Effective Informative Essay Topics for College Students

Definition

An informative essay is one in which the writer informs his/her readers about a topic. Sometimes an informative essay is also called an expository essay. The essay does not try to persuade the reader, and it does not tell a story. The purpose of an informative essay is to solely provide the reader with information.

Format

Most informative essays are broken down into 5 paragraphs. The first paragraph is usually an introduction paragraph, which gives the reader an overview about what the essay will be about. The body paragraphs are three separate paragraphs where the writer covers three distinct points. The conclusion paragraph is the fifth paragraph, and it sums up the essay.

Topics

The best way to choose an informative topic is to choose a topic that is interesting to you. You should also write about something that you already know about.

• A Fun Vacation Spot
  You can write about a vacation spot that you've traveled to. Don't try to convince the reader to take a vacation here. Instead, tell the reader why it is a fun place to vacation.
• An Interesting Hobby
  If you really enjoy scrapbooking, you can write about why scrapbooking is an enjoyable hobby. Again, don't try to persuade the reader to start scrapbooking. Tell the reader the qualities that make scrapbooking interesting to you (i.e. it promotes creative thinking, it provides a book that preserves memories).
• The Benefits of Owning a Pet
  If you are a pet lover, then you can inform the reader why owning a pet is beneficial. Be sure to tell the reader the benefits you have experienced, giving specific examples.
• Qualities of a Good Friend
  Think about your best friend and what qualities you admire most in him/her. Then write an essay describing the most important qualities of a good friend.
• Someone who has Influenced You
  You can also write about a person. Your purpose will be to tell the reader about this person and how he/she has influenced you, whether positively or negatively.

Overview

Keep in mind that your purpose is to inform, or tell, the reader about a specific topic. Don't try to persuade the reader to agree with you, and don't choose a topic where you are instructing the reader how to do something. That's a different type of essay. Choose a topic that you could talk about openly and freely, and write the essay as if you were telling about the topic.