introduction 

• Start with a captivating hook that grabs the reader's attention. It could be an intriguing fact, a relevant quote, or a thought-provoking question.
• State your thesis statement . It is the last part of the introduction that clearly presents the main idea or argument of your essay. It should reflect the informative nature of your essay and guide the reader on what to expect.
• Divide the body of your essay into several paragraphs. Each paragraph should focus on one specific aspect or subtopic related to your main thesis.
• Start each paragraph with a topic sentence that introduces the main point of that paragraph.
• Analyze and discuss your supporting evidence. They could be examples, facts, or statistics that provide informative content.

Conclusion 

• Summarize the main points covered in your essay.
• End with a thought-provoking statement, a call to action, or a suggestion for further exploration of the topic.

Here is an example outline template that you can use to write your informative essay outline

Informative Essay Outline Template

Creating an outline is necessary for writing any type of essay. Check out our 10+ essay outline templates and make excellent outlines with ease!

How to Write an Informative Essay?  

Once you have done the prewriting, you have got everything you need to start. Following the steps below will help you write a great informative essay.  

How to Write an Informative Essay Introduction? 

The introduction of an essay sets the tone of the essay and provides an overview of the topic. Here are some key elements you need to include when writing an informative essay introduction:

• Attention-Grabber / Hook:

The hook is the first line of the essay that aims to pique the readers’ interest. This can be: 

• An interesting fact,
• A thought-provoking question,
• Or a compelling anecdote related to your topic, etc.

The hook should be related to your topic and should be engaging enough to grab the reader's attention.

Struggling to come up with a good hook? These 200+ hook examples will help you craft an excellent hook!

• Background Information:

After grabbing the reader’s attention, you have to them to your topic. Discuss some background details on the topic to provide context. 

Also, discuss the relevance or importance of the subject matter. This helps the reader understand the significance of the information you're about to present. Moreover, use clear and concise language to provide essential and interesting details to make the reader want to continue reading. 

• Thesis Statement:

The thesis statement presents the main topic or idea of the essay in a concise and clear way. It provides an overview of what will be covered.

The thesis statement is the last part of the introduction. It should be specific, focused, and encompass the main ideas you'll be discussing in the body of the essay.

How to Write an Informative Essay Body Paragraphs? 

The body paragraphs are the major chunk of your essay. They provide all the information about your chosen topic. There should be at least three body paragraphs in your essay, although there can be more depending on your topic. 

Here are the key elements of the informative essay body paragraphs:

• Topic Sentence

Begin each body paragraph with a clear topic sentence that introduces the main point you will be discussing in that paragraph. It is the first sentence of the paragraph and should be clearly related to the thesis.

• Provide Information and Evidence

In an informative essay, information and evidence should be presented clearly and logically. So present the facts, examples, statistics, or quotations that inform the reader about the topic. This information should come from reliable and credible sources.

• Discuss and Elaborate

After presenting the evidence, explain and discuss them to ensure a thorough understanding of the information. Clarify any complex terms, concepts, or ideas that may require explanation for understanding the topic effectively.

• Use Transitional Phrases:

Use transitional phrases or sentences to connect paragraphs and ideas. This helps maintain a cohesive flow of information throughout the essay. 

For instance, transitional words such as "moreover," "furthermore," "on the other hand," or "in addition to" can be used to link ideas logically.

Having a difficult time with smooth transitions? Here’s a list of transition words for essays to help you out!

How to Write an Informative Essay Conclusion?

In an essay conclusion , you wrap up the essay and provide a sense of closure. Writing the informative essay conclusion includes the following steps:

• Summarize the Main Points:

Revisit the main points covered in your essay's body paragraphs and provide a concise summary of the information presented. Do not introduce any new information or arguments in the conclusion.

• Restate your Thesis Statement

Begin your conclusion by restating your thesis statement in a slightly different way. This helps remind the reader of the main objective of your essay. 

• Provide a Thought-Provoking Statement:

End your conclusion with a thought-provoking statement, reflection, or question that leaves a strong impression on the reader. This can help inspire them to continue exploring the topic beyond your essay. 

Edit and Proofread the Essay

Once you are done with your first draft, take some time to proofread and revise you essay. Check for grammar and spelling, format, logical coherence, and clarity. Remove any repetitive statements or unnecessary details. 

Revising your essay will make it even better and more interesting to read.

Informative Essay Examples

Reading some good examples will make writing an informative essay easier for you. Here are a few short informative essay examples that demonstrate how it looks like. Be sure to read them out.

Informative Essay about Stress

Informative Essay on Diabetes

Informative Essay on Netflix

Informative Essay on Tree in Winter

Informative Essay Topics

A good essay topic is a key to a successful essay. Here are a few ideas that will get you inspired:

• The Benefits of Regular Exercise
• The Importance of Recycling
• The Process of Photosynthesis
• What was the Big Bang?
• The History of the Internet
• How did the Dinosaurs go extinct?
• The Benefits of Meditation
• The Impact of Climate Change on Ecosystems
• The Role of Technology in Education

Stuck on choosing your topic? Don’t worry! Check out our list 200 informative essay topics to get inspiration!

To Sum Up, 

This guide introduced everything you needed to start writing an informative essay. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can confidently embark on your informative writing journey.

Are you in a race against the deadline and need professional help? We’ve got you covered!

We are a legit essay writing service with professional essay writers. Our team of experts writes high-quality, original, and customized essays tailored to your unique requirements.               

Our essay writing service has worked on informative essays and academic papers on various topics, with a high rate of customer satisfaction! 

You can also maximize the benefits of our AI writing tool to polish and refine your writing skills.

Frequently Asked Questions

What should be included in an informative essay.

Here are some points that should be included in an informative essay. 

• Thesis statement 
• Strong evidence 
• Examples 

What is the main topic of an informative essay?

The main topic of an informative essay is to educate the readers on a specific topic.

Nova A. (Literature, Marketing)

As a Digital Content Strategist, Nova Allison has eight years of experience in writing both technical and scientific content. With a focus on developing online content plans that engage audiences, Nova strives to write pieces that are not only informative but captivating as well.

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Home / News / Academic Writing Tip: 8 Brainstorming Techniques

Academic Writing Tip: 8 Brainstorming Techniques

So, you’ve read and re-read the academic writing assignment that you received from your professor, and now you’re staring at a blank page.

Does your mind feel as blank as the page? Are you Frozen by fear? Rubbing your eyes with exhaustion?

Whether you’re writing an essay for a community college in Boston, Massachusetts or a university in New England, USA, you need to start somewhere. Brainstorming means you use your imagination and prior knowledge to collect thoughts. After gathering a great quantity of ideas, you select the highest quality ideas.

Filling that empty white document can feel like leaping into unknown icy water. Brainstorming is the way to warm up for a deep dive into the EAP topic.

Brainstorming begins with simple questions. What do you know about the topic? What do you want to learn about the topic?

As you brainstorm, you journey farther down the academic writing quest. How do you narrow down a topic into a thesis? How do you gather the examples and evidence necessary for an academic essay?

Here are EAP brainstorming strategies to jumpstart the engine of your creativity.

Brainstorming tip #1: Freewriting

Do you have no ideas? Or the opposite problem—too many ideas?

Freewriting means what it sounds like—you’re free to write whatever comes to mind. The point is not to make it perfect—not even necessarily to make it good—but just to put thoughts on paper—no rules, no revising. You can even write about how you don’t know what to write about.

The only limit you should set for yourself is that you write for a specific period of time—let’s say 30 minutes—or for a specific number of pages—let’s say 2 pages. Non-stop activity gets the juices flowing, and a concrete goal gives you satisfaction. Here’s an example of freewriting:

This essay is supposed to be about the Boston Tea Party but I don’t know anything about US history except that the American Revolution happened a long time ago (when???) somewhere in Massachusetts or maybe I’m wrong. I can’t think of anything else to say and now the clock says two minutes, I’ll keep babbling anyway. Boston, MA, politics, tea. My grandmother used to make tea when I stopped by after my English courses. But that’s not useful for this essay. Or maybe there’s a connection. Hmmm… I remember the professor talked about the taxes in the New English states (colonies?) and my grandmother used to complain about paying high taxes at the market and…

Freewriting stimulates your brain the same way physical exercise wakes up your mind.

Brainstorming tip #2: Making a Cube

Draw a cube in your notebook. Each of the six sides has a task:

Side 1: Describe the topic.

Side 2: Compare the topic.

Side 3: Connect the topic.

Side 4: Classify the topic.

Side 5: Argue for or against the topic.

Side 6: Personalize the topic.

Instead of those 6 tasks, you could replace those verbs with other academic tasks: apply, analyze, question, connect, define, classify, associate, or explain cause and effect—whichever inspire ideas.

Imagine your topic is attending university in the U.S. Next to each point on the cube, you would write words and phrases inspired by the verb at hand:

Side 1: Describe: Exciting, difficult, expensive, growing opportunities, expensive, valuable.

Side 2: Compare: Different from my country. USA = more essay writing, dorms with roommates, critical thinking, fewer standardized exams and lectures, smaller classes.

Side 3: Connect: student visa policies, US immigration law, IELTS, TOEFL iBT, travel restrictions from covid-19, globalization means more English at work.

Side 4: Classify: community colleges (Holyoke, Greenfield), state universities (UMASS Boston), private ivy league (Harvard) graduate schools, MBA, BA, MFA programs.  

Side 5: Argue for : opens doors, better jobs, international workplace, investment in future, social networking, broadens horizons.

Side 6: Personalize: my cousin > engineering degree, MIT internship, campus resources help with culture shock (which worries me.) IELTS stresses me out!!!!  Way to avoid?

This brainy approach works if you like approaching topics from different angles.

