Discursive Essay

Posted by Michael on December 2nd, 2019

A discursive essay is an essay in which you must write something that can be argued for or against the topic. There are also special discursive essays that are written in such a way that you present your views on both sides in a balanced way, and you don’t need to choose a specific side. That is, you will need to write an essay in which you objectively argue all aspects, without choosing a side. 

To write quality discursive essay you need to think about a given topic from all sides.

There are three types of discursive essays:

• An essay opinion - which requires the author to give his opinion on the topic, and then put forward arguments in support of this. However, before completing the essay, the author must put forward arguments against the topic and say why they are unconvincing.
• Pros and cons of the essay - explains the reasons and against a specific topic. Before finishing, the author should give his opinion on the topic, giving preference.
• An essay suggesting a solution to a problem sets out the problem and explains several ways to solve it. In conclusion, the author should express his opinion on the best solution to the problem and why.

Catch a balance

A discursive essay may look like just another controversial or convincing essay, but the fact is that it differs from both of them, as the arguments are presented in the best and balanced way. As a rule, you should present your views on this topic in a balanced manner, taking into account all factors, including the pros and cons. When writing a discursive essay, you should follow some conventions, as they will not only help you make the right choice of words and sentences, but also help you use the appropriate language for the essay. For example, a voice expressed in an essay should be calm, and the tone should be as balanced as possible. In addition, you should use a written structure that can easily alternate from one stand to another. As in one paragraph, you should be able to write something against the topic and in the next paragraph in favor of the topic / statement, but the transition between paragraphs should be smooth - as smooth as possible.

One example is the use of connective words using words like “the same”, “similar” to highlight the similarity of two different paragraphs and in cases where it is necessary to combine two identical paragraphs. Another important consideration when writing a discursive essay is that it should have technical and formal formulations. You should always try to use a formal language in a discursive essay and not use an informal language, since the very nature of a discursive essay is formal. Besides this, you can also use persuasive writing methods, such as using images, metaphors, repetitions, hyperbolas, comparisons, oxymoron, triads, where applicable, but remember that the structure of the essay remains unchanged. Otherwise, it will be more like a compelling essay than a discursive one.

As with any other academic essay, a discursive essay also has a certain standard structure, which is followed by other academic essays, namely: introduction, body text and conclusion.