more about the general nature of expository Prose writing

Nonfictional expository prose writing is an especially important kind of prose; it's nonfiction writing that's written with the sole objective of exposing information, data, facts, or ideas. It takes its name from the following senses and forms of the word expose:

• Expose means to present; view; exhibit; display; to make known, disclose, or reveal facts, concepts, or ideas.
• Exposition is writing or speech primarily intended to convey information, explain, or display.
• An exposition is a detailed statement or explanation or explanatory treatise such as an essay, newspaper article, book, treatise, reference work, or scholarly paper.

Remember:

• To be nonfictional expository prose writing, a piece of writing must be written in prose style.
• Expository prose writing cannot be fiction.
• Good expository prose is not creative writing, but it is written in a creative manner that renders it more effective and clearer than if it were written in an uncreative manner.

Types of Nonfictional expository prose writing

Generally speaking, there are two types of nonfictional expository prose writing:

subjective

In this type of expository prose writing, the writer offers information, facts, data, ideas, opinions or other kinds of material aimed at convincing a readership concerning the merits or truth of the writer's personal position about a specific, narrow topic. For this reason, this kind of expository prose writing is usually written in the first person.

In this type of writing, the writer's views are at center stage. He makes it clear that his own opinions are being offered. He may back up his opinions by stating the views of others. He may cite facts, data, or the opinions of authorities to substantiate his claims and convince a readership of his personal conclusions or opinions.

Writing style is an important aspect of this type of writing because good writing has an important role to play in convincing others of a cause, idea, or fact.

An essay is a good example of this kind of expository writing because it is a short literary composition on a particular theme or subject, usually in prose and generally analytic, speculative, or interpretative.

objective

The goal of the objective expository prose writer is to reveal information, data, facts, or ideas, usually on a narrow topic, without introducing his own point of view, prejudices, opinions, or himself. For this reason, this kind of expository prose is usually written in the third person.

There is no room for the writer's point of view. Indeed, except, perhaps, for a byline, a writer of expository prose should avoid even the suggestion that anyone was personally involved in producing the written material. Good expository prose writing comes across to the reader as if it wrote itself.

The sole objective of this kind of writing is to objectively covey ideas, facts, and information effectively and efficiently. The writing style is economical; it employs enough words to clearly and unambiguously convey its information content to the reader, and no more. Text or illustrations only belong on the page if they carry data or factual information relevant to the topic or if they help organize and clarify the exposition.

A well-written article in a scientific journal is a good example of this kind of expository prose writing because it will be objective, factual, and to the point.

truth vs. fact in exclusive expositions and essays