Brainstorming tip #3: Clustering

When you cluster, you draw bubbles and connect words and concepts associated with the topic—anything that comes to mind.

This visual method works when you have a lot of random thoughts and you are trying to “see” connections.

Brainstorming tip #4: Bulleting

With this technique, you make bulleted lists with concepts, terms, and ideas. This can help you narrow down from the first list to a second list. The list on the left contains general bullet points, while the list on the right expands on a single bullet to delve deeper.

This method works great if you’re an orderly person who likes making lists.

Brainstorming tip #5: Venn Diagram

  The famous Venn diagram technique works well for brainstorming differences and similarities between two topics. You draw two intersecting circles and write the qualities they share in the middle where the circles intersect and the qualities that are unique in the left and right spaces. For example, let’s say you’re brainstorming differences and similarities between two cities in Massachusetts, Boston and Northampton.

This famous brainstorming method is used in the academic and business worlds because it so clearly shows differences and similarities.

To analyze relationships among three topics, you can make a Venn diagram with three circles. The 3-circle helps visualize and understand complex connections. You brainstorm three basic questions. Which qualities are unique to each? Which traits do any two topics have in common? Which similarities are shared by all three topics?

Brainstorming tip #6: Tree diagram

The tree diagram begins with a central idea that branches off into categories or supporting ideas.

Imagine you’re brainstorming different types of schools in US higher education.

Tree diagrams are perfect for brainstorming classification essays. You could also draw tree diagrams to brainstorm effects, starting with a cause at the top and branching off into increasingly specific downstream effects. Pretty cool, huh?

Brainstorming tip #7: Journalist Dice

Dice aren’t just toys for games and gambling–they can be a tool for writing. Rolling journalist dice is a stimulating way to flesh out narrative essays. Each side of the die corresponds to one of the 6 question words. To make the game fun, roll a die, and write down one answer the question every time you roll. Roll at least a dozen times to write down a variety of details and ideas.

In addition to building a narrative essay, this brainstorming technique can help you develop a compelling story for your college application essay. For the tired and uninspired writer, the game element of rolling dice makes the writing process more engaging and enjoyable. 

Brainstorming tip #8: T diagram

This method works well if you like thinking in terms of opposites.  Can you say “On the one hand” and “On the other hand”? 

What’s next in the writing process?

After your fast and furious brainstorm, the next step is to create an outline. When you outline, you pick your best and brightest ideas. Then you begin organizing them into a coherent, linear argument. You select and sort supporting points, evidence, examples, and elaboration. To learn more about outlining, click here for the next article in our academic writing series. 

The best way to improve your writing is to join an academic or business English course . With guidance from an expert instructor and feedback from a community of peers, you can master the art of academic writing.

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Step by Step: Learning How to Write an Informative Essay

Writing an informative essay is a great way to share knowledge on a specific topic, providing readers with new, interesting, and factual information. The purpose of an informative essay is to present a subject objectively, without injecting personal opinions or biases. Informative essays can take many forms, such as explaining a system, analyzing data, summarizing an event, comparing subjects, or guiding the reader through a process.

To craft a compelling informative essay, it's essential to understand its structure, which typically includes an introduction with a clear thesis statement, body paragraphs that present facts and details, and a conclusion that summarizes the main points. The introduction should provide background information on the topic, capture the reader's attention, and clearly state the thesis.

Choosing Your Topic

Selecting the perfect topic for your informative essay is crucial to crafting a compelling and engaging piece. Consider your interests, reactions, and feelings towards potential topics, as this will make the writing process more enjoyable and the final product more authentic.

Narrowing Down Your Topic

• Start with a broad subject area that piques your curiosity or aligns with your assignment requirements.
• Brainstorm potential topics within that subject area, jotting down all ideas that come to mind.
• Research each idea to ensure there is sufficient information available to support your essay.
• Narrow your focus to a specific aspect or perspective of the topic, making it more manageable and unique.

Considering Your Audience and Purpose

By carefully selecting a topic that is both interesting to you and relevant to your audience, you'll lay the foundation for a successful informative essay. Remember to thoroughly research your chosen topic to gain a solid understanding of the key concepts and ideas associated with it.

Conducting Thorough Research

Once you've selected your informative essay topic, it's time to dive into research . Thorough research is the backbone of a well-written essay, providing the facts and details needed to support your main points.

Identifying Credible Sources

To ensure the information in your essay is accurate and reliable, focus on using credible sources Consider the following:

Organizing Your Research

• Take detailed notes as you read, making sure to record the source for each piece of information.
• Identify common themes or answers that emerge from your sources.
• Organize the information by subtopics, creating an outline or using other organizational tools.
• Review and revise your research, double-checking facts and ensuring the information is relevant.

Citing Your Sources

Properly citing your sources is crucial to avoid plagiarism and give credit where it's due. Keep these tips in mind:

• Record the necessary citation information for each source as you conduct your research.
• Use the appropriate citation style (MLA, APA, or Chicago) based on your essay's requirements.
• Include a citations page at the end of your essay, listing all the sources you consulted.

By conducting thorough research, organizing your findings, and properly citing your sources, you'll build a strong foundation for your informative essay.

Creating an Effective Outline

Creating a well-structured outline is essential for organizing your thoughts and ensuring that your informative essay flows logically. A clear outline will guide you through the writing process, making it easier to stay on track and cover all the necessary points.

Crafting Your Thesis Statement

Your thesis statement is the foundation of your essay, expressing the overall argument or purpose in a clear and concise manner. To create an effective thesis statement:

• Identify the main point you want to convey in your essay.
• Condense this main point into a single, concise sentence.
• Ensure that your thesis statement is specific and arguable, not just a statement of fact.

Developing Sub-Points

Once you have your main points established, it's time to develop sub-points that provide further detail and support. Consider the following steps:

Structuring Your Outline

A typical informative essay outline includes an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Here's how to structure each section:

• Introduction : Capture the reader's attention, provide background information, and state your thesis.
• Body Paragraphs : Outline your main points and provide evidence and examples to support them.
• Conclusion : Summarize your main points and restate your thesis in a new way.

By creating a well-organized outline, you'll ensure that your informative essay is structured, coherent, and effectively conveys your intended message to your readers.

Writing a Strong Introduction

The introduction of your informative essay is the first impression readers will have of your work, so it's crucial to make it engaging and informative [6]. A well-crafted introduction should include three key elements: a hook, background information, and a thesis statement.

Crafting an Attention-Grabbing Hook

Your hook is the opening sentence that captures the reader's interest and encourages them to continue reading. Consider using one of these techniques:

Providing Essential Background Information

After your hook, provide 2-3 sentences of background information that gives context to your topic. This helps the reader understand why your topic is important and how it relates to the broader subject matter.

Stating Your Thesis Clearly

Your thesis statement is the most critical component of your introduction. It should be a clear, concise sentence that summarizes the main ideas of your essay. A strong thesis statement:

• States the main point or argument of your essay.
• Is written in the third-person point of view.
• Frames the research question and uses the most common or interesting answers.

By crafting an engaging hook, providing essential background information, and stating your thesis clearly, you'll create a strong introduction that sets the stage for a compelling informative essay.

Developing Body Paragraphs

The body paragraphs of your informative essay are where you dive deep into your chosen topic, providing evidence, examples, and explanations to support your thesis statement. Each paragraph should focus on a single main point that directly relates to your thesis.

Crafting Effective Body Paragraphs

Follow these steps to create compelling body paragraphs:

• Write a clear topic sentence that introduces the main idea of the paragraph.
• Provide supporting details, such as quotes, examples, or facts, to back up your main point.
• Analyze the evidence, explaining how it supports your thesis and the significance of the information.
• Use transitions to connect your paragraphs and ideas, ensuring a smooth flow throughout your essay.

Varying Paragraph Types

Depending on your topic and purpose, you can use different types of body paragraphs to engage your readers and convey your message effectively:

Revising and Refining

As you write your body paragraphs, keep these tips in mind to ensure clarity and coherence:

• Vary sentence structure and length to enhance readability
• Use parallel structure when presenting similar ideas or information
• Revise and edit for conciseness, removing irrelevant ideas or changing your thesis to fit the evidence

By crafting well-structured body paragraphs that provide ample evidence and analysis to support your thesis, you'll create an informative essay that engages your readers and effectively conveys your message.

Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Writing an informative essay is a rewarding process that allows you to share knowledge and insights on a topic of interest. By following the step-by-step guide outlined in this article, you can craft a well-structured, engaging, and informative piece that captivates your readers. From choosing a topic and conducting thorough research to creating an effective outline and developing compelling body paragraphs, each stage of the writing process plays a crucial role in the success of your essay.

As you embark on your informative essay writing journey, remember to stay focused on your purpose, maintain a clear and objective tone, and provide ample evidence to support your main points. With dedication, practice, and attention to detail, you'll be well on your way to mastering the art of informative essay writing and effectively communicating your ideas to your target audience.

Revising and Proofreading

Once you've completed your informative essay draft, it's crucial to revise and proofread your work to ensure clarity, coherence, and grammatical accuracy. Editing and proofreading are two distinct processes that help refine your writing and eliminate errors.

The Editing Process

Editing involves a thorough examination of your essay, focusing on improving the overall quality and clarity of your writing. Follow these steps to effectively edit your work:

• Take a break from writing before editing to gain a fresh perspective on your essay.
• Read your essay out loud to identify unclear sentences or awkward phrasing.
• Review your essay for tone and word choice, ensuring they align with the assignment requirements.
• Vary your sentence structures and word choices to maintain reader engagement.
• Add transitions between ideas to guide readers through your essay smoothly

The Proofreading Process

Proofreading focuses on identifying and correcting surface-level errors, such as grammar, punctuation, and spelling mistakes. Use these techniques to proofread your informative essay effectively:

• Read your essay slowly and carefully, checking for punctuation, spelling, and grammar errors.
• Ensure consistency in verb tense throughout your essay.
• Check for subject-verb agreement and clear pronoun usage.
• Verify the accuracy and formatting of your citations.
• Consider reading your essay backwards, sentence by sentence, to catch any remaining errors.

