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Informative Essay

Last updated on: Apr 26, 2025

Informative Essay: Features, Types, Writing Steps & Examples

By: Nova A.

12 min read

Reviewed By: Rylee W.

Published on: Jan 5, 2021

Writing informative essays can be tough, especially when you're trying to figure out how to begin and organize your ideas. Many students struggle with these same issues.

But don't worry! This blog is here to help you out. We'll guide you through every step of writing great informative essays. By the end, you'll feel sure and ready to handle your assignments smoothly!

Let's get started!

Informative Essay

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What is an Informative Essay?

An informative essay explains a topic in a straightforward way. Its main goal is to educate the reader about something new by providing facts, details, and explanations about the subject. These essays are a type of expository essay.

In an informative essay, the writer doesn't try to convince or argue for a particular viewpoint like persuasive essays and some other types of essays do. Instead, the purpose of an informative essay is to give the reader clear and useful information on the chosen topic.

For example, you may write an informative essay on:

  • The process of evolution and natural selection
  • Methods for reducing plastic waste in daily life
  • How to start a small business from home

All of these are informative topics where the writer will increase the reader’s knowledge with straight-up facts and evidence.

Characteristics of a Good Informative Essay

A good informative essay has key traits that make it suitable for teaching and informing readers.

  1. Clear and Simple Language: It uses easy-to-understand words and sentences so everyone can follow along.
  2. Facts without Opinion: It sticks to the facts and doesn't include personal feelings or beliefs.
  3. Solid Research: It's based on thorough research from trustworthy sources to back up what it says.
  4. Well-Organized: The essay flows logically with a clear beginning, a detailed middle that explores different aspects, and a brief ending that wraps things up neatly.
  5. Interesting Start: It starts with something interesting to catch the reader's attention and introduces the topic clearly.
  6. Evidence to Back Up Ideas: Every point has examples, numbers, or details to prove that the information presented is true.

Types of Informative Essay

Informative essays come in various forms, and each type serves a unique purpose in educating the reader. Below are the four types of informative essays:

  • Definition Essay: Explains the meaning of a term or concept in detail
  • Compare and Contrast Essay: Examines the similarities and differences between two subjects.
  • Analysis Essay: Breaks down a topic into its key components to understand it better.
  • Process Essay: Provides step-by-step instructions on how to perform a task or achieve a goal.

How to Write an Informative Essay?

To write an informative essay, follow a step by step approach to make sure you don’t miss any details and important aspects of the essay. 

Let’s take you through the writing steps: 

Step 1. Look for An Informative Topic 

To start your informative essay, choose a topic that interests you and will be helpful for your readers. Consider what you want to share and what your audience might find useful. 

Remember that you should be able to explain the topic in 5 paragraphs, so choose your topic wisely. Once you’re sure about your idea, narrow it down to your liking or interest. 

Step 2. Conduct Research on Your Topic 

Once you've decided on a specific topic, gather facts and statistics from reliable sources like books and trustworthy websites. Take notes to ensure you have enough information to support your essay. 

As you do research and gather information, note down the key points, as you will adjust them into different parts of the outline in the next step. 

Step 3. Create the Informative Essay Outline

Before you start to write your essay, create an outline, as it is one of the most important aspects of essay writing. With an essay outline in place, the writing becomes easier. It gives you a direction on where each section of your essay will be headed!

Divide your essay into sections: introduction, body paragraphs (usually three or more), and conclusion. Plan what information you will include in each part of the informative essay. 

To get your informative essay structured correctly, take a look at this sample essay outline:

Introduction:

  • Hook: Start with an attention-grabbing opening, such as a question, quote, or surprising fact related to your topic.
  • Introduction of Topic: Introduce your topic and its importance.
  • Thesis Statement: Clearly state what your essay will discuss and what main points you will cover.

Body Paragraphs:

  • Paragraph 1: Main idea 1
    • Supporting detail 1
    • Supporting detail 2
  • Paragraph 2: Main idea 2
    • Supporting detail 1
    • Supporting detail 2
  • Paragraph 3: Main idea 3
    • Supporting detail 1
    • Supporting detail 2

Conclusion:

  • Summary: Recap the main points discussed in the body paragraphs.
  • Relevance: Explain why your topic matters or why readers should care.
  • Final Thought: End with a thought-provoking statement or a call to action related to your topic.

By following the above outline, your informative essay format will present information clearly. You want the reader to learn from the information you provide, so it has to be presented in a way that is easy to follow for readers to understand.

Step 4. Start with the Introduction 

Start writing an informative essay with an introduction that grabs the reader's attention. You can start with a question, a surprising fact, or an interesting quote related to your topic.

Introduce your topic clearly and explain why it matters. This helps set the stage for what your essay will cover. End your introduction with a thesis statement. This statement tells the reader what your essay will discuss and what main points you will cover.

As an informative essay is all about explaining a topic, your writing style should be straightforward and factual, without using fancy language or storytelling techniques.

Step 5. Write the Body Paragraphs

Each body paragraph should focus on a different aspect of your topic. Start each paragraph with a topic sentence that states the main idea of the paragraph. 

The body of an informative essay includes facts, examples, or statistics to explain each aspect of your topic in detail. These details should come from credible sources to support your points effectively. Transition smoothly between paragraphs with the use of transition words and sentences. 

