An essay is a relatively short composition. It does not claim scholarly thoroughness, but it does exhibit great variety. Essays can be about almost anything. In this scientific article the iscursive essay and its characteristic features in the English language is studied.
Key words: essay, iscursive, feature, composition, particular issue
Introduction. An essay is a relatively short composition. It does not claim scholarly thoroughness, but it does exhibit great variety. Essays can be about almost anything [1; 52].
An essay is «a composition usually short in prose on any subject» [2; 173]. The composition in an essay is determined by the topic and purpose of the writing. Essays are one of the hardest assignment tasks to get a handle on. They require more than presenting what has happened in a field of work. Typically, they involve you constructing a debate around the different arguments in favour of or not in favour of a particular issue. It is often a good idea to imagine yourself as a lawyer when thinking about how you are going to write your essay.
An essay normally follows this structure:
|
1.Introduction; |
2.Development; |
3.Conclusion; |
4.References. |
The four areas play very different parts. The Introduction acts as a way in to the main section, providing some background information on the topic and explaining which particular aspects of it will be covered in the essay. It is normally one or two paragraphs long. The Development section builds up the writer’s main ideas in a series of paragraphs. These paragraphs must be linked to one another so that anyone reading the essay can follow the line of argument and thread of the discussion. The Conclusion draws together the main point of each of the paragraphs and can include a statement on the opinion of the writer. Finally the References section gives full details of any sources (books, journals, websites, etc.) that have been mentioned, cited or quoted in the essay.
A discursive essay is a piece of formal writing which discusses a particular issue, situation or problem. It presents an argument in a more balanced way than argumentative and persuasive writing and does not argue for or against a point throughout the essay. In a discursive essay you are expected to be neutral, objective and explore all sides. After having assessed and evaluated all arguments, however, the writer generally states his/her opinion. The writer considers various aspects of the topic under discussion and presents opposing views impartially. The writer may come to a particular conclusion at the end of the essay but the arguments for and against must be well balanced and clearly analyzed in the course of the essay.
When writing a discursive essay, you should: use formal, impersonal style; use topic sentences to introduce the subject of each paragraph; write well-developed paragraphs, giving reasons/examples; use generalizations; use sequencing and linking words/phrases; make references to other sources; use quotations, either word-for-word or in paraphrase, being careful to identify the source. You should not: use short forms, informal/colloquial language; use very emotional language; express personal opinions too strongly; instead, use milder expressions; use over-generalization; refer blindly to statistics without accurate reference to their source; use personal examples.
A good discursive essay should consist of: a) an introductory paragraph — in 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; c) a closing paragraph — summarizing the main points of the essay, in which you state/restate your opinion, and/or give a balanced consideration of the topic.
Main part. General characteristics of discursive writing: discursive essays are often written in answer to questions such as «Do you agree (or disagree)... «, «Discuss...» or «To what extent...» ; the thesis statement is generally non-comittal, i.e., it merely presents the controversy, without indicating what conclusion the writer will come to. A typical thesis statement for a discursive essay would be: «In order to come to a considered conclusion about..., we must take a number of factors into account» ; the essay is written in an objective, impersonal style, without the personal opinion of the writer intruding. Opinions or arguments are often attributed to some anonymous «authority», for example: «Whilst some people argue that...others are of the opinion that…» ; the topic sentences of the paragraphs may stress continuity between similar arguments, for example: «It is also argued that...», «A further argument that one frequently encounters in this context is that...» ; however, the topic sentence may also high light the progression of the discussion by pointing out the contrasts between the opposing arguments. For example: «However there are also strong arguments against this point of view...», «Another counter argument is that...» ; in the conclusion, the writer often comes to a conclusion and gives his/her opinion more or less tentatively. Again, this is often expressed impersonally, for example : «Given the reaction this issue has caused....», it seems fair to conclude that...», «After evaluating these arguments, the conclusion seems inescapable that...», «After examining all the evidence, one is bound to admit that...» .
Consider the following when writing a discursive essay: the writer should understand and be able to reflect both sides of the argument in an impartial and well informed way; the writing must be lucid, rational and objective. Calm, well-reasoned and well supported statements should be made; the tone should be unemotional and convincing without being condescending; the writer may give an indication of his or her opinion at the end of the essay but this should only be done in conclusion. Discursive essays are written in formal style. This means you should use: passive voice, impersonal instructions; a range of advanced vocabulary (verbs, adjectives, abstract nouns); formal linking words/phrases; complex sentences with a variety of links, dependent clauses; inversion, especially in conditionals. You should not use: short forms except when these are part of a quotation; colloquial expressions, phrasal verbs, idioms; simplistic vocabulary; a series of short sentences; simple linking words except for variety.
The following basic structure should be employed for writing this essay: a) provide an interesting introduction; b) provide a clear indication of your position, your stance in relation to the topic (are you «for» or «against»?); c) present your first argument, with supporting evidence; d) present your second argument, with supporting evidence; e) present your third argument, with supporting evidence; f) present your fourth argument, with supporting evidence, and so on (the number of paragraphs like this will depend on the number of arguments you can offer); g) indicate, in a single paragraph, that there is another side to this argument, with some idea of the points likely to be made for the view(s) which are opposite to your own; h) reiterate (state again) your position and conclude your essay.
In the first paragraph, you should state the topic and/or your opinion, and you may include one or more of the following techniques: make reference to an unusual or striking ideas/scene/situation; address the reader directly; and/or ask a rhetorical question; start with a quotation or thought provoking statement;
In 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: finish with a quotation; ask a rhetorical question; give the reader something to consider;
There are three main types of discursive essays: I. For and against essays — present 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 writer’s own opinion should be presented only in the final paragraph. II. 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. III. Essays suggesting solutions to problem s — in which the problem(s) 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, in the introduction and/or conclusion.
Conclusion. As a conclusion we can say that an essay is a relatively short composition. It does not claim scholarly thoroughness, but it does exhibit great variety. Essays can be about almost anything. An essay is a composition usually short in prose on any subject. The composition in an essay is determined by the topic and purpose of the writing. Also we found out that there are different types of essays. One of the such kind of essays is Discursive essay that presents an argument in a more balanced way and while writing a discursive essay, we should pay attention to its writing order and structure. Discursive essay is divided into three parts. Scholars classified them according to their features. More specifically, for and against essay is a formal piece of writing in which you discuss the advantages and disadvantages of a specific topic. They require your opinion on a topic which must be clearly stated and supported by reasons. It is necessary to include the opposing viewpoint in another paragraph. As for the problem-solution essay, we can call this kind of essay as Essay suggesting solution to problems. In a problem-solution essay, you analyze a problem and propose a method for solving it. The problem you choose to analyze should be one that offers some challenges but is still possible to resolve. In this kind of essay, the problem which is discussed should be solved at the end. If we do not conform this rule, the essay will be similar to the opinion essay.
References:
- Kane Thomas Essential Guide to writing. New York, Barkley Books, 2001.
- Alabi V. A. The Use of English in Higher Education. 2006. — P. 173.
