How is a research essay different from other types of essays or even a report?

Typically, a research essay is written to report facts and/or evidence to support a stance on a topic.  For example, I would write a research essay to inform the read why students grammar skills are lacking due to current technology trends.  A report is simply written to inform the reader about a simple topic such as, "What it's like to live in a college dorm".  Research essay is different from other writing because a stance is given, facts and evidence to support the claim is documented, and the facts are cited throughout the essay giving credit to the sources for which you found the information.

to gain popularity at school, fitzgerald wrote plays for the school and cast himself as the star. he also joined one of the universitys most prestigious clubs.