A teacher gives the following assignment to her students of class VIII. What type of writing would this be described as?
In pairs, brainstorm, jot down ideas and develop them into a good write-up giving two arguments in favour and two against the topic, Students do not need to have printed books any more.

The correct option is Discursive writing.

Explanation:

Writing can be categorized into various types depending on its purpose, structure, and tone. Let us analyze the requirement of the teacher's assignment and understand why it falls under discursive writing:

1. Understanding Discursive Writing:
Discursive writing involves presenting a balanced, reasoned presentation of a topic where arguments both for and against an issue are discussed. The writer explores different perspectives (pros and cons) before reaching a well-supported conclusion. In this task, students are explicitly asked to give "two arguments in favour and two against the topic", which is the hallmark of discursive writing.

2. Why other options are incorrect:

• Personal writing: This type of writing focuses on the writer's personal experiences, thoughts, or feelings (e.g., diary entries, personal letters or reflections). It does not require presenting formal balanced arguments.
• Expository writing: The main objective of expository writing is to inform, explain, or describe a topic using facts, statistics, or instructions objectively, without presenting balanced debate arguments.
• Descriptive writing: This style aims to create a vivid picture of a person, place, object, or scene using sensory details (sight, sound, smell, touch, taste), rather than arguing or presenting viewpoints on an issue.

Thus, an assignment requiring students to weigh arguments both in favour of and against a given topic is best described as Discursive writing.