essays
School composition assignments
Essays are short pieces of prose writing on a particular subject, typically presenting the author's own perspective or argument.
The word carries a sense of attempt or exploration—an essay tries out ideas rather than settling them definitively.
As a verb, to essay something is to attempt it: She essayed a smile despite her grief.
The noun also appears in phrases like photo essay, where images rather than words explore a theme.
Statement making something clear
- informativeProviding useful knowledge
- clarificationMaking meaning plain
- definitionStatement of meaning
- descriptionAccount of characteristics
illustration · how-to · process · factual · instructional · educational · encyclopedic · objective
Inclined to dispute
- rhetoricArt of persuasive language
- convincingAble to persuade
- thesisAcademic argument requiring defense
- ethosCollective moral character
pathos · logos · debate · opinion · editorial · appeal · counterargument · rebuttal
Academic argument requiring defense
- paragraphsDistinct units of prose
- structureArrangement of interconnected parts
- outlineSummary of key elements
- draftingCreating technical blueprints
introduction · conclusion · body · transitions · editing · proofreading · coherence · flow
Notable English surname
- EmersonAnglo surname, various namesakes
- BaldwinSurname meaning bold companion
- WoolfCanine surname variant
- belles-lettresLiterature valued aesthetically
Observing one's own mind
- contemplationSustained reflective attention
- self-examinationScrutiny of one's thoughts
- meditationFocused attention practice
- insightDeep perceptive understanding
journaling · self-discovery · philosophical · thoughtful · confession · diary · self-awareness · metacognition
Marked by serious learning
- peer-reviewedEvaluated by field experts
- researchSystematic fact-finding effort
- journalsPeriodicals or personal logs
- publicationsWorks issued to readers
abstract · methodology · dissertation · footnotes · citations · MLA · APA · Chicago
Expressing disapproval or importance
- interpretationAssigned meaning
- critiqueDetailed evaluative analysis
- synthesisCombining parts into whole
- argumentReasoned case or dispute
evidence · deconstruction · evaluation · explication · framework · commentary · annotation · exegesis
Recounting events aloud
- personalRelating to one's self
- anecdoteBrief account of incident
- memoirWritten personal recollection
- voiceSound from throat
chronology · scene · dialogue · reflection · first-person · vignette · coming-of-age · autobiography
explanation
Statement making something clear
- informativeProviding useful knowledge
- clarificationMaking meaning plain
- definitionStatement of meaning
description · illustration · how-to · process · factual · instructional · educational · encyclopedic · objective · research
argumentative
Inclined to dispute
- rhetoricArt of persuasive language
- convincingAble to persuade
- thesisAcademic argument requiring defense
ethos · pathos · logos · debate · opinion · editorial · appeal · counterargument · rebuttal · claim
thesis
Academic argument requiring defense
- paragraphsDistinct units of prose
- structureArrangement of interconnected parts
- outlineSummary of key elements
drafting · introduction · conclusion · body · transitions · editing · proofreading · coherence · flow · organization
Bacon
Notable English surname
- EmersonAnglo surname, various namesakes
- BaldwinSurname meaning bold companion
- WoolfCanine surname variant
Orwell · belles-lettres · Atlantic · prose · wit · digression · aphorism
introspection
Observing one's own mind
- contemplationSustained reflective attention
- self-examinationScrutiny of one's thoughts
- meditationFocused attention practice
insight · journaling · self-discovery · philosophical · thoughtful · confession · diary · self-awareness · metacognition · vulnerability
scholarly
Marked by serious learning
- peer-reviewedEvaluated by field experts
- researchSystematic fact-finding effort
- journalsPeriodicals or personal logs
publications · abstract · methodology · dissertation · footnotes · citations · MLA · APA · Chicago · bibliography
critical
Expressing disapproval or importance
- interpretationAssigned meaning
- critiqueDetailed evaluative analysis
- synthesisCombining parts into whole
argument · evidence · deconstruction · evaluation · explication · framework · commentary · annotation · exegesis
storytelling
Recounting events aloud
voice · chronology · scene · dialogue · reflection · first-person · vignette · coming-of-age · autobiography · reminiscence
- nonfictionbiography, autobiography, biographies, history, memoir
- schoolworkhomework, assignment, assignments, reading, math homework
- academicsprofessor, course, university professors, math, professors
- literary workspoems, novels, poetry, fiction, plays
- literary worldauthors, writers, poets, novelists, literary agents
- writingsarticle, articles, stories, treatise, fiction
essaysfiction
Imagined narrative work
poetry · novels · poems · short stories · verse
essaystreatises
Formal scholarly compositions
dissertations · monographs · tomes · encyclopedias · textbooks
- personal essaysNonfiction exploring the author's life
- essay questionQuery requiring written argument
- college essayApplicant's autobiographical submission
- essay writingProducing structured arguments
- application essaysAdmissions writing submissions
- photo essaysImage-driven storytelling pieces