The Different Types of Essays
An essay is, in general, an essay that presents the author’s argument, but usually the precise definition is vague, often overlapping with that of a personal letter, a personal story, a newspaper article, an essay, and even a short story. Essays have historically been categorized as either formal or informal. Formal essays are written for or at college or universities and are usually required as part of the student’s curriculum; informal essays are typically written for publication or submissions to a variety of periodicals or newspapers. In recent years there has been a growth in both categories of essays. In recent years, many students opt for essay writing as a way to write the papers required for college or university entry.
Many students enjoy the analytical, “I” type writing of the scientific and medical style essay, while others prefer to write more in the descriptive essay style. Descriptive essays detail specific information about a specific event or condition. Typical descriptive essays may be about a new car, a new dress, or a new house, however, the format is not limited to these items; one can write an essay about virtually anything, depending on the topic. One can also choose to tailor the essay to fit the particular needs of the reader, making the essay a unique personal experience instead of merely using the information as a means to an end.
Many students are surprised by the different format used in an academic essay. The most familiar type of essay is the thesis essay, which is used to outline a student’s argument for a particular argument. The thesis is often supported by various examples taken from literature, personal experience, and the author’s Own words. The thesis is the point of the essay, and it is important to keep in mind that the purpose of the essay is to convince the reader that the conclusion the essay reaches is correct and valid.
Another commonly used type of essay, which resembles a thesis statement more than a thesis, is the persuasive essay. This format is also referred to as a review essay and is a summary of the other paragraphs and their supporting evidence. Most of the time, this type of essay uses either personal experience with a product or event to support its argument or the opposing view. The conclusion usually discusses the issue again, usually bringing up another point of view.
Finally, there is the comparative essay. Unlike a thesis statement, which is intended to offer strong evidence in support of its conclusion, the comparative essay relies on various examples to support its main idea. As such, there is more room for argument within the comparative essay. One can choose to focus on a single aspect of a product, example, or even an entire industry. The thesis statement may not be needed for this type of essay. However, it is useful to include one for the sake of argument.
These basic essay types offer a good foundation for all forms of essays. Essays can range in length from an essay that only includes a main idea to an extensive survey or even a novel. A complete essay will generally take many weeks or months to write. The amount of research required and the skill level required are determined by the audience and the topic of the essay. For expository essays, the writing process takes about a month. If the expository essay is based on personal experience, like a story, it will likely take much less time.
