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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.
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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.
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Are you preparing for the IELTS and wondering how to score high in the Writing section? Do you find the "Discuss Both Views and Give Your Opinion" essay a bit daunting? You've landed in the right place. Welcome to our comprehensive guide on how to write an IELTS Discussion Essay!
As the name suggests, the IELTS Discussion Essay requires you to discuss different perspectives on a topic and then provide your viewpoint. Sounds challenging? Don't worry! In this article, we’ll break down everything you need to know to craft an impressive IELTS Discussion Essay. From understanding the basics, brainstorming ideas, planning your response, writing an engaging essay, and avoiding common pitfalls – this guide is packed with practical tips and strategies.
Pro Tip: Unlock a higher IELTS Writing score with our downloadable in-depth eBooks and tailored Essay Feedback directly from an exp erienced IELTS examiner.
Whether you're an IELTS beginner or a seasoned test taker looking to boost your band score, this in-depth guide will help you n avigate the complexities of the IELTS Discussion Essay. As we journey together through this guide, you’ll gain the knowledge and confidence needed to master this crucial component of the IELTS Writing section.
Let's start your journey towards IELTS success. Keep reading, and by the end of this guide, you'll be well-equipped to tackle any IELTS Discussion Essay that comes your way! Let's dive in and unravel the secrets of a top-scoring IELTS Discussion Essay.
What is an ielts discussion essay.
An IELTS discussion essay, also known as "Discuss Both Views and Give Your Opinion" essay, is a common task in the IELTS Writing Test. This type of essay tests your ability to present a well-rounded discussion on a given topic, your capability to generate ideas and your proficiency in English language usage.
An IELTS discussion essay primarily involves exploring various perspectives on a given issue and subsequently presenting your personal stance on the matter. It's not just about stating your opinion; it's about having the skills to analyse different viewpoints and justify your position with sound reasoning and concrete examples.
Mastering how to write an IELTS discussion essay can significantly boost your IELTS Writing band score. With this guide and consistent practice, you can confidently demonstrate your proficiency in handling a balanced and coherent discussion in your essay.
Recognising an IELTS discussion essay prompt is essential in answering the task accurately. Not every IELTS Writing Task 2 is a discussion essay. It's important to distinguish between different essay types, like opinion essays , advantages and disadvantages essays , or problem solution essays .
An IELTS discussion essay question will usually include the instruction "Discuss both views and give your opinion" or "Discuss both sides of this argument and then give your own opinion." It is crucial to understand that you need to provide a balanced discussion of both viewpoints before presenting your opinion.
Some questions might phrase the task differently but still require a balanced discussion. For instance,
"Some people believe A, while others believe B. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion."
By understanding the nuances of these instructions, you can accurately identify the IELTS discussion essay task and tackle it with a well-prepared strategy.
Stay tuned to learn how to effectively brainstorm ideas, plan your essay, write persuasively, and revise your work to create a high-scoring IELTS discussion essay.
IELTS discussion essay topics are as varied as they are intriguing. They often explore global issues and public interest topics like advancements in technology, environmental sustainability, modern education models, and societal norms.
To effectively tackle these topics, immerse yourself in "hot topics" and current affairs. Familiarize yourself with both sides of common debates. Reading widely can also help. Check out reliable news outlets, opinion pieces, and other resources related to common IELTS discussion essay topics.
Remember, understanding IELTS discussion essay topics isn't about becoming an expert in every field. Rather, it's about building a broad base of knowledge that can help you think critically, generate relevant ideas, and articulate your thoughts coherently.
Brainstorming is a powerful tool for generating ideas for your IELTS discussion essay. It allows you to tap into your creativity and critically consider different viewpoints.
Start by carefully reading the essay prompt. Understand what it's asking you to discuss. From there, jot down all your initial thoughts, ideas, and arguments related to both sides of the topic.
Consider potential reasons, examples, and points that support each viewpoint. This comprehensive brainstorming process not only helps you gather rich content for your essay but also paves the way for a balanced and well-rounded discussion.
Essay planning is an essential step in the IELTS writing process. A well-structured essay plan helps you organize your ideas, makes sure you address all parts of the prompt, and guides your writing process.
A typical IELTS discussion essay includes an introduction, two body paragraphs (each discussing a different viewpoint), and a conclusion.
Introduction: State the topic and your intention to discuss both views. Use clear, concise language.
Body Paragraph 1: Discuss the first viewpoint. Use a topic sentence to introduce the viewpoint, and then present supporting ideas and examples.
Body Paragraph 2: Discuss the second viewpoint. Use a similar structure as the first body paragraph but ensure your points are distinct.
Conclusion: Summarize your discussion, state your personal viewpoint, and give a closing thought or implication.
Use this structure as a blueprint when planning your IELTS discussion essay. It will help ensure your essay is coherent, logical, and ready to impress the examiners.
Crafting an engaging introduction.
Paraphrase the essay question to clarify the issue under discussion.
To begin the introduction, rephrase the given essay question. This demonstrates your understanding of the topic and avoids mere repetition. Paraphrasing can also make the topic clearer and more understandable for the reader.
Next, give a thesis statement that answers the question in brief.
The thesis statement is crucial. It briefly summarizes your main argument or stance on the topic. It acts as a roadmap, telling the reader what to expect from the essay and how the discussion will unfold.
Remember, the introduction does not have to be lengthy; a few well-crafted sentences can set a strong foundation for your essay.
This is a piece of advice that emphasizes brevity and quality. You don't need an extended introduction; rather, it should be concise and effective in introducing the topic and setting the stage for the discussion.
The body of your IELTS discussion essay is where you delve into the crux of your argument. This should be split into two paragraphs, each discussing a different view.
For each viewpoint, start with a clear topic sentence that outlines the main idea. This will guide the reader through your argument. Following the topic sentence, provide supporting details, examples, or reasons that back up the viewpoint. Make sure your ideas are logically ordered and each paragraph is cohesive and focused.
In the IELTS discussion essay, after discussing both views, it's crucial to share your personal viewpoint. This is where you can make a compelling argument supporting your position. Your viewpoint can agree with either of the discussed perspectives, both of them, or be entirely different.
Justify your opinion with strong reasoning and relevant examples. Make sure to connect your viewpoint with the points you've discussed previously. Use cohesive devices to ensure your argument flows smoothly from the discussion of the two viewpoints to your personal stance.
The conclusion is your final chance to impress the reader. It's where you summarize your discussion and restate your viewpoint.
Start your conclusion by paraphrasing the main discussion points. Next, restate your personal viewpoint, ensuring it aligns with what you've discussed in the body of your essay. Try to end your essay on a strong note, possibly by summarizing the implications of the discussion or giving a final thought related to the topic.
Remember, a strong conclusion doesn't introduce any new information but effectively wraps up your essay, leaving a lasting impression on the reader.
By following these steps, you can create a compelling, coherent, and high-scoring IELTS discussion essay. Stay tuned to further explore editing techniques and common mistakes to avoid for your IELTS writing tasks.
Reviewing and editing your ielts discussion essay.
The importance of reviewing and editing your IELTS discussion essay cannot be overstated. This step ensures that your essay is clear, coherent, and free from mistakes.
Start by reading your essay aloud to check for flow and coherence. Look out for any awkward phrasing or unclear ideas. Consider whether your arguments make sense and whether you've supported your points with strong evidence.
Pay close attention to your language use. Look for any grammatical, punctuation, or spelling errors. Also, check if your vocabulary is varied and appropriate. Ensure your sentences are not too long or complex as this could lead to more errors.
Editing isn't just about correcting mistakes. It's also about refining your arguments, ensuring your points are clear, and your ideas are logically connected.
Avoiding common mistakes can significantly enhance your IELTS discussion essay quality. Here are a few key pitfalls to steer clear of:
Going off-topic: Ensure your discussion remains focused on the topic throughout. Every paragraph should contribute to your overall argument.
Writing too much: Stay within the recommended word count. Writing too much can lead to unnecessary errors and wasted time.
Unequal discussion of views: Remember to discuss both views equally. Your essay should not heavily lean towards one view unless it's your personal viewpoint.
Inadequate planning: Failing to plan your essay can lead to a disorganized argument. Spend adequate time understanding the prompt, brainstorming ideas, and planning your essay.
By following these steps, you can create a compelling, coherent, and high-scoring IELTS discussion essay.
Here is an example of an IELTS Discussion Essay, adhering to the guidelines provided in our comprehensive guide.
Essay Question:
Some people believe that unpaid community service should be a compulsory part of high school programs (for example, working for a charity, improving the neighbourhood, or teaching sports to younger children). To what extent do you agree or disagree?
"Many advocate for mandatory community service in high schools, emphasizing its role in fostering personal growth and benefiting local communities. While the inclusion of community service undoubtedly offers numerous developmental benefits, the debate centres on whether it should be an enforced obligation or a choice made out of genuine interest. This essay will discuss both perspectives on this issue before concluding with my own viewpoint.
On one hand, integrating unpaid community service into high school programs can offer multiple benefits. It provides students with the opportunity to develop essential life skills such as responsibility, teamwork, and empathy. For example, volunteering at a local charity could improve their understanding of societal issues and instill a sense of social responsibility. Furthermore, teaching sports to younger children could enhance leadership skills, fostering a sense of accomplishment and confidence among high school students.
On the other hand, critics argue that community service should not be mandatory. They assert that it may impose additional pressure on students, who are already burdened with academic responsibilities. Also, forced volunteering may not yield genuine compassion or social awareness, as the service is carried out from obligation, not personal interest or motivation. Instead, they suggest that schools should encourage, not enforce, participation in community service, allowing students to engage in activities that truly resonate with them.
In conclusion, while mandatory community service could nurture important skills and values among high school students, it is equally important to consider the potential stress and insincerity it might cultivate. In my opinion, community service should be encouraged, but not compulsory, in high schools, allowing students to discover their passions and contribute meaningfully to society."
As you can see, this essay adheres to the structure of an IELTS discussion essay. It has an introduction that outlines the topic and intention to discuss both views, two body paragraphs discussing each view, and a conclusion that summarizes the discussion and provides the writer's personal viewpoint.
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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.
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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.
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.
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Thanks to analysing for this essay,as it helps me very well as I want
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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.
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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.
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IELTS Preparation with Liz: Free IELTS Tips and Lessons, 2024
This IELTS Discussion Essay Model Essay Answer Band 9 with some techniques and tips. The Discussion Essay is a common essay type and requires you to discuss two sides of a given issue. This essay type is for both Academic and GT IELTS Writing Task 2.
Discussion Essays are probably the easiest to write of all IELTS essays so be glad if you get one in your test.
Discussion Essay Question
Completing university education is thought by some to be the best way to get a good job. On the other hand, other people think that getting experience and developing soft skills is more important. Discuss both sides and give your opinion.
Discussion Essay Model Answer
Please note that this essay is over 300 words. Longer doesn’t mean better. It is rare for an essay to go over 300 words or 310 words at most. Most IELTS essays are between 270 and 290 words, even for a band 9. However, 300 words, more or less, is possible as long as each sentence is highly focused and relevant. This Discussion Essay is an example of one such essay.
It is considered by some that being a university graduate is the key to securing a good job, while there are others who think that it is better to have experience and soft skills. In my opinion, I believe that having university education is essential for academic jobs, while soft skills and experience are more useful in business.
On the one hand, many people think finding a good job is easier if they have a graduate degree because having tertiary education puts people one step ahead of others. For many employers, this can be the deciding factor between job applicants. Furthermore, a certain level of university education is required for particular jobs, such as being a doctor or teacher. For this reason, I believe that in the case of jobs that require academic knowledge, having a tertiary education is the key to success.
On the other hand, having work experience and soft skills, such as leadership skills and other interpersonal skills, can also throw the balance in favour of the job applicant. For someone who is applying for management positions having experience of how to manage a team as well as strong interpersonal skills to support and direct staff, experience and soft skills are critical. Business is also an area of work where experience puts a person ahead of the competition in a way that university education could not. For this reason I also believe that such skills do have a relevant place in the workplace.
In conclusion, getting a good job requires a relevant background either in experience or education depending on the type of work and field. Some positions require an academic background, whilst others benefit more from experience and skills.
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It is often believed that the completion of tertiary education is the most effective way to secure a good job, others also think that the focus should be on gaining experience and developing soft skills. In my opinion, getting experience will be more beneficial for an individual as it will greatly add value and help develop one skill.
On the one hand, some people think that the requirements for most employers and job institutions in getting a good job is having a university qualification and therefore completing a tertiary institution will help graduates meet this kind of requirements. This will make the probability of being employed very high compared to someone who have such no qualification. Furthermore, having a university certificate means the individual has some level of knowledge which is needed and relevant in the job market which most employers are looking for and ready to employ into their organization.
On the other hand, others also argue that it will be better if the emphasis is on getting experience and developing soft skills which I agree. Through experience one adds value to his or herself which is an essential skill in developing oneself in the job market. Moreover, gaining experience can help people to be independent by becoming self employed. Through experience the necessary skills and knowledge will be acquired for the establishment of oneself which will also help tackle issues of unemployment in a nation. Another point is that having experience in a particular field increases one chances of getting selected in the job market as most employers prefer people with some sought of experience compared to those who have none.
