Illustration/Example
Kirk Fontenot
Student Learning Outcomes
- Characterize the purpose of the illustration/example essay
- Determine the best structure for the illustration/example essay
- Compose an illustration/example essay
Introduction to Illustration/Example
To illustrate means to show or demonstrate something clearly. An effective illustration essay clearly demonstrates and supports a point using examples and evidence. Ultimately, you want the evidence to help the reader “see” your point, as one would see a good illustration in a magazine or on a website. The stronger your evidence is, the more clearly the reader will consider your point.
Illustration/example writing simply means using specific examples to illustrate your point. Every essay has a point called the thesis statement. The thesis statement is the point you’re trying to make, stated clearly in one sentence. The rest of the essay is all about proving that point using different types of evidence.
The key to illustration/example is to use specific examples. General statements don’t make much of an impact on our reader; in other words, they’re boring. No one wants to read a boring essay, so why would you want to write one?
When thinking of examples, don’t try to come up with examples that can apply to everyone and every situation; these are general (i.e., boring) examples. Instead, think of specific, personal, interesting, unique examples.
Here’s an example of general writing that we should avoid:
There’s nothing wrong with this writing grammatically, but it’s boring.
Compare this to more specific writing:
The second example is specific, personal, and more interesting. The writer names specific restaurants and specific foods.
Illustration/example is an important rhetorical mode because specific examples are always a great way to make an essay more interesting, no matter what the writing prompt. In fact, if a rough draft of an essay is ever too short, don’t ever add filler; instead, add specific examples to get to the right length.
To make an essay more interesting, we can add:
- Hypothetical examples that we make up
- Real-life specific examples from personal experience (when appropriate)
- Interesting examples that we read about
In this module, you will develop your skills in illustration/example writing.
The Purpose of Illustration in Writing
To illustrate means to show or demonstrate something clearly. An effective illustration essay, also known as an example essay, clearly demonstrates and supports a point through the use of evidence.
The controlling idea of an essay is called a thesis. A writer can use different types of evidence to support their thesis. Using scientific studies, experts in a particular field, statistics, historical events, current events, analogies, and personal anecdotes are all ways in which a writer can illustrate a thesis. Ultimately, you want the evidence to help the reader “see” your point, as one would see a good illustration in a magazine or on a websi