By dedicating time to revising and proofreading your informative essay, you'll enhance its quality, clarity, and impact on your readers. Remember to approach the process with a critical eye and an openness to making necessary changes to improve your work.

1. What steps are involved in writing an informative essay?

To write an informative essay, begin by selecting a topic through brainstorming and narrowing down ideas. Choose a topic with readily available relevant information. Next, conduct thorough research and record the data you find. Organize the information into categories for clarity. Start writing by drafting a thesis statement, followed by the body paragraphs. Finally, write the introduction and conclusion.

2. What are the key components of an informative essay? An informative essay typically consists of five main parts:

• Introduction: Captures the reader's interest and introduces the essay topic.
• Background: Provides context to help the reader understand the points being made.
• Thesis Statement: Clearly states the main point or argument of the essay.
• Body Points: Includes evidence and discussion points that support the thesis statement.
• Conclusion: Summarises the essay and reinforces the main points.

3. How can teachers effectively instruct students on writing an informative essay?

To teach students how to write an informative essay, start by providing them with engaging and relevant texts on topics they care about. This approach ensures that students are invested in the subject matter. Encourage students to prewrite and discuss their ideas as part of the planning process, which is crucial for structuring their essays. Additionally, provide continuous feedback and opportunities for students to revise their work to enhance their writing skills.

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Informative Essay Guide

Informative Essay Writing

Last updated on: Jun 20, 2023

Informative Essay Writing - Expert Guide & Examples

By: Jared P.

Reviewed By: Chris H.

Published on: May 25, 2021

Have you been given an informative essay to write? Don't worry; it’s not as difficult as one might think. The following blog will provide complete information about how to write it like professional writers.

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What is an Informative Essay?

An informative essay does just what the name suggests. It informs the readers about a certain person, place, event, or anything about the essay’s main topic.

While writing an informative essay, the objective is to inform the reader with facts without persuading their opinion towards your point of view.

Because of its descriptive and detailed nature, many college students feel that it is like the descriptive and narrative types of academic essays, however, do not be confused. It is different than those and has its own method and research material.

Because an informative essay is more on the informative side, you will have to be fully aware of the topic and know it inside out. Therefore, when writing this essay, your main aim is to describe the topic in detail and convey the information clearly and organized way.

These essays are generally written at the high school and college level when students work on their creative writing skills, learning to describe objects in detail. Students must also learn how to brainstorm ideas before they can present researched information creatively.

Informative Essay Format

When writing an essay, you must follow the correct format. Most of the time, your teacher will specify the format that you must use. A basic informative essay format has the following elements:

• Times New Roman 12 pt.
• Font.Double spacing.
• Your institution's name is centered and top.
• Essay title, centered. A subtitle underneath it.
• Your name, course name, number, your instructor’s name, and the date of submission.

To learn more about the essay format , head on to this blog.

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How to Start an Informative Essay?

Writing an informative essay is just like writing any other type of essay regarding how the essay is divided. The sections and length are the same, while the topics differ due to the nature of the paper. However, before you start writing, make sure that you have ample time and information to present in your paper.

Following are the steps involved in writing an informative essay.

1. Brainstorming

Brainstorming is key for a successful essay and paper. Strong writing, especially an academic assignment, needs strong and relevant data arranged and presented in a well-structured way. Think about your subject, the person, place or thing, that you would like to write your essay about. Write everything down in a notebook and make important notes about how you will present this information.

2. Choosing the Right Topic

Choosing the right topic is as important as writing the entire paper. The right chosen topic will steer your essay in the right direction and keep you focused. Most of the time, the teachers assign the topics themselves, but you may get to choose the topics yourself.

When choosing a topic for your academic paper, you should make sure that the topic has good scope. It should not be too narrow or broad. It should be interesting and engaging for your readers. Besides, you must also take care that you are presenting the facts in an appropriate design.

3. Create an Informative Essay Outline

Creating an outline is the most important step of any writing process. It is important because it directs the entire essay and keeps your focus narrow and strong. An outline for an informative essay should include everything that you want to discuss. And you should decide what you will discuss in your essay beforehand.

How to Write an Informative Essay?

Here are some steps for your help in writing a great essay.

1. Write the Introduction

An introduction is the first section of your essay. It is where the reader will know what the essay is all about. However, the introduction should not have any main ideas in it. Instead, it should present some background of the main topic and guides the reader to the thesis statement.

The thesis statement is a brief one or two-liner that summarizes the entire essay and briefly presents the main ideas. Some students think that they can add all the details here, which is wrong. Summarizing the essence of the entire topic is important to write a strong thesis statement. Keep your informative essay thesis short and to the point, as it is a brief paper presentation.

You can also have a look at this informative essay introduction sample to understand it better.

2. Write Body Paragraphs

The body paragraphs have all the main ideas and interesting facts about the main topic. Usually, the body paragraphs are three in number, but the paragraphs could be increased based on the essays’ scope and requirements. All the paragraphs should begin with a topic sentence and present one whole idea.

All the information should be formatted and presented to help the reader understand what the essay is about. In addition, the information should be cohesive and directed to the target audience in an easy-to-understand language and way.

3. Write Conclusion

The conclusion is probably the most important step in the writing process. Unfortunately, many students think that a conclusion does not matter. They are wrong. A conclusion is as important as an introduction.

Pay attention to the main points of the essay and restate the thesis statement. Do not present any new ideas and thoughts here because you are closing your essay, not presenting new ideas here. Be brief and to the point.

Have a look at this informative essay conclusion sample to understand how to conclude an essay effectively.

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4. Editing and Proofreading

Editing and proofreading is the final and the most important step before the final submission. When writing something, it is possible that we overlook some minor mistakes. These minor mistakes lower the score. Therefore, after you are done writing, go through the entire paper thoroughly.

Check it for grammatical and spelling errors and plagiarism before you hand it over to your teacher.

This step is important, and you must not overlook it. If possible, have your friend or sibling read it for you and point out any errors. It is easier for a fresh mind to spot mistakes that you might have overlooked.

Informative Essay Examples

INFORMATIVE ESSAY OUTLINE SAMPLE (PDF)

INFORMATIVE ESSAY (PDF)

Informative Essay Topics

To help you get started with the writing process, we have added some informative paper ideas here. You can choose a topic that best fits your interests.

• Reasons to be concerned about global warming.
• Cybercrime and its effects.
• Is going to college necessary to be successful in life?
• Domestic violence in your society.
• Why do students procrastinate?
• How to write an expository essay and persuasive essay?
• Do uniforms in schools help bring students together?
• Understand the essay parts and a couple of sentences.
• How to improve gun laws for a safer environment?
• How to write an essay step by step with a proper word count?

Informative Essay Writing Tips

The following is a list of important essay writing tips that will help you express your thoughts more clearly and effectively.

• Brainstorm ideas and choose something that you are more interested in writing about. Think of a topic that you can easily search for and provide information on.
• It is important to back up the information you provide no matter what type of academic paper you are writing. For that, research and include information from credible and reliable sources.
• It is important to ensure the sources you use in your paper are acceptable in your academe. For example, books and articles are a good choice to consider.

5StarEssays.com is a professional essay writing service that specializes in providing high-quality and affordable help to students. We want to help you get good grades without compromising on your lifestyle and other activities.

We aim to help you with all your academic writing needs, and with our do my essay paper service, you can easily get good grades.

Place your order now to get a high-quality paper within your deadline.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the 5 parts of an informative essay.

The five parts of an informative essay are:

• Introduction
• Background information
• Thesis statement
• Main body paragraphs

How many paragraphs should an informative essay have?

An informative essay is the most basic type of essay. They follow a specific format with four to five paragraphs, including an introduction, two or three supporting sections that elaborate on the topic at hand, and a conclusion.

Masters Essay, Literature

Jared P. is a renowned author and writing service provider with over fifteen years of experience in the publishing industry. He has a Ph.D. degree in English Literature and has spent his entire career helping students achieve their academic goals by providing expert writing assistance.

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Writing an informative essay – a comprehensive guide with tips and examples.

When it comes to crafting a compelling piece of literature that informs and captivates its audience, the art of essay writing is an invaluable skill to possess. This form of written communication allows individuals to delve into various subjects, shedding light on important themes, ideas, and concepts in an enlightening and engaging manner. In this article, we will explore the step-by-step process of constructing a top-quality essay that is both informative and thought-provoking. From selecting a captivating topic to conducting thorough research and organizing your ideas methodically, we will provide you with valuable tips and techniques to enhance your essay writing prowess.

One of the fundamental elements in creating a successful essay lies in choosing an intriguing topic that will captivate the reader from the very beginning. Your topic serves as the heart of your essay, dictating the overall tone, direction, and impact of your writing. By selecting a subject matter that is both fresh and relevant, you will be able to arouse the interest of your readers and keep them engaged throughout the entirety of your essay. Whether you are exploring the labyrinth of ancient civilizations, dissecting the intricacies of modern science, or analyzing the profound works of literature, the key is to select a topic that excites you as a writer and sparks curiosity in your audience.

Once you have chosen a compelling topic, the next step is to embark on a thorough research expedition. In order to provide your readers with accurate and reliable information, it is crucial to gather evidence and supporting data from reputable sources. Online databases, academic journals, and scholarly articles are excellent resources to utilize during the research phase of your essay writing process. Additionally, interviews with subject matter experts, surveys, and observation can also provide valuable insights and perspectives that will strengthen the credibility and authority of your essay. Remember, the key to writing an informative essay lies in presenting relevant and well-researched data that supports your main ideas and reinforces the overall narrative you are constructing.

