what are essay types called

Essay Writing Guide

Types Of Essay

Explore Different Types of Essays, their Purpose, and Sub-types

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Major Types of Essays In Academic Writing

When it comes to academic writing, understanding the different types of essays is essential. Each type serves a distinct purpose and requires a specific approach. Let's explore these essay types along with their descriptions and example prompts in the table below:

Understanding these major types of essays and the skills they assess will empower you to approach your academic writing with confidence. Depending on your assignment's requirements, you'll be better equipped to choose the appropriate essay type and showcase your writing abilities effectively.

Each type offers a unique opportunity for you to express your ideas, and arguments and perfect your specific writing skills.

Here are the key types of essay formats explained in detail, along with examples to enhance your understanding.

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Argumentative Essay

An argumentative essay is an essay type that presents a well-structured argument supported by evidence and reasoning. The primary goal is to engage the reader in a discussion, provide evidence, and logically demonstrate why a particular viewpoint is more valid.

In simple words, the writer must provide evidence and remain consistent in their stance. While argumentative essays present both sides of an issue, they strongly support one perspective.

Characteristics of Argumentative Essay

Clear Thesis: It should have a clear thesis statement to state the writer's position.
Balanced Presentation: An argumentative essay addresses opposing views.
Evidence: It relies on credible and relevant evidence.
Logical Reasoning: The essay presents arguments coherently and logically.
Persuasive Techniques: It uses persuasive techniques like ethos, pathos, and logos effectively.
Introduction: The introduction introduces the topic and thesis, engaging the reader's interest.
Body: The body paragraphs present arguments with supporting evidence.
Counterargument: It addresses opposing viewpoints and refutes them.
Conclusion: The conclusion summarizes key points and reinforces the thesis, leaving a strong impression.

Argumentative Essay Example

Before beginning the writing process, it is better to go through some expertly crafted argumentative essay examples . This approach enables you to grasp the argumentative essay outline and writing style more effectively.

Descriptive Essay

A descriptive essay is a form of writing that aims to immerse readers in a sensory-rich experience. Unlike informational or persuasive essays, its primary goal is to vividly depict a person, place, object, event, or experience. The descriptive essay must evoke the senses and emotions of the reader. In simple terms, the reader should see what you saw and feel what you felt. To make it better, you can use several literary devices such as;

Alliteration

All of them help in making the experience and your essay better.

Key Characteristics

Sensory Detail: Descriptive essays appeal to the five senses to create a multisensory experience.
Vivid Imagery: They use figurative language and descriptive adjectives to bring the narrative to life.
Emotional Connection: These essays often aim to establish an emotional bond between the reader and the subject.
Structured Approach: They typically follow an introduction-body-conclusion structure.
Introduction: Introduces the subject and purpose, sometimes with a thesis statement.
Body Paragraphs: Focus on specific aspects or details using sensory language and vivid descriptions.
Conclusion: Summarizes the central theme and leaves a lasting impression.

Descriptive Essay Example

Creating a perfect descriptive essay for an assignment is not difficult if you go through some expert descriptive essay examples first.

Need more examples? Read our Descriptive Essay Examples and Writing Tips blog to get inspired!

Expository Essay

An expository essay is a type of writing that provides clear and objective explanations of a topic without expressing personal opinions. It aims to inform and educate by presenting factual information and analysis.

Therefore, it is important that you make a focused outline and stick to it throughout the process.

An expository essay incorporates a wide array of essays such as:

Cause and effect essays
Process essays
Analytical essays
Compare and contrast essays

Key Characteristics

Objective Presentation: Expository writing maintains an impartial tone, avoiding personal biases.
Informativeness: They focus on explaining complex ideas or processes in a straightforward manner.
Structured: These essays follow a clear structure with an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion.
Use of Evidence: They rely on credible evidence, facts, and examples to support the topic.
Introduction: Introduces the topic and often includes a thesis statement.
Body Paragraphs: Each paragraph focuses on a specific aspect and provides explanations and evidence.
Conclusion: Restates the main idea and summarizes key points.

Expository Essay Example

Looking for more sample essays? Check out our Expository Essay Examples blog and take inspiration from a range of expository essays!

Narrative Essay

A narrative essay is a type of academic writing that tells a story or recounts a personal experience. Unlike other essays, its primary purpose is to engage and entertain the reader through storytelling.

Narrative Structure: Follows a chronological sequence with an introduction, body, climax, and conclusion.
First-Person Perspective: Typically written from the first-person point of view (e.g., "I" and "we") , sharing personal experiences and emotions.
Vivid Description: Relies on descriptive language and imagery to create a clear picture of events, characters, and settings.
Emotional Connection: Aims to establish an emotional bond with the reader by conveying the writer's thoughts and feelings.
Introduction: Sets the stage and introduces the central theme or problem.
Body: Presents events or experiences in chronological order with sensory details.
Climax: Often includes a central event or turning point.
Conclusion: Reflects on the narrative, offering insights, lessons, or resolution.

Narrative Essay Example

Wondering how to get your story into an interesting narrative? Learn the best way to write a perfect narrative essay with the help of expert narrative essay examples.

For more examples visit our blog on narrative essay examples .

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Other Essay Types

In addition to the major types of essays discussed earlier, there are several other specialized types that cater to specific audiences. These essays provide diverse avenues for writers to communicate their ideas effectively.

We will go through these essay types here.

Persuasive Essay

A persuasive essay is another type of academic essay. In this essay type, the writer utilizes logic and reasoning to show one’s idea is more convincing than another idea.

In writing a persuasive essay, the main aim is to persuade the reader to accept a certain point of view. The presented argument or claim must use solid evidence and sound reasoning by stating facts, examples, and quotes.

Persuasive Essay Example

Since persuasive essays are the most common type of essay, it is essential to get familiar with their writing style. For that, here is an interesting persuasive essay example that you can explore for your better understanding.

Read our persuasive essay examples blog for more samples!

Analytical Essay

An analytical essay is a type of academic essay in which the writer analyzes a topic bit by bit. Writing an analytical essay is not about convincing readers of your point of view. But wanting readers to agree with what you have written.

So, there is no need to use strong persuasive language in an analytical essay. Rather you should aim to provide enough analysis to make sure your argument is clear to the readers.

Analytical Essay Example

Let’s take a look at a sample analytical essay:

Read our analytical essay examples blog if you are looking for more sample essays!

Reflective Essay

A reflective essay type of essay requires you to examine your personal experiences through self-reflection. In the process of writing a reflective essay, you provide insight into what you have gained from those experiences.

What makes reflective essays different from other essay types is the fact that it examine the past experience from the present. Reflective essays take the reader through a journey of self-growth.

Reflective Essay Example

The following reflective essay example will help you get a clear idea of how to structure your analytical essay.

Rhetorical Analysis Essay

It is a form of a textual analysis essay in which the student examines and analyzes a persuasive text. It is like an essay, speech, or visual art and analyzes the rhetorical devices used in it. Writing a rhetorical analysis essay is different from writing other essays because it will be more than adding facts only.

Rhetorical Analysis Essay Example

Here is a rhetorical analysis essay example that will help you learn better.

Check out our rhetorical analysis essay examples blog for more samples!

Literary Analysis Essay

A literary analysis essay is based on close reading and analysis of a work of literature like poetry and novel. It identifies different literary factors like themes, setting, characters, setting, and the kind of language used in it. A literary analysis essay has the same 5 paragraphs as any other essay but the main subject and topic are different.

Literary Analysis Essay Example

Need help with your literary analysis essay? Below is a sample essay to help you understand better.

Summing it Up! Now you know what are the different types of essays in academic writing that you are most likely to get assigned. However, if you still find it difficult to compose your essay, leave your piece of writing to our experts.

Whether you need an argumentative essay, narrative essay, descriptive essay, or expository essay we are here to help. Our expertise extends to all types of essays, ensuring that your academic writing needs are met with precision and excellence.

Request essay help today and let our experts assist you in writing A+ grade essays within your specified timeline!

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most important element in any essay.

A thesis statement is the most important part of any essay. Other than the research itself, the thesis statement is the most important part of an essay or research paper. A thesis statement summarizes the main point and essence of the argument.

What type of essay is most common at university?

Usually, university students get argumentative kinds of essays. No matter what kind of essay you write, you will need to develop an argument.

Here are some kinds of essays and the kind of arguments added to them.

Analysis and interpretation of literary texts are discussed in literary analysis essays.
The importance of a particular event or theory is analyzed in a history argumentative essay.
A political theory is examined in a political argumentative essay.

Besides, there are a number of different kinds of argumentative and analysis essays.

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Types of Essay

Definition of types of essay.

An essay is a short academic composition. The word “essay” is derived from a French word “essai” or “essayer,” which mean “trail.” In composition, however, an essay is a piece of non- fiction writing that talks or discusses a specific topic. Presently, essay is part of every degree program.

Each subject has specific requirements for the essays to be written. Some subjects need longer essays, while others need shorter ones, such as a five-paragraph essay. In composition, the start is made from a five-paragraph essay. Based on the requirements, there are seventeen types of essays.

Definition Essay As the name suggests, a definition type of essay defines different things, ideas, and perceptions.
Narrative Essay A narrative essay is a narration like a short story . It is, however, different from a short story in that it is written in an essay format.
Descriptive Essay A descriptive essay describes something to make readers feel, smell, see, taste, or hear what is described.
Expository Essay An expository essay exposes things in detail to make readers understand without any complications.
Persuasive Essay A persuasive essay is meant to convince the target audience to do something or not do something.
Argumentative Essay An argumentative essay is meant to present arguments in the favor of something. It has an additional fourth body paragraph that is meant to present opposite arguments.
Analytical Essay An analytical essay analyzes something, such as in literature an analytical essay analyzes a piece of literature from different angles.
Comparison and Contrast Essay A comparison and contrast essay makes either a comparison, a contrast, or both between two different or similar things.
Cause and Effect Essay A cause and effect essay makes readers understand the cause of things, and their effects on other things.
Critical Essay A critical essay is written on literary pieces to evaluate them on the basis of their merits or demerits.
Process Essay A process essay outlines a process of making or breaking or doing something that readers understand fully and are able to do it after reading it.
Synthesis Essay A synthesis essay means to synthesize different ideas to make a judgement about their merit and demerits.
Explicatory Essay An explicatory essay is meant to explain a piece of literature. It is often written about poems , short stories, and novels .
Rhetorical Analysis Essay A rhetorical analysis essay evaluates a speech or a piece of rhetoric on the basis of rhetorical strategies and devices used in it.
Review Essay A review essay discusses the merits and demerits of a book and evaluates it through a review.
Simple Essay A simple essay is just a five-paragraph essay that is written on any topic after it is specified.
Research Essay A research essay revolves around a research question that is meant to answer some specific question through a research of the relevant literature.

Format of an Essay

Generally, a simple a five-paragraph has five paragraphs including an introduction , three body paragraphs, and a conclusion . An argumentative essay, however, has an additional paragraph which presents counter argument or opposing arguments in the same sequence. However, at the end of this paragraph, both the arguments are weighed in the favor of stronger arguments presented earlier in three body paragraphs.

The format of an argumentative essay is given below:

Function of types of essay.

An essay is a specific discussion or debate on a topic from a specific point of view . A student discusses the topic from his own specific angle. Readers not only get a glimpse of what the other aspect of the topic is, they also come to know about the tone and voice of the student writers to decide whether he has achieved a certain level of capability in writing. In literary essays, a writer becomes discusses the influence that literary piece has upon the readers about a certain point of view. Essays are also useful in winning public approval about certain political ideas.

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Narrative Essay
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Analytical Essay
Argumentative Essay
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Guide to Different Kinds of Essays

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An essay is a paper that discusses, describes or analyzes one topic. It can discuss a subject directly or indirectly, seriously or humorously. It can describe personal opinions, or just report information. An essay can be written from any perspective, but essays are most commonly written in the first person ( I ), or third person (subjects that can be substituted with the he, she, it, or they pronouns).

There are many different kinds of essays. The following are a some of the most common ones:

Descriptive Cause/Effect Argumentative Definition Narrative Critical Compare/Contrast Process

Descriptive:

Examples: A descriptive essay could describe . . .

The descriptive essay provides details about how something looks, feels, tastes, smells, makes one feel, or sounds. It can also describe what something is, or how something happened. These essays generally use a lot of sensory details. The essay could be a list-like description that provides point by point details. Or, it could function as a story, keeping the reader interested in the plot and theme of the event described.

Definition:

Examples: A definition essay may try and define . . .

A definition essay attempts to define a specific term. It could try to pin down the meaning of a specific word, or define an abstract concept. The analysis goes deeper than a simple dictionary definition; it should attempt to explain why the term is defined as such. It could define the term directly, giving no information other than the explanation of the term. Or, it could imply the definition of the term, telling a story that requires the reader to infer the meaning.

Compare/Contrast:

Examples:A compare/contrast essay may discuss . . .

The compare/contrast essay discusses the similarities and differences between two things, people, concepts, places, etc. The essay could be an unbiased discussion, or an attempt to convince the reader of the benefits of one thing, person, or concept. It could also be written simply to entertain the reader, or to arrive at an insight into human nature. The essay could discuss both similarities and differences, or it could just focus on one or the other. A comparison essay usually discusses the similarities between two things, while the contrast essay discusses the differences.

Cause/Effect:

Examples:A cause/effect essay may explain . . .

The cause/effect essay explains why or how some event happened, and what resulted from the event.

This essay is a study of the relationship between two or more events or experiences. The essay could discuss both causes and effects, or it could simply address one or the other. A cause essay usually discusses the reasons why something happened. An effect essay discusses what happens after a specific event or circumstance.

The example below shows a cause essay, one that would explain how and why an event happened.

