-->
Any words you don't know? Look them up in the website's built-in dictionary .
|
|
Choose a dictionary . Wordnet OPTED both
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.
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.
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.
Structural component | Purpose | Stage of essay |
To introduce the reader to the subject of the essay. | ||
Position | To give the opinion of the writer (not always possible). | |
Definition(s) (optional) | To explain any important technical words to the reader. | |
To tell the reader what parts of the topic will be included in the essay. | ||
Arguments for | To explain to the reader the evidence for the positive side of the issue, with support. The most important ideas usually come first. This may be covered in one or more paragraphs. | |
Arguments against | To explain to the reader the evidence for the negative side of the issue, with support. The most important ideas usually come first. This may be covered in one or more paragraphs. | |
Summary | To give the reader a brief reminder of the main ideas, while restating the issue. Sometimes also says which ideas the writer believes have the strongest evidence. | |
Opinion & Recommendation | To give your opinion, and tell the reader what the writer believes is the best action to take, considering the evidence in the essay. |
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.
The following can be used when introducing your opinion.
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'.
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.
Like the website? Try the books. Enter your email to receive a free sample from Academic Writing Genres .
Below is a checklist for discussion essays. Use it to check your own writing, or get a peer (another student) to help you.
The essay begins with | ||
There is a clear | ||
are given if needed | ||
The essay has clear | ||
One or more are included (including clear ) | ||
One or more are included (including clear ) | ||
The conclusion includes a of the main points | ||
The writer's is given | ||
There is a , which relates to the points in the essay |
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
Find out how to write persuasion essays in the next 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.
A discussion essay, also called a controversial essay, is where you express your opinion about a topic. When writing one,
So let’s deeply explore the structure and components of a successful discussion paper.
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.
After choosing the essay topic, you should create your outline to finish planning your essay.
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.
Title: The Ethics of Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare
So now that you’ve seen an outline example, l et’s start writing your essay with an introduction.
Introduction
Now that we have written our introduction, we can move on to the discussion parts.
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:
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.
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:
Things to avoid in conclusion
Let’s have a look at a conclusion example for a discussion essay..
Remember that a conclusion is your final opportunity to leave a strong impression, so make it memorable and impactful.
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.
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.
Yes, including counterarguments is essential in a discussion essay. Addressing opposing viewpoints demonstrates your understanding of the topic and strengthens your analysis.
Present each viewpoint objectively and support it with evidence. Give equal attention to different perspectives and avoid using biased language.
Use transitional words and phrases like “however,” “on the other hand,” and “in contrast” to smoothly guide readers between paragraphs and viewpoints.
How to write a discussion essay (with steps & examples), writing a great poetry essay (steps & examples), how to write a process essay (steps & examples), writing a common app essay (steps & examples), how to write a synthesis essay (steps & examples), how to write a horror story.
Select Page
Posted by David S. Wills | Jun 14, 2021 | IELTS Tips , Writing | 3
In this lesson, I’m going to explain what an IELTS discussion essay is and how you can write a good one. I will talk about structure and content, as well as looking briefly at discussion essay thesis statements, which many people find tricky. I’ve also written a sample essay, which you can find at the bottom of this page.
As the name suggests, a discussion essay is an essay that discusses things! More specifically, it is a type of IELTS writing task 2 essay that requires you to look at two different points of view . You can easily recognise these essays by the following phrase:
Discuss both views and give your opinion.
Sometimes it is phrased a little differently. It might say:
Discuss both sides and give your opinion
Discuss both points view and give your opinion
The important thing is that these all mean the same. When you see any of these, you know that you need to write a discussion essay. Importantly, this instruction tells you that you need to do two things:
If you failed to do either of these things, you would not have satisfied the basic criteria for Task Achievement .
Here is a list of 5 discussion essay questions either from the IELTS exam, reportedly from the IELTS exam, or from reputable publications that have copied the IELTS question style. (Not that you absolutely should avoid fake IELTS questions when practising.)
Some people say that parents should encourage their children to take part in organised group activities in their free time. Others say that is important for children to learn how to occupy themselves on their own. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
Some people prefer to spend their lives doing the same things and avoiding change. Others, however, think that change is always a good thing. Discuss both views and give your opinion.
Some people feel that manufacturers and supermarkets have the responsibility to reduce the amount of packaging of goods. Others argue that customers should avoid buying goods with a lot of packaging. Discuss both views and give your opinion.
Some people believe that higher education should be funded by the government. Others, however, argue that it is the responsibility of individuals to fund their higher education. Discuss both views and give your opinion.
Some people believe that it is important for children to attend extra classes outside school, while others believe that they should be allowed to play after school. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
You can see in these questions that there is a similar pattern. In each case, the question phrase (“Discuss both views and give your own opinion”) is the same and in the previous sentence or sentences, there are two opposing views. This, then, makes “discuss both views” questions a sort of opinion essay .
First of all, it is important when answering any IELTS task 2 question that you read the question carefully so that you understand it, then provide an answer that directly responds to the question, following its instructions carefully.
As discussed above, you are required to do two things: 1) Discuss both views, and 2) Give your own opinion. You absolutely must do both of those. It doesn’t really matter what your opinion is or whether you give equal weighting to both sides of the argument. Instead, you must cover both sides and also give some sort of opinion. (It is important, though, according to the marking rubric , that you are consistent in your opinion.)
Your answer of course should be structured carefully so as to present your ideas in a thoroughly logical way that is easy for your reader to interpret. I almost always use a four-paragraph structure in my essays, but some people prefer to use five paragraphs in this sort of essay. The difference would look like this:
Four-paragraph essay | Five-paragraph essay | |
Introduction | Introduce the main idea State your opinion | Introduce the main idea State your opinion |
Body paragraph 1 | Discuss the first point of view | Discuss the first point of view |
Body paragraph 2 | Discuss the second point of view | Discuss the second point of view |
Body paragraph 3 | – | Give your opinion |
Summarise the issue and reaffirm position | Summarise the issue and reaffirm position |
You might be wondering why I have given my opinion in the body of the five-paragraph essay but not in the four-paragraph essay. Well, actually I would give my opinion in the body of both. However, my opinion would be more subtly woven into the text of the four-paragraph essay. I personally find this to be a better method, but it is equally possible that you could write an amazing five-paragraph essay. That issue is discussed further in this video:
In academic writing, a thesis statement (sometimes called an essay outline ) is the part of the essay where you insert your opinion. It typically comes at the end of the introduction and guides the reader by explaining your opinion on the issues that have been introduced.
But do you really need to provide one in such a short essay? Well, a 2018 study into successful IELTS essays concluded that thesis statements were “obligatory” – i.e. you absolutely do need one. In fact, that study found that thesis statements appeared in 100% of successful IELTS discussion essays! Therefore, we can conclude they are very important.
Because a discussion essay will tell you to “Discuss both views and give your opinion,” you must introduce the two views and then give your opinion in the introduction. Here is an example:
Introductory paragraph:
In some parts of the world, children are forced to go to cram schools and other facilities of extracurricular learning, but many people believe that this is unfair and that they should be allowed to enjoy their free time instead. This essay will look at both perspectives and then conclude that it is indeed unfair.
My first sentence clearly introduces two different ideas:
Note how I have successfully used synonyms to avoid repeating anything from the question. I have also framed the issue in a new way so that I am not just paraphrasing. (You can learn why paraphrasing is not always helpful here .)
My second sentence is the thesis statement. In this sentence, I outline what the essay will do (“look at both perspectives”) and then give my opinion (“it is unfair”). This is a simple but effective thesis statement.
Your IELTS discussion essay thesis statement should do two things:
Because this is a formal essay, it is best not to be too personal. Instead of saying “I will…” or “I think…” it is better to say “This essay will…” Here are some simple templates that you can follow most of the time:
Just make sure to avoid being overly vague. You are required to give your opinion consistently throughout the essay, so don’t say “This essay will look at both sides and then give my opinion .” It is not really the best approach because the examiner wants to see that you can be consistent in presenting an opinion. That is clearly stated in the marking rubric. For band 7, it says:
It could be concluded, then, that your opinion is not clear from the start and so you have not done enough to warrant a band 7 for Task Achievement.