The Importance of Planning Your Essay

Effective essay planning is a critical aspect of producing a well-structured and coherent piece of writing. It involves the process of carefully organizing your thoughts, ideas, and arguments before beginning to write. Planning allows you to establish a clear direction for your essay, ensuring that you stay focused on the topic and avoid unnecessary digressions. By taking the time to plan your essay thoroughly, you can save time and effort in the long run, resulting in a more polished and compelling piece of writing.

One of the key benefits of planning your essay is that it helps you to develop a logical and coherent structure. By outlining the main points or arguments you want to make in each paragraph, you can ensure that your essay flows smoothly and cohesively. This not only makes it easier for the reader to understand your ideas, but it also helps you to organize your own thoughts and ensure that you have a clear structure in mind.

In addition to structuring your essay, planning also allows you to allocate sufficient time to each section or argument. By setting aside specific time slots for researching, drafting, and revising each part of your essay, you can ensure that you have enough time to gather relevant evidence, develop your arguments, and make any necessary revisions. This helps to prevent last-minute rushing and ensures that you have enough time to produce a high-quality essay.

Furthermore, planning your essay enables you to evaluate the strength and coherence of your arguments before you start writing. By brainstorming and organizing your ideas in advance, you can identify any gaps in your reasoning or weak points in your arguments. This allows you to address these issues before you begin writing, ensuring that your essay is well-supported and persuasive.

Overall, the importance of planning your essay cannot be overstated. It lays the foundation for a well-organized and coherent piece of writing, saving you time and effort in the long run. By outlining the main points, structuring your arguments, allocating time effectively, and evaluating the strength of your arguments, you can produce a strong and compelling essay that effectively communicates your ideas to the reader.

Why Having a Structured Plan is Essential

When it comes to composing an instructive composition, following a well-organized plan is crucial for various reasons. Having a structured plan helps you stay focused and ensures that you cover all the necessary information in a logical and coherent manner.

Firstly, a structured plan provides a clear framework for your essay. It helps you organize your thoughts and ideas, making it easier to present them in a logical sequence. By outlining the main points and subtopics, you can create a roadmap that will guide you throughout the writing process.

Moreover, a well-structured plan allows you to effectively manage your time. By allocating specific time slots for each section of your essay, you can stay on track and avoid last-minute rush. This not only helps in meeting deadlines but also enhances the quality of your writing, as you have ample time to research, revise, and refine your work.

Additionally, having a structured plan enables you to maintain clarity and coherence in your essay. By organizing your ideas in a systematic manner, you can ensure that there is a logical flow between paragraphs and sections. This coherence makes it easier for readers to understand the information you are presenting and grasp the connections between different concepts.

A structured plan also helps you to identify any gaps or missing information in your essay. By laying out your points beforehand, you can easily spot areas where additional research or examples are needed. This allows you to fill in the gaps and provide a comprehensive and well-rounded argument.

Furthermore, a structured plan acts as a roadmap for revision. It allows you to review your essay in a systematic manner, ensuring that all the necessary information is included and presented effectively. This makes the revision process more efficient and increases the chances of producing a well-written and polished final draft.

In conclusion, having a structured plan is essential when writing an informative essay. It not only helps you stay focused and organized, but also enhances the overall quality and coherence of your writing. By outlining the main points, managing your time effectively, and maintaining clarity and coherence, a structured plan sets the foundation for a successful and impactful essay.

Choosing a Topic for Your Informative Essay

When embarking on the task of creating an educational composition, it is crucial to carefully select an intriguing and engaging subject matter. The topic of your informative essay will serve as the foundation for your work, and should be thoughtfully chosen to captivate and inform your readers.

Determining a suitable topic

One should begin the process by brainstorming potential ideas and narrowing down the options to select a suitable topic. It is important to choose a subject that you have a genuine interest in and possess a solid understanding of. This will help you cultivate a compelling essay while ensuring that you can provide accurate and well-researched information.

Evaluating your audience

Consider the target audience for your essay and tailor your topic selection accordingly. Think about the knowledge and interests of your readers to ensure that the subject matter is relevant and engaging for them. This will enable you to engage with your audience effectively and provide them with valuable information.

Identifying the purpose

Another important consideration when choosing a topic is identifying the purpose of your informative essay. Will your essay aim to educate, persuade, or entertain readers? Understanding the purpose will help guide your topic selection and allow you to effectively convey your message to your audience.

Avoiding overdone topics

While it is essential to choose a subject that is interesting and relevant, it is also important to avoid overdone topics. Select a topic that is unique and provides a fresh perspective to your readers. This will help maintain their interest and ensure that your essay stands out among others on the same subject.

Researching the topic

Finally, before finalizing your topic selection, it is crucial to conduct thorough research to ensure that you will have access to credible and reliable sources of information. This will allow you to provide accurate and well-supported facts in your essay, further enhancing its credibility.

In conclusion, choosing a topic for your informative essay is a critical step in the writing process. By considering your interests, evaluating your audience, identifying the purpose, avoiding overdone topics, and conducting thorough research, you can select a topic that will captivate your readers and provide them with valuable information.

How to Select an Engaging and Relevant Topic

One of the most important factors in writing an outstanding essay is selecting an engaging and relevant topic. The topic you choose sets the tone for your entire essay and determines whether your readers will be interested in reading further. Therefore, it is crucial to choose a topic that captivates the audience and is relevant to the subject matter you are discussing.

When selecting a topic, it is essential to consider your audience. Think about their interests, knowledge level, and what they might find engaging. By understanding your audience, you can tailor your topic to their preferences, making it more likely that they will be interested in reading your essay.

Furthermore, it is important to choose a topic that is relevant to the subject you are writing about. If you are writing an informative essay about climate change, for example, a relevant topic could be the impact of deforestation on global warming. By selecting a topic that is directly related to your subject, you will be able to provide valuable information and insights to your readers.

In addition to audience and relevance, it is also crucial to select a topic that you are personally interested in. When you are passionate about the topic you are writing about, it will shine through in your writing and engage your readers. So, take the time to choose a topic that you find intriguing and exciting to research and discuss.

Overall, selecting an engaging and relevant topic is a crucial step in writing an informative essay. By considering your audience, relevance to the subject, and personal interest, you can choose a topic that will captivate your readers and provide valuable information on the subject matter. So, take the time to brainstorm and research various topics before settling on the one that will make your essay stand out.

Gathering and Evaluating Reliable Sources

When conducting research for your informative essay, it is crucial to gather and evaluate reliable sources to ensure the accuracy and credibility of your information. Reliable sources not only provide you with trustworthy information but also lend credibility to your own writing. In this section, we will explore the importance of gathering reliable sources and discuss effective strategies for evaluating their reliability.

How to Find Reliable Sources for Your Essay

When writing an informative essay, it is crucial to ensure that the information you include is accurate and credible. In order to achieve this, you need to know how to find reliable sources for your essay. This section will provide you with valuable tips and strategies to help you locate trustworthy information that will enhance the credibility of your essay.

1. Start with Academic Databases:

• Utilize academic databases such as JSTOR, Google Scholar, and PubMed, which provide access to a vast range of scholarly articles and research papers. These databases are reliable and contain information that has gone through a rigorous peer-review process, ensuring its credibility.
• Use specific keywords related to your topic to refine your search and obtain relevant and up-to-date information.

2. Explore Government Websites and Reports:

• Government websites and reports are excellent sources of reliable information, particularly when you need statistics, laws, regulations, or policy-related data.
• Ensure that the information you obtain is from a reputable government entity or organization, such as the official websites of government departments, ministries, or agencies.

3. Check Library Resources:

• Visit your local library or university library and consult various resources like books, encyclopedias, and journals.
• Libraries often have reliable and credible sources that have been vetted by experts in the field.

4. Evaluate Websites:

• When using websites, it is important to critically evaluate their credibility.
• Look for websites that are maintained by reputable organizations, academic institutions, or governmental bodies.
• Check for author credentials, publication dates, and references or citations to determine if the information is reliable.

5. Consult Expert Opinion:

• Reach out to subject matter experts, researchers, or professionals in the field for their insights and perspectives.
• Interviews or conversations with experts can provide valuable information and help support the credibility of your essay.

Remember, it is essential to cross-reference information from different sources and ensure their reliability before including them in your essay. By following these strategies, you will be able to gather accurate, trustworthy, and credible information, making your essay a reliable source of knowledge on the topic.

Organizing Your Essay’s Structure

Structuring your essay is crucial to effectively conveying your information and ideas to your readers. A well-organized essay is easier to follow and understand, allowing your audience to grasp the main points you are trying to make. In this section, we will explore different ways to structure your essay and provide you with useful tips to help you create a logical and coherent piece of writing.

One popular method to organize your essay is by using a chronological structure. This approach involves presenting your information or ideas in the order they occurred or should occur. By using this structure, your readers can easily follow the progression of events or ideas, allowing them to understand the context and development of your topic. Consider using this structure when discussing a historical event, a process, or a step-by-step guide.

Alternatively, you may choose to use a hierarchical structure to organize your essay. This approach involves presenting your information or ideas in a hierarchical order, with the most important points or ideas at the top, and the supporting details or sub-ideas beneath them. This structure allows your readers to grasp the main concepts first and then delve into the supporting details, ensuring they understand the essence of your argument or topic. This structure is effective when presenting an argument, analyzing a complex concept, or discussing the main points of a text or a theory.

