05 Discursive essays.doc

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UNIT 4 Discursive essays (Introduction)

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.i. For and against essayspresent both sides of an issue, discussing points in favour 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 writers own opinion should be presented only in the final paragraph.

ii. Opinion essayspresent the writers personal opinion concerning the topic, clearly stated and supported by reasons and/orexamples. 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 writers opinion should be included in the introduction,and summarised/restated in the conclusion.

iii. Essays suggesting solutions to problems, in which the problem!s" associated with a particular issue or situation areanalysed and possible solutions are put forward, together with any expected results/consequences. The writers opinion may

be mentioned, directly or indirectly, in the introduction and/or conclusion.

A good discursive essay should consist of#a" an introductory paragraphin which you clearly state the topic to be discussed$

b" a main body, in which points are clearly stated in separate paragraphs and exemplified or justified$ andc" a closing paragraph summarising the main points of the essay, in which you state/restate your opinion, and/or give a

balanced consideration of the topic.

Points to consider

%resent each point in a separate paragraph. A well developed paragraph contains a clear

topic sentence, which summarises the contents of the paragraph, as well as a clearjustification, explanation or example in support of the point presented.

&ell'(nown quotations !e.g. As writer Somerset Maugham once said, It is bad

enough to know the past; it would be intolerable to know the future.), rhetoricalquestions !e.g.If people today are not concerned enough about tomorrow, will thefuture still be there for man" or though'provo(ing statements !e.g. !he fact is that

one"s future is what one makes it. !here is no such thing as chance. " are usefuldevices to ma(e your composition more interesting.

Beforeyou begin writing, you should always ma(e a list of the points you will present.

)o not use informal style !e.g. contracted forms, collo#uial language, etc" or very

strong language !e.g.I know, I am sure"

*se appropriate lin(ing words/phrases to show the lin(s between paragraphs, as well as

to lin( sentences within paragraphs.

2. oo! at the essay plans belo" for the three types of discursi#e essays, then say "hat features the plans ha#e in common

and ho" each plan differs from the others.

For and against Opinion $olutions to Problems

%ntroduction

Paragraph &

+tate topic !without stating youropinion"

%ntroduction

Paragraph &

+tate the topic and your opinion

%ntroduction

Paragraph &

+tate the problem and its cause!s"/effect!s"

'ain body

Paragraphs 2 (

Arguments for justifications,examples or reasonsParagraphs * ( +

Arguments against

justifications, examples or reasons

'ain body

Paragraphs 2 (*

-iewpoints reasons/examplesParagraph +

pposing viewpoint andreason/example

'ain body

Paragraphs 2 ( +

+uggestions results

onclusion

Final paragraph

alanced consideration or opinion

onclusion

Final Paragraph

+ummarise/restate your opinion

onclusion

Final paragraph

+ummarise your opinion

topic sentence

0any people, however, preferliving in flats because they feel

safer.justification

&ith increasing crime rates,people are afraid to live in a

house, as they feel morevulnerable to burglars and other

criminals. Therefore, they preferthe feeling of security that the

proximity of neighbouring flatsoffers them.

UNIT AGENDA In this unit you will: learn about and discuss issues

concerning the function and structure of discursive essays.


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. oo! at the essay topics belo", and say "hether each

topic as!s for a -for and against essay, an opinion essay

or an essay suggesting solutions to problems. /hen, choose

twoof the topics and ma!e a list of the points you "ould

include in an essay on each topic.

1. 2Animals should be treated with the same respect ashumans.3 )o you agree with this view4

5. 2The generation gap is one which cannot be bridged.3)iscuss.

6. )o you believe that equality for women means thatwomen should also do such things as military service4

7. 2ne language spo(en worldwide would lead to betterinternational relations.3 )iscuss.

8. 9enetic engineering poses a number of worrying

problems, both moral and practical. )iscuss some ofthese problems and suggest what could be done to

overcome them.:. 2;elebrities should be allowed to (eep their private lives

private, without the invasion of the media.3 )iscuss.. 2The motion picture industry is threatening to destroyculture and tradition.3 )o you agree4

?. 2Too much money is spent on sport when it could beused to help the poor.3 &hat are your views on this

issue41@. &hat are the advantages and disadvantages of our ever'

increasing use of computer technology4

Formal style

)iscursive essays are written in formal style. The means you shoulduse#

passive voice, impersonal constructions

!e.g.It is argued that $; It is a common belief that $"

a range of advanced vocabulary !verbs, adjectives, abstract nouns, etc"!e.g. heated debate concerning the contro%ersial issue$"

formal lin(ing words/phrases !e.g.furthermore, howe%er, nonetheless"

complex sentences with a variety of lin(s, dependent clauses, etc!e.g. Although it is widely accepted that compulsory military ser%ice, which

pro%ides an army with abundant manpower, is beneficial to a country"s ability to

defend itself, closer analysis of military efficiency suggests that it is ad%anced

weaponry which plays a crucial role in$"

inversion, especially in conditionals!e.g. &ere this true, we would$; 'e%er has this been more ob%ious$"

ou should notuse#

short forms !e.g.I"m, It"s" except when these are part of a quotation

colloquial expressions, phrasal verbs, idioms!e.g. lots of, pup up with, be o%er the moon about"

simplistic vocabulary !e.g.()perts say they think this is bad, $" a series of short sentences !e.g. Many people think so. !hey are

wrong." simple lin(ing words !e.g. and, but, so" except for variety

*. 0ead the follo"ing e1cerpts and find e1amples of each of features of

formal and informal style listed in the table abo#e.

