the outline for an informative essay should include the main topic and subtopics

Informative Essay Guide

Informative Essay Outline

Last updated on: Jun 20, 2023

Learn How to Create an Informative Essay Outline

By: Jared P.

Reviewed By: Melisa C.

Published on: Jun 1, 2021

An informative essay is written to educate readers on a particular topic. This type of essay can be written for several purposes, such as defining a term or comparing and contrasting something. This type of essay doesn’t require your opinion on the topic.

The purpose of writing an informative essay is to educate others on a certain topic. You should not express your opinion and do not try to persuade others to take a certain action.

If you are writing an informative essay for the first time, better create an outline first. The informative essay outline will help you structure your essay in the best way possible.

In this blog, you will learn about the basic rules for creating an informative essay outline. These guidelines and a sample outline are designed to help students get started with their projects successfully.

On this Page

What is an Informative Essay Outline?

An informative essay outline is like a checklist or action plan that you need to complete. The outline helps the writer not to lose focus while working on the essay. Creating an outline is not necessary, but expert writers recommend it. An outline is the only way not to get lost in the middle of the writing process.

The purpose of an outline for an informative essay is to highlight ideas that you want to include in your essay.

Writing an outline is important because of the basic structure that it provides. In addition, the outline should contain some specific details regarding the layout of the essay. Creating an outline prior to the essay writing process is the key to writing a successful essay.

Outline Your Way to Writing Excellence!

How to Write an Informative Essay Outline?

The layout of an informative essay is similar to other types of academic essays. These include argumentative essays, persuasive essays, narrative essays, etc.

The outline for an informative essay should include an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Understanding what to include in each part of the informative essay is very important for a successful informative essay.

Informative Essay Introduction

Any idea how to start an informative essay?

Remember this is the section where you need to introduce your topic and provide a thesis statement. In a few lines, introduce the topic you are writing your essay on and provide some background information.

The introduction should end with a strong thesis statement. This statement should tell the audience what direction your essay is going to take. Therefore, make sure the thesis statement is brief, clear, and concise.

Tips for Writing an Effective Introduction:

• Make sure to narrow down the scope of your essay.
• There must be a connection between your introduction and thesis statement.
• Hook your readers at the start of your introductory paragraph.

Paper Due? Why Suffer? That's our Job!

Informative Essay Body Paragraphs

The main body of an informative essay is usually composed of three paragraphs. There are two things that you should consider while composing the body paragraphs of an informative essay. One is the target point, and the second is supporting facts.

Each body paragraph of an informative essay should begin with an idea (topic sentence). This is one sentence statement on which the whole paragraph will be based on. This statement must be in cohesion with the thesis statement written in the introductory paragraph.

After that, provide supporting evidence from the most credible sources. The evidence you provide must relate to your main target point. Don’t forget to quote sources and properly cite information to avoid plagiarism.

At the end of each body paragraph, summarize your points and explain their relevance to the thesis statement. Effective body paragraphs for an informative essay depend on the following points.

• Making a claim
• Evidence in support of the claim
• Provide an explanation in the last

The informative essay can have more than three body paragraphs depending upon the chosen topic.

Tips for Effective Body Paragraphs:

• Do not provide your opinion or point of view on the topic.
• Completely rely on facts and research.
• Discuss the strongest point in the first body paragraph.
• Don’t forget to use transition words for a smooth flow of information in your body paragraphs.

Informative Essay Conclusion

This is the last part where you need to wrap up your information. Begin the conclusion by restating the thesis statement. After that, write about your major arguments and their purpose. The goal of the conclusion is to provide the reason for your informative essay and its importance in the real world.

The conclusion should describe the purpose of your informative essay and what it means for your readers. You should summarize your key arguments and provide a strong closing statement to summarize all your key points.

Tips for a Strong Conclusion:

• Highlight the key points of your argument.
• Do not introduce any new ideas in the conclusion.
• Restate the thesis in other similar words and terms.

Tough Essay Due? Hire Tough Writers!

