Most young people today are obsessed with fame and imitating celebrities. What are your views?
Now, it’s your turn! Try planning an outline for the following topics:
On the other hand, there are topics which are not suited for such a binary approach. Consider questions such as:
Give yourself 10 minutes to do a proper planning. It’s useful to approach the issue at hand by exploring its significance and relevance in different spheres and domains : Education, Ethics or Morals, Technology, Law etc.
Instead of giving 3 different points from an education perspective, why not broaden your scope and look at the issue from not just an educational perspective, but also a technological perspective and an ethical perspective?
This is what makes for a matured, holistic response.
Let’s use the following topic as an example:
Young people changing the world for the better | Young people changing the world for the better |
Education] youth advocates are helping to make education available to girls in less developed countries | [Politics] many youths are politically apathetic |
[Environment] youths are advocating for leaders to change environmental policies | Environment] youths are the primary consumers of fast fashion, which depletes valuable natural resources. |
[Technology] young people are driving social media advancements | [Technology] the younger generation is abusing technology. |
If you run out of ideas, you can also examine two sides of a coin in a single domain. For example, you’ll see that in the example, that for the technological sphere, there are instances of youths making and not changing the world for the better.
Now that the brainstorming is done, let’s put pen to paper and start writing!
You can ask yourself these questions to help you with your intro:
Simply answer these questions + include your thesis. Voila, you have a solid introduction!
Young people are often described as the changemakers of society, the future leaders, and the hope of our world. From advocating for the environment to spearheading social justice causes, the young people of today undoubtedly have the potential to change our world for the better. Having said that, one must question if this potential is somewhat overshadowed by charges of laziness, selfishness, irresponsibility et. cetera that are often levelled, sometimes legitimately I might add, against the younger generation. In this essay, I assess if the actions of today’s youths truly, on balance, lead us to a brighter future by exploring the impact they are making in the domains of education, environment, and technology. |
Students, you must have heard of the PEEL method by now. We introduce the POINT in the first sentence, ELABORATE on the point, then substantiate with EVIDENCE or EXAMPLES , and finally, we round it all off by LINKING back to the point.
It sounds easy enough, doesn’t it?
Each body paragraph should only discuss one main idea , and only one! Introduce the main idea in your topic sentence (the first sentence of your body paragraph), not after you’ve given your example or when you’re wrapping up the paragraph.
A good topic sentence is straightforward and clear .
Here is an example of a coherent and concise topic sentence:
After you have crafted your topic sentence, it’s time to elaborate on your main point. A well-developed body paragraph elaborates by delving deeper into the main point and substantiating with relevant examples or evidence.
For our point on “education”, consider asking and answering the following questions:
a. Your essay must not be example-driven ! It must always be point-driven.
b. Remember to make the link from your examples/ evidence back to your topic sentence. This illustrates the relevance and strength of your evidence and reinforces your main point.
For our example, a coherent body paragraph could look like this:
[ ] In the sphere of education, youth activists are making positive changes by advocating to make education available to girls in less developed societies. [ ] It is because of their efforts that young women formerly deprived of education, due to reasons like patriarchal mindsets, are now able to access learning. [ ] A notable example is the Pakistani activist, Malala Yousafzai, who began her activism by bravely speaking out against the Taliban’s ban on education for girls. Her story did much to raise awareness about the existing barriers to education. She also co-founded the Malala Fund, which advocates for policy changes to prioritize girls’ education globally. Partnering with UNESCO, Malala’s fund has helped over 5,000 girls in countries like Egypt and Tanzania gain access to education. [ ] By giving these girls an education and helping them out of the poverty cycle, activists like Malala are helping to raise global literacy rates and reduce problems associated with poverty. Society gets a chance to benefit from what these young women can contribute to the workforce. [ ] It is clear the tireless efforts of these activists have made significant impact in the education domain. |
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Many students just reiterate the points in conclusion. But that is… you guessed it, boring. Last impression lasts! You want to provide an insight to this issue to demonstrate your maturity of thought. Apart from summarising your points, link your conclusion back to the introduction so that your essay comes a full circle. You can also use a quote or thought-provoking question for readers to make their own conclusion.
Check out this conclusion:I conclude by pointing out that it is unfair to generalise all young people; in every generation, there will be individuals who give that generation a bad name and those who, as this question suggests, make the world a better place. As shown in this essay, many youths in this generation are attempting to make an impact in different segments of society. But whether the efforts of these young trailblazers are, on balance, bettering the world is still a matter of debate. Furthermore, whether these efforts ultimately result in lasting positive changes depends not just on young people, but also on global leaders and international organisations. So perhaps the real question we should be asking is this: how can we, and not just the young people, work together to change this world for the better? |
Students, this is how you tackle a discursive essay. Try applying these tips to one of the topics above!
You might want to download a pdf copy of this article for future reference!
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Home » IELTS academic task 2 » Discursive essay IELTS task 2
Writing a discursive essay can be a part of your task 2 exam , therefore you want to make sure you know how to do it to the best of your abilities. To help you get there we have created a step-by-step plan explaining how to structure your discursive essay in order to reach your target band score.
A discursive essay will look at both sides, whereas an argumentative essay takes a stance, a position, and will argue for this position.
An argumentative essay can be used for a lot of IELTS essay answers, however if you see the ‘discuss both views, and give your opinion’ then you should be writing a discursive essay.
A discursive essay explores different opinions on a specific topic or idea.
The writer gives reasons and facts to support each argument he talks about. He then may provide his own opinion based on his exploration of these different perspectives.
When writing a discursive essay for your exam, for a band 7 or above the general consensus is around 350 -400 words, within a time frame of 40 minutes.
We recommend splitting your discursive essay into four paragraphs. This way you’ll get around ten minutes to prepare and write each paragraph.
You should always begin your discursive essay with an introduction.
Structure your introduction like this: 1. A background statement. 2. A more detailed background statement. 3. A summary of the opinions (for and against) this topic.
Electric cars will fully replace petrol and diesel-fuelled cars in the future. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?
1. A background statement about the topic:
Electric cars are currently being developed by many well-known automotive companies.
2. A more detailed background statement about the topic:
Many people still question whether electric cars are a feasible replacement for petrol and diesel-fueled vehicles.
3. A summary of the opinions (for and against) this topic:
In this essay I will explore the opinions for and against the use of electric cars and their replacement of petrol and diesel-fuelled cars.
In paragraph two you can discuss the first argument/opinion (the argument for the topic).
Structure paragraph two like this: 1. Opinion / argument 1 (for the topic) 2. One example to support this opinion/argument 3. A concluding sentence summing up the opinion/argument 1
Try to use connectors like:
1. Opinion/argument 1: On one hand, electric cars are environmentally friend. They require no non-renewable energy and are clean to run and maintain on the road. 2. One example to support this opinion/argument: To support this opinion, recent studies show that the use of electric cars helps to minimize pollution in urban and rural areas. 3. A concluding sentence summing up the opinion/argument 1: Clearly, electric cars are one way to tackle ecological concerns and support a ‘greener’ environment.
TIP: A lot of students get confused about giving personal examples. The question prompt is misleading! Give examples that you know of, not examples from your personal experience.
These examples help you develop your argument and act as supporting evidence for your position.
It is fine to mention external sources such as a ‘a recent scientific report’, ‘an academic paper from Russia’, etc. Here is a full tutorial all about giving examples .
In paragraph three write about the opinion/argument 2 (usually going against the topic).
Structure your paragraph three like this: 1. Opinion / argument 2 (against the topic) 2. One example to support this opinion/argument 3. A concluding sentence summing up the opinion/argument 2
Use phrases like:
1. Opinion/argument 2 ( against the topic): On the other hand, electric cars are inconvenient to maintain and to dispose of. 2. One example to support this opinion/argument: The driver of an electric vehicle must recharge his car approximately every 100 kilometres. In addition, the plutonium battery of an electric car is toxic to the environment and must be safely disposed of through expensive means. 3. A concluding sentence summing up the opinion/argument 2: In brief, scientists are still exploring ways to produce these types of vehicles so that they are easier to manufacture, maintain and use safely.
The last paragraph of your discursive essay should contain a summary of both previous opinions, and be ended with the writer’s opinion.
The last paragraph should be structured like this:
1. Summary of both previous opinions. Use key phrases like:
2. The writer’s opinion. Use language like:
3. Suggestion and Conclusion
1. Summary of both previous opinions: To sum up, it’s evident that there are both pros and cons in the development of electric vehicles. 2. The writer’s opinion: Despite the expense of development and the inconvenience of recharging electric cars, I still believe strongly that it is well worth the investment to continue research and production of these vehicles. 3. Suggestion and Conclusion: To conclude, we should remain open, supportive to the use of electric cars and to their development in the future.
TIP: Avoid informal language such as contractions and casual language patterns.
YES: It is said diesel fuelled cars are far superior for rural areas.
NO: It’s said diesel fuelled cars just totally crush it in rural areas.
