It can be tricky to understand how narrative writing (which is usually fictional, for the

purposes of telling a story to entertain us), can be used in presenting historical facts.
Similarly, understanding the differences between techniques such as discursive and
argumentative and persuasive can be difficult. Writers try to accomplish different
things in different types of writing. The goal of any piece of writing dictates the format
and style of that piece. There are different forms and many of them are quite similar.
However, each has unique requirements that make it different from the others. Two
such similar styles are the discursive and the argumentative. The difference between
the two lies in the purpose and structure of the piece being written.
Discursive Purpose
The goal of discursive writing is to present a balanced and objective examination of a
subject. Like an argumentative text, the topic may be controversial, but the
discursive text attempts to present a much more balanced discussion of the issue. It
does not, however, have to be expressly neutral. The text should present both sides
of the discussion, supported by facts and research. The author may draw tentative
conclusions about the subject and suggest them to the reader.
Discursive Style
The discursive style is written in a more formal and impersonal style than other texts.
It begins with an introduction to the topic. Each issue should be discussed in a
separate paragraph and each paragraph should begin with a strong topic sentence.
The essay will typically alternate a paragraph of point followed by a paragraph of
counterpoint. Discursive writing often has transitional wording leading into the next
paragraph. The writer may choose to either express a low-key opinion in the final
paragraph or leave readers to draw their own conclusions.
Argumentative Purpose
The writer of an argumentative text attempts to clearly present a strong position on a
particular topic. Its purpose is to both educate and persuade the reader on a
particular point of view. In this regard it is similar to persuasive writing, but generally
presents its view in a stronger, perhaps more controversial, way. It may target an
audience that is more resistant to its viewpoint or message.
Argumentative Style
Argumentative texts follow a general format. The writer states an initial thesis that
contains the point of view for which the author is arguing. The body generally
presents both sides of the argument, although each con is refuted in turn. The author
may first present the pros of the argument, then offer the cons and refutation later in
one paragraph. Or, each con may be both presented and refuted in an individual
paragraph. The author presents the desired conclusion in the final paragraph.
History
A history text will describe an argument or claim about one or more historical events
and will support that claim with evidence, arguments and references. The text makes
it clear to the reader why the argument or claim is as such. As with discursive writing,
the history text should present a balanced and objective examination of the subject.
The best history writing allows the facts to speak for themselves and the reader to
make up their own mind. However, some history texts follow the argumentative
format, in which the writer will take up a position at the outset and offer information to
support this view, or to persuade the reader that the position taken by the writer is
valid. The danger in using the argumentative, or persuasive format for historical
writing, is that information which does not agree with the writers views is left out or
neglected the result is then that it is not a true history, but simply a piece of
propaganda which is being written.
Narrative
In narrative prose, the writer is concerned with two basic objectives:

1. to give the reader all the necessary and relevant information so that characters
and events in his narrative are explained, or make sense;
2. to promote and sustain the reader's interest and curiosity, offering the interesting,
the unusual, or the intriguing in character and situation.

The second aspect will be in particular evidence at the beginning of a work, while in
the same way a sense of drama or suspense often accompanies passages that
close a chapter or section. Narrative prose will be either first or third person
narrative. The first person, or 'I' narrative generally produces a more personal,
intimate form of communication. The reader is drawn in to share the writer's
experience and a sense of sympathy or understanding is frequently developed, even
when the narrator is seen to transgress moral or legal norms. The third person
narrative is more 'detached', yet its scope is wider. The writer (and the reader
following him) assumes a 'godlike' perspective above the action, showing us all
things at all times and leading us into the minds and hearts and motives of all his
main characters.
A narrative uses tools such as flashbacks, flash-forwards, and transitions that often
build to a climax. The focus of a narrative is the plot. When creating a narrative,
authors must determine their purpose, consider their audience, establish their point
of view, use dialogue, and organize the narrative. A narrative is usually arranged
chronologically.
Narrative style can be used for just about any purpose, provided it is correctly
formed. For example, we may examine the events of the French Revolution using
the narrative form, in which we might tell a story about a fictional character who
experiences the events, as in the book Les Miserables. Our story will be backed up
by research of course, but the result will be called historical fiction, since its primary
aim is to entertain the reader and to fulfil the purpose of narrative writing (telling a
story), rather than to impartially examine and relate historical events.
Narrative is the most common type of prose found in novels and stories. Basically it
relates to any sort of writing that tells a story, or develops a plot. If a given extract
deals with events or situations, they are likely to be those of a particularly telling or
significant nature (for the characters or the author); if it deals with a character, it will
illuminate something important about that character in action.
The exception to narrative being classed as historical fiction, is when the historical
events are written as a diary or journal or autobiography: in other words, written by
the person who has actually experienced the events. For example, The diaries of
Josef Goebbels are an account of the rise to power and eventual collapse of the
Third Reich under Adolf Hitler. But it is a diary, and therefore it expresses personal
opinions about people and events and is subjective in nature. Compare this with
William L Shirers Rise and Fall of the Third Reich, which is a discursive history and
presents a balanced, objective view of the events described.
Similarly, we can read the works of Caesar Claudius, in which he records the history
of his family, who ruled the Roman Empire for four generations before him, and
although Claudius is very careful to record events factually and without bias, he still
expresses his own views and opinions: naturally, he lived through them all and the
events are described, in part from his own viewpoint. This history is presented in the
form of a narrative, but it is because the text is partly diary, partly autobiography,
partly biography, and its main purpose is not to tell a story or entertain, that it is not
classed as historical fiction. In this case, the story unfolds because of the form used
to present the facts, but there is no planes use of literary devices such as plot,
characterisation etc.
Compare this with the works of other Roman historians, for example Pliny, and you
will see that Plinys histories are not written in narrative style. You will also see that
even as far back as Roman times, historians used a mixture of discursive and
argumentative techniques in their writing.
So, the easy way to remember when to use narrative and discursive is:
Im telling a story narrative
Im examining the facts discursive
Hope this helps