The goal of a comparison paper is to illustrate the similarities and differences between two topics. You must use research and citations to back up your conclusions regarding each topic, then look for areas in which the topics share common features or diverge entirely. A comparison paper is void of opinion and traditionally looks to measure both topics using only the facts available.
Research papers are among the most commonly assigned college essays. A research paper involves selecting one topic for study, reading existing studies of the topic and then reporting your findings in essay format. Research papers are best suited for assignment with documentable facts, like history or science. As with comparison papers, research papers should be mostly devoid of opinion.
Writing an argumentative paper is similar to writing a research paper in that you must choose a topic and conduct thorough research in order to better understand it. The papers differ, however, in their execution. An argumentative paper uses the known facts to support a particular argument. For instance, "Why Green Energy Is Good" would be the topic of an argumentative paper.
Students of philosophy or literature are likely no strangers to the interpretive essay. The goal of this paper is not to simply report on what an author said or how he went about saying it, but also to decode hidden messages and thematic elements. Most interpretive papers center around one specific poem or novel and work to find the author's true intent by citing quotes and attempting to interpret their meaning.