Opinion essay presents and defends viewpoint on a topic. Must be supported by facts, evidence, and logical reasoning. Differs from argumentative or persuasive essays
Essay derives from French "essayer" meaning "to try" or "attempt". First described by Montaigne in 1580 as "attempts" to put thoughts into writing. Essays can be formal (serious purpose) or informal (personal, humorous)
Persuasive essays aim to convince readers rather than attack alternatives. Writing requires selecting topics that evoke emotions. Essay structure includes introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion
Thesis statement is central message of essay in one sentence. Complex essays may use three-point thesis statements. Thesis should clearly state main claim and supporting reasons
Thoroughly study the text before analyzing it. Read the text multiple times to fully understand it. Annotate the text using different colored highlighters. Write down main ideas and supporting details
Argumentative essays discuss policy and ethical issues. Persuasive essays promote specific actions or policies. Narrative essays tell personal stories. Descriptive essays paint vivid pictures. Cause and effect essays analyze relationships between events