In conclusion, while people may vary in their opinions, I think that having an experience will be of great value or benefit for an individual in the job market.
I hope you don’t mind me asking, but is it advisable to include a question in the introduction of an essay? I’ve read that having a question can potentially lead to a higher score. For example, starting with a question like, “What is the best way to get a good job? While some think…” as the opening sentence of the introduction. I’d appreciate your thoughts on this approach.
Another thing: I remember you advising to take a clear position and not sit on the fence. Does this advice apply only to opinion essays? Thanks!
Two good questions. You should never write a question in your IELTS essay, no matter which paragraph. Each and every sentence is a valid point to present an answer, an idea, support an idea or summarise ideas. At no time, do you write a question. All sentences have a function in an IELTS essay. They are designed to be short, highly focused with each sentence critical to the essay. Writing a question will definitely not help your score and would lower it instead.
The Opinion Essay is not the only essay that requires your opinion. If the task is “Is this a positive or negative trend?”, it requires your opinion / your choice. All essays that require your opinion must show your clear position that is not in the middle without any relevant opinion – you can’t turn them into discussion essays. This problem of people not giving a clear position because they want to sit on the fence is mostly seen in Opinion Essays and it does lower your score for Task Response.
If you go back to this page: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-2/ , you’ll find a link in the Tips Section 3 about When & How to give your opinion.
It is often argued that being graduate from the university is the key security to get a job while the development in the soft skills and the experience in the life is the best way to get a convenient job. In my opinion, focusing on university education is the suitable way to obtain a job after finishing the studies but enhancing soft skills play a vital role to promote in a job in the business field. Many people think that the academic education is the easier way to find a job because it put the graduates in the first step in the job hierarchy. After graduation, the first question in job application is about the academic study. For example, if someone has a high grade in his university studies, he will obtain an easier job compared to other. Furthermore, the graduation from the university with high grade will help the student to find an academic job in the universities especially in the scientific research field. On the other hand, the development in the soft skills and experience is the most important aspect to enhance the first job after graduation. After some years in the work, the soft skills like leadership and management is the way in which job owners prefer between the applicants for the high job in the hierarchy. For example, to be manager in the field business, the soft skulls come the first to choose the manager in any business foundation even if he doesn’t have a high grade in his academic study. In conclusion, graduation from the university help people to get a job but obtaining a high class job depends on the performance in the years of experience and the development in the soft skills.
Hello Liz , is this background paraphrasing correct? Some people believe that the best way to find employment is by finishing university education, while others consider experience and soft skills development are much important. I know sometimes I overrate, exaggerate when writing but I’m trying to learn as much and as fast as I can because my exam is in less than two weeks and I haven’t practiced much as all happened suddenly and my english level is around b2 so I’m a bit scared. This is also a reason why I’m commenting constantly hoping to get some help from you. A big love 🤍🕊️
I understand your position. Yes, you’ve got the right technique for a background statement. You’ve paraphrased the topic perfectly without changing the meaning which is essential to tie together the whole essay.
Thank you, I really appreciate it 🤍
Nowadays, education plays crucial role in everyone’s life . It is considered by someone that higher eduction plays part and parcel role for getting excellent job . While , certain section of societies have contransting views claiming that experience and skills are more important than university . . I think that although by having university education good job is likely to be gotten , it cannot give nelson’s eyes to skills and experience. Thus , in upcoming paragraphs i will discuss both views.
Firstly , education is considered to be lucrative for everyone because without having higher eduction people can’t get their desire jobs ,one particularly good example of this is for become a doctor or teacher university play vital role because without having knowledge about these field noone can become a tutor or health inspector . Futher and even more importantly that although due to higher competitions in job sector for getting excellent job , still educated and wealthy people can open their hospitals and schools for good earning .In other words , they could make more money by using their educational skills . Thus , for getting higher jobs positions education is important .
In other side , by having experience and interpersonal skills or leadership skills people can achieve excellent job . For instance , there are many jobs where skills are more prominent than education as for running restaurant management and leadership skills are necessary ratherthan education because if people have good manag skills thus they will able to coordinate with team members as well as good restaurants growth. Moreover , there are numerous jobs which are depend on experience such as for car repairing , painting , contraction etc . experience is required . Thus , experience is also same crucial as eduction .
By way of conclusion, although chances of getting desire job is likely to increase by having education , role of experience can not be negligible.
Hi Liz need your guidance.. today was my IELTS exam and in writing portion I wrote 4 paragraph and forget to leave line spacing.. but I wrote arrow sign before starting my next paragraph.. will it affect my score??
I’ve never actually heard of someone using an arrow sign to indicate a paragraph in an IELTS essay. When I advise people to leave an empty line between paragraphs, it because this is how we write these days and it also makes the paragraphs 100% clear and easy to see. The examiner needs to see paragraphs to give you a score for paragraphing. So, leaving an empty line ensures there is no confusion. However, it isn’t a rule to leave an empty line. It is possible to indent the first word instead. The reason I don’t recommend this is because it is often not obvious or clear to the reader that the word in indented. So, to avoid unclear paragraphing leaving an empty line is much better. Regarding your choice of using arrows, if the examiner realises that you are indicating paragraphs, it will be ok. But I don’t know whether this will be the case because I’ve never heard of someone doing it in an IELTS essay. My recommendation is to talk it over with your test centre and see what they say. Having clear well organised paragraphs is part of the marking criterion of Coherence & Cohesion, which counts for 25% of your marks. Not having paragraphs at all would lower your score in that marking criterion, but would not impact any other part of the marking for writing task 1. Hopefully, the examiner will understand your arrows and you will be fine.
Hi liz, your lessons helped me a lot when I was applying to study abroad. Now, Im in my dream country and after 2 yrs here I am again to learn from you. Thank you so much for all the lessons you provide, I pray for your better health and happiness.
It was lovely to read your message and hear how well you are doing. I wish you all the best with your future life in your dream country 🙂
Hello Ms Liz, I hope this finds you well. Thank you so much for the plethora of knowledge that you have provided for everyone. I have a question concerning discussion essays and IELTS essays in general. Can I write, “This essay will discuss both points of view and argue in favour of the first one.” as a thesis statement. I’ve seen a lot of people say that using this kind if thesis statement is okay, but others say it’s weak when we say, “This essay will …”. I’d really appreciate your help. Thank you in advance.
When you are asked to give an opinion, it is your opinion that is required. This isn’t about what the essay will do. It is about what you think and that means using language such as “I believe” or “In my opinion” or “I agree that”
Dear Madam with reference back to the advanced lesson on the opinion essay, I’m just wondering how to write a good one when IELTS opinion essay is followed by a direct question. (Test 3, Book # 8, IELTS Cambridge Series) Increasing the price of petrol is the best way to solve growing traffic and pollution problems. To what extent do you agree or disagree? What other measures do you think might be effective?
Each question will be answered in one body paragraph. So, one body paragraph will be your opinion and one will be solutions (but stick to no more than 2 solutions because otherwise it might read like a list).
Many thanks for your guidance.
Thanks for your reply.
Ma’am we don’t see you anymore on YouTube channel. Is everything alright? Your videos are very beneficial for all IELTS students and we want more from you. Thank You!
Thanks for your message. I’ve been battling a serious illness for many years. You can read my story here: https://ieltsliz.com/determination-my-story/ . This year is the first year where my health feels more stable. If my health continues to improve, I might make a couple of videos this year. But it will depend on my health. I’m glad there are people out in the world who still want my lessons 🙂
I only now found your website and just saw this very recent comment from you. I’m so sorry to hear this, but I’m glad that this year brought some health improvement and I wish you that this will continue to go on like that. Thanks for sharing your knowledge. Sending you positive vibes and some healing energy.
Thanks. I really appreciate your support
Hello Liz! Greetings from India, I hope you are doing well. Will you once come live on your youtube channel? So that your followers and well-wishers can see you. Thanks in advance mam.
Thanks for your message. It made me smile. I am currently planning a video but it is taking a lot of time because I can only do very small amounts of work each week due to illness. However, if you can be patient a bit longer, I hope to have a video ready in a few weeks or a couple of months.
Hi Liz, so sorry about your health, I hope you are fast recovering. Your lectures have been very helpful
please add more samples of each and type of essays . One sample isn’t enough okay . I will wait for your response
There are plenty of sample essays on the main writing task 2 page – just use the red menu bar at the top of the website to access the different sections of this website.
Hi Liz, I hope you’re doing well. I have a question regarding your e-book, does it provide model answers or only ideas and vocabulary?
The Ideas for Essay Topics is for ideas. It’s about gaining ideas for cover 150 common essay topics so that you don’t waste time trying to think of ideas in the test. The ideas can also be used in speaking part 3. The ideas are presented as vocabulary exercises to help you remember the ideas and learn vocabulary. For model essays, you can find some free ones in the main writing task 2 section of this website.
Hi Liz, Hope you are doing well. Kindly check my response (introduction paragraph) to a discussion essay on the topic:
Some people say that advertising is extremely successful at persuading us to buy things. Other people think that advertising is so common that we no longer pay attention to it. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.
Response: It is considered by some people that advertisements for various goods persuade the public to purchase them while others believe that advertising does not grab any attention now as it has become a common practice. In my opinion, advertising is a useful tool to make people buy goods but making this a usual activity is not attracting the public much.
Your reply will be appreciated, Thank you.
You have the right techniques and content. The task now is to produce an essay which explains precisely what you mean with each point.
*I tried to improve my previous lengthy version* word count: 284 Whilst it is often believed by many that completing a tertiary education is essential in securing a well-paid job, I strongly believe that a robust job experience and interpersonal skills offer superior potential for success.
On the one hand, academic credentials are necessary for applying high paying jobs. Many employers often mandate university diplomas and degrees as a prerequisite for applying jobs. Therefore, individuals without them are forced to opt for more labour oriented jobs, with lower income and no potential for future advancement. Additionally, the likelihood of poverty rises significantly from the the lack of a steady stream of income. Almost 90% of the blue collar labourers in the US, for example, are either secondary or primary school dropouts. Their monthly average earnings of $2000 is unfortunately insufficient for many to lead a comfortable life.
On the other hand, some contend that work experience and acquired skills are far more beneficial. Instead of going to a university, people who enter into a workforce from a young age have better social skills and problem solving abilities. These workers learn how to handle arguments and criticism from colleagues and customers, which are invaluable skills in running businesses. Furthermore, workplaces allow the employees to learn decision making lessons from seniors to promote self-independence. These contribute to the overall success of an individual in handling various businesses ventures. For instance, many university dropouts like Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerbergs have built the wealthiest technological companies of the twenty-first century after working at other companies for decades.
In conclusion, although some might argue that university graduates can apply for more comfortable jobs, in my view, people learn invaluable lessons on managing businesses by solely working for a longer time.
Some people believe that teenagers should be required to do unpaid community work in their free time. This can benefit teenagers and the community as well. To what extent do you agree or disagree? It is an undeniable fact the students are the building blocks of the nation and they should be motivated to do some voluntary tasks which will be fruitful not only for them but also for the society. However, I strongly agree with the given notion and views will be discussed along with the relevant examples in the subsequent paragraphs. To initiate with, there are multifarious reasons that clarify the fcat of how trend can have positive outcomes. First and foremost, youth can teach the value of eductaion to the parents of those children who do not let them study and force them to work. Further, they can teach them free and encourage them to study. For example, people who belong to slum areas mostly drag their offsprings in the labour work like them. Hence, it is apparent how this can bring positive changes. In addition to this, Youngters can easily vanish some problems from the society as they are physically and mentally strong enough. They can be the part of some NGOs which help the needy. They can provide them knowledge of right and wrong so that they can stop doing such things on loop. To cite an example, crimes namely child labour, Female feticide are mostly commited by the uneducated one. So , youth can curb such issues to make their society crime free. On the other hand, there are number of individuals who refute the above mentioned notion and believe that this has many deterimental effects on both scoiety and youth. Firstly, they opine that this can not tell them the value of money and also break their confidence of working in the multinational companies. More so, they can be influenced by the comapny they will be the part of. To exemplify, many NGOs faced major consequences for the sake of changing or helping the society. To conclude, there is no denying fact that every decison of life has both positive or negative outcome. However, I strongly assert that this above mentioned notion has more positive points than its negatives. So, youth must be the part of some social works in their free time.