Another way to structure your essay is by using a thematic structure. This approach involves organizing your information or ideas around specific themes or topics. By grouping related information together, you can provide a comprehensive overview of each theme or topic and explore the connections between them. This structure is particularly useful when discussing multiple aspects of a subject, comparing and contrasting different ideas or perspectives, or analyzing different case studies. Moreover, using a thematic structure allows you to highlight the main themes or topics that are relevant to your essay and provide a clear focus for your writing.

Regardless of the structure you choose, it is essential to use clear and logical transitions between paragraphs and sections. Transitions help your readers to understand the connections and relationships between your ideas, ensuring the coherence of your essay. Additionally, consider using headings, subheadings, and bullet points to further enhance the organization and readability of your essay. These formatting techniques can help your readers to navigate your essay easily and locate specific information or ideas.

Remember that the way you organize your essay’s structure should support your overall purpose and effectively convey your information and ideas. Consider the nature of your topic, the type of information you are presenting, and the expectations of your audience when deciding on the best structure for your essay. A well-organized essay will not only make it easier for your readers to follow and understand your thoughts, but it will also showcase your ability to present information in a clear and coherent manner.

Simple Tips for Creating a Coherent and Logical Flow

When crafting an informative essay, it is crucial to ensure that your ideas flow smoothly and logically. A well-organized essay is not only easier to read, but it also helps convey your message clearly to the reader. Here are some simple tips to help you create a coherent and logical flow in your essay.

1. Start with a strong introduction: Begin your essay with a captivating introduction that grabs the reader’s attention. Clearly state the purpose of your essay and provide a brief overview of the main points you will be discussing.

2. Use clear and concise language: Avoid using overly complex language or jargon that may confuse your reader. Instead, use simple and straightforward language to convey your ideas effectively.

3. Use transitional words and phrases: Transitional words and phrases help to connect ideas and create a smooth flow between paragraphs and sections. Words like “however,” “on the other hand,” and “therefore” can help guide the reader through your essay.

4. Organize your paragraphs logically: Each paragraph should focus on a single main idea or topic. Start each paragraph with a clear topic sentence, provide supporting evidence or examples, and end with a transition that leads to the next paragraph.

5. Use headings and subheadings: Headings and subheadings can help break up your essay and make it easier for the reader to navigate. Use descriptive headings that provide a clear indication of what each section will cover.

6. Provide evidence and examples: To make your essay more convincing and credible, provide evidence and examples to support your claims. This helps to strengthen your arguments and provide a logical flow to your essay.

7. Summarize your main points: In your conclusion, briefly summarize the main points you discussed throughout your essay. This helps to tie everything together and reminds the reader of the key takeaways from your essay.

By following these simple tips, you can create an informative essay with a coherent and logical flow. Remember to carefully plan and organize your ideas before starting your essay, and revise and edit your work to ensure that your essay flows smoothly from start to finish.

Tips for Grabbing the Reader’s Attention from the Start

When it comes to captivating readers, the first few sentences of your essay are crucial. You want to make sure that from the very beginning, you grab their attention and leave them wanting to know more. Here are some valuable tips to help you establish a strong and engaging start to your essay.

1. Start with an intriguing statement: Begin your essay with a thought-provoking statement or a surprising fact. This will instantly catch the reader’s attention and make them curious about what you have to say.

2. Use a compelling anecdote or story: People love stories, especially ones that are relatable and emotionally engaging. Use a personal or historical anecdote to draw the reader in and make a connection right from the start.

3. Pose a compelling question: By posing a captivating question, you immediately involve the reader in your essay. This creates a sense of curiosity and stimulates their desire to find out the answer, making them more engaged throughout the entire essay.

4. Use vivid and descriptive language: Painting a vivid picture with your words will help your readers visualize the content and make it more engaging. Use descriptive language that appeals to their senses, making them feel like they are experiencing what you’re describing.

5. Start with a strong quote or statistic: Quotes or statistics from reputable sources can add credibility to your essay and capture the reader’s attention. Choose a quote or statistic that is relevant to your topic and emphasizes the importance of the information you’re presenting.

6. Address the reader directly: By using the second person pronoun “you,” you can make the reader feel directly involved and connected to your essay. This personal approach encourages them to keep reading and stay engaged throughout your writing.

7. Create a sense of intrigue: Tease the reader with a hint of what’s to come or a promise of valuable information. This creates a sense of intrigue and curiosity, compelling them to continue reading to satisfy their curiosity.

8. Use an impactful opening sentence: Your first sentence sets the tone for the entire essay. Make sure it is powerful and engaging, leaving a lasting impression on the reader. A strong opening sentence can hook the reader and make them eager to explore your ideas further.

By implementing these tips, you can ensure that your essay grabs the reader’s attention from the start and keeps them engaged throughout. Remember, a captivating introduction is the key to a successful essay.

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14 Do's and Don'ts When Writing an Informative Essay

##14 Do’s and Don’ts for When Writing an Informative Essay

Writing a high-quality informative essay can be straightforward when you know what to do and what to avoid in your process.

Wondering what to do and what to avoid in your informative essay-writing process? When writing one, we’ve compiled a comprehensive list of do’s and don’ts.

Keep reading to learn more!

Here is our list of do’s for when writing an informative essay:

Research the Topic Thoroughly

Search for related topics on Google Scholar . This can help you find additional sources and articles to gain more information from. Also, you can use the search engine to give you the keywords you need for your paper.

It is easy to get overwhelmed with the whole research process. However, it is important to remember that you are not expected to read everything you find. Instead, use the keywords that you find in Google Scholar to help you narrow down your search for information.

You should only spend a little bit of time reading articles on subjects that are relevant to your topic. This will help you save time and improve your writing since you are providing relevant information to your readers.

Brainstorm Ideas for Your Informative Essay

Brainstorming is an essential part of the writing process. It can help you generate ideas and discover a topic that interests you. It can also help you plan your ideas and organize your essay. Many students need help with knowing where to start when writing an essay. Brainstorming can help you get started.

Brainstorming can help you:

Discover a topic that interests you Plan your ideas and organize your essay Organize your ideas and research Get started writing your essay

Brainstorming can help you plan and organize your essay, but it's just one part of the writing process. It should not replace other important writing steps such as pre-writing, drafting, and editing

Organize Your Thoughts and Ideas

The best way to organize ideas is to write them down. You can write them in a journal or use a word processing program. Using a word processing program, you can use the outlining feature to organize your thoughts. Outlines are a great way to organize your ideas. Outlines can be used in a variety of ways. For example, some people use them to write essays and reports.

Others use them to plan speeches or presentations. No matter how you use an outline, it will help you organize your thoughts and ideas. Outlining is a great way to start writing. It helps you think about your topic and write your thoughts down. Once you have an outline, you can start writing.

You can start by writing the introduction and filling in each point from your outline. This will help you write a strong paper that is organized and coherent. Outlining is a great way if you want to write an organized paper.

Select a Focus and Make a Thesis Statement

Allowing yourself a thesis statement can help when it comes to writing. Whether it's a 1,000-word essay or a 100-word paragraph, it makes the writing process easier. However, writing 1,000 words without a thesis statement can be daunting, so it's best to start by making one.

Having a thesis statement lets you narrow down the topic and write about it more easily. You'll be able to connect your ideas and tell your reader what you want to say. Start with a thesis statement to make writing a seamless process.

Include Relevant Facts and Data

What is the context of the writing? What is the author trying to convey and why? What is the purpose of the text, and what is the author's intention? Before evaluating the content, dig a little to understand the background.

Ask yourself: Is the text written for a specific publication? Is it a college writing assignment? Is it an online tutorial? How is the author trying to engage the reader? What is the author's purpose? What kind of audience is the author trying to reach? The more you know about the text itself, the easier it will be to understand what is being said and how the author is saying it.

Support Your Arguments with Evidence

It’s easy to get caught up in what you’re trying to say and forget to back it up with evidence. Writing is an act of communication, and to be truly effective, you need to make sure your audience understands where you are coming from and why you are making the points you are.

Citing evidence is important for a few reasons. First of all, it demonstrates that you understand the context of your argument and are capable of keeping your perspective in mind as you dive into the details. Secondly, citing evidence shows your audience how you came to that conclusion and gives them a path to follow if they want to come to the same conclusion themselves.

Finally, citing evidence shows your audience that you are not afraid to admit your sources and creates a sense of trust that you are presenting what you know to be true rather than making unfounded assumptions.

Use a Logical Structure

A logical structure starts with fundamental concepts and builds toward more complex ideas. This is the most important thing to consider when creating a logical structure for your essay. The first sentence of an essay should always provide the reader with the most essential information to help them understand the rest of the essay.

This sentence should provide the reader with the main idea and help them understand the structure of the essay. It should lead into the next paragraph, further elaborating on the main idea. Stay consistent with your main idea, and don’t go off on tangents.

An effective essay has a logical structure, meaning it starts with the most important information and builds upon it with each subsequent paragraph. A logical structure can be achieved in many ways, but the most important thing is to stay consistent with your main idea.

Don’t go off on tangents or try to include too much information. A logical structure will help you convey your main idea clearly and concisely to your audience.

Use Simple and Clear Language

The best writing is clear and concise. Readers don’t want to be confused, and they certainly don’t want to re-read paragraphs or sentences to understand your message. So, use simple and clear language. The best way to do this is to avoid using big words when small ones will do, and to keep your sentences short and to the point.

Writing that’s complex or difficult to read can often be simplified, so never fear doing that. Instead, you’ll end up with writing that is clear and easy to understand, which is exactly what your readers want.

Use a Variety of Sentence Structures

This means using the correct punctuation. For example, if you are making a statement, use a period to finish it. Do not use a question mark. This is incorrect punctuation. When asking a question, use a question mark at the end of your sentence. It is important to use the correct punctuation as it is an important part of writing.

