Informative/Explanatory WritingA Writing Standard

Explanatory Writing Differs from Argument Writing because

an explanatory response seeks to explain, support, or clarify. The thesis statement for an explanatory essay is factual and objective. It conveys the writer’s purpose to increase readers’ knowledge, not to change their minds.

Explanatory Writingrequires students to examine and convey complex ideas, concepts, and information clearly and accurately. The purpose of this type of writing is to demonstrate comprehension of a topic, concept, process, or procedure.

For Explanatory Writingstudents write in response to a source, which may be a text or other media such as art, music, charts, or graphs. An effective response requires students to read the “text” closely, in order to demonstrate an understanding of the topic and locate evidence from the “text” to support their response.

Explanatory responses may be organized in various ways…

Cause/ EffectProblem/ SolutionDefinitionClassificationChronological/ SequentialCompare/ContrastCompareContrast

A Snapshot of Content-specific Explanatory Tasks

Science Lab Reports- Explain lab observations; compare a process used to another possible processCareer Technology Education - Diagram the sequence of steps required to diagnose and troubleshoot malfunctioning equipment.

A Snapshot of Content-specific Explanatory Tasks

Mathematics Reflections- Contrast the graph you created with a partner and depict the differences you discovered. Music-After listening to recordings of two performances, identify strengths of each performance and give suggestions for improvement in our performance, considering tone, intonation, balance, and articulation.

A Snapshot of Content-specific Explanatory Tasks

Art- Explain the choices you made as you developed ideas for your portrait. Social Studies- Compare Northern and Southern rationales for the ending or continuation of slavery

Explanatory writing is common to

most content areas and requires students to think, question, and analyze.

Automotive

After researching Informational Texts, write a work order for a car repair that includes the 3 Cs (customer’s complaint, cause of problem, and correction to problem)

What is a good auto technician? After researching articles and want ads on the qualities of a good auto technician, write a report that defines the good qualities and explains how you show these qualities in your work. Support your discussion with evidence from your research. Give examples from your personal experience that show that you have these qualities.

Culinary Arts

After researching recipe format from your text, hearing and listing ingredients, and observing a classroom demonstration on making a crepe, write a recipe and method that explains how to make a crepe.

Art After researching articles on the life and work of Romare Bearden on collage and the use of juxtaposition, create an original collage in this style and write an essay that compares your work to the style of Romare Bearden. Support your comparison with evidence from your research.

After researching articles on the life and work of Romare Bearden on collage and the use of juxtaposition, write an essay that discusses the work of another student and evaluates the piece based on the use of technique. Be sure to support your position with evidence from the text.

Health Careers

After researching the internet on negligence in health care, write a journal entry that supports or opposes health care providers’ actions. Support your discussion with evidence from your research (what laws/statutes did they violate? Why is it considered negligence or malpractice?)

•After researching an article on a disease or condition of the muscular system, write a description of the causes of the disease or condition. Support your discussion with evidence from your research.

Law Enforcement

Do students have the same rights as adults? After researching NJ v. T.L.O. and an internet source, write an essay that compares this case to your role as a student. Be sure to support your position with evidence from the texts

•After researching newspaper articles on recent police activity, write a police report that relates your account of the incident in chronological order. Be sure to include all required elements specified in the scoring guide.