Different Types of Essays Explained: Write Your Paper With Us

High-quality compositions are crucial to an academic success of every student. Basically, the most widely used types of essays in the academic world are narrative, expository, and persuasive. However, this article focuses on more types of essays, namely narrative, classification, exposition, evaluation, descriptive, persuasive, research, and compare and contrast. In this case, narrative compositions deal with events that are important to a person, while classification papers emphasize subjects with several categorizations. Then, exposition documents present some views of other people, while evaluation texts appraise essential facts. In principle, descriptive works search for some features of an object, while analytical writing evaluates a subject judgmentally. Moreover, persuasive or argumentative pieces prove a subject, while research studies present facts that support an exciting topic. Finally, compare and contrast articles include a debate on an issue from different viewpoints. As a result, to determine what type of essay to write, students consider their assignment requirements, their purpose for writing, and an intended audience they are addressing.

General Aspects

Writing is an essential skill that helps one to achieve better grades. While in school, every student must complete different types of academic compositions and evaluate writing skills. In college or university, the 5 main types of essays are narrative, expository, persuasive, descriptive, and analytical. However, there are other types of texts any student can write, and they have varying requirements. Further on, teachers assess an ability of a student to follow basic academic and writing guidelines in complete documents. Hence, every student must understand key features of different kinds of works they must understand and write. Moreover, a student should understand an meaning and scope of any composition at hand. As a result, narrative, classification, expository, evaluation, descriptive, argumentative, research, and compare and contrast are some types of essays that have dissimilar scopes and features.

What Are Types of Essays and Their Purposes

According to its definition, types of essays are academic forms of compositions, each serving distinct purposes and employing different writing techniques. For example, narrative compositions recount stories or personal experiences, engaging readers through vivid storytelling and emotional resonance (Fonteyn, 2024). On the other hand, expository articles aim to inform or explain a specific topic, relying on factual evidence and clear explanations without personal opinions, making them ideal for academic writing. Then, descriptive texts focus on creating detailed images in a reader’s mind, using sensory language to bring a subject to life (Greetham, 2023). In writing, persuasive texts serve a purpose of convincing readers of a particular viewpoint, utilizing different arguments, evidence, and emotional appeals to sway opinions. Further on, analytical pieces dissect an assigned subject, examining its components and relationships to provide deeper understanding and insights (Hampton, 2021). Besides, reflective works encourage students to ponder their thoughts, feelings, and experiences, promoting personal growth and self-awareness. As such, understanding different essay types enhances writing skills and enables effective communication because a person’s intent must conveyed clearly and persuasively (Haro et al., 2023). In principle, learning more about these categories enables students to select the most appropriate format for their objectives, ensuring clarity and impact in their writing. Finally, each type of text plays a vital role in education and personal expression, allowing for an entire exploration of diverse topics and ideas (Fleckenstein et al., 2020). In terms of pages and words, the length of different types of essays depends on academic levels, assignment and formatting requirements, and an overall complexity of a chosen topic, while general writing guidelines are:

High School

Length: 1-5 pages
Word Count: 250-1,250 words

College

Length: 2-7 pages
Word Count: 500-1,750 words

University

Length: 3-8+ pages
Word Count: 750-2,000+ words

Master’s

Length: 4-10+ pages
Word Count: 1,000-2,500+ words

Ph.D.

Length: 5-20+ pages
Word Count: 1,250-5,000+ words

Types

Type	Purpose
Narrative	To tell a story or share personal experiences, engaging readers emotionally.
Classification	To categorize and organize items, ideas, or concepts based on shared characteristics or criteria.
Expository/Exposition	To explain, inform, or describe a specific topic using facts and logical organization without bias.
Evaluation	To assess and judge an overall quality or value of a chosen subject, providing evidence and criteria for evaluation.
Descriptive	To create and present a vivid picture of a person, place, or event using detailed sensory language.
Analytical	To analyze and interpret a unique topic by breaking it down into its components for deeper understanding.
Argumentative/Persuasive	To present a case for or against a particular position, using evidence and reasoning.
Research	To investigate a topic in-depth, gathering and analyzing information from various sources to support a thesis or argument.
Compare and Contrast	To discuss principal similarities and differences between two or more subjects, enhancing understanding.
Cause and Effect	To examine potential reasons for an event or situation and its subsequent effects.
Problem and Solution	To identify a specific problem and propose solutions, discussing their feasibility and potential impact.
Reflective	To explore personal thoughts and feelings about a subject, fostering introspection and growth.
Literary Analysis	To analyze a piece of literature, examining themes, characters, and stylistic elements to derive deeper meanings.
Personal	To share personal experiences and reflections, often exploring identity and personal growth.
Rhetorical Analysis	To examine how a specific author or speaker uses rhetorical strategies and other literary devices, such as ethos, pathos, logos, or kairos, to persuade or convey messages to an audience.

