This document provides an outline for a lesson on expository essays. It discusses elements of research questions like topic and focus. It identifies eight types of focus including cause, effect, and comparison. The document instructs how to create a rough outline and thesis statement. An effective thesis statement states the topic and focus, previews supporting points, and provides the correct amount of information in a grammatically correct style.

1. Expository Essay
RUSSELL RODRIGO

2. Lesson outline
Intro to Expository Essay
 Elements of a research question
 Types of focus of a research question
Rough outlines:
Thesis statements:
 Characteristics of an effective thesis statement
 Identifying effective thesis statements
 Correct amount of information
 Style

3. Research questions
What are the causes of internet addiction?
2 parts – topic and focus

4. Research questions - topic
What are the causes of internet addiction?
The general topic is usually a noun phrase

5. Research questions - focus
What are the causes of internet addiction?
The focus suggests what you will say about the
topic and the information that you will look for.

6. 8 Types of focus
Cause
Effect
Definition
Classification
Problem and solution
Process (How to?)
Argument (Should?)
Comparison

7. What is the focus of the following
research questions?
1. How are expectations of marriage in the U.S. and
India similar or different?
2. Why do people become homeless?

8. Sourcework p33
Look at the examples on pp31-32.
Complete the 3 questions on p33.

9. More than one focus
Sometimes a research question has more than one
focus.
For example: What are the causes and effects of
insomnia?

10. Sourcework p34
Look at the examples
Complete the 2 questions on p34.

11. Rough Outline
 A good way to organize your ideas is to create a rough
outline.
 3 parts to a rough outline:
1. The research question
2. The focus of the research question
3. 3 to 5 categories of answers to your research question.

12. Example
Research question: Why do people become
addicted to alcohol?
Focus: Causes
Answers: Emotional distress
Social Pressure
Genetic predisposition

13. In pairs - Look at the following research
question and create a rough outline.
What makes a successful city?
Focus - definition

14. Thesis Statements
 4 characteristics of a good thesis statement
1. It states the topic and focus, which answers your research
question.
2. It gives an overview of your supporting points, which are
logically connected to your focus.
3. It gives the correct amount of information [not to much or
too little]
4. It uses correct grammar and precise vocabulary

15. Example 1
R.Q.: How are expectations of marriage in the U.S. and
India similar or different?
T.S.: Belief in romantic love, the division of family
responsibilities, and attitudes towards divorce are
three differences between American and India
expectations of marriage.

16. Example 2
R.Q.: Why do people become homeless?
T.S.: The lack of affordable housing, inadequate
public assistance, and the breakdown of the family
are three causes of homelessness.

17. Sourcework – p48
Look at the 3 thesis statements: Circle the
topic and underline the focus

18. Identifying an effective thesis statement.
Look at the 2 sample rough outlines and effective
thesis statements on pp48-49.
Now look at the thesis statements and rough
outlines in the exercises on pp49-51 and decide if
they are OK or not OK and why.

19. Look at the example rough outlines on
pp48-49 and their thesis statements.
Create a thesis statement using your rough
outline from earlier –
What makes a successful city?

20. Correct amount of information
Your thesis statement should have just
enough information to enable your reader to
know the key points you will make about your
topic.

21. Too little information.
Internet addiction causes many
problems.
This does not tell us what problems are
caused.

22. Too much information!
 Capital punishment, which is practiced in many countries such as
Pakistan, China, and parts of the United States, is a problem
because it actually costs more than a carefully planned system of
rehabilitation, often leads to the execution of innocent people
when the justice system is corrupt or operates too quickly, and
can cause unreasonable pain to the person being executed if
methods like electrocution are used.

23. Identify the correct thesis statement
On page 52 which of the 3 thesis
statements gives the correct amount
of information?

24. Style
 Do not write your thesis statement in the first person ie:
 I’m going to talk about two reasons…
 I think…
 Instead use the third person:
 There are 2 reasons that…
 It is believed that…

25. Further reading
Pages 54 – 58 : Common problems
with thesis statements

26. Lesson summary
 Research Questions:
 Elements of a research question
 Types of focus of a research question
 Rough outlines:
 Thesis statements:
 Characteristics of an effective thesis statement
 Identifying effective thesis statements
 Correct amount of information
 Style