A discussion text can be defined as a text which presents a problematic discourse. This problem will be discussed from different viewpoints. Discussion is commonly found in philosophical, historic, and social text.
Generic Structure of Discussion
The structure of a discussion text comprises:
Statement of issue: Stating the issue which is to discussed;
List of supporting points: Presenting the points in supporting the presented issue;
List of contrastive points: Presenting other points which disagree to the supporting point;
Recommendation: Stating the writer’ recommendation of the discourse
Language Feature of Discussion
Introducing category or generic participant
Using thinking verb; feel, hope, believe, etc
Using additive, contrastive, and causal connection; similarly, on the hand, however, etc
Using modalities; must, should, could, may, etc
Using adverbial of manner; deliberately, hopefully, etc
Example 1
Hacking: Pro and Contra?
Do you know what a hacker is? Well, a hacker is a person who enjoys exploring the details of programmable systems on computers and they like to stretch the capability of the systems. And you know what, the activities they do in the computers are called ‘hacking’.
So, what’s the problem with ‘hacking and its hackers’? Well, the problem is whether ‘hacking and its hackers’ is legal or illegal? What I mean is that people in the world have many different views about hacking and the hackers. Some of them take sides, but many object.
To get back to what I was saying previously, let us see the positive points of a hacker, shall we? Although in most places breaking into computer systems is considered illegal, I believe that hackers don’t do anything illegal because they only want to know and try the systems. I dare to say that a hacker likes finding the strengths and the weaknesses of a computer system. They feel proud if they can find the weaknesses. So I don’t really see the crimes in this case. In addition, these hackers sometimes help the police catch the ‘white collar criminals’, such as bank robbers, money launderers, credit card forgers. For example, in 2000, the U.S. hackers caught some Singaporean hackers who made ‘Virus Love’ to break up the programs of the U.S. National Security system.

Get Help With Your Essay
If you need assistance with writing your essay, our professional essay writing service is here to help!
Essay Writing Service

Nevertheless, those who object to the good points of a hacker say that hacking is a crime. The reason is that some hackers use their brilliant skills to break into banks and other vital institutions where they can get money, destroy information, and the worst thing is they can get secret information and sell it to another country. This is a treachery.
Take for example, in 1994, The U.S. government broke a conspiracy of computer hackers out of Majorca, Spain. These hackers were responsible for accessing and eliminating 190,000 telephone credit card numbers over computer bulletin boards in America and Europe. Seeing this fact, I don’t blame those who think negatively about hackers.
To put the whole thing in a nut shell, I personally think that hackers are not bad people with their brilliant skills. However, they could be bad because of money orientation to get the wealth. That’s just the point.
Comprehension Questions:
What is the main idea of the text?
Where is the information about the main idea located?
What supporting details can be found in the text?
What is the function of the text?
How do you know?
What are the generic structures of the text?
Can you identify each of the feature (generic structure) in the text? In which sentence?
What are the language features of text?
Example 2
Birth Control
Most people agree that some form of family limitation or spacing is desirable for the good of the family and society. But individuals and groups-especially religious groups-differ sharply on the methods of birth control that they consider moral and acceptable.
Couples that practice birth control do so for various reasons. They may want to limit or space their children, or to have no children at all. Young couples often postpone having children so that both partners can work full-time. Other couples space their children so they can give each child as much attention as possible. Some women are advised by their doctors to avoid pregnancy for health reasons. In many countries with rapidly growing populations, the government encourages couples to limit the size of their families.
Even though birth control has gained in acceptance, opposition to the practice is continuous. Some people fear that birth control encourages sexual relations outside marriage or that government might impose birth control. Some religious groups oppose birth control on moral grounds.
Some religious groups teach that artificial methods of birth control are immoral because they separate the two purposes of intercourse in marriage-conjugal love and the procreation of children. Although they oppose all artificial birth control, they consider natural family planning acceptable.
Comprehension Questions:
What is the main idea of the text?
Where is the information about the main idea located?
What supporting details can be found in the text?
What is the function of the text?
How do you know?
What are the generic structures of the text?
Can you identify each of the feature (generic structure) in the text? In which sentence?
What are the language features of text?
Example 3
Convenience or Care?
When something issued by someone, we say it has been consumed. We as consumers use many things, both natural and processed. We consume more of the Earth’s resources than other animals do and, as a result, we cause problems for the environment.