Electric cars are currently being developed by many well-known automotive companies. Many people still question whether electric cars are a feasible replacement for petrol and diesel-fuelled vehicles. In this essay, I will explore the opinions for and against the use of electric cars and their replacement of petrol and diesel-fuelled cars. On one hand, electric cars are environmentally friend. They require no non-renewable energy and are clean to run and maintain on the road. To support this opinion, recent studies show that the use of electric cars helps to minimize pollution in urban and rural areas. Clearly, electric cars are one way to tackle ecological concerns and support a ‘greener’ environment. On the other hand, electric cars are inconvenient to maintain and to dispose of. The driver of an electric vehicle must recharge his car approximately every 100 kilometres. In addition, the plutonium battery of an electric car is toxic to the environment and must be safely disposed of through expensive means. In brief, scientists are still exploring ways to produce these types of vehicles so that they are easier to manufacture, maintain and use safely. To sum up, it’s evident that there are both pros and cons in the development of electric vehicles. Despite the expense of development and the inconvenience of recharging electric cars, I still believe strongly that it is well worth the investment to continue research and production of these vehicles. To conclude, we should remain open, supportive to the use of electric cars and to their development in the future.
For an introduction on how to start IELTS writing task 2 click here :
For more practice, take a look at our task 2 sample essays , a band 9 IELTS essay or our essay correction service to help you improve your band score!
The topics will be the same as all the other IELTS writing task 2 topics you will face. These include:
IELTS essay topics and answers: education
IELTS essay topics and answer: globalisation
IELTS essay topics and answer: travel and transport
IELTS essay topics and answer: employment
IELTS essay topics and answer: employment (skills)
IELTS topic and answer: education
IELTS essay topics and answer: gender issues
IELTS topic: gender issues (career)
IELTS essay topics and answer: technology
IELTS essay topic and answer: health
IELTS essay topics and answer: society
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Effective communication is a cornerstone of academic success, and mastering discursive essays is a crucial step in this journey. Essays for your English class, like discursive essays, are not just academic exercises but opportunities to enhance your analytical and persuasive skills.
In this guide, we’ll explore the intricacies of crafting compelling discursive essays, providing insights and practical tips to help you navigate how to write a discursive essay successfully. Let’s embark on the journey of honing your ability to present balanced viewpoints and articulate your thoughts with clarity and precision.
Discursive essays are versatile, allowing you to argue for or against a topic or present a balanced view. These essays, integral to English classes, foster critical thinking by exploring various perspectives. They come in different forms, such as opinion essays, for and against essays, or essays proposing solutions to problems. Understanding the nature and purpose of discursive essays is crucial for excelling in your English class.
The structure of a discursive essay is straightforward but essential. It has a snappy introduction, persuasive body paragraph and a cohesive conclusion.
In the introduction, set the stage by clearly stating your stance or indicating a balanced view. The body paragraphs are the core, where arguments are built, each paragraph dedicated to a specific aspect of the topic. Finally, the conclusion summarises key points and may include your final position. This structure ensures coherence and clarity.
How to Write an Introduction for a Discursive Essay
The introduction is your chance to captivate readers. Avoid cliches and generalisations; instead, consider opening with a thought-provoking question, a relevant quote, or a surprising statistic.
For example, if your essay is on the impact of technology on education, you might start with, “In an era dominated by screens, is traditional education becoming obsolete?”
Clearly state your stance or intention to present a balanced view.
For instance, “In this essay, we will explore both sides of the debate regarding the influence of technology on education, ultimately arriving at a nuanced perspective.”
How to Write the Body for a Discursive Essay
The body is where your arguments unfold. Divide it into paragraphs, each focused on a specific point. Provide evidence from reputable sources to support your claims. To maintain a smooth transition between paragraphs, use connectives like ‘equally,’ ‘similarly,’ or ‘on the contrary.’ If you’re discussing the positive impact of technology on education, a transition could be, “Similarly, the accessibility of online resources has revolutionised the learning experience.”
How to Write a Conclusion for a Discursive Essay
The conclusion is not a mere repetition but a synthesis of your main findings. Recap key points and, depending on the essay type, state your final position. Express your personal opinion logically, aligning it with the evidence presented in the body. For example, “While technology offers unprecedented opportunities, a balanced approach that preserves the essence of traditional education is vital.”
For personalised guidance and support in mastering discursive essays, consider reaching out to A Team Tuition. Our English academic personal trainers offer valuable insights and assistance tailored to your specific needs.
Whether forming study groups, seeking your teacher’s guidance, or opting for private tutoring and mentoring through A Team Tuition, these avenues can elevate your essay writing skills.
Remember, mastering discursive essays is not just about academic achievement; it’s a lifelong skill that enhances your ability to think critically and communicate effectively. Take the first step toward academic excellence – contact A Team Tuition to schedule your first session and unlock your full potential. Happy writing!
Argumentative and discursive writing form a large portion of the Paper 1 Syllabus, albeit often mistaken for each other due to their similarities and overlaps in writing techniques. In the first part of this two-part series, let us iron out the differences between these two text types so that we can tackle them better in our writing.
The baseline difference between Argumentative and Discursive is innate to definition. As the terms imply, an argumentative essay requires you to argue towards an explicit stand. Its individual points and structure revolve around putting across and strengthening this stand to convince the reader. Discursive, on the other hand, requires you to discuss an issue as is, primarily to educate the reader. Thus, there isn’t a need to take an explicit stand or frame its points towards one.
It is important to distinguish this main difference between the two early-on; missing the purpose of the text type causes our writing to go haywire and become severely penalized.
The onus is on the writer in you to present the most holistic take on a topic as possible. However, both text types achieve the concept of balance and scope differently.
Discursive is generally neutral and free-for-all discussion; as such, we aim to maximize breadth and depth. There are 2 trains of thought to come up with a decent number of points to work with. The first way is to consider the dimensions of a topic. Most issues usually involve political, social and economic dimensions, and in some cases, technological, psychological, geographical and other applicable ones. We can dedicate one paragraph for a dimension and elaborate on it thoroughly. Secondly, we can analyze the topic at different scales – usually by considering how the topic affects the individual, group and society. Oftentimes, there are intermediate levels such as groups within an organization or groups of different backgrounds impacting each other.
Argumentative essays, on the other hand, achieve a balance between thesis and anti-thesis that support and refute your stand respectively. You must devise enough thesis points that are sufficiently in-depth standalone, while being sufficiently-varied to cover factors for scope. The anti-thesis is also essential; without it, only presenting a thesis makes your writing appear one-sided and stubborn or silent regarding the flaws of your argument. In contrast, acknowledging these gaps and being able to counter-argue against them is a sign of strength. Not only do you acknowledge potential holes and exceptions in the opposite arguments, you can also refute them confidently and thoroughly, thus making your argument more holistic.
In timed examination conditions, you are expected to write an introduction, five body paragraphs and a conclusion to compose an essay of healthy length and completeness.
Based on our earlier reasoning, the optimal structure for Argumentative would be:
Discursive structure is less rigid, but your sequence of paragraphs must be justifiably logical. For instance, if we generate our points using the scaling method, it is sensible to write them in ascending scale ie. a body paragraph about the individual level, then the group, then the organization, and finally, the societal level.
Which of these two text types is easier? You may find the Discursive to be harder as it requires you to devise a wider range of points. Or that the Argumentative is easier if you feel strongly for a topic or can express your views more directly, albeit bearing a higher risk for not sounding critical, balanced or clear-stating of your stand. Difficulty also varies with the question and to an extent, your prior knowledge of the topic (and similar ones). Ultimately, the answer lies in your ability and knowledge. Every situation is a different scenario.
Do you have a preference for either text type? In the next part of our series, we shall zero-in on some smart ways to start each text type’s introduction.
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A discursive essay or discussing essay is similar to other essays in that it shares information and gives an opinion, but differs because it doesn’t provide any new knowledge or insight.
Instead, the goal of this type of essay is to convince the reader by arguing for your position and providing evidence. This blog post will teach you how to write a discursive essay so you are ready for your next assignment!
What is discursive essay? A discursive essay is a type of argumentative essay that should take the reader through your thought process and reasoning. This type of writing takes on a certain position or argument. It is usually written in order to convince the reader of a particular point of view.
For example, if you are writing about how college should be free for all students, then your stance would be pro-free college education and your goal would be convincing the readers that this idea should become reality.
Discursive writing is one of the most basic forms of writing. It can be used to write about anything from a personal experience, to an opinion on a current event.
There are many different types of topics that you can pick from, but before picking one it’s important to make sure the reader will be interested enough in what you have to say about it.
Secondly, after choosing your subject matter for discussion and research, come up with an introduction based on some introductory questions into why this issue deserves attention or needs solving.
This way readers understand where your argument stems from and how they should take it further by reading more than just what was written here.
A strong conclusion is key when coming to any type of discourse because it ties everything together nicely so there isn’t anything left hanging that could confuse anyone who happened upon your writing.
Finally, you can always think of an example or case study to illustrate the issue at hand and provide a real-life scenario for your readers so they understand it better.
Introduction
The introduction for a discussing essay is often short, with the writer providing one or two paragraphs to introduce the topic.
This section should also include an explanation of what it means to be “discursively” writing so that readers understand how this text will organize and present information differently than other types of essays.
The majority of your discursive essay paper should consist of reading/writing about your topic in depth with evidence from research included throughout each paragraph.
In addition, you can provide additional content by including quotes from sources who have studied more deeply into the subject at hand; questions that need answering when considering certain aspects of your issue; descriptions about different perspectives on your topic; etcetera. You do not need to follow a strict outline or linear structure in your writing.
The conclusion
Your discursive essay should end with a summary of the key points you have made throughout your paper, and how these pieces of information connect to one another. This is also where you can make an argument for why this issue matters.
This is how discursive essays are typically structured in order to best engage with their audiences and get them thinking about what they’ve just read which leads into understanding on their own about this topic as well as opening up new avenues that could lead towards solving whatever problem may be at hand.
