Discursive Essay Writing

Before you start writing your essay, you should do the following: Read essay title carefully. What exactly is it asking you to discuss? The pros and cons of what? Write a list of generic introductory phrases and learn them off by heart. Write a list of generic paragraph leaders and learn them off by heart. Write a list of generic concluding phrases and learn them off by heart. Write a list of generic idioms/proverbs and learn them off by heart. Research/read about the topic in EN !"#$ first so that you fully understand the topic, its pros and the cons. You should be able to discuss it in your mother tongue first. Research essay title ia the !et, maga"ines, newspapers and books etc., remembering to search for the pros and the cons # find %&R E% !&N '& E articles. (ollate your research/facts/figures into pros and cons and remember to keep a list of where you got sources/)uotes from, including names of authors, boo*s/articles, dates, chapters and page numbers+ $This will help you later when you write you bibliography%. Write a list of vocabulary and structures rele ant to the topic using your research $minimum & side of '(, preferably more% and remember to include idioms/pro erbs and complex structures. Write up your ,!&N# this should be - .'!! side of &/ and should include) &. 'n introduction # tell the reader what you are going to discuss. *. ' main body # ."R#% #E(%"0N should be points of discussion for the ad antages and #E(0ND #E(%"0N should be points of discussion for disad antages $or ice ersa%. B0%$ sections should include hard fact and figures to back up your points of discussion/argument. +ources/,uotes should be acknowledged in footnotes. Try to balance the argument by examining an e,ual amount of ad antages and disad antages. -. ' conclusion # this should reflect upon your points of discussion and should contain N0 NEW "N.0R1&%"0N. ..g. 'fter ha ing examined the pros and cons of..it is clear that there are ad antages of as well as disad antages, time will tell if the pros will outweigh the cons of (. /t is often easier to write the main body, then write the introduction and conclusion last. Then ha e your plan ($E(2ED by your teacher BE.0RE you start to write up your final ersion. Write up your ."N&! 3ER#"0N and remember to stick to the W0RD !"1"% and write it at the end of the essay. You will be penalised if you write too little or too much. RE1E1BER to write in paragraphs using paragraph leaders, acknowledge sources/,uotes in footnotes, use rele ant ocabulary, idioms/pro erbs, complex structures and ha e two clear sides to the argument and answer the ,uestion0 "ntroduction 1 tell them what you are going to tell them, 1ain Body 1 then tell them, (onclusion 1 tell them what you 2ust told them0 Write up your B"B!"0 R&,$4 # this should be in alphabetical order by &'%$0R and di ided into sub3headings e.g. 4ooks, 5aga"ines, 6eriodicals, Websites etc. 7inally, ($E(2 E3ER4 word you ha e written with a dictionary and your 89& erb book # in particular, check spellings, genders, erb endings, singular and plurals, tenses and ad2ecti al endings. This is time consuming but will sa e you marks0 #E!. &##E##1EN% 5 5ark your essay to the 1&R2 #($E1E as per the specification and award yourself a grade for each category. ,EER &##E##1EN% # 'sk your friend to mark it and compare both grades with what your teacher grades you. "% "# "1,0R%&N% %$&% 40' BE(01E .&1"!"&R W"%$ %$E 1&R2 #($E1E+ $&ND "N your essay 0N %"1E to your teacher.
MFL Sunderland 2005 AS