Definition of Types of Essay
An essay is a short academic composition. The word “essay” is derived from a French word “essai” or “essayer,” which mean “trail.” In composition, however, an essay is a piece of non-fiction writing that talks or discusses a specific topic. Presently, essay is part of every degree program.
Each subject has specific requirements for the essays to be written. Some subjects need longer essays, while others need shorter ones, such as a five-paragraph essay. In composition, the start is made from a five-paragraph essay. Based on the requirements, there are seventeen types of essays.
Types of Essay
- Definition Essay
As the name suggests, a definition type of essay defines different things, ideas, and perceptions. - Narrative Essay
A narrative essay is a narration like a short story. It is, however, different from a short story in that it is written in an essay format. - Descriptive Essay
A descriptive essay describes something to make readers feel, smell, see, taste, or hear what is described. - Expository Essay
An expository essay exposes things in detail to make readers understand without any complications. - Persuasive Essay
A persuasive essay is meant to convince the target audience to do something or not do something. - Argumentative Essay
An argumentative essay is meant to present arguments in the favor of something. It has an additional fourth body paragraph that is meant to present opposite arguments. - Analytical Essay
An analytical essay analyzes something, such as in literature an analytical essay analyzes a piece of literature from different angles. - Comparison and Contrast Essay
A comparison and contrast essay makes either a comparison, a contrast, or both between two different or similar things. - Cause and Effect Essay
A cause and effect essay makes readers understand the cause of things, and their effects on other things. - Critical Essay
A critical essay is written on literary pieces to evaluate them on the basis of their merits or demerits. - Process Essay
A process essay outlines a process of making or breaking or doing something that readers understand fully and are able to do it after reading it. - Synthesis Essay
A synthesis essay means to synthesize different ideas to make a judgement about their merit and demerits. - Explicatory Essay
An explicatory essay is meant to explain a piece of literature. It is often written about poems, short stories, and novels. - Rhetorical Analysis Essay
A rhetorical analysis essay evaluates a speech or a piece of rhetoric on the basis of rhetorical strategies and devices used in it. - Review Essay
A review essay discusses the merits and demerits of a book and evaluates it through a review. - Simple Essay
A simple essay is just a five-paragraph essay that is written on any topic after it is specified. - Research Essay
A research essay revolves around a research question that is meant to answer some specific question through a research of the relevant literature.
Format of an Essay
Generally, a simple a five-paragraph has five paragraphs including an introduction, three body paragraphs, and a conclusion. An argumentative essay, however, has an additional paragraph which presents counter argument or opposing arguments in the same sequence. However, at the end of this paragraph, both the arguments are weighed in the favor of stronger arguments presented earlier in three body paragraphs.
The format of an argumentative essay is given below:
| A. Introduction | |||
| i. Hook | ii. Background Information | iii. Thesis Statement | |
| B. Body Paragraph | |||
| i. Topic Sentence | ii. Explanation/Example | iii. Supporting Details | iv. Transition Sentence |
| C. Counter Argument | |||
| i. Topic Sentence | ii. Explanation/Example | iii. Supporting Details | iv. Comparison of Body Paragraph Arguments |
| D. Conclusion | |||
| i. Rephrasing Thesis Statement | ii. Summary of Points | iii. Concluding Remarks |
Function of Types of Essay
An essay is a specific discussion or debate on a topic from a specific point of view. A student discusses the topic from his own specific angle. Readers not only get a glimpse of what the other aspect of the topic is, they also come to know about the tone and voice of the student writers to decide whether he has achieved a certain level of capability in writing. In literary essays, a writer becomes discusses the influence that literary piece has upon the readers about a certain point of view. Essays are also useful in winning public approval about certain political ideas.