In a nutshell, discourse writing is engaging because its written in such away where arguments come together around one focused subject matter which brings forth introspection from anyone who reads it.
Discourse essay structures help keep everything organized while still being engaging by discussing events related to the argument’s topic.
“ The Misunderstanding between Feminists and Transgender Activists over Gender Identity Politics
In our current society, it seems as though feminists are not unified on their stance towards transgender activism based solely off of gender identity politics…Or so says what many people believe without taking into account that there are two different schools of feminism which reflect differing opinions about trans* rights and inclusion within the feminist movement. Some feminists are in favor of including transgender people, while other feminists believe that trans* activism is actually a threat to the feminist movement.
The debate between these two schools of feminism has become so intense and complicated that it can be difficult for someone who is not well-versed in feminist theory to understand what they are fighting about. However, with both sides having strong arguments rooted in past experiences as women, there’s no easy way out .”
“So why should we use recreational drugs?
Most people argue against drugs for many different reasons: moral arguments, health concerns, legal consequences, and so on. This Discursive Essay will examine all of these arguments as well as the idea that drugs are good for society in general
An argument against using recreational drugs is moral concerns because people argue they’re morally wrong; this could be challenged by saying what about alcohol? If we say some things like driving while intoxicated or drinking from a baby bottle when you’re over 18 then there’s no difference with doing illegal substances.
A health concern to consider would be physical ailments such as lung cancer which can happen after smoking weed but it also comes down to how long you smoked for and if you have any family history related problems. The second point about health is mental illnesses such as addiction which depends on individual circumstance.
Legal concerns can range from being caught with drugs in your car to possession charges, and result in fines or jail time. The third point about legal concerns is how the drug affects you which can happen even if it’s not doing anything wrong because people react differently.
Societal implications exist due to culture: some societies may be more accepting of certain substances while others have a stricter view. This may depend on who they are talking to as well and what their position was so this could create an atmosphere where someone might feel pressured into using any substance at all times just for acceptance purposes.
Moral objectives would only really matter for those within that moral objective but if there were two parties then one will think its morally right while another doesn’t see it as being wrong. Morals can be seen as subjective and so this leads to the two parties having different views on a certain action.
Facts, such as when someone is hurting themselves or others due to substance use, are objective facts that don’t rely on feelings but rather sense. When something has an effect then it will have consequences because of how its affecting them physically or mentally which means that if they continue with their actions until these consequences happen then it becomes objectively morally wrong for one’s own sake.
Situations that may affect an individual’s understanding are: personal perspectives, societal views and cultural values. These all play a role in how people understand as well because it can impact their mental state which could have different effects on what they believe to be right from wrong for them personally.
If there is no medication then this will result in negative consequences but not always – if someone takes enough of the drug then they’ll experience withdrawal symptoms like weight loss, nausea and insomnia depending on the type of substance consumed so this would need to be taken into account when writing about drugs. ”
Topic: “ Is technology good or bad ” discursive essay
Technological advances have become so widespread in society that most people will not be able to live without them. Many of these same technological advancements are also linked with the progression of information technology, which has been a major factor in shaping and defining our culture today. With this being said, it is important to ask ourselves whether or not these technologies are good for us? Or should we reconsider how we use certain aspects of technology?
This discursive Essay will discuss five possible pros and cons related specifically to the advancement of technology including social media usage, cyber bullying, reliance on cell phones as well as computer-related activities at work/at home. It will then further explore if there are any other alternatives aside from just relying on devices like laptops or mobile phones.
The pros of technology have been argued to be the convenience it brings. For example, social media has made connecting with people easier than ever before and allows us to get information without having to go out in person or look for a local newspaper article. It also provides entertainment as well as other features that make life simpler. This includes apps like weather forecasting, calculators and even online shopping.
On the flip side, there are negative aspects related to how we use some technologies today such as cyber bullying which is defined as “the new form of face-to-face abuse”. In regards to the reliance on devices like laptops or mobile phones at work/at home; this can cause laziness due to the lack of physical movement.
There are many positives that can come from the internet such as access to information, communication with people who live in different geographical locations and a vast amount of content (both useful and useless). However, we must take caution when it comes to how much time is spent online and what types of things they look at on social media sites like Facebook , Instagram , Twitter , Pinterest , LinkedIn , Reddit and Youtube .
Technology has both positive aspects but also negative ones depending on which side you’re looking at it from. The awesome thing about this topic though is there’s not one answer because everyone carries their own opinion on whether it be good or bad so anyone reading these words should form an opinion themselves by critiquing my thoughts instead of just taking them as the truth .”
This article provides practical tips on how to write a discursive essay, the structure, format, outline for this kind of academic paper as well as some topics you may want to consider when working on your own composition.
We also provide an example at the end in case you need more help with understanding what it takes to craft these types of homework essays properly.
If none of these ideas appeal or if you are still unsure about where to start with your work, we invite you to contact Essay-writing.com today; our professional writers will be happy to offer their “ write my essay ” expertise and make sure all aspects are taken care for so that nothing stands between you and success!
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Essay Writing Guides
Writing a discursive essay is an engaging way to explore various perspectives on a topic. Unlike other essay types, discursive essays provide a balanced discussion, presenting different viewpoints and arguments. This type of essay helps develop critical thinking skills and encourages a thorough understanding of the subject.
In this article, we will delve into the intricacies of discursive essays, including their definition, main types, and how they compare to other essay forms. Whether you are a student or a professional writer, mastering the art of discursive writing can enhance your analytical and writing skills.
A discursive essay is an essay that presents both sides of an argument or topic without showing personal bias. “Discursive” comes from “discourse,” which involves sharing thoughts on a particular idea. In this essay, you must objectively present the topic’s pros and cons, advantages and disadvantages. The writer remains neutral throughout the essay’s body, only revealing their own opinion in the conclusion, supported by the discussion in the preceding paragraphs. This approach encourages a balanced and comprehensive exploration of the subject matter.
Discursive essays come in three main types: for and against, opinion, and problem-solution.
Struggling with Your Discursive Essay?
Our expert writers are ready to help you write a balanced and compelling discursive essay. Don’t let the complexities of presenting multiple viewpoints overwhelm you.
Discursive essays differ significantly from other essays in their structure, purpose, and writing style. Here, we will explore how discursive essays compare to argumentative, descriptive, and narrative essays.
A discursive Essay focuses on presenting multiple perspectives on a topic without bias, objectively discussing both sides of an argument. In contrast, an argumentative essay aims to persuade the reader of a particular viewpoint, presenting solid arguments and evidence to support one side while refuting the opposing side.
A discursive essay engages in a balanced discussion on a specific topic, presenting various viewpoints and supporting evidence. In contrast, a descriptive essay focuses on describing a person, place, event, or object in detail, using sensory language to create a vivid picture for the reader without necessarily presenting arguments. You can read more on descriptive essays to get the difference better.
A discursive essay involves a formal and objective discussion on a topic, weighing different perspectives without personal bias, whereas a narrative essay tells a story or recounts an event from the writer’s perspective, emphasizing personal experience and often using a more informal, creative style.
Writing a discursive essay involves several steps to ensure a balanced and comprehensive discussion. Here is a guide to help you craft an effective discursive essay:
Step 1: Choose a Topic
Step 2: Research Both Sides
Step 3: Plan Your Structure
Create an outline with an introduction, several body paragraphs, and a conclusion.
Step 4: Write Objectively
Step 5: Revise and Edit
Examples of discursive essay topics.
Discursive essays explore various sides of a topic, presenting multiple viewpoints to encourage thoughtful discussion and analysis. Choosing the right topic is crucial for engaging readers and providing a balanced argument. Here are ten examples of discursive essay topics covering various contemporary issues.
These topics provide a foundation for balanced and comprehensive discursive essays, encouraging critical thinking and informed discussion. If you are interested in more topics, you can explore our extensive list of research topics.
Writing a discursive essay requires careful planning, research, and a balanced approach to presenting arguments. Here are some helpful tips to enhance your discursive essay writing:
Discursive essays offer a valuable opportunity to explore multiple perspectives, fostering critical thinking and balanced analysis. By presenting well-researched arguments and maintaining an objective tone, writers can engage readers in meaningful discussions that promote a deeper understanding of complex issues. Whether comparing discursive essays to other essay types or providing practical writing tips, the insights shared in this article aim to equip you with the tools needed to craft compelling and informative discursive essays. Embrace the challenge, and let your writing contribute to thoughtful dialogue and informed debate.
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Examples of discursive writing include essays that explore multiple viewpoints on topics such as the impact of social media on society, the pros and cons of remote work, the legalization of marijuana, and the ethics of animal testing. In each case, the writer presents balanced arguments for and against the topic, supporting each side with evidence and maintaining an objective tone.
To start a discursive essay, begin with an engaging introduction that introduces the topic and states that you will discuss both sides of the argument. Provide some background information to give context and highlight the importance of the topic. End the introduction with a clear thesis statement that outlines the essay’s structure without revealing your stance.
A discursive essay presents multiple viewpoints on a topic in a balanced and objective manner, discussing both sides without showing bias until the conclusion. An argumentative essay, on the other hand, aims to persuade the reader to accept a specific viewpoint, presenting solid arguments and evidence to support one side while refuting the opposing side.
