Essay Writing

Types of Essays

Expository Essays

An expository essay is a specific kind of essay that involves investigating an idea, evaluating the
evidence, presenting the idea, and supporting the presentation with an argument. Expository essays are
usually written through comparison and contrast, definition, example, and the analysis of cause and
effect. There is a specific structure that expository essays follow.

 First, there should be a clear and expansive thesis statement somewhere within the firs t
paragraph of the essay. This statement should be narrowed down to follow the guidelines of the
assignment. It should include something involving the topic of the essay as that is usually
included in the guidelines.
 The transitions between the introduction paragraph, body paragraphs, and conclusion
paragraph should make sense and be clear. Without these transitions, there is no logical path to
follow throughout the essay, and the reader could end up lost in your essay. Your argument
would then be lost.
 Each paragraph of the body should include evidence that supports the thesis statement. You
should only discuss one sub idea of the thesis statement in each paragraph. Discussing a
number of ideas in each paragraph can lead to confusion.
 Don’t forget the evidence! While this was just stated earlier, it’s important enough to be said
again. Your essay will not be an expository essay if you don’t have some kind of proof to back up
your thesis statement.
 When writing your conclusion, don’t just repeat the thesis. Expand on it by discussing the
evidence you revealed. Don’t present any new information or ideas into the conclusion.

This is the most common essay written while in elementary school. It is usually considered the five -
paragraph essay – one introductory paragraph, three body paragraphs, and a single conclusion
paragraph. However, as you enter later grades and college, you will come to realize that expository
essays sometimes run a little longer than that. This format is usually just a way to begin introducing
the idea of expository essays to students.

Expository essays are best thought of as conversations or debates with classmates. Just as your
conversation will have a beginning, middle, and end, your essay should also. If it is not complete,
you will likely leave behind questions in your readers. The most important thing to remember is to
state the intent of your essay in the introduction, back it up in the body, and summarize everything
in the conclusion.

Descriptive Essays

A descriptive essay is exactly what it sounds like. In this type of essay, you will be asked to describe
something. Unlike the expository essay, this type of essay allows for much more artistic freedom as the
main idea is to create an image in the reader’s mind.

While there is no exact format for this essay, there are some guidelines you should consider following as
they will help you write a better descriptive essay.

 Brainstorm before you put pen to paper or fingers to keyboard. If your topic involves describing
your dream last night, you’ll want to start jotting down specific details about it. For example, if
you dreamed about your family you’ll want to write down who in your family.
 Write down descriptive words in relation to the details that you will likely use in your essay.
Again, you’re going to want to paint a picture in your reader’s mind so writing a sentence that
 says, “My cousin was in my dream” is not going to give your reader any kind of image. However,
if you describe your cousin in more detail – using hair color, eye color, or even skin tone – will
give your reader a better image.
 Don’t forget that you have more than just the sense of sight. If you were describing a day at the
beach, you would want to include more than what you saw. Include things you smelled, what
you touched, sounds you heard, and things you tasted.
 Emotions and feelings play a key role in description too. However, it’s important that you don’t
write a sentence that says, “I was sad.” Again, this kind of language does not paint pictures in
reader’s minds. Rather, describe it for them – “My shoulders drooped, and my chin trembled.
Tears flooded my eyes.” A sentence like that will show your reader that you were sad and paint
the picture in their mind. In fact, they will likely connect with you on an emotional level as they
read.
 Keep your essay organized. No matter how descriptive you are, no one is going to know what
you’re describing if everything is out of order. If you just stuff your essay full of descriptive
words, emotions, and senses, you might leave your reader thinking that you were describing
one thing when in fact you were describing something completely different.

Descriptive essays are common in elementary school and are usually used as warm-up journal prompts
at the beginning of a language arts lesson. These kinds of essays are also very common in creative
writing classes as they are used to build your descriptive skills.

