Research papers address an issue that requires investigation. The introduction consists of presenting a thesis statement and providing background information to put things into context. The thesis statement identifies the problem and informs the reader about the relevance and value of discussing the issue. Additionally, you must present your point of view on the subject, the purpose of the essay and explain how you will structure the information you are about to present. The introduction statement will dictate the order in which you cover the information in the body of the essay. The conclusion sums up the research results and answers the original thesis statement question.
Different types of research papers include the following: argumentative papers require you to present and defend one side of a controversial issue; analytical papers require you to explore and analyze various view points on a specific issue; cause and effect papers are used to present a case, policy or issue in chronological order, detailing an assortment of possible results that stem out as a consequence of an action.
The journal format is not an evaluation paper. It is generally used by college professors to get to know students and explore their thinking process. It can be both easy and challenging since journal assignment topics tend to be open-ended. The purpose is to express what is on your mind without judging or being concerned about following a structure. The journal is often used for exploring a specific study material (novel, article, current event). Questions that are used to begin journal writing might include: "What does this article make me think of?" or "What experiences from my life support or contrast with what is being proposed in this piece?"
Literature, philosophy and social science classes often use the "compare and contrast" essay format to challenge student to demonstrate the similarities and contrasts of different works, philosophies or scientific theories. In literature, you might be asked to expand on the similarities and contradictions between two literary pieces or authors' work. In philosophy you might be asked to present the elements shared between two or more disciplines and present your view on why they are different from each other.
The purpose of the expository paper is to inform readers about a certain subject. The author's opinion or point of view is not an ingredient in this type of essay. The goal is to transmit relevant information about a topic in an organized manner. The introduction includes a brief description of the topic, items you will cover and how that information can be valuable to the reader. Within the body of the the essay you need to provide facts and information that helps the reader understand the topic discussed.