No, a discursive essay is not the same as a descriptive essay. A discursive essay involves a balanced discussion of different perspectives, presenting arguments and evidence for both sides. A descriptive essay, however, focuses on describing a person, place, event, or object in detail, using sensory language to create a vivid picture for the reader without necessarily presenting arguments or viewpoints.
The University of Queensland. Planning a Discursive Essay. https://uq.pressbooks.pub/academicwritingskills/chapter/discursive-essay-plan/
Racquel English Tutor. How to Write a Discursive Essay[Video]. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_TnTQt7v6J4
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If you are in the process of obtaining an academic degree, working on writing assignments is an inherent part of your curriculum. Essays are some of the most popularly assigned types of writing that come in a variety of types. One of the most popular kinds is discursive essays. So, if you wonder how to write a discursive essay, this article is just the thing for you.
It is an essay that focuses on a specific problem, issue or controversy. Such essay can be formal or informal. This task is included in the academic curriculum of many students because it helps them showcase their writing, analytical, and interpretive skills. The characteristic feature of any discursive essay is its objectivity. When covering a particular topic, the writer should do it in a maximally objective and unbiased manner, thus providing the most accurate and relevant arguments. When writing a discursive essay, you need to avoid phrases like “I believe,” “I suggest,” “I opine,” etc. Instead, it is recommended to use the third-person perspective to make the essay sound objective. Writing a discursive essay requires working with peer-reviewed and credible academic sources to add value to arguments.
Keep in mind that, when writing discursive essay, it is recommendable to adhere to a calm tone of writing. Unlike in a persuasive essay, there is no need to provide strong arguments and sound convincing within the given topic. More so, you ought also to mind vocabulary usage, i.e. avoid colloquial language, slang, and other examples of informal language. If you want to excel in discursive essay writing, you can try to order an essay from WeWriteOnline.com or devote sufficient time to learning the main principles and guidelines on how to write a discursive essay on your own.
There are three types of discursive essays.
To write a successful and effective discursive essay, you need to maintain a proper structure. Specifically, this essay is to have a clear introduction, well-developed body paragraphs, and a conclusion. To make sure that you follow the structure in a proper way and do not deviate from the plan, it is recommendable to write a discursive essay outline. The most important part of the essay is the main body, which ought adequately to discuss the main aspects of the topic and include supportive evidence and examples. The ideas presented in the main body have to be coherent and related to the thesis statement.
On the whole, discursive essay structure is similar to that of other essay types. As you have already noticed, it has all the main elements, i.e. the introduction, body paragraphs, and the conclusion. The only thing that is essential to remember about the discursive essay format is that it presents viewpoints on the topic in a specific way so that the main opinion is agreed on by the target audience by the time the conclusion is reached. Thus, one needs to be acquainted with the rhetorical strategies of presenting viewpoints and effectively communicating ideas across. Still, there are some basic rules that can help you succeed in discursive paper writing, so check them out below.
You may think that an introduction is merely a short part of the essay, so it does not bear much importance. However, it really does as it serves to be the opening paragraph that appeals to the audiences and catches their attention. Also, the role of the introduction is to help readers get familiar with the topic and its background. So, you need to learn how to fit the most essential basic information into a brief paragraph. When writing a discursive essay, you have also to focus on the significance of the issue and pinpoint to how the problem or topic is relevant.
How to write a discursive essay main body? Once you have composed the introduction that provides background information on your topic, it is high time to develop the very topic throughout the body paragraphs. If you do not know how to structure and develop the body paragraphs, you may take a look at an example of a discursive essay and get acquainted with the way of essay organization.
First, write an opening paragraph that contains more summative information or the author’s general opinion on the topic. Second, pay ample attention to the development of arguments and counterarguments. Make sure that each separate point is to be written from a new paragraph. It is crucial to start each body paragraph with a topic sentence so that it is clear to your readers what ideas you plan to discuss. When developing ideas, make sure that you rely on credible and up-to-date sources, i.e. journal articles, peer-reviewed sources, statistical and numerical data, and other trustworthy supporting evidence.
If you encounter problems developing arguments, get discursive essay help from expert writers.
To wrap up your discursive essay, you need to write an effective conclusion. While the introduction makes a first impression on the reader, the conclusion provides a lasting impression, so it is also really important. To conclude the essay, you need to frame the main issues, sum up the underlying ideas, and provide a personal opinion on the topic, if needed. It is crucial to consider that you ought not to introduce any new ideas but simply reiterate the analyzed ones. What is more, the purpose of the conclusive paragraph is to provide a call for further discussions or future research. Nonetheless, take into account that any assumptions or predictions you make is to be relevant to the topic.
Present your subject. Provide some information about the situation in your region. Identify the factors that could cause such a situation. Follow the example given below:
Crimes are one of the most essential problems…
Recently, crimes have been increased/decreased.
Among the typical crimes are …
The terrible thing is that there is a rise in…
The decisive factor in this is the level of unemployment which…
One more reason for this is …
Notice: If you support a particular point of view, you need to present the opposing opinion first. On the contrary, you should do everything vice versa if you deny a certain statement.
Explain why you adopt this position. Set out convincing reasons. Give good examples and present concrete facts.
State the reasons for supporting this viewpoint. Site vivid examples and provide strong arguments.
In this unit, you need to show your attitude towards the discussed question. You can use the following phrases:
To my mind…, As for me…, I find it….
When producing a discursive essay, it is necessary to present different points of view on the addressed matter. Therefore, your work will sound more objective. However, in the concluding unit, you need to present only your own viewpoint. During the course of writing, you should use the passive constructions, transition words (e.g. nevertheless, additionally, hence, etc.), and other grammar structures.
Presenting facts:
Someone thinks that it is necessary to bring back severe sentences.
Some British people support the American “Three strikes” laws.
Additionally, some people think that prisoners live in very good conditions.
Particular arguments are provided in favor of imposing the death penalty again.
Perhaps it is necessary to take the opinion of the victim’s relatives into consideration.
There are some counterarguments to handing out capital punishment and heavier sentences.
One of the facts in support of shorter imprisonment is that the prisons are overcrowded.
There are some people who think that prisons can improve criminals’ behavior.
Additionally, it is thought that capital punishment is considered judicial murder.
It is also stated that there may be cases when innocent people may suffer from the wrong verdicts.
Moreover, a death penalty is regarded as an infringement of human rights.
Providing examples, arguments, and facts:
A number of people think that keeping the most violent criminals in prisons for a long time is one of the advantages of severe sentences.
One more benefit is that people could feel greater safety.
As a result, the number of crimes committed by a small group of people could be eliminated.
For instance, a lot of crimes are carried out by former prisoners.
There are still some people who think that harsher sentences may cause a lot of disadvantages. The thing is that it would be harder for prisoners to live in society again.
According to the conducted research&hellip.
Analyzing statistical data
Building a Vocabulary
Types of crimes and punishment:
Crimes: murder – murderer, shoplifting – shoplifter, burglary – burglar, rape – rapist, to commit a crime, to be given a severe sentence, to be arrested, to be let off with a fine, to consider the desires of victims, to be let out of prison, to bring back capital punishment, etc.
Legislative issues: the courts, judicial/legal system, judges, judicial mistakes, law, etc.
Cause / Result Connection:
There was an increase in drug consumption that resulted in the rise in the number of crimes.
The number of dangerous crimes has increased because of heavy drug consumption.
The rise of dangerous crimes can be explained by increasing drug consumption.
The drug consumption boosted. It resulted in the growth of crimes.
Due to the increase in the consumption of drugs, there was a rise in serious crimes.
The growth of serious crimes is the result of growing drug consumption.
It is said that today’s prisons can be compared to five-star hotels because huge sums of money were spent on them.
Prisoners should be reformed so that they are able to come back and live in society.
Significant reforms should be introduced to bring prisoners back to life in society.
As / Like Issues:
The article was amazing as it was about the arrest of a group of criminals (“as” = “because”)
His brother works as a prison officer (“works as” means “is”)
Capital punishment is like any other type of murder (“like” equals “the same as”)
People treated him as a violent criminal (“as” stands for “in the same way as”)
It is because of several reasons, like unemployment and terrible living conditions (“like’ is used instead of “for instance”)
The reason for that is such problems as unemployment and terrible living conditions (“such as” means “for example”)
It is not as hard as it is thought (comparison).
If you question yourself how to write a discursive essay, keep in mind that it is a type of writing that researches a controversial topic in depth. The essay may make emphasis on exploring either for & against aspect or identify and analyze the pros and cons. Whatever approach you choose, consider that you have to provide a well-balanced argument and only after that share your personal opinion.
At the same time, keep in mind that a discursive paper is not written in a debate-like form. Your main aim ought not to be to convince your readers but rather to investigate the given topic from multiple perspectives.
If you still wonder how to write a discursive essay successfully, you may look through samples. They may also come in handy for you if you hesitate as to what topic to choose. Our experts have come up with multiple engaging topics that you may like. Check them out below:
If you are having any difficulties with writing discursive essay, do not waste your time and let us assist you. Our team of seasoned writers and editors is at your disposal 24/7. No matter how challenging or urgent your request is, we will provide you with a perfect paper that will please the most demanding teacher. If you have any questions in the process of our cooperation, you can get in touch with our support representatives and they will provide you with accurate answers. After all, we are working to make you closer to your academic success. So, stop hesitating and buy discursive essay projects at our custom writing service!
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So, you need to accomplish your discursive essay writing. The typical questions most students ask are: How do you write it? What is discursive essay?
