is an essay the same as a paper

• ROBERTSON LIBRARY

What is the difference between a paper and an essay?

Usually, nothing!

Papers and essays are the same thing. A research paper is a paper or essay that uses information from other sources, such as books and articles.

A paper or essay might also be referred to as an assignment . An assignment is any work you need to do for a course. 

Instructors often use project to describe large assignments. Some projects include writing a paper.

If you are unsure of your assignment or paper requirements, ask your instructor. They are the ones who will be marking your work, so they will know what is needed for a good grade.

If you want to know more about how to write a research paper, you should make an appointment at the Writing Centre .