Informative Essay Outline Template Free

Most of the essay outline contain the same elements. But each essay outline has particular points that you need to focus on. It is important to be well-aware of the distinctive features to come up with a good informative paper.

INFORMATIVE ESSAY OUTLINE ELEMENTARY

5Th TO 8TH GRADE INFORMATIVE ESSAY OUTLINE TEMPLATE

INFORMATIVE ESSAY OUTLINE TEMPLATE FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL

INFORMATIVE ESSAY OUTLINE HIGH SCHOOL

INFORMATIVE ESSAY OUTLINE FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS

Informative Essay Outline Example

Wondering where you can get free informative essay outline examples? Having a well-written example in hand will help you in coming up with successful work. You can easily find many informative essay examples online for your help.

5 PARAGRAPH INFORMATIVE ESSAY OUTLINE

Sample Informative Essay Outline

Hopefully, the above guidelines and examples help you in writing a great informative essay. However, informative writing is sometimes not easy, especially when you are working on an unfamiliar topic.

In this situation, it is better to get help from professional writers. At 5StarEssays.com, we provide the best ‘ do my essay paper ’ help to students struggling with their academic papers.

Our essay writers can help you create high-quality essays and research papers in no time. To get the best custom essay writing help, all you need is to contact us and hire our essay writer.

Whether you need help with your informative essay topic or with the complete writing process, we can help.

Place your order now and get the best essay writing help from professionals.

Masters Essay, Literature

Jared P. is a renowned author and writing service provider with over fifteen years of experience in the publishing industry. He has a Ph.D. degree in English Literature and has spent his entire career helping students achieve their academic goals by providing expert writing assistance.

Was This Blog Helpful?

Keep reading.

• Informative Essay Writing - Expert Guide & Examples

• Outstanding Informative Essay Topics for Students

Say Goodbye to Academic Stress!

With FREE AI report, Turnitin report, bibliography, title page, and a lot more!

LIMITED TIME ONLY

People Also Read

• essay writing service
• thesis writing
• literary analysis essay topics
• autobiography vs memoir
• apa format guide

Burdened With Assignments?

Advertisement

OFFER EXPIRES SOON!

© 2024 - All rights reserved

How to Write an Informative Essay

Table of contents

• 1 What is an Informative Essay?
• 2.1 1. Expository Essay
• 2.2 2. Narrative Essay
• 2.3 3. Cause-and-Effect Essay
• 2.4 4. Process Essay
• 2.5 5. Compare and Contrast Essay
• 2.6 6. Descriptive Essay
• 2.7 7. Problem-Solution Essay
• 3.1 Where to Get Informative Essay Ideas?
• 3.2 Good Informative Essay Topics
• 4 Informative Essay Topics on Education
• 5 Informative Essay Topics on Society
• 6 Informative Essay Topics on Persons
• 7 Informative Essay Topics on History
• 8 Informative Essay Topics on Business
• 9 Informative Essay Topics on Government
• 10 Informative Essay Topics on Politics
• 11 Informative Essay Topics on Culture
• 12 Informative Essay Topics for High-School and College Students
• 13 Informative and Surprising Essay Topics
• 14 Easy Informative Ideas For Essay
• 15 How to Start Conducting Research
• 16.1 1. Thesis statement
• 16.2 2. Introduction
• 16.3 3. Body paragraphs
• 16.4 4. Conclusion
• 17 Tips for Writing an Informative Essay
• 18 What I Need to Avoid While Writing an Informative Essay

As a student, having informative essay writing skills will come in handy in school and working environments. This writing process requires an author to provide readers with information on an occurrence, subject, idea, company, or thing. But using an approach to express an opinion or convince a reader in such an essay is not a good idea.

Although it is similar to  narrative essay writing , composing an informative essay demands critical thinking and credible research. And we will show you briefly how to write an informative essay successfully in this article. But first, let’s determine what an informative essay signifies.

What is an Informative Essay?