As I mentioned above, there are really two main approaches you could take to the body paragraphs:
I suppose there is also a third option:
This last one may be a little harder to do successfully without jeopardising your score for Task Achievement or Coherence and Cohesion , but advanced candidates may find it useful.
Remember that there is no single perfect formula for an IELTS essay. That’s not how languages work and that’s not how IELTS works. Different people could come up with different ways to present a successful essay. The most common essay structures are mere guidelines for particularly useful methods of approaching an essay.
Because the question says “Discuss both views,” it is quite logical to think that you must provide some degree of balance, but you certainly don’t need to give equal weighting to both sides. Remember that you are also going to give your opinion, so if you come down strongly on one side of the issue, it might be odd to give equal attention to both.
If you do feel very strongly about one side, you might want to present your discussion of the other side as quite negative. However, IELTS is a thinking exam as well as an English exam and an intelligent person can always look at both sides of an issue and explain – at the very least – why someone might believe a thing that is different to his own view. This seems quite important, but there is nothing explicitly mentioned in the marking rubric.
I would suggest that if you think a two-sided issue is basically one-sided (i.e. you strongly disagree with the other view), you should still write one or two sentences about why people believe that and then devote the rest of your essay to disputing their view.
Another approach is to write BP1 as a very short paragraph that explains why people might think one thing, but then have BP2 as a very long paragraph that debunks the opposing view and then explains why the other is correct.
(You can read more about IELTS essays and balance here .)
Here is my full sample answer to the above question about whether or not children should be made to do extracurricular activities:
In some parts of the world, children are forced to go to cram schools and other facilities of extracurricular learning, but many people believe that this is unfair and that they should be allowed to enjoy their free time instead. This essay will look at both perspectives and then conclude that it is indeed unfair. In countries like South Korea, most children are made to go to an array of cram schools outside of regular school hours. Their parents do this in order to give their child a better future because it helps the child to learn more and thus gives them the academic advantages needed to apply to the best universities or jobs in future. These schools often provide children with an advantage over their peers because they improve their foreign language or math skills more quickly, and thus the children who do not attend these schools might have comparatively poor grades. However, whilst this attitude may result in better academic performance, it is certainly not good for the mental health of these children. It is no coincidence that places like South Korea have the highest rates of suicide among their young populations. The fact is that children are not equipped to spend fourteen or sixteen hours per day in classrooms, memorising facts and figures. In a sense, it is a form of child abuse. Children should be allowed to go home and spend time with friends and family to build social skills. They should be allowed to occupy themselves in order to become more creative and learn how to understand their own mind instead of being trained to repeat what they are told. In conclusion, it is understandable that some parents want their children to go to extra classes, but this is damaging to children and they should be given the freedom to play and socialise outside of regular school hours.
In BP1, I have looked at the topic of cram schools (ie the side of the argument in favour of extra lessons). I explored why parents might want their kids to do this and show the supposed benefits. Note that I never embraced any of these benefits. I was careful to use language that distanced these ideas from my own opinion, which was the opposite, so I said “Their parents do this in order to…”
In BP2, I looked at the opposite side. I was careful to make sure that my first sentence linked to the previous paragraph, highlighting that the benefits are quite minor compared to the drawbacks. All of my sentences here justify my position, which is that it is cruel to force these extra lessons on children.
My conclusion ties all of this together. The first clause references BP1 and the second summarises the main argument in BP2.
You can find two more sample essays here:
David S. Wills is the author of Scientologist! William S. Burroughs and the 'Weird Cult' and the founder/editor of Beatdom literary journal. He lives and works in rural Cambodia and loves to travel. He has worked as an IELTS tutor since 2010, has completed both TEFL and CELTA courses, and has a certificate from Cambridge for Teaching Writing. David has worked in many different countries, and for several years designed a writing course for the University of Worcester. In 2018, he wrote the popular IELTS handbook, Grammar for IELTS Writing and he has since written two other books about IELTS. His other IELTS website is called IELTS Teaching.
October 15, 2018
June 30, 2017
April 4, 2017
November 23, 2020
It is sometimes debatable whether asking children to get extra education after school or letting them play that is actually beneficial for them. Even though both viewpoints have benefits and drawbacks but I believe ,in the childhood age, children have to take rough and discipline education after school to be succeed in the future.
To begin with, many educational experts believe that playing is one of the essential aspects that have to be gotten by children to grow and happy. By using the playing approach, children can have a good mental and psychic health. Besides, letting children play after school can also support them to increase their emotional stimuli and get a positive social interaction. With this way, experts believe children can grow as a better adult in the future and have a freedom to get a better life in the upcoming times.
However, I completely contra with the first idea because I believe childhood is a better time to train children about academic or other skills that benefits them in the future. Based on scientific journal that I read, the ability of children in learning new things are more spectacular compared to adults. A lot of artists, scientist, and even football player who currently becoming a superstar in this era is a string of process that is began since their in the childhood. For instance, nowadays, I am working in the field of election supervision, it because since in my childhood my father love to force me learning about social and political issues by getting additional class. Thus, making children to get extra class after school is an appropriate preference if parents desire to see their son getting a good future.
To conclude, based on experts children have to get a freedom to play after schools but in my viewpoint it will be more advantages if they utilize the playing time with joining additional class after school.
VERY GOOD MR DIRWAN But actually you mixed both of the ideas , you need to take one side for this sort of essay writting, as it is mentioned in the above instruction. By the way WELL DONE . love from Pakistan to my sweet brother.
I have not checked in here for some time because I thought it was getting boring, but the last few posts are really great quality so I guess I’ll add you back to my everyday bloglist. You deserve it my friend. ??
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .
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 445,683 times.
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
Ellie Foster
Sep 28, 2021
Apr 27, 2016
Get all the best how-tos!
Sign up for wikiHow's weekly email newsletter
The discussion section of a research paper analyzes and interprets the findings, provides context, compares them with previous studies, identifies limitations, and suggests future research directions.
Updated on September 15, 2023
Structure your discussion section right, and you’ll be cited more often while doing a greater service to the scientific community. So, what actually goes into the discussion section? And how do you write it?
The discussion section of your research paper is where you let the reader know how your study is positioned in the literature, what to take away from your paper, and how your work helps them. It can also include your conclusions and suggestions for future studies.
First, we’ll define all the parts of your discussion paper, and then look into how to write a strong, effective discussion section for your paper or manuscript.
The discussion section comes later in your paper, following the introduction, methods, and results. The discussion sets up your study’s conclusions. Its main goals are to present, interpret, and provide a context for your results.
The discussion section provides an analysis and interpretation of the findings, compares them with previous studies, identifies limitations, and suggests future directions for research.
This section combines information from the preceding parts of your paper into a coherent story. By this point, the reader already knows why you did your study (introduction), how you did it (methods), and what happened (results). In the discussion, you’ll help the reader connect the ideas from these sections.
The discussion provides context and interpretations for the results. It also answers the questions posed in the introduction. While the results section describes your findings, the discussion explains what they say. This is also where you can describe the impact or implications of your research.
Most research studies aim to answer a question, replicate a finding, or address limitations in the literature. These goals are first described in the introduction. However, in the discussion section, the author can refer back to them to explain how the study's objective was achieved.
The discussion can also describe the effect of your findings on research or practice. How are your results significant for readers, other researchers, or policymakers?
A complete and effective discussion section should at least touch on the points described below.
The discussion should begin with a brief factual summary of the results. Concisely overview the main results you obtained.
Your results section described a list of findings, but what message do they send when you look at them all together?
Your findings were detailed in the results section, so there’s no need to repeat them here, but do provide at least a few highlights. This will help refresh the reader’s memory and help them focus on the big picture.
