An article is said to be part of the expository essay since it involves explaining the variable being treated. It is a piece of writing on any subject of interest, especially for publication in a newspaper or a magazine.
There are, for example, different targeted audiences in article writing. The audiences include the following:
- The article is written in the school magazine for the school community.
- The article is written in a foreign magazine for foreign readers.
- The article is written in the local newspaper for local people.
Essential Issues to Note
Contents
- If you are writing for a school community, make sure that you use familiar language. Also, short forms, colloquialisms, and slang that are familiar or used in the school environment should be employed. For example: ‘Sir, I am broke at school’, which means ‘I don’t have money at school’ or ‘I cleared all my papers, which means ‘I passed all my papers, etc.
- If you are writing for foreign readers, you should use formal language. No slang or colloquialisms are allowed. Even if any local terms are used, they should be fully explained. For example: ‘Harmattan’ should be explained as ‘Autumn’ or ‘Okada riders’ as ‘Motorcyclists’, etc.
- Whenever you are writing for the local community, let the language be formal but local names that are familiar to the particular community may be meticulously used, e.g. ‘I like eating pounded yam and egusi soup,’ etc.
- In writing for the national community, make sure that the language is formal; avoid using local names and terms. The language should be generally intelligible and acceptable.
Step one: Write a title.
Remember that this is not a letter as said earlier, don’t write any address or use any letter writing format. In the first step of an article, write the title. The title should be eye-catching. The following are good examples:
EXAMINATION MALPRACTICES IN SCHOOLS: CAUSES AND CONTROL
or
Examination Malpractices in Schools: Causes and Control
Step two: Write an introduction.
After the title, you should go straight to an introductory paragraph where you should tell the readers what you want them to know. This means that you must introduce the variable or the topic. Learn from the following paragraph:
In many schools in Nigeria, examination malpractices have become prevalent acts that have enormously devastated our educational system. This bad situation gears me up to write about the causes of these nefarious acts, and how they can be controlled.
Therefore, I want the editor of our school magazine (Literate Torch) to publish this article for the benefit of the students involved in these heinous acts.
In the paragraph above, the variables ‘examination malpractices’ have been introduced.
Step three: Write the definition of the concept.
After the introductory paragraph, it is essential to define the variables in a paragraph. This defining paragraph will shed more light on the examination malpractices you are writing about. Learn from the paragraph below.
Examination malpractices can be defined as bad practices during examinations. They are acts of misconduct that take place before or while the examinations are going on.
Some examples of these evil acts include impersonation, copying relevant materials, writing papers outside the hall, furtive glances (giraffe actions), dictation of answers, illegal transfer of papers, etc.
Step four: Write the body of the article (1).
After defining the variables, you will go straight to the points you have highlighted for discussion. You must be precise. In the body of an article, you will make the tone and language suitable for the audience specified. The following points may be developed in paragraphs in the body:
- Students’ lackadaisical attitude;
- Governments’ negligence;
- School administration;
- Parental neglect;
- High cost of education, etc.
Step five: Write the body of the article (2).
After you have discussed the causes of the variables, another paragraph should be developed where the solutions to the problems will be discussed. Learn from the paragraph below.
The remedies to the heinous acts are as follows: Students should study hard and prepare well for their examinations. A student who has prepared well for examinations will not think of any examination malpractices.
Also, the government should try as much as possible to provide the students with updating and validating facilities needed and necessary in schools.
A school that has a good library, laboratory, and conducive environment for learning will motivate and encourage the students to be studious.
Students should proffer solutions to several problems (causes) discussed.
Step six: Write a conclusion.
The last paragraph is a concluding paragraph in which you will give your opinion on how to curb evil. Learn from the paragraph below.
In conclusion, examination malpractice is a feather in the devil’s cap, and it has become the cankerworm that eats the fabric of our society.
So, students, parents, governments, school administrators, and examining bodies should understand that this evil is enormous and devastating. All hands must be on deck to terminate examination malpractices in our schools in Nigeria.
Step seven: Write your first name and designation.
After the conclusion, you should write your full name and designation on the right-hand side immediately on the next line. If you are writing in a school magazine, it is important to write your class under your name. Note that the initial letter of your name should be written in capital letters as seen below.
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