how to write a good illustration essay

Illustration Essay Writing

Last updated on: Jun 9, 2023

Illustration Essay Guide for College Students

By: Cordon J.

Reviewed By: Rylee W.

Published on: Nov 30, 2021

Are you looking to find a way to spice up your illustrations in your essay or want some good ideas? We're here to help!

Some people think that illustration essays are easy because they can draw pictures for their essays. However, there is more to creating an illustrative essay than just drawing a few pretty pictures!

Illustration essays require time and a good understanding of the subject matter to succeed with this type of work.

In a world of infinite possibilities, the most important step in writing is researching thoroughly. In-depth research will help you find relevant information and resources for your academic essay.

Check out this blog to learn how to write an illustration essay that's top-notch from start to finish!

You'll get helpful tips on topic ideas lists as well as see some examples.

On this Page

What is an Illustration Essay?

Some people might not know what an illustration essay is. Illustration essay definition states:

“ It's a type of informative writing in which you provide explanations about how the thing works and give examples to show it.”

This type of illustrative writing provides definitions, empirical data with factual evidence, and an example that illustrates the points made so far.

Some people only hear about this type of essay from others, but they are actually very common. An illustrative essay is when someone explains something by using graphs and other illustrations. They also represent it with facts like statistical data or other different types of research . These essays are also supported by accurate evidence that is gathered at the time of the research.

Purpose of Illustration Essay

A good illustration essay is one that clearly shows and supports a point. It should do this with evidence, such as studies and experts. Or it could use more interactive evidence like personal anecdotes or current events.

Ultimately the point is that you want to help your reader "see" what you are trying to say. So, for example, if it's an argument about how people should be better at taking care of the environment, then factual examples might not be as effective as using personal anecdotes. Such anecdotes will make people feel like they understand the importance of caring for the planet better.

To write a successful essay, you need to tell about an idea and how it is. To do this, use facts and details. Also, don’t forget to use different situations and personal experiences to make the issue more realistic.

Illustration Essay Format

There are a few ways to illustrate your point. One way is with an illustration essay!

This type of writing has three parts: introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. Let’s explore these points in detail:

• Introduction

The introduction is the start of your illustration essay idea. Start by introducing the main topic you will talk about in your essay. The first sentence should be a statement that summarizes what you are going to say and is the core part of the introduction.

It should be catchy, so use an interesting fact, statistics, or anecdote to grab people's attention.

Body paragraphs are about presenting evidence to support your thesis. They start with an introduction that tells people what you're going to talk about. All paragraphs need to have a topic sentence, background sentences, and a conclusion sentence.

ILLUSTRATION ESSAY OUTLINE EXAMPLE

Paper Due? Why Suffer? That's our Job!

How to Write an Illustration Essay?

Now you must be wondering how to start an illustration essay? Here you go!

Following are the steps to follow when writing an impeccable illustration essay:

1. Choose your Topic

The first step for an illustration essay is to choose a topic that you are interested in. You should make sure the subject has enough material available online. Narrow your options down before choosing one, so there is more information to work with.

2. Plan your Essay

Planning your essay is essential before you start writing. Make sure to find credible sources so that you have plenty of information and examples for your essay.

3. Draft an Outline

An outline makes things much simpler because all of your ideas are organized. To get started with creating an outline for yourself, start off by listing what points or topics you would like in each section. Then organize them all in a sound structure to form the outline.

4. Writing a Masterpiece

Now is the time to write your essay. Once you have the outline ready, start writing according to the outline and compile your illustration essay. Make sure to add the thesis statement in the introductory paragraph.

Afterward, provide evidence in body paragraphs and illustrate them and then conclude your essay by providing the finishing statement at the end. Don’t forget to use transition words!

5. Add References

Avoid plagiarism by citing your sources. You'll need to provide this information on the last page of your essay, so make sure you don't forget!

List all sources for any borrowed ideas in the bibliography section and cite them according to the style required by your instructor.