Read the first paragraph of the discussion section in this article (PDF) for an example of how to start this part of your paper. Notice how the authors break down their results and follow each description sentence with an explanation of why each finding is relevant.
Following a clear and direct writing style is especially important in the discussion section. After all, this is where you will make some of the most impactful points in your paper. While the results section often contains technical vocabulary, such as statistical terms, the discussion section lets you describe your findings more clearly.
Once you’ve given your reader an overview of your results, you need to interpret those results. In other words, what do your results mean? Discuss the findings’ implications and significance in relation to your research question or hypothesis.
Look into your findings and explore what’s behind them or what may have caused them. If your introduction cited theories or studies that could explain your findings, use these sources as a basis to discuss your results.
For example, look at the second paragraph in the discussion section of this article on waggling honey bees. Here, the authors explore their results based on information from the literature.
Sometimes, your findings are not what you expect. Here’s where you describe this and try to find a reason for it. Could it be because of the method you used? Does it have something to do with the variables analyzed? Comparing your methods with those of other similar studies can help with this task.
Refer to related studies to place your research in a larger context and the literature. Compare and contrast your findings with existing literature, highlighting similarities, differences, and/or contradictions.
Studies with similar findings to yours can be cited to show the strength of your findings. Information from these studies can also be used to help explain your results. Differences between your findings and others in the literature can also be discussed here.
If you have more than one objective in your study or many key findings, you can dedicate a separate section to each of these. Here’s an example of this approach. You can see that the discussion section is divided into topics and even has a separate heading for each of them.
Many journals require you to include the limitations of your study in the discussion. Even if they don’t, there are good reasons to mention these in your paper.
A study’s limitations are points to be improved upon in future research. While some of these may be flaws in your method, many may be due to factors you couldn’t predict.
Examples include time constraints or small sample sizes. Pointing this out will help future researchers avoid or address these issues. This part of the discussion can also include any attempts you have made to reduce the impact of these limitations, as in this study .
Pointing out the limitations of your study demonstrates transparency. It also shows that you know your methods well and can conduct a critical assessment of them.
The final paragraph of the discussion section should contain the take-home messages for your study. It can also cite the “strong points” of your study, to contrast with the limitations section.
Remind the reader what your hypothesis was before you conducted the study.
Identify your main findings and describe how they relate to your hypothesis.
Were you able to answer your research question? Or address a gap in the literature?
Describe the impact that your results may have on the topic of study. Your results may show, for instance, that there are still limitations in the literature for future studies to address. There may be a need for studies that extend your findings in a specific way. You also may need additional research to corroborate your findings.
This fictitious example covers all the aspects discussed above. Your actual discussion section will probably be much longer, but you can read this to get an idea of everything your discussion should cover.
Our results showed that the presence of cats in a household is associated with higher levels of perceived happiness by its human occupants. These findings support our hypothesis and demonstrate the association between pet ownership and well-being.
The present findings align with those of Bao and Schreer (2016) and Hardie et al. (2023), who observed greater life satisfaction in pet owners relative to non-owners. Although the present study did not directly evaluate life satisfaction, this factor may explain the association between happiness and cat ownership observed in our sample.
Our findings must be interpreted in light of some limitations, such as the focus on cat ownership only rather than pets as a whole. This may limit the generalizability of our results.
Nevertheless, this study had several strengths. These include its strict exclusion criteria and use of a standardized assessment instrument to investigate the relationships between pets and owners. These attributes bolster the accuracy of our results and reduce the influence of confounding factors, increasing the strength of our conclusions. Future studies may examine the factors that mediate the association between pet ownership and happiness to better comprehend this phenomenon.
This brief discussion begins with a quick summary of the results and hypothesis. The next paragraph cites previous research and compares its findings to those of this study. Information from previous studies is also used to help interpret the findings. After discussing the results of the study, some limitations are pointed out. The paper also explains why these limitations may influence the interpretation of results. Then, final conclusions are drawn based on the study, and directions for future research are suggested.
If you find writing in scientific English challenging, the discussion and conclusions are often the hardest parts of the paper to write. That’s because you’re not just listing up studies, methods, and outcomes. You’re actually expressing your thoughts and interpretations in words.
Always give it your best, but sometimes a helping hand can, well, help. Getting a professional edit can help clarify your work’s importance while improving the English used to explain it. When readers know the value of your work, they’ll cite it. We’ll assign your study to an expert editor knowledgeable in your area of research. Their work will clarify your discussion, helping it to tell your story. Find out more about AJE Editing.
Adam Goulston, PsyD, MS, MBA, MISD, ELS
Science Marketing Consultant
See our "Privacy Policy"
Pair your Premium Editing with our add-on service Presubmission Review for an overall assessment of your manuscript.
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:
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 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:
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.
These three errors are common in IELTS discussion essays.
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.
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
2) Main body paragraph 1
3 ) Main body paragraph 2
4) Conclusion
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.
# 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.
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.
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:
Useful – protect wild animals:
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.
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.
Good introductions to IELTS discussion essays have a simple 3 part structure:
2) State two supporting reasons (outline statement)
3) Give your opinion (thesis statement)
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.
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.
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:
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.
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.
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 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.
Conclusions to IELTS discussion essays should do two things:
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:
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:
or
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.
Would you prefer to share this page with others by linking to it?
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
IELTS Writing Test – Understand the format & marking criteria, know what skills are assessed & learn the difference between the Academic & General writing tests.
$9.99 each Full Set Just $ 23.97
Find Out More >>
Full details...
$7 each Full Set Just $ 21
Find out more >>
Testimonials
“I am very excited to have found such fabulous and detailed content. I commend your good work.” Jose M.
“Thanks for the amazing videos. These are ‘to the point’, short videos, beautifully explained with practical examples." Adari J.
"Hi Jacky, I bought a listening book from you this morning. You know what? I’m 100% satisfied. It’s super helpful. If I’d had the chance to read this book 7 years ago, my job would be very different now." Loi H.
"Hi Jacky, I recently got my IELTS results and I was pleased to discover that I got an 8.5 score. I'm firmly convinced your website and your videos played a strategic role in my preparation. I was able to improve my writing skills thanks to the effective method you provide. I also only relied on your tips regarding the reading section and I was able to get a 9! Thank you very much." Giano
“After listening to your videos, I knew I had to ditch every other IELTS tutor I'd been listening to. Your explanations are clear and easy to understand. Anyways, I took the test a few weeks ago and my result came back: Speaking 7, listening 9, Reading 8.5 and Writing 7 with an average band score of 8. Thanks, IELTS Jacky." Laide Z.
Contact
About Me
Site Map
Privacy Policy
Disclaimer
IELTS changes lives.
Let's work together so it changes yours too.
Copyright © 2024 IELT Jacky
All Right Reserved
IELTS is a registered trademark of the University of Cambridge, the British Council, and IDP Education Australia. This site and its owners are not affiliated, approved or endorsed by the University of Cambridge ESOL, the British Council, and IDP Education Australia.
The purpose of the discussion section is to interpret and describe the significance of your findings in relation to what was already known about the research problem being investigated and to explain any new understanding or insights that emerged as a result of your research. The discussion will always connect to the introduction by way of the research questions or hypotheses you posed and the literature you reviewed, but the discussion does not simply repeat or rearrange the first parts of your paper; the discussion clearly explains how your study advanced the reader's understanding of the research problem from where you left them at the end of your review of prior research.
Annesley, Thomas M. “The Discussion Section: Your Closing Argument.” Clinical Chemistry 56 (November 2010): 1671-1674; Peacock, Matthew. “Communicative Moves in the Discussion Section of Research Articles.” System 30 (December 2002): 479-497.
The discussion section is often considered the most important part of your research paper because it:
Annesley Thomas M. “The Discussion Section: Your Closing Argument.” Clinical Chemistry 56 (November 2010): 1671-1674; Bitchener, John and Helen Basturkmen. “Perceptions of the Difficulties of Postgraduate L2 Thesis Students Writing the Discussion Section.” Journal of English for Academic Purposes 5 (January 2006): 4-18; Kretchmer, Paul. Fourteen Steps to Writing an Effective Discussion Section. San Francisco Edit, 2003-2008.
