How to write a Discursive Essay

Malcolm Corbin
May 31
4 min read

Updated: Jun 2

What is a dicursive essay?

A discursive essay is written for a teacher or professor and therefore should be neutral or formal in tone. It should present two sides of an argument equally with your opinion given in the conclusion. I personally would avoid the use of personal pronouns as it's more professional and can help you include more advanced grammar structures although some teachers say it is acceptable.

General information

Cambridge 140-190 words

However you should write at least 180 words and maximum 200

Trinity 150-180 words

However you should write at least 170 words and maximum 190

You need to write this much otherwise you won't be including enough detail or including enough variety of grammar in your writing!

How to start writing

Create a plan

Think of 2 or 3 key arguments for each side.
Think of a supporting piece of evidence for each argument.
Look at your arguments and evidence and cross out (~~cross out~~) the weakest point on each side.
Write down 2 or 3 consequences and/or causes of each argument.

*A more advanced technique is to also think about the consequences of the consequence

Structure

Introduction - 2 or 3 sentences

MUST introduce the key themes of your arguments highlighted in the plan.
ONLY include ideas that you will identify in the plan!

Main body 1 - between 6 and 8 sentences

Argument - 1 sentence
Evidence - 1 sentence
Analysis - between 2 and 4 sentences

Main body 2 - between 6 and 8 sentences

Argument - 1 sentence
Evidence - 1 sentence
Analysis - between 2 and 4 sentences

First introduce your best argument and follow "Argument - Evidence - Analysis". After completing this, start a new paragraph and repeat the process with your second argument from the same side if you have space. Then the same for the opposite point of view.

REMEMBER: When you start an argument, you MUST complete ALL 3 STEPS otherwise you will lose marks! The overall quality of the essay is the AVERAGE quality of the arguments, NOT the total number of arguments.

Conclusion - 2 or 3 sentences.

Give your opinion.
MUST summarise key points made in the main body.
DO NOT introduce new ideas.

Phrases to use in each section

Introduction

... has been debated for many years.
there are many arguments on both sides including...
It is often said that...
In our modern world, the topic of... has raised contrasting opinions.
While some argue that..., others are convinced that...

Main body

Argument	Evidence	Analysis
One key argument in favour of / against... is that...	One study found that...	This means that
It is commonly pointed out that...	Evidence suggests that...	...the result of which causes...
Critics would point out that...	A good illustration of this is (the fact that)...	As a consequence
Supporters of this view claim that...	For example, / For instance,	Consequently
A common argument is that...	This is clearly shown by the fact that...	This results in
It could be argued that...		This is due to (the fact that)...
Another important point to consider is that...		This is because of (the fact that)...

Conclusion

In conclusion,
To sum up,
In summary,
Overall,
To conclude,
All things considered,
Taking everything into account,
Ultimately,

Example Discursive Essay

Task: Write an essay for your teacher about whether or not sport should be a compulsory subject in schools, giving both sides.

Plan

Argument	Evidence	Analysis
Healthier	people live longer	fewer medical conditions - High demand on medical care now because of past
Develops resilliance	successful people always continue trying	Children can fail without serious consequences and develops this ability
Academic subjects more important	children achiving lower grades	academic subjects are more useful later in life - helps build economy
Many opportunities outside school to do sport	number of sports clubs and facilities	unnecessary burden on state and school finances - more choice avalable for children to find what they like

The arguments for and against sport as a compulsory subject in schools

The arguments towards sport being mandatory have been debated for many years and range from public health to how government money should be spent. The arguments for which are discussed below.

It's often pointed out that the health benefits of sport are undeniable. People that are more active are healthier later in life and suffer fewer medical conditions. It’s argued that if more focus had been placed on sport in the late 1900’s, there wouldn’t be such high pressure on our medical system now.

Furthermore, the ability to overcome defeat is critical throughout your life. It’s shown that the most successful businessmen had many failures before they succeeded. In this way, sport plays a vital role in developing this by allowing children to fail without serious consequences.

On the other hand, there are many opportunities for sport outside of the classroom giving the benefits stated above, but with a lower cost to the government. Due to this, some people argue that government money should focus on academic subjects because these subjects lead to the greatest human developments.

In conclusion, there are strong arguments on both sides, but it seems that the overall health benefits to everyone, far outweigh the negatives in public spending.

***Disclaimer: All opinions stated are examples for the sole purpose of teaching. They do not necessarly express the views of Malcolm's English Class.