Discursive Writing

Discursive Writing Standard Grade

What is it?... • Firstly, in your pairs write a definition of what discursive writing is. • Next write the criteria for what you think the characteristics of good discursive writing would be.

Techniques • Personal pronoun. • Emotive word choice. • Repetition and rhetorical questions. • Sentence structure. • Use of triples. • Apposite word choice/imagery and alliteration. • Don’t sound biased! • Educated.

Credit Discursive Writing: • Strong sense of engagement with the ideas/issues and a sophisticated understanding of them • The line of thought is subtle and sustained; • The writer’s stance permeates the ideas and use of language. • The structure is highly appropriate and there is skilful organisation which significantly enhances the overall impact of the writing. • Expression is concise and effective. Word choice and imagery is consistently apposite, and sentence structures are skilfully varied to achieve effects.

Brainstorm • You will have 5 mins in your groups to brainstorm as many different discursive topics as you can think of, based on current topics. • Your time starts NOW!

Peer Aseess • Now that you know what it is that a marker is looking for, look at the following examples and highlight the techniques used. • In groups discuss why each technique is effective and what idea it creates that links appropriately to the subject matter discussed. What is the writer’s stance on the subject? Can you detect the tone?

On X-Rated X-Factor – Too Dirrty for some fans • Many men who were grudgingly made to endure hours of auditions, sob stories galore, Simon Cowell’s luminously dazzling ceramic smile, must have thought they’d died and gone to heaven on Saturday night when finally recompense came in the goddess form of Rihanna’s womanly silhouette. While Cole is the ointment to ease any Saturday night in, many were left in complete wonderment, unable to meet the disapproving eye of their female counterpart as the feast of stocking-clad flesh came to an eventual end. As the provocative pornesque of Basque clad Christiana and gyrating Rihanna vacated the stage, many were left unable to forget what her name was. But it’s not the impact of all of this raunchy allure on men that I’m worried about, it’s the impact it had on the young girls watching it.

On Scotland’s Game of Shame • Sectarianism has for some time now been the malevolent growth on Glasgow’s face, a sore that must be lanced, the scar on a festering wound that was inflicted long ago. It’s only a game I hear you cry...I’m sure the many victims of sectarian and domestic abuse find it hard to agree with this all too familiar excuse. If only it was! But what is the cure to this long standing ailment and what is being prescribed to ease the pain of bigotry on the inhabitants of those lucky enough to live on the West Coast? Is it time to blow the final whistle on the Old Firm once and for all?

On The Sinister Side of Entertainment • With the light of Big Brother always promising fading to near extinguishment after a mere 10 year span on our screens, the aftermath of currently evolving reality TV continues to spawn new breeds of the same tired concept. The apparent ‘real life’ filming of the ordinary, unglamorous, working class persons day-to-day existence broadcast to the ordinary, unglamorous, working class persons day-to-day TV schedule as ‘entertainment’ seems to have saturated our screens. Mind you who can raelly blame the producers that seem to churn and swallow the billion pound profits to be made from these lucrative programmes? For this reason alone reality TV seems in no hurry to die with its predecessor. But is it all harmless fun or does something more sinister lurk beneath the entertainment value of such shows?

In the past 24 hours, rap music has failed to make me consider shooting or attacking anyone; I miraculously navigated the treacherous world of Facebook without falling prey to sinister online predators; an endless procession of TV adverts have failed to part me from my hard-earned pennies and low and behold, I even managed to view the evening’s soap operas and avoid falling into a drug-fuelled, alcohol-induced cesspit. On this evidence, maybe it’s time adults stopped mollycoddling us fragile little teenagers and open their blurry eyes to the fact that we are not babies anymore, we are young adults and deserve to be treated as such. It is time adults realised that teenagers are more than capable of dealing with the “dangers” posed by the world of mass and social media we live in.

Earlier this year thousands of complaints were made to the BBC by an outraged public. The incident hit headlines in newspapers all over Britain causing reputations and jobs to be lost, sparking a whole new debate in the media fuelled by infuriated listeners. The cause of this public outcry? Two foolish radio broadcasters made an obscene phone call to a veteran comedy actor. All this controversy was caused over a few sentences but in many people’s opinion the content of these sentences was completely unacceptable. In a world where freedom of speech is embraced, can broadcasters really say what they want or are the boundaries of good taste being stretched too far in the name of comedy?

It’s not only the influence of the mass media which should be celebrated, the phenomenon that is Social Networking deserves equal praise. Poke. Poke back. Poke. Poke back. Welcome to the global world of Facebook, the online community where flirting with that hot person in your class is only a click away! In the UK alone, 25 million people are now registered with the Social Networking site, in the world there are 500 million “Facebookers“. It has become an addiction for people, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Although the term ‘addiction’ connotes negativity, the picture need not be a dark one. Facebook, at its very core purpose, joins people together. It’s a great way of being socially connected. It is almost considered a taboo if you don’t have a Facebook account. It helps our society, humans naturally want to be social and Facebook allows us to be this way. No matter where we are - the living room, the toilet, the other side of the world - we can keep up with “the latest 411, LOL.” (That’s “gossip” to the decrepit). Social networking sites are geared to allow an individual’s personality to come out on the page, they allow us to talk behind the computer screen and indeed are a godsend for those shy and bashful teenagers who are desperate to socialise in the “big bad online world.” Speaking of which, those who argue that online predators have an easy way to access personal information are wrong. Yes, wrong. Facebook allows you to keep all your information private and secure and only accessible to those who you “accept” as friend’s. Those who you “ignore” are not eligible to view your private information or photographs. So the next time you are on Facebook, know that you, yes you, are part of a global phenomenon, a revolution in society that has influenced the lives of over 500 million people worldwide. So, what exactly is the harm in being socially involved? I don’t see an issue - however, I’m not an old bore who doesn’t like to have any fun. I’ll let you decide.

Your Turn… Now think of appropriate imagery/comparisons to describe: • The Conservative government and their increased student fees. • The London Riots? Deprivation or Greed? • The illegal downloading of music. • The internet. • Celebrity culture. • Outrageous comedians. • Drugs in society. • Rap music.

Structure • Great opening introduction Main Body – Topic sentences Developing paragraph • Using Evidence to support not to dominate. • Writing with Style

Introduction • Introduces your topic. • Gives a clear indication of your stance. • Perhaps indicates some of your reasons in support. • Could use a specific example of your topic. • Must engage the reader by being written in a stylish manner.

Possibilities • Wikileaks: protectors of free speech or a danger to democracy? • The lyrics of Hip-Hop: insulting to women and a bad influence on young men, or modern poetry? • Student protests: is violence ever justified? • Were Scottish referees right to strike? • The internet: a force for good or bad? • Frankie Boyle and Jordan: when does humour go too far? • Sexual Imagery in the Media: has it gone too far? • The Orange Walk – Should it be banned? • Scottish Pride – What have we got to be proud of? • The War on Drugs has failed; it is time to legalise them all. • Should the BNP be allowed on television? • The position of Women in the 21st Century: fully liberated or still second-class citizens? • Illegal Downloading: the saviour or the end of the music industry? • Student Debt – Is a university education worth it? • Release of the Lockerbie Bomber • The world would be a better place without religion. • Stem Cell Research - A Step Too Far? • Binge Drinking – The Shame of Our Society? • Voting should be compulsory • The war in Iraq – Was it justified? • It’s time to scrap the monarchy • Should we scrap our armed forces? • Child Labour and Cheap Clothes

Discursive Writing