Types of Essays

... and why we write them.

Adapted from:
web.binus.ac.id/.../Types%20of%
20Essays_63499823094012125..
.
Why do we write essays?

Hint: The answer is NOT ‘because sir/miss told

me to’
Why do we write essays?

Measurement

Development

Professionalism
Measurement??!!??
Implying that it is to:
Assess your knowledge and understanding?
Grade your achievements?
Judge your writing skills?
Measure you against your peers?
Measurement??!!??
Implying that it is to:
Assess your knowledge and understanding?
Grade your achievements?
Judge your writing skills?
Measure you against your peers?

Of course, but it isn’t the main reason

Development
Far more important is that you are given the
opportunity:
to explore what you think
to improve how you think
to practice communicating your thoughts
Development
Writing is a tool which can allow us to:
Organise our thoughts clearly
give ourselves room to examine
what we think
why we think it
whether we should continue to think it
Professionalism
Sustained, coherent and complex thinking
cannot be done silently.

That is to say, most people cannot sit alone

and think CLEARLY about something
COMPLICATED for A LONG PERIOD of time
Professionalism

But, what do you do when there is no-one you

can talk to
Professionalism
Planning an essay is like having that
conversation with yourself

Writing the essay is sharing those thoughts with

other people
Professionalism

Which is important because….

Professionalism
Anybody can make a gut decision
but

only someone who is practiced in

communicating and reasoned argument will
be able to justify how the more difficult
decision was made
So anyway, …..
….what kind of essays are there.
There are generally considered to be
four types of essay

Analytical
Descriptive
Contrast/compare
Argumentative
 The descriptive
essay
In describe essays, you are
merely asked to describe,
something, be it an event, object,
graph or table.

Your OPINION is not required

unless specifically asked for
1. The descriptive essay

Description of object or place

Describing a sequence of events.

Describing a process

Describing and explaining

 Plan – Object or place
Introduction
Questions are major aspects of the subject.
often introduced
by: description of aspect A

•Describe ....
•Narrate... description of aspect B

•Tell....
etc.

Conclusion
 Plan – Sequence of Events
Introduction
Questions are
often introduced First situation
by:
•Give an then A happened

account of..., then B happened

•Trace...,
•Examine etc.

developments Final situation

in...
Conclusion
 Plan – A Process
Definition of process
Main equipment/Main steps
Questions are
often introduced Step One
by: leads to
•Explain/What
is the Step Two
leads to
connection
between.... Step Three
•Describe the
procedures by Conclusion
Summary of process
which...
 Plan – Describing and explaining
Questions often introduced by:
•Explain the causes/reasons....
•Account for....
•Analyse the causes....
•Comment on (the reasons for)....
•Show that....
•Show why...
•Examine the effect of....
•Suggest reasons for....
•Why did...?
•What are the implications of...?
•Discuss the causes of....
•Discuss the reasons for....
Plan – Describing and explaining
Introduction to causes of A

Cause 1 + example Introduction to causes of A

Effects 1 Causes + examples

Cause 2 with example OR

Transition

Effects 2
Effects

etc.
Conclusion
Conclusion
Which brings us on to
….how to write