how to start a discussion in an essay

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How to Write a Discussion Essay

Last Updated: June 27, 2023 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Jake Adams . Jake Adams is an academic tutor and the owner of Simplifi EDU, a Santa Monica, California based online tutoring business offering learning resources and online tutors for academic subjects K-College, SAT & ACT prep, and college admissions applications. With over 14 years of professional tutoring experience, Jake is dedicated to providing his clients the very best online tutoring experience and access to a network of excellent undergraduate and graduate-level tutors from top colleges all over the nation. Jake holds a BS in International Business and Marketing from Pepperdine University. There are 14 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 445,799 times.

Discussion Essay Outline and Example

Planning Your Essay

• For instance, maybe the question is, "Immigration has been a heated topic on the national level for many years. With issues like the DREAM Act and President Trump's stances on policy, it's likely to remain a central issue. Using authoritative resources to back up your argument, take a stance on immigration policy, establishing whether you think it should be more or less strict and why."
• You can establish that the main topic is immigration policy from the sentence, "Take a stance on immigration policy."
• If you're having trouble understanding the question, don't be afraid to talk to the professor. They can help you better understand what they're asking for.

• If your essay will be based off a discussion had in class, ask your instructor if you can use class notes as a primary source.
• Look for respected news sources, as well as websites with ".edu" and ".gov" extensions.
• You may need to look up information on the DREAM Act or President Trump's policies to help you understand the question, for example. For this part, you don't need to take extensive notes, as you're just trying to get a feel for the subject.

• If you were given a text to base your essay on, make sure that text has enough evidence to support your chosen position.

• Use Roman numerals on your page to mark your main ideas. Write a main point by each Roman numeral. You should only cover 3 to 4 main points in a relatively short essay, such as one that's 3 to 5 pages.

• Your main sources should be books or ebooks, journal articles from academic journals, and credible websites. You can also use high quality news articles if they're applicable to your topic.

• For a book, you should include the author's name, the editor's name (if applicable), the title of the book, the publication year, the publication city, the edition, and the title of the book chapter in an anthology by multiple authors.
• For a journal, include the author's name, the journal title, the article title, the digital object identifier (DOI), the ISSN, the publication date, the volume (if applicable), the issue (if applicable), and the page numbers for the journal article.
• If you're searching in a database, you can often ask the database to save this information for you, but you should include identifiers on your notes.

• For example, if one of your main points is "Immigration increases diversity," some of your points underneath might be "Brings in new cuisines," and "Brings in new art."
• Find examples from your research, and add notes to each point to fill them in.

Writing the Introduction

• For an example or anecdote, start by telling a short story about something relevant to your topic. For instance, you might write the following for an essay on immigration, "When I was 4-years-old, my parents told me we were going on a long trip. After a bus ride, we spent nights walking, my dad carrying me most of the way. One day, we crossed a river. That day marked our first day in our new country."

• For example, you might write, "Immigration is a highly-debated issue. It is controversial because some people fear how it affects the resources of the country the people are immigrating to, while others believe the improved quality of life for immigrants is what’s most important."

• For instance, your thesis statement might be, "Immigration is good for the country because it increases diversity, infuses the country with new talent, and broadens the population's perspective, and it should be encouraged with a few basic safeguards in place."

Composing the Body of Your Essay

• For instance, if you're writing a short research paper, one paragraph might be your main point "Immigration increases diversity," where you cover all your bullet points in that paragraph.
• If you're digging deeper, you might create a section about diversity, and then use a paragraph to cover "brings in new cuisines," another to cover "brings in new art," and so on.

• Try not to set up a "straw man" argument, where you don't give the other side a fair chance. You should be able to support your position without purposefully creating a weak position on the other side.

• For instance, maybe you want to transition between a section about increasing diversity to one about bringing in new talent. You might write a sentence like, "Increasing diversity in our country doesn't just bring in new cuisines and art, it also brings in hard workers that have fresh perspectives on old problems in the workforce."

• You can paraphrase other ideas or use direct quotes, but only use a direct quote if the author said something in a unique way. Otherwise, put it in your own words.
• You may want to begin body paragraphs with a quote from a relevant source. Then, explain or provide commentary on the quote and show how it supports your position.
• You can also use statistics to back up your research. For instance, if one of your arguments is that immigration doesn't increase crime, use statistics to back that up.

Concluding Your Essay

• For instance, you might write, "A truly great country is one that celebrates differences and welcomes new ideas and perspectives. While immigration has some negative effects on a country, overall, allowing people from other countries to come in helps to spark new ideas and make the country a better and more interesting place to live. Rather than being a drain on society, immigrants are motivated to work hard and our citizens can only benefit from listening to their perspectives."

• Once you have the flow down, read it again to check for grammatical mistakes and typos. It can help to read it aloud, as it slows you down and forces you to read every word.

Expert Q&A

• Remember you can't research forever. Often, the research stage absorbs a student so fully that the upcoming submission date seems unimportant. Make sure to leave yourself at least a few days to write your essay. Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0

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• ↑ Jake Adams. Academic Tutor & Test Prep Specialist. Expert Interview. 20 May 2020.
• ↑ https://student.unsw.edu.au/answering-assignment-questions
• ↑ https://student.unsw.edu.au/essay-and-assignment-planning
• ↑ https://opentextbc.ca/writingforsuccess/chapter/chapter-11-developing-a-convincing-argument/
• ↑ https://student.unsw.edu.au/organising-your-ideas
• ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/introductions/
• ↑ https://www.umgc.edu/current-students/learning-resources/writing-center/writing-resources/parts-of-an-essay/essay-introductions
• ↑ https://wts.indiana.edu/writing-guides/how-to-write-a-thesis-statement.html
• ↑ https://www.student.unsw.edu.au/writing-your-essay
• ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/academic_writing/establishing_arguments/organizing_your_argument.html
• ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/academic_writing/establishing_arguments/research_and_evidence.html
• ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/conclusions/
• ↑ https://libguides.usc.edu/writingguide/conclusion
• ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/editing-and-proofreading/

About This Article

To write a discussion essay, start by taking a side on the issue you're writing about, like "Immigration is good for the country." Then, outline the main points that made you decide to take that position and do research to find evidence that backs them up. Look for credible sources that can help you make your argument, and don't forget to cite them. Then, when you're writing your essay, devote 1 paragraph to each main point and include your evidence. For help writing the introduction and conclusion to your essay, scroll down! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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How to write a discussion essay

• September 21, 2023

A discussion essay, also called a controversial essay, is where you express your opinion about a topic. When writing one, 

• Cover both sides of the topic , present the key points that back your viewpoint and the opposing one.
• Ensure a multi-faceted understanding of the issues before presenting your own personal views and conclusions.

So let’s deeply explore the structure and components of a successful discussion paper.

Quick summary

• Carefully read and comprehend the essay prompt.
• Select a topic that leads to multiple viewpoints and debates.
• Begin with a clear introduction that includes a strong thesis statement.
• Discuss different viewpoints or/and arguments in separate body paragraphs.
• Maintain a balanced approach by presenting viewpoints fairly.
• Summarize the main ideas and restate your thesis statement , then end your essay.

Choose a controversial topic

Choosing a topic is the first step when starting your essay. When choosing a topic , make sure it is something that you are personally interested in as it will be easier for you to write.

Now let’s have a look at discussion essay topic examples. 

• Should Capital Punishment be Abolished?
• Is Genetic Engineering Ethical for Humans?
• Should Schools Implement Mandatory Vaccination Policies?
• Is Nuclear Energy a Viable Solution to the Energy Crisis?

After choosing the essay topic, you should create your outline to finish planning your essay.

Create an outline

The outline allows you to understand how to combine all the information and thesis statement to support claims of your essay.

Create a basic outline for your discussion essay. Start with a preliminary version of your thesis statement, main argument, opposing argument, and other main points.

Here is an outline example for a discussion essay.

Discussion essay outline example

Title: The Ethics of Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare

• Start with a strong and engaging opening.
• Introduce the topic and its relevance.
• Present the thesis statement that highlights the ethical considerations in AI integration in healthcare.
• Begin with a clear topic sentence about AI's role in diagnosis.
• Explain AI's superiority in analyzing medical data and images.
• Provide an example of AI detecting diseases early.
• Discuss concerns about the potential effects on human expertise.
• Introduce the focus on personalized treatment.
• Explain how AI can customize therapies based on individual data.
• Give an example of optimizing medical outcomes.
• Raise ethical issues about privacy, consent, and data security.
• Start with a topic sentence about accountability.
• Discuss the challenge of assigning blame in AI-related errors.
• Address the importance of unbiased AI algorithms.
• Mention the need for regulation and oversight.
• Restate the significance of the ethical landscape of AI in healthcare.
• Summarize the core points discussed in the body paragraphs.
• Reiterate the importance of balancing AI advancements with ethical considerations.
• End with a call to uphold ethical principles in the integration of AI in healthcare.

So now that you’ve seen an outline example, l et’s start writing your essay with an introduction.

Write your introduction

• Start with an attention-grabbing opening ( hook sentence ) that piques the reader's curiosity and encourages them to continue reading.
• Provide a brief background or context for the topic you'll be discussing.
• Seamlessly transition from the general to the specific focus of your essay. Guide the reader to understand what to expect from the essay.
• End your introduction with a strong and clear thesis statement.

Discussion essay introduction example

Introduction

Now that we have written our introduction, we can move on to the discussion parts.

Compose the body of your essay

Write down the main points of the body paragraphs of your discussion paper. A well-written body paragraph illustrates, justifies, and/or supports your thesis statement. When writing body paragraphs:

• Typically, present each issue separately and discuss both sides of the argument in an unbiased manner.
• Start each paragraph with a topic sentence that transitions from the previous one to introduce the next topic.
• Start with your least convincing argument and work your way up to your strongest argument. This structure helps readers follow your logic consistently.
• Make sure your citation usage is consistent for each argument. If you cite three quotes that support your main argument, aim to use three quotes for the opposing view as well.

Discussion essay body paragraphs

Body Paragraph 1: Enhancing Diagnostics and Accuracy

Body Paragraph 2: Personalized Treatment and Privacy

Body Paragraph 3: Ethical Responsibility and Accountability

Now, let’s look at how to end your work.

Conclude your discussion essay

Writing a strong conclusion for a discussion essay is essential to leave a lasting impression on your readers and summarize the main points of your argument effectively. Here are the steps on how to write a good conclusion for your discussion paper:

• Begin your conclusion by restating your thesis statement in a slightly different way. This helps remind the reader of the main argument you've presented throughout the essay.
• Provide a brief summary of the key points you discussed in your essay.
• Emphasize the importance of the topic and the implications of your argument.

Things to avoid in conclusion

Let’s have a look at a conclusion example for a discussion essay..

Discussion essay conclusion example

Remember that a conclusion is your final opportunity to leave a strong impression, so make it memorable and impactful.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is a discussion essay different from other types of essays.

Unlike other common essays that might focus on presenting a single argument, a discussion essay presents multiple perspectives on a topic. It strives to remain neutral and balanced while analyzing different viewpoints.

Can I express my personal opinion in a discussion essay?

Yes, you can include your personal opinion, but it should be presented alongside other viewpoints. Your opinion should be supported by evidence and analysis, and you should strive for a balanced presentation.

Do I need to include counterarguments?

Yes, including counterarguments is essential in a discussion essay. Addressing opposing viewpoints demonstrates your understanding of the topic and strengthens your analysis.

How do I ensure a balanced presentation of viewpoints?

Present each viewpoint objectively and support it with evidence. Give equal attention to different perspectives and avoid using biased language.

How can I transition between different viewpoints in my essay?

Use transitional words and phrases like “however,” “on the other hand,” and “in contrast” to smoothly guide readers between paragraphs and viewpoints.

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• How it works

How to Critically Discuss in an Essay – Simple Steps

Published by Carmen Troy at September 19th, 2023 , Revised On July 25, 2024

Critical discussion is the key to writing evidence-based, impact-making essays. If you know the art of writing arguments-based essays with supporting facts and figures, you will likely convince readers to believe in your thesis statement .

Most researchers make the mistake of writing essays without critically discussing their thesis statements with the supporting facts and figures, which can spoil their reputation as impact-creating researchers.

To learn how to critically discuss in an essay is essential for you to establish your authority in literary circles or among readers as a good researcher, you just need to learn some tips and tricks and then practice them to tame your abilities and thinking or writing skills.

What is a Critical Essay?

An academic writing in which an author makes a claim about how particular ideas or themes are conveyed in a specific text and then supports it with evidence is known as a critical essay.

We often associate the word “critical” with a negative perspective, like identifying flaws and errors in anything, but it means discerning and analytical in the context of a critical essay. Critical essays are written to analyse and evaluate the specific aspects of any theory or idea to issue a verdict about its content or quality.

What is Critical Discussion in an Essay?

Critical discussion in an essay refers to the process of examining, analysing, and evaluating various viewpoints, arguments, evidence, and theories related to a particular topic or idea.

For example , analysing the elements of matriarchy in Mary Wollstonecraft’s famous prose “A Vindication of the Rights of Women”.

It not only means description but also requires the writer to engage with the material thoughtfully and reflectively to weave arguments backed with evidence around the topic sentence. To write critically, you need to think critically, which is the base process of writing. There will be no critical writing and discussion without critical thinking.

Critical Thinking

Critical thinking is a cognitive process involving analysing, evaluating, and synthesising information logically and objectively. It involves analysing and evaluating information to form a judgement or decision about anything.

What Critical Discussion is Not?

Let’s discuss what critical discussion is not before moving on to the components of a critical discussion essay. Excessive description of the ideas and repetition of other opinions without critically analysing them in your essay refers to what critical discussion is not.

