DISCURSIVE NOTES

Discursive Essay.docx

A discursive essay is a formal piece of writing that discusses a controversial and current subject, disagreement or problem. It aims to explore a variety of different ideas in an engaging and informative manner. When writing a discursive essay, you have to review all aspects and viewpoints of a topic. It requires you to state an unbiased opinion on the topic and present your views on both sides in a balanced manner. Your essay usually provokes the reader's thoughts or opinion and challenges their earlier beliefs. you are recommended to write your essay in the third point of view.

Structure of A Discursive Essay Paragraph 1 (Introduction)

State background information related to the topic. (Hook)
Discuss claims from different perspectives related to the topic.
State a clear thesis statement.

Paragraph 2 (Body paragraph 1)
to begin with a linker (e.g To begin with,Firstly,etc)
Give a reason- Topic Sentence 1 (TS1) to support the view.
Elaborate views with evidence and examples.
Conclude the paragraph by summarizing TS1

Paragraph 3 (Body paragraph 2)
Use linkers (e.g. Furthermore, Moreover, Besides that, In addition, etc.)
GIve a reason (TS2) to support the view.
Elaborate your views with evidence and examples.
Conclude the paragraph by summarizing TS2.

Paragraph 4 (Body paragraph 3)
To begin with a linker (e.g On the other hand, However, Contrary to etc.)
Give a reason (TS3) to oppose the view.
Elaborate views with evidence and examples.
Conclude the paragraph by summarizing TS3.

Paragraph 5 (Conclusion)
State the topic of discussion.
Summarize earlier views.
Reiterate your opinion (give a balanced view).
Conclude the essay.

WRITING A THESIS STATEMENT FOR DISCURSIVE ESSAY

A discursive essay is more about exploring ideas. Therefore, it is important to present both sides of the arguments equally. remember that the objective of the essay is not to convince anyone, but rather, to evaluate the topic.

Here are some examples of thesis statements for discursive essays:

Although many people believe that the death penalty should be eliminated as it is morally wrong, there are those who think it should be administered as failure to administer it would deny victims justice.
Some people argue that money is the root of all evil because money causes humans to lose their morality, while others oppose the statement and claim that money is the key to getting what we want in life.
Even though some studies indicate that examinations are crucial to gauge a students’ mastery in the subject, other studies have demonstrated that examinations are no longer necessary for students.

USEFUL PHRASES AND EXPRESSIONS

Introduction	On one hand… and on the other hand There is much disagreement about whether.. people have mixed feelings about	The contribution of traditional and modern medicine to healthcare delivery have attracted a great deal of attention in most communities worldwide. However, there is much disagreement about whether traditional medicine is the most appropriate way to treat sick people.
Body paragraph (SUPPORT)	Supporters of the …agree that… Advocates of … maintain that People in favor of.. claim that On the contrary.. For example…	People in favor of traditional medicine claim that in traditional medicine, problems associated with such effects of pharmaceutical drugs do not arise. This medication only results in a few instances of unintended consequences. On the contrary, modern medicine used in dealing with complex ailments often creates serious problems for patients. For example, drugs used to treat cancer could cause massive complications related to cardiovascular difficulties.
Body paragraph (AGAINST)	On the other hand, those who oppose this… claim that.. People against the..feel that… Critics of the… suggest that.. The opposite point of view is that…	Critics of traditional medicine argue that there are problems associated with inefficient dosage instructions that can extend to serious harm rather than healing in traditional medicine. Modern medicine are usually given under prescriptive care, and this would offer a solution to the problem of inefficient dosage. challenges in relation to overdose can be realized in traditional medicine, and this arises especially in cases where there are no package inserts.
Conclusion	In conclusion After considering the different points of view and the supporting evidence… Weighing up both sides of the arguments.. On balance, it is my conviction that… It would seem logical to…	In conclusion, after weighing up both sides of the arguments it is crucial to look at both modern and traditional medicine in a broader perspective. Neither of the two approaches is absolute. For this reason, it is important for practitioners of these approaches to work together in treating different conditions. Modern medicine on the one hand is most suitable when situations are critical, while on the other hand, traditional medicine can serve to treat and prevent ailments even when situations are normal considering they have no side effects. in doing so, many lives can be saved and many families would live happily.

Adopted from : Effective Text MUET (Malaysian University English Test) 800/1-800/4 -Third Edition, Albert Nathan, Cecilia Arul, Phoon Foon Ha and Kok Ming Wai- Ilmu Bakti