(BTU) Lesson Topic 3: Easy Essays

Lesson Topic 3: Easy Essays

What is an Essay?

From the Writing Workshop, we know that essays are writings on a particular topic. However, essays also serve as nonfiction texts that are typically written as a part of a school assignment. Unlike articles, essays can be longer and focus on an event or concept. Articles might not include quotations from sources, but essays include information from outside sources in order to support what the writer reveals. Also, articles often fit into certain categories, whereas essays focus more on certain topics and do not necessarily have to fit into a category.

Where Can I Find an Essay?

Essays are not often written for pleasure, so they do not necessarily appear in magazines or newspapers. Essays tend to reveal what a person might know about a particular topic, so you might read essays in class when you are practicing essay writing. You might also come across an essay online that someone wrote on the topic you research.

Types of Essays

There are different types of essays. For some of you, this might be a review.

Types of Essays Expository Essays: The expository essay requires writers to explain or inform the reader about a certain subject. Certain types of essays can fit under the category of expository. Writers can create a comparison and contrast essay that reveals the similarities and differences regarding a topic; they can also define an idea or show cause and effect within an essay. For example, a writer can take two characters in a story and write about how they are similar and different--this would be an expository essay. Descriptive Essays: Descriptive essays provide vidi imagery describing an object, person, place, experience, emotion, or situation. With descriptive essays, the writer becomes an artist by painting pictures with words. Weriters should use words that create imagery, so the reader can see, smell, taste, touch, and hear the description the author provides. Narrative essays: Narrative essays appear as though the writer is telling a story. These types of essays can be creative writing, but they can also involve personal experiences from the writer's life to get a point across. Although the narrative essay is more like a story, there should still be a reason for the essay because you do not want the ideas to appear random. Persuasive Essays: Persuasive essays are also known as argumentative essays. With this type of essay, you will create a paper that argues your opinion about a topic or idea. These essays need support to prove your ideas are correct and believable. Persuasive essays are similar to expository essays, but persuasive essays require more research and support than an expository essay.

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