2013 Summer Workshops in Teaching Writing: Teaching Expository Writing

Last Week We Asked: What do we mean when we say “Persuasive” Writing?

• And how is that different from “Argumentative” writing?

• We did an experiment – Argue with your partner about which pet is better—cats or

dogs?– Persuade your partner to go see a movie with you

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Argumentation• Tends to be agonistic • Debate between contending

points of view• Dependent more on reason

and logic for its appeals(think lawyer)

Persuasion• May not be so antagonistic• Focused on motivating

someone to see, feel, think, or do something

• Naturally leans on appeals of ethos and pathos more than logos(think salesman)

We Learned

We Learned STAAR Persuasive Writing Prompts

--focus on an issuethat is debatable orcontroversial and ask students to takea “position” or sideon the issue and arguefor that position.

--leans more heavily on presenting REASONS in support of the position than on ethos or pathos --align more closelyacademic argumentation done in college

In terms of audience argument/persuasion means

• To move them to act or think differently than before they began reading

A B

But what is the difference between “expository writing” and “persuasive writing?”

• …let try another experiment

• Get together with a partner

• First partner:

Tell your partner about one benefit of biking.

• Second partner:

Explain to your partner why biking is better exercise than walking.

• Back to first partner:

• Assume your colleague is a “walker”: convince her that biking is better exercise for her than walking.

What did you notice between the three?

• 1: Tell about one benefit of biking• 2: Explain why biking is better exercise than

walking• 3: Convince her why biking is better exercise

than walking

Expository vs. Persuasive

To Persuade or Argue in terms of audience means to MOVE them

Key words--convince--persuade--”because…” (REASONS)

Expository writing as INFORMATIONAL writing, in terms of audience, means to FILL IN—the audience does not KNOW; the writer tells them

Key words--to explain--to tell--to inform(even to describe or to show)

Treacherous waters

• Prompts that ask students to present one thing over another

• Prompts that ask writers to “explain why”

Examples:

WRITE an essay explaining whether it is better to work by yourself or with a group.

WRITE an essay explaining why hard work is necessary to be successful.

WRITE an essay explaining whether people should be more concerned about others than about themselves.

Expository Writing

to FILL IN your audience

Persuasive Writing

to MOVE your audience

let me change your mindlet me convince you to do this…

let me tell you about

Moffett’s curriculum ascending the ladder of abstraction

Theorizing—the argumentation of what will, may happen

Generalizing—the exposition of what happens

Reporting—the narrative of what happened

Recording—the drama of what is happening

L. Lennie Irvin, San Antonio College

Argument

Exposition

Narration

Description

Elastic Kernels: Moving from Narrative to Expository or Persuasive Writing

• Bernabei and Hall’s similar approach to build other kinds of writing from narrative

– from “what happened”to

– “what happens” or– “what should happen”

L. Lennie Irvin, San Antonio College

Crossing2College: A Resource for College-Readiness in Writing