Prompts and Examples

Note: To see some samples of different types of essays, click on the links below:

College/University Forms of Writing

Narrative

A narrative type of essay contains a story that is important to an author. For example, the standard difference between a narrative essay and a descriptive essay is that the former tells a unique story with a plot and characters, while the latter focuses on vividly detailing a person, place, or event to evoke sensory experiences (Fonteyn, 2024). As such, students can detail some experiences they faced in life. In this case, narrative compositions must describe how a chosen event changed a life of an individual. Besides, people can detail their reactions to a life event. Further on, a good narrative paper should have an exciting introduction that indicates a specific topic and catches a reader’s attention (Greetham, 2023). In turn, body paragraphs should give sufficient details of a personal story. Moreover, one should use first-person language and descriptive terms to help readers to visualize an entire story (Hampton, 2021). Thus, a narrative type of essay should give a clear description of a personal account.

Classification

A classification type essay helps to arrange and organize a subject into several classifications. For example, the 4 basic elements of an essay are an introduction, body paragraphs, conclusion, and thesis statement (Fonteyn, 2024). Hence, students should break down a complex topic into different sections to enhance their understanding. Basically, a classification type of paper helps people to investigate the matter further. Further on, students must use simple language and phrases to enhance an overall understanding of their topics (Greetham, 2023). In turn, this type of text should have subheadings with precise details. Besides, people must ensure all categories relate to each other (Hampton, 2021). In this case, every group should only deal with a single idea to avoid ambiguity or repetition. As such, a classification type of essay helps to break a complex topic into sections that are clear to readers.

Expository/Exposition

An expository type of essay helps an author to present some views of other people. For example, the most common type of essay at university is an expository paper, which aims to explain, analyze, or inform about a specific topic (Fonteyn, 2024). In writing, students can use this kind of writing to report on an event or a state of affairs and present other people’s positions fairly and adequately. Besides, one should not criticize or interpret the views of others. Further on, an excellent exposition should have a clear thesis statement and supporting body paragraphs (Greetham, 2023). Hence, people must ensure their body paragraphs have evidential support and logical transitions. Moreover, an entire paper should end with a conclusion that restates a thesis to summarize the views of other sides in this type of discussion (Hampton, 2021). Finally, the key difference between an expository essay and an argumentative essay is that the former aims to explain or inform about a unique topic without taking a stance, while the latter presents a specific viewpoint and seeks to persuade readers through evidence and reasoning.

Evaluation

An evaluation type of essay helps an author to analyze an important topic and develop opinions. For example, the 3 main stages of essay writing are planning (prewriting), drafting, and revising (Fonteyn, 2024). After completing these procedures, an author tries to influence people to examine their lives or values. Then, students should encourage readers to accept their views on a specific topic (Greetham, 2023). Besides, these types of essays are common in book and movie reviews. In writing, a functional evaluation type of composition must provide adequate and clear descriptions of a subject. Further on, students must make a definitive judgment and use a clear organization to enhance clarity (West et al., 2019). Therefore, an evaluation type of essay helps to analyze an event or situation and influences readers to change their perceptions.

Descriptive

A description type of essay communicates some qualities and features of an object. For example, students must focus on a single purpose or event and provide clear and concise details (Hampton, 2021). Besides, they should use sensory language to convince readers to accept some descriptions provided. In this case, descriptive writing must focus on a specific subject. Further on, students must focus on providing precise details about a chosen issue and follow a clear pattern of organization to enhance an overall clarity of ideas (Fonteyn, 2024). As a result, a descriptive type of essay must focus on an object and use adjectives and adverbs that help readers to understand its features.

Analytical

An analytical type of essay presents a critical assessment of text, ideas, behavior, or object. For example, students must apply critical thinking when analyzing an assigned issue (Hampton, 2021). Besides, an analytical text must be clear and logical to enhance understanding of significant concepts. Hence, a good analytical composition must have a loud and clear thesis statement that reveals a person’s position on a subject under analysis (Fonteyn, 2024). In this case, body paragraphs should support a specific view presented by an author on a subject under investigation to follow a basic format. Moreover, an entire paper should have a conclusion that restates a thesis statement and supporting details provided in body paragraphs (Greetham, 2023). Hence, an analytical type of essay presents a detailed investigation of a subject or topic.

Argumentative/Persuasive

An argumentative or persuasive type of essay helps to prove that an author’s view on a subject is valid. For example, students must convince readers that their arguments are more logical (Greetham, 2023). In this case, they must use persuasive language when writing an argumentative type of composition. Besides, these kinds of work must focus on a controversial issue. Further on, an introduction should have a strong thesis statement that covers an author’s position on a chosen controversy (Hampton, 2021). In turn, body paragraphs should support an author’s opinion and provide a counter-argument. Besides, one must use a convincing tone while avoiding biases. As such, an argumentative type of essay should convince an intended audience to accept an author’s point of view on a controversial matter.

Research

A research type of essay helps students to present facts to support a subject or a question. For example, the most common type of essay in colleges is a research paper, which requires students to investigate a topic thoroughly and present their findings (Fonteyn, 2024). As such, students must investigate a unique topic, gather relevant evidence, and present irrefutable arguments to support a chosen theme in such types of texts. Furthermore, people must use the most accurate evidence to support a research issue and defend such a topic (Greetham, 2023). In principle, they must describe a research problem and define key terms, concepts, or difficult vocabulary used in a paper. Besides, a research work should end with a conclusion that summarizes the main findings. Thus, this type of essay must focus on an interesting topic and provide relevant results.

