• Key Differences

Know the Differences & Comparisons

Difference Between Article and Essay

article vs essay

An article is nothing but a piece of writing commonly found in newspapers or websites which contain fact-based information on a specific topic. It is published with the aim of making the reader aware of something and keeping them up to date.

An essay is a literary work, which often discusses ideas, experiences and concepts in a clear and coherent way. It reflects the author’s personal view, knowledge and research on a specific topic.

Content: Article Vs Essay

Comparison chart, definition of article.

An ‘article’ can be described as any form of written information which is produced either in a printed or electronic form, in newspaper, magazine, journal or website. It aims at spreading news, results of surveys, academic analysis or debates.

An article targets a large group of people, in order to fascinate the readers and engage them. Hence, it should be such that to retain the interest of the readers.

It discusses stories, reports and describes news, present balanced argument, express opinion, provides facts, offers advice, compares and contrast etc. in a formal or informal manner, depending upon the type of audience.

For writing an article one needs to perform a thorough research on the matter, so as to provide original and authentic information to the readers.

Components of Article

  • Title : An article contains a noticeable title which should be intriguing and should not be very long and descriptive. However, it should be such that which suggests the theme or issue of the information provided.
  • Introduction : The introduction part must clearly define the topic, by giving a brief overview of the situation or event.
  • Body : An introduction is followed by the main body which presents the complete information or news, in an elaborative way, to let the reader know about the exact situation.
  • Conclusion : The article ends with a conclusion, which sums up the entire topic with a recommendation or comment.

Definition of Essay

An essay is just a formal and comprehensive piece of literature, in which a particular topic is discussed thoroughly. It usually highlights the writer’s outlook, knowledge and experiences on that particular topic. It is a short literary work, which elucidates, argues and analyzes a specific topic.

The word essay is originated from the Latin term ‘exagium’ which means ‘presentation of a case’. Hence, writing an essay means to state the reasons or causes of something, or why something should be done or should be the case, which validates a particular viewpoint, analysis, experience, stories, facts or interpretation.

An essay is written with the intent to convince or inform the reader about something. Further, for writing an essay one needs to have good knowledge of the subject to explain the concept, thoroughly. If not so, the writer will end up repeating the same points again and again.

Components of the Essay

  • Title : It should be a succinct statement of the proposition.
  • Introduction : The introduction section of the essay, should be so interesting which instantly grabs the attention of the reader and makes them read the essay further. Hence, one can start with a quote to make it more thought-provoking.
  • Body : In the main body of the essay, evidence or reasons in support of the writer’s ideas or arguments are provided. One should make sure that there is a sync in the paragraphs of the main body, as well as they,  should maintain a logical flow.
  • Conclusion : In this part, the writer wraps up all the points in a summarized and simplified manner.

Key Differences Between Article and Essay

Upcoming points will discuss the difference between article and essay:

  • An article refers to a written work, published in newspapers, journals, website, magazines etc, containing news or information, in a specific format. On the other hand, an essay is a continuous piece of writing, written with the aim of convincing the reader with the argument or merely informing the reader about the fact.
  • An article is objective in the sense that it is based on facts and evidence, and simply describes the topic or narrate the event. As against, an essay is subjective, because it is based on fact or research-based opinion or outlook of a person on a specific topic. It analyses, argues and criticizes the topic.
  • The tone used in an article is conversational, so as to make the article easy to understand and also keeping the interest of the reader intact. On the contrary, an essay uses educational and analytical tone.
  • An article may contain headings, which makes it attractive and readable. In contrast, an essay does not have any headings, sections or bullet points, however, it is a coherent and organized form of writing.
  • An article is always written with a definite objective, which is to inform or make the readers aware of something. Further, it is written to cater to a specific niche of audience. Conversely, an essay is written in response to a particular assertion or question. Moreover, it is not written with a specific group of readers in mind.
  • An article is often supported by photographs, charts, statistics, graphs and tables. As opposed, an essay is not supported by any photographs, charts, or graphs.
  • Citations and references are a must in case of an essay, whereas there is no such requirement in case of an article.

By and large, an article is meant to inform the reader about something, through news, featured stories, product descriptions, reports, etc. On the flip side, an essay offers an analysis of a particular topic, while reflecting a detailed account of a person’s view on it.

You Might Also Like:

abstract vs introduction

Anna H. Smith says

November 15, 2020 at 6:21 pm

Great! Thank you for explaining the difference between an article and an academic essay so eloquently. Your information is so detailed and very helpful. it’s very educative, Thanks for sharing.

Sunita Singh says

December 12, 2020 at 7:11 am

Thank you! That’s quite helpful.

Saba Zia says

March 8, 2021 at 12:33 am

Great job!! Thank u for sharing this explanation and detailed difference between essay and article. It is really helpful.

Khushi Chaudhary says

February 7, 2021 at 2:38 pm

Thank you so much! It is really very easy to understand & helpful for my test.

Dury Frizza says

July 25, 2022 at 8:18 pm

Thanks a lot for sharing such a clear and easily understood explanation!!!!.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

The Difference Between an Article and an Essay

  • An Introduction to Punctuation
  • Ph.D., Rhetoric and English, University of Georgia
  • M.A., Modern English and American Literature, University of Leicester
  • B.A., English, State University of New York

In composition studies , an article is a short work of nonfiction that typically appears in a magazine or newspaper or on a website. Unlike essays , which often highlight the subjective impressions of the author (or narrator ), articles are commonly written from an objective point of view . Articles include news items, feature stories, reports , profiles , instructions, product descriptions, and other informative pieces of writing.

What Sets Articles Apart From Essays

Though both articles and essays are types of nonfiction writing, they differ in many ways. Here are some features and qualities of articles that differentiate them from essays.

Subject and Theme in Articles

"A useful exercise is to look at some good articles and name the broader subject and the particular aspect each treats. You will find that the subject always deals with a partial aspect examined from some viewpoint; it is never a crammed condensation of the whole.

"...Observe that there are two essential elements of an article: subject and theme . The subject is what the article is about: the issue, event, or person it deals with. (Again, an article must cover only an aspect of a whole.) The theme is what the author wants to say about the subject—what he brings to the subject." (Ayn Rand, The Art of Nonfiction: A Guide for Writers and Readers , ed. by Robert Mayhew. Plume, 2001)

"An article is not everything that's true. It's every important thing that's true." (Gary Provost, Beyond Style: Mastering the Finer Points of Writing . Writer's Digest Books, 1988)

Article Structure

"There are five ways to structure your article . They are:

- The inverted pyramid - The double helix - The chronological double-helix - The chronological report - The storytelling model

Think about how you read a newspaper: you scan the captions and then read the first paragraph or two to get the gist of the article and then read further if you want to know more of the details. That's the inverted pyramid style of writing used by journalists, in which what's important comes first. The double-helix also presents facts in order of importance but it alternates between two separate sets of information. For example, suppose you are writing an article about the two national political conventions. You'll first present Fact 1 about the Democratic convention, then Fact 2 about the Republicans, then Fact 2 about the Democrats, Fact 2 about the Republicans, and so on. The chronological double-helix begins like the double helix but once the important facts from each set of information have been presented, it then goes off to relay the events in chronological order...

"The chronological report is the most straightforward structure to follow since it is written in the order in which the events occurred. The final structure is the storytelling model, which utilizes some of the techniques of fiction writing, so you would want to bring the reader into the story right away even if it means beginning in the middle or even near the end and then filling in the facts as the story unfolds." (Richard D. Bank, The Everything Guide to Writing Nonfiction . Adams Media, 2010)

Opening Sentence of an Article

"The most important sentence in any article is the first one. If it doesn't induce the reader to proceed to the second sentence, your article is dead. And if the second sentence doesn't induce him to continue to the third sentence, it's equally dead. Of such a progression of sentences, each tugging the reader forward until he is hooked, a writer constructs that fateful unit, the ' lead .'" (William Zinsser, On Writing Well: The Classic Guide to Writing Nonfiction , 7th ed. HarperCollins, 2006)

Articles and Media

"More and more, article content written for printed media is also appearing on digital devices (often as an edited version of a longer article) for readers who have short attention spans due to time constraints or their device's small screen. As a result, digital publishers are seeking audio versions of content that is significantly condensed and written in conversational style. Often, content writers must now submit their articles with the understanding they will appear in several media formats." (Roger W. Nielsen, Writing Content: Mastering Magazine and Online Writing . R.W. Nielsen, 2009)

Writer's Voice in Articles and Essays

"Given the confusion of genre minglings and overlaps, what finally distinguishes an essay from an article may just be the author's gumption, the extent to which personal voice , vision, and style are the prime movers and shapers, even though the authorial 'I' may be only a remote energy, nowhere visible but everywhere present. ('We commonly do not remember,' Thoreau wrote in the opening paragraphs of Walden , 'that it is, after all, always the first person that is speaking.')" (Justin Kaplan, quoted by Robert Atwan in The Best American Essays, College Edition , 2nd ed. Houghton Mifflin, 1998)

  • How to Write a News Article That's Effective
  • What Are the Different Types and Characteristics of Essays?
  • What Is Expository Writing?
  • Definition and Examples of Paragraphing in Essays
  • What Is a Synopsis and How Do You Write One?
  • How To Write an Essay
  • Paragraph Length in Compositions and Reports
  • Learn to Write News Stories
  • Unity in Composition
  • Writing a Lead or Lede to an Article
  • How to Structure an Essay
  • How to Write Your Graduate School Admissions Essay
  • AP English Exam: 101 Key Terms
  • How to Write a Great Book Report
  • Writers on Writing: The Art of Paragraphing
  • Definition and Examples of Analysis in Composition

article versus essay

Difference Between Article and Essay

College writing is divided into two types: articles and essays. Despite a few resemblances, they also have significant distinctions respectively to each other. These disparities are premised on layout, intention, and information. Prior to delving into the distinction between those assignments, we should first examine their meanings. Continue reading to understand all terminology and ideas on how to approach creative writing.

Difference Between Article and Essay

  • 1 General Definitions
  • 2 Key Rules of an Article
  • 3 The Concept of an Essay
  • 4 Bottom Line

General Definitions

Most essay examples are seen as written paperwork that explains, examines, and validates a specific topic. They have a predefined word limit and basic structure. This is why many students look for 100% free essays online to get the best grades. On the contrary, an article is a text that is published alongside other posts in a magazine or other periodicals. The primary distinction between our assignments is that the former is written to spread awareness regarding a particular idea. Whereas the latter is drafted in answer to an inquiry or assertion.

The tonality shown in the article is engaging. It makes the text simple to grasp while also maintaining the attention of the audience. You have to prepare detailed information explaining each aspect of the mentioned topic. On the other hand, an essay employs an academic and intellectual style. Despite the official manner, you must include your opinions here. It is crucial to disclose these to open the issue for discussion. No wonder these are so prominent in education.

Key Rules of an Article

This editorial is a form of reporting that appears alongside other posts in a journal, reviews, or other press. It follows a factual and documentary composing pattern. Media, dictionaries, webpages, advertisements, and other blogs also may contain these writings. The layout and information of this text may differ depending on the origin. An opinion column, evaluation, showcase post, university paperwork, and so on are all examples of articles.

Yet, the primary objective of this writing stays unchanged. You have to educate the viewers regarding the relevant themes. Some other prominent factor of such publications is that they generally adhere to a header and sub-header template. This method allows people to comprehend the ideas discussed in the article quickly. This composition can also differ in terms of the kind of data it displays.

These pieces of evidence are generally portrayed objectively. The author’s goal here is to characterize the subject rather than convince the audience to accept his viewpoint. Quotations and bibliography are not required here. Photos, diagrams, and infographics are frequently included to accompany the article summarizer better.

The Concept of an Essay

This assignment is a type of literature in which you classify, assess, and appraise a specific subject or problem. It is a quick, precise type of communication that includes an opening, a body with a few supporting chapters, and a summary. Here you should give an overview, support an assertion, analyze a problem, or expound on a theory. Understand that this text must be a collection of statistical data, evidence, and the author’s thoughts and viewpoints.

An essay can be classified into different categories. Those include storylike, explanatory, convincing, adversarial, interpretive types, and so on. The intent and material of the document can vary depending on the kind you choose. For instance, if you are composing a literary piece , you should focus on the format and the storyline that will pique the viewers’ curiosity. But, you must be more responsible if you are drafting a confrontational or convincing thesis. Provide solid data and evidence to back up your assertion.

Additionally, essays do not follow headings and subheadings. You have all the right not to use images here. Besides, you should keep it contextual since you analyze and critique an issue. Remember to prepare a reference list with appropriate quotations. Another tip is to check for the required word limit for your work. Keep that in mind when composing the text since it can affect your marks at school.

Bottom Line

As a student, you may feel overwhelmed with the wide variety of paperwork you have to do. Be sure to spend some time choosing the perfect essay format. You can always ask for help from your supervisor or friends. Learning the established rules of writing will bring you success in the long run. All pupils strive to get the best grades possible. So, best of luck!

Essay And Reflection Paper

  • English Difference Between
  • Difference Between Article And Essay

Difference between Article and Essay

Are an article and an essay the same? Is there something that makes one different from the other? Check out this article to find out.

What is an Article?

An article is a report or content published in a newspaper, magazine, journal or website, either in printed or electronic form. When it comes to articles, a sizable readership is considered. It might be supported by studies, research, data, and other necessary elements. Articles may be slightly brief or lengthy, with a maximum count of 1500 words. It educates the readers on various ideas/concepts and is prepared with a clear aim in mind.

Articles, which can be found in newspapers, journals, encyclopaedias, and now, most commonly, online, inform and keep readers informed about many topics.

What is an Essay?

An essay is a formal, in-depth work of literature that analyses and discusses a specific problem or subject. It refers to a brief piece of content on a specific topic. Students are frequently required to write essays in response to questions or propositions in their academic coursework. It doesn’t target any particular readers.

Through essays, the author or narrator offers unique ideas or opinions on a given subject or question while maintaining an analytical and formal tone.

Keep learning and stay tuned to get the latest update on GATE , GATE Preparation Books & GATE Answer Key , and more.

