what is formal essay?

Question

give example

Answer 1

It is an academic essay that has a few key parts, citations, and formal grammar.

The key parts:
- an introduction (explain what you are going to talk about)
- a thesis (the point of your paper-- what you are trying to prove. Normally the thesis is the last sentence of your introduction)
- arguments (specific facts and persuasions to convince the reader of your thesis. Normally one argument per paragraph or section, depending on the length of your essay)
- conclusion (what does it all mean? what should the reader get out of it).

Citations: they aren't fun, but are necessary. Ask your prof what s/he requires to know how to format your paper or look at the leading academic journals in your discipline to see what they use. If you need help, google the citation method name and "style guide" and you'll get lots of help.

Grammar: No contractions, undefined abbreviations, or the first person (I, we, me, us). Have someone proof read it for you and/or read it aloud to catch any mistakes.

As far as examples, here are some (boring) ones. http://www.the-american-interest.com/ai2/article.cfm?Id=178&MId=5,
http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/journal_of_democracy/v006/6.1putnam.html
Good Luck!

Answer 2

It's just an essay written in a formal, i.e. academic, style, as opposed to the informal, more conversational style you often see in journalism.

There are some examples in the first link below. The second link has some advice on this style.