Types of Academic Essays
There are several types of compositions (poems, fictional works, prose, essay) of which the "essay" (French "essai") is a non-fictional exploration of a topic. There are several types of essays (see list in left column). Each require a different writing approach.
Narrative Essay: To tell a story about someone or some event.
Descriptive Essay: To desribe a person, place, event, or situation using the five senses.
Process Essay: The give a step-by-step explanation about how to do something.
Procedural Essay: To explain how to go about doing something.
Definition Essay: To explain an idea or concept.
Expository Essay: To give an explanation about something.
Compare & Contrast Essay: To identify the similarities and differences between two or more entities.
Cause & Effect Essay: To identify the causes (reasons) and/or effects (results, consequences) of a topic.
Persuasive Essay: To try to convince the reader that the writer's point of view is valid.
Argumentative Essay: To provide evidence and proof to support the writer's perspective.
Research Essay: To investigate a topic in depth by exploring primary sources and experts on the topic.