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Your Mobile number and Email id will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Request OTP on Voice Call

Post My Comment

article versus essay

  • Share Share

Register with BYJU'S & Download Free PDFs

Register with byju's & watch live videos.

Difference Wiki

Article vs. Essay: What's the Difference?

article versus essay

Key Differences

Comparison chart, primary goal, publication, article and essay definitions, are "essays" only academic, can an "article" be subjective, can an "essay" be a fictional narrative, what's the purpose of an "article", are there different types of "essays", is an "essay" always written in the first person, is every written piece in a newspaper an "article", how is an "essay" structured, what's a photo essay, where might i find an "article", can "article" refer to an item, are all "articles" short, what distinguishes a news "article" from a feature one, can an "article" be a primary source, do "articles" always present unbiased information, who writes essays, why might someone write an "essay", why are articles important in grammar, are "essays" only for students, is every "essay" personal.

article versus essay

Trending Comparisons

article versus essay

Popular Comparisons

article versus essay

New Comparisons

article versus essay

EssayJob.com

The Difference between an Essay and an Article

Imagine opening your favorite entertainment magazine or your local newspaper and finding a collection of essays. How long, in that case, would the money you spend on magazines and newspapers be considered part of your entertainment budget?

Essay vs. Article

Articles can be informative and not all of them are entertaining. However, it's more likely to find articles in magazines that offer entertainment for readers than an essay.

The most notable difference between an essay and an article is the tone. Essays traditionally are subjective pieces of formal writing that offers an analysis of a specific topic. In other words, an essay writer studies, researches, and forms a factually-based opinion on the topic in order to inform others about their ideas.

An article is traditionally objective instead of subjective. Writing an article doesn't always require that an opinion to be formed and expressed, and there's no requirement that an analysis be offered about the information being presented.

Scroll through a copy of Cosmopolitan, National Geographic, and today's edition of your local newspaper, and you'll get a sense of how articles can be structured in numerous different ways. Some include headings and subheadings along with accompanying photos to paint a picture for the reader to form their own thoughts and opinions about the subject of an article.

Essays, however, have more strict guidelines on structure depending on which type of essay a writer has chosen. Traditionally, readers will see an introductory paragraph that presents a thesis statement, body paragraphs with topic sentences that relate back to and flesh out the thesis, and a conclusion with the author's take on the information presented.

Entertainment Factor

While narrative essays can tell entertaining stories, it is articles that are most often included in magazines and newspapers to keep their subscribers informed and reading.

It's up to the writer of an article what message they want to convey. Sometimes that message is informative and sometimes it's humorous. For an essay writer, it's all about learning as much as possible about a topic, forming an opinion, and describing how they came to that opinion and why.

You're not likely to find essays in entertainment magazines. A person seeking in-depth information on a subject is going to seek out an essay, while a person looking for an entertaining piece of writing that allows them to draw their own conclusions will be more likely to seek out an article.

article versus essay

What’s The Difference Between An Article A Paper And An Essay

Avatar photo

Table of Contents

When it comes to writing, you may wonder what the difference is between an essay, article, and paper. Even the most experienced writers sometimes confuse these terms, but once you understand what they represent, you’ll be able to choose which kind of writing suits your purposes best. With a little help from an essay writer service, you can be certain that each one of your pieces of writing will be polished and ready to impress upon completion.

Introduction

There are three main types of academic writing: essays, articles, and papers. While these categories are similar, there are some major differences. This post will help you identify what separates these terms from one another. Here’s a quick breakdown of each type of academic writing.

Essay vs. Article vs. Paper

Why are they different? What’s in a title? We hear them used all of the time interchangeably in different contexts, but what makes these three so different from one another? To understand how essay writing differs from articles and papers, we need to look at how each differs from another. So let’s get started by exploring some of their main differences: Essay vs. Article vs. Paper – Key Differences 1. Length 2. Subject Matter 3. Author 4. Purpose 5. Audience.

Essays are typically 1–3 pages long. Articles vary in length but run longer than essays. Papers typically range from 10 to 15 pages or more. It’s important to note that essay writer services have very different writing styles. Some writers write with a conversational tone, while others use a formal style for essays and articles. The best way to figure out which type of writing fits your needs is by looking at samples of their work or asking them about their process.

  The three types of writing are intended for different purposes. The purpose is often reflected in both length and tone. For example, a paper is generally longer than an essay or an article because it must be more comprehensive. It also tends to be more formal because it’s intended to be read by experts in a particular field (e.g., doctors reading a medical journal). On the other hand, an essay is usually shorter than a paper because it doesn’t have to cover as much ground and can take a more casual tone since it’s not necessarily directed at experts. Finally, articles tend to fall between essays and papers in terms of length, formality, and audience (i.e., they’re generally shorter than papers but longer than essays).

The difference between essays, articles, and papers can be found in the audience. In other words, you will write them for different people and in different situations. If you need to explain something (from a textbook or another piece of writing) or if you are explaining a procedure to someone new to that topic, then your best bet would be to write an essay. Alternatively, if your purpose is simply to inform someone about something they might find interesting, articles would do just fine. Finally, if you want to share some information with a large group of people with similar interests, then a paper would be your choice. So which one should you choose? It depends on what exactly it is that you want to achieve with your writing.

Subject Matter

There are a few distinct differences in subject matter for these different types of written work. Essays should be focused and concise; articles cover a broader scope. For example, if you were writing about gun control in America from a historical standpoint, your essay would focus on one distinct period throughout American history (likely before modern times), while your articles could each look at a different time during which gun laws were passed, enacted or changed. Papers are similar to essays in that they have a narrow focus, but papers typically take on more of an academic tone than essays do. Papers may also have footnotes, bibliographies, and other citations within them. It’s important to note that there isn’t always a clear distinction between essay and paper; some papers can even read like essays!

Unlike essays and articles, papers do not focus on a single topic. Papers are meant to convey complex information that may have been derived from numerous sources of information. Papers are also typically longer than essays or articles, ranging from five to more than 20 pages in length. This makes papers a relatively demanding form of academic writing. While essays often focus on personal reflections or observations, papers delve into specific topics with objective research findings drawn from secondary sources such as newspapers, journals, or books. An essay writer can be anyone who writes essays for money. An essay writer can be someone who has experience working with students in high school, college, or university-level institutions.

Join the thousands who have sharpened their business writing skills with our award winning courses.

Copyright © 2024 Businesswritingblog.com.

  • Staff Directory
  • Library Policies
  • Hege Research Award
  • Quaker Archives
  • Art Gallery
  • Student Support
  • Teaching & Learning
  • Reserving spaces
  • Technology Lending
  • Interlibrary Loan
  • Course Reserves
  • Copyright & Fair Use
  • Poster Printing
  • Virtual Reference
  • Research Guides
  • Off-campus access
  • Digital Scholarship
  • Guilford Sources
  • Open Educational Resources
  • Quaker Collections
  • Digital Collections
  • College Archives
  • Underground Railroad
  • Universities Studying Slavery
  • Images & Exhibitions

Service Alert

logo

Hege Library & Learning Technologies

  • Guilford College
  • Campus Partners

Guilford College Writing Manual

Essay vs. article.

  • Practical Considerations
  • Write to Learn
  • Defining and Freeing the Self
  • Joining a Community of Seekers
  • Final Thoughts
  • A Proposed Categorization of the Academic Writer's Responsibilities
  • Required Writing Courses
  • Placement in First-Year Writing Courses
  • Writing Courses Beyond First-Year English
  • Informal vs. Formal Writing
  • Two Models of Papers
  • What is the Real Difference?
  • Specific Expectations of Papers
  • Grade Descriptions
  • The A Paper
  • The B Paper
  • The C Paper
  • The D Paper
  • The F Paper
  • What makes college reading different?
  • Levels of Reading
  • An Overview
  • Sample Schedule
  • Suggestions for Prewriting
  • Modes of Invention
  • Four Categories of Invention
  • Intuition Heuristics
  • The Five Perspectives
  • Loosening Heuristics
  • Closing Observations
  • Introduction
  • Preliminary Tasks
  • The Search Strategy
  • Finding Materials
  • Finding Appropriate Websites
  • Selected Websites
  • Documenting Your Sources
  • Open Form vs. Fixed Form
  • Geography of a Thesis and Proof Essay
  • Introductions
  • Body Paragraphs
  • Conclusions
  • Maintaining Control
  • Geography of an Issues and Exploration Paper
  • Reader Expectations
  • What is Style?
  • Festival of Verbs
  • Two Zones of the Word Stock
  • Levels of Generality
  • Writing with Nouns and Verbs
  • Avoiding Cliches
  • The Two Faces of Jargon
  • Using "I" in Academic Writing
  • What Kinds of Sentences to Use
  • Hemingway vs. Faulkner
  • Three Syntactic Devices Worth Using
  • Subject-Verb-Object
  • Touches of Elegance
  • Gunning's Fog Index
  • Why It's Important
  • Two General Principles
  • Some College-Level Problems
  • A Word on Typos
  • An Important General Rap
  • Revising Checklist
  • Revising for Concreteness
  • Revising to Eliminate Wordiness
  • Revising to Sharpen
  • Revising to Improve Coherence
  • Revising to Make More Effective Use of Quotations
  • Revising to Make Language More Inclusive
  • Revising to Brighten
  • What It Is and Why We Do It
  • Sample Edit Guide

We can divide the "transactional" writing you will do at Guilford into two main categories: essay style and article style. They include all of the types of writing on the above list.

You can regard these two types as being the yin and yang of formal writing. One, the essay, is primarily right-brain, emphasizing traits such as the holistic, the intuitive, the metaphorical. The article, on the other hand, tends to be left-brain--i.e., linear, mathematical, logical.

I would argue that the best writing is that which fuses both types of writing and is thus "whole-brain." But for the time being it is worth at looking at the two separately, for the two styles do differ and readers will have different expectations depending on whether a writing situation calls primarily for one or the other.

The essay style:

exploratory primarily concerned with ideas non-systematic author's persona is evident stylistically self-conscious begins with a partially formed idea involves heavy revision, especially for organization and coherence

This category includes reflective or narrative personal essays, for example, or essays in which you are being speculative, or formal responses to reading in which you are assessing the personal impact of a book or art work.

  • << Previous: Informal vs. Formal Writing
  • Next: Two Models of Papers >>
  • Last Updated: Dec 8, 2015 1:59 AM
  • URL: https://library.guilford.edu/writingmanual
  • Article vs. Essay: A Comprehensive Analysis

Are you confused about the difference between an article and an essay? Do you struggle to determine which one to write for your assignment or publication? 

The article is a written piece that aims to inform readers by presenting objective facts and information while an essay is a written composition that expresses the writer’s opinions, arguments, and perspectives on a particular topic.

Article vs. Essay

  • Citation vs. Reference
  • i.e. vs e.g
  • Annexure vs. Appendix

Introduction to Article and Essay

An article is a written piece that serves to inform readers about a specific topic, event, or subject matter. It presents objective facts, data, and information in a clear and concise manner. 

Articles can be found in newspapers, magazines, websites, and other publications, and they often aim to provide readers with accurate and up-to-date knowledge on a particular subject.

An essay is a written composition that allows the writer to express their thoughts, opinions, arguments, and analysis on a given topic. It offers a more personal and subjective perspective, often reflecting the writer’s unique voice and experiences. 

Essays can take various forms, such as persuasive, argumentative, narrative, or descriptive, and they typically provide a deeper exploration of ideas and concepts compared to articles.

Similarities between an Article and an Essay

  • For one, an article is typically shorter than an essay, as it is meant to be read quickly and efficiently. An essay, on the other hand, can be much longer in length and may require more time for the reader to fully understand its argument.
  • Additionally, articles are typically more objective than essays, as they seek to inform or educate their readership on a particular topic without injecting too much of the author’s own opinion. Essays, on the other hand, often allow for a wider range of expression and can be more personal in nature.

Examples of Articles and Essays

  • This article provides a factual account of the current COVID-19 vaccination rates in the United States, highlighting the progress made and the impact on public health.
  • In this opinion article, the author shares their personal views on the positive effects of meditation, discussing its potential benefits for reducing stress, improving focus, and promoting overall mental well-being.
  • This persuasive essay argues the significance of recycling as a means to protect the environment and ensure a sustainable future. It presents compelling evidence and logical reasoning to convince readers of the necessity of recycling practices.
  • In this expository essay, the writer explains the scientific concepts and evidence behind climate change, detailing its causes and potential consequences for the planet. It provides a comprehensive overview of the topic.
  • This literary analysis essay delves into F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel “The Great Gatsby” explores the use of symbolism throughout the story. It examines specific symbols and their deeper significance, offering interpretations and insights.
  • This research article presents the findings of a meta-analysis that examines the relationship between exercise and mental health. It provides a comprehensive review of existing studies and summarizes the collective evidence on the topic.

Key differences between an Article and an Essay

  • Purpose : Articles aim to inform and provide objective facts, while essays seek to express opinions and present arguments.
  • Structure : Articles typically have an introduction, body, and conclusion, whereas essays consist of an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion.
  • Tone : Articles maintain an objective and neutral tone, while essays have a subjective and personal tone.
  • Audience : Articles can target a general public audience or specific readers, whereas essays can also cater to a general public audience or specific readers with a particular interest in the topic.
  • Research : Writing an article may involve extensive research to gather factual information, whereas writing an essay may involve research or draw upon personal experiences and observations.
  • Writing Style : Articles are typically written in a formal and professional style, while essays often adopt a more informal and conversational style.
  • Difference between Basic and Applied Research
  • Difference between Qualitative and Quantitative Research
  • Difference between Book and Novel

It is important to be able to distinguish between the two types so that you can approach each one with a different mindset, allowing yourself to focus your energy on delivering quality content. No matter which type of writing it is, though, always remember that the most important thing is for your work to be thoughtful, organized, and well-written.

Pen and Paper Press team leaves no stone unturned, exploring both the obvious and the obscure to uncover the most interesting comparisons and differentiations.

Book and Novel

As a project manager, you’re no stranger to the importance of measuring success. But when it comes to evaluating your…

Open University vs. Distance Education: A Comparative Analysis

Are you eager to pursue higher education but struggling to decide between Open University and Distance Education? Don’t worry, you’re…

MBA vs. PGDM: Which Program Holds the Edge?

