how to write an informative essay

How to Write an Informative Essay

Informative essays are a breeze to write, yet many students find themselves stuck in writing the introduction. Some can’t even think of a good essay topic when there are many subjects to write about. If you are one of these students, know that there is still hope. What we mean is that you can always seek the help of paper writing services like write my paper, or you can choose to work on your knowledge on how to write an informative essay. The choice is entirely yours.

Being an excellent essay writer doesn’t happen in a day. It requires consistent training and applying writing techniques that work. If you are interested in speeding up your writing skill enhancement so you can start drafting your informative essay, read this article entirely. Similarly, if you want to read a definitive guide in writing a compare and contrast essay and an argumentative essay, you will find our other blogs helpful.

What is an informative essay?

An informative essay is a piece of writing that aims to inform the readers about a particular person, object, event, issue, or phenomenon. After finishing an entire informative essay, the readers are expected to gain something– maybe a particular fact or an opinion that can change his view of that specific topic. Here is a more detailed breakdown of the purpose of an informative essay:

1. To explain the importance of a particular subject.

2. To analyze relationships between two things.

3. To inform the readers about a topic that is unfamiliar to them.

4. To present the current trends.

Steps in writing an informative essay

There are a lot of informative essay examples and guides you will find on the internet, but most of them are too exhausting to read because they are very technical. We don’t want you to get bored reading this article, so we’re keeping it short but detailed. Here are five easy steps on how to write an informative essay:

Step 1: Choose the topic

Many students don’t have any idea on how to start an informative essay. Well, the first step in any writing process is thinking of a topic. Unfortunately, many students, even those who are already taking their graduate studies, find it hard to choose a subject. Below are some useful reminders in deciding where to focus on your informative essay:

  • Choose specific topics over broader ones.
  • Avoid topics you do not have any idea of, or you aren’t interested in writing about.
  • Ensure that the topic is relevant to society and not trivial.
  • Read the guidelines given by your teacher if there is any.

Informative essay topics

A. Sample topics for High School
  1. The role of the internet in our lives
  2. Why the relationship between parents and children is important
  3. How to take care of the environment
  4. Greatest inventions in history
  5. The importance of freedom and independence
  6. Becoming a writer
  7. Hollywood actors
  8. What it means to be happy
  9. Leadership skills
  10. Favorite novel
  11. Living in the old days without technology
  12. Favorite film of all time
  13. Christianity and Atheism
  14. Friendship rules
  15. Family values
  16. The value of tolerance
  17. How to eradicate bullying
  18. What is a pop culture
  19. The logo of the Olympic games
  20. Most exciting event from history
  21. Dream college
  22. Nuclear energy
  23. Gun control
  24. How do the homeless survive
  25. Why are school textbooks expensive
  26. TV censorship
  27. The life cycle of a specific animal
  28. Skills required for vlogging
B. Sample topics for College
  1. Marijuana Legalization
  2. Using filthy language at school
  3. Addiction causes
  4. Where did the universe originate
  5. Prostitution and how we view it
  6. Modern technology and its impact on our lives
  7. Notable leaders in history
  8. Body language
  9. Handwriting interpretation
  10. Top sights to visit
  11. The science of astrology
  12. Censorship and mass media
  13. How the UK parliament works
  14. An inspiring fictional character
  15. How recycling can end pollution
  16. Why it is important to vote
  17. The current state of women’s rights
  18. Election changes over the years
  19. The consequences of illegal immigration
  20. Cybersecurity
  21. How to use a MacBook
  22. What is artificial intelligence
  23. Female leaders and their strategies
  24. How to create a horror film
  25. Why do some people wear a hijab
  26. The current view on plastic surgery
  27. Effects of smoking
  28. Overcoming anxiety and depression
  29. Modern planting techniques
  30. Type of human-made disasters
  31. Effects of consuming too much fast food

Step 2: Research!

After figuring out the topic of your informative essay, the next logical step on how to write an informative essay is to research what you will include in your paper. By only doing an internet search, you’ll find a lot of relevant information that most people aren’t aware of. Use them to craft an interesting essay that will make the reader consume your writing from beginning to end. Just be careful not to get details from non-reputable sites. 

Step 3: Create an informative essay outline

An essay outline will serve as your guide in creating your first draft. This will contain every single detail that you would like to share with your reader in informative writing. Below are the three types of outline that you can use:

1. Alphanumeric outlines (Roman numerals, capitalized letters, Arabic numerals, lowercase letters)

2. Full-sentence outlines

3. Decimal outlines

Step 4: Write the essay following a four-part structure

Following a particular form is also essential if you want an organized paper. We strongly suggest that you use the four-part structure in informative writing which is composed of the introduction, thesis, body, and conclusion. 

A. Introduction

The introduction will give the reader an idea about your chosen topic. You can do this by providing a brief background of the subject or stating the current issues. Ensure that you write in an exciting way because this is the deciding factor whether the reader will finish your whole essay.

Here is a sample of an informative essay introduction from Western Technical College. The title of this piece is Tenacity: Vital to Success.