E1cerpt

A matter of considerable controversy at present is the issue ofwhether wor(s of art should remain in their country of origin, or whether theowners of such wor(s should be allowed to sell them to collectors abroad, thus

depriving the countrys population of a vital part of its cultural heritage.+trong arguments exist in support of both sides of this debate, which implies

that it is worth examining both points of view before reaching any conclusion.+hould such sales be permitted, it is argued that the country of

origin would lose pieces of art which rightfully belong where they werecreated. Bn addition, wor(s of art which were created to be viewed in a certain

setting, or as part of a particular structure, lose a great deal of their artisticimpact when removed from this context. 3enus de 'ilo, an ancient statue of

Aphrodite, is a clear case in point# the conspicuous example of the Cellenisticsculptural tradition, carved in 18@ ; and found on the Aegean island of

0elos in 1>5@, is now decorating nothing more inspiring than a room at theDouvre 0useum in %aris

E1cerpt B

%eople argue a lot nowadays about whetheror not wor(s of art from one country should

be sold to another. B dont thin( they should

be. Bf they are, then the people in the countryof origin lose out on the chance to see stuffthat really belongs to them. This just isnt

right. Bts a problem, too, when you seewor(s of art in the wrong place. B mean, the%arthenon frieFes loo( boring the way theyshow them in the ritish 0useum. Thats

just not where they belong. ut if you couldsee them on the %arthenon, theyd loo(

great

Beginning and ending discursi#e essays

Bn the first paragraph, you should state the topic

and/or your opinion, and you may include one

more of the following techniques. 0a(e reference to an unusual or stri(ing

idea/scene/situation

e.g. Imagine millions of people coming home

from school or work e%ery day to sit staring at a

wall for four hours.

Address the reader directly

e.g. *ou may think this is an e)aggeration.

And/or as( a rhetorical question.e.g.+a%e you e%er wondered what the world be

like without cars

+tart with a quotation or thought'provo(ing

statements.e.g. !ele%ision is an in%ention that permits you

to be entertained in your li%ing room by people

you wouldn"t ha%e in your home, 4a#id Frost

once said.

Bn the last paragraph, you should state your

opinion and/or give a balanced consideration of the

topic, and you may include one or more of the

following techniques.

=inish with a quotation

As( a rhetorical question

9ive the reader something to consider

e.g. erhaps then people will disco%er that it is

like to actually communicate with each other.


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+. 'atch the follo"ing beginnings and endings. /hen, say "hich techni5ue has been used in each.

BE6%77%76$1. ou may live in an comfortable house in a clean

neighborhood with all the amenities. ou wouldprobably not be so luc(y in one of the cities where urban

growth has been allowed to get completely out ofcontrol. This problem is virtually destroying a number oflarge cities, particularly in developing countries, and asolution must be found before it is too late.

5. 2An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth3 is the biblicalphrase we use to refer to capital punishment, the (illingof criminals in order to punish them for their crimes. utwhether the neat balance suggested by the phrase is

reflected by the actual practice is a moot point, andwhether one human has the right to (ill another in any

circumstances remains a much'debated question.

6. &hile most people agree that a woman has the right towor( as a heavy'machine operator and a man to becomea midwife, is this supposed open'mindedness being put

into practice4 There is plenty of evidence to suggest thatwor(ers are still being judged by their gender and not bytheir s(ills, and this is a situation which needs to be dealtwith.

E74%76$A. n the whole, B believe that those cities suffering as a

result of urban growth could solve their problems, givenfinancial support. +adly, however, the chances of this

happening are slight, especially in developing countries.+hould we not, therefore, be thin(ing about encouraging

people to return to rural areas in order to shift thebalance of population4

. To sum up, gender should not be an issue in any wor('place, since a powerfully'built female is just as capableof hard manual labor as a (ind and gentle male is ofchild'care. The only obstacles are those which exist in

our own minds$ as the American therapist )G =.+. %erlsonce said, 2&e have to lose our minds to come to our

senses.3

;. All in all, it is easy to understand the reasons behind thecontinued existence of capital punishment in a number ofcountries. Bn spite of this, however, B cannot personally

condone it, since to my mind the act itself is simplylegalised murder, the ultimate crime.

