Luis Gianera

Language

Discursive Essays

A discursive essay is a piece of formal writing which discusses a particular issue, situation or
problem.
There are three main types of discursive essays:

 For and against

 Finding a solution to a problem

 Opinion

1. For and against essays present both sides of an issue, discussing points in favor of a particular
topic as well as those against, or the advantages and disadvantages of a particular question.
Each point should be supported by justifications, examples, and/or reasons. The writer’s own
opinion should be presented only in the final paragraph.

FOR AND AGAINST ESSAY

Introduction
 State topic without stating your
opinion.
Main Body
 Arguments for and
justifications, examples or
reasons.
 Arguments against and
justifications, examples or
reasons.
Conclusion
 Balanced consideration or
opinion.

2. Essays suggesting solutions to problems are essays in which the problems associated with a
particular issue or situation are analyzed and possible solutions are put forward, together with
any expected results/consequences. The writer’s opinion may be mentioned, directly or
indirectly, in the introduction and/or conclusion.

SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEMS
Introduction:
 State the problem and its
cause(s)/effects.
Main Body:
 Suggestions and results.
Conclusion:

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 Summarize your opinion.

3. Opinion essays present the writer’s personal opinion concerning the topic, clearly stated and
supported by reasons and/or examples. The opposing viewpoint and reason should be included
in a separate paragraph before the closing one, together with an argument that shows it is an
unconvincing viewpoint. The writer’s opinion should be included in the introduction, and
summarized/restated in the conclusion.

OPINION ESSAY
Introduction:
 State the topic and your
opinion
Main Body:
 Viewpoints and
reasons/examples.
 Opposing viewpoint and
reason/example.
Conclusion:
 Summarize/restate your
opinion.

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Opinion Essays
A) The Introduction

An effective introduction captures your readers’ interest and gives them a sense of your topic and
purpose. There are many ways to write an introduction, depending on your subject, audience, and
intent. The opening paragraph, however, is always an essential component of any writing, since it
is the first thing your readers will see and will often determine whether they continue reading.

Thesis Statement

A thesis statement expresses the main idea in an essay and the writer’s point of view. This
statement is usually one sentence long and consists of two parts. In the first part, the writer states
the topic of the essay and, in the second part, the writer makes a point about the topic. In much
college writing, students are expected to include a thesis statement in their introduction and to
support the thesis in the body of the essay. By placing this statement of the main idea and purpose
in the introduction, usually at the end, the writer indicates to the reader what to focus on and what
to expect in the rest of the essay. The thesis statement is similar to the topic sentence in that it
contains an expression of an attitude, opinion, or idea about a topic; unlike the topic sentence,
however, the thesis statement is broader and expresses the controlling idea of the whole essay.
When writing a thesis statement, try to express a point of view or take a stand on an issue rather
than merely state a fact. Be as specific as possible, limit the topic to make it manageable in the
space allowed. A thesis statement that is overly general is not effective.
Following are two examples of thesis statements. Notice how the first part of each statement
identifies the topic and the second part expresses the writer’s position or focus.

 The advantages of living in a new culture far exceed the disadvantages.

 The most effective way to reduce discrimination is to teach young children to be

open-minded and tolerant of differences.

Here are some points to remember about the thesis statement:

 The thesis statement should be expressed in a complete sentence.
 A thesis statement should express an opinion; it does not simply announce the topic the essay
will develop.
 A thesis statement should express an opinion; it should not express a fact.
 A thesis statement should express only one idea about one topic; if a thesis statement
contains two or more ideas, the essay runs the risk of lacking unity and coherence.

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The Most Common Type of Introduction

There are many ways to introduce a topic. The most common type of introduction starts with a
general statement about the subject, clarifies or limits the topic in one or more sentences, and then
states the thesis of the essay in the final sentence. As the introduction moves from general to
specific, the sentences become increasingly focused on the topic. You might picture such an
introduction as shaped like a funnel or an inverted triangle.

An effective way to set up your thesis effectively is to open with the opposition:

Shakespeare begins Romeo and Juliet with ominous

warnings about fate. His lovers are “star-crossed,” he says:
they are doomed from the first by their contrary stars, by the
universe itself. They have sprung from “fatal loins.” Fate has
already determined their tragic end. The play then unfolds a
succession of unlucky and presumably fated accidents.
Nevertheless, we soon discover that Shakespeare really
blames the tragedy not on fate but on human stupidity and
error.

America is materialistic. Newspapers and magazines are

full of articles about the way greedy American materialism is
burning up the world’s supply of fuel, eating great quantities
of food while others starve, and polluting the rivers and the
atmosphere. The “Protestant Work Ethic,” inherited from our
Pilgrim forefathers, is supposed to be driving us to
materialistic ruin. Nevertheless, the Pilgrims had a point.
Work is not only essential to modern society but beneficial
to the individual in nonmaterialistic ways.

