University of South Florida

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José ángel maldonado, assistant professor.

Office: TBA Phone: 813-974-5165 Email

  • Curriculum Vitae

I’m an Assistant Professor of English at the University of South Florida, specializing in Rhetorical Theory, Critical and Cultural Studies, Film and Television Criticism, Contemporary Mexican Culture, Gender Studies, Border Studies, Globalization, Neoliberalism, and Indigeneity. My research on race and gender, thanatourism, and human migration and mobility appears in  Communication and Critical/Cultural Studies, Southern Communication Journal,   and  Javnost-The Public: Journal of the European Institute for Communication and Culture . I received a PhD in Communication from the University of Utah. My doctoral dissertation,  Diana’s Confession: Precarious Rhetoric in Post-NAFTA Mexico , won the 2018 Rhetoric Society of America Dissertation Award.

My current book project,  Retórica Moribunda: Quotidian Death and the Haunt of Diana , under contract with Vanderbilt University Press’s series in Critical Mexican Studies, attends to quotidian death as understood through a rhetorical lens.  Retórica Moribunda  focuses on extreme depictions of the morbid and the macabre in everyday life: in for-TV movies, public transportation, and online news, for example. I argue that the morbidity of discourse creates a new relationship to lived violence and reifies the power of the modern, democratic, capitalist state. I use the unique case of Diana the Hunter of Bus Drivers in order to uncover and explain the details of this rhetorical-ideological process.

PROSPECTIVE BA STUDENTS

While at USF, I have taught Rhetoric of Marginalized Communities (ENC 3373) and Expository Writing (ENC 3310). In the past, I have taught courses in Rhetorical Criticism, Film Studies and Criticism, Border Rhetorics, Visual Rhetoric, Rhetoric of Popular Culture, and Writing for New Media, among others.

PROSPECTIVE MA STUDENTS

I’m affiliated with the Institute for the Study of Latin America and the Caribbean. Students seeking a Master of Arts in Latin American and Caribbean Studies (MALACS, not housed in English), may receive credit for taking some of my graduate courses. In the Spring of 2021, MALACS students may take my Special Topics Graduate course, Rhetoric and Hauntology (LIT 6934), and receive credit toward their degree. Please speak with the director of MALACS and/or ISLAC to ensure you receive credit.

PROSPECTIVE PHD STUDENTS

I teach doctoral courses in Rhetorical Theory, Hauntology, Latin American Rhetoric, and Rhetoric and Cultural Studies. Although I have worked with students interested in various topics, I am particularly interested in research regarding Rhetorical Theory and Criticism, Critical and Cultural Studies, Latin American Rhetorical Studies, and Film and Television Studies. Projects involving globalization, transnationalism, multilingualism, and translation are of particular interest to me. I currently serve on several external PhD committees in the areas of Rhetorical Studies, Cultural Studies, and Latin American Literature.

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Crw 2100: narration and description.

College of Arts and Sciences | Department of English

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  • How to write an expository essay

How to Write an Expository Essay | Structure, Tips & Examples

Published on July 14, 2020 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on July 23, 2023.

“Expository” means “intended to explain or describe something.” An expository essay provides a clear, focused explanation of a particular topic, process, or set of ideas. It doesn’t set out to prove a point, just to give a balanced view of its subject matter.

Expository essays are usually short assignments intended to test your composition skills or your understanding of a subject. They tend to involve less research and original arguments than argumentative essays .

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Table of contents

When should you write an expository essay, how to approach an expository essay, introducing your essay, writing the body paragraphs, concluding your essay, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about expository essays.

In school and university, you might have to write expository essays as in-class exercises, exam questions, or coursework assignments.

Sometimes it won’t be directly stated that the assignment is an expository essay, but there are certain keywords that imply expository writing is required. Consider the prompts below.

The word “explain” here is the clue: An essay responding to this prompt should provide an explanation of this historical process—not necessarily an original argument about it.

Sometimes you’ll be asked to define a particular term or concept. This means more than just copying down the dictionary definition; you’ll be expected to explore different ideas surrounding the term, as this prompt emphasizes.

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An expository essay should take an objective approach: It isn’t about your personal opinions or experiences. Instead, your goal is to provide an informative and balanced explanation of your topic. Avoid using the first or second person (“I” or “you”).

The structure of your expository essay will vary according to the scope of your assignment and the demands of your topic. It’s worthwhile to plan out your structure before you start, using an essay outline .

A common structure for a short expository essay consists of five paragraphs: An introduction, three body paragraphs, and a conclusion.

