Expository Writing

Credits: 03
Pre-requisite: Functional English
Semester: III

Course Description

This course is designed to develop undergraduate students' English language proficiency, with a focus on
improving their writing skills for effective communication in academic and professional settings. Expository
Writing is a sequential undergraduate course. Building upon the foundation of the pre-requisite course - Functional
English, this course will enhance students’ abilities of producing clear, concise and coherent written texts in
English. It will also enable students to analyse model essays through critical reading strategies and express their
opinions and views by writing well-organized essays. Students will engage in reading and writing across various
genres, such as essays, research papers, and abstracts/summaries.

Course Objectives

The course aims at enabling undergraduate students to:

1. Analyze basic communication skills and use them effectively in written English.
2. Develop reflective and self-directed learning skills for personal and professional growth.
3. Critically evaluate, review and produce various types of expository texts.
4. Follow ethical practices in academic writing.

Expository Writing Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
1. Examine texts written for a variety of audiences and purposes.
2. Engage with different stages of the writing process, including brainstorming, outlining,
drafting, revising, and editing.
3. Produce fully developed paragraphs and abstracts/summaries.
4. Differentiate between various types of text organization (Illustration, classification,
cause/effect, process writing, comparison and contrast, and problem/solution essays).
5. Effectively use the conventions of academic writing to produce coherent and well-supported
essays.
6. Follow usage rules in word choice, punctuation, spelling, and sentence structure.
7. Uphold ethical practices to maintain originality in expository writing.
8. Avoid plagiarism by paraphrasing and acknowledging references in MLA and APA formats.
9. Transform a problem solution essay into a short research article.
Resource Book
A targeted course pack compiled for the course will be used as the syllabus book.
 Course Contents &Weekly Plan
Week Chapter Content/Activities
1  Writing a sentence
 Writing a paragraph
1&2 Writing  Using transitions
Sentences,  Developing essays from paragraphs
Paragraphs and  Doing some language exercises from Chapter 10
Essays (Editing Guide)

2  Analyzing a model expository essay

3&4  Examining the elements of a well-structured essay

Expository Essays  Following and practicing steps in the writing process

 Doing some language exercises from Chapter 10
(Editing Guide)
 Writing an expository essay

3  Understanding what illustration is

5  Analyzing a model illustration essay
 Doing some language exercises from Chapter 10
Illustration
(Editing Guide)
(Essays)
 Writing an illustration essay
Note:
First evaluation of semester work: Marks 10
(an essay along with the writing process evidence)

4  Analyzing a model classification essay

6&7  Understanding the organization of a classification
essay
Classification
 Establishing unity and coherence
Essays
 Using transition signals to introduce ideas
 Doing some language exercises from Chapter 10
(Editing Guide)
 Writing a classification essay

5  Analyzing a model process essay

8&9  Understanding the organization of a process essay
 Making transitions between steps in a process
Process Essays
 Writing a summary and an abstract
  Doing some language exercises from Chapter 10
(Editing Guide)
 Writing a process essay
9 Midterm
6  Analyzing a model cause and effect essay
10 & 11  Understanding chain and block organization
 Doing some language exercises from Chapter 10
Cause/Effect
(Editing Guide)
Essays
 Writing a cause/effect essay
Note:
Second evaluation of semester work: Marks 05
(questions from Chapter 10 - Editing Guide)

7  Analyzing a model comparison and contrast essay

12 & 13 Comparison and  Using connectors to compare and contrast
Contrast Essays  Doing some language exercises from Chapter 10
(Editing Guide)
 Writing a comparison and contrast essay

8  Analyzing a model problem solution essay

14, 15 Problem/Solution  Researching a topic in multiple sources
& 16
Essays  Avoiding plagiarism
 Documenting sources with MLA and APA formats

9  Writing a problem/solution essay

From Essay to  Transforming the essay into a short research article

(following the model essay and research paper given
Research Paper in Chapter 9)
Note:
Third evaluation of semester work: Marks 15
(A problem solution essay to be written in class,
transformed into a short research paper as home
assignment and submitted along with previous writings
produced during the course of semester in a writing
portfolio)
HEC recommended practical activity:
As part of the overall learning requirements, students will be
required to build a writing portfolio having a variety of
 expository texts and present the same at the end of the course
showcasing proficiency in expository writing.

