Write informative/explanatory texts, including the narration of historical events,
scientific procedures/ experiments, or technical processes.

• Introduce a topic and organize complex ideas, concepts, and information so that each new element builds on that which precedes it to create a unified whole; include formatting (e.g., headings), graphics (e.g., figures, tables), and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension.
  • For 11th and 12th grade, this point asks students to move beyond just being able to structure a paper around a central idea; here students are asked to deal with complex ideas and create a structure that isn’t merely “well-organized,” but is strategically organized so that each piece builds to a unified whole.

• Develop the topic thoroughly by selecting the most significant and relevant facts, extended definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples appropriate to the audience’s knowledge of the topic.
  • This bullet point provides a comprehensive list of the specific ingredients for a detailed, deeply developed essay. In 11th and 12th grades, students should be developing their topics thoroughly and choosing significant source material to include. Again, at this level, students must do more than just meet the basic requirements for an informative paper, reaching for a more surprising, nuanced essay.

• Use varied transitions and sentence structures to link the major sections of the text, create cohesion, and clarify the relationships among complex ideas and concepts.
  • Just like in an argument, students need to put the information into context by connecting their ideas and showing how they are related. Shmoop recommends you create a transition bank with your students and model how to use transitions effectively. See Standard 1 for a list of examples to get you started.

• Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary and techniques such as metaphor, simile, and analogy to manage the complexity of the topic; convey a knowledgeable stance in a style that responds to the discipline and context as well as to the expertise of likely readers.
  • Once again, it’s audience and genre awareness. Students need to be aware of the genre and discipline expectations as well as the expertise of their audience in order to choose a voice, style, and structure appropriate for the context. In 11th and 12th grades, students should be thinking more about their ethos as writers and how to choose a language and style that will establish them as a knowledgeable, credible writer.
  • In 11th and 12th grades, this point also asks students to add style to their writing with techniques like metaphor, simile, and analogy. These might seem like techniques best saved for their creative writing class, but look at any academic discourse and you will find writers using figurative language to highlight important details and put examples into context for readers.

• Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the information or explanation presented (e.g., articulating implications or the significance of the topic).
  • As teachers, we have a tendency to run out of time before we get to the conclusion, so instruction on conclusions is often short-changed. Without instruction, students will end up repeating themselves, and that’s not what conclusions are all about. What students should be doing is to give the information a broader context. The conclusion should get at why all this information matters. What are the implications? Why is this topic significant? A good conclusion should shed new light on the subject with style and nuance, leaving the reader in awe of the academic prowess on display. Or something in that ballpark.

Set the Stage

This standard requires students to be able to explain complex ideas, whether they are in history class, science class, or technology class. Their writing must follow the three C’s: comprehensive (complete), coherent (understandable), and cohesive (unified). You will be teaching students how to develop their ideas through the use of relevant information structured in an organized fashion, benefiting and enhancing the audience’s knowledge. Once again, the bottom line is that students need to write good informative essays, and the bullet points just get more detailed about how they should go about it.