discursive essay topics hsc

How to Write an HSC English Discursive Writing Piece

Expert reviewed • 21 July 2024 • 15 minute read

Understanding the Discursive Format

A discursive writing piece is a type of text that explores various sides of an argument or issue without the direct intention of persuading the reader to adopt a single point of view. The goal is to present a well-rounded discussion of the topic from multiple perspectives, allowing the reader to consider the complexities of the issue. This often involves presenting arguments both for and against a particular issue (whether explicitly or implicitly) giving the reader a comprehensive understanding of the subject.

Discursive texts are not restricted to an overly formal treatment of perspectives! — discursive texts can be humorous or serious in tone, and can have a formal or informal register. This flexibility allows writers to approach their topics in engaging and creative ways while still maintaining a focus on exploring a balanced view of the chosen subject matter.

Moreover, discursive writing can be hybridized with imaginative writing techniques (Check out this article ) to enhance the discussion of a topic from multiple angles. By incorporating imaginative elements, the discursive text can be made more engaging and thought-provoking.

How to Write a Discursive Text

The exam will give you a stimulus in some form from which you should base your piece on; From the provided quote, statement, extract or image, there are often many different central ideas you can extract to form the basis of your discursive piece. Start by finding a central idea and then consider the different perspectives you could represent in an engaging way.

If you ever find yourself stuck for ideas, keep trying to explore what the stimulus itself represents or could allude to, and keep branching out ideas from this.

The Structure of a Discursive Piece

• The opening should capture the attention of the reader while introducing the central issue either explicitly or implicitly.
• The body paragraphs should explore the topic in detail through exploring both sides or perspectives of the issue/topic.
• The conclusion should encapsulate the issue and perspectives without giving a judgement on either perspective (Remember, the point of a discursive is not to persuade, but to objectively explore multiple perspectives!), the conclusion should be both reflective and thought-provoking.

NOTE: Always remember to title the text you have created!

How to Structure the Body Paragraphs

The discursive piece does not have to be overly formal in structure, this allows leeway in the potential structure of your piece. A common way of structuring the essay is to have two body paragraphs for each perspective of an issue with one proposing the arguments for a case and one explaining the counter arguments, sequentially.

• Introduction : Present the topic and acknowledge the existence of different perspectives without personal judgement.
• Body 1 & 2 : Present arguments in favour of one perspective and then acknowledge counter-arguments.
• Body 3 & 4 : Present arguments in favour of the other perspective and then acknowledge counter-arguments.
• Conclusion : Summarise and reflect on the main arguments, bring up any thought-provoking realisations.

NOTE: Examples are below!

Practice Question 1

Try to write an opening to your own discursive-imaginative text for any subject matter of your choosing. A Band 6 sample opening is shown for reference.

I stand here, amidst the cosmic expanse of this checkered-board; a humble ebony piece, bound to the whims of my king. My brothers and sisters, who are forced to fall and rise, accept the peculiarities of our social environment…as if they were - natural. Why must this be the norm? Locked in a cosmic battle; sometimes victorious; other times - not. How might I transcend the shackles of imprisonment and ascend to the freedoms of reality?

This sample opening immediately captures the readers attention through imaginative techniques, a setting and some notion of characters are established, the use of the ellipsis (…) represents a hesitance revealing the character’s disdain for the philosophy subscribed to by the other characters (Metaphorically chess pieces). This opening reveals somewhat implicitly the fundamental issue of the struggle between freedom and captivity through a dichotomy of opposing philosophies.

This is a highly imaginative interpretation of discursive writing; Conveying the central issue to be explored through establishing metaphorical characters is a valid way of tackling a discursive piece. From this opening, the motif of a chessboard can be used throughout the text to argue both for the perspective of blindly being content in captivity and the perspective of seeking freedom by all means necessary.

The above example is a perfect example of the strengths of combining imaginative techniques with the discursive format, it is simply a way to enhance the presentation of ideas within the discursive framework.

Of course, discursive pieces can still be written without extensive imaginative elements, but points for and against particular perspectives should not become boring or monotonous — try to incorporate creative techniques when possible; metaphors can easily be employed to strengthen points.

More Examples

Discursive-imaginative ‘Writer’s Dilemma’

This example includes good personal voice while incorporating imaginative techniques to support arguments and engage the reader, the author has taken the liberty of introducing the arguments sequentially maintaining a logical flow between the arguments.

Topic Starters

Evaluating and improving your discursive piece.

It is best not to memorise a discursive piece word for word to take into the exam. Due to the possible stimulus being entirely different every year, rather than creating something beforehand and adapting it during the exam (Markers can tell!), it is better to create a new piece that plays with the ideas presented in the stimulus.

Don’t worry! By practicing writing, this becomes easier over time. Make sure to refer to HSC past papers to get an idea of what types of stimulus could potentially be asked of you. Don’t be afraid to try out various writing styles and techniques, experiment with humour, satire, or unconventional structures to make your piece more engaging.

Evaluation Checklist

• Balanced Perspectives : Assess whether you have presented each argument as equally viable, ensure that your arguments are not biased. Your piece should demonstrate the complexity of the issue you are exploring.
• Evidence and Examples : Assess the strength and relevance of the evidence and examples you have used, evidence can simply be an exploration of why the argument is valid in certain cases, this can be supported through figurative techniques such as metaphors.
• Relevance to the Stimulus : Ensure that your piece directly addresses some of the ideas presented in the stimulus, the wording of the stimulus will instantly tell you whether the ideas are up for interpretation or if there is a stricter topic the paper wants you to write about.
• Personal Voice : Try to maintain a strong personal voice throughout the piece, techniques, if used correctly, will strengthen the plausibility of your arguments and your conveying of the issue.

How to Write an HSC English Creative Writing Piece

How to Write an HSC English Persuasive Writing Piece

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Band 6 Exemplar Discursive Essay

Not sure what a discursive essay looks like? Read an exemplar response and then download the annotated version to learn what it does well and what it could do better.

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Year 11 english, vce english units 3 & 4, what is a discursive essay.

A discursive essay is a type of non-fiction writing that explores an idea or thing from different perspectives. To learn more about what a discursive essay is and how to write one, read our article How To Write A Band 6 Module C Discursive Essay .

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Why is the discursive essay important?

Discursive responses have been added to the HSC from 2019 . Many students haven’t written in this form before and therefore most are likely to struggle with it.

Matrix students learn how to write discursive responses in their Year 11 English Term Course and Year 12 English Holiday Course .

This exemplary discursive essay was written by Sydney Girls’ High Student, Eesha Singh. In this discursive response, Eesha explores the effectiveness of an advertising campaign presented as a stimulus.

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Band 6 Year 11 Exemplar Discursive Essay

The 2016 Calvin Klein campaign involved Justin Bieber, a statue of Aphrodite and the word ‘flaunt.’ However, I was drawn to the words ‘#mycalvins.’ Justin Bieber is a famous Canadian singer and a favourite of people all over the world. Using him in their campaign allowed Calvin Klein to reach millions of people across the world. But, just using Bieber wouldn’t inspire people to go out and spend their money on some underwear. I believe that is the reason they used the words ‘mycalvins,’ using ethos to appeal to consumers emotions. By using the word ‘my’ in conjunction with Bieber they gave people a feeling of relatability, making them believe that they were the same as Justin Bieber and he wasn’t a god but instead a human being, just like them.

