Writing That Explains and Explores



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There is a Writing That Explains and Explores. Not all writing fits into one category or another. Sometimes you may want to present information and explore ideas in the same paper. For instance, you might document a statistical shift in population, then explore the cultural impact of that shift. So don’t hesitate to mix the two kinds of writing if it makes the cases you’re presenting stronger


Why bother to think what kind of writing you’re doing?


For at least two reasons.


First, it’s helpful to realize that there isn’t just one writing process. There are different writing processes and some work better than other for different writing situations.


Second you’ll be better writer if you develop the habit of analyzing your own writing situation ahead of time. Then you can consciously choose the process that is most likely to work for particular task. (See Chapter 4 for more on assessing your writing situation.)


Don’t assume that one kind of writing is better than another. It’s not the imaginative, thoughtful writing about theories and issues that we label exploratory is important because it is writers’ way of generating thoughtful discussion and communicating their ideas. Writers who excel at it help to stimulate the ongoing dialogue about values and change that plays a central role in our society. The informative, factual writing that we label explanatory is important because readers depend on it to find out about events and developments in the world. It keeps the machinery of society going, and those writers who are good at it are invaluable.


Get comfortable with both.



Other Pages in This Section :


Explanatory Writing


Exploratory Writing








Successful Writing Index




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