Writing - Informational/Explanatory
In this domain you write nonfiction that teaches something: a report, a comparison, a set of instructions, or an explanation of how or why something happens. The markers look for a clear controlling idea, facts grouped logically, precise vocabulary, linking words, and a conclusion - all in your own words.
Build the frame
- Introduction: name the topic and state the big idea in one sentence. Prairie wetlands look empty, but they are the busiest habitat on the plains.
- Body paragraphs: one idea per paragraph. Each needs a topic sentence, then facts, examples, or definitions that support it.
- Conclusion: restate the big idea in fresh words and say why it matters. Do not add new facts.
Connect ideas
Use linking words to show relationships: also, in addition (adding), because, as a result (cause), however, unlike (contrast), for example, such as (illustrating), first, then, finally (sequence). A paragraph with no linking words reads like a list.
Choose precise, subject-specific words
Not birds but nesting ducks; not a lot of water but shallow meltwater. Define any term your reader may not know in a short phrase, and use headings if the piece is long.
Worked example
Weak sentences: Wetlands are important. They have lots of animals. They dry up in summer. Revision: Even though prairie potholes dry up each July, they are vital habitat. For example, ducks nest in the surrounding grass, and insects feed there while the water lasts. As a result, a wetland that looks empty in August may have raised dozens of ducklings in June. Reasoning: the revision adds a controlling idea (vital habitat) with a contrast, gives a specific example with the linking phrase for example, and closes with a cause-and-effect sentence that explains significance. The weak version lists; the revision explains.
Traps that cost marks
- Slipping into story mode (One day I saw a wetland…) when the task is to explain.
- Copying sentences straight from a source - markers look for your own phrasing.
- Giving an opinion with no supporting fact.
- Listing facts with no grouping or linking words.
- Ending without a concluding sentence, or introducing a new fact in the conclusion.