ABSTRACT
Students do not generally do their best work on expository writing unless they have been immersed in models. Therefore, have students read (and read to them) multiple examples of essays, research reports, opinion pieces, analyses, or any other form that they are to attempt. When they are deeply familiar with the form, have them deconstruct the models and discover the organizing frameworks and the thinking paths. The overall question is, “What kinds of thinking are going on here, and how is the thinking organized?” Examples of specific questions might be as follows:
Is the report hypothesis-driven or is it hypothesis-free? Is the essay thesis statement up front or is it to be discovered? In the comparative analysis, are the similarities stated first and then substantiated, or are the examples first described in order to reveal the similarities? Is the main rationale for the opinion one of cause and effect?
After this analysis of models, let them read and hear whole models again. Now they will be more able to write on their own, 73having chosen topics relevant to them for audiences about whom they care. In the analysis of their work, avoid like the plague such worn-out, misleading, and tedious prompts as supporting details, topic sentences, main idea, clincher sentences, and the five-paragraph essay. Instead, focus on how the analogy holds up, how well the causes fit the effects, how coherent the organizing framework is, whether or not the examples fit the ideas. Any rubric should reflect the cognitive path of the writing. Also, for most expository writing, constructing a cognitive map, or Think Link, beforehand can lead to better results.