Narrative Essays

A narrative essay usually involves the telling of some kind of story. There are two common types of
narrative essays – short stories and book reports. There are some guidelines that should be followed no
matter what type of narrative essay you’re writing.

 If it will be in story format, include all the parts of story. This includes characters, plot, setting,
etc.
 If you’re going to be writing a book report, it should be an informative narrative about the book
and not a retelling of the entire book.
 Even narrative essays should have a point, just like the thesis statement of expository essays.
 Choose a point of view for your essay and stick with it. The common point of view is first
person, from the standpoint of the writer.

Narrative essays are similar to memoirs so many of the topics you might find regarding narrative essays
are in that style.

Persuasive Essays

A persuasive essay is also known as an argumentative essay. This type of essay will be similar to an
expository essay in that you will be exploring a topic and collecting and evaluating evidence. However,
unlike an expository essay, you will be taking a stand for or against this topic.

The format of the persuasive essay is similar to the expository essay from the thesis statement to the
layout to the concluding paragraph. However, it’s important to state that your persuasive essay will also
include your opinion regarding the evidence and the topic itself. Like the expository essay, the
persuasive essay can also use the five paragraph format, but there are also longer persuasive essays.
Essay Topics:

Expository (Elementary – Middle)

1. Who do you admire the most in the world? Why?

2. If you could be any animal for a day, what would you be and why?

3. If you could live as any one person for a day, who would you choose and why?

4. If time travel was possible, which year would you go back in time to? Give a rea sons for your
answer.

5. What is your favorite book? What did you enjoy the most about it?

6. Who is your favorite teacher? How has he/she affected your education?

7. Describe your favorite vacation spot. Give reasons as to why you enjoy going there.

8. If you could change any one thing in the world, what would it be and why?

9. Write a paper describing a favorite day you spent with your family. Give at least three reasons
why you enjoyed this day so much. Be as specific as possible.

10. What kind of music do you like listening to? What are your favorite singers or bands? Give
reasons for your choice.

Expository (High School)

1. There is a strong parent-led campaign in your city to curb down on homework assignments
given to students. As a student, however, you feel homework is essential to promoting learning.
Write a paper arguing your stand by giving specific examples and statistics to show the benefits
of homework.

2. Mobile phones are both a boon and a bane for high school students. On the one hand, it pu ts
you in touch with the world, on the other, it discourages real face-to-face interaction. Write a
paper that explores both the pros and cons of mobile phone usage among teenagers.

3. A lot of medical research today focuses on developing medicinal cures to ageing. Presumably,
with the right breakthrough, humankind would live forever. How do you feel about this? Write
a paper describing the advantages and disadvantages of extremely long life.

4. There has been a concentrated campaign in your school to curb bullying. While the campaign
has been largely successful within schools, bullying has now reared its ugly head in online
communities. Describe how online bullying is different from real-life bullying, and what steps
can be taken to curb it.

5. In a globalized world, learning a foreign language has become increasingly important. Do you
agree or disagree? Explain your answer in a detailed essay. Use facts, statistics and studies to
supplement your views.
 6. What are the qualities of a good leader? What can you learn from the examples of great
leaders of the past?

7. You use the internet on an everyday basis. While the internet has a huge list of benefits, it has
some downsides too. Write an essay exploring the disadvantages of using the internet,
specifically referring to internet addiction, and information overload.

8. What is your favorite hobby? Describe how someone could go about learning this hobby, and
what benefits he can gain from it.

9. If you were to volunteer to work in your community, where would you work and why?

10. A few members of your community have lost their home due to a nearby forest fire. Explain
how you would help these community members and help them recover from their loss.

Expository (College)

1. Explore how obesity affects a nation’s productivity and economy.

2. What were the direct and indirect causes of World War II?

3. What are the long-term effects of global warming, especially its estimated impact on coastal
cities.

4. What is your favorite retail business (Starbucks, McDonalds, etc.)? Describe to a layman how
this business was started, what products it sells, how it makes money, and what are its best
qualities.