Step 6. Conclude Your Informative Essay 

Now comes the final writing step, the informative essay conclusion. Here’s how to write a conclusion for an informative essay:

  • You will summarize the main points from your body paragraphs in your conclusion. Briefly remind readers of the key information you discussed.
  • The conclusion is a great place to remind your readers why your topic is important or why they should care about it. This reinforces the significance of what you've discussed.
  • End your essay with a final thought or a call to action. This encourages readers to think more about the topic or take further steps based on what they've learned.

Step 7. Don’t Forget to Add References 

As an informative essay seeks to share facts, it is important that you credit the sources which you got your information from. 

  • Citing Sources: Make sure to cite all the sources you used in your essay.
  • Format: Follow the formatting style required by your teacher or publication (e.g., APA, MLA).
  • Include Author Names: List the names of authors and publishers to give credit for their work.
  • Avoid Plagiarism: Use proper citation to avoid plagiarism and show respect for others' ideas and research.

Now, let's explore some examples of informative essays to illustrate how these writing steps are applied in practice.

Informative Essay Examples

When students start their first academic assignment, they often need essay examples to learn the right way to structure and write it. Here's a brief sample informative essay:

Recycling is a crucial practice that contributes significantly to environmental sustainability. By reusing materials like paper, plastic, glass, and metal instead of discarding them as waste, recycling conserves natural resources, reduces pollution, and minimizes the need for raw materials extraction.

Recycling helps conserve natural resources such as timber, water, and minerals. For example, recycling paper reduces the demand for cutting down trees, which preserves forests and biodiversity. Similarly, recycling metals like aluminum reduces the need for mining and refining ores, which saves energy and protects ecosystems.

Recycling minimizes pollution by reducing the amount of waste sent to landfills and incinerators. Decomposing waste in landfills releases methane, a potent greenhouse gas. Recycling reduces this methane production and prevents harmful chemicals from contaminating soil and water sources.

Producing goods from recycled materials often requires less energy than manufacturing new products from raw materials. For instance, recycling aluminum saves up to 95% of the energy required to produce aluminum from bauxite ore. These energy savings contribute to lower greenhouse gas emissions and combat climate change.

In conclusion, recycling is not just a personal responsibility but a global necessity. By recycling materials, we protect natural resources, reduce pollution, and conserve energy. Adopting recycling practices at home, in schools, and in businesses can make a significant impact on environmental sustainability. Let us all commit to recycling to ensure a cleaner, healthier planet for generations to come.

Here are some more examples that you can download for free!

Informative Essay PDF

Informative Essay on Solar System

Informative Essay on Bullying

Informative Essay on Poverty

Informative Essay Topics

If you're looking for inspiration, here are some good informative essay topics to get you started:

  • How does wildlife conservation impact local communities?
  • What are the environmental costs of fast fashion?
  • Can education bridge the global achievement gap?
  • Exploring alternative energy sources beyond solar and wind
  • The psychology of decision-making under uncertainty
  • Analyzing the link between mental health and socioeconomic status
  • What challenges does space colonization face?
  • How will biotechnology shape agriculture in the future?
  • Can alternative medicine complement conventional treatments?

Expert Tip

If you want a broad list of interesting and trending topics, check out our informative essay topics blog to get inspired!

So there you have it!

You know what informative essays are, how to start them, and how to write them, and you even have a couple of examples and topics to draw inspiration from. Now that you are aware of all this valuable information, put it to good use! 

Go write some fantastic, informative essays of your own! For more help with editing your essay, just ask "write my essay" and hire one of our professional editors.

MyPerfectPaper.net has knowledgeable writers who can help improve your informative essay and make it perfect. You can ask our seasoned experts to "help write my paper" and they'll be willing to help you in the best possible way! 

In case you're in need of an informative essay swiftly, we have a solution for that as well. Try our essay writer and breeze through your assignment with confidence!

Frequently Asked Questions

How Many Paragraphs Are in an Informative Essay?

An informative essay typically has five paragraphs: one for the introduction, three for the body, and one for the conclusion. However, the number of paragraphs can vary depending on the depth of the topic and the essay’s length.

What Does an Informative Essay Look Like?

An informative essay looks like a structured piece of writing where the goal is to educate the reader on a specific topic. It starts with an introduction that presents the topic, followed by body paragraphs that provide detailed information, and ends with a conclusion that summarizes the key points.

What Are the 5 Parts of an Informative Essay?

The five parts of an informative essay are:

  1. Introduction: Presents the topic and grabs the reader's attention.
  2. Thesis Statement: Outlines the main points that will be covered.
  3. Body Paragraph 1: Discusses the first main point with supporting details.
  4. Body Paragraph 2: Explores the second main point with evidence and examples.
  5. Conclusion: Summarizes the essay and reinforces the importance of the topic.

What are some tips for writing good informative essays?

Here are some informative essay tips you can benefit from:

 

  • Pick a focused topic: Ensure it's specific and manageable.
  • Do solid research: Use credible sources to gather information.
  • Organize clearly: Follow a logical structure with clear sections.
  • Keep it simple: Use straightforward language.
  • Stay factual: Present information without bias.
  • Edit thoroughly: Proofread for mistakes and clarity.
Nova A.

Nova A.

Education, Statistics

Nova Allison is a Digital Content Strategist with over eight years of experience. Nova has also worked as a technical and scientific writer. She is majorly involved in developing and reviewing online content plans that engage and resonate with audiences. Nova has a passion for writing that engages and informs her readers.

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