Cite Your Sources Properly

If we are not certain of the credibility of a source, we should not use it. It is a common mistake for students to cite dubious sources when they are unsure if the source is credible. This can result in a plagiarized paper with references that do not support the author’s observations or opinions. Checking the source’s credibility prevents such situations from happening.

In addition, the student should always ensure that the source they use is relevant to the topic. This can prevent unnecessary repetition of information, which can be a telltale sign of plagiarism. Furthermore, it helps us to stay focused on the essence of the topic and present our ideas more creatively and innovatively.

Check Your Work for Accuracy

Many teachers primarily focus on the content of a student’s writing, particularly when it comes to essay writing. An essay’s content is the most important, and it’s the hardest thing to master. It’s easier to work on your grammar skills and ensure your writing is error-free.

That way, you’ll be well prepared to write an essay that will get you the desired results with the least amount of stress. It’s a good idea to focus on what’s important and ensure your content is interesting, engaging, and informative before worrying about grammar and spelling.

Proofread and Edit Your Informative Essay

The combination of writing an essay and balancing a hectic schedule can be quite overwhelming. Mistakes like grammatical, spelling, and punctuation errors are bound to happen. Proofreading and editing your essay is a great way to go about it.

You can use Rephrasely’s Grammar Corrector, a free online tool that helps in identifying grammatical errors and helps in fixing them. Once you're done with your draft, you can use the tool to proofread your essay.

Ask Someone Else to Review Your Informative Essay

It means that your writing is so off-base that you can’t even convince a stranger that your writing is good. That’s a problem. It could be that your writing is just plain bad, or it could be that you’ve been so consumed by your ideas that you can’t even see them objectively.

This is a clear sign that you need to get someone else to review your writing. Either that, or you need to take a break, walk away from your writing for a bit, and come back to it with a fresh mind.

Revise and Refine Your Informative Essay

Student writing can be hard to come to terms with because it’s not always clear exactly what the teacher is looking for. “Revise and refine” can be tricky because it’s hard to know where to start. Is it a case of just putting some ‘revise and refine’ at the top and hoping for the best? Well, sort of.

It’s hard to know exactly what your teachers are looking for, so it’s always best to start with a rough draft of your essay and then revise and refine it from there. Revising and refining your writing can be just as important as the initial draft, so make sure your essay is well-structured, well-researched, and well-written.

Here is our list of don’ts for writing an informative essay:

Don't Copy and Paste from Other Sources

While students may not have the essay writing skills to create a compelling argument, they can at least give themselves a fighting chance by avoiding plagiarism . By not copying and pasting content from other sources, students can at least be confident that the content they are presenting is original and accurate.

Some students may have the misconception that using other content is fine as long as they cite it, but they must remember that they are risking their academic standing by doing so.

Don't Use Biased Language

If you are writing a research paper, ensure that the material you are using is cited properly. This includes the titles, the authors, and the publishers. If you do not do this, you are guilty of plagiarism. Therefore, make sure that you are properly citing your sources so that you can avoid being accused of plagiarism.

When you are not properly citing your sources, you steal someone else’s work. When you are accused of plagiarism, you are accused of stealing someone else’s work.

Don't Make Baseless Claims

One of my biggest pet peeves is when students make claims that aren’t backed up by facts. For example, if a student were to write, “The Beatles were the most influential band of all time,” but didn’t offer any evidence to support this claim, it would leave the reader wondering if this statement is true or just an opinion.

As a writer, it’s important to back up your claims with examples, statistics, or any other evidence proving your point. By doing this, you’re ensuring that your argument is sound and well-supported, which will help your readers understand your point of view and make them more likely to agree with you.

Don't Use Jargon or Complex Terminology

Using jargon or complex terminology may make you seem authoritative, but can also make you seem inaccessible to the reader. If your writing is filled with unfamiliar terms that the average reader will not understand, they will be unable to follow your argument. Instead, consider the average reader and write in a style that is easy to understand and engaging.

Don't Use First-Person Pronouns

Many students have a habit of using first-person pronouns in their written assignments. For example, they will use ‘I,’ ‘me,’ ‘my,’ ‘mine,’ ‘myself’ or ‘our’, etc., in their written assignments so that it becomes distracting to the reader. It doesn’t look professional, and it is better to avoid it.

While you may want to use them, you should ask yourself, “is it important to know who is saying this?” If it isn’t, then don’t mention it. Just write your thoughts. It is much more professional and easier to follow if you do. It may take a while to get used to, but it is worth it!

Don't Exaggerate or Make Assumptions

Students should use evidence to support their arguments rather than exaggerating or making assumptions to get their point across. In the context of student writing, this means that students should provide concrete evidence for their arguments rather than just stating opinions.

For example, if a student is writing an essay about why the death penalty should be abolished, they shouldn't just state that it's immoral and unjust; they should provide specific examples and evidence to support their argument.

Don't Provide False Information

Writers should never include false information. Instead, they should write about their experiences in a way that is honest and engaging without exaggerating or including things that never happened. Never underestimate your reader and their ability to detect misinformation!

Don't Use Too Many Quotes

Quoting is a great way to show that expert opinions support your research and can also be a great way to add some personality to your writing. However, you want to make sure that you don't go overboard and quote too much. Otherwise, your writing can end up sounding dry and uninteresting, which is the opposite of what you're trying to achieve. So as with all things, moderation is key.

Don't Be Afraid to Be Opinionated

Students are often too afraid to be opinionated. They’re worried about coming across as too confident or even arrogant. When students are afraid to express their own opinions, their writing suffers. This is because they aren’t trying to engage with the text.

Instead, they’re simply regurgitating what the author has already said. When students are more willing to share their opinions, they have more to say about the text. This leads to more engaging writing, which is exactly what you want your writing to be. So, don’t be afraid to be opinionated! Be confident in your ideas and share them with the world.

Don't Forget to Include a Conclusion

The conclusion is the final part of a student's essay. It summarizes what the writer said in the essay’s body, and gives the reader a sense of completeness and closure. Conclusions add to the essay's structure and organization. It also helps the reader remember what the writer said in the essay.

The conclusion should not be a summary of the body. Instead, it should be a new and original thought that ties together the main ideas of the body. A conclusion should also leave the reader with an understanding of how the writer's point of view affects their life.

The conclusion should be concise and to the point. It should be between one and three sentences long. It should avoid being overly long or overly complicated. The conclusion should also have a transition sentence leading to the essay's body.

Don't Ignore the Purpose of Your Informative Essay

The best essay writing services could help you improve your writing without changing your original voice. They want your essay to sound like you wrote it. They just want to help you become a better writer. It's a very rewarding experience that can help you build confidence in your writing abilities.

You'll see how your writing has grown and how much progress you've made due to the essay writing service's help. It's a win-win.

Don't Be Afraid to Ask for Help

If you're writing a paper with someone and you're stuck, don't be afraid to ask for help. Your partner might have a different perspective than you, and they can provide some insight that you haven't considered. Even if they can't help, they'll probably be glad to know they're not the only ones struggling!

Don't Forget to Check the Formatting Requirements

All academic papers are required to be formatted and structured in a particular way. It is essential to follow these guidelines to ensure your professor can easily read and assess your work. Furthermore, by taking the time and effort to format your papers properly, you will not only impress your professor but also improve your chances of receiving a good grade.

Not sure how to format your paper? Don't worry - plenty of resources online can help you get it right. A quick Google search will reveal many websites and apps showing you exactly how to format your paper in MLA, APA, or Chicago Style.

By taking the time to format and structure your paper properly, you will ensure that it is easy to read and understand, which will ultimately lead to better results.

Don't Wait Until the Last Minute to Write Your Informative Essay

Many students believe they can write a good essay only in the last minutes before the deadline. And they are right. If they don't take care to arrange their ideas and get the first draft done before the deadline, they will be writing from scratch at the last minute. It is better to dedicate time to writing the first draft of your essay and then go over it and edit it on time.

If you are stuck for ideas, try brainstorming or using some of the effective writing prompts available online. It helps to have a first draft ready before the deadline and then go over it for editing. This way, you save time on writing from scratch and can focus on perfecting your informative essay.

Final Thoughts

Following our list of do’s and don’ts for writing an informative essay will help you score top marks.

Here is our list of do’s for writing an informative essay:

Research the topic thoroughly Brainstorm ideas for your informative essay Organize your thoughts and ideas Select a focus and make a thesis statement Include relevant facts and data Support your arguments with evidence Use a logical structure Use simple and clear language Use a variety of sentence structures Cite your sources properly Check your work for accuracy Proofread and edit your informative essay Ask someone else to review your informative essay Revise and refine your informative essay

Don't copy and paste from other sources Don't use biased language Don't make baseless claims Don't use jargon or complex terminology Don't use first-person pronouns Don't exaggerate or make assumptions Don't provide false information Don't use too many quotes Don't be afraid to be opinionated Don't forget to include a conclusion Don't ignore the purpose of your informative essay Don't be afraid to ask for help Don't forget to check the formatting requirements Don't wait until the last minute to write your informative essay

We hope you’ve found our article helpful. Don’t forget to share it with a fellow student!

Works Cited: How to improve your writing. Rephrasely. (n.d.). Retrieved January 17, 2023, from https://rephrasely.com/blog/how-to-improve-your-writing Google scholar. (n.d.). Retrieved January 17, 2023, from https://scholar.google.com/ 20 important questions to consider when writing an essay. Rephrasely. (n.d.). Retrieved January 17, 2023, from https://rephrasely.com/blog/20-important-questions-to-consider-when-writing-an-essay Google. (n.d.). My word! Google Books. Retrieved January 17, 2023, from https://books.google.co.za/books?hl=en&lr=&id=J3uv5MQsdIkC&oi=fnd&pg=PA1&dq=plagiarism&ots=ef7kSH9Gv7&sig=TN6K7esNMRglDoWhQwQ_XP_O0IE&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=plagiarism&f=false

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How should I start brainstorming topics for my college essay?