The funnel approach is perhaps the most common type of introductory paragraph. It is so-called
because the ideas progress from the general to the specific. However, extra care should be taken
not to overwhelm the reader. See how this technique is applied in this introductory paragraph:

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Travelling to a foreign country is always interesting,
especially if it is a country that is completely different from
your own. You can delight in tasting new food, seeing new
sights, and learning about different customs, some of which
may seem very curious. If you were to visit my country, for
instance, you would probably think that my people have
some very strange customs, as these three examples will
illustrate.

In this paragraph, the writer introduces the general topic of “traveling to a foreign country” in the
first sentence and narrows down that topic to a more specific aspect- the customs in the writer’s
country. The thesis statement comes at the end, with the central idea being “strange.” Illustrations
should appear in the developmental paragraphs. It should be borne in mind that one way to avoid
beginning to generally or too far back is to have one key word in the first sentence reappear in the
thesis statement, or if not the word itself, a synonym of the word.

Ways to Capture Your Readers’ Interest

 Ask a provocative question or short series of related questions.

 Use an engaging quotation.
 Make an unexpected or controversial statement.
 State a common belief and then declare a contrary view.
 Offer a striking example or description of something.
 Provide an unusual fact or statistics.
 Tell a brief story or anecdote, perhaps involving a personal experience.
 Pose a hypothetical situation.
 Define an important term.
 Make an interesting analogy- a comparison between two things of a different kind or
quality.

What is the difference between a thesis with a strong central idea (My first experiences with
Americans were traumatic) and an argumentative thesis? The argumentative thesis takes a side of an
issue and it proposes a course of action (often expressed with the modal should).

B) Body/Developmental Paragraphs

In the body, or central part, of the essay, you present and develop your main points. Each of the body
paragraphs explains, clarifies, or illustrates the thesis in some way. Each body paragraph focuses on
one main point- either a previous point that you want to explore further or a new point supporting the
thesis.

Every paragraph in an essay has a main idea- the central point about the topic that the writer wants the
reader to understand. Often the writer will include a sentence that clearly states the main idea of the
paragraph. This sentence is called the topic sentence. It usually appears at the beginning of the
paragraph but can be in the middle or at the end. The other sentences in the paragraph develop the
main idea expressed in the topic sentence. The topic sentence of each body paragraph supports the

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thesis of the essay. The controlling idea in the developmental paragraph should echo the central
idea in the thesis statement.

Look at the following example of a paragraph in which the topic sentence appears at the beginning of
the paragraph and is followed by supporting details:

Many people, however, prefer

living in flats becuase they feel
safer. (TOPIC SENTENCE)
With increasing crime rates,
people are afraid to live in a house,
as they feel more vulnerable to
burglars and other criminals.
Therefore, they prefer the feeling
of security that proximity of
neighbouring flats offers them.
(JUSTIFICATION)

Transitions
The developmental paragraphs should have coherence and unity. Just as your sentences need to flow
smoothly, the train of thought at the end of one paragraph should be picked up at the beginning of the
next paragraph. This can be achieved through the use of transitions. Transitional devices are very
effective and help the essay “hang together.” They are highly cohesive:

 Logical devices (connectors Nevertheless, on the one/other hand, however, furthermore.)

 Lexical and grammatical devices (reference, synonymy, antonymy, repetition, derivation,
parallel structures, questions, superordinate terms)

C) The Conclusion

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Whereas an introduction typically moves from the general to the specific and can thus be diagrammed
as an inverted triangle, a conclusion usually proceeds from the specific to the general and can be
visually represented by a regular triangle with a broad base at the bottom. Sometimes writers
summarize their main points at the beginning of the conclusion and then present their major deduction
and make a final statement, such as a prediction, recommendation, or quotation. An effective
conclusion looks back to the essay, echoing the main point; and looks forward, directing your readers’
attention to future areas of exploration.

The following is an example of a conclusion in which the writer summarizes the main point at the
beginning and then presents the deduction and final statement:

Ways to Conclude an Essay

 Summarize the main point of the essay.

 Restate the main points (subtopics) discussed.

 Discuss the broader implications of your topic and encourage your readers to consider your

topic from a different perspective.

 Make a prediction.

 Offer a recommendation or a suggested course of action.

 Use an engaging quotation that reinforces your main point.

 Ask a provocative question or a short series of related questions.

 End with a brief anecdote that reflects your main point.

 Invite your readers to relate the topic to their own lives.

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 Return to the beginning. Refer to an anecdote, quotation, analogy, question or example that

appears in the introduction or other early part of the essay.