A discursive essay is an academic paper that involves a discussion on a particular topic. It is usually assigned to college students. You may be required to write a paper wherein you have to do one of the following:
Don’t panic!
Check out the tips from Custom-writing.org experts below. They will assist you in discursive writing and encourage you to examine essay examples. Moreover, in this article, you’ll also learn about different types of discursive essay, and its introduction, main body, and conclusion structure.
First of all, let’s figure out what the discursive essay is.
You may think it’s similar to the argumentative essay. Yes, but there’s a difference between them in the structure and purpose of these two types of assignments:
Purpose | To provide a reliable and unbiased assessment of an issue. Nevertheless, your discursive writing does not have to be completely neutral. You should write it using the facts and research reports to present both sides of the issue. | To persuade the reader in your position, providing supporting evidence. This essay type relies on thorough research so that the author can both convince and educate the reader. However, the result should be less passionate and more concise than that of a . |
Structure | Its style is more impersonal and formal in comparison with other assignment types: | Its style is general for essays as the reader should understand what you stand for |
We will take a detailed look at how to structure a discursive essay later, and now let’s find out what are the types of this assignment.
Keep reading!
You have to think more critically and more in-depth when reviewing all viewpoints and aspects of discursive writing. Check these three main types of essay writing:
Well, it’s time to talk about the structure of a discursive essay. Like most of the assignments, a discursive paper starts with an introduction and ends with a conclusion:
The first question you may ask is how to start a discursive essay introduction. Simple!
You may be wondering…
Is there something I should avoid in my discursive essay introduction?
Yes. No stereotypes and generalizations, please!
The next step under formal essay writing you should take is to compose the body.
There are a few points you should remember:
Well, you’ve almost finished your writing. Now you should focus on the last section. Keep reading, and you will learn how to write a conclusion for a discursive essay.
Keep it short. Your conclusion length should not exceed one paragraph.
Do you want more discursive essay writing tips? Fine! Just check them below:
Well, now you know what discursive essay means, what are its main types, and how to structure it.
Good luck with your discussions and discursive essays! Be sure to check out the articles on our blog for more academic wisdom. By the way, on the Custom-Writing website, you may find the best essay topics for your academic writing.
And don’t forget to share your opinion in the comments below.
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3. Add an appropriate Introduction and Conclusion.
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The discursive essay is a new component of Module C: The Craft of Writing. In this article, we explain what a discursive essay is and give you a step-by-step process for writing one.
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Do you know what a discursive essay even is? Do you know how discursive responses differ from persuasive responses? What does discursive even mean? If you’re asking yourself these questions, you’re not alone. But don’t worry! In this post, we’re going to explain what a discursive essay is and show you to write one worthy of a Band 6.
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A discursive essay is a type of writing that explores a few different perspectives.
NESA gives the following definition for discursive texts:
Texts whose primary focus is to explore an idea or variety of topics. These texts involve the discussion of an idea(s) or opinion(s) without the direct intention of persuading the reader, listener or viewer to adopt any single point of view. Discursive texts can be humorous or serious in tone and can have a formal or informal register.
NESA adds that discursive essays can have some of the following features :
The discursive essays you have to produce will need to discuss ideas in this way.
Don’t worry, it’s actually a lot more fun than it sounds.
Let’s see why.
The 2019 English Syllabus for the HSC has substantially changed Module C.
No longer is Module C another Module analysing texts and writing essays. Instead, the new Module C: The Craft of Writing is aimed at helping you become a better writer.
To do this, they’ve developed a Module that requires you to write in a variety of different modes:
NESA hope that by teaching you to write in a variety of modes you will become a more confident and competent communicator.
This approach to writing will broaden your writing skills in ways that are practically accessible outside of High School and the HSC.
Most essays that you write in High School ask you to take a position on something and argue for it. Essentially, you’re being asked to persuade a reader of something – a theme or an idea in a text or its connection to context.
In contrast, discursive essays don’t require you to take a particular position on something.
Instead, when you write a discursive essay, you can explore your topic from a few different perspectives. This gives you the opportunity to explore the pros and cons and also see what others might think of something.
In addition, discursive essays are less rigid and formal than the standard persuasive essay you are asked to produce for other Modules. In a discursive essay, you will have the opportunity to develop your own voice and style.
Consider the following table to get a sense of the differences in forms:
Table: Comparison of Discursive and Persuasive Essays | ||
Detail | Discursive Essay | Persuasive Essay |
Register of language | A mix of formal and informal languages with occasional colloquialisms | Formal |
Style and tone | Aim for an educated audience, but the tone and style can be friendly and more openly subjective | Academic, objective, and intellectual |
Use of first-person pronouns | First-person pronouns are fine | First person pronouns should be used cautiously and judiciously |
Use of figurative devices | Should be used throughout | Not recommended |
Use of evidence and examples | Yes, but not in a T.E.E.L or P.E.E.L format | Yes, consistently and in a particular format |
Structure | Requires an introduction, conclusion, and paragraphing. Paragraph length can vary. There is no definitive scaffold. | Introduction, body paragraphs, conclusion. Formal structure appropriate to the Module. Consistent paragraph length throughout. |
Learn how to research, structure and write a discursive essay with expert step-by-step guidance and feedback!
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Writing a discursive essay is a bit different to a persuasive essay. There are both stylistic and structural differences to the formats you are used to.
Let’s see what these differences are.
When you’re writing an essay, your opinion always counts. It doesn’t matter if you are writing a detailed persuasive essay for Module B or a discursive piece as part of a Module C assessment, your ideas and opinions are crucial.
However, when you write a persuasive essay, there is the assumption that it is your voice and your opinion. Hence, teachers often say not to use personal pronouns because adding a stronger element of your personal voice will make your writing seem too subjective and, thus, not as persuasive.
Additionally, personal pronouns in persuasive essays are often seen as being tautological (this means, essentially, saying something twice, which is seen by some as a stylistic fault).
In contrast, in a discursive essay, you can take a more personal approach. For example, including personal anecdotes and your own strong voice can help add depth and insight to the perspectives you discuss.
Discursive essays are stylistically different to persuasive essays. They can be serious or they can be humorous.
They’re not a new style of writing – discursive essays were a very common form of writing during the Renaissance and Early Modern Period.
Mary Wollstonecraft, Charles Lamb, Elizabeth Barret Browning, Samuel Johnson, GK Chesterton, and Michel de Montaigne were all famous essayists in their time who wrote discursive texts as well as persuasive ones.
Over time, the discursive essay became less common than the persuasive essay. In our context, discursive writing is becoming more common once more. Contemporary writers such as Zadie Smith, Helen Garner, John D’Agata, and Ta-Nesi Coates all have discursive essays among their oeuvre.
You will find examples of discursive writing in publications like:
You’ll need to provide evidence in your discursive essays, but not in the same sense as your persuasive writing.
The idea is to explore ideas or a variety of topics. To do this, you’ll have to present some evidence. But this won’t necessarily include literary analysis (although it might if you so choose).
You’re not going to be writing T.E.E.L or P.E.E.L paragraphs or listing techniques and effects (not that you should ever list technique and effect!).
Instead, you’ll be writing about ideas and maybe supporting these with quotations from other people or you’ll be supporting them with anecdotes and reflections from your personal experience.
When you write persuasive essays, you will draw on essay scaffolds depending on whether you are discussing one or more texts and the Module you’re studying. In addition, you want to ensure that your paragraphs are consistent in length and have explicit signposting – such, as topic sentences and linking sentences.
Discursive essays don’t have the same rigid structure or the same approach to signposting.
In a discursive essay, you may not be discussing texts, but rather ideas or things – for instance, an advertisement, political system, a type of sneaker. This means that some paragraphs will need to be longer than others, depending on the aspect of the idea you’re discussing.
In addition, because a discursive essay will want you to discuss things from an objective point of view, but also include your anecdotal experiences, where appropriate, you may find that your anecdotes produce shorter paragraphs than your discussion of ideas.
While you will need to introduce your ideas in the introduction and at the start of each paragraph, you won’t need to have formal thesis statements and topic sentences. You are, after all, trying to be more conversational and less formal.
As with producing any essay, there’s a process that you can follow to produce high-quality essays and make your life easier. Don’t worry, we’ve got a process we can use.
Let’s take a look at the steps Matrix method Matrix students learn.
Now we’ll discuss how to write a discursive essay. This process has the following steps:
When you write a persuasive essay, you are given a specific question. When you do a discursive task, you may not have a question at all. Instead, your discursive tasks will have a variety of potential forms:
Your discursive tasks may well be far more free-ranging than a persuasive essay.
Because of the nature of discursive essays, you won’t be analysing and unpacking a question like you would for a persuasive essay. instead, you’ll need to research and explore different ideas or subjects.
As with any essay, it is important that you take the time to research and plan your work first. This is especially true if you are writing on a topic for the first time. So, this is why we begin with planning and research.
Before you start doing anything, you need to consider what you know about the topic you need to discuss.
Your first step is to produce a mind-map that lists what you know about the topic. Mindmaps should list the aspects of the topic that you think are worth exploring or would be interesting to explore.
Your mindmap is important as it will give you the points that you need to explore and research.
You’ve produced a brainstorm so that you’ve something to start from. Now you have unpacked some ideas, you need to develop these ideas. This will require you to do some research.
Fortunately, you have the power of the internet at your fingers. Look at your mindmap and start researching the topics or ideas you have noted down.
Wikipedia is a good place to start looking for information about subjects. But you can also look at videos on Youtube or check out news sites, such as the New York Times.
