draft an essay on group discussion

How to write a discussion essay

September 21, 2023

A discussion essay, also called a controversial essay, is where you express your opinion about a topic. When writing one,

Cover both sides of the topic , present the key points that back your viewpoint and the opposing one.
Ensure a multi-faceted understanding of the issues before presenting your own personal views and conclusions.

So let’s deeply explore the structure and components of a successful discussion paper.

Quick summary

Carefully read and comprehend the essay prompt.
Select a topic that leads to multiple viewpoints and debates.
Begin with a clear introduction that includes a strong thesis statement.
Discuss different viewpoints or/and arguments in separate body paragraphs.
Maintain a balanced approach by presenting viewpoints fairly.
Summarize the main ideas and restate your thesis statement , then end your essay.

Choose a controversial topic

Choosing a topic is the first step when starting your essay. When choosing a topic , make sure it is something that you are personally interested in as it will be easier for you to write.

Now let’s have a look at discussion essay topic examples.

Should Capital Punishment be Abolished?
Is Genetic Engineering Ethical for Humans?
Should Schools Implement Mandatory Vaccination Policies?
Is Nuclear Energy a Viable Solution to the Energy Crisis?

After choosing the essay topic, you should create your outline to finish planning your essay.

Create an outline

The outline allows you to understand how to combine all the information and thesis statement to support claims of your essay.

Create a basic outline for your discussion essay. Start with a preliminary version of your thesis statement, main argument, opposing argument, and other main points.

Here is an outline example for a discussion essay.

Discussion essay outline example

Title: The Ethics of Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare

Start with a strong and engaging opening.
Introduce the topic and its relevance.
Present the thesis statement that highlights the ethical considerations in AI integration in healthcare.
Begin with a clear topic sentence about AI's role in diagnosis.
Explain AI's superiority in analyzing medical data and images.
Provide an example of AI detecting diseases early.
Discuss concerns about the potential effects on human expertise.
Introduce the focus on personalized treatment.
Explain how AI can customize therapies based on individual data.
Give an example of optimizing medical outcomes.
Raise ethical issues about privacy, consent, and data security.
Start with a topic sentence about accountability.
Discuss the challenge of assigning blame in AI-related errors.
Address the importance of unbiased AI algorithms.
Mention the need for regulation and oversight.
Restate the significance of the ethical landscape of AI in healthcare.
Summarize the core points discussed in the body paragraphs.
Reiterate the importance of balancing AI advancements with ethical considerations.
End with a call to uphold ethical principles in the integration of AI in healthcare.

So now that you’ve seen an outline example, l et’s start writing your essay with an introduction.

Write your introduction

Start with an attention-grabbing opening ( hook sentence ) that piques the reader's curiosity and encourages them to continue reading.
Provide a brief background or context for the topic you'll be discussing.
Seamlessly transition from the general to the specific focus of your essay. Guide the reader to understand what to expect from the essay.
End your introduction with a strong and clear thesis statement.

Discussion essay introduction example

Introduction

Now that we have written our introduction, we can move on to the discussion parts.

Compose the body of your essay

Write down the main points of the body paragraphs of your discussion paper. A well-written body paragraph illustrates, justifies, and/or supports your thesis statement. When writing body paragraphs:

Typically, present each issue separately and discuss both sides of the argument in an unbiased manner.
Start each paragraph with a topic sentence that transitions from the previous one to introduce the next topic.
Start with your least convincing argument and work your way up to your strongest argument. This structure helps readers follow your logic consistently.
Make sure your citation usage is consistent for each argument. If you cite three quotes that support your main argument, aim to use three quotes for the opposing view as well.

Discussion essay body paragraphs

Body Paragraph 1: Enhancing Diagnostics and Accuracy

Body Paragraph 2: Personalized Treatment and Privacy

Body Paragraph 3: Ethical Responsibility and Accountability

Now, let’s look at how to end your work.

Conclude your discussion essay

Writing a strong conclusion for a discussion essay is essential to leave a lasting impression on your readers and summarize the main points of your argument effectively. Here are the steps on how to write a good conclusion for your discussion paper:

Begin your conclusion by restating your thesis statement in a slightly different way. This helps remind the reader of the main argument you've presented throughout the essay.
Provide a brief summary of the key points you discussed in your essay.
Emphasize the importance of the topic and the implications of your argument.

Things to avoid in conclusion

Let’s have a look at a conclusion example for a discussion essay..

Discussion essay conclusion example

Remember that a conclusion is your final opportunity to leave a strong impression, so make it memorable and impactful.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is a discussion essay different from other types of essays.

Unlike other common essays that might focus on presenting a single argument, a discussion essay presents multiple perspectives on a topic. It strives to remain neutral and balanced while analyzing different viewpoints.

Can I express my personal opinion in a discussion essay?

Yes, you can include your personal opinion, but it should be presented alongside other viewpoints. Your opinion should be supported by evidence and analysis, and you should strive for a balanced presentation.

Do I need to include counterarguments?

Yes, including counterarguments is essential in a discussion essay. Addressing opposing viewpoints demonstrates your understanding of the topic and strengthens your analysis.

How do I ensure a balanced presentation of viewpoints?

Present each viewpoint objectively and support it with evidence. Give equal attention to different perspectives and avoid using biased language.

How can I transition between different viewpoints in my essay?

Use transitional words and phrases like “however,” “on the other hand,” and “in contrast” to smoothly guide readers between paragraphs and viewpoints.

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Student Essays

Essay on Group Discussion | Types, Importance, Objectives, Purposes

The Group discussion is a form of discourse in which a group, often a small group of people meet to discuss a topic and reach a decision. It is an essential tool for learning in the classroom. The Group discussion can be used in many ways with students to add variety and vitality to the teaching/learning process.

Essay on Group Discussion | Objectives, Purpose, Importance, For Students

Group discussion is a process whereby a group of two or more individuals are involved in sharing and discussing common thoughts on particular issues. Briefly, the group discussion is the exchange of ideas between different people on certain issues. The purpose of the group discussion is to enable a group of participants to exchange ideas and views on a given topic, so as to further their understanding of it.

A very important aspect of most classes dealing with Group Discussion is that it makes students learn to express themselves in front of their peers and help them learn how to co-operate with each other. This helps them considerably when they appear for interviews or group discussions outside the college. Group discussion also helps the students in learning the art of dealing with different kinds of people.

Types of Group Discussion:

There are two types of Group discussions:

Formal group discussions: In formal group discussions, participants in the group discussion are assigned a formal topic to discuss and they remain within the given timeframe to complete their discussion. The audience is either the teacher or fellow participants in the group discussion. This type of group discussion is mostly conducted for the purpose of teaching the participants about group discussion or for a particular subject.
Informal Group discussions: In informal group discussions, the participants are free to kick off any topic they want to discuss among themselves and have no formal restrictions. The audience is most often other students like those who had participated in a Formal Group Discussion before. This type of discussion is mostly conducted for the purpose of entertainment and socializing.