If this cause essay were about a volcanic eruption, it might go something like this: “Pressure and heat built up beneath the earth’s surface; the effect of this was an enormous volcanic eruption.”

The next example shows an effect essay, one that would explain all the effects that happened after a specific event, like a volcanic eruption.

If this effect essay were about a volcanic eruption again, it might go something like this:

“The eruption caused many terrible things to happen; it destroyed homes, forests, and polluted the atmosphere.”

Examples:A narrative essay could tell of . . .

The narrative essay tells a story. It can also be called a “short story.” Generally, the narrative essay is conversational in style and tells of a personal experience. It is most commonly written in the first person (uses I ). This essay could tell of a single, life-shaping event, or simply a mundane daily experience.

Examples: A process essay may explain . . .

A process essay describes how something is done. It generally explains actions that should be performed in a series. It can explain in detail how to accomplish a specific task, or it can show how an individual came to a certain personal awareness. The essay could be in the form of step-by-step instructions, or in story form, with the instructions/explanations subtly given along the way.

Argumentative:

Examples: An argumentative essay may persuade a reader that . . .

An argumentative essay is one that attempts to persuade the reader to the writer’s point of view. The writer can either be serious or funny, but always tries to convince the reader of the validity of his or her opinion. The essay may argue openly, or it may attempt to subtly persuade the reader by using irony or sarcasm.

Examples: A critical essay may analyze . . .

A critical essay analyzes the strengths, weaknesses, and methods of someone else’s work. Generally, these essays begin with a brief overview of the main points of the text, movie, or piece of art, followed by an analysis of the work’s meaning. It should then discuss how well the author/creator accomplishes his/her goals and makes his/her points. A critical essay can be written about another essay, story, book, poem, movie, or work of art.

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Types of Essays: A Comprehensive Guide to Writing Different Essay Types

When it comes to academic writing, essays are one of the most common assignments you will encounter. Essays are a way for you to showcase your understanding of a particular topic, and they come in various forms. Each type of essay has its unique characteristics, and it is essential to understand the differences between them to produce a well-written piece. In this article, we will explore the different types of essays you may encounter in your academic journey.

Types of Essays: Your Ultimate Guide to Essay Writing

Types of Essays: A Comprehensive Guide to Writing Different Essay Types

Understanding Essays

Definition of essay.

An essay is a piece of writing that presents an argument or a point of view on a particular topic. It is a formal piece of writing that is usually written in the third person and is structured into paragraphs. Essays can be written on a variety of topics, ranging from literature to science, and can be of different lengths. They are often used in academic settings to assess a student’s understanding of a particular subject.

Purpose of Essay

The purpose of an essay is to persuade the reader to accept the writer’s point of view. Essays can be used to argue for or against a particular position, to explain a concept, or to analyze a text. The writer must provide evidence to support their argument and must use persuasive language to convince the reader of their position.

There are four main types of essays: argumentative, expository, narrative, and descriptive. Each type of essay has its own unique characteristics and is written for a different purpose. Understanding the different types of essays is essential for writing a successful essay.

Types of Essays

Narrative essay.

A narrative essay is a type of essay that tells a story. It is often written in the first person point of view, and it can be either fictional or non-fictional. This type of essay allows you to express yourself in a creative and personal way.

When writing a narrative essay, it is important to have a clear and concise thesis statement that sets the tone for the rest of the essay. The thesis statement should be specific and should reflect the main point of the essay. It should also be interesting and engaging to the reader.

One of the key elements of a successful narrative essay is the use of vivid and descriptive language. This helps to create a clear picture in the reader’s mind and makes the story more engaging. Additionally, it is important to use dialogue to bring the characters to life and to show their emotions and personalities.

Another important aspect of a narrative essay is the structure. It should have a clear beginning, middle, and end, and the events should be presented in chronological order. This helps the reader to follow the story and understand the sequence of events.

Descriptive Essay

In a descriptive essay, you are required to describe something, such as an event, a person, a place, a situation, or an object. The primary objective of a descriptive essay is to provide a detailed and vivid description of the topic. By using sensory details, such as sight, sound, touch, smell, and taste, you can create a picture in the reader’s mind and make them feel as if they are experiencing the topic themselves.

When writing a descriptive essay, it is important to choose a topic that you are familiar with and have a personal connection to. This will help you to convey your emotions and feelings effectively and make your essay more engaging and interesting to the reader.

To write a successful descriptive essay, you should follow these steps:

Choose a topic that you are passionate about and have a personal connection to.
Brainstorm and create an outline of your essay, including the main points you want to cover and the sensory details you will use.
Use sensory details to create a vivid and engaging picture in the reader’s mind.
Use figurative language, such as metaphors and similes, to add depth and complexity to your descriptions.
Use transitions to connect your ideas and create a smooth flow of information.
Revise and edit your essay to ensure that it is well-structured, organized, and error-free.

Expository Essay

An expository essay is a type of academic writing that aims to explain, describe, or inform the reader about a particular subject. This type of essay is based on facts, evidence, and examples, and it does not require the writer’s personal opinion or feelings. Expository essays can be written in various styles, including compare and contrast, cause and effect, and problem and solution.

Compare and Contrast Essay

A compare and contrast essay is a type of expository writing that involves comparing and contrasting two or more subjects. This type of essay aims to provide the reader with a better understanding of the similarities and differences between the subjects being compared. To write a successful compare and contrast essay, you need to identify the similarities and differences between the subjects, organize your ideas, and provide supporting evidence.

Cause and Effect Essay

A cause and effect essay is a type of expository writing that explores the causes and consequences of a particular event, situation, or phenomenon. This type of essay aims to explain the reasons behind a particular occurrence and its effects on individuals, society, or the environment. To write a successful cause and effect essay, you need to identify the causes and effects of the subject, organize your ideas, and provide supporting evidence.

Problem and Solution Essay

A problem and solution essay is a type of expository writing that focuses on a particular problem and proposes a solution to it. This type of essay aims to inform the reader about a particular issue and provide a viable solution to it. To write a successful problem and solution essay, you need to identify the problem, explain its causes, propose a solution, and provide supporting evidence.

Persuasive Essay

A persuasive essay is a type of academic writing that aims to persuade the reader to accept the writer’s point of view. In this type of essay, the writer presents their argument and supports it with evidence and reasoning to convince the reader to take action or believe in a particular idea.

To write a persuasive essay, you must first choose a topic that you are passionate about and can argue convincingly. Then, you need to research the topic thoroughly and gather evidence to support your argument. You should also consider the opposing viewpoint and address it in your essay to strengthen your argument.

The structure of a persuasive essay is similar to that of other types of essays. It consists of an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. In the introduction, you should grab the reader’s attention and clearly state your thesis statement. The body paragraphs should present your argument and evidence, and the conclusion should summarize your argument and restate your thesis statement.

To make your persuasive essay more effective, you can use various persuasive writing strategies, such as appealing to the reader’s emotions, using rhetorical questions, and using vivid language. You can also use statistics, facts, and examples to support your argument and make it more convincing.

Argumentative Essay

An argumentative essay is a type of essay that requires you to present a well-researched and evidence-based argument on a particular topic. The aim of this essay is to convince the reader of your stance on the topic by using logical reasoning and factual evidence.

To write an effective argumentative essay, it is important to have a clear and concise thesis statement that presents your position on the topic. This statement should be supported by strong evidence, such as quotations, statistics, and expert opinions. It is also important to consider and address potential counterarguments to your position.

One key aspect of an argumentative essay is the use of logical fallacies. These are errors in reasoning that can weaken your argument and make it less convincing. Some common logical fallacies include ad hominem attacks, false dichotomies, and straw man arguments. It is important to avoid these fallacies and instead rely on sound reasoning and evidence to support your argument.

When writing an argumentative essay, it is also important to consider your audience. Your tone and language should be appropriate for your intended audience, and you should anticipate and address any potential objections or concerns they may have about your argument.

Analytical Essay

An analytical essay is a type of academic writing that involves breaking down a complex topic or idea into smaller parts to examine it thoroughly. The purpose of this essay is to provide a detailed analysis of a particular subject and to present an argument based on the evidence gathered during the research.

When writing an analytical essay, it is crucial to have a clear thesis statement that outlines the main argument of the essay. The thesis statement should be specific and concise, and it should be supported by evidence from primary and secondary sources.

To write an effective analytical essay, you should follow these steps:

Choose a topic that interests you and that you can research thoroughly.
Conduct research to gather relevant information and evidence to support your thesis statement.
Create an outline to organize your ideas and arguments.
Write an introduction that provides background information on the topic and presents your thesis statement.
Develop body paragraphs that provide evidence to support your thesis statement.
Write a conclusion that summarizes your main points and restates your thesis statement.

When writing an analytical essay, it is important to focus on the analysis rather than just summarizing the information. You should critically evaluate the evidence and present your own interpretation of the data.

Critical Essay

A critical essay is a type of academic writing that involves analyzing, interpreting, and evaluating a text. In a critical essay, you must make a claim about how particular ideas or themes are conveyed in a text, and then support that claim with evidence from primary and/or secondary sources.

To write a successful critical essay, you must first read the text carefully and take notes on its main ideas and themes. You should also consider the author’s purpose and audience, as well as any historical or cultural context that may be relevant to the text.

When writing your critical essay, you should follow a clear and logical structure. Begin with an introduction that provides background information on the text and your thesis statement. In the body of your essay, you should provide evidence to support your thesis, using quotes and examples from the text as well as other sources.

It is important to be critical in your analysis, examining the text in detail and considering its strengths and weaknesses. You should also consider alternative interpretations and counterarguments, and address them in your essay.

Reflective Essay

A reflective essay is a type of academic essay that requires you to analyze and interpret an academic text, such as an essay, a book, or an article. Unlike a personal experience essay, a reflective essay involves critical thinking and evaluation of the material.

In a reflective essay, you are expected to reflect on your own learning and experiences related to the material. This type of essay requires you to think deeply about the material and analyze how it relates to your own experiences and knowledge.

To write a successful reflective essay, you should follow these steps:

Choose a topic that is relevant to the material you are reflecting on.
Analyze the material and identify key themes and concepts.
Reflect on your own experiences and knowledge related to the material.
Evaluate and analyze the material and your own experiences to draw conclusions and insights.
Write a clear and concise essay that effectively communicates your reflections and insights.

Remember that a reflective essay is not just a summary of the material, but rather an analysis and evaluation of it. Use examples and evidence to support your reflections and insights, and be sure to use proper citation and referencing to acknowledge the sources of your information.

Personal Essay

A personal essay is a type of essay that involves telling a story about yourself, your experiences, or your feelings. It is often written in the first person point of view and can be a powerful way to share your unique perspective with others.

Personal essays can be used for a variety of purposes, such as college admissions, scholarship applications, or simply to share your thoughts and experiences with a wider audience. They can cover a wide range of topics, from personal struggles and triumphs to reflections on important life events.

When writing a personal essay, it is important to keep in mind that you are telling a story. This means that you should focus on creating a narrative that is engaging and compelling for your readers. You should also be honest and authentic in your writing, sharing your true thoughts and feelings with your audience.

To make your personal essay even more effective, consider incorporating descriptive language, vivid imagery, and sensory details. This can help bring your story to life and make it more memorable for your readers.

Synthesis Essay

A synthesis essay is a type of essay that requires you to combine information from multiple sources to create a cohesive argument. This type of essay is often used in academic writing and requires you to analyze, interpret, and evaluate information from various sources to support your thesis statement.

There are two main types of synthesis essays: explanatory and argumentative. An explanatory synthesis essay aims to explain a particular topic or issue by using different sources to provide a comprehensive overview. On the other hand, an argumentative synthesis essay requires you to take a stance on a particular issue and use evidence from multiple sources to support your argument.

When writing a synthesis essay, it is important to carefully analyze and interpret each source to ensure that the information you are using is relevant and accurate. You should also consider the credibility of each source and evaluate the author’s bias or perspective.

To effectively write a synthesis essay, you should follow a clear structure that includes an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. The introduction should provide background information on the topic and include a clear thesis statement. The body paragraphs should each focus on a specific aspect of the topic and provide evidence from multiple sources to support your argument. The conclusion should summarize your main points and restate your thesis statement.

Review Essay

A review essay is a type of academic writing that involves analyzing and evaluating a piece of work, such as a book, movie, or article. This type of essay requires you to provide a critical assessment of the work, highlighting its strengths and weaknesses. A successful review essay should provide the reader with a clear understanding of the work being reviewed and your opinion of it.

When writing a review essay, it is important to keep in mind the following guidelines:

Length: A review essay should be between 1,000 and 1,500 words. This length allows for a thorough analysis of the text without becoming bogged down in details. Of course, the specific length will vary depending on the nature of the text being reviewed and the desired focus of the essay.
Structure: A review essay should follow a clear and logical structure. Start with an introduction that provides some background information on the work being reviewed and your thesis statement. The body of the essay should provide a summary of the work and a critical analysis of its strengths and weaknesses. Finally, end with a conclusion that summarizes your main points and provides your final thoughts on the work.
Evidence: A successful review essay should be supported by evidence from the work being reviewed. This can include direct quotes or paraphrases, as well as examples that illustrate your points.
Critical Thinking: A review essay requires you to engage in critical thinking. This means that you must evaluate the work being reviewed in a thoughtful and analytical manner, considering both its strengths and weaknesses.

Research Essay

When it comes to writing a research essay, you must conduct in-depth independent research and provide analysis, interpretation, and argument based on your findings. This type of essay requires extensive research, critical thinking, source evaluation, organization, and composition.

To write a successful research essay, you must follow a specific structure. Here are some key components to include:

Introduction

The introduction should provide a brief overview of your research topic and state your thesis statement. Your thesis statement should clearly state your argument and the main points you will cover in your essay.

