Essay

12/06/04

What are they?

Essays are generally short pieces of writing that explain a topic or promote an opinion. They are pieces of informative nonfiction in which writers may weave stories or personal anecdotes to simultaneously inform and entertain the reader.

Who writes them?

Anyone may write an Essay. Students write many Essays for school. Writers may use Essays to compose a short work on a given topic. A newspaper customer may write a persuasive Essay to be used as a letter to the editor.

What is their purpose?

Depending on the topic, an Essay can serve different purposes. They can entertain, inform, explain a process, and persuade.

Essay Assignment

You are going to write either an expository essay or a persuasive essay. The type and the topic of your essay are your choice.

An Expository Essay explains a topic. This may explain a process, analyze a work, or inform the reader. You might think about hobbies you have in which you can explain the process of some work to the reader.

A Persuasive Essay states an informed opinion about a given topic. The writer states his or her opinion and then offers evidence to explain reasons for this opinion. Choose a current event or topic that is covered in the media.

Evaluation: (20 points) To receive full credit you must

	write about one topic
	include details and evidence to explain the topic
	write 2 pages, 12 pt. font, double spaced
	use complete sentences and full paragraphs (4-5 sentences each)

This site was last updated 12/06/04