Make sure you try to use reputable sites. For example, a personal blog is not going to have the same level of trustworthiness as a major news site, a museum, or Wikipedia.
You want to start by looking at the broad topic you find interesting, and then pick two or three aspects to consider in detail.
Don’t let your research get too out of hand, you’re likely only going to be writing a 1000-1200 word response.
Some dos and don’ts:
Once you’ve researched your topic, you’re ready to start planning things.
Even though a discursive essay lacks the formality of a persuasive response, you’re still going to need a logical structure.
This means you’ll need:
Planning is important because it will help you structure your introduction and develop your ideas. Your introduction should briefly introduce the topic and you’re talking about it.
When you plan, you want to note down your ideas and think about how to best present them so a reader can understand the topics you are discussing. This means planning what you will discuss in each paragraph and what bits of evidence are going to best assist this.
You might think about structuring your body paragraphs like this 4 paragraph structure:
This scaffold isn’t rigid. You could quite easily switch around where you put your anecdote. Rather than exploring different perspectives in different paragraphs, you may want to contrast these views in the same paragraph. In a discursive essay, you have flexibility.
Make sure you write this plan down on paper and make some notes about what bits of evidence or quotations
Now you’ve planned everything, you’re in a position to start writing.
Don’t feel ready to write yet? Do you need to see an exemplary discursive essay to see what you should be doing?
Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. Read a sample response, here .
Step 4: Write your introduction
The introduction of a discursive responsive is different to other essays in that you don’t have a formal thesis statement and thematic framework.
Instead, you can ask questions to introduce the topic or you can use an anecdote to frame the topic. You also don’t need to lay out a roadmap of how your essay will unfold, so you can spend time explaining your interest in the topic.
Some effective ways to start discursive essays are:
The length of your introduction can vary widely. As you’re not trying to explain the structure of your argument, you can focus on introducing the topic in the manner you find most engaging
This is where your planning comes in handy. When you’re writing the body of your discursive response, you want to think about the order of information your reader needs to make sense of your discussion. So, use your planning notes to structure your body paragraphs.
While you don’t need a topic sentence per se , you need to get to the subject of the paragraph within the first couple of sentences. You can vary the length of your paragraphs to suit the amount of material you want to discuss.
Some useful rules for writing your paragraphs:
Your conclusion needs to summarise things. While you’re not trying to reassert your ideas a’ la the persuasive essay, you do need to tie things together.
You don’t need to follow the rigid formula of :
Instead, you need to tie together the various perspectives that you’ve looked at in your essay.
Remember, the point of a discursive essay is to explore a subject from different perspectives and not persuade of a single perspective.
Because of this, you want to take your reader back through the different perspectives you’ve encountered. Perhaps you might present the perspective on a matter you hold – for example, “Yes, I do prefer dark chocolate to white chocolate, but that doesn’t mean that white chocolate is not without its uses, benefits, or zealots.”
Once you’ve finished your conclusion…
Congratulations!
You’ve finished your first draft. Now you’re ready to proofread and edit it to produce a second draft.
Once you’ve completed your first draft, you want to put it aside for a couple of hours or a day or two before you reread and edit it. This will let you look at it with “fresh eyes”, meaning that you will have forgotten bits of what you’ve written. Fresh eyes will allow you to a bit more objective when proofing your first draft.
ideally, you want to print out your first draft, so you can annotate it as you go. But that is not always convenient and it’s certainly not environmentally friendly. Using track changes on a Word, Pages, or GoogleDoc will also work.
Do take the time to annotate and use track changes. You want to keep track of your changes and you may also have to demonstrate that you’ve employed an editing process for your teachers
To proofread and edit your response you want to do the following:
It’s important to be objective about your writing.
It’s often hard to separate ourselves and our feelings from the things that we produce.
This can make it hard to give an honest appraisal about what works and what doesn’t. Do your best to be as objective and critical about your work as you can.
You need to use these notes and edits to write a second draft.
Once you’ve finished proofing and editing your work you’re ready to write your second draft.
You really should write a second draft from the beginning rather than editing an existing document.
Rewriting sounds like a lot of work, doesn’t it? But it’ll be worth it.
Rewriting drafts from scratch will always improve the quality of the writing. Because you are not already working with sentences on a page but, rather, are rewriting them, you will be less inclined not to change them and make them better.
What do I mean?
Do you ever look at a sentence in a word document that you’re editing and say to yourself, “I know I should change that sentence, but I really like it so I’m going to make it work?”
You’re not alone if you do. But it’s a bad habit to get into.
Rewriting your second draft from a blank page will make you less inclined to hang onto sentences that may seem beautiful to you, but aren’t great at conveying your ideas. In addition, rewriting your essay will make it easier to include new rhetorical devices and literary techniques, rearrange things, and make large structural changes.
Don’t hesitate to use the drafting process as a way to experiment with your writing and make it better.
What do I do once I’ve got a second draft of my discursive essay?
If you must, you can submit your second draft. Ideally, though, you should try and get a second opinion.
How should you do this?
Maybe you can run it by a friend or family member. Matrix students get feedback from their teachers and workshop tutors to help them develop their second drafts. If you approach your schoolteacher politely, they might give you some feedback if the task allows for it.
The drafting process doesn’t have to finish with the 3rd or, even, the fourth draft. You should keep refining your work to make sure it is as good as it can possibly be. Band 6 results don’t just miraculously appear, they are developed over time.
Once you have a 3rd draft, you’re to SUBMIT!
Written by Matrix English Team
© Matrix Education and www.matrix.edu.au, 2023. Unauthorised use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Matrix Education and www.matrix.edu.au with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
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Writing a discursive piece can be a daunting task. Discursive texts give us a considerable amount of freedom in terms of how we may structure our piece, which perspectives we will explore, and the writing style we adopt. This can be an exciting opportunity to express our own opinion and use our voice, however the lack of a standard structure may mean it can be difficult to know where to start. The form demands that we explore a range of perspectives on a topic. This means looking at an issue from many sides, and potentially coming up with our own opinions. A personal discursive piece is often a relatable provoking discussion and could end with a reflective resolution but no clear argument. We will then unpack the various perspectives we have explored through employing figurative language, anecdotes, statistics, quotes and other literary devices.
Here is the definition of discursive texts from the NSW Department of Education:
“Discursive texts are those whose primary focus is to explore an idea or a variety of topics. These texts involve the discussion of an idea(s) or opinion(s) without the direct intention of persuading the reader, listener or viewer to adopt any single point of view.
Discursive texts can be humorous or serious in tone and can have a formal or informal register. These texts include texts such as feature articles, creative nonfiction, blogs, personal essays, documentaries and speeches.
Discursive is about exploring a range of perspectives on an argument. We can flicker between two perspectives. Then we unpack these perspectives by using figurative language to express ‘evidence’ for these perspectives in the wider World.”
We can be as personal as we want! Use any kind of tone, and we can even incorporate humour in our writing – just remember to use it in moderation. We are able to venture through our own personal thoughts, beliefs, and life experiences, which might be more interesting to write about. Our piece can be open-ended, and you definitely don’t need to have a conclusive point that you have to prove.
Sometimes, the freedom we have in a discursive text can be intimidating and we might not know where to start Structure and language-wise, a discursive text is really flexible, but this means that our ideas have to be very insightful, well thought out and complex, while our writing needs to be strong and effective. It’s easy to accidentally write a persuasive text instead! The way around this is to remember that you aren’t trying to argue for a specific point, you’re exploring different ideas. That means you don’t and shouldn’t talk about only one side of the argument, but think about counter-arguments, or at least different perspectives.
Deciding on a topic for the discursive text is an important first step; the topic must be a compelling and nuanced (or complicated) issue that you can write extensively about. Discursive texts often reflect social concerns, controversial topics or raise significant questions. Along with researched evidence on the chosen topic, to spice it up, make sure you include examples from real life experiences, quotes, interviews, references to popular culture, historical events and/or personal anecdotes. Importantly, a discursive piece does not need a clear conclusion! If you are struggling to come up with a central topic, consider some issues that impact or otherwise matter to us, e.g. your community (family, friends, local neighbourhood, school etc.), or the wider society (national or international).
To begin with the introduction, introduce your main overarching point that directly addresses the question. Remember to avoid writing an overly argumentative or one-sided thesis! The purpose of a discursive is to discuss more than one perspective. Instead, invite the readers to consider the complexities of a topic, and to introduce the many different perspectives on that topic.
Here’s an example :
Argumentative thesis: Unlimited access to technology has had a devastating impact on the social skills of using people.
Discursive thesis: Technology has, for better and worse, irreversibly changed the way we interact with each other. However, as much as things have changed ever since the first message sent on MSN there are some things that, for better and worse, remain the same.
Introduction:
Discursive texts are really everywhere! Opinion pieces in newspapers are an example – we’ll notice that many of them explore more than one perspective. Other examples include essays we’ll read, speeches and lectures. Many TedX talks are actually discursive as well. Notice some of them explore many different perspectives and angles on a specific idea!
We can find some of the best examples of discursive writing in newspapers, as well as news sites. Below are some examples to get us started. Explore and find where else you might notice discursive writing!
If you’d like to see discursive examples right now, send us an email and we’ll send some over to your email. You’ll also get a scaffold to write your own discursive!
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Did you know.