When dealing with an informative essay, you should know its main features. The purpose of an essay is not to persuade an audience by adding interesting information. Instead, its focus is on educating a reader on a specific topic by offering a how-to, analyzing data, and comparing controversial viewpoints about a particular topic.

In addition, other types of essays can be very similar to informative ones. And it is crucial to differentiate them and point out their specific features.

Variations of an Informative Essay

In academic practice, many essays can also be classified as informative. It happens because they have the same goal: to communicate information with audiences. They include the following:

• Expository Essay
• Narrative Essay
• Cause-and-Effect Essay
• Process Essay
• Compare-and-Contrast Essay
• Descriptive Essay
• Problem-Solution Essay

1. Expository Essay

This essay type is almost identical to informative essays. Their similarity lies in their purpose—to provide readers with information. However, while writing an expository essay , you must add supporting evidence to explain specific points, which goes beyond providing readers with information.

2. Narrative Essay

A narrative essay aims to inform readers about a specific topic comprehensively. Typically, such an essay is used to uncover a single theme. A narrative essay is informative, as it is not focused on convincing the audience about a point.

3. Cause-and-Effect Essay

This essay focuses on describing how the cause of a thing occurs and what effect it might result on another thing. Therefore, it is considered informative if it discloses the main idea of the similarities connecting two things. However, this essay must determine a cause or effect. It is also considered an argumentative essay.

4. Process Essay

The name of a process essay tells itself. It is used to uncover a detailed description of an operational mechanism of something. That’s why it is also considered informative. While writing this type of essay, you must clarify each step comprehensively.

5. Compare and Contrast Essay

Compare and contrast essay focuses on differentiating and highlighting the likenesses between multiple subjects. In other words, it could be either an argumentative or informative essay depending on the essay’s motive. For instance, “The similarities and differences between football and basketball” is an informative essay. On the other hand, “Why is football better than basketball?” is an argumentative essay.

6. Descriptive Essay

In a descriptive essay, you need to provide an accurate description of a topic’s object. It can be everything: a situation, a particular person, an occasion, and so on. While writing a descriptive essay , you must make it realistic enough to capture the reader’s imagination. This essay could either be written to give information or with an eventual objective.

7. Problem-Solution Essay

Such an essay aims to examine a suggested problem and offer several solutions. This essay is informative when you provide several solutions to a raised issue. However, you will need to apply specific writing tools to convince a reader that one solution is superior to the rest.

Thus, all the types of essays mentioned above are informative because of their nature to provide some information. Of course, what format of the message is used in each kind is another topic for discussion. But if you prefer writing a persuasive essay , you can approach our service and receive an excellent piece of writing.

Select your Topic

Writing an informative essay starts with defining a topic. It is challenging to select a topic, as this essay’s type must be original, impressive, and meaningful. With this in mind, you should pick a topic that can explain new aspects of known phenomena or innovative approaches used in various life spheres.

Where to Get Informative Essay Ideas?

To ensure you have enough to write about and your paper will be interesting, it’s important to farm out some ideas. Reading the news is a great place to start generating some perspectives for an informational topic. Newsworthy topics will be of current interest and can be in many subjects. This will help you apply what you see in the real world to the theoretical work you’re putting together. You may also browse some popular sites such as Quora or Reddit to see the burning questions. In our digital age, a wealth of information is available to anyone with an Internet connection.

Good Informative Essay Topics

So now that we’ve sourced some methods of digging up a good idea, we need to determine which one is best. First, you want to ensure enough information is available for research. If your topic is too narrow or outdated, you’ll have trouble finding credible sources to give weight to your position. On the other end, if your topic is too broad, you won’t be able to dive into specifics to present anything worthwhile.

I, Pencil: My Family Tree as Told to Leonard E. Read (L. Read, 1958). In this informational topic, the simple process of making a pencil significantly influenced the leading economists of the day. Analyzing the ways and means we do things, no matter how basic, can bring much value to the academic community.

