361 Expository Essay Topics + Expository Writing Prompts

Expository Essay.

Hello, eager learner! Want to write an excellent expository essay? Our article will help you with it.

The points we touch upon here make expository essay writing easy:

  • The essence of an expository text;
  • Purposes of this essay type;
  • The possible difficulties that may occur;
  • The structural principles of the expository essay;
  • 300+ Expository essay topics.

❓ Expository Text Explained

An expository text is a type of writing that brings some idea to the surface, making it clear and easy to understand. This genre of an essay makes a student explicate something using such tools as survey and analysis, drawing the evidence and arguments. It provides readers with specific and broad information concerning the issue in question.

An expository essay requires the writer’s ability to put ideas in a simple, still, persuasive manner.

What is the Purpose of Expository Writing?

The expository text has several functions:

  1. Providing truthful and factual descriptive information about a subject.
  2. Revealing the contrast between two or more things showing similarities and differences.
  3. Explaining causal relationships between events or phenomena.
  4. Answering a challenging question. Readers are supposed to see some solution to an issue.

Types of Expository Writing

Now,

one more crucial thing to consider is the different kinds of expository essays.

In this article, we will review six types of expository essays:

  • Definition essay
  • Classification essay
  • Process essay
  • Comparison essay
  • Cause and effect
  • Problem-solution essay.

Depending on the type, the essay may regard an issue from different angles. You should realize the difference between them to meet the requirements of your assignment.

Read the following definitions of expository essay types to get a complete picture:

Definition Essay

Definition essay – this type gives a broad idea of a particular concept, event, or phenomenon. It describes its characteristics, revealing the very essence of the subject.
Example: How do you understand the concept of pride in Jane Austen’s novel “Pride and Prejudice”?

Classification Essay

A classification essay considers a generalized topic and splits it into more specific segments. Here, you should highlight the features of each element to reveal its peculiarities.
Example: Explore different types of borderline personality disorder.

Process Essay

A process (sequential) essay presents the steps for achieving an outstanding result in any job. It can be compared to instruction or a guide.
Example: Describe how to lose weight on intermittent fasting in a healthy way.

Comparison Essay

A comparison essay aims to expose the similarities and differences of the subjects in question. It can also be called a contrast essay.
Example: Compare the economic situation before and after the pandemic.

Cause-Effect Essay

A cause-and-effect essay describes the causal relations between things, events, or phenomena. It shows how one thing led to another, what was first and what came out of it.
Example: How does CO2 affect the global warming situation?

Problem-Solution Essay

Problem-solution essay – in this type of writing, one should provide some resolution to a given issue. Some factual information and data must be present in a problem-solution paper, apart from one’s personal opinion to support the latter.
Example: What should we do to eliminate racial prejudice?

Come back to this list when you decide on your topic. It will help you to define the fundamentals of your future essay.

Expository Text Challenges

For your paper to be consistent and persuasive, you should be aware of the typical intricacies.

Read about the challenges of expository essay writing to know your enemy by sight!

🚩Text structure. Make sure you know what constituents comprise the essay. You should also follow particular rules for organizing information in each part.
🚩The introduction of new information. Your readers must be able to understand everything you talk about in your paper. Provide them with some background information if you are going to speak on an unfamiliar topic.
🚩Specialized vocabulary. The use of specialized terminology can embarrass some of your readers. Avoid using it or introduce the definitions for complex words.
🚩Abstract concepts. When writing about something big, specify what you literally mean to avoid ambiguity and vagueness
🚩The audience engagement. Go through all the points mentioned above and ask yourself one more critical question. “Is my text interesting and informative enough to not only attract the readers’ attention but to make them retain what they read?” If the answer is positive, you did a great job!

📑 Expository Essay Outline

The structure of your essay may vary depending on a particular type, but the essence stays the same. In the section below, you’ll learn about what parts make a good expository essay & how to frame your thoughts properly.

Stay with us to know all the ins and outs!

Expository Essay Structure

It probably won’t surprise you if we say that an expository essay basically must include three main parts:

  • An introduction
  • A body
  • A conclusion

But let’s dig a little deeper at this point to confirm what each section is about.

  1. An intro itself comprises three essential constituents:
    • a hook – it is the grasping initial sentence supposed to draw your readers’ attention. It might be an exciting, little-known, or striking fact, some useful statistics, or a short topic-related anecdote.
    • building, or backing up sentences – these are meant to elaborate a bit on the essay subject giving the readers the idea of what you will talk about.
    • thesis statement – it is the central claim of your paper.
  2. A body paragraph should include your main arguments that solidify the thesis statement.
  3. Finally, the conclusion where you should:
The picture contains the detailed outline of an expository essay.

