Argumentative/Persuasive- An argumentative or persuasive essay requires you to win the reader over to

your way of thinking. One of the most important aspects to keep in mind when writing an argumentative or
persuasive essay is audience. You must know who your audience is in order to choose the best defense. Ask
yourself, what do my readers know about this topic? What arguments would appeal to them? Remember,
you must not only argue and defend your main points, but also effectively anticipate and respond to any
possible counter-arguments the opposition might raise.

Cause and Effect- Cause and effect essays explore why things happen (causes) and
what happens as a result (effects). These essays give reasons and explanations for
behaviors, events, or circumstances. It is important that your presentation is factual
and believable, and that in your thesis statement you explain whether you will be
discussing causes, effects, or both.

Compare and Contrast- Compare and contrast essays are used to examine two or more subjects and the
similarities and/or differences between them. The task of this type of essay is to clarify something unknown
by analyzing it next to something with which the reader is familiar.  Like the cause and effect essay, it is
important that your thesis statement clearly states whether you will be comparing (giving similarities),
contrasting (showing differences), or both.

Descriptive- In a descriptive essay, your task is to describe something to your audience, allowing the reader
to fully experience the object, event, or situation. Sensory details, figurative language, and powerful
vocabulary can create an image in the reader’s mind, enhancing his or her understanding and appreciation of
the topic. This is one of the few essays in which the use of “I” may be acceptable.

Expository- An expository essay teaches or informs your reader about a subject. This type of essay can
explain how something works, how to do something, the steps in a procedure, or why something is the way it
is. Ultimately, the reader should have a better understanding of the subject after reading your paper.

Literary Analysis- Literary analysis papers focus on the analysis of a literary work. A literary work can be an
article, another essay, poem, short story, novel, etc. Your thesis statement should be your opinion about one
or more aspects of the text, or the text as a whole. In a literary analysis, you are required to use evidence
from the text to support and/or prove your own ideas. It is absolutely essential that you know how to choose
quotes from the text, as well as how to use them in your paper.

Reflective/Narrative- The reflective essay or personal narrative differs from most other essays in that in
these types of essays, you are writing about your own personal experiences and/or telling a story about what
was learned from that experience. The reflective essay does not seek to find answers or draw conclusions
about an event, but rather seeks to explore the discoveries you made about yourself through the event. This
is one of the few types of essays in which the first person pronoun “I” is acceptable.
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