Importance of Group Discussion:

Group Discussion is an important tool for students in their academic life. It helps them to learn and train better and faster than any other learning method available for the students across the globe. A group discussion involves a large number of people who represent different backgrounds and cultures, which makes it possible for the student’s mind to work with multiple inputs at once. This helps the student to learn more effectively and quickly than any other learning method.

Steps Involved in an Effective Group Discussion:

The following are the most important seven steps that must be followed to ensure a perfect group discussion:

Preparing or Formulating the Agenda : The organizer should make sure that all his/her participants know the topic to be discussed at every stage of the discussion. This should be made clear before starting off with the formal round of discussion, else it will make participants lose focus on the subject matter at hand.
Forming Groups : Arranging or placing all potential participants in an effective manner is very important for conducting a group discussion successfully. They need to be placed in a way that all different kinds of views and opinions are heard.
Defining Roles : Once the participants have been arranged effectively, it is very important for the organizer to clearly define roles for each participant at this stage. In other words, an effective role distribution must be done so as to enable everyone participate well in the discussion.
Starting off with a formal round of Discussion : In this stage, all participants need to be reminded about the importance of being on time and following the given format of discussion properly. The organizer should ensure that everyone stays focused and is aware of the topic at hand.
Introducing New Participants : Once a perfect discussion has begun, it is necessary for the organizer to introduce new participants into the group discussion. This helps all other participants focus and re-align their thoughts after a hypothetical situation involving non-participants was previously discussed.
Generating Good Interaction : Once new participants have been introduced into the group, it is time for everyone to interact and discuss with each other. This is the most important step involving all participants in a group discussion.
Closing off : Once sufficient time has been given to everyone and the resources required for the final round of discussion have been distributed, it is time to close off and summarize what you learned from this debate/discussion.

Three things to Remember for an Effective Group Discussion:

Respect : It is very important for everyone to have a healthy environment during the discussion so as to ensure active participation from everyone involved.
Acceptance : In order to facilitate active participation, there should be acceptance from every individual in the group discussion. No one’s opinion should be denied or silenced until it has been evaluated and digested by the other participants.
Objectivity : Every individual participating in the group discussion should ensure that their point of view is neutral and positive during interaction with others. This helps people to evaluate each other’s opinions better to generate a good outcome at the end.

Above all, group discussions are a very important part of a student’s life. It is a platform for a student to learn and develop his/her personality as well as speaking skills . To be an effective speaker in front of a large audience, one must have first gained some experience by participating in the different types of group discussions on different topics. In other words, one must first learn how to be a good listener.

How to Write a Discussion Essay

Last Updated: June 27, 2023 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Jake Adams . Jake Adams is an academic tutor and the owner of Simplifi EDU, a Santa Monica, California based online tutoring business offering learning resources and online tutors for academic subjects K-College, SAT & ACT prep, and college admissions applications. With over 14 years of professional tutoring experience, Jake is dedicated to providing his clients the very best online tutoring experience and access to a network of excellent undergraduate and graduate-level tutors from top colleges all over the nation. Jake holds a BS in International Business and Marketing from Pepperdine University. There are 14 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 443,337 times.

Discussion Essay Outline and Example

Planning Your Essay

For instance, maybe the question is, "Immigration has been a heated topic on the national level for many years. With issues like the DREAM Act and President Trump's stances on policy, it's likely to remain a central issue. Using authoritative resources to back up your argument, take a stance on immigration policy, establishing whether you think it should be more or less strict and why."
You can establish that the main topic is immigration policy from the sentence, "Take a stance on immigration policy."
If you're having trouble understanding the question, don't be afraid to talk to the professor. They can help you better understand what they're asking for.

Step 2 Perform initial research to understand the issue.

If your essay will be based off a discussion had in class, ask your instructor if you can use class notes as a primary source.
Look for respected news sources, as well as websites with ".edu" and ".gov" extensions.
You may need to look up information on the DREAM Act or President Trump's policies to help you understand the question, for example. For this part, you don't need to take extensive notes, as you're just trying to get a feel for the subject.

Step 3 Take a side on the issue to begin outlining your essay.

If you were given a text to base your essay on, make sure that text has enough evidence to support your chosen position.

Step 4 Add the main points you'd like to cover to your outline.

Use Roman numerals on your page to mark your main ideas. Write a main point by each Roman numeral. You should only cover 3 to 4 main points in a relatively short essay, such as one that's 3 to 5 pages.

Step 5 Find research to support your points.

Your main sources should be books or ebooks, journal articles from academic journals, and credible websites. You can also use high quality news articles if they're applicable to your topic.

Step 6 Take notes that include citations.

For a book, you should include the author's name, the editor's name (if applicable), the title of the book, the publication year, the publication city, the edition, and the title of the book chapter in an anthology by multiple authors.
For a journal, include the author's name, the journal title, the article title, the digital object identifier (DOI), the ISSN, the publication date, the volume (if applicable), the issue (if applicable), and the page numbers for the journal article.
If you're searching in a database, you can often ask the database to save this information for you, but you should include identifiers on your notes.

Step 7 Fill in your outline to finish planning your essay.

For example, if one of your main points is "Immigration increases diversity," some of your points underneath might be "Brings in new cuisines," and "Brings in new art."
Find examples from your research, and add notes to each point to fill them in.

Writing the Introduction

Step 1 Begin with a hook such as a quotation or anecdote to engage readers.

For an example or anecdote, start by telling a short story about something relevant to your topic. For instance, you might write the following for an essay on immigration, "When I was 4-years-old, my parents told me we were going on a long trip. After a bus ride, we spent nights walking, my dad carrying me most of the way. One day, we crossed a river. That day marked our first day in our new country."

Step 2 Introduce your topic in your transition sentences.

For example, you might write, "Immigration is a highly-debated issue. It is controversial because some people fear how it affects the resources of the country the people are immigrating to, while others believe the improved quality of life for immigrants is what’s most important."

Step 3 Work on a thesis statement to establish your argument.

For instance, your thesis statement might be, "Immigration is good for the country because it increases diversity, infuses the country with new talent, and broadens the population's perspective, and it should be encouraged with a few basic safeguards in place."

Composing the Body of Your Essay

For instance, if you're writing a short research paper, one paragraph might be your main point "Immigration increases diversity," where you cover all your bullet points in that paragraph.
If you're digging deeper, you might create a section about diversity, and then use a paragraph to cover "brings in new cuisines," another to cover "brings in new art," and so on.

Step 2 Acknowledge the other side of the issue.

Try not to set up a "straw man" argument, where you don't give the other side a fair chance. You should be able to support your position without purposefully creating a weak position on the other side.

Step 3 Keep your whole argument in mind as you write.

