A List of Original Discursive Essay Topics
Ah, discursive essays. Discursive essays offer a writer an incredible opportunity to show two sides of an argument in a fair and balanced manner. The most important part of writing a discursive essay is to remain objective and not stray towards one side of an issue, so make sure that when you choose your topic, you find one that has enough pros and cons to make it worth your time.
As with most things that are worth your time, an essay topic should be something you have a vested interest in. Do not choose a topic you have no desire in actually discussing; that isn’t fair to you or the reader. Going this route will make research seem that like that much more of a task than is necessary.
There are many ways to frame your essay, but in terms of presenting a discursive essay, you should either use a topic to spark your discussion or present a question that will lead you in the direction needed to present both sides of the argument impartially. It may not be necessary, but using contemporary issues will usually be the easiest topics to research and allow you to shift your focus faster and with more emphasis on writing the essay itself. Topics that have been in the news for longer than a couple of years have already been discussed sufficiently and will not offer you the opportunity to shed much in the way of new light or information. Regardless, the internet can and will be a boon for any topic you choose, new or old.
Possible topics
- Assisted suicide
- Gun control
- Recent referendums, like the vote in Scotland as well as the scheduled vote in Spain’s region of Catalonia.
- Recent developments around the world specific to how to deal with pressing issues like
- Ebola, global terrorism and the world economy.
Sometimes the smartest way to jumpstart a discursive essay is by asking a question. If you can pull the reader into the essay almost immediately by asking for an opinion, it is an instant way to make your reader feel as though their opinion matters and will be given consideration beyond just this essay.
Possible questions
- Has the Obama administration handled the threat of ISIS effectively?
- Did the WHO (World Health Organization) act decisively in its response to Ebola?
These are tough questions, but presenting them in a fair and balanced manner is the best approach to promoting informed debate.