Most colleges provide open-ended prompts. Using the topic as inspiration, think about critical milestones or essential lessons you learned during your academic career. Tell stories about real-life experiences that have shaped the person you are. Write them down to brainstorm ideas. Choose stories that highlight your best traits.

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Informative Essay Topics to Suit Every Preference

Hey there! Let's chat about informative essays - they're pretty cool when you think about it.

You know how sometimes you just want to learn about something without someone trying to convince you one way or another? That's where informative essays come in. They're like your friendly neighborhood knowledge-spreader, covering everything from the wild ride of internet history to why meditation might be your new best friend.

Discover the essence of informative writing as our paper writing experts delve into what is an informative essay and unravel the art of selecting a compelling topic.

Don't Have the Time or Skills to Write Articles Yourself?

Let our professional writing services do the work for you

A List of Good Informative Essay Topics

The key to a compelling, informative essay lies in selecting the right topic, a choice that significantly influences the quality and engagement of your piece. With numerous options available, the challenge often lies in where to begin. In the following paragraphs, we'll delve into various informational topics to write about, spanning current events, social issues, science, and technology, offering a diverse array of subjects for students. These topics not only provide ample opportunities for research but also cater to different purposes—whether your goal is to educate, persuade, or simply inform. So, let's explore some great informative essay examples , sparking inspiration and setting you on a path for a successful academic writing journey!

Easy Informative Essay Topics

These easy informative essay topics are great starting points for those who want to write a straightforward and informative essay without getting too complicated.

• The impact of artificial intelligence on daily life
• How renewable energy sources work
• The life cycle of plastic in our oceans
• What causes climate change?
• Types of electric vehicles and their environmental impact
• Why do coral reefs bleach?
• How do lab-grown meats work?
• The importance of digital privacy
• Why is sleep crucial for mental health?
• What causes wildfires and how to prevent them
• The journey of an e-waste item
• How do mRNA vaccines work?
• Why do some animals face extinction?
• The role of social media in modern society
• The process of vertical farming
• What causes ocean acidification?
• How do wearable health devices work?
• Why do some stars become black holes?
• The importance of mental health awareness
• How do electric car batteries work?

Informative Essay Topics for Middle School Students

The following informative paper topics are tailored specifically for middle school students and cover a wide range of subjects that are both interesting and relevant to their age group.

• How smartphones work: Inside the device
• Amazing animal adaptations to climate change
• Exploring Mars: Recent discoveries and future missions
• The life cycle of plastic: From production to recycling
• All about renewable energy: Solar, wind, and beyond
• Discovering new species: Recent finds in biodiversity
• The water cycle in a changing climate
• Volcanoes and earthquakes: Earth's dynamic processes
• Understanding the human immune system
• Unraveling the mystery of gene editing
• The power of artificial intelligence in everyday life
• The wonders of coral reefs: Ecosystems at risk
• Incredible inventions: From 3D printing to nanotechnology
• The importance of pollinator conservation
• Exploring ancient civilizations through modern technology
• Ocean pollution: Causes, effects, and solutions
• Climate phenomena: El Niño, La Niña, and global impacts
• The magic of modern materials science
• Famous scientists: Pioneers in STEM fields
• The importance of digital literacy in the modern world

Informative Essay Topics for High School Students

Here are some great essay topics for high school students. Our college essay writing service recommends conducting thorough research, providing evidence to support your claims, and presenting your findings in a clear and organized manner.

• The evolution of social media and its impact on society
• Blockchain technology: Beyond cryptocurrency
• CRISPR gene editing: Potential and ethical concerns
• The science of renewable energy storage
• Mental health in the digital age: Challenges and solutions
• The future of transportation: Autonomous vehicles and beyond
• From farm to table: Sustainable food systems
• Cybersecurity in the age of IoT (Internet of Things)5G technology: Benefits and potential risks
• Neuroplasticity: How our brains adapt and learn
• The impact of microplastics on marine ecosystems
• The evolution of virtual reality: Applications beyond gaming
• Biomimicry: Nature-inspired technological innovations
• The science of climate change: Causes and potential solutions
• Understanding artificial intelligence and machine learning
• The gig economy: Reshaping work in the 21st century
• Space exploration: Recent achievements and future missions
• The science of sleep: Its importance for health and performance
• Quantum computing: Potential applications and challenges
• Biodiversity loss: Causes, consequences, and conservation efforts

Informative Essay Topics for College Students

Here are some informative essay topics for college students that span a wide range of subjects that will help you in your academic and professional endeavors.

• Cryptocurrency and the future of global finance
• The psychology of misinformation in the digital age
• Sustainable urban planning for growing populations
• The ethics of AI in healthcare decision-making
• Global food security in the face of climate change
• The impact of social media on political discourse
• Renewable energy integration into existing power grids
• The role of gut microbiome in mental health
• Space law: Regulating the final frontier
• The future of work: Remote, hybrid, and AI-assisted models
• Genetic privacy in the era of direct-to-consumer DNA testing
• Sustainable fashion: Addressing the environmental impact of clothing
• The psychology of conspiracy theories in the internet age
• Neurotechnology: Advancements in brain-computer interfaces
• The impact of streaming services on the film industry
• Ocean acidification: Causes, effects, and potential solutions
• The ethics of gene editing in human embryos
• The role of social entrepreneurship in addressing global issues
• Cybersecurity in critical infrastructure: Challenges and solutions
• The impact of automation on the job market and economy

Controversial Informative Essay Topics

• The debate over universal basic income
• Ethical considerations of human genetic enhancement
• The impact of social media on democratic processes
• The pros and cons of nuclear energy in combating climate change
• The ethics of AI in criminal justice systems
• The debate over data privacy vs. national security
• The controversy surrounding lab-grown meat
• The impact of cancel culture on free speech
• The ethics of mandatory vaccinations
• The debate over regulating Big Tech companies
• The controversy surrounding geoengineering as a climate solution
• The ethics of facial recognition technology in public spaces
• The impact of cryptocurrency on traditional banking systems
• The debate over the right to be forgotten online
• The ethics of using AI in warfare and defense
• The controversy surrounding gene-edited babies
• The impact of automation on employment and inequality
• The debate over internet censorship and freedom of information
• The ethics of animal testing for medical research
• The controversy surrounding the use of algorithms in hiring processes

Informative Essay Topics About Education

• The impact of AI and machine learning on personalized learning
• The effectiveness of project-based learning in STEM education
• Digital literacy: Preparing students for an interconnected world
• The role of emotional intelligence in modern curriculum design
• The impact of remote learning on educational equity
• Gamification in education: Enhancing engagement and retention
• The importance of financial literacy in school curricula
• Addressing mental health in educational institutions
• The role of arts education in developing critical thinking skills
• Multicultural education in increasingly diverse classrooms
• The impact of standardized testing on learning outcomes
• Integrating sustainability and environmental awareness in education
• The role of soft skills in preparing students for future careers
• Addressing the digital divide in global education
• The impact of social media on student learning and socialization
• Inclusive education practices for students with diverse needs
• The role of mindfulness and meditation in educational settings
• STEAM education: Integrating arts into STEM curricula
• The impact of school nutrition programs on academic performance
• Lifelong learning in the age of rapid technological change

Fun Informative Speech Topics

These fun, informative speech topics are designed to engage and entertain audiences while still providing informative and educational content.

• The science behind viral dance trends
• Unusual Olympic sports you've never heard of
• The psychology of meme culture
• How AI is creating art and music
• The fascinating world of competitive eating
• Strange but true animal superpowers
• The science of laughter: Why we find things funny
• Bizarre world records and the people who set them
• The psychology of procrastination and how to beat it
• Unusual holidays celebrated around the world
• The science behind optical illusions
• Weird and wonderful food combinations that actually work
• The psychology of color in marketing and everyday life
• Unusual jobs of the future
• The science of déjà vu
• Strange sleep habits of famous historical figures
• The psychology of conspiracy theories
• Unusual and creative uses for common household items
• The science behind "earworm" songs
• Bizarre beauty treatments throughout history

Compare and Contrast Informative Essay Topics

• Traditional classrooms vs. virtual learning environments
• Renewable energy sources: Solar power vs. wind power
• Artificial intelligence vs. human intelligence in problem-solving
• Plant-based meat alternatives vs. traditional meat production
• Social media influencers vs. traditional celebrities
• Cryptocurrency vs. traditional banking systems
• Remote work vs. office-based work: Productivity and well-being
• Electric vehicles vs. hydrogen fuel cell vehicles
• Virtual reality vs. augmented reality in education and training
• Traditional journalism vs. citizen journalism in the digital age
• Gene therapy vs. traditional medical treatments
• 5G networks vs. previous generation networks
• Vertical farming vs. traditional agriculture
• Streaming services vs. traditional television broadcasting
• Digital books vs. print books: Reading experiences and environmental impact
• Artificial sweeteners vs. natural sugars: Health effects and taste
• Traditional art forms vs. digital art: Creativity and preservation
• Fast fashion vs. sustainable fashion: Environmental and social impacts
• Human translators vs. AI translation tools: Accuracy and nuance
• Traditional vs. alternative medicine approaches in modern healthcare

Pop Culture Informative Essay Topics

• The rise of TikTok and its impact on social media trends
• The evolution of superhero movies in the streaming era
• The influence of K-pop on global music and fashion
• The impact of true crime podcasts on public interest in cold cases
• The role of social media influencers in shaping consumer behavior
• The resurgence of vinyl records in the digital music age
• The impact of streaming services on TV show production and consumption
• The evolution of esports and its recognition as a legitimate sport
• The influence of drag culture on mainstream entertainment
• The impact of cancel culture on celebrity behavior and public discourse
• The rise of virtual influencers and digital avatars in marketing
• The evolution of fan conventions in the post-pandemic world
• The impact of streaming on the music industry and artist revenues
• The influence of reality TV on social norms and expectations
• The role of social media in modern political movements
• The impact of binge-watching culture on TV show narratives
• The evolution of meme culture and its reflection of societal issues
• The influence of YouTube creators on traditional media
• The impact of nostalgia marketing on consumer trends
• The role of virtual concerts and digital performances in the music industry

Creative Informative Speech Topics

These creative essay topics are designed to spark curiosity and interest in unique and unconventional subjects.