Let’s have a look at some elements of what critical discussion is not in an essay.

References Devoid of Analysis: Using only other critiques or opinions to support your arguments without presenting your critical views about the topic in the essay is not critical discussion. You need to present your ideas as well along with other people’s ideas in your essay to match the requirements of critical discussion.

Only Description, Not Critical Arguments: You need to present a description of a particular art/ literature/ science work to set the scene or tone of your essay. You must include your critical opinion of the theory, concept, or idea you are discussing to turn your essay into an argumentative essay.

Focusing on Weaker Aspects: Some researchers confuse the word critical with evaluating only negative elements about a particular topic or idea. They get trapped in this confusion and only discuss the weaknesses or negative aspects of the theory or idea being discussed.

However, they are required to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the topic or idea evenly to present a wholesome, critical view of the essay. So, if you only discuss negative aspects in your essay, then it is not considered to be a critically discussed essay.

Quick and Easy Approach: Writing a critical discussion essay takes a lot of work. It requires you to take as much time as you want to read the relevant material, analyse facts and figures, reflect upon the critiques of others, and then formulate a sound argument for your essay to be based upon.

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Components of Critical Discussion in an Essay

There are several components of critical discussion that can be used while writing an essay. But we’ll discuss 5 most important and relevant to the critical discussion to help you equip yourself with the necessary critical discussion and writing skills.

1. Analysis

To analyse any topic or idea, you need to break down the information collected from different sources into manageable parts to understand how they relate to each other and support the thesis statement.

2. Evaluation

The evaluation process needs to be performed to determine whether the evidence is reliable, credible, and sufficient to support the claims made and to decide whether to use the collected data in your research study or not.

Also, consider conflicting opinions and viewpoints available to free your study from any kind of bias. It helps you to reach the most likely correct or bias-free conclusion.

3. Interpretation

After analysing and evaluating the data, you need to synthesise the information in a manageable order to interpret it and turn it into supporting arguments for your essay.

It helps you gain new insights or different perspectives on the topic, which is supposed to result in implications, future directions, or alternative interpretations.

4. Argumentation

Now, you can utilise the above steps in presenting arguments in a logical order to support your thesis statement of the essay. Also, use extracted evidence and reasons to support your points and persuade the reader. Remember to address potential counterarguments and refute them effectively by using evidence to demonstrate a thorough understanding of the topic and strengthen your position.

5. Reflective Thinking

Reflective thinking is the key to hunting down your own biases and assumptions involved in your essay discussion. It also helps you to pinpoint stages where different biases might influence your interpretation of the evidence and arguments. Try reflective thinking before and after writing to maintain a critical perspective throughout the essay. It will help you figure out points that might be influenced.

Tips for Writing a Critical Discussion Essay

You can write a good critical discussion essay by following the 7 tips discussed below. You just need to follow the tips mentioned in order to write an evidence-based essay. The following tips are mentioned below for writing a perfect essay from scratch.

Tip 1: Start with a Thesis Statement

Always start your essays with a thesis statement clearly indicating your viewpoint about the topic you are going to discuss. If you are struggling to write a clear and concise thesis statement for your essay. Stress no more; we can help you out by doing so.

Tip 2: Use Supporting Evidence

Essays that include supporting evidence in the form of quotations, textual references, and so on are of more value than essays devoid of any supporting facts and figures. By doing this, you can leave a mark on the audience’s minds by supporting your thesis statement with relevant data.

Tip 3: Analyse the Relevance of Data

Make sure to analyse every piece of evidence you use by considering its relevance, reliability, and sufficiency according to your essay. The relevancy of the data used in the essay helps you to establish yourself as a credible researcher.

Tip 4: Use Quotes and Phrases

You can use the quotes and phrases that you have marked as relevant to your field of study in your essay to support your thesis statement. By doing this, readers will realise that you don’t build castles in the air; instead, you use evidence to back your statements,

Tip 5: Use Clear and Concise Language

The readability of your essay depends upon the sentence structure and language you use in your essay. To increase the readability of your essay, use clear and concise language to help readers understand your viewpoint without any confusion. Also, make sure to avoid the use of complicated words, technical terms, and jargon in your essay.

Tip 6: Discuss Counter Arguments

If you want to provide a wholesome view of your essay to the readers, discuss counterarguments and conflicting views about your thesis statement. It helps you to make your readers aware of the other views and convince them with your arguments to support your views.

Tip 7: Consistency

Consistency is the key to writing perfect essays. All you need to do is maintain your tone and language throughout the essay to comply with the research writing rules and regulations. Try to use tone and language appropriate to your audience and should reflect their level of knowledge about the topic. If you are writing for the masses, explain every abbreviation you use, but it is unnecessary for researchers in the same field.

How to Structure a Critical Discussion Essay?

Structure is the most important element of any essay because it shows the quality or level of logicality in your prose. There are several tips available on how to structure a critical discussion essay. You can follow any format relevant to your topic.

But first, let’s discuss a general structure that needs to be followed for writing a critical discussion essay. The structure of an essay is also referred to as the outline of the essay, so don’t get confused; both words can be used interchangeably.

Critical Discussion Essay Structure

Introduction

• Thesis statement
• Background of the topic or author being discussed
• Supporting statements
• References from different sources like books and articles
• Counter Arguments
• Your rebuttal with supporting facts and figures
• Recap of the thesis statement and whole information discussed above
• Suggestions for future implications of the essay

You can follow the above steps to learn how to write a critical discussion in an essay. But make sure to follow the process in logical order and practice to master the art of essay writing. Don’t forget to work on developing critical thinking skills to perfectly craft your essays because they are the backbone of essay writing.

If you still need help writing a good essay , you can get a consultation from our experts and buy our essay writing services at the best prices.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to critically discuss in an essay.

You need to create an outline first and then write arguments backed with supporting evidence to critically discuss in an essay. You can use research articles, books, and other sources to find supporting evidence for your thesis statement. 

What are the Components of Critical Discussion in an Essay?

There are 5 components of critical discussion in an essay: evaluation, argumentation, analysis, reflective thinking, and interpretation.

How to Write a Critical Discussion Essay?

You need to brainstorm ideas, research, and select a topic to write a critical discussion essay.

After that, create an outline to write your essay in a logical order.

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Discussion essays Considering both sides of the argument

Discussion essays are a common form of academic writing. This page gives information on what a discussion essay is and how to structure this type of essay. Some vocabulary for discussion essays is also given, and there is an example discussion essay on the topic of studying overseas.

What are discussion essays?

Many essay titles require you to examine both sides of a situation and to conclude by saying which side you favour. These are known as discussion or for and against essays. In this sense, the academic meaning of the word discuss is similar to its everyday meaning, of two people talking about a topic from different sides. For a discussion essay, a balanced view is normally essential. This makes discussion essays distinct from persuasion essays , for which only one side of the argument is given. When writing a discussion essay, it is important to ensure that facts and opinions are clearly separated. Often you will examine what other people have already said on the same subject and include this information using paraphrasing and summarising skills, as well as correct citations .

The following are examples of discussion essay topics.

• Examine the arguments for and against capital punishment.
• Schools should teach children not only academic subjects but also important life skills. Discuss.
• What are the advantages and disadvantages of technology in the classroom?

Although the structure of a discussion essay may vary according to length and subject, there are several components which most discussion essays have in common. In addition to general statements and thesis statement which all good essay introductions contain, the position of the writer will often be stated, along with relevant definitions . The main body will examine arguments for (in one or more paragraphs) and arguments against (also in one or more paragraphs). The conclusion will contain a summary of the main points, and will often conclude with recommendations , based on what you think are the most important ideas in the essay. The conclusion may also contain your opinion on the topic, also based on the preceding evidence.

An overview of this structure is given in the diagram below.

Discussion vocabulary

When summarising the stages in a discussion or in presenting your arguments, it can be useful to mark the order of the items or degrees of importance. The following words and phrases can be used.

• First..., First of all..., The most important...
• Second..., In the second place...
• Finally..., Lastly...

The following can be used when introducing your opinion.

• There is no doubt that...
• I believe that...
• One of the main arguments in favour of/against X is that...

It is important in English writing, including academic writing, to use synonyms rather than repeating the same word. The following are useful synonyms for 'advantage' and 'disadvantage'.

• advantage: benefit, a positive aspect/feature, pro (informal)
• disadvantage: drawback, a negative aspect/feature, con (informal)

Example essay

Below is an example discussion essay. Click on the different areas (in the shaded boxes to the right) to highlight the different structural aspects in this essay.

Title: An increasing number of students are going overseas for tertiary education. To what extent does this overseas study benefit the students?

Most people spend around fifteen years of their life in education, from primary school to university study. In the past, students only had the opportunity to study in their own country. Nowadays, however, it is increasingly easy to study overseas, especially at tertiary level. Tertiary education, also called post-secondary education, is the period of study spent at university. As the final aspect of schooling before a person begins their working life, it is arguably the most important stage of their education. While there are some undoubted benefits of this trend, such as the language environment and improved employment prospects , there is also a significant disadvantage, namely the high cost . The first and most important advantage of overseas study is the language learning environment. Students studying overseas will not only have to cope with the local language for their study, but will also have to use it outside the classroom for their everyday life. These factors should make it relatively easy for such students to advance their language abilities. Another important benefit is employability. Increasing globalisation means that there are more multinational companies setting up offices in all major countries. These companies will need employees who have a variety of skills, including the fluency in more than one language. Students who have studied abroad should find it much easier to obtain a job in this kind of company. There are, however, some disadvantages to overseas study which must be considered, the most notable of which is the expense. In addition to the cost of travel, which in itself is not inconsiderable, overseas students are required to pay tuition fees which are usually much higher than those of local students. Added to this is the cost of living, which is often much higher than in the students' own country. Although scholarships may be available for overseas students, there are usually very few of these, most of which will only cover a fraction of the cost. Overseas study therefore constitutes a considerable expense. In summary, studying abroad has some clear advantages, including the language environment and increased chances of employment , in addition to the main drawback, the heavy financial burden . I believe that this experience is worthwhile for those students whose families can readily afford the expense. Students without such strong financial support should consider carefully whether the high cost outweighs the benefits to be gained.

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Below is a checklist for discussion essays. Use it to check your own writing, or get a peer (another student) to help you.

Bailey, S. (2000). Academic Writing. Abingdon: RoutledgeFalmer

Cox, K. and D. Hill (2004). EAP now! Frenchs Forest: Pearson Education Australia

Jordan, R.R. (1999). Academic Writing Course. Cambridge: CUP

Roberts R., J. Gokanda, & A. Preshous (2004). IELTS Foundation. Oxford: Macmillian

Next section

Find out how to write persuasion essays in the next section.

Previous section

Go back to the previous section about different essay types .

Author: Sheldon Smith    ‖    Last modified: 16 January 2022.

Sheldon Smith is the founder and editor of EAPFoundation.com. He has been teaching English for Academic Purposes since 2004. Find out more about him in the about section and connect with him on Twitter , Facebook and LinkedIn .

Compare & contrast essays examine the similarities of two or more objects, and the differences.

Cause & effect essays consider the reasons (or causes) for something, then discuss the results (or effects).

Discussion essays require you to examine both sides of a situation and to conclude by saying which side you favour.

Problem-solution essays are a sub-type of SPSE essays (Situation, Problem, Solution, Evaluation).

Transition signals are useful in achieving good cohesion and coherence in your writing.

Reporting verbs are used to link your in-text citations to the information cited.

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1. Choose Your Topic

2. outline your essay, outline your points, 3. draft your introduction, 4. good discussion in the body of your essay, 5. conclude your essay, how to write a discussion essay.

A discussion essay presents and discusses issues surrounding a particular topic--usually one that is debatable and open to argument. A good argumentative essay must include a thorough discussion of both sides of the issue, including main points to support your argument and its counterargument. It should also provide a well-rounded understanding of the issues before the writer presents their personal own opinions and conclusions.

What is an IELTS Discussion Essay?

The International English Language Testing System is an international standardized test of English language proficiency for non-native English language speakers.

Example of an IELTS Discussion essay

Some believe language provides cohesion to a country, while others believe diverse languages bring diversity and vibrancy. Discuss both sides and give your opinion.

As with most persuasive essay formats, the essay's quality relies primarily on the writer's ability to provide solid research and evidence to present different views of the topic.

Practicing your writing skills as you write a discussion essay is a great way to grow as a writer. Let’s dive into the essay structure and components of a successful discussion essay.

Choose your discussion essay topic. When choosing this topic, make sure it is one that you're interested in personally since this will be easier for you to write. You'll need to discuss both sides of the argument surrounding the discussion essay topic, so ensure that you have access to good research that provides pertinent information. Writing only one side of the argument will result in an undeveloped discussion essay, which probably won’t receive a good score.

Outline your discussion essay. This outline should include a rough draft of your thesis statement, main argument, opposing argument, other main points and a rough draft of your conclusion. Your goal at this point is to get your thoughts on the discussion essay topic organized and in writing.

You can write a detailed outline for your discussion essay, using traditional outline format--letters and numbers to separate key points--or you can simply jot down a list of the main discussion points you plan to cover in order to answer the essay question or address the essay topic.

Next, write your introduction. According to the Open University, your goal in the introduction of your discussion essay is to introduce the issues relating to the topic and to provide your reader with important background information. Your introduction is essentially setting the scene for your reader so they are prepared to digest the argument you’ll be presenting. Providing your reader with a simple overview of how your discussion essay is organized will ensure that she understands your flow of thought throughout the body of the essay.

