Mastering Essay Writing and Discursive Modes

Posted on Jul 10, 2025 in Philosophy and ethics

Understanding the Essay as a Literary Genre

The essay is one of the most popular and cultivated literary genres today. It is a written statement presenting a personal and subjective interpretation of any subject, without necessarily delving into exhaustive detail. Essays can be historical, philosophical, scientific, and more.

Characteristics of the Essay

Though a very mixed genre, the essay typically exhibits the following characteristics:

  • Variety and breadth of topics: Literary, philosophical, religious, humanistic, and so on.
  • Freedom of tone and style.
  • Relatively short.
  • Open structure: Not subject to strict formal limits.
  • Conceptual, expository, and discursive language.
  • Elegant and engaging style.

Related Literary Forms

Some forms related to the essay genre include:

  • Booklet/Brochure: Shorter than a book, often synonymous, though a booklet might imply more substantive content than a simple brochure.
  • Address: A formal speech or written statement presenting one’s thoughts to an audience with a conclusive aim.
  • Pamphlet: A small, unbound booklet or leaflet, often for propaganda or information.
  • Article: A short text on a specific subject or area.
  • Manifesto: A public declaration of intentions, opinions, or motives by an individual or group.
  • Study and Treatise: Lengthy texts designed to systematize knowledge on a particular subject.

Discursive Modes

1) Exposition

Exposition is the presentation of any subject to make it known and understood by others. The tone of an expository text is objective, and the vocabulary used is accurate and appropriate.

Structure of Expository Texts

The most common structure for an expository text distinguishes three parts:

  1. Introduction: Presents the main idea or thesis.
  2. Development: The thesis is illustrated with examples and data, providing a general explanation of the idea.
  3. Conclusion: Summarizes the ideas derived from the preceding sections.

Organization of Expository Content

The contents of an expository text can be organized in five main ways:

  1. Chronological Order: What happens before and after, or vice versa.
  2. Order of Importance: From most to least important, or vice versa.
  3. Comparison and Contrast: Comparing or opposing two things.
  4. Cause-Effect Relationships: Or vice versa.
  5. Examples and Data: Used to support the thesis.

2) Argumentation

Argumentation is a discourse variety that seeks to defend an opinion and persuade a receiver using evidence and reasoning, drawing from disciplines like logic, dialectic, and rhetoric.

Elements of Argumentative Essays

An argumentative essay typically has two main elements:

  • The thesis: The fundamental idea on which to reflect and argue.
  • The body of the argument: Provides all kinds of “reasons” that allow the author to convince the recipient. These are called arguments.

Basic Argument Structures

The basic ways to structure these arguments are:

  • Inductive Structure: The final thesis serves as the conclusion of the entire argumentative process.
  • Repetitive Structure: The same argument is repeated throughout the text.
  • Deductive Structure: Starts with a general idea to reach a concrete conclusion.
  • Parallel Structure: Different viewpoints are argued simultaneously.
  • Framed Structure: Begins with a general idea, develops arguments, and concludes with a final thesis.

Types of Arguments

By Persuasiveness
  • Relevance: Arguments are relevant if they relate to or reinforce the thesis.
  • Validity: Arguments are valid if they lead to the desired conclusion. Otherwise, they are fallacious or false.
  • Force: Refers to how easily an argument can be disputed (weak vs. strong arguments).
By Function
  • Support Arguments
  • Concessions
  • Refutations
By Purpose

A) Rational Arguments: Based on logical relationships such as cause-effect, concrete-abstract, condition-result, or general-specific.

  • Syllogism: An argument consisting of two premises and a conclusion.
  • Examples: Using data, stories, anecdotes, etc.
  • Common Sense: Employing proverbs, maxims, or widely accepted truths.
  • Argument from Authority: Citing experts, thinkers, or writers.

B) Affective or Emotional Arguments: Differ from rational arguments in their use of language, seeking expressive values through stylistic devices. Connotative values predominate, similar to literary texts. These are generally inadequate for scientific texts.