Like all animals, we need clean air and water, food and shelter for survival. Unlike other animals, however, we have certain “want”. These are items that are not necessary for our survival, but that we want because they make our lives easier or more enjoyable.
Environments claims that a great deal of waste is created by both the production and the consumption of these items or product. Disposable products, such a pens, take away food containers, plates, shavers and cutlery, are made using the Earth’s resources. When these products are thrown away, the resources are lost.
Another example of waste is the unnecessary packaging on many products. The material is often not recycled and used again.
Throwing thing away also increases pollution. The amount of disposable plastic litter that ends up in waterways is a serious problem. When this waste reaches the oceans, it can kill marine life.
Industrialist counter these arguments with their own point of view. They claim that consumer’s expect to be able to purchase food which is attractively presented, prepackaged to extent its life and easy to store. In a busy society, convenience is a priority. Products which make life easier, era in demand. Industrialist argue that they cater to this perceived need.
Packaging is also big business and provides jobs for many people who might otherwise be unemployed and a burden to society.
Environmentalist declare that for thousands of year, people survived perfectly well with re-usable products. However, people of the twenty-first century have become used to wing in a ‘thrown-away’ society. It is up to each one of us to dispose of waste products carefully, recycle as much as possible and to reduce the stress on our environment. Think when buying pre-packaged goods and consider whether the same products can be bought without the extra wrappings. Let’s make the best of what we have.
Comprehension Questions:
What is the main idea of the text?
Where is the information about the main idea located?
What supporting details can be found in the text?
What is the function of the text?
How do you know?
What are the generic structures of the text?
Can you identify each of the feature (generic structure) in the text? In which sentence?
What are the language features of text?
Example 4
Gift Card Bring Advantages and Disadvantages
Gift cards become more popular during recent years. For example, in one season of holiday, sales reach $19 billion in United Stated and seem to grow more in the following season due to their convenience in the side of consumers and retailers.
In retailers side, gift cards bring them some benefits. Selling gift card in simply selling product. When the cards are sold, they will get benefit. Additionally, gift card tends to be a matter of image and trend which means it is not strictly influenced by the functionality. Since gift card is the trend, the sales will increase significantly.
However, there is potential disadvantages in the side of consumers. For example, itune gift cards apply process in the way of completing the shopping. they need do one step to another steps in processing the shopping. Likely, most of the steps apply time and date of validity or expiration. When certain step loose that validating date, the gift cards may be in risk. The gift card can be rejected to redeem. Again, in retailers side, producing card its self is costly. It means that there is additional cost which retailers have to pay.
In whatever thing, we need to be wise. if we can use that gift.
Comprehension Questions:
What is the main idea of the text?
Where is the information about the main idea located?
What supporting details can be found in the text?
What is the function of the text?
How do you know?
What are the generic structures of the text?
Can you identify each of the feature (generic structure) in the text? In which sentence?
What are the language features of text?
Example 5
The advantages and Disadvantages of Distance Learning
A few years ago, distance learning was seen as an inferior way but nowadays even famous and established traditional colleges and universities are providing distance learning courses and it is generally considered a way to improve one’s life.
However, people still argue whether distance learning give more advantage or disadvantage. Some of them who see the benefit of distance learning will say that distance learning needs no commuting. Of course it saves money and time that students would take. Furthermore, distance learning can be done at any student’s convenience. Mostly of the classes of distance learning are asynchronous. It means that students do not have to attend a lecture at a fixed particular time and place. Students can review the assignments and do their homework during off-hours or from home. Additionally, distance learning gives more accessibility. No one can deny it. People with limited mobility may encounter the problem when they take traditional class. With the online class system, the problem is absent.
Despite the many advantages, the other people will see that distance learning is costly and needs complex technology. To attend online learning, student must have a computer with possibly access to the internet. Admitted or not, such technology devices are not always available for common students. Another disadvantage of distance learning is that it does not provide immediate feedback. Unlikely traditional classroom, students have to wait for the feedback and comment until the instructor has review the works and sent response to them. Most of the time students will study alone. Distance learners may feel isolated or miss that social physical interaction that comes with attending a traditional classroom
Regarding the individual’s learning style, some students are able to learn when there is a live interaction between them and the available of accompanying teacher while others don’t really need it. So before deciding a choice of attending distance learning or not, each student needs to do a fair analysis regarding the kind of person he/she is.
