Writing can prove to be a difficult endeavor for just about anybody. Even the most proficient essay writers struggle with the task’s basics. The type of essay you need to write often varies in the level of education and the requirements. High school students are expected to structure easy essays that address the main point per the prompt. As they graduate from college and later on to their place of work, their writing skills are expected to improve.
One of the questions people ask before starting is what is the main purpose of essay writing? There are some instances where you will have a clear idea of what is expected of you and other times when you struggle to identify your goal. As you strive to figure out your path as a writer, remember to always focus on the main aspect of your prompt. There are several essays, each with its purpose and rules. Will the following explain what is the main purpose of essay writing?
Writing to Inform
As early as the high school level, you will find yourself writing to inform your readers on one point or another. These essays are structured so that they impart knowledge to the readers. These papers can inform on a variety of topics such as sports, cooking, and the like. This approach is notable when it comes to papers written by professionals. Writing to inform is particularly well illustrated in the examples of the essays by PapersOwl‘s writers who are able to masterfully send the needed message to the readers. The goal here is to present factual points about a certain matter without adding on your point of view. The information you are to provide should be connected to the topic and flow in an understandable way. Like with any other essay, you will be required to add a title that works to show the readers what the paper will be about.
There may be additional guidelines and requirements for college papers with your informative essays. It is helpful to look into issues such as formatting and citation to be on the safe side. You will have to learn all those aspects and more as a student. All these go into making your writing better.
Writing an Essay to Persuade
Other than to inform, there is also the writing to persuade types of papers. With these, the goal is to get the readers to agree with your views on a certain matter. Persuasive papers use more descriptive words and phrases as compared to others. To a given extent, they should be easy to read and understand. In trying to persuade your audience, you have to use appropriate language. The language used reflects a persuasive nature in the terms and tone. It is important to note that just because it is a persuasive paper, it does not give students the liberty to write freely. They are still held to the available rules and regulations. For instance, college papers that aim to persuade are more detailed than high school ones.
Some demand factual evidence supporting the issue, while others do not. It is also highly effective for a writer to utilize emotional appeal in how they structure their persuasive essays. When drawing up a paper to persuade, try and use anything at your disposal. For example, if your goal is to write about your favorite restaurant, you can use descriptive language, personal touch, and research. Whether you go with an overview or a breakdown of your favorite meal, the goal is to get the reader to want to try the place.
Writing to Explain
Most of the time, people write to explain a concept or something. It is common for college professors to demand essays explaining a research methodology, a decision, or anything. With such papers, you can address just about anything. The normal reaction would be wondering where to start or what to include in such a paper. As you embark on your essay, one of the things to keep in mind is that you are trying to explain something to someone else. It is better to approach the paper as if the reader has never heard of the concept.
It may be a good idea to use simple language. Avoid the use of complex terms that would confuse the reader. Another valuable point is to use the basic structure of an essay. With a simple introduction, body, and conclusion, you will be able to direct the topic appropriately and cover all the necessary parts.
Writing to Entertain
Students think that all forms of essays should serve an educational purpose. Contrary to the same, there are instances where they are used for more. An essay for entertainment is one common reason for drafting a paper.
Coming up with an entertainment piece requires more freedom than with other essays. For one, there are certain rules that you can get away with this type as compared to the others. The purpose of writing to entertain demands a form of interactive story or aspect that will act as the wow factor for the readers. This could be an embarrassing story or a detailed account of a debate you believe in. Entertainment essays can be about anything as long as they aim to entertain the readers.
What Other Purposes Can We Achieve?
The beauty of essays is that they come in various types. This makes it increasingly easy for them to serve multiple purposes. The following are other useful elements students and others can benefit from:
Improving Grasp of Language
As people write, whether to inform or persuade, they develop a mastery of language and reading skills. This improves their understanding of language. The more you practice coming up with essays, the bigger your chances of fully grasping the English language are. Some higher institutions use essay writing to gauge a student’s English speaking ability.
Encouraging Self Expression
Since there is more than one purpose for writing, it is common for students to find themselves doing it for their pleasure. In these circumstances, noting down stuff in journals can motivate self-expression. The privacy and freedom that writing awards the student allows them to explore their abilities and internalized feelings on paper fully. Ultimately, this could mean better self-esteem.
Teaching Organization
Whether you are writing to persuade, to explain or even to inform, your essay needs to be organized. The basic intro, body, and conclusion structure are the starting points of the organization. Other elements such as the topic, length of your paper, and more add to its need for organization. As students keep writing, they learn how to organize different essays with varying structures.
Summary
Coming up with an essay can prove intimidating even for the most proficient writer. At the college level, the demands and rules for an essay escalate. One of the cheat codes for coming up with an ideal paper is to learn the essay’s purpose in the first place. Once you have that in mind, following the topic will not be as hard compared to structuring an essay with no understanding of what it is intended for.