Are you considering pursuing a higher education degree in business but find yourself confused by the MBA vs. PGDM debate?…

Collaborative vs. Cooperative Learning: A Comparison

Are you confused between collaborative learning and cooperative learning? Don’t worry, you’re not alone! While these two terms might sound…

German vs. American Rottweilers: What Makes Them Different?

Six Dollar Essay Trending Blogs

What are the Main Differences Between Essay and Article?

Articles, essays, research papers, journals, and other types of academic writing exist. Articles and essays are frequently used interchangeably. Both of these forms, however, have important distinctions. Every student, regardless of educational level, produces countless essays during their academic career. Furthermore, as part of their curriculum, several postgraduate degrees require students to submit publications in journals. As a result, it’s useful to understand how articles and essays differ from one another.

To attain academic greatness, it is necessary to comprehend the fundamentals as well as have good writing abilities. As a result, if you need help writing an article , essay, or another academic document, you can always rely on a paper writing service to complete the assignment. Essays and articles are the most typical sorts of academic writings encountered by pupils. They are usually extensive and detailed. The goal of essays and articles is for students to demonstrate their grasp of a subject or to offer readers a thorough overview of the subject matter.

This article will help you grasp the differences between the formats. So, let’s compare and contrast the principles of an essay vs. an article.

An article is a piece of writing that is published in a newspaper, magazine, journal, or website, either printed or electronically. It is intended for a big audience. It is founded on surveys, research, data, and analysis, among other things. Articles might be as short as 500 words or as lengthy as 1500 words. It is written with a certain goal in mind and teaches the readers about an idea.

Articles inform readers about current events and keep them up to date. They may be found in newspapers , magazines, encyclopedias, and, increasingly, on the internet. Let us use an example to better understand what an article is. Assume that at a research center, a scientist discovered any new notions and published a brief essay in a popular magazine, so that individuals in the same area found it useful and were also informed about a new thing.

An essay is a formal and comprehensive piece of writing that describes or examines a certain subject or topic. Explanatory, argumentative, descriptive, or narrative essays are all possible. Students in academics are regularly asked to write essays on a variety of topics in response to a question or proposition. It was not written with a particular audience in mind. Most students don’t know about such things and always make mistakes while writing. sometimes these mistakes force them to look for essay writing services because students waste more time on such mistakes.

Essays often highlight the author’s point of view, expertise, and experiences on the subject. It is concise literary writing that elucidates, argues, and investigates a certain topic. Thus, writing an essay entails expressing the reasons or causes of something, or why something should be done or be the case, to validate a certain point of view, experience, tales, facts, analysis, or interpretation.

“Article VS Essay: Key Differences”

Article vs essay: purpose.

  • An article is written to educate readers on a specific topic. It is intended to be an objective piece of writing based on facts, investigation, and analysis.
  • An essay is composed in response to a specific question or assertion. It intends to entertain or instruct the reader. Furthermore, it might be an opinion piece of writing that expresses the writer’s point of view.

Article VS Essay: Tone

  • The tone is the most noticeable distinction between an essay and an article. Essays are generally subjective works of formal writing that provide an examination of a certain topic. In other words, an essay writer examines, investigates, and develops a factually based viewpoint on a topic to enlighten others about their thoughts.
  • Traditionally, an article is objective rather than subjective. Writing an article does not necessarily need the creation and expression of an opinion, nor does it necessitate the offering of an analysis of the facts being provided.

Article VS Essay: Structure

  • Browse through Cosmopolitan, National Geographic, and today’s issue of your local newspaper to get a feel of how stories might be arranged in a variety of ways. Some articles feature headers and subheadings, as well as accompanying photographs, to help the reader generate their views and opinions regarding the subject of the article.
  • Essays, on the other hand, have stricter structuring rules depending on the style of essay chosen by the writer. Readers will often observe an introduction paragraph with a thesis statement, body paragraphs with subject sentences that tie back to and flesh out the thesis, and a conclusion with the author’s perspective on the facts provided. The reason behind looking for essay writing services is that students are unaware of the essay structure as the structure is the main thing in essay writing tasks.

Article VS Essay: Citation

  • Citations and references are not provided with the articles.
  • Essays require accurate citations and references. The citation standards differ depending on the topic of study. APA, MLA, and Chicago citation formats are often used in essays.

Final Words

Academics and students would commonly come across articles and essays as part of their coursework. Knowing the difference between an essay and an article is essential for improving one’s writing skills. The goal of both styles is to simplify and digest difficult issues, theories, and concepts for the listener. So, while you’re writing an article or an essay, keep the distinctions listed above in mind. These tips will assist you in writing better and more accurate academic material.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Ask Difference

Article vs. Essay — What's the Difference?

article versus essay

Difference Between Article and Essay

Table of contents, key differences, comparison chart, compare with definitions, common curiosities, how long is an essay, can an essay be objective, where might i find articles, are articles and essays the same, can an article include personal opinions, are articles always factual, what's a photo essay, what's the primary aim of an essay, can essays have headings, who is the audience for essays, are all articles found in newspapers, can articles be personal, are essays always formal, how are articles structured, is research necessary for essays, share your discovery.

article versus essay

Author Spotlight

article versus essay

Popular Comparisons

article versus essay

Trending Comparisons

article versus essay

New Comparisons

article versus essay

Trending Terms

article versus essay

“Article” vs. “Essay”: What’s the Difference?

A line illustration of two people with their mouth open, and a giant question mark between them.

The difference between “article” and “essay”

  • Articles are usually shorter and provide more general information about a topic while essays are longer and more detailed, focusing on a specific argument or thesis.
  • Articles are often written by journalists or contributors with knowledge but may not have expertise in the subject matter, while essays are typically written by experts or students with in-depth knowledge and research.
  • Articles are published in magazines, newspapers, or websites for a wider audience, while essays are generally submitted as academic assignments or for publication in academic journals.

What is the definition of “article” and “essay”?

  • An article is a written piece that is published in a newspaper, magazine, or website.
  • It is usually a concise and informative piece that focuses on current events, news, trends, or analysis of a specific topic.
  • Articles are typically written by journalists, experts, or contributors with relevant knowledge or experience in the subject matter.
  • An essay is a formal piece of writing that presents an argument or a thesis statement.
  • It is usually longer than an article and explores a specific topic in depth, providing evidence to support the author's argument.
  • Essays are commonly assigned in academic contexts such as schools or universities, and they may be structured in various forms such as expository, persuasive, or narrative.

Which is the more popular variant on the Internet?

  • The article focuses on the impact of social media on mental health.
  • I read an article about the benefits of meditation in reducing stress.
  • The professor asked us to write an article on the effects of climate change.
  • Writing an essay on Shakespeare's works is not an easy task.
  • She received an A on her essay about the American Civil War.
  • The teacher assigned a persuasive essay on why recycling is important.

An illustration of a person writing freely on their laptop, using Engram.

Related articles

A line illustration of two people with their mouth open, and a giant question mark between them.

Copyright ⓒ 2023 Data B Co., Ltd. All rights reserved.

  • School Guide
  • English Grammar Free Course
  • English Grammar Tutorial
  • Parts of Speech
  • Figure of Speech
  • Tenses Chart
  • Essay Writing
  • Email Writing
  • NCERT English Solutions
  • English Difference Between
  • SSC CGL English Syllabus
  • SBI PO English Syllabus
  • SBI Clerk English Syllabus
  • IBPS PO English Syllabus
  • IBPS CLERK English Syllabus
  • Get vs Got | Difference Between Get and Got
  • Job vs Work | Difference between Job and Work
  • Lady vs Girl | Difference Between Lady and Girl
  • Difference Between Which and That
  • Into vs In To | Difference Between into and in to
  • Difference Between Dessert and Desert
  • Difference Between Altogether and All Together
  • Difference Between Everyone and Everybody
  • Difference Between Like and As
  • Much vs More | Difference between Much and More
  • Lightening vs Lightning | Difference Between Lightening and Lightning
  • Difference Between brought and bought
  • Difference Between Bear and Bare
  • Will vs. Would
  • Difference Between Single and Double Quotes
  • Difference between May and Might | May vs Might
  • Difference Between Concrete and Abstract Nouns
  • Difference Between These and Those
  • Difference between Till and Until

Difference Between Article and Essay

Articles and essays are both common forms of written communication that are utilized in a variety of sectors of study and vocations. Their goal, organization, and writing style, however, differ.

Difference Between Article and Essay

Articles are pieces of text that are published in a newspaper, magazine, journal, or website, either in print or electronically. It is intended for a big audience. It is founded on surveys, research, data, and analysis, among other things. Articles can be short or somewhat more than 1500 words. It is written with a certain goal in mind and teaches the readers about an idea.

Articles inform readers and keep them up to date by appearing in newspapers, magazines, encyclopedias, and, increasingly, websites. Let us use an example to better understand what an article is. Assume that in a research center, a scientist discovered any new notions and published a brief essay in a popular magazine, so that individuals in the same area found it useful and were also informed about a new thing.

Examples of articles include news articles, feature articles, and opinion pieces.

An essay is a formal and comprehensive piece of literature that describes a particular issue or topic analyzed and discussed. It refers to a short piece of writing on a particular subject. Mainly students in their academics are asked to write essays on some topics as a response to a question or proposition. It does not have a specific readership in mind.

Through essays, the writer or narrator expresses his or her personal views or opinion on a particular topic or a question and it is based on an educational and analytical tone. Let’s take an example and understand what is essay clearly suppose a school student has an exam and in the question paper he has been asked to write something explaining about Floods in India which is an example of an essay.

Examples of essays include academic essays, personal essays, and argumentative essays.

Tabular Differences between Article and Essay:

Conclusion:.

In summary, articles and essays are two different forms of written communication that serve different purposes. Articles are used to provide information about a particular topic, while essays are used to express personal opinions or persuade the reader to take a certain course of action. Understanding the differences between the two can help you choose the appropriate format for your writing task.

Please Login to comment...

Similar reads.

author

  • English-difference-between
  • SSC/Banking
  • CBSE Exam Format Changed for Class 11-12: Focus On Concept Application Questions
  • 10 Best Waze Alternatives in 2024 (Free)
  • 10 Best Squarespace Alternatives in 2024 (Free)
  • Top 10 Owler Alternatives & Competitors in 2024
  • 30 OOPs Interview Questions and Answers (2024)

Improve your Coding Skills with Practice

 alt=

What kind of Experience do you want to share?

Have a language expert improve your writing

Run a free plagiarism check in 10 minutes, generate accurate citations for free.

  • Knowledge Base
  • Example of a great essay | Explanations, tips & tricks

Example of a Great Essay | Explanations, Tips & Tricks

Published on February 9, 2015 by Shane Bryson . Revised on July 23, 2023 by Shona McCombes.

This example guides you through the structure of an essay. It shows how to build an effective introduction , focused paragraphs , clear transitions between ideas, and a strong conclusion .

Each paragraph addresses a single central point, introduced by a topic sentence , and each point is directly related to the thesis statement .

As you read, hover over the highlighted parts to learn what they do and why they work.

Instantly correct all language mistakes in your text

Upload your document to correct all your mistakes in minutes

upload-your-document-ai-proofreader

Table of contents

Other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about writing an essay, an appeal to the senses: the development of the braille system in nineteenth-century france.

The invention of Braille was a major turning point in the history of disability. The writing system of raised dots used by visually impaired people was developed by Louis Braille in nineteenth-century France. In a society that did not value disabled people in general, blindness was particularly stigmatized, and lack of access to reading and writing was a significant barrier to social participation. The idea of tactile reading was not entirely new, but existing methods based on sighted systems were difficult to learn and use. As the first writing system designed for blind people’s needs, Braille was a groundbreaking new accessibility tool. It not only provided practical benefits, but also helped change the cultural status of blindness. This essay begins by discussing the situation of blind people in nineteenth-century Europe. It then describes the invention of Braille and the gradual process of its acceptance within blind education. Subsequently, it explores the wide-ranging effects of this invention on blind people’s social and cultural lives.

Lack of access to reading and writing put blind people at a serious disadvantage in nineteenth-century society. Text was one of the primary methods through which people engaged with culture, communicated with others, and accessed information; without a well-developed reading system that did not rely on sight, blind people were excluded from social participation (Weygand, 2009). While disabled people in general suffered from discrimination, blindness was widely viewed as the worst disability, and it was commonly believed that blind people were incapable of pursuing a profession or improving themselves through culture (Weygand, 2009). This demonstrates the importance of reading and writing to social status at the time: without access to text, it was considered impossible to fully participate in society. Blind people were excluded from the sighted world, but also entirely dependent on sighted people for information and education.

In France, debates about how to deal with disability led to the adoption of different strategies over time. While people with temporary difficulties were able to access public welfare, the most common response to people with long-term disabilities, such as hearing or vision loss, was to group them together in institutions (Tombs, 1996). At first, a joint institute for the blind and deaf was created, and although the partnership was motivated more by financial considerations than by the well-being of the residents, the institute aimed to help people develop skills valuable to society (Weygand, 2009). Eventually blind institutions were separated from deaf institutions, and the focus shifted towards education of the blind, as was the case for the Royal Institute for Blind Youth, which Louis Braille attended (Jimenez et al, 2009). The growing acknowledgement of the uniqueness of different disabilities led to more targeted education strategies, fostering an environment in which the benefits of a specifically blind education could be more widely recognized.

Several different systems of tactile reading can be seen as forerunners to the method Louis Braille developed, but these systems were all developed based on the sighted system. The Royal Institute for Blind Youth in Paris taught the students to read embossed roman letters, a method created by the school’s founder, Valentin Hauy (Jimenez et al., 2009). Reading this way proved to be a rather arduous task, as the letters were difficult to distinguish by touch. The embossed letter method was based on the reading system of sighted people, with minimal adaptation for those with vision loss. As a result, this method did not gain significant success among blind students.

