How to Write an Academic Essay: Format, Examples | essayassignmentwriting.com

The Academic Essay

Introduction

"The scariest moment of writing an essay is just before you start."

A good essay is a well-crafted combination of 15% perspiration, 10% inspiration, and 75% of desperation.

Types of Essays

An essay is about the organization of thoughts in a particular manner. Essays are of different types. When we talk about a nonfiction essay, it means we are referring to the academic essay which includes many styles, but this article includes only four types, which are:

1. Argumentative Essay
2. Expository Essay
3. Compare and Contrast
4. Persuasive Essay

Academic Essays are usually longer and require research work. It is supported with facts and often citations are required to prove the research done by a student.

Argumentative Essay

An argumentative essay is a form of academic essay which is mainly about presenting an argument against a claim. To support the argument, evidence and reasoning are used as a tool. It has a set pattern from initiating a claim, provide evidence and reasoning in support and restart your claim with your point of view. It is mainly based on 4 to 5 paragraphs. Some writers add a conclusion as a fifth element however, the others usually cover a conclusion in counter-argument.

The argumentative essay has four basic elements.

1- Claim

Choose a topic and claim that what you want to prove. The objective should be well defined here.

2- Evidence

Provide evidence to support your claim. At least three pieces of evidence.

3- Reasoning

Provide reasoning for your claim and link them with the evidence provided. Here logic can also be put as reasoning.

4- Counter Argument

The counterargument is to state your claim once again in a stronger manner in the light of pieces of evidence and reasoning provided to convince the reader or to prove your point of view.

Examples of Argumentative Essay are:

1. Should animals be used for research or not?
2. Are we too dependent on Computers?
3. Is global change caused by humans?

Expository Essay:

The expository text is another example of an academic essay that explores many angles of a topic neutrally and is usually written in third person pronoun. This is a research-based essay, more likely presenting a thesis. Like other essays, the expository text is also comprised of introduction, body, and conclusion.

Introduction:

One of the highlights of the expository essay is that it begins with a hook to grab the reader’s attention. It may open with a quotation, definition, or fact. The main idea of the essay is exposed in the introductory paragraph and an assertive style of writing is used.

Body:

The body mainly comprises three paragraphs. Shreds of evidence are the special requirement of this expository essay. To meet the expectation, three pieces of evidence are compulsory and each piece of evidence should be covered in an individual paragraph. This is as simple as much evidence as to many paragraphs.

Conclusion:

The fifth paragraph is called the conclusion. It is to summarise the main idea in light of the arguments presented in the body.

Examples of Expository Essay are:

1. Explain why you take interest in a special subject?
2. Explain why the ratio of a suicide attempt is increasing in teens?
3. Explain why cigarettes are ban?

Compare and Contrast:

These sorts of essays are most widely used in terms of academic essays, and are especially based on finding out similarities and differences or talking about advantages and disadvantages. The basic structure of the essay will remain the same including introduction, body, and conclusion. However, the body needs a little special treatment as this is a compare and contrast essay.

Examples of Compare and Contrast Essay are:

1. Comparison between iPhone and Samsung
2. Students centered classroom v/s teacher-centered classroom
3. High School v/s College

Compare and contrast essays can be crafted in a form of a Venn diagram, or to discuss pointers one by one, or to go subject-wise. For better understanding, here is an example of the Venn Diagram. The topic is Comparing high school v/s College.

1- Venn Diagram

Persuasive Essay:

Persuasion is a very creative example of writing an academic essay. It is more like used in the field of the advertisement or to market a product. They are generally used to convince the audience or to indulge a thought in the audience's mind.

To draft a persuasive essay OREO techniques are the most effective technique.

O – Opinion

To present the opinion and state that how the writer feels about the topic.

R – Reasoning

To present the reasons that why the writer possesses particular feelings about the said topic.

E – Examples

Provide examples and details about a particular school of thought

O – To present the opinion again

Restate the topic in the light of reasons and examples provided in the text

O

Opinion

I think I deserve a freshly baked pizza for dinner.

R

Reasoning

I have become more alert and responsible. I knew my priorities and working well in improving time management.

E

Examples

I have been completed my homework on time throughout the week without getting any reminders and I scored an A in the current test week.

O

Opinion

Therefore, I strongly believe that as a token of appreciation, I deserve to have my most favorite dish at dinner which is freshly baked pizza with extra cheese and chicken.

CONCLUSION

The above practices are very few examples of writing an academic essay. If noticed, it has been observed that more or less all styles have some similarities. Especially the breakdown which required introduction, body, and conclusion. The difference is mainly found in the body of an essay depending on the type whether it is argumentative, persuasive, expository, or compare and contrast. Writing an essay is a skill that can be polished with the help of several updated tools, strategies, and off coarse practice.

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