5. Describe the evolution of communication in the last 20 years since the advent of the internet.

6. What is your favorite poem or short story? Explore and analyze its salient features in an
essay.

7. What is a serious public health concern that you believe does not get enough attention?
Describe this problem in detail. Back up your arguments with appropriate research.

8. Why is diversity in a workplace important?

9. What are the causes and effects of not voting in the elections?

10. What steps would you take to buy a new computer? Describe the process in-detail.

Descriptive Essay Topics:

1. A dream 51. A hobby

2. A nightmare 52. A funny memory
3. A childhood memory 53. A paranormal experience
4. A favorite place 54. Starting a new career
5. A train ride 55. A Halloween costume
6. A pet 56. A day at school
7. A garden 57. Sitting in traffic
8. Your best friend 58. Meeting a famous person
9. Your favorite vacation 59. A concert
10. Your ideal date 60. A dance
11. Your favorite fishing spot 61. The best place to write
12. A photograph 62. Your favorite hangout spot
13. A painting 63. Your favorite item of clothing
14. A room 64. Graduation
15. Your favorite book/movie/television character or show 65. Learning a new language
16. The best restaurant in town 66. Your first concert
17. The most embarrassing moment of your life 67. Your first kiss
18. Your worst enemy 68. Your first date
19. An addiction 69. Performing in front of a crowd
20. Your hero 70. Making a speech
21. A teacher 71. Acting in a play
22. A vase of flowers 72. An antique store
23. A day at work 73. A souvenir
24. People on the street 74. Your lucky charm
25. A stranger in the crowd 75. Running a marathon
26. Falling in love 76. Winning an award
27. A life-changing experience 77. Visiting an old friend
28. A new car 78. Getting lost
29. Your first house 79. A bad day
30. Moving to a new city 80. A day in the sun
31. A forest 81. Flying in an airplane
32. A beach 82. An amazing view
33. Your favorite food 83. A camping trip
34. Playing a sports game 84. A trip to the museum
35. A road trip 85. A phobia
36. Learning to drive 86. A bouquet
37. A snowy day 87. Daydreaming
38. The birth of a child 88. A day at the ocean
39. A life-changing event 89. A picnic
40. The future 90. A race
41. Traveling 91. A competition
42. Your favorite song 92. Meeting someone new
43. Your earliest memory 93. A daily routine
44. Living in another country 94. A haunted house
45. A major achievement 95. A walk through the park
46. A spider 96. Waiting in line
47. A beautiful house 97. Wearing a disguise/costume
48. Walking down a quiet street 98. Watching a parade
49. Revisiting places from childhood 99. A class reunion
 50. What you want to be when you grow up 100. Your favorite book store

Narrative Essay Topics:

1. How your childhood effected who you are as an adult

2. What you learned about love during your first relationship
3. How a baby taught you about what really matters
4. How your relationship (or marriage) failed, and what you could have done differently
5. Why you never realized just how important your parents were, and what happened to change that
6. How a senior was able to teach you a lesson that you would have learned the hard way, and how that taught
respect for your elders
7. What raising a pet taught you
8. How meeting a total stranger had a profound impact on how the rest of your life would turn out
9. Why your best friend might not always really be your best friend
10. How you saved someone’s life and learned the value of kindness to strangers in the process

