
Essay Types by Tnarik
What are the different essay types? Generally, there are about 6 different essay types and each will be used depending on what you are trying to achieve with your essay. If you are instructed to use a particular type of essay, then this article will give you a quick overview of what you have to focus on for that type. If you are given the choice of essay type, then you can make this decision based on a few questions about your topic. In particular, what technique works for your selected topic? What kind of writing style is suitable? What tone is efficient?
Here are the common types of essays that can help students on their paper writing activities:
Persuasive or argumentative essay – A persuasive or argumentative essay makes a claim or position regarding a subject for the main purpose of persuasion. It is usually presented with statistics, expert opinions, and well-supported arguments about a claim or controversy. In using an argumentative tone in essay writing, it is essential that the issue to be discussed is two-sided wherein the writer takes a stand. Also, the main argument must be clear, exact, and highly focused.
Comparison and Contrast essay – This type of essay writing takes two subjects and identifies their similarities and differences. A good comparison and contrast paper possesses a valid basis for comparison – a limited focus and catchy information. In writing essay using compare and contrast, it is vital that the purpose for comparing and contrasting the two subjects is made clear. This purpose is crucial because it provides focus to the paper.
Descriptive essay – Descriptive essays’ aim is to provide a vivid picture of a certain person, place, object, or event. It offers concise details that enable the readers to imagine the subject described. Generally, descriptive essays explain the “what, why, when, where, and how” of a topic.
Definition essay- Definition essay writing demands writers to present a meaning of a term that goes beyond the objective definition offered in the dictionary. Essay writers need to provide a more focused and exact description of the term than what is offered in reference sources.
Narrative essay – A narrative essay tells a story in a sequence of events. This type of essay is told from a defined point of view, often the author’s. It offers specific and often sensory details to get the reader involved in the elements and sequence of the story. Verbs must be vivid and precise.
Evaluation essay – The prime purpose of this essay writing style is to form judgment on certain ideas, places, services, etc. basing on clear-cut criteria. An informed opinion is critical to the development of this essay. It is important to use facts, statistics and other authoritative resources to establish and organize the criteria to present a substantial analysis and evaluation.
Essay writing is just one tough kind of various paper writing activities. Students usually ask for professional essay help to assist them on what type of approach or style to use in their composition.
Contributing author – Source. Image shown under creative commons share alike licence – Source.
A persuasive essay is meant to motivate a reader to change their opinion on something. Below are instructions on how to write a persuasive essay.
Tip 1: sound pleasant and conversation like.
If one talks down to their audience and scares them into buying their pitch, the audience will surely be quite turned off. A positive tone is essential to a good persuasive essay.
Tip 2: the essay needs to be backed up by sources proving your point. It is a good idea to say “according to this book or website” to prove a valid point. Without proper sources, your audience may not think you are a credible writer.
Tip 3: pitch the idea to your audience, also known as a “sales pitch”.
The reference to “sales” is to get your point across so your audience would buy your product if you were selling it, metaphorically speaking.
Tip 4: compare it to something else. To be thoroughly persuasive, you may want to compare your idea with another for contrast.
You now should know how to write a persuasive essay.
Conclusion:
Your conclusion is vitally important as it is the ending to your essay and leaves your audience with a summing up of everything you just talked about.
Tip 1: sum up the main points of what you talked about in your essay.
Tip 2: a sentence or two restating why they should do what you want them to do.
Tip 3: make the tone of your conclusion clear and concise, like the rest of your essay.
Tip 4: End the conclusion (as well as your entire paper) with a good, punchy line to wrap it all up.
You also should include a tagline (a sentence of uniqueness), which will help the audience remember your essay. A call of action statement also is appropriate in a conclusion as it gives a justification for everything you are talking about.
Body:
When learning how to write an essay knowing how to write the body is very important. The body of the essay is the bulk of the essay and should be the most detailed.
Tip 1: make each point consistent. All paragraphs in the body should have a clear tone and be equally backed up by sources.
Tip 2: be certain to highlight all points you want to be clear on, which should be almost everything. Any details worth mentioning should be emphasized in great depth.
Tip 3: sources and quotations should be used properly. However, only quote a small part of the content and paraphrase the rest.
Tip 4: Make each paragraph well-thought out to master how to write a persuasive essay. Each paragraph should be the same amount of content as the others in the essay. Edit out unnecessary information if need be.

