An essay is usually a short piece of writing which is quite often written from an author''s personal point of view. Essays can consist of a number of elements, including: literary criticism, political manifestos, learned arguments, observations of daily life, recollections, and reflections of the author. The definition of an essay is vague, overlapping with those of an article and a short story. Almost all modern essays are written in prose, but works in verse have been dubbed essays (e.g. Alexander Pope''s An Essay on Criticism and An Essay on Man). While brevity usually defines an essay, voluminous works like John Locke''s An Essay Concerning Human Understanding and Thomas Malthus''s An Essay on the Principle of Population provide counterexamples. Essays have become a major part of a formal education. Secondary students are taught structured essay formats to improve their writing skills, and essays are often used by universities in selecting applicants (see admissions essay). ln both secondary and tertiary education, essays are used to judge the mastery and comprehension of material. Students are asked to explain, comment on, or assess a topic of study in the form of an essay. This encyclopaedia contains biographies of some of the world''s greatest essayists throughout the ages. lt is hoped that the encyclopedia''s effort to emphasise upon the need for essay in the modern world is appreciated by readers.