For many, the demands of college are the greatest challenges they have yet faced. Daily, students are exposed to a barrage of new ideas that they must quickly grasp to meet ever-present deadlines. This unrelenting process is made more difficult with schedule conflicts with work, financial difficulties, and other personal problems. Many are overwhelmed by it all, yet every year people graduate while others dropout. 

B. Thesis

A thesis statement contains what you want to share with the readers and why it is relevant in an informative essay. It doesn’t have to be very detailed because your body will serve as its explanation. Here are the steps to writing your thesis statement:

  1. Answer the prompt
  2. Be specific
  3. Take a stance
  4. Answer the “How” and “Why”

Here is the continuation of the sample used for the introduction, which contains the thesis statement:

In most cases, only one thing separates those that graduate from those that dropout. That one thing is tenacity. Tenacity is found in all people that succeed and it has benefits even in failure.

C. Body

The body paragraphs should cover all the interesting facts about the topic and details that are unknown to the reader. Your goal in these sections is to intrigue your reader and make them gain new knowledge based on what you have written. Here are the three integral elements of the body of an informative essay:

1. Claim

2. Supportive evidence

3. Explanation

The example body of an informative paragraph below is an excerpt from the same essay used in the discussion about the introduction and thesis statement:

The importance of tenacity is stressed by those that have studied success. Napoleon Hill spent twenty years studying success and was a pioneer in the field. Hill determined that persistence was a key factor in achieving success. In his monumental book, Think and Grow Rich, Hill states, “Lack of persistence is one of the major causes of failure. Moreover, experience with thousands of people has proved that lack of persistence is a weakness common to the majority of men” (152). Hill goes on to say, “One thing we all know, if one does not possess persistence, one does not achieve noteworthy success in any calling” (155). 

Anthony Robbins has built a multi-million dollar empire by teaching people to be successful. His “Ultimate Success Formula” is the essence of tenacity. First, the tenacious must define a goal. Second, they take action to achieve the goal. Finally, they notice if what they are doing is working or not, and adapt their approach until they reach their goal (Robbins, 11). 

The value of tenacity is proven repeatedly in various success stories. Colonel Sanders, the founder of KFC, did not begin creating a chicken franchise until he was a sixty-five years old retiree. Deeming his Social Security checks too small, he looked for something he could do to bring in more money. He had a great chicken recipe and believed a restaurant would use his recipe and give him a percent of the profits from the recipe. It was absurd to assume a restaurant would share profits with someone else when they already have a chicken recipe they can use for free. In fact, the idea was not an easy sell, but Sanders would not give up on his idea. He was turned down one thousand nine times before a restaurant made a deal with him. Had he stopped at ten, or one hundred, or even one thousand rejections he would not have reaped the rewards from his not-so-crazy idea (Robbins, 13-14).

D. Conclusion

The last part of the informative essay is the conclusion. This should contain one to two paragraphs summarizing the main details you have discussed in the body. You should also restate your thesis statement to remind the reader of your goal. However, remember not to include new facts because they may cause confusion.

Here is the conclusion to the sample we have used earlier:

Currently, I am among the top students in all my classes. However, tenacity makes no promises that I will stay at the top of my classes. Though tenacity may not always be good enough to pass tests or classes, it does guarantee that I will give my absolute best, and it will see me through any failure I must endure. Most important, as long as I remain tenacious, tenacity promises that I will receive my degree. 

The French scientist Louis Pasteur sums up tenacity best with his quote, “Let me tell you the secret which has led me to the goal. My only strength resides in my tenacity.” (Dubos, 63). Ultimately, the level of one’s tenacity determines the level of success one achieves in life. Whether it is because of faith, love, or a deep sense of purpose, people that have tenacity will live a more fulfilling life than those that collapse at every obstacle.

Step 6: Review your draft

The last but equally important step on how to write an informative essay is the post-writing. This is when you review your initial draft. If you are not sure about your proofreading and editing skills, ask the help of a friend who can critique your work. You can also seek the help of professionals because they can point out some areas that need revision that even your expert friend would not notice.  

Conclusion

We hope that through this guide, you’ll be more equipped in writing a good essay. Remember that your primary goal is to leave something in your readers’ minds and impressing them just comes second. 

Here is a recap of the five easy steps how to write an informative essay that you can also apply if you want to be a freelance writer:

Step 1: Choose the topic

Step 2: Research!

Step 3: Create an informative essay outline

Step 4: Write the essay following a four-part structure

  • Introduction
  • Thesis
  • Body
  • Conclusion

Step 5: Review your draft

Did we miss any vital step or tip on how to write an informative essay? Feel free to comment them below!

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Todd VanDuzer

Co-Founder & CEO at Student-Tutor
Hello! My name is Todd. I help students design the life of their dreams by ensuring college, scholarship, and career success! I am a former tutor for seven years, $85,000 scholarship recipient, Huffington Post contributor, lead SAT & ACT course developer, host of a career exploration podcast for teens, and have worked with thousands of students and parents to ensure a brighter future for the next generation. I invite you to join my next webinar to learn how to save thousands + set your teenager up for college, scholarship, and career success!
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