An essay is a sort of written composition that deliver the author’s argument, but sometimes the definition is rather vague, encompassing all manner of documents, each with its own unique purpose and role in academic life. Essays are typically written for four major factors – to present an opinion, to defend a position, to present a study or research, or to provide background information on a particular subject. Essays also can be written to explore new areas of interest. The writing process can be quite lengthy and difficult. However, students can greatly increase their writing speed and reduce their number of errors by following these basic guidelines.
The basic essay types are divided into four categories, based on the format in which they are written. These categories are described below. Each type of essay may be written in one, two, or three paragraphs. Paragraph essays are those that contain no special introduction or closing.
Paragraph essays are written to present a single idea or argument. The essay’s main focus is the writer’s point of view, supported by evidence, whereas all other thoughts are considered irrelevant or even useless to the essay’s conclusion. The writer must use correct grammar and spelling, proper punctuation, and use good writing style. All supporting details should be included in the text.
A descriptive essay is an essay that either depicts or describes a place, event, or idea. A student will usually choose this format for an essay assignment on a topic that he/she has a strong opinion about, or for a personal interest in. Students writing these descriptive essays will most likely use only primary sources, which are reliable and accurate. Students should be aware, however, that it is not possible to include all facts or all opinions in a descriptive essay; rather, the reader must make the decision regarding the most important information to include in his/her essay.
Since a descriptive essay usually deals with events and locations, the focus is normally on what is being portrayed or described. Most colleges require that students write one of these types of essays, though some will ask for examples instead. The style of the essay will be dependent on the audience for whom it is intended. For example, if the essay is being written for a class assignment concerning ancient ruins on a beach, the author may wish to write in an engaging, conversational tone. The same can be said for a literary review of an acclaimed novel.
All types of essays, both analytical and descriptive, need to have at least one essay map. These are simply a diagram or layout of the various sections of the essay. Depending on the length of the essay, the diagram will be used to show the main body of the text and to show how each portion relates to the other. Essays are complex works and it is often difficult to get the point across to the reader without including at least one essay map. In this way, the writer can help the reader to follow the structure of essayswriting the essay.