Persuasion by EdYourDon
What is persuasion? Dictionary.com describes the verb ‘persuade’ as to induce to believe by appealing to reason or understanding; convince. Put simply, persuasion is convincing another person of your conclusions. You want to agree with you, even champion your cause.
“Rhetoric is the art of discovering, in a particular case, the available means of persuasion.”
–Aristotle
Every single human requires the art of persuasion at some point in their lives. As a child, one might use persuasion for the attainment of a toy or as an adult for the acquiring of other objects. A person here might whine, throw tantrums, but this behavior never seems to attain what is wanted by the person and just makes things worst.
What one needs here is persuasion as it is the only method that can be pursued by one to achieve what he wants. According to definition, “Persuasion is a form of influence. It is the process of guiding people toward the adoption of an idea, attitude, or action by rational and symbolic (though not only logical) means. It is a problem-solving strategy and relies on “appeals” rather than force”.
Techniques
It is to be noted here that when writing an essay, a person needs to use persuasion so as to make people conform to the ideas that he or she presents in his essay. To write a persuasive essay, first of all the writer needs to have an argument. The argument has to be one-sided and the other side of the argument or the opposite answer is disregarded, but another fact is that a persuasive essay is never related to the pros and cons of the topic, but general facts related to its factuality. According to sources, “It can’t be a fact. If you were to choose as your topic, “Vipers are dangerous,” you wouldn’t have to persuade anyone of that. However, if your topic was, “Vipers should be eliminated from the animal kingdom,” then you would have presented an opinion that could be debated. Your persuasive essay will focus on only one side–your chosen side–of the argument. This will not be a pros-and-cons essay. Also, it won’t be a personal opinion essay. You must be prepared to back up your logic with evidence collected in research that supports your position”.
Persuasion requires technique. No one would believe anything said by another until and unless he or she is persuaded into believing it. Persuasion can be done by certain methods.
Evidence
First of all evidence is required so as to support the claim made by the writer in the essay. The evidence cannot be general statements but have to be valid with good sources. Apart from evidence, persuasion needs to be sequential with one fact of the topic leading to the other for the betterment of the reader, as this would help him or her in understanding the topic as well as the claim. For example, if one is writing an essay on the above mentioned statement that is, “Vipers should be eliminated from the animal kingdom,” the writer needs to begin by the dangers posed by the vipers and then move on to numerical data as to how much disaster is caused by them and then carry this argument forward.
Introduction of Controversial Issues
In the essay, the writer should also bring forth a general introduction to the issues that are against the topic at hand. This would lead to a negation of the controversial topic and would help the reader into conforming with the arguments as well as to understand the whole topic.
Conclusion
In the light of the above-mentioned statements, we can hereby conclude that persuasion is an art that is used by everyone at some point in their lives. It is necessary to note that persuasion plays a major role in an essay, which is related to a certain debatable argument. Persuasion requires some techniques, which have been mentioned above.
Contributing author – Source. Image shown under creative commons share alike licence – Source. This photographer is both brilliant and prolific. If you like photography, check his work out.

Photo by Magnus Franklin
A good essay will often start with a single writing idea. But getting that spark of inspiration can be difficult when you are under pressure from a deadline. If checking out digg.com for some writing ideas has failed, then it is time to turn to some quotes about life.
How do you use a quote? That’s the easy part. Pick a line from below you like. Perhaps it has made you think. Perhaps it made you laugh. Now what do you have to write about. Can you make a connection between the two? Let’s take a quote from John Mendoza – “You know you’re getting old when you can pinch an inch on your forehead”. There is world of scope just from these 14 words. How about society’s attitude to beauty as we age? Or the physical effects of ageing? What else can you think of? Here are a few quotes to give you some inspiration.
