Types of essays

From A+ Club Lesson Planner & Study Guide

Essay[edit | edit source]

  • a short form of writing on a topic
  • from French"essai" meaning "trial, attempt"
    • and Latin exagium for "weighing, or a weight"
      • ex- out or from + agere "to set in motion"
  • "essay" also relates to "trying" or "effort"
    • the verb "essay" means "to put to test or experiment"

Academic[edit | edit source]

Argumentative[edit | edit source]

takes a position for or against something

Expository[edit | edit source]

  • from Latin exponere for "set forth"
    • in the sense of explaining
  • also called "commentary"
  • takes non-argumentative approach
    • but necessarily takes a position on a topic

Journalistic[edit | edit source]

  • explains or describes an issue, situation, event, etc. from a third-party point of view
    • IOW, it describes another experience, perspective, or point of view

Narrative[edit | edit source]

  • tells a story

Personal[edit | edit source]

Persuasive[edit | edit source]

Polemic/ polemical[edit | edit source]

  • a form of argumentative that focuses on opposing another or alternative points of view
  • generally addresses controversial topics
  • "polemic" is from Greek polemikos for "war"