The rise of social media hasn’t been recent but it has been gradual and has also let fans of celebrities, actors, singers, beauty bloggers etc. into their lives. It allows famous people to connect with their fans without using the tabloids. Through social media, such celebrities showcase the multitude of endorsements that they are a part of and allow their fans to, seemingly, see what they like. The effect of using celebrities? People who have fans? Such fans will notice that the person they look up to, or adore, are using a product or wearing a certain brand and go out and buy the product. This is how social media influencing works. We see celebrities release perfumes, clothing collections, maybe even a type of drink and the second we see their name on it, we think, wow they must love it, and they created it so it must be good: I need to have it! And, thus, a vicious cycle is created. And the same is applied to campaigns. If we see someone we love on a poster, well now I want what they do, wear what they wear. Now, combine this concept with ethos and you have a power duet. The visual version of this is the 2016 Calvin Klein campaign. We have Justin Bieber, a favourite to millions, maybe billions, and we have the words ‘mycalvins.’ People feel that they can relate to this, relate to Justin Bieber, a millionaire, a famous singer, and they want to relate to him. Because if they can relate to him, then maybe, they can be him.

I know that I was also easily influenced by social media and beauty bloggers. As of recently, I went out and purchased a bottle of Black Opium perfume as a beauty blogger that I love to watch recommended it and said she loved it. Now, if it wasn’t for her I wouldn’t have purchased this perfume or even looked at it. This is the direction that the beauty community is currently heading in. Beauty gurus on Instagram and Youtube are sent packages by makeup brands for them to try and feature on their channels so that their followers will see that they are good and will hence, purchase them. However, if a beauty guru doesn’t like a product and gives the makeup brand a bad review, customers will most likely not purchase the product. A recent example? Jaclyn Hill’s review on Kylie Jenner X Kris Jenner’s makeup collection. She gave them a bad review and, so, the collection flopped and there were limited sales. Here we can see the extent to which one person’s opinion can ruin a collection. However, the opposite is true too, and that is present in the 2016 Calvin Klein campaign. It didn’t just involve Justin Bieber, they also had Bella Hadid, a model, Julian Schneyder, a martial artist, Margot Robbie, an actress and Fetty Wap, a rapper. By doing this they reached out to different types of people who didn’t wear Calvin Klein and that they too should purchase some Calvin’s because all these people loved theirs and wore them to do even the most mundane of things.

Only a year before this campaign, Calvin Klein were still oversexualising their models, including Justin Bieber. Now personally, I didn’t feel that I could relate to this campaign and therefore never had much interest in Calvin Klein. But the fun and carefree campaign of 2016 changed my mind. I could relate to the different things these people were doing and I liked that I could. Especially Justin Bieber. He no longer seemed like an oversexualised god but more like a, sort of, humble human being. And the same could be said for the models and actresses and everyone else. They no longer seemed like a higher power, like a dream of what I could be one day. No, they seemed relatable, as if they were just like me. And that, I feel, is the words ‘mycalvins’ using ethos to change my mind, to make me feel a certain way.

Calvin Klein had such a success with the #mycalvins campaign that they’ve kept it going till 2018. However this year they incorporated a new theme – family. They used the Kardashians and opened up a whole new avenue for them to explore. It helped that two of them were pregnant. But this year’s campaign showed people that Calvin Klein’s are for everyone no matter what age, body type or gender. And that is an important concept for such a massive brand like Calvin Klein to explore, especially now with the rise in equality for all and the fairness for all initiatives trending all over social media.

Calvin Klein have come a long way from 2015 to now. They moved on from oversexualising their models to creating a relatable campaign for customers to look at with #mycalvins and created a new way to market products. But they didn’t stop growing there. They’ve continued to explore what is important to society today and showed that by introducing family and the acceptance of all in their latest campaign with the Kardashian family. Calvin Klein know what people want and know how to showcase their products in such a way to attract positive attention and this plays a part in their exponential rise in popularity, hence leading to millions buying their products. And yet, it all started with just Justin Bieber, a statue of Aphrodite and the word ‘flaunt.’

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How to write a band 6 discursive.

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• discursive writing

It was two years ago when the infamous trio of ‘persuasive, discursive and creative texts’ entered the NSW syllabus. Discursive texts were unfamiliar and foreign to many then and also now. To this day, because of its high degree of creative flexibility, many still find themselves puzzling over how exactly to write a good discursive. However, it is not only Year 12s who have to write discursives. School assessments that require discursive writing appear even from Year 7, which is why it is very important to understand how to approach this form.

What is a ‘discursive’?

NESA defines discursive writing as

“Discursive texts explore an idea or a variety of topics. These texts involve the discussion of an idea(s) or opinion(s) without the direct intention of persuading the reader, listener or viewer to adopt any single point of view. Discursive texts can be humorous or serious in tone and can have a formal or informal register.”

In simpler terms, discursive writing

• Explores more than one perspective
• Encourages the audience to adopt their own viewpoint
• Has a high degree of flexibility in terms of style and tone

What types of discursive texts will I have to write?

Type 1: discursive writing in response to an idea about metafiction or the value of literature, usually presented in the form of a quote..

These questions are more commonly given in exams, especially in the trials. Whilst they are more commonly presented in the form of a quote, the stimulus could also be an image, picture or long excerpt.”

E.g. “Making people believe the unbelievable is no trick; it’s work … Belief and reader absorption come in the details: An overturned tricycle in the gutter of an abandoned neighbourhood can stand for everything.”

Use this quote as a stimulus for a piece of discursive writing in which you explore how good writing can open our minds.

Type 2: Discursive writing in response to a prescribed text.

These are more common in school assignment tasks where students can complete the discursive writing piece at their own leisurely pace.

E.g. “I am no bird; and no net ensnares me: I am a free human being with an independent will.” – Charlotte Bronte. Use this quote as a stimulus for a piece of discursive writing that expresses your perspective about a significant concern or idea that you have engaged with The Awakening by Kate Chopin.

And others…

There are many more types of questions that might appear. These two are the most common and it’s best to be well acquainted with them before going into an exam.  At JP English, we help students prepare for curve ball exam questions by scheduling time in lessons to unpack past HSC questions and also our own questions written by state ranking tutors.

How to approach discursive writing tasks

Let’s take the first question as an example.

Step 1: Analyse the question

For these types of questions, the best way to approach it is to first identify what the metafictive idea is. Pinpoint it in your own words. Here, students are asked to explore how literature provides an impetus for internal reflection on our perception of the world.

Next, take notice of any metaphors or symbolism used. In this particular example, there is the symbolism of the overturned tricycle which represents how although seemingly meaningless on its own, words can have meaning if put into the right context by both the reader and composer.

Step 2: Introduction

Module C is unique in that it requires your honest perspective on the stimulus. What better way to do that than a personal anecdote? Make sure it is unique, captivating and original. Perhaps end your introduction with a series of thought-provoking rhetorical questions that could become the basis for your arguments.