Comprehension Questions:
What is the main idea of the text?
Where is the information about the main idea located?
What supporting details can be found in the text?
What is the function of the text?
How do you know?
What are the generic structures of the text?
Can you identify each of the feature (generic structure) in the text? In which sentence?
What are the language features of text?
Example 6
Pros and Cons
National exam becomes the hot topic in most of discussions. Though the Supreme Court has rejected an appeal by the go-vernment on the organization of the national exams, the controversy over whether it is necessary to maintain the national exams (UN) has continued. Some debates include the primary questions such as; does the quality of Indonesia education depend on the national exam?, will the quality of the Indonesian education system worsen without natipnal exam?
People, who support the national exam explain that the quality of the Indonesia education system will drop without the national exam, so they try to defend the current system.
Hoever there are people who disagree with the opinion. Those who against this national exam kept in our high school education say that it doesn’t need the national exams because the quality of education does not just depend on the national exam. Further, the national exam only measures a small portion of students’ competence in specific subjects, and does not measure students’ competences throughout the semester.
In fact, the national examination can still be useful as an instrument to evaluate or detect the level of students’ cognitive competence in several subjects, on a national scale.
Comprehension Questions:
What is the main idea of the text?
Where is the information about the main idea located?
What supporting details can be found in the text?
What is the function of the text?
How do you know?
What are the generic structures of the text?
Can you identify each of the feature (generic structure) in the text? In which sentence?
What are the language features of text?
Example 7
The Advantage and Disadvantage of Nuclear Power
Nuclear power is generated by using uranium which is a metal mined in various part of the world. The first large scale of nuclear power station was opened at Calder Hall in Cumbria, England in 1956.
Some military ships and submarines have nuclear power plant for engine. Nuclear power produces around 11% of the world’s energy needed, and produces huge amounts of energy. It cause no pollution as we would get when burning fossil fuels. The advantages of nuclear plant are as follow:
It costs about the same coal, so it is not expansive to make.
It does not produce smoke or carbon dioxide, so it does not contribute to the greenhouse effect.
It produces huge amounts of energy from small amount of uranium.
It produces small amount of waste.
It is reliable.
On the other hand, nuclear power is very, very dangerous. It must be sealed up and buried for many years to allow the radioactivity to die away. Furthermore, although it is reliable, a lot of money has to be spent on safety because if it does go wrong, a nuclear accident ca be a major accident.
People are increasingly concerned about this matter. In the 1990’s nuclear power was the fastest growing source of power in many parts of the world.
Note on the Generic Structure of Discussion Text
Discussion is a process to find the meet point between two different ideas. It is important to to get the understanding between the two differences. In many social activities, discussion is the effective way to calm down any friction and difference in thought, perception and recommendation.
This example of discussion text present the two poles, between the advantage and disadvantage of using nuclear plant to fulfill the energy needed. It is a case which need to be talked and discussed from two points. They are represented in the generic structure which is used:
Stating the Issue: In the first paragraph, it is stated that using nuclear power can be the choice in fulfilling the needed energy.
Supporting Point: In the second paragraph, it is presented the advantages of nuclear power plant to be used as the source of the world’s energy needed
Contrastive Point: The third paragraph shows the balance. It gives the contradictory idea in using nuclear power plant as the resource of energy.
Recommendation: This text is ended with a similar recommendation on how people should concern in the matter of nuclear energy.
Comprehension Questions:
What is the main idea of the text?
Where is the information about the main idea located?
What supporting details can be found in the text?
What is the function of the text?
How do you know?
What are the generic structures of the text?
Can you identify each of the feature (generic structure) in the text? In which sentence?
What are the language features of text?
Example 8
Hunting Fox
Foxhunting is a subject that provokes very strong feelings. Many people believe that it is cruel to hunt a fox with dogs and totally agree with its ban.
Many farmer and even conservationists, however, have always argue that the fox is a pest which attacks livestock and must be controlled.
(Taken from: www.bbc.co.uk)
Comprehension Questions:
What is the main idea of the text?
Where is the information about the main idea located?
What supporting details can be found in the text?
What is the function of the text?
How do you know?
What are the generic structures of the text?
Can you identify each of the feature (generic structure) in the text? In which sentence?
What are the language features of text?