6. Edit and Proofread

One of the most important steps in writing an essay is proofreading and editing. Make sure to take your time with this phase to avoid making any mistakes!

Transition Words For Illustration Essay

An illustration essay provides a detailed understanding of the subject matter. It has a lot of examples and supporting details. You should have transitions for each piece of evidence because it can be difficult to have a smooth transition in this type of essay. You can use words and phrases such as "for example" or "in other words".

Let’s have a look at the list of transition words.

Free Illustration Essay Examples

ILLUSTRATION ESSAY ABOUT FAMILY

ILLUSTRATION ESSAY ON SOCIAL MEDIA

Illustration Essay Topics

Here are some good illustration essay topics:

• Illustrate the importance of exercise for a healthy mind and body.
• How to maintain an equilibrium between study and sports?
• Illustrate rules to play badminton
• How to craft a good resume
• Illustrate features of a good sports team
• Tips to improve mental sickness
• How to create a strong imagination?
• Elaborate on the importance of time
• How to write a compelling narrative essay?
• Illustrate the condition of Delta Covid Variant in August 2021 word wide?

These were some of the trending topics for illustration essays. Now it’s your time to pick one topic and show your creativity. Otherwise, our creative and professional writers are always here to help you.

Tough Essay Due? Hire Tough Writers!

Illustration Essay Tips

• Gather Evidence

It is always best to have more than just one illustration for an essay. Having a list of five or ten items will give you something interesting, intriguing, and effective that your audience can focus on while reading the next three paragraphs.

• Keep it Concise

It's not as if you have to worry about how long the essay is. But, if it isn't mentioned, make sure that your paper does not exceed three pages in length, or else it may be graded harshly by the professor.

Don’t try to put everything on one page. Instead, choose what evidence would best illustrate your point of view.

• Use Specific Examples

Your symbolism should be clear and easy to understand, but you can still use personal experiences as examples if they are appropriate.

Hopefully, now you understand what an illustration essay thesis example is and how to write one. If you still need help, then contact 5StarEssays.com the best essay writing service to cater to your ‘ write my essay ’ needs!

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you illustrate an essay.

You have to illustrate an essay in the following way:

• When you write an illustration essay, make sure to use evidence to prove your point.
• How much evidence you need depends on how complicated the subject is and what kind of knowledge your audience has about that subject.

How many examples should you use in an illustration essay?

In a shorter essay, you need two to three examples to show how your main idea is true. If the essay is longer than four pages, you will need even more.

What is an illustration paragraph?

An illustrative paragraph is a paragraph that has an example. It can have many examples, but it also has a topic sentence. The transition words, f or instance, and another illustration is , are also used.

Literature, Marketing

Cordon. is a published author and writing specialist. He has worked in the publishing industry for many years, providing writing services and digital content. His own writing career began with a focus on literature and linguistics, which he continues to pursue. Cordon is an engaging and professional individual, always looking to help others achieve their goals.

Was This Blog Helpful?

Keep reading.

• Best Illustration Essay Topics for Your College Essay

People Also Read

• argumentative essay outline
• essay format
• chicago style format
• what is a topic sentence
• classification essay topics

Burdened With Assignments?

Advertisement

• Homework Services: Essay Topics Generator

© 2024 - All rights reserved

Want to create or adapt books like this? Learn more about how Pressbooks supports open publishing practices.

10.2 Illustration

Learning objectives.

• Determine the purpose and structure of the illustration essay.
• Understand how to write an illustration essay.

The Purpose of Illustration in Writing

To illustrate means to show or demonstrate something clearly. An effective illustration essay clearly demonstrates and supports a point through the use of evidence.

As you learned in Chapter 9 “Writing Essays: From Start to Finish” , the controlling idea of an essay is called a thesis . A writer can use different types of evidence to support his or her 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 website. The stronger your evidence is, the more clearly the reader will consider your point.

