Composing an exploratory essay, one needs to explore unknown and find their own solution. Speaking in a less metaphorical way, one usually begins writing exploratory papers without knowing to which conclusion he or she is going to come. In most cases, we have some defined specific points in the beginning and we must prove them in our exploratory paper.
Exploratory essay presupposes a number of specific features and peculiarities:
- It is usually aimed at defining some specific problems or questions.
- It would be vital to carefully analyze a number of possible solutions to the issue, defining their strongest and weakest points, prior to choosing any of them.
- There are two different ways of writing an exploratory paper: impromptu (by default in such particular case) and retrospective (firstly, the conclusion for the paper is written, and after that the “exploratory” part is prepared in order to explain it). The former way of writing looks more natural, and many teachers prefer students to choose it, while the latter method lets you write the paper smoother. However, both exploratory essay examples may be used by the students.
Professors usually assign an exploratory work when students need to learn about some specific notion or theory on their own. To some students, this may turn out to be confusing, while the others grasp material much better in this way. Anyway, if you were assigned such type of the paper, you are obliged to do it and to perceive some data on your own.
Usually, an essay follows such scheme:
Introduction.
- Define the exploratory essay topics, try limiting the boundaries. This limitation can be done in different ways – by quotations from research papers, descriptions of some events or concepts, etc. Also, do not forget to mention your thesis statement, which usually appears at the end of an introductory paragraph.
- Define the issue as well as the reason why it is important. Firstly, list the researchers’ points of view on the problem, and afterwards include your personal ideas on solving it.
Body.
- In your essay, provide some additional background data, which will surely help the readers better understand the researched concept.
- Thoroughly analyze one of the ideas, which have already been included; repeat it once again with all the remaining points of view and try to compare them.
- After considering all the points of view, define which one of them is the best, or offer your own solution to the problem if you are not fully satisfied with the preexisting views.
Conclusion.
- While preparing the conclusion, return to the introductory paragraph, ask yourself if you managed to answer the question, share your view on the decision. Also, make sure you do not introduce any new information in the conclusion, as this part is concentrated on restating your thesis statement.
The most important thing which you must remember about exploratory writing is that you need to explore, seek for the best solutions, and acknowledge the idea of something entirely new, not only to tell truisms like “killing people is bad”; it is evident, that killing people is bad, but why?