Louis Braille was bound to be influenced by his school’s founder, but the most influential pre-Braille tactile reading system was Charles Barbier’s night writing. A soldier in Napoleon’s army, Barbier developed a system in 1819 that used 12 dots with a five line musical staff (Kersten, 1997). His intention was to develop a system that would allow the military to communicate at night without the need for light (Herron, 2009). The code developed by Barbier was phonetic (Jimenez et al., 2009); in other words, the code was designed for sighted people and was based on the sounds of words, not on an actual alphabet. Barbier discovered that variants of raised dots within a square were the easiest method of reading by touch (Jimenez et al., 2009). This system proved effective for the transmission of short messages between military personnel, but the symbols were too large for the fingertip, greatly reducing the speed at which a message could be read (Herron, 2009). For this reason, it was unsuitable for daily use and was not widely adopted in the blind community.

Nevertheless, Barbier’s military dot system was more efficient than Hauy’s embossed letters, and it provided the framework within which Louis Braille developed his method. Barbier’s system, with its dashes and dots, could form over 4000 combinations (Jimenez et al., 2009). Compared to the 26 letters of the Latin alphabet, this was an absurdly high number. Braille kept the raised dot form, but developed a more manageable system that would reflect the sighted alphabet. He replaced Barbier’s dashes and dots with just six dots in a rectangular configuration (Jimenez et al., 2009). The result was that the blind population in France had a tactile reading system using dots (like Barbier’s) that was based on the structure of the sighted alphabet (like Hauy’s); crucially, this system was the first developed specifically for the purposes of the blind.

While the Braille system gained immediate popularity with the blind students at the Institute in Paris, it had to gain acceptance among the sighted before its adoption throughout France. This support was necessary because sighted teachers and leaders had ultimate control over the propagation of Braille resources. Many of the teachers at the Royal Institute for Blind Youth resisted learning Braille’s system because they found the tactile method of reading difficult to learn (Bullock & Galst, 2009). This resistance was symptomatic of the prevalent attitude that the blind population had to adapt to the sighted world rather than develop their own tools and methods. Over time, however, with the increasing impetus to make social contribution possible for all, teachers began to appreciate the usefulness of Braille’s system (Bullock & Galst, 2009), realizing that access to reading could help improve the productivity and integration of people with vision loss. It took approximately 30 years, but the French government eventually approved the Braille system, and it was established throughout the country (Bullock & Galst, 2009).

Although Blind people remained marginalized throughout the nineteenth century, the Braille system granted them growing opportunities for social participation. Most obviously, Braille allowed people with vision loss to read the same alphabet used by sighted people (Bullock & Galst, 2009), allowing them to participate in certain cultural experiences previously unavailable to them. Written works, such as books and poetry, had previously been inaccessible to the blind population without the aid of a reader, limiting their autonomy. As books began to be distributed in Braille, this barrier was reduced, enabling people with vision loss to access information autonomously. The closing of the gap between the abilities of blind and the sighted contributed to a gradual shift in blind people’s status, lessening the cultural perception of the blind as essentially different and facilitating greater social integration.

The Braille system also had important cultural effects beyond the sphere of written culture. Its invention later led to the development of a music notation system for the blind, although Louis Braille did not develop this system himself (Jimenez, et al., 2009). This development helped remove a cultural obstacle that had been introduced by the popularization of written musical notation in the early 1500s. While music had previously been an arena in which the blind could participate on equal footing, the transition from memory-based performance to notation-based performance meant that blind musicians were no longer able to compete with sighted musicians (Kersten, 1997). As a result, a tactile musical notation system became necessary for professional equality between blind and sighted musicians (Kersten, 1997).

Braille paved the way for dramatic cultural changes in the way blind people were treated and the opportunities available to them. Louis Braille’s innovation was to reimagine existing reading systems from a blind perspective, and the success of this invention required sighted teachers to adapt to their students’ reality instead of the other way around. In this sense, Braille helped drive broader social changes in the status of blindness. New accessibility tools provide practical advantages to those who need them, but they can also change the perspectives and attitudes of those who do not.

Bullock, J. D., & Galst, J. M. (2009). The Story of Louis Braille. Archives of Ophthalmology , 127(11), 1532. https://​doi.org/10.1001/​archophthalmol.2009.286.

Herron, M. (2009, May 6). Blind visionary. Retrieved from https://​eandt.theiet.org/​content/​articles/2009/05/​blind-visionary/.

Jiménez, J., Olea, J., Torres, J., Alonso, I., Harder, D., & Fischer, K. (2009). Biography of Louis Braille and Invention of the Braille Alphabet. Survey of Ophthalmology , 54(1), 142–149. https://​doi.org/10.1016/​j.survophthal.2008.10.006.

Kersten, F.G. (1997). The history and development of Braille music methodology. The Bulletin of Historical Research in Music Education , 18(2). Retrieved from https://​www.jstor.org/​stable/40214926.

Mellor, C.M. (2006). Louis Braille: A touch of genius . Boston: National Braille Press.

Tombs, R. (1996). France: 1814-1914 . London: Pearson Education Ltd.

Weygand, Z. (2009). The blind in French society from the Middle Ages to the century of Louis Braille . Stanford: Stanford University Press.

If you want to know more about AI tools , college essays , or fallacies make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

  • Ad hominem fallacy
  • Post hoc fallacy
  • Appeal to authority fallacy
  • False cause fallacy
  • Sunk cost fallacy

College essays

  • Choosing Essay Topic
  • Write a College Essay
  • Write a Diversity Essay
  • College Essay Format & Structure
  • Comparing and Contrasting in an Essay

 (AI) Tools

  • Grammar Checker
  • Paraphrasing Tool
  • Text Summarizer
  • AI Detector
  • Plagiarism Checker
  • Citation Generator

Prevent plagiarism. Run a free check.

An essay is a focused piece of writing that explains, argues, describes, or narrates.

In high school, you may have to write many different types of essays to develop your writing skills.

Academic essays at college level are usually argumentative : you develop a clear thesis about your topic and make a case for your position using evidence, analysis and interpretation.

The structure of an essay is divided into an introduction that presents your topic and thesis statement , a body containing your in-depth analysis and arguments, and a conclusion wrapping up your ideas.

The structure of the body is flexible, but you should always spend some time thinking about how you can organize your essay to best serve your ideas.

Your essay introduction should include three main things, in this order:

  • An opening hook to catch the reader’s attention.
  • Relevant background information that the reader needs to know.
  • A thesis statement that presents your main point or argument.

The length of each part depends on the length and complexity of your essay .

A thesis statement is a sentence that sums up the central point of your paper or essay . Everything else you write should relate to this key idea.

A topic sentence is a sentence that expresses the main point of a paragraph . Everything else in the paragraph should relate to the topic sentence.

At college level, you must properly cite your sources in all essays , research papers , and other academic texts (except exams and in-class exercises).

Add a citation whenever you quote , paraphrase , or summarize information or ideas from a source. You should also give full source details in a bibliography or reference list at the end of your text.

The exact format of your citations depends on which citation style you are instructed to use. The most common styles are APA , MLA , and Chicago .

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.

Bryson, S. (2023, July 23). Example of a Great Essay | Explanations, Tips & Tricks. Scribbr. Retrieved April 8, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/academic-essay/example-essay-structure/

Is this article helpful?

Shane Bryson

Shane Bryson

Shane finished his master's degree in English literature in 2013 and has been working as a writing tutor and editor since 2009. He began proofreading and editing essays with Scribbr in early summer, 2014.

Other students also liked

How to write an essay introduction | 4 steps & examples, academic paragraph structure | step-by-step guide & examples, how to write topic sentences | 4 steps, examples & purpose, "i thought ai proofreading was useless but..".

I've been using Scribbr for years now and I know it's a service that won't disappoint. It does a good job spotting mistakes”

Differ Between

Article vs Essay – Difference and Comparison

Table of Contents

What is an Article?

An article is a casual form of writing that is published in a newspaper, website, or magazine. Articles can cover a wide variety of topics, from news and current events to opinion pieces, feature stories, and more. They are written by journalists, writers, or experts in a particular field and are intended to inform, educate, or entertain the reader.

An introduction to the topic and a setting for the remainder of the article are included in an article’s structure. The body of the article contains the main information and argument and is supported by evidence and examples. The conclusion sums up the main points and provides a final perspective on the topic.

Articles can be written in a variety of styles, including news articles, which are straightforward and objective in tone; feature articles, which are more in-depth and may take a more personal or creative approach; and opinion articles, which express the author’s personal views and opinions. Regardless of the style, good articles are well-researched and well-written.

What is an Essay?                                                                             

An essay is a formal form of writing that offers a thesis statement and/or point of view on a certain subject. Essays can be written in various formats, such as narrative, descriptive, argumentative, and expository. An essay’s major objective is to deliver facts in a clear and succinct manner or to persuade the reader. The structure of an essay includes an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion.

The introduction provides background information on the topic and sets the stage for the main argument or point of view. The body paragraphs provide evidence and examples to support the argument or point of view presented in the introduction. The conclusion summarizes the main points and leaves the reader with something to think about.

Critical thinking, research, and the capacity to arrange and present material in a clear and succinct way are all necessary for writing essays. A compelling thesis statement that is backed up by examples and facts is crucial. proper grammar, punctuation, and sentence structure are essential to a well-written essay. With practice and dedication, anyone can improve their essay writing skills and achieve success in their academic or professional pursuits.

Difference Between Article and Essay

  • An article is a casual writing that is written for a newspaper, magazine, or online publication, whereas an essay is a written composition that presents an argument or a point of view on a specific topic.
  • Articles are shorter and more informative than essays, whereas essays can be longer and more analytical.
  • Articles are written in a more casual and conversational tone, whereas essays are written in a more formal and academic tone.
  • Articles are written to inform or entertain a general audience, whereas essays are written to persuade or argue a specific point of view to a specific audience.
  • Articles are researched and written by journalists, whereas essays are written by students or scholars.

Comparison Between Article and Essay

  • https://www.jstor.org/stable/488160
  • https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/0149206309337489

article versus essay

  • Master Your Homework
  • Do My Homework

Research Paper and Article: What’s the Difference?

Research Papers and Articles are distinct types of academic writing, but they share many of the same qualities. This article seeks to elucidate the differences between a research paper and an article while also highlighting some common elements shared by both. It will be argued that although there is some overlap between these two forms of scholarly communication, research papers tend to have a more substantial emphasis on data collection and analysis than articles do. In addition, it will be demonstrated how each type has its own unique purpose in terms of disseminating information about particular topics or fields of study. Finally, best practices for utilizing either form for optimal results will be discussed as well as how researchers should go about selecting which one suits their needs best.

1. Introduction to Research Papers and Articles

2. the definition of a research paper, 3. distinguishing characteristics of a research paper, 4. the definition of an article, 5. distinguishing characteristics of an article, 6. understanding the difference between a research paper and an article, 7. conclusion.

What is a Research Paper?

A research paper is an extended written work that presents and supports a thesis, or argument. It delves into the details of existing knowledge on the topic, including both primary sources (directly related to the subject) and secondary sources (related information used as evidence). Research papers often involve analysis from an academic perspective—one backed up with facts, figures, personal opinions, and other forms of supporting material.

What are Research Articles?

Research articles are typically shorter pieces of writing than full-length research papers. They may focus on one specific aspect of the topic or contain some preliminary findings based upon their own original research efforts in order to present new ideas for further study. Unlike lengthy research papers which require extensive background reading before any meaningful conclusions can be drawn from them; many short form articles do not need this level of depth in order to provide interesting insights into a given field.

A research paper is an in-depth academic writing that requires the author to have a thorough knowledge of the subject at hand. It often contains research conducted by a student or group, and it is used to demonstrate their understanding of said topic. In most cases, this type of work will be written with data from primary sources such as interviews or surveys.

Structural Specifications

A research paper has a distinct structure that needs to be respected in order for it to pass the test of scholarly review. This includes having an introduction, body and conclusion sections, all organized logically. Additionally, there should also be headings and subheadings throughout the text. It is crucial that each section clearly states its purpose while also building on any previous points made – ultimately leading up to answering the initial question posed at the beginning of the paper.

Article vs Paper

Understanding the Different Kinds of Written Pieces In order to craft a comprehensive and thoughtful piece of writing, it is essential that one understands the difference between various forms of written pieces. The two main types are research papers and articles, which have distinct features separating them from one another.

  • Research paper: A scholarly work typically required for completion of an undergraduate or graduate degree.
  • Research article: A document containing original findings in a given field.

The primary difference between these two formats lies in their purpose. Research papers often delve into historical contexts as well as theoretical concepts; they may also serve as repositories for acquired data sets pertaining to current topics or events in academia.

On the other hand, research articles focus primarily on exploring new ideas within disciplines such as science and medicine. They tend to be more concise than longer form works such as dissertations; however, both draw heavily upon factual evidence presented through detailed analysis or empirical experimentation. In this way, each type serves its own unique purpose while providing critical information towards better understanding relevant topics across many subject areas.

While reading any text, it is important to know the distinguishing characteristics of the article. A research paper and a research article are both valuable works that help inform readers about various topics or issues; however, they differ in terms of purpose, structure and audience.

  • Research Paper : The primary purpose of this type of work is to explain an issue through detailed analysis from a variety of perspectives. Research papers use long blocks of text which include arguments supported by evidence gathered from sources such as published books or journals. Additionally, they often have footnotes or citations embedded within them.
  • Research Article : This type written work usually takes less time than a research paper due its smaller size (e.g., 2000-3000 words). It has clear objectives for writing up results regarding new methods/techniques developed for solving problems related to science/technology etc.; hence uses technical language rather than storytelling style like narrative pieces do.

The research paper and the research article can seem like similar documents, however there are key differences to consider when examining them.

  • Research Paper:

Whereas a traditional research paper may explore multiple avenues regarding one particular field or area of study, an article will instead focus solely on one aspect at hand – which could range from discussing current trends surrounding technological advancements to summarizing literature review findings related to behavioral studies conducted over extended periods of time. As such, articles tend to have narrower scopes while papers allow authors greater leeway due to their lengthier formats and higher degree levels associated with them.

Final Reflection The research presented in this paper has revealed that technology can greatly improve the learning experience. Technology-enhanced instruction offers a range of advantages, including improved student engagement and an ability to tailor teaching to individual students’ needs. However, it is important for educators to recognize that there are challenges associated with introducing tech into the classroom. Properly assessing how best to incorporate new technologies requires time and resources from both instructors and institutions alike.

