Essay

ESSAYS

Essays – An essay is a short formal piece of writing revolved around a specific subject/topic Types –Persuasive (Argumentative)- A persuasive essay is written to get the reader to see something from the writer’s point of view and agree with it by providing captivating evidence. Expository (Informative) Definition or Description- An expository essay is used to inform readers on a specific topic so that it is more clear to them Process (How-to)- Expository essays should include evidence from different sources and should not include the writer’s personal opinion but instead facts. Compare and Contrast- This approach allows the reader to understand the difference between certain topics and how the two compare. Cause and Effect- This approach allows the reader to understand the relationship between topics and how they can affect each other. Analytical/Critical Evaluative- This essay provides a judgment on a topic based on a criteria through a clear thesis Interpretive- An Interpretive essay provides an analysis of a piece of literature. Narrative (Tells a story) Personal Statement/Anecdote- Focuses on the writer’s motivations and gives readers an insight on the writer’s life Research - A way of looking for information and collecting data/careful and organized study Timed

Document Based Question (DBQ)- Documents are given to the author and are used as a source of information for the essay Synthesis- An essay consisting of gathered information from different sources used to form into a new idea

Strategies/Planning Tips/Steps

Pre-writing/Prompt Analysis/Outlining- Prewriting is the strategy used before writing a draft where a writer generates ideas and organizes their thoughts to help prepare for the writing process. When Prewriting it is important to understand what the essay is going to be about by analyzing the prompt.Outlining is when a writer maps out their essay by, mostly, using bullet points to show what information is going to be in each paragraph. Researching/Evaluating of Sources- When researching writers gather information and facts relating to the topic.Evaluating of Sources is a process where writers must evaluate the information to determine if it is appropriate for the essay written.

Work Cited Page –

MLA Format- A format created by the Modern Language Association used by academic institutions to attribute information. MLA format requires for a paper to be in a certain layout with one-inch margins throughout, twelve point size in Times New Roman Font, and double spaced. A work cited page in MLA format should be structured like: Author. “TItle of the Source. ” Title of the Container, Other contributors, Version, Number, Publisher, Publication date, Location. APA Format- A format of the American Psychological Association used to communicate information about ideas and experiments and to cite sources within the social sciences. This format has 4 sections; Title Page, Abstract, Main Body, and References. The title page should have the tiles, author name, and school affiliation as well as the course number/name, instructors name, and due date. The abstract should have a brief summary of the paper that is no more than 200 words. The main body includes the essay of the subject and the references section is the list of sources the writer used. References should be in alphabetical order.