narrative essay purdue owl

• Ask a Librarian

Research Guide for Online Communication Students

• Find Sources
• Citing & Writing
• APA Formatting & Style Guide From Purdue's OWL.
• APA Style Help Overviews, tutorials, and FAQs

Online Writing Lab

Organizing and Managing Citations

Citation management software can help you manage your research and easily organize and format your citations in a wide variety of citation styles. Check out the links below for more information about these useful programs. 

• Citation Management Basics This guide provides an overview of citation management software options, including basic functions and the differences between the various options available, including EndNote, EndNote Web, and Zotero. Also provided is contact information for Purdue librarians available to provide citation management support for Purdue faculty, students, and staff.
• EndNote at Purdue This guide provides detailed how-to and FAQ for EndNote citation management software, the desktop version.
• EndNote Basic EndNote Basic is an online citation management program that is freely available for all Purdue users. This guide highlights how-to, key functions, and FAQ, as well as differences between the desktop and online versions of this product.
• Zotero Zotero is a free and open, web-based citation management program. This guide provides info on getting started and carrying out key functions, for students and instructors. It also includes video tutorials.

Avoid Plagiarism

• Types of Plagiarism Plagiarism.org presents Plagiarism 101: What is Plagiarism?
• Citing Sources Plagiarism.org's useful guide to everything about citing sources.
• Avoiding Plagiarism Tips on how to summarize, paraphrase, and quote sources without plagiarizing from the Purdue OWL. Use the links on the left to navigate.
• << Previous: Find Sources
• Next: FAQ >>
• Last Edited: Aug 26, 2024 4:29 PM
• URL: https://guides.lib.purdue.edu/onlinecomm

EN-111: College Writing and Critical Analysis: Narrative Essays

• About EN-111: Types of Essays
• Building Your 5-Paragraph Essay
• Narrative Essays
• Process Essays
• Compare & Contrast Essays
• How to Use the Databases

What is a Narrative Essay?

• Purdue OWL Narrative Essay Handout From the Purdue OWL, here are some guidelines for writing a narrative essay.

More Resources on Narrative Writing

Narration - the Purpose and Structure of Narrative Writing   ( Chapter 10 of  Writing for Success )

The Narrative Essay  ( Chapter 15 of  Writing for Success)

DOWNLOADABLE TEMPLATE: APA Narrative Essay Template

• 5 Paragraph NARRATIVE ESSAY TEMPLATE (Click here to download) To use this template, open it in MS Word or Google Docs, and simply begin typing. Replace the paragraphs below with your own writing, and don’t forget to delete unneeded elements.
• 5-Paragraph NARRATIVE ESSAY TEMPLATE
• PRESENTATION: Writing a Narrative Essay

SAMPLE Narrative Essay

• SAMPLE Student Narrative Essay This sample essay by Monroe College student Shanae Stephenson is reproduced here with her kind permission.
• << Previous: Building Your 5-Paragraph Essay
• Next: Process Essays >>
• Last Updated: Jul 17, 2024 3:46 PM
• URL: https://monroecollege.libguides.com/EN-111
• Research Guides |
• Databases |

Down and Dirty Tips: Narrative and Descriptive Essays: Home

• Narrative Start
• Descriptive Start
• Narrative Organization
• Descriptive Organization
• Narrative Transitions
• Descriptive Transitions

Narrative Essays

Down and Dirty Tips for Drafting a Narrative Essays

• Getting Started
• Adding Transitions

Descriptive Essays

Down and Dirty Tips for Drafting a Descriptive Essays

Helpful Links

• Narrative / Descriptive Tips from Roane State Community College
• Narrative Essay Topics from Fact Monster
• Narrative Essays from Purdue OWL
• Descriptive Essays from Purdue OWL

Down and Dirty Tips: Narrative & Descriptive Essays

The point of a narrative essay to tell a story, and the point of a descriptive essay it describe something in such a way that the reader can "see" it for himself or herself. The most difficult part of a narrative essay is its narrow focus while the most difficult part of a descriptive essay is its organization.

Frequently students are asked to write a narrative essay that includes lots of description; thus, these two modes have been combined into one guide. Take what you need from the guide and ignore the rest.

This guide will walk you through the steps of getting started and organizing your essay, just the information you need to complete the assignment. For more in-depth information, consult your instructor and course materials.

NOTE: The advice offered here covers the bare minimums in an attempt to help those who are running short on time or unsure of how to get started. Wherever information here conflicts with information provided by your instructor, follow what your instructor says. He or she is the one grading your paper, afterall.

Down and Dirty Tips: Narrative and Descriptive Essays Handout

• Down and Dirty Tips: Narrative & Descriptive Essays Handout Provides the down and dirty tips for creating a narrative and descriptive essays.
• Next: Getting Started >>
• Last Updated: Oct 23, 2023 11:02 AM
• URL: https://spcollege.libguides.com/narrative_descriptive

Writing Resources

• Writing Resources Overview
• Writing Services Home This link opens in a new window
• APA Resources
• Formatting Tables & Figures
• Heading Levels
• In-Text Citations
• Paraphrases & Quotations
• Reference List
• Setting Up an APA Paper
• Step 1: Prewrite
• Step 2: Outlining/Planning
• Step 3: First Draft
• Step 4: Revision
• Step 5: Editing/Proofreading
• Active vs. Passive Voice
• Comma Usage
• Parallel Structure
• Subject-Verb Agreement
• Academic Writing Genres & Common Assignments
• Defining & Avoiding Plagiarism
• Introduction vs. Abstract
• Knowing When to Cite
• Paraphrasing & Quoting Sources
• Utilizing Turnitin
• Primary vs. Secondary Sources
• Scholarly vs. Popular Sources
• Adding & Formatting Page Numbers
• Basic Tips for Microsoft Word
• Creating a Table of Contents & List of Tables/Figures
• Page & Section Breaks
• The Styles Pane
• Using Track Changes & Comments
• Abstracts (Saybrook Handbook)
• Appendices (Saybrook Handbook)
• Dissertation Finalization This link opens in a new window
• Front Matter
• Resources for Writing a Dissertation or Thesis
• Saybrook Handbook of Format & Style for Dissertations, Theses, Projects, & Capstones This link opens in a new window
• Writing Coach Schedule This link opens in a new window

Our Top Resources

• Writing Coach Appointments
• Saybrook Handbook of Format & Style
• Sample APA Student Paper
• Student Paper Template
• Dissertation Template
• Editing Checklist
• Revision Checklist

Academic writing is characterized by its emphasis on facts and observations, its presence within a specified body of knowledge, and its reference to sources (prior learning) by which the reader can evaluate the trustworthiness of the academic book or article.

To access a recording of the Faculty Panel on Academic Learning and Writing presented in 2021,  enroll in Writing Services' Canvas shell . Once you have enrolled in the course, you may then access the page “ Faculty Panel on Academic Writing ."

Within the field of writing, there are four main genres: descriptive, persuasive, expository, and narrative. When generating a piece of academic writing, the author may utilize skills from any of the four genres,​ and within each of these categories, specific types of academic assignments may be presented. This page provides an overview of each genre of writing as well as presents the types of academic papers that utilize that genre of writing.

​Regardless of the type of paper, all papers should follow the style and format as presented in the APA Manual (2020).​

Persuasive Writing

• Common Assignments
• Additional Resources

Also commonly referred to as argumentative writing, persuasive writing occurs when the author takes a stand on a principle or controversial issue and attempts to persuade the reader to adopt a similar mindset. When using persuasive writing, the author will appeal to reason, emotion, or character (ethics) to build their argument. 

​Within the academic context, the most common persuasive technique for authors to use is to appeal to reason and logic. Persuasive writing that appeals to logic involves incorporating critical thinking and often the use of outside sources for evidence.

