Discursive Writing
Standard Grade
What is it?...
• Firstly, in your pairs write a definition of what
discursive writing is.
• Next write the criteria for what you think the
characteristics of good discursive writing
would be.
Techniques
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Personal pronoun.
Emotive word choice.
Repetition and rhetorical questions.
Sentence structure.
Use of triples.
Apposite word choice/imagery and alliteration.
Don’t sound biased!
Educated.
Credit Discursive Writing:
• Strong sense of engagement with the ideas/issues and
a sophisticated understanding of them
• The line of thought is subtle and sustained;
• The writer’s stance permeates the ideas and use of
language.
• The structure is highly appropriate and there is skilful
organisation which significantly enhances the overall
impact of the writing.
• Expression is concise and effective. Word choice and
imagery is consistently apposite, and sentence
structures are skilfully varied to achieve effects.
Brainstorm
• You will have 5 mins in your groups to
brainstorm as many different discursive topics
as you can think of, based on current topics.
• Your time starts NOW!
Peer Aseess
• Now that you know what it is that a marker is
looking for, look at the following examples and
highlight the techniques used.
• In groups discuss why each technique is
effective and what idea it creates that links
appropriately to the subject matter discussed.
What is the writer’s stance on the subject?
Can you detect the tone?
On X-Rated X-Factor – Too Dirrty for
some fans
• Many men who were grudgingly made to endure hours of
auditions, sob stories galore, Simon Cowell’s luminously
dazzling ceramic smile, must have thought they’d died and
gone to heaven on Saturday night when finally recompense
came in the goddess form of Rihanna’s womanly silhouette.
While Cole is the ointment to ease any Saturday night in,
many were left in complete wonderment, unable to meet
the disapproving eye of their female counterpart as the
feast of stocking-clad flesh came to an eventual end. As the
provocative pornesque of Basque clad Christiana and
gyrating Rihanna vacated the stage, many were left unable
to forget what her name was. But it’s not the impact of all
of this raunchy allure on men that I’m worried about, it’s
the impact it had on the young girls watching it.
On Scotland’s Game of Shame
• Sectarianism has for some time now been the
malevolent growth on Glasgow’s face, a sore that
must be lanced, the scar on a festering wound
that was inflicted long ago. It’s only a game I hear
you cry...I’m sure the many victims of sectarian
and domestic abuse find it hard to agree with this
all too familiar excuse. If only it was! But what is
the cure to this long standing ailment and what is
being prescribed to ease the pain of bigotry on
the inhabitants of those lucky enough to live on
the West Coast? Is it time to blow the final
whistle on the Old Firm once and for all?
On The Sinister Side of Entertainment
• With the light of Big Brother always promising fading to
near extinguishment after a mere 10 year span on our
screens, the aftermath of currently evolving reality TV
continues to spawn new breeds of the same tired concept.
The apparent ‘real life’ filming of the ordinary,
unglamorous, working class persons day-to-day existence
broadcast to the ordinary, unglamorous, working class
persons day-to-day TV schedule as ‘entertainment’ seems
to have saturated our screens. Mind you who can raelly
blame the producers that seem to churn and swallow the
billion pound profits to be made from these lucrative
programmes? For this reason alone reality TV seems in no
hurry to die with its predecessor. But is it all harmless fun
or does something more sinister lurk beneath the
entertainment value of such shows?
In the past 24 hours, rap music has failed to make me consider
shooting or attacking anyone; I miraculously navigated the
treacherous world of Facebook without falling prey to sinister
online predators; an endless procession of TV adverts have failed to
part me from my hard-earned pennies and low and behold, I even
managed to view the evening’s soap operas and avoid falling into a
drug-fuelled, alcohol-induced cesspit. On this evidence, maybe it’s
time adults stopped mollycoddling us fragile little teenagers and
open their blurry eyes to the fact that we are not babies anymore,
we are young adults and deserve to be treated as such. It is time
adults realised that teenagers are more than capable of dealing
with the “dangers” posed by the world of mass and social media we
live in.