For instance, maybe you want to transition between a section about increasing diversity to one about bringing in new talent. You might write a sentence like, "Increasing diversity in our country doesn't just bring in new cuisines and art, it also brings in hard workers that have fresh perspectives on old problems in the workforce."

Step 4 Support your ideas with research.

You can paraphrase other ideas or use direct quotes, but only use a direct quote if the author said something in a unique way. Otherwise, put it in your own words.
You may want to begin body paragraphs with a quote from a relevant source. Then, explain or provide commentary on the quote and show how it supports your position.
You can also use statistics to back up your research. For instance, if one of your arguments is that immigration doesn't increase crime, use statistics to back that up.

Concluding Your Essay

Step 1 Synthesize the information from your essay.

For instance, you might write, "A truly great country is one that celebrates differences and welcomes new ideas and perspectives. While immigration has some negative effects on a country, overall, allowing people from other countries to come in helps to spark new ideas and make the country a better and more interesting place to live. Rather than being a drain on society, immigrants are motivated to work hard and our citizens can only benefit from listening to their perspectives."

Step 2 Avoid restating your introduction.

Once you have the flow down, read it again to check for grammatical mistakes and typos. It can help to read it aloud, as it slows you down and forces you to read every word.

Expert Q&A

Remember you can't research forever. Often, the research stage absorbs a student so fully that the upcoming submission date seems unimportant. Make sure to leave yourself at least a few days to write your essay. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

↑ Jake Adams. Academic Tutor & Test Prep Specialist. Expert Interview. 20 May 2020.
↑ https://student.unsw.edu.au/answering-assignment-questions
↑ https://student.unsw.edu.au/essay-and-assignment-planning
↑ https://opentextbc.ca/writingforsuccess/chapter/chapter-11-developing-a-convincing-argument/
↑ https://student.unsw.edu.au/organising-your-ideas
↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/introductions/
↑ https://www.umgc.edu/current-students/learning-resources/writing-center/writing-resources/parts-of-an-essay/essay-introductions
↑ https://wts.indiana.edu/writing-guides/how-to-write-a-thesis-statement.html
↑ https://www.student.unsw.edu.au/writing-your-essay
↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/academic_writing/establishing_arguments/organizing_your_argument.html
↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/academic_writing/establishing_arguments/research_and_evidence.html
↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/conclusions/
↑ https://libguides.usc.edu/writingguide/conclusion
↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/editing-and-proofreading/

About This Article

To write a discussion essay, start by taking a side on the issue you're writing about, like "Immigration is good for the country." Then, outline the main points that made you decide to take that position and do research to find evidence that backs them up. Look for credible sources that can help you make your argument, and don't forget to cite them. Then, when you're writing your essay, devote 1 paragraph to each main point and include your evidence. For help writing the introduction and conclusion to your essay, scroll down! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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The Writing Center • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Group Writing

What this handout is about.

Whether in the academic world or the business world, all of us are likely to participate in some form of group writing—an undergraduate group project for a class, a collaborative research paper or grant proposal, or a report produced by a business team. Writing in a group can have many benefits: multiple brains are better than one, both for generating ideas and for getting a job done. However, working in a group can sometimes be stressful because there are various opinions and writing styles to incorporate into one final product that pleases everyone. This handout will offer an overview of the collaborative process, strategies for writing successfully together, and tips for avoiding common pitfalls. It will also include links to some other handouts that may be especially helpful as your group moves through the writing process.

Disclaimer and disclosure

As this is a group writing handout, several Writing Center coaches worked together to create it. No coaches were harmed in this process; however, we did experience both the pros and the cons of the collaborative process. We have personally tested the various methods for sharing files and scheduling meetings that are described here. However, these are only our suggestions; we do not advocate any particular service or site.

The spectrum of collaboration in group writing

All writing can be considered collaborative in a sense, though we often don’t think of it that way. It would be truly surprising to find an author whose writing, even if it was completed independently, had not been influenced at some point by discussions with friends or colleagues. The range of possible collaboration varies from a group of co-authors who go through each portion of the writing process together, writing as a group with one voice, to a group with a primary author who does the majority of the work and then receives comments or edits from the co-authors.

Group projects for classes should usually fall towards the middle to left side of this diagram, with group members contributing roughly equally. However, in collaborations on research projects, the level of involvement of the various group members may vary widely. The key to success in either case is to be clear about group member responsibilities and expectations and to give credit (authorship) to members who contribute an appropriate amount. It may be useful to credit each group member for their various contributions.

Overview of steps of the collaborative process

Here we outline the steps of the collaborative process. You can use these questions to focus your thinking at each stage.

Share ideas and brainstorm together.
Formulate a draft thesis or argument .
Think about your assignment and the final product. What should it look like? What is its purpose? Who is the intended audience ?
Decide together who will write which parts of the paper/project.
What will the final product look like?
Arrange meetings: How often will the group or subsets of the group meet? When and where will the group meet? If the group doesn’t meet in person, how will information be shared?
Scheduling: What is the deadline for the final product? What are the deadlines for drafts?
How will the group find appropriate sources (books, journal articles, newspaper articles, visual media, trustworthy websites, interviews)? If the group will be creating data by conducting research, how will that process work?
Who will read and process the information found? This task again may be done by all members or divided up amongst members so that each person becomes the expert in one area and then teaches the rest of the group.
Think critically about the sources and their contributions to your topic. Which evidence should you include or exclude? Do you need more sources?
Analyze the data. How will you interpret your findings? What is the best way to present any relevant information to your readers-should you include pictures, graphs, tables, and charts, or just written text?
Note that brainstorming the main points of your paper as a group is helpful, even if separate parts of the writing are assigned to individuals. You’ll want to be sure that everyone agrees on the central ideas.
Where does your individual writing fit into the whole document?
Writing together may not be feasible for longer assignments or papers with coauthors at different universities, and it can be time-consuming. However, writing together does ensure that the finished document has one cohesive voice.
Talk about how the writing session should go BEFORE you get started. What goals do you have? How will you approach the writing task at hand?
Many people find it helpful to get all of the ideas down on paper in a rough form before discussing exact phrasing.
Remember that everyone has a different writing style! The most important thing is that your sentences be clear to readers.
If your group has drafted parts of the document separately, merge your ideas together into a single document first, then focus on meshing the styles. The first concern is to create a coherent product with a logical flow of ideas. Then the stylistic differences of the individual portions must be smoothed over.
Revise the ideas and structure of the paper before worrying about smaller, sentence-level errors (like problems with punctuation, grammar, or word choice). Is the argument clear? Is the evidence presented in a logical order? Do the transitions connect the ideas effectively?
Proofreading: Check for typos, spelling errors, punctuation problems, formatting issues, and grammatical mistakes. Reading the paper aloud is a very helpful strategy at this point.

Helpful collaborative writing strategies

Attitude counts for a lot.

