The Difference Between an Essay and an Article

An essay article is a piece of writing in which the writer presents an argument or idea with supporting evidence. The writing style is often more subjective than in articles, and writers may use a wider range of literary devices and nuanced vocabulary. The structure of an essay is also more flexible than in articles, and the writer can weave through various ideas in a more fluid way.

The first step in writing an essay is developing a clear outline of the essay’s content. Begin by identifying a central theme or idea in your essay, then breaking that theme down into smaller sections. Use a circle to represent your main topic and draw lines out from the center, with each line representing a different aspect of your essay. Write down the relevant information in each circle, then identify how each topic relates to the overall theme of your essay.

Once you have an idea of the essay’s content, create a draft. Make sure to include a clear introductory paragraph that states your essay’s topic and the main points of your argument. This paragraph should be short but powerful, and it can set the tone for your entire essay. It should also introduce any terms or names you might use in your essay, and it should clarify any definitions that might be unclear to the reader.

The next step is developing your evidence and reasoning to support your argument. Typically, this involves using specific examples, facts, quotations and statistics to illustrate your point. It also requires evaluating and explaining how this evidence is related to scholarship on your topic, which is why it’s important to include citations in your essay.

Finally, the conclusion of your essay should restate your argument in a concise and powerful way. It should also highlight the broader implications or consequences of your argument. For example, if your essay is about the Wright Brothers’ invention of the airplane, you could conclude that their persistence and innovation helped to shape our globalized world.

Writing an essay is a challenging but fascinating genre of academic writing. By understanding the difference between an essay and an article, you can produce a more effective piece of writing that meets the requirements of your discipline.