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Contributors:Jack Baker, Allen Brizee, Elizabeth Angeli. Summary:

The odes o! "iscourse#$%position, "escription, &arration, 'rgumentation ($"&')#are common paper assignments you may encounter in your writing classes. 'lthough these genres ha(e been critici)ed by some composition scholars, the Purdue OWL recogni)es the wide spread use o! these approaches and students* need to understand and produce them.

Essay Writing
This resource begins with a general description o! essay writing and mo(es to a discussion o! common essay genres students may encounter across the curriculum. The !our genres o! essays (description, narration, e%position, and argumentation) are common paper assignments you may encounter in your writing classes. 'lthough these genres, also +nown as the modes o! discourse, ha(e been critici)ed by some composition scholars, the Purdue OWL recogni)es the wide spread use o! these genres and students* need to understand and produce these types o! essays. We hope these resources will help.
O er iew

The essay is a commonly assigned !orm o! writing that e(ery student will encounter while in academia. There!ore, it is wise !or the student to become capable and com!ortable with this type o! writing early on in her training. $ssays can be a rewarding and challenging type o! writing and are o!ten assigned either to be done in class, which re,uires pre(ious planning and practice (and a bit o! creati(ity) on the part o! the student, or as homewor+, which li+ewise demands a certain amount o! preparation. any poorly cra!ted essays ha(e been produced on account o! a lac+ o! preparation and con!idence. -owe(er, students can a(oid the discom!ort o!ten associated with essay writing by understanding some common genres within essay writing.

.e!ore del(ing into its (arious genres, let*s begin with a basic de!inition o! the essay. What is an essay? Though the word essay has come to be understood as a type o! writing in odern $nglish, its origins pro(ide us with some use!ul insights. The word comes into the $nglish language through the /rench in!luence on iddle $nglish0 tracing it bac+ !urther, we !ind that the /rench !orm o! the word comes !rom the Latin (erb exigere, which means 1to e%amine, test, or (literally) to dri(e out.1 Through the e%ca(ation o! this ancient word, we are able to unearth the essence o! the academic essay: to encourage students to test or e%amine their ideas concerning a particular topic. $ssays are shorter pieces o! writing that o!ten re,uire the student to hone a number o! s+ills such as close reading, analysis, comparison and contrast, persuasion, conciseness, clarity, and e%position. 's is e(idenced by this list o! attributes, there is much to be gained by the student who stri(es to succeed at essay writing. The purpose o! an essay is to encourage students to de(elop ideas and concepts in their writing with the direction o! little more than their own thoughts (it may be help!ul to (iew the essay as the con(erse o! a research paper). There!ore, essays are (by nature) concise and re,uire clarity in purpose and direction. This means that there is no room !or the student*s thoughts to wander or stray !rom his or her purpose0 the writing must be deliberate and interesting. This handout should help students become !amiliar and com!ortable with the process o! essay composition through the introduction o! some common essay genres. This handout includes a brie! introduction to the !ollowing genres o! essay writing:

Expository essays Descriptive essays Narrative essays Argumentative ( ersuasive! essays

Contributors:Jack Baker, Allen Brizee, Elizabeth Angeli. Summary:

The odes o! "iscourse#$%position, "escription, &arration, 'rgumentation ($"&')#are common paper assignments you may encounter in your writing classes. 'lthough these genres ha(e been critici)ed by some composition scholars, the Purdue OWL recogni)es the wide spread use o! these approaches and students* need to understand and produce them.

E!pository Essays
What is an expository essay?

The e%pository essay is a genre o! essay that re,uires the student to in(estigate an idea, e(aluate e(idence, e%pound on the idea, and set !orth an argument concerning that idea in a clear and concise manner. This can be accomplished through comparison and contrast, de!inition, e%ample, the analysis o! cause and e!!ect, etc. Please note: This genre is commonly assigned as a tool !or classroom e(aluation and is o!ten !ound in (arious e%am !ormats. The structure o! the e%pository essay is held together by the !ollowing.

" clear# concise# and de$ined thesis statement that occurs in the $irst paragraph o$ the essay.

2t is essential that this thesis statement be appropriately narrowed to !ollow the guidelines set !orth in the assignment. 2! the student does not master this portion o! the essay, it will be ,uite di!!icult to compose an e!!ecti(e or persuasi(e essay.

Clear and logical transitions between the introduction# body# and conclusion.

Transitions are the mortar that holds the !oundation o! the essay together. Without logical progression o! thought, the reader is unable to !ollow the essay*s argument, and the structure will collapse.

