Writing - part 1

Types of Writing

Types of Writing

The writing you’re required to do in your lifetime varies for example, timed writings and essay questions on exams; autobiographical essays for college applications; high-school and college papers on a variety of subjects; business letters, proposals, and reports related to your work. In most of your writing you’ll be doing one of the following:

Narrative

Narrative Writing tells a personal or fictional experience or tells a story based on a real or imagined event.

Expository
Expository writing is designed to convey information or explain what is difficult to understand.
Persuasive
Persuasive writing attempts to convince the reader to accept a particular point of view or to take a specific action.

Descriptive
Descriptive writing attempts to create a clear image of something that the writer intends to describe to give a better idea to the reader about it.

1.Cause/Effect Essay

It is writing about meaningful relationships between events and their results. A cause is what made an event happen and an effect is what happens as a result of that event.
Good Cause/Effect:

Clearly distinguishes between a cause and an effect.
Establishes a clear thesis statement.
Presents information in an effective order.

2.Comparison/Contrast Essay

When you write about similarities and differences, you are writing a comparison/contrast essay.
Good Comparison/Contrast:

Uses subjects that have enough in common to be compared and or contrasted
Serves a purpose-either to help readers make a decision or understand the subjects being compared and/or contrasted
Presents several important, parallel points of comparison/contrast
Arranges points in a logical organization

3.Definition Essay

Writing that tells what something means.
Good Definition:

Tells readers what term or concept is being defined
Presents a clear and precise basic definition
Uses examples to show what the writer means
Uses words and examples that readers will understand

4. Description Essay

When you are writing a description essay, you are “painting a picture” with words
Good Description:

Creates a main impression-an overall effect, feeling, or image -about the topic
Uses concrete, specific details to support the main impression
Uses details that appeal to the five senses: sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch

5. Narration Essay

A narration essay is a writing that tells a story.
Good Narration:

Includes specific details to make the incident come alive for your reader
Focuses on re-creating an incident that happened to you over a short period of time (usually an emotional experience)
Conveys a particular mood (feeling) – do you want to suprise your readers, make them laugh, have them share in your sorrow or fear?

6. Persuasive Essay

In persuasive essays, you are writing to convinces others by presenting solid, supported arguments.
Good Persuasion:

Takes a strong and definite position on an issue or advises a particular action.
Gives logical reasons and supporting evidence to defend the position or recommend action.
Considers opposing views.
Has enthusiasm and energy from start to finish.

7. Process Analysis Essay

In a process analysis essay, you write to explain how to do something or how something works.
Good Process Analysis:

Either helps readers perform the steps themselves or helps them understand how something works
Presents the essential steps in a process
Explains steps in detail
Presents steps in logical order (usually time order – chronological)

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