“A stockbroker urged me to buy a stock that would triple its value every year. I told him, ‘At my age, I don’t even buy green bananas’.” Claude D. Pepper
“Wrinkles should merely indicate where smiles have been. ” Mark Twain
“An archaeologist is the best husband a woman can have. The older she gets, the more interested he is in her. ” Agatha Christie
How about some funny life quotes -
“My husband and I didn’t sign a pre-nuptial agreement. We signed a mutual suicide pact.” Roseanne Barr
“If variety is the spice of life, marriage is the big can of leftover Spam.” Johnny Carson
“In my house I’m the boss, my wife is just the decision maker.” Woody Allen
“In many instances, marriage vows would be more accurate if the phrase were changed to ‘Until debt do us part’. Sam Ewing
“Marriage is give and take. You’d better give it to her or she’ll take it anyway.” Joey Adams
“You can tell German wine from vinegar by the label.” Mark Twain
“I drink too much. The last time I gave a urine sample it had an olive in it.” Rodney Dangerfield
“Outside of the killings, Washington has one of the lowest crime rates in the country.” Mayor Marion Barry, Washington, DC
“It’s the most important decision I’ve had to make since 1978 when I decided to get a bikini wax.” Arnold Schwarzenegger
“Politicians are wonderful people as long as they stay away from things they don’t understand, such as working for a living.” P. J. O’Rourke
“The political machine triumphs because it is a united minority acting against a divided majority.” Will Durant
As the site owner for The Persuasive Essay Guide I revieve 5 or 6 essays a week from guest authors wanting me to publish their work. They get links to their website and I get new content so we are both happy. If you want to read one, go check out my Essay Examples category.
Sometimes however, I have to shake my head in disbelief at the quality of the work. No, thats a lie. The majority get assigned to the trash bin. But instead of deleting today’s contribution, I thought Iwould turn it into a test case on what to do if you like to fail.
Here is the article title I recieved -
Why BaByliss Nano Titanium Flat Irons is Good
First, lets chat about the obvious mistake. Should you use a plural followed by “is”? Which reads better – Why BaBliss Nano Titanium Flat Irons Is Good … or Why BaBliss Nano Titanium Flat Irons Are Good.
Now English is a language that will let you take many liberties in form and structure. I know my article here will be packed with them. But the title is the SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT FEATURE in an article. Get it wrong and your tutor will start warming up the FAIL pen.
What else can you pick up in the title? I read it and thought – “was the author stoned when he wrote this?”. Where are the catchy benefits to get me to read? How about -
Hit 10 Yards Further With BaByliss Nano Titanium Flat Irons
Can BaByliss Nano Titanium Irons Improve Your Game?
After reading the title my mouse pointer was hovering over the delete button as I continued into the first paragraph. Here it is -
“A flat iron, alternatively known as hair straightener and straightening iron, has come a long way since its start during the late 1800s. In fact, flat irons have now developed the concept of hair styling, and they are more than just a tool to make straight your hair and can be used to test a spectrum of hair styles such as curling, flipping, and creating waves. However, the good functioning of a flat iron depends upon the type of material used for the making of its plates. Best part of the top end flat irons are made from resources such as ceramic and tourmaline. Now there is an advance for ceramic and tourmaline flat irons in the form of Titanium Flat Irons.”
Why does this fail? Think about it for a second.
Is the article about golfing products or hair straighteners? I am not too sure as it lacks direction. The words just aimlessly wander the page. If the title is the slap in the face to get attention, then the first paragraph sets the scene. As a reader I want to know what the article is about. And importantly, what entices me to read the other 4 or 5 paragraphs. The biggest mistake here is the hero of the article (titanium flat irons) is the last point to be mentioned in the article. Make it the first. Grab your readers and let them know what journey they are signing up for. Sure, create intruige. But don’t leave it until all your readers have left to do it.
Every single human requires the art of persuasion at some point in their lives. As a child, one might use persuasion for the attainment of a toy or as an adult for the acquiring of other objects. A person here might whine, throw tantrums, but this behavior never seems to attain what is wanted by the person and just makes things worst. What one needs here is persuasion as it is the only method that can be sued by one to achieve what he wants. According to definition, “Persuasion is a form of influence. It is the process of guiding people toward the adoption of an idea, attitude, or action by rational and symbolic (though not only logical) means. It is a problem-solving strategy and relies on “appeals” rather than force”.
Techniques
It is to be noted here that when writing an essay, a person needs to use persuasion so as to make people conform to the ideas that he or she presents in his essay. To write a persuasive essay, first of all the writer needs to have an argument. The argument has to be one-sided and the other side of the argument or the opposite answer is disregarded, but another fact is that a persuasive essay is never related to the pros and cons of the topic, but general facts related to its factuality. According to sources, “It can’t be a fact. If you were to choose as your topic, “Vipers are dangerous,” you wouldn’t have to persuade anyone of that. However, if your topic was, “Vipers should be eliminated from the animal kingdom,” then you would have presented an opinion that could be debated. Your persuasive essay will focus on only one side–your chosen side–of the argument. This will not be a pros-and-cons essay. Also, it won’t be a personal opinion essay. You must be prepared to back up your logic with evidence collected in research that supports your position” (Covert, p.1).
