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In this lesson, you will learn about what separates informative
writing from other types of writing, and the different methods of
writing in the informative mode. Specifically, this lesson will
cover:
1. Purpose of Informative Writing
2. Types of Informative Writing
Author: Sophia
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Types and
Characteristics of
Informative Writing
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2a. Process Writing
2b. Analytical Writing
2c. Classification Writing
2d. Definition Writing
2e. Cause-and-Effect Writing
1. Purpose of Informative Writing
As you’ve learned, informative writing is a common form of essay writing.
Some informative writing is also academic writing; some is not.
Informative writing informs readers about something; it describes or
explains something to them. It is intended to convey information without
bias, unlike argumentative writing, for example, which is persuasive.
While the line between these two forms is sometimes crossed,
informative writing usually refers to writing that’s not meant to convince
readers of anything.
EXAMPLE Suppose a professor writes a short article for the
campus website that describes careers for graduates of the
program in which he teaches. It’s likely that one of his goals is to
persuade students to enroll in his classes, but his main purpose is
to share information. This latter purpose is one of the primary
signs of informative writing.
Because the goal of informative writing is to inform readers about
something, it’s important for writers to be as objective as possible when
writing in this way. They should do their best to set aside personal
feelings and opinions and simply report information as clearly and as
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honestly as they can.
$ HINT
The best way to maintain objectivity is to use the rhetorical situation.
Performing a meta analysis of personal biases and assumptions, and
addressing them accordingly, brings writers closer to an objective
perspective, no matter the subject.
2. Types of Informative Writing
There are five main types of informative writing:
Process writing
Analytical writing
Classification writing
Definition writing
Cause-and-effect writing
Pay attention to the fact that, while these methods of informative writing
differ in certain characteristics, the characteristic they all share is
objectivity.
2a. Process Writing
Process writing describes the steps of a process in detail.
EXAMPLE A student is assigned to write an essay about
conducting research. Her finished essay will detail the steps
involved in conducting research (e.g., going to the library or
searching online, locating sources, creating a list of citations, etc.).
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Process writing is used in a variety of settings. Following is a paragraph
that details the steps in a process that is quite different from the one
involved in the previous example.
When brewing beer, the first task is sanitization. When all equipment
has been thoroughly cleaned to remove bacteria, the next steps are
cooking the barley (or other grain) and making the wort (i.e., the
sugar mix that the yeast uses to make alcohol).
2b. Analytical Writing
Analytical writing is often used in academic essays, especially those
pertaining to composition and literature. Analytical writing evaluates a
written work, an image, or a set of data.
EXAMPLE Students who are assigned to write an essay about
the portrayals of masculinity, femininity, or class in Charlotte
Bronte’s Jane Eyre would be expected to analyze the novel.
The following piece of analytical writing is an excerpt from a review of the
2012 remake of the 1990s sci-fi movie Total Recall.
I could complain that the newest version of Total Recall fails to
invoke the beautifully ambiguous, surreal quality of the first movie,
but if I did, I’d have to admit that the story from which the “original”
got its material (i.e., Phillip K. Dick’s “We Can Remember It for You
Wholesale”) is guilty of the same crime. This movie, like many before
it, is another version of an older story, not the same story.
Note that this paragraph is not only about the surface details of the
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Note that this paragraph is not only about the surface details of the
movie. It also considers the film’s context and history, while informing
readers about the current version. It’s not a critique, which would require
more judgment or argument than is provided in this excerpt.
2c. Classification Writing
Classification writing is used to divide or organize things into categories.
EXAMPLE The teacher of a music history class asks his
students to write about the categories of instruments (e.g.,
woodwind, brass, string, etc.).
Read the following excerpt from an article about freshwater kayaks.
Many of those who have never tried it believe there’s only one way
to paddle a river: whitewater. But in places like South Dakota’s Big
Sioux River, you will see all kinds of watercraft during the
summertime: touring kayaks loaded with gear, sporters strapped to
their little six-foot boats, and longer, more stable sit-on-top kayaks.
There’s a lot to choose from.
Classification writing does more than just list things in categories. It filters
and interprets data, and accounts for readers’ familiarity (or lack of
familiarity) with the subject.
2d. Definition Writing
Definition writing characterizes and/or describes something. Good
definition writing does so in new and thoughtful ways.
EXAMPLE A student in a composition class begins to write an
essay about same-sex marriage, but ends up redefining marriage
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essay about same-sex marriage, but ends up redefining marriage
as a legal, civil union, not necessarily a religious one.
The following example of definition writing could be an excerpt from a
magazine or website devoted to ranching or rodeos, settings in which the
quarter horse is commonly found.
Not everyone considers the quarter horse to be a distinct breed, like
the Arabian or Appaloosa, but there are qualities that all quarter
horses share, like their small, stocky build and ability to outrun other
breeds over short distances. The name “quarter horse” refers to
their ability to cover distances of a quarter mile or less faster than
other breeds.
2e. Cause-and-Effect Writing
Cause-and-effect writing details why or how a cause produces (or will
produce) a specific effect.
EXAMPLE A graduate student in a political science program
writes a dissertation that demonstrates how raising the federal
minimum wage impacts small communities.
The following paragraph is a less-academic example of cause-and-effect
writing. It is an excerpt from a fictitious letter to the editor about how city
workers who paint over graffiti are less than effective.
Every time the city sends workers to repaint the underside of the
bridge, the “artists” arrive right after they finish. Sometimes the walls
remain gray for one night, as if the artists are waiting for the paint to
dry so they can start again. From a graffiti-control standpoint, it’s a
waste of time, but maybe that’s not the city’s goal. Maybe this is how
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we fund the arts nowadays. I’ll wait and see how long it takes for the
art to reappear next time.
Although this passage does not identify graffiti as a problem, or specify a
solution, it comes close to doing so. Simply stating a cause-and-effect
relationship sometimes amounts to an argument about what should be
done, even when the argument is only implied (as is the case in this
passage).
In this lesson, you learned that the purpose of informative
writing is to provide the reader with information in an objective
tone. There are several main types of informative writing that
you might encounter, both inside and outside of an academic
context: process writing, analytical writing, classification writing,
definition writing, and cause-and-effect writing.
Best of luck in your learning!
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