Literature Review

The literature review is a critical analysis of the existing research on your topic. It should provide a summary of the relevant literature, identify gaps in the research, and highlight the significance of your study.

Methodology

The methodology section should describe the methods you used to conduct your research. This may include data collection methods, sample size, and any limitations of your study.

The results section should present your findings in a clear and concise manner. You may use tables, graphs, or other visual aids to help convey your results.

The discussion section should interpret your results and provide a critical analysis of your findings. You should also discuss the implications of your research and how it contributes to the existing literature on your topic.

The conclusion should summarize your main findings and restate your thesis statement. You should also discuss the limitations of your study and suggest avenues for future research.

Report Essay

A report essay is a type of essay that presents and summarizes factual information about a particular topic, event, or issue. The purpose of a report essay is to provide readers with a clear and concise understanding of the subject matter. It is important to note that a report essay is not an opinion piece, but rather a neutral presentation of facts.

When writing a report essay, it is important to follow a structured format. The typical format includes an introduction, body, and conclusion. The introduction should provide background information on the topic and state the purpose of the report. The body should present the facts in a logical and organized manner, using headings and subheadings to help readers navigate the information. The conclusion should summarize the key findings and provide any recommendations or conclusions.

One of the key elements of a report essay is research. It is essential to conduct thorough research on the topic to ensure that the information presented is accurate and reliable. This may involve reviewing academic articles, government reports, and other sources of information. It is also important to cite all sources used in the report essay using a recognized citation style, such as APA or MLA.

Informal Essay

An informal essay, also known as a familiar or personal essay, is a type of essay that is written in a personal tone and style. This type of essay is often written as a reflection or commentary on a personal experience, opinion, or observation. Informal essays are usually shorter than formal essays and are often written in a conversational style.

In an informal essay, you are free to use first-person pronouns and to express your personal opinions and feelings. However, you should still strive to maintain a clear and concise writing style and to support your arguments with evidence and examples.

Informal essays can take many forms, including personal narratives, anecdotes, and reflections on current events or social issues. They can also be humorous or satirical in nature, and may include elements of fiction or creative writing.

When writing an informal essay, it is important to keep your audience in mind and to use language and examples that will be familiar and relatable to them. You should also be aware of your tone and style, and strive to create a voice that is engaging and authentic.

Short Essay

When it comes to writing a short essay, it is essential to convey your thoughts and ideas in a concise and clear manner. Short essays are usually assigned in the range of 250-750 words, and occasionally up to 1,000 words. Therefore, it is important to focus on the most important elements of your topic.

To write a successful short essay, you should start by selecting a topic that is interesting and relevant. Once you have chosen your topic, you should conduct thorough research to gather evidence and support for your argument. This will help you to develop a clear and concise thesis statement.

When writing your short essay, it is important to structure your ideas in a logical and coherent manner. You should start with an introduction that provides background information and a clear thesis statement. The body of your essay should be structured around your main points, with each paragraph focusing on a specific idea or argument. Finally, you should conclude your essay by summarizing your main points and restating your thesis statement.

To make your short essay more engaging and impactful, you may want to consider using bullet points, tables, and other formatting techniques to convey your ideas more clearly. Additionally, you should use strong and clear language, avoiding jargon and unnecessary words.

When it comes to academic writing, a long essay is a common type of assignment that you may encounter. This type of essay typically requires you to conduct extensive research and analysis on a specific topic.

The length of a long essay can vary depending on the assignment requirements, but it is usually longer than a standard essay. In general, a long essay can range from 2,500 to 5,000 words or more.

To write a successful long essay, it is important to have a clear understanding of the topic and to conduct thorough research. This may involve reading academic articles, books, and other sources to gather information and support your arguments.

In addition to research, a long essay should also have a clear and well-structured argument. This may involve outlining your main points and supporting evidence, as well as addressing any counterarguments or potential weaknesses in your argument.

Overall, a long essay requires a significant amount of time and effort to complete. However, by following a clear structure and conducting thorough research, you can produce a well-written and persuasive essay that meets the requirements of your assignment.

Some tips for writing a successful long essay include:

Start early to give yourself enough time to research and write
Break down the assignment into manageable sections
Use clear and concise language
Provide sufficient evidence to support your arguments
Use proper citation and referencing to avoid plagiarism

Five Paragraph Essay

If you are a student, you have likely been assigned a five-paragraph essay at some point. This type of essay is commonly used in high school and college writing classes. The five-paragraph essay is a structured format that consists of an introduction, three body paragraphs, and a conclusion.

The introduction paragraph is where you present your thesis statement, which is the main idea or argument that you will discuss in your essay. This paragraph should grab the reader’s attention and provide some background information about the topic. It should also include a clear thesis statement that outlines what you will be discussing in the essay.

The three body paragraphs are where you provide evidence to support your thesis statement. Each paragraph should focus on a single point that supports your thesis. You should use specific examples and evidence to back up your claims. Each paragraph should also include a transition sentence that connects it to the next paragraph.

The conclusion paragraph is where you wrap up your essay and restate your thesis statement. This paragraph should summarize the main points of your essay and leave the reader with a clear understanding of your argument. You should avoid introducing any new information in the conclusion paragraph.

Scholarship Essay

A scholarship essay is a crucial document that can help you secure financial aid for your academic pursuits. It is a written statement that highlights your qualifications, accomplishments, and goals. Scholarship essays are typically required by organizations that offer scholarships to students. The essay is meant to help the organization understand why you are deserving of the scholarship and how it will help you achieve your academic and career goals.

To write an effective scholarship essay, it is important to understand the prompt and the organization offering the scholarship. Many scholarship essay prompts are open-ended, which means that you can write about any topic that is relevant to you. However, it is important to ensure that your essay is aligned with the values and goals of the scholarship organization.

When writing a scholarship essay, it is important to be concise and clear. Use simple language and avoid jargon or technical terms that the reader may not understand. Make sure that your essay is well-structured and organized, with a clear introduction, body, and conclusion. Use headings and subheadings to make your essay easy to read and navigate.

To make your scholarship essay stand out, use specific examples and anecdotes that demonstrate your qualifications and accomplishments. Use concrete details and avoid generalizations. Be honest and authentic, and avoid exaggerating or making false claims. Finally, proofread your essay carefully to ensure that it is free of errors and typos.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the different types of academic essays?

There are four main types of academic essays: argumentative, expository, narrative, and descriptive. Each type has its own unique purpose and structure, and it’s important to understand the differences between them in order to write effectively.

What are the parts of a standard essay?

A standard essay typically consists of three main parts: an introduction, a body, and a conclusion. The introduction should provide background information on the topic and include a thesis statement that outlines the main argument of the essay. The body should present evidence and support for the thesis statement, and the conclusion should summarize the main points and restate the thesis in a new way.

Can you provide examples of different types of essays?

Sure, here are some examples of each type of essay:

Argumentative: An essay that presents a clear argument on a controversial topic, such as gun control or abortion.
Expository: An essay that explains or describes a topic, such as how to bake a cake or the history of the Civil War.
Narrative: An essay that tells a story, such as a personal experience or a fictional tale.
Descriptive: An essay that uses sensory details to paint a picture of a person, place, or thing, such as a description of a sunset or a character in a novel.

How do you write a narrative essay?

To write a narrative essay, you should first choose a topic that is meaningful to you and has a clear beginning, middle, and end. Then, you should use descriptive language and sensory details to bring the story to life for the reader. Finally, you should reflect on the experience and what you learned from it.

What are the four main types of essays?

The four main types of essays are argumentative, expository, narrative, and descriptive. Each type has its own unique purpose and structure, and it’s important to understand the differences between them in order to write effectively.

What are the three parts of the essay format?

The three parts of the essay format are the introduction, the body, and the conclusion. The introduction should provide background information on the topic and include a thesis statement that outlines the main argument of the essay. The body should present evidence and support for the thesis statement, and the conclusion should summarize the main points and restate the thesis in a new way.

Last Updated on August 31, 2023

Synthesis Essay Examples to Help You Ace Your Writing Assignment

Essays | Definition, Types, Examples, & Facts About Them

Essays, a cornerstone of written expression, have long been revered for their ability to encapsulate a writer’s viewpoint, unleash persuasive arguments, and invite readers into a captivating realm of thought. As versatile as they are profound, essays hold the power to inform, persuade, and entertain, making them an invaluable medium of communication. In this illuminating exploration, we embark on a journey that unravels the essence of the essay, dissecting its multifaceted nature, exploring its diverse types, and uncovering the intricate tapestry of this popular form of written expression . Join us as we traverse the labyrinth of ideas, guided by the powerful words that shape our understanding and transform mere thoughts into transformative narratives.

What is an essay?

An essay, a literary composition that serves as a medium for expressing a writer’s thoughts, ideas, or arguments on a particular subject, holds a prominent position in the realm of written expression. Within the confines of its structure, the essay grants authors the opportunity to present their unique perspective and offer insightful analysis on topics of interest. Covering a wide range of subjects, including literature, history, science, philosophy, and more, essays embody the essence of communication, bridging the gap between writers and readers. Through the written word , essays become vehicles for conveying knowledge and sharing personal opinions, fostering an exchange of ideas that enriches our understanding of the world.

Types of essays

Essays come in various forms, each with its own unique characteristics and purposes. Some of the common types of essays include argumentative essays, expository essays, narrative essays, and descriptive essays. Let’s explore each type in detail.
Argumentative essays require the writer to present a strong argument and support it with credible evidence. The goal is to convince the reader to adopt a specific viewpoint or take a particular course of action.
Expository essays aim to explain or describe a topic in a clear and concise manner. They provide information, facts, and analysis without expressing personal opinions.
Narrative essays tell a story, often based on personal experiences or events. They engage the reader through vivid storytelling and evoke emotions while conveying a central message .
Descriptive essays focus on painting a detailed picture of a person, place, object, or event. They use sensory language and vivid descriptions to create a vivid and engaging experience for the reader.
In addition to these essay types, there are various other aspects related to writing and the writing process. Writing prompts can provide inspiration and ideas for writers who may be stuck or seeking new avenues to explore. They serve as a starting point to unleash creativity and engage in free writing exercises.
Writing a book is a daunting yet rewarding endeavor for aspiring authors. It requires dedication, planning, and a clear understanding of the writing process. Writing prompts can also be beneficial in generating ideas for a book and overcoming writer’s block.
Essay writing involves following a structured process that includes brainstorming, outlining, drafting, revising, and editing. It is important to develop strong writing skills to effectively communicate ideas and engage readers.
Creative writing is an outlet for self-expression, allowing writers to explore their imagination and craft compelling stories. Writing prompts specifically designed for creative writing can spark inspiration and push writers to think outside the box.
Content writing is a skill required in various professional settings, such as blogging, website content creation, and marketing. Writers in this field must have a strong command of language and the ability to adapt their writing style to different purposes and target audiences.
There are numerous writing apps and websites available to assist writers in their creative process, providing tools for organization, brainstorming, and editing. These resources can enhance productivity and streamline the writing workflow.
Whether writing fiction or nonfiction, short stories or novels, writers need to develop their skills and find their unique voice. Practice, dedication, and feedback from writing communities can contribute to the growth and improvement of a writer. Therefore, writing encompasses a vast array of forms and purposes. From argumentative and expository essays to narrative and descriptive essays, each type serves a distinct function. Writing prompts, the writing process, and various resources support writers in their creative endeavors. So, grab a pen, embrace your imagination, and let your words flow freely as you embark on your writing journey .

Examples of essays

To better comprehend the diverse facets of writing, let’s delve into a plethora of writing forms:

Argumentative essay: “Should the Death Penalty Be Abolished?” This thought-provoking and contentious essay artfully presents compelling arguments concerning the ethical, legal, and societal implications surrounding the abolishment of the death penalty. By meticulously examining both sides of the debate, it invites readers to engage in critical thinking and fosters a profound discussion on this highly contested topic.
Expository essay: “The History of the Essay” Embarking on a captivating journey through time, this expository essay meticulously traces the origins and evolution of the essay as a distinct literary form. It chronicles the contributions of influential essayists throughout the ages, delving into their profound impact on the development and transformation of this genre. By providing a comprehensive historical overview, this essay enlightens readers about the captivating evolution of essay writing.
Narrative essay: “My First Day of School” With heartfelt sincerity, this deeply personal narrative essay artfully captures the writer’s vivid experiences and raw emotions during their momentous first day of school. It immerses readers in a poignant recollection of the writer’s excitement, nervousness, and eager anticipation, effortlessly conveying the universal significance of this memorable milestone in one’s life.
Descriptive essay: “The Smell of Rain” Through skillful and evocative language, this descriptive essay skillfully harnesses the power of words to paint a vivid sensory experience for the reader. By masterfully portraying the unique aroma and ambiance that accompanies rainfall, it transports readers into a captivating scene, igniting their senses and eliciting a cascade of memories and emotions associated with the rain’s intoxicating scent.