Here’s an example of a personal anecdote which is intimate and personal but not too colloquial:

“My first hours with the spiky words of T.S. Eliot’s ‘‘The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock’’ are fixed in a precise location: the cluttered space of my teenage bedroom floor. It’s 1982. The light is low. The parquet tiles are coming unglued. Album covers — Talking Heads, David Bowie, the Clash — fan out around me, and an array of paperbacks sprawl among a week’s discarded clothes. I begin to read…’’

(From The New York Times Magazine, August 2015 edition)

Not only is it engaging, it is also packed with powerful language techniques (which you can then analyse in your reflection task). The varying sentence lengths, the allusions to popular culture and the quirky description of Eliot’s poetry as ‘spiky’ create the sense of introspection and intimacy – laying down the perfect undertone to explore ‘how good writing can open our minds’.

Just to illustrate how discursive texts can vary in style and tone, here’s an introduction that is more light-hearted but still extensively interrogates the value of literature.

“What if somebody’s heart has been broken one time too many? What if this person – it could be me, or it might just as well be you – has being stupid with sadness? What if she can’t sit still or concentrate for more than twenty seconds at a stretch? What if the part of her mind that used to grasp structure and form has suddenly lost its grip? What if the whole world of literature looks like a burnt-out landscape? What use to such a person is the mighty cataract of books that’s forever crashing down, blotting out the sunlight and choking the universe? Is there anything she can salvage from what she’s read in the past that will be of any use to her whatsoever?”.

(From Helen Garner’s ‘Looking for something to read’)

Notice how the cumulation of rhetorical questions evolves from a seemingly irrelevant opening to a reflection of why literature should be valued. This mirrors the overturned tricycle in the stimulus – seemingly irrelevant but once put into the right context ‘can stand for everything’.

Step 4: Developing Arguments and Perspectives

For the body of your discursive, examine two to three different perspectives. Common perspectives you could explore relating to the value of literature include:

• A Personal Perspective : You’ve all probably heard of this one – literature offers individuals an escape out of reality. This is a very overused perspective, but you can make it more nuanced (e.g., by saying that its uncanny semblance to reality actually shakes us out of our disillusionment sometimes.). Whatever you do, make sure you develop your own opinions about the value of literature and answer the stimulus.
• A Social Perspective: Whilst it is doubtless that literature can resonate deeply with a reader’s emotions, what more can they achieve? Industrialism still pervaded despite numerous critiques on it in the modernist era. It took a whole set of social variables to be fulfilled (technological advancements, government policies) to change social discourse. So, the question is, to what extent does literature influence society and does it actually alter the course it takes?
• A Literary Perspective: The postmodern perspective that meaning is primarily derived from the reader’s interpretation of a text. Thus, the value of literature lies not in the composer’s intentions, but how it resonates with the reader’s experiences and context.

Which techniques should I use?

The short answer is ‘as many as possible’. In fact, all our tutoring students are given an extensive technique booklet upon enrolling to make this process smoother. Some that you should definitely consider include:

• Personal anecdotes – to show personal understanding and introspection
• Allusions to popular culture – relevance to contemporary society and how the stimulus/prescribed text is relevant beyond the context in which it was written/said
• Rhetorical questions – challenges the audience about their assumptions and also to show introspection
• Irony, sarcasm and humour – for entertainment
• A cyclical structure – to depict growth, maturation and continuous reflection

Popular mistakes made by students

• Waffling without proper ideas or points.
• Informal doesn’t mean unsophisticated. You can be relevant/personal and sophisticated at the same time. Don’t overuse teenage slangs or language that is too colloquial.
• Writing a persuasive instead of a discursive. Don’t just explore one side of the topic. Navigate the subject matter from a variety of perspectives.
• Writing an essay instead of a discursive. Students achieve this by being too rigid with their structure and inflexible with their language.
• Not answering the question. Flexibility doesn’t mean you can talk about any topic you desire. Make sure you address the contents of the question. 

At JP English Specialist Tuition, our tutors make sure that students are well equipped with the knowledge of how to write discursives starting from Year 7.

• How our ex-student and current tutor transferred to a Selective School
• HSC Module B: Band 6 Notes on T.S. Eliot's Poetry
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Module C – Ideas for The Craft of Writing – Discursive, Imaginative, Informative and Persuasive

Although we have written our HSC blog post on Module C, we have noticed that it has heaps of hits to our site and many students have contact us for more information and guidance.

So, we thought for the benefit of all students we would put together some tips for each text type to help you with your next assessment.

Discursive Ideas

• Remember not to limit yourself into thinking that you only have to explore the ideas for and against a topic. This isn’t really the aim of a discursive text. Rather you want to discuss the multiple ideas that exist concurrently with each other. You shouldn’t necessarily want to convinced the marker of a particular attitude or belief – only make them aware of the different attitudes that exist and validate each individually.
• The question might or might not give you an audience or context. Writing a discursive piece without these elements is tricky because you have no end point that you are aiming towards. So, we recommend setting these boundaries for yourself – so long as the question allows for it.
• For example, you might be talking to a group of youths at a conference
• You might be writing an article for a high end fashion magazine
• Or even you might be writing to script for a podcast for a specific group of interested individuals.
• Whatever it may be, make it clear so that you can stay focused on the question
• Let’s take an example – writing a discursive piece on being a twin. We aren’t convincing people to be a twin or to like/dislike twins. We are simply exploring the different elements and views about being a twin
• For example, a twin might write about their experience of being a twin and what its been like for them or recount a particular event.
• The parent of twins can provide an alternate view – what is been like for them to parent twins versus a single child.
• Over the years the medical profession have taken an interest with twins and their physiological traits. They share a different view again on the twins.
• As you can see from above, there is no side we are taking or argument we are trying to make, we are simply exploring different ideas about the one topic.
• For the sake of completeness, let’s have a look at one of the prescribed texts for this module – Eight Days in a Corset by Hustvedt. What a fantastic read that was. Even if this isn’t part of your prescribed texts, we highly recommended a read for your own understanding.
• Overall, the topic discussed in the text is about wearing a corset. The writer has an experience where they are on the set of a period film and as part of their character’s costume they have to wear a corset which is used as the inspiration for her piece of writing
• One of the views taken in the text is the historical purpose of corsets and how they were used to show status and a woman’s role in society. It was known however that wearing a corset impacted negatively on health so the general trend was not to wear them.
• However, the writer also explores a modern perspective of wearing the corset. She explores how women today wear it as a sign and expression of their sexuality and allows for an errotic expereince. Something that significantly contrasts historical values and frames the corset in a different view.
• Therefore, a study of this text is a prime example of a discursive texts because it doesn’t stand to persuade you that corsets are good or bad or should be worn or not. It simply demonstrates two different views that exist concurrently with one another.