It is believed by some that university education is essential to acquire a good job whereas other thinks that soft skills and relevant experience in that field adds more value. In my opinion, University degree is necessary for academic jobs such as Teacher or Doctor and soft skill and experience is important for business. On the one hand, tertiary education is required to apply for a job in the field of science, research, education, medicine, administrative services. Without a college degree, one can’t do justice to his role as his work will be highly dependent on the education he has received. If we see the large no of students applying for college degree worldwide, is significant which highlight the role of university degree for success in academic jobs. On the other hand, soft skills and experience is highly in demand for business. For instance, if someone has skills and experience for craft, carpenter, mechanic, electrician etc. he can easily apply for these jobs without having a college degree. Also, people working as salesman or cashier in shops like Walmart, Costco may not need higher degree and experience will be sufficient to get the job. This is justified as college education has not practical implementation in these types of job. In conclusion, Students should aim to complete the college degree and acquire experience which will enable them to get high skilled jobs job very easily, however everyone can’t complete the college for any reason, they can train themselves in soft skills of their choice and gain some experience to apply for less skilled jobs.
Please as a beginning linker for my paragraphs… In place of “on the one hand” can I start the first body paragraph with “to begin with” then the second with “however”. Or can I maintain “on the one hand” for the first paragraph then “however” for the second
Your method of linking will always depend on your main points. One linking device is not a higher band score than another. As long as they are used appropriately, they are all good.
Some people thought that the best way for finding a good job is to have a higher education whereas others thought that the best way is to have experience and soft skills. I believe that completing university education is essential for academic positions while experience and soft skills are good for non academic ones.
Academic jobs need qualified people in terms of higher education. People who complete university education dig deeply in their field, thus, they become know the roots of their field and they can deliver the information in a good way. For instance, when teachers in schools and lecturers in universities apply for a job, they are selected depending on their education. Lecturers are chosen if they have a doctorate degree in addition to some research and teachers who have master’s degrees are more qualified to teaching in schools than those with the bachelor’s degrees. Thus, the competition between applicants in the academic jobs depends on their higher education.
On the other hand, non academic jobs like business, don’t require higher education in their fields. Non academic people tend to have more experience and soft skills related to their field rather than taking a master’s or a doctorate degree. This is due to the nature of their job since it just needs knowledge in the basics and then adding the skills to it. For example, people who study the bachelor’s degree in business can improve themselves by attending conferences and have a training in their field. Such experience is going to help them in finding a good job. As time goes on, they will become experts in their field although they don’t have a higher degree. Thus, non academic positions look for the experience and the soft skills of applicants regardless of their university education.
To conclude, the best way to get a good job depends on the nature of the job. If the job is academic, then higher education is a must to find a suitable job because having higher degrees are reflected when people do their job in an interesting way. While if the job is non academic, then experience and soft skills are more important than higher education because people can learn their jobs while they doing them. In general, having both higher education and experience in your field makes you very qualified person and you can find the best job.
Hello, Liz! Thank you for everythng you ae doing! I have a question regarding the essay! Is it ok to say “in my opinion, I believe…”. Is it not redundancy here? You don’t believe “in your opinion”, do you?
You can use it the way I’ve stated or just use simply “In my opinion” or “I believe that”. You can choose just one definitely.
Hi Liz It is a discussion essay, is it okay to write “in my opinion” in thesis statement of such type of essay where opinion is not required in question? Also is it okay to us “I” and “my” in introduction paragraph? I m confused.
This is a discussion essay which asks for your opinion: Discuss both sides and give your opinion. You should introduce all in the introduction and that means using I or my.
It is considered by some that best way to get a job can be done by completing tertiary education , while there are others who think that it is better to have job experience and improving soft skills plays more important. I consider that having university education and having soft skills both plays very important role in getting job.
On the one hand , having a bachelor degree is the crucial in order to get a job. In other words, most employers only choose the candidates who have a higher education because most jobs are required academic studies which only can be learnt in university and it is impossible to do that job without studying in undergraduate such as : medicine , law , engineering . Furthermore, students learn how to compete with their peers in university which makes them more competitive and deal with harsh conditions. For example, many project has to be done in specific date and students has to complete their homework before the deadline.
On the other hand , working in business require candidates to have some specific skills and experience in order to work rather than just a degree because there are so many candidates who has a university degree apply to position and having necessary experience and soft skills put one steps ahead than others. Another reason is that , nowadays, business model always change and requires employees to have experience or soft skills such as leadership , teamwork which can not be learnt in university. So , having these skills are crucial to get a job. Finally, I believe that having university degree and having experience are both crucial for getting a job . Take for example medicine, law. Employees can not handle the job requirement without having either necessary degree and softs skills . In conclusion, having degree or experience and soft skills are very important to get a job nowadays. I believe employee has to fulfill these requirements before applying to job.
Nowadays landing a dream job is like some achievement in life. For getting a good job it is necessary to have a good experience related to the studies and also soft skills plays a vital role in landing in a good job. Let us discuss this in detail in this essay. Firstly, in today’s competitive world education is the key to success to proceed way forward in our life for getting a good job with decent pay. To achieve an education from the university is not only the key factor but also other factors such as getting a good practical experience while studying and also it is important to develop individual soft skills such as communication, problem-solving, Leadership, and adaptability. Companies are highly in need of people with good technical skills as well as mentioned soft skills so that they can get the job done with good quality. So it is very indeed to develop the soft skills along with university education so the students can tune themselves to land into their dream job. Along with the education, students should have practical knowledge such as applying the theory in labs, and in real life so that creativity and innovation will come up which makes them epic among other students so that chances of getting a job is high when compared to other people. In an organization, it is vital to have good communication and leadership skills to execute the project in a successful manner, and also this will make them successful in their career and to achieve good heights in their job. In a conclusion, I would like to add that both education and practical experience along with soft skills make an individual as successful in their life by getting a good job with a good salary.
Many believe that the key to getting a great job is completing your tertiary education. However, others assume that it is more advantageous to get your hands dirty by doing real jobs that will make them learn real-world challenges, and will also upgrade their skill sets over time. I believe that finishing academics first, will lead grab the desired job.
Most insist that colleges play a paramount role in shaping students’ futures. Every student has dreamt of a job and certainly, some require specialized or specific certifications, it is mandatory to attend universities. For example, Dream jobs like Doctors, Engineers, or Scientists. Moreover, in colleges students will get hands-on experience under the supervision of their tutors.
Conversely, some assume that it is more advantageous to get hands dirty while working and gaining knowledge. Some jobs like marketing do not require any professional degree because in colleges you gain theoretical knowledge rather practical. A recent study shows that majority of successful people in the field of marketing and sales never attended universities. For instance, Apple’s late CEO Steve Jobs never went to college but, still, he brought a whole new dimension in the field of mobiles and laptops.
Consequently, I do agree that certificates or degrees are not the only paths to success, but it is not like everyone is Steve Jobs or Bill Gates, it is just like they were lucky enough to get opportunities which they were able to capitalize. Therefore I believe it is necessary to complete your education rather than directly go to the real world.
In conclusion, it is not like, to be successful a person has to be graduate, Nither not. But I believe that seeing the real-world scenarios, One should first complete their education and then explore jobs.
It is widely believed that having an academic degree is dramatically valuable in setting up a good career path, while some consider experience and soft skills are more significant. In my perspective, I suppose that either knowledge or experience and skills are essential factors which determine whether a potential applicant can be hired for a great job.
On the one hand, taking tertiary education has been the most classical method to prepare for entering the labor market. It can be seen that since the first university was established, there have been numerous students taking part in this academic institution in order to access a huge range of knowledge. Moreover, college life is considered one of the most crucial times in developing one’s characteristics and mindset. The only downside of university, however, is the opportunity costs that force students to waste several chances to get involved in other activities such as making money or traveling.
On the other hand, being well-qualified for the experiences and skills collected is not only remarkable but also puts the applicant one step ahead of others. Furthermore, if these acts, such as volunteering for a charity or learning leadership skills, are certified by a legit organization, it will be a huge step towards the success of getting a job. For example, nowadays, HR professionals from top-ranking companies have preferred the number of working experiences and related skills rather than just focus on the academic performance when filtering the resumes.
Finally, I strongly believe that the requirements of any job not only ask for these qualifications but also depend on the working conditions and the position that we aim for. For instance, a doctor or lawyer must have appropriate levels of knowledge in specific fields while a businessman needs more practical challenges.
In conclusion, preparing for a career is definitely an inevitable mission for everyone. To climb that career ladder, job-seekers should attempt both qualifications including the GPA and certifications for participating in other activities or acquiring any soft skill. Although it may vary in different companies and fields, illustrating an outstanding and comprehensive background can be significantly advantageous in impressing the recruiters.
Some of the people believe that University educations plays an essential role for attaining a good job, whereas others anticipate that soft skills and experience are they key factors for find a Job. In my opinion, education and experience together makes a person successful for earning perspective. It is considered by many people to University degree helps them to find work easily. In other words, the competition for enrolling students in institution each year illustrates that university degree helps one to get an easy Job such as doctors, engineers and lawyers. Therefore, many people first part to consider their higher studies after their High school according their desire and Job market. On the other hand, many people had a mind set to make their child in soft skills or get them engage in low Jobs in order to achieve experience. They believe that experience will make them familiar with Market strategy and soft skills will raise their demand in the Job opportunity. In addition, various industries the experiences are listed as mandate requirement for recruitment such as business & sales job offers. However, few cases are due to their financial conditions which opt the education and select job for their family survival. In my opinion, the leading indicators to be successful in earnings one shall possess higher education studies as well experiences. Although, the initial days will be on less wages but with passage of time they will be considered as pioneer of relevant field. For example, the doctor as expert surgeon when he posses hands of experience. To sum up all, it is mandatory one shall achieve higher education and get some experience in order to develop the required skills for performing. For a successful future, it is combination of both necessities University degree and relevant experiences.
It is considred by some that the best approach to obtain a decent job is through completion of university education, while there are others who thick that achieving the required experience and building up soft skills is more essential. This essay will briefly discuss both views and will draw my personal opinion.
On the one hand, many think that completing graduate and post-graduate studies will help them to obtain the most needed jobs. In their opinion, getting bachelor degree and even master degree will enable them to work in a more professional and academic jobs. In other words, without these degrees, it will be impossible for to be hired professional positions since nowadays there is a high competition to acquire these positions. For example, many jobs require completion of graduate studies including law, medicine, engineering and sciences.
On the other hand, many believe that it is more crucial to develop and enhance the person’s soft skills in addition to build up a good work experience. These people after graduation from high school will start immediately looking for jobs in order to accelerate their work experience and to acquire soft skills such as cummunications, interpersonal and leaderships skills. Moreover, they can work in different fields and expand their knowledge in many areas to meet certain jobs requirements such as multi field consultations, employment supervisions and management.
In conclusion, after a carefull analysis of both sides, the choice whether to continue college studies or to achieve experiences and soft skills is dependent on the person’s targeted job. In my opinion, continuation of graduate studies is necessary and it will open more opportunities in the future.
Some people believe that a university degree is the most effective way to attain a decent job. In contrast, other people argue that work fields need more experience and soft skills than educational background. In my perspective, university graduates fit the academic career whereas soft skills are more needed in technical jobs. University is the best place for people to develop their way of thinking. In college, students are taught to think scientifically. In order to attain this skill, students need to complete their studies by completing various tasks, such as daily assignments, group work, and final papers. Most of the subjects that are taught in university are theoretical. As a final result, university graduates are expected to not only mastering a particular knowledge but also a critical way of thinking. That is why university education is suitable for those who seek careers that require strong academic backgrounds, such as doctor, lawyer, judge, and teacher. On the other hand, some professions require experience and soft skills more rather than merely an educational background. Experience is needed especially in the work fields that produce utilized products such as business, manufacture, and software industry. In these industries, the works need people who technically master how to produce the product. Therefore, experienced ones with soft skills are more needed in this field. I believe that both educational background and experience with soft skills matter in terms of building our careers. Educational background can build our mindset to be critical and creative. On the other hand, experience and soft skills can support our hard skills to make ourselves more qualified. The thing that we should consider is which one we should emphasize more, which depends on the career path we wish to pursue. In summary, we should decide first what career we would like to seek, therefore we can decide what kind of educational background and other qualifications requirement we should attain.
Your website is very helpful in preparing for the IELTS writing section, and I really appreciate it. also, there is confusion, that it was told to me by my IELTS trainer and in few youtube videos that whenever we give an example to support the essay we shouldn’t be writing “for example” but here you’ve used that form so is it okay to do so because that’s how I prefer to write.