Research-Based Papers

A research-based paper requires that the writer conducts research using methods such as library searches prior to authoring the work. Within the paper, the author must identify and cite the literature to support their original idea, position, or argument. Research-based papers usually center around an argument or idea, known as the thesis, that is developed throughout the body of the paper. The thesis of the paper is supported by the evidence drawn from the research. In order to present an effective position or argument, the author must utilize clear writing, organization, and logic. Do not confuse this type of paper with a literature review, described in a later section. 

• Webpage:  Genre and the Research Paper  (Purdue OWL, n.d.)​
• Webpage:  How to Write a Research Paper  (Scribbr, n.d.)

Critical Review ​

Usually focused on writing authored by someone else, this describes and assesses a theoretical concept, article, or research report critically and analytically. In a critical review, the author either agrees or disagrees with the original work that is being critiqued. In either circumstance, the author is persuading the reader toward a particular opinion about the work that is being examined. Examples include evaluations of research articles, book reviews, and critiques of published literature reviews and dissertations.

• Example:  Book Review: Remodeling GT once again  (Nathaniel, 2014)
• Video:  Rhetori​c: Essentials of Argument  (OWL Purdue, n​.d.)​​​​

Please refer to the links below for details on the organization of persuasive writing pieces:

• Webpage:  Argumentative Essays  (Purdue OWL, n.d.)
• Webpage:  How to Write an Argumentative Essay  (Caulfield, 2021)
• PDF:  Argumentative Paper Format  (Odegaa​rd Writing & Research Center, ​​​n.d.)
• Webpage:  Tips on How to Write an Argumentative Essay  (Fleming, 2020)
• Webpage:  How to Write a Persuasive Essay  (Lombardi, 2018)
• Webpage:  Preparing an Argument Essay: Exploring Both Sides of an Issue  (Nordquist, 2019)

Expository Writing

Expository papers present information objectively and are used to inform, compare and contrast, or show cause and effect. Information presented in expository writing should be clear and concise.

This is the most common type of writing at the graduate level within many of the fields offered at Saybrook. Since the purpose of expository writing is to inform the reader, it is used heavily within academic contexts.

Literature Review

This is a comprehensive report on the existing literature available regarding a topic or question. A literature review describes, summarizes, evaluates, and synthesizes scholarly articles, books, research reports, dissertations, conference proceedings,​ and other sources of information relevant to a specific question or topic. The writer critically analyzes the method, results, discussion, and/or conclusions from multiple research articles. A good literature review goes beyond simply reporting and summarizing related literature: it evaluates, organizes, and synthesizes what others have researched and written on the topic. Evaluating begins with identifying and reporting crucial elements in individual studies. It is equally important to organize the individual studies into categories or themes found in the literature, noting how strong or lacking the evidence appears. The final quality of synthesis allows the literature review author to repackage what is known and add their insights to the collective knowledge. Thus, a good literature review will not only report on studies and collective knowledge, but also compare different perspectives, identify inconsistencies and offer possible explanations, and comment on how knowledge has evolved over time.

• PDF Example:  Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) Use in Advanced Cancer: A Systematic Review  (Truant et al., 2013)

​Pr​é​cis 

A précis is a recapitulation of the original work at 25%–33% of the original size. It contains no interpretation or critique elements and should not include the voice of the précis writer. It should be a substitute for the original work, like an executive summary. The purpose is to report the core essence of the work that is clear and concise. When used to summarize a research article, the précis should include the topic or main thesis, the purpose of the research, what was studied, what methods were applied, the findings or results, and a conclusion or discussion. 

• Webpage:  How to Write a Rhetorical Précis Your Professor Will Never Forget  (Hanski, 2017​)
• Webpage:​ ​​​ Précis Writing  (Hit Bulls Eye, n.d.)

Original Empirical​​​ Research Report

Original empirical research reports provide an original qualitative, quantitative, or mixed-method research project in which the student-designed the study, conducted the fieldwork and data collection, analyzed the data, and created the report. Examples within graduate coursework include the pilot study report, a thesis, and a dissertation. Published original research articles are also empirical research reports. Examples are:

• Webpage:  Short-term Meditation Training Improves Attention and Self-Regulation​​  (Tang et al., 2007)
• DOI link:  Patients' views of CAM as spiritual practice  (Ulrich et al., 2011​) ​​(also available in the Saybrook Library )

Below are links describing more about expository writing.

• Webpage:  Expository Essays  (Purdue OWL, n.d.)
• Webpage:  How to Write an Expository Essay  (​Caulfield, 2020)
• Webpage:  What is Expository Writing?  (Nordquist, 2019)
• Webpage: ​​ How to Write an Expository Essay  (Scribendi, ​n.d.)

Persuasive vs. Expository Writing

Persuasive and expository writing may share similar traits. For example, research plays a critical role in both genres​. However, the purpose is different. Table 1 provides a description of traits of each genre of writing.

Traits of Persuasive & Expository Writing

Descriptive Writng

Descrip​tive writing uses vivid language to describe a person, place, or event so that the reader can picture the topic clearly in their mind. 

​Some qualitative research methods call for data collection through such rich descriptions (e.g., phenomenological protocols, narrative re-storying). Although it is unlikely for a student at Saybrook to receive an essay prompt requiring a descriptive approach, the skill is useful for describing personal observations. Note that within academic writing, descriptive writing should remain neutral and use clear and concise wording. 

For more information on descriptive writing, consult the hyperlinks provided below.

• Webpage: ​ Purd​ue OWL: Descriptive Essays  (Purdue OWL, n.d.)
• Webpage:  How to Write a Descriptive Essay  (​Caulfield, 2021)
• Webpage:  5 Examples of How to Write a Good Descriptive​ Paragraph  (Nordquist​, 2020)
• Webpage:  Description in Rhetoric and C​omposition  (Nordquist​, 2019)​
• Webpage: ​ Writin​g a Descriptive Essay  (Fleming, 2020)​
• Webpage:  Structure of a Descriptive Essay  (Fleming, 2019)​​

Narrative Writing

Narrative writing tells the reader about a particular event(s) that took place. Common works of narrative writing include personal essays (such as those found in a blog post), practicum logs, and case reports.

This form of essay writing is less common in graduate-level writing within the fields offered at Saybrook University. However, a student may still encounter essay prompts that suggest a narrative approach. For example, a professor may ask you to analyze a theory or concept in light of a personal experience.

Reflection Paper

A reflection paper relies on the writer's anecdotal experiences and personal reflections to convey an idea, an experience, or a concept. Although not dependent on externally derived evidence, such as scholarly literature, reflection papers still require clarity, logical organization, and basic rhetorical skills for effective execution. 

For more information on narrative writing, consult the hyperlinks provided below.

• Webpage:  Narrative Writing  (Purdue OWL, n.d.)
• Webpage:  How to Write a Narrative Essay  (​​Caulfield, ​2020)
• Webpage:  Narrative Essay Examples and Key Elements  (Your Dictionary, n.d.)
• Webpage:  How to Write a Narrative Essay or Speech  (Nordquist, 2020)
• Webpage:​  Compose ​a Narrative Essay or Personal statement  (Nordquist, 2019)

Descriptive vs. Narrative Writing

Descriptive and narrative writing may be easily confused because both allow the writer to express themselves using more creative and personal methods. While both use similar writing skills, there are some distinct differences. Table 2 provides a description of traits of each genre of writing. 

Traits of Descriptive & Narrative Writing

Other Common Writing Assignments

This section provides resources for other common assignments provided within courses at Saybrook University.

• Synthesis Paper
• Annotated Bibliographies

Note:  This page has been developed based on a document created by Luann Fortune, PhD & Kara Vander Linden, EdD (2014) for Saybrook's Mind-Body Medicine program. With permission, the content presented here has been updated to be compliant with the 7th edition of the APA Manual. This page has been reorganized and re-worded so that it's contents be applicable to all programs at Saybrook. Some additional information has also been provided. The original document can be viewed here:

• Types of Academic Papers (Fortune & Linden, 2014)
• << Previous: Authoring Academic Topics
• Next: Defining & Avoiding Plagiarism >>
• Last Updated: Aug 30, 2024 3:34 PM
• URL: https://tcsedsystem.libguides.com/Writing-Resources

English Composition: Essay Writing

• Getting Started
• Essay Writing
• Research Skills
• Citations & Documenting Sources
• Writing in the Discipline
• Writing Help

Essays and Rhetorical Styles

There are several types of essay which you may need to be able to write at college. The four main genres of essays are Expository, Descriptive, Narrative and Argumentative.