%ody paragraphs that include e idential support.

$ach paragraph should be limited to the e%position o! one general idea. This will allow !or clarity and direction throughout the essay. What is more, such conciseness creates an ease o! readability !or one*s audience. 2t is important to note that each paragraph in the body o! the essay must ha(e some logical connection to the thesis statement in the opening paragraph.

E idential support &whether $actual# logical# statistical# or anecdotal'.

O!ten times, students are re,uired to write e%pository essays with little or no preparation0 there!ore, such essays do not typically allow !or a great deal o! statistical or !actual e(idence.

" bit o$ creati ity(

Though creati(ity and art!ulness are not always associated with essay writing, it is an art !orm nonetheless. Try not to get stuc+ on the !ormulaic nature o! e%pository writing at the e%pense o! writing something interesting. 3emember, though you may not be cra!ting the ne%t great no(el, you are attempting to lea(e a lasting impression on the people e(aluating your essay.

" conclusion that does not simply restate the thesis# but readdresses it in light o$ the e idence pro ided.

2t is at this point o! the essay that students will ine(itably begin to struggle. This is the portion o! the essay that will lea(e the most immediate impression on the mind o! the reader. There!ore, it must be e!!ecti(e and logical. "o not introduce any new in!ormation into the conclusion0 rather, synthesi)e and come to a conclusion concerning the in!ormation presented in the body o! the essay. A complete argument Perhaps it is help!ul to thin+ o! an essay in terms o! a con(ersation or debate with a classmate. 2! 2 were to discuss the cause o! the 4reat "epression and its current e!!ect on those who li(ed through the tumultuous time, there would be a beginning, middle, and end to the con(ersation. 2n !act, i! 2 were to end the e%position in the middle o! my second point, ,uestions would arise concerning the current e!!ects on those who li(ed through the "epression. There!ore, the e%pository essay must be complete, and logically so, lea(ing no doubt as to its intent or argument. The five-paragraph Essay ' common method !or writing an e%pository essay is the !i(e5paragraph approach. This is, howe(er, by no means the only !ormula !or writing such essays. 2! it sounds straight!orward, that is because it is0 in !act, the method consists o!:
". an intro#uctory paragraph $. three evi#entiary bo#y paragraphs %. a conclusion Contributors:Jack Baker, Allen Brizee, Elizabeth Angeli. Summary:

The odes o! "iscourse#$%position, "escription, &arration, 'rgumentation ($"&')#are common paper assignments you may encounter in your writing classes. 'lthough these genres ha(e been critici)ed by some composition scholars, the Purdue OWL recogni)es the wide spread use o! these approaches and students* need to understand and produce them.

)escripti e Essays
What is a descriptive essay? The descripti(e essay is a genre o! essay that as+s the student to describe something#ob6ect, person, place, e%perience, emotion, situation, etc. This genre encourages the student*s ability to create a written account o! a particular e%perience. What is more, this genre allows !or a great deal o! artistic !reedom (the goal o! which is to paint an image that is (i(id and mo(ing in the mind o! the reader).

One might bene!it !rom +eeping in mind this simple ma%im: 2! the reader is unable to clearly !orm an impression o! the thing that you are describing, try, try again7 -ere are some guidelines !or writing a descripti(e essay.

*a+e time to brainstorm

2! your instructor as+s you to describe your !a(orite !ood, ma+e sure that you 6ot down some ideas be!ore you begin describing it. /or instance, i! you choose pi))a, you might start by writing down a !ew words: sauce, cheese, crust, pepperoni, sausage, spices, hot, melted, etc. Once you ha(e written down some words, you can begin by compiling descripti(e lists !or each one.

,se clear and concise language.

This means that words are chosen care!ully, particularly !or their rele(ancy in relation to that which you are intending to describe.

Choose i id language.

Why use horse when you can choose stallion8 Why not use tempestuous instead o! violent8 Or why not miserly in place o! cheap8 9uch choices !orm a !irmer image in the mind o! the reader and o!ten times o!!er nuanced meanings that ser(e better one*s purpose.

,se your senses(

3emember, i! you are describing something, you need to be appealing to the senses o! the reader. $%plain how the thing smelled, !elt, sounded, tasted, or loo+ed. $mbellish the moment with senses.

What were you thin+ing-(

2! you can describe emotions or !eelings related to your topic, you will connect with the reader on a deeper le(el. any ha(e !elt crushing loss in their li(es, or ecstatic 6oy, or mild complacency. Tap into this emotional reser(oir in order to achie(e your !ull descripti(e potential.

