INTEGRATING ILLUSTRATION INTO AN ESSAY
Examples are an effective way to support a thesis that relies on one or more other patterns of development. For instance, you might use examples in the following ways:
- to define a particular advertising ploy,
- to compare two types of small businesses,
- to classify types of movies,
- to show the effects of aerobic exercise, and
- to argue that junk food is unhealthy because of its high fat and salt content.
For a reading that uses illustration as well as other patterns of development, see “Alone Together: Why We Expect More from Technology and Less from Each Other.”
When using examples in an essay where illustration is not the main pattern of development, keep the following tips in mind:
- Choose effective examples. They should be relevant, representative, accurate, specific, and striking.
- Use transitions such as “for instance” or “for example.” They make it obvious that an example follows.
- Provide enough details to help your readers understand how an example supports your point. Do not overwhelm your readers with too many details.