Essay

Abril 5 2011
Catalina Restrepo
9B

Essay
a- Create a Word doc. Answering the following questions
* What´s an essay
* Characteristics of an essay
* Format of essay
* Example of a small essay
b- On the same word doc, create a 10-question quiz on “the essay”, using the information you got on item (a). The 10 questions must be multiple choices.
A.
What´s an essay
Theessay is, first and foremost, essentially true, a piece of non-fiction. As soon as authors begin making up characters, adding details that really didn't occur, or fabricating a plot structure in order to make what they are writing larger than real life, they are writing in a fictional mode. In other words, essays may be descriptive, use narration, propose solutions to problems, elucidate the innerworkings of complicated creations of nature and/or humanity, but one thing they aren't is fake or false or made up or fabricated. Essays may be creative in the sense that the authors have creatively explained their points of view, but essays aren't creative.
Characteristics of an essay
An essay is a summary of a literary work. They are usually characterized by plot developments, key events,and changes in the way main characters live and think and so on.
Expository (mainly):
"Exposition" is a rather formal term which really means either "information" or "explanation", modes of communication we might use to write a manual, offer instructions on how things work or where to find things, or recount what happened during a revolution, etc.
Below we have identified 4 types of expositoryessay found in university curricula:
Descriptive
Science-related essays often require background description: of a thing, process or state of affairs - analyzing it into its parts. This can be done chronologically, serially, hierarchically, etc. It is a test of your ability to select and synthesize ‘factual’ information.
Explanatory
This approach is asked for in essay looking for an accountof reasons or causes in relation to perceived effects or results. In most Social Science disciplines, you will be asked to draw on theory to support your explanation. Your interpretation demonstrates how well you understand the relevant theories.
Illustrative
This could be fairly descriptive, but illustrations need to be relevant and appropriate, and written with explicit reference to thetheoretical point being supported.
Analytical
This could apply to experimental data, or to an argument or text. It is the process of breaking down something into its component parts, often in order to analyse patterns or categories based on a theoretical position.

Argumentative (mainly)
Argumentative literally refers to everything that involves debate and possible disagreement, and to opinionas opposed to the uncontested facts of exposition. It means agreeing or disagreeing with a given proposition, either strongly or tentatively.
In more general terms it refers to a more subjective style of writing, where writers engage in defining their terms or interpreting and evaluating the views, evidence or data very clearly from their own perspective or viewpoint.
Defining
Essays whichexpect a strong defining component are common in philosophy, but also feature in Sociology.
A question may look factual- e.g. ‘Do we have free will?’ , but the way to answered it is by careful definition of what is meant by the concept of free will.
In Sociology, in particular, competing definitions often need to be explored at length, particularly in essays on social stratification or socialclass.
Evaluative
Some essays require you to pass judgment or make an assessment, according to stated criteria. In cases when you could say ‘Well, it depends what you mean by (X) ... ’, it is important that you define the terms by which you apply or explore these criteria. Terms, such as "success" or "effectiveness", are often value-laden… Basically, you may be asked to judge how good or bad...