An informative essay educates the reader about a topic. You'll need to know a good deal about your subject and convey information in a clear, organized fashion. If it seems overwhelming at first, remember to take it step by step. Working methodically can help you write a successful paper, and you may even enjoy the process. Choose a topic. If the topic is not already assigned, you'll need to select your own topic. It's easy to get stuck on this step if you have a wide range of choices, so take your time and abide by a few general rules: The topic should not be too broad or too narrow. See Write an Essay for more information. There should be enough information about the topic to write about, but not so much that you can't present clear, concise information. For example, writing on "the history of animal shelters" is probably much too broad, while "the history of Sunny Days Animal Shelter in X County" is probably too narrow. A happy medium might be "the history of breed-specific animal shelters in America." The topic should be appropriate and interesting to your audience. Think in advance about who might be reading your essay. Obviously, if this is for school, your teacher is your primary audience, but you should always have a target audience in mind. What will they want to know? What do they probably not know already that your essay will provide?Conduct good research. This is especially important for an informative essay, where you need to impart accurate information. Be very careful to use objective sources written by experts on your topic. A librarian can best help you find reliable sources of information, such as encyclopedias, books, journals, and relevant websites. Be careful when using the Internet, including sites like Wikipedia, as many pages are full of unreliable content. Take notes as you research. Use a blank sheet of paper or notebook to jot down interesting facts that you read. Alternatively, you can type notes on a computer. Whatever you choose, find a way to keep all your notes for the essay in one place. Keep track of your sources. You should know in advance what information you'll need when citing sources. You will usually need to include the author(s), title, publisher, copyright information, and website address (if relevant). Brainstorm your ideas. When you feel you've gathered enough material from your research, brainstorming will help you put the information into relevant groups and see the connections between them.[2]Make an ideas map. Put your topic in a circle at the center of a piece of paper, then write down the most important pieces of information or ideas related to it in circles surrounding the topic. Make lines connecting each idea to the topic. Next, add details around each idea, circling them and making lines to show connections. There may be lines connecting ideas to each other, as well, or between supporting details. Make a list. If you prefer the linear format of a list, write down your topic at the top and then below it any ideas you have. Under the ideas, add extra details that support them. Don't worry about putting them in specific order - that comes next. Then you write. Plan an introduction with a hook. You should have some idea that you want to present in your thesis statement, which is typically two to three sentences long and articulates your overall argument. Plan an introduction with a hook. You should have some idea that you want to present in your thesis statement, which is typically two to three sentences long and articulates your overall argument. Restate your thesis in your conclusion. The conclusion summarizes what you've already said, and brings some new level of nuance or sophistication to your original thesis. Think of it as your final opportunity to make sure your reader understands what you've written. Hope this helps!!!!!
