Essay Types explained
Essay Type 1: Factual recall
The question will ask you to name or list or state or summarise or outline a specific subject.
For example: How did the pigs resolve their housing problems with the wolf who wanted to eat them.
This essay requires you to write down everything you know about the pigs: how they built their houses, how the wolf destroyed each house, what they did next, how they survived in the end, what happened to to the wolf.
Just the facts you have studied.
Essay Type 2: Analysis/explanation of Relationships
The question will ask you to explain or discuss the specific subject.
For example: Discuss the merits of each of the building materials used by the pigs.
This essay requires you analyse what each house was built of, what were the benefits and downsides of each material.
Just the facts you have studied but you need to write about the pigs choices and the consequences of their choices.
Essay Type 3: Synthesis/ Application of previously learned principles
The question will ask you evaluate, show, prove, compare and contrast what you've learnt in the text to another situation.
Synthesis: think about how you can use what you've studied to solve a another problem.
For example: Three sheep are given the choice of paper, heavy plastic and river stones to build a house. What would you suggest the pigs use and why?
This essay requires you to prove which is the best building material for the sheep to use.
You have to use your knowledge of the experiences of the Three Little Pigs in the text to review how suitable each new material is.
You then argue for the best material based on what you have learnt from your studies.
Essay Type 4: Opinion
The question will ask for your opinion, what you think about a topic.
You then apply the knowledge you have gained from the text to back up your opinions.
For example: What was the house made of that Little Red Riding Hood's Grandma lived in?
There is no mention of the building materials used to build Grandma's house so you need to use your knowledge of what wolves can do to decide what her house was most likely built of.
This will be your opinion, that you have backed with facts you have learnt, about something that is unknown.
Essay Types Summary
Type 3 is the most commonly used Essay Type.
It tests how well understand the subject more broadly, making you look for ways to use your knowledge rather than just repeat what you've been told.
If you take this approach to information as you are studying it will make it more practical, more related to the real world.
You are more likely to understand what you're studying just by asking: how can I use this in real life?