Strategies for Essay Writing  (Harvard College Writing Center)

Essay Writing  (Purdue OWL)

Traditional Essay Structure  (Excelsior OWL)

Rhetorical Styles (Excelsior OWL)

The different rhetorical styles are strategies for developing essays. Some essays use one style more than others, while some use more than one rhetorical style: 

Argumentative                Narrative                 Process                   Compare and Contrast  

Descriptive                     Illustration               Definition                 Classification and division

See also  Introduction to Rhetoric  and  Rhetorical Situations  (Purdue OWL)

The Research Paper

A research paper is a formal and well-documented essay in which you investigate a topic by finding information from experts and present your understanding and evaluation of the subject matter. Writing a research paper involves a number of complex tasks such as  Locating Sources ,  Note-taking ,  Drafting , and  Revising and Editing a Research Paper  (Excelsior OWL).

Overview of the Research Paper  (St. Louis Community College)

Writing a Research Paper  (Purdue OWL)

A Process Approach to Writing Research Papers  (UC Berkeley)

The Ultimate Guide to Writing A Research Paper  (Grammarly)

How to integrate information into your Research Paper

Outlining ,  Drafting & Integrating Source Information  (Excelsior OWL)

Reporting Verbs for In-Text Citations  (EAP)

Introducing Sources - Signal Phrases  (St. Louis Community College)

See also UCNJ Subject LibGuide:  English Composition: The Research Paper  

Descriptive Essays

Descriptive Essays  (Purdue Owl)

Writing a Descriptive Essay  (Butte College)

Narrative Essays

Narrative Essays  (Purdue Owl)

Narrative Argument  (Excelsior OWL)

Expository Essays

Expository essays requires students to investigate, evaluate evidence, expound on ideas, and develop their topic. The purpose is to inform, describe, or explain. This can be take various forms:

Expository Essays: A Complete guide  (Grammarly)

Expository essays  (Purdue OWL)

Different Types of Expository Essays (EAP Foundation):

Classification

Compare and Contrast

Cause and Effect

Discussion  

Persuasion Essays are also called A rgument Essays , but there are slight differences between the two. Persuasion seek to convince the reader by focusing on one side of an argument, while argumentative essays presents reasons for or against a topic.  Both argument and persuasion rely on three basic ways to convince the reader called:

Modes of Persuasion  -  Ethos ,  Pathos  and  Logos  (Excelsior OWL)

Persuasion Essays  (EAP Foundation)

Argumentative Essays

It is important to know how to develop an argumentative essay using strong critical thinking skills. To accomplish this you need to understand your audience, evaluate source material (which is your evidence), approach arguments rhetorically, and avoid logical fallacies.

Argumentative Essays  (Purdue OWL)

Argument  (UNC at Chapel Hill)

Argument & Critical Thinking  (Excelsior OWL)

Developing Argumentative Essays  (UC Berkeley)

Using Evidence in an Argument  (UNC at Chapel Hill)

Sandwiching: Three Steps to an Argument  (UC Berkeley)

Counter - Arguments  (Harvard College)

Fallacies  (UNC at Chapel Hill)

• << Previous: Getting Started
• Next: Research Skills >>
• Last Updated: Jun 25, 2024 5:09 PM
• URL: https://libguides.ucc.edu/EnglishComposition

• Houston Community College
• Eagle Online

• Judy Bouvier

Purdue OWL - Introductions, Body Paragraphs, and Conclusions for an Expository/Persuasive Essay

Introductions, Body Paragraphs, and Conclusions for an Expository/Persuasive Essay

Introduction

The introduction is the broad beginning of the paper that answers three important questions:

• What is this?
• Why am I reading it?
• What do you want me to do?

You should answer these questions by doing the following:

• Set the context – provide general information about the main idea, explaining the situation so the reader can make sense of the topic and the claims you make and support
• State why the main idea is important – tell the reader why s/he should care and keep reading. Your goal is to create a compelling, clear, and convincing essay people will want to read and act upon
• State your thesis/claim – compose a sentence or two stating the position you will support with logos (sound reasoning: induction, deduction), pathos (balanced emotional appeal), and ethos (author credibility).

Thesis Checklist

Your thesis is more than a general statement about your main idea. It needs to establish a clear position you will support with balanced proofs (logos, pathos, ethos). Use the checklist below to help you create a thesis.

This section is adapted from Writing with a Thesis: A Rhetoric Reader by David Skwire and Sarah Skwire:

Make sure you avoid the following when creating your thesis:

• A thesis is not a title: Homes and schools (title) vs. Parents ought to participate more in the education of their children (good thesis).
• A thesis is not an announcement of the subject: My subject is the incompetence of the Supreme Court vs. The Supreme Court made a mistake when it ruled in favor of George W. Bush in the 2000 election.
• A thesis is not a statement of absolute fact: Jane Austen is the author of Pride and Prejudice.
• A thesis is not the whole essay: A thesis is your main idea/claim/refutation/problem-solution expressed in a single sentence or a combination of sentences.
• Please note that according to the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers , Sixth Edition, "A thesis statement is a single sentence that formulates both your topic and your point of view" (Gibaldi 56). However, if your paper is more complex and requires a thesis statement, your thesis may require a combination of sentences .

Make sure you follow these guidelines when creating your thesis:

• A good thesis is unified: Detective stories are not a high form of literature, but people have always been fascinated by them, and many fine writers have experimented with them (floppy). vs. Detective stories appeal to the basic human desire for thrills (concise).
• A good thesis is specific: James Joyce’s Ulysses is very good. vs. James Joyce’s Ulysses helped create a new way for writers to deal with the unconscious.
• Try to be as specific as possible (without providing too much detail) when creating your thesis: James Joyce’s Ulysses helped create a new way for writers to deal with the unconscious. vs. James Joyce’s Ulysses helped create a new way for writers to deal with the unconscious by utilizing the findings of Freudian psychology and introducing the techniques of literary stream-of-consciousness.

Quick Checklist:

_____ The thesis/claim follows the guidelines outlined above

_____ The thesis/claim matches the requirements and goals of the assignment

_____ The thesis/claim is clear and easily recognizable

_____ The thesis/claim seems supportable by good reasoning/data, emotional appeal

Body Paragraphs

Summary: This resource outlines the generally accepted structure for introductions, body paragraphs, and conclusions in an academic argument paper. Keep in mind that this resource contains guidelines and not strict rules about organization. Your structure needs to be flexible enough to meet the requirements of your purpose and audience.

Body Paragraphs: Moving from General to Specific Information

Your paper should be organized in a manner that moves from general to specific information. Every time you begin a new subject, think of an inverted pyramid - the broadest range of information sits at the top, and as the paragraph or paper progresses, the author becomes more and more focused on the argument ending with specific, detailed evidence supporting a claim. Lastly, the author explains how and why the information she has just provided connects to and supports her thesis (a brief wrap up or warrant).

  The four elements of a good paragraph (TTEB)

A good paragraph should contain at least the following four elements: T ransition, T opic sentence, specific E vidence and analysis, and a B rief wrap-up sentence (also known as a warrant) – TTEB!

• A T ransition sentence leading in from a previous paragraph to assure smooth reading. This acts as a hand off from one idea to the next.
• A T opic sentence that tells the reader what you will be discussing in the paragraph.
• Specific E vidence and analysis that supports one of your claims and that provides a deeper level of detail than your topic sentence.
• A B rief wrap-up sentence that tells the reader how and why this information supports the paper’s thesis. The brief wrap-up is also known as the warrant. The warrant is important to your argument because it connects your reasoning and support to your thesis, and it shows that the information in the paragraph is related to your thesis and helps defend it.

