Scott raises another issue which I have never really understood . . . although I have taught writing for more than 30 years. What do people mean by expository writing? Is it different from argument? I used to think I understood. Argument has a thesis, proves a point. Expository writing simply informs. But then does it have a thesis too? And if it does, doesn't that make it an argument? How is esposiition different from argument? Does it try to prove a point, a thesis, but in a less argumentative way? Is it an argument that is more balanced? Or, as Lunsford and Ruszkiewicz put it, is "everthing an argument"? Peter On Jun 8, 2009, at 10:24 PM, Scott wrote: > Expository writing uses a thesis; descriptive writing, a motif. > In Senior English the mid-term examination included a descriptive > writing assignment. I started, “Once a man passed by and saw a > field of weeds, then I passed by and said, ‘Yesterday’s flowers > am I’, for what is a weed but a flower that no one loves.” I > continued in the same motif. It may sound silly today but it was > genuine when I wrote it. No thesis needed. > > N. Scott Catledge > P.S. The longest string of garbage in the posting to which I am > replying > was my previous post—-almost 20 pages. > I wonder about dropping digest and getting them one at a time. > > ************************************************************************* > To join or leave this LISTSERV list, please visit the list's web > interface at: http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/ateg.html and > select "Join or leave the list" > Visit ATEG's web site at http://ateg.org/ > To join or leave this LISTSERV list, please visit the list's web interface at: http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/ateg.html and select "Join or leave the list" Visit ATEG's web site at http://ateg.org/