Most importantly, at the end of your introductory paragraph you must include a well developed thesis statement. One of the most common mistakes made when writing introduction paragraphs is leaving out the thesis statement, which is one sentence that firmly asserts what side of the argument you will be arguing throughout the work. Be specific in your points and make sure it is a strong closing to this first paragraph, as it will set the tone for the rest of your essay.

Write the body paragraphs of your discussion essay using any research sources that you have collected. Typically, you should present each issue individually and impartially, discussing first one side of the argument and then the other side of each argument that relates to your topic. Ensuring that each paragraph is roughly the same size as the other will make the presentation of facts seem balanced to the reader as well. Each paragraph should begin with a topic sentence that smoothly transitions from the previous paragraph while simultaneously introducing the new topic covered in the upcoming one.

Progress through your body arguments in order, starting with your weakest argument or issue and progressing to the strongest. This structure allows your reader to follow your flow of thought easily without getting distracted. When deciding how to use sources, try to use the same number of quotes and sources for each argument. If you use three quotes to support your main argument, strive to use three quotes to present the opposing view as well.

Write your discussion essay conclusion. Your goal with your conclusion is to summarize the overall information from the body of the discussion essay, leading the reader to mentally review the pros and cons of the topic argument. Although you don't technically have to be in favor of one side of the discussion yourself, if you are, be sure to present your own conclusions in this paragraph rather than earlier in the essay.

Once you have finished your conclusion, part of wrapping up your essay is going back through it and checking for grammatical errors. Check to make sure you have not copied any quotes directly from other sources, as this would result in a plagiarism charge, especially if your professor screens your essay through a writing service that checks for plagiarized work. Always write using your own words. Using your own words not only saves you from plagiarism issues, but also helps with essay coherence since the rest of the work has been written in your tone of voice.

On the final page of your discussion essay you will also include all of the citations for sources you quoted or summarized information from. Whether citing in MLA or APA format, double check the style and order of your citations for accuracy before turning it in.

Regan Hennessy has been writing professionally for 11 years. A copywriter and certified teacher, Hennessy specializes in the areas of parenting, health, education, agriculture and personal finance. She has produced content for various websites and graduated from Lycoming College with a Bachelor of Arts in English.

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How to Write a Good Discussion Essay

If you are asking yourself how to write a good discussion essay and still do not have any luck – then welcome to our website. In this article will be presented the most useful tips and guidelines for writing a discussion essay. Usually, a good discussion essay provides readers with a thorough discussion of different sides of a topic. In order to do this assignment one will have to research both sides of his topic and present the most interesting facts and arguments that support each view. If you were not assigned a specific topic then you will have to chose a debatable question yourself. Find an issue that can be reviewed and discussed easily and follow our writing tips.

Step One: Organize your work

If you want to make your work more effective – you should organize and understand a logical chain of your actions. Here is what you have to do in order to create a good discussion essay: brainstorm your topic, do an in depth research, outline your essay, create a draft following a usual structure, proofread it and start writing.

Step Two: Brainstorm your topic

Writing a discussion essay you should pick a debatable topic that would be interesting for most of the people (or at least to your professor). Follow a few simple rules when choosing a topic: it should be debatable and without exact answers, it should be interesting for you and your readers, it should not be too complicated for investigation. Read some news if you are experiencing troubles with selecting a topic – it can help you.

Step Three: Collect the sources

Usually, professors ask students to have several sources in bibliography. It is not a good idea to use the only source for your research and write down about five of them in bibliography. You are not able to create a good paper using the only source because it presents an information using it’s own opinion. You should discuss your topic from different sides, comparing several views. Collect several books in library, read your section and write down some interesting and important points.

Step Four: Outline an essay

Before outlining your essay – think about things and issues you want to cover in your discussion essay and write them down on a paper. Then using the important on your view points create an outline. Doing an outline this way you will be sure you have included to your essay everything you wanted. Use headings, numbers, letters and sub-headings to make it more structured.

Step Five: Always make a draft

Writing any academic paper – make a draft first. You will be able to proofread and correct mistakes. Write a paper using your outline, research data and usual essay structure. Remember to include introduction, thesis statement, a well-structured body section and conclusions. Make sure your draft discusses and covers different aspects of the issue and provides a reader with an accurate background information. Discuss the positive and negative aspects of both views on your subject and present your own.

Give your paper to a friend and ask to read it with voice – listen to it and ensure that you like how it sounds, ask about your friend’s impression. Proofread it once more and start writing!

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How to Write a Discussion Essay for University: How to Start

How to Write a Discussion Essay

Have you been asked to write a discussion essay and you do not know how to go about it? Discussion essays require you to debate two opposing sides where you eventually show the side you prefer.

This article will look into steps that you need to follow when writing discussion essays and all the tips to complete one successfully

What is a Discussion Essay?

A discussion essay presents issues surrounding topics that are debatable and open to criticism or arguments. The essay must include detailed accounts of both sides of the debate and strong points to support arguments and counterarguments.

The opinions on both sides of the topic should be fully exhausted. An example of a good discussion essay title is; The arguments for and against the death penalty.

Also Read: Is Using Old Exams Cheating? Tips how to Use Them to Pass

How to Write a Discussion Essay?

Writing discussion essays is not hard. It takes time to perfect essay writing and a few average first trials should not discourage you. However, there are several steps that if followed can help elevate you easily to an expert discussion essay writer. These include:

Step 1: Choose a Topic

When you have not been given a specific topic to write about, always ensure that you choose a topic carefully. Pick a topic that will be easier to research and write about.

A topic with readily available research is important because you will have to write about two argument phases in detail.

When you choose a side where the research available is one sided ,then your discussion essay will be unbalanced and may result in poor grading or rating

Step 2: Do Your Research

You will need to thoroughly research the topic you are writing about because facts must be separated from opinions. Only facts about a topic will make credible arguments for and against it.

Always research for enough factual points about a topic that will balance your arguments. Also, ensure that during research you formulate a thesis statement, opinions, and a conclusion that will serve as the parting shot of your essay.

Step 3: Create an Outline

After research, create a rough draft of how you want your essay to flow. Here include introduction points, thesis statement, supporting arguments, opposing arguments, and a rough conclusion paragraph.

This draft will help you write the essay without instant stops that are caused by running out of content halfway through.

Also, through outlines the ideas you present in the essay will look organized because you have already planned how they will flow. There is no recommended way of formulating this draft as long as you make sure that you do all the above tasks.

Also Read: Essay Reading: Practice and Importance of Reading Essays

Step 4: Write the Introduction

To introduce a discussion essay, all issues relating to the topic and important background information must be involved. The introduction should effectively set the pace of your essay preparing the reader for the arguments that you will present.

The thesis statement that reveals to the reader what the essay will be all about should conclude the introduction. The statement should summarize both sides presented in the essay.

It also sets the scene for your essay. Therefore, it should be a specific and strong closing statement to your introduction paragraph.

Step 5: Write the Discussion in the Body Part of the Essay

Each issue in the body paragraphs should be presented impartially. There should be no cases of mix-up. This implies that arguments for should be presented separately from arguments against.

Paragraphs that present the facts should be equal to give the impression that they are balanced. Also, each paragraph should start with a topic sentence that introduces an argument that is then supported by the body sentences.

The last sentence in the paragraph can serve as a transition to the next. When presenting your arguments, start with the strongest to ensure that the reader can keep up with the flow of your essay.

Always ensure a smooth transition to arguments against if you started in arguments for and vice versa. Sources and quotes should be balanced for both arguments.

For example, if you use four scholarly sources and 3 quotes for arguments against, the same should be replicated in supporting arguments.

Step 6: Write the Conclusion

To conclude a discussion essay, summarize the overall information that has been presented in your essay. There is no requirement that you favor one side of the argument in your essay but if you do, make sure that you present your own opinion that is not similar to the body paragraphs to avoid repetition.

Write the conclusion in a way that the reader will know that the essay is coming to an end and notice your point of view.

Step 7: Proofread

After writing the essay, always ensure that you go through it to correct any mistakes that you may have committed. Most of them include grammar mistakes and incorrect pronunciations that can make your work lose clarity.

After proofreading, always ensure that you have not copied anything directly from a source that can lead to your work being flagged as plagiarized. Once this is done your work is ready for submission.

How to Start a Discussion Essay?

Just like other essays, discussion essays start with an introduction. Here you must introduce both sides of the argument and include a thesis statement to help the reader comprehend what the essay will be all about.

To start a discussion essay you will have to take a position on a topic and start agreeing with it. Also, investigate your stance and present the opposing side before continuing to the introduction and thesis statement.

Also Read: What Assignment Due 11:59 PM Means: What Comes After

Tips When Writing a Discussion Essay

The following tips can be helpful when writing a discussion essay:

Tip 1: Be Clear

All paragraphs in your essay should be written in clear language that is easily understandable by the reader. After writing paragraphs always make sure that you proofread to correct any mistakes that may distort their meaning.

Tip 2: Take a Good Stand

Always choose a stance that you are comfortable with. This way you will be able to provide a view in your own words that present your stance on the topic.

A controversial stand will always be harder to write and prove with evidence.

Tip 3: Consider Opposing Views

A discussion essay is not complete if the opposing views are not fully presented. They are the ones that prove there is a relevant discussion about a particular topic that has two opposing views that can be supported and opposed.

Tip 4: Break down Opposing Sides with no Inclination

Do not lean on one side of the arguments when presenting them. Always ensure that both arguments are presented fairly.

Balance the points for each argument to avoid giving the impression that you favor a particular side. The side you take should be revealed in the introduction or conclusion of the essay and not in the body paragraphs.

When proofreading your essay always make sure that there is a fair approach between the two arguments.

Tip 5: Use a Reliable Tone

Remember that discussion essays are for academic use. Therefore, always ensure that the tone you use is formal. Use specialized terms that are common in the field of the essay topic.

It is up to the reader to establish what they mean.

Always ensure that you do not exaggerate anything you write because arguments presented must always sound real.

Tip 6: Be Detailed

Always avoid shallow arguments. All arguments you present in your discussion must be detailed. Your aim is to show both sides of a topic and shallow arguments will not help achieve that.

Jessica Kasen is experienced in academic writing and academic assistance. She is well versed in academia and has a master’s degree in education. Kasen consults with us in helping students improve their grades. She also oversights the quality of work done by our writers.

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How to write an Argumentative Essay

ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAYS

In this article, we will explore the process of constructing a high-quality argumentative essay. The ability to craft a coherent argument and to express those arguments with others in a discussion are essential skills to encourage in our students. This skill helps our students engage with the world, process their thoughts, and discover their opinions.

Table of Contents

In this article, we will use the terms ‘discussion’ and ‘argument’ interchangeably. But, it is worth noting that the real purpose of a discussion is to explore a variety of arguments to arrive at the truth, where possible.

Teaching our students the basics of argument and discussion is not about tooling them up to ‘win’. The discussion processes are as much about the student discovering what they think as they are about persuading others to agree. As students mature and get more practised in their discussions, they will discover that often discussion is a necessary precursor to having an opinion on a given topic, no matter how basic or advanced that topic may be.

For students, the discussion often bridges the gap between speaking and listening learning areas and reading and writing. It is for this reason that we will look at some oral discussion activities before examining how to approach the writing of discussion pieces in the classroom. These oral activities can serve as excellent pre-writing exercises for the students to prepare their thoughts and ideas before writing. They also work well as standalone oral activities that allow students to practice their persuasive speaking skills and all that entails.

A COMPLETE TEACHING UNIT ON PERSUASIVE WRITING SKILLS

Teach your students to produce writing that  PERSUADES  and  INFLUENCES  thinking with this  HUGE  writing guide bundle covering: ⭐ Persuasive Texts / Essays ⭐ Expository Essays⭐ Argumentative Essays⭐ Discussions.

A complete 140 PAGE unit of work on persuasive texts for teachers and students. No preparation is required.

what is an argumentative essay

An argumentative essay, also known as a discussion, presents both sides of the argument on a specific topic so the audience can form their own opinion.

STRUCTURE OF AN ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY

CLARITY Choose a clear, firm and debatable topic, and stress its importance. There should be no confusion about what or what you are writing about or why.

PROVIDE CONTEXT A bit of background information is often needed early in the essay to understand the argument. Bring your audience up to speed on the topic.

ORDER Use sequential paragraphs or statements. Keep things in order by creating paragraphs that lead us from opinion A to opinion B through well-crafted segways and transitions.

RESEARCH Nothing will sink your essay faster than a poorly researched paper full of questionable “facts” and ill-informed opinions . Get your evidence straight.

LOGICAL & RATIONAL You are not a “shock jock” or a biased blogger. You are presenting both sides of an argument to let your readers make a decision.

FEATURES OF AN ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY

IMPERSONAL VOICE Keep your own opinions out and let your audience form their own.

TENSE Discussions are usually written in present tense.

LOGICAL CONNECTIVES Use terms such as therefore and however to connect concepts and points of contention.

RESPECTED SOURCES Valued information comes from respected sources. Ensure you use reputable evidence.

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN AN ARGUMENTIVE ESSAY AND A PERSUASIVE ESSAY?

These styles of writing are often confused, and whilst they do share common elements, they are two separate genres with different purposes. If you are looking for a complete guide to writing a persuasive essay, please view ours here.

• A PERSUASIVE ESSAY presents EMOTION, and the author’s purpose is to try and CONVINCE YOU to think as they do. It is about the sales pitch more so than an emphasis on the specifications and details of the subject area.
• An ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY presents EVIDENCE and LOGIC at its core. Whilst you are still trying to influence your readers’ thinking on a given topic, you shouldn’t pull on your reader’s heartstrings nearly as much as presenting a mountain of facts, data and specifics that cannot be ignored.