Imaginative

• These pieces call for originality, a breath of fresh air and something unexpected. To get your creative juices flowing and open your mind to new possibilities, we recommend starting with a new setting/environment. Naturally students automatically think that their piece needs to be set in 2019, Sydney. Why not try 1990 Melbourne? If you don’t know anything about that setting, what an opportunity to research and learn something new. How about setting it in 1950 London? Or take it back to when the pyramids were being built in Egypt. Or why not imagine for yourself a dystopian world like Orwell’s 1984 or Brave New World by Huxley. The possibilities are endless if you allow yourself to open up and not judge an idea before it has time to take flight.
• Always remember that spelling, grammar and punctuation is a massive element that will influence your mark. It’s often overlooked but we still read pieces that changes tense and uses different points of view which makes it difficult to read beyond.
• Have some sort of driving plot. Don’t recount a series of events. Students often fall into telling a story as if they would on the playground but you have to remember that this piece is for critical marking. Show that you have thought about and considered what is happening in your piece, what is driving it and where it will eventually finish. Also, read back of your story as we often come across pieces that lack cohesion and don’t chronologically make sense.
• Develop your characters so that the markers finish the story believing that they have met them in real life. They want to have a connection and feel like they could look up and start having a connection with them. If you story doesn’t particularly allow for this element, then make the reader feel like they are in the story. They want to feel so immersed that they momentarily taken away from reality and into your story.
• Always, always always read the question and respond to the stimulus in a creative, original and unique way. We once had a student whose stimulus was a poster so they made their character in the story see the exact same character. The feedback received was that the integration was too literal and the student didn’t adopt a creative approach. So, we recommend using the stimulus in a conceptual way. Think about the ideas or themes that can be drawn from the stimulus and then use that in your story. For example, if you are given an image of a landscape or environment, your first instinct is to create that as your setting. However, as this is the obvious choice, you won’t be rewarded for creativity or originality. This means that you should try and think about the ideas such as loneliness, barrness, warmth or any other ideas that resonate with the text that will allow you to develop a conceptual idea.
• Before you even start, make sure that you have an idea of exactly what it is you are trying to convince your reader about. Then, think about the the different points you are going to discuss to substantiate your argument and ensure that you present them in such a way that builds your perspective rather than throw random ideas together.
• Consider your audience and the way that this will affect your register and tone in respect to the topic you are trying to write persuasively about. You may write a piece that is convincing but if is not appropriately targeted at your audience it could mean that you have not hit all of the outcomes and will miss out on a being rewarded with a high mark.
• Critical to a persuasive are the three elements of ethos, pathos and logos. Logic, emotions and credibility. If you are able to adequately integrate all of these elements you will inevitably produce a tight argument that an opposing participant wouldn’t be able to pick holes.
• As always, originality is rewarded. Avoid picking an obvious topic that is controversial or one where the marker might have a bias opinion towards. Remember that your end goal is to achieve the best mark so you must play the game! Consider writing about topics that aren’t always spoken about in the media or those that form part of dominant discourse – but you still need to takes a particular stance or view that you are convincing about.

Informative Piece

• From our experience, this text type is not as common as the others. Perhaps because it is very straightforward and the amount of creativity and originality is somewhat limited.
• If you decided to go ahead with this type on the day (or you don’t have a choice) try and take an interesting point of view or inform the reader about something they have never considered in great detail.
• Try and leave the reader refreshed after being informed about your topic. We will keep adding to this blog as understandings are developed.

We hope the above helps and like always feel free to drop us a line if you need some extra assistance!

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• Dec 10, 2019

3 Do's & Don'ts of Discursive Writing All HSC Students Must Know for Module C

Discursive writing is the new kid in town. It's also a bit of a saviour for all who are not confident with creative writing. It's also become all the rage with school assessment tasks. Although it is an "informal" piece of writing, don't be deceived. Keep reading to make sure you know what to watch out for in your discursive writing.

Let's start with a NESA definition (bear with us, your English tutors don't know how else to start their blog posts)

Texts whose primary focus is to explore an idea or variety of topics. These texts involve the discussion of an idea(s) or opinion(s) without the direct intention of persuading the reader, listener or viewer to adopt any single point of view.

THE DON'Ts

DON'T neglect structure

A discursive ultimately will follow the structure required for any "argument". It requires a thesis, context and topic sentences. Although the wording can be casual there is room to jump around your ideas a bit, in the end stick to the essay structure we all know and love.

DON'T neglect good grammar

Being "informal" does not mean "forget how English works". The requirements for good grammar, spelling and punctuation still apply here. Informal simply means you can ask rhetorical questions , perhaps engage in first person language , use metaphors, similes and other figurative language in your work.

None of those have anything to do with neglecting good grammar practices. So stick to your subject - verb complexes!

DON'T be afraid to argue against yourself 🗣

A discursive has requirements similar to a "discuss" or "evaluate" question in science. It's about considering all the perspectives in the equation. Do not be afraid to make a statement to challenge it. Do not be afraid to say something then question it with a hypophora (Is the hypophora an effective technique for discursives? You bet it is.)

Let loose, argue against yourself and see where your thoughts takes you. After all to be discursive means to be tangential in the thought. And if maths has taught us anything it would be the definition of a tangent.

DO get personal 💛

Applying your own point of view and experiences is a great way to spice up a discursive. Drawing examples from your own experiences and our modern world is a crucial part of every Module in the syllabus. Talk about how your texts translates to our everyday lives: where can we still see government control? Racial discrimination? Bullying of people who are "different"?

DO use humour 🤣and other techniques

Not a knock knock joke (although they are excellent with the right execution).

Feel comfortable in using some sarcasm, some irony and inject a bit more spice into your arguments. Use metaphors and similes in your writing! Use imagery and personification. The more you use the more you have in your reflection!

DO have a position by the end of the essay

So NESA says that discursive writing should not have the " direct intention of persuading the reader" (note the awesome quote integration in that sentence  😉).

But it doesn't mean you don't have an opinion. You're just letting that position organic come through with your language. You're effectively finessing your readers to feel a certain way. Definitely write with your own opinion. Just don't act as if it's the only opinion in the world (which is why you present some devil's advocate counter arguments against yourself).

🔎🔎🔎 Below is one of Orwell's essays in a style similar to what NESA describes as discursive. We have made some comments here in red about things worth noting. 🔎🔎🔎

George Orwell - You and the Atomic Bomb

Considering how likely we all are to be blown to pieces by it within the next five years, the atomic bomb has not roused so much discussion as might have been expected. The newspapers have published numerous diagrams, not very helpful to the average man, of protons and neutrons doing their stuff, and there has been much reiteration of the useless statement that the bomb ‘ought to be put under international control.’ [Note how he engages the audience with context and relatable facts] . But curiously little has been said, at any rate in print, about the question that is of most urgent interest to all of us, namely: ‘How difficult are these things to manufacture?’ [His final rhetorical question here is effectively his thesis. He is letting the reader know what the rest of the essay will be about]

Such information as we — that is, the big public — possess on this subject has come to us in a rather indirect way, apropos of President Truman's decision not to hand over certain secrets to the USSR. [This is an informal topic sentence. He is using the rest of the paragraph to support the idea that "there is a lot of misinformation on the topic"] Some months ago, when the bomb was still only a rumour, there was a widespread belief that splitting the atom was merely a problem for the physicists, and that when they had solved it a new and devastating weapon would be within reach of almost everybody. (At any moment, so the rumour went, some lonely lunatic in a laboratory might blow civilisation to smithereens, as easily as touching off a firework.) [Note the use of a simile and a light hearted example to convey the idea. But also, note the impeccable grammar]

Had that been true, the whole trend of history would have been abruptly altered. The distinction between great states and small states would have been wiped out, and the power of the State over the individual would have been greatly weakened. [His new topic sentence shows his position, how exciting] However, it appears from President Truman's remarks, and various comments that have been made on them, that the bomb is fantastically expensive and that its manufacture demands an enormous industrial effort, such as only three or four countries in the world are capable of making. This point is of cardinal importance, because it may mean that the discovery of the atomic bomb, so far from reversing history, will simply intensify the trends which have been apparent for a dozen years past [and here he just argues against his own fact, setting up for the next tangent he is about to go on] .