Group work can be challenging at times, but a little enthusiasm can go a long way to helping the momentum of the group. Keep in mind that working in a group provides a unique opportunity to see how other people write; as you learn about their writing processes and strategies, you can reflect on your own. Working in a group inherently involves some level of negotiation, which will also facilitate your ability to skillfully work with others in the future.

Remember that respect goes along way! Group members will bring different skill sets and various amounts and types of background knowledge to the table. Show your fellow writers respect by listening carefully, talking to share your ideas, showing up on time for meetings, sending out drafts on schedule, providing positive feedback, and taking responsibility for an appropriate share of the work.

Start early and allow plenty of time for revising

Getting started early is important in individual projects; however, it is absolutely essential in group work. Because of the multiple people involved in researching and writing the paper, there are aspects of group projects that take additional time, such as deciding and agreeing upon a topic. Group projects should be approached in a structured way because there is simply less scheduling flexibility than when you are working alone. The final product should reflect a unified, cohesive voice and argument, and the only way of accomplishing this is by producing multiple drafts and revising them multiple times.

Plan a strategy for scheduling

One of the difficult aspects of collaborative writing is finding times when everyone can meet. Much of the group’s work may be completed individually, but face-to-face meetings are useful for ensuring that everyone is on the same page. Doodle.com , whenisgood.net , and needtomeet.com are free websites that can make scheduling easier. Using these sites, an organizer suggests multiple dates and times for a meeting, and then each group member can indicate whether they are able to meet at the specified times.

It is very important to set deadlines for drafts; people are busy, and not everyone will have time to read and respond at the last minute. It may help to assign a group facilitator who can send out reminders of the deadlines. If the writing is for a co-authored research paper, the lead author can take responsibility for reminding others that comments on a given draft are due by a specific date.

Submitting drafts at least one day ahead of the meeting allows other authors the opportunity to read over them before the meeting and arrive ready for a productive discussion.

Find a convenient and effective way to share files

There are many different ways to share drafts, research materials, and other files. Here we describe a few of the potential options we have explored and found to be functional. We do not advocate any one option, and we realize there are other equally useful options—this list is just a possible starting point for you:

Email attachments. People often share files by email; however, especially when there are many group members or there is a flurry of writing activity, this can lead to a deluge of emails in everyone’s inboxes and significant confusion about which file version is current.
Google documents . Files can be shared between group members and are instantaneously updated, even if two members are working at once. Changes made by one member will automatically appear on the document seen by all members. However, to use this option, every group member must have a Gmail account (which is free), and there are often formatting issues when converting Google documents back to Microsoft Word.
Dropbox . Dropbox.com is free to join. It allows you to share up to 2GB of files, which can then be synched and accessible from multiple computers. The downside of this approach is that everyone has to join, and someone must install the software on at least one personal computer. Dropbox can then be accessed from any computer online by logging onto the website.
Common server space. If all group members have access to a shared server space, this is often an ideal solution. Members of a lab group or a lab course with available server space typically have these resources. Just be sure to make a folder for your project and clearly label your files.

Note that even when you are sharing or storing files for group writing projects in a common location, it is still essential to periodically make back-up copies and store them on your own computer! It is never fun to lose your (or your group’s) hard work.

Try separating the tasks of revising and editing/proofreading

It may be helpful to assign giving feedback on specific items to particular group members. First, group members should provide general feedback and comments on content. Only after revising and solidifying the main ideas and structure of the paper should you move on to editing and proofreading. After all, there is no point in spending your time making a certain sentence as beautiful and correct as possible when that sentence may later be cut out. When completing your final revisions, it may be helpful to assign various concerns (for example, grammar, organization, flow, transitions, and format) to individual group members to focus this process. This is an excellent time to let group members play to their strengths; if you know that you are good at transitions, offer to take care of that editing task.

Your group project is an opportunity to become experts on your topic. Go to the library (in actuality or online), collect relevant books, articles, and data sources, and consult a reference librarian if you have any issues. Talk to your professor or TA early in the process to ensure that the group is on the right track. Find experts in the field to interview if it is appropriate. If you have data to analyze, meet with a statistician. If you are having issues with the writing, use the online handouts at the Writing Center or come in for a face-to-face meeting: a coach can meet with you as a group or one-on-one.

Immediately dividing the writing into pieces

While this may initially seem to be the best way to approach a group writing process, it can also generate more work later on, when the parts written separately must be put together into a unified document. The different pieces must first be edited to generate a logical flow of ideas, without repetition. Once the pieces have been stuck together, the entire paper must be edited to eliminate differences in style and any inconsistencies between the individual authors’ various chunks. Thus, while it may take more time up-front to write together, in the end a closer collaboration can save you from the difficulties of combining pieces of writing and may create a stronger, more cohesive document.

Procrastination

Although this is solid advice for any project, it is even more essential to start working on group projects in a timely manner. In group writing, there are more people to help with the work-but there are also multiple schedules to juggle and more opinions to seek.

Being a solo group member

Not everyone enjoys working in groups. You may truly desire to go solo on this project, and you may even be capable of doing a great job on your own. However, if this is a group assignment, then the prompt is asking for everyone to participate. If you are feeling the need to take over everything, try discussing expectations with your fellow group members as well as the teaching assistant or professor. However, always address your concerns with group members first. Try to approach the group project as a learning experiment: you are learning not only about the project material but also about how to motivate others and work together.

Waiting for other group members to do all of the work

If this is a project for a class, you are leaving your grade in the control of others. Leaving the work to everyone else is not fair to your group mates. And in the end, if you do not contribute, then you are taking credit for work that you did not do; this is a form of academic dishonesty. To ensure that you can do your share, try to volunteer early for a portion of the work that you are interested in or feel you can manage.

Leaving all the end work to one person

It may be tempting to leave all merging, editing, and/or presentation work to one person. Be careful. There are several reasons why this may be ill-advised. 1) The editor/presenter may not completely understand every idea, sentence, or word that another author wrote, leading to ambiguity or even mistakes in the end paper or presentation. 2) Editing is tough, time-consuming work. The editor often finds himself or herself doing more work than was expected as they try to decipher and merge the original contributions under the time pressure of an approaching deadline. If you decide to follow this path and have one person combine the separate writings of many people, be sure to leave plenty of time for a final review by all of the writers. Ask the editor to send out the final draft of the completed work to each of the authors and let every contributor review and respond to the final product. Ideally, there should also be a test run of any live presentations that the group or a representative may make.

Entirely negative critiques

When giving feedback or commenting on the work of other group members, focusing only on “problems” can be overwhelming and put your colleagues on the defensive. Try to highlight the positive parts of the project in addition to pointing out things that need work. Remember that this is constructive feedback, so don’t forget to add concrete, specific suggestions on how to proceed. It can also be helpful to remind yourself that many of your comments are your own opinions or reactions, not absolute, unquestionable truths, and then phrase what you say accordingly. It is much easier and more helpful to hear “I had trouble understanding this paragraph because I couldn’t see how it tied back to our main argument” than to hear “this paragraph is unclear and irrelevant.”