Expository Essay: Outline Examples

Here are the outline templates you can use to get used to expository essay structure. We will take two expository essay topic examples from our list.

You can see how to structure them and what to include.

Topic #1: How to go green: introduce measures one can take on a daily life basis.

  1. Claim that the ecological situation in the world is becoming more critical.
    • Provide the background information or figures to prove it.
  2. State your thesis: The planet needs our contribution: it’s pretty simple to include eco-friendly habits into one’s life.
  3. Describe what to do to sort out the wastes: talk about the places where they accept plastic bottles and used batteries.
  4. Explain the affordability and positive effect of using textile shopping bags.
  5. Elaborate on a small thing one can do at home: turn off the faucet while brushing the teeth, pull the plugs out, etc.
  6. Conclusion: summarize all the facts; explain that it all takes a tiny amount of time and effort.

Topic #2: Cyberbullying, cancel culture, stalking: consider the social phenomena that appeared in the context of social media.

  1. Declare that with the development of social media, people started to face Internet-caused anxiety and stress.
    • Provide the real cases when someone suffered any of the things listed in the title.
  2. State the thesis: we need to understand issues occurring online to fight them.
  3. Explain the issue of cyberbullying.
  4. Focus on stalking due to the lack of privacy.
  5. Express the essence and effects of cancel culture.
  6. Conclude: sum the information up; highlight that we should separate online and real life. Call for being more conscious when eliminating the negative impact of these phenomena.

🏫 Expository Essay Topics for High School

Are you a high school student looking for expository essay topic templates? Then the section below is made for you!

The picture contains the list of topics included in this section.

Expository Essay Topics: Environment

Recycling, air pollution, global warming – these environmental topics will make an excellent expository essay.

  1. The power of unity: How can each of us contribute to reducing CO2 emissions?
  2. Compare today’s ecological situation with that of the 20th century.
  3. Goodbye plastic bags: Describe the advantages of using paper and textile bags.
  4. What steps can the government and society take to stop the wildfires spread?
  5. How can we use social media to spread awareness of critical environmental issues?
  6. What is the connection between ecological issues and food price increases?
  7. Classify the human-made and natural causes of CO2 emissions.
  8. Describe the latest inventions that help improve the ecological situation in the world.
  9. The sea world is in danger: Consider the impact of plastic on sea creatures.
  10. Elaborate on reasons of people thinking that an eco-friendly lifestyle is expensive.
  11. Compare different attitudes to CO2: Is carbon dioxide harmful?
  12. How to go green: Introduce measures one can take on a daily life basis.
  13. Compare the effects of global warming and deforestation on the planet’s life.
  14. Birth control: Classify the reasons why population growth is critical to the environment.
  15. Illegal hunting issue: How should the government manage the problem of poaching activity?
  16. Urban environment: What can be done to improve life quality in big cities?
  17. The drinking water shortage: Explain why it is a real issue even if there are immense glaciers that are slowly melting.
  18. What are the working laws which help improve the environmental situation?

Expository Essay Topics: Education

Expository essay about education: from analyzing the education system to explaining how to do something.

  1. School bullying: How to deal with abuse in high school?
  2. Compare the formal education systems of the USA and the UK.
  3. What to do if you are struggling through finals at school?
  4. How to decide what university to apply to if you haven’t chosen your future profession?
  5. Self-motivation: How do you stay productive when you feel overwhelmed at the end of a school year?
  6. How can education/learning theories be used to offer solutions to teachers’ challenges?
  7. Compare the personalities of a study achiever and a lacking pupil.
  8. Boredom and burnout at school: What are the reasons and effects?
  9. Sleep deprivation: How do poor sleeping habits affect one’s life and study progress?
  10. Explore different types of extra-curriculum activities that boost one’s social life.
  11. What impacts do the lack of facilities in schools have on education quality?
  12. Describe the recently read book that changed your attitude to life.
  13. Classify the most prominent persons in terms of high school education system development.
  14. Homeschooling: Elaborate on the essence and bright sides of this phenomenon.
  15. The role of technologies in the educational process: At which point is it reasonable to introduce technological devices into classroom activities?
  16. Security systems at schools: Are they efficient enough?
  17. Elaborate on what features make a perfect teacher.
  18. Describe the relation between the class size and the quality of the education process.
  19. What can be done to simplify the study process for special needs students?