If you feel a lack of fresh ideas and need essay help , we gathered some topic examples for you:

Informative Essay Topics on Education

• Educational Disparities among Black and Hispanics
• Federal Judge Struck Down a North Carolina School’s Policy
• Four Components of Developing Successful Reading Skills
• Funds For College Tuition
• Gender Discrimination Scandal at Tokyo Medical University
• Gender-Based Violence Between Students
• Hate Speech Debate and Discussion
• History and Effectiveness of Homeschooling
• Homeschooling in the United States of America
• Homeschooling Trend and Future Outlook
• How To Become a Chef After Growing Up Nowadays
• Industrial Facilities
• The Gig Economy
• The Impact of Inclusion and Equal Opportunity Policies
• The Rise of Remote Work

Informative Essay Topics on Society

• Racism Around the World
• Racism: Pipelines, Geography, and Geology
• Is Racism Still a Current Issue in America
• The Definition of Racism
• International and U.S Helping IIlegal Immigration
• Does Illegal Immigration Impact Texas?
• We’re Going to Build the Wall, We Have no Choice
• Illegal Immigration And Crime
• Cyberbullying Laws
• Cyberbullying: A Growing Problem
• Cyberbullying and 13 Reasons Why
• Reducing School Gun Violence in New Mexico
• Mental Health Screenings and the Effect on Gun Violence
• Why Gun Violence Increasing
• Police Brutality Against Black Communities

Informative Essay Topics on Persons

• Barack Obama: His Life and Career
• The most iconic rulers of Egypt
• President John F. Kennedy’s Assassination
• Nikola Tesla: Electrical Engineering
• Elon Musk’s Influence
• About Donatello Michelangelo
• The Leadership Style of Mahatma Gandhi
• The Impact of Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” Speech
• Examining the Symbolism and Feminist Themes in Frida Kahlo’s Artwork
• Steve Jobs’s Innovative Vision and Contribution to the Technology Industry
• The Legacy of Marie Curie
• The Psychological Profile of Sigmund Freud
• Analyzing Oprah Winfrey’s Influence on Media, Philanthropy, and Empowerment
• Ernest Hemingway’s Writing Style
• The Philosophy of Aristotle

Informative Essay Topics on History

• A History of Slavery in the United States
• The Reformation Evangelicalism and the British Anti-Slavery Movement
• Why Did the Holocaust Happen?
• The U.S. Government’s Disregard of the Jewish Holocaust
• The Minie Ball Shaped
• Cases Of Unlawful Killings
• Role of Technology in The American Civil War
• Slavery Is An Established Social Institution
• Carlos Castillo Overthrew Democrat
• The Civil War Was The Deadliest
• The Syrian Civil War
• The Battle of Gettysburg Changed Everything
• The Industrial Era
• Industrial Revolution Evolved In Britain
• The Impact of the Industrial Revolution on Society

Informative Essay Topics on Business

• The Disney and Fox Merger
• The Ins and Outs of “The Happiest Place on Earth”
• Planning A Trip to Disney
• About The Walt Disney Company
• Starbucks Brewing Digital Transformation
• History Of Starbucks
• What Do We Know About Starbucks
• Netflix Converted Itself From a DVD
• Spotify Hulu Bundle vs. Netflix
• General Motors – Largest American Automobile Manufacturer
• Successful Business of Apple Company
• Board of Directors for Apple Company
• Apple is One of the Biggest Companies on the Planet
• Apple Inc. Company History
• General Overview Of Apple Company

Informative Essay Topics on Government

• The History of Brown vs. The Board of Education Topeka
• Homosexuality In Modern Day Society
• Same-Sex Marriage – Statistics
• In the 1950s-1960s, African Americans Have Been Striving and Struggling
• Acts After French and Indian War
• Child Labor in the US
• Equal Society in the United States
• The Significance and Legacy of Brown vs. Board of Education
• The Evolution of LGBTQ+ Rights
• The Legalization and Impact of Marriage Equality
• The Civil Rights Movement
• The Consequences of the French and Indian War
• The Impact of Disinformation in the Digital Age
• Towards an Equal Society
• The Role of Government in Climate Change Mitigation