It is a commonplace that the history of civilisation is largely the history of weapons. In particular, the connection between the discovery of gunpowder and the overthrow of feudalism by the bourgeoisie has been pointed out over and over again. And though I have no doubt exceptions can be brought forward, I think the following rule would be found generally true: that ages in which the dominant weapon is expensive or difficult to make will tend to be ages of despotism, whereas when the dominant weapon is cheap and simple, the common people have a chance. [Note how his previous disagreement/questioning of his own ideas lead to this new point of digression. This is a great way to organise your paragraphs in your own discursive] . Thus, for example, tanks, battleships and bombing planes are inherently tyrannical weapons, while rifles, muskets, long-bows and hand-grenades are inherently democratic weapons. A complex weapon makes the strong stronger, while a simple weapon — so long as there is no answer to it — gives claws to the weak. [an excellent metaphor for what he wants to convey]

The great age of democracy and of national self-determination was the age of the musket and the rifle. After the invention of the flintlock, and before the invention of the percussion cap, the musket was a fairly efficient weapon, and at the same time so simple that it could be produced almost anywhere. [Here we are expanding on the "claws" that was previously mentioned as the new idea. Really take note that this is how the organisation is mostly driven. It sounds casual but collected] . Its combination of qualities made possible the success of the American and French revolutions, and made a popular insurrection a more serious business than it could be in our own day. After the musket came the breech-loading rifle. This was a comparatively complex thing, but it could still be produced in scores of countries, and it was cheap, easily smuggled and economical of ammunition. Even the most backward nation could always get hold of rifles from one source or another, so that Boers, Bulgars, Abyssinians, Moroccans — even Tibetans — could put up a fight for their independence [claws for the weak again] , sometimes with success. But thereafter every development in military technique has favoured the State as against the individual, and the industrialised country as against the backward one. There are fewer and fewer foci of power. Already, in 1939, there were only five states capable of waging war on the grand scale, and now there are only three — ultimately, perhaps, only two. This trend has been obvious for years, and was pointed out by a few observers even before 1914. The one thing that might reverse it is the discovery of a weapon — or, to put it more broadly, of a method of fighting — not dependent on huge concentrations of industrial plant. [Once again, he sets up the idea that there is a trend in war and power for the entire paragraph. Then his final sentence provides an alternative view. Notice the pattern? Guess what he'll be talking about next?]

From various symptoms one can infer that the Russians do not yet possess the secret of making the atomic bomb; on the other hand, the consensus of opinion seems to be that they will possess it within a few years. So we have before us the prospect of two or three monstrous super-states, each possessed of a weapon by which millions of people can be wiped out in a few seconds, dividing the world between them. It has been rather hastily assumed that this means bigger and bloodier wars [this actually tracks back to paragraph 3. He basically provided alternative perspectives for 2 paragraphs in order to return to his original position, this time with more gusto because he has supported it by now] , and perhaps an actual end to the machine civilisation. But suppose — and really this the likeliest development — that the surviving great nations make a tacit agreement never to use the atomic bomb against one another? Suppose they only use it, or the threat of it, against people who are unable to retaliate? In that case we are back where we were before, the only difference being that power is concentrated in still fewer hands and that the outlook for subject peoples and oppressed classes is still more hopeless.

When James Burnham wrote The Managerial Revolution it seemed probable to many Americans that the Germans would win the European end of the war, and it was therefore natural to assume that Germany and not Russia would dominate the Eurasian land mass, while Japan would remain master of East Asia. This was a miscalculation, but it does not affect the main argument. For Burnham's geographical picture of the new world has turned out to be correct. More and more obviously the surface of the earth is being parceled off into three great empires, each self-contained and cut off from contact with the outer world, and each ruled, under one disguise or another, by a self-elected oligarchy. The haggling as to where the frontiers are to be drawn is still going on, and will continue for some years, and the third of the three super-states — East Asia, dominated by China — is still potential rather than actual. But the general drift is unmistakable, and every scientific discovery of recent years has accelerated it.

We were once told that the aeroplane had ‘ abolished frontiers ’; actually it is only since the aeroplane became a serious weapon that frontiers have become definitely impassable. The radio was once expected to promote international understanding and co-operation; it has turned out to be a means of insulating one nation from another. The atomic bomb may complete the process by robbing the exploited classes and peoples of all power to revolt, and at the same time putting the possessors of the bomb on a basis of military equality. Unable to conquer one another, they are likely to continue ruling the world between them, and it is difficult to see how the balance can be upset except by slow and unpredictable demographic changes.

For forty or fifty years past, Mr. H. G. Wells and others have been warning us that man is in danger of destroying himself with his own weapons, leaving the ants or some other gregarious species to take over. Anyone who has seen the ruined cities of Germany will find this notion at least thinkable. Nevertheless, looking at the world as a whole, the drift for many decades has been not towards anarchy but towards the reimposition of slavery. We may be heading not for general breakdown but for an epoch as horribly stable as the slave empires of antiquity. James Burnham's theory has been much discussed, but few people have yet considered its ideological implications — that is, the kind of world-view, the kind of beliefs, and the social structure that would probably prevail in a state which was at once unconquerable and in a permanent state of ‘cold war’ with its neighbors.

Had the atomic bomb turned out to be something as cheap and easily manufactured as a bicycle or an alarm clock, it might well have plunged us back into barbarism, but it might, on the other hand, have meant the end of national sovereignty and of the highly-centralised police state. If, as seems to be the case, it is a rare and costly object as difficult to produce as a battleship, it is likelier to put an end to large-scale wars at the cost of prolonging indefinitely a ‘ peace that is no peace ’. [Here his final position is restated. That the atomic bomb's power on the world is dependant on its production cost. He digressed throughout the essay but never jumped too far from these ideas. Remember: DON'T NEGLECT STRUCTURE]

💪🏼💪🏼💪🏼Take a note out of Orwell's book and smash your next discursive! 💪🏼💪🏼💪🏼

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Year 12 HSC Module C : The Craft of Writing Practice Questions

Looking for some HSC Module C questions to help you prepare? We have got you covered with 8 brand new questions!

TutorTime would like to help you prepare for the HSC English Advanced Module C The Craft of Writing (paper 2). 