Rebuttal Sections

In order to present a fair and convincing message, you may need to anticipate, research, and outline some of the common positions (arguments) that dispute your thesis. If the situation (purpose) calls for you to do this, you will present and then refute these other positions in the rebuttal section of your essay.

It is important to consider other positions because in most cases, your primary audience will be fence-sitters. Fence-sitters are people who have not decided which side of the argument to support.

People who are on your side of the argument will not need a lot of information to align with your position. People who are completely against your argument - perhaps for ethical or religious reasons - will probably never align with your position no matter how much information you provide. Therefore, the audience you should consider most important are those people who haven't decided which side of the argument they will support - the fence-sitters.

In many cases, these fence-sitters have not decided which side to align with because they see value in both positions. Therefore, to not consider opposing positions to your own in a fair manner may alienate fence-sitters when they see that you are not addressing their concerns or discussion opposing positions at all.

Organizing your rebuttal section

Following the TTEB method outlined in the Body Paragraph section, forecast all the information that will follow in the rebuttal section and then move point by point through the other positions addressing each one as you go. The outline below, adapted from Seyler's Understanding Argument , is an example of a rebuttal section from a thesis essay.

When you rebut or refute an opposing position, use the following three-part organization:

The opponent’s argument – Usually, you should not assume that your reader has read or remembered the argument you are refuting. Thus at the beginning of your paragraph, you need to state, accurately and fairly, the main points of the argument you will refute.

Your position – Next, make clear the nature of your disagreement with the argument or position you are refuting. Your position might assert, for example, that a writer has not proved his assertion because he has provided evidence that is outdated, or that the argument is filled with fallacies.

Your refutation – The specifics of your counterargument will depend upon the nature of your disagreement. If you challenge the writer’s evidence, then you must present the more recent evidence. If you challenge assumptions, then you must explain why they do not hold up. If your position is that the piece is filled with fallacies, then you must present and explain each fallacy.

Conclusions

Conclusions wrap up what you have been discussing in your paper. After moving from general to specific information in the introduction and body paragraphs, your conclusion should begin pulling back into more general information that restates the main points of your argument. Conclusions may also call for action or overview future possible research. The following outline may help you conclude your paper:

In a general way,

• restate your topic and why it is important,
• restate your thesis/claim,
• address opposing viewpoints and explain why readers should align with your position,
• call for action or overview future research possibilities.

Remember that once you accomplish these tasks, unless otherwise directed by your instructor, you are finished. Done. Complete. Don't try to bring in new points or end with a whiz bang(!) conclusion or try to solve world hunger in the final sentence of your conclusion. Simplicity is best for a clear, convincing message.

The preacher's maxim is one of the most effective formulas to follow for argument papers:

• Tell what you're going to tell them (introduction).
• Tell them (body).
• Tell them what you told them (conclusion).

 Copyright ©1995-2011 by The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University .

• How to Order

Narrative Essay

Narrative Essay Examples

10+ Interesting Narrative Essay Examples Plus Writing Tips!

People also read

Narrative Essay - A Complete Writing Guide with Examples

Writing a Personal Narrative Essay: Everything You Need to Know

Best Narrative Essay Topics 2024 for Students

Crafting a Winning Narrative Essay Outline: A Step-by-Step Guide

Many students struggle with crafting engaging and impactful narrative essays. They often find it challenging to weave their personal experiences into coherent and compelling stories.

If you’re having a hard time, don't worry! 

We’ve compiled a range of narrative essay examples that will serve as helpful tools for you to get started. These examples will provide a clear path for crafting engaging and powerful narrative essays.

So, keep reading and find our expertly written examples!

• 1. Narrative Essay Definition
• 2. Narrative Essay Examples
• 3. Narrative Essay Examples for Students
• 4. Narrative Essay Topics
• 5. Narrative Essay Writing Tips

Narrative Essay Definition

Writing a narrative essay is a unique form of storytelling that revolves around personal experiences, aiming to immerse the reader in the author's world. It's a piece of writing that delves into the depths of thoughts and feelings. 

In a narrative essay, life experiences take center stage, serving as the main substance of the story. It's a powerful tool for writers to convey a personal journey, turning experiences into a captivating tale. This form of storytelling is an artful display of emotions intended to engage readers, leaving the reader feeling like they are a part of the story.

By focusing on a specific theme, event, emotions, and reflections, a narrative essay weaves a storyline that leads the reader through the author's experiences. 

The Essentials of Narrative Essays

Let's start with the basics. The four types of essays are argumentative essays , descriptive essays , expository essays , and narrative essays.

The goal of a narrative essay is to tell a compelling tale from one person's perspective. A narrative essay uses all components you’d find in a typical story, such as a beginning, middle, and conclusion, as well as plot, characters, setting, and climax.

The narrative essay's goal is the plot, which should be detailed enough to reach a climax. Here's how it works:

• It's usually presented in chronological order.
• It has a function. This is typically evident in the thesis statement's opening paragraph.
• It may include speech.
• It's told with sensory details and vivid language, drawing the reader in. All of these elements are connected to the writer's major argument in some way.

Before writing your essay, make sure you go through a sufficient number of narrative essay examples. These examples will help you in knowing the dos and don’ts of a good narrative essay.

It is always a better option to have some sense of direction before you start anything. Below, you can find important details and a bunch of narrative essay examples. These examples will also help you build your content according to the format. 

Here is a how to start a narrative essay example:

Sample Narrative Essay

The examples inform the readers about the writing style and structure of the narration. The essay below will help you understand how to create a story and build this type of essay in no time.

Here is another narrative essay examples 500 words:

Narrative Essay Examples for Students

Narrative essays offer students a platform to express their experiences and creativity. These examples show how to effectively structure and present personal stories for education.

Here are some helpful narrative essay examples:

Narrative Essay Examples Middle School

Narrative Essay Examples for Grade 7

Narrative Essay Examples for Grade 8

Grade 11 Narrative Essay Examples

Narrative Essay Example For High School

Narrative Essay Example For College

Personal Narrative Essay Example

Descriptive Narrative Essay Example

3rd Person Narrative Essay Example

Narrative Essay Topics

Here are some narrative essay topics to help you get started with your narrative essay writing.

• When I got my first bunny
• When I moved to Canada
• I haven’t experienced this freezing temperature ever before
• The moment I won the basketball finale
• A memorable day at the museum
• How I talk to my parrot
• The day I saw the death
• When I finally rebelled against my professor

Need more topics? Check out these extensive narrative essay topics to get creative ideas!

Narrative Essay Writing Tips

Narrative essays give you the freedom to be creative, but it can be tough to make yours special. Use these tips to make your story interesting:

• Share your story from a personal viewpoint, engaging the reader with your experiences.
• Use vivid descriptions to paint a clear picture of the setting, characters, and emotions involved.
• Organize events in chronological order for a smooth and understandable narrative.
• Bring characters to life through their actions, dialogue, and personalities.
• Employ dialogue sparingly to add realism and progression to the narrative.
• Engage readers by evoking emotions through your storytelling.
• End with reflection or a lesson learned from the experience, providing insight.

Now you have essay examples and tips to help you get started, you have a solid starting point for crafting compelling narrative essays.

However, if storytelling isn't your forte, you can always turn to our essay service for help.

Our writers are specialists who can tackle any type of essay with great skill. With their experience, you get a top-quality, 100% plagiarism-free essay everytime.

So, let our narrative essay writing service make sure your narrative essay stands out. Order now!

Write Essay Within 60 Seconds!

Caleb S. has been providing writing services for over five years and has a Masters degree from Oxford University. He is an expert in his craft and takes great pride in helping students achieve their academic goals. Caleb is a dedicated professional who always puts his clients first.

Paper Due? Why Suffer? That’s our Job!