Expository Essay Topics: History

These expository topics on history will encourage you to study the past and understand the present.

  1. Compare the political and social situation in Germany during WWI and WWII.
  2. What are the social, economic, and political effects of the Civil War in the USA?
  3. Vietnam war background: The reasons and premises of the XX century outrageous conflict.
  4. Classify the impacts of the Vietnam war on social life in America.
  5. Out of the blue: What were the premises of the stock market crash in 1929?
  6. Fight for justice: Describe how Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, and the Little Rock Nine changed the Americans’ attitude to civil rights.
  7. Classify the reasons for the Great Depression in 1929.
  8. How can the USA’s international policy during WWI and WWII be contrasted?
  9. Domino theory: What is the essence of this concept, what does it have to do with communism?
  10. Women are in charge: The influence of WWII on the development of feminism.
  11. Classify the possible reasons for the fall of the Russian Empire.
  12. The Renaissance and Enlightenment: What do these historical epochs have in common, and how do they differ?
  13. Describe the role of Churchill in the outcome of WWII.
  14. Margaret Thatcher’s phenomenon: How did one woman change global political relationships?
  15. Describe the advantages and drawbacks of Napoleon’s reign.
  16. Explore the essence of the conflict between England and Northern Ireland.
  17. Describe the most powerful political parties of the USA.

Expository Essay Topics: Literature

Operate the power of literature to write an exciting expository essay.

  1. Compare the life and art of Walter Whitman and Vladimir Mayakovsky.
  2. Pride and Prejudice: Reveal the essence of these two concepts in Jane Austen’s novel.
  3. Vagabond lifestyle: Describe the shared features of all Jack Kerouac book characters.
  4. What is the impact of Ernest Hemingway’s life on his legacy?
  5. Racial prejudice and injustice: How are the major issues revealed in Harper Lee’s ‘To Kill a Mockingbird.’
  6. Compare and contrast: 19th-century poetry vs. 21st century.
  7. How did Jane Austen and Bronte sisters manage to change the attitude to women in literature?
  8. Classify the literary devices used by Sylvia Plath in her poem ‘Daddy.’
  9. Reveal how Ernest Hemingway exposes the concepts of war, existentialism, and love in the novel ‘A Farewell to Arms.’
  10. Provide a comparison and contrast of the writers and poets belonging to beat literature.
  11. ‘The Financier’ and ‘American Tragedy’: Compare the personalities of two main characters in Dreiser’s novels.
  12. How to interpret religious concepts and themes in ‘Paradise Lost?
  13. Moral decay and success: The outcome of big ambitions in ‘American Tragedy’ and ‘The Financier.’
  14. How did the writers of the Victorian Era contrast the individual’s happiness and rigid societal norms?
  15. The success and fall in Fitzgerald’s novel ‘The Great Gatsby.’
  16. Classify the female characters in Louisa May Alcott’s novel ‘The Little Women.
  17. Compare and contrast the exposition of war in Hemingway’s and Vonnegut’s art.
  18. Immorality or mental illnesses: What was driving Dick Hickock and Perry Smith in Truman Capote’s novel ‘In Cold Blood’?
  19. Compare and contrast J. Steinbeck’s ‘Grapes of Wrath’ and F. Fitzgerald’s ‘‘The Great Gatsby.’
  20. How to interpret ‘The Canterbury Tales’ by Geoffrey Chaucer?

🎓 College Expository Essay Topics

We’ve approached the most exciting part – an inspiration pool for the college expository essay!

The picture contains the list of topics included in this section.

Expository Essay Topics: College Life & Education

What happens in college every day? Explore these expository essay topics on college life.

  1. How to apply to a top university if your GPA is lower than required?
  2. Campus life for a freshman: What peculiarities, bright and dark sides it has?
  3. Ten top universities in the country: Classification of the best establishments for higher education.
  4. How to build friendly and stable relationships with new fellow students if you lack social experience?
  5. Analyze and compare different strategies for making a success of your college study.
  6. Different types of scholarships: How to get enrolled in a top university for free?
  7. Bullet Journaling method: One of the most effective ways to improve the quality of your study.
  8. Time management issues: How do you organize your study time and leisure to stay productive?
  9. Compare two different college lifestyles: Dormitory life and renting a flat with a roommate.
  10. What can be done if the relationships with college professors got off to a rocky start?
  11. How to avoid burnout during exam periods?
  12. College GPA: What is it, and why is it so important?
  13. What are the significant differences between high school and college?
  14. Studying in 2024: Compare online and offline college study.
  15. What are the most effective ways to trace one’s academic progress?
  16. How does top-notch education affect the individual’s life quality?
  17. Compare the modern educational methods with that of the past years.
  18. Compare and contrast the philosophies of Ivy League universities.
  19. How to write a persuasive motivation letter when applying to a university?

