sqa higher english discursive essay template

SQA English Discursive Essay

Anyone studying SQA English at either National 5 or Higher level will know that part of your assessment is your folio containing two essays. One of these essays will be a discursive essay in which you will be discussing a particular topic and offering arguments either for, against or both. 

A discursive essay usually takes the form of a persuasive essay or an argumentative essay. 

Here is everything you need to know about writing your SQA English discursive essay

• Persuasive essays
• What is an argumentative essay? 

Choosing your topic

Where should you search for information , how to structure your essay, what is good supporting evidence , tips for writing your sqa english essay, p ersuasive essay s.

If you decide to write a persuasive essay you will be arguing for or against a particular topic. This means you will be trying to convince the reader why they should agree with your particular stance.  

You can build your argument by offering supporting evidence and using persuasive language. 

What is meant by persuasive language? 

You need to persuade the reader about your stance on the topic and help convince them about the points you are making. Here are some things you can include in your essay to help with this: 

• Anecdotes from personal experience 
• Statistics 
• Quotation from a famous person or an expert 
• Ask the reader a rhetorical question 
• Criticise opposing arguments/viewpoints 
• Involve the reader by using words such as ‘we’ or ‘us’
• Use emotive language 

You should also identify one or two possible counter-arguments (what someone arguing against you would say) and diminish them. However, be careful not to include too many counter-arguments. After all your arguments should outweigh the counter-arguments. 

Argumentative essays 

An argumentative essay will discuss the topic in a balanced way and take into account the arguments for and against. Your tone should remain neutral and consider all of the evidence equally. 

Your most important or strongest argument should come first. Make the reader aware of all of the facts and information about the topic. 

It can be hard to choose a topic. Try to pick something you will find interesting. Remember you will spend several months working on your essay and the last thing you want is to become bored with it. 

Where can you find some ideas?  

• News Programmes 
• Documentaries
• Newspapers (not tabloid) 
• TED Talks 
• Current Affairs Programmes i.e Question Time or Newsnight 

Avoid talking about subjects that are sensitive, controversial or extremely popular (examiners will be fed up reading the same topics over and over again). Remember, there is no way of knowing who will be marking your essay. 

Topics to avoid  

• Euthanasia 
• Abortion 
• Should school uniform be abolished?
• Capital punishment 
• Animal testing or cruelty 
• Cosmetic surgery 
• Quality newspapers 
• Government websites 
• Reports from private or public organisations 
• Reports 
• Books (non-fiction or reference) 

Try to select sources that are reliable and as up to date as possible. Remember to keep a record of any source you use as you will need to list them all in your bibliography. Most computers allow you to save articles to a reading list. 

Example – Studying a foreign language should be compulsory in schools

When building your argument you should offer some supporting evidence to back up the points you are making such as:

• Statistics or graphs
• Real life examples
• Case studies or anecdotes
• Quotes from experts 
• Try to carry out some research before you start writing your essay. This means you will have all of your facts at the ready.
• Don’t wait until the last minute to start writing your essay. You will have plenty of time so use it wisely.
• Double check your spelling and grammar.
• Write an interersting introduction that will capture the reader’s attention.
• Your conclusion should not just be a repetition of what you said in your essay. Instead use this to reinforce your stance and remind the reader of the key points of your essay.
• Don’t copy phrases or paragraphs directly from sources (unless you are quoting). This is called plagiarism and you could be penalised for this.

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Higher persuasive- folio 1 including linking and structure workshop notes.

• NEVER WRITE ‘THIS ESSAY WILL BE ABOUT OR I AM GOING TO DISCUSS/WRITE ABOUT!’
• Use as many persuasive techniques as possible
•    You need to back up your points with evidence but you can bend this evidence. i.e. 52% becomes ‘over half’ or ‘the majority’.

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Sqa – national 5 and higher folio template.

From 2016 onwards all National 5 and Higher English portfolios will be e-marked, and e-marking requires each candidate’s portfolio to be scanned. To ensure complete accuracy in the scanning process, an electronic template must be used. The template is available in Word format.

• Both folio pieces should be included on one document. Clear headings should be used to make it obvious where one ends and the next begins
• The candidate’s SCN (Scottish Candidate Number), and a page number must be added to the foot of every page in the template, using the boxes provided. These are for the purposes of identification. If you are unsure of your Scottish Candidate Number you can check the Year Group Notice Board or ask your Head of Year.
• Please ensure that the pieces follow the order of the flyleaf, ie. broadly creative followed by broadly discursive.
• You must include your word count for each piece of writing and your list of sources. A list of sources is adequate as footnotes will not transfer on to the template .

It is recommended that the portfolio pieces are printed double-sided where possible. Please do not use staples to collate the pages, as this will disrupt the scanning process. Please also ensure that your work is printed clearly (eg. no print leakage) so that it is legible on screen.

If you have any questions, then please check the following document or ask your teacher for guidance:

Candidate_Portfolio_Submission_Instructions

English_N5_Higher_Portfolio

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40 x Higher English A grade folio essays: creative, reflective, persuasive, discursive.

Subject: English

Age range: 11-14

Resource type: Other

Last updated

25 February 2019

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From session 2019/20 onwards, the word count for the Advanced Higher English project: dissertation will increase to a maximum of 3,500 words (was previously 3,000 words). None of these examples reflect the revised word count however, they all remain valid and continue to exemplify national standards. Please also note that the marking instructions for the project dissertation have not changed. You should view these materials in conjunction with the revised Advanced Higher English course specification. https://www.sqa.org.uk/files_ccc/AHCourseSpecEnglish.pdf 

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