Characteristics and form of essays
An essay is a brief literary text whose characteristics are between poetic and didactic, exposing ideas, criticism and ethical and philosophical reflections regarding a certain issue.
Characteristic
Essays are opinion texts in which ideas, criticisms, reflections and personal opinions are exposed, making an analysis on a certain topic.The essays problematize some issues on a certain matter, focused by the author’s opinion and generally present original conclusions.
Unlike narrative and descriptive texts, essays involve deeper interpretations and analysis on a topic.In this way, the essay is an argumentative and exhibition discursive genre that implies the act of rehearsing.They present critical and subjective reflections (personal point of view) in a natural flow of ideas, being very requested in the school and academic environment.
Generally the essays do not follow a fixed structure (free form), thus offering individual freedom in the search for original thought.They are short non -systematized texts of an intimate, free and dialogue nature which do not have a definite style.As for the use of formalities, it will depend on the interlocutors, that is, on readers and the public towards which it is intended, be it a teacher, an academic, newspaper magazine, among others.
Characteristics (summary)
The main characteristics of the textual gender essay are: simple language.Concise texts.Personal judgment.Subjective reflections.Exhibition and defense of ideas.Originality and creativity.Critical and problematizing text.Various themes.
Source
The term essay was first used in the sixteenth century by the French philosopher and humanist Michel de Montaigne (1533-1592) with the publication of his work "Les Essais" (the essays), in 1580.
Essay Structure
- Topic: Unlike the title, the subject is the topic that will be exposed and problematized by the essayist.
- Title: Normally the trials have a title, which are related to the topic that will be addressed.
- Body of the text: part of the analysis and development of the text. Note that these follow a standard structure of argumentative texts with introduction, development and conclusion.
In the introduction, the author presents the subject that will be tested. In development, research, various perspectives and reflections on the subject in question are deepened, where the main tool are the arguments.Finally, at the conclusion the essayist ends the subject, concluding more original and creatively.
Bibliography
In most cases, essays are theoretical texts, which present at the end of the text a bibliography, that is, the texts that were needed for consultations during their development (they are the sources of information).
Annexes
Although they are not very common, the essays can also contain annexes (images, photos, tables, graphics), which appear at the end, under bibliographies.
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