POINTS TO CONSIDER BEFORE WRITING YOUR ESSAY

Pick your poison wisely: choosing discussion topics.

The beauty of incorporating discussion and argument into the classroom is that you can quickly build your lessons around the student’s interests. From the youngest students in elementary to those wizened old owls in high school, a quick class brainstorm will reveal a wealth of juicy topics for them to get their mental teeth into. In this day and age of political correctness, however, be sensitive to the selection of a topic for discussion appropriate to the demographics of your class. While controversial topics can lead to the most lively of discussions, it is best to avoid subjects too close to the bone that may cause deep rifts in the class dynamic. If in doubt, rather than take suggestions from the class, have some exciting topics pre-prepared for the students to choose from or to vote on.

You can find numerous topics on the web, but here are some to get you started…

• All zoos should be shut down, and the animals should be returned to the wild. – Discuss
• Mobile phones should be embraced as learning tools in the classroom. – Discuss
• Parents have different expectations for their sons and daughters. – Discuss
• Do we give children too many trophies? – Discuss
• Is it ethical to eat meat? – Discuss
• School canteens promote poor diets. – Discuss
• Can money buy happiness? – Discuss
• Is animal testing justified? – Discuss
• Are we too dependent on computers? Discuss
• Do violent video games and films create social problems? – Discuss

GET YOUR FACTS STRAIGHT: DO YOUR RESEARCH

The challenge in writing a good discussion or argumentative essay is to be open-minded, even if you know which side you want to support.

Factual research and evidence are your number one tool.  It gives you credibility by sourcing knowledge from experts but more importantly, it gives your own opinions and ideas greater weight as you have demonstrated a broad and accurate understanding of the topic you are writing about.

be sure to spend some time researching your topic before writing about it, and make sure you reference where you have sourced this knowledge.

Most students will head straight for the internet to find their evidence, so ensure you understand how to use it correctly.  This poster demonstrates how to get the most out of the three major search platforms on the web.   You can download the free poster version of it here.

An Argumentative Essay Outline

The aim of a well-written discussion text is to present information and opinions that express more than one viewpoint. This will often take the form of a newspaper report or a leaflet.  Regardless of the genre of the writing undertaken, however, some common factors apply to most discussion texts. Most often, they are written in the present tense and are commonly structured in the following way:

INTRODUCTION

No better place to begin than at the start. The title should typically be a general statement or even a question that draws attention to a specific issue. For example, Should cell phones be banned in schools?

  The introduction section itself should usually be relatively brief and open with a brief statement on the issue and provide some background to the issue to be discussed. It will outline the arguments to be reviewed ahead, but the introduction itself does not usually contain any of the student’s opinions or views on the topic in question. There are, however, several things to consider when writing the introduction.

As with any genre of writing, it is essential to grab the reader’s attention from the outset, and discussion texts are no different. Fortunately, there are several tried and tested methods of achieving this. Here are a few that may be suitable openers for your students’ discussion writing:

●     open with a quotation relevant to the topic being addressed. A well-chosen quotation can grab the attention of even the most distracted of readers and compel them to read more!

●     a surprising fact is another excellent way to grab the reader’s attention and illuminate the topic to be discussed. Not only is it engaging, but informative too!

●     a joke. Everyone loves a laugh, and a joke can provide an excellent in to the student’s writing. But, encourage your students to be careful here; the suitability of a humorous opening will largely depend on the topic being discussed. As jokes may not always be appropriate to the material, they must be used wisely.

THE ARGUMENTS

In writing a balanced argument, students must consider the positives and negatives of the issue. The body of the text should be focused on presenting the pros and cons, the for and against arguments, relating to the central issue. This is why oral starter activities can be so valuable as prewriting exercises.

After the student has laid out the topic in their introduction by providing the necessary background information, it is time for the student to consider laying out the case for the argument.

Using time connectives is an excellent way for students to organize their information. Adverbs of time, such as firstly, secondly, next, then etc. and phrases such as, in addition to, therefore etc., can help students structure their information chronologically and coherently.

Depending on the length of the text, it is typically recommended that each paragraph consists of a single point. It is important to remind students that in the presentation of a balanced argument, they should not express their own bias or even their own point of view , instead, they are laying out both sides of the argument for the reader and should give equal weight to each point of view. When exploring each point, whether for or against, the PEE method can be a helpful way to aid students in structuring their paragraphs and give the direction of their argument:

Be sure to check out our own complete guide to writing perfect paragraphs here .

P = Point (Student makes their point at the beginning of the paragraph)

E = Evidence (Student provides evidence that underpins this point)

E =Explain (Student explores point further and ties back to the central issue)

When the student has considered each of their points for the argument, for example, three separate paragraphs each making three points for the argument, it is now time to consider and do the same for the argument against . The purpose here is to set up an opposition to the previously made points, to offer the other side of the story.

Encourage students here to use words and phrases that set up this contrast, for example, however , contrastingly , on the other hand , etc. Displaying these words and phrases in a word bank can also be a great way to help weaker students to organize their writing.

In the conclusion, the student reviews the information, summarises the arguments made and weighs up the issue in light of the available evidence. At this point, students can offer their own opinion in favor or against the issue at hand, but only if it is appropriate to the genre of the discussion text. 

Students often find it difficult to know how to end their writing. One excellent way to finish their discussion is to end it with a question, a challenge to the readers to form their own opinion on the issue in light of the evidence that has been presented.

TIPS FOR WRITING A GREAT ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY

• Make sure you clearly explain the topic to the audience before you get into taking sides.
• When you have selected a topic, ensure that you research both sides of the argument thoroughly before writing.
• In your conclusion, make it clear which side of the argument you side on, even make a recommendation but allow the reader to keep an open mind.
• Keep everything in order.
• List all the items that will be required to complete the task.
• Use paragraphs effectively. Each new argument should start with a new paragraph.
• Keep your arguments short, sharp and to the point.
• Use the correct language and terms.

ORAL ACTIVITIES TO GET IN THE ‘DISCUSSION’ ZONE

ORAL ACTIVITY 1: PROS AND CONS

This great warm-up exercise allows students to explore a topic, weigh up the different possible opinions, and even offers a chance for the student to discover what they think about a topic. This exercise can also serve as a fantastic prep exercise for a piece of extended writing and involves minimal prep.

Pros and Cons involve students making a list of a given topic’s pro and con arguments. This is often best done in small groups where the students can brainstorm together and bounce ideas off one another. The process of comparing the for and against of an issue gives them an awareness of the range of opinions on the matter, helping them on their way to forming their own opinion.

The list created during this activity can also provide a helpful outline that can work as a springboard for later writing. It is a great way to organize ideas coherently that can seamlessly feed into the writing process described later below.

BY LISTING POINTS AND COUNTERPOINTS TOGETHER, STUDENTS GET INTO THE PRACTICE OF DEVELOPING A NUANCED AND CONSIDERED ARGUMENT RATHER THAN PRODUCING MERE PROPAGANDA. THIS HELPS THEM INTERNALIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF GIVING FULL CONSIDERATION TO A RANGE OF DIFFERING OPINIONS ABOUT THE SAME TOPIC.

ORAL ACTIVITY 2: THINK – PAIR – SHARE

This activity requires almost zero prep, other than giving the class a topic to get their teeth into!

First, have the students think silently about the topic for a minute or two. They may scratch down doodles or brief notes of their ideas on a piece of paper to use in the discussion portion of this exercise, but this is not a writing activity!

Then, partner them up with another student. At this stage, you may consider differentiation; you may wish to match students with other students of equal ability or with a stronger one as support. Either way, students discuss the topic with their partners for a predetermined number of minutes. The length of time will be dictated by the students’ ages and abilities. Experiment to find the most suitable length of time for your class.

After the time is up, students can share their opinions with the class. You can also scribe the ideas generated by each group onto a master list displayed on the whiteboard as part of a pre-writing exercise. This can also be an excellent exercise to begin the preparation for a formal debate, as it affords the students opportunities to think on their feet, engage with differing opinions, and to work on public speaking skills such as body language.

ORAL ACTIVITY 3. SPEED-DATING FUN

This is a pacy, fun activity to get a lively conversation going in a manner that apes the popular speed dating format – but with a more virtuous intent! You can organize the desks in rows facing each other or in concentric circles in the middle of the classroom.

Choose one row or circle to be mobile. Give students a list of topics to discuss and start the clock. After three minutes or so, signal the time is up and instruct students to move to the following table. At the next station, they can either discuss the same topic or move on to the next topic on their list.

Of course, you may shorten or lengthen the allotted time based on the student’s abilities or the complexities of the topics. However, as this exercise works best in fun and fast-paced, and the aim is for each student to have the opportunity to speak with every other student, it is often best to keep the topics fairly straightforward. Questions like Is it better to live in the town than the country? or Do dogs make better pets than cats? work well here.

THE IMPORTANCE OF DISCUSSION IN THE CLASSROOM

The discrete teaching of discussion and argument in the classroom is essential. It offers students invaluable opportunities to test their opinions and ideas with their peers in a safe environment. Students learn that disagreement is inevitable and not fatal! They learn, too, that it is okay to revise an opinion in the light of compelling evidence they had not previously considered.

Discussion is a proving ground for ideas. Ideas tested in the arena of classroom discussion will likely be expressed much more coherently in written form. Often, students are not fully aware of exactly how they think on an issue until they have had a chance to try out their embryonic ideas with each other in a public discussion. It also helps students avoid the dangers of the echo chamber of their minds where frequently their ideas existed without challenge.

Encouraging our students to engage in respectful and productive disagreement is perhaps one of the most important skills we can help them develop.

AUTHENTIC ASSESSMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Discussion activities offer tremendous opportunities for some informal assessment that helps with planning to best meet the needs of your students in future lessons. The fact that they are not teacher-led gives the teacher a chance to take a backseat and give full attention to the students’ conversations. This allows you to spot areas of difficulty and gaps in learning – all valuable information that will be priceless for effective future lesson planning.

Teaching Resources

Use our resources and tools to improve your student’s writing skills through proven teaching strategies.

The first task in writing an excellent argumentative essay is finding a suitable topic with solid and valid opinions for both sides of the argument.  You will find some engaging writing prompts below.

structure of argumentative essay

sample argumentative essay

Below are a collection of student writing samples of discussions.  Click on the image to enlarge and explore them in greater detail.  Please take a moment to read them in detail, and the teacher and student guide highlight some of the critical elements of discussions to consider before writing.

Please understand these student writing samples are not intended to be perfect examples for each age or grade level but a piece of writing for students and teachers to explore together to critically analyze to improve student writing skills and deepen their understanding of writing a discussion.

We would recommend reading the example either a year above or below, as well as the grade you are currently working with to gain a broader appreciation of this text type.

ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY WRITING CHECKLIST & RUBRIC BUNDLE

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How to Start a Discussion Section in Research? [with Examples]

The examples below are from 72,017 full-text PubMed research papers that I analyzed in order to explore common ways to start writing the Discussion section.

Research papers included in this analysis were selected at random from those uploaded to PubMed Central between the years 2016 and 2021. Note that I used the BioC API to download the data (see the References section below).

Examples of how to start writing the Discussion section

In the Discussion section, you should explain the meaning of your results, their importance, and implications. [for more information, see: How to Write & Publish a Research Paper: Step-by-Step Guide ]

The Discussion section can:

1. Start by restating the study objective

“ The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between muscle synergies and motion primitives of the upper limb motions.” Taken from the Discussion section of this article on PubMed

“ The main objective of this study was to identify trajectories of autonomy.” Taken from the Discussion section of this article on PubMed

“ In the present study, we investigated the whole brain regional homogeneity in patients with melancholic MDD and non-melancholic MDD at rest . “ Taken from the Discussion section of this article on PubMed

2. Start by mentioning the main finding

“ We found that autocracy and democracy have acted as peaks in an evolutionary landscape of possible modes of institutional arrangements.” Taken from the Discussion section of this article on PubMed

“ In this study, we demonstrated that the neural mechanisms of rhythmic movements and skilled movements are similar.” Taken from the Discussion section of this article on PubMed

“ The results of this study show that older adults are a diverse group concerning their activities on the Internet.” Taken from the Discussion section of this article on PubMed

3. Start by pointing out the strength of the study

“ To our knowledge, this investigation is by far the largest epidemiological study employing real-time PCR to study periodontal pathogens in subgingival plaque.” Taken from the Discussion section of this article on PubMed

“ This is the first human subject research using the endoscopic hemoglobin oxygen saturation imaging technology for patients with aero-digestive tract cancers or adenomas.” Taken from the Discussion section of this article on PubMed

“ In this work, we introduced a new real-time flow imaging method and systematically demonstrated its effectiveness with both flow phantom experiments and in vivo experiments.” Taken from the Discussion section of this article on PubMed

Most used words at the start of the Discussion

Here are the top 10 phrases used to start a discussion section in our dataset:

• Comeau DC, Wei CH, Islamaj Doğan R, and Lu Z. PMC text mining subset in BioC: about 3 million full text articles and growing,  Bioinformatics , btz070, 2019.

Further reading

• How Long Should the Discussion Section Be? Data from 61,517 Examples
• How to Write & Publish a Research Paper: Step-by-Step Guide
• “I” & “We” in Academic Writing: Examples from 9,830 Studies

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• > How to write your discussion essay

How to write your discussion essay

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Stuck or don’t know how to start a discussion essay? Discover how to arrive at a good topic for your essay. A discussion essay explores issues around a specific topic. Such a topic should be open to debate. In writing a discussion essay, you must have an in-depth understanding of the matter, the right format, and structure. A well-presented essay should be in simple English, persuasive and informative. Learn more about structure and topics below.

