Blog #7 Pearson text, chapters 3 & 5

While reading chapters three and five in Pearson I came across several elements of an exploratory essay. The first element in which I came across was one of the main points on the first page. "Explore an issue and narrate your thinking process in an exploratory essay"(Ramage, Bean, Johnson 105). This is a well thought out statement, because when you write it is good to address an issue, and then tell the readers how you are thinking, so narrating your thinking process is generally what you do. While continuing to read chapter five in Pearson I came across another quote that stuck out to me. "The essential move for exploratory thinking and writing is to keep a problem alive through consideration of multiple solutions or points of view"(Ramage, Bean, Johnson 107). It is important when you are writing, especially for the reader to keep a problem alive, because when you do this it really keeps the reader very intrigued and involved in what he or she is reading. Another element of an exploratory essay that I came across was when Pearson exclaims, "The key to effective exploratory writing is to create a tension between alternative views"(Ramage, Bean, Johnson 108). This is my opinion is the most important element. When you write, especially an exploratory essay it is important to have two views. Not only do you wanna agree, but you wanna disagree. You should argue two sides, and have "alternative views". This is very important because it will keep the reader very involved, and give them two different sides to agree or disagree with. For example, Pearson explains, "Using a statement such as "I used to think..., but now I think" or "Part of me thinks this..., but another part thinks that..." forces you to find something additional to say; writing then becomes a process of inquiry and discovery. I really agree with this statement that Pearson makes, because when you write it is way more interesting when you have two different sides. This is a good example of it. The main purpose to write is to not only express your feelings, but to  keep your reader involved.