Informative Essay Topics on Politics

• U.S Imperialism
• America’s Imperialism
• Immigration and Donald Trump’s Lies
• Donald Trump’s First Year in Office
• The Election of Barack Obama
• Border Wall: Good for the Country
• Gaining Independence
• Arawaks and Maroons
• The Rise of Populism
• The Impact of Social Media on Political Campaigns
• The Role of Lobbying and Interest Groups in Shaping Policy
• Electoral Systems and Democratic Governance
• The Power of Political Satire
• Globalization and Nationalism
• The Impact of Political Scandals on Public Trust

Informative Essay Topics on Culture

• Race and LGBTQ Discrimination
• Renaissance: Impact on Cultural Movements and Religious Reformations
• Freedom of Speech in The United States
• The LGBTQ+ Community
• Enslaved and Free Black Marriages
• Religion and the Renaissance
• Hispanic Youth with Alcohol Abuse
• Thai Culture and Society
• Teenage Pregnancy
• Feminism since “Ancient Rome”
• Pakistan and Gender Equality
• Gender Roles in Society
• Child Labor and Somalia
• Is Sexual Orientation Determined At Birth?
• Race Relations Have Improved in America

Informative Essay Topics for High-School and College Students

• Changing nature of the Indian party system
• Causes of the Scientific Revolution
• Become A Better Speed Reader
• Writing Essays For Money
• How To Have A Social Life As A Student
• Choosing The Best Fraternity/Sorority
• College Athletics And How To Get Accepted
• Applying For Scholarships
• How To Write A Research Paper
• Public Relations In The Dorm
• Getting The Most Out Of University
• Where To Find The Best Student Discounts
• The Importance of Time Management for College Success
• Effective Study Habits
• Navigating College Finances
• The Moral Teaching of Paul
• Winning arguments even when you’re wrong
• What to Expect on the SAT
• Grammar Tips For English Class
• How To Pass The Driving Test
• Implementing Ai In The Classroom
• Deciding Which Classes To Take
• How To Get Good Grades In Hard Subjects
• Career Choices After School
• How To Find The Best College
• How To Write A Resume
• The Benefits of Physical Exercise and Sports for Teenagers
• The Importance of Financial Literacy
• Exploring Different Career Paths
• The Role of Social Media in Teenagers’ Lives

Informative essay topics can help you write a college essay by informing you of the essential facts, ideas, and arguments. Furthermore, they provide an opportunity to think critically, organize a topic from multiple perspectives, and develop an argument that will help you write a compelling and convincing college essay. Moreover, an informative essay topic can allow you to learn about a range of topics, making it easier for you to connect new information to the topic and use it to formulate your essay.

Informative and Surprising Essay Topics

• LGBTQ Judaism
• Medical Benefits Of Marijuana
• Why Are Elephants Afraid Of Bees
• The Highest Mountains Are Below Sea Level
• Why Do People Believe The World Is Flat
• Why Do We Have Different Color Eyes
• Abiotic Oil Theory And An Unlimited Supply Of Fuel
• The Subconscious And Why We Dream
• Microbes And The Benefits They Provide
• Advanced Technology In The Ancient World
• How Computer Technology Derived From Music
• The Science Behind Laughter
• The Surprising History of Chocolate
• The Incredible World of Microorganisms
• The Fascinating Life of Honeybees

Easy Informative Ideas For Essay

• Choosing The Best Birthday Gift
• The Best Ways To Tie A Knot
• Throwing A Great Party
• Best Ideas For Date Night
• Current And Emerging Fashion Trends
• Game Of Thrones Explained In 1,000 Words
• Process Of Buying A Car
• Taking Care Of A Pet
• What To Look For With Opening A Bank Account
• Growing A Home Garden
• The Benefits of Regular Exercise
• Tips for Effective Time Management
• The Importance of a Balanced Diet
• The Basics of Internet Safety
• The Importance of Recycling
• Facts of Gender Roles
• Platonic Dualism in ‘Allegory of the Cave’
• How Bees Build Their Nests
• Sustaining Life On Neighboring Planets
• The Process Of Converting Seawater To Drinking Water
• Building A Net Positive With Solar Panels
• Deciphering The Laws Of Thermodynamics
• Why Does Lightning Exist?
• The Best Hand Sanitizer And Why
• How Things Are Made
• Alternative History, what if England won the Revolution
• How to Live as a Survivalist
• The Rise of Cryptocurrencies
• Sustainable Fashion
• Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare

