---
title: What is an Essay?
description: Discover what an essay is, its essential structure, and how to craft compelling essays with clear introductions, supportive body paragraphs, and impactful conclusions.
---

[Morehouse Admissions Blog ](https://morehouse.edu/admissions/blog)

# [What is an Essay?](https://morehouse.edu/admissions/blog/what-is-an-essay)

 Written by [Morehouse College Writing Center](https://morehouse.edu/admissions/blog/author/morehouse-college-writing-center) | May 29, 2025, 3:55:38 PM

In a world dominated by digital communication, writing remains a fundamental skill that shapes our personal and professional lives.

### WHAT IS AN ESSAY?

An essay is a group of **(5-7) related paragraphs discussing a single subject. **It is written to **persuade the reader ****of your feelings, opinions, and ideas about a topic** and your ability to explain these. Essays bring together ideas, evidence, and arguments to address a particular problem, topic, or issue. **Academic essays follow a structure**: you will present your argument in the introduction, build and present your ideas in the main body, and end with your overall key message or statement. An academic essay has three main parts: the introduction, body, and conclusion. In a standard short essay, five paragraphs can provide enough information about a topic.  

**The Introduction Paragraph:** (1) Gives readers an idea of what they are about to learn and presents an argument in the form of a thesis statement. (2) Contains an attention grabber to make the essay interesting; (3) Ensures the introduction moves from the general to the specific in regards to the topic; (4) Provides the readers with an outline of the essay; (5) Includes a thesis statement, the most critical component of the essay; and (6) Includes a thesis statement that states the aim of the paper with examples and evidence.  

**The Body Paragraphs:** (1) Includes the evidence and support of the paper in addition to the author's ideas; (2) Paragraphs must include a topic sentence that relates the discussion to the thesis statement; (3) Logical ordering of ideas: 3 types of order a. Chronological order, b. Spatial order, c. Emphatic order; (4) Ensure that transition sentences are present to create an excellent flow to the essay; (5) Include concrete examples and evidence to support your argument with citations; and (5) Make sure each example is relevant to your topic.  

**The Conclusion: **(1) This section summarizes the content and main points of the essay. (2) Should restate the main arguments in a simplified manner. (3) Gives the reader something to think about, particularly if it is an argumentative essay. 

[View full post](https://morehouse.edu/admissions/blog/what-is-an-essay)

```json
{
  "@context" : "http://schema.org",
  "@type" : "BlogPosting",
  "author" : {
    "@type" : "Person",
    "name" : "Morehouse College Writing Center"
  },
  "dateModified" : "2025-05-29T15:55:38.609Z",
  "datePublished" : "2025-05-29T15:55:38Z",
  "headline" : "What is an Essay?",
  "image" : {
    "@type" : "ImageObject",
    "height" : 60,
    "url" : "/hs/hsstatic/content_shared_assets/static-1.4092/img/default-amp-logo.png",
    "width" : 60
  },
  "mainEntityOfPage" : "https://morehouse.edu/admissions/blog/what-is-an-essay",
  "publisher" : {
    "@type" : "Organization",
    "logo" : {
      "@type" : "ImageObject",
      "height" : 60,
      "url" : "/hs/hsstatic/content_shared_assets/static-1.4092/img/default-amp-logo.png",
      "width" : 60
    },
    "name" : "Morehouse Admissions Blog"
  }
}
```