Major Types and Various Styles of Writing

Written by Max | Edited by Rory Hart
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    Major Types of Writing

    Four Main Styles

    There are four main styles of writing,:

    1. Expository – to explain something to your reader
    2. Descriptive – to describe key points or certain images to your reader
    3. Persuasive – to convince or influence your reader
    4. Narrative – to tell a story to your reader

    The style that you choose depends on what you want to accomplish with your audience. Thus, before writing, it is very important that you carefully plan and organize your writing before you start the writing itself. See Planning and Organizing Your Writing

    Here are more descriptions of the major styles of writing.

    Other Styles of Writing

    Examples of additional styles include formal vs informal, concise vs detailed, commercial vs literary, and factual vs opinioned.

    Various Styles of Writing

    Academic Writing

    Academic writing is usually about research and theories and, thus, is written in a formal structure that is concise, orderly, and specific. If it is in regard to research, it can include specific references to other writing, as well as citations to specific pages or quotes in the other writings. Academic writing also conforms to certain style guides, including the American Psychological Association style guide.

    Business Writing

    Business writing usually includes proposals, memorandums, and emails, as can also include various sales publications, such as brochures and catalogs.

    Creative Writing

    Creative writing is intended to express the original thoughts of the writer. Examples are poems, plays, songs, and personal essays.

    Scientific Writing

    Scientific writing is a highly technical form of technical writing that is intended primarily for other scientists. It is very similar to academic writing and those types are sometimes used interchangeably. However, scientific writing is primarily focused on research and experimental terms, such as hypothesis,
    methodology, findings, and recommendations for further research. There are often numerous references and citations in scientific writing.

    Technical Writing

    Technical writing is usually in regard to planning, developing, providing, maintaining, and fixing technical equipment. Examples include schematics, instruction manuals, help files, and procedures.

    For the Category of Communications (Business Writing):

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    Max