How to Start Conducting Research

Like any other essay, you must gather the required information for your work through research. Creating a concept map with words and phrases connected with your central topic is a good idea. This will help you stay focused on the main aspects of your paper. Ensure you only use reliable websites, books, and articles to impart accurate information. Also, it is useful to note valuable citations and research details, not to overlook important facts. As soon as you have all the material wrapped up, it is time to structure it and bring it into the presentable form.

Steps to Writing a Successful Informative Essay

This section discloses the key stages of writing a successful, informative essay. The precondition for this step is that the topic title is defined and extensive research has been done. Now, you have a package of information you need to order and provide a smooth transition between sections in your paper.

An informative essay must have an introductory part that leads the reader to the key point of the composition. And you should know how to write an informative essay introduction to entice the reader’s interest from the very beginning. If you don’t have enough time for writing, you can always reach out to our support team and say, “ write my essay please ,” and we will get it done. Our writers are always ready to help.

There are many benefits to creating an informative essay outline:

• It helps to organize your thoughts and ideas before you begin writing.
• It gives others insight into what your research is about by including background information, sources, and conclusions.
• It provides an opportunity to share your work with others in a way that they can understand.

1. Thesis statement

Many students question how to write a thesis statement for an informative essay. And we will help you understand it in a brief explanation. A thesis plays an important role. It helps focus a reader’s attention on the essay’s purpose. It should comprise the key facts. Make sure to provide not a too-long thesis statement but a short and accurate one.

If you can create a proper thesis statement, it would serve as a guideline for your analysis. Aside from that, an informative essay thesis must not be persuasive but highlight what will come to the reader.

2. Introduction

An introduction represents a summary of what you will reveal in your essay. The question of how to write an introduction for an informative essay is among those challenges bothering students. To solve it, you should consider how to make it engaging and captivating. Also, include your informative essay thesis statement in an introduction. Thus, your reader will be curious and eager to continue reading your essay.

3. Body paragraphs

In this part of your essay, you must reveal the main message. To make it more organized, divide the general information into a few paragraphs, for example, three. Each paragraph must be easy-to-read and contain details you aim to share on the topic. In academic writing, using only reliable sources to make your essay unique is crucial. So it would be best if you took proper time while researching.

4. Conclusion

The summarizing part of an essay is a conclusion, and you should know how to write a conclusion for an informative essay. It might be the content of the 5th paragraph of a paper. It leads an essay to summarize the hot points mentioned in the body. In this section, you should revise the essay’s purpose again but from another angle.

Tips for Writing an Informative Essay

Provide your plan well, select an appropriate topic, and know the informative essay structure – all these steps will make your essay writing process more manageable. If you know how to write a 500 word essay , composing a proper informative essay will be easy. However, we listed some tips that might help you in writing a proper informative essay:

• Dive into the instructions for your assignment
• Think of the unique essay title
• Make sure you do an extensive research
• Create an impressive thesis statement
• Create an outline
• Make your introduction catchy
• Write each body paragraph with contents from trusted sources
• Do not include any information in the conclusion previously not stated in the body

An informative essay can be a great way to educate readers on a particular topic. The key to writing a successful essay is to provide clear and concise information without overwhelming the reader. PapersOwl can provide you with the necessary guidance to ensure that your informative essay is of the highest standard and contains only accurate and up-to-date information.

What I Need to Avoid While Writing an Informative Essay

Writing a standard informative essay also involves a range of points better to avoid. Among them are:

• Avoid including supporting evidence. This makes your work poorly informative and less argumentative.
• Be cautious about using persuasive words and phrases.
• Don’t allow repetition of your thoughts and information at large to happen. Unless it is necessary to connect the dots, there is no need to mention any point more than once.

