A formal essay is a piece of non fiction writing where one attempts to support a certain idea through the use of stories, quotes and facts. These types of essays are common in the corporate arena and also in the academic field.
What you need to know about formal essays
- Be careful with your tone– writers must avoid slang, short forms, use of the first person and any informal language that may compromise on the objectivity of the piece. Beliefs and emotions need to be kept out of formal essays as much as possible.
- Analyze the content of the essay– a formal essay is an advancement of an argument and should therefore have a main idea through a strong thesis statement. This should also be supported throughout the paragraphs and be summarized at the end of the essay
- Do not compromise on structure– a good formal essay is one in which the ideas are well connected and thoroughly organized. Depending on the writing style chosen, most formal essays have a centered headline and titles need to be capitalized. Also, the use of an active voice is critical in this kind of writing as is maintains the attention of readers.
Students need to realize that although formal essay writing entails the use of facts to advance one’s argument, this is no excuse for writers to be boring. One must think of creative ways of advancing one’s main idea. However, neutrality ought to be maintained at all costs.