Assessment

Tracking achievement in learning outcomes and providing timely feedback to students are an integral part
of this course. Assessment in this course will be both formative and summative.

Formative assessment provides feedback about students’ achievement, strengths and weaknesses, and
quality of learning experience during the course of study whereas summative assessment provides
cumulative information about the extent of achievement of course objectives and outcomes at the exit of
the course. Examination and evaluation rules in practice at Government College University ensure equal
representation of formative and summative assessment. The exit criteria in terms of grade point average
are determined by the general examinations rules of the university.

Assessment Specifications for Expository Writing

Formative Assessment Marks Assessment modes

Semester Work 30  Essay writing (marks: 10)
 Language editing quiz (marks: 05)
 Essay transformed into a short research paper
submitted along with other checked written work in
a writing portfolio (marks: 15)
Midterm 20 Traditional exam (writing process, essay writing and
editing skills)
Summative 50 Traditional exam
Assessment
Total marks 100

Teaching Methodology

It is important for students to have activity-based and life-related learning experiences, so the course
instructors will have to provide students considerable support by:

 giving needs-based (individual and group) classroom instruction

 modelling the targeted language skills
 accessing technology-based resources
 providing practice opportunities and timely feedback on all writing tasks
 executing and encouraging cooperative learning activities

Assessment Based on Performance Descriptors

Performance descriptors for each of the expository writing skills have been drawn from learning
outcomes. Teachers need to be familiar with assessment criteria and assessment rubrics.

Resources

Anker, S. (2010). Real writing. New York: Bedford/St. Martin’s.

Meyers, A. (2014). Longman, academic writing series: Essays to research papers. USA: Pearson Education.
Russell, K.L. (2012). Write now. New York: MacGraw-Hill.
Savage, A & Patricia, M. (2012). Effective academic writing. UK: Oxford University Press.
Zemach, D.E., Daniel, B. & Chris, V. (2018). Writing research papers. London: Macmillan Publishers.
Zemach, D.E. & Lisa, A. G. (2018). Writing essays. London: Macmillan Publishers.
 Expository Writing Assessment Rubrics / Performance Descriptors

Criteria Descriptors Little or Limited Sufficient Good

No Evidence Evidence Evidence
The response demonstrates: Evidence
(4-6) (7-8) (9-10)
(0-3)
Introduction and A clear thesis statement or
thesis statement point of view; engaging
introduction that prepares the
Supporting reader accurately for the body
paragraphs paragraphs; thought-provoking
Conclusion or interesting conclusion that
ties everything back together
and takes the thesis further.
One main idea per paragraph,
good use of transitions, clear
Organization topic sentences, and smooth
(Unity and connections between
Coherence) paragraphs; if an order is set in
the introduction, it is followed.
Use of specific, concrete,
relevant details,(illustration/
Development: classification/process/cause and
Support effect/comparison and
contrast/problem and solution
based evidence) and numerous
references to source material
to substantiate and explain
thesis.
Excellent use of language;
Mechanics: precisely chosen words,
(Grammar, complex and varied sentence
Spelling, structure appropriate tone and
vocabulary, etc.) style, and almost no spelling,
punctuation and other
grammatical errors.
Mechanics for Smoothly used signal phrases
citations or and parenthetical citation in-
research article text; a citation for every fact or
format(MLA/APA quote, and correctly formatted
) Works Cited/Reference page
with few or no errors.
Adapted from: Essay Grading Rubrics and New York State Expository Writing Evaluation Rubric