expository college essays

115 Engaging expository essay topics

Published March 20, 2021. Updated December 22, 2021.

Early on in your college studies, it is highly probable that you’ll be asked to write an expository essay and it won’t have to be for a writing class. If you have a paper to write for biology, American history, psychology, or philosophy, it will likely be an expository essay.

“Expository” comes from the word “expose”, so an expository essay exposes information and ideas. The purpose of an expository essay is to inform reader as you explain, describe, or define a topic. The information that you expose might come from the teacher or your own research. The assignment guidelines will let you know what the scope and length of your essay should be.

You can present information using several methods of development. These methods include:

Problem and solution
Compare and contrast
Cause and effect
Description
Classification

Using one or more of these methods will help you organize and present your information in a logical way.

Worried about your writing? Submit your paper for a Chegg Writing essay check , or for an Expert Check proofreading . Both can help you find and fix potential writing issues.

This page will cover the following points:

Tips for choosing a good expository topic

Expository essay topics about travel, expository essay topics about government, expository essay topics about health, expository essay topics about social media, expository essay topics about technology, expository essay topics about education, expository essay topics about money and the economy, expository essay topics about food, expository essay topics about society, miscellaneous expository essay topics.

If your instructor assigns you a topic, then you don’t need to think about what you’re going to write, but usually, instructors give you at least some choice about your topic.

An expository essay, which gives information, can be about literally anything. This is both good and bad:

Good : It can be anything! Woohoo! You choose! What does your little brain want to write about?

Bad : OMG, it can be ANYthing! There are too many choices! Argh! What do you choose??

If you can choose the topic, choose something you like or are curious about, especially if you have to do research. Researching takes time, analyzing takes time, and writing takes time. For the sake of your sanity, choose a topic you are interested in!

If you don’t need to do research, you’ll still need to present information using an appropriate method of development. Write what you know about your topic rather than your opinions about it.

Still have no idea where to start? Then check out our list of topics for expository essays. These can work for essays that require research, as well as essay that don’t.

Topic overview

The topics are listed as general topics so you can decide how to approach any of them.

Let’s do a sample brainstorm to show you how you can approach a topic that you don’t need to research.

We’ll choose topic 1 below:

the benefits of travel.

Do you believe that travel has benefits? Let’s say you’re for it and believe there are benefits.

What kinds of benefits does travel offer? Well, it’s good for the traveler to learn about new places. It’s good for the place to have visitors who spend money there. It helps people from different places learn about one another.

From these general ideas, which one interests you the most? Let’s say you want to write about how travel benefits the traveler.

What are some ways that traveling benefits travelers? Well, it gives them the opportunity to learn about a new place. It takes them out of their comfort zones and makes them figure out how to handle new situations. They get to see how other people live, and realize that not everyone lives the same way. It encourages appreciation for where they come from, and for the new place they’re visiting.

Do you see how you’re developing ideas to write about? Note that there are no correct choices. You get to choose what to write about.

Your instructor will not grade you based on whether they agree with you, but on how you presented your ideas.

The benefits of travel
Eco-tourism
Women traveling alone
Culture shock
Gap year abroad
Responsibilities of a tourist
International versus domestic travel
Travel in times of COVID
Different modes of travel
A significant trip you took

Let’s do a sample brainstorm to show you how you can approach a topic that you need to research.

Remember that you can either choose a topic you have knowledge about, or one you don’t know much about but are interested in. You’re going to do research either way, so interest in the topic is the key.

We’ll choose topic 2 below: Why some people don’t vote.

What do you already know about this topic? Well, some people don’t vote because they don’t want to, and other people don’t vote because they’re not allowed to.

From those two options, which one do you want to write about? Let’s choose the first one:

people don’t vote because they don’t want to.

What do you know about the reasons why people don’t want to vote? Well, some people don’t pay enough attention and simply don’t care about politics. Other people are disappointed in their options and don’t like any of the candidates, so they don’t vote for anyone. Finally, others feel that politicians never do anything that directly benefits them, just their rich donors, so there is no point in voting because it won’t make a difference either way.

Do you see how you’re developing your ideas? At any point, you can begin your research. Maybe you have no idea why people don’t vote, so that’s where you start Googling. Or if you already have ideas about why people don’t vote, you can research each idea/reason to get additional information.

If a topic interests you, feel free to choose it. Here are several topics related to government.

Hyper-partisanship
Why some people don’t vote
Removing money from politics
Ending gerrymandering
Abolishing the electoral college
Voter suppression
Consequences of capitalism
The separation of church and state
Democracy versus oligarchy
House of Representatives versus the Senate

Right now, with the world still struggling with the COVID-19 pandemic, you might want to choose that as your topic. You absolutely can! There are dozens of ways you could approach the topic of COVID-19! Here are just a few:

Describing how the disease started and spread.
Writing about the various ways people are protecting themselves from the virus.
Comparing how different countries responded to COVID.
Explaining how COVID caused the economy to suffer.
Describing the process of vaccinating the entire country.
Comparing COVID pandemic with the Spanish Flu pandemic of 1918.
Writing about the response from the White House and how that led to the number of deaths.
Writing about people who believe COVID is a hoax and how that makes containing the virus much more difficult.

