How to Write an Informational Essay (with Pictures)

2024 Author: Samantha Chapman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 09:13

An informational essay provides information to the reader on a particular topic. You will need to know the subject well and provide information in a clear and methodical way. If at first it may seem like an insurmountable task, remember to take it one step at a time. Working methodically can help you create brilliant text, and you might even have fun writing it!

Steps

Part 1 of 3: Choosing the Topic and Doing Research

Step 1. First, you need to understand the assignment that has been assigned to you

If you are writing an essay for school, make sure of the required length and any parameters to follow. This will help you determine how much information you will need to collect and present. First of all, consult the track related to the task to be performed. If you need further clarification, ask your teacher.

Make sure you understand your teacher's guidance on citing sources. This way, you'll know what source-related information to note when searching. Some schools may make available software for the management of bibliographic citations such as EndNote or RefWorks, programs that can collect the sources and keep track of them more easily.
Pay attention to the formatting guidelines. Specific indications are often given in the essay outline, for example whether the essay should be written by hand or on a computer, which font and size to use. When the font is not specified, to be on the safe side it is advisable to use a readable standard, such as Times New Roman or Arial, size 12. Avoid weird or eccentric characters in an academic text, unless you have agreed previously with the teacher.
Check the delivery date! Start now so that you have plenty of time to complete the essay.

Step 2. Choose a topic

If the topic is not assigned, you will have to choose it yourself. It's easy to get stuck on this point if you have a lot of options, so take your time and stick to a few general rules:

The topic should be neither too broad nor too limited. Read 'Writing an Essay' for further guidance. There should be a lot of information on the subject to be able to cover it, but not so much that it fails to provide a clear and concise discussion. For example, "the history of national parks" may be too vast a subject to explore, while the "history of the Gran Paradiso National Park" may be too limited. A happy medium could be "the history of the first national parks established in Italy".
The topic should be appropriate and interesting for the reader. First of all, think about who might be reading your essay. Obviously, if you write a text for the school, the teacher will be the main user, however you should always identify a category of people to contact. What do they want to know? What information do they not already have and what information will they be able to obtain by reading your essay?
Generally speaking, the topic should interest you first and foremost. This way, the writing process will be easier and you can convey your enthusiasm to the reader.

Step 3. Do effective research

This is important, especially when writing an informational essay whose purpose is to provide accurate information. Try to use reliable sources that can be traced back to industry experts. A librarian could be instrumental in helping you find reputable resources such as encyclopedias, books, magazines, and relevant websites. Beware of the data available on the internet, even in the case of sites like Wikipedia where many pages contain unreliable news.

For best results, try to find information online through the sites of reputable organizations, government agencies, and universities. Google Scholar can be a great tool to start with

Step 4. Take notes as you research

Use a blank sheet of paper or a notepad to jot down interesting facts you've read. Alternatively, you can take notes directly on your computer. Either way, make sure you have all the notes regarding your essay in one place.

For your informational essay, you will need an introduction, at least three main points, and a conclusion. Enter the relevant information within the respective sections

Step 5. Keep track of sources

You should know in advance what information you will need to cite sources. Typically, the bibliography should include: author (s), title, publisher, date of publication and web page address, if applicable.

Step 6. Compare ideas

Once you have gathered enough material from your research, comparing ideas will help you organize the information into groups and see the connections between them.

Make a concept map. Write the topic title in a circle in the center of the paper, then write down the main information or ideas about it in small circles around the middle one. Join the smallest circles to the largest with lines. Next, add examples around each idea that confirm it, circling and merging them together to show the links. There will be lines that join ideas or examples together.
Make a list. If you prefer the linear structure of a list, write the topic at the top and any ideas below it. Under each idea, add examples to confirm them. Don't worry about putting them in order for now - you will do it later.
Write straight away. Writing straight away can help you generate content, even if that will not normally be the final text you will use in the final draft. Set a time frame, for example 15 minutes, and write down everything that comes to mind on the subject. Don't stop to correct spelling or grammar mistakes, keep writing even if you don't think you have something to say. The most important thing is to write until the 15 minutes are up.