Keep reading

Writing in the Disciplines and Across the Curriculum

Each discipline has its own style, structure, and format when it comes to academic writing. This section provides resources on writing in specific disciplines, broken down into the following five general academic categories: Business and Communication, Humanities, Social Sciences, Sciences and Mathematics.

The Humanities category is further broken down by subject and common rhetorical writing tasks in that discipline: analysis, argument and persuasion, cause and effect, classification, comparison and contrast, definition, description and narrative.

Also see: Citing Sources for discipline-specific citation styles | Professional Writing for common non-academic writing resources such as writing for email, for the web and for the job search.

BUSINESS AND COMMUNICATION

Business Writing (UNC Chapel Hill, The Writing Center) “This handout will help you write business letters required in many different situations, from applying for a job to requesting or delivering information. While the examples that are discussed specifically are the application letter and cover letter, this handout also highlights strategies for effective business writing in general.”

Communication Studies (UNC Chapel Hill, The Writing Center) “This handout describes some steps for planning and writing papers in communication studies courses.”

Montclair State University Databases: Business, Economics & Management (Montclair State University, University Libraries)

Writing for a North American Business Audience (Purdue OWL) “This handout provides examples and information (written for non-North Americans) on how to write for a business audience. It includes information on getting to the point, keeping it simple, active and passive voice, nondiscriminatory language, and verb overgeneralizing.”

Writing for an Indian Business Audience (Purdue OWL) “This handout provides examples and information on writing for both domestic and international audiences doing business in India. It includes information on letters and memos, as well as important stylistic considerations. The handout concludes with comments on some important characteristics of English writing in India, and on the status of English in business writing compared with native Indian languages, such as Hindi and Bengali.”

Writing in Business (Writing@CSU) An online writing guide about writing for business. Sections address writing business letters , resumes , press releases and executive summaries .

Resources for writing in the Humanities are broken down into the following sections. See resources for each below.

• Art and Art History
• Rhetorical Tasks

HUMANITIES > GENERAL

Four Keys to Writing in the Humanities (Mark T. Unno, University of Oregon) “One of the challenges of writing papers in the humanities is that courses and instructors have different requirements and expectations. Nevertheless, there are certain things that tend to be consistent across the curriculum, such as focus and simplicity, basic forms of argument, documentation, and writing as a craft. When you begin to understand these basic elements, then the variety of requirements and expectations will actually become a source of inspiration and wisdom rather than confusion and frustration.”

Writing in the Humanities and Arts (UCLA Graduate Writing Center) “The books and articles below offer advice on writing dissertations, theses, articles, proposals, and abstracts in the humanities and arts (although some of these sources address a broader audience).”

HUMANITIES > ART AND ART HISTORY

Art History (UNC Chapel Hill, The Writing Center) “This handout discusses several common types of art history assignments, and talks about various strategies and resources that will help you write your art history papers.”

Montclair State University Databases: Art and Design (Montclair State University, University Libraries)

Writing Across the Curriculum: Writing About Art (Hunter College Writing Center) (PDF) This handout explains different types of art history papers and includes a series of rhetorical questions for analyzing paintings, portraits, figural scenes, landscapes, sculptures, and architecture.

Writing About Art (Marjorie Munsterberg) This page discusses the different ways to approach an art history paper and includes sample excerpts.

HUMANITIES > DANCE

Guidelines for Viewing Dance and Writing Critiques for Dance Performances (Myra Daleng, University of Richmond Writing Center) Ideas and suggestions for writing a critique of a dance performance. One of the most interesting sections of the handout is the “Dance Critique Pet Peeves” that lists words and phrases to avoid when writing a dance critique. There is also a checklist for writing a critique at the end. Also see: Research-Based Writing.

Montclair State University Databases: Theatre & Dance (Montclair State University, University Libraries)

Writing a Dance Critique (Utah Tech University) This handout presents five steps to critiquing a performance and includes questions for evaluation.

HUMANITIES > DRAMA

Drama – UNC Chapel Hill (UNC Chapel Hill, The Writing Center) “This handout identifies common questions about drama, describes the elements of drama that are most often discussed in theater classes, provides a few strategies for planning and writing an effective drama paper, and identifies various resources for research in theater history and dramatic criticism.”

Drama Terms: Brief Definitions (Washington State University) A dictionary of drama terms.

How to Review a Play (University of Wisconsin – Madison, The Writing Center) Here are some tips to help you before you begin writing a play review. This page offers advice on what you can do to prepare before the play and what types of questions you should be asking yourself during the play.

HUMANITIES > FILM

How to Write About Film: The Movie Review, The Theoretical Essay, and The Critical Essay (University of Colorado, The Writing Center) (PDF) A guide to thinking critically about film using Timothy Corrigan’s three major genres.

Lights, Camera, Brainstorming: Writing About Film (Agnes Scott College, Center for Writing and Speaking) (PDF) This handout provides suggestions for what to do before, during, and after watching the film.

Montclair State University Databases: Film Studies (Montclair State University, University Libraries)

The McGraw-Hill Film Viewer’s Guide (McGraw-Hill) (PDF) This PDF discusses the conventions of writing about film and includes sample student papers.

Writing About Film (Simon Fraser University Library) “This guide has been designed as a starting point for research into writing about films.”

Writing About Film (Duke University, Thompson Writing Program) (PDF) “This handout discusses ways to approach film as a visual medium. It offers suggestions for focus, prewriting tips, and guidance on how to think critically about a medium many of us think of as popular entertainment. It does not include a comprehensive list of technical film terminology, although it does provide links to several sources that do. This handout deals with decoding film as a viewer, considering how film appears rather than how it was made.”

HUMANITIES > JOURNALISM

Basics of News Writing ( Write Right: A Student Audio Podcast , Texas A&M University, University Writing Center) An interview with Dale Rice, Director of Journalism Studies, about how to write a news story.

Feature News vs. Hard News ( Write Right: A Student Audio Podcast, Texas A&M University, University Writing Center) An interview with “Dale Rice, Director of Journalism Studies here at Texas A&M, about the difference in hard news and feature news writing.”

Lives: Columns – The New York Times ( The New York Times ) “Since 1996, The Times Magazine has published the Lives column, a series of incisive, 800-word essays or as-told-to accounts that highlight small moments in real people’s lives. While a number of well-known writers have contributed to this column — including Nora Ephron, Michael Pollan, Karen Russell and others — some of the best submissions have been from nonprofessional writers, people who felt that they had a really good story to tell.”

How to Interview Sensitive Sources With Tips (Masterclass) “In the course of reporting, an investigative journalist may need to interview sensitive sources or anonymous sources to glean the most accurate information.”

Writing on Deadlines (Alaska Press Club) “Deadlines are the bane and lifeblood of reporting. New York Times reporter Sarah Mervosh has created several routines and checklists to help.”

HUMANITIES > LITERATURE

Book Reviews (UNC Chapel Hill, The Writing Center) “This handout will help you write a book review, a report or essay that offers a critical perspective on a text. It offers a process and suggests some strategies for writing book reviews.”

Fiction Terms: 35 Brief Definitions (Washington State University) A dictionary of poetry terms.

Guidelines for Writing a Literature Review (Helen Mongan-Rallis, University of Minnesota Duluth) Mongan-Rallis uses Galvin’s Writing Literature Reviews: A Guide for Students of the Behavioral Sciences , 3rd ed., to reiterate and expand upon a step-by-step approach to writing a literature review. She mentions technology that is useful in composing/organizing a literature review and includes links to additional resources.

Introduction to Modern Literary Theory (Kristi Siegel, Mount Mary College) Siegel explains 18 literary theories and includes suggestions for further reading.