• The hidden language of emojis in digital communication
• The psychology behind the appeal of tiny homes
• The art and science of coffee roasting
• The unexpected benefits of forest bathing
• The fascinating world of urban foraging
• The psychology of color in interior design
• The art of origami in mathematics and engineering
• The science behind ASMR and its rising popularity
• The unexpected uses of mushrooms in technology and design
• The psychology of minimalism and its impact on well-being
• The art and science of perfume creation
• The unexpected applications of blockchain beyond cryptocurrency
• The psychology of comfort foods across cultures
• The art of creative problem-solving: Design thinking explained
• The unexpected benefits of learning a musical instrument as an adult
• The psychology of nostalgia and its influence on consumer behavior
• The art and science of fermentation in food and beverages
• The unexpected applications of 3D printing in various industries
• The psychology of color in branding and marketing
• The science behind the perfect cup of tea

Extra Ideas for Informative Essay

These unique ideas cover various informative writing topics that can appeal to various interests and tastes.

• The impact of digital nomadism on local economies
• The role of vertical forests in urban air quality improvement
• The psychology of decision-making in the age of information overload
• The impact of microplastics on human health
• The role of citizen science in modern research
• The psychology of conspiracy theories in the digital age
• The impact of light pollution on wildlife and human health
• The role of gut bacteria in mental health
• The psychology of hoarding and minimalism
• The impact of noise pollution on urban wildlife
• The role of virtual reality in treating phobias and PTSD
• The psychology of procrastination and productivity
• The impact of fast fashion on global water resources
• The role of biomimicry in sustainable design
• The psychology of brand loyalty in the digital age
• The impact of ocean acidification on marine ecosystems
• The role of green roofs in urban heat island mitigation
• The psychology of online dating and relationship formation
• The impact of space debris on future space exploration
• The role of circadian rhythms in productivity and health

Informative Essay Topics About Animals

• The impact of climate change on migratory patterns of birds
• The role of elephants in maintaining forest ecosystems
• The intelligence of octopuses: Recent discoveries and implications
• The impact of light pollution on nocturnal animals
• The social structures of wolf packs in changing environments
• The role of bees in global food security
• The impact of ocean noise pollution on marine mammals
• The adaptations of animals to urban environments
• The role of keystone species in ecosystem balance
• The impact of microplastics on marine life
• The social intelligence of dolphins: Latest research findings
• The role of animal-assisted therapy in mental health treatment
• The impact of invasive species on local ecosystems
• The adaptations of animals to extreme environments
• The role of zoos in conservation efforts
• The impact of deforestation on primate populations
• The intelligence and problem-solving abilities of corvids
• The role of animal communication in ecosystem health
• The impact of domestic cats on wildlife populations
• The adaptations of animals to climate change

Informational Paper Topics about Sports

These informative essay topic ideas cover a broad range of sports-related subjects that can be explored in an informative paper.

• The impact of data analytics on professional sports strategies
• The role of mental health support in athlete performance
• The evolution of e-sports and its recognition as a legitimate sport
• The impact of climate change on outdoor sports and events
• The role of technology in improving sports equipment and safety
• The impact of social media on athlete branding and sponsorships
• The evolution of sports medicine in injury prevention and recovery
• The role of diversity and inclusion initiatives in professional sports
• The impact of streaming services on sports broadcasting
• The evolution of nutrition science in athletic performance
• The role of virtual reality in sports training and fan experiences
• The impact of doping scandals on sports integrity and public trust
• The evolution of women's sports and gender equality in athletics
• The role of sports in diplomacy and international relations
• The impact of COVID-19 on the structure of sports seasons and events
• The evolution of sports betting in the digital age
• The role of youth sports in child development and social skills
• The impact of extreme sports on adventure tourism
• The evolution of adaptive sports for athletes with disabilities
• The role of sports psychology in improving athletic performance

Informative Essay Topics About Politics

• The impact of social media on political campaigns and voter behavior
• The role of fact-checking organizations in combating misinformation
• The evolution of digital diplomacy in international relations
• The impact of climate change on global migration patterns and policies
• The role of grassroots movements in shaping national politics
• The impact of AI and big data on election predictions and strategies
• The evolution of privacy laws in the digital age
• The role of corporate lobbying in policy-making
• The impact of term limits on political leadership and governance
• The evolution of voting systems and electoral reform
• The role of political satire in shaping public opinion
• The impact of demographic shifts on political party strategies
• The evolution of campaign finance laws and their effects
• The role of think tanks in shaping public policy
• The impact of populism on traditional political party structures
• The evolution of environmental policy in the face of climate change
• The role of youth activism in political discourse
• The impact of trade policies on global economic relations
• The evolution of cybersecurity as a national security priority
• The role of political polling in shaping public opinion and policy

Informative Essay Topics About Stress

• The impact of chronic stress on the immune system
• The role of mindfulness practices in stress management
• The impact of workplace stress on productivity and employee health
• The role of exercise in reducing stress and improving mental health
• The impact of financial stress on personal relationships and well-being
• The role of sleep quality in stress resilience
• The impact of social media use on stress levels and mental health
• The role of nature exposure in stress reduction
• The impact of pandemic-related stress on global mental health
• The role of nutrition in stress management and mental well-being
• The impact of academic stress on student performance and health
• The role of social support systems in stress resilience
• The impact of chronic stress on cardiovascular health
• The role of time management techniques in reducing stress
• The impact of noise pollution on stress levels in urban environments
• The role of art and creative expression in stress relief
• The impact of parenting stress on child development
• The role of cognitive behavioral therapy in managing stress
• The impact of tech-related stress in the digital age
• The role of workplace design in reducing occupational stress

What Is an Informative Essay

Informative Essay stands as a unique form of writing with the primary objective of imparting knowledge rather than steering opinions. This genre encapsulates a diverse array of subjects, ranging from the historical trajectory of the Internet to the tangible advantages associated with meditation practices. What distinguishes these essays is their adaptability, accommodating various writing styles such as descriptive, comparative, cause and effect, and even narrative approaches.

Contrary to being exclusive to academia, this type of essay writing offers a pathway for inquisitive minds to expand their knowledge horizons.

Hey there, future info-wizards! Let's chat about these awesome informative essays. They're like the Swiss Army knife of writing - super versatile! You can describe cool stuff, compare things, dive into cause and effect, or even spin a yarn - all while dropping knowledge bombs left and right. It's like being the coolest teacher ever, but with a pen (or keyboard) as your magic wand!

Now, here comes the fun part - research! I know what you're thinking: "Research? Boooring!" But hold up a sec! It's actually like going on a treasure hunt for mind-blowing facts. You're basically an information detective, digging up golden nuggets of knowledge. Before you know it, you're the go-to expert on your topic. How cool is that?

And guess what? These essays aren't just for school - they're for anyone with a curious mind (that's you, right?). It's like having an all-access pass to learn about whatever makes your brain tingle with excitement.

The best part? When you're crafting one of these bad boys, you get to be a fact superhero. Your mission, should you choose to accept it: Deliver the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. No bias, no opinions - just pure, unadulterated info-goodness.

So, ready to pick a topic that'll make your informative essay sparkle like a diamond? Stick around, and we'll explore how to choose something that'll not only hook your readers but also teach them something awesome. Trust me, it's going to be way more fun than binge-watching cat videos (well, almost)!

How to Choose Informative Essay Topics

Choosing the right informative essay topic is essential for crafting an engaging and insightful piece. The topic should be interesting, relevant, and informative. So, what is the first step to creating an informative essay? Here are five tips from our custom essay writing service for selecting a great topic for an informative essay:

The Final Thoughts

In conclusion, selecting a topic for an informative essay can be challenging, but choosing a subject that is engaging, informative, and relevant to the target audience is crucial. Whether you are writing for high school, college, or professional audiences, there are endless possibilities for good topics for informative essays. Now that you understand what is the purpose of an informative essay, you must know that the key is to identify a topic you are passionate about, conduct thorough research, and present your findings in a clear and organized manner.

Meanwhile, you can always get top-notch papers from our team of experienced writers. You can even do math homework of any degree of complexity using our paper writing platform!

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What Are Some Informative Essay Topics?

What are good informative essay topics.

Daniel Parker

is a seasoned educational writer focusing on scholarship guidance, research papers, and various forms of academic essays including reflective and narrative essays. His expertise also extends to detailed case studies. A scholar with a background in English Literature and Education, Daniel’s work on EssayPro blog aims to support students in achieving academic excellence and securing scholarships. His hobbies include reading classic literature and participating in academic forums.

is an expert in nursing and healthcare, with a strong background in history, law, and literature. Holding advanced degrees in nursing and public health, his analytical approach and comprehensive knowledge help students navigate complex topics. On EssayPro blog, Adam provides insightful articles on everything from historical analysis to the intricacies of healthcare policies. In his downtime, he enjoys historical documentaries and volunteering at local clinics.

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