A great place to start is to understand the rubric – you can find it here straight from NESA:

“In this module, students strengthen and extend their knowledge, skills and confidence as accomplished writers. Students write for a range of audiences and purposes using language to convey ideas and emotions with power and precision. 

Students appreciate, examine and analyse at least two short prescribed texts as well as texts from their own wide reading, as models and stimulus for the development of their own complex ideas and written expression. They evaluate how writers use language creatively and imaginatively for a range of purposes: to express insights, evoke emotion, describe the wonder of the natural world, shape a perspective or to share an aesthetic vision. 

Through the study of enduring, quality texts of the past as well as recognised contemporary works, students appreciate, analyse and evaluate the versatility, power and aesthetics of language. Through considered appraisal and imaginative engagement with texts, students reflect on the complex and recursive processes of writing to further develop their self-expression and apply their knowledge of textual forms and features in their own sustained and cohesive compositions. During the pre-writing stage, students generate and explore various concepts through discussion and speculation. 

Throughout the stages of drafting and revising, students experiment with various figurative, rhetorical and linguistic devices, for example allusion, imagery, narrative voice, characterisation and tone. Students consider purpose, audience and context to deliberately shape meaning. During the editing stages students apply the conventions of syntax, spelling, punctuation and grammar appropriately and effectively for publication. 

Students have opportunities to work independently and collaboratively to reflect, refine and strengthen their own skills in producing highly crafted imaginative, discursive, persuasive and informative texts. Note: Students may revisit prescribed texts from other modules to enhance their experiences of quality writing.”

Read more about the NESA English syllabus here:

https://educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/wcm/connect/f2ef71a2-ea7c-4b96-92f6-398fe141925c/english-stage-6-prescriptions-2019-2023.pdf?MOD=AJPERES&CVID=

Here are some general essay tips:

• Time your essays. You should allow 40 minutes to write the essay and don’t forget to add in the rubric words.
• Hand write your essay, get writing fit, you won’t be able to type your essay in the HSC!
• Don’t forget to answer the question in your introduction.
• Write in clear paragraphs with obvious spacing. 
• Edit your work. 

English Advanced Module C Practice Questions

(1) ‘We are more often frightened than hurt; and we suffer more from imagination than reality”, Seneca.

(a) Use this meditation as a stimulus for a piece of discursive writing that expresses your perspective about a significant concern or idea that you have engaged with in ONE of your prescribed texts from Module A, B or C. (15 marks)

(b) Write a reflective statement that explains how your prescribed texts from Module A, B or C has influenced your writing style. (5 marks) 

(2) “THE PLAY—for which Briony had designed the posters, programs and tickets, constructed the sales booth out of a folding screen tipped on its side, and lined the collection box in red crêpe paper—was written by her in a two-day tempest of composition, causing her to miss a breakfast and a lunch”, Ian McEwan, Atonement . 

(a) Use this extract to inspire a piece of imaginative writing that includes ONE of your characters of your prescribed texts from Module A, B or C. (15 marks) 

(b) Reflect upon the importance of dialogue in your imaginative piece. Has the style of your prescribed texts character’s dialogue impacted your piece? Why or why not? (5 marks) 

(3) ‘Words can inspire. And words can destroy. Choose yours well’.

(a) Use the above stimulus to inspire a piece of persuasive writing that argues either for or against the power of words. In your response, integrate the themes and styles from at least ONE of your prescribed texts from Module A, B or C. (15 marks)

(b) Write a reflective statement that describes the manner in which your prescribed text influenced your persuasive piece. (5 marks) 

(4) ‘Alice was beginning to get very tired of sitting by her sister on the bank. Having nothing to do, she had once or twice peeped into the book her sister was reading; but it had no pictures or conversations in it – ‘and what is the use of a book,’ thought Alice ‘without pictures or conversation?’. 

(a) Use this extract to create a piece of imaginative, persuasive or discursive piece of writing that draws from a key theme from one of your prescribed Module C texts. (10 marks)

(b) How have you have used language to capture the reader’s attention? Does this compare or contrast to the techniques used in the Module C text? NB: the same text referred to in part (a). (10 marks)

(5) “Some say the world will end in fire,

Some say in ice.

From what I’ve tasted of desire

I hold with those who favour fire.

But if it had to perish twice,

I think I know enough of hate

To say that for destruction ice

Is also great

And would suffice.” Robert Frost, Fire and Ice. 

(a) Use the above poem to inspire a piece of imaginative writing that incorporates the powerful literary techniques of foreshadowing and pathetic fallacy. (10 marks)

(b) Compare how you have used language in part (a) to evoke emotion with the way writing has been crafted in at least ONE prescribed text from Module C. (10 marks)

(6) ‘ Falling leaves; falling pages’.

(a) Use the above image as stimulus to create a piece of imaginative, discursive or persuasive writing that explores the power of literature. (10 marks)

(b) Compare how your use of style compares to the writing techniques used in one of your prescribed texts from Module C. (10 marks) 

(7) ‘ To Gaze in Awe’.

(a) Use the above image to inspire a piece of imaginative writing that includes a personal transformation of a character. Incorporate a key theme from ONE of your prescribed texts from Module C. (15 marks). 

(b) How has the writing style of the Module C text, referred to in part (a), influenced your own? Explore character, dialogue, style and literary techniques in your answer. (5 marks).

(8) “Half a century ago, something strange and horrible had happened there, something that the older inhabitants of the village still liked to discuss when topics for gossip were scarce. The story had been picked over so many times, and had been embroidered in so many places, that nobody was quite sure what the truth was anymore.”

(a) Use the above stimulus to create an imaginative, discursive or persuasive piece of writing that explores the subjectivity of truth. Mimic the writing style of ONE prescribed text from Module C. (10 marks) 

(b) How have you used language to emulate the evoking of emotion achieved in the Module C text you use in part (a)? (10 marks)

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HSC Advanced English: The Ultimate Guide to Getting That Band 6!

How do you get a Band 6 in Year 12 HSC Advanced English?

It may seem like the million dollar question, but luckily there IS an answer!

We’ve got the low-down on how to ace all the modules, plus study tips and tricks including how to analyse your texts, write essays and plenty of practice questions!

So, what are you waiting for? It’s time to get that Band 6!

Part 1: Developing Essential English Skills Part 2: The Common Module Part 3: Module A Part 4: Module B Part 5: Module C

Click Here to Download Your Free Band 6 Guide! 

Part 1: Developing Essential English Skills

Before we can dive into the HSC Advanced English modules, it’s important you have a strong foundation when it comes to writing an essay and analysing your texts.

How to Write a Band 6 HSC English Essay

When writing an essay, it’s important you know how to develop a strong argument that is supported by the best possible pieces of evidence with great analysis, all supported in a strong structure.

Obviously, this is much easier said than done! Although, that’s why we’ve created a guide to writing a Band 6 essay in HSC English that you can find below!

If you want to brush up on your thesis writing skills, that is, crafting a unique argument to any question, you may want to check out the article below:

How to Construct a Strong Thesis Statement in Your HSC English Essay

How to Analyse Your Text

The next key step is developing your analytical skills! This is pivotal as analysis will underpin anything and everything you write in English, from short answer responses in Paper 1 to your essays in Paper 2.