Of course it’s fine to use “For example”. It is 100% appropriate and suitable for essay writing. However, a good score for Coherence and Cohesion requires that you show flexibility and range – this means don’t repeat the same linking words unless there is no choice. There are many such linking words you can use as a paraphrase: such as, for instance, namely and so on. One linking word is not a higher score that the other. They are all suitable. Here is a link of linking words: https://ieltsliz.com/linking-words-for-writing/ and a link to my main writing task 2 page: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-2/
Some people consider having university degrees as the key to employment whereas others think building and developing soft skills and experience is an effective way to get a job. In my opinion, having both degree certificates and relevant skills is essential for getting the targeted position due to the growing competition. On the one hand, Most people strive for earning university credentials to get hired to the workplace of their choice. They consider so because some jobs typically require candidates to have qualifications related to the job position as employers may consider this as an essential tool to gauge applicant’s knowledge about their areas of work. Job postings, for example, doctors, teachers, professors, engineers, etc. require a certain level of knowledge about the concerned field which can only be reflected from the qualification of the job applicant. On the other hand, some people start working for building soft skills and experience rather than joining colleges and universities to crack their target job. Employers of some areas such as business, technical, IT basically look for candidates having relevant experience and soft skills rather than degree certificates for the post they want to hire ensuring low cost of hiring and quick adaptation of the new employees to their workplace. Thus, in response to such hiring trends, candidates get to indulge in training for soft skills development to reserve their position in a job market from their early stage of learning. However, both graduate degree certificates and essential skills are important factors in the competitive job market. Due to the growing number of university graduates and limited job positions, employers nowadays look for the best candidate who can competitively give a good return to the company after getting hired. For this reason, people work for earning both qualifications and skills to assure their future career. To give an example, the employer is more interested to hire a university graduate scholar with the computer, analytical, and organizing skills than the one having either of them. To recapitulate, both qualification and experience are equally crucial in getting a job depending upon the nature of the job people are looking for. Thus candidates should make sure about the emphasizing factor of getting hired before applying for employment. However, Earning both university degrees and relevant soft skills and experience is the best method to secure the demanded job position.
Your website is very helpful and I love all the lessons you provide. I have a question. In a discussion essay where do we need to keep the sequence in which the opinion is presented in the question. E.g. If I agree with the second opinion should my first body paragraph have the second opinion (and I restate that I agree with it) or should I follow the sequence as the question.
Also, can I use “you” in my essay e.g. “On the one hand, some people think that if a friend differs from some of your actions, he acts as a deterrent to the deeds that might turn out bad and I agree with that”
Is it correct?
The body paragraphs present the two sides in the order that you have written them in your introduction. Keep a logical order at all times so that the reader knows what is coming next. The pronoun “you” is rarely used because we mainly refer to the third person in formal essays. Your example is not written in a way that I can understand. Unfortunately, the meaning is not clear and I can’t help you with it. If you post a clear example, I’ll be able to help.
Please expert in the house help me vet this
Nowadays, people who move from one country to another for work. Some people think children of these families suffer because of this, while others think it is helpful to them.
Discuss both views and give your opinion.
It is recently believed by certain individuals that children whose families travel across the globe due to their nature of job suffer a lot while others think these children enjoy the benefits. In my opinion, such happening has both negative and positive impacts on them, however, it depends on whether the parents travel with their kids or not.
On the one hand, children whose parents move around nation to nation leaving them behind due to their job may be led into waywardness. In other words, the absence of proper guidance would result them into committing crimes and behaviors that are nonchalant. Consequently, they may get into troubles that would affect their entire lives such as being jailed or rusticated from school. Another point is that such kids would lack companionship because the primary people to display love to them are absent. For instance, a female child who is raped would want to discuss the matter with her mother but if she is unavailable, the kid would return to her shell and fight it alone. Thus, resulting to depression and suicidal because of absence of love and care.
On the other hand, exploring other traditions and cultures can also be beneficial to kids that travel with their families. This means that, they would have wide knowledge of what the cultural beliefs are in the other countries which will help them to network globally when they become adults. For example, kids expose to other traditions and beliefs does not usually experience cultural shock and therefore would be able to represent their nation at any point. Another plus side is that it will keep the family bond solid which means that children will not be far from their parents and other siblings.
Finally, in my opinion, whether children are affected negatively or positively when their families travel around the world depends on if they embark on the journey together. Take for example, kids that are around their families every time will not engage in actions that can affect their lives because they would be cautioned. In contrast, those that are far from their relatives can be easily controlled by peer pressure.
In conclusion, the plus side and downsides depend solely on families embarking on these journeys with their children.
Liz, I simply love your site. Thank you so much!
You’re welcome 🙂
Hello thank so much now I am using your books and they really help me😊✌️
Hello Liz, you mentioned before that one shouldn’t be impartial in an opinion essay and that you should agree or disagree but not something in between. i am sensing that this isn’t the case here in the model essay. it simply didn’t take one side.
if you feel it did, would it be possible that you give an example to a “wrong impartial” opinion to this essay topic? Thank you
I think you are confusing the term “impartial”. Being impartial means you are sitting on the fence. This means you are turning an opinion essay into a discussion essay with no clear opinion of what you really think – it’s just 50/50. An opinion essay requires a clear opinion or you will get a low score. This might be a one-sided opinion or it might be a partial agreement/disagreement or a specific opinion. Please see my advanced lessons to learn about this. It is available to purchase in my online store: https://elizabethferguson.podia.com/ . It takes me 1 hour to explain this essay in full in that advanced lesson.
Hi Mam! i hope you are doing good. I want to appreciate your effort for playing a positive role in helping to educate people free of cost in today’s era of materialism. thank you for all the tips and tricks to score high in ielts. Stay blessed. Reagrds
You’re very welcome. Happy 2021 !!
Dear Liz, Thank you for all your free classes and materials. Your grammar book helped me a lot.
I just had my LRW exam today and these were my questions for Task 1 and 2 Your post is not delivered yet ( forgot the exact wordings. Write a letter to the post office manager. State your details Describe the documents Say what you want them to do
Task 2 People argue that spending a lot of money on marriage parties, birthday parties, and other celebrations is a waste of money. Others, however, believe that these celebrations are important for individuals and society. Discuss both sides and give your opinion.
Thanks again Take care
Glad the Grammar E-book is useful. Good luck with your results !!
Dear Liz, I found your site by chance and it is amazing. Coud you look at my discussion essay and give ypur opinion please? Many thanks in advance!!!!!!!!
It is considered by some people that traditional shopping is the only way for making purchasing properly while there are others who prefer online shopping. In my opinion, it depends on many factors and premises. On the one hand, online shopping is more effortless. With just a click of a mouse or a tap on a screen, people can buy within seconds. Online shopping has become popular due to its convenience, accessibility and speed. With the continued success of e-commerce, many now question the existence of traditional stores. It is so great that you can shop anytime and anywhere. For example, you can easily visit the website, find the product you want to buy and wait for the product being delivered to you. If you need time to reconsider about the products, all you have to do is put the product in the virtual shopping bag or on the virtual wish list. On the other hand, only traditional shopping allows to touch, try and “smell” your purchase and understand whether you need this one or may be it is just an impulse. Besides, only real shopping gives the possibility to assess the quality and features of goods, while online shopping can be misleading in respect of authenticity of products to reality. One more problem of online shopping is the safety of online payments, which also might be an advantage in favor if traditional shopping since the payments are being controlled. In conclusion, both kinds of shopping have merits and shortages. The benefits of both shopping online and shopping in real stores are countless. However, it is true that sometimes merits could become shortages and vice versa, depending on the different perspectives that people hold.
Some people think doing the university education is the best way to get a good jobs. However, some other people believes that experience and improving the soft skill is more important than education for getting a better job. in today’s labor market both are important, in my opinion education is playing more important role at first to get the better job and carrier development. Education is an ability how to find jobs, learn to earn, as much you learn that much you earn, what a democracy, human can learn as much he or she wish to, this new technology make is very easy to access to the books, journal and all the social media, education is a great advantage teach you how to work, clarifies your favorite carrier path, it guide you how to grow and further develop your future and enjoy your favorite field of interest and so no….. Education and the experience is an interchangeable, whiles experience is to develop future what you have learn in the university, wider your understanding of knowledge, and deep dive on your carrier field, researches, inventions an innovations and so no, to grow to the highest level of the economy and knowledge in the world, in addition soft skill is import as others, but education is the first priority, gives you an opportunity make to you understand well the skills and knowledge. In conclusion, both educations and the experience is an opportunity to find the best job. without proper education cannot find the best jobs and without experience cannot grow and wider the knowledge. however, if we look to the history we have some scholars the touched the ceiling without school educations, now we study their principles in the schools, thy were hard worker and talents.
Thanks for the good work Liz, we are praying for you to get get back to your feet asap.
Ahead of the game sounds like an idiom, isn’t it?
Yes, “ahead of the game” in an idiom. Some idioms are suitable for writing task 2, but only a few. The idiomatic language that is safe to aim for are phrasal verbs that are clearly not informal.
Question: In some countries owning a home rather than renting one is very important for people. Why might that be the case? DO you think this is a positive or negative situation?
Answer: Buying your own apartment now becomes more familiar in certain countries than renting an apartment. However, I assume that this trend has positive aspects and it also has several benefits.
One of the lucrative benefits is that people would become owners of permanent accommodation by buying a home. Besides, it can be possible to get huge facilities for instance saving money. People have to pay relatively less money when they will have their own apartment. In addition, it is easy to furnish them according to their own ways as well as their own apartment is secure rather than renting. Because you will have no worries about moving to another renting house when you have your own apartment.
Another issue is there are several countries such as in Finland renting a house is much more costly. Every month people have to pay 800-900 euros per month if they want to rent a private family apartment. I think this is too much to afford. On the other hand, if I have my own apartment, at the same time I can save the rest of the money. In this case owning a home is much better and flexible than renting.
Finally, I would say owning an apartment has other benefits. For example, people can get a spacious living room with a beautiful veranda which provides huge daylight. Moreover, most of the private apartments have 2 bedrooms where rooms are larger than rented houses. It is possible to set up any furniture in the way that people want. Living in an apartment is much more relaxing, comfortable and cosy.
In conclusion, although people have different views about this issue, my opinion supports the positive side of owning an apartment rather than renting.
Governments give a lot of support to artists, even though some people think it is a waste of money that could have been used elsewhere.Discuss both views and give your opinion? An artist receives too much assistance from local government while some argued that money should be utilized on other neccessary matters rather than wasting on artists . I agree with this statement that government should take notice of important tasks on priority basis for a developed nation . On the one side , artists performs national representation at international level for earning name and fame in field through competition .As we know that not a single task is easy to master whether it is a game or dance, all this demands enthusiasm and dedication towards goal which is impossible for everyone to achieve . Therefore, this is not a big deal if a government is sending funds or prizes to artist because without money capability is nothing in today’s world . On the other side, for a developing nation such as India , discoveries in each and every field has been essential for the growth of a nation .Government should assist scientists for inventing treatment for death causing diseases such as cancer and free of cost treatment for every citizen so that nobody can die because of lack of money.In addition , free education to poor children must be provided so that they could stand on their feet one day . In conclusion, although artists represents a nation but fulfilling basic amenities of citizens in relation of food , education and health has been prioritized by the governments. Please review my essay mam
If the essay requirement says we need to discuss both sides and give our opinions (like this model essay), can I say that I prefer one option over another? Because in this model essay, the author suggests that both opinions are good and there is no preference. I’m just wondering if we would be marked on this.
Thank you so much
When you give your own opinion, you can choose any opinion you want – either one sided or balanced (partial/specific agreement) approach.
Hi Liz, I have been posting many essays to get your feedback …Can you please give me your feedback. thanks a lot. 🙂
To being with, many people think that the university education is important to get a decent job. Firstly, at universities, students learn and graduate in a desired specialization which is important to land up in a good job in that area. For example, if someone graduates as Chartered Accountant from a University, then they can get a good job in the Financial sector. Secondly, proponents of this theory believe that academics are important to carry out certain types of jobs which on the other hand cannot be done alone with gaining experience. For instance, doctors cannot perform surgeries without learning basic anatomy of the body which they learn though academics at Universities. Also, many universities offer internships programs in various companies which help the students to gain extra practical knowledge. This improves their chances to get a good job once they get graduated.
On the other hand, others believe that jobs can be a carried out by acquiring experience and soft skills. However, this holds applicable and true in certain types of jobs only. For example, jobs like housekeeping and driving, only relevant experience and some soft skills are required. Also, they believe that more experience they gain, more efficiently they can carry out their jobs and in-turn they can be more productive.
Hence, in conclusion, I believe that University education provides theoretical knowledge as well as hands-on practice through internships which tents to get a better job. I also agree that gaining experience and soft skills are equally important for getting a job in certain professions.
Sorry I do not offer this service. Please read the HOME page to learn more about how to use my site 🙂
Hi liz, My question is, can we write information that is completely made up to support our ideas? For example, “A recent study done by University of Melbourne shows that men who eat at least 10 grams chocolate a day can run faster than those who do not eat it.”
Why would you choose to do that? It won’t help your score. You never need to state the source of information and you don’t need to present numbers in your task 2 essay. Just explain your idea in your own language.
Dear mam, In opinion essay , when we give separate opinion on one side . Can we go both side in conclusion or should we have the same position in conclusion and opinion ? I am totally confuse in it. Please guide me. Thank you.
Please get my Advanced Lessons which will give you all your answers and lots of details: https://elizabethferguson.podia.com/
Also, I tend to have occasional long sentences, is it ok to use a semi-colon? Or do we just stick to comma and full stop for this test?
Thanks a bunch in advance!
Just stick to commas and full stops. To add information using clauses which are considered complex grammar features.
Thank you for the amazing model answers you provide, your website is really helpful! I finished watching your advanced video on the discussion essays and I have a question regarding writing them, since I want to follow your structure.