Writing in a group can be challenging, but it is also a wonderful opportunity to learn about your topic, the writing process, and the best strategies for collaboration. We hope that our tips will help you and your group members have a great experience.

Works consulted

We consulted these works while writing this handout. This is not a comprehensive list of resources on the handout’s topic, and we encourage you to do your own research to find additional publications. Please do not use this list as a model for the format of your own reference list, as it may not match the citation style you are using. For guidance on formatting citations, please see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial . We revise these tips periodically and welcome feedback.

Cross, Geoffrey. 1994. Collaboration and Conflict: A Contextual Exploration of Group Writing and Positive Emphasis . Cresskill, NJ: Hampton Press.

Ede, Lisa S., and Andrea Lunsford. 1990. Singular Texts/Plural Authors: Perspectives on Collaborative Writing . Carbondale, IL: Southern Illinois University Press.

Speck, Bruce W. 2002. Facilitating Students’ Collaborative Writing . San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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37 Composition: Discussion Strategies

Two hands on a blue keyboard of a laptop on a table

What is a discussion essay?

A discussion essay presents and discusses issues surrounding a particular topic. The topic is usually one that is debatable and open to argument. Security for students on campus is probably not an appropriate topic because probably everyone would agree that students should feel safe on campus. The use of guns on campus, however, could be an appropriate topic because some people might think guns make the campus safer while others argue that guns make the campus more dangerous.

Regardless of your personal opinion, a good discussion essay must begin with a thorough discussion of both sides of the topic. It should provide a well-rounded understanding of the issue before the writer presents their personal opinions and conclusions. The discussion essay’s quality relies primarily on your ability to provide your readers with solid research and evidence. The conclusion to your discussion essay may propose “next steps” rather than a direct solution or decision. Alternatively, the conclusion can include your opinion, but it should be based upon the information presented in the body of the essay.

When writing a discussion essay, it is important that facts and opinions are clearly separated. Often the writer will examine what other people have already said on the same subject. The author will include this information using paraphrasing and summarizing skills, as well as correct citations. A balanced view is essential. The writer’s opinion usually comes only after both sides are considered. This makes discussion essays different from persuasion or argument essays in which a writer asserts their opinion in their thesis and then provides evidence to support their position. Therefore, the writer’s position is more of an observation than persuasion.

SAME, BUT DIFFERENT

Argument essay = states the writer’s opinion at the beginning (thesis) and then tries to prove it with evidence, but sometimes the evidence is from only one side

Discussion essay = explores the opinions of others on both sides of an issue and then states the writer’s opinion at the end as a logical result of the information

Why do you write discussion essays?

A discussion essay is a helpful way to present an issue for discussion or debate. It is not as formal and objective as a research paper, and it is not as informal and subjective as a persuasive or argumentative essay. It’s somewhere in between. Here are some examples of when a discussion essay is a useful writing strategy:

How do you organize a discussion paragraph or essay?

In many ways, a discussion paragraph essay resembles a compare/contrast essay. You group the details of each side of the argument: rewards and challenges, advantages and disadvantages, choice A and choice B. In other words, introduce the issue; present one side of the issue; present the other side of the issue; conclude with your opinion or some other observation or comment.

You can begin your work by first making some notes. Graphic organizers can help. For example, you might use a Venn diagram (two overlapping circles). Or you can use a simple table like the one in the following example.

Topic: An increasing number of students are going to college in another country. What are the rewards and challenges of such a situation?

But which side comes first.

Which position comes first? You have some choices here. Consider these options and decide which works best for your particular essay:

Often, the position you do not agree with comes first and the position you agree with comes second. That’s because it flows better into your opinion and conclusion.
Another common option is to put the “for” position first and then the “against” position second. This “feels” objective in the same way that alphabetical order “feels” objective (because it is arbitrary).
If your sides are not very balanced, you can start with the weaker position and end with the stronger position.

Example discussion paragraph

INSTRUCTIONS: Use the example discussion paragraph above to answer the questions below.

Example discussion essay

Look closely now at this example discussion essay. Read closely and notice how it mirrors the discussion paragraph above. Then answer the questions that follow.

George Spelvin ESOL 252 Level 7 Writing February 15, 2023

Finding the Best Place to Study

“There’s no place like home” goes the familiar mantra from the famous book and movie The Wizard of Oz . It celebrates the virtues of the familiar while at the same time making a case for exploring the unknown. The same could be said for choices in education. Most people spend around fifteen years of their life in education, from primary school to university study. In the past, students only had the opportunity to study in their own country. Nowadays, however, it is increasingly easy to study overseas, especially at the university level. While there are some undoubted benefits of this trend, such as the language environment and improved employment prospects, there is also a significant disadvantage, namely the high cost..

The first and most important advantage of overseas study is the language learning environment. Students studying overseas will not only have to cope with the local language for their study, but they will also have to use it outside the classroom for their everyday life. These factors should make it relatively easy for such students to advance their language abilities.

Another important benefit is employability. Increasing globalization means that there are more multinational companies setting up offices in all major countries. These companies will need employees who have a variety of skills, including the fluency in more than one language and familiarity with a foreign culture. Students who have studied abroad should find it much easier to obtain a job in this kind of company.

There are, however, some disadvantages to overseas study which must be considered, the most notable of which is the expense. In addition to the cost of travel, which in itself is not inconsiderable, overseas students are required to pay tuition fees which are usually much higher than those of local students. Added to this is the cost of living, which is often much higher than in the students’ own country. Although scholarships may be available for overseas students, there are usually very few of these, most of which will only cover a fraction of the cost. Overseas study therefore constitutes a considerable expense.

In summary, studying abroad has some clear advantages — an immersion in foreign language and culture that leads to increased chances of employment — in addition to the main drawback of heavy financial burden. International students in London, for example, pay more than $14,000 a year for tuition alone. This experience can be worthwhile for those students whose families can readily afford the expense. Students without such strong financial support, however, should consider carefully whether the high cost outweighs the benefits to be gained. For them, there truly may be no place like home.

INSTRUCTIONS: Use the example discussion essay above to answer the questions below.

What is the issue that is discussed in this essay?
Read the introduction again. Which sentence is not needed and could be omitted?
Read the conclusion again. What could the writer do to improve this paragraph?
Look at the text again. Does the author use any modal verbs? Identify them and their purpose.
Here are three pieces of information from outside sources. Where would be the best place to add them? Paragraph 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5?
A. 2018 survey from Big Business Company says 95% of corporate executives prefer to hire foreign exchange students for overseas jobs.
B. As linguist Dan Samuels says, “It’s no surprise that the person who uses a language learns it faster than a person who only studies it in a classroom.”
C. “There’s no doubt the study abroad experience builds character and responsibility,” says Ishanee DeVas, author of A Student of Life . “But it takes a long time — maybe a year or more — and that makes it too expensive for most people unless they move there.”

