To prepare for writing an expository essay, follow these steps: Choose one of the following topics and limit it: money literature vacations sports Chosen topic: Limited topic: Now, write a single sentence stating your position about your topic. This sentence will be the controlling idea of your essay, and should be precise and restricted. Thesis sentence: Finally, write a three-part analytical thesis about the preceding topic. (Hint: Check to see that your three parts are all related, so that your thesis is unified. Using positive statements rather than negative ones for a thesis statement is best.) Three-part analytical thesis: Use the analytical thesis you devised to write several related topic sentences. Using one of the topic sentences you just wrote, write a paragraph developing that idea as fully as possible, making certain that every idea in the paragraph relates back to the thesis and is placed in a logical, effective place within the paragraph. Use transitions to guide your readers.