A Beginner’s Guide To Academic Writing: The Main Types Of Essays


College is a whole new playing field when it comes to writing; there is more expected with academic writing and sometimes you may find that an essay is the deal breaker when it comes to whether or not you will even pass a class for the semester.

One really big pointer for you is that you have to learn how to write using academic English. Academic writing can vary from other types of English writing that you have experienced or used in the past.

Academic Essay Types

Most of the academic writing you will see in college falls any of these four areas better yet modes. These modes will be the basis of your academic writing; with many sub categories that you will be working with as well.

Exposition Essays - usually informs your reader of something in the body of the essay. This something can be anywhere from how to do something or the process involved with an event or the making of an item. You can find exposition properties in:

  • technical writing or some business writing
  • writing that tells of a process
  • essays that compare and contrast a subject matter
  • effect essay
  • research essays

Narration Essays - tends to tell who is reading the essay about an event. In some cases it isn’t just an event but a place and time period as well. Common narration writing:

  • the personal essay
  • some short stories
  • full length novels
  • poetry writing except poetry that uses a lot a alliteration.

Descriptive Essays - writing that tends to use vivid language for example literation; to describe the topic in the reader’s mind. Writing that uses literation helps paint a picture for your reader to help them relate to a character or event. You will see a lot of this in:

  • fiction writing
  • poetry writing

The Persuasion Essay – tends to be writing that makes a standpoint on a topic or issue and usually tries to persuade the person reading the essay to be on the side of the writer. Common essay types where you would find this style are:

  • The argumentative paper
  • The analysis essay

A great essay will incorporate a variety of these modes into one academic paper. A good example of this would be using descriptive elements in a persuasive style essay to help paint a convincing picture for the reader to help them lean more towards the writer’s side. The best tip that can be given here is; academic writing isn’t hard; so never overly complicate your writing and enjoy every moment of it.

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