An essay is, generally, a piece of writing that gives the author's ov:n argument — but the definition is vague: overlapping with those of a paper, an article: a pamphlet and a short story. Essays have traditionally been sub-classified as formal and informal. Formal essays are characterized by
" serious purpose: dignity: logical organization: length. whereas the informal essay is characterized by "the personal element, humour, graceful style rambling structure: unconventionality or novelty of theme, " etc. Essays are commonly used as literary criticism: political manifestos, leamed arguments, observations of daily life: recollections, and reflections of the
author. Students can also avail cheap essay writing service online Almost all modem essays are v.Titten in prose: but works in verse have been dubbed essays . While brevity usually defines an essay, voluminous works like John Locke's An Essay Concerning Human Understanding and Thomas Malthus's An Essay on the Principle of Population are
counterexamples. In some countries, essays have become a major part of formal education. Secondary students are taught structured essay formats to improve their
v, liting skills; admission essays are often used by universities in selecting applicants, and in the humanities and social sciences essays are often used as
a way of assessing the performance of students during final exams.
The concept of an "essay" has been extended to other media beyond writing. A film essay is a movie that often incorporates documentary filmmaking
styles and focuses more on the evolution of a theme or idea. A photographic essay covers a topic with a linked series of photographs that may have
accompanying text or captions.

The word essay derives from the French infinitive: "to fry" or "to attempt". In English essay first meant "a trial" or "an attempt", and this is still an
alternative meaning. The Frenchman Michel de the first author to describe his work as essays; he used the term to characterize these as
" attempts" to put his thoughts into v, liting.
Subsequently, has been defined in a variety of ways. One definition is a "prose composition V,'ith a focused subject of discussion" or a "long,
systematic discourse"