Technology-infused lessons have great potential for enhancing educational outcomes, but only when implemented thoughtfully and deliberately. Educators must take into account factors such as costs associated with implementing or maintaining technological solutions; technical support infrastructure; availability of professional development opportunities; contextual variables specific to their classrooms (e.g., access disparities); content knowledge related to using appropriate tools effectively in different subject areas; alignment between instruction objectives/assessments/technology use; sufficient instructional preparation strategies prior introduction of digital media components across multiple grade levels curriculum standards etc.. This will ensure greater success within the classroom environment via incorporating current technologies alongside traditional approaches found successful over many generations now past.

Overall, technology integration presents tremendous potential for improving teaching practices while also providing students better opportunities for reaching long term academic goals than ever before without utilizing advances available today–allowing them easier paths towards more diverse successes later on in life irrespective one’s location geographically speaking be they close by or further abroad . It remains up still though ultimately upon us all–educators at every level globally whether directly involved presently or seeking those who already working along these lines willing capable going above beyond expected norms from fellow colleagues–as well society entire–to help realize full capabilities modern age holds whenever possible each given chance arises come our way through innovation applied nowadays moving forward continually despite any odds imposed once beforehand against us never fully yielding nor wavering trying no matter what justifiably so deserves future we aim build far brighter much grander scale imaginable arguably could dream create surely intending construct sustaining legacy regardless anyone else’s opinion right wrong even if alone knows why worth taking doing ultimate efforts needed effectuating lasting impacts felt everyone concerned after gone leaving end impressions indelibly marked those remain serve testament integrity conviction carried out job done successfully accordance plan initially laid forth accurately faithfully followed adhere expectations set agreed assured kept fixed focus mind’s eye view foresight completing task moment arrives due date determined arrive consequently utmost importance placed assignments taken seriously ensuring relevant requirements meet met satisfactorily overall satisfactory rating received satisfaction ones entrusting project results depend deliverables supplied highly esteemed pleased finish thank you

In conclusion, it is clear that there are distinct differences between a research paper and an article. Research papers tend to be longer than articles and involve more in-depth analysis of the topic at hand. Articles typically focus on one specific aspect or point while research papers investigate several different perspectives within the given subject matter. Furthermore, both types of writing use evidence from sources to support their arguments but differ in terms of formatting requirements as well as content organization structure. It is important for authors to understand these distinctions when determining which type of written work best suits their needs.

Purdue Online Writing Lab Purdue OWL® College of Liberal Arts

Using Articles

OWL logo

Welcome to the Purdue OWL

This page is brought to you by the OWL at Purdue University. When printing this page, you must include the entire legal notice.

Copyright ©1995-2018 by The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use.

This handout discusses the differences between indefinite articles (a/an) and definite articles (the).

What is an article? Basically, an article is an adjective. Like adjectives, articles modify nouns.

English has two articles: the and a/an . The is used to refer to specific or particular nouns; a/an is used to modify non-specific or non-particular nouns. We call the the definite article and a/an the indefinite article.

the = definite article

a/an = indefinite article

For example, if I say, "Let's read the book," I mean a specific book. If I say, "Let's read a book," I mean any book rather than a specific book.

Here's another way to explain it: The is used to refer to a specific or particular member of a group. For example, "I just saw the most popular movie of the year." There are many movies, but only one particular movie is the most popular. Therefore, we use the .

"A/an" is used to refer to a non-specific or non-particular member of the group. For example, "I would like to go see a movie." Here, we're not talking about a specific movie. We're talking about any movie. There are many movies, and I want to see any movie. I don't have a specific one in mind.

Let's look at each kind of article a little more closely.

Indefinite Articles: a and an

"A" and "an" signal that the noun modified is indefinite, referring to any member of a group. For example:

  • "My daughter really wants a dog for Christmas." This refers to any dog. We don't know which dog because we haven't found the dog yet.
  • "Somebody call a policeman!" This refers to any policeman. We don't need a specific policeman; we need any policeman who is available.
  • "When I was at the zoo, I saw an elephant!" Here, we're talking about a single, non-specific thing, in this case an elephant. There are probably several elephants at the zoo, but there's only one we're talking about here.

Remember, using a or an depends on the sound that begins the next word. So...

  • a + singular noun beginning with a consonant: a boy; a car; a bike; a zoo; a dog
  • an + singular noun beginning with a vowel: an elephant; an egg; an apple; an idiot; an orphan
  • a + singular noun beginning with a consonant sound: a user (sounds like 'yoo-zer,' i.e. begins with a consonant 'y' sound, so 'a' is used); a university ; a unicycle
  • an + nouns starting with silent "h": an hour
  • In some cases where "h" is pronounced, such as "historical," you can use an . However, a is more commonly used and preferred. A historical event is worth recording.

Remember that these rules also apply when you use acronyms:

Another case where this rule applies is when acronyms or initialisms start with consonant letters but have vowel sounds:

If the noun is modified by an adjective, the choice between a and an depends on the initial sound of the adjective that immediately follows the article:

  • a broken egg
  • an unusual problem
  • a European country (sounds like 'yer-o-pi-an,' i.e. begins with consonant 'y' sound)

Remember, too, that in English, the indefinite articles are used to indicate membership in a group:

  • I am a teacher. (I am a member of a large group known as teachers.)
  • Brian is an Irishman. (Brian is a member of the people known as Irish.)
  • Seiko is a practicing Buddhist. (Seiko is a member of the group of people known as Buddhists.)

Definite Article: the

The definite article is used before singular and plural nouns when the noun is specific or particular. The signals that the noun is definite, that it refers to a particular member of a group. For example:

" The dog that bit me ran away." Here, we're talking about a specific dog, the dog that bit me.

"I was happy to see the policeman who saved my cat!" Here, we're talking about a particular policeman. Even if we don't know the policeman's name, it's still a particular policeman because it is the one who saved the cat.

"I saw the elephant at the zoo." Here, we're talking about a specific noun. Probably there is only one elephant at the zoo.

Count and Noncount Nouns

The can be used with noncount nouns, or the article can be omitted entirely.

  • "I love to sail over the water" (some specific body of water) or "I love to sail over water" (any water).
  • "He spilled the milk all over the floor" (some specific milk, perhaps the milk you bought earlier that day) or "He spilled milk all over the floor" (any milk).

"A/an" can be used only with count nouns.

  • "I need a bottle of water."
  • "I need a new glass of milk."

Most of the time, you can't say, "She wants a water," unless you're implying, say, a bottle of water.

Geographical use of the

There are some specific rules for using the with geographical nouns.

Do not use the before:

  • names of most countries/territories: Italy, Mexico, Bolivia ; however, the Netherlands, the Dominican Republic, the Philippines, the United States
  • names of cities, towns, or states: Seoul, Manitoba, Miami
  • names of streets: Washington Blvd., Main St.
  • names of lakes and bays: Lake Titicaca, Lake Erie except with a group of lakes like the Great Lakes
  • names of mountains: Mount Everest, Mount Fuji except with ranges of mountains like the Andes or the Rockies or unusual names like the Matterhorn
  • names of continents (Asia, Europe)
  • names of islands (Easter Island, Maui, Key West) except with island chains like the Aleutians, the Hebrides, or the Canary Islands

Do use the before:

  • names of rivers, oceans and seas: the Nile, the Pacific
  • points on the globe: the Equator, the North Pole
  • geographical areas: the Middle East, the West
  • deserts, forests, gulfs, and peninsulas: the Sahara, the Persian Gulf, the Black Forest, the Iberian Peninsula

Omission of Articles

Some common types of nouns that don't take an article are:

  • Names of languages and nationalities: Chinese, English, Spanish, Russian (unless you are referring to the population of the nation: " The Spanish are known for their warm hospitality.")
  • Names of sports: volleyball, hockey, baseball
  • Names of academic subjects: mathematics, biology, history, computer science

Our Trump reporting upsets some readers, but there aren’t two sides to facts: Letter from the Editor

  • Updated: Apr. 06, 2024, 10:27 a.m. |
  • Published: Mar. 30, 2024, 8:16 a.m.

Trump Biden collage

Some readers complain that we have different standards involving Donald Trump and Joe Biden. (AP Photo, File) AP

  • Chris Quinn, Editor, cleveland.com/The Plain Dealer

A more-than-occasional arrival in the email these days is a question expressed two ways, one with dripping condescension and the other with courtesy:

Why don’t our opinion platforms treat Donald Trump and other politicians exactly the same way. Some phrase it differently, asking why we demean the former president’s supporters in describing his behavior as monstrous, insurrectionist and authoritarian.

I feel for those who write. They believe in Trump and want their local news source to recognize what they see in him.

The angry writers denounce me for ignoring what they call the Biden family crime syndicate and criminality far beyond that of Trump. They quote news sources of no credibility as proof the mainstream media ignores evidence that Biden, not Trump, is the criminal dictator.

The courteous writers don’t go down that road. They politely ask how we can discount the passions and beliefs of the many people who believe in Trump.

Chris Quinn's recent Letters from the Editor

  • Around the globe and the nation, thousands thank us for telling the truth about Trump: Letter from the Editor
  • Voices of hope. Voices of anxiety. Tears of gratitude. A global response to how we tell the truth about Donald Trump
  • Let’s hang it up on polling. In election after election, they get it wrong: Letter from the Editor

This is a tough column to write, because I don’t want to demean or insult those who write me in good faith. I’ve started it a half dozen times since November but turned to other topics each time because this needle is hard to thread. No matter how I present it, I’ll offend some thoughtful, decent people.

The north star here is truth. We tell the truth, even when it offends some of the people who pay us for information.

The truth is that Donald Trump undermined faith in our elections in his false bid to retain the presidency. He sparked an insurrection intended to overthrow our government and keep himself in power. No president in our history has done worse.

This is not subjective. We all saw it. Plenty of leaders today try to convince the masses we did not see what we saw, but our eyes don’t deceive. (If leaders began a yearslong campaign today to convince us that the Baltimore bridge did not collapse Tuesday morning, would you ever believe them?) Trust your eyes. Trump on Jan. 6 launched the most serious threat to our system of government since the Civil War. You know that. You saw it.

The facts involving Trump are crystal clear, and as news people, we cannot pretend otherwise, as unpopular as that might be with a segment of our readers. There aren’t two sides to facts. People who say the earth is flat don’t get space on our platforms. If that offends them, so be it.

As for those who equate Trump and Joe Biden, that’s false equivalency. Biden has done nothing remotely close to the egregious, anti-American acts of Trump. We can debate the success and mindset of our current president, as we have about most presidents in our lifetimes, but Biden was never a threat to our democracy. Trump is. He is unique among all American presidents for his efforts to keep power at any cost.

Personally, I find it hard to understand how Americans who take pride in our system of government support Trump. All those soldiers who died in World War II were fighting against the kind of regime Trump wants to create on our soil. How do they not see it?

The March 25 edition of the New Yorker magazine offers some insight. It includes a detailed review of a new book about Adolf Hitler, focused on the year 1932. It’s called “Takeover: Hitler’s Final Rise to Power” and is by historian Timothy W. Ryback. It explains how German leaders – including some in the media -- thought they could use Hitler as a means to get power for themselves and were willing to look past his obvious deficiencies to get where they wanted. In tolerating and using Hitler as a means to an end, they helped create the monstrous dictator responsible for millions of deaths.

How are those German leaders different from people in Congress saying the election was stolen or that Jan. 6 was not an insurrection aimed at destroying our government? They know the truth, but they deny it. They see Trump as a means to an end – power for themselves and their “team” – even if it means repeatedly telling lies.

Sadly, many believe the lies. They trust people in authority, without questioning the obvious discrepancies or relying on their own eyes. These are the people who take offense to the truths we tell about Trump. No one in our newsroom gets up in the morning wanting to make a segment of readers feel bad. No one seeks to demean anyone. We understand what a privilege it is to be welcomed into the lives of the millions of people who visit our platforms each month for news, sports and entertainment. But our duty is to the truth.

Our nation does seem to be slipping down the same slide that Germany did in the 1930s. Maybe the collapse of government in the hands of a madman is inevitable, given how the media landscape has been corrupted by partisans, as it was in 1930s Germany.

I hope not.

In our newsroom, we’ll do our part. Much as it offends some who read us, we will continue to tell the truth about Trump.

I’m at mailto:[email protected]

Thanks for reading.

( Note: A follow-up column about the overwhelming international response to this piece can be found here , and a sampling of the responses can be found here .)

If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

Commentary: UCLA-LSU is America’s sweethearts vs. its basketball villains

LSU coach Kim Mulkey crouches down and watches from the sideline during an NCAA tournament game against Middle Tennessee

  • Show more sharing options
  • Copy Link URL Copied!

Editor’s Note: The original version of this commentary did not meet Times editorial standards. It has been edited to remove language that was inappropriate and offensive. We apologize to the LSU basketball program and to our readers. On Monday, Ben Bolch offered an apology, which is appended to the bottom of this commentary.

ALBANY, N.Y. — This isn’t just a basketball game, it’s a reckoning. Picking sides goes well beyond school allegiance.

10:10 p.m. March 30, 2024 A previous version of this commentary did not meet Times editorial standards. It has been updated.

Do you prefer the team that wants to grow women’s basketball or the one seemingly hellbent on dividing it?

The coach who embraces reporters or the one who attacks them?

When UCLA plays defending national champion Louisiana State on Saturday at MVP Arena in the Sweet 16 of the Albany 2 Regional, the contrasts don’t stop with blue and purple.

UCLA players celebrate as they walk off the court after a win over Creighton during the NCAA tournament

Some might see this as inclusive versus divisive.

There’s little debate as to which side of the ledger Tigers coach Kim Mulkey falls on. Long after she reportedly failed to support Brittney Griner , in essence telling her gay star to keep her sexual orientation to herself, Mulkey has stumbled again in the wake of an imminent Washington Post profile on the veteran coach.

Last week, Mulkey threatened to sue the newspaper without knowing the contents of the story, labeling it a “hit piece.” Without naming the reporter, she described the Post’s Kent Babb as “sleazy.” She slammed the paper for giving her a deadline to respond to questions while also disclosing that she had refused requests going back two years to sit for an interview.