Facts about essays

Here are some essential facts to know about essays:

Essays, in their diverse forms, serve as a profound means of conveying viewpoints, capturing thoughts, and presenting compelling arguments on a myriad of topics. They offer a rich and expansive platform for individuals to express their perspectives, ideas, and emotions, engaging readers in an enlightening journey of exploration and discourse.
When it comes to essays, their purpose extends beyond a mere conveyance of information. They possess the power to inform, persuade, and entertain, each essay crafted with a specific intention in mind. The chosen purpose guides the tone, style, and structure of the essay, shaping its form and impact on the reader.
As we embark on an in-depth exploration of the art of essay writing, it becomes evident that essays are not limited to a singular template. They come in various shapes and sizes, each tailored to suit the specific needs and objectives of the author. From scholarly dissertations to personal reflections, from investigative reports to creative narratives, essays manifest in a multitude of forms, transcending the boundaries of conventional communication.
Delving into the structure of an essay, we find a well-established framework that encompasses three fundamental components: the introduction, body, and conclusion. In the introductory section, a carefully crafted thesis statement emerges, serving as the cornerstone of the essay. This concise yet powerful statement encapsulates the core idea that will be expounded upon and explored throughout the essay, laying the groundwork for the ensuing discourse.
Moving onward to the body of the essay, a wealth of supporting evidence and analysis takes center stage. This is where the author’s expertise, research, and critical thinking skills converge, unveiling a tapestry of compelling arguments, vivid examples, and thought-provoking insights. Each paragraph within the body delves into a specific aspect, presenting a coherent progression of ideas that reinforce the central thesis statement. By employing a variety of rhetorical devices, such as logical reasoning, persuasive appeals, and meticulous analysis, the author endeavors to captivate the reader’s attention and elicit a profound intellectual engagement.
Finally, the essay culminates in its conclusion, a pivotal segment that synthesizes the main ideas and reaffirms the thesis statement. Here, the author skillfull y weaves together the threads of their arguments, providing a concise summary of the key points and leaving a lasting impression on the reader’s mind. The conclusion serves as the ultimate opportunity for the author to leave a thought-provoking parting note, leaving the reader with a sense of closure and a lingering contemplation of the essay’s significance.
Now, as we embark on an exploration of various types of essays, we are presented with a myriad of opportunities to delve deeper into the art of expression and persuasion. Whether it is the argumentative essay, where the author passionately presents their stance on a controversial topic, skillfully navigating the intricate web of ethical, legal, and societal considerations, or the expository essay, where the author assumes the role of a knowledgeable guide, leading the reader through the rich tapestry of history and evolution of the essay as a literary form, each type offers a distinct flavor of engagement and intellectual stimulation.
The narrative essay, with its captivating storytelling prowess, invites the reader into the intimate realm of personal experiences. Through vivid descriptions and heartfelt reflections, the writer transports the reader to pivotal moments, such as the exhilarating first day of school, where emotions run high and new beginnings unfold. These narratives weave together a tapestry of emotions, painting a vivid picture that resonates with readers on a deeply personal level.
Meanwhile, the descriptive essay unleashes the power of sensory language, enveloping the reader in a sensory experience that transcends the boundaries of mere words. One such example is the evocative portrayal of the unique aroma and ethereal atmosphere that accompanies rainfall. Through skillful word choice and vibrant imagery , the writer recreates the essence of the rain’s scent, transporting the reader to a world where memories are revived and emotions are rekindled.
As we conclude this exploration of essays, we are reminded of their immense potential to enlighten, provoke thought, and stir emotions. They serve as a testament to the power of language, allowing us to connect, communicate, and understand one another on a deeper level. So, whether it is the quest for knowledge, the pursuit of change, or the simple pleasure of immersing oneself in a captivating narrative, essays stand as timeless vehicles for human expression, shaping our collective understanding and fostering a world enriched by the power of words.

Essays offer a diverse range of literary expression, enabling writers to convey their thoughts and ideas effectively. From the persuasive arguments of argumentative essays to the informative nature of expository essays, the captivating narratives of narrative essays, and the vivid descriptions of descriptive essays, each genre brings its own distinct qualities and purposes. As writers, we have the power to choose the essay form that best suits our intentions , engaging readers and leaving a lasting impact. So, let your creativity flow and explore the world of essays, embracing the richness of each genre’s unique storytelling techniques and captivating readers with your words.

Also, essays are a versatile form of writing that can be used for a variety of purposes. By understanding the different types of essays and how to write them effectively, you can improve your writing skills and communicate your ideas more effectively. Remember to choose a topic of interest, conduct thorough research, organize your thoughts, and craft a clear and concise introduction. Support your arguments with evidence and personal experience, and conclude your essay by summarizing the main points and restating the thesis. Finally, proofread your work meticulously to ensure clarity and coherence. Embrace the power of essays as a medium to express your thoughts, inform others, and engage in meaningful discussions.

If you find yourself in need of assistance with your essays or seeking expert guidance, consider bringing your essays to GradeSmiths . With their team of experienced writers and editors, GradeSmiths can provide valuable feedback, editing services, and guidance to help you refine your essays to their fullest potential. Whether you need help with structure, grammar, or overall content, GradeSmiths can be a valuable resource on your writing journey .

So, as you embark on your essay-writing endeavors, remember the power and impact of this form of expression. Embrace the opportunity to share your ideas, educate others, and inspire thoughtful discussions. And when you require extra support, don’t hesitate to seek assistance from professionals like GradeSmiths. With their expertise, your essays can truly shine and make a lasting impression.

Happy writing and best of luck with your future essays!

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What is an Essay?

10 May, 2020

11 minutes read

Author: Tomas White

Well, beyond a jumble of words usually around 2,000 words or so - what is an essay, exactly? Whether you’re taking English, sociology, history, biology, art, or a speech class, it’s likely you’ll have to write an essay or two. So how is an essay different than a research paper or a review? Let’s find out!

Defining the Term – What is an Essay?

The essay is a written piece that is designed to present an idea, propose an argument, express the emotion or initiate debate. It is a tool that is used to present writer’s ideas in a non-fictional way. Multiple applications of this type of writing go way beyond, providing political manifestos and art criticism as well as personal observations and reflections of the author.

An essay can be as short as 500 words, it can also be 5000 words or more. However, most essays fall somewhere around 1000 to 3000 words ; this word range provides the writer enough space to thoroughly develop an argument and work to convince the reader of the author’s perspective regarding a particular issue. The topics of essays are boundless: they can range from the best form of government to the benefits of eating peppermint leaves daily. As a professional provider of custom writing, our service has helped thousands of customers to turn in essays in various forms and disciplines.

Origins of the Essay

Over the course of more than six centuries essays were used to question assumptions, argue trivial opinions and to initiate global discussions. Let’s have a closer look into historical progress and various applications of this literary phenomenon to find out exactly what it is.

Today’s modern word “essay” can trace its roots back to the French “essayer” which translates closely to mean “to attempt” . This is an apt name for this writing form because the essay’s ultimate purpose is to attempt to convince the audience of something. An essay’s topic can range broadly and include everything from the best of Shakespeare’s plays to the joys of April.

The essay comes in many shapes and sizes; it can focus on a personal experience or a purely academic exploration of a topic. Essays are classified as a subjective writing form because while they include expository elements, they can rely on personal narratives to support the writer’s viewpoint. The essay genre includes a diverse array of academic writings ranging from literary criticism to meditations on the natural world. Most typically, the essay exists as a shorter writing form; essays are rarely the length of a novel. However, several historic examples, such as John Locke’s seminal work “An Essay Concerning Human Understanding” just shows that a well-organized essay can be as long as a novel.

The Essay in Literature

The essay enjoys a long and renowned history in literature. They first began gaining in popularity in the early 16 th century, and their popularity has continued today both with original writers and ghost writers. Many readers prefer this short form in which the writer seems to speak directly to the reader, presenting a particular claim and working to defend it through a variety of means. Not sure if you’ve ever read a great essay? You wouldn’t believe how many pieces of literature are actually nothing less than essays, or evolved into more complex structures from the essay. Check out this list of literary favorites:

The Book of My Lives by Aleksandar Hemon
Notes of a Native Son by James Baldwin
Against Interpretation by Susan Sontag
High-Tide in Tucson: Essays from Now and Never by Barbara Kingsolver
Slouching Toward Bethlehem by Joan Didion
Naked by David Sedaris
Walden; or, Life in the Woods by Henry David Thoreau

Pretty much as long as writers have had something to say, they’ve created essays to communicate their viewpoint on pretty much any topic you can think of!

The Essay in Academics

Not only are students required to read a variety of essays during their academic education, but they will likely be required to write several different kinds of essays throughout their scholastic career. Don’t love to write? Then consider working with a ghost essay writer ! While all essays require an introduction, body paragraphs in support of the argumentative thesis statement, and a conclusion, academic essays can take several different formats in the way they approach a topic. Common essays required in high school, college, and post-graduate classes include:

Five paragraph essay

This is the most common type of a formal essay. The type of paper that students are usually exposed to when they first hear about the concept of the essay itself. It follows easy outline structure – an opening introduction paragraph; three body paragraphs to expand the thesis; and conclusion to sum it up.

Argumentative essay

These essays are commonly assigned to explore a controversial issue. The goal is to identify the major positions on either side and work to support the side the writer agrees with while refuting the opposing side’s potential arguments.

Compare and Contrast essay

This essay compares two items, such as two poems, and works to identify similarities and differences, discussing the strength and weaknesses of each. This essay can focus on more than just two items, however. The point of this essay is to reveal new connections the reader may not have considered previously.

Definition essay

This essay has a sole purpose – defining a term or a concept in as much detail as possible. Sounds pretty simple, right? Well, not quite. The most important part of the process is picking up the word. Before zooming it up under the microscope, make sure to choose something roomy so you can define it under multiple angles. The definition essay outline will reflect those angles and scopes.

Descriptive essay

Perhaps the most fun to write, this essay focuses on describing its subject using all five of the senses. The writer aims to fully describe the topic; for example, a descriptive essay could aim to describe the ocean to someone who’s never seen it or the job of a teacher. Descriptive essays rely heavily on detail and the paragraphs can be organized by sense.

Illustration essay

The purpose of this essay is to describe an idea, occasion or a concept with the help of clear and vocal examples. “Illustration” itself is handled in the body paragraphs section. Each of the statements, presented in the essay needs to be supported with several examples. Illustration essay helps the author to connect with his audience by breaking the barriers with real-life examples – clear and indisputable.

Informative Essay

Being one the basic essay types, the informative essay is as easy as it sounds from a technical standpoint. High school is where students usually encounter with informative essay first time. The purpose of this paper is to describe an idea, concept or any other abstract subject with the help of proper research and a generous amount of storytelling.

Narrative essay

This type of essay focuses on describing a certain event or experience, most often chronologically. It could be a historic event or an ordinary day or month in a regular person’s life. Narrative essay proclaims a free approach to writing it, therefore it does not always require conventional attributes, like the outline. The narrative itself typically unfolds through a personal lens, and is thus considered to be a subjective form of writing.

Persuasive essay

The purpose of the persuasive essay is to provide the audience with a 360-view on the concept idea or certain topic – to persuade the reader to adopt a certain viewpoint. The viewpoints can range widely from why visiting the dentist is important to why dogs make the best pets to why blue is the best color. Strong, persuasive language is a defining characteristic of this essay type.

The Essay in Art

Several other artistic mediums have adopted the essay as a means of communicating with their audience. In the visual arts, such as painting or sculpting, the rough sketches of the final product are sometimes deemed essays. Likewise, directors may opt to create a film essay which is similar to a documentary in that it offers a personal reflection on a relevant issue. Finally, photographers often create photographic essays in which they use a series of photographs to tell a story, similar to a narrative or a descriptive essay.

Drawing the line – question answered

“What is an Essay?” is quite a polarizing question. On one hand, it can easily be answered in a couple of words. On the other, it is surely the most profound and self-established type of content there ever was. Going back through the history of the last five-six centuries helps us understand where did it come from and how it is being applied ever since.

If you must write an essay, follow these five important steps to works towards earning the “A” you want:

Understand and review the kind of essay you must write
Brainstorm your argument
Find research from reliable sources to support your perspective
Cite all sources parenthetically within the paper and on the Works Cited page
Follow all grammatical rules

Generally speaking, when you must write any type of essay, start sooner rather than later! Don’t procrastinate – give yourself time to develop your perspective and work on crafting a unique and original approach to the topic. Remember: it’s always a good idea to have another set of eyes (or three) look over your essay before handing in the final draft to your teacher or professor. Don’t trust your fellow classmates? Consider hiring an editor or a ghostwriter to help out!

If you are still unsure on whether you can cope with your task – you are in the right place to get help. HandMadeWriting is the perfect answer to the question “Who can write my essay?”

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What Are the Different Types and Characteristics of Essays?

An Introduction to Punctuation
Ph.D., Rhetoric and English, University of Georgia
M.A., Modern English and American Literature, University of Leicester
B.A., English, State University of New York

The term essay comes from the French for "trial" or "attempt." French author Michel de Montaigne coined the term when he assigned the title Essais to his first publication in 1580. In "Montaigne: A Biography" (1984), Donald Frame notes that Montaigne "often used the verb essayer (in modern French, normally to try ) in ways close to his project, related to experience, with the sense of trying out or testing."

An essay is a short work of nonfiction , while a writer of essays is called an essayist. In writing instruction, essay is often used as another word for composition . In an essay, an authorial voice (or narrator ) typically invites an implied reader (the audience ) to accept as authentic a certain textual mode of experience.