Knowing how to write an informative essay will be useful to you academically and professionally. Even though it appears difficult, learning the appropriate tips for writing it and utilizing the skills of experts will help you get through it.

Knowing how to write an informative essay will be helpful to you academically and professionally. Even though it is difficult, learning the appropriate tips for writing it and benefiting from experts’ skills will enable you to get through it.

Writing this type of essay requires you to pass information through the reader without persuasion. However, it would help if you learned how to catch readers’ interest using appropriate thesis statements. By following simple insights, you will get a successful, informative essay.

Readers also enjoyed

WHY WAIT? PLACE AN ORDER RIGHT NOW!

Just fill out the form, press the button, and have no worries!

We use cookies to give you the best experience possible. By continuing we’ll assume you board with our cookie policy.

My Speech Class

Public Speaking Tips & Speech Topics

Informative Essay Outline – Ultimate Guide & Examples

Amanda Green was born in a small town in the west of Scotland, where everyone knows everyone. I joined the Toastmasters 15 years ago, and I served in nearly every office in the club since then. I love helping others gain confidence and skills they can apply in every day life.

Writing an informative essay requires excellent research skills to educate your audience; I know this from first-hand experience. But creating an outline for your paper is easier said than done. I promise!

I created this guide to show you the correct outline for writing an informative essay with examples. Follow my tips so you can organize your thoughts and ideas.

What Is an Informative Essay?

An informative essay’s purpose is to inform and educate readers on a specific topic. Some reports seek to define a term, while others compare and contrast different objects. Some informative essays analyze data or provide procedures for doing something.

It’s the type of essay that should present something other than an opinion. That means you should omit personal pronouns “I” and “me” on the paper. You should also not persuade your reader in an informative essay.

Informational Essay Outline

Most essays and speeches follow four parts: an introduction, thesis, body, and conclusion. The main purpose is to help the writer connect all the information and support their thesis statement. Below is an outline for an informative essay structure with examples.

• Introduction

The essay introduction is where you introduce the topic of your choice. It should be shorter than the body paragraphs because it merely provides a background of your informative essay topic. Give the readers an overview of the body paragraph.

This part also includes the relevance of your topic. Ask yourself why you are writing about this subject. What makes it timely?

Can We Write Your Speech?

Get your audience blown away with help from a professional speechwriter. Free proofreading and copy-editing included.

Here’s an example:

“Tobacco, a plant that contains an addictive drug called nicotine, kills over 8 million people worldwide annually. It occurs as individuals inhale and exhale the burning plant material’s fumes.”

The thesis statement is often part of the introduction. It’s a complete sentence at the end of the first paragraph discussing what the informative essay will inform its readers. The thesis should be brief, concise, and written in simple terms.

For example:

“Smoking is the major cause of respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, such as cancer, diabetes, and stroke.”

• Body paragraphs

The main body of the essay includes a paragraph for every supporting detail. Teachers usually require students to have three points in this section. For every target point, the writer should support it with facts.

The target point is also known as the topic sentence. This statement will serve as the basis of the paragraph for cohesion. After that, support the sentence with facts and studies. Don’t forget to cite your sources to avoid plagiarism.

Don’t forget to summarize each point after every body paragraph to tie everything together.

Below is an example of a body paragraph about one target point.

“Smoking can cause cancer because it weakens the body’s immune system or damages a cell’s DNA. According to the US Department of Health and Human Services (2014), nearly 9 out of 10 deaths caused by lung cancer are caused by smoking cigarettes or exposure to second-hand smoke. Although treatments are advancing, it continues killing more people than other types of cancer.”

The informative essay conclusion summarizes the entire essay, highlighting the key points. Here, you should restate your thesis statement and the paper’s purpose. Do not introduce any new ideas or recommendations.

Here is a quick sample informative essay conclusion.