The Latin verb discurrere meant "to run about", and from this word we get our word discursive , which often means rambling about over a wide range of topics. A discursive writing style generally isn't encouraged by writing teachers. But some of the great 19th-century writers, such as Charles Lamb and Thomas de Quincey, show that the discursive essay, especially when gracefully written and somewhat personal in tone, can be a pleasure to read. And the man often called the inventor of the essay, the great Michel de Montaigne, might touch on dozens of different topics in the course of a long discursive essay.
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'discursive.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
borrowed from Medieval Latin discursīvus "showing reasoned thought, logical," from discursus, past participle of discurrere "to range over, discuss" (going back to Latin, "to run off in different directions, [of a mind or speaker] branch out, range") + Latin -īvus -ive — more at discourse entry 1
1595, in the meaning defined at sense 1b
discursive reason
“Discursive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/discursive. Accessed 31 Aug. 2024.
Kids definition of discursive, more from merriam-webster on discursive.
Nglish: Translation of discursive for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of discursive for Arabic Speakers
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A discursive essay requires the writer to present balanced arguments on a particular topic. This type of essay demands critical thinking and analytical skills to argue both sides of an issue effectively. Whether for a school assignment or a professional publication, mastering the art of writing a discursive essay is essential for any writer. In this article, we will discuss the key components of a discursive essay and provide tips on how to structure and write one effectively. From choosing a topic to researching and presenting arguments, we will guide you through crafting a well-rounded and persuasive discursive essay. By the end of this article, you will have the tools and knowledge needed to tackle this challenging form of writing confidently. So, let’s dive in and learn how to write a discursive essay that will impress your readers.
Table of Contents
At its core, a discursive essay is an essay that investigates an issue, situation, or problem from differing points of view. It presents a balanced, multi-perspective overview, considering all major positions on the topic in a balanced way.
The overarching goal is to inform and explore – not to argue a one-sided case. Discursive essays demonstrate your ability to think critically and add nuance to complex issues by being open to opposing arguments and representing them fairly.
This open-minded approach is why these essays are valuable across many academic disciplines like philosophy, history, and the social sciences. Being able to weigh multiple sides develops crucial research and reasoning abilities.
There are several key reasons instructors assign writing such essays:
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Opinionated discursive writing : As the name suggests, these present the writer’s opinion or perspective on an issue while objectively considering other potential positions. The writer’s view remains at the core of the essay.
Argumentative Discursive Essays : These essays use factual evidence and logical reasoning to make a case for a particular stance on an issue. While other views may be mentioned, the purpose is to persuade the reader toward the writer’s position.
Solution Essays : These essays examine a problem or situation and propose one or more potential solutions, weighing the merits of each approach. The essay itself doesn’t argue for a single solution.
Descriptive discursive writing : This is a discursive essay type that vividly describes and analyzes a particular topic, event, or phenomenon from multiple perspectives. It aims to paint a detailed, multi-faceted picture of the subject matter, exploring various viewpoints and arguments objectively and balanced.
You may think, “Don’t argumentative and discursive essays present different positions on a topic? What’s the real difference?”
It’s a fair question, so let’s clarify how discursive essays are distinct from argumentative and expository pieces:
Argumentative Essays aim to persuade the reader that one particular position is correct by presenting a clear thesis statement and building logical arguments supported by evidence to prove it. While they may acknowledge counterarguments, the ultimate goal is to convince the reader of the writer’s stance.
On the other hand, Expository Essays are entirely objective explanations of a topic, concept or process. They avoid persuasion or arguing with any one perspective. The purpose is solely to provide factual information to inform the reader.
A discursive essay sits between these two – it doesn’t persuade toward one viewpoint like an argumentative essay but doesn’t remain completely neutral like an expository piece. The goal is to provide an overview that gives equal, unbiased consideration to all major perspectives on an issue.
So, in summary:
With the theory out of the way, let’s learn how to write a good discursive essay!
There are several key phases in writing an effective discursive essay: choosing a topic, planning the structure, researching different perspectives, and putting it all together cohesively. Let’s break it down:
The first step is selecting an appropriate topic that allows you to offer a well-rounded, multi-perspective analysis. When choosing your topic, keep these tips in mind:
Some potential good discursive essay topics could analyze complex societal issues like climate change policies, ethical use of new technologies, criminal justice reforms, or systemic inequalities. Just be sure the topic truly has multiple perspectives to explore.
Once you have identified your discursive essay topic, it’s time to start mapping your approach and structure.
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A solid essay plan ensures your discursive essay flows logically and gives equal attention to the various viewpoints. Generally, essays will follow this structure: a discursive essay:
Introduction Paragraph :
Body of the Essay :
When writing the body, use transition words to connect paragraphs logically and indicate shifts between viewpoints. Words like “conversely,” “additionally,” and “however” keep the flow coherent.
Most importantly, the body of your essay needs to address all major perspectives related to your thesis in a neutral, impartial tone without favouring any one side. Your credibility hinges on representing each stance accurately.
Conclusion Paragraph :
With the core outline in place, you can start gathering the evidence, examples, data sources, and expert commentary to substantiate each position and counterargument within the body paragraphs .
Thorough, wide-ranging research from credible, authoritative sources allows you to adequately explore all sides of an issue. When gathering source materials:
In addition to conducting secondary research through written sources, consider:
The deeper and broader your research base, the more nuanced and fully developed your essay analysis can be.
As you start writing the body paragraphs, smartly integrate your evidence by:
The introduction is crucial as it sets the stage for your balanced argument on a topic. You don’t write a bland, generic opening. Instead, for a discursive essay, you must grab the reader’s attention with an interesting hook, such as a thought-provoking question, shocking fact, or vivid anecdote related to your topic.
Then, provide relevant background information to give context before clearly stating your thesis, introducing the main issue and outlining the different sides of the issue you’ll explore. Your thesis must be specifically focused and present an arguable, nuanced claim – not just a self-evident fact.
The essay’s main body is where you systematically analyze the various perspectives and positions using logical reasoning and supporting evidence. Each new argument should be addressed in a separate paragraph with a clear topic sentence stating the claim.
Expand on that viewpoint using facts, examples or evidence, expert opinions, and analysis. Fully flesh out each position before introducing any counterarguments or rebuttals in the following paragraphs.
When representing the opposing argument, do so objectively. Don’t exaggerate or misrepresent the claims – identify a discursive essay’s different stances accurately first, then provide evidence challenging or qualifying that stance. Avoid dismissing counterarguments entirely.
Maintain an academic tone throughout – don’t write with excessive informal language or personal bias. Use transitional phrases between paragraphs to connect ideas logically.
In concluding the essay, you don’t simply restate your original thesis from the introduction. Certainly summarize the key points made, but avoid redundancy.
More importantly, it offers a meaningful analysis that weighs the relative strengths and weaknesses of each perspective explored in the essay. If appropriate, propose potential solutions or resolutions for the issue at hand.
The conclusion is also where you can express insightful opinions if done judiciously. Just don’t introduce entirely new arguments or evidence.
Finally, end with a thought-provoking closing statement that reveals deeper implications, leaves the reader with a call to action, or opens avenues for further discussion.
With the overall structure and research in place, the focus now shifts to the execution – how you craft insightful analysis in a balanced, academic tone. Key techniques include:
Use Clear, Precise Language
Apply a Formal, Objective Tone
Substantiate All Claims
Address Counterarguments
To illustrate how all these components come together into an actual discursive essay, let’s quickly analyze an example:
This brief example illustrates how a discursive essay comprehensively lays out all the perspectives and key arguments around a complex issue like AI ethics. Each view is represented using objective language and substantiated by relevant evidence and expert viewpoints.
The conclusion doesn’t definitively “solve” the dilemma but provides analysis, allowing the reader to weigh the positions and acknowledge the nuances.
After going through this guide, you should now feel more equipped to expertly know the discursive essay definition, the structure of a discursive essay, how to start a discursive essay introduction, and how to plan a discursive essay that meets the high standards. of this challenge. Crafting a strong discursive essay thesis statement and organizing your thoughts in an outlined manner allows you to build a nuanced, multi-perspective analysis methodically. While honing the skills required to produce top-tier discursive writing takes diligence and real-world practice, the long-term benefits of enhancing your critical thinking abilities and strengthening how you communicate complex, multifaceted ideas and arguments are immensely valuable.
Here are the key takeaways to conclude:
What is a discursive essay format.
A discursive essay follows a specific structure that includes an introductory paragraph with a clear topic sentence, several paragraphs alternately presenting arguments, and a conclusion summarizing the main points.
To start a discursive essay, begin with an introduction or the first paragraph that catches the reader’s attention and clearly explains the topic you will discuss.
Discursive writing can take various forms, such as opinion essays, writing that presents both sides of an argument, or essays that propose a solution to a problem.
Linking words is essential for connecting ideas within a discursive essay. These words help structure your essay and make it cohesive. Commonly used linking words include “moreover,” “however,” “on the other hand,” and “therefore.
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Table of Contents
Nonetheless, some situations require an examination of three or more viewpoints based on the given question. Notably, organization and tone are the critical elements when writing a discursive essay:
Therefore, writing this article is straightforward as it involves positive and negative analysis of facts and evidence, then giving the final verdict. Although your claims and judgments may convince the readers, the purpose is not about convincing anyone but evaluating the issue objectively. You also need to understand the difference between argumentative and discursive essays to avoid confusion.