What is the best way to write my high school or college discussion essay?

What is a discussion essay, and how is it supposed to look? Before you can begin writing your college, secondary school or middle school discussion essay, you need to plan what to include in it. Let us start with how to define discussion essay.

A discussion essay is a common type of assignment in college that requires students to present two sides of an argument. Also known as an argument essay , it should outline reasons for and against a particular issue. The writer should then conclude by giving their opinion.

Define Discussion Essay Topic. To start writing an excellent discussion essay, develop a topic that you can explore extensively. However, it may take you days to come up with viable topic ideas and even more time to narrow down on one idea.

How to write an excellent discussion essay

• Organize your thoughts: clear your mind and organize your logical thoughts.
• Brainstorm for a topic: do an initial research to better understand your topic ideas before selection. A good topic should have relatively equal weight on both sides of an argument. It should be interesting to most individuals.
• Gather your sources: for your work to be reliable, you have to draw from a variety of sources. One source represents one opinion. Read widely to establish sources that provide information on your theme. They will also help you when making your bibliography.
• Create an essay outline: an outline is a basic list of points you intend to discuss in your essay body paragraphs. Creating one can help you analyze topic viability. Write down all the ideas on your mind. Then sort out the important ones and make an outline with them.
• Make your first draft: it is advisable to make an initial draft. A draft should represent how you would like your paper to look. Include all the important sections that is the thesis statement, a captivating introduction, a detailed body section and an impressive conclusion. Then, proofread it. The aim of an essay draft is to show you errors and mistakes you have made.
• Make a second draft or submission copy: depending on the quality of your first draft, you will assess whether your paper is ready for submission or if you should create a second draft. Check formatting, spelling and general readability.

The perfect discussion essay structure

Correctly structuring your essay can contribute significantly to your score. In a discussion essay, proper styling and citation cannot be overstated. This essay is an academic paper. Therefore, it heavily sources information from recognized material and rewrites it. It needs to properly cite the source material and paraphrase source content in an intelligible manner.

The structure of your thesis should present all sections distinctly

You need sufficient writing skills to structure your discussion essay thesis admirably. The structure should guide your reader through the different sections of your essay. It should be coherent. If the structure is incorrect, your audience may get frustrated reading your paper.

Writing a good introduction to your discussion essay

If you want your audience to read on to other parts of your essay, you need to write an engaging discussion essay introduction. Right from your first statement, your audience should yearn for more. An introduction to a discussion essay requires presenting a general view of the ideas you will discuss in your body paragraphs. A paragraph-long opening is a good length for your essay. End your introduction with your essay thesis.

Amplify your ideas in the body paragraphs

A discussion essay is not like a persuasive essay which tries to woe the reader towards a particular opinion. A discussion essay provides valid points supporting or opposing an existing issue. The  online essay writer then takes one point of view.

How to write a body paragraph for a discussion essay correctly:

• Start the first sentence by stating a new idea
• Give points strengthening the idea
• Give points negating the idea
• Make a conclusion.

Write a detailed conclusion that summarizes your essay

The purpose of a discussion essay conclusion is to accentuate the thesis statement and the main point discussed in the body. It needs to give enough information for the reader to form an opinion. However, it should also draw the writer to the essay body to learn more about your discussion. The conclusion of discussion essay for university should depict a deep understanding of the topic you have tackled. It is your last chance to sway the reader.

How to write a conclusion for a discussion essay

To write the perfect ending paragraph to your discussion essay you have to consider many aspects. It should state the main points of your argument and the motivation for this argument. The closing sentence should intrigue your reader. Make the conclusion of your discussion essay smooth and captivating. Looking for someone to ‘ write an essay for me ‘? You can order an essay from us

Tips to finding agreeable topics for your discussion essay

• Compile discussion essay topic ideas that interest you as it is easier to write about them.
• Research on the discussion essay topics. Look at each independently and write down brief notes.
• Select a topic that is debatable and has many issues that you can analysis. It should not solely lean on one side.
• Sketch the positive and negative issues surrounding your topic.

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Guide to Writing a Discussion Essay

Discussion essay definition.

What is a discussion essay? When assigned a discussion essay, what are you expected to do? In this guide to writing a discussion essay, we’ll start by answering these questions. First, a discussion essay discusses issues surrounding an open and debatable topic. Discussion essays are also known as argumentative essays. Second, when given a discussion essay, you should provide a detailed discussion of both sides of a given topic. The quality of a discussion essay relies on the evidence used to support different views of a topic. In the next part, we provide a step-by-step guide to writing a discussion essay. Read on and become a better writer.

How to write a good discussion essay

Step 1- read and understand the question.

This sounds like an obvious step. But did you know some students skip it? Some students read the question once and proceed to answer it. Such students provide an irrelevant answer. An irrelevant answer attracts poor grades if any. Essay content carries more points. This is the reason you must get it right. How can you get it? It is simple. By first reading and understanding the question. You need to know what exactly the question needs you to do. Look at this example question (below).

Abortion has been a heated topic across the world. With restrictive abortion laws, the topic is likely to remain a key issue. Using scholarly sources to support your argument, take a stance on restrictive abortion laws and establish whether you think the laws should be less strict or stricter. Give reasons.

To understand a question, start by reading it several times. Identify any words that you don’t understand. Then, establish the issue at hand. For example, in the example above, what is the issue at hand? The issue at hand is abortion. Specifically, the issue at hand is restrictive abortion laws. This is clear from the words “take a stance on restrictive abortion laws”.

If you can’t seem to understand the question, talk to your instructor. Just don’t write your essay before understanding the question. It will be a waste of time, energy, and effort. You’re also more likely to get poor grades.

Step 2- Research

You’ve understood the question. What do you do to get enough material for your essay? Our guide to writing a discussion essay provides a detailed answer to this question. Do the following;

• Review your course notes. Find any information surrounding your topic. For example, in our example above, we would find notes about abortion. The notes will help you understand the topic better.
• Check your textbook. In most cases, teachers assign topics that are in the main textbook. In such a case, gather all information about the topic.

What if the notes and the textbook have no information surrounding your topic? It is simple. Visit your library. You can also use the internet. You’ll find lots of sources with information on your topic. Search for academic journals. You can also rely on reliable sites such as ‘.gov’. Avoid opinion-based sources such as blogs.

The initial research will give you a starting point. After identifying credible sources, dig deeper. Find more information for supporting your discussion essay. Remember to take notes as you research. Include citations in your notes.

Step 3- Outline your essay

Step 3 in our guide to writing a discussion essay is outlining your discussion essay. Before outlining, you need to decide on your discussion essay structure. A standard structure will have three main sections. It will have an introduction, main body, and a concluding section. In the main body, you’ll present arguments from both sides. A wrong discussion essay structure frustrates your reader. This is the reason you need a correct structure. After deciding on your structure, outline the essay. Your outline should have bulleted points. This will be useful while drafting the essay. Following is a structure you can use to outline your essay.

Note: The number of arguments will depend on the length of your essay. For a five-paragraph essay, your arguments will be three. This is because you should present only one argument in each body paragraph. You can choose to have two arguments for and one against. Alternatively, you can choose to have two arguments against and one argument for. For a longer essay, you can have several arguments for and against. Just ensure that you have arguments for both sides. List down your arguments in the outline. You can highlight any other relevant point in the outline. This will make it even easier to write your discussion essay.

Step 4- Draft your discussion essay

The next step in our guide to writing a discussion essay is drafting the essay. With an outline, this should be way easier.

Start with the introduction. Now, let’s look at how to write a discussion introduction. Start your introduction with a general statement. For example, you may begin your introduction with a general statement on abortion. This is for our example question provided in step 1 above. Then, introduce your specific topic. In our example, this would be restrictive abortion laws. Lastly, present your thesis statement with your position.

Then, move to the next main section. This is the main body. Use the outline as a guide. Based on your position, start with the arguments for or against. Use research to develop your paragraphs. After writing your argument, explain. Then, provide evidence from your notes. Evidence may include statistics, quotes, or paraphrased ideas. Remember to always include citations. You can get this information from the notes you made during the research. This is the reason you need not skip any step.

Finally, write the concluding paragraph. Provide enough information for the reader to form an opinion. Start by restating your thesis statement and position. Then, state your arguments. Close your concluding paragraph with a call to action.

Step 5- Revise your discussion essay

The last step in our guide to writing a discussion essay involves revising the essay. You need to read and reread your essay to eliminate any errors. Ensure that the ideas flow from one to the next. If not, add transitions. Ensure that every section is clear. If not, rewrite them. Read the essay to look for typos and grammatical errors. Try leading it out aloud. This will force you to read each word. Reread the essay one more time. When sure that it is error-free, submit it.

What to avoid when writing a discussion essay

Don’t wait for the deadline to approach to start working on a discussion essay. From our guide to writing a discussion essay, you can see there is a lot to do. You need to research, find good sources, outline, and draft. This means that you need enough time. Also, you need enough time to provide a clear analysis. It is impossible to provide a logical argument when in rush. In short, give yourself enough time to write a good discussion essay. What if you find yourself doing your essay at the last minute. You don’t have to worry. The best essay service can help you out. Professional essay writers will ensure that you complete your essay before the deadline. Most importantly, the best professional essay writers will ensure that you produce a high-quality discussion essay even when in rush.

In this guide to writing a discussion essay, you’ve learned how to write a good discussion essay. This is a five-step process. Start by reading and understanding your question. Second, research the topic to find supporting materials. Third, outline the essay using a proper structure. Fourth, use your outline to draft the discussion essay. Lastly, revise your essay and then submit it. Following this guide will help you to write a winning discussion essay. If you still find it difficult to write a discussion essay, don’t give up. Allow the best professional essay writers to help you learn how to write a discussion essay.

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How To Plan & Write IELTS Discussion Essays

Students can find it difficult to identify IELTS discussion essays and often confuse them with either opinion essays or advantage and disadvantage essays.

This is one of the issues I’ll be covering in this lesson. I’m also going to show you how to plan and write discussion essays step-by-step.

Here’s what we’ll be covering:

• Identifying IELTS discussion essays 
• 3 Common mistakes
• Essay structure
• How to plan
• How to write an introduction
• How to write main body paragraphs
• How to write a conclusion

Want to watch and listen to this lesson?

Click on this video.

Click the links to see lessons on each of these Task 2 essay writing topics. 

Once you understand the process, practice on past questions. Take your time at first and gradually speed up until you can plan and write an essay of at least 250 words in the 40 minutes allowed in the exam.

The Question

The first part of the question for an IELTS discussion essay will be a statement containing two opposing views.

You will then be asked to discuss both sides of the argument and give your own opinion. Here is some typical wording that might be used:

• Discuss both views and give your opinion. 
• Discuss both these views and then give your own opinion. 
• Discuss both sides of this argument and give your own opinion.

Here's a question from a past test paper.

Some people think that zoos are cruel and should be closed down. Others, however, believe that zoos can be useful in protecting wild animals.

Discuss both views and give your opinion.

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

Write at least 250 words.

I’ll be using this question to guide you through the process of planning and writing an IELTS discussion essay.

The key to identifying this type of question is the fact that you are required to discuss BOTH views. This is different to opinion questions where you must decide between two opposing views and make an argument to support your own opinion.

Opinion essays , also known as ‘agree or disagree’ essays, a generally worded in one of these ways:

What is your opinion? / Do you agree or disagree? / To what extent do you agree or disagree?

The other essay type that students mistake for discussion essays is advantages and disadvantages essays . With these, the statement will contain just one view and the question will typically be written as shown in this sample question.

School children are using computers in school more than ever.

Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of this and give your own opinion.

The consequence of incorrectly identifying the question type is that you will use the wrong structure for your essay. This is a major reason why people make the mistakes we’ll now look at.

3 Common Mistakes

These three errors are common in IELTS discussion essays.

• Not stating your opinion.
• Not giving arguments for both views.
• Not developing both sides of the argument equally.

The most common mistake that students make is not giving their opinion. The question will clearly state that you must choose one side of the argument to agree with. If you fail to do this, you will get a low score for task achievement.

It doesn’t matter which side of the argument you take or even, that you actually agree with it.

However, you must give equal attention to both sides. A common error is to provide a stronger argument for the view you favour. This leads to an unbalanced essay and a low score for task achievement. 

Essay Structure

Now let’s look at a simple structure you can use to write IELTS discussion essays. It’s not the only possible structure but it’s the one I recommend because it’s easy to learn and will enable you to quickly plan and write a high-level essay.

1)  Introduction

• Paraphrase the question
• State two supporting reasons
• Give your opinion

  2)  Main body paragraph 1

• Topic sentence – outline the view you don’t agree with
• Explanation – explain why this view is held by some people
• Example – give an example

 3 )  Main body paragraph 2

• Topic sentence – outline the view you do agree with

  4)  Conclusion

• Summarise the key points and state your opinion

This structure will give us a well-balanced essay with 4 paragraphs.

We now need some ideas to add into the structure and we’ll have everything we need for our essay.

How To Plan IELTS Discussion Essays

# 1  analyse the question.

This is an essential step in the planning process and will ensure that you answer the question fully. It’s quick and easy to do. You just need to identify 3 different types of words:

1. Topic words

2.  Other keywords

3.  Instruction words

We’ve already considered the instruction words (the actual question) so we’ll focus on the first two.

Topics words are the ones that identify the general subject of the question.

Some people think that zoos  are cruel and should be closed down. Others, however, believe that  zoos  can be useful in protecting wild animals.