Definitions and Observations

"[An essay is a] composition , usually in prose .., which may be of only a few hundred words (like Bacon's "Essays") or of book length (like Locke's "Essay Concerning Human Understanding") and which discusses, formally or informally, a topic or a variety of topics." (J.A. Cuddon, "Dictionary of Literary Terms". Basil, 1991)
" Essays are how we speak to one another in print — caroming thoughts not merely in order to convey a certain packet of information, but with a special edge or bounce of personal character in a kind of public letter." (Edward Hoagland, Introduction, "The Best American Essays : 1999". Houghton, 1999)
"[T]he essay traffics in fact and tells the truth, yet it seems to feel free to enliven, to shape, to embellish, to make use as necessary of elements of the imaginative and the fictive — thus its inclusion in that rather unfortunate current designation ' creative nonfiction .'" (G. Douglas Atkins, "Reading Essays: An Invitation". University of Georgia Press, 2007)

Montaigne's Autobiographical Essays "Although Michel de Montaigne, who fathered the modern essay in the 16th century, wrote autobiographically (like the essayists who claim to be his followers today), his autobiography was always in the service of larger existential discoveries. He was forever on the lookout for life lessons. If he recounted the sauces he had for dinner and the stones that weighted his kidney, it was to find an element of truth that we could put in our pockets and carry away, that he could put in his own pocket. After all, Philosophy — which is what he thought he practiced in his essays, as had his idols, Seneca and Cicero, before him — is about 'learning to live.' And here lies the problem with essayists today: not that they speak of themselves, but that they do so with no effort to make their experience relevant or useful to anyone else, with no effort to extract from it any generalizable insight into the human condition." (Cristina Nehring, "What’s Wrong With the American Essay." Truthdig, Nov. 29, 2007)

The Artful Formlessness of the Essay "[G]ood essays are works of literary art. Their supposed formlessness is more a strategy to disarm the reader with the appearance of unstudied spontaneity than a reality of composition. . . . "The essay form as a whole has long been associated with an experimental method. This idea goes back to Montaigne and his endlessly suggestive use of the term essai for his writing. To essay is to attempt, to test, to make a run at something without knowing whether you are going to succeed. The experimental association also derives from the other fountain-head of the essay, Francis Bacon , and his stress on the empirical inductive method, so useful in the development of the social sciences." (Phillip Lopate, "The Art of the Personal Essay". Anchor, 1994)

Articles vs. Essays "[W]hat finally distinguishes an essay from an article may just be the author's gumption, the extent to which personal voice, vision, and style are the prime movers and shapers, even though the authorial 'I' may be only a remote energy, nowhere visible but everywhere present." (Justin Kaplan, ed. "The Best American Essays: 1990". Ticknor & Fields, 1990) "I am predisposed to the essay with knowledge to impart — but, unlike journalism, which exists primarily to present facts, the essays transcend their data, or transmute it into personal meaning. The memorable essay, unlike the article, is not place or time-bound; it survives the occasion of its original composition. Indeed, in the most brilliant essays, language is not merely the medium of communication ; it is communication." (Joyce Carol Oates, quoted by Robert Atwan in "The Best American Essays, College Edition", 2nd ed. Houghton Mifflin, 1998) "I speak of a 'genuine' essay because fakes abound. Here the old-fashioned term poetaster may apply, if only obliquely. As the poetaster is to the poet — a lesser aspirant — so the average article is to the essay: a look-alike knockoff guaranteed not to wear well. An article is often gossip. An essay is reflection and insight. An article often has the temporary advantage of social heat — what's hot out there right now. An essay's heat is interior. An article can be timely, topical, engaged in the issues and personalities of the moment; it is likely to be stale within the month. In five years it may have acquired the quaint aura of a rotary phone. An article is usually Siamese-twinned to its date of birth. An essay defies its date of birth — and ours, too. (A necessary caveat: some genuine essays are popularly called 'articles' — but this is no more than an idle, though persistent, habit of speech. What's in a name? The ephemeral is the ephemeral. The enduring is the enduring.)" (Cynthia Ozick, "SHE: Portrait of the Essay as a Warm Body." The Atlantic Monthly, September 1998)

The Status of the Essay "Though the essay has been a popular form of writing in British and American periodicals since the 18th century, until recently its status in the literary canon has been, at best, uncertain. Relegated to the composition class, frequently dismissed as mere journalism, and generally ignored as an object for serious academic study, the essay has sat, in James Thurber's phrase, ' on the edge of the chair of Literature.' "In recent years, however, prompted by both a renewed interest in rhetoric and by poststructuralist redefinitions of literature itself, the essay — as well as such related forms of 'literary nonfiction' as biography , autobiography , and travel and nature writing — has begun to attract increasing critical attention and respect." (Richard Nordquist, "Essay," in "Encylopedia of American Literature", ed. S. R. Serafin. Continuum, 1999)

The Contemporary Essay "At present, the American magazine essay , both the long feature piece and the critical essay, is flourishing, in unlikely circumstances... "There are plenty of reasons for this. One is that magazines, big and small, are taking over some of the cultural and literary ground vacated by newspapers in their seemingly unstoppable evaporation. Another is that the contemporary essay has for some time now been gaining energy as an escape from, or rival to, the perceived conservatism of much mainstream fiction... "So the contemporary essay is often to be seen engaged in acts of apparent anti-novelization: in place of plot , there is drift or the fracture of numbered paragraphs; in place of a frozen verisimilitude, there may be a sly and knowing movement between reality and fictionality; in place of the impersonal author of standard-issue third-person realism, the authorial self pops in and out of the picture, with a liberty hard to pull off in fiction." (James Wood, "Reality Effects." The New Yorker, Dec. 19 & 26, 2011)

The Lighter Side of Essays: "The Breakfast Club" Essay Assignment "All right people, we're going to try something a little different today. We are going to write an essay of not less than a thousand words describing to me who you think you are. And when I say 'essay,' I mean 'essay,' not one word repeated a thousand times. Is that clear, Mr. Bender?" (Paul Gleason as Mr. Vernon) Saturday, March 24, 1984 Shermer High School Shermer, Illinois 60062 Dear Mr. Vernon, We accept the fact that we had to sacrifice a whole Saturday in detention for whatever it was we did wrong. What we did was wrong. But we think you're crazy to make us write this essay telling you who we think we are. What do you care? You see us as you want to see us — in the simplest terms, in the most convenient definitions. You see us as a brain, an athlete, a basket case, a princess and a criminal. Correct? That's the way we saw each other at seven o'clock this morning. We were brainwashed... But what we found out is that each one of us is a brain and an athlete and a basket case, a princess, and a criminal. Does that answer your question? Sincerely yours, The Breakfast Club (Anthony Michael Hall as Brian Johnson, "The Breakfast Club", 1985)

The Essay: History and Definition
What is a Familiar Essay in Composition?
What Is a Personal Essay (Personal Statement)?
Definition and Examples of Formal Essays
exploratory essay
The Difference Between an Article and an Essay
What Is Colloquial Style or Language?
Definition and Examples of Humorous Essays
What Is Expository Writing?
'Whack at Your Reader at Once': Eight Great Opening Lines
Classic British and American Essays and Speeches
Definition and Examples of Analysis in Composition
Expressive Discourse in Composition
Periodical Essay Definition and Examples
What Does "Persona" Mean?
The Title in Composition

What Are the 5 Different Types of Essays? A Complete Guide

For high school or college students, essays are unavoidable – worst of all, the essay types and essay writing topics assigned change throughout your academic career. As soon as you’ve mastered one of the many types of academic papers , you’re on to the next one.

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This article by Custom Writing experts provides the tools you need to attack any essay. It describes the five current major types of essays and five additional types! The article includes some thesis statement examples and numerous useful links to resources with sample essay papers. Keep reading and good luck with your assignment!

📑 5 Main Types of Essay Writing

🎈 Other Essay Types

👌 Essay Writing Tips

🔗 References

📑 what are the 5 different types of essays.

The five main essay types are:

Argumentative
Descriptive

Expository Essay

An expository essay aims to present opinion-free information on a topic that may be broad or narrow. This essay type is often assigned as an in-class or an exam task. Please find below useful expository writing tips!

An expository essay introduction should clarify the topic and briefly lay out its elements.

“The oil industry is a very large portion of the energy sector, and it has significant impacts on the climate and economy.”

The body paragraphs of your expository essay should contain enough evidence to support your thesis statement.
Your expository essay conclusion should readdress the thesis in the light of the evidence provided in the body.
The transitions between the different parts of your expository essay should be very logical and clear.

Argumentative Essay

An argumentative essay requires a profound investigation of a topic leading to the collection and evaluation of evidence. Such an in-depth study shall result in an established position on the topic, written down concisely.

As a rule, this type of writing presupposes extensive literature research . Sometimes, argumentative assignments may require empirical investigation through surveys, interviews, or observations. Detailed research ensures a clear understanding of the issue and the different points of view regarding it. Thanks to the preliminary study, you will be able to make an unbiased decision on which opinion to adhere to, and your argumentation will be more persuasive.

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An argumentative essay shall follow the strict structure rules:

Difference between Expository and Argumentative Essay

Expository and argumentative essays abound in similarities and are often mistaken for one another. The principal difference is the amount of preliminary research . Argumentative essays are often assigned as final projects summing up the corpus of information mastered during a course. Expository essays are shorter and less based on research. They are used for in-class unprepared writing.

Persuasive Essay

Persuasive writing is the polar opposite of expository writing. For this style of essay, your opinion should be the focus . A persuasive essay attempts to persuade its reader to have a specific opinion.

“Though the oil industry is an important part of our economy, it has negatively impacted our environment through climate change, smog, and the building of roads.”

Your position should be set from the introduction of your persuasive essay. Take care to maintain it throughout the text.
Your persuasive essay body should contain the arguments in progression: from the least important to the most important.
Use ethos, logos, and pathos to persuade your readers.

Descriptive Essay

There is no more clearly-named essay than the descriptive one. Here, the goal is to describe something : a person, an object, a place, etc. The oil industry theme used to demonstrate an expository thesis statement would not be typical for a descriptive essay. Instead, descriptive writing would far more likely focus on an object associated with the oil industry, such as an oil drum, an oil tanker, or even the liquid oil itself.

A sample descriptive thesis statement could sound like this: “Crude oil is a black, viscous liquid that gives off an odd smell like plastic or many sorts of fuel.”
Your descriptive essay body should be very logical. Each of its paragraphs is to focus on one of the aspects of the topic.
The language you use in your descriptive essay should be vivid and varied. It is a good idea to appeal to the senses of the reader when you are describing something.

Narrative Essay

The meaning of narrative writing is very similar to a story. It may be moving, emotional, anecdotal, or insightful. You are allowed to write using first-person pronouns, and creativity is appreciated. A narrative essay is subject to all the story rules and shall comprise an introduction, characters, plot, setting, climax, and conclusion. The only case when a narrative assignment does not have to comply with a story outline is a book report. This informative narration is impersonal and unemotional.

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The thesis is the purpose of your narrative essay . Although it doesn’t need to sound as formal as in other academic papers, make it clear why you decided to tell the story.
First-person narration is not a must but is welcomed.
Don’t switch between points of view . If you decide to write a third-person narrative, keep it consistent throughout the text.
A narrative essay is closer to fiction than to a scientific document . Use artistic language that will have an emotional response in the reader.
Although this is not a standard five-paragraph essay, it should have an introduction and a conclusion . An unfinished piece of writing is as bad as a too wordy one.

Difference between Narrative and Descriptive Essay

A narrative essay is aimed to tell the reader a complete story of personal experiences . A descriptive essay dwells upon a separate object, place, concept, or phenomenon. It does not have a climax or any development of action.

Cause and Effect Essay

In a cause and effect essay, the text should focus on the impact of some phenomenon or physical thing —in other words, a cause and its effect.

The simplicity of this essay allows you to explore any topic . All you need to do is consider its consequences and write. Again, the oil industry can be the focus of a cause and effect essay thesis statement :

“The oil industry has had a tremendous impact on our world, enabling the automotive industry, contributing to climate change, and generating great wealth.”

Reflective Essay

In this essay, the goal is simply to respond to or reflect upon a species person, place, thing, event, or phenomenon. You may be required to reflect upon a poem, a military battle, or perhaps even another essay. By its definition, reflective essays should be very subjective. You should use personal pronouns like “I” and “me” in these essays! This type of essay should be very personal. Check out some examples of reflective writing to see this yourself.

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For example, this would be a great thesis statement for a reflective essay :

“The oil industry has provided many benefits to society, but I worry deeply about its potential costs to our planet and its species.”

Analytical Essay

In many ways, analytical writing is the objective cousin of reflective writing. Prior to attempting this style of essay, you should reflect. But you should also conduct research. The reflection is personal, while the analysis is rooted in facts and logic.

Compare the following example thesis statement with the one from the previous type of essay:

“As the oil industry has grown, the levels of greenhouse gases have increased along with temperatures and concentrations of particulate matter in the atmosphere.”

This statement outlines factors that will be analyzed in the body of the essay. It DOES NOT insert personal feelings, personal pronouns, or subjective language. You can even try and use an informative thesis statement generator and then compare the results to see it more clearly.

By staying objective, an analytical essay is much more like a report. In fact, an outline for an analytical paper should be interchangeable with a section of an outline for a much longer research project. But most importantly, any analytical paper should avoid using personal pronouns .

Comparison and Contrast Essay

In a compare and contrast essay , you make a comparison of two or more issues . You may look at their similarities, differences, or both. The focus of your analysis should be reflected in your thesis statement. Consider this example:

“While both the oil industry and the solar-power industry will be major sources of energy in the future, oil has more environmental costs than green solar power.”

Exemplification Essay

An exemplification or illustration essay is one of the most flexible essays you might be assigned. In simple terms, this essay is all about picking vivid examples. In other words, you want to make points that exemplify or illustrate your thesis statement.

For an exemplification essay, you should focus on the examples that will make your point without serious effort. In other words, if you are trying too hard, you are missing the point of the essay. Consider the following example thesis statement:

“The oil industry has had serious effects on the environment as demonstrated by the impact of massive oil spill on wildlife, the uncontrolled fires and explosions caused by oil and oil derivatives, and the melting of the polar ice caps caused by climate change.”

In the body of this exemplification essay, the writer should devote a paragraph to each of these arguments. Descriptions of seagulls or penguins coated in oil would be perfect examples of the effect of the oil industry on wildlife. Similarly, descriptions of major oil refinery explosions will also grab the reader’s attention.

Once again, the conclusion should restate the introduction, providing less background, and reminding the reader of the examples one last time.

👌 Remember These Important Essay Tips

These tips and tricks are just the basics of essay writing .