To have strong analytical skills, you need to be able to identify key ideas in a text and elaborate upon these, whilst finding literary techniques that will add meaning to your analysis.

For a recap on how to achieve this, you can check out our article to analysing texts like a pro below!

How to Quickly and Flawlessly Analyse HSC English Texts

Knowing Your Literary and Visual Techniques

The last step to building up your set of English skills is being able to identify literary and visual techniques.

You’ll find these in any text you study, including novels, poems, films, prose and even art!

For a quick brush-up on these devices, you can take a look at our mast list of literary and visual techniques:

The Ultimate HSC English Literary Techniques Cheat Sheet

For visual techniques, check out our master list below!

The Complete HSC English Visual Techniques Cheat Sheet

Now that you’ve nailed those essential English skills, we can dive into breaking down each of the Advanced English modules!

Part 2: The Guide to the Common Module: Texts and Human Experiences 

Texts and Human Experiences is a common module for HSC Advanced and Standard, meaning EVERYONE has to take it!

It will likely be the first topic you study for HSC Advanced English in your first term of Year 12!

The Common Module is notably vague in its rubric so it’s important to be able to pin it down. Human experiences can encompass  anything  experienced by a human – huge, right?

Take a look at the Texts and Human Experiences rubric statement (we’ve highlighted some key parts to help you out!)

From this rubric, we can draw that the Common Module is focussed on how texts can represent individual and collective experiences and how language is used to shape these representations.

Through this module, you’ll be developing your skills using literary techniques, language concepts and different forms of media when writing responses.

For a more detailed breakdown of the common module, check out our guide to nailing the Common Module!

Guide to HSC English Common Module: Texts and Human Experiences

Related Texts

Although you won’t be tested on a related text in the external HSC exams, you WILL be tested internally (at school) on a related text as well as your prescribed text for the course!

But don’t freak out! We’ve got a great guide on how to choose your related text for you to check out!

Check out our top 5 related texts for the top 5 prescribed texts for the common module here. 

How to Find Related Texts for HSC English in 3 Steps

If you’re feeling a little unsure about how to analyse your related text, you can also get a refresher on how to do so with our article below!

How to Analyse Your Related Text for English

Multimodal Presentation

You may find that either in the Common Module, or another module, that you’re asked to give a multimodal presentation.

You might be thinking,  what in the world is that?!

Not to fear! We’ve got the low-down on explaining exactly what a multimodal presentation is as well as how to ace one!

How to Ace Your Multimodal Presentation for HSC English

Common Module Practice Questions

It’s always a good idea to get some essay writing practice under your belt so you can identify your strengths and weaknesses.

You don’t want to be writing your essay for the first time in the exam, only to realise you don’t have enough analysis for a piece of evidence or know enough themes!

So, what better way than to write some practice essays?

Luckily for you, we’ve got 20 essay questions to help you prep for the Common Module!

20 Practice Questions for Year 12 HSC English: Texts and Human Experiences

Part 3: The Guide to Module A: Textual Conversations

Now that you’re sorted for the Common Module, let’s move on to HSC Advanced English Module A!

So, what does Textual Conversations actually mean?

Textual Conversations is a comparative study between two of your prescribed texts from the module and how they may share or re-imagine common issues, values and perspectives. 

Let’s take a look at the rubric!

This can be a difficult concept to wrap your head around, and that’s why we’ve covered everything you need to know in our Guide to Module A for HSC Advanced English!

The Ultimate Guide to Year 12 HSC English Module A: Textual Conversations

Module A Practice Questions

It may also be a good idea to practice nailing your analysis of those themes and ideas you learnt in class.

The best way to do that is of course, writing a practice essay!

We’ve got 20 fantastic essay questions for you to attempt once you’ve nailed the module below!

20 Practice Essay Questions for Year 12 HSC English Advanced Module A: Textual Conversations

Part 4: The Guide to Module B: Critical Study of Literature 

How do you closely study a piece of literature?

And how can that make up an ENTIRE HSC Advanced English module?

In Module B you need to be able to form a personal and intellectual response to your text through analysing its construction, content and language.

Basically, what this all means is that you need to develop and strong understand and appreciation for your text to write about it well!

But how exactly do you do this?

Luckily for you, we have this great guide that lays all the ground work for getting a Band 6 in Module B below!

The Guide to Year 12 HSC English Advanced Module B: Critical Study of Literature

Module B Practice Questions

As this module is a close study, you’ll most likely get a text-specific essay question in the exam. Understand how to answer these questions by knowing what each key verb means.

Luckily for you, we’ve created text specific practice questions to the most popular prescribed texts for Advanced English Module B!

Text Specific Practice Questions for Year 12 HSC Advanced English Module B: Critical Study of Texts

Part 5: The Guide to Module C: The Craft of Writing

Module C: The Craft of Writing is a completely new module that has come with the new syllabus changes.

It is concerned with learning how to write skilfully and confidently in different text types, as writing will be an essential life skill!

Let’s take a look at the rubric!

Module C now entails learning how to write persuasive, imaginative and discursive writing pieces that are inspired from two prescribed texts from Mod C or even a text from any other Module!

It can be confusing to wrap your head around, or even daunting to learn new text types, but luckily we’ve got our Band 6 guide to nailing Mod C which you can find below!

The Step-By-Step Guide to Year 12 HSC English Module C: The Craft of Writing

Discursive Writing

One of the new text types you’ll be introduced to in this module is called discursive writing.

NESA defines discursive writing as, “ Texts whose primary focus is to explore an idea or variety of topics. These texts involve the discussion of an idea(s) or opinion(s) without the direct intention of persuading the reader, listener or viewer to adopt any single point of view”

Such examples of discursive writing can be creative non-fiction, travel blogs, discussion essays, speeches and personal essays, amongst others.

It can be daunting to try new text types, but you don’t have to do it alone!

Luckily, we’ve created the ultimate guide to breaking down the basics of discursive writing and how to achieve a Band 6 worthy discursive writing piece!

How to Write a Band 6 Discursive Writing Piece for HSC English Module C

Creative Writing

Another one of the text types you’re probably more familiar with is creative writing, or ‘imaginative writing’.

Depending on your opinion, this may be your absolute favourite or absolute nightmare of a text type — but it doesn’t have to be!

We’ve got a bunch of articles on how to write a killer creative writing piece.

First thing’s first, before you start writing you’ll need to decide on a narrative type i.e. monologue, letter, diary entry etc see what best suits your stimulus – you can read more about all of that below!

How to Pick a Narrative Type for Your HSC Module C Creative Writing Piece

Next, you’ll need to choose a setting, but where do you even begin? To help you answer that question, we’ve got a great article on developing your setting.

How to Develop A Setting for Your HSC English Creative Piece

Okay, so you’ve got a setting, but what about your characters? Fear not, we haven’t forgotten! Read up on how to develop complex and interesting characters!