I. General Rules
These are the general rules you should adopt when composing your discussion of the results :
II. The Content
The content of the discussion section of your paper most often includes :
III. Organization and Structure
Keep the following sequential points in mind as you organize and write the discussion section of your paper:
IV. Overall Objectives
The objectives of your discussion section should include the following: I. Reiterate the Research Problem/State the Major Findings
Briefly reiterate the research problem or problems you are investigating and the methods you used to investigate them, then move quickly to describe the major findings of the study. You should write a direct, declarative, and succinct proclamation of the study results, usually in one paragraph.
II. Explain the Meaning of the Findings and Why They are Important
No one has thought as long and hard about your study as you have. Systematically explain the underlying meaning of your findings and state why you believe they are significant. After reading the discussion section, you want the reader to think critically about the results and why they are important. You don’t want to force the reader to go through the paper multiple times to figure out what it all means. If applicable, begin this part of the section by repeating what you consider to be your most significant or unanticipated finding first, then systematically review each finding. Otherwise, follow the general order you reported the findings presented in the results section.
III. Relate the Findings to Similar Studies
No study in the social sciences is so novel or possesses such a restricted focus that it has absolutely no relation to previously published research. The discussion section should relate your results to those found in other studies, particularly if questions raised from prior studies served as the motivation for your research. This is important because comparing and contrasting the findings of other studies helps to support the overall importance of your results and it highlights how and in what ways your study differs from other research about the topic. Note that any significant or unanticipated finding is often because there was no prior research to indicate the finding could occur. If there is prior research to indicate this, you need to explain why it was significant or unanticipated. IV. Consider Alternative Explanations of the Findings
It is important to remember that the purpose of research in the social sciences is to discover and not to prove . When writing the discussion section, you should carefully consider all possible explanations for the study results, rather than just those that fit your hypothesis or prior assumptions and biases. This is especially important when describing the discovery of significant or unanticipated findings.
V. Acknowledge the Study’s Limitations
It is far better for you to identify and acknowledge your study’s limitations than to have them pointed out by your professor! Note any unanswered questions or issues your study could not address and describe the generalizability of your results to other situations. If a limitation is applicable to the method chosen to gather information, then describe in detail the problems you encountered and why. VI. Make Suggestions for Further Research
You may choose to conclude the discussion section by making suggestions for further research [as opposed to offering suggestions in the conclusion of your paper]. Although your study can offer important insights about the research problem, this is where you can address other questions related to the problem that remain unanswered or highlight hidden issues that were revealed as a result of conducting your research. You should frame your suggestions by linking the need for further research to the limitations of your study [e.g., in future studies, the survey instrument should include more questions that ask..."] or linking to critical issues revealed from the data that were not considered initially in your research.
NOTE: Besides the literature review section, the preponderance of references to sources is usually found in the discussion section . A few historical references may be helpful for perspective, but most of the references should be relatively recent and included to aid in the interpretation of your results, to support the significance of a finding, and/or to place a finding within a particular context. If a study that you cited does not support your findings, don't ignore it--clearly explain why your research findings differ from theirs.
V. Problems to Avoid
Analyzing vs. Summarizing. Department of English Writing Guide. George Mason University; Discussion. The Structure, Format, Content, and Style of a Journal-Style Scientific Paper. Department of Biology. Bates College; Hess, Dean R. "How to Write an Effective Discussion." Respiratory Care 49 (October 2004); Kretchmer, Paul. Fourteen Steps to Writing to Writing an Effective Discussion Section. San Francisco Edit, 2003-2008; The Lab Report. University College Writing Centre. University of Toronto; Sauaia, A. et al. "The Anatomy of an Article: The Discussion Section: "How Does the Article I Read Today Change What I Will Recommend to my Patients Tomorrow?” The Journal of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery 74 (June 2013): 1599-1602; Research Limitations & Future Research . Lund Research Ltd., 2012; Summary: Using it Wisely. The Writing Center. University of North Carolina; Schafer, Mickey S. Writing the Discussion. Writing in Psychology course syllabus. University of Florida; Yellin, Linda L. A Sociology Writer's Guide . Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon, 2009.
Don’t Over-Interpret the Results!
Interpretation is a subjective exercise. As such, you should always approach the selection and interpretation of your findings introspectively and to think critically about the possibility of judgmental biases unintentionally entering into discussions about the significance of your work. With this in mind, be careful that you do not read more into the findings than can be supported by the evidence you have gathered. Remember that the data are the data: nothing more, nothing less.
MacCoun, Robert J. "Biases in the Interpretation and Use of Research Results." Annual Review of Psychology 49 (February 1998): 259-287; Ward, Paulet al, editors. The Oxford Handbook of Expertise . Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press, 2018.
Don't Write Two Results Sections!
One of the most common mistakes that you can make when discussing the results of your study is to present a superficial interpretation of the findings that more or less re-states the results section of your paper. Obviously, you must refer to your results when discussing them, but focus on the interpretation of those results and their significance in relation to the research problem, not the data itself.
Azar, Beth. "Discussing Your Findings." American Psychological Association gradPSYCH Magazine (January 2006).
Avoid Unwarranted Speculation!
The discussion section should remain focused on the findings of your study. For example, if the purpose of your research was to measure the impact of foreign aid on increasing access to education among disadvantaged children in Bangladesh, it would not be appropriate to speculate about how your findings might apply to populations in other countries without drawing from existing studies to support your claim or if analysis of other countries was not a part of your original research design. If you feel compelled to speculate, do so in the form of describing possible implications or explaining possible impacts. Be certain that you clearly identify your comments as speculation or as a suggestion for where further research is needed. Sometimes your professor will encourage you to expand your discussion of the results in this way, while others don’t care what your opinion is beyond your effort to interpret the data in relation to the research problem.
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.
Run a free plagiarism check in 10 minutes, generate accurate citations for free.
Published on August 14, 2020 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on July 23, 2023.
An essay outline is a way of planning the structure of your essay before you start writing. It involves writing quick summary sentences or phrases for every point you will cover in each paragraph , giving you a picture of how your argument will unfold.
Upload your document to correct all your mistakes in minutes
Organizing your material, presentation of the outline, examples of essay outlines, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about essay outlines.
At the stage where you’re writing an essay outline, your ideas are probably still not fully formed. You should know your topic and have already done some preliminary research to find relevant sources , but now you need to shape your ideas into a structured argument.
Look over any information, quotes and ideas you’ve noted down from your research and consider the central point you want to make in the essay—this will be the basis of your thesis statement . Once you have an idea of your overall argument, you can begin to organize your material in a way that serves that argument.
Try to arrange your material into categories related to different aspects of your argument. If you’re writing about a literary text, you might group your ideas into themes; in a history essay, it might be several key trends or turning points from the period you’re discussing.
Three main themes or subjects is a common structure for essays. Depending on the length of the essay, you could split the themes into three body paragraphs, or three longer sections with several paragraphs covering each theme.
As you create the outline, look critically at your categories and points: Are any of them irrelevant or redundant? Make sure every topic you cover is clearly related to your thesis statement.
When you have your material organized into several categories, consider what order they should appear in.
Your essay will always begin and end with an introduction and conclusion , but the organization of the body is up to you.
Consider these questions to order your material:
Within each paragraph, you’ll discuss a single idea related to your overall topic or argument, using several points of evidence or analysis to do so.
In your outline, you present these points as a few short numbered sentences or phrases.They can be split into sub-points when more detail is needed.
The template below shows how you might structure an outline for a five-paragraph essay.
You can choose whether to write your outline in full sentences or short phrases. Be consistent in your choice; don’t randomly write some points as full sentences and others as short phrases.
Examples of outlines for different types of essays are presented below: an argumentative, expository, and literary analysis essay.
This outline is for a short argumentative essay evaluating the internet’s impact on education. It uses short phrases to summarize each point.