In doing so, Mulkey turned a non-story into a blockbuster. How many more readers will that Post story get as a result of her grandstanding?

Just as befuddling, Mulkey sidestepped the issue Friday, refusing to address the story she created. The first two questions Mulkey fielded at her media session involved the Post story. The coach dropped the ball each time.

Oscar Dela Cruz holds up the ball and is guarded by guard Kiki Rice during a UCLA women's basketball practice.

UCLA Sports

Prattle of sexes: How trash-talking men helped UCLA women reach the Sweet 16

UCLA relies on talented male scout team players to help the Bruins prepare for opponents and fuel their NCAA tournament run.

March 28, 2024

Reporter: “What’s it been like kind of waiting for that story to come out?”

Mulkey: “I did make a statement, and that’s all I’ll comment on at this time because all I am focused on is to try and win another basketball game. Thank you for asking, though.”

Reporter: “Not to belabor the point, but from what you have been told or what you have been asked ... ”

Mulkey: “I’m only here today to talk about the next game.”

How convenient for someone who couldn’t stop talking about the story less than a week ago. She’s only mum when it suits her.

Mulkey’s best player also can’t get out of her own way. A year after she taunted Caitlin Clark by giving the Iowa superstar the ring finger and mocking Clark’s hand-waving gesture late in the national championship game, Angel Reese is at it again. When Middle Tennessee’s Anastasiia Boldyreva fouled out of a second-round loss to LSU, Reese waved goodbye as a crying Boldyreva headed to the bench.

LSU's Angel Reese points to her ring finger as Iowa's Caitlin Clark walks by during a game.

The wave led to significant blowback on social media, sparking a virtual shrug from Reese.

“clickbait everything i do keep going viral,” Reese posted to the social media platform X, formerly Twitter, after the game.

“clickbait everything i do keep going viral” — Angel Reese (@Reese10Angel) March 24, 2024

Then there’s UCLA, which operates in the saintly shadows while being as wholesome as a miniature stuffed Bruin mascot. UCLA coach Cori Close gives reporters unfettered access to players and practices, repeatedly thanking them for trumpeting the emergence of the women’s game.

She’s unfailingly cheery, loudly announcing her presence early Friday morning after the team’s flight was delayed by 2½ hours and arrived close to midnight.

“Coach is here!” Close said joyfully in a corridor outside the interview area.

Her players reflect her sunny disposition while being as controversial as a pledge drive for underprivileged children.

“She’s a little bit cornier than us,” senior guard Charisma Osborne said, “but yeah, I think she really sets the standard.”

UCLA coach Cori Close smiles during Bruins' game against rival USC on Dec. 30.

So, maybe they really are America’s sweethearts?

“Sure, I kind of like that,” star forward Lauren Betts said.

Said Osborne: “I like it too!”

Added Betts: “But don’t get it twisted — we’re not sweethearts on the court. It doesn’t mean we’re soft.”

UCLA guard Kiki Rice (1) dribbles past Creighton guard Kiani Lockett (11) during the second half.

Kiki Rice’s scoring flurry rallies UCLA past Creighton and into the Sweet 16

Kiki Rice finishes with 24 points and Lauren Betts scores 20 as UCLA rallies to defeat Creighton and set up a showdown with LSU in the NCAA tournament.

March 25, 2024

They also won’t give in to easy narratives. Betts and Osborne disputed the notion that Reese lacked class, and they should know — they played with her for Team USA last summer.

“She’s an amazing teammate and I really enjoyed playing with her,” Betts said. “I think she’s an amazing person and obviously when it comes to basketball you’re trying to win, so it’s like, whatever you have to do to win, I don’t think that people should judge her for that.”

Said Osborne: “She’s really nice off the court as well and people don’t always see that.”

Everyone can see for themselves Saturday. How will the nation’s most polarizing team conduct itself versus the one known for its class? The reckoning is here.

Ben Bolch’s apology:

It has taken me two days to write this apology because I wanted to be as thoughtful as possible in my response to the situation I have created. These are words I have not been asked to write by anyone at my paper, but they need to be expressed so that I can own up to my mistake.

Words matter. As a journalist, no one should know this more than me. Yet I have failed miserably in my choice of words. In my column previewing the LSU-UCLA women’s basketball game, I tried to be clever in my phrasing about one team’s attitude, using alliteration while not understanding the deeply offensive connotation or associations. I also used metaphors that were not appropriate. Our society has had to deal with so many layers of misogyny, racism and negativity that I can now see why the words I used were wrong. It was not my intent to be hurtful, but I now understand that I terribly missed the mark.

I sincerely apologize to the LSU and UCLA basketball teams and to our readers. UCLA, a school I have covered for nearly a decade, champions diversity and is known as a leader in inclusivity. However, I have not upheld that standard in what I wrote and I will do much better. I am deeply sorry.

— Ben Bolch

More to Read

UCLA center Lauren Betts' shot is blocked by LSU forward Angel Reese during a Sweet 16 game in Albany, N.Y., on March 30

Letters to sports: The Times must stop offensive commentary

April 6, 2024

ALBANY, NEW YORK - MARCH 30: Caitlin Clark #22 of the Iowa Hawkeyes drives against Jaylyn Sherrod #0 of the Colorado Buffaloes during the second half in the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at MVP Arena on March 30, 2024 in Albany, New York. The Iowa Hawkeyes won, 89-68. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)

Granderson: Caitlin Clark is having a moment in women’s basketball. She shouldn’t be the only one

April 1, 2024

UCLA players react on the bench during the fourth quarter of their Sweet Sixteen loss to LSU Saturday in Albany, N.Y.

UCLA vows to turn disappointment into an elusive Final Four run next season

March 31, 2024

Go beyond the scoreboard

Get the latest on L.A.'s teams in the daily Sports Report newsletter.

You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.

article versus essay

Ben Bolch has been a Los Angeles Times staff writer since 1999. He is serving his second stint as the UCLA beat writer, which seems fitting since he has covered almost every sports beat except hockey and horse racing. Bolch is also the author of the recently released book “100 Things UCLA Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die.” He previously covered UCLA basketball from 2010-11 before going on to cover the NBA and the Clippers for five years. He happily traded in gobs of hotel points and airline miles to return to cover UCLA basketball and football in the summer of 2016. Bolch was once selected by NBA TV’s “The Starters” as the “Worst of the Week” after questioning their celebrity journalism-style questions at an NBA All-Star game and considers it one of his finer moments.

More From the Los Angeles Times

UCLA quarterback Collin Schlee throws a pass against Arizona State during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023, in Pasadena, Calif. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)

Collin Schlee’s departure could put UCLA on the clock for another quarterback

UCLA associate head coach and offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy walks on the field during spring practice.

Eric Bieniemy taking a loud and collaborative approach to reshaping UCLA’s offense

April 4, 2024

Southern California guard Kobe Johnson (0) shoots over Arizona center Oumar Ballo.

USC guard Kobe Johnson is transferring to rival UCLA

Louisville guard Skyy Clark drives past Maryland Baltimore County guard Dion Brown

Louisville guard Skyy Clark announces he is transferring to UCLA

April 3, 2024

  • Share full article

Advertisement

Supported by

Guest Essay

The Supreme Court Got It Wrong: Abortion Is Not Settled Law

In an black-and-white photo illustration, nine abortion pills are arranged on a grid.

By Melissa Murray and Kate Shaw

Ms. Murray is a law professor at New York University. Ms. Shaw is a contributing Opinion writer.

In his majority opinion in the case overturning Roe v. Wade, Justice Samuel Alito insisted that the high court was finally settling the vexed abortion debate by returning the “authority to regulate abortion” to the “people and their elected representatives.”

Despite these assurances, less than two years after Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, abortion is back at the Supreme Court. In the next month, the justices will hear arguments in two high-stakes cases that may shape the future of access to medication abortion and to lifesaving care for pregnancy emergencies. These cases make clear that Dobbs did not settle the question of abortion in America — instead, it generated a new slate of questions. One of those questions involves the interaction of existing legal rules with the concept of fetal personhood — the view, held by many in the anti-abortion movement, that a fetus is a person entitled to the same rights and protections as any other person.

The first case , scheduled for argument on Tuesday, F.D.A. v. Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine, is a challenge to the Food and Drug Administration’s protocols for approving and regulating mifepristone, one of the two drugs used for medication abortions. An anti-abortion physicians’ group argues that the F.D.A. acted unlawfully when it relaxed existing restrictions on the use and distribution of mifepristone in 2016 and 2021. In 2016, the agency implemented changes that allowed the use of mifepristone up to 10 weeks of pregnancy, rather than seven; reduced the number of required in-person visits for dispensing the drug from three to one; and allowed the drug to be prescribed by individuals like nurse practitioners. In 2021, it eliminated the in-person visit requirement, clearing the way for the drug to be dispensed by mail. The physicians’ group has urged the court to throw out those regulations and reinstate the previous, more restrictive regulations surrounding the drug — a ruling that could affect access to the drug in every state, regardless of the state’s abortion politics.

The second case, scheduled for argument on April 24, involves the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (known by doctors and health policymakers as EMTALA ), which requires federally funded hospitals to provide patients, including pregnant patients, with stabilizing care or transfer to a hospital that can provide such care. At issue is the law’s interaction with state laws that severely restrict abortion, like an Idaho law that bans abortion except in cases of rape or incest and circumstances where abortion is “necessary to prevent the death of the pregnant woman.”

Although the Idaho law limits the provision of abortion care to circumstances where death is imminent, the federal government argues that under EMTALA and basic principles of federal supremacy, pregnant patients experiencing emergencies at federally funded hospitals in Idaho are entitled to abortion care, even if they are not in danger of imminent death.

These cases may be framed in the technical jargon of administrative law and federal pre-emption doctrine, but both cases involve incredibly high-stakes issues for the lives and health of pregnant persons — and offer the court an opportunity to shape the landscape of abortion access in the post-Roe era.

These two cases may also give the court a chance to seed new ground for fetal personhood. Woven throughout both cases are arguments that gesture toward the view that a fetus is a person.

If that is the case, the legal rules that would typically hold sway in these cases might not apply. If these questions must account for the rights and entitlements of the fetus, the entire calculus is upended.

In this new scenario, the issue is not simply whether EMTALA’s protections for pregnant patients pre-empt Idaho’s abortion ban, but rather which set of interests — the patient’s or the fetus’s — should be prioritized in the contest between state and federal law. Likewise, the analysis of F.D.A. regulatory protocols is entirely different if one of the arguments is that the drug to be regulated may be used to end a life.

Neither case presents the justices with a clear opportunity to endorse the notion of fetal personhood — but such claims are lurking beneath the surface. The Idaho abortion ban is called the Defense of Life Act, and in its first bill introduced in 2024, the Idaho Legislature proposed replacing the term “fetus” with “preborn child” in existing Idaho law. In its briefs before the court, Idaho continues to beat the drum of fetal personhood, insisting that EMTALA protects the unborn — rather than pregnant women who need abortions during health emergencies.

According to the state, nothing in EMTALA imposes an obligation to provide stabilizing abortion care for pregnant women. Rather, the law “actually requires stabilizing treatment for the unborn children of pregnant women.” In the mifepristone case, advocates referred to fetuses as “unborn children,” while the district judge in Texas who invalidated F.D.A. approval of the drug described it as one that “starves the unborn human until death.”

Fetal personhood language is in ascent throughout the country. In a recent decision , the Alabama Supreme Court allowed a wrongful-death suit for the destruction of frozen embryos intended for in vitro fertilization, or I.V.F. — embryos that the court characterized as “extrauterine children.”

Less discussed but as worrisome is a recent oral argument at the Florida Supreme Court concerning a proposed ballot initiative intended to enshrine a right to reproductive freedom in the state’s Constitution. In considering the proposed initiative, the chief justice of the state Supreme Court repeatedly peppered Nathan Forrester, the senior deputy solicitor general who was representing the state, with questions about whether the state recognized the fetus as a person under the Florida Constitution. The point was plain: If the fetus was a person, then the proposed ballot initiative, and its protections for reproductive rights, would change the fetus’s rights under the law, raising constitutional questions.

As these cases make clear, the drive toward fetal personhood goes beyond simply recasting abortion as homicide. If the fetus is a person, any act that involves reproduction may implicate fetal rights. Fetal personhood thus has strong potential to raise questions about access to abortion, contraception and various forms of assisted reproductive technology, including I.V.F.

In response to the shifting landscape of reproductive rights, President Biden has pledged to “restore Roe v. Wade as the law of the land.” Roe and its successor, Planned Parenthood v. Casey, were far from perfect; they afforded states significant leeway to impose onerous restrictions on abortion, making meaningful access an empty promise for many women and families of limited means. But the two decisions reflected a constitutional vision that, at least in theory, protected the liberty to make certain intimate choices — including choices surrounding if, when and how to become a parent.

Under the logic of Roe and Casey, the enforceability of EMTALA, the F.D.A.’s power to regulate mifepristone and access to I.V.F. weren’t in question. But in the post-Dobbs landscape, all bets are off. We no longer live in a world in which a shared conception of constitutional liberty makes a ban on I.V.F. or certain forms of contraception beyond the pale.

Melissa Murray, a law professor at New York University and a host of the Supreme Court podcast “ Strict Scrutiny ,” is a co-author of “ The Trump Indictments : The Historic Charging Documents With Commentary.”

Kate Shaw is a contributing Opinion writer, a professor of law at the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School and a host of the Supreme Court podcast “Strict Scrutiny.” She served as a law clerk to Justice John Paul Stevens and Judge Richard Posner.