Essay Writing: The Essentials

 Give a sense of your subject
and the aspect of it you are
focusing on.
Introduction  Provide an overview of the
topic and any background
information that will help the
reader understand the purpose.
 Include a thesis statement.
 Include a topic sentence,
which states the main idea of
the paragraph and supports the
thesis of the essay.
 Explain and support the topic
sentence with details,
Body including examples, facts,
statistics, quotations, and
anecdotes.
 Arrange the supporting details
in a clear sequence, such as
time, space, or emphasis.
 Be sure that each paragraph is
clear, unified, well-developed,
organized, and coherent.
 Reinforce the importance of
your topic and bring the essay
to a logical and satisfying
Conclusion close.
 Think about the tone with
which you want to end the
essay (optimistic, assertive,
intimate, or cautionary)

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Ways to begin and finish an essay

There are different ways in which you can begin and finish an essay. Some of the techniques
used are:
 addressing the reader directly.

 using a quote or a thought-provoking statement.

 asking a rhetorical question.

Find below three different beginnings and three different endings. Decide which technique has
been used in each case:

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The Value of Work

America is materialistic. Newspapers and magazines are full of articles about the way greedy
American materialism is burning up the world’s supply of fuel, eating great quantities of food
while others starve, and polluting the rivers and the atmosphere. The “Protestant Work Ethic,”
inherited from our Pilgrim forefathers, is supposed to be driving us to materialistic ruin.
Nevertheless, the Pilgrims had a point. Work is not only essential to modern society but
beneficial to the individual in nonmaterialistic ways.
An article in The Milhaven Daily last summer outlined the difficulty teenagers and college
students were having in finding work, and it showed pictures of teenagers painting a mural on
the side of a large brick building, under the supervision of an artist. The project was funded by
the government, and it was frankly intended to give the teenagers something constructive to do,
improving property instead of destroying it through vandalism because they had nothing else to
do. Money and materialistic gain were not the purpose of the project, although the workers were
paid and probably enjoyed getting their paychecks.
Work can in this way satisfy a person’s need to feel useful, to do something constructive,
which other people will respect. I discovered this last year during my final year in high school.
Like many others, I had completed most of my college requirements and was feeling restless and
discontented. I answered an ad for a dishwasher in one of our town’s popular steak houses. I did
not need the money. I had an allowance, and there was not problem about sending me to college.
For some reason, I wanted to work for the sake of work. Like the teenagers painting the brick
wall, I had almost no materialistic motivation.
My first clear motivation was just not to give up. My parents thought that working on school
nights, sometimes until midnight, was a poor idea, both because of grades and health. The
dishwashing, even with a monster garbage disposal and dishwashing machine, was hard and
almost revolting, like stirring around for hours in hot liquid garbage. But I kept up with the load,
and I satisfied myself that it would not beat me.
Then my satisfactions changed from negative to positive. In two weeks, after several other
dishwashers had quit, I was promoted to assistant cook, or “pit man.” I was teamed with a chef,
and taught to set up the different orders on plates, with just the right amount of parsley in just the
right place, and to cook certain parts of certain orders. In another three weeks, I was training for
chef, with pay raises at each step. When summer came, I was a full-time chef, with a pitman of
my own. I could work quickly handling the different orders as they came in. I once turned out a
banquet for seventy. I liked the job so much that I hated to give it up for a short vacation before
entering college this fall.
I admit some of the charges against the work ethic as materialistic. I bought some expensive
new stereo equipment. I bought a new ten-speed bicycle, and I put $1,000 into a time-certificate
at the bank. The ability to do these things on my own decision with my own money was very
satisfying. But I do not believe that this is really materialism.
This wish to work, and the satisfaction, are actually psychological, not material. I once said
to my dad, when he congratulated me on my paycheck. “But I’m really not doing this for the
money-I really don’t know why I’m doing it.” He said, “You’re doing it to prove to yourself that
you can do a job in the world, and do it well.” That really is the psychological satisfaction in
work. You demonstrate to yourself that you are useful and able in the adult world. The
paychecks and the raises, although they are materialistic in themselves, are symbols of your
ability to please others in a useful way, to be respected for your ability, and to stand on your own
feet.

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References

 Baker, S. (1980). The Complete Stylist and Handbook. Second Ed. Harper and Row,

Publishers, Inc. New York.

 Byrne, D. (1988). Teaching Writing Skills. 9th Ed. Longman. Edinburgh.

 Evans, V. (1998). Successful Writing. Proficiency. Second Ed. Express Publishing.

 Gardner, P. (2005). New Directions. Reading, Writing and Critical Thinking. Second

Ed. CUP. USA.

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