A discursive essay is one that looks at a specific argument and discusses both contrasting viewpoints. Generally, the writer of a discursive essay will agree with one particular viewpoint, but they will present both sides of the argument to provide a balanced and objective piece of text.
Discursive essays are notoriously hard to write – authors can often become too opinionated and lose sight of the purpose of the text. Furthermore, they can fail to cover both sides of the subject in enough detail. Furthermore, you can read the guide below which will help greatly when writing discursive essays – good luck!
Understand the topic and contrasting viewpoints
To write an effective discursive essay, you MUST understand both viewpoints. If you don’t have a clear understanding of the topic, your essay will lack in clarity and validity. Before writing anything, research the topic and draft an outline for both sides of the story. List the main pointers of each argument – this will help you when writing your essay.
Create your essay outline
Creating a clear outline and structure for your essay is hugely important. This holds true for any type of essay – it will help keep your thoughts collected. A discursive essay should also follow a certain structure – you don’t have to stick religiously to this structure, but it will help clearly outline both sides of the subject. The following is a typical outline you must follow:
1. Introduction – The introduction should explain the topic and both sides of the argument in a succinct manner. Within the intro you can outline which side of the argument you are backing, and give some background information too.
2. Body – The main body of the text is where you will discuss the relative pointers about each side of the argument. You should include at least 4 points of discussion for each argument. If you struggle writing essays or you are asking questions such as what is college paper, you can always use a case study writing service.
3. Conclusion – The conclusion should simply reinforce your viewpoint and summarize what has been discussed.
For each argument, include a minimum of 4 pointers
To give sufficient detail for each argument, it is advisable to add a minimum of 4 individual pointers for each. If you can add at least 4 different points about each argument, you can add weight to what you are saying. Furthermore, you can provide your readers with detail that they can digest and make sense of.
Always reiterate your argument points with evidence
What is an argument if it is merely opinion? If your argument has no basis in fact, then it will ultimately fall on deaf ears. You MUST reiterate your opinions with facts and evidence. Use statistics from official sources and ensure that you cite your sources too.
Be objective and refrain from neglecting one side of the argument
As mentioned in the intro, a discursive essay will fail if you only cover one side of the argument. If you do this, your essay will appear biased, and readers will be less inclined to agree with what you are saying. Within your essay, you must state your opinion, but you must also cover the contrasting opinion. You don’t have to agree with what the counter-argument is saying, but you should write it in an objective manner without being negative. You must use your own opinion but also provide enough facts and figures so that readers can make an intelligent decision for themselves.
We hope you have found this guide beneficial. Next time you have to write a discursive essay remember the above pointers. Ensure that you cover both sides of the argument and that you use facts and figures to provide validity to your statements. Good luck!