INSTRUCTIONS: Use the information above to answer the questions below.

1. A discussion essay needs an introduction, body, and conclusion, just like other essays. True or false?

2. Which of the following research questions is suitable for a discussion essay?

A. Why are protesters demonstrating in downtown Portland?
B. What does the word “queer” mean today?
C. How are community colleges and 4-year universities different?
D. What are the advantages and disadvantages of buying organic food?

3. In our discussion essay, we should … (choose all that apply)

A. Choose a topic that is debatable
B. Separate your opinion from the discussion; present only information about each side in the body
C. Support the information with evidence or proof from outside sources of information
D. Present both sides of the argument equally (even if you disagree with one of the sides)
E. Use formal tone (academic vocabulary; no contractions; write in third person)

4. A discussion essay chooses one side of a two-sided argument. It explores only the pros or the cons — not both — in order to give a clear opinion and persuade the reader. True or false?

5. What is the best way to organize the body of a discussion essay?

A. Group the details of each side of the argument or debate; start with the weaker one and end with the stronger one, which is usually the one that you agree with.
B. Start with your opinion and then explain what others think.
C. Write whatever comes to mind; it’s more organic and natural when it sounds like you are talking informally with a friend.
D. Focus on only one side of the argument in an essay; if you want to write both sides of the argument, then write two different essays.

6. A discussion essay always presents the disadvantages, or cons, first. True or false?

7. A discussion essay must always be exactly four paragraphs. True or false?

8. Which of the following would NOT be a purpose for a discussion paragraph or essay?

A. The pros and cons of the COVID vaccine
B. The most effective methods for solving the problem of homelessness
C. College education should be free
D. How to change a flat tire on your bike or car

9. The discussion essay’s quality relies primarily on our ability to provide our readers with ____________.

A. solid research and evidence
B. subjective opinions without proof
C. fake data and statistics
D. a good story with a funny plot

10. “Three reasons why you should get an electric car” is not the best choice for a discussion essay. Why not? Explain.

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Over 170 Prompts to Inspire Writing and Discussion

Here are all of our Student Opinion questions from the 2020-21 school year. Each question is based on a different New York Times article, interactive feature or video.

By The Learning Network

Each school day we publish a new Student Opinion question, and students use these writing prompts to reflect on their experiences and identities and respond to current events unfolding around them. To introduce each question, we provide an excerpt from a related New York Times article or Opinion piece as well as a free link to the original article.

During the 2020-21 school year, we asked 176 questions, and you can find them all below or here as a PDF . The questions are divided into two categories — those that provide opportunities for debate and persuasive writing, and those that lend themselves to creative, personal or reflective writing.

Teachers can use these prompts to help students practice narrative and persuasive writing, start classroom debates and even spark conversation between students around the world via our comments section. For more ideas on how to use our Student Opinion questions, we offer a short tutorial along with a nine-minute video on how one high school English teacher and her students use this feature .

Questions for Debate and Persuasive Writing

1. Should Athletes Speak Out On Social and Political Issues? 2. Should All Young People Learn How to Invest in the Stock Market? 3. What Are the Greatest Songs of All Time? 4. Should There Be More Gender Options on Identification Documents? 5. Should We End the Practice of Tipping? 6. Should There Be Separate Social Media Apps for Children? 7. Do Marriage Proposals Still Have a Place in Today’s Society? 8. How Do You Feel About Cancel Culture? 9. Should the United States Decriminalize the Possession of Drugs? 10. Does Reality TV Deserve Its Bad Rap? 11. Should the Death Penalty Be Abolished? 12. How Should Parents Support a Student Who Has Fallen Behind in School? 13. When Is It OK to Be a Snitch? 14. Should People Be Required to Show Proof of Vaccination? 15. How Much Have You and Your Community Changed Since George Floyd’s Death? 16. Can Empathy Be Taught? Should Schools Try to Help Us Feel One Another’s Pain? 17. Should Schools or Employers Be Allowed to Tell People How They Should Wear Their Hair? 18. Is Your Generation Doing Its Part to Strengthen Our Democracy? 19. Should Corporations Take Political Stands? 20. Should We Rename Schools Named for Historical Figures With Ties to Racism, Sexism or Slavery? 21. How Should Schools Hold Students Accountable for Hurting Others? 22. What Ideas Do You Have to Improve Your Favorite Sport? 23. Are Presidential Debates Helpful to Voters? Or Should They Be Scrapped? 24. Is the Electoral College a Problem? Does It Need to Be Fixed? 25. Do You Care Who Sits on the Supreme Court? Should We Care? 26. Should Museums Return Looted Artifacts to Their Countries of Origin? 27. Should Schools Provide Free Pads and Tampons? 28. Should Teachers Be Allowed to Wear Political Symbols? 29. Do You Think People Have Gotten Too Relaxed About Covid? 30. Who Do You Think Should Be Person of the Year for 2020? 31. How Should Racial Slurs in Literature Be Handled in the Classroom? 32. Should There Still Be Snow Days? 33. What Are Your Reactions to the Storming of the Capitol by a Pro-Trump Mob? 34. What Do You Think of the Decision by Tech Companies to Block President Trump? 35. If You Were a Member of Congress, Would You Vote to Impeach President Trump? 36. What Would You Do First if You Were the New President? 37. Who Do You Hope Will Win the 2020 Presidential Election? 38. Should Media Literacy Be a Required Course in School? 39. What Are Your Reactions to the Results of Election 2020? Where Do We Go From Here? 40. How Should We Remember the Problematic Actions of the Nation’s Founders? 41. As Coronavirus Cases Surge, How Should Leaders Decide What Stays Open and What Closes? 42. What Is Your Reaction to the Inauguration of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris? 43. How Worried Should We Be About Screen Time During the Pandemic? 44. Should Schools Be Able to Discipline Students for What They Say on Social Media? 45. What Works of Art, Culture and Technology Flopped in 2020? 46. How Do You Feel About Censored Music? 47. Why Do You Think ‘Drivers License’ Became Such a Smash Hit? 48. Justice Ginsburg Fought for Gender Equality. How Close Are We to Achieving That Goal? 49. How Well Do You Think Our Leaders Have Responded to the Coronavirus Crisis? 50. To What Extent Is the Legacy of Slavery and Racism Still Present in America in 2020? 51. How Should We Reimagine Our Schools So That All Students Receive a Quality Education? 52. How Concerned Do You Think We Should Be About the Integrity of the 2020 Election? 53. What Issues in This Election Season Matter Most to You? 54. Is Summer School a Smart Way to Make Up for Learning Lost This School Year? 55. What Is Your Reaction to the Senate’s Acquittal of Former President Trump? 56. What Is the Worst Toy Ever? 57. How Should We Balance Safety and Urgency in Developing a Covid-19 Vaccine? 58. What Are Your Reactions to Oprah’s Interview With Harry and Meghan? 59. Should the Government Provide a Guaranteed Income for Families With Children? 60. Should There Be More Public Restrooms? 61. Should High School-Age Basketball Players Be Able to Get Paid? 62. Should Team Sports Happen This Year? 63. Who Are the Best Musical Artists of the Past Year? What Are the Best Songs? 64. Should We Cancel Student Debt? 65. How Closely Should Actors’ Identities Reflect the Roles They Play? 66. Should White Writers Translate a Black Author’s Work? 67. Would You Buy an NFT? 68. Should Kids Still Learn to Tell Time? 69. Should All Schools Teach Financial Literacy? 70. What Is Your Reaction to the Verdict in the Derek Chauvin Trial? 71. What Is the Best Way to Stop Abusive Language Online? 72. What Are the Underlying Systems That Hold a Society Together? 73. What Grade Would You Give President Biden on His First 100 Days? 74. Should High Schools Post Their Annual College Lists? 75. Are C.E.O.s Paid Too Much? 76. Should We Rethink Thanksgiving? 77. What Is the Best Way to Get Teenagers Vaccinated? 78. Do You Want Your Parents and Grandparents to Get the New Coronavirus Vaccine? 79. What Is Your Reaction to New Guidelines That Loosen Mask Requirements? 80. Who Should We Honor on Our Money? 81. Is Your School’s Dress Code Outdated? 82. Does Everyone Have a Responsibility to Vote? 83. How Is Your Generation Changing Politics?