Like all essays, an expository essay begins with an introduction . This serves to hook the reader’s interest, briefly introduce your topic, and provide a thesis statement summarizing what you’re going to say about it.

Hover over different parts of the example below to see how a typical introduction works.

In many ways, the invention of the printing press marked the end of the Middle Ages. The medieval period in Europe is often remembered as a time of intellectual and political stagnation. Prior to the Renaissance, the average person had very limited access to books and was unlikely to be literate. The invention of the printing press in the 15th century allowed for much less restricted circulation of information in Europe, paving the way for the Reformation.

The body of your essay is where you cover your topic in depth. It often consists of three paragraphs, but may be more for a longer essay. This is where you present the details of the process, idea or topic you’re explaining.

It’s important to make sure each paragraph covers its own clearly defined topic, introduced with a topic sentence . Different topics (all related to the overall subject matter of the essay) should be presented in a logical order, with clear transitions between paragraphs.

Hover over different parts of the example paragraph below to see how a body paragraph is constructed.

The invention of the printing press in 1440 changed this situation dramatically. Johannes Gutenberg, who had worked as a goldsmith, used his knowledge of metals in the design of the press. He made his type from an alloy of lead, tin, and antimony, whose durability allowed for the reliable production of high-quality books. This new technology allowed texts to be reproduced and disseminated on a much larger scale than was previously possible. The Gutenberg Bible appeared in the 1450s, and a large number of printing presses sprang up across the continent in the following decades. Gutenberg’s invention rapidly transformed cultural production in Europe; among other things, it would lead to the Protestant Reformation.

The conclusion of an expository essay serves to summarize the topic under discussion. It should not present any new information or evidence, but should instead focus on reinforcing the points made so far. Essentially, your conclusion is there to round off the essay in an engaging way.

Hover over different parts of the example below to see how a conclusion works.

The invention of the printing press was important not only in terms of its immediate cultural and economic effects, but also in terms of its major impact on politics and religion across Europe. In the century following the invention of the printing press, the relatively stationary intellectual atmosphere of the Middle Ages gave way to the social upheavals of the Reformation and the Renaissance. A single technological innovation had contributed to the total reshaping of the continent.

If you want to know more about AI tools , college essays , or fallacies make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

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An expository essay is a broad form that varies in length according to the scope of the assignment.

Expository essays are often assigned as a writing exercise or as part of an exam, in which case a five-paragraph essay of around 800 words may be appropriate.

You’ll usually be given guidelines regarding length; if you’re not sure, ask.

An expository essay is a common assignment in high-school and university composition classes. It might be assigned as coursework, in class, or as part of an exam.

Sometimes you might not be told explicitly to write an expository essay. Look out for prompts containing keywords like “explain” and “define.” An expository essay is usually the right response to these prompts.

An argumentative essay tends to be a longer essay involving independent research, and aims to make an original argument about a topic. Its thesis statement makes a contentious claim that must be supported in an objective, evidence-based way.

An expository essay also aims to be objective, but it doesn’t have to make an original argument. Rather, it aims to explain something (e.g., a process or idea) in a clear, concise way. Expository essays are often shorter assignments and rely less on research.

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COMMENTS

  1. ENC 3310

    ENC 3310 - Expository Writing Credit (s): 3 This is a course that teaches the techniques for writing effective prose, (excluding fiction), in which student essays are extensively criticized, edited, and discussed in individual sessions with the instructor and with peers.

  2. USF Course Inventory

    ENC 3310: Expository Writing. College of Arts and Sciences | Department of English. Description: This is a course that teaches the techniques for writing effective prose, (excluding fiction), in which student essays are extensively criticized, edited, and discussed in individual sessions with the instructor and with peers. ... One USF: State ...

  3. Courses

    ENC 3310 -004, 005: Expository Writing ENC 3310 -521, -700: Expository Writing ENC 4218 -001: Visual Rhetoric for Technical Communication ENG 3014 -791: Intro to Literary Methodology ENG 3113 -001: Film as Narrative Art ENG 4013 -791: Literary Criticism ENL 3016 -002: Studies In 17th- & 18th-century British Literature: The Golden Age Of Piracy

  4. PDF Undergraduate Course Bulletin

    Below are course descriptions for some of our English major courses. See the Schedule Planner a complete, up-to-date listing of courses, and contact an advisor if you have questions or need advising. This bulletin is continuously updated as course descriptions come in, so check back for updates!