Compare and Contrast

A compare and contrast type of essay discusses a subject from two different perspectives. For example, students must identify principal similarities or differences between two ideas, objects, or events covered for writing (Hampton, 2021). In this case, they should focus on differences in things that other people also take to be similar. Further on, students can focus on similarities in things that people consider to be different (Fonteyn, 2024). In turn, a good composition should have a strong thesis statement supported by a convincing argument. Besides, body paragraphs should discuss some similarities found in two or more objects under analysis (Greetham, 2023). On the other hand, other sections should include principal differences between them. Therefore, a compare and contrast type of essay must identify differences and similarities between two or more subjects.

What to Include

Element	Description
Thesis Statement	A clear, concise, well-formulated statement outlining a main argument or purpose of an essay.
Introduction	An opening that introduces a unique topic and provides background information.
Body Paragraphs	Sections that develop main ideas, presenting arguments and evidence to support a thesis.
Topic Sentences	Sentences that indicate a single main idea of each body paragraph.
Evidence and Examples	Facts, statistics, and specific examples that support claims made in a paper.
Transitions	Words or phrases that connect ideas and enhance a logical flow between sentences and paragraphs.
Counterarguments	Acknowledgment of opposing viewpoints to strengthen an overall argument.
Conclusion	A summary that reiterates main points and provides a final thought, idea, or call to action.
Citations	References to sources that provide evidence and ensure credibility, following citation rules of MLA, APA, Chicago/Turabian, or Harvard formats.
Personal Reflection	Insights from a person’s personal experiences that add depth and relatability.

Common Mistakes

Lack of a Thesis Statement: Failing to include a clear, well-structured, and concise thesis statement can leave readers unsure of an essay’s main argument, its type, or purpose.
Weak Structure: Poor organization and a lack of logical flow can make it difficult for readers to follow author’s ideas and arguments.
Overgeneralization: Making broad statements without sufficient evidence or examples can weaken an overall credibility of a central argument.
Ignoring an Audience: Failing to consider an intended audience’s perspective can result in a composition that does not engage or resonate with readers.
Inadequate Evidence: Supporting claims with insufficient or irrelevant evidence undermines an overall strength of a main argument and can lead to a lack of persuasiveness.
Repetition: Reiterating same points or ideas without adding new insights can make a whole text feel redundant and unengaging.
Neglecting Transitions: Omitting transitional phrases can disrupt a logical flow between paragraphs, making it harder for readers to connect ideas.
Grammatical Errors: Frequent spelling and grammatical mistakes can distract readers and detract from an entire document’s professionalism.
Failure to Address Counterarguments: Ignoring opposing viewpoints can make an argument seem one-sided and weaken its overall effectiveness.
Not Following Formatting Guidelines: Disregarding specific formatting and citation guidelines, such as MLA, APA, Chicago/Turabian, or Harvard, can lead to confusion and may result in a lower grade.

Summing Up

Different types of essays have varying features and scope. Basically, the 4 main kinds or types of essays are narrative, expository, persuasive, and descriptive. In principle, narrative pieces focus on events that are important to an author, while classification articles help to focus on subjects with several groupings. Then, expository works help an author to present some views of other people, while evaluation texts appraise a vital topic. Moreover, descriptive studies explore key qualities and features of an object, while analytical compositions assess a chosen topic critically. In turn, argumentative papers help to prove a subject or a point of view, while research projects present facts to support an issue. Besides, compare and contrast documents discuss a question from two different viewpoints. As such, specific types of academic compositions have varying features. Finally, students can identify different types of essays by examining their purpose, structure, and a unique way they present information or arguments, such as whether they tell a story (narrative), explain a topic (expository), persuade a reader (argumentative), or describe details (descriptive).

References

Fleckenstein, J., Meyer, J., Jansen, T., Keller, S., & Köller, O. (2020). Is a long essay always a good essay? The effect of text length on writing assessment. Frontiers in Psychology, 11, 1–10. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.562462

Fonteyn, D. (2024). Foundations of writing for university study. Austin Macauley Publishers Ltd.

Greetham, B. (2023). How to write better essays. Bloomsbury Academic.

Hampton, A. R. (2021). Student success essay writing skills: 9 expository essay rhetorical modes. Lulu.

Haro, A. V., Noroozi, O., Biemans, H. J., Mulder, M., & Banihashem, S. K. (2023). How does the type of online peer feedback influence feedback quality, argumentative essay writing quality, and domain-specific learning? Interactive Learning Environments, 1–20. https://doi.org/10.1080/10494820.2023.2215822

West, H., Malcolm, G., Keywood, S., & Hill, J. (2019). Writing a successful essay. Journal of Geography in Higher Education, 43(4), 609–617. https://doi.org/10.1080/03098265.2019.1655720

Types of Essays: A Quick Guide for Students