List of Expository Essay Topics

The purpose of an expository essay is to explain something. It should answer principle questions like what is it? How to define it? How does it work? What is its background or history? What was the reason for it? What impact it will have on others? What does it all mean? Expository essays are all about the facts and figures but it doesn’t need to be dry and boring. There are ways that a skilled writer can include descriptive phrases and terminology to liven up an expository paper.

To begin a creative expository, writers should choose topics that they know something about. That way, it will be much easier to include interesting little details that could add another element to the paper. Possible topics could include personal experiences, social situations, science, history, politics, etc.

Personal experiences

Personal experiences are probably the easiest of essays to write. The writer is already in touch with his own feelings about a particular topic or subject and can add much more detail than he would if he were working on a topic that required extensive research.

1. The first day of school
2. What to expect at your new campus
3. Living life as a foreign resident (or illegal alien)
4. Family dynamics in your culture
5. Dealing with financial problems

Social Issues

Writing about social issues can reveal much in an expository essay. People are very passionate social topics and that emotion can evoke some impressive material. Consider problems in the local community that weigh heavily on people’s minds.

1. Teen pregnancy
2. Drug addiction
3. Crime
4. Affirmative Action
5. Human Trafficking
6. Racism/Discrimination
7. Education

With the above topics, you will notice that the core subject itself is very vague and not very specific. The writer can narrow it down to a specific focus in order to relay their personal feelings on the subject. For example, the topic of teen pregnancy can be broken down into what can be done about it? Should birth control be allowed in schools? What are the effects of sex education in the classroom and so on? Once the writer has narrowed down the topics they can zero in on something they will feel comfortable writing about.

Science and Technology

Because of the rapidly growing advancement of technology today there are many things that a student can write about. Again, the sky’s the limit when it comes to this subject and the topic they choose can be anywhere they choose to go.

1. Climate change
2. The Genome Project
3. Should we continue space exploration?
4. The development of the human brain
5. What is Bioengineering?
6. How has science improved the human lifespan?
7. Is there a cure for the common cold?
8. The Internet and how it works
9. What is the next big revelation for the future?
10. What will life be like in 20 years? 50? 100?
11. How long can we extend man’s lifespan?
12. Will we be able to travel into a Black Hole?
13. How will we meet the energy needs of a growing population?

Political Issues

There is a vast number of subjects that can be written on the political environment as well, everything from the behavior of political figures to the issues that may be on the current ballot. Asking the hard questions and finding ways to answer them can be a real challenge for the expository writer.

1. A new bill on the ballot
2. How to get a new law enacted
3. A well known political figure
4. The conduct of someone holding office
5. Election tampering
6. How to speak with your Congressman/woman
7. How to cast your vote

As you can see there are countless topics and variations of topics that can make for a lively expository paper. The student should remember the purpose of the paper is to explain so once they’ve decided on a topic they should determine what type of expository they plan to write. Will it be a how to essay or will it be to define something? Once this goal is clear in the writer’s mind, all that is left is to take the next steps one by one; to gather the facts, do the research, evaluate your audience, and write their personal point of view.