If I agree with one side of the argument, I understand from your video that I should state my opinion in the introduction, right? Because a teacher told me that I shouldn’t write my opinion in the introduction (even if the question says give your opinion) but should instead explain it throughout the BP of the essays and the conclusion. So I want to make sure, it is okay if I paraphrase the question (people’s arguments) in a statement then express my opinion in the next statement “In my opinion, I believe that….” and agree with either side?
Also coming to the BPs, I was told by that teacher that if I explain reasons for people’s arguments in BP1 and BP2 (even though I added “I agree” in the BP that I agree with) it will affect my CC and TR. They said that I should explain that I do not agree with one BP and giving reasons for the opinion of people that I don’t agree with would mess up my TR & CC. Is this true? In your video, you explained that it’s okay to explain reasons for both sides then simply add I agree in the BP you agree with. So I’m a little lost here, I wish you can tell me what is right in this point.
Thanks in advance. I really appreciate all your efforts.
Has your teacher completed the IELTS examiner training course? Possibly not. It is 100% fine to put your opinion in the introduction – you are introducing your opinion. It is also 100% ok to state you agree with whichever body paragraph you agree with – in that paragraph you will state that you and other people agree (or disagree) and then give reasons. You only need a separate body paragraph when your opinion does not agree fully with either side (a specific opinion/partial agreement). Is your teacher telling you IELTS rules? No. Your teacher is giving you advice based on their own opinion of IELTS. Always differentiate between rules and advice when it comes to IELTS. Always ask your teacher if they are giving you fixed rules for IELTS or just their own personal advice. There is a lot of conflicting information about IELTS because of exactly that problem.
Hi Liz thank you for your imformative website. I ‘ve got a question. Is the hook and general statement the same? Thank you
In the following link you will find a video lesson about writing an introduction. That lesson will explain about the hook and background statement: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-2/
Hi Liz, I had Ielts computer based based exam today, in the writing 2 task I had written nearly about 270 words, but in conclusion part when I was writing my last sentences, time is up and the computer shuted down. I could not finish my last senteces and there was some unsense words. Is it a huge problem or not? Also, thank you sharing your information with us.
The most important thing is that you wrote a conclusion, even if you didn’t finish it. Having a conclusion is crucial. An incomplete conclusion will not affect things as much as an absent conclusion. Don’t worry too much about it.
I am planning to start this essay with “Few people believe that…..” can we paraphrase “some” with “few”
The meaning of “few” is “not many”. It means a small number. “Few people” = a small number of people. This is not the same as “some”.
thank you liz
Hi Liz, Many thanks to you for the service!
My question is, if I start with one tense form, should I follow the same tense throughout the essay? Or can I use different tenses in the essay?
Thanks in advance!
It isn’t possible to use one tense all the way through. You might need to use a perfect tense or a passive or a conditional statement. The tense will depend on what you want to say. It isn’t something you can decide beforehand. See my model essays and review how many different tenses are used: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-2/
For Discussion Essays: Some books like IELTS Preparation & Practice, Reading & Writing Academic published by Oxfird suggest writing a 4 paragraph essay: intro+ first group+second group+conclusion(which restates the writes opinion). However you suggest a separate paragraph for the writer’s opinion(4th body paragraph). Does that mean that their style is wrong or could lead to a lower score?
It means that there are other options. There is no rule stating you must have 4 paragraphs in total. It is fine to have 5. You can get band 9 with either 4 or 5.
Hello liz, i have read in many books that the opinion discussive essay, the opinion is only given in the conclusion unlike the opinion personal view point( the agree or disagree type). The books write, this essay will discuss both sides and give a concluding view and rather give the opinion in the conclusion. Can you please clarify that for me, thank you
Unfortunately, I am not able to control what is written in other books. The instructions from IELTS do NOT state to “discuss both sides and conclude your opinion”.
Hullo Liz, Firstly I would like to thank you to help all of us selflessly…thanx to u. Today I gave my ielts in essay it was a discussion essay wherein I wrote my opinion in introduction as u say then main body paras Discussing both the sides but then I gave the conclusion n did not elaborate on my opinion… Will I lose marks? Plz tell…really worried. Thanx
I don’t understand. You said you gave your opinion in the introduction, body paragraphs and conclusion. At what point do you feel that you didn’t explain it?
Everybody told me that examples are not cardinal for essay but in some great ielts experts point of view like you mam and jay sir shows examples are vital. Through this students get more brand. Mam help me to solve my query.
Please mam help me my ielts exam on 17 August .
Please mam🙁🙁
I have never said examples are vital or 100% essential to an IELTS essay. I’m not sure what you are referring to. Examples are one way to support and illustrate a main point – you choose whether to illustrate that way or not. I suggest you review my model essays.
Hi Liz, From my observation of the given example, I understood that , in the conclusion especially for discussion essays, we have to give a brief of our view on the topic and we should not include anything from the other paragraphs. Is my understanding correct?
Your reply here would be much appreciated.
There is no such rule in IELTS. Your conclusion is a summary of the main points.
in the salad days of millenium, the society polarised into two groups. first, some people have a say that passing from University provide best to way to grab a good profession while other opinion that it is a bad to acquire proficiency and soft skills the following paragraphs would shed the light on both the approaches before making notes To commence with the first notion, there are Myriad things to be shared in its favour, first and foremost, it is undeniable education is essential part of one’s life. the majority of individuals believe that getting a degree from University Open the doors of word class opportunities and student can obtain a fine occupation for their future. In the other words, tertiary education help the students to understand the various concept which is related to their career which they have chosen by them. with the help of education they enhence their creativity on particular subject which is significant for future work opportunities
shifting towards the second school of thought, having experience of work and soft skills such as communication skills leadership skills and other interpersonal skills act as a boon for people to access a great livelihood. if individuals have a great proficiency in their skill which helps in getting a job as we all know more than half of companies prefer those employees who have a great experience in their work instead of University credentials. for instance if someone want to get a job in insurance company then they must be have a good communication skills for this job
Sorry, I don’t offer marking or comments on writing. However, I will say avoid learning phrases that you think will impress the examiner such as “in the salad days of millenium, the society polarised into two groups”. Such phrases damage your score. This is not creative writing. In a test, each sentence must be created by you in the test room. Also don’t use hook, it isn’t needed for IELTS essays and is a complete waste of time. Go to the main section for writing task 2 on this site and learn how to write an introduction for IELTS = click on the RED BAR at the top of the site. Or get my paid Advanced Lessons to learn more.
Hi Liz, Thank you so very much for your helpful blogs. I am following only you for my IELTS GT preparation. I have one doubt, I am aiming to score 7.5 or 8 band in writing. Is it fine if I write approx 300 words of essay? Definitely related to demand of question. I always try to write around 270-280 words but I feel that there is still something missing which I should add on to make it more accurate. Kindly suggest.
If you are adding words to your introduction or conclusion, it won’t help your score. If you are adding more to your body paragraphs, think carefully if it is actually 100% vital. More words open you to the possibility of more errors or a less focused essay.
It is considered by some people that finishing university education is the most effective way to get a decent job, however, have experience and developing soft skills are the keys for finding good jobs still thought by many people. In my opinion, although experience and developing soft skills are important for finding good jobs, I believe the completing university courses can improve the person’s knowledge and other skills in a very effective way as well as the best way for people to prepare their careers.
Attending the university courses can let people gain knowledge effectively, most universities offer high-quality courses both online and offline, students can achieve professional theory knowledge from different aspects through interaction with their professors, once they have questions they can get feedback and answers quickly. On the other hand, universities offer many practical classes which allow students gain experience, students also have plenty opportunities to discuss in their groups and cooperate with other students from other majors which also cultivate their social skills. Both knowledge and practical skills, as well as social skills, are very essential for finding a good job.
There is no doubt that work experience and developing soft skills or social skills are vital for finding jobs, the companies are more likely to employ the person who has job experience which people usually can find on job recruitments’ qualifications. When people find a job, he/she should be a good work player who is not only professional about her/his area but also should know how to communicate with others as well as cooperate with others. A report says that persons who have strong communication skills are much more welcomed in a work environment.
In conclusion, although both experience and developing soft skills are vital factors for finding jobs, I still believe that attending the universities is the best way for people who prepare their careers because people can gain experience and social skills in the campus as well.
hello ! thanks for your tips . And i have a question , is it okay to write ” in this following essay i will shed light on both views and state my own position” in last sentence ?
Never memorise a sentence to put in your essay. Each sentence should be entirely created by yourself in the test. If the instructions say “discuss both sides and give your opinion”, you do not need to repeat those instructions. The examiner knows what you are going to do – what the examiner doesn’t know is what ideas you will use. Use my model essays to guide you or get my Advanced lessons to learn in depth.
I just watched your advanced task 2 lesson and have couple questions on it. For the discussion essay, the balanced opinion seems more profound than one-sided opinion. Will I get lower band score if I choose to write one-sided opinion? Or will I get higher band if I choose to write balanced opinion. And can I choose one-sided opinion in any topics?
Thank you! 🙂
The balanced opinion essay means the discussion essay with specific opinion. Sorry for that. 🙂
I taught both options so that you would have a choice. The choice will depend on the question and the ideas you have for it. Sometimes a one-sided approach isn’t always the easiest option. No, you don’t get a higher or lower score for one or the other. Your score is not based on your choice of one-sided or specific view point. It is based on how relevant your ideas are and if you addressed the task with a clear opinion.
Thank you very much Liz!!!!:)
I am writing to seek your help with double views and opinion statement essay type.
Here is the question prompt I am practicing: Some people say that advertising encourages us to buy things that we rarely do not need. Others say that advertisements tell us about new products that may improve our lives. Which viewpoint do you agree with?
Here is the introductory paragraph I have written with my opinion: Aggressive product promotions are considered to be one of the efficient ways of attracting new customers. While some people believe that advertisements allures the buyers and instigates them to purchase the unnecessary items, the others consider it to be an effective method of promoting awareness about the latest trends – I second this thought.
Please guide, is it write way of supporting an argument in a formal way? If not, please suggest how can I improve.
Thanks Jasmeet Kaur
Paraphrase the statement given and then present your opinion. Two separate statements. Try writing that and post it. See this page if you don’t understand: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-2-how-to-write-an-introduction/
I’m struggling to reach a higher bandscore than 6.0 in writing. Therefore I bought your advanced writing lessons to spot some of my possible mistakes. Beside the fact that I have problems to structure my thoughts quickly, I’m sometimes confused by the question itself. After watching your lessons, I have tried to answer some essay questions and I came across with some I don’t know how I should organise them.
Firstly, for example, the discussion essay about the death penalty on your website. This question only mentions that I have to discuss both side. So, I’m not sure if I have to write a balanced view or can I also write a one-sided view? Moreover, I think I should not give my opinion, however, a one-sided view seems to reflect my personal point of view. How would you organise your essay?
Secondly, I’m really confused with the question “Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?” You said, it doesen’t matter whether there is a “do you think” include or not, because I have to make a choice which side outweigh the other…admittedly there are many official Model answer from IELTS books, which don’t give an opinion in terms of this question. Are there any differents I didn’t recognise?
I would be really grateful if you could help me.
Kind regards, Wiebke
In my Advanced lesson for the Discussion Essay there is a model essay for a Discussion without an opinion. Please take a look at it. Any question that is asking you to choose options will require an opinion – there are many ways to voice an opinion.
Dear Liz. Your advanced lessons are so helpful and clear.
Unfortunately I can’t say the same regarding the Official Cambridge Guide to IELTS which contains 8 full practice tests with sample answers for writing. I have to say that the sample answers for task 1 are very good but the ones for task 2 are so confusing. For instance, a discussion essay was turned into advantage disadvantage one.. the opinion is not mentioned in the introduction or in the BP, it is given in the conclusion… I wish I can send you a picture of it so you can mark it.
Another issue that confuses me; can we use questions in the essay? In one example of adv. Outweigh Disadv. they ended up the introduction with a question: is this a development we should welcome? The opinion is also put in the conclusion only… Thanks in advance
IT is not the task of IELTS to make their test easy. That is the task of teachers and ex-examiners. We provide the easy to follow models, not IELTS. About your second query, you should present supporting points which are statements, not questions. There isn’t enough length in the essay to start creating questions which will then need addressing further. Just stick with statements.
Hi liz In the introduction can I write “in this essay I will deliberately discuss the both views and formulate my opinion at the end of the essay ” instead answering directly in the introduction
Do not memorise sentences or phrases. You can learn words and linking devices. All sentences and phrases should be created by yourself. See my model essays.
then what do you recommend? and how do they examine grammar?
Grammar is marked by using a range of tenses that are suitable and appropriate to the essay and the subject. You can’t push a future prefect into your essay because you think it will give you a higher score. All tenses must be used correctly. The examiner will also pay attention to sentence structures, so you need to pay attention to not being too repetitive. Furthermore, the examiner will look at the density of grammar errors, for example band 5 = frequent errors, band 6 = some errors, band 7 = few errors. So, you can see your aim is to produce a range of suitable grammar and also reduce the errors you make. At all times, you only use the grammar you are familiar with to reduce errors. I am currently putting together a grammar e-book which will explain all this in great detail.