Expository Essay Topics: Business, Management, & Marketing

A business expository essay can be about marketing, finances, the global economy, and other spheres.

  1. Compare two prominent social media platforms in terms of their value for business development.
  2. How to generate leads with the help of social media such as TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube?
  3. Compare the most frequently occurring small, medium, and extensive business issues.
  4. What can a business owner do to increase audience loyalty and product visibility?
  5. How to make marketing strategies work effectively for a small business?
  6. The effects of the global pandemic on local businesses.
  7. Point out what junior, medium, and top managers have in common and how they differ.
  8. What is a product value, and how to deliver it to the audience properly?
  9. How to keep up with modern technology and marketing trends?
  10. How to understand what the target audience needs, its demands, and problems?
  11. Consider and compare ways and means of making the target audience get to the action.
  12. What is reputation management, and how it helps to raise the loyalty level?
  13. How does a mobile responsive website help in building relationships with the target audience?
  14. What can be done to prevent a business from failing when a company lacks resources?
  15. How to introduce novelties to your business safely to keep the clients loyal?
  16. Describe different methods of improving the KPI by providing your team with a high-quality education.
  17. Price setting: Importance, challenges, estimation process, and strategies.
  18. What are the effects of an inadequate marketing campaign?
  19. The role of consistent connection between sales and marketing departments.
  20. How can the understanding of insufficient teamwork reasons improve the business venture?
  21. Compare crowdfunding platforms for IT startups that prove their efficiency within the recent five years.
  22. What means can a manager apply to build strong team relationships?
  23. The role of working space: what are the harmful effects of an inappropriate workplace?
  24. What are the most challenging and least apparent reasons for a motivation decrease?
  25. Customer service: How has it changed within the last decade?
  26. How to overcome the fear of scaling up?

Expository Essay Topics: Medicine & Health

If you wish to write about medicine or health, here is a list of topics suitable for an expository essay.

  1. Consider the classification of schizophrenic disorder: How the particular type affects life?
  2. How to stay as safe and healthy as possible during the global pandemic?
  3. Which is better: Compare the traditional and alternative therapies methods.
  4. How does chronic tonsillitis interconnect with weakness, depression, and lack of motivation?
  5. Do some well-grounded reasons justify the healthcare prices in the USA?
  6. How have body standards changed over the years from the perspective of body positivity?
  7. The effects Covid-19 brought to vulnerable layers of the population: The refugees, deficient, mentally and physically challenged people.
  8. Obesity among youngsters: The essence of the issue, the reasons, and how to eliminate it.
  9. Cognitive therapy: Describe it and how it can be applied to mentally unstable patients.
  10. Compare cognitive and gestalt therapy: Which of them works better for BPD patients?
  11. Consider the classification of mental disorders caused by alcohol and drug addictions.
  12. What strategies can be applied to encourage people to regular preventive examinations?
  13. The most frequently occurring side-effects of anti-depressants.
  14. The positive effects that regular exercises have on mental and physical condition.
  15. Child abuse trauma: The classification, impacts, and ways of fighting it over.
  16. Different types of acne and the most effective ways to deal with it.
  17. Meditation: How does mindfulness lower the risk of cardiovascular diseases?
  18. Homeopathy: What is it, and what are the positive and negative effects of this method?

Expository Essay Topics: Politics

An expository essay about politics is not necessarily about politics but also about related topics.

  1. Consider the political issues that affect students.
  2. Compare and contrast the electoral process of the USA and Canada.
  3. What steps can be taken by government authorities to prevent the risk of voter fraud?
  4. Military spending: What are the consequences of increasing financial support for military hardware?
  5. What can be done to eliminate the appliance of enhanced interrogation techniques?
  6. A delicate question – sexual assault on campus: How should the government deal with it?
  7. Classify the most influential and prominent political leaders in USA history.
  8. Political immorality: What factors contributed to the spreading of the negative opinion about politics?
  9. Old but gold: What steps can be taken to eliminate corruption and bribery?
  10. How do social media affect political life in your country?
  11. Power balance: Reveal its essence and elaborate on the ways it can be reached.
  12. Present your perfect model of international relations and compare it to the current situation.
  13. Speak on the concept of political conflict and methods for its practical and nonviolent resolution.
  14. Classify and compare different viewpoints on the concept of power.
  15. Politics and environment: What are the consequences of pulling out of the Paris Climate Accord?
  16. What measures can the government take to improve the financial condition of the USA’s rural regions?
  17. Discipline and punish: Michel Foucault’s perspective on the formation of Western penal systems.