  • Election 2024
  • Entertainment
  • Newsletters
  • Photography
  • Personal Finance
  • AP Investigations
  • AP Buyline Personal Finance
  • Press Releases
  • Israel-Hamas War
  • Russia-Ukraine War
  • Global elections
  • Asia Pacific
  • Latin America
  • Middle East
  • Election Results
  • Delegate Tracker
  • AP & Elections
  • March Madness
  • AP Top 25 Poll
  • Movie reviews
  • Book reviews
  • Personal finance
  • Financial Markets
  • Business Highlights
  • Financial wellness
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Social Media

LA Times columnist apologizes for piece characterizing LSU players as ‘dirty debutantes’

LSU head coach Kim Mulkey reacts during the first quarter of an Elite Eight round college basketball game against Iowa during the NCAA Tournament, Monday, April 1, 2024, in Albany, N.Y. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)

LSU head coach Kim Mulkey reacts during the first quarter of an Elite Eight round college basketball game against Iowa during the NCAA Tournament, Monday, April 1, 2024, in Albany, N.Y. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)

LSU head coach Kim Mulkey and the LSU bench react during the first quarter of an Elite Eight round college basketball game against Iowa during the NCAA Tournament, Monday, April 1, 2024, in Albany, N.Y. (AP Photo/Hans Pennink)

  • Copy Link copied

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — Los Angeles Times columnist Ben Bolch apologized Monday for last week’s column that characterized the Sweet 16 game between UCLA and LSU in the women’s NCAA Tournament as a battle of good versus evil.

Bolch took to social media Monday to “own up to my mistake.”

LSU coach Kim Mulkey criticized the column on Saturday as sexist and hurtful to her players. In the piece, first published Friday , Bolch referred to LSU’s players as “villains” and “dirty debutantes.”

The Times removed those references late Saturday as well as one comparing UCLA’s team to “milk and cookies” and republished the column with a note that said: “A previous version of this commentary did not meet Times editorial standards. It has been updated.”

“Words matter,” Bolch said in his apology. “As a journalist, no one should know this more than me. Yet I have failed miserably in my choice of words.”

AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-womens-bracket/ and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness

article versus essay

What is the difference between a solar eclipse and a lunar eclipse?

article versus essay

It almost time! Millions of Americans across the country Monday are preparing to witness the once-in-a-lifetime total solar eclipse as it passes over portions of Mexico, the United States and Canada.

It's a sight to behold and people have now long been eagerly awaiting what will be their only chance until 2044 to witness totality, whereby the moon will completely block the sun's disc, ushering in uncharacteristic darkness.

That being said, many are curious on what makes the solar eclipse special and how is it different from a lunar eclipse.

The total solar eclipse is today: Get the latest forecast and everything you need to know

What is an eclipse?

An eclipse occurs when any celestial object like a moon or a planet passes between two other bodies, obscuring the view of objects like the sun, according to NASA .

What is a solar eclipse?

A total solar eclipse occurs when the moon comes in between the Earth and the sun, blocking its light from reaching our planet, leading to a period of darkness lasting several minutes. The resulting "totality," whereby observers can see the outermost layer of the sun's atmosphere, known as the corona, presents a spectacular sight for viewers and confuses animals – causing nocturnal creatures to stir and bird and insects to fall silent.

Partial eclipses, when some part of the sun remains visible, are the most common, making total eclipses a rare sight.

What is a lunar eclipse?

A total lunar eclipse occurs when the moon and the sun are on exact opposite sides of Earth. When this happens, Earth blocks the sunlight that normally reaches the moon. Instead of that sunlight hitting the moon’s surface, Earth's shadow falls on it.

Lunar eclipses are often also referred to the "blood moon" because when the Earth's shadow covers the moon, it often produces a red color. The coloration happens because a bit of reddish sunlight still reaches the moon's surface, even though it's in Earth's shadow.

Difference between lunar eclipse and solar eclipse

The major difference between the two eclipses is in the positioning of the sun, the moon and the Earth and the longevity of the phenomenon, according to NASA.

A lunar eclipse can last for a few hours, while a solar eclipse lasts only a few minutes. Solar eclipses also rarely occur, while lunar eclipses are comparatively more frequent. While at least two partial lunar eclipses happen every year, total lunar eclipses are still rare, says NASA.

Another major difference between the two is that for lunar eclipses, no special glasses or gizmos are needed to view the spectacle and one can directly stare at the moon. However, for solar eclipses, it is pertinent to wear proper viewing glasses and take the necessary safety precautions because the powerful rays of the sun can burn and damage your retinas.

Contributing: Eric Lagatta, Doyle Rice, USA TODAY

  • Air Warfare
  • Cyber (Opens in new window)
  • C4ISR (Opens in new window)
  • Training & Sim
  • Asia Pacific
  • Mideast Africa
  • The Americas
  • Top 100 Companies
  • Defense News Weekly
  • Money Minute
  • Whitepapers & eBooks (Opens in new window)
  • DSDs & SMRs (Opens in new window)
  • Webcasts (Opens in new window)
  • Events (Opens in new window)
  • Newsletters (Opens in new window)
  • Events Calendar
  • Early Bird Brief
  • Digital Edition (Opens in new window)

Pacific problems: Why the US disagrees on the cost of deterring China

article versus essay

In 2020, Mac Thornberry wanted to answer two questions: How much is the U.S. spending to prevent a war with China, and is it enough?

These were difficult, even for the top Republican on the House Armed Services Committee. And he wasn’t the only one asking. Thornberry often traveled to Asia, where U.S. allies had the same questions. Thornberry didn’t know what to tell them.

“What do we have to offer?” he said.

For two years, Congress had asked the Pentagon for a report on how much extra money it needed for the Pacific region, but never received one. So Congress demanded one.

“The attitude was, tell us what you need and we’ll try to help,” Thornberry said during a recent interview. “Well, if they’re not going to tell us, then we’re going to tell them.”

The defense policy bill for fiscal 2021 — named for Thornberry, who was retiring — created the Pacific Deterrence Initiative, a new section of the defense budget. PDI had two goals: to push the Pentagon to spend more on the region and to make that money easier to track.

Four years later, PDI has done only one of those two things, according to experts. It has certainly made China-focused defense spending more transparent, but it hasn’t driven much new spending on the Pacific. In fact, the part of America’s defense budget created to help deter a war with China has no actual money.

“Your priorities are always better reflected in your budget rather than in your rhetoric,” Thornberry said.

Whether those two areas match up may be the most important question in American defense policy right now. The last three administrations have decided China is America’s top threat, and a rising one at that. But it’s less clear how much money it will cost to address it and who gets to decide — Congress, the Pentagon or military leaders in the Pacific?

“I don’t think that we are somehow dangerously short of funding for the Indo-Pacific, whether it’s PDI or not,” Rep. Ed Case, D-Hawaii, who sits on the House Appropriations Committee’s defense panel, told Defense News in February.

“We’re going in the right direction, but the question is: Are we going there fast enough?”

A second opinion

This was the question that led to PDI.

In 2021, the head of Indo-Pacific Command, Adm. Phil Davidson, was in Washington ahead of his planned retirement to testify before Congress . Davidson hadn’t appeared before the Senate Armed Services Committee in two years due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Early on, Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., presented a set of charts during a short call and response. Wicker read a list projecting the number of Chinese and American weapons in the region by 2025, asking Davidson to check his numbers.

Three Chinese aircraft carriers to America’s one. Six Chinese amphibious assault ships to America’s two. Fifty-four Chinese combat ships to America’s six.

The admiral confirmed each one.

“Our conventional deterrent is actually eroding in the region,” Davidson said.

What concerned him most was not that Beijing had a more powerful military overall; it was a problem of speed and distance. Taiwan — which the Chinese government considers a rogue province and has threatened to take back by force — is about 100 miles from the mainland. It’s more than 5,000 miles from Hawaii, the headquarters of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command.

It would take three weeks for the U.S. to rush ships to the area from the West Coast, and around 17 days to do so from Alaska, Davidson estimated. If China launched a rapid invasion, it might overwhelm Taiwan before the U.S. had a chance to arrive.

article versus essay

A soldier launches an American-made TOW 2A missile during a live-fire exercise in Pingtung County, Taiwan, on July 3, 2023. (Sam Yeh/AFP via Getty Images)

“The important factor here is time,” he said.

Davidson’s answer, and that of many committee members, was to push America’s forces closer to Taiwan — the military version of a full-court press. But the U.S. didn’t yet have the necessary infrastructure in place. It would need to construct bases, airfields, radars and other buildings along the Pacific islands that arc around Taiwan.

And this would cost money — lots of money.

PDI was, at first, meant to be the source of that money. To understand why, it’s important to understand how the Pentagon writes its budget.

The process depends mostly on the military services — in particular the Army, Navy and Air Force. These services hold about four-fifths of defense spending each year and direct where that money goes.

Their incentives are different from those of the seven geographic combatant commands, who carry out America’s military goals around the world. Given their roles, the commands often focus on shorter-term needs. Hence, the services often don’t fund everything the combatant commands want.

To lawmakers, the gap seemed especially wide in the Pacific, where China has spent the last two decades upgrading its military.

Noticing this problem, lawmakers as far back as Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., in 2017 wanted to fund Indo-Pacific Command’s goals with a separate account — something Thornberry also later supported.

It didn’t come together until three years later. In May 2020, the chair and ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee announced plans for a Pacific Deterrence Initiative that would reassure U.S. allies and improve its forces.

It had five goals: to improve presence, logistics, exercises, infrastructure and the strength of partners in the Pacific. The bill also added a voice to the budgeting process. Indo-Pacific Command would now give Congress an annual second opinion on America’s military needs in the region.

There was, however, a structural problem. The lawmakers that created PDI didn’t actually get any money for it. The policy bill named for Thornberry gave the Pentagon about $2 billion in authority for the effort but not permission to spend it. That would’ve required a signoff from the defense appropriations committees, who control the nation’s purse.

Those committees balk at initiatives like PDI, according to multiple congressional aides, because passing them makes it harder to write a defense budget — the same reason it’s harder to write a recipe when someone else decides your shopping list.

article versus essay

U.S. Army soldiers and Indonesia airborne troops conduct a joint forcible entry operation at Baturaja Training Area on Aug. 4, 2021. (Staff Sgt. Thomas Calvert/U.S. Army)

“The hope was for the following year that the appropriations and the budget would match,” said Kimberly Lehn, a former aide on the House Armed Services Committee who helped write the PDI legislation.

That didn’t happen, and by the time Davidson testified before Congress a year later, the initiative had become an accounting drill.

Think about it like a home improvement fund. If you want an upgrade — say, a nicer kitchen — then you have two options: Earn more money or spend less money elsewhere. Instead, PDI was, and still is, implemented in reverse. Each year, the Pentagon builds its budget and then reviews it to see what contributes to deterrence in the Pacific. It then labels that as PDI and highlights the total number in its budget request.

“It reflects their decisions, it doesn’t drive their decisions,” said Dustin Walker, a former Senate Armed Services Committee aide who helped write the PDI legislation and now works at the drone-maker Anduril.

‘Free chicken’

This was not the model PDI’s authors had in mind.

“It started basically as a straight copycat of [the] European Deterrence Initiative,” Walker said, referring to an effort that stemmed from Russia’s 2014 seizure and annexation of Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula.

The Obama administration wanted to show commitment to NATO allies rattled by war on the continent. The government did so within months using what it originally dubbed the European Reassurance Initiative .

article versus essay

Russian soldiers patrol outside the naval headquarters in Simferopol on March 19, 2014. Russia's Constitutional Court unanimously backed President Vladimir Putin's move to make Crimea part of Russia. (Filippo Monteforte/AFP via Getty Images)

U.S. forces in Europe had declined for decades after the Soviet Union collapsed in the early 1990s — down to about 62,000 personnel by 2016 . The smaller size made sense in Europe given there were fewer needs for America’s military muscle. But Russia’s invasion showed how far readiness had fallen, said Tod Wolters, the former head of U.S. European Command.

With the European Deterrence Initiative, the administration wanted to bulk up.

“We knew that we could not go back to Cold War status, with the number of forces that were going to be in the theater. So the question became: How do we make sure that we can rapidly deploy combat power?” said Al Viana, who works in European Command’s force structure and requirements office.

This became the focus of EDI, whose name changed in 2018 when it became clear Russia’s military activities in the region weren’t coming to an end. From 2015 to 2023, the U.S. spent $35 billion on the effort to empower allies and ensure its own forces were more agile. The second goal required funding to run more exercises, rotate more troops, improve infrastructure and store important equipment on the continent.

By the end of fiscal 2014 , European Command had dissolved two heavy combat brigades. However, EDI helped rebuild those forces — deferring cuts to Air Force personnel, supporting a combat aviation brigade and making sure the Army had an armored brigade combat team rotating through the theater. In FY16, the Army’s forces in Europe conducted 26 total exercises per year . By 2023, that number was around 50.

In 2022, when Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine , the U.S. surged 20,000 extra personnel to Europe. That included an armored brigade combat team — including about 4,000 personnel, 90 tanks and more than 200 other vehicles — which arrived within a week from notification. Without those stocks already stored in the theater, it would’ve taken between four and six weeks, according to U.S. Army Europe and Africa.

“EDI is the place to go and see exactly what we’re doing,” Viana said.

The two initiatives’ different fates come almost entirely down to money. EDI was paid for through an account called overseas contingency operations, more commonly referred to as OCO (pronounced like “cocoa”). That fund started for the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, supplementing the annual Pentagon budget.

“EDI was easy because you weren’t fighting with a service,” a senior defense official told Defense News, speaking on the condition of anonymity because the individual was not permitted to talk to the press. “It was free chicken.”

By the start of this decade, Congress had soured on OCO, partly because the Pentagon used it to dodge some budget cuts it faced in the 2010s. Lawmakers called it a slush fund.

This meant the Pacific Deterrence Initiative didn’t get any extra funding. The European counterpart transitioned away from supplemental money in fiscal 2022 , and its funding amounts since then have steadily dropped.

article versus essay

Amphibious armored vehicles attached to a brigade of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy Marine Corps make their way to a beach during maritime amphibious assault training in China's Guangdong province on Aug. 17, 2019. (Yan Jialuo and Yao Guanchen/Chinese Defense Ministry)

The result is that many items Indo-Pacific Command lists in its annual report to Congress — the things the command says it needs to maintain its strength in the region — aren’t funded. So the command just resubmits those unfunded priorities on top of additional needs in the next year’s report. Hence, each year’s dollar amount snowballs.

When Davidson testified before Congress in 2021, his report listed $4.7 billion in requirements. This year, the number was $26.5 billion — $11 billion of which is unfunded. The bulk of that $11 billion would go to construction costs — much higher in the Pacific than on the U.S. homeland — and munitions.