Questions for Creative and Personal Writing

84. What Does Your Unique Style Say About You? 85. How Do You Spend Your Downtime? 86. Would You Want to Live to 200? 87. How Do You Connect to Your Heritage? 88. What Do You Think Are the Secrets to Happiness? 89. Are You a Sneakerhead? 90. What Role Have Mentors Played in Your Life? 91. If You Could Make Your Own Podcast, What Would It Be About? 92. Have You Ever Felt Pressure to ‘Sell Your Pain’? 93. Do You Think You Make Good Climate Choices? 94. What Does TikTok Mean to You? 95. Do Your Parents Overpraise You? 96. Do You Want to Travel in Space? 97. Do You Feel You’re Friends With Celebrities or Influencers You Follow Online? 98. Would You Eat Food Grown in a Lab? 99. What Makes You Cringe? 100. What Volunteer Work Would You Most Like to Do? 101. How Do You Respond When People Ask, ‘Where Are You From?’ 102. Has a School Assignment or Activity Ever Made You Uncomfortable? 103. How Does Your Identity Inform Your Political Beliefs and Values? 104. Are You an Orchid, a Tulip or a Dandelion? 105. Are You Having a Tough Time Maintaining Friendships These Days? 106. How Is Your Mental Health These Days? 107. Do You Love Writing or Receiving Letters? 108. What Has Television Taught You About Social Class? 109. Are You Easily Distracted? 110. What Objects Bring You Comfort? 111. What Is Your Favorite Memory of PBS? 112. Have You Ever Felt Embarrassed by Your Parents? 113. What Are You Doing to Combat Pandemic Fatigue? 114. Have You Ever Worried About Making a Good First Impression? 115. What Do You Want Your Parents to Know About What It’s Like to Be a Teenager During the Pandemic? 116. How Have You Collaborated From a Distance During the Pandemic? 117. How Important Is It to You to Have Similar Political Beliefs to Your Family and Friends? 118. How Are You Feeling About Winter This Year? 119. Which Celebrity Performer Would You Like to Challenge to a Friendly Battle? 120. How Mentally Tough Are You? 121. What Smells Trigger Powerful Memories for You? 122. What Are You Thankful for This Year? 123. Do You Miss Hugs? 124. Are You a Good Conversationalist? 125. What Habits Have You Started or Left Behind in 2020? 126. What Was the Best Art and Culture You Experienced in 2020? 127. What’s Your Relationship With Masks? 128. What Role Does Religion Play in Your Life? 129. How Will You Be Celebrating the Holidays This Year? 130. What Is Something Good That Happened in 2020? 131. What New Flavor Ideas Do You Have for Your Favorite Foods? 132. What Are Your Hopes and Concerns for the New School Year? 133. How Has 2020 Challenged or Changed You? 134. What Do You Hope for Most in 2021? 135. How Do You View Death? 136. What Is Your Favorite Fact You Learned in 2020? 137. What Are the Places in the World That You Love Most? 138. Have You Ever Experienced ‘Impostor Syndrome’? 139. How Well Do You Get Along With Your Siblings? 140. Do You Talk to Your Family About the Cost of College? 141. Do You Have a Healthy Diet? 142. How Do You Feel About Mask-Slipping? 143. Do You Believe in Manifesting? 144. How Do You Express Yourself Creatively? 145. What Are Your Family’s House Rules During the Covid Crisis? 146. What Online Communities Do You Participate In? 147. Have You Experienced Any Embarrassing Zoom Mishaps? 148. What Does Your Country’s National Anthem Mean to You? 149. Are Sports Just Not the Same Without Spectators in the Stands? 150. Would You Volunteer for a Covid-19 Vaccine Trial? 151. What ‘Old’ Technology Do You Think Is Cool? 152. Have You Ever Tried to Grow Something? 153. How Has the Pandemic Changed Your Relationship to Your Body? 154. How Do You Find New Books, Music, Movies or Television Shows? 155. Are You Nervous About Returning to Normal Life? 156. How Do You Celebrate Spring? 157. How Do You Talk With People Who Don’t Share Your Views? 158. Would You Want to Be a Teacher Someday? 159. What Would You Recommend That Is ‘Overlooked and Underappreciated’? 160. What Children’s Books Have Had the Biggest Impact on You? 161. What Is Your Gender Identity? 162. Have You Hit a Wall? 163. What Is the Code You Live By? 164. Do You Think You Have Experienced ‘Learning Loss’ During the Pandemic? 165. What Are the Most Memorable Things You’ve Seen or Experienced in Nature? 166. Do You Want to Have Children Someday? 167. What Have You Learned About Friendship This Year? 168. What Seemingly Mundane Feats Have You Accomplished? 169. Has a Celebrity Ever Convinced You to Do Something? 170. How Have You Commemorated Milestones During the Pandemic? 171. How Often Do You Read, Watch or Listen to Things Outside of Your Comfort Zone? 172. Do You Think You Live in a Political Bubble? 173. What Is Your Relationship With the Weight-Loss Industry? 174. What Have You Made This Year? 175. How Are You Right Now? 176. What Are You Grateful For?

Want more writing prompts?

You can find even more Student Opinion questions in our 300 Questions and Images to Inspire Argument Writing , 550 Prompts for Narrative and Personal Writing and 130 New Prompts for Argumentative Writing . We also publish daily Picture Prompts , which are image-centered posts that provide space for many different kinds of writing. You can find all of our writing prompts, added as they publish, here .