Its body is split into three paragraphs, each presenting arguments about a different aspect of the internet’s effects on education.
This is the outline for an expository essay describing how the invention of the printing press affected life and politics in Europe.
The paragraphs are still summarized in short phrases here, but individual points are described with full sentences.
The literary analysis essay outlined below discusses the role of theater in Jane Austen’s novel Mansfield Park .
The body of the essay is divided into three different themes, each of which is explored through examples from the book.
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!
College essays
(AI) Tools
Professional editors proofread and edit your paper by focusing on:
See an example
You will sometimes be asked to hand in an essay outline before you start writing your essay . Your supervisor wants to see that you have a clear idea of your structure so that writing will go smoothly.
Even when you do not have to hand it in, writing an essay outline is an important part of the writing process . It’s a good idea to write one (as informally as you like) to clarify your structure for yourself whenever you are working on an essay.
If you have to hand in your essay outline , you may be given specific guidelines stating whether you have to use full sentences. If you’re not sure, ask your supervisor.
When writing an essay outline for yourself, the choice is yours. Some students find it helpful to write out their ideas in full sentences, while others prefer to summarize them in short phrases.
You should try to follow your outline as you write your essay . However, if your ideas change or it becomes clear that your structure could be better, it’s okay to depart from your essay outline . Just make sure you know why you’re doing so.
If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.
Caulfield, J. (2023, July 23). How to Write an Essay Outline | Guidelines & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved August 21, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/academic-essay/essay-outline/
Other students also liked, how to create a structured research paper outline | example, a step-by-step guide to the writing process, how to write an argumentative essay | examples & tips, "i thought ai proofreading was useless but..".
I've been using Scribbr for years now and I know it's a service that won't disappoint. It does a good job spotting mistakes”
Project Types We Cover
Academic Fields & Subjects
By: Angelina Grin
No one really likes to argue; maybe that's why so many people feel down when they have to write a discussion essay, also known as an argumentative essay. It's basically just a polite way to argue in the form of words: you get the debatable topic to reflect on, you take a side in this discussion, and then you have to convincingly prove your point throughout your essay. How do I do so? Let’s go step by step!
Discussion paper
A discussion paper is an academic document that explores a specific topic or issue in depth, presenting various perspectives and arguments. It typically analyzes different viewpoints, theories, or data related to the subject, often comparing and contrasting them to provide a comprehensive understanding. The primary purpose of a discussion paper is to stimulate critical thinking and debate, encouraging readers to engage with the topic and form their own informed opinions.
Good discussion essay topic examples, the aristotelian or classical approach to argumentation, rogerian method of argumentation, toulmin argument model, step 3. how to write the body of your essay, step 4. how to write the conclusion, bonus step. how to finalize your research paper, the ultimate guide to discussion essay writing.
Writing a discussion paper is a pretty familiar assignment for both school and university students. Yet not so many students really know how to meet their professors' standards and organize the writing process. Use this manual to make it to the A+ in four easy steps.
You probably know that your writing should start with a decent essay plan. The thing is, the structure of your essay usually depends on your topic, so you can’t get any pre-written, ready-to-use essay outline. However, the most common argumentative essay outline format is:
Also, there are several steps that can ease your pain and help you come up with the perfect plan for your academic paper.
The first thing you need to do is pick a topic. If it’s already assigned by your teacher, just skip this paragraph. But if you need to determine the topic yourself, make sure it matches the criteria.
It may be surprising for some students, but argumentative essays come in many forms, as any writings does. Usually, there are three basic structures or types of argument used in modern writings: the Toulmin argument, the Rogerian argument, and the Classical or Aristotelian argument. The choice depends on the situation and the audience. Also, when it comes to college essays, the type of argument is usually noted in your assignment description.
This kind of structure can be claimed as the standard. You start with the introduction and your thoughts on the importance of the issue, address the opposition and refute it point by point, use one thesis statement as your opinion, then write arguments proving that you're right, and finish with a conclusion.
Sometimes you can understand both sides of the argument and reflect on them all. In that case, this model of argumentation can help. Just introduce opposite opinions first, list their pros and cons, admit that every point of view has its benefits but note the one that sounds best for you, then analyze all the evidence in favor of your position, and give your recommendations.
If you prefer choosing one side and diving deep into it, you're probably up to this model. It sees any argumentation as a combination of six parts: claim, grounds, warrant, backing, qualifier, and rebuttal. So, introduce your main argument — it should be a claim of fact, claim of definition, claim of cause, claim of value, or claim of policy. Find supporting facts and evidence (ground), highlight the link between your argument and the evidence (by warrant), then back it up with some additional facts (backing), admit that there are circumstances when your claim is not true and show your acknowledgment of another valid point of view (qualifier), then address the opposite views (rebuttal).
An argumentative essay introduction is supposed to show both the context, helping your audience get to know the issue, and your perspective. This paragraph should be written persuasively so that it can engage your readers and give you some extra credibility.
Basically, you don't need to have any outstanding writing skills since your introduction should contain three parts: a hook, a background, and a claim.
It can be an interesting question, a short story, a quotation, a description, a strong statement or declaration, a fact or statistic, or even a metaphor or simile that can get people interested in the text that follows.
Well, that's background information. Additional data is necessary to understand the argument and get the reader to your statement.
It's your thesis statement; your main points are clearly and fully described. You can consider it a one-sentence summary of your whole writing.
The body paragraphs are the discussion section of your essay. It should involve your arguments and counterarguments, as well as evidence in favor or against the points listed.
Here are some tips that can help you craft a good discussion section and avoid common mistakes in your essay.
The conclusion is a results section. It needs to make people agree with your claim by summarizing all your arguments; therefore, it should synthesize all the information from your essay and provide it in the form of a laconic paragraph. It's your final stance, so keep it logical, short, consistent, and convincing.
User ratings:
User ratings is 4.6 stars.
4.6 /5 ( 91 Votes)
Creative Writer and Blog Editor
Despite my relatively young age, I am a professional writer with more than 14 years of experience. I studied journalism at the university, worked for media and digital agencies, and organized several events for ed-tech companies. Yet for the last 6 years, I've worked mainly in marketing. Here, at Studybay, my objective is to make sure all our texts are clear, informative, and engaging.
Add Your Comment
We are very interested to know your opinion
OMG, this article is a total gem! It breaks it down step by step, making it hella easy to follow. The examples are 🔥. Highly recommend! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Olivia Frost
This article is 🔥! It makes discussion paper writing seem like a piece of 🍰. It's a must-read if you wanna up your academic writing game.
As someone who often struggles with discussion paper format, I found this article immensely helpful. The tips on organizing thoughts and arguments are spot on. It's a valuable resource that I'll keep referring back to.
This article is a valuable tool for anyone looking to enhance their academic writing skills. It offers a comprehensive guide to crafting a debate paper and includes tips on research, organization, and presentation. Definitely a must-read!
I appreciate how this article covers the importance of critical thinking and analysis in discussion papers. It's not just about the writing process but about developing strong arguments in your essay. Well-researched and well-written.
It always works out when you choose a controversial topic. Nice walkthrough.
Upgrade your writing skills!
Try our AI essay writer from Studybay today!
A discussion essay presents and discusses issues surrounding a particular topic. The topic is usually one that is debatable and open to argument. Security for students on campus is probably not an appropriate topic because probably everyone would agree that students should feel safe on campus. The use of guns on campus, however, could be an appropriate topic because some people might think guns make the campus safer while others argue that guns make the campus more dangerous.
Regardless of your personal opinion, a good discussion essay must begin with a thorough discussion of both sides of the topic. It should provide a well-rounded understanding of the issue before the writer presents their personal opinions and conclusions. The discussion essay’s quality relies primarily on your ability to provide your readers with solid research and evidence. The conclusion to your discussion essay may propose “next steps” rather than a direct solution or decision. Alternatively, the conclusion can include your opinion, but it should be based upon the information presented in the body of the essay.
