Structure of the explanatory essay. 4. Organize explanatory essays. write explanatory essays. 5.1: Select a topic. 5.2: Write a thesis statement. 5.3: Select your development method. 5.4: Organize your ideas. of an explanatory test plan. An expository essay requires the writer to research and study an idea, gather supporting evidence, and present a point of view or argument on the topic. This can be done by several methods, including compare and contrast, cause and effect, or examples. Simply put, an expository essay is a research paper. Go beyond the thesis statement with two expository essay examples. Learn more about the format, requirements, and types of expository writing for middle and high school. Writing an expository essay can be done step by step by organizing your thoughts, researching the topic, formulating a thesis statement, writing an introduction, composing the body paragraphs, and summarizing the essay in the conclusion. Finally, revise and proofread the essay to ensure its quality.