“Smoking is responsible for a majority of cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. It increases the risk of cancer, stroke, and diabetes. Nevertheless, people consume it because of the adrenaline rush that creates short-term energy and pleasure. With an effective action plan, anyone can quit this bad habit for good.”

How to Write an Informative Essay: The Writing Process

Now that you know the correct structure of an informative essay, here are some tips for writing one.

Review the Instructions

If you’re writing an informative essay for school, the teacher might have specific instructions for the activity or topic. Find out what you should write about and what they want to read from your paper.

Then, learn the required word and paragraph count. Some professors also have instructions for the writing style guide you should follow.

Formatting guidelines are also common among high school and college professors. Make sure to follow the font style, spacing, and size instructions.

A good essay is about more than just content. Teachers also grade these aspects to help you practice formality in writing. Don’t hesitate to ask questions if you’re unclear about the instructions.

Choose a Narrow Topic

Broad themes like love, weather, music, and technology are not recommended when writing an informative essay. Pick a topic that does not include general knowledge.

Consider smoking, for example. This topic is too broad for a 500-word essay. Try focusing on a subtopic, such as the diseases it causes or why people smoke. Perhaps you can also write about the correlation between smoking and poverty.

Create a Logical Thesis Before Writing the Body

You can only create subtopics for your informative essay if you already have a solid topic and thesis statement. Consider what you want your reader to know and why you choose this subject.

Start with a question in mind and write an initial answer. Research the topic, then formulate a tentative response. Make sure it’s based on facts with credible sources and summarizes your overall exposition. A logical thesis statement for this essay type also doesn’t include an opinion.

Create Several Drafts

Whether you’re asked to submit drafts or not, making several versions of your paper is crucial to ensure its quality. After every draft, you should create a more improved version of it with a better structure and fewer errors.

If you have to submit every draft, the lecturer may write their comments and return the paper for revision. Revising is the process of adding or removing information, fixing sentences, rearranging, or changing your evidence. It helps make your writing more understandable.

Here are some guide questions when revising your informative essay.

• Are some parts of your informative essay in proportion with others?
• Do you spend too much time on general knowledge and less on evidence?
• Does the paper follow the thesis statement?
• Is the formality appropriate?
• Does the essay follow a logical pattern?
• Are all the facts accurate?
• Have you cited all information appropriately?

Write a Successful Conclusion

Your outline for an informative essay should include a successful conclusion. It wraps up what you have been informing your readers. You can take from general to specific information while focusing on restating your topic.

Do not add extra information to your conclusion unless it’s a call to action for possible future research. In general, this part of the essay should restate your thesis statement, explain why the topic is essential, and address your main points.

One tip for writing a successful conclusion is to use your introductory paragraph as a guide. It also contains the thesis statement and main points. So, you can reword it and add a closing sentence. Provide closure to the reader, leaving them with a significant impression.

Proofread Your Paper

Proofreading is the final stage in the essay writing process before submitting your informative paper or persuasive essay. This step is crucial because professors also grade your essay or academic paper based on a technicality in informative writing. Check for grammar, punctuation, formatting, and spelling errors to make your writing more precise and accurate.

Review from the larger aspects of your text to the narrow ones. Check your complex sentence constructions, variety, vocabulary, and repetitive phrases. You also want to review your list of references. Are you using the correct style guide?

Learn More Writing Tips for Essay Writers

Writing an informative essay takes more than just research skills. You also need to ensure clarity, organization, and coherence in your work. Take a moment and read some informative essay examples you can find online. 

The best method to write an informative essay is to have a specific thesis statement which you can expand in the body paragraphs. Revise, edit, and proofread your work before submitting the final draft. I hope my guide and tips helped you on your way!

How to Write a Best Man Speech – Ideas, Tips & Examples

How to Write a High School Graduation Speech (+ Examples)

Leave a Comment

I accept the Privacy Policy

Reach out to us for sponsorship opportunities

Vivamus integer non suscipit taciti mus etiam at primis tempor sagittis euismod libero facilisi.

© 2024 My Speech Class