Persuasion requires techniques. No one would believe anything said by another until and unless he or she is persuaded into believing it. Persuasion can be done by certain methods.
– Evidence
First of all evidence is required so as to support the claim made by the writer in the essay. The evidence cannot be general statements but have to be valid with good sources. Apart from evidence, persuasion needs to be sequential with one fact of the topic leading to the other for the betterment of the reader, as this would help him or her in understanding the topic as well as the claim. For example, if one is writing an essay on the above mentioned statement that is, “Vipers should be eliminated from the animal kingdom,” the writer needs to begin by the dangers posed by the vipers and then move on to numerical data as to how much disaster is caused by them and then carry this argument forward.
–Introduction of Controversial Issues
In the essay, the writer should also bring forth a general introduction to the issues that are against the topic at hand. This would lead to a negation of the controversial topic and would help the reader into conforming with the arguments as well as to understand the whole topic.
Conclusion
In the light of the above-mentioned statements, we can hereby conclude that persuasion is an art that is used by everyone at some point in their lives. It is necessary to note that persuasion plays a major role in an essay, which is related to a certain debatable argument. Persuasion requires some techniques, which have been mentioned above.
The whole basic purpose of writing a persuasive essay is to do your best to convince the reader to come around to agreeing with your point of view or to siding with your idea for a course of action that may or may not need to be taken.
For example, you might argue that the taxpayer’s money is being wasted by building another exit road to a particular area when there are already four exits to that area from the interstate off-ramp. Or you might try getting the school to change the cafeteria menus to have vegetarian options for the student body. A well written persuasive essay will successfully use your evidence to support your point of view; to present opposing views and present a strong conclusion in favor of your P.O.V.
Some of the faculty and staff that designates the use of funding may worry that changing the food selection to have vegetarian options would be too expensive. However, there are ways to lessen the cost. Much of what could be added can be bought inexpensively in bulk quantities and the kitchen staff educated in the cooking techniques that might be required for some of the unfamiliar foods. Have one of the lines of the cafeteria offering the regular menu and the other line having the veggie menu for the day.
Use good hard evidence to support your P.O.V. Use all the statistics for promoting healthier eating habits, health facts, quotes from various health experts and many other examples of just how delicious and awesome a vegetarian lifestyle can be. All these types of facts will help you to build a strong case for your argument for just such an arrangement. Appeal to the readers sense of keeping an open mind about such ideas by presenting all of the relevant evidence in a clear, well-organized, and well-spoken manner.
ALWAYS consider opposing view-points. If you do not show the opposing view points presented fairly then your argument will sound weak and one-sided. Try to anticipate the issues and questions that a reader could have about your chosen subject. Responding to these points in a positive manner will give you the chance to explain why your point of view would be than the other person’s or persons, view point, or view points, as the case maybe.
Build and give the strongest conclusion you can. With all of your evidence and presenting it in a well spoken and well-written format should build toward a strong ending in which you will summarize your view to make it as clear and to have the strongest possible impression and influence as you can. The final words in a persuasive essay might include a call to action and make the strongest impression on your audience and thereby drawing them in to seeing your viewpoint more strongly and clearly.
ALWAYS use a pleasant and reasonable tone for your essay. Using any sort of sarcasm, or turning to using name-calling and pithy language will weaken your argument. Presenting it with cool logic and level -headed fairness will help to keep it strong and will be more likely to win the reader to seeing things from your perspective and achieving the desired effect of having the vegetarian line option in your school cafeteria!
Author Resource:-> Persuasive essay writing tutorials. Article Source.
To speak in public effectively, you need to be eloquent and charismatic. Being good looking will often help too. But what if you have none of these characteristics? What if you get up to speak and mumble your way through your speech? There is one saving grace if you fit into this category. The number one key to persuading listeners is to establish yourself as an authority. Here is a good example of a poor speaker establishing great authority early on.
A persuasive speech you give to a group a people is an extension of a persuasive essay that you write on a piece of paper. Both begin at the same place – the collection of persuasive ideas about a view point as notes on a piece of paper. A speech develops into cards while the final form of the essay is blank ink on white crisp paper.
The following YouTube video is a very good example of how to deliver a good persuasive speech -
In this video we are gong to look at how to write more persuasively. This is an essential skill for everyday writing as well as students who want to pass an exam such as the IELTS.