Guide to Discussion Skills

Asking questions and joining in discussions are important skills for university study. In many subjects, you will receive marks for tutorial participation and part of this mark reflects how active you have been in tutorial discussions.

Why have discussions at university?

• To understand a subject or topic area more deeply.
• To explore ideas and exchange information.
• To expand and clarify your knowledge.
• To improve your ability to think critically.
• To improve your language skills.
• To increase your confidence in speaking.
• A discussion can change your attitudes and ideas.
• A discussion can helps a group make a particular decision or come to a conclusion.
• A discussion gives you the chance to hear the thoughts and ideas of other students.

Strategies for improving discussion skills for tutorials and seminars

If you find it difficult to speak or ask questions in tutorials and seminars, try the following strategies.

Observe

Attend as many seminars and tutorials as possible and notice what other students do. Ask yourself:

• How do other students enter into the discussion?
• How do they ask questions?
• How do they disagree with or support the topic?
• How do other students make critical comments?
• What special phrases do they use to show politeness even when they are voicing disagreement?
• How do they signal to ask a question or make a point?

Learn to listen

Listening is an essential skill and an important element of any discussion. Effective listeners don't just hear what is being said, they think about it and actively process it.

• Be an active listener and don't let your attention drift. Stay attentive and focus on what is being said.
• Identify the main ideas being discussed.
• Evaluate what is being said. Think about how it relates to the main idea/ theme of the tutorial discussion.
• Listen with an open mind and be receptive to new ideas and points of view. Think about how they fit in with what you have already learnt.
• Test your understanding. Mentally paraphrase what other speakers say.
• Ask yourself questions as you listen. Take notes during class about things to which you could respond.

Prepare

You can't contribute to a discussion unless you are well-prepared. Attend lectures and make sure you complete any assigned readings or tutorial assignments. If you don't understand the material or don't feel confident about your ideas, speak to your tutor or lecturer outside of class.

Practise

Practise discussing course topics and materials outside class. Start in an informal setting with another student or with a small group.

Begin by asking questions of fellow students. Ask them about:

• the course material
• their opinions
• information or advice about the course

Practice listening and responding to what they say. Try out any discipline-specific vocabulary or concepts.

Becoming accustomed to expressing your views outside class will help you develop skills you can take into the more formal environment of a tutorial group.

Participate

If you find it difficult to participate in tutorial discussion, set yourself goals and aim to increase your contribution each week.

An easy way to participate is to add to the existing discussion. Start by making small contributions:

• agree with what someone has said or;
• ask them to expand on their point (ask for an example or for more information)
• prepare a question to ask beforehand.

You can then work up to:

• answering a question put to the group
• providing an example for a point under discussion
• disagreeing with a point.

Tutorial participation: Voicing an opinion and arguing a point effectively

What is an argument?

To 'argue' in an academic context is to put forward an opinion through the process of reasoning, supported by evidence. An argument attempts to persuade through rational and critical judgement. In academic writing an argument is sometimes called a claim or a thesis statement, which is also supported with evidence.

How do we argue at university?

The everyday meaning of the term argument suggests a fight: an aggressive conflict or confrontation between adversaries, where one tries to dominate the other in order to 'win'. At university this kind of arguing is not appropriate. The aim of academic argument is to explore a question, a proposition or an area of knowledge and achieve reasoned mutual understanding. It is not important who 'wins'—what matters most is the quality of the argument itself. When you engage in academic argument in your tutorial discussions, you are developing your ideas, advancing and clarifying your knowledge and learning to think critically.