Many ENL and ESL students from all over the world study academic writing. And many students face difficulties while writing their papers. The main trouble is that many people mix up the types of academic writing and then deliver something very different from the initial instructions.

Many students also use essay writing services to manage their projects easily and quickly. However, it is vital to learn academic writing specifics regardless of your wish to craft the paper on your own or use help. That is why we are going to provide insights into five types of academic essays.

1. Narrative Essay

Many students confuse narrative and descriptive essays. Yet, they are easy to distinguish when you focus on the goal of your writing. The primary purpose of the narrative essay is to provide a story.

It is one of the writing types where you can tell a story from your perspective. The narrative paper includes the following features:

  • Characters. The essay should represent the main characters.
  • Theme. You should represent the theme in your thesis statement. The whole narrative should center on a specific motif.
  • The conflict. You should include the development, the climax, and the resolution of the conflict.
  • The plot. Lead your characters through the development of events.
  • The setting. Your figures should interact with the imaginary environment.
  • It is common to implement dialogues throughout the story.

While working on the narrative paper, you should include descriptions – use an extensive range of expressive means and stylistic devices for that.

It is also critical to stick to the motif and keep to the balance between narration and description. Remember that your goal is to tell a story.

2. Descriptive Essay

The purpose of the descriptive essay is to provide a vivid and complete description of phenomena, places, situations, experiences, and people. While working on this type of essay, you should render five senses in your writing to describe your topic accurately:

  • Smell
  • Touch
  • Sound
  • Taste
  • Sight

A descriptive essay, like any other type of writing, should be well-structured. It should contain the introduction with the thesis statement, the body, and the conclusion. You should transit to each element of your writing naturally.

The key point in writing a descriptive assignment is to use sensory information and create a mental picture of the described object.

3. Argumentative Essay

The main goal of the argumentative essay is to support a particular position or statement with evidence-based arguments. It is also called for and against paper since you have to provide both supportive and opposing arguments. The structure of the essay should be the following:

  1. Introduction
  2. Thesis statement
  3. Supporting arguments
  4. Opposing arguments
  5. Conclusion

This type of writing requires you to research the given topic deeply. But you can always find a cheapwritingservice if you have no time to spend hours researching your topic.

4. Expository Essay

The purpose of this essay is to explain particular phenomena or notions and reveal some facts about them. This type of writing requires research and analysis as well. There are several variations of this kind of paper:

  • Compare and contrast
  • Definition
  • Cause and effect
  • Process
  • Classification

Let us exemplify the comparative alternation of the expository essay. The comparative paper aims to measure two items according to their similarities and differences. The measurement has to be systematic. It means you have to define the same parameters for the two compared subjects. These parameters should also apply to both items.

For example, your topic is to measure the progression of COVID-19 and ebola. The categories for the measurement that apply to both diseases can be the following:

  • Lethality rate
  • Contagiousness
  • Symptoms
  • Outbreak location

The structure of the essay should be the following:

  1. Introduction
  2. Similarities between the compared subjects
  3. Differences between the compared subjects
  4. Conclusion

While writing the expository paper, avoid personal opinions. Instead, focus on third-person narrative, logic, facts, and statistics.

5. Persuasive Essay

Persuasion means convincing somebody to do something or to believe in something. With the persuasive essay, you should aim at convincing your reader in your point of view using all the available writing techniques.

This kind of writing differs from the argumentative essay. It does not leave the choice for the reader. The argumentative paper, to the contrary, describes both positive and negative sides, allowing the reader to make a decision.

You should stick to the following structure:

  1. Introduction. Include the background information on your subject. Finish the opening with the thesis statement.
  2. Body. Include strong arguments supporting your idea. Also, include evidence that disproves the most valid counterargument regarding your statement.
  3. Conclusion. Include a call to action.

Conclusion

All in all, it is vital to learn the specifics of academic writing since you will inevitably face it throughout your studies. Make sure you stick to the structure of the essay and research the topic well. If none of that works out for you, cheap writing services can help you with your papers anytime. It is always a good idea to ask for help if you struggle to complete the assignment on your own.