Social Media Expository Essay Topics

Since the development of social media, much has been going on. Try to write an expository essay about it.

  1. What is FOMO, and how has the development of social media contributed to its spread?
  2. Analyze the classification of mental disorders caused and provoked by social media.
  3. Compare social life before social media gained popularity and after it happened.
  4. How to cope with anxiety caused by the perfect world we see on Instagram?
  5. What to do to retain one’s self-identity if one spends a lot of time online?
  6. Cyberbullying, cancel culture, stalking: Consider the social phenomena that appeared in the context of social media.
  7. How social media are changing eating habits in the USA: The spread of healthy lifestyle.
  8. Point out the ways how social media could promote and develop one’s business.
  9. What to do to reap all the benefits of digital and social media detox?
  10. Is there a universal recipe for gaining fame and followers on a social media platform?
  11. The causes and effects of social media addiction: Is it possible to overcome it?
  12. Compare the retailing industry before the social media spread and after it.
  13. The ways to build and keep your own opinion in a world full of influencers.
  14. How has consumer buying behavior changed with the development of social media?

👻 Expository Essay: Fun Ideas

Who said writing is boring? Expose people to new information, any kind of information 🙂

  1. TikTok vs. Instagram: Compare and contrast two giants of social media.
  2. Almost Jeff Besos: Provide your recipe for becoming wealthy and successful.
  3. Sustainability: Describe the modern trend and explain why can’t everyone follow it.
  4. Classify the psychological reasons driving people to be afraid of dentists.
  5. How to avoid depression if you fell in love with a movie character?
  6. How does distance affect romantic relationships and friendships?
  7. What are the advantages of being an introvert?
  8. Describe a perfect day if you were Tom Sawyer.
  9. Digital detox: How to survive without smartphones and social media for a week?
  10. I want to remember: What are the best memorizing techniques you know?
  11. Coffee or not: What are the effects of caffeine overconsumption on the human body?
  12. Explore the lifestyle and culture of your neighborhood.
  13. Describe a country you would like to live in and compare it to your own.
  14. Point out the reasons why your best friend is your best friend.
  15. Elaborate on possible effects of school drop-out on one’s life.
  16. Provide the paper on the positive impact classical music has on our minds and body.
  17. Peanut butter sandwich or protein bar: Compare and contrast types of snacks.
  18. What are the reasons for people’s laughing when they are confused or embarrassed?
  19. Describe a piece of art that made you experience catharsis recently.
  20. How to be a decent person: Describe the moral principles you stick to.

📂 Expository Writing Prompts

With so many tools and ideas for expository essay writing, you are just destined to create a perfect paper.

We suggest that you look once again through the primary keys of this process:

  • Choose the topic for the essay rationally: not too broad, not too narrow.
  • Find and prepare credible sources: you should be able to back up every claim.
  • A grasping introduction will set a tone for the whole paper: start with a hook, provide background information and state the thesis.
  • A hook should attract your audience’s attraction at once: sharp and witty, eye-catching, and providing some actual situation.
  • Make sure your thesis statement meets all the demands: it is brief but perfectly reflects the paper’s primary purpose.
  • Remember that the body of your essay should include at least three paragraphs, with each of them supported by facts.
  • When writing a conclusion, first focus on summarizing the whole scope of information.
  • Then reformulate your thesis statement highlighting the importance of the question.
  • Make sure your paper perfectly fits the purpose and coincides with the topic title.
  • Proofread your essay to get rid of possible mistakes.

We did our best to instruct you on writing an excellent expository essay. Now it’s your turn!

Start with choosing a topic from the list above, or use our Free Essay Topic Generator.

Then read some materials about it to narrow down the theme. You are ready to start writing!

We were happy to share all this knowledge with you! Approach us if you have any questions. We are always open to your inquiries.

Good luck with your writings; you can do it 🤘

Comments
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Arianne
Arianne

Thanks Diane! I will use these in my class 🙂