THE EXEMPLIFICATION ESSAY
DSPW 0800
HASTING
An example is a single item drawn from a larger group to which it belongs. The exemplification essay will be filled with examples that will support your thesis. The following are specific examples drawn from a general topic:
Smog is one of the many possible examples of pollution.
Chicken pox is an example of a childhood disease.
The egg yolk on Bill’s tie is an example of his sloppy eating habits.
The bald eagle is an example of an endangered species that has been preserved.
The French Reign of Terror is an example that supports the idea that violent revolutions often begat a violent backlash.
Examples add interest. Specific examples take a humdrum generalization such as war is bad, and give it life by providing the rich detail that the reader needs in order to follow your argument.
Examples help to persuade. All of your examples should be relevant and persuasive. The main point of each example used should be one which supports your thesis. The examples you choose should encourage your reader to take your thesis seriously.
The number of examples needed is up to you and the topic you have chosen to write about. Three examples would be minimal, but would require a lot of development in order to make your argument sound.
It is very important to choose examples that are representative. The examples you choose should not be of some random, out-of-the-ordinary event that your reader will dismiss as an aberration and not representative of the problem of your topic.
It will be easy to get sidetracked when writing an example essay because you will want to explain what can be done about a problem or the causes for a problem and then you will have gone off track and away from your thesis.
Your first example should get you off with a bang! Choose your best example and use it first in the body of your essay. Your job as a writer is to stimulate interest, arouse curiosity, make the reader laugh and the sooner you do this the better. Once your reader is interested, curious, or laughing you have him or her hooked.
A few example topics:
Some teachers try to hard to identify with their students.
Junk food has many virtues.
Corruption is part of the American way of life.
Teenage marriages are likely to end unhappily.
People express their personalities through the clothes they wear.
The generation gap is a myth.
Children’s television programs display too much violence.
A student’s life is not a happy one.
Members of the clergy are complex human beings, not plaster saints.
You can tell a lot about people from their table manners.
Student government is a farce.
Apparent nonconformists are sometimes the worst conformists.
Everyone loves to gossip.
Many people never learn from their mistakes.
The effort to succeed is more satisfying than success itself.
Even at their best, most people are basically selfish.
The road to hell is paved with good intentions.
Taking care of a pet can be a great educational experience for children.
Newspapers rarely bother to report good news
Parameters:
Must be at least 500 words
Form:
Must have a four to five sentence Introduction paragraph
Thesis must appear as the last sentence in the introduction
Topic sentences must appear clearly as the FIRST sentence of each body paragraph
Provide appropriate supporting details in each paragraph (Your essay must provide evidence of cohesion)
Must have a conclusion
Remember to:
Double-space text
Use an MLA style heading
Staple
Do not use contractions, ask rhetorical questions, or use the personal pronoun “you”
Follow the rules on capitalizing your title
The exemplification essay will be written out of class on a subject of your choice.
Due Dates:
DSPW 0800 101
Conferences will be on March 2, 3, 4
Conference sign up will be Friday Feb. 27
Final draft is due on
March 18
DSPW 0800 102
Conferences will be on March 3 and 5
Conference sign up will be Thursday February 26
Final draft is due on March 17
Bring two typed copies of your first draft to the conference. I will not look at essays which are not typed. Missing your conference will result in a 10 point deduction in the final essay grade.
Submit you first draft to Smarthinking. Include the tutor’s comments when you turn in the final draft. Not consulting with a Smarthinking tutor will result in a 10 point reduction in the essay grade