Literary Theory and Schools of Criticism (Purdue OWL) “This resource will help you begin the process of understanding literary theory and schools of criticism and how they are used in the academy.” The sections on this handout include:

• Critical Disability Studies
• Critical Race Theory
• Ecocriticism
• Feminist Criticism
• Gender Studies and Queer Theory
• Marxist Criticism
• Moral Criticism, Dramatic Construction
• New Historicism, Cultural Studies
• Post-Colonial Criticism
• Postmodern Criticism
• Psychoanalytic Criticism
• Reader-Response Criticism
• Structuralism and Semiotics

Literature (UNC Chapel Hill, The Writing Center) “This handout describes some steps for planning and writing papers about fiction texts.”

Literature Reviews (UNC Chapel Hill, The Writing Center) “This handout will explain what a literature review is and offer insights into the form and construction of a literature review in the humanities, social sciences, and sciences.”

Montclair State University Databases: Literature (Montclair State University, University Libraries)

Writing About Fiction (Purdue OWL) “This handout covers major topics relating to writing about fiction. This covers prewriting, close reading, thesis development, drafting, and common pitfalls to avoid.”

• Close Reading a Text and Avoiding Pitfalls
• Developing a Thesis
• Pre-writing Activities and Drafting Your Essay

Writing About Literature (Purdue OWL) “This handout provides examples and description about writing papers in literature. It discusses research topics, how to begin to research, how to use information, and formatting.”

• Literature Topics and Research

Writing in Literature Overview (Purdue OWL) “These sections describe in detail the assignments students may complete when writing about literature.”

HUMANITIES > MUSIC

Montclair State University Databases: Music (Montclair State University, University Libraries)

Writing about Music – Calgary (The University of Calgary, Robert M. Seiler) Dr. Seiler offers “hints on how to help the reader appreciate the complexities of the performance you plan to write about” focusing on “(a) getting ready to write and (b) writing the piece.”

Writing about Music – UNC (UNC Chapel Hill, The Writing Center) “This handout features common types of music assignments and offers strategies and resources for writing them.”

HUMANITIES > PHILOSOPHY

A Brief Guide to Writing the Philosophy Paper (Harvard College Writing Center) An introduction to writing a philosophy paper, which includes useful examples.

How to Write a Philosophy Paper (David Clowney, Rowan University) Begins with general tips on writing a paper and then offers suggestions for writing interpretive, analytic, and exploratory papers.

Montclair State University Databases: Philosophy (Montclair State University, University Libraries)

Philosophy (UNC Chapel Hill, The Writing Center) “This handout discusses common types of philosophy assignments and strategies and resources that will help you write your philosophy papers.”

Tips on Writing a Philosophy Paper (Douglas W. Portmore, Arizona State University) (PDF) This thorough handout discusses thesis statements, structure, content, rhetorical considerations, documentation, and style for a philosophy paper.

HUMANITIES > POETRY

Glossary of Poetic Terms (Poetry Foundation) A complete glossary of poetry terms. You can search for terms alphabetically or filter them by “Forms & Types,” “Rhythm & Meter,” “Schools & Periods,” “Techniques & Figures of Speech,” and “Theory & Criticism.”

How to Read a Poem (University of Wisconsin – Madison, The Writing Center) This source provides questions to help you identify a poem’s subject, context, form and language.

Image in Poetry (Purdue OWL) “This section covers images as they appear in poetry and covers related terminology, definitions and origins of images, uses of images, and several exercises.”

Poetry Explications (UNC Chapel Hill, The Writing Center) “A poetry explication is a relatively short analysis which describes the possible meanings and relationships of the words, images, and other small units that make up a poem. Writing an explication is an effective way for a reader to connect a poem’s plot and conflicts with its structural features. This handout reviews some of the important techniques of approaching and writing a poetry explication, and includes parts of two sample explications.”

Poetry Terms: Brief Definitions (Washington State University) A dictionary of poetry terms.

Writing About Poetry (Purdue OWL) “Writing about poetry can be one of the most demanding tasks that many students face in a literature class. Poetry, by its very nature, makes demands on a writer who attempts to analyze it that other forms of literature do not. So how can you write a clear, confident, well-supported essay about poetry? This handout offers answers to some common questions about writing about poetry.”

HUMANITIES > RELIGION

Montclair State University Databases: Jewish Studies (Montclair State University, University Libraries)

Montclair State University Databases: Religion (Montclair State University, University Libraries)

Religious Studies (UNC Chapel Hill, The Writing Center) “This handout will help you to write research papers in religious studies.”

HUMANITIES > RHETORICAL TASKS

In academic writing, one can be asked to do many different types of writing. Some papers have you conducting research, while others require you to formulate an argument or write a critique, and some often have you do a combination of research and argument. This section includes resources on the following specific types of academic writing: analysis, argument and persuasion, cause and effect, classification, comparison and contrast, definition, description, and narrative. See Conducting Research for resources on writing research papers.

How to Write a Literary Analysis Essay (Bucks County Community College) (PDF) Breaks down the “elements of a solid essay” to guide readers in their own literary analyses.

Literary Analysis Guide (Goshen College English Dept.) Includes strategies and principles for analyzing a text, along with sample analysis paragraphs.

Argument and Persuasion

Argument (Writing@CSU) An online writing guide to “help writers better understand how to plan, organize, develop, support and revise a written argument.” Sections of the guide address the parts of an argument , the Toulmin Method and adapting the argument to the audience .

Argumentative Essays (Purdue OWL) An introduction to writing an argumentative essay.

Developing an Argument Handouts (UNC Chapel Hill, The Writing Center) These handouts support writers in developing an argument.

• Taking Inventory
• Checklist for Analyzing Research Material
• Evidence Analysis
• Thesis Analysis
• Focus Checklist
• Audience Analysis
• Revision Checklist

Developing Strong Thesis Statements (Purdue OWL) Tips for making your thesis statement debatable and narrow enough. It also includes definitions/examples of the four categories of thesis statements.

Montclair State University Databases: Research and Writing (Montclair State University, University Libraries)

Writing Tips: Thesis Statements (Univ. of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Center for Writing Studies) Definition of thesis statements including what questions to ask when formulating thesis statements and model examples of thesis statements.

Cause and Effect

Writing Cause and Effect Papers (Butte College, Center for Academic Success) This is a tip sheet on examining “the reasons for and the outcomes of situations.”

Classification

Writing a Classification Paper (Butte College, Center for Academic Success) This is a tip sheet on prewriting, developing a thesis, organizing and using effective language in a classification essay.

Comparison and Contrast

Compare and Contrast (UNC Chapel Hill, The Writing Center) (VIDEO) “Learn strategies for comparing and contrasting ideas—strategies that can also help you generate ideas for other types of writing.”

Comparing and Contrasting (UNC Chapel Hill, The Writing Center) “This handout will help you first to determine whether a particular assignment is asking for comparison/contrast and then to generate a list of similarities and differences, decide which similarities and differences to focus on, and organize your paper so that it will be clear and effective. It will also explain how you can (and why you should) develop a thesis that goes beyond ‘Thing A and Thing B are similar in many ways but different in others’.”

How to Write a Comparative Analysis (Harvard College Writing Center) “To write a good compare-and-contrast paper, you must take your raw data–the similarities and differences you’ve observed–and make them cohere into a meaningful argument. Here are the five elements required.”

Description

Things to Consider as You Write Your Descriptive Essay (Masterclass) Considerations and conventions for writing a descriptive essay.

Narrative Essays (Purdue OWL) Outlines the conventions of a narrative essay.

SOCIAL SCIENCES

A Brief Guide to Writing the History Paper (Harvard College Writing Center) “A concise introduction to some of the basic conventions of writing in history. Intended for an undergraduate audience.”

Anthropology (UNC Chapel Hill, The Writing Center) “This handout briefly situates anthropology as a discipline of study within the social sciences. It provides an introduction to the kinds of writing that you might encounter in your anthropology courses, describes some of the expectations that your instructors may have, and suggests some ways to approach your assignments. It also includes links to information on citation practices in anthropology and resources for writing anthropological research papers.”

History (UNC Chapel Hill, The Writing Center) “This handout was written with several goals in mind: to explain what historians do and how they approach the writing process; to encourage you to think about your history instructor’s expectations of you; and to offer some strategies to help you write effectively in history courses.”