Part 2 of 3: Making a Pattern

Step 1. Plan an introduction that will grab the reader's attention

You should have some ideas to present in the presentation of your thesis, usually consisting of two or three sentences that explain the topic in general.

At this stage, do not worry about explaining the thesis in detail: you will do it later. If you do not feel ready to present the thesis, take some notes in the introductory part of the outline. It is essential to have at least a vague idea of what you will want to write in the essay.
It may seem strange to summarize the essay even before starting, but presenting the thesis at the beginning of the outline will help you organize your ideas and select the most important examples to present.

Step 2. Use only one example for each paragraph in the body of your essay

The body of the essay is the part between the introduction and the conclusion. Extract the main examples from your research that can prove the general thesis (from Step # 1).

The number of examples you use depends on the length of the text: if you have to write a five paragraph essay it means that the body of the essay will be three paragraphs, so you will need three main ideas.
Make sure you choose the most important examples and that they are all different from each other.
The examples used to confirm your thesis are also called "data".

Step 3. Enter data in each paragraph of the body text

Now that you have identified the main idea of each paragraph, enter more and more specific data that will help the reader understand the main idea. They could be examples, events, quotes or more in-depth explanations.

Make sure you have enough data for each paragraph. If you don't have much to say about the main concept of that paragraph, consider changing it or combining it with that of another paragraph. Alternatively, you can do further research to find other data to include in the paragraph

Step 4. Reiterate the thesis in the conclusion

The conclusion summarizes what you have already said by bringing some more details and nuances to the original thesis. Use the conclusion as if it were your last chance to explain to the reader what you have to say.

Part 3 of 3: Writing the Essay

Step 1. Make a first draft

Using the outline as a guide, turn your notes into paragraphs.

Don't worry about spelling mistakes. Remember that this is only a draft, not the final copy. Just focus on writing, you will correct mistakes later.
Write the draft by hand or on the computer if you prefer.

Step 2. Establish a key phrase for each paragraph

The key phrase, usually the opening one, communicates the main idea of the paragraph to the reader. Furthermore, it can facilitate the transition from the main idea expressed in the previous paragraph to that of the new paragraph.

For example, a transitional key phrase could be: “Even if the first national parks in Italy were established in the 1920s, the idea of sustainable tourism still struggles to establish itself today”. This sentence gives a precise imprint to the paragraph (the concept of sustainable tourism) and connects it to the previous one (which probably spoke of the establishment of the first national parks and the first protected natural areas).
Remember: each paragraph needs "unity" (a single central idea), "a clear link with the thesis", "coherence" (logical relationship of ideas within the paragraph) and "development" (ideas are explained clearly and confirmed by the data).

Step 3. Structure the essay in different parts

The essay will need at least an introduction, a body and a conclusion. Each paragraph of the body must follow the following pattern: statement, data, explanation. Use examples and your own reasoning to broaden the main topic or idea of the paragraph.

Make sure you have a clear idea of what each paragraph is about. In order not to lose the thread, constantly refer to the diagram as you write

Step 4. Correct the first draft

Read the draft carefully more than once and ask yourself the following questions:

Have you communicated to the reader everything related to the subject of the essay?
Is the presentation of the thesis clear and concentrated in two or three sentences?
Are the paragraphs all relevant to the thesis?
Do the paragraphs all have a main idea backed up by accurate and objective data?
Does the conclusion summarize your thoughts on the subject without adding new information or opinion?
Does the text flow? Does the transition from one paragraph to another happen in a clear and logical way?
Did you use clear and concise prose and avoid a flowery style?
Did the reader learn anything new in reading your essay? Is the topic presented in an interesting way?
Did you cite the sources as directed by your teacher?

Step 5. Write the final version

After making notes on the draft, turn it into the finished text. If you've worked properly on the draft, turning it into the finished text shouldn't be too difficult.

As you write your final text, pay special attention to "consistency". Drafts often present scattered ideas with no clear and logical progression. The key difference between a draft and the finished text is that the latter presents the information in a linear, clear and easy-to-read way, where each concept builds upon the previous one. It will also help you to pay attention to the “statement, data, explanation” pattern

Step 6. Finalize the language

Once you've organized all the paragraphs into a logical progression, you can shift your focus to language choices. Read the essay aloud and fix passages that sound strange or tangled.