Education
1. Is Cheating Getting Worse?
2. Should Students Be Able to Grade Their Teachers?
3. Does Your School Hand Out Too Many A’s?
4. Should Middle School Students Be Drug Tested?
5. Should Reading and Math Be Taught in Gym Class Too?
6. How Seriously Should We Take Standardized Tests?
7. How Well Do You Think Standardized Tests Measure Your Abilities?
8. Do You Spend Too Much Time Preparing for Standardized Tests?
9. Should Schools Offer Cash Bonuses for Good Test Scores?
10. Should We Rethink How Long Students Spend in High School?
11. Do Schools Provide Students With Enough Opportunities to Be Creative?
12. What Are You Really Learning at School?
13. How Important Is Arts Education?
14. Does Gym Help Students Perform Better in All Their Classes?
15. Who Should Be Able to See Students’ Records?
16. Are Children of Illegal Immigrants Entitled to a Public Education?
17. What Is the Right Amount of Group Work in School?
18. Is Your School Day Too Short?
19. Do You Think a Longer School Calendar Is a Good Idea?
20. Should the Dropout Age Be Raised?
21. Should Students Be Allowed to Skip Senior Year of High School?
22. How Does Your School Deal With Students Who Misbehave?
23. Should Schools Be Allowed to Use Corporal Punishment?
24. How Big a Problem Is Bullying or Cyberbullying in Your School or Community?
25. How Should Schools Address Bullying?
26. Should Schools Put Tracking Devices in Students’ ID Cards?
27. What Do You Think of Grouping Students by Ability in Schools?
28. Do We Need a New Way to Teach Math?
29. Does Class Size Matter?
30. Should All Students Get Equal Space in a Yearbook?
31. Is Prom Worth It?
32. How Important Are Parent-Teacher Conferences?
33. Should All Children Be Able to Go to Preschool?
34. Should Colleges Use Admissions Criteria Other Than SAT Scores and Grades?
35. What Criteria Should Be Used in Awarding Scholarships for College?
36. Do You Support Affirmative Action?
37. Do College Rankings Matter?
38. How Necessary Is a College Education?
39. Should Engineers Pay Less for College Than English Majors?
Technology and Social Media
40. Are the Web Filters at Your School Too Restrictive?
41. Does Technology Make Us More Alone?
42. Are You Distracted by Technology?
43. Do Apps Help You or Just Waste Your Time?
44. Do You Spend Too Much Time on Smart Phones Playing ‘Stupid Games’?
45. Has Facebook Lost Its Edge?
46. Does Facebook Ever Make You Feel Bad?
47. Should What You Say on Facebook Be Grounds for Getting Fired?
48. Should People Be Allowed to Obscure Their Identities Online?
49. What Should the Punishment Be for Acts of Cyberbullying?
50. Is Online Learning as Good as Face-to-Face Learning?
51. Do Your Teachers Use Technology Well?
52. Should Tablet Computers Become the Primary Way Students Learn in Class?
53. Can Cellphones Be Educational Tools?
54. Should Computer Games Be Used for Classroom Instruction?
55. How Young Is Too Young for an iPhone?
56. Should Companies Collect Information About You?
57. Would You Trade Your Paper Books for Digital Versions?
58. Are Digital Photographs Too Plentiful to Be Meaningful?
59. Do You Worry We Are Filming Too Much?
60. Would You Want a Pair of Google’s Computer Glasses?
61. How Would You Feel About a Computer Grading Your Essays?
62. What Role Will Robots Play in Our Future?
63. How Many Text Messages Are Too Many?
64. How Much Do You Trust Online Reviews?