When you are writing any assignment, always pay close attention to the instructions . The standard interpretation of any particular essay style is never as important as your teacher’s definition of the assignment. When in doubt, ask questions! No teacher will be upset with you asking for reasonable clarifications. It is better to write the essay your teacher expected, rather than surprise your teacher with a creative effort. And, subsequently, get a poor grade.

You may also notice that every one of the rough examples described fits into the 5-paragraph essay format . This essay structure is a powerful way to organize your thoughts. Becoming skilled at applying this structure will strengthen your writing. Soon after, you’ll write both shorter and longer essays with ease.
If you’re still confused, watch one of the many helpful videos on essay writing .
Start writing your essay early! No matter the essay type, your revisions will be better than your first drafts. If you have time for second, third, and fourth drafts, you will be much happier with your final grade.
Essay Structure | – Harvard College Writing Center
Writing: Types of Essays – Smith College
Essay Writing // Purdue Writing Lab
Types of academic writing – The University of Sydney
Guide to Different Kinds of Essays – Gallaudet University
What are the types of essays? – Quora
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Beauty lasts only a short time. But in the realm of art, in the field of poetry, beauty lasts forever. Sonnet 73 is addressed to a lover who is younger than the speaker. The poem uses three metaphors to depict the speaker’s age and impending death. First, the speaker says that he is autumn, the time of year when the beauty of summer is gone, and the death of winter is about to set in. Then he says that he is the end of the day when only a faint light lingers on the western horizon, and deathly darkness is about to engulf the world. Then he says that he is an almost burned out fire, nearly reduced to ashes. This sonnet doesn’t look to art for consolation, but to love. It concludes by saying, You love me even though you know you’re soon going to lose me, and that makes your love all the greater.

Awesome post as usual! Your posts make me accumulate knowledge about writing various college papers! Thanks a lot for this assistance!

These are amazing tips for compare and contrast essay writing. Will definitely use them when writing my compare and contrast essay. Thanks for sharing them!

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Essays Different essay types and essay structure

Discussion slider_essays_1.jpg A discussion essay considers both sides of an argument. Read more
Persuasion slider_essays_2.jpg A persuasion essay will try to convince the reader your opinion is the right one. Read more
Compare/contrast slider_essays_3.jpg A compare and contrast essay shows how things are similar and different. Read more
Cause/effect slider_essays_4.jpg Also called reason and result essays, this essay type looks at the causes and effects. Read more
Problem-solution slider_essays_5.jpg How to write and structure a problem-solution essay. Read more
Essay structure slider_essays_6.jpg How to structure an essay introduction, main body and conclusion. Read more

Read about discussion essays , persuasion essays , compare and contrast essays , cause and effect essays , problem-solution essays , and essays structure .

Writing in academic contexts means being able to use different essay types and using a clear structure . Find out more about both on the following pages.

Essay types

There are several types of essay which you may need to be able to write at university. The main ones, which are all considered in this section, are discussion , persuasion , compare and contrast , cause and effect , and problem-solution . All sections contain an example essay to help you understand each essay type.

This section will help you understand how to structure an essay, from the introduction , to the main body , and the conclusion .

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Author: Sheldon Smith ‖ Last modified: 08 February 2022.

Sheldon Smith is the founder and editor of EAPFoundation.com. He has been teaching English for Academic Purposes since 2004. Find out more about him in the about section and connect with him on Twitter , Facebook and LinkedIn .

Compare & contrast essays examine the similarities of two or more objects, and the differences.

Cause & effect essays consider the reasons (or causes) for something, then discuss the results (or effects).

Discussion essays require you to examine both sides of a situation and to conclude by saying which side you favour.

Problem-solution essays are a sub-type of SPSE essays (Situation, Problem, Solution, Evaluation).

Transition signals are useful in achieving good cohesion and coherence in your writing.

Reporting verbs are used to link your in-text citations to the information cited.

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About 115 miles north of Alaska, a U.S. Navy submarine emerges from several feet of thick ice.

The Navy’s 68 submarines could be anywhere at any time — patrolling the Arctic and the Persian Gulf, or near Russia, China or North Korea.

Their missions are closely-held secrets, but a frigid training exercise offers a glimpse of military life deep undersea.

Supported by

Inside a Navy Submarine Navigating the Arctic

A Times photojournalist embarked on a nuclear-powered attack sub to see how the Pentagon is training for a potential war below the frozen sea.

Photographs and Text by Kenny Holston

Reporting from the attack submarine Hampton, underway in the Arctic Ocean

U.S. Navy sailors aboard nuclear-powered submarines have long trained in the Arctic, learning to hunt their Russian counterparts in case of war. But America’s sub force is sharpening its combat skills at the edge of the world as Russia expands military operations there.

One day in March, the black metal sail of a 360-foot attack sub armed with Tomahawk cruise missiles and torpedoes punched through the dense ice of the Beaufort Sea during Operation Ice Camp.

For many of the 152 sailors on board the U.S.S. Hampton, it is their first patrol.

In the sub’s nerve center, where sailors navigate the boat and stand watch over sonar, radio and weapons consoles, Master Chief Petty Officer Jacob Green mentors the junior officers and crew members as they carry out their duties.

Everyone calls him “Cob” — for chief of the boat.

Men in dark blue jumpsuits sit packed in a tight control room with lots of lights and buttons. One man stands and holds on to something.

Operating a sub in the Arctic is especially challenging. First, navigation. In some areas, shallow waters force the crew to thread a narrow path between twin threats: the ice above and the ocean floor below.

Ice keels — huge chunks of overturned sea ice pointing downward — are also a hazard here. This was the case when Cmdr. Mike Brown and his crew aboard the Hampton transited through the Bering Strait.

“We operated the boat 20 feet off the bottom with 40, 60 feet of ice above us and we were able to dodge the ice keels,” Commander Brown said.

Second, water condensation that comes from the freezing ocean waters against the boat’s hull creates the risk of small electrical fires on the submarine.

Since a loss of propulsion could mean getting stuck under the ice, keeping the sub’s small nuclear power plant in top form becomes a matter of life or death.

As on any sub, space is at a premium.

Beds often have to be shared as the sailors work in shifts (rotating bunks is called “hot racking”). Cooks frequently bake fresh bread so they don’t have to store premade loaves (the supply officer is called “Chop,” like pork chop). Menus must be meticulously planned for the duration of the underwater mission. In emergencies, surgeries can be performed on the wardroom table.

The small dining areas for officers and sailors are among the few places where the crew can unwind together and study the minutiae of submarine operations for hours on end.

Crew members play the strategy card game cribbage to pass time, and so, they say, as not to let time pass them.

But time does pass, and all of the sailors will miss milestones in the lives of their families and friends. When they do finally return home, they will be unable to talk in detail about their efforts at sea because most of what they do is classified.

Some sailors spend their downtime on smartphones, reading old messages or watching TV shows and movies downloaded before the patrol. “Day 31 is sometimes the lowest morale day while underway,” said Capt. Mickaila Johnston, an undersea medical officer. “App downloads expire: Spotify, Netflix, etc.”

Being “underway” on a sub, the sailors say, is like working in a small office space with no windows, no way to leave, no Wi-Fi and zero cell service. Crucial military decisions are made entirely on the boat, with no outside communication.

The layout of the boat resembles an elongated maze of extremely dark passageways no wider than the aisle on a school bus. Sailors must turn parallel when walking past each other. The companionways between two primary decks are so narrow that only one person at a time can use them. Nothing and no one is ever far away.

Commander Brown leads an all-male crew. A ban on women serving in the submarine force ended only in 2010 , and many female officers are rising through the ranks aboard subs like his. None are yet senior enough to command a submarine.

On this particular day the Hampton has risen from the depths for Ice Camp — a three-week mission testing the crew’s ability to fight in one of the most unforgiving places on Earth.

Several miles away other service members and researchers have built Camp Whale, a clutch of winterized tents and a small command center on a large ice floe that itself moves about a half mile an hour on the frozen ocean.

Life there is rugged. No showers. No running water. The outside air dips to 40 degrees below zero. Above, the northern lights sometimes shimmer after sunset.

Teams are flown by helicopter back and forth between the subs and the camp when physical contact with the subs is necessary.

“The goal here is twofold,” Commander Brown said in an interview. “It’s geopolitical. It’s also just building the proficiency of being able to operate under the ice. I have a crew full of sailors that by and large have never been here, have never been under the ice. And so one of my primary focuses is to train the next generation of sailors.”

U.S. Navy submarines run classified missions around the world every single day. Attack boats like the Hampton might collect intelligence on enemy warships or eavesdrop on unfriendly governments, while much larger ballistic missile submarines stay submerged for 90 days at a time, carrying enough nuclear warheads to destroy entire countries.

Before long, it is time to break through the unforgiving Arctic ice again.

As the crew concludes its mission in the Beaufort Sea, the sub heads north before surfacing at the North Pole.

These submariners will then press on, continuing their voyage under the icy sea in silence.

John Ismay contributed reporting from Washington.

Kenny Holston is a Times photographer based in Washington, primarily covering Congress, the military and the White House. More about Kenny Holston

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Opinion | In a rare move these days, The Dallas Morning News hires a public editor

The news organization hopes to reestablish trust by creating "a bridge between the public and our newsroom," the publisher says..

There was a time in journalism when public editors were fairly common. The public editor — or readers’ advocate or ombudsman, as it was called at some outlets — helped keep news organizations honest, fair and transparent. The public editors would dissect how certain stories were reported and written. They would report on errors and omissions. They would act as a liaison between the news outlet and its customers, asking pertinent questions about an outlet’s coverage. They were the independent bridge between the audience and the newsroom where conversations about standards took place.

Basically, the public editor’s job is to provide oversight over a news organization.

But then something happened. The public editor started to disappear.

The New York Times famously hired a public editor in the wake of the Jayson Blair scandal. But it also infamously stopped having a public editor in 2017 — a decision that many in journalism circles still criticize. ESPN had ombudsmen for a spell, but that job disappeared, too. Of course, there were public editors at other papers before the Times and ESPN, and there continue to be public editors now.

Well, there’s one that I know of. My Poynter colleague Kelly McBride serves as the public editor for NPR. Unless there are a few at smaller papers that I don’t know about, McBride might be the only public editor left in America.

Now there’s one more.

The Dallas Morning News announced Tuesday that it has hired Stephen Buckley as its public editor. Buckley teaches at Duke University, where he is a professor of the practice of journalism and public policy in the Sanford School of Public Policy. He also is the former dean of the Poynter Institute, where he now serves on the board of trustees. Before that, he was a reporter and editor at The Washington Post and Tampa Bay Times.

In a column announcing the hiring of a new public editor, Morning News publisher and CEO Grant Moise wrote about how the public’s trust in the media has plunged and added, “This reality is deeply troubling to our staff at The Dallas Morning News because we realize that when people don’t trust public institutions and the media (which is intended to hold public institutions accountable), something must change. So, what do you do when trust is missing in a relationship? You address it.”

Moise then wrote, “The more we researched this role, the more we became convinced we wanted to engage an independent public editor to help act as a bridge between the public and our newsroom.”

On Tuesday, I spoke by phone with Buckley about his new role as public editor.

“A really bold, counterintuitive move (by the Morning News),” Buckley told me. “And the motivation is exactly right, which is: the most important issue for our industry is reestablishing trust with the public.”

Buckley sees the Morning News as one of the most important regional news organizations in the country and said he’s honored to be chosen to “be part of this bold experiment.”

Why has the public editor gone away? Primarily, one would guess, it’s because news organizations wanted to cut costs. Other news leaders have claimed that the internet is full of media critics — and readers with social media accounts — who now serve as de facto public editors. That’s hardly a valid excuse, but it is one that is often made.

“We are at a moment in history when bringing back somebody who can be a bridge between the public and the newsroom seems like a really smart thing to do,” Buckley said.

Buckley will be paid by the Morning News but said he will be an independent voice.

“I don’t represent the newsroom and I don’t represent the readers,” Buckley said.

Buckley is sure there will be times when he disagrees with the public on how the Morning News handled a story, just as he is sure will often agree with the readers and their concerns or complaints about how the Morning News performed its job. He said he will be an “honest broker.”

Buckley repeated to me what he told a Morning News editor: “We do work for the public, but we serve the truth.”

In his column, Moise wrote, “There will be times when Stephen defends the journalists and times when Stephen defends you, the reader. I know Stephen will not always agree with our judgment calls, which is okay. We are not perfect, and we don’t get it right 100 percent of the time. It’s my hope that Stephen will help you better understand the role of the media, which will ultimately help you learn you can trust us as your primary source of news.”

The Morning News first reached out to Buckley last year when Dallas District Attorney John Creuzot said he didn’t make comments that were attributed to him in a story about police violence. The paper asked Buckley to do an independent review. Before that review was completed, the reporter resigned. After the review, the Morning News retracted the story .

So now Buckley returns on a more full-time basis. He will continue teaching at Duke, while writing, for now, a once-a-month column for Morning News that starts on May 12. “But a lot of what I’ll be doing is engaging with the public,” Buckley said. “A lot of what I will be doing is responding to readers’ questions. … I’m not coming into this with a personal agenda and I’m not going to have a personal agenda.”

The Dallas Morning News deserves major credit for this move. It costs money, and it opens the paper up to questions and criticism. But there is also something to be gained: accountability and, in the best-case scenario, trust.

Moise wrote, “In the same way that news organizations rightly believe their role is to hold the powerful accountable, we recognize that we need to be held accountable, too. It’s a two-way street. We want to be different at The News and want you to trust us. However, we know trust is earned, not given. That is why it’s important to me that we take this step for you and others who want a trustworthy news source in North Texas to help you make better decisions and live better lives.”

Covering horrific events

Fox News foreign correspondent Trey Yingst has been named recipient of the Axel Springer George Weidenfeld Prize for journalism. The award is for young journalists who have demonstrated courage in their reporting.