Mostly, instructors ask students to write a discursive essay on a predetermined topic. Alternatively, students may be asked to select discursive essay topics of their choice. If the problem is predetermined, you will likely spend less time thinking about what to write. However, you might find it less exciting or hard to write because you do not like the subject. Also, you may spend more time deliberating on good discursive essay topics if you had the freedom to choose. Whether you have the option to select or not, here are some discursive essay ideas for you.
There are several topics on discursive essay questions available online for you to explore besides brainstorming for ideas. Often, the opinions are dependent on the assignment provided by your instructor or the discursive essay rubric. Whenever you select your topic, remember that it should allow you to highlight either side and declare your stance. Conversely, it is essential to choose a topic that is at least contentious or arguable.
So, what is a dissuasive essay? An essay type that gives either side of a claim then declares the author’s stance. If possible, you should include even points for both cases. Notably, the balance is vital because it enables you to dissect the arguments effectively and stage a factual overview of the discursive essay subject. The number of arguments presented depends on the span of the essay, but 2-3 points for each side would be sufficient. Here are the three main types that will help you understand the discursive essay definition in details:
So far, the article has only covered the organization of a discursive essay. Well, it is time to review the discursive essay format.
An excellent example of a discursive essay introduction should give your readers a hook- something intriguing that can draw their attention quickly. So, present a brief description of the problem. Occasionally, extracts like rhetorical questions will achieve such an objective. In case you are wondering about the don’ts, please avoid stereotyping or generalizing.
The part consists of a few or more subsections and highlights the main points in the discursive essay. Like pointed out before, it needs to be impartial arguments supported with facts and leave room for the author to declare their stand. A typical body text requires the organization of each point in separate paragraphs to enhance readability and comprehension. If the current argument highlights the proponents, the next one should cover the negative side to maintain a professional flow. The final item in this section should comprise of the opinion that the writer favors.
How to write a discursive essay conclusion can be a challenging task if you do not know what it entails. Conventionally, it should summarize items covered in the body text and allow the writer to express their opinions. However, students fail to remember that it ought to resonate with the topics covered in the discursive essay body. Note that you should not repeat the findings in this section but summarize them. Besides, it needs to be as short as possible- no more than one paragraph.
The above format presents the best outline of a discursive essay template you need to script a structured piece. Nevertheless, discursive essay meaning entails the following aspects that are important always to remember:
You can easily find a discursive essay sample that can guide you to compose on that suit your needs. A good example is a school uniform discursive essay that highlights why institutions should enforce uniforms or make it a personal choice for students to wear them. Although it seems like a simple topic for a discursive essay, writing the essay can be a daunting task. Furthermore, you may never know you need assistance until you realize the discursive essay you wrote does not meet the requirements. So, you risk missing the assignment deadline for submitting a low-quality essay because you have to redo the discursive essay. Fortunately, you never run out of options because we will always be there to rescue you. The discursive essay writing services we offer are one of the best in the market with guaranteed money payback in case you are not satisfied.
What type of essay writing services do we offer? Well, we do any essay type because the team of writers we hire is experts with specialization in diverse fields. Therefore, a discursive essay would be so familiar to them. The process of hiring a writer for your discursive essay is straightforward because it involves only a few steps. You need to specify the essay type, education level, deadline, and the number of pages. That is all you need, and the price will appear on the dashboard. Notably, we scrutinize your essays before delivery for quality, uniqueness, and grammar. Therefore, you are good to go whenever you want to submit the discursive essay. The prices are also friendly and competitive because you get value for your money. Perhaps, the word you are looking for is cheap. For the high-quality essays, the prices are considerably low.
Nevertheless, you can take advantage of the discounts and offers available on our website to pay less. Another tip that would help you pay less for your discursive essay is placing an order long before the deadline. If you don’t believe it, try ordering any essay type and compare the prices.
Congratulations! You have read this article to the end. However, if you still feel uncomfortable writing a paper by yourself, contact us to use our essay writing services. We have the experts to assist you in composing a decent essay or selecting intriguing discursive essay subjects. All you need is fill out the order form and specify the details of the requirements. Also, feel free to contact us for guidance on how to make an order or any inquiries.
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COMMENTS
3. For and against essay. Write it as a debate with opposing opinions. Describe each viewpoint objectively, presenting facts. Set the stage for the problem in your discursive essay intro. Explore reasons, examples, and facts in the main body. Conclude with your opinion on the matter.
A discursive essay is an essay which involves a discussion. You're encouraged to examine different perspectives on the issue so that the discussion you provide is a balanced one! ... Define your scope of discussion and if needed, define the keywords in the topic by setting out what is meant by, for instance, "young people" and "for the ...
A one-sentence definition. A discursive essay presents both sides of an argument, then states your stance. The goal. The goal of a discursive essay is to present a balanced and objective analysis of both sides of the argument. (Keep in mind that, in some cases, you may need to examine three or more positions as topics may be more nuanced than ...
Narrative Essays. A narrative essay tells a story. It is usually written in informal language, and it usually incorporates aspects of descriptive writing. It uses details to tell a story and draw the reader in. Think of all the classic fairy-tales, like Cinderella, or Goldilocks and the Three Bears. These are all examples of narrative writing.
What is a Discursive Essay: Meaning and Definition. Discursive essay is another kind of academic papers, which is used to check the students' skills and knowledge. Its main particularity is the aim to provoke discussion on the call-off topic. As a result the author joins the conversation about any situation, even, issue, or problem.
A discursive essay will look at both sides, whereas an argumentative essay takes a stance, a position, and will argue for this position. ... Definition of discursive essay? A discursive essay explores different opinions on a specific topic or idea. The writer gives reasons and facts to support each argument he talks about. He then may provide ...
Discursive Essay Writing Tips. Utilise connectives: Use words like 'however,' 'in contrast,' or 'conversely' for smooth transitions between opposing viewpoints. For instance, "While some argue for the benefits of online learning, others vehemently oppose it. However, a nuanced perspective considers both sides.".
The baseline difference between Argumentative and Discursive is innate to definition. As the terms imply, an argumentative essay requires you to argue towards an explicit stand. Its individual points and structure revolve around putting across and strengthening this stand to convince the reader. Discursive, on the other hand, requires you to ...
Tips for Discursive Essay Writing. Write all aspects of the topic at once. Research the topic beforehand to make sure you have enough information for your essay and are able to cover all bases. Write a draft of an outline before moving on to writing the body paragraphs as this will help with structuring, order, and content flow.
Main Types of Discursive Essays. Discursive essays come in three main types: for and against, opinion, and problem-solution. For and Against Essays: These essays present a topic's positive and negative aspects. The writer discusses arguments for and against the issue, providing a balanced view without showing personal bias until the conclusion.
A discursive essay is a type of essay that discusses a problem, a controversy, or a recent issue. This essay may be informal or formal, but is most often written in a formal manner. Many universities and classes require applicants and students to write this type of essay to examine and evaluate their skills in writing, thought formation, and ...
Discursive (adj) [dis-ker-siv]: talking or writing about things that are not highly organized. moving from topic to topic without order. passing aimlessly from one topic to another. SYNONYMS: rambling, digressive, erratic, long-winded. Think of discursive as a BLEND of expository and argumentative because it uses elements from both:
Essays are some of the most popularly assigned types of writing that come in a variety of types. One of the most popular kinds is discursive essays. So, if you wonder how to write a discursive essay, this article is just the thing for you. What Is Discursive Essay? It is an essay that focuses on a specific problem, issue or controversy.
Start with an introduction to the topic. Discuss each essay question in a single paragraph. Begin each paragraph with a powerful issue sentence. Paragraphs with one point usually followed by a counterpoint paragraph. Its style is general for essays as the reader should understand what you stand for.
Don't know what a discursive essay is? Do you know what the differences between a discursive and persuasive essay are? Don't worry. In this article, we explain what discursive writing for Year 12 Module C: The Craft of Writing is and give you a step-by-step process for writing a discursive essay.
Here is the definition of discursive texts from the NSW Department of Education: "Discursive texts are those whose primary focus is to explore an idea or a variety of topics. These texts involve the discussion of an idea(s) or opinion(s) without the direct intention of persuading the reader, listener or viewer to adopt any single point of ...
Comment your view to define a discursive essay. How Do You Start A Discursive Essay? The structure of discursive essay has to be in a respective following manner:-Controversial theme. You need to present your dubious theme in the primary passage. Giving a brief about the subject and how you feel about it will help readers to understand.
Discourse Definition. Discourse (DISK-horse) is another word for written or spoken communication. The term is a broad one that has slightly different definitions depending on the discipline in which it is used; in literature, discourse refers to a presentation of thought through language. Discursive language typically contains long, detailed ...
The meaning of DISCURSIVE is moving from topic to topic without order : rambling. How to use discursive in a sentence. Did you know?
Main Types of Discursive Essay Writing. Opinionated discursive writing: As the name suggests, these present the writer's opinion or perspective on an issue while objectively considering other potential positions.The writer's view remains at the core of the essay. Argumentative Discursive Essays: These essays use factual evidence and logical reasoning to make a case for a particular stance ...
Strategies for writing good introductions to discursive essays Sometimes more than one method can be used to start your essay. 1. The funnel method In this method, the first sentence is broad and general. It introduces your thesis, and each following sentence is narrower and more focused. Finally, it narrows down to your thesis. The
A discursive essay is a neutral representation of the subject and a declaration of the writer's opinion in the conclusion section. Get to know what it entails and improve your grades with us! ... Discursive Essay Definition: Just the Way It Is; Discursive Essay Meaning: Get to Know the Gist of the Structure ...
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