Arts and Media: TV, Music, Video Games and Literature
65. Why Do We Like to Watch Rich People on TV and in the Movies?
66. Do TV Shows Like ‘16 and Pregnant’ Promote or Discourage Teenage Pregnancy?
67. Does TV Capture the Diversity of America Yet?
68. Is TV Too White?
69. Is TV Stronger Than Ever, or Becoming Obsolete?
70. Does Reality TV Promote Dangerous Stereotypes?
71. What Current Musicians Do You Think Will Stand the Test of Time?
72. What Artists or Bands of Today Are Destined for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?
73. What Musician, Actor or Author Should Be a Superstar, but Hasn’t Quite Made It Yet?
74. Will Musical Training Make You More Successful?
75. Should Video Games Be Considered a Sport?
76. Should Stores Sell Violent Video Games to Minors?
77. Can a Video Game Be a Work of Art?
78. Do Violent Video Games Make People More Violent in Real Life?
79. When Should You Feel Guilty for Killing Zombies?
80. What Game Would You Like to Redesign?
81. What Were the Best Movies You Saw in the Past Year?
82. To What Writer Would You Award a Prize?
83. Do You Prefer Your Children’s Book Characters Obedient or Contrary?
84. Where Is the Line Between Truth and Fiction?
85. Can Graffiti Ever Be Considered Art?
86. Do We Need Art in Our Lives?
87. What Makes a Good Commercial?
88. Why Did a Cheerios Ad Attract So Many Angry Comments Online?
89. Does Pop Culture Deserve Serious Study?
Gender Issues
90. Do Parents Have Different Hopes and Standards for Their Sons Than for Their Daughters?
91. Is School Designed More for Girls Than Boys?
92. Is There Too Much Pressure on Girls to Have ‘Perfect’ Bodies?
93. How Much Pressure Do Boys Face to Have the Perfect Body?
94. Do Photoshopped Images Make You Feel Bad About Your Own Looks?
95. Is It O.K. for Men and Boys to Comment on Women and Girls on the Street?
96. What Should We Do to Fight Sexual Violence Against Young Women?
97. How Do You Feel About Rihanna and Chris Brown Getting Back Together?
98. Do Fraternities Promote Misogyny?
99. Why Aren’t There More Girls in Leadership Roles?
100. Why Aren’t More Girls Choosing to Pursue Careers in Math and Science?
101. Should Women Be Allowed to Fight on the Front Lines Alongside Men?
102. Do You Believe in Equal Rights for Women and Men?
103. Are Women Better at Compromising and Collaborating?
104. Do Boys Have Less Intense Friendships Than Girls?
Sports and Athletics
105. If Football Is So Dangerous to Players, Should We Be Watching It?
106. Should Parents Let Their Children Play Football?
107. Should College Football Players Get Paid?
108. When Do Pranks Cross the Line to Become Bullying?
109. Has Baseball Lost Its Cool?
110. Are Some Youth Sports Too Intense?
111. Is It Offensive for Sports Teams to Use Native American Names and Mascots?
112. Where Should Colleges and Sports Teams Draw the Line in Selling Naming Rights?
113. Should Colleges Fund Wellness Programs Instead of Sports?
114. Is Cheerleading a Sport?
115. How Big a Deal Is It That an N.B.A. Player Came Out as Gay?
116. Should There Be Stricter Rules About How Coaches Treat Their Players?
117. Should Athletes Who Dope Have to Forfeit Their Titles and Medals?
118. Should Sports Betting Be Legal Everywhere?
119. Should Home-Schoolers Be Allowed to Play Public School Sports?
120. Would You Want a Bike Share Program for Your Community?