Here’s a good Q&A with Yingst from TVNewser’s Ethan Alter. On reporting from the Middle East, Yingst says, “It’s heavy to see such suffering in a place that I’ve lived for almost six years now while covering these events. It’s also challenging because war often creates a lack of empathy among the people involved. That can be disheartening, but I still want to go to the places that other people won’t go and tell the stories other people won’t tell with one major goal in mind: To make people care and to make people see that even though Israelis and Palestinians have had vastly different experiences and led vastly different lives, they’re all people.”

As far as covering such a complex and nuanced topic of the conflict between Israel and Hamas, Yingst is adamant about not showing biases, saying, “I always remember that my role is to be an objective observer and understand the complexities of such a conflict, be delicate in my reporting and be thoughtful in the language that I use. There are many flashpoints in the Middle East; one example is how Muslims refer to the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound while Jews refer to the same location as Temple Mount. It’s not my role to pick a name. I’ll report both — even if it takes a little longer — in order to help the audience understand that this is land that is being fought over and people are suffering across the spectrum.”

Trump calls for reporter’s release

Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich stands in a glass cage in a courtroom in Moscow last week. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)

After some encouragement to do so, former President Donald Trump has joined those calling for Russia to release jailed Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich.

Gershkovich has been detained for more than a year in Russia on charges he is a spy — allegations that the Journal and U.S. government vehemently deny.

In an interview with Time magazine , Trump was asked by reporter Eric Cortellessa why he hasn’t called for Gershkovich’s release. Trump said, “I guess because I have so many things I’m working on. I have hundreds of things. And I probably have said very good things about him. Maybe it wasn’t reported. But I think he’s a very brave young man.”

When prodded, Trump said, “Oh, I would certainly call. I’ll call for it right now in your story if you’d like. … And here’s a difference between me and Biden: I’ll get him released. He’ll be released. Putin is going to release him.”

By the way, the Time interview is really long. Actually, it’s interviews — plural. They talked to him more than once.

There is a story — “How far Trump would go” — as well as this addition: “Fact-Checking What Donald Trump Said in His 2024 Interviews With TIME.”

Josina Anderson, a longtime NFL insider, announced on X on Tuesday that she is leaving CBS Sports. Anderson tweeted a photo of herself and wrote, “I want to thank the CBS Sports team for my experience and time there. I’m amicably moving on to future ventures. I wish all of the talented insiders, anchors, reporters, producers, executives and support staff the best. Cordially, Josina Anderson.”

Anderson joined CBS Sports in September of 2021 after nine years at ESPN. She left ESPN after her contract expired and a new deal was not worked out.

Media tidbits

CNN’s Marshall Cohen with “Fox News takes down Hunter Biden ‘mock trial’ miniseries after lawsuit threat.”
Puck’s Dylan Byers tweeted out this scoop on Tuesday: “Rob Marciano, the ABC News & Good Morning America meteorologist, has been fired from the network, per sources familiar. Multiple staffers had made complaints about Marciano’s behavior over the years and he was at least temporarily barred from main GMA set in NYC.” Here’s more from The Daily Beast’s Justin Baragano.
Axios’ Sara Fischer with “Major U.S. newspapers sue OpenAI, Microsoft for copyright infringement.”
Variety’s Brian Steinberg with “Fox News Bets on Comedy, but Not Only for Laughs.”
Alex Sherman of CNBC doing what a good reporter should do. He made the phone call for “NBC Sports could buy back rights to iconic theme song ‘Roundball Rock’ if it airs NBA games again, composer John Tesh says.”
The James Beard Foundation announced their nominees for their 2024 media awards. The awards celebrate “exceptional storytellers whose work has the transformative potential to educate, inspire, and foster connection through a shared love of food,” according to Clare Reichenbach, CEO of the James Beard Foundation. The winners will be announced June 8 in Chicago.

For The New York Times, Sarah Kliff with “Honeybees Invaded My House, and No One Would Help.”

Cool interactive story from The Washington Post’s Caitlin Gilbert and

Luis Melgar: “Americans are sleeping more than ever. See how you compare.”

Have feedback or a tip? Email Poynter senior media writer Tom Jones at [email protected] .

More resources for journalists

Reporting on the Rise of AI: A RAND-Poynter Masterclass
Understand U.S. Immigration From the Border to the Heartland — Start any time.
Get an AI ethics framework for your newsroom. Start here.
Hiring? Post jobs on The Media Job Board — Powered by Poynter, Editor & Publisher and America’s Newspapers.

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Shut Out: Strategies for good journalism when sources dismiss the press

Complete report from Poynter's ethics symposium on growing trend of sources refusing to engage with journalists

Opinion | Pulitzer Prize Board praises students just ahead of journalism’s biggest awards

Plus, more losses at Gannett and Lee despite growth in digital, and details from Brittney Griner about her imprisonment in Russia.

Did South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem break the law by shooting her dog? What legal experts say

Republican South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem’s story about killing her dog Cricket ignited a heated debate. Did she break the law?

Data glitch leads to error and a reminder for journalists

Orlando Sentinel alters restaurant inspection publishing practice after mix-up

Shut Out: How the pandemic and polarization have had chilling effects on good journalism — and our conclusion

Part Four of a report from Poynter's ethics seminar examines effects of pandemic and polarization on journalists

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Watch CBS News

Walmart is launching a new store brand called Bettergoods. Here what it's selling and the cost.

By Aimee Picchi

Edited By Anne Marie Lee

April 30, 2024 / 8:48 AM EDT / CBS News

Walmart is rolling out a new store label designed to appeal to younger customers who are not brand loyal and want gourmet foods that are more affordably priced.

The company said on Tuesday that it's rolling out 300 new products, sold under the name Bettergoods, representing its largest private brand food launch in 20 years.

The new line includes upscale products such as premium bronze-cut pasta from Italy, priced at $1.97 per package, and plant-based mozzarella, which costs less than $4. The rollout comes as more shoppers are shifting to store brands, which tend to cost less than premium brands, as a way to counter food inflation.

"Today's customers expect more from the private brands they purchase – they want affordable, quality products to elevate their overall food experience," said Scott Morris, senior vice president, private brands, food and consumables, Walmart, in the statement.

How much will Bettergoods items cost?

Walmart said the items will range in price from $2 to $15, with most of them under the $5 mark.

When will Bettergoods products be on the shelves?

Walmart said some Bettergoods items are already on shelves, but that it plans to introduce more through the fall.

What types of products are sold under the Bettergoods label?

Walmart said it is creating 300 products, spanning frozen, dairy, snacks, beverages, pasta, soups, coffee and chocolate among others.

Here are some of the items it announced on Tuesday:

Hot Honey Seasoning: Less than $3
Creamy Corn Jalapeno Chowder: Less than $4
Premium Bronze Cut Pasta from Italy: $1.97
Oatmilk Non-Dairy Frozen Desserts: $3.44 a pint
Carnitas, Taco or Tinga Seasonings: under $2
Plant-based mozzarella: Less than $4

—With reporting by the Associated Press.

Aimee Picchi is the associate managing editor for CBS MoneyWatch, where she covers business and personal finance. She previously worked at Bloomberg News and has written for national news outlets including USA Today and Consumer Reports.

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How cleaning product chemicals called ‘quats’ may affect the brain

A common ingredient in household disinfectants has been shown in lab studies to affect certain brain cells

The pandemic ushered in a cleaning frenzy at home, schools and work as many of us sprayed, wiped and disinfected our way through the crisis.

But widespread use of disinfectants and heavy-duty cleaners has also ushered in new research on “quats” — which stands for quaternary ammonium compounds (sometimes called QACs). Quats are a class of chemicals used in some household cleaners that kill viruses, bacteria and other germs by breaking down cell membranes.

In a 2023 review , more than two dozen researchers called quats “a chemical class of emerging concern.” Exposure to quats has been associated with asthma and an increased risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in humans, as well as decreased fertility in mice .

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Now, scientists at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in Cleveland have raised a new concern: They’ve found quaternary ammonium compounds to be potentially toxic to a type of brain cell. These cells, called oligodendrocytes, provide the fatty insulation (called myelin) around nerves, which allows neural signals to travel through the brain faster. The study also found that organophosphate flame retardants used in some household furniture appear to stunt the growth of oligodendrocytes.

“We’re not looking to say that there’s a direct correlation between exposure and human neurodevelopmental issues. We don’t have that data yet,” said Paul Tesar , the director of the Institute for Glial Sciences at Case Western Reserve and the principal investigator of the study. “But we have fundamentally shown, very rigorously, that oligodendrocytes have a specific vulnerability to these chemicals.”

There are hundreds of quaternary ammonium compounds, which can make it hard to identify the chemicals on an ingredient list. Quats often end with “ammonium chloride” or “onium chloride” in the name. One common quaternary ammonium compound in hand soaps, for instance, is benzalkonium chloride. Google can also help you figure out whether a particular ingredient in a cleaning product is a quaternary ammonium compound.

The American Cleaning Institute , a trade association for cleaning product makers, downplayed the findings. Brian Sansoni, senior vice president of communications, wrote in an email that the study “does not establish a causal link to any known or observed human health effect and should not be interpreted by readers to be predictive of possible health effects.”

“Surface disinfecting products, including those with quaternary ammonium compounds, are highly regulated and extensively evaluated for safety according to their approved uses,” Sansoni wrote. “Quats are a critical public health solution across homes, schools, health care settings and communities every single day. ”

What to know about brain health and quats

The research on quaternary ammonium compounds doesn’t mean we should stop disinfecting our homes, experts say. But it’s good to be aware of the chemicals in your household cleaners, and to make informed decisions about which products you choose.

Erin Cohn, a graduate student in Tesar’s lab and the lead author of the study, said oligodendrocyte dysfunction is linked to various neurological conditions. In cases of multiple sclerosis, for instance, the body’s immune system attacks the insulation created by oligodendrocytes.

To study quats, the researchers used stem cells to grow human brain organoids — petri dishes of tiny, “millimeter-sized brain tissue” — intended to mimic early stages of brain development, Tesar said. And they found the quaternary ammonium compounds specifically killed oligodendrocytes but not the other cell types.

The researchers also fed the chemicals to young mice for 10 days. In autopsies, they found exposure to quats had “caused a selective loss of oligodendrocytes” in the brain, Tesar said.

“The science is clear that these chemicals have harmful effects on oligodendrocytes,” Tesar said. What’s not clear is whether “everyday exposure” to these chemicals affects the human brain.

Francisco Javier Quintana , a professor of neurology at Harvard University, said the brain is influenced “all the time” by the chemicals a person takes in. Although more study is needed, the results of the latest research suggest that exposure to quats could trigger disease in certain populations that are already genetically susceptible, he said.

“The quats could be acting as one little push, or the final push across the finish line,” Quintana said. “In most people, quat exposure probably does nothing. But if you carry the wrong genetic background, that might trigger disease development.”

What’s our exposure to quats?

Quaternary ammonium compounds have been detected in the breast milk of mothers, and they were higher in women who used disinfecting cleaning products. And a study of 43 people found that 80 percent had quats in their blood.

Libin Xu , an associate professor of medicinal chemistry at the University of Washington, said exposure to quats is “ubiquitous.” Almost every sample measured so far “has certain amounts of this compound, from very low to, occasionally, pretty high amounts,” he said.

In New York, researchers looked at quat exposure in shelter dogs, who live in caged areas that are frequently cleaned and disinfected. The study found that the feces of shelter dogs contained from two- to 18-fold higher concentrations of certain quats, compared with those of dogs who lived with their owners.

Terry Hrubec , a professor of anatomy and embryology at the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine in Blacksburg, Va., said that, although we know quats can get into the body, “we know almost nothing” about their effects. “We’re just scratching the tip of the iceberg for what we know about quats,” Hrubec said.

Cleaning with soap and water

Not all household disinfectants use quaternary ammonium compounds, and there are alternatives “that are equally effective,” with ingredients such as citric acid, ethanol and hydrogen peroxide, said Sarah Evans , an assistant professor of environmental medicine and climate science at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York.

If you’re concerned about the active ingredients in a disinfectant you’re using, open a window, and don’t spray or wipe with the product around children or pregnant people, Evans said. “Regular soap and water will kill most bacteria,” Evans said. “You don’t need a soap that has an added antibacterial chemical.”

Martin Wolf, director of sustainability for Seventh Generation, a maker of detergents and other cleaning products, said in an email that the company doesn’t use quats in its disinfecting products. The chemicals “have long been associated with respiratory irritation,” Wolf said.

Wolf said that, because the study was conducted on cultured cells in a lab, it’s not clear how it applies to the real-world use of cleaning products that contain quats. “It would be improper to dismiss the study out-of-hand,” Wolf said. “Rather, this should be seen as a caution to avoid use of the substances studied and to seek alternatives.”

Do you have a question about human behavior or neuroscience? Email [email protected] and we may answer it in a future column.

Dusty 'Cat's Paw Nebula' contains a type of molecule never seen in space — and it's one of the largest ever found

Scientists have detected a new, unusually large molecule never seen in space before. The 13-atom molecule, called 2-methoxyethanol, was detected in the Cat's Paw Nebula.

The Cat's Paw Nebula, photographed here by NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope

Researchers have detected an unusually large, previously undetected molecule in the Cat's Paw Nebula, a star-forming region about 5,500 light-years from Earth. At 13 atoms, the compound, called 2-methoxyethanol, is one of the largest molecules ever identified outside our solar system , the scientists reported April 12 in The Astrophysical Journal Letters .

We often think of space as a yawning chasm of nothingness between stars, but this apparent emptiness is alive with chemistry as atoms come together and break apart to create stars and planets over millions of years. Understanding how simple organic molecules such as methane , ethanol and formaldehyde form helps scientists build a picture of not only how stars and galaxies are born but also how life began.