Using evidence effectively can be challenging, though. The evidence you choose will usually depend on your subject and who your reader is (your audience). When writing an illustration essay, keep in mind the following:

• Use evidence that is appropriate to your topic as well as appropriate for your audience.
• Assess how much evidence you need to adequately explain your point depending on the complexity of the subject and the knowledge of your audience regarding that subject.

For example, if you were writing about a new communication software and your audience was a group of English-major undergrads, you might want to use an analogy or a personal story to illustrate how the software worked. You might also choose to add a few more pieces of evidence to make sure the audience understands your point. However, if you were writing about the same subject and you audience members were information technology (IT) specialists, you would likely use more technical evidence because they would be familiar with the subject.

Keeping in mind your subject in relation to your audience will increase your chances of effectively illustrating your point.

You never want to insult your readers’ intelligence by overexplaining concepts the audience members may already be familiar with, but it may be necessary to clearly articulate your point. When in doubt, add an extra example to illustrate your idea.

On a separate piece of paper, form a thesis based on each of the following three topics. Then list the types of evidence that would best explain your point for each of the two audiences.

Topic: Combat and mental health

Audience: family members of veterans, doctors

Topic: Video games and teen violence

Audience: parents, children

Topic: Architecture and earthquakes

Audience: engineers, local townspeople

The Structure of an Illustration Essay

The controlling idea, or thesis, belongs at the beginning of the essay. Evidence is then presented in the essay’s body paragraphs to support the thesis. You can start supporting your main point with your strongest evidence first, or you can start with evidence of lesser importance and have the essay build to increasingly stronger evidence. This type of organization— order of importance —you learned about in Chapter 8 “The Writing Process: How Do I Begin?” and Chapter 9 “Writing Essays: From Start to Finish” .

The time transition words listed in Table 10.1 “Transition Words and Phrases for Expressing Time” are also helpful in ordering the presentation of evidence. Words like first , second , third , currently , next , and finally all help orient the reader and sequence evidence clearly. Because an illustration essay uses so many examples, it is also helpful to have a list of words and phrases to present each piece of evidence. Table 10.2 “Phrases of Illustration” provides a list of phrases for illustration.

Table 10.2 Phrases of Illustration

Vary the phrases of illustration you use. Do not rely on just one. Variety in choice of words and phrasing is critical when trying to keep readers engaged in your writing and your ideas.

Writing at Work

In the workplace, it is often helpful to keep the phrases of illustration in mind as a way to incorporate them whenever you can. Whether you are writing out directives that colleagues will have to follow or requesting a new product or service from another company, making a conscious effort to incorporate a phrase of illustration will force you to provide examples of what you mean.

On a separate sheet of paper, form a thesis based on one of the following topics. Then support that thesis with three pieces of evidence. Make sure to use a different phrase of illustration to introduce each piece of evidence you choose.

Collaboration

Please share with a classmate and compare your answers. Discuss which topic you like the best or would like to learn more about. Indicate which thesis statement you perceive as the most effective.

Writing an Illustration Essay

First, decide on a topic that you feel interested in writing about. Then create an interesting introduction to engage the reader. The main point, or thesis, should be stated at the end of the introduction.

Gather evidence that is appropriate to both your subject and your audience. You can order the evidence in terms of importance, either from least important to most important or from most important to least important. Be sure to fully explain all of your examples using strong, clear supporting details. See Chapter 15 “Readings: Examples of Essays” to read a sample illustration essay.

On a separate sheet of paper, write a five-paragraph illustration essay. You can choose one of the topics from Note 10.23 “Exercise 1” or Note 10.27 “Exercise 2” , or you can choose your own.

Key Takeaways

• An illustration essay clearly explains a main point using evidence.
• When choosing evidence, always gauge whether the evidence is appropriate for the subject as well as the audience.
• Organize the evidence in terms of importance, either from least important to most important or from most important to least important.
• Use time transitions to order evidence.
• Use phrases of illustration to call out examples.

Writing for Success Copyright © 2015 by University of Minnesota is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.