So, you can see that with a general topic like COVID-19, there are many ways to approach the topic, depending on what you’re interested in learning and writing about.

However – if you’ve had enough of COVID for now, here are other health topics to consider:

The consequences of vaping
The prevalence of obesity in the US
Vaccines: helpful or harmful?
A woman’s right to choose
Eating healthy in college
Universal health insurance
The right to die for terminal patients
Public health versus personal freedom in times of COVID
Addiction as a health issue rather than a criminal issue
Mental health and health insurance

Social media started as a way for people to interact with each other online. If you had friends or family far away, you could post pictures and chat with them. In the last 15 years, social media has become a part of our daily lives.

You can still share pictures and chat with people, but the ways social media is used have exploded. Businesses, organizations, schools, activists, politicians, celebrities, and more have found ways to make social media work for them.

Here are some social media topics to write about:

Social media and body image
Social media and interpersonal communication
Censorship on social media
How businesses use social media
Activism through social media
Social media and the workplace
Cyber bullying
The spread of radicalization through social media
Doom scrolling
How social media affects employee privacy

When most people think about technology, they think about things like their cell phones or laptops. However, technology is applied to business, education, energy, military, medicine, food, relationships… there is hardly an aspect of modern life that is not impacted by technology.

Here are some topics about technology you can explore.

Net neutrality
Accessible high-speed internet
Alternative energy
Automation in jobs
Digital learning
Self-driving cars
Gamification
Effects on productivity
Military technology
Effects on reading skills

You’re still going to school currently, aren’t you? Otherwise, why would you need to write an expository essay? But depending on your age, it’s possible you’ve been in school for most of your life. Maybe you love it, maybe you hate it, but recognize that it’s necessary to reach your goals.

Either way, here are some topics about education for you to consider.

Foreign language requirements
Commuting from home versus living on campus
Virtual classrooms/teaching
Value of a college degree
Trade school versus college
Characteristics of good teachers/professors
Pass/fail instead of letter grades
Funding charter schools
The age at which students should start getting homework
School funding tied to standardized test scores

Right now, money – or rather, the economy – is a highly discussed topic. When you turn on the news at least some of the stories will be about money and the economy. The news stories are about everything from raising the minimum wage, to taxing billionaires, to an economic depression, to a soaring stock market, to where is my stimulus check… it’s all about money.

Here are some topics about money that you can explore.

Raising the minimum wage
Implementing a maximum wage
The burden of student loan debt
The $75,000 threshold of happiness
Universal Basic Income
Effects of consumerism
National deficit
The high cost of poverty
Stock market
Bitcoin (or another cryptocurrency)

You are what you eat. Cliché but true. No one survives without eating, so food is a topic that everyone can relate to. You can approach the topic from the angle of good health or you can look at how food contributes to illness. There are ethical, environmental, and economic angles, all related to food.

Do any of these topics appeal to you?

The health benefits of cooking
The food pyramid
Ethics of eating meat
High fructose corn syrup
Industrial farming
Genetically modified foods
Benefits of vegetarianism
The cost of fast food
Sugar versus artificial sweetener
Super foods

Merriam-Webster lists one definition of society as “a community, nation, or broad grouping of people having common traditions, institutions, and collective activities and interests.” Although it might seem that American society is currently too divided to have any “common interests”, there are always topics that matter to large portions of society.

You may find some of these topics interesting to explore.

Domestic terrorism
Gun control
The death penalty
Homelessness
A shorter workday (for example: a 6-hour workday)
A shorter work week (for example, Monday through Thursday)
Black Lives Matter protests versus January 6 riot on the Capitol.
Patriotism versus nationalism
LGBTQ+ rights

Before you turn in that paper, don’t forget to cite your sources in APA format , MLA format , or a style of your choice.

If you’ve made it this far without finding a topic you’re passionate about, don’t despair! There are 25 more topics for you to choose from.

These are general topics that you can brainstorm and approach from any number of angles. Since you’re going to research regardless of whether or not you know a lot about the topic, the key to choosing the best topic is your interest in it.

The confederate flag
Renting versus owning
Over-population
Toxic masculinity
Wikipedia as a source of information
Experiential learning
Effects of divorce on children
Immigration policies
Decriminalization of prostitution
Defund the police
Systemic racism
Organic food
Growth mindset versus fixed mindset
Intersection of feminism and race
The cost of adult illiteracy
Rehabilitation for juvenile offenders
Teenage pregnancy
Benefits of reading
Legalizing marijuana
Coconut oil
Off-grid living
Applications of 3D printing

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Expository Essay Examples

Free Expository Essay Examples For Students

What is Expository Essay Writing?

