The intent of the essay is an important factor of every essay. If one is unsure of what kind of essay they are attempting to write, it is likely that the reader will be just as uncertain, which is exactly what you do not want. There are various types of essays and knowing what they are and what the generally aim of each are is the first to building a good foundation for a successful essay. It provides direction and gives an initial idea on how the ideas in your essay should be organised.
At times, the type of essay you are writing will be determined by the essay topic if you are given this in advance. If you do not know your essay topic, it is a good idea to consider what is expected of you by your instructor. If you know that you are being tested solely on your knowledge about a certain topic then you might be able to assume that a descriptive or narrative essay is the best option. In the sciences, one is often expected to detail an experiment either they have undertaken or one they have done research about and provide a critical analysis about the findings. In the humanities, it is common to ask for argumentative or comparative essays, where the aim is to convince the reader of a certain viewpoint or argument.
Regardless of the type, if you do not know what is being asked of you, you will likely be unable to deliver. For this reason, having a good understanding of the different types of essays is essential. The names of essay types often change but the basis and intent of them remain the same. Below is a look at the different types, sample essay questions you might see, and the basics of what is expected in an essay of this style.
Argumentative
Also known as a persuasive essay, the aim here is to convince the reader of a specific argument. This kind of essay investigates a topic, presenting all sides by collecting and evaluating information, and then establishing a position supported by evidence.
Argumentative essays are generally advanced writing assignments that call for extensive research of already published literature on the topic. This research will serve as the basis of the different points of the topic. Good argumentative essays will consider counterarguments to the established position with an explanation of how they do not align with the paper’s argument.
The structure of such an essay requires the following:
- Introductory paragraph explaining why the topic is important and the context of the topic.
- A thesis statement where the position of the paper is stated.
- Body paragraphs with logical progression of thought between each. Each paragraph explores a certain aspect of the topic presented with evidence, which connects to supporting the thesis statement.
- A consideration of differing viewpoints and an evaluation of why it does not align with the thesis statement.
- And a conclusion that ties together the information presented and re-evaluates the thesis statement in light of the evidence.
Comparative
This essay form explores two or more topics, notions or ideas, explaining how they are either/or both similar and different. The key to such an essay is to compare and contrast. The kind of comparison will depend on the assignment and might included comparing positions on an issue, texts as in literature, events in history, theories in social sciences or humanities or statistics/figures such as those in economics and scientific research.
For each of these types of comparisons, you will need to establish a basis (a theme, concern, topic, device, etc), something common to both elements you are comparing and contrasting.
For a comparative essay you will need to develop a critical list of the similarities and difference, being sure to consider if the similarities outweigh the difference or vice versa. Based on this critical evaluation, you will develop a thesis statement that outlines your findings.
Two common essay structures are the alternating method and the block method. The alternating method finds relevant points and explores how they relate to the topic alternately. Each paragraph will go back and forth between the two main elements, exploring each sub-topic in an A-B-A-B-A-B fashion. The block method divides the essay in two where the first half explores the various sub-topics in regard to only one element before then moving on to the second half of the essay, which explores the sub-topics in regard to the second element.
Descriptive
A descriptive essay asks the writer to describe something, from a place or experience to an object or situation. Different from the previous two types, this essay offers a lot more creative freedom. However, it is important never to forget that you are writing for an audience. If your reader is unable to determine what you are attempting to say, start again.
While this genre of writing allows for a more creative approach, it is important to remain organised and logical. An easy trap to fall into would be to allow your writing to ramble. Take the time before starting to brainstorm what you want to talk about in detail. Explore vivid and sensory language to provide a clear and concise impression of your topic that is simultaneously exciting to read. Be sure to connect on a deeper level, describing emotions and feelings as well as the simple physical observations.
Summaries
A summary essay is usually used as an overview of another, usually much longer, text. The aim is to convey the main points an essay of a text to readers without needing the original source. You do not want to simply paraphrase the entire original text. What you are trying to get across is the essence of information and the various ideas, including only the most important points. Make sure to read and study the original text extensively to give you a good understanding of the author’s argument, tone, mood and style of writing.
An important aspect of this style of essay is the relevance to the original source. Be sure to be as objective as possible so as not to distort the author’s original meaning. I tis not usually expecting to include evaluations or judgements on the text.
Critical Analysis
A critical analysis essay is an evaluation of a topic, event, or text. In academic settings it is usually a text of the student’s analytical ability. Not only are you being asked to form an argument but to demonstrate your ability to critically read evidence, reflecting the positive and negative aspects and evaluating the implications of the information.
This style of essay does require elements of argumentative essay styles as well where a broad understanding of the topic will further support the thesis. Additionally, if it is on a piece of literature, a brief summary of the work will be required. It is not necessary to disagree with the source text or to fully agree if it presents an argument. A critical analysis can result in a more dynamic conclusion, but it does need to be very well supported, both with evidence and logical reasoning.
Reviews
In the academic field, book and article reviews are quite common. Like summaries, they offer concise and short explanations of the main points of various work. Where reviews differ is in being able to provide subjective opinions. Review style essays are aimed at evaluating whether or not the source text in question is useful and a contribution to the field.
Like a critical analysis, it is not necessary to take an unquestionable stance of either agreeing/disagreeing or liking/disliking the source. In fact, a more dynamic evaluation of the various strengths and weaknesses of the text will be more helpful to other academics to determine whether the source is useful for their own research.
Process
Process essays are most common in scientific and engineering fields of academia. They are used to detail various experiments or research that is conducted in order to determine the accuracy of a hypothesis. Essential to this style of essay is a hypothesis and thesis; what you expect to happen and what the implication of such an event.
Process essays serve as a type of ‘how-to’ guide for others to be able to recreate or following along with. The aim is to provide the reader with direction or guidance. Advanced styles of this genre of essay will also include a report of the outcome and a critical analysis of the procedure and the implications of the outcomes. Moreover, some instructors will ask for a discussion that details the learnings and potential further experiments or steps that can follow up the experiment or procedure.
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