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.
What makes it hard
The workload is steady rather than spiky, built from 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
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
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
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
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.
Today
Today's EXPOS 20 plan
What a Fennie Daily Plan looks like for EXPOS 20. Yours is built from your own syllabus and adapts every day to your deadlines and progress.
First plan free, no card required. Fennie is independent and unaffiliated with your school.
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.
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