WRITING EXPOSITION[1]

I.       The nature of exposition

Exposition aims to make the reader understand the meaning or significance of the object as the writer understands this meaning or significance

II.    The characteristics of exposition

A.    The subject is an idea, a notion, a theory, a concept or a philosophy, as opposed to something that appeals to the five senses

B.     The writer believes

1.      Subject needs an explanation

2.      It is misunderstood

3.      He has an answer that simplifies the complex matter

4.      He can offer a simple explanation to make a hard thing easy to understand

C.    The writer responds

1.      From personal experience

2.      By offering an explanation that he has thought out, or hit upon himself

3.      By acting as a confident teacher

4.      By trying to make himself understood clearly

5.      By offering a new and to him the only true explanation

6.      By taking pains to avoid misunderstanding by

a)     Using words that are familiar

b)     Constantly illustrating the points

c)      Proceeding from the old and familiar to the new and unknown.

D.    The result of the writer's effort

1.      To satisfy our desire to reach a definition of a thing or idea who boundaries have been vague

2.      To satisfy our instinct for classification - what kind of thing or idea is this?

III.  The process of exposition

A.    Analysis

1.      The process of exposition is an analysis ending in a partial or complete definition and classification of the idea.

2.      Time renders the best definitions and classifications weak

3.      Must be content with a working definition and classification

B.     Rules for logical definition

1.      Should exclude from the class all that does not belong to the class

2.      Should include in the class all that does belong in the class

3.      Should be expressed in terms that are simpler and more familiar that the term defined

4.      Should be as brief as possible and should not include any derivative of the word being defined

C.    Rules for logical division (classification)

The rules for logical division will help the writer to achieve brevity, economy, and simplicity in his exposition, for they are based upon known laws of the mind.

1.      The subject must be divided on one and only one principle or system

2.      The subdivisions of the subject:

a)     Should be mutually exclusive - not overlap

b)     Should together satisfactorily cover the field that ought to be included in the subject

c)      No one subdivision should be equal to the whole subject

3.      The three most common schemes of arrangement are

a)     By cause and effect

(1)    Statement of a fact or a group of facts

(2)    The causes of this fact for group of facts

(3)    The effect of the fact or group of facts

(4)    The ultimate significance of the fact or group

b)     By contrast

(1)    Two division of the subject may be brought close to each to each other because truth will suffer if both are not kept in mind  - they may be corollary or complementary facts

(2)    Discriminate likeness and differences

(3)    The keenness of our discriminations is the measure of our intellectual attainment

(4)    We should present to the reader the record of our discriminations

c)      By contiguity in time, place, or thought

(1)    Order of events as they occur

(2)    Proximity to the reference point, proceeding generally from the near to the far

The general arrangement of subdivision should utilize the principle of climax, proceeding from the less important to the most important

IV.Methods of exposition

A.    Definition

B.     Specific instances

C.    Comparison and contrast

D.    Causes and result (deduction and induction)

E.     By narration or description - build word pictures to describe the mood of feeling being explained

F.     By paraphrase

The paraphrase is a reproduction in which the same thought is expressed in equivalent words

1.      Do not change the thought of the original

a)     Change the form only

b)     Follow the thought closely

c)      Reproduce the meaning of the figures in plain language

2.      Make all changes in the interest of clearness

a)     Substitution of definitions for difficult words is not sufficient

b)     The whole thought must be restated

3.      Try to maintain the dignity and spirit of the original

a)     Do not weaken the thought

b)     If of poetry guard against inadvertent poetic devices

4.      Study the use of synonyms

a)     Changing a phrase may force a whole sentence to be changed

b)     It may be necessary to leave the original unchanged

G.    By abstract

The abstract is a condensed statement of another's thought

1.      Give nothing in the abstract that is not in the original

2.      Discover the author's plan or outline and follow it closely

3.      Give only the main ideas

a)     Omit or condense all

(1)    Illustrations

(2)    Repetitions

(3)    Explanations

b)     Make the author's plan of treatment and conclusion stand out plainly

4.      Observe the law of proportion

a)     Condense all parts on the same scale

b)     Watch for tendency to leave detail in the early part but omit it in the later parts

5.      Use the author's language freely but not if it can be said in simpler words

6.      Make complete connected sentences

7.      Aim at

a)     Clearness

b)     Accuracy

c)      Force

d)     Plainness of statement

V.   Kinds of exposition

1.      The process is the same for all

a)     Analysis leading to definition

b)     Classification leading to distinction

2.      Writer may adopt several of these kinds

B.     Explanation - as of a process, of the structure of an object, or of a principle

1.      Implies an impersonal attitude in the writer

2.      Assumes that all will agree with the true explanation

3.      The writer acts as a scientist

C.    Interpretation - as of things in nature, of human character, or of a social situation

1.      Sympathetic attitude of the writer toward the subject

2.      Affords room for personal idiosyncrasy

3.      Put a premium upon the individual point of view

4.      Assumes a deeper insight than scientific explanation

5.      The writer is an appreciator

D.    Criticism - as of works of literature, or other fine arts

1.      Implies external standards

2.      Allows for personal feelings and impressions

3.      The writer is the judge