When writing a discussion essay, it is important that facts and opinions are clearly separated. Often the writer will examine what other people have already said on the same subject. The author will include this information using paraphrasing and summarizing skills, as well as correct citations. A balanced view is essential. The writer’s opinion usually comes only after both sides are considered. This makes discussion essays different from persuasion or argument essays in which a writer asserts their opinion in their thesis and then provides evidence to support their position. Therefore, the writer’s position is more of an observation than persuasion.
Argument essay = states the writer’s opinion at the beginning (thesis) and then tries to prove it with evidence, but sometimes the evidence is from only one side
Discussion essay = explores the opinions of others on both sides of an issue and then states the writer’s opinion at the end as a logical result of the information
A discussion essay is a helpful way to present an issue for discussion or debate. It is not as formal and objective as a research paper, and it is not as informal and subjective as a persuasive or argumentative essay. It’s somewhere in between. Here are some examples of when a discussion essay is a useful writing strategy:
To decide how to vote on a ballot measure issue | Examine the arguments for and against capital punishment. |
To design a curriculum and class schedule for a school | Schools should teach children not only academic subjects but also important life skills. Discuss. |
To determine if a school should invest in new computers for classrooms | What are the advantages and disadvantages of technology in the classroom? |
To make a choice between a foreign university and a local university | An increasing number of students are going to college in another country. What are the rewards and challenges of such a situation? |
In many ways, a discussion paragraph essay resembles a compare/contrast essay. You group the details of each side of the argument: rewards and challenges, advantages and disadvantages, choice A and choice B. In other words, introduce the issue; present one side of the issue; present the other side of the issue; conclude with your opinion or some other observation or comment.
You can begin your work by first making some notes. Graphic organizers can help. For example, you might use a Venn diagram (two overlapping circles). Or you can use a simple table like the one in the following example.
language immersion: Students who use a foreign language all the time — at school and outside of school — learn the language faster cultural immersion: Students who have experience adapting to a foreign culture make good candidates for desirable jobs with multinational corporations | expensive: Tuition for foreign students is usually higher than for domestic students |
If you have the money, it’s definitely worthwhile.
|
Which position comes first? You have some choices here. Consider these options and decide which works best for your particular essay:
INSTRUCTIONS: Use the example discussion paragraph above to answer the questions below.
Example discussion essay
Look closely now at this example discussion essay. Read closely and notice how it mirrors the discussion paragraph above. Then answer the questions that follow.
George Spelvin ESOL 252 Level 7 Writing February 15, 2023
Finding the Best Place to Study
“There’s no place like home” goes the familiar mantra from the famous book and movie The Wizard of Oz . It celebrates the virtues of the familiar while at the same time making a case for exploring the unknown. The same could be said for choices in education. 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 the university level. 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 they 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 globalization 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 and familiarity with a foreign culture. 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 — an immersion in foreign language and culture that leads to increased chances of employment — in addition to the main drawback of heavy financial burden. International students in London, for example, pay more than $14,000 a year for tuition alone. This experience can be worthwhile for those students whose families can readily afford the expense. Students without such strong financial support, however, should consider carefully whether the high cost outweighs the benefits to be gained. For them, there truly may be no place like home.
INSTRUCTIONS: Use the example discussion essay above to answer the questions below.
INSTRUCTIONS: Use the information above to answer the questions below.
1. A discussion essay needs an introduction, body, and conclusion, just like other essays. True or false?
2. Which of the following research questions is suitable for a discussion essay?
3. In our discussion essay, we should … (choose all that apply)
4. A discussion essay chooses one side of a two-sided argument. It explores only the pros or the cons — not both — in order to give a clear opinion and persuade the reader. True or false?
5. What is the best way to organize the body of a discussion essay?
6. A discussion essay always presents the disadvantages, or cons, first. True or false?
7. A discussion essay must always be exactly four paragraphs. True or false?
8. Which of the following would NOT be a purpose for a discussion paragraph or essay?
9. The discussion essay’s quality relies primarily on our ability to provide our readers with ____________.
10. “Three reasons why you should get an electric car” is not the best choice for a discussion essay. Why not? Explain.
Coalescence Copyright © 2023 by Timothy Krause is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.
Run a free plagiarism check in 10 minutes, automatically generate references for free.
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:
Be assured that you'll submit flawless writing. Upload your document to correct all your mistakes.
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.
The academic proofreading tool has been trained on 1000s of academic texts and by native English editors. Making it the most accurate and reliable proofreading tool for students.
Correct my document today
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 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:
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.
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:
Your overall aim is to show the reader exactly what your research has contributed, and why they should care.
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:
After noting the limitations, you can reiterate why the results are nonetheless valid for the purpose of answering your research question.
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.
If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the ‘Cite this Scribbr article’ button to automatically add the citation to our free Reference Generator.
McCombes, S. (2022, October 25). How to Write a Discussion Section | Tips & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved 21 August 2024, from https://www.scribbr.co.uk/thesis-dissertation/discussion/
Other students also liked, how to write a results section | tips & examples, research paper appendix | example & templates, how to write a thesis or dissertation introduction.
IELTS Advantage
IELTS Preparation Courses
How to write a Task 2 discussion essay:
This lesson will help you answer IELTS Writing Task 2 discussion (or discuss both views and give your opinion) questions.
These particular questions require a different approach to opinion essays because you have to discuss both sides rather than argue in favour of one side.
This post will look at:
Task Achievement
Coherence and Cohesion
Lexical Resource
Many students fail to do well in these questions because they do not do what the question asks them to do and do not use an appropriate structure . This post will help you overcome these problems and give you a sample answer.
We will also look at ‘lexical resource’ and ‘coherence and cohesion’; two of the IELTS examiners’ marking criteria when marking your essays. Understanding the marking scheme will help you get inside an IELTS examiner’s head and give them exactly what they want.
Identifying the Question
Look at the three questions below and choose the one you think is a discussion question.
To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Discuss the advantages and disadvantages and give your own opinion.
Discuss both sides of this argument and then give your own opinion.
The first question is an opinion question, and we can tell this from the instructions ‘To what extent do you agree or disagree?’.
The second question is obviously an advantages and disadvantages question.
The third question is the discussion question. We can tell this from the typical instructions in the question, ‘Discuss both sides of the argument and then give your opinion’.
You may also be asked to ‘Discuss both views and give your opinion’ or ‘Discuss both sides of the argument and give your opinion’.
Each of these questions is asking us to do different things, and we, therefore, need a different structure for each question .
Here are a few other typical discussion questions:
Discuss both views and give your opinion.
Discuss the main arguments for this statement and give your own opinion.
As you can see, they typically state two opinions and then ask you to discuss both and give your opinion. Make sure you do these things in the essay. If you only discuss both views and fail to give your opinion you will lose marks.
For discussion questions, I suggest you use the following four-paragraph structure.
Introduction
1- Paraphrase Question
2- State Both Points of View
2- Thesis Statement
3- Outline Sentence
Main Body Paragraph 1
1- State first viewpoint
2- Discuss first viewpoint
3- Reason why you agree or disagree with viewpoint
4- Example to support your view
Main Body Paragraph 2
1- State second viewpoint
2- Discuss second viewpoint
Conclusion
Sentence 1- Summary
Sentence 2- State which one is better or more important
Here is a sample answer, but I have mixed up the sentences. Can you match the sentences below to the structure above?
This exercise will help you understand the structure.
Computers are being used more and more in education. Some people say this is a positive trend, while others argue that it leads to negative consequences.
There is an ever-increasing use of technology, such as tablets and laptops, in the classroom. It is often argued that this is a positive development, whilst others disagree and think it will lead to adverse ramifications. This essay agrees that an increase in technology is beneficial to students and teachers.
The internet has provided students with access to more information than ever before. Moreover, learners can research and learn about any subject at the touch of a button. It is therefore agreed that technology is a very worthwhile tool for education. Wikipedia is a prime example, where students can type in any keyword and gain access to in-depth knowledge quickly and easily.