Politics and the Legal System

121. What Local Problems Do You Think Your Mayor Should Try to Solve?
122. If You Were Governor of Your State, How Would You Spend a Budget Surplus?
123. When Is the Use of Military Force Justified?
124. What Is More Important: Our Privacy or National Security?
125. Should the U.S. Be Spying on Its Friends?
126. Do You Trust Your Government?
127. What Do You Think of the Police Tactic of Stop-and-Frisk?
128. Do Rich People Get Off Easier When They Break the Law?
129. Should Rich People Have to Pay More Taxes?
130. Do Laws That Ban Offensive Words Make the World a Better Place?
131. Is It Principled, or Irresponsible, for Politicians to Threaten a Shutdown?
132. Do Leaders Have Moral Obligations?
133. Do Great Leaders Have to Be Outgoing?
134. How Should We Prevent Future Mass Shootings?
135. Should Guns Be Permitted on College Campuses?
136. Would You Feel Safer With Armed Guards Patrolling Your School?
137. What Is Your Relationship With Guns?
138. Do You Support or Oppose the Death Penalty?
139. When Should Juvenile Offenders Receive Life Sentences?
Parenting and Childhood
140. Do We Give Children Too Many Trophies?
141. When Do You Become an Adult?
142. When Should You Be Able to Buy Cigarettes, Drink Alcohol, Vote, Drive and Fight in Wars?
143. Should the Morning-After Pill Be Sold Over the Counter to People Under 17?
144. Should Birth Control Pills Be Available to Teenage Girls Without a Prescription?
145. Is Modern Culture Ruining Childhood?
146. Are Adults Hurting Young Children by Pushing Them to Achieve?
147. How, and by Whom, Should Children Be Taught Appropriate Behavior?
148. What Can Older People Learn From Your Generation?
149. Do ‘Shame and Blame’ Work to Change Teenage Behavior?
150. How Should Children Be Taught About Puberty and Sex?
151. Is Dating a Thing of the Past?
152. How Should Parents Handle a Bad Report Card?
153. Should Children Be Allowed to Wear Whatever They Want?
154. How Should Educators and Legislators Deal With Minors Who ‘Sext’?
155. Do You Think Child Stars Have It Rough?
Health and Nutrition
156. Is Smoking Still a Problem Among Teenagers?
157. Are Antismoking Ads Effective?
158. Is Drinking and Driving Still a Problem for Teenagers?
159. Do You Think a Healthier School Lunch Program Is a Lost Cause?
160. How Concerned Are You About Where Your Food Comes From?
161. Is It Ethical to Eat Meat?
162. Do You Prefer Your Tacos ‘Authentic’ or ‘Appropriated’?
163. Should the Government Limit the Size of Sugary Drinks?
164. Should Marijuana Be Legal?
165. Should Students Be Required to Take Drug Tests?
Personal Character and Morality Questions
166. Do Bystanders Have a Responsibility to Intervene When There is Trouble?
167. Should You Care About the Health and Safety of Those Making Your Clothing?
168. Can Money Buy You Happiness?
169. Does Buying and Accumulating More and More Stuff Make Us Happier?
170. Are We Losing the Art of Listening?
171. Do People Complain Too Much?
172. Can Kindness Become Cool?
173. Which Is More Important: Talent or Hard Work?
174. How Important Is Keeping Your Cool?
175. When Should You Compromise?
176. Is Your Generation More Self-Centered Than Earlier Generations?
177. Can You Be Good Without God?
178. Have Curse Words Become So Common They Have Lost Their Shock Value?
179. What Words or Phrases Should Be Retired in 2014?
180. What Words or Phrases Do You Think Are Overused?
181. Should Couples Live Together Before Marriage?
182. How Important Do You Think It Is to Marry Someone With the Same Religion?
183. How Long Is It O.K. to Linger in a Cafe or Restaurant?
184. Does Keeping a Messy Desk Make People More Creative?
185. How Important Is Keeping a Clean House?
Science
186. Should Scientists Try to Help People Beat Old Age So We Can Live Longer Lives?
187. Given Unlimited Resources, What Scientific or Medical Problem Would You Investigate?
188. When Is It O.K. to Replace Human Limbs With Technology?
189. Do You Think Life Exists — or Has Ever Existed — Somewhere Besides Earth?
190. Should Fertilized Eggs Be Given Legal ‘Personhood’?
191. How Concerned Are You About Climate Change?
Other Questions
192. Is It Wrong for a Newspaper to Publish a Front-Page Photo of a Man About to Die?
193. What Causes Should Philanthropic Groups Finance?
194. Should Charities Focus More on America?
195. Should the Private Lives of Famous People Be Off Limits?
196. Did a Newspaper Act Irresponsibly by Publishing the Addresses of Gun Owners?
197. Would You Rather Work From Home or in an Office?
198. What Time Should Black Friday Sales Start?
199. Do You Shop at Locally Owned Businesses?
200. How Much Does Your Neighborhood Define Who You Are?