Embarrassed to ask-what is the difference between reports, essays, etc?

[HappyGrace]

We are working on mastering solid paragraph structure (5th grade), and then this year we'll move on to one paragraph nonfiction reports. (We're also working on outlining now.)

 

Then after that I lose my bearings. What is the difference between three paragraph reports, five paragraph reports, essays, and then all the types of writing (persuasive, narrative, compare/contrast, etc.) Can someone tell me in an idiot-proof way how all this stacks up? What they all are and in what order you teach them?

 

I'm getting confused looking at different writing programs-do they write a thesis for every report or just an essay? Is it only reports that have an introductory paragraph? And which kind-three paragraph or five paragraph-do they all get intro and conclusion paragraphs? This is the kind of thing that has me boggled. Feel free to offer me a resource I can get to figure this all out, if you don't have time to explain it! I guess I need kind of an overview of standard writing progression.

 

(PS I know someone will tell me to get SWB's mp3's :), which I'm doing this week when they're on sale. But I also want to do some of this other type of writing-my dc need to be up to par with it earlier than she says due to co-op classes, etc.)

[regentrude]

I recommend The Lively Art of Writing for a great definition of what an essay is and for a great concise instruction in of essay writing.

 

Basically, an essay is a piece of writing in which the writer defends a personal opinion. It must have a thesis (your opinion on something) can be argued (so it can not be something that is a proven fact, or something that is so far out there nobody would debate it anyway). Then you find arguments and defend your thesis- you persuade the reader that you are right - hence the term persuasive. The 5 paragraph essay is a crutch - depending on your thesis you may need more paragraphs because you have more supporting arguments. In real life, essays can have any length.

 

A report is fact based and does not need to have a thesis because you are not defending an opinion, but merely presenting information.

 

Again, in real life there are mixed forms where a research report leads to a discussion of the findings which then has more essay character if the findings lend themselves to conflicting interpretations.

 

A narration is just that: you narrate something - a story, an event that happened to you, the contents of a book.

 

I think any writing needs to have an introductory paragraph and a conclusion - as a courtesy to the reader.

[8filltheheart]

I recommend The Lively Art of Writing for a great definition of what an essay is and for a great concise instruction in of essay writing.

 

Basically, an essay is a piece of writing in which the writer defends a personal opinion. It must have a thesis (your opinion on something) can be argued (so it can not be something that is a proven fact, or something that is so far out there nobody would debate it anyway). Then you find arguments and defend your thesis- you persuade the reader that you are right - hence the term persuasive. The 5 paragraph essay is a crutch - depending on your thesis you may need more paragraphs because you have more supporting arguments. In real life, essays can have any length.

 

A report is fact based and does not need to have a thesis because you are not defending an opinion, but merely presenting information.

 

Again, in real life there are mixed forms where a research report leads to a discussion of the findings which then has more essay character if the findings lend themselves to conflicting interpretations.

 

A narration is just that: you narrate something - a story, an event that happened to you, the contents of a book.

 

I think any writing needs to have an introductory paragraph and a conclusion - as a courtesy to the reader.

 

Excellent summation.

[thowell]

We are working on mastering solid paragraph structure (5th grade), and then this year we'll move on to one paragraph nonfiction reports. (We're also working on outlining now.)

 

Then after that I lose my bearings. What is the difference between three paragraph reports, five paragraph reports, essays, and then all the types of writing (persuasive, narrative, compare/contrast, etc.) Can someone tell me in an idiot-proof way how all this stacks up? What they all are and in what order you teach them?

 

I'm getting confused looking at different writing programs-do they write a thesis for every report or just an essay? Is it only reports that have an introductory paragraph? And which kind-three paragraph or five paragraph-do they all get intro and conclusion paragraphs? This is the kind of thing that has me boggled. Feel free to offer me a resource I can get to figure this all out, if you don't have time to explain it! I guess I need kind of an overview of standard writing progression.

 

(PS I know someone will tell me to get SWB's mp3's :), which I'm doing this week when they're on sale. But I also want to do some of this other type of writing-my dc need to be up to par with it earlier than she says due to co-op classes, etc.)

 

Just so you know, I am right there with you!:tongue_smilie:

[HappyGrace]

Thanks, Regentrude! I will order Lively Art today. At least I will know what an essay is! This did help clear me up some. So do children go through a general progression of all this writing?

 

Thanks, Thowell, for not leaving me hanging out here alone on a limb! :)

[regentrude]

TSo do children go through a general progression of all this writing?

 

I do not know whether there are general rules. I believe the essay is the hardest form for a child to master - whereas reports and narrations are comparatively easy (of course for high school, one has to learn proper citation, but, again, that is not a hard thing to comprehend, one just has to look up the correct way of doing it in a reference book.)

 

IMO there is too much emphasis on the standard 5 paragraph persuasive essay in writing instruction and too little on other forms. I never had to write an essay in all my adult life; most of the writing I had to do was expository (that means writing with the intent to inform, clarify and instruct).

This is my personal opinion only. I am neither an English teacher nor a native speaker of English.