However, many disagree and feel that technology deprives people of real human interaction. Human interaction teaches people valuable skills such as discourse, debate and empathy. Despite this, human interaction is still possible through the internet, and this essay disagrees that technology should be dismissed for this reason. For instance, Skype and Facebook allow people to interact in ways that were never before possible.
In conclusion, while the benefits of technology, particularly the internet, allow students to tap into limitless sources of information, some still feel that people should be wary of this new phenomenon and not allow it to curb face-to-face interaction. However, as long as we carefully consider the importance of human interaction in education, the educational benefits are clearly positive.
This is one of the four areas you will be assessed on in the IELTS writing test.
Task achievement refers to your ability to address all parts of the question and present a fully developed answer. By following the structure above, we have fully discussed both sides of the argument and given our opinion. This is exactly what the question asked us to do, no more, no less.
Discourse markers (words like ‘however’, ‘despite this’ and ‘In conclusion’) are also referred to as ‘linking words’ and ‘linking phrases’, or ‘sentence connectors’. They are quite formal and are used more in academic writing than informal speech.
You gain marks for using these under the ‘coherence and cohesion’ section of the marking scheme. These words ‘stick’ the other words together and lend continuity to sentences and paragraphs.
If you do not include discourse markers in your IELTS writing, your answer will appear illogical and more difficult to understand.
However, this does not mean that you should try to insert as many of these words into your writing as possible. This is a common mistake in IELTS writing. Using too many of them, or using them inappropriately, can make your writing sound too heavy and unnatural. They are important but must only be used at the appropriate time.
Try to identify any discourse markers in the essay above . Don’t look at the essay below yet. How many can you find?
Here is the sample answer again with the discourse markers in bold .
There is an ever-increasing use of technology, such as tablets and laptops, in the classroom. It is often argued that this is a positive development, whilst others disagree and think it will lead to adverse ramifications. This essay agrees that an increase in technology is beneficial to students and teachers.
The internet has provided students with access to more information than ever before. Moreover , learners can research and learn about any subject at the touch of a button. It is therefore agreed that technology is a very worthwhile tool for education. Wikipedia is a prime example , where students can type in any keyword and gain access to in-depth knowledge quickly and easily.
However , many disagree and feel that technology deprives people of real human interaction. Human interaction teaches people valuable skills such as discourse, debate and empathy. Despite this , human interaction is still possible through the internet, and this essay disagrees that technology should be dismissed for this reason. For instance , Skype and Facebook allow people to interact in ways that were never before possible.
In conclusion , while the benefits of technology, particularly the internet, allow students to tap into limitless sources of information, some still feel that people should be wary of this new phenomenon and not allow it to curb face-to-face interaction. However , as long as we carefully consider the importance of human interaction in education, the educational benefits are clearly positive.
This is also one of the four criteria you will be marked on, and it refers to your ability to use a wide range of accurate vocabulary.
A common mistake is to repeat the same words over and over again. You will lose marks if you do this. A solution to this problem is to use synonyms. You can either think of synonyms as you are writing or leave time, in the end, to add them in.
Can you identify any synonyms in the essay above?
Here are some examples:
Computers- technology
Computers- the internet
Education- in the classroom
Education- students and teachers
Positive trend- positive development
Negative Consequences- adverse ramifications
By varying your vocabulary this way, you are demonstrating that you have a wide vocabulary, which will boost your band score. However, like discourse markers, be careful not to use inappropriate/inaccurate words. Only use words you are confident about. Mistakes will lead to fewer marks.
Do you need me to correct your essays and give you feedback on them? Check out our essay correction service .
I hope this post helps you with discussion questions, and if you have any questions, please comment below.
My name is Christopher Pell and I'm the Managing Director of IELTS Advantage.
I started IELTS Advantage as a simple blog to help 16 students in my class. Several years later, I am very humbled that my VIP Course has been able to help thousands of people around the world to score a Band 7+ in their IELTS tests.
If you need my help with your IELTS preparation, you can send me an email using the contact us page.
Updated : February 2024
Below is an IELTS question for writing task 2 and my model answer. It is on the topic of Education. After analysing the question, I can see that it’s about whether homework is a good idea or not in helping kids in their educational development . It asks me to discuss both views and also asks for my opinion .
In this case, you must state your opinion in the introduction, the body and conclusion.
In this essay I will need to do 3 things:
Some people believe that school children should not be given homework by their teachers, whereas others argue that homework plays an important role in the education of children. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
Some people think it is not a good idea for teachers to assign home study tasks to school children, while others say it is an essential part of learning. I believe pupils need homework to achieve better exam results as it gives them a chance of entering higher education.
On the one hand, some believe that homework is of no benefit and becomes a burden to school children. This is because pupils spend their whole day studying, taking part in after school clubs and feel exhausted after returning home. For instance, in Japan, the majority of minors are under pressure to complete vast amounts of homework along with extracurricular activities. If they fail to finish their assignments they may not do well in exams, meaning they would be unable to get into a good high school. I think home assignments are beneficial but children should not be put under this kind of pressure.
On the other hand, it is widely believed that homework plays a vital role in the development of knowledge for students and I agree with this. In other words, home study tasks help pupils understand school subjects better which allows them to attain higher grades. For example, according to extensive research, children aged between 10 and 16 who are given a large amount of mathematics homework do far better in tests than those who are not given any home assignments. I believe that home study tasks improve a child’s chances of entering tertiary education which leads to a rewarding career.
To conclude, although views differ concerning children being assigned homework, I would argue that home assignments are necessary to help pupils get high grades, enabling them to secure a place at university and improve their career chances.
Click this blue button to see an analysis of the model answer.
Word count is 290 words. I advise keeping it under 300 words as you may not have the time to write a long essay in the exam and it is not necessary to write a very long essay.
The structure is:
Make sure to check the task question again before writing your essay. you could lose a band score if it goes off-topic.
Planning time is crucial here, allow 10 minutes to plan an essay and make sure you have some good supporting points to back up your topic sentences.
With a discussion essay, you have to state others views and give supporting sentences with detail and specific examples. Discussion essays often ask your opinion. Click here to see this lesson about stating an opinion.
When we state others views, especially in IELTS Discussion essays, there is specific language that should be used. For more detail on this, click here to see this lesson.
There is a lot of confusion about whether to use personal pronouns in IELTS essays (I, me, my, our, etc..) but if the question asks to ‘what extent do you agree?’ or ‘give your own opinion’ then you need to write personal pronouns… click here to see a lesson on this .
Note on paraphrasing: I have paraphrased the word ‘ homework’ in this essay with the phrases ‘ home study tasks ‘ and ‘ home assignments’ . Sometimes there is no way to avoid repetition but if you have a good understanding of synonyms and referencing you can avoid too much repetition. There are often words that are hard to paraphrase such as ‘people’ or ‘children’.
Not every word from the task question needs paraphrasing and you can repeat words as long as you can demonstrate a wide range of vocabulary. Be very careful not to over paraphrase.
Any Comments? leave them below
Thanks to analysing for this essay,as it helps me very well as I want
The next big thing after learning about IELTS discuss both views essays is – How do you structure them?
Please be aware though, the perfect structure alone will not make you a band 7+ achiever. Your vocabulary and English proficiency still plays a key role in IELTS writing task – 2.
But the good news is… Here we’ve outlined an easily comprehensible step-by-step format to logically present a discussion essay and give your opinion effectively.
This post will clear your doubts over:
Discuss both views – essay structure.
There are hundreds of ways to structure a Discuss both views essay in the writing part . However, we’ll use this 4-paragraph foolproof band 7+ structure:
INTRODUCTION
BODY PARAGRAPH 1
BODY PARAGRAPH 2
RELATED: IELTS Writing Task-1 Formal Letters With Sample Answers
Now that you’ve understood the discussion essay structure, let’s look at some recently asked topics to give you an idea of how the ‘discuss both views and give your opinion’ essay looks like.
