The Informative and Surprising Essay Information Information So

The Informative and Surprising Essay

Information, Information

So what’s your motivation? 1. Immediate Need for Information 2. Curiosity About a Subject Not Thesis Driven!!

#3 Motivation = Surprise Me! • • Brings new & surprising info. to reader Reader does not necessarily “need to know” Reader must be hooked right away Use Surprise Reversal Strategy THESIS

Many People Believe “X” (common view), But I am going to show “Y” (new, surprising view)

Surprise Reversal Strategy Spurs Writer to go beyond Commonplace thinking in an attempt to Change the readers view of a topic by contrasting the original (common) view with your new and surprising view = TENSION Notes: You’re not debating (common view is not necessarily wrong) You do not have to be an expert, just know more than your reader Not everyone in your audience will be surprised by your information

The Guidelines Essay #3: The Informative Essay; Ethnography Style An ethnography is a portrait—a description of a particular human situation, practice, or group as it exists (or existed) in a particular time, at a particular place, etc.

Brainstorming • Write a list of all the communities you belong to (campus, neighborhood, religious, political, ethnic, educational, environmental, etc. ) • What are some of the typical misconceptions the general public has of these groups?