How To Write A Good Discursive Essay?
When you are hearing about an upcoming discursive essay assignment for the first time, your first reaction is probably confusion. If you have never dealt with discursive writing before, you may have no idea what it actually is and how to write a discursive essay at all.
We are a high-quality yet essay writing website that knows how to make every essay shine. Here is our complete guide on discursive essay writing.
What is Discursive Writing?
Mastering the art of discursive writing is impossible without first learning the definition of this type of writing. So what is a discursive essay and what makes it so different from other types of essays and so challenging to write?
Discursive writing is the process of describing different sides of an argument in an attempt to find the correct one. When writing a discursive essay, you may be asked to present one or more sides of the argument, and all along the writing process, you need to keep in mind the discursive essay purpose, which is to discover the truth through exploring different arguments.
Discursive Essay Format
Like any other form of academic writing, a discursive essay has its own specific format and structure that you need to follow. Luckily, the structure of a discursive essay is not that different from the structure of most other essays and contains an introduction, the body of the essay, and the conclusion. The most common discursive essay format looks like this:
- Introduction
- Body paragraphs
- Argument 1 with evidence
- Argument 2 with evidence
- Argument 3 with evidence
- Opposing argument with counterarguments
- Conclusion
From the description and the structure of a discursive essay, it may seem like it’s exactly the same as an argumentative essay. However, while those two types of essays to share a lot of features, they are also very different in nature.
In an argumentative essay, the author’s job is to pick one sign and argue for it. A discursive essay, on the other hand, requires the author to present different sides of one argument to form a more complete vision of the subject of the essay.
How to Write an Introduction for a Discursive Essay
The discursive essay introduction is the part of your essay that sets the tone and prepares the readers for the content of your paper. Your introduction should not be too detailed, but it should provide just enough information to get the audience acquainted with the topic.
So, how to start a discursive essay introduction the right way? A good idea is to use a hook as the first sentence of the introduction. Then you need to provide a brief overview of the problem, as well as the sides of the argument you want to discuss further.
So, the formula for writing a great introduction is as follows:
- An opening hook
- A bit of the context
- Delineation of the problem
- Your thesis statement
How to Write the Body of a Discursive Essay
The body of your discursive essay will have the exact number of paragraphs as your arguments, plus one paragraph for the opposing argument. If you decide to disclose two sides of the argument, you will need to use the alternate order for the body paragraphs: one for and one against the main argument.
Each paragraph of the body of your discursive essay must be dedicated to a separate idea. Place the main idea at the beginning of the paragraph, add a summary of the argument, and attach the supporting evidence from credible sources.
In the final paragraph of the body of the discursive essay, you need to present the possible opposing arguments and then offer your own counterarguments. One of the most helpful discursive essay writing tips for this paragraph is to pretend like you are taking part in the debate and need to destroy your opponent’s arguments.
The important thing to remember when writing the body of a discursive essay is that even though you will use separate paragraphs for different arguments, you shouldn’t place a title for every paragraph — the body of the essay should read as a whole. You also shouldn’t express your personal opinion anywhere except for the conclusion.
How to Write a Discursive Essay Conclusion
After you’ve said everything you wanted to say in the introduction and body paragraphs of your discursive essay, all that is left to do is write the conclusion. Begin the conclusion by offering a summary of the body paragraphs of the essay, putting a special emphasis on the arguments and the supportive evidence.
At the end of the conclusion, our essay service recommends you can get a little personal and express your own views on the subject. Keep this section of the conclusion brief, and make sure it does not argue with the tone and content of the body of your discursive essay.
Discursive Essay Topics
The process of writing a discursive essay starts with a great topic. If you haven’t been assigned a topic by your professor and don’t know how to find a topic that will evolve into a powerful essay, here are 15 topics for your inspiration:
- Are smartphones doing more harm than good?
- Should award ceremonies become more diverse?
- Professional sports at a young age are not healthy.
- The government must control people’s diets.
- It is time for the first female president of the USA.
- Being an Instagram blogger is not a real profession.
- Sports in schools should not be mandatory.
- Should we allow all prisoners to vote in elections?
- Legal smoking and drinking age must be raised.
- Video games don’t really make people more violent.
- Monarchy should be abolished everywhere in the world.
- It’s okay for the government to track its citizens.
- A degree in arts does not translate into a well-paying career.
- Driverless cars are more dangerous than we think.
- Superhero movies don’t have any cultural value.
Need Discursive Essay Examples? Here’s One for Your Inspiration
The subject of gun control has faced heated debates in the USA throughout the past century. There are many proponents of stricter control over gun acquisition and possession, guided by public security concerns and the rising rate of outraging school shootings. The advocates of relaxed gun control legislation also offer solid arguments in favor of their position, mostly citing the basic American values of democracy, freedom of choice, and the right to self-protection. This essay considers both arguments across the gun control discourse to determine which one is gaining more support in the US context.
Despite the great extent of gun control laws’ variability across the USA, the majority of states secure a wide range of rights and freedoms in terms of gun possession and acquisition. Since the dawn of its establishment as an independent state, the United States of America cherished individual privacy and freedom. Therefore, following the idea of Carter and John (2020), the absence of gun control is at the heart of American democracy and liberty principles. Citizens of the USA grow with the idea that they can have a gun to protect their lives, families, and dwellings, as the laws of trespass are severe in the country. In line with these deeply cherished values and an almost fanatical obsession of Americans with their constitutionally guaranteed freedoms, the right to have guns is listed among the top freedoms distinguishing the USA from the rest of the world.
On the other side of the debate are people who argue that the relaxed gun control legislation in the USA often leads to guns getting into the wrong hands. First, the US Bureau of Statistics (2024) publishes a list of accidental shootings among children, adolescents, and adults, which is a very troubling indicator of wrong gun storage and management. Second, the ease of buying a gun leads to mass shootings and acts of terror, with mentally ill or aggressive people turning into terrorists and hurting dozens of innocent victims in public places. With the USA having one of the most relaxed eligibility requirements for possessing a gun, many Americans claim that they no longer feel secure in public places and educational institutions, thus suggesting that greater oversight of gun acquisition and a more thorough check of gun buyers can remedy the situation.
As the presented evidence suggests, the right to own guns is deeply rooted in the American psyche and system of values. Therefore, millions of adult Americans are not ready to forgo their gun ownership rights for the sake of contributing to the confusing and abstract public safety. Yet, with the consideration of rising rates of gun mistreatment, accidental injuries, and intentional mass shootings at schools and other public places, the US authorities should design new regulatory means for better control over gun circulation among the population. One of the possible solutions may be the addition of new background checks and mental examination requirements without banning gun acquisition overall. With these new measures in place, the US public may hope to enjoy a more secure public environment.
In some cases, even if you really like the topic of your discursive essay, you simply don’t have the time or skills required to write a convincing paper. Our essay writing service is always ready to complete your assignment of any complexity level exactly on time!