Lea e the reader with a clear impression.

One o! your goals is to e(o+e a strong sense o! !amiliarity and appreciation in the reader. 2! your reader can wal+ away !rom the essay cra(ing the (ery pi))a you 6ust described, you are on your way to writing e!!ecti(e descripti(e essays.

%e organi.ed(

2t is easy to !all into an incoherent rambling o! emotions and senses when writing a descripti(e essay. -owe(er, you must stri(e to present an organi)ed and logical description i! the reader is to come away !rom the essay with a cogent sense o! what it is you are attempting to describe.

Contributors:Jack Baker, Allen Brizee, Elizabeth Angeli. Summary:

The odes o! "iscourse#$%position, "escription, &arration, 'rgumentation ($"&')#are common paper assignments you may encounter in your writing classes. 'lthough these genres ha(e been critici)ed by some composition scholars, the Purdue OWL recogni)es the wide spread use o! these approaches and students* need to understand and produce them.

/arrati e Essays
What is a narrative essay? When writing a narrati(e essay, one might thin+ o! it as telling a story. These essays are o!ten anecdotal, e%periential, and personal#allowing students to e%press themsel(es in a creati(e and, ,uite o!ten, mo(ing ways. -ere are some guidelines !or writing a narrati(e essay.

0$ written as a story# the essay should include all the parts o$ a story.

This means that you must include an introduction, plot, characters, setting, clima%, and conclusion.

When would a narrati e essay not be written as a story-

' good e%ample o! this is when an instructor as+s a student to write a boo+ report. Ob(iously, this would not necessarily !ollow the pattern o! a story and would !ocus on pro(iding an in!ormati(e narrati(e !or the reader.

*he essay should ha e a purpose.

a+e a point7 Thin+ o! this as the thesis o! your story. 2! there is no point to what you are narrating, why narrate it at all8

*he essay should be written $rom a clear point o$ iew.

2t is ,uite common !or narrati(e essays to be written !rom the standpoint o! the author0 howe(er, this is not the sole perspecti(e to be considered. :reati(ity in narrati(e essays o!ten times mani!ests itsel! in the !orm o! authorial perspecti(e.

,se clear and concise language throughout the essay.

uch li+e the descripti(e essay, narrati(e essays are e!!ecti(e when the language is care!ully, particularly, and art!ully chosen. ;se speci!ic language to e(o+e speci!ic emotions and senses in the reader.

*he use o$ the $irst person pronoun 102 is welcomed.

"o not abuse this guideline7 Though it is welcomed it is not necessary#nor should it be o(erused !or lac+ o! clearer diction.

"s always# be organi.ed(

-a(e a clear introduction that sets the tone !or the remainder o! the essay. "o not lea(e the reader guessing about the purpose o! your narrati(e. 3emember, you are in control o! the essay, so guide it where you desire (6ust ma+e sure your audience can !ollow your lead).
Contributors:Jack Baker, Allen Brizee, Elizabeth Angeli. Summary:

The odes o! "iscourse#$%position, "escription, &arration, 'rgumentation ($"&')#are common paper assignments you may encounter in your writing classes. 'lthough these genres ha(e been critici)ed by some composition scholars, the Purdue OWL recogni)es the wide spread use o! these approaches and students* need to understand and produce them.

"rgumentati e Essays
What is an argumentative essay? The argumentati(e essay is a genre o! writing that re,uires the student to in(estigate a topic0 collect, generate, and e(aluate e(idence0 and establish a position on the topic in a concise manner. Please note: 9ome con!usion may occur between the argumentati(e essay and the e%pository essay. These two genres are similar, but the argumentati(e essay di!!ers !rom the e%pository essay in the amount o! pre5writing (in(ention) and research in(ol(ed. The argumentati(e essay is commonly assigned as a capstone or !inal pro6ect in !irst year writing or ad(anced composition courses and in(ol(es lengthy, detailed research. $%pository essays in(ol(e less research and are shorter in length. $%pository essays are o!ten used !or in5class writing e%ercises or tests, such as the 4$" or 43$. 'rgumentati(e essay assignments generally call !or e%tensi(e research o! literature or pre(iously published material. 'rgumentati(e assignments may also re,uire empirical research where the student collects data through inter(iews, sur(eys, obser(ations, or e%periments. "etailed research allows the student to learn about the topic and to understand di!!erent points o! (iew regarding the topic so that she/he may choose a position and support it with the e(idence collected during research. 3egardless o! the amount or type o! research in(ol(ed, argumentati(e essays must establish a clear thesis and !ollow sound reasoning. The structure o! the argumentati(e essay is held together by the !ollowing.