How to Develop A Kickass Character

Now that you’ve got your character, you can probably decide whose perspective to write the story from – will it be a narrator, or your protagonist? To help you make a decision, you can have a read over this article below!

How to Choose a Point of View For Your HSC Creative Writing Piece

You’ve got all the basics now – but what about the story line? If you need some help building up your story, check out this great article we’ve got on how to do so!

How to Develop Your HSC English Module C Creative Writing Idea

Okay you’re nearly there now! Proofreading and editing – it’s essential, so don’t skip it! Learn how to edit like a pro below:

How to Edit and Proofread Your HSC Creative Writing Piece

And now you’re all set!

Reflective Statement

As well as nailing those different text types, you’ll also be required to write a ‘reflective statement’ after you’ve written your piece.

The reflective statement is a completely new part of HSC English that assesses how your creative decisions in your pieces were drawn from your prescribed text.

If you need a bit of a hand nailing your reflective statement, you can check out our guide on how to write one! We’ve even got a scaffold you can download, so head to the link below:

How to Write a Reflective Statement For Module C: Craft of Writing

Module C Practice Questions

If you’re feeling ready to start some writing practice, you can check out a list of 20 questions we’ve created for Module C!

Practice Questions for HSC English Module C: The Craft of Writing 

And that wraps up our guide to the Year 12 HSC Advanced English modules! Good luck!

If you’re looking to achieve a Band 6 in your other subjects, check out our guides below:

• HSC Economics
• HSC Business Studies
• HSC Standard English
• HSC Visual Arts
• HSC Ancient History
• HSC Modern History
• HSC Biology
• HSC Chemistry
• HSC Physics

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Module C – Discursive Essay

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Mod C Discursive Essay Stimulus \”The true alchemists do not change lead into gold, they change the world into words.\”

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Discursive Essay Topics for Students

Home / Blog / 50 Unique Discursive Essay Topics For Students

Introduction

An essay paper is one of the shortest forms of academic tasks, but it isn’t exactly the easiest. Conducting thorough research, preparing a thesis statement, drafting the essay, and proofreading can be quite hectic if you are chased by a stringent deadline. Besides, if you have to write a new type of essay, things may get a lot more challenging for you. A discursive essay is a perfect example of a task that challenges students beyond limits.

Unfortunately, most students don’t know much about a discursive essay. To put it simply, a discursive essay presents both sides of an argument, and then discusses the stance of the author. Here, you need to maintain a formal tone. You need to write the whole paper from the perspective of a third person, even while expressing your opinion. The outline of a discursive essay is quite simple.

Choosing the topic for your discursive essay

Since you have no experience in working on this essay type, it might seem difficult to prepare an essay all by yourself. Before you can get to the writing part, you need to pick a topic first. Selecting a topic is the most time-consuming segment of drafting an essay. To find the right topic for your discursive essay, you can consider the following factors:

• Brainstorm :

To generate some effective topic ideas for your essay, try brainstorming with your friends. This process is used in various professions (including creative writing) worldwide to find innovative ideas. People try many ways to brainstorm for ideas. See what suits you the best and jot down the potential ideas for further consideration.

• Preferences of the instructor :

While selecting a topic, you need to ensure that it is relevant to the readers, which in your case is the essay instructor. If you want to leave a lasting impression on the instructor, choosing a topic of his/her interests is essential. Communicate with the instructor and try to know about the topics he/she likes. This will help you boost your chances of scoring better marks.

• Things that you are interested in:

Most students don’t enjoy academic writing as they find the task to be boring. If you need to draft a discursive essay, consider the topics that genuinely interest you. You will be excited to work on the essay help and you will put in more efforts to excel in the task. If you have already learned about the interests of the instructor, select a topic preferred by both of you.

• Availability of research material :

Since you have to present both sides of the argument in a discursive essay, you need a significant amount of data to support your claim as well as the counter-argument. It is better to confirm the availability of necessary data on the chosen essay topic. Scan the internet with proper keywords. If you don’t find any reliable data on the topic, you should consider a different topic.

By considering the four aforementioned factors, you can find a remarkable topic for your discursive essay. In case you are running short on time, you can take ideas from the following list of discursive essay topic ideas.

Impressive topic ideas for a discursive essay

• Can violence in video games cause behavioral problems in children?
• Is it beneficial to enroll a child in a single-sex school than a co-ed school?
• Do firewalls keep the users away from bad content?
• Is there any possibility of having another world war in the near future?
• Are teachers and schools responsible for the low-test score of a student?
• Is the advancement of technology responsible for the increasing number of Cancer patients?
• Is Facebook a great tool for socializing or a terrible place for privacy?
• Has the internet brought more harm than good?
• No one is above the law – is it true?
• Is there too much pressure on teens to attend college?
• Should there be a legal curfew for minors?
• Do mainstream media have the responsibility to promote more diversity?
• Should parents push their kids into extracurricular activities?
• Should advertisements highlight warnings and side effects?
• Do movies create unrealistic expectations for relationships and marriage?
• Do children really need an allowance?
• Is today's music educating young listeners?
• Should parents be on social media platforms?
• Should media representatives be punished for an unfair presentation of facts?
• Was the war in Iraq justified?
• Should court proceedings be televised?
• Should gay marriages be accepted in all democratic nations?
• Do the police favour law offenders based on their race?
• Should parents go for advanced training in parenthood?
• Is peer pressure bad?
• Using animals as test subjects: necessary or cruelty?
• Is a college degree important for success?
• Sex education in schools: Should it be stopped or increased?
• Should schools teach foreign languages right from kindergarten?
• Should there be a dress code for every professional?
• Should working places have afternoon nap facilities for the employees?
• Is a vegan diet healthy?
• Is being broke a habit?
• Space exploration is just a huge waste of money.
• Destroying forests is a crime against the planet.
• Being wealthy and being happy are two different things.
• Artificial Intelligence is not a danger to humanity.
• Technologies used in space exploration can solve critical problems on earth.
• Unmanned probes are not a great choice for space exploration.
• Smoking zones should be brought down.
• Is it possible to live a healthy life without eating meat?
• Do curfews keep children out of trouble?
• Are beauty pageants exploitative?
• Should men get paternity leave from work?
• Do photoshopped images affect self-image and self-esteem?
• Passive smokers suffer more than active ones.
• Everyone should have free access to healthcare.
• Is online censorship critical for internet users?
• Cross-cultural marriages have a positive impact on racial tolerance.
• Working hours must be reduced to let people spend more time with their family.

You can use these topic ideas for reference and generate an impressive topic idea of your own. You can also use one of these ideas to get started with your discursive essay. However, it is always better to work on a unique topic idea to grab the attention of your instructor.

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You might need some time to understand the basics of a discursive essay. If you think you will be unable to draft a stellar paper on your own, you can ask the experts of Essayhack.io for academic assistance. You can hire expert support for a variety of essay types, including a discursive essay.

Essayhack.io happens to be one of the leading academic solution providers in the country. For the past 8 years, the company has helped thousands of students fulfill their academic goals with confidence. If you are having problems regarding an academic task, you can rely on the experts of Essayhack.io. Besides personalized assistance, you can also enjoy a plethora of amazing features on every order.

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