How can I buy your grammar book?
It won’t be available to buy for a few months. It is 90% complete, but it will take me a few months to edit it and get it ready for people to buy.
Hi Liz, thank you a lot for your useful advice and if it is possible, please give feedback, this is my first essay.
Instruction is simply to discuss not to give opinion.
In last decades, with the impact of growing globalization, it is noticed significant positive affects in the economy of the world, whereas this globe challenges brings some negative aspects with itself. Regarding the advantages of the globalization, a number of leading companies of the world gain more profits, while some affected countries are forced to lose their cultural values.
On the one hand, there is a competition between huge international companies over the world. They compete to produce products in better quality and lower prices. As a result, this overseas rivalry helps to boost world economy, at the same time, people all over the world take advantages in connection with buying more qualitative and less expenses products. For instance, it is obviously seems that the products which are manufactured by Samsung, Apple, Huawei and some other main companies have wide functions and simultaneously they are sold in lower prices.
On the other hand, there are some affected countries that people who live in these countries are obliged to get used to customs and traditions of the hegemon countries. In this manner, impacted society uses international languages, listens to singers who are famous all over the world and eats meals which are popular overseas and so on. To illustrate, McDonalds, KFC, Mado serve to people in more than half of the world countries, Justin Timberlake, Beyoncé, Rihanna are listened by at least one of three people and English, German, Russian languages have been more important than their native languages.
In conclusion, the monosemous acceptance of globalization is not proper approach. When this term is talked over, both sides should be taken into account.
Mam, why your advanced writing task 2 lessons have only 1) opinion, 2) discussion and 3) adv/disadvantages type essays lessons? What about a) problems/solutions, b) two-part (direct question) and c) positive/negative development type essays? Kindly reply, because I want to learn structure of each type of IELTS (GT) essay. Thank you.
Because I became too sick to make more videos.
First of all, thank you for your prompt reply, Hope you are doing well now. I will pray for your health and speedy recovery. Can I expect video lessons on those missing type essays in near future? Or do you think it is sufficient enough to just go through your sample essays on those type of essays to get an idea of written structure?
The three Advanced lessons available teach you enough skills to be able to apply the same logical. However, you will need to review model essays and other tips. Did you see my free writing task 2 lessons? See this page: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-2/ . Yesterday I put up a lesson about a mixed task essay with tips: https://ieltsliz.com/model-essay-for-tv-weight-problems/ . Just take a look around my site. It is unlikely I will make a new video soon. I’m still too sick for videos. But I post regular lessons on my site and am working on e-books “Ideas for IELTS Essays” and “Grammar for Writing Task 2”.
Yes, I already read the tips mentioned in the first link and just went through the second link now, both were so helpful. You are an indeed a blessing for students who are struggling with their IELTS score. Thank you for your help and tips. I am desperately waiting for your e-books. Best wishes and prayers for your health.
Thanks. I do plan to get back to making videos, but not until my health is completely recovered which might take a long time. As soon as I can, I’ll be making Advanced lessons for every single part of the IELTS test.
Hopefully you’ll be able to make more videos for your students very soon. Lot of respect and prayers for you mam. One of your students from other part of the world 🙂
Pleaaaase shed some light on the following: in the introduction of Task 2, what is the best waybto phrase that the X will be discussed in the essay. Do you say ‘This essay will discuss/This essay disagrees” or do you make use of pronouns such as ‘I’ “I agree that/ I will discuss X” . So confused as someone (online tutors) would say one thing, someone something different again. So now I don’t know which would be acceptable by an IELTS examiner.
You don’t need to use it at all. It is not required for IELTS. As you see, none of my model essays use that kind of sentence.
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Ideas in ielts essays & in ielts speaking, test yourself with linking words, ielts speaking part 2 cue card topics – 2024, new reading exercise for you (july 2024), ielts gt writing task 1 letter: using the prompts for a high score.
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The article guides on writing a Band 8+ IELTS Discussion Essay, emphasizing clear structure, balanced arguments, and evidence support. It outlines planning, writing, common mistakes, and provides sample questions with answers.
How to plan an ielts discussion essay, structure of an ielts writing task 2 discuss both views and give your opinion essay, 3 common mistakes in ielts discuss both views and give your opinion essays, tips to write an ielts discussion essay, ielts discussion essay sample questions with sample answers, excel at ielts writing with ieltsmaterial.com, also check:.
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Just as the names suggest, discuss both views or discussion essays in IELTS Writing Task 2 expects you to discuss both sides of an argument, and then to give your own opinion on the matter.
You get 40 minutes to complete this discussion essay IELTS Writing task and you have to write at least 250 words on the topic given. So gear up, let us learn how to write a perfect band 8+ task 2, discuss both views and essays in no time in this blog!
There are a few key things to keep in mind when writing a discussion essay:
First, read the statement carefully and find the two opposing views. Then, think about how to support each one.
Once you know what the two opposing views are, you need to gather evidence to support each one.
This evidence can come from your own knowledge, experience, or research.
Your essay should have a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion.
Begin your essay with a clear introduction that tells the reader what the topic is and what your main points will be. Keep it simple and to the point. You might find some tips to write an effective introduction for IELTS Writing Task 2 below.
Break your essay into two paragraphs, with each one focusing on a different point. Start each paragraph with a topic sentence that tells the reader what the paragraph is about.
Use examples to support your points. This could be something you’ve read about, something you’ve seen, or something from your own experience.
Get your hands on 2024’s latest IELTS Writing Task 2 test papers!
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Let us look at the three errors that are usually common in IELTS discussion essays.
Focusing too much on one viewpoint and neglecting the other, or failing to discuss both views equally.
Using irrelevant examples, statistics, or facts to support your points in the body paragraphs.
Making broad statements without providing specific examples or evidence to back them up.
Never repeat these errors in your next IELTS discussion essay!
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Since we’ve had a look at the three most common errors that might occur while you write an IELTS discussion essay, now let’s learn a few expert tips you can use to practice while writing them!
When discussing two opposing views, use neutral language that expresses your opinion presenting both sides of the argument fairly and without bias.
Take a few minutes to think about what points you want to make and how you’ll organize them. Try to jot down some notes before you start writing.
Transition words and phrases can help to make your essay flow smoothly and signal to the reader when you are moving from one point to another.
We’ve collected a list of connectors/linking words for writing to present in your IELTS discussion essays. Have a look at them in the following table:
Firstly | Additionally | In conclusion |
To begin with | Moreover | To sum up |
Initially | Furthermore | To conclude |
Nowadays | In addition | In summary |
On the one hand | On the other hand | Finally |
When writing supporting points in your body paragraphs, be sure to provide evidence as an example to support it. This can come from your knowledge, experience, or research.
Before you finish, take a few minutes to read over your essay and make sure there are no mistakes in spelling, grammar, or punctuation.
Here are a few sample questions and their ans wers for IELTS Writing Task 2 di scussion essays with a proper breakdown of them that will help you get an idea of how to achieve your desired IELTS band score .
Some people believe that it is essential to learn a foreign language in school, while others believe that it is not necessary. Discuss both views and give your opinion.
Introduction: The introduction sets the stage for the essay by presenting the topic and highlighting the opposing viewpoints.
Body Paragraph 1: This paragraph discusses the advantages of learning a foreign language, including cognitive, cultural, and practical benefits.
Body Paragraph 2: The second paragraph presents the counterargument that learning a foreign language is unnecessary due to technology and the prominence of English.
Conclusion: The conclusion provides a clear personal opinion that acknowledges the counterarguments but asserts that the benefits of foreign language learning are more significant.
Final Compilation
Learning a foreign language has been a topic of debate in educational circles, with proponents arguing its importance and opponents asserting its insignificance. Those who advocate for learning a foreign language in school argue that it has numerous cognitive, cultural, and practical benefits. Firstly, mastering another language enhances cognitive abilities, as it requires learners to think critically and adapt to different linguistic structures. Moreover, it promotes cultural understanding by allowing individuals to communicate with people from diverse backgrounds, fostering tolerance and open-mindedness. From a practical standpoint, in today’s globalized world, proficiency in a foreign language can boost job prospects and facilitate international interactions.
On the other hand, there are those who contend that learning a foreign language is unnecessary in the modern age due to the prevalence of translation tools and the predominance of English as a global lingua franca. They argue that the time spent on language acquisition could be better utilized for other subjects that are more directly applicable to students’ future careers. Additionally, some assert that the difficulty of becoming truly proficient in a foreign language often discourages students and leads to frustration.
To conclude, while the concerns raised against learning a foreign language hold some validity, the advantages far outweigh the drawbacks. The cognitive and cultural benefits of language learning are substantial and contribute not only to personal growth but also to building a more interconnected and harmonious society. Moreover, even though technology can aid in translation, it cannot replace the nuanced understanding and genuine human connections that result from speaking someone’s native language. Therefore, incorporating foreign language learning into the curriculum remains a valuable investment in students’ holistic development.
Some people believe that it is better to live in a city, while others believe that it is better to live in the countryside. Discuss both views and give your opinion.
Introduction: Introduces the topic and mentions the opposing views regarding city and countryside living.
Body Paragraph 1: Discusses the advantages of living in a city, including access to amenities, job opportunities, and cultural activities.
Body Paragraph 2: Presents the benefits of living in the countryside, such as tranquillity, connection to nature, and strong communities.
Conclusion: Offers a personal perspective that acknowledges the strengths of both options and suggests that the choice should be based on individual preferences.
Living preferences between urban and rural areas have long been a subject of debate. Supporters of city living argue that it offers greater access to amenities, career opportunities, and cultural activities. Cities are often hubs of economic activity, providing a wide range of job options and higher earning potential. Additionally, urban dwellers can enjoy a plethora of entertainment choices, from theatres and museums to restaurants and shopping centres.
On the other hand, proponents of rural living emphasize the tranquillity and connection to nature that the countryside provides. They contend that life in the countryside is less stressful, offering cleaner air, less noise pollution, and a slower pace of life. Moreover, the close-knit communities in rural areas foster a sense of belonging and interpersonal relationships that can be harder to find in bustling cities.
To conclude, in my opinion, both living environments have their merits, and the choice depends on individual preferences and priorities. While cities offer convenience and a vibrant social scene, they can also be overwhelming and stressful. On the contrary, the countryside provides a peaceful and close-to-nature existence, but it might lack the opportunities and amenities that cities offer. Therefore, the ideal choice should be based on a person’s lifestyle, values, and career aspirations.
Some people believe that social media has a negative impact on society, while others believe that it has a positive effect. Discuss both views and give your opinion.
Introduction: Introduces the topic and states that social media’s impact on society is debated.
Body Paragraph 1: Discusses the negative effects of social media, including impacts on mental health, privacy, and interpersonal relationships.
Body Paragraph 2: Presents the positive aspects of social media, focusing on connectivity, activism, information sharing, and education.
Conclusion: Offers a personal perspective that acknowledges both sides of the argument but emphasizes the potential positive impact of responsible social media use.
The influence of social media on society is a topic of ongoing debate. Detractors argue that social media has detrimental effects on mental health, privacy, and interpersonal relationships. They claim that the constant comparison to curated online personas can lead to feelings of inadequacy and anxiety. Furthermore, the erosion of privacy due to the widespread sharing of personal information and the rise of cyberbullying are serious concerns. Critics also point out that excessive screen time detracts from face-to-face interactions, potentially weakening real-life connections.
On the other hand, proponents of social media contend that it fosters global connectivity, information sharing, and activism. Platforms like Twitter and Instagram enable individuals to voice their opinions, raise awareness about important issues, and create positive change. Social media has played a pivotal role in various social movements and humanitarian efforts, mobilizing people on a scale previously unattainable. Additionally, it allows easy access to a wide range of educational content and facilitates networking opportunities.
In conclusion, while social media has its drawbacks, its potential positive impact is significant. The power of social media to amplify voices, disseminate information, and drive social change cannot be overlooked. However, its usage should be balanced and responsible, with individuals and society collectively addressing its negative aspects, such as online toxicity and privacy concerns.
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Take your time to understand this lesson well and keep practising IELTS discussion essays using past and latest exam questions as much as you need. Constant practice is the best way to get better at it. Way to go!
If you are preparing for the IELTS Writing exam, we would recommend you practice tasks like the above-given questions regularly. The more you practice, the better you will become at cracking the writing tasks for IELTS within the dedicated timeframe.
You can also enroll in our IELTS preparation online classes to get your hands on the latest IELTS writing questions or participate in our FREE online webinars to learn how to write them directly from our band 9 IELTS experts!
When should I give my opinion in an IELTS discussion essay?
Are Opinion essays and Discussion essays the same?
How do you discuss both views and give your opinion?
What are the major mistakes test takers do in the IELTS Discussion essays?
How to write the IELTS Discussion Essay?
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Abstract | Introduction | Literature Review | Research question | Materials & Methods | Results | Discussion | Conclusion
In this blog, we look at how to write the discussion section of a research paper. We will go through plenty of discussion examples and understand how to construct a great discussion section for your research paper.