So, this question is about ‘ zoos ’.

Many people do this first step of the process and then write about the topic in general. This is a serious mistake and leads to low marks for task achievement.

What we need to do now that we know the general topic, is to understand exactly what aspect of zoos we're being asked to write about.

The other keywords in the question tell you the specific topic you must write about. They define the opinions stated in the statement.

Some people think tha t zoos are cruel and should be closed down . Others, however, believe that zoos c an be useful in protecting wild animals .

By highlighting these words, it’s easy to see that you are being asked to write about the opposing views that zoos are cruel and should be closed down and that zoos can be useful in protecting wild animals. Your essay must only include ideas relevant to these ideas.

# 2  Decide on your opinion

As already mentioned, it doesn’t matter if you genuinely agree with the view you take in your essay or not. IELTS discussion essays are about your ability to write a well-structured essay in the English language and you will not be assessed on any opinion you might hold.

So, choose one view and make sure that your opinion is clear throughout the essay.

For this model essay, I’m going to agree with the statement that zoos are cruel and should be closed down.

# 3  Generate ideas

The next task is to generate some ideas to write about.

There are several different ways to think up ideas. I cover them fully on the  IELTS Essay Planning  page.

We’re going to use the ‘friends technique’. This is my preferred method as it allows you to take a step back from the stress of the exam situation and think more calmly.

Here’s how it works. Imagine you are chatting with a friend and they ask you the question in a casual conversation. What answers would you give them off the top of your head? Plan your essay around these ideas.

Doing this will help you to come up with simple answers in everyday language rather than straining your brain to think of amazing ideas using high level-language, which isn’t necessary.

You might want to try this yourself before reading on for my ideas.

Here are my ideas:

Cruel  – closed down:

• Cramped cages – animals distressed
• Unnatural environments
• Most animals not endangered
• Animals become a public spectacle for entertainment

Useful – protect wild animals:

• Research work to learn more about wild animals
• Breeding programmes for endangered species
• Some species saved from extinction
• Seeing wild animals close up inspires people to want to help protect them

I’ve got more ideas here than I need so I’m going to pick two to develop in the essay – one for each of the main body paragraphs.

Idea 1  –  Cramped cages & unnatural environments, animals distressed.

Idea 2  –  Breeding programmes for endangered species, some species saved from extinction.

We’re almost ready to start writing our IELTS discussion essay but first, we have one other small task to do.

# 4  Vocabulary

In an IELTS essay, it’s important to be able to say the same things in different ways, either by paraphrasing and/or using synonyms. During the planning stage, quickly jot down a few synonyms of key words you could use to save you having to stop and think of the right language while you’re writing.

For example:

zoos  – animals in captivity, collections of wild animals, menagerie, wildlife park

cruel  – to cause suffering, inhumane

protect  – safeguard, preserve

animals  – creatures, species

With that done, we can focus on the first paragraph of the essay – the introduction.

How To Write an Introduction

Good introductions to IELTS discussion essays have a simple 3 part structure:

1)  Paraphrase the question

2)  State two supporting reasons (outline statement)

3)  Give your opinion (thesis statement)

• Have 2-3 sentences
• Be 40-60 words long
• Take 5 minutes to write

Start your introduction by paraphrasing the question.

Question:   Some people think that zoos are cruel and should be closed down. Others, however, believe that zoos can be useful in protecting wild animals.

There are various phrases you can use to do this. Here are three examples. They all say the same thing using different language.

• Some people argue that… while others say that…
• It is considered by some…. while there are others who think….
• It is often argued that... whilst others disagree and think...

Choose one and add the details in the question statement in a paraphrased form. I recommend putting the view you don’t agree with first.

Paraphrased question:  

Some people argue that zoos help to preserve wild creatures, while others say that they are inhumane and should be abolished.

Note my use of synonyms. You don’t have to replace every key word but do so where possible whilst ensuring that your language sounds natural. There aren’t any suitable synonyms of ‘zoo’ that I can think of, so I've repeated this word from the statement.

2)  Thesis and outline statements

Now we need to add an  outline statement  where you outline the two main points that you’ll cover in the rest of the essay (ideas 1 and 2 above) and a  thesis statement  where you state your opinion.

Outline & thesis statements:

While the development of breeding programmes contributes to the preservation of endangered species, I believe that the poor conditions that many animals held in captivity are kept in make the existence of zoos unacceptable. 

So, let’s bring the three elements of our introduction together.

     Introduction

This introduction achieves three important functions:

• It shows the examiner that you understand the question.
• It acts as a guide to the examiner as to what your essay is about.
• It also helps to keep you focused and on track as you write.

The two ideas in your introduction will become your two main body paragraphs.

Main body paragraph 1  – Breeding programmes for endangered species, some species saved from extinction.

Main body paragraph 2  – Cramped cages & unnatural environments, animals distressed.

How To Write Main Body Paragraphs

Main body paragraphs in IELTS discussion essays should contain 3 things:

It is easier to begin by discussing the opinion you don’t agree with and then present the reasons for the opposing view that you support. So, we’ll start with idea 1.

Main Body Paragraph 1

The  topic sentence  summarises the main idea of the paragraph. That’s all it needs to do so it doesn’t have to be complicated.

It plays an important role in ensuring that your ideas flow logically from one to another. It does this by acting as a signpost for what is to come next, that is, what the paragraph will be about.

If you maintain a clear development of ideas throughout your essay, you will get high marks for task achievement and cohesion and coherence.

We’ll now take the idea for our first main body paragraph and create our topic sentence.

Topic sentence:  

On the one hand, there are many projects in existence in zoological parks around the world where species facing extinction have been successfully bred in captivity and their numbers increased substantially.

Next, we must write an  explanation sentence that expands on the idea. This explains to the examiner what we mean or why this is the case.

Explanation sentence: 

This is important for ensuring the survival of animals under threat from poaching and the destruction of their natural environments.

Finally, we add an  example  to support our main point. If you can’t think of a real example, it’s fine to make one up, as long as it’s believable. The examiner isn’t going to check your facts.

Example sentence:

A good example of this is the golden lion tamarin from Brazil which nearly died out because of logging and mining activities which are destroying its habitat. Today, a third of wild golden lion tamarins were raised in captivity.

That’s the 3 parts of our first main body paragraph complete. Here’s the finished paragraph.

We now follow the same process for our second main body paragraph.

Main Body Paragraph 2

Main idea 2  – Cramped cages & unnatural environments, animals distressed.

First, we write the  topic sentence  to summarise the main idea. I started main body paragraph 1 with the phrase ‘On the one hand...’, so main body paragraph 2 will naturally begin, ‘On the other hand... .

These are great cohesive devices to use when making a direct contrast between two opposing views and they link the ideas together well. They can be used in most IELTS discussion essays and will help to earn you a good score for cohesion and coherence.

Topic sentence:

On the other hand, a significant percentage of zoos house their animals in cramped cages with very little space to move around or behave naturally.

Now for the  explanation sentence  where we expand on this idea.

Explanation sentence:

This can lead to them becoming distressed and depressed as well as suffering physically through lack of exercise.

Finally, an  example  to support this point.

A friend of mine recently visited a wildlife park while on holiday abroad and was very upset to see the lions pacing up and down in a narrow, bare pen and eagles in enclosures so small that they were unable to fly.

That’s the 3 parts of our second main body paragraph complete. Here’s the finished paragraph.

Now we need a conclusion and our IELTS discussion essay is done.

How To Write a Conclusion

Conclusions to IELTS discussion essays should do two things:

• Summarise the main points
• State your opinion

This can generally be done in a single sentence.

If you're below the minimum 250 words after you’ve written your conclusion, you can add a prediction or recommendation statement.

Our essay currently has 231 words so we’re on target and don’t need this extra sentence but you can learn more about how to write a prediction or recommendation statement for IELTS discussion essays on the Task 2 Conclusions page.

The conclusion is the easiest sentence in the essay to write but one of the most important.

A good conclusion will:

• Neatly end the essay
• Link all your ideas together
• Sum up your argument or opinion
• Answer the question

If you achieve this, you’ll improve your score for both task achievement and cohesion and coherence which together make up 50% of the overall marks. Without a conclusion, you’ll score below band 6 for task achievement.

You can start almost any final paragraph of an IELTS discussion essay with the words:

• In conclusion

        or

• To conclude

Now all you need to do is briefly summarise the main ideas into one sentence.

Here’s a top tip . Go back and read the introduction to the essay because this is also a summary of the essay. It outlines what you are going to write about.

To create a great conclusion, you simply have to paraphrase the introduction. Let’s give it a go.

Introduction:

Here is the same information formed into a conclusion:

That’s it. We’ve completed our essay. Here it is with the 4 paragraphs put together.

Finished IELTS discussion essay.

Go through this lesson as many times as you need to in order to fully understand it and put in lots of practice writing IELTS discussion essays from past exam questions. Practice is the only way to improve your skills.

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More help with ielts discussion essays & other task 2 essays.

IELTS Writing Task 2  – T he format, the 5 question types, the 5 step essay writing strategy & sample questions. All the key information you need to know.

The 5 Types of Task 2 Essay   – How to recognise the 5 different types of Task 2 essays. 15 sample questions to study and a simple planning structure for each essay type.

Understanding Task 2 Questions  – How to quickly and easily analyse and understand IELTS Writing Task 2 questions.

How To Plan a Task 2 Essay  – Discover why essay planning is essential & learn a simple 4 step strategy, the 4 part essay structure & 4 methods of generating ideas.

How To Write a Task 2 Introduction  – Find out why a good introduction is essential. Learn how to write one using a simple 3 part strategy & discover 4 common mistakes to avoid.

How To Write Task 2 Main Body Paragraphs  – Learn the simple 3 part structure for writing great main body paragraphs and also, 3 common mistakes to avoid. 

How To Write Task 2 Conclusions  – Learn the easy way to write the perfect conclusion for a Task 2 essay. Also discover 4 common mistakes to avoid.

Task 2 Marking Criteria  – Find out how to meet the marking criteria in Task 2. See examples of good and poor answers & learn some common mistakes to avoid.

The 5 Task 2 Essay Types:

Step-by-step instructions on how to plan & write high-level essays. Model answers & common mistakes to avoid.

   Opinion Essays

   Discussion Essays

  Problem Solution Essays

  Advantages & Disadvantages Essays

  Double Question Essays

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How To Write A Discussion Essay

One of the first things you should do is read the marking criteria  to see what the examiners expect. This is really important, as you need to know what they are looking for in the band 7+ boxes. 

If you would like to purchase a 34  page PDF download that is easy to read and print out please take a look at the bookshop >

WRITING TASK 2 Discuss Both Views and Give Your Opinion Essay STRUCTURE

TIP >>  It is very important that spend a full 40 minutes on this task as the score you get for writing task 2 is two-thirds of your total writing score. You also need to write a minimum of 250 words and use your own ideas. 

IT IS A 5-PARAGRAPH STRUCTURE >>

This is the introduction to the essay and where you should start off by paraphrasing the question. 

This means that you rewrite the question in your own words using synonyms. You can’t just copy the question again or use the same words in the question. Paraphrase and show off your vocabulary knowledge by using synonyms. When practising your essay writing, use an online thesaurus  to help you. This is a great tool and can help you to learn many new words.

The last sentence in the introduction should outline for the examiner exactly what you will discuss in the main body paragraphs. For example, ‘ this essay will discuss both views and state my own position’.

There are three sentences you need in the introduction >>

The example you give could be something from your own experience or made up – it is ok to make up something as the examiners will not fact check your information. They want to see your ability to use English at a certain level. You could make up an example from a report, journal, newspaper or University study to support your view. 

EXPRESSING YOUR OPINION >>

Sequencing ideas >>, sample discuss both points of view and give your own opinion essay >>.

Thirdly, in my opinion, I believe that the internet can bring people closer together, as it can make both socialising and work much easier for those who travel. Communities can speak freely at any time, in groups, asking for help or advice, though it is up to the individuals to acknowledge how much time they are spending online and whether this is a cause for concern. Isolation cannot be blamed on the internet, as it is just a tool to use, the individual must be in charge of their own time. For example, a person who works from home online for many hours in the day should make sure they have adequate breaks and make time for socialising, as to not feel isolated or removed from their own community.   

WRITING TASK 2 BAND SCORE 9 CRITERIA >>

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• Knowledge Base
• How to write an argumentative essay | Examples & tips

How to Write an Argumentative Essay | Examples & Tips

Published on July 24, 2020 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on July 23, 2023.

An argumentative essay expresses an extended argument for a particular thesis statement . The author takes a clearly defined stance on their subject and builds up an evidence-based case for it.

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Table of contents

When do you write an argumentative essay, approaches to argumentative essays, introducing your argument, the body: developing your argument, concluding your argument, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about argumentative essays.

You might be assigned an argumentative essay as a writing exercise in high school or in a composition class. The prompt will often ask you to argue for one of two positions, and may include terms like “argue” or “argument.” It will frequently take the form of a question.

The prompt may also be more open-ended in terms of the possible arguments you could make.

Argumentative writing at college level

At university, the vast majority of essays or papers you write will involve some form of argumentation. For example, both rhetorical analysis and literary analysis essays involve making arguments about texts.

In this context, you won’t necessarily be told to write an argumentative essay—but making an evidence-based argument is an essential goal of most academic writing, and this should be your default approach unless you’re told otherwise.

Examples of argumentative essay prompts

At a university level, all the prompts below imply an argumentative essay as the appropriate response.

Your research should lead you to develop a specific position on the topic. The essay then argues for that position and aims to convince the reader by presenting your evidence, evaluation and analysis.

