Brief description of writing types
Academic Writing
essay: a composition (usually short) on a specific idea or
Business Writing
email: a message sent over the internet, usually using software for formatting.
subject, usually in prose form. Essays take different forms,
such as persuasive, analytical, and many others.
Example: I need to send my supervisor email about my upcoming vacation time.
Example: My essay for this course will be about the history of
the Roman alphabet.
journal entry: a style of personal writing, recording ideas,
memo: a somewhat informal message, usually sent between two or more
events of the day, responses to reading, etc.
employees of the same company, concerning company business
Example: Our professor asked us to make journal entries
Example: I received a memo this morning about a new policy for business travel.
about our opinions on the book we are reading.
Brief description of writing types
Academic Writing
Business Writing
academic paper: a write-up of an experiment, research
letter: a formal, written communication, sent either over the internet as an
project, or opinion, meant to be read by other scholars. An
attachment to an email message or by regular postal mail on paper.
academic paper usually involves citations to other literature.
Example: Our office received a letter from the government saying that our building
Example: I read an academic paper on the subject of revision
plans have been approved.
and editing that was very interesting.
research report: an explanation of a research project, usually
proposal: a written document that puts forward ideas for a business innovation,
divided into subsections such as abstract, introduction,
funding, or other project.
methods, results, etc.
Example: Ms. Jones submitted a proposal to increase her department's budget.
Example: Professor Valdez's laboratory published a research
report, detailing the experiment they conducted with ozone.
Brief description of writing types
Academic Writing
book review: a written opinion and analysis of a book relevant
Business Writing
report: a written description of a business activity
to the writer's field of study
Example: Our CEO has asked for a report on recent updates to our contract.
Example: Dr. Wang wrote a very interesting book review of
The Underground Railroad, which was published in the New
York Review of Books.
review of literature: a report, analysis, and synthesis of a
personnel/instructions/procedures manuals: documentation of processes or
number of different pieces of writing on a related subject.
procedures to follow.
Example: I have to write a review of the literature on English
Example: The company personnel manual outlines the rules for hiring employees.
teaching in Uruguay.
Brief description of writing types
Academic Writing
Business Writing
thesis or dissertation: a longer piece of research writing
slide presentation: Outlines, bullet points, graphs, and charts brought together to
typically assigned in order to complete a degree
help in a presentation of an idea
Example: Students pursuing a master's degree usually have to
Example: Jennifer and I are working with PowerPoint to put our slide presentation
write a thesis.
together.
slide presentation: Outlines, bullet points, graphs, and charts
pitch: A very brief proposal; it can be done in a presentation, email, letter, or a
brought together to help in a presentation of an idea
casual conversation
Example: Jennifer and I are working with PowerPoint to put
Example: My pitch for a new product is only a paragraph long.
our slide presentation together.
Brief description of writing types
Academic Writing
Business Writing
abstract: A summary, usually in one paragraph (300 words or
executive summary: A short document or part of a document that summarizes a
less, typically), of the major ideas of a whole paper. It comes at
longer report so that readers can quickly understand the main points of a larger
the beginning of a paper.
report having to read it all.
Example: The abstract of our research paper clearly explains
Example: The executive summary lays out all the reasons we should go ahead
our results.
with the project; however, the full report reveals some flaws in the plan.