The discussion section is one of the most important sections of your research paper. This is where you interpret your results, highlight your contributions, and explain the value of your work to your readers. This is one of the challenging parts to write because the author must clearly explain the significance of their results and tie everything back to the research questions.
Generally, the discussion section of a research paper typically contains the following parts.
Research summary It is a good idea to start this section with an overall summary of your work and highlight the main findings of your research.
Interpretation of findings You must interpret your findings clearly to your readers one by one.
Comparison with literature You must talk about how your results fit into existing research in the literature.
Implications of your work You should talk about the implications and possible benefits of your research.
Limitations You should talk about the possible limitations and shortcomings of your research
Future work And finally, you can talk about the possible future directions of your work.
Let’s look at some examples of the discussion section. We will be looking at discussion examples from different fields and of different formats. We have split this section into multiple components so that it is easy for you to digest and understand.
It is a good idea to start your discussion section with the summary of your work. The best way to do this will be to restate your research question, and then reminding your readers about your methods, and finally providing an overall summary of your results.
Our aims were to compare the effectiveness and user-friendliness of different storm detection software for storm tracking. On the basis of these aims, we ran multiple experiments with the same conditions using different storm detection software. Our results showed that in both speed and accuracy of data, ‘software A’ performed better than ‘software B’. _ Aims summary _ Methodology summary _ Results summary
This discussion example is from an engineering research paper. The authors are restating their aims first, which is to compare different types of storm-tracking software. Then, they are providing a brief summary of the methods. Here, they are testing different storm-tracking software under different conditions to see which performs the best. Then, they are finally providing their main finding which is that they found ‘software A’ better than ‘software B’. This is a very good example of how to start the discussion section by presenting a summary of your work.
The next step is to interpret your results. You have to explain your results clearly to your readers. Here is a discussion example that shows how to interpret your results.
The results of this study indicate significant differences between classical music and pop music in terms of their effects on memory recall and cognition. This implies that as the complexity of the music increases, so does its ability to facilitate cognitive processing. This finding aligns with the well-known “Mozart effect,” which suggests that listening to classical music can enhance cognitive function. _ Result _ Interpretation _ Additional evidence
The authors are saying that their results show that there is a significant difference between pop music and classical music in terms of memory recall and cognition. Now they are providing their interpretation of the findings. They think it is because there is a link between the complexity of music and cognitive processing. They are also making a reference to a well-known theory called the ‘Mozart effect’ to back up their findings. It is a nicely written passage and the author’s interpretation sounds very convincing and credible.
The next step is to compare your results to the literature. You have to explain clearly how your findings compare with similar findings made by other researchers. Here is a discussion example where authors are providing details of papers in the literature that both support and oppose their findings.
Our analysis predicts that climate change will have a significant impact on wheat yield. This finding undermines one of the central pieces of evidence in some previous simulation studies [1-3] that suggest a negative effect of climate change on wheat yield, but the result is entirely consistent with the predictions of other research [4-5] that suggests the overall change in climate could result in increases in wheat yield. _ Result _ Comparison with literature
The authors are saying that their results show that climate change will have a significant effect on wheat production. Then, they are saying that there are some papers in the literature that are in agreement with their findings. However, there are also many papers in the literature that disagree with their findings. This is very important. Your discussion should be two-sided, not one-sided. You should not ignore the literature that doesn’t corroborate your findings.
The next step is to explain to your readers how your findings will benefit society and the research community. You have to clearly explain the value of your work to your readers. Here is a discussion example where authors explain the implications of their research.
The results contribute insights with regard to the management of wildfire events using artificial intelligence. One could easily argue that the obvious practical implication of this study is that it proposes utilizing cloud-based machine vision to detect wildfires in real-time, even before the first responders receive emergency calls. _ Your finding _ Implications of your finding
In this paper, the authors are saying that their findings indicate that Artificial intelligence can be used to effectively manage wildfire events. Then, they are talking about the practical implications of their study. They are saying that their work has proven that machine learning can be used to detect wildfires in real-time. This is a great practical application and can save thousands of lives. As you can see, after reading this passage, you can immediately understand the value and significance of the work.
It is very important that you discuss the limitations of your study. Limitations are flaws and shortcomings of your study. You have to tell your readers how your limitations might influence the outcomes and conclusions of your research. Most studies will have some form of limitation. So be honest and don’t hide your limitations. In reality, your readers and reviewers will be impressed with your paper if you are upfront about your limitations.
Study design and small sample size are important limitations. This could have led to an overestimation of the effect. Future research should reconfirm these findings by conducting larger-scale studies. _ Limitation _ How it might affect the results? _ How to fix the limitation?
Here is a discussion example where the author talks about study limitations. The authors are saying that the main limitations of the study are the small sample size and weak study design. Then they explain how this might have affected their results. They are saying that it is possible that they are overestimating the actual effect they are measuring. Then finally they are telling the readers that more studies with larger sample sizes should be conducted to reconfirm the findings.
As you can see, the authors are clearly explaining three things here:
It is important to remember not to end your paper with limitations. Finish your paper on a positive note by telling your readers about the benefits of your research and possible future directions. Here is a discussion example where the author talks about future work.
Our study highlights useful insights about the potential of biomass as a renewable energy source. Future research can extend this research in several ways, including research on how to tackle challenges that hinder the sustainability of renewable energy sources towards climate change mitigation, such as market failures, lack of information and access to raw materials. _ Benefits of your work _ Future work
The authors are starting the final paragraph of the discussion section by highlighting the benefit of their work which is the use of biomass as a renewable source of energy. Then they talk about future research. They are saying that future research can focus on how to improve the sustainability of biomass production. This is a very good example of how to finish the discussion section of your paper on a positive note.
Sometimes you will have negative or unexpected results in your paper. You have to talk about it in your discussion section. A lot of students find it difficult to write this part. The best way to handle this situation is not to look at results as either positive or negative. A result is a result, and you will always have something important and interesting to say about your findings. Just spend some time investigating what might have caused this result and tell your readers about it.
You must talk about the limitations of your work in the discussion section of the paper. One of the important qualities that the scientific community expects from a researcher is honesty and admitting when they have made a mistake. The important trick you have to learn while presenting your limitations is to present them in a constructive way rather than being too negative about them. You must try to use positive language even when you are talking about major limitations of your work.
If you have something exciting to say about your results or found something new that nobody else has found before, then, don’t be modest and use flat language when presenting this in the discussion. Use words like ‘break through’, ‘indisputable evidence’, ‘exciting proposition’ to increase the impact of your findings.
Important thing to remember is not to overstate your findings. If you found something really interesting but are not 100% sure, you must not mislead your readers. The best way to do this will be to use words like ‘it appears’ and ‘it seems’. This will tell the readers that there is a slight possibility that you might be wrong.
In this blog, we will look at best practices for presenting tables and figures in your research paper.
In this blog, we will look at how to use constructive language when critiquing other’s work in your research paper.
In this blog, we will go through a few introduction paragraph examples and understand how to construct a great introduction paragraph for your research paper.
In this blog, we will go through many materials and methods examples and understand how to write a clear and concise method section for your research paper.
In this blog, we will discuss three common mistakes that beginner writers make while writing the research paper introduction.
In this blog, we will teach you how to use specialized terminology in your research papers with some practical examples.
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Published by Carmen Troy at September 19th, 2023 , Revised On July 25, 2024
Critical discussion is the key to writing evidence-based, impact-making essays. If you know the art of writing arguments-based essays with supporting facts and figures, you will likely convince readers to believe in your thesis statement .
Most researchers make the mistake of writing essays without critically discussing their thesis statements with the supporting facts and figures, which can spoil their reputation as impact-creating researchers.
To learn how to critically discuss in an essay is essential for you to establish your authority in literary circles or among readers as a good researcher, you just need to learn some tips and tricks and then practice them to tame your abilities and thinking or writing skills.
An academic writing in which an author makes a claim about how particular ideas or themes are conveyed in a specific text and then supports it with evidence is known as a critical essay.
We often associate the word “critical” with a negative perspective, like identifying flaws and errors in anything, but it means discerning and analytical in the context of a critical essay. Critical essays are written to analyse and evaluate the specific aspects of any theory or idea to issue a verdict about its content or quality.
Critical discussion in an essay refers to the process of examining, analysing, and evaluating various viewpoints, arguments, evidence, and theories related to a particular topic or idea.
For example , analysing the elements of matriarchy in Mary Wollstonecraft’s famous prose “A Vindication of the Rights of Women”.
It not only means description but also requires the writer to engage with the material thoughtfully and reflectively to weave arguments backed with evidence around the topic sentence. To write critically, you need to think critically, which is the base process of writing. There will be no critical writing and discussion without critical thinking.
Critical thinking is a cognitive process involving analysing, evaluating, and synthesising information logically and objectively. It involves analysing and evaluating information to form a judgement or decision about anything.
Let’s discuss what critical discussion is not before moving on to the components of a critical discussion essay. Excessive description of the ideas and repetition of other opinions without critically analysing them in your essay refers to what critical discussion is not.
Let’s have a look at some elements of what critical discussion is not in an essay.
References Devoid of Analysis: Using only other critiques or opinions to support your arguments without presenting your critical views about the topic in the essay is not critical discussion. You need to present your ideas as well along with other people’s ideas in your essay to match the requirements of critical discussion.
Only Description, Not Critical Arguments: You need to present a description of a particular art/ literature/ science work to set the scene or tone of your essay. You must include your critical opinion of the theory, concept, or idea you are discussing to turn your essay into an argumentative essay.
Focusing on Weaker Aspects: Some researchers confuse the word critical with evaluating only negative elements about a particular topic or idea. They get trapped in this confusion and only discuss the weaknesses or negative aspects of the theory or idea being discussed.
However, they are required to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the topic or idea evenly to present a wholesome, critical view of the essay. So, if you only discuss negative aspects in your essay, then it is not considered to be a critically discussed essay.
Quick and Easy Approach: Writing a critical discussion essay takes a lot of work. It requires you to take as much time as you want to read the relevant material, analyse facts and figures, reflect upon the critiques of others, and then formulate a sound argument for your essay to be based upon.
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There are several components of critical discussion that can be used while writing an essay. But we’ll discuss 5 most important and relevant to the critical discussion to help you equip yourself with the necessary critical discussion and writing skills.
To analyse any topic or idea, you need to break down the information collected from different sources into manageable parts to understand how they relate to each other and support the thesis statement.
The evaluation process needs to be performed to determine whether the evidence is reliable, credible, and sufficient to support the claims made and to decide whether to use the collected data in your research study or not.
Also, consider conflicting opinions and viewpoints available to free your study from any kind of bias. It helps you to reach the most likely correct or bias-free conclusion.
After analysing and evaluating the data, you need to synthesise the information in a manageable order to interpret it and turn it into supporting arguments for your essay.
It helps you gain new insights or different perspectives on the topic, which is supposed to result in implications, future directions, or alternative interpretations.
Now, you can utilise the above steps in presenting arguments in a logical order to support your thesis statement of the essay. Also, use extracted evidence and reasons to support your points and persuade the reader. Remember to address potential counterarguments and refute them effectively by using evidence to demonstrate a thorough understanding of the topic and strengthen your position.
Reflective thinking is the key to hunting down your own biases and assumptions involved in your essay discussion. It also helps you to pinpoint stages where different biases might influence your interpretation of the evidence and arguments. Try reflective thinking before and after writing to maintain a critical perspective throughout the essay. It will help you figure out points that might be influenced.
You can write a good critical discussion essay by following the 7 tips discussed below. You just need to follow the tips mentioned in order to write an evidence-based essay. The following tips are mentioned below for writing a perfect essay from scratch.
Always start your essays with a thesis statement clearly indicating your viewpoint about the topic you are going to discuss. If you are struggling to write a clear and concise thesis statement for your essay. Stress no more; we can help you out by doing so.
Essays that include supporting evidence in the form of quotations, textual references, and so on are of more value than essays devoid of any supporting facts and figures. By doing this, you can leave a mark on the audience’s minds by supporting your thesis statement with relevant data.
Make sure to analyse every piece of evidence you use by considering its relevance, reliability, and sufficiency according to your essay. The relevancy of the data used in the essay helps you to establish yourself as a credible researcher.
You can use the quotes and phrases that you have marked as relevant to your field of study in your essay to support your thesis statement. By doing this, readers will realise that you don’t build castles in the air; instead, you use evidence to back your statements,
The readability of your essay depends upon the sentence structure and language you use in your essay. To increase the readability of your essay, use clear and concise language to help readers understand your viewpoint without any confusion. Also, make sure to avoid the use of complicated words, technical terms, and jargon in your essay.
If you want to provide a wholesome view of your essay to the readers, discuss counterarguments and conflicting views about your thesis statement. It helps you to make your readers aware of the other views and convince them with your arguments to support your views.