“Our demand signal has been consistent,” George Ka’iliwai, the director of requirements and resources at the command, said in a March interview. “It is what it is because they are our requirements.”

The Pentagon has questioned some of Indo-Pacific Command’s priorities and whether they’re possible to carry out, even with funding. Infrastructure projects, for example, sometimes require negotiations with the host government as well as expensive labor and material costs. Only about a fifth of Indo-Pacific Command’s desired construction projects appear in the FY25 budget request, Ka’iliwai said.

Since its first report, the command has said the missile defense architecture of Guam — a U.S. territory crucial to the military’s Pacific posture — is its top goal. Others, such as infrastructure on Pacific islands or a secure network to communicate with allies, have also appeared each year.

PDI “doesn’t come close to scratching the itch,” the defense source said.

‘Trade-offs’

There are a few paths forward. One of them would see Congress give Indo-Pacific Command new money each year, like the account McCain sought in 2017.

There are lawmakers, such as Hawaii’s Case, who support that. But the appropriations committees don’t, and it’s unlikely that will change in the short term, according to multiple congressional aides.

article versus essay

Another option is in the Pentagon’s control. At the start of the budgeting process, department leaders could reserve money for the command’s priorities and build everything else around it. That would resemble how the deputy defense secretary is funding two signature initiatives: the Rapid Defense Experimentation Reserve, which helps accelerate prototyping; and Replicator, an effort to buy drones faster.

But these programs are loose change compared to what the command says it needs — hundreds of millions of dollars compared to more than $11 billion in unfunded priorities.

The way PDI works now is important, according to another senior defense official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the topic. The official argued that a different model for the initiative would make it more difficult for the Defense Department to plan and budget.

“The department has the best ability to find the right trade-offs,” the official said.

Points of view

Three years after Davidson testified, his successor stepped into a House hearing room this March.

“The risk is still high, and it is trending in the wrong direction,” Adm. John Aquilino noted in his opening statement, later adding that the Pacific is the most dangerous he’s ever seen it.

Sitting next to him, Ely Ratner, the assistant secretary of defense for Indo-Pacific security affairs, was more hopeful, citing higher spending and the administration’s “historic momentum” with allies in the region.

The higher spending is easier to see with PDI, which has charted large increases in funding over the last four years. Whether the initiative is working depends on whether you look at the Pacific through the eyes of Ratner or Aquilino. Both agree war isn’t imminent, but they’re split on whether deterrence is getting better or worse.

If it’s eroding, as Davidson argued in 2021, then PDI’s current model may not be enough. If the region is more stable, then the initiative looks better too.

The biggest misconception about PDI, according to the second defense official, is that the Pentagon doesn’t take it seriously.

“This is not a gradual slope of increase,” the official said of Pacific funding. “This is a significant and dramatic increase in investment, and we are more committed than ever.”

article versus essay

The PDI request for this year is $9.9 billion — more than $800 million over last year’s. But up until soon before the Pentagon released its FY25 budget request, it wasn’t, according to the first defense official and a congressional aide.

To show the Pentagon was focused on the threat from China, defense leaders tagged more items under the initiative at the last minute to raise its dollar figure, the first defense source and a congressional aide told Defense News. Among the late entries was the drone program Replicator.

At the recent March hearing, a member of Congress asked Ratner whether the $9.9 billion includes everything the Pentagon needs “for the PDI to be as effective as possible.”

“Congresswoman,” Ratner responded, “the PDI is simply an accounting mechanism.”

Noah Robertson is the Pentagon reporter at Defense News. He previously covered national security for the Christian Science Monitor. He holds a bachelor’s degree in English and government from the College of William & Mary in his hometown of Williamsburg, Virginia.

In Other News

A Saildrone Surveyor unmanned surface vessel is seen moving through the water.

Saildrone, Thales collaborating on sub-sensing unmanned surface vessel

U.s. navy leadership has advocated for a hybrid fleet, with sailors and marines augmented by smart machines and the equipment they carry..

article versus essay

Norway’s Long-Term Defense Plan features sharp increase in spending

A critical feature in the ltdp raises spending and financial benefits across all branches of the norwegian defense forces..

The logo of defense company Epirus, which specializes in directed energy, is seen on the exhibit floor at the 2023 Air, Space and Cyber conference in National Harbor, Maryland.

Epirus directed energy to face off against vessels in US Navy testing

U.s. navy leaders have lamented a lack of directed-energy options as houthi rebels in yemen pepper the red sea and gulf of aden with attack drones..

A Robotic Combat Vehicle Light prototype is seen at the National Training Center in California in 2023.

Anduril to supply robotic combat vehicle software to US Army

Rcvs are unmanned systems envisioned to work alongside soldiers, schlepping supplies or surveilling adversaries with sophisticated sensors..

article versus essay

Russian military ‘almost completely reconstituted,’ US official says

The assessment from deputy secretary of state kurt campbell appears to contradict that of the pentagon and u.s. allies..

IMAGES

  1. Article vs. Essay: A Comprehensive Analysis

    article versus essay

  2. Difference between Article and Essay || Article vs Essay || Difference World

    article versus essay

  3. What Is The Difference Between Article And Essay?

    article versus essay

  4. Research Paper vs Essay: The Difference Explained

    article versus essay

  5. Difference Between Report And Essay Writing

    article versus essay

  6. Difference between Essay and an Article

    article versus essay

VIDEO

  1. Normal versus advanced English #english #speaking #learnenglish

  2. Cambridge article& essay 01284348393

  3. Article Writing And Essay Writing 2024 पलूशन प्रोब्लम पर आर्टिकल एण्ड ऐसे 2024

  4. Article Writing For 10th Class By Amit sir

  5. IELTS Essay Topic

  6. Prescriptive Versus Descriptive Grammar Rules

COMMENTS

  1. Difference Between Article and Essay (with Comparison Chart)

    An article is nothing but a piece of writing commonly found in newspapers or websites which contain fact-based information on a specific topic. It is published with the aim of making the reader aware of something and keeping them up to date. An essay is a literary work, which often discusses ideas, experiences and concepts in a clear and coherent way. . It reflects the author's personal view ...

  2. Article vs Essay: Unraveling Commonly Confused Terms

    Using "article" instead of "essay". An article is a written work that provides information on a topic, while an essay is a more formal piece of writing that presents an argument or point of view. Make sure you understand the purpose of your writing. If you're simply providing information, use the term "article.".

  3. The Difference Between an Article and an Essay

    In composition studies, an article is a short work of nonfiction that typically appears in a magazine or newspaper or on a website. Unlike essays, which often highlight the subjective impressions of the author (or narrator ), articles are commonly written from an objective point of view. Articles include news items, feature stories, reports ...

  4. Difference Between Article and Essay

    This is why many students look for 100% free essays online to get the best grades. On the contrary, an article is a text that is published alongside other posts in a magazine or other periodicals. The primary distinction between our assignments is that the former is written to spread awareness regarding a particular idea.

  5. Difference between Article and Essay

    An essay is a composition which belongs to a specific issue, or topic. 2. Articles tend to be objective. Essays tend to be subjective. 3. The purpose of the article is to tell the readers about some prospects, information and concepts. The major goal of the essay is to respond to a query. 4.

  6. Article vs. Essay: What's the Difference?

    An "Article" is a brief work addressing a particular topic, often in periodicals, while an "Essay" is a longer, detailed examination of a subject, showcasing the author's perspective. Key Differences An "Article" is generally a concise piece of writing, often found in newspapers, magazines, and other periodicals.

  7. Essay vs. Article

    The most notable difference between an essay and an article is the tone. Essays traditionally are subjective pieces of formal writing that offers an analysis of a specific topic. In other words, an essay writer studies, researches, and forms a factually-based opinion on the topic in order to inform others about their ideas. An article is ...

  8. What's The Difference Between An Article A Paper And An Essay

    Essays are typically 1-3 pages long. Articles vary in length but run longer than essays. Papers typically range from 10 to 15 pages or more. It's important to note that essay writer services have very different writing styles. Some writers write with a conversational tone, while others use a formal style for essays and articles.

  9. The Four Main Types of Essay

    An essay is a focused piece of writing designed to inform or persuade. There are many different types of essay, but they are often defined in four categories: argumentative, expository, narrative, and descriptive essays. Argumentative and expository essays are focused on conveying information and making clear points, while narrative and ...

  10. LibGuides: Guilford College Writing Manual: Essay vs. Article

    You can regard these two types as being the yin and yang of formal writing. One, the essay, is primarily right-brain, emphasizing traits such as the holistic, the intuitive, the metaphorical. The article, on the other hand, tends to be left-brain--i.e., linear, mathematical, logical. I would argue that the best writing is that which fuses both ...

  11. Difference Between Article And Essay

    Audience. Broad, general public. Academic audience or specific reader group. Research. Requires thorough research and often references from credible sources. May or may not involve research, focuses more on personal reflections. Tone. More objective, straightforward. Can be personal, reflective, and exploratory.

  12. Article vs. Essay: A Comprehensive Analysis

    Article vs. Essay. Articles are written to inform and provide objective facts. Essays are written to express opinions and present arguments. They typically have an introduction, body, and conclusion. They generally consist of an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Article length can vary from short to long, depending on the topic.

  13. What are the Main Differences Between Essay and Article?

    Article VS Essay: Purpose. An article is written to educate readers on a specific topic. It is intended to be an objective piece of writing based on facts, investigation, and analysis. An essay is composed in response to a specific question or assertion. It intends to entertain or instruct the reader.

  14. Article vs. Essay

    While both articles and essays can inform a reader, the primary purpose of an article is to provide information, while an essay seeks to persuade or enlighten through personal perspective. Furthermore, articles often adhere to journalistic standards and are intended for a wider, general audience. Articles are commonly found in journalistic ...

  15. "Article" vs. "Essay": What's the Difference?

    An article is a written piece that is published in a newspaper, magazine, or website. It is usually a concise and informative piece that focuses on current events, news, trends, or analysis of a specific topic. Articles are typically written by journalists, experts, or contributors with relevant knowledge or experience in the subject matter. An essay is a formal piece of writing that presents ...

  16. Difference Between Article and Essay

    Tabular Differences between Article and Essay: Article. Essay. Written on a specific topic. Expresses the author's opinion on a particular topic. Informative in nature. Persuasive in nature. Usually published in a magazine, newspaper, or website. Can be published in various formats, such as a book or academic journal.

  17. Example of a Great Essay

    Cite this Scribbr article. If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the "Cite this Scribbr article" button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator. Bryson, S. (2023, July 23). Example of a Great Essay | Explanations, Tips & Tricks. Scribbr.

  18. Article vs Essay

    Difference Between Article and Essay. An article is a casual writing that is written for a newspaper, magazine, or online publication, whereas an essay is a written composition that presents an argument or a point of view on a specific topic. Articles are shorter and more informative than essays, whereas essays can be longer and more analytical.

  19. What are the differences between essay and article?

    Article is written to inform the readers about some concept. Essay is generally written as a response to a question or proposition. Format. Articles follow heading and subheadings format. Essays ...

  20. PDF ACADEMIC WRITING

    brought an essay called "In Defense of Polonius" for JSTOR Daily—which is the article tracked from initial idea to published piece in The Writing Process segments of this book. I am grateful to students, colleagues, editors, readers, audiences, and interlocutors for comments and conversations about these ideas.

  21. Research Paper and Article: What's the Difference?

    The two main types are research papers and articles, which have distinct features separating them from one another. Research paper: A scholarly work typically required for completion of an undergraduate or graduate degree. Research article: A document containing original findings in a given field. The primary difference between these two ...

  22. Article vs Essay

    In obsolete terms the difference between article and essay is that article is to accuse or charge by an exhibition of articles or accusations while essay is a test, experiment; an assay. As nouns the difference between article and essay is that article is a part or segment of something joined to other parts, or, in combination, forming a structured set while essay is a written composition of ...

  23. How to Use Articles (a/an/the)

    If the noun is modified by an adjective, the choice between a and an depends on the initial sound of the adjective that immediately follows the article:. a broken egg; an unusual problem; a European country (sounds like 'yer-o-pi-an,' i.e. begins with consonant 'y' sound); Remember, too, that in English, the indefinite articles are used to indicate membership in a group:

  24. Our Trump reporting upsets some readers, but there aren't two sides to

    This is a tough column to write, because I don't want to demean or insult those who write me in good faith. I've started it a half dozen times since November but turned to other topics each ...

  25. UCLA vs. LSU is America's sweethearts vs. its basketball villains

    Commentary: UCLA-LSU is America's sweethearts vs. its basketball villains. LSU coach Kim Mulkey crouches down and watches from the sideline during an NCAA tournament game against Middle ...

  26. ArtIII.S1.3 Marbury v. Madison and Judicial Review

    ArtIII.S1.3 Marbury v. Madison and Judicial Review. Article III, Section 1: The judicial Power of the United States, shall be vested in one supreme Court, and in such inferior Courts as the Congress may from time to time ordain and establish. The Judges, both of the supreme and inferior Courts, shall hold their Offices during good Behaviour ...

  27. Why Abortion Is Back at the Supreme Court

    Ms. Murray is a law professor at New York University. Ms. Shaw is a contributing Opinion writer. In his majority opinion in the case overturning Roe v. Wade, Justice Samuel Alito insisted that the ...

  28. LA Times columnist apologizes for piece characterizing LSU players as

    ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — Los Angeles Times columnist Ben Bolch apologized Monday for last week's column that characterized the Sweet 16 game between UCLA and LSU in the women's NCAA Tournament as a battle of good versus evil.. Bolch took to social media Monday to "own up to my mistake.". LSU coach Kim Mulkey criticized the column on Saturday as sexist and hurtful to her players.

  29. Solar vs. lunar eclipse: The different types of eclipses, explained

    The major difference between the two eclipses is in the positioning of the sun, the moon and the Earth and the longevity of the phenomenon, according to NASA. A lunar eclipse can last for a few ...

  30. Pacific problems: Why the US disagrees on the cost of deterring China

    In fact, the part of America's defense budget created to help deter a war with China has no actual money. "Your priorities are always better reflected in your budget rather than in your ...