8. oo! at the 5uotations and the essay subjects belo". 9hich 5uotation "ould be most rele#ant to each of the topics, and

"hich type of essay does each topic re5uire:

A. -;ouseful /ips for 4iscussing Essays

when writing a discursive essay, you should#

use formal, impersonal style !seeFormal Style, p. 6" use topic sentences to introduce the subject of each

paragraph write well'developed paragraphs, giving

reasons/examples use generalisations !e.g. In most de%eloped countries,

education$" use sequencing !e.g. -irstly, Secondly, etc" and lin(ing

words/phrases !e.g. howe%er, although, etc" ma(e references to other sources !e.g. ()perts ha%e

pro%ed that$"

use quotations, either word'for'word or in paraphrase,

being careful to identify the source !e.g. As &inston/hurchill said,$"

ou should not#

use short forms, informal/colloquial language, etc !seeFormal Style, p. 6"

use very emotional language !e.g. I absolutely detest

people who$" express personal opinions too strongly !e.g. I know$"$

instead, use milder expressions !e.g. All politiciansare$"

refer blindly to statistics without accurate reference totheir source !e.g. -A recent study showed$ 0 which

study"


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use clichIs !e.g.1ome was not built in a day." use personal examples !e.g.In my school$"

?O'E9O0@

A. 0ead the t"o models and gi#e reasons "hy model is good and model B is bad.

Money is not the most important thing in life.4iscuss.

. 0oney is certainly something which is often discussed in todays world.

Cardly a day goes by without the subject of money being raised in mostpeoples lives. Cowever, it is highly debatable whether it is more important thanother considerations, such as health and happiness, which some people considerto be of greater significance.

To begin with, it is often argued that having money enables people to exertinfluence over others. &ealthy businessmen, for example, are often the mosthighly respected members of society, and business tycoons are often consulted

by world leaders, who then ma(e policies which affect the whole population. As

a consequence, money can be seen as the single most important factor in dailylife.+econdly, from the point of view of the individual, money is vital for survival.&estern society is structured in such a way that, without money, people are

deprived of the means to obtain proper nutrition and health care. =urthermore, insome cases where state benefits are inadequate, the inability to pay heating bills

can indeed become a matter of life and death. This is clearly illustrated by thefact that, according to +ocial +ervices, the majority of deaths due to

hypothermia each winter occur among low'income groups.n the other hand, many people claim that on eof the factors in life which is

undoubtedly of greater importance that money is health. As BFaa( &alton said,health is 2a blessing that money cannot buy.3 &hat is more, money is of littleconsolation to those who are suffering from health problems. )espite the factthat money can pay for the best medical care available, this is no guarantee of a

longer life.

Bn addition, most people would agree that personal happiness easily outweighsmoney in importance. Even if an individual is extremely rich, this does notnecessarily lead to happiness. Bn some cases, the contrary is true and vast wealth

brings with it a whole range of problems and insecurities. 9enuine happinesscannot be bought and is usually independent of financial status.n the whole, although there are those who would ran( money as the singlemost important thing in life, the vast majority would disagree. 0oney, they

argue, has an important part to play but perhaps the world would be a moreharmonious place to live in if this were (ept in proportion and society put moreemphasis on moral issues.

B.Bn recent years life has greatly improved. The

standard of living is higher and all people canafford to buy things they couldnt in the past. Btruly believe that life today is better and manythings ma(e people happy.

To begin with, unless people are healthy, apersons life is unbearable and not worth living.&hen my father was seriously ill in hospital, Bclearly remember how nothing else mattered to

any of us, and we then learnt that the people welove are more important than money.Then theres the question of your boyfriend orgirlfriend. B dont thin( it matters if theyre rich J

although it would be niceK &hats moreimportant is whether you see eye to eye. B once

went out with a really rich guy but we didnt geton and B finished with him. This shows that

money isnt everything.Also, statistics show that different people can be

unhappy. Gich people can be just as unhappy aspoor people. +o why do some people always saythat money is everything4 B (now theyre wrongto thin( that. 0oney cant buy happiness.

ut its nice to live a life of luxury. &hy ta(e the

bus when you can ta(e a taxi4 And why not sendyour children to the best schools and pay for thebest doctors4 Theres no doubt about it, its a

good feeling being rich and powerful.+o, money is great J while it lastsK ut you cant

beat having a good time. +o if youve got money,ma(e the most of it and if youre happy, enjoy

yourself.

/he 4iscussion loc!

&hen considering a topic you may refer to the discussion cloc(, which

will help you thin( of ideas when planning your essay.

Geferring to the discussion cloc( is a useful 2brainstorming3 technique,as it helps you examine a topic from various viewpoints and decide on

ideas/points to include in your essay.

Leep in mind that a topic may not relate to all the aspects presented in

the discussion cloc(.

Gemember that for each viewpoint you have thought of, there is usually

an opposing argument. Thin( of the opposing arguments when planning

you essay.

%sychological

Geligious

+cientific

Artistic

Economic

Educational

+ocial

%olitical

0oral

Cistorical

Cealth

%ersonal


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