However, detecting these basic building blocks of life is no mean feat. Every molecule possesses a unique energy "barcode" — a collection of specific wavelengths of light that the molecule can absorb. At a quantum level, each absorbed wavelength corresponds to a transition between one rotational energy level and another, and every molecule has a different-but-well-defined set of energy levels where these transitions may occur. This barcode of energy transitions is easily measured for samples in the lab, but astrochemists must then hunt out this same energy signature in space.

"When we observe interstellar sources with radio telescopes, we can collect the rotational signal from the gaseous molecules in these regions of space," first study author Zachary Fried , an astrochemist at MIT, told Live Science in an email "Because the molecules in space obey the same quantum mechanical laws as those on Earth, the rotational transitions observed in the telescope data should line up with those measured in the lab."

Related: Scientists made the coldest large molecule on record — and it has a super strange chemical bond

This approach is exactly how Fried and colleagues — part of a research team led by Brett McGuire , an assistant professor of chemistry at MIT — detected 2-methoxyethanol, a 13-atom molecule in which one of the hydrogen atoms of ethanol is replaced with a more complex methoxy (O–CH3) group. This level of complexity is particularly unusual outside the solar system , with only six "species" larger than 13 atoms ever detected.

"These molecules are typically much less abundant than smaller hydrocarbons that have simpler formation routes," Fried said. "Additionally, the spectral signals of these molecules are distributed over a greater number of transitions, thus making the individual spectral peaks weaker and more difficult to observe."

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But it wasn't simply luck that led the team to this discovery; they also used artificial intelligence . The team had previously developed a machine-learning method to model the abundance of different molecular species in different regions of space. "Using these trained models, we can predict which undetected molecules may be highly abundant, and thus strong detection candidates," Fried said.

Methoxy-containing species had previously been detected in a part of the Cat's Paw Nebula, also called NGC 63341, and in IRAS 16293, a binary system in the Rho Ophiuchi cloud complex , located 457 light-years from Earth. As such, the team had a good idea of where to look for the new molecule.

Fried began by measuring the rotational spectrum of 2-methoxyethanol samples in the lab; he recorded a total of 2,172 possible energy signals for the molecule. Then, using the Atacama Large Millimeter/Submillimeter Array (ALMA), a set of 66 radio telescopes in Chile, the team collected readings from both the Cat's Paw Nebula and IRAS 16293 and analyzed the signals for the distinct energy signature of 2-methoxyethanol.

— Inside the 20-year quest to unravel the bizarre realm of 'quantum superchemistry'

— Scientists just broke the record for the coldest temperature ever recorded in a lab

— Is it possible to reach absolute zero?

While no corresponding energy traces were detected in IRAS 16293, the team ultimately identified 25 matching signals from the Cat's Paw Nebula and confirmed the presence of 2-methoxyethanol in this star-forming region.

"This enabled us to investigate how the differing physical conditions of these sources may be affecting the chemistry that can occur," Fried said. "We hypothesized several causes of this chemical differentiation, including variations in the radiation field strength, along with different dust temperatures in these two sources [at different stages] of star formation."

The team hopes the findings may inform future studies to identify other as-yet-undetected molecules in space.

"The feasibility and efficiency of these pathways can be closely tied to the physical conditions of the interstellar source," Fried said. "By investigating which other species are involved in the formation and destruction of the detected molecules, we can determine other species that may be candidates for detection."

Victoria Atkinson is a freelance science journalist, specializing in chemistry and its interface with the natural and human-made worlds. Currently based in York (UK), she formerly worked as a science content developer at the University of Oxford, and later as a member of the Chemistry World editorial team. Since becoming a freelancer, Victoria has expanded her focus to explore topics from across the sciences and has also worked with Chemistry Review, Neon Squid Publishing and the Open University, amongst others. She has a DPhil in organic chemistry from the University of Oxford.

James Webb telescope spots wind blowing faster than a bullet on '2-faced planet' with eternal night

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1st Americans came over in 4 different waves from Siberia, linguist argues

Denmark to restrict Ozempic, other GLP-1 drugs, to treat type 2 diabetes

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Dollar drops as employers add fewer jobs than expected in April

The dollar fell to a three-week low against the yen on Friday after data showed U.S. jobs growth slowed more than expected in April and annual wage gains cooled, boosting bets that the Federal Reserve will cut rates twice this year.

The sun sets behind a crude oil pump jack on a drill pad in the Permian Basin in Loving County

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Main Types of Essays You Need to Know
Common Types Of Essays
4 Outstanding Types of Essay Writing Styles
The Major Types of Essays
Main Types of Essays You Need to Know
What Is an Essay? Different Types of Essays with Examples • 7ESL

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How to write an essay Class 9,10,11 and 12
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The Four Main Types of Essay
An essay is a focused piece of writing designed to inform or persuade. There are many different types of essay, but they are often defined in four categories: argumentative, expository, narrative, and descriptive essays. Argumentative and expository essays are focused on conveying information and making clear points, while narrative and ...
Writing 101: The 8 Common Types of Essays
Writing 101: The 8 Common Types of Essays. Whether you're a first-time high school essay writer or a professional writer about to tackle another research paper, you'll need to understand the fundamentals of essay writing before you put pen to paper and write your first sentence.
15 Types of Essays (and What You Need To Know About Them)
Though you're likely not to encounter every single type of essay that exists, sometimes it's necessary to know about them. Learn about 15 different types here. ... Argumentative essays (also called argument essays) investigate topics fairly and thoroughly to present the writer's argument to the reader. The writer makes a claim and argues ...
Four Types of Essay
Expository Essay. Informative Writing, Research, Clarity. Explain the causes and effects of climate change, and discuss its impact on the environment and society. Narrative Essay. Storytelling, Narrative Structure, Engagement. Describe a memorable childhood event that had a significant impact on your life.
Types of Essay
Definition of Types of Essay. An essay is a short academic composition. The word "essay" is derived from a French word "essai" or "essayer," which mean "trail." In composition, however, an essay is a piece of non-fiction writing that talks or discusses a specific topic.Presently, essay is part of every degree program.
8 Types of Essays
An essay is a highly versatile, non-fictional piece of writing aimed at persuading, informing, or entertaining the reader. It can serve multiple functions, such as taking a stance on topics, disproving widely believed myths, and sharing interesting anecdotes. There are various styles and types of essay writing that can be used to serve specific functions.
What Is an Essay? Structure, Parts, and Types
Parts of an essay. An impactful, well-structured essay comes down to three important parts: the introduction, body, and conclusion. 1. The introduction sets the stage for your essay and is typically a paragraph long. It should grab the reader's attention and give them a clear idea of what your essay will be about.
Guide to Different Kinds of Essays
An essay is a paper that discusses, describes or analyzes one topic. It can discuss a subject directly or indirectly, seriously or humorously. It can describe personal opinions, or just report information. An essay can be written from any perspective, but essays are most commonly written in the first person (I), or third person (subjects that can be substituted with the he, she, it, or they ...
What Is an Essay? Different Types of Essays with Examples
Expository Essay. An expository essay is used as a way to look into a problem and therefore compare it and explore it. For the expository essay there is a little bit of storytelling involved but this type of essay goes beyond that. The main idea is that it should explain an idea giving information and explanation.
Types Of Essays: A Comprehensive Guide To Writing Different Essay Types
There are four main types of essays: argumentative, expository, narrative, and descriptive. Each type of essay has its own unique characteristics and is written for a different purpose. Understanding the different types of essays is essential for writing a successful essay.
10 Types of Essays: Examples and Purposes of Each
Here are 10 types of essays you may use in your writing: 1. Narrative essays ... You may submit a narrative essay, usually called a personal statement, for college or graduate school applications. You can use literary techniques in narrative essays to create an essay that reads like fiction. To do this, consider including metaphors, analogies ...
Essays
An essay, a literary composition that serves as a medium for expressing a writer's thoughts, ideas, or arguments on a particular subject, holds a prominent position in the realm of written expression. Within the confines of its structure, the essay grants authors the opportunity to present their unique perspective and offer insightful ...
What is an essay?
An essay is a focused piece of writing that explains, argues, describes, or narrates. In high school, you may have to write many different types of essays to develop your writing skills. Academic essays at college level are usually argumentative: you develop a clear thesis about your topic and make a case for your position using evidence ...
What is an Essay? Definition, Types and Writing Tips by HandMadeWriting
The essay is a written piece that is designed to present an idea, propose an argument, express the emotion or initiate debate. It is a tool that is used to present writer's ideas in a non-fictional way. Multiple applications of this type of writing go way beyond, providing political manifestos and art criticism as well as personal ...
Definition and Examples of Essays or Compositions
The Essay: History and Definition. " [An essay is a] composition, usually in prose .., which may be of only a few hundred words (like Bacon's "Essays") or of book length (like Locke's "Essay Concerning Human Understanding") and which discusses, formally or informally, a topic or a variety of topics." (J.A. Cuddon, "Dictionary of Literary Terms".
What Are the 5 Different Types of Essays? A Complete Guide
Persuasive Essay. Persuasive writing is the polar opposite of expository writing. For this style of essay, your opinion should be the focus. A persuasive essay attempts to persuade its reader to have a specific opinion. Your thesis statement should make it clear that the essay has an opinion.
Essay
In these countries, so-called academic essays, also called papers, are usually more formal than literary ones. [citation needed] ... Magazine and newspaper essays use many of the essay types described in the section on forms and styles (e.g., descriptive essays, narrative essays, etc.).
Essay
essay, an analytic, interpretative, or critical literary composition usually much shorter and less systematic and formal than a dissertation or thesis and usually dealing with its subject from a limited and often personal point of view. Some early treatises—such as those of Cicero on the pleasantness of old age or on the art of "divination ...
Essay types
Essay types. There are several types of essay which you may need to be able to write at university. The main ones, which are all considered in this section, are discussion, persuasion, compare and contrast, cause and effect, and problem-solution. All sections contain an example essay to help you understand each essay type.
The Most Important Thing I Teach My Students Isn't on the Syllabus
283. By Frank Bruni. Mr. Bruni is a contributing Opinion writer and the author of the forthcoming book "The Age of Grievance," from which this essay is adapted. I warn my students. At the ...
Opinion
Now I Think It's a Historic Mistake. Mr. Shugerman is a law professor at Boston University. About a year ago, when Alvin Bragg, the Manhattan district attorney, indicted former President Donald ...
Inside a Navy Submarine Navigating the Arctic
Reporting from the attack submarine Hampton, underway in the Arctic Ocean. April 30, 2024. U.S. Navy sailors aboard nuclear-powered submarines have long trained in the Arctic, learning to hunt ...
How to Structure an Essay
The basic structure of an essay always consists of an introduction, a body, and a conclusion. But for many students, the most difficult part of structuring an essay is deciding how to organize information within the body. This article provides useful templates and tips to help you outline your essay, make decisions about your structure, and ...
In a rare move these days, The Dallas Morning News hires a public
There was a time in journalism when public editors were fairly common. The public editor — or readers' advocate or ombudsman, as it was called at some outlets — helped keep news ...
Walmart is launching a new store brand called Bettergoods. Here what it
Walmart is debuting a new store brand called Bettergoods, which it says is "chef-iinspired" and designed to create an "elevated experience." Products range in price from $2 to $15, although many ...
How chemicals called quaternary ammonium compounds may affect the brain
A common ingredient in household disinfectants has been shown in lab studies to affect certain brain cells. By Teddy Amenabar. April 25, 2024 at 7:05 a.m. EDT. (Illustration by George Wylesol for ...
Dusty 'Cat's Paw Nebula' contains a type of molecule never seen in
Scientists have detected a new, unusually large molecule never seen in space before. The 13-atom molecule, called 2-methoxyethanol, was detected in the Cat's Paw Nebula.
Denmark to restrict Ozempic, other GLP-1 drugs, to treat type 2
COPENHAGEN, May 1 (Reuters) - Denmark will start putting patients suffering from type 2 diabetes on cheaper drugs before prescribing so-called GLP-1 drugs such as Novo Nordisk's (NOVOb.CO) Ozempic ...

Explore Different Types of Essays, their Purpose, and Sub-types

Major Types of Essays In Academic Writing

Argumentative Essay

Characteristics of Argumentative Essay

Descriptive Essay

Key Characteristics

Expository Essay

Key Characteristics

Narrative Essay

Other Essay Types

Persuasive Essay

Analytical Essay

Reflective Essay

Rhetorical Analysis Essay

Literary Analysis Essay Example

Frequently Asked Questions

What type of essay is most common at university?

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Types of Essay

Format of an Essay

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Types of Essays: A Comprehensive Guide to Writing Different Essay Types

Understanding Essays

Purpose of Essay

Types of Essays

Descriptive Essay

Expository Essay

Persuasive Essay

Argumentative Essay

Analytical Essay

Critical Essay

Reflective Essay

Personal Essay

Synthesis Essay

Review Essay

Research Essay

Report Essay

Informal Essay

Short Essay

Five Paragraph Essay

Scholarship Essay

Frequently Asked Questions

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Essays | Definition, Types, Examples, & Facts About Them

What is an essay?

Types of essays

Examples of essays

Facts about essays

What is an Essay?

Defining the Term – What is an Essay?

Origins of the Essay

The Essay in Literature

The Essay in Academics

Five paragraph essay

Argumentative essay

Compare and Contrast essay

Definition essay

Descriptive essay

Illustration essay

Informative Essay

Narrative essay

Persuasive essay

The Essay in Art

Drawing the line – question answered

A life lesson in Romeo and Juliet taught by death

Ethical Research Paper Topics

Art Research Paper Topics

What Are the Different Types and Characteristics of Essays?

Definitions and Observations

What Are the 5 Different Types of Essays? A Complete Guide

🎈 Other Essay Types

🔗 References

Expository Essay