What is a Discursive Essay?

Writing an essay is a regular class or home assignment for a writing course. There are different types of essays and before you start writing you need to be absolutely sure you shoot for the right topic, kind, structure, and style. Let’s talk about a discursive essay because it is considered a basic type of essay and that’s why most tests like SAT, TOEFL or GRE include it as a requirement in the writing section of the test.

In short, a discursive essay is an essay that requires you to express your opinion on a suggested topic in a logical and comprehensive way according to a certain structure. You can seek advice and help from many experts online. When you write a discursive essay, you are required to express a personal opinion. It’s helpful to have some background knowledge on the topic to substantiate your point of view.

Formal Tone

The discursive essay should be written in a formal tone, which means you should avoid slang, abbreviations, contractions and colloquial expressions. Your sentences should be complete and grammatically correct. It’s good to use several GRE level words like “bifurcation,” “dilemma” or “allocation.”

Express your opinion

Imagine, you need to write a discursive essay on a topic of climate change. Your assignment will actually sound more like a prompt: “Being literary “hot” yet controversial issue, global warming is on agenda of many international organizations like United Nation Organization or Paris Accord. Do you think that international efforts are sufficient to ward off unfavorable outcomes?”
After reading a prompt, you have three choices that will in future define the structure of your essay:

  • Choice 1: Your basic answer is “yes”. You strongly agree with the question. In your opinion, there are enough efforts to curb global warming.
  • Choice 2: Your basic answer is “no”. You strongly disagree with the proposition. In your opinion, the efforts are ridiculously insufficient and ineffective.
  • Choice 3: Your basic answer is “50/50”. You agree and disagree with the proposition and it means that you will argue both sides in a balanced way.

While making an outline for your discursive essay, consider the following points: your position on the issue and several examples to prove and support your position. Each paragraph of the body of your essay should relate and contribute to the statement of your opinion in the introductory paragraph of your essay.

Basically, your personal position on the topic will be a main statement or, in other words, a thesis of your discursive essay. You put it in the introductory paragraph and in the following paragraphs you need to provide reasons, explanations, evidence, examples supporting your opinion.

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Structure of the discursive essay

Strategy for the essay structure is simple and clear cut. If you deviate from it, it would be counted as a mistake and reduce your grade.

Introductory paragraph

Your first paragraph serves as an introduction. Make it interesting and exciting. Express your opinion on the issue in a clear and passionate way. The introduction has to be engaging and interesting to keep your audience reading on. Avoid trite and plain statements and go for some unusual example.

You can be a little bit provocative and play devil’s advocate to argue for something completely opposite what majority people believe. You can use a famous quotation to open your essay or use a situation as an illustration. You can share an anecdote and give it more personal touch. Do what you want but don’t forget to state your thesis, or in the case of a discursive essay, express your opinion on the relevant topic.

Body paragraphs

Your second paragraph will provide a support for your opinion. It can be a real life, science or literature example. Develop and describe it. Do the same in the third and the fourth paragraphs. If you want, you can acknowledge the opposite side of the argument starting a sentence with “Although…” and then bring your essay back to your opinion.

Concluding Paragraph

In the last concluding argument, summarize and rephrase your thesis (opinion). Develop it further because you just went through a discussion of points to support your opinion and it should add some substance to the statement from your introductory paragraph.

Tips on Style

You should use linking words or phrases at the beginning of each paragraph. Even if you put “Firstly”, “Secondly” and “Thirdly” at the beginning of your body paragraphs, you will create some building blocks. To express connection and likeness, you can use “likewise”, “Similarly”, and “Moreover.”

To express contrast and difference, you should use “On the other hand”, “However”, “Contrary.” While dealing with examples, you can connect them with “for instance”, “for example”, “if”. If you want to sound confident and persuasive, you should use “Obviously”, “Without doubt” or “absolutely”. If you want to sound careful and balanced, you can use “with consideration” or “doubtfully.”

Don’t to forget proofread your essay before submitting it.

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Emma

Emma covers dating and relationships for Unfinished Man, bringing a witty woman's perspective to her writing. She empowers independent women to pursue fulfillment in life and love. Emma draws on her adventures in modern romance and passion for self-improvement to deliver relatable advice.

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