An
essay is a short piece of writing that discusses, describes or
analyses a topic. It can discuss a subject directly or indirectly, seriously or
humorously. It can describe personal opinions, or just report information. An
essay can be written from any perspective, but are most commonly written in the
first person (I),
or third person (subjects that can be substituted with the he,
she, it, or they pronouns). There are many different
kinds of essays. The following are some of the most common ones:
Expository
The
function of the expository essay is to explain something to the reader by
giving directions or instructions, or to acquaint your reader with knowledge
about how to complete a task or how something is done. You are demonstrating
your own knowledge and explaining with facts, not your opinion. It is very
important that your tone be reasonable and that your presentation be factual
and believable.
Compare
and Contrast
The
essay could be an unbiased discussion, or an attempt to convince the reader of
the benefits of one thing, person, or concept. It could also be written simply
to entertain the reader, or to arrive at an insight into human nature. The
essay could discuss both similarities and differences, or it could just focus
on one or the other. A comparison essay usually discusses the similarities
between two things, while the contrast essay discusses the differences.
Cause
and Effect
The
cause/effect essay
explains why or how some event happened, and what resulted from the event. This
essay is a study of the relationship between two or more events or experiences.
The essay could discuss both causes and effects, or it could simply address one or the other. A cause essay usually discusses the reasons why something happened. An effect essay discusses what happens after a specific event or
circumstance. Sources are often required in a cause/effect paper, and your
choice of these sources is important as they reflect on the validity of your
argument.
Argumentative
(Persuasive)
An
argumentative essay is
one that attempts to persuade the reader to the writer’s point of view. The
writer can either be serious or funny, but always tries to convince the reader
of the validity of his or her opinion. The essay may argue openly, or it may
attempt to subtly persuade the reader by using irony or sarcasm. Your approach
is to take a stand on an issue and use evidence to back up your stance, not to
explore an unresolved topic.
You
must choose a side, make a case for it, consider and refute alternative
arguments, and prove to the undecided reader that the opinion it presents is
the best one. You must be aware of other sides and be fair to them; dismissing
them completely will weaken your own argument. It is best to take a side that
you believe in, preferably with the most supporting evidence. It can often be
educational to adopt a different position from what you might normally choose
(debating requires this kind of flexibility).
Informal
Written
mainly for enjoyment. This is not to say that it cannot be informative or
persuasive; however, it is less a formal statement than a relaxed expression of
opinion, observation, humour or pleasure. A good informal essay has a relaxed
style but retains a strong structure, though that structure may be less rigid
than in a formal paper.
The
informal essay tends to be more personal than the formal, even though both may
express subjective opinions. In a formal essay the writer is a silent presence
behind the words, while in an informal essay the writer is speaking directly to
the reader in a conversational style. If you are writing informally, try to
maintain a sense of your own personality. Do not worry about sounding
academic,
but avoid sloppiness.
Critical
Review
This
type of essay can be either formal or informal, depending on the context. Its
goal is to evaluate a work such as an article or book. Your personal, informed,
opinion plays a
significant role in the process. However, a certain objective standard needs to
be maintained and, as in an argumentative essay, your assertions need to be
proved.
The
formality of the review will be determined by how much of the essay is
analysis, how much is summary and how much is your reaction to the work you are
reviewing. A more formal review will not only discuss the work on its own
merits but also place it in context.
Newspapers and popular magazines often review in terms of finance: is this CD
or film worth spending your money on? Critical journals will attempt to
determine whether a new novel or play has achieved something new and
significant. A good review will discuss both the qualities and the importance of
a given work.
Research
(Analytical)
The
research essay
leads you into the works of others and asks you to compare their thoughts with
your own. Writing a research paper involves going to source material and synthesizing what you learn from it with
your own ideas. You must find texts on the subject and use them to support the
topic you have been given to explore. Because it is easy to become lost in a
wilderness of source material, you must take particular care to narrow your
topic. A research paper should demonstrate what you have learned, but it should
also show that you have a perspective of your own on the subject.
The
greatest danger inherent in the research essay is plagiarism. If your paper consists of a string of
quotations or paraphrases with little input of your own, you are not synthesizing
but copying, and you should expect a low grade. If any of the borrowings are
unacknowledged, you are plagiarizing, and the penalties can be severe.
Literary
In
the literary essay,
you are exploring the meaning and construction of a piece of literature. This
task is more complicated than reviewing, though the two are similarly
evaluative. In a review you are discussing the overall effect and validity of
written work, while in a literary essay you are paying more attention to
specifics. A literary essay focuses on such elements as structure, character,
theme, style, tone and subtext. You are taking a piece of writing and trying to
discover how and why it is put together the way it is. You must adopt a
viewpoint on the work in question and show how the details of the work support
your viewpoint.
A
literary essay may be your own interpretation, based only on your reading of
the piece, or it may be a mixture of your opinions and references to the
criticism of others, much like a research paper. Again, be wary of plagiarism
and of letting the opinions and ‘voices’ of more experienced writers swamp your
own response to the work. If you are going to consult the critics, you should
reread the literary work you are discussing and make some notes on it based on
your own viewpoint before looking at any criticism.
THE
FEATURES OF AN ESSAY
• Title
(sometimes followed by an introduction)
• Thesis
statement, body and conclusion
• Appropriate
paragraphing with main ideas
• Supporting
details and examples
• Organization
of ideas
• Maintaining
coherence - using cohesive devices (such as pronouns, linkers)
• Presenting ideas without digression