Discuss both viewpoints and give your opinion. Support your answer with the help of relevant examples. |
Some companies offer their employees subsidized membership in sports clubs and fitness centres, believing that this will and thus enhance productivity at work. Other employers see no benefit in doing so. Consider both sides of the argument and reach a conclusion. |
It is sometimes said that the villages offer a high quality of life, especially for families. What are the arguments for and against families opting to live and work in the countryside? What is your opinion about this trend? |
Some observers say that police officers should be recruited from local communities, so that they have knowledge about the place. Other people say that this is unnecessary, or even undesirable. Discuss both views. What is your opinion on this debate? |
Completing University is considered by some to be the best way to get a good job, while others think that gaining experience and developing soft skills is more important. Discuss both sides of the argument and give your opinion. |
Some people believe that children should spend all of their leisure time with their families. Others believe that this is not required and a negative development. Discuss both viewpoints and give your opinion. Support your answer with the help of relevant examples.
Explanation of the Task
This is Opinion>Discussion type essay. Hence, You should introduce the topic, provide relevant ideas explaining arguments on both sides of the discussion, and then write your opinion in the conclusion. Always remember that these Opinion>Discussion tasks might be expressed differently; look for keyword ‘discuss’ and its synonyms like ‘debate’, ‘consider’ and ‘review’.
No one can deny that parental influence is of paramount importance for children, especially in cases where children live with their parents, foster parents or guardians. However, it is by no means clear that children should spend time exclusively with their family. This essay will examine both viewpoints and provide rationale behind my opinion on this. On the one hand, proponents of this theory claim that it is advisable for parents to act as role models and to establish ground rules for behaviour by spending as much time as possible with their children. This allows the youngsters to absorb conventions and codes of conduct which they can then follow themselves, hopefully leading to an absence of problems such as bullying, truancy and delinquency later on. In addition to this, being with the family should reduce the risk of children falling victim to crimes such as abduction, stealing etc. On the other hand, opponents of this theory claim that it is not a practical proposition. In modern society where many families rely on dual-income, children cannot spend all of their time with the family. As such, child-minding and after-school childcare are often used in these cases. Equally, it seems that children can gain considerable knowledge from their peers. Therefore, allowing children to play without direct supervision may be an added advantage. In conclusion, it appears that, while family time is quintessential for bonding and absorbing behavioural patterns, there are definite advantages when children are outside the family eco-system too. Given this situation, it can be said that they are in safe, well behaved environment with peers who are themselves reasonably well brought up. (287 words) |
Topic Vocabulary
We hope that understanding this ‘Discuss both views essay structure’ will help you organize your writing task – 2 better and ultimately fetch you a high band score. And, don’t forget to download the IDP IELTS Writing answer sheets !
Very good guidance. Could include one more sample answer.
Thanks! Yeah…sure. More stuff lined up 🙂
Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.
IELTS TEST TYPES
✓ IELTS Academic
✓ IELTS General Training
USEFUL LINKS
✓ IELTS Full Form
✓ IELTS Band Score
✓ IELTS Vocabulary
✓ IELTS Grammar
CONNECT WITH US
Pinterest ↗
IELTS® is a registered trademark of The British Council, IDP- IELTS Australia and the University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations (Cambridge ESOL). This site and its owners are not affiliated, approved or endorsed by the University of Cambridge ESOL, the British Council, IELTS Progress Check, and IDP Education Australia. "IELTS Progress Check" is the name of the official IELTS online practice test and is in no way affiliated with this website. To find out more about the official IELTS online practice test please visit https://www.ieltsprogresscheck.com/.
ABOUT US | PRIVACY POLICY | DISCLAIMER | TERMS | CONTACT US
© 2023 IELTSPROGRESS.COM | All Rights Reserved
IMAGES
COMMENTS
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.
Table of contents. What not to include in your discussion section. Step 1: Summarize 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. Other interesting articles.
A regular discussion essay format comprises an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Given underneath is an overall arrangement of a conversation paper structure: In the introduction of a discussion paper, the given issue is paraphrased and the offered thoughts, explanations, and contentions are described. The thesis statement and ...
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.
Discussion Essay Thesis Statement. In academic writing, a thesis statement (sometimes called an essay outline) is the part of the essay where you insert your opinion.It typically comes at the end of the introduction and guides the reader by explaining your opinion on the issues that have been introduced.. But do you really need to provide one in such a short essay?
After reading about both sides carefully, decide what position you want to take. Write your position at the top of a sheet of paper or at the top of a word processing document to start your outline. If you were given a text to base your essay on, make sure that text has enough evidence to support your chosen position. 4.
The discussion section provides an analysis and interpretation of the findings, compares them with previous studies, identifies limitations, and suggests future directions for research. This section combines information from the preceding parts of your paper into a coherent story. By this point, the reader already knows why you did your study ...
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 ...
The discussion section is often considered the most important part of your research paper because it: Most effectively demonstrates your ability as a researcher to think critically about an issue, to develop creative solutions to problems based upon a logical synthesis of the findings, and to formulate a deeper, more profound understanding of the research problem under investigation;
2. Outline Your Essay, Outline Your Points. 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.
Begin with a clear statement of the principal findings. This will reinforce the main take-away for the reader and set up the rest of the discussion. Explain why the outcomes of your study are important to the reader. Discuss the implications of your findings realistically based on previous literature, highlighting both the strengths and ...
The basic structure of an essay always consists of an introduction, a body, and a conclusion. But for many students, the most difficult part of structuring an essay is deciding how to organize information within the body. This article provides useful templates and tips to help you outline your essay, make decisions about your structure, and ...
Discussion Phrases Guide. Papers usually end with a concluding section, often called the "Discussion.". The Discussion is your opportunity to evaluate and interpret the results of your study or paper, draw inferences and conclusions from it, and communicate its contributions to science and/or society. Use the present tense when writing the ...
The discussion section is one of the final parts of a research paper, in which an author describes, analyzes, and interprets their findings. They explain the significance of those results and tie everything back to the research question(s). In this handout, you will find a description of what a discussion section does, explanations of how to ...
Expository essay outline. Claim that the printing press marks the end of the Middle Ages. Provide background on the low levels of literacy before the printing press. Present the thesis statement: The invention of the printing press increased circulation of information in Europe, paving the way for the Reformation.
Here are some tips that can help you craft a good discussion section and avoid common mistakes in your essay. Limit each paragraph to one idea. If you're working on a short essay, then your main idea will take this one paragraph. But if your research paper is long, make sure each argument is placed separately. Get your facts straight.
Indent the first line of every paragraph of text 0.5 in. using the tab key or the paragraph-formatting function of your word-processing program. Page numbers: Put a page number in the top right corner of every page, including the title page or cover page, which is page 1. Student papers do not require a running head on any page.
In many ways, a discussion paragraph essay resembles a compare/contrast essay. You group the details of each side of the argument: rewards and challenges, advantages and disadvantages, choice A and choice B. In other words, introduce the issue; present one side of the issue; present the other side of the issue; conclude with your opinion or ...
inconsistency in your essay. • suggests an answer complex enough to require a whole essay's worth of discussion. If the question is too vague, it won't suggest a line of argument. The question should elicit reflection and argument rather than summary or description. • can be explored using the sources you have available for the assignment,
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.
Introduction: paraphrase the question, state both points of view, make a thesis statement and outline your sentence. Main body paragraph 1: state the first viewpoint, discuss it, state whether you agree or disagree and give an example to support your view. Main body paragraph 2: state the second viewpoint, discuss it, state whether you agree or ...
Planning time is crucial here, allow 10 minutes to plan an essay and make sure you have some good supporting points to back up your topic sentences. With a discussion essay, you have to state others views and give supporting sentences with detail and specific examples. Discussion essays often ask your opinion.
There are hundreds of ways to structure a Discuss both views essay in the writing part. However, we'll use this 4-paragraph foolproof band 7+ structure: INTRODUCTION. Paraphrase the question statement or use a general statement relevant to the topic. Write your opinion statement (only if specified in the statement).