Review It
You have used both written and video sources of information to write an informative/explanatory essay about the role of African Americans during the Civil War and the difficulties they faced as Union soldiers.
Use the following activity to review the steps for informative/explanatory writing.
Use the following information to review the characteristics of a well-written informative/explanatory writing.
Steps in Writing Informational / Explanatory Text
- Ask questions by putting together a list of questions focused on the topic you are going to use in your writing.
- Research and gather information about the topic by examining print, digital or other media resources looking for answers to your key questions.
- Select facts, details, examples and/or quotations that support your writing. Make sure your sources are credible and free of bias.
- Organize the facts, details, examples and/or quotations in a logical order so readers can best understand it.
- The final step is to write your essay.
For a more in-depth review of how to write informative/explanatory texts, explore the resources below:
CCSS Literacy eHandbook: Write Informative/Explanatory Textsopens a new window
Student Writing Tips: Inform/Explain: Writing to Inform or Explainopens a new window
Student Writing Tips: Sources: Using Information in Your Writingopens a new window