Montclair State University Databases: Anthropology (Montclair State University, University Libraries)

Montclair State University Databases: Political Science (Montclair State University, University Libraries)

Montclair State University Databases: Sociology (Montclair State University, University Libraries)

Sociology (UNC Chapel Hill, The Writing Center) “This handout introduces you to the wonderful world of writing sociology. Before you can write a clear and coherent sociology paper, you need a firm understanding of the assumptions and expectations of the discipline. You need to know your audience, the way they view the world and how they order and evaluate information. So, without further ado, let’s figure out just what sociology is, and how one goes about writing it.”

Writing in Political Science (UNC Chapel Hill, The Writing Center) “This handout will help you to recognize and to follow writing practices and standards in political science. The first step toward accomplishing this goal is to develop a basic understanding of political science and the kind of work political scientists do.”

Writing in Political Science: An Introduction (Dave Roberts, University of Richmond Writing Center) A guide that dissects what is involved in writing in the field of political science.

A Brief Guide to Writing in Chemistry (Kenyon College) “This document is a guide to assist students in chemistry courses with writing and formatting laboratory reports and research reports.”

Chemistry Lab Resources (Purdue University Libraries and School of Information Studies) “Here you can find tips about organizing your lab notebook, how to effectively create graphs and table for lab reports, places to locate protocols and property information, and how to properly cite resources.”

Laboratory Report Instructions (Reed College, Doyle Online Writing Lab) A manual to writing each section of a lab report. The site also includes examples of well-written and poorly written lab reports.

Montclair State University Databases: Biology (Montclair State University, University Libraries)

Montclair State University Databases: Chemistry (Montclair State University, University Libraries)

Montclair State University Databases: Physics and Astronomy (Montclair State University, University Libraries)

“Right your Writing: How to sharpen your writing and make your manuscripts more engaging” (Bob Grant with contributor Judith Swan, The Scientist Magazine) Free subscription required for access. Offers “ways to improve your writing practices and tips on how to align your writing to your readers’ expectations.”

Sciences (UNC Chapel Hill, The Writing Center) “Every element of style that is accepted and encouraged in general academic writing is also considered good practice in scientific writing. The major difference between science writing and writing in other academic fields is the relative importance placed on certain stylistic elements. This handout details the most critical aspects of scientific writing and provides some strategies for evaluating and improving your scientific prose.”

Scientific Writing Resource (Duke University) This resource covers lessons including: “Subjects and Actions”, “Cohesion, Coherence, and Emphasis”, and “Concision and Simplicity” with a focus on effective communication.

Writing Biology Lab Reports (University of Richmond Writing Center) A guide for writing biology lab reports with sections on writing the abstract , the introduction , materials and methods , results , discussion and citing sources .

Writing in the Sciences (Writing@CSU) An online writing guide that addresses the challenges and issues involved in scientific writing. Sections include Writing the Scientific-Format Paper and Achieving the Scientific-Voice.

Writing the Scientific Paper (Writing@CSU) A comprehensive guide to writing scientific papers. Be sure to click “Continue” on the bottom right of the screen to access all of the information.

MATHEMATICS

AMS Author Handbook (American Mathematical Society) This is the most widely recognized handbook for writing in mathematics.

AMS Author Resource Center (American Mathematical Society) Provides links and tools to assist in writing, editing, illustrating and publishing mathematical works.

Guide to AMS Editor’s Package (American Mathematical Society) This link from the AMS website covers formatting for papers/monographs using LaTeX software, a common program for setting math type used here at Montclair State. It also provides templates to create title pages, bibliographies, etc. for LaTeX users.

Montclair State University Databases: Math (Montclair State University, University Libraries)

MRef (American Mathematical Society) This is a citation generator for standard references that include links to the MathSciNet database.

Overview of AMS-LaTeX Software (American Mathematical Society) This is an overview of the AMS-LaTeX software.

What are your chances of acceptance?

Calculate for all schools, your chance of acceptance.

Your chancing factors

Extracurriculars.

3 Purdue University Essay Examples

Home of the Boilermakers, Purdue University was established in 1869 and is steeped in history and tradition. From the first 39 students to attend in 1874, to over 33,000 in attendance today, Purdue is matched in tradition only by innovation. Known for its world-class faculty, curricula, and facilities, Purdue attracts many future engineers.

As it is a selective university, you will need a strong application to stand out. A crucial aspect lies in your essays. To get some inspiration for your Purdue essays, we will be sharing three essays by real students who applied to Purdue in this post. We will also go over what they did well and where they could’ve improved. 

Please note: Looking at examples of real essays students have submitted to colleges can be very beneficial to get inspiration for your essays. You should never copy or plagiarize from these examples when writing your own essays. Colleges can tell when an essay isn’t genuine and will not view students favorably if they plagiarized. 

Read our Purdue essay breakdown to get a comprehensive overview of this year’s supplemental prompts. 

Essay Example #1

Prompt: Briefly discuss your reasons for pursuing the major you have selected (100 words)

To most Gen Z, life without computers and smartphones is like life without food: it’s impossible. However, I only started to appreciate the work behind the scenes (and screens) in the summer of 9th grade, when I created a small chatting program to exchange jokes with my sister in the next room. Through programming, I have found a clear and compelling way to reach the world beyond my fingertips. By majoring in computer science, I hope to build a solid foundation in AI, algorithms, UX design and more, with which I’ll help bring society a new generation of digital food.

What the Essay Did Well

This essay is short and sweet; every sentence is intentional and conveys a new idea clearly and concisely. Comparing their generation’s reliance on technology to “ life without food ” speaks volumes more than the three words it takes up. They simply explain what they did and why without any extraneous fluff or flowery language: “ I created a small chatting program to exchange jokes with my sister in the next room. ” Getting creative with your prose is great for a longer essay, but this is not the time or place, and this student understood that. They also get straight to the point when discussing what they hope to gain and achieve from a degree in computer science—another plus.

Despite the limited space, this student still manages to work in some of their personality. The analogy of smartphones being as crucial as food is a humorous example of hyperbole that helps humanize the student.  The phrase “ behind the scenes (and screens) ” is another way of them expressing their playful side while also adding a rhyme to make the essay more interesting. Including these little crumbs with humor, coupled with the knowledge they learned to program to share jokes, makes the student come across as a fun person admissions officers would want on their campus.

What Could Be Improved

Although the opening line about Gen Z is a chance for the student to inject some of their personality, in reality it is not the best use of space. As we said above, every word counts in an essay this short, and although the observation about Gen Z did contribute to the essay, it’s not as crucial to include as additional details about the student.

They could have kept the analogy to food, but instead of generalizing to all of Gen Z, this student should have made themselves the focus of the sentence. For example, they could say something like this: “ At this point my phone is a permanent appendage of my hand; life without it is like life without food. ” This sentence focuses the attention on the student right from the beginning, telling us about their phone addiction rather than everyone else’s.

Essay Example #2

How much duct tape would my boat need to stay afloat?

I will never forget my first Do-It-Yourself Project of building a boat with cardboard. While the outcome of the project was bitter-sweet as my boat sank, my passion for engineering surfaced. Subsequently, I voyaged across countless pursuits until I reached an epiphany while developing a customized voice assistant for an enterprise; I was fascinated by the multifaceted applicability of technology. Hence, I intend to pursue Computer Engineering because the skills from this major will enable me to pursue my widespread goals of lobbying for technological advancements in under-developed societies.

Starting the essay with a question is a great way to catch the reader’s attention in a short amount of space. Right off the bat, we are asking ourselves why are they using duct tape, what’s the boat for, how much duct tape do they need,  all of which get us engaged and excited for what is to come.

The student also does a nice job of incorporating sailing-related language with lines like “ my passion for engineering surfaced ” and “ I voyaged across countless pursuits. ” This is a creative way of linking the main points of their essay with their anecdote.