An expository essay is a form of academic writing that aims to inform, explain, or describe a particular topic to the reader.

The primary purpose of an expository essay is to provide a clear presentation of facts, ideas, or concepts, often without the writer's personal bias or opinion. The expository essay is a genre of essay that is similar to a descriptive essay .

There are several types of expository writing , including:

Definition essay
Classification essay
Process analysis essay
Cause and effect essay
Problem solution essay
Compare and contrast essay

Newspaper articles, journals, and essays that define and explain a particular topic demonstrate expository essay writing.

portrait-attractive-cute-young-student-girl-isolated-white-wall 1

Not sure how to explain your topic? Let us help!

Read the examples and learn to write a good expository essay for your school or college assignment.

Expository Essay Examples

While writing an expository essay, you might face difficulties in formatting and logically connecting your information. Below we have presented some amazing examples to help you understand how to write and organize an expository essay.

Expository Essay Outline Examples

Whenever you write an expository essay, the first thing you should do is craft an outline. The expository essay outline gives shape to your essay and keeps you organized.

Here are some good expository essay outline examples that you can follow to outline your essay.

Expository Essay Outline Example

Expository Essay Outline Template Sample

Expository Essay Format Example

While writing an essay, you need to follow a proper format to present your information in a logical sequence.

The typical 5 paragraph essay consists of 1 introduction, 3 body, and 1 conclusion paragraph.

Below we have given expository essay format examples in both APA and MLA format to help you understand the formatting. Check out:

Expository Essay Examples APA Format

Expository Essay Examples MLA Format

Short Expository Essay Examples

As we have discussed above, expository essay writing requires you to describe and explain a particular subject in detail. Achieving this level of detail can be quite challenging when working with a limited word count.

To illustrate how to effectively convey information within limited words, we have provided a short expository essay example.

Short Expository Essay Example

Expository Essay Examples for Middle School

Here are some informative expository essay examples for middle school students to help you grasp the basics of expository essay writing.

Expository Essay Example For Middle School

Expository Essay Example Grade 7

Expository Essay Examples 5th Grade

Expository Essay Examples 4th Grade

Expository Essay Examples for High School

Here are some helpful expository essay examples PDFs for high school students. Check out:

Expository Essay Examples For High School

Expository Essay Examples for College

Looking for a college-level expository essay example? Check out the pdf below:

Expository Essay Examples For College

Expository Essay Examples for University

Here are some good sample expository essay pdf examples for university students.

Expository Essay Example About Life

Expository Essay Examples About Covid 19

Informative Expository Essay Example

How to Write an Expository Essay - Example

While writing an expository essay, you need to follow a proper structure. So that you can easily present your information and evidence in a logical sequence.

Here is a step-by-step process of how to write an expository essay:

Step 1. Choose an Appropriate Topic

Brainstorm different ideas to select a compelling expository essay topic. Check out our expository essay topics blog for inspiring ideas.
Ensure it has the potential to turn into an informative essay by being able to explain and inform effectively.

Step 2. Craft an Engaging Introduction

Begin with a captivating hook statement to grab the reader's attention.
Provide a brief background on the chosen topic to clarify its relevance.
Formulate an informative thesis statement that encapsulates the core idea of your essay.

Step 3. Develop the Body Paragraphs

Start each body paragraph with a clear topic sentence , representing the main idea of that particular paragraph.
Support the topic sentence with credible evidence, facts, or examples that bolster your thesis statement.
Ensure a smooth transition between paragraphs for a logical flow of ideas.

Step 4. Conclude Effectively

Start the essay conclusion paragraph by reasserting your thesis statement.
Summarize the key points and main arguments presented in the essay.
Encourage the reader with a call to action, prompting them to contemplate or engage further with the topic.

Need a clear, effective essay? We can write it for you!

Step 5. Proofread and Edit

Proofread your essay for grammatical and spelling mistakes and check if the information is presented in a proper sequence.
Write multiple drafts and edit as needed to ensure your essay is free of errors.

In conclusion, these expository essay examples offer a valuable resource for students. They serve as effective learning tools, providing insight into the art of expository writing. By studying these examples, students can improve their writing skills, and gain a deeper understanding of essay structure.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What are 3 examples of expository.

The three main examples of expository are;

Scientific reports
Magazine articles
Academic essays

What are the 4 characteristics of expository text?

The main characteristics of expository text are;

Informative
Clarity
Unbiased
Impersonal
Organization of the text

What is the first important step in writing an expository essay?

To write an expository essay, you must first decide how to structure your work. An expository essay generally contains an introduction, followed by three body paragraphs and a conclusion.

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