Types of Essays
1. Personal Descriptive * In a personal descriptive essay, the writer describes a person, place, thing or event, including a great deal of carefully chosen detail. Sensory impressions are important, so strive to scatter them throughout the essay. In addition, convey the significance of the subject, otherwise there is no point to the essay.
Personal Narrative * Like the personal descriptive essay, the narrative essay relies a great deal on sensory impressions and detailed descriptions. However, aside from describing a setting and people's appearance and mannerisms, the narrative also calls for a storyline. The people in the essay are real people -- it is not fiction -- who do things and face consequences or celebrate the outcome. Their choices and actions form a plot of sorts.
Cause and Effect * The cause and effect essay examines the relationship between events. The writer must explain what events cause certain outcomes, but must do so with support. A danger with this essay is that you may commit the post hoc ergo propter hoc fallacy, or false cause fallacy. This fallacy occurs when a writer argues that because one event followed another, it was caused by the first. That is not always true. You must fully examine the context of the events to ascertain whether one caused the other.
Argument
* An argument is the same as a persuasive essay. The writer states a thesis, usually at the end of the first paragraph, and proceeds to make a case using reason and factual data. Fully develop the argument, making sure to include and address all main points -- including the main counter-arguments. Omitting counter-arguments is academically sloppy and sometimes dishonest. Including them challenges you to refute them in a reasonable, realistic way, and thus strengthens the essay.
Problem-Solution
* A problem-solution essay requires the writer to carefully examine a problem, first establishing why it really is a problem. Then, as a means to
Personal Narrative * Like the personal descriptive essay, the narrative essay relies a great deal on sensory impressions and detailed descriptions. However, aside from describing a setting and people's appearance and mannerisms, the narrative also calls for a storyline. The people in the essay are real people -- it is not fiction -- who do things and face consequences or celebrate the outcome. Their choices and actions form a plot of sorts.
Cause and Effect * The cause and effect essay examines the relationship between events. The writer must explain what events cause certain outcomes, but must do so with support. A danger with this essay is that you may commit the post hoc ergo propter hoc fallacy, or false cause fallacy. This fallacy occurs when a writer argues that because one event followed another, it was caused by the first. That is not always true. You must fully examine the context of the events to ascertain whether one caused the other.
Argument
* An argument is the same as a persuasive essay. The writer states a thesis, usually at the end of the first paragraph, and proceeds to make a case using reason and factual data. Fully develop the argument, making sure to include and address all main points -- including the main counter-arguments. Omitting counter-arguments is academically sloppy and sometimes dishonest. Including them challenges you to refute them in a reasonable, realistic way, and thus strengthens the essay.
Problem-Solution
* A problem-solution essay requires the writer to carefully examine a problem, first establishing why it really is a problem. Then, as a means to