The student’s realizations are a bit underdeveloped. They don’t explain how they realized the “ multifaceted applicability of technology ” or why exactly they want to lobby “ for technological advancements in under-developed countries. ” They could’ve perhaps been better-served by eliminating the boat anecdote and beginning with the voice assistant story, which would allow them to explain their realization and goals. 

A common mistake students make with this prompt is that they think they have to include the very moment they got interested in the major. You certainly can use this technique, but it may not always be the best way to approach this essay, especially when there is such limited space. Instead of starting with the introduction, students should first focus on writing the reasons they like the major and what they hope to accomplish with it, and find a story or moment that flows with these points.

Essay Example #3

Prompt: How will opportunities at Purdue support your interests, both in and out of the classroom? (100 words)

The Computer Engineering course at Purdue has a dynamic combination of fundamental courses and enthralling electives such as ‘Engineering Environmental Sustainability’, allowing me to apply my engineering proficiency to resolve complex global issues such as technological disparity. Furthermore, by joining the Engineers Without Borders – Purdue organization, I will gain first-hand experience in tackling real-world humanitarian problems and push my intellectual ability to higher stakes. Having followed EWB- Purdue’s pioneering Bolivia project, I aspire to contribute in both the Technical and the Leadership team. Hence, Purdue is the best institution for me to grow as an enthusiastic humanitarian engineer. 

Right off the bat, the student is specifically noting courses the school offers that they are eager to take. This is great! They show that they’ve been following a specific organization within the school, and already have ideas as to how they could contribute. They really specified why they wanted to attend the school, and personalized the essay accordingly. 

This student also chose two opportunities at Purdue that seamlessly fit into their future career. They want to be a humanitarian engineer, so discussing a class about environmental sustainability and an organization that creates solutions to humanitarian issues around the world is a great way to demonstrate their affinity to their career throughout the essay. When they tell us their career aspirations at the very end of the essay, it makes perfect sense to the reader based on the 100 preceding words we just read.

The main issues in this essay come from minor grammatical mistakes that could confuse the reader. For example, the first sentence covers too much ground: The Computer Engineering course at Purdue has a dynamic combination of fundamental courses and enthralling electives such as ‘Engineering Environmental Sustainability’, allowing me to apply my engineering proficiency to resolve complex global issues such as technological disparity. Instead, the reader should separate these ideas into two sentences. In the first sentence, the student can explain the courses they are interested in, and the second can give reasons why and explain what the student’s career goals are. Overall, it very clearly addresses the prompt, shows the student has done their research, and shows their ambitions after graduation. It is very well done. 

Where to Get Your Purdue Essays Edited

Do you want feedback on your Purdue essays? After rereading your essays countless times, it can be difficult to evaluate your writing objectively. That’s why we created our free Peer Essay Review tool , where you can get a free review of your essay from another student. You can also improve your own writing skills by reviewing other students’ essays. 

If you want a college admissions expert to review your essay, advisors on CollegeVine have helped students refine their writing and submit successful applications to top schools. Find the right advisor for you to improve your chances of getting into your dream school!

Related CollegeVine Blog Posts

Purdue Online Writing Lab Purdue OWL® College of Liberal Arts

Argumentative Essays

Welcome to the Purdue OWL

This page is brought to you by the OWL at Purdue University. When printing this page, you must include the entire legal notice.

Copyright ©1995-2018 by The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use.

What is an argumentative essay?

The argumentative essay is a genre of writing that requires the student to investigate a topic; collect, generate, and evaluate evidence; and establish a position on the topic in a concise manner.

Please note : Some confusion may occur between the argumentative essay and the expository essay. These two genres are similar, but the argumentative essay differs from the expository essay in the amount of pre-writing (invention) and research involved. The argumentative essay is commonly assigned as a capstone or final project in first year writing or advanced composition courses and involves lengthy, detailed research. Expository essays involve less research and are shorter in length. Expository essays are often used for in-class writing exercises or tests, such as the GED or GRE.

Argumentative essay assignments generally call for extensive research of literature or previously published material. Argumentative assignments may also require empirical research where the student collects data through interviews, surveys, observations, or experiments. Detailed research allows the student to learn about the topic and to understand different points of view regarding the topic so that she/he may choose a position and support it with the evidence collected during research. Regardless of the amount or type of research involved, argumentative essays must establish a clear thesis and follow sound reasoning.

The structure of the argumentative essay is held together by the following.

• A clear, concise, and defined thesis statement that occurs in the first paragraph of the essay.

In the first paragraph of an argument essay, students should set the context by reviewing the topic in a general way. Next the author should explain why the topic is important ( exigence ) or why readers should care about the issue. Lastly, students should present the thesis statement. It is essential that this thesis statement be appropriately narrowed to follow the guidelines set forth in the assignment. If the student does not master this portion of the essay, it will be quite difficult to compose an effective or persuasive essay.

• Clear and logical transitions between the introduction, body, and conclusion.

Transitions are the mortar that holds the foundation of the essay together. Without logical progression of thought, the reader is unable to follow the essay’s argument, and the structure will collapse. Transitions should wrap up the idea from the previous section and introduce the idea that is to follow in the next section.

• Body paragraphs that include evidential support.

Each paragraph should be limited to the discussion of one general idea. This will allow for clarity and direction throughout the essay. In addition, such conciseness creates an ease of readability for one’s audience. It is important to note that each paragraph in the body of the essay must have some logical connection to the thesis statement in the opening paragraph. Some paragraphs will directly support the thesis statement with evidence collected during research. It is also important to explain how and why the evidence supports the thesis ( warrant ).

However, argumentative essays should also consider and explain differing points of view regarding the topic. Depending on the length of the assignment, students should dedicate one or two paragraphs of an argumentative essay to discussing conflicting opinions on the topic. Rather than explaining how these differing opinions are wrong outright, students should note how opinions that do not align with their thesis might not be well informed or how they might be out of date.

• Evidential support (whether factual, logical, statistical, or anecdotal).

The argumentative essay requires well-researched, accurate, detailed, and current information to support the thesis statement and consider other points of view. Some factual, logical, statistical, or anecdotal evidence should support the thesis. However, students must consider multiple points of view when collecting evidence. As noted in the paragraph above, a successful and well-rounded argumentative essay will also discuss opinions not aligning with the thesis. It is unethical to exclude evidence that may not support the thesis. It is not the student’s job to point out how other positions are wrong outright, but rather to explain how other positions may not be well informed or up to date on the topic.

• A conclusion that does not simply restate the thesis, but readdresses it in light of the evidence provided.

It is at this point of the essay that students may begin to struggle. This is the portion of the essay that will leave the most immediate impression on the mind of the reader. Therefore, it must be effective and logical. Do not introduce any new information into the conclusion; rather, synthesize the information presented in the body of the essay. Restate why the topic is important, review the main points, and review your thesis. You may also want to include a short discussion of more research that should be completed in light of your work.

A complete argument

Perhaps it is helpful to think of an essay in terms of a conversation or debate with a classmate. If I were to discuss the cause of World War II and its current effect on those who lived through the tumultuous time, there would be a beginning, middle, and end to the conversation. In fact, if I were to end the argument in the middle of my second point, questions would arise concerning the current effects on those who lived through the conflict. Therefore, the argumentative essay must be complete, and logically so, leaving no doubt as to its intent or argument.

The five-paragraph essay

A common method for writing an argumentative essay is the five-paragraph approach. This is, however, by no means the only formula for writing such essays. If it sounds straightforward, that is because it is; in fact, the method consists of (a) an introductory paragraph (b) three evidentiary body paragraphs that may include discussion of opposing views and (c) a conclusion.

Longer argumentative essays

Complex issues and detailed research call for complex and detailed essays. Argumentative essays discussing a number of research sources or empirical research will most certainly be longer than five paragraphs. Authors may have to discuss the context surrounding the topic, sources of information and their credibility, as well as a number of different opinions on the issue before concluding the essay. Many of these factors will be determined by the assignment.