Consistency is the key to writing perfect essays. All you need to do is maintain your tone and language throughout the essay to comply with the research writing rules and regulations. Try to use tone and language appropriate to your audience and should reflect their level of knowledge about the topic. If you are writing for the masses, explain every abbreviation you use, but it is unnecessary for researchers in the same field.
Structure is the most important element of any essay because it shows the quality or level of logicality in your prose. There are several tips available on how to structure a critical discussion essay. You can follow any format relevant to your topic.
But first, let’s discuss a general structure that needs to be followed for writing a critical discussion essay. The structure of an essay is also referred to as the outline of the essay, so don’t get confused; both words can be used interchangeably.
Introduction
You can follow the above steps to learn how to write a critical discussion in an essay. But make sure to follow the process in logical order and practice to master the art of essay writing. Don’t forget to work on developing critical thinking skills to perfectly craft your essays because they are the backbone of essay writing.
If you still need help writing a good essay , you can get a consultation from our experts and buy our essay writing services at the best prices.
How to critically discuss in an essay.
You need to create an outline first and then write arguments backed with supporting evidence to critically discuss in an essay. You can use research articles, books, and other sources to find supporting evidence for your thesis statement.
There are 5 components of critical discussion in an essay: evaluation, argumentation, analysis, reflective thinking, and interpretation.
You need to brainstorm ideas, research, and select a topic to write a critical discussion essay.
After that, create an outline to write your essay in a logical order.
An essay outline – an underrated part of essay writing – brings forth the structure for the writers as they initiate the essay drafting process.
The length of an academic essay depends on your level and the nature of subject. If you are unsure how long is an essay then this article will guide you.
Not sure about how to organize an essay? This article is designed to provide a brief yet compact view to master the skill of organization of essay.
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We’ve talked about several useful writing tips that authors should consider while drafting or editing their research papers. In particular, we’ve focused on figures and legends , as well as the Introduction , Methods , and Results . Now that we’ve addressed the more technical portions of your journal manuscript, let’s turn to the analytical segments of your research article. In this article, we’ll provide tips on how to write a strong Discussion section that best portrays the significance of your research contributions.
In a nutshell, your Discussion fulfills the promise you made to readers in your Introduction . At the beginning of your paper, you tell us why we should care about your research. You then guide us through a series of intricate images and graphs that capture all the relevant data you collected during your research. We may be dazzled and impressed at first, but none of that matters if you deliver an anti-climactic conclusion in the Discussion section!
Are you feeling pressured? Don’t worry. To be honest, you will edit the Discussion section of your manuscript numerous times. After all, in as little as one to two paragraphs ( Nature ‘s suggestion based on their 3,000-word main body text limit), you have to explain how your research moves us from point A (issues you raise in the Introduction) to point B (our new understanding of these matters). You must also recommend how we might get to point C (i.e., identify what you think is the next direction for research in this field). That’s a lot to say in two paragraphs!
So, how do you do that? Let’s take a closer look.
As we stated above, the goal of your Discussion section is to answer the questions you raise in your Introduction by using the results you collected during your research . The content you include in the Discussions segment should include the following information:
The above list of what to include in the Discussion section gives an overall idea of what you need to focus on throughout the section. Below are some tips and general suggestions about the technical aspects of writing and organization that you might find useful as you draft or revise the contents we’ve outlined above.
Begin the Discussion section by restating your statement of the problem and briefly summarizing the major results. Do not simply repeat your findings. Rather, try to create a concise statement of the main results that directly answer the central research question that you stated in the Introduction section . This content should not be longer than one paragraph in length.
Many researchers struggle with understanding the precise differences between a Discussion section and a Results section . The most important thing to remember here is that your Discussion section should subjectively evaluate the findings presented in the Results section, and in relatively the same order. Keep these sections distinct by making sure that you do not repeat the findings without providing an interpretation.
What do the results mean? It may seem obvious to you, but simply looking at the figures in the Results section will not necessarily convey to readers the importance of the findings in answering your research questions.
The exact structure of interpretations depends on the type of research being conducted. Here are some common approaches to interpreting data:
Organize the Discussion section around key arguments, themes, hypotheses, or research questions or problems. Again, make sure to follow the same order as you did in the Results section.
In addition to providing your own interpretations, show how your results fit into the wider scholarly literature you surveyed in the literature review section. This section is called the implications of the study . Show where and how these results fit into existing knowledge, what additional insights they contribute, and any possible consequences that might arise from this knowledge, both in the specific research topic and in the wider scientific domain.
Questions to ask yourself when dealing with potential implications:
Your purpose in giving the implications is to spell out exactly what your study has contributed and why researchers and other readers should be interested.
All research has study limitations of one sort or another. Acknowledging limitations in methodology or approach helps strengthen your credibility as a researcher. Study limitations are not simply a list of mistakes made in the study. Rather, limitations help provide a more detailed picture of what can or cannot be concluded from your findings. In essence, they help temper and qualify the study implications you listed previously.
Study limitations can relate to research design, specific methodological or material choices, or unexpected issues that emerged while you conducted the research. Mention only those limitations directly relate to your research questions, and explain what impact these limitations had on how your study was conducted and the validity of any interpretations.
Possible types of study limitations:
After discussing the study limitations, you can also stress that your results are still valid. Give some specific reasons why the limitations do not necessarily handicap your study or narrow its scope.
Based on your interpretation and discussion of the findings, your recommendations can include practical changes to the study or specific further research to be conducted to clarify the research questions. Recommendations are often listed in a separate Conclusion section , but often this is just the final paragraph of the Discussion section.
Suggestions for further research often stem directly from the limitations outlined. Rather than simply stating that “further research should be conducted,” provide concrete specifics for how future can help answer questions that your research could not.
As you edit or draft your research manuscript, we hope that you implement these guidelines to produce a more effective Discussion section. And after completing your draft, don’t forget to submit your work to a professional proofreading and English editing service like Wordvice, including our manuscript editing service for paper editing , cover letter editing , SOP editing , and personal statement proofreading services. Language editors not only proofread and correct errors in grammar, punctuation, mechanics, and formatting but also improve terms and revise phrases so they read more naturally. Wordvice is an industry leader in providing high-quality revision for all types of academic documents.
For additional information about how to write a strong research paper, make sure to check out our full research writing series !
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.
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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:
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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.
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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/
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Published on September 18, 2020 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on July 23, 2023.
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.
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The basics of essay structure, chronological structure, compare-and-contrast structure, problems-methods-solutions structure, signposting to clarify your structure, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about essay structure.
There are two main things to keep in mind when working on your essay structure: making sure to include the right information in each part, and deciding how you’ll organize the information within the body.
The three parts that make up all essays are described in the table below.
Part | Content |
---|---|
You’ll also have to consider how to present information within the body. There are a few general principles that can guide you here.
The first is that your argument should move from the simplest claim to the most complex . The body of a good argumentative essay often begins with simple and widely accepted claims, and then moves towards more complex and contentious ones.
For example, you might begin by describing a generally accepted philosophical concept, and then apply it to a new topic. The grounding in the general concept will allow the reader to understand your unique application of it.
The second principle is that background information should appear towards the beginning of your essay . General background is presented in the introduction. If you have additional background to present, this information will usually come at the start of the body.
The third principle is that everything in your essay should be relevant to the thesis . Ask yourself whether each piece of information advances your argument or provides necessary background. And make sure that the text clearly expresses each piece of information’s relevance.
The sections below present several organizational templates for essays: the chronological approach, the compare-and-contrast approach, and the problems-methods-solutions approach.
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The chronological approach (sometimes called the cause-and-effect approach) is probably the simplest way to structure an essay. It just means discussing events in the order in which they occurred, discussing how they are related (i.e. the cause and effect involved) as you go.
A chronological approach can be useful when your essay is about a series of events. Don’t rule out other approaches, though—even when the chronological approach is the obvious one, you might be able to bring out more with a different structure.
Explore the tabs below to see a general template and a specific example outline from an essay on the invention of the printing press.
Essays with two or more main subjects are often structured around comparing and contrasting . For example, a literary analysis essay might compare two different texts, and an argumentative essay might compare the strengths of different arguments.
There are two main ways of structuring a compare-and-contrast essay: the alternating method, and the block method.
In the alternating method, each paragraph compares your subjects in terms of a specific point of comparison. These points of comparison are therefore what defines each paragraph.
The tabs below show a general template for this structure, and a specific example for an essay comparing and contrasting distance learning with traditional classroom learning.
In the block method, each subject is covered all in one go, potentially across multiple paragraphs. For example, you might write two paragraphs about your first subject and then two about your second subject, making comparisons back to the first.
The tabs again show a general template, followed by another essay on distance learning, this time with the body structured in blocks.
An essay that concerns a specific problem (practical or theoretical) may be structured according to the problems-methods-solutions approach.
This is just what it sounds like: You define the problem, characterize a method or theory that may solve it, and finally analyze the problem, using this method or theory to arrive at a solution. If the problem is theoretical, the solution might be the analysis you present in the essay itself; otherwise, you might just present a proposed solution.
The tabs below show a template for this structure and an example outline for an essay about the problem of fake news.
Signposting means guiding the reader through your essay with language that describes or hints at the structure of what follows. It can help you clarify your structure for yourself as well as helping your reader follow your ideas.
In longer essays whose body is split into multiple named sections, the introduction often ends with an overview of the rest of the essay. This gives a brief description of the main idea or argument of each section.
The overview allows the reader to immediately understand what will be covered in the essay and in what order. Though it describes what comes later in the text, it is generally written in the present tense . The following example is from a literary analysis essay on Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein .
Transition words and phrases are used throughout all good essays to link together different ideas. They help guide the reader through your text, and an essay that uses them effectively will be much easier to follow.
Various different relationships can be expressed by transition words, as shown in this example.
Because Hitler failed to respond to the British ultimatum, France and the UK declared war on Germany. Although it was an outcome the Allies had hoped to avoid, they were prepared to back up their ultimatum in order to combat the existential threat posed by the Third Reich.
Transition sentences may be included to transition between different paragraphs or sections of an essay. A good transition sentence moves the reader on to the next topic while indicating how it relates to the previous one.
… Distance learning, then, seems to improve accessibility in some ways while representing a step backwards in others.
However , considering the issue of personal interaction among students presents a different picture.
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The structure of an essay is divided into an introduction that presents your topic and thesis statement , a body containing your in-depth analysis and arguments, and a conclusion wrapping up your ideas.
The structure of the body is flexible, but you should always spend some time thinking about how you can organize your essay to best serve your ideas.
An essay isn’t just a loose collection of facts and ideas. Instead, it should be centered on an overarching argument (summarized in your thesis statement ) that every part of the essay relates to.
The way you structure your essay is crucial to presenting your argument coherently. A well-structured essay helps your reader follow the logic of your ideas and understand your overall point.
Comparisons in essays are generally structured in one of two ways:
It’s also possible to combine both methods, for example by writing a full paragraph on each of your topics and then a final paragraph contrasting the two according to a specific metric.
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.
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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?
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 ...
Compose the body of your essay. 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: Typically, present each issue separately and discuss both sides of the argument in an unbiased manner.
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. Add the main points you'd like to cover to your outline.
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.
Use clear, concise language. Body Paragraph 1: Discuss the first viewpoint. Use a topic sentence to introduce the viewpoint, and then present supporting ideas and examples. Body Paragraph 2: Discuss the second viewpoint. Use a similar structure as the first body paragraph but ensure your points are distinct.
Here, we suggest a possible structure for your essay: 1) Introduction. Introduce the topic and the two opposing views. State your opinion. 2) Body paragraph 1. Topic sentence: describe the view/s that you disagree with. Explanation: explain why some people support this view or provide evidence that supports it.
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 ...
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.
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.
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 ...
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 ...
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.
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.
Instructions: Discuss both sides and give your opinion. Note: the discussion is not more important than the opinion. All parts of the instructions are important to fulfil. Identify both sides of the discussion in the essay question and prepare ideas (reasons why each side is valid) each side is about why other people support that side.
Keep it simple and to the point. You might find some tips to write an effective introduction for IELTS Writing Task 2 below. Use Paragraphs. Break your essay into two paragraphs, with each one focusing on a different point. Start each paragraph with a topic sentence that tells the reader what the paragraph is about.
We will be looking at discussion examples from different fields and of different formats. We have split this section into multiple components so that it is easy for you to digest and understand. 3.1. An example of research summary in discussion. It is a good idea to start your discussion section with the summary of your work.
Tip 1: Start with a Thesis Statement. Always start your essays with a thesis statement clearly indicating your viewpoint about the topic you are going to discuss. If you are struggling to write a clear and concise thesis statement for your essay. Stress no more; we can help you out by doing so.
Write great discussion board posts by following these steps: 1. Understand. Carefully read the discussion instructions. Think about how this post is related to what you are learning about in your course. Note any required reading you need to complete. Identify all the key terms in the assignment directions. Underline or highlight all the action ...
Begin the Discussion section by restating your statement of the problem and briefly summarizing the major results. Do not simply repeat your findings. Rather, try to create a concise statement of the main results that directly answer the central research question that you stated in the Introduction section.
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 ...
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.
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 ...