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Expository Writing
4 credits

Harvard EXPOS 20: Expository Writing 20

Expos 20 is the famous requirement every Harvard College student completes: a small, themed seminar in academic argument run by the Harvard College Writing Program, with section topics ranging across literature, science, and politics. Whatever the theme, the curriculum is the same — claims, evidence, drafting, and revision.

Fennie is independent and not affiliated with Harvard University. This is an unofficial study guide.

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What makes it hard

The workload is steady rather than spiky — essay cycles with drafts, conferences, and revisions — and the grading standard surprises students who coasted through high school English. The real adjustment is treating revision as the work itself: first drafts that would have earned A's before now function as raw material.

What you'll cover

  • • Thesis and motive
  • • Evidence and analysis
  • • Counterargument
  • • Essay structure
  • • Drafting and revision
  • • Working with sources

The EXPOS 20 study guide

How to study for Harvard EXPOS 20, step by step.

  1. 1

    Start drafts days before they feel necessary

    Expos rewards thinking that has had time to settle. A rough draft finished early buys you the revision passes where the actual grade gets made.

  2. 2

    Make your thesis arguable, then stress-test it

    If no reasonable person could disagree with your claim, it's a summary, not a thesis. Write the strongest counterargument yourself and let it sharpen the essay.

  3. 3

    Use conferences as your highest-value hour

    Arrive with specific questions about your draft's weakest sections, not a request for general feedback. Your preceptor's targeted reading is the most direct grade-improvement available.

  4. 4

    Revise structurally before polishing sentences

    Reorganize paragraphs and fix the argument's spine first; sentence-level polish on a broken structure is wasted effort. Read the draft's topic sentences alone as an outline test.

  5. 5

    Plan the essay cycles with Fennie

    Upload the Expos 20 syllabus and readings and Fennie's Daily Plan paces reading, drafting, and revision days ahead of each deadline, with chat to help you pressure-test a thesis or untangle a difficult source. The writing is yours; Fennie keeps the schedule honest. Free to start.

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How Fennie helps with EXPOS 20

Fennie's Daily Plans pace Expos 20's essay cycles so drafting starts days before the deadline and revision gets real time — where the grade is actually made. Chat to pressure-test a thesis or work through a dense assigned reading; the essays stay entirely your own writing.

FAQ

Is Expos 20 hard?

The standard is the surprise, not the workload — high school A-grade writing typically lands as a first draft here. Students who embrace revision improve fast.

Does the Expos 20 topic matter?

Less than students think — every section teaches the same argument-and-revision curriculum through its theme. Pick a topic whose readings you'll actually enjoy.

Can I place out of Expos 20?

The expository writing requirement applies to every Harvard College student; placement determines whether you start in Expos 10 (then 20) or directly in 20. There's no exemption path for most students.

Pass EXPOS 20 with a plan, not a cram

Upload your EXPOS 20 materials and Fennie generates a Daily Plan paced to your deadline — plus chat, flashcards, and quizzes built from the actual course content.

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