• Don’t just list all the effects you can think of.
• Do develop a focused argument about the overall effect and why it matters, backed up by evidence from sources.
• Don’t just provide a selection of data on the measures’ effectiveness.
• Do build up your own argument about which kinds of measures have been most or least effective, and why.
• Don’t just analyze a random selection of doppelgänger characters.
• Do form an argument about specific texts, comparing and contrasting how they express their thematic concerns through doppelgänger characters.

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An argumentative essay should be objective in its approach; your arguments should rely on logic and evidence, not on exaggeration or appeals to emotion.

There are many possible approaches to argumentative essays, but there are two common models that can help you start outlining your arguments: The Toulmin model and the Rogerian model.

Toulmin arguments

The Toulmin model consists of four steps, which may be repeated as many times as necessary for the argument:

• Make a claim
• Provide the grounds (evidence) for the claim
• Explain the warrant (how the grounds support the claim)
• Discuss possible rebuttals to the claim, identifying the limits of the argument and showing that you have considered alternative perspectives

The Toulmin model is a common approach in academic essays. You don’t have to use these specific terms (grounds, warrants, rebuttals), but establishing a clear connection between your claims and the evidence supporting them is crucial in an argumentative essay.

Say you’re making an argument about the effectiveness of workplace anti-discrimination measures. You might:

• Claim that unconscious bias training does not have the desired results, and resources would be better spent on other approaches
• Cite data to support your claim
• Explain how the data indicates that the method is ineffective
• Anticipate objections to your claim based on other data, indicating whether these objections are valid, and if not, why not.

Rogerian arguments

The Rogerian model also consists of four steps you might repeat throughout your essay:

• Discuss what the opposing position gets right and why people might hold this position
• Highlight the problems with this position
• Present your own position , showing how it addresses these problems
• Suggest a possible compromise —what elements of your position would proponents of the opposing position benefit from adopting?

This model builds up a clear picture of both sides of an argument and seeks a compromise. It is particularly useful when people tend to disagree strongly on the issue discussed, allowing you to approach opposing arguments in good faith.

Say you want to argue that the internet has had a positive impact on education. You might:

• Acknowledge that students rely too much on websites like Wikipedia
• Argue that teachers view Wikipedia as more unreliable than it really is
• Suggest that Wikipedia’s system of citations can actually teach students about referencing
• Suggest critical engagement with Wikipedia as a possible assignment for teachers who are skeptical of its usefulness.

You don’t necessarily have to pick one of these models—you may even use elements of both in different parts of your essay—but it’s worth considering them if you struggle to structure your arguments.

Regardless of which approach you take, your essay should always be structured using an introduction , a body , and a conclusion .

Like other academic essays, an argumentative essay begins with an introduction . The introduction serves to capture the reader’s interest, provide background information, present your thesis statement , and (in longer essays) to summarize the structure of the body.

Hover over different parts of the example below to see how a typical introduction works.

The spread of the internet has had a world-changing effect, not least on the world of education. The use of the internet in academic contexts is on the rise, and its role in learning is hotly debated. For many teachers who did not grow up with this technology, its effects seem alarming and potentially harmful. This concern, while understandable, is misguided. The negatives of internet use are outweighed by its critical benefits for students and educators—as a uniquely comprehensive and accessible information source; a means of exposure to and engagement with different perspectives; and a highly flexible learning environment.

The body of an argumentative essay is where you develop your arguments in detail. Here you’ll present evidence, analysis, and reasoning to convince the reader that your thesis statement is true.

In the standard five-paragraph format for short essays, the body takes up three of your five paragraphs. In longer essays, it will be more paragraphs, and might be divided into sections with headings.

Each paragraph covers its own topic, introduced with a topic sentence . Each of these topics must contribute to your overall argument; don’t include irrelevant information.

This example paragraph takes a Rogerian approach: It first acknowledges the merits of the opposing position and then highlights problems with that position.

Hover over different parts of the example to see how a body paragraph is constructed.

A common frustration for teachers is students’ use of Wikipedia as a source in their writing. Its prevalence among students is not exaggerated; a survey found that the vast majority of the students surveyed used Wikipedia (Head & Eisenberg, 2010). An article in The Guardian stresses a common objection to its use: “a reliance on Wikipedia can discourage students from engaging with genuine academic writing” (Coomer, 2013). Teachers are clearly not mistaken in viewing Wikipedia usage as ubiquitous among their students; but the claim that it discourages engagement with academic sources requires further investigation. This point is treated as self-evident by many teachers, but Wikipedia itself explicitly encourages students to look into other sources. Its articles often provide references to academic publications and include warning notes where citations are missing; the site’s own guidelines for research make clear that it should be used as a starting point, emphasizing that users should always “read the references and check whether they really do support what the article says” (“Wikipedia:Researching with Wikipedia,” 2020). Indeed, for many students, Wikipedia is their first encounter with the concepts of citation and referencing. The use of Wikipedia therefore has a positive side that merits deeper consideration than it often receives.

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An argumentative essay ends with a conclusion that summarizes and reflects on the arguments made in the body.

No new arguments or evidence appear here, but in longer essays you may discuss the strengths and weaknesses of your argument and suggest topics for future research. In all conclusions, you should stress the relevance and importance of your argument.

Hover over the following example to see the typical elements of a conclusion.

The internet has had a major positive impact on the world of education; occasional pitfalls aside, its value is evident in numerous applications. The future of teaching lies in the possibilities the internet opens up for communication, research, and interactivity. As the popularity of distance learning shows, students value the flexibility and accessibility offered by digital education, and educators should fully embrace these advantages. The internet’s dangers, real and imaginary, have been documented exhaustively by skeptics, but the internet is here to stay; it is time to focus seriously on its potential for good.

If you want to know more about AI tools , college essays , or fallacies make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

• Ad hominem fallacy
• Post hoc fallacy
• Appeal to authority fallacy
• False cause fallacy
• Sunk cost fallacy

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An argumentative essay tends to be a longer essay involving independent research, and aims to make an original argument about a topic. Its thesis statement makes a contentious claim that must be supported in an objective, evidence-based way.

An expository essay also aims to be objective, but it doesn’t have to make an original argument. Rather, it aims to explain something (e.g., a process or idea) in a clear, concise way. Expository essays are often shorter assignments and rely less on research.

At college level, you must properly cite your sources in all essays , research papers , and other academic texts (except exams and in-class exercises).

Add a citation whenever you quote , paraphrase , or summarize information or ideas from a source. You should also give full source details in a bibliography or reference list at the end of your text.

The exact format of your citations depends on which citation style you are instructed to use. The most common styles are APA , MLA , and Chicago .

The majority of the essays written at university are some sort of argumentative essay . Unless otherwise specified, you can assume that the goal of any essay you’re asked to write is argumentative: To convince the reader of your position using evidence and reasoning.

In composition classes you might be given assignments that specifically test your ability to write an argumentative essay. Look out for prompts including instructions like “argue,” “assess,” or “discuss” to see if this is the goal.

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Essay and dissertation writing skills

Planning your essay

Writing your introduction

Structuring your essay

• Writing essays in science subjects
• Brief video guides to support essay planning and writing
• Writing extended essays and dissertations
• Planning your dissertation writing time

Structuring your dissertation

• Top tips for writing longer pieces of work

Advice on planning and writing essays and dissertations

University essays differ from school essays in that they are less concerned with what you know and more concerned with how you construct an argument to answer the question. This means that the starting point for writing a strong essay is to first unpick the question and to then use this to plan your essay before you start putting pen to paper (or finger to keyboard).

A really good starting point for you are these short, downloadable Tips for Successful Essay Writing and Answering the Question resources. Both resources will help you to plan your essay, as well as giving you guidance on how to distinguish between different sorts of essay questions. 

You may find it helpful to watch this seven-minute video on six tips for essay writing which outlines how to interpret essay questions, as well as giving advice on planning and structuring your writing:

Different disciplines will have different expectations for essay structure and you should always refer to your Faculty or Department student handbook or course Canvas site for more specific guidance.

However, broadly speaking, all essays share the following features:

Essays need an introduction to establish and focus the parameters of the discussion that will follow. You may find it helpful to divide the introduction into areas to demonstrate your breadth and engagement with the essay question. You might define specific terms in the introduction to show your engagement with the essay question; for example, ‘This is a large topic which has been variously discussed by many scientists and commentators. The principal tension is between the views of X and Y who define the main issues as…’ Breadth might be demonstrated by showing the range of viewpoints from which the essay question could be considered; for example, ‘A variety of factors including economic, social and political, influence A and B. This essay will focus on the social and economic aspects, with particular emphasis on…..’

Watch this two-minute video to learn more about how to plan and structure an introduction:

The main body of the essay should elaborate on the issues raised in the introduction and develop an argument(s) that answers the question. It should consist of a number of self-contained paragraphs each of which makes a specific point and provides some form of evidence to support the argument being made. Remember that a clear argument requires that each paragraph explicitly relates back to the essay question or the developing argument.

• Conclusion: An essay should end with a conclusion that reiterates the argument in light of the evidence you have provided; you shouldn’t use the conclusion to introduce new information.
• References: You need to include references to the materials you’ve used to write your essay. These might be in the form of footnotes, in-text citations, or a bibliography at the end. Different systems exist for citing references and different disciplines will use various approaches to citation. Ask your tutor which method(s) you should be using for your essay and also consult your Department or Faculty webpages for specific guidance in your discipline. 

Essay writing in science subjects

If you are writing an essay for a science subject you may need to consider additional areas, such as how to present data or diagrams. This five-minute video gives you some advice on how to approach your reading list, planning which information to include in your answer and how to write for your scientific audience – the video is available here:

A PDF providing further guidance on writing science essays for tutorials is available to download.

Short videos to support your essay writing skills

There are many other resources at Oxford that can help support your essay writing skills and if you are short on time, the Oxford Study Skills Centre has produced a number of short (2-minute) videos covering different aspects of essay writing, including:

• Approaching different types of essay questions  
• Structuring your essay  
• Writing an introduction  
• Making use of evidence in your essay writing  
• Writing your conclusion

Extended essays and dissertations

Longer pieces of writing like extended essays and dissertations may seem like quite a challenge from your regular essay writing. The important point is to start with a plan and to focus on what the question is asking. A PDF providing further guidance on planning Humanities and Social Science dissertations is available to download.

Planning your time effectively

Try not to leave the writing until close to your deadline, instead start as soon as you have some ideas to put down onto paper. Your early drafts may never end up in the final work, but the work of committing your ideas to paper helps to formulate not only your ideas, but the method of structuring your writing to read well and conclude firmly.

Although many students and tutors will say that the introduction is often written last, it is a good idea to begin to think about what will go into it early on. For example, the first draft of your introduction should set out your argument, the information you have, and your methods, and it should give a structure to the chapters and sections you will write. Your introduction will probably change as time goes on but it will stand as a guide to your entire extended essay or dissertation and it will help you to keep focused.

The structure of  extended essays or dissertations will vary depending on the question and discipline, but may include some or all of the following:

• The background information to - and context for - your research. This often takes the form of a literature review.
• Explanation of the focus of your work.
• Explanation of the value of this work to scholarship on the topic.
• List of the aims and objectives of the work and also the issues which will not be covered because they are outside its scope.

The main body of your extended essay or dissertation will probably include your methodology, the results of research, and your argument(s) based on your findings.

The conclusion is to summarise the value your research has added to the topic, and any further lines of research you would undertake given more time or resources. 

Tips on writing longer pieces of work

Approaching each chapter of a dissertation as a shorter essay can make the task of writing a dissertation seem less overwhelming. Each chapter will have an introduction, a main body where the argument is developed and substantiated with evidence, and a conclusion to tie things together. Unlike in a regular essay, chapter conclusions may also introduce the chapter that will follow, indicating how the chapters are connected to one another and how the argument will develop through your dissertation.

For further guidance, watch this two-minute video on writing longer pieces of work . 

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• Knowledge Base
• Dissertation
• How to Write a Discussion Section | Tips & Examples

How to Write a Discussion Section | Tips & Examples

Published on 21 August 2022 by Shona McCombes . Revised on 25 October 2022.

The discussion section is where you delve into the meaning, importance, and relevance of your results .

It should focus on explaining and evaluating what you found, showing how it relates to your literature review , and making an argument in support of your overall conclusion . It should not be a second results section .

There are different ways to write this section, but you can focus your writing around these key elements:

• Summary: A brief recap of your key results
• Interpretations: What do your results mean?
• Implications: Why do your results matter?
• Limitations: What can’t your results tell us?
• Recommendations: Avenues for further studies or analyses

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Table of contents

What not to include in your discussion section, step 1: summarise your key findings, step 2: give your interpretations, step 3: discuss the implications, step 4: acknowledge the limitations, step 5: share your recommendations, discussion section example.

There are a few common mistakes to avoid when writing the discussion section of your paper.

• Don’t introduce new results: You should only discuss the data that you have already reported in your results section .
• Don’t make inflated claims: Avoid overinterpretation and speculation that isn’t directly supported by your data.
• Don’t undermine your research: The discussion of limitations should aim to strengthen your credibility, not emphasise weaknesses or failures.

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Start this section by reiterating your research problem  and concisely summarising your major findings. Don’t just repeat all the data you have already reported – aim for a clear statement of the overall result that directly answers your main  research question . This should be no more than one paragraph.

Many students struggle with the differences between a discussion section and a results section . The crux of the matter is that your results sections should present your results, and your discussion section should subjectively evaluate them. Try not to blend elements of these two sections, in order to keep your paper sharp.