• Earlier this year thousands of complaints were made to the
BBC by an outraged public. The incident hit headlines in
newspapers all over Britain causing reputations and jobs to
be lost, sparking a whole new debate in the media fuelled
by infuriated listeners. The cause of this public outcry?
Two foolish radio broadcasters made an obscene phone call
to a veteran comedy actor. All this controversy was caused
over a few sentences but in many people’s opinion the
content of these sentences was completely unacceptable.
In a world where freedom of speech is embraced, can
broadcasters really say what they want or are the
boundaries of good taste being stretched too far in the
name of comedy?
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It’s not only the influence of the mass media which should be celebrated, the
phenomenon that is Social Networking deserves equal praise. Poke. Poke back.
Poke. Poke back. Welcome to the global world of Facebook, the online community
where flirting with that hot person in your class is only a click away! In the UK
alone, 25 million people are now registered with the Social Networking site, in the
world there are 500 million “Facebookers“. It has become an addiction for people,
but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Although the term ‘addiction’ connotes
negativity, the picture need not be a dark one. Facebook, at its very core purpose,
joins people together. It’s a great way of being socially connected. It is almost considered a taboo if you don’t have a Facebook account. It helps our society, humans
naturally want to be social and Facebook allows us to be this way. No matter
where we are - the living room, the toilet, the other side of the world - we can
keep up with “the latest 411, LOL.” (That’s “gossip” to the decrepit). Social
networking sites are geared to allow an individual’s personality to come out on the
page, they allow us to talk behind the computer screen and indeed are a godsend
for those shy and bashful teenagers who are desperate to socialise in the “big bad
online world.” Speaking of which, those who argue that online predators have an
easy way to access personal information are wrong. Yes, wrong. Facebook allows
you to keep all your information private and secure and only accessible to those
who you “accept” as friend’s. Those who you “ignore” are not eligible to view your
private information or photographs. So the next time you are on Facebook, know
that you, yes you, are part of a global phenomenon, a revolution in society that
has influenced the lives of over 500 million people worldwide. So, what exactly is
the harm in being socially involved? I don’t see an issue - however, I’m not an old
bore who doesn’t like to have any fun. I’ll let you decide.
Your Turn…
Now think of appropriate imagery/comparisons to
describe:
• The Conservative government and their increased student
fees.
• The London Riots? Deprivation or Greed?
• The illegal downloading of music.
• The internet.
• Celebrity culture.
• Outrageous comedians.
• Drugs in society.
• Rap music.
Structure
• Great opening introduction
Main Body –
Topic sentences
Developing paragraph
• Using Evidence to support not to dominate.
• Writing with Style
Introduction
• Introduces your topic.
• Gives a clear indication of your stance.
• Perhaps indicates some of your reasons in
support.
• Could use a specific example of your topic.
• Must engage the reader by being written in a
stylish manner.
Possibilities
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Wikileaks: protectors of free speech or a danger to democracy?
The lyrics of Hip-Hop: insulting to women and a bad influence on young men, or modern poetry?
Student protests: is violence ever justified?
Were Scottish referees right to strike?
The internet: a force for good or bad?
Frankie Boyle and Jordan: when does humour go too far?
Sexual Imagery in the Media: has it gone too far?
The Orange Walk – Should it be banned?
Scottish Pride – What have we got to be proud of?
The War on Drugs has failed; it is time to legalise them all.
Should the BNP be allowed on television?
The position of Women in the 21st Century: fully liberated or still second-class citizens?
Illegal Downloading: the saviour or the end of the music industry?
Student Debt – Is a university education worth it?
Release of the Lockerbie Bomber
The world would be a better place without religion.
Stem Cell Research - A Step Too Far?
Binge Drinking – The Shame of Our Society?
Voting should be compulsory
The war in Iraq – Was it justified?
It’s time to scrap the monarchy
Should we scrap our armed forces?
Child Labour and Cheap Clothes