" clear# concise# and de$ined thesis statement that occurs in the $irst paragraph o$ the essay.

2n the !irst paragraph o! an argument essay, students should set the conte%t by re(iewing the topic in a general way. &e%t the author should e%plain why the topic is important (exigence) or why readers should care about the issue. Lastly, students should present the thesis statement. 2t is essential that this thesis statement be appropriately narrowed to !ollow the guidelines set !orth in the assignment. 2! the student does not master this portion o! the essay, it will be ,uite di!!icult to compose an e!!ecti(e or persuasi(e essay.

Clear and logical transitions between the introduction# body# and conclusion.

Transitions are the mortar that holds the !oundation o! the essay together. Without logical progression o! thought, the reader is unable to !ollow the essay*s argument, and the structure will collapse. Transitions should wrap up the idea !rom the pre(ious section and introduce the idea that is to !ollow in the ne%t section.

%ody paragraphs that include e idential support.

$ach paragraph should be limited to the discussion o! one general idea. This will allow !or clarity and direction throughout the essay. 2n addition, such conciseness creates an ease o! readability !or one*s audience. 2t is important to note that each paragraph in the body o! the essay must ha(e some logical connection to the thesis statement in the opening paragraph. 9ome paragraphs will directly support the thesis statement with e(idence collected during research. 2t is also important to e%plain how and why the e(idence supports the thesis (warrant). -owe(er, argumentati(e essays should also consider and e%plain di!!ering points o! (iew regarding the topic. "epending on the length o! the assignment, students should dedicate one or two paragraphs o! an argumentati(e essay to discussing con!licting opinions on the topic. 3ather than e%plaining how these di!!ering opinions are wrong outright, students should note how opinions that do not align with their thesis might not be well in!ormed or how they might be out o! date.

E idential support &whether $actual# logical# statistical# or anecdotal'.

The argumentati(e essay re,uires well5researched, accurate, detailed, and current in!ormation to support the thesis statement and consider other points o! (iew. 9ome !actual, logical, statistical, or anecdotal e(idence should support the thesis. -owe(er, students must consider multiple points o! (iew when collecting e(idence. 's noted in the paragraph abo(e, a success!ul and well5 rounded argumentati(e essay will also discuss opinions not aligning with the thesis. 2t is unethical to e%clude e(idence that may not support the thesis. 2t is not the student*s 6ob to point out how other positions are wrong outright, but rather to e%plain how other positions may not be well in!ormed or up to date on the topic.

" conclusion that does not simply restate the thesis# but readdresses it in light o$ the e idence pro ided.

2t is at this point o! the essay that students may begin to struggle. This is the portion o! the essay that will lea(e the most immediate impression on the mind o! the reader. There!ore, it must be e!!ecti(e and logical. "o not introduce any new in!ormation into the conclusion0 rather, synthesi)e the in!ormation presented in the body o! the essay. 3estate why the topic is important, re(iew the main points, and re(iew your thesis. <ou may also want to include a short discussion o! more research that should be completed in light o! your wor+. A complete argument Perhaps it is help!ul to thin+ o! an essay in terms o! a con(ersation or debate with a classmate. 2! 2 were to discuss the cause o! World War 22 and its current e!!ect on those who li(ed through the tumultuous time, there would be a beginning, middle, and end to the con(ersation. 2n !act, i! 2 were to end the argument in the middle o! my second point, ,uestions would arise concerning the current e!!ects on those who li(ed through the con!lict. There!ore, the argumentati(e essay must be complete, and logically so, lea(ing no doubt as to its intent or argument. The five-paragraph essay ' common method !or writing an argumentati(e essay is the !i(e5paragraph approach. This is, howe(er, by no means the only !ormula !or writing such essays. 2! it sounds straight!orward, that is because it is0 in !act, the method consists o! (a) an introductory paragraph (b) three e(identiary body paragraphs that may include discussion o! opposing (iews and (c) a conclusion. Longer argumentative essays :omple% issues and detailed research call !or comple% and detailed essays. 'rgumentati(e essays discussing a number o! research sources or empirical research will most certainly be longer than !i(e paragraphs. 'uthors may ha(e to discuss the conte%t surrounding the topic, sources o! in!ormation and their credibility, as well as a number o! di!!erent opinions on the issue be!ore concluding the essay. any o! these !actors will be determined by the assignment.