• The results indicate that …
• The study demonstrates a correlation between …
• This analysis supports the theory that …
• The data suggest  that …

The meaning of your results may seem obvious to you, but it’s important to spell out their significance for your reader, showing exactly how they answer your research question.

The form of your interpretations will depend on the type of research, but some typical approaches to interpreting the data include:

• Identifying correlations , patterns, and relationships among the data
• Discussing whether the results met your expectations or supported your hypotheses
• Contextualising your findings within previous research and theory
• Explaining unexpected results and evaluating their significance
• Considering possible alternative explanations and making an argument for your position

You can organise your discussion around key themes, hypotheses, or research questions, following the same structure as your results section. Alternatively, you can also begin by highlighting the most significant or unexpected results.

• In line with the hypothesis …
• Contrary to the hypothesised association …
• The results contradict the claims of Smith (2007) that …
• The results might suggest that x . However, based on the findings of similar studies, a more plausible explanation is x .

As well as giving your own interpretations, make sure to relate your results back to the scholarly work that you surveyed in the literature review . The discussion should show how your findings fit with existing knowledge, what new insights they contribute, and what consequences they have for theory or practice.

Ask yourself these questions:

• Do your results support or challenge existing theories? If they support existing theories, what new information do they contribute? If they challenge existing theories, why do you think that is?
• Are there any practical implications?

Your overall aim is to show the reader exactly what your research has contributed, and why they should care.

• These results build on existing evidence of …
• The results do not fit with the theory that …
• The experiment provides a new insight into the relationship between …
• These results should be taken into account when considering how to …
• The data contribute a clearer understanding of …
• While previous research has focused on  x , these results demonstrate that y .

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Even the best research has its limitations. Acknowledging these is important to demonstrate your credibility. Limitations aren’t about listing your errors, but about providing an accurate picture of what can and cannot be concluded from your study.

Limitations might be due to your overall research design, specific methodological choices , or unanticipated obstacles that emerged during your research process.

Here are a few common possibilities:

• If your sample size was small or limited to a specific group of people, explain how generalisability is limited.
• If you encountered problems when gathering or analysing data, explain how these influenced the results.
• If there are potential confounding variables that you were unable to control, acknowledge the effect these may have had.

After noting the limitations, you can reiterate why the results are nonetheless valid for the purpose of answering your research question.

• The generalisability of the results is limited by …
• The reliability of these data is impacted by …
• Due to the lack of data on x , the results cannot confirm …
• The methodological choices were constrained by …
• It is beyond the scope of this study to …

Based on the discussion of your results, you can make recommendations for practical implementation or further research. Sometimes, the recommendations are saved for the conclusion .

Suggestions for further research can lead directly from the limitations. Don’t just state that more studies should be done – give concrete ideas for how future work can build on areas that your own research was unable to address.

• Further research is needed to establish …
• Future studies should take into account …
• Avenues for future research include …

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McCombes, S. (2022, October 25). How to Write a Discussion Section | Tips & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved 26 August 2024, from https://www.scribbr.co.uk/thesis-dissertation/discussion/

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Mr Smedjeback's English Class

How to write a discussion essay.

The aim of the discussion essay is to inform the reader about a topic and show different perspectives (sides) of it. You are allowed to express your own opinion but the aim is not to persuade others what to believe. Often you are supposed to explain, give examples, discuss and compare. 

1. The introduction is the first part of the essay. The function is:

• to introduce the subject to the reader in an interesting and catchy way

• to give some background information about the subject

• to state the main idea or focus of the essay

2. In the body paragraph make sure you show solid support for the points you make by describing, explaining and illustrating so that the reader will think you are worth “listening to”. Let each paragraph explain or discuss one aspect using specific details and examples to clarify and support your thesis.

3. Since you are discussing the topic in your essay, it is important to bring up aspects of the issue from different sides and angles even if you might find yourself leaning towards a particular view as the essay progresses (continues).

4. At the end, the conclusion rounds off the essay in one of the following ways:

• By briefly summarizing the main ideas of the essay

• By making recommendations about ideas discussed in the essay

• By suggesting a solution to the problem discussed in the essay

• By offering a personal reflection that grows logically out of the body paragraphs

If you study English 6 or 7 you are also required to use references/citations in your essay.  Click on this link to see how you refer to sources:  https://smedjeback.wordpress.com/how-to-refer-to-sources/

Cohesion (sammanhållning)

It’s important to link the different paragraphs together to form a good cohesion in the essay so that the reader can easily follow your line of thought. When you begin a new paragraph you must therefore link it to the paragraph before. You can for example show that you are going to show more examples of the same thing or if you are going to bring up other aspects/arguments of the topic.

Don’t start the paragraph referring to an article, because then the reader has a harder time understanding why you bring up the article.

Incorrect : “In the article “Trump for re-election” (2019) Peter Brosnan claims …”

Correct : There are also many Republicans who doubt that Trump will be re-elected. “In the article “Trump for re-election” (2019) Peter Brosnan claims …”

Using linking words is a good way to connect the paragraph together, see below.

Linking words Use linking words to get a good fluency in your essay, especially when you link paragraphs together. Here are some of the most useful:

• Comparison transitions signal similarity: Similarly, In much the same way
• To express addition , i.e. to say something more on an idea already discussed: besides, moreover ( formal ), furthermore ( formal ), also, too, what’s more , etc.
• Cause-effect transitions signal a reason or a result: Therefore, Since, As a result, Consequently, Due to X, Thus
• To contrast ideas , i.e. to compare two (or more) ideas and point out some kind of difference between them: however, yet, still, although, on the contrary, but, nevertheless (formal).

Example: Jenny is very fond of children, she’s hardworking and reliable. However , she’s got very little experience of children.

• To express the reason for something or the effect of something : because, as, since, for this/that reason, as a result, therefore ( formal ), consequently ( formal )

Example: Since Jo’s a very hardworking and reliable person with a lot of experience of children I think she’d make an excellent au pair.

• Conclusion transitions signal a summary: Finally, To summarize, In short

Checklist for writing a discussion essay

Directions : Use this guide to check your own essay, or exchange papers with a classmate and use the list to check each other’s essays. In the margins of the essay you are checking, make notes about anything that needs to be revised.

Introduction

• Does the first sentence grab reader’s attention?
• Does the first paragraph provide a general overview of the essay’s topic?
• Does the first paragraph state a main idea or focus of the essay?

Body Paragraphs

• Does each paragraph explain or discuss one aspect using specific details and examples?
• If you write about the advantages and disadvantages of a topic you should keep them apart.
• Have you brought up different aspects of the topic even if you are leaning towards a particular view?
• Does the last paragraph remind readers of the main points of the essay, without going into too much detail and repeating everything readers just read?
• Is the conclusion free of new information (such as another supporting point)?
• Does the conclusion involve something of the following: a brief summary, recommendations, suggestion of a solution or a personal reflection?
• Does one idea flow smoothly into the next?
• Do the sentence structures and lengths vary?
• Does every sentence relate to the thesis?
• Does everything make sense?
• Are the grammar, punctuation, and spelling correct?
• Have I used a correct, varied and advanced vocabulary? Use https://www.thesaurus.com/ to check or come up with new synonyms.

Also look at this video on how to write a discussion essay:

And part two …

Example 1 – The Pros and Cons of Mobile Phones

Mobile phones have become an integral part of our daily lives, and it is hard to imagine a world without them. These devices have revolutionized the way we communicate, work, and interact with each other. However, with their benefits come some downsides, and in this essay, we will discuss the pros and cons of mobile phones.

One of the most significant advantages of mobile phones is that they have made communication more accessible and convenient. With mobile phones, we can quickly call or send a message to someone regardless of their location. This feature is particularly useful during emergencies, and it can save lives in critical situations. Additionally, mobile phones have enabled people to keep in touch with their loved ones and friends, even if they live in different parts of the world.

Another advantage of mobile phones is that they have made information more accessible than ever before. With the internet at our fingertips, we can quickly look up information on anything, from news to sports scores to recipes. This has made learning more accessible and has democratized knowledge. Additionally, mobile phones have made it easier for people to work remotely, and this has increased work flexibility.

Despite their many benefits, mobile phones also have some disadvantages. One of the most significant downsides is that they can be a distraction. Many people find it challenging to focus on tasks when they are constantly receiving notifications and messages. This can lead to decreased productivity and increased stress levels. Moreover, mobile phones have made it easier for people to waste time on social media or games, leading to procrastination and addiction.

Another disadvantage of mobile phones is that they have raised concerns about privacy and security. Mobile phones can store a vast amount of personal data, such as contacts, emails, and passwords. This data can be compromised if the phone is lost, stolen, or hacked. Moreover, mobile phones have raised concerns about government surveillance, and this has led to debates about privacy and civil liberties.

In conclusion, mobile phones have revolutionized the way we communicate, work, and interact with each other. However, with their benefits come some downsides, including distractions, addiction, and concerns about privacy and security. Therefore, it is essential to use mobile phones responsibly and to be aware of their potential drawbacks.

Example 2 of a discussion essay

The Pros and Cons of Video Surveillance

Technology’s advancements throughout the last few decades have brought us a lot of good things and opportunities, but has it all been for the better? Some would argue that technology’s development have also negatively affected society, making us come closer to a “surveillance society”, where citizens keep getting monitored. Others argue that it’s for the citizen’s protection that this surveillance is up. Has this “surveillance society” with camera surveillance improved our way of living or in fact made it worse? This is a widely discussed subject with both pros and cons regarding the video surveillance.

There are some clear positives that have come with the installation of camera surveillance. In UK, they’ve used camera surveillance in an attempt to try and prevent crime. And Will Byrne writes that according to Assistant Chief Constable Simon Byrne, it’s also an important way of gathering evidence. The cameras will definitely scare off some culprits, but you can’t expect it to have the same effect on all locations. The cameras won’t only help the police in the way of gathering evidence, but surveillance operations will be a lot easier to pull off. Cameras can be deployed on drones which will be cheaper and able to work longer than police helicopters. This can be particulary effective in missing person cases. All of these pros bring together a society that’s safe and comfortable for the citizens and police officers.

However, is it worth it when you consider the cost for such advanced equipment? In just UK, the Home Office spent 500 million dollars on CCTV’s alone between 1994 and 2007. Could this money possibly be spent on something more worthwhile? It’s a lot of money spent on a system that won’t always work the way you want it to. And there’s no guarantee that it’ll actually help to decrease the crime rate. And with other departments of technology developing there needs to be a consideration for possible hacks of camera feeds, which could lead to private information ending up in the wrong hands. Furthermore, with the possibility of cameras getting attached to drones, we could see companies such as news agencies exploit this in a way of stalking celebrities. Where could this development end? Armed drones for police work? It seems to be an uncertain future ahead of us.

So is the “surveillance society” getting out of hand or is it something that benefits our society enough for it to maintain? While it’s a lot of money getting spent on surveillance equipment, it’s at the same time expensive with police officers and long investigations which could be decreased with the help of camera proof in certain cases. Cameras are by no means supposed to replace police officers; instead they are a tool to simplify their jobs. It’s not like all these cameras are tied together in a network in a way of tracking people. They are there for the police to go back and look at footage to solve crimes. So the camera surveillance has definitely helped us in our way of achieving a more safe society. It was with the help of cameras that the police could quickly track down the perpetrators of the Boston bombing in 2013, which is just one of many cases.

We do however need to be wary about the future, and see how the surveillance develops. And there needs to be a proper security system so the public information doesn’t end up in the wrong hands. But in today’s society I feel that we have nothing to worry about when it comes to camera surveillance in public, instead I think we should be more worried about what private companies do with our personal information, who we give it to willingly. Plenty of medias who provide free services today make profits by selling personal information.

So in short, the surveillance by the government today is there for our own benefits and is something we should be grateful for. We need to be wary about the future though and see how it develops. Today I feel that the focus should be put on private companies instead of government surveillance, because they’re actually out there trying to make a profit out of our private information.

List of references:

Byrne, Will. (2007) Orwell rolls in his grave: Britain’s endemic surveillance cameras talk back, The Raw Story, 30 May, Available from: http://rawstory.com/news/2007/Orwell_rolls_in_his_grave_0530.html

Cornwell, Rupert. (2011) Home on the range, where the spy drones fly, The Independent, 18 Dec, Available from:  http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/commentators/rupert-cornwell/rupert-cornwell-home-on-the-range-where-the-spy-drones-fly-6278668.html

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Full Transcript of Kamala Harris’s Democratic Convention Speech

The vice president’s remarks lasted roughly 35 minutes on the final night of the convention in Chicago.

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By The New York Times

• Aug. 23, 2024

This is a transcript of Vice President Kamala Harris’s speech on Thursday night in which she formally accepted the Democratic Party’s nomination for the presidency.

OK, let’s get to business. Let’s get to business. All right.

So, let me start by thanking my most incredible husband, Doug. For being an incredible partner to me, an incredible father to Cole and Ella, and happy anniversary, Dougie. I love you so very much.

To our president, Joe Biden. When I think about the path that we have traveled together, Joe, I am filled with gratitude. Your record is extraordinary, as history will show, and your character is inspiring. And Doug and I love you and Jill, and are forever thankful to you both.

And to Coach Tim Walz. You are going to be an incredible vice president. And to the delegates and everyone who has put your faith in our campaign, your support is humbling.

So, America, the path that led me here in recent weeks was, no doubt, unexpected. But I’m no stranger to unlikely journeys. So, my mother, our mother, Shyamala Harris, had one of her own. And I miss her every day, and especially right now. And I know she’s looking down smiling. I know that.

So, my mother was 19 when she crossed the world alone, traveling from India to California with an unshakable dream to be the scientist who would cure breast cancer.

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