  5. PDF Updated 10-27-2020 SPRING 2021

    10 ENGLISH COMPOSITION Client & Civic Communications | MORGAN GRESHAM, PhD Expository Writing: Argument, Eloquence, & Expository Occasions | TREY CONNER, PhD Expository Writing: Bodily Discourse Communities | SPENCER BENNINGTON, PhD Expository Writing: Know Your Audience & Your Personal Brand | JAN MELNIK

  6. PDF EXPOSITORY WRITING ENC 3310.700 SPRING 2021 José Ángel Maldonado, PhD

    EXPOSITORY WRITING . ENC 3310.700 SPRING 2021 . José Ángel Maldonado, PhD . WRITING ACTIVISM . In this expository writing section, students will engage the rhetoric and discourse of activism, as it appears throughout various discourse communities. Students will be shown examples of discourse in action by analyzing communities of artists and

  7. Catalog Entries

    ENC 3310 - Expository Writing: This is a course that teaches the techniques for writing effective prose, (excluding fiction), in which student essays are extensively criticized, edited, and discussed in individual sessions with the instructor and with peers. 3.000 Credit hours 3.000 Lecture hours Levels: Undergraduate

  8. PDF ENC 3310: Expository Writing Section 703: Bodily Discourse Communities

    ENC 3310: Expository Writing Section 703: Bodily Discourse Communities What exactly is a body? How are communities formed around discussions of the body? What bodily discourse communities do you belong to? Which might you like to join? Email Dr. Spencer Bennington for more info: [email protected]

  9. José Ángel Maldonado

    While at USF, I have taught Rhetoric of Marginalized Communities (ENC 3373) and Expository Writing (ENC 3310). In the past, I have taught courses in Rhetorical Criticism, Film Studies and Criticism, Border Rhetorics, Visual Rhetoric, Rhetoric of Popular Culture, and Writing for New Media, among others. ...

  10. ENC 3310

    ENC 3310 - Expository Writing Description This is a course that teaches the techniques for writing effective prose, (excluding fiction), in which student essays are extensively criticized, edited, and discussed in individual sessions with the instructor and with peers. Credits 3 Attributes

  11. Composition I at the University of South Florida

    ENC 1101 at the University of South Florida (USF) in Tampa, Florida. Course Requirements: Scores of: STI1 of 440 or TFL4 of 550 or TFIT of 079 or EAC1 of 17 or EAC3 of 18. This course helps prepare students for academic work by emphasizing expository writing, the basics of library research, and the conventions of academic discourse.

  12. PDF ENC 3310: Expository Writing (Online)

    frequently be able to draw from the weekly material on writing concepts related to genre, style, etc. to inspire your commentary. 6. Final Synthesis (20%) At the end of the semester, revise your writing into a longer, more argumentative piece. This will most certainly require additional research. This piece should be 2500-3000

  13. USF Course Inventory

    A study of narrative and descriptive techniques in prose. By making the student sensitive to language usage, the course is designed to bridge the gap between expository writing and imaginative writing. Credit Hours: 3: Prerequisites: Corequisites: Co-Prerequisites: Course Requirements: Other Information:

  14. Professional Writing vs Expository Writing: Which is easier? : r/USF

    Professional Writing vs Expository Writing: Which is easier? Hi, I need to decide between Professional writing (ENC 3250) or Expository writing (ENC 3310) to fill the 18 credit semester that I want to take. It will be my first semester taking 18 credits, so I want the easier class. Thanks! Archived post.

  15. ENC 3310

    With a proven track record of commitment to student success, USF offers a path for every student. Our academic programs strive to meet the needs of individual learners and turn knowledge and experience into career preparedness.

  16. How to Write an Expository Essay

    An expository essay should take an objective approach: It isn't about your personal opinions or experiences. Instead, your goal is to provide an informative and balanced explanation of your topic. Avoid using the first or second person ("I" or "you"). The structure of your expository essay will vary according to the scope of your ...

  17. ENC 3310 : Expository Writing

    ENC 3310 University of South Florida ESSAY 359 views Assignment #1 8March2013 Dr.Wholuba 1.WhyisadvertisingmorecommoninhighlyindustrializedcountriessuchastheUnited Statesthanincountrieswithquietereconomies?Advertisingisquieterinother countriesbecausetheamountofgoodsbeingsolddoesnotgreatlyexceedthedemand.In somecountriesc Solutions available

  18. Expository Writing: Definition and Examples

    Expository writing, as its name implies, is writing that exposes facts. In other words, it's writing that explains and educates its readers, rather than entertaining or attempting to persuade them. When you read a scholarly article, a textbook page, a news report, or an instructional guide, you're reading expository writing. Strike the ...