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Discussion essays Considering both sides of the argument

Discussion essays are a common form of academic writing. This page gives information on what a discussion essay is and how to structure this type of essay. Some vocabulary for discussion essays is also given, and there is an example discussion essay on the topic of studying overseas.

What are discussion essays?

Many essay titles require you to examine both sides of a situation and to conclude by saying which side you favour. These are known as discussion or for and against essays. In this sense, the academic meaning of the word discuss is similar to its everyday meaning, of two people talking about a topic from different sides. For a discussion essay, a balanced view is normally essential. This makes discussion essays distinct from persuasion essays , for which only one side of the argument is given. When writing a discussion essay, it is important to ensure that facts and opinions are clearly separated. Often you will examine what other people have already said on the same subject and include this information using paraphrasing and summarising skills, as well as correct citations .

The following are examples of discussion essay topics.

Examine the arguments for and against capital punishment.
Schools should teach children not only academic subjects but also important life skills. Discuss.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of technology in the classroom?

Although the structure of a discussion essay may vary according to length and subject, there are several components which most discussion essays have in common. In addition to general statements and thesis statement which all good essay introductions contain, the position of the writer will often be stated, along with relevant definitions . The main body will examine arguments for (in one or more paragraphs) and arguments against (also in one or more paragraphs). The conclusion will contain a summary of the main points, and will often conclude with recommendations , based on what you think are the most important ideas in the essay. The conclusion may also contain your opinion on the topic, also based on the preceding evidence.

An overview of this structure is given in the diagram below.

Discussion vocabulary

When summarising the stages in a discussion or in presenting your arguments, it can be useful to mark the order of the items or degrees of importance. The following words and phrases can be used.

First..., First of all..., The most important...
Second..., In the second place...
Finally..., Lastly...

The following can be used when introducing your opinion.

There is no doubt that...
I believe that...
One of the main arguments in favour of/against X is that...

It is important in English writing, including academic writing, to use synonyms rather than repeating the same word. The following are useful synonyms for 'advantage' and 'disadvantage'.

advantage: benefit, a positive aspect/feature, pro (informal)
disadvantage: drawback, a negative aspect/feature, con (informal)

Example essay

Below is an example discussion essay. Click on the different areas (in the shaded boxes to the right) to highlight the different structural aspects in this essay.

Title: An increasing number of students are going overseas for tertiary education. To what extent does this overseas study benefit the students?

Most people spend around fifteen years of their life in education, from primary school to university study. In the past, students only had the opportunity to study in their own country. Nowadays, however, it is increasingly easy to study overseas, especially at tertiary level. Tertiary education, also called post-secondary education, is the period of study spent at university. As the final aspect of schooling before a person begins their working life, it is arguably the most important stage of their education. While there are some undoubted benefits of this trend, such as the language environment and improved employment prospects , there is also a significant disadvantage, namely the high cost . The first and most important advantage of overseas study is the language learning environment. Students studying overseas will not only have to cope with the local language for their study, but will also have to use it outside the classroom for their everyday life. These factors should make it relatively easy for such students to advance their language abilities. Another important benefit is employability. Increasing globalisation means that there are more multinational companies setting up offices in all major countries. These companies will need employees who have a variety of skills, including the fluency in more than one language. Students who have studied abroad should find it much easier to obtain a job in this kind of company. There are, however, some disadvantages to overseas study which must be considered, the most notable of which is the expense. In addition to the cost of travel, which in itself is not inconsiderable, overseas students are required to pay tuition fees which are usually much higher than those of local students. Added to this is the cost of living, which is often much higher than in the students' own country. Although scholarships may be available for overseas students, there are usually very few of these, most of which will only cover a fraction of the cost. Overseas study therefore constitutes a considerable expense. In summary, studying abroad has some clear advantages, including the language environment and increased chances of employment , in addition to the main drawback, the heavy financial burden . I believe that this experience is worthwhile for those students whose families can readily afford the expense. Students without such strong financial support should consider carefully whether the high cost outweighs the benefits to be gained.

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Below is a checklist for discussion essays. Use it to check your own writing, or get a peer (another student) to help you.

Bailey, S. (2000). Academic Writing. Abingdon: RoutledgeFalmer

Cox, K. and D. Hill (2004). EAP now! Frenchs Forest: Pearson Education Australia

Jordan, R.R. (1999). Academic Writing Course. Cambridge: CUP

Roberts R., J. Gokanda, & A. Preshous (2004). IELTS Foundation. Oxford: Macmillian

Next section

Find out how to write persuasion essays in the next section.

Previous section

Go back to the previous section about different essay types .

Author: Sheldon Smith ‖ Last modified: 16 January 2022.

Sheldon Smith is the founder and editor of EAPFoundation.com. He has been teaching English for Academic Purposes since 2004. Find out more about him in the about section and connect with him on Twitter , Facebook and LinkedIn .

Compare & contrast essays examine the similarities of two or more objects, and the differences.

Cause & effect essays consider the reasons (or causes) for something, then discuss the results (or effects).

Discussion essays require you to examine both sides of a situation and to conclude by saying which side you favour.

Problem-solution essays are a sub-type of SPSE essays (Situation, Problem, Solution, Evaluation).

Transition signals are useful in achieving good cohesion and coherence in your writing.

Reporting verbs are used to link your in-text citations to the information cited.

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The purpose of the discussion section is to interpret and describe the significance of your findings in relation to what was already known about the research problem being investigated and to explain any new understanding or insights that emerged as a result of your research. The discussion will always connect to the introduction by way of the research questions or hypotheses you posed and the literature you reviewed, but the discussion does not simply repeat or rearrange the first parts of your paper; the discussion clearly explains how your study advanced the reader's understanding of the research problem from where you left them at the end of your review of prior research.

Annesley, Thomas M. “The Discussion Section: Your Closing Argument.” Clinical Chemistry 56 (November 2010): 1671-1674; Peacock, Matthew. “Communicative Moves in the Discussion Section of Research Articles.” System 30 (December 2002): 479-497.

Importance of a Good Discussion

The discussion section is often considered the most important part of your research paper because it:

Most effectively demonstrates your ability as a researcher to think critically about an issue, to develop creative solutions to problems based upon a logical synthesis of the findings, and to formulate a deeper, more profound understanding of the research problem under investigation;
Presents the underlying meaning of your research, notes possible implications in other areas of study, and explores possible improvements that can be made in order to further develop the concerns of your research;
Highlights the importance of your study and how it can contribute to understanding the research problem within the field of study;
Presents how the findings from your study revealed and helped fill gaps in the literature that had not been previously exposed or adequately described; and,
Engages the reader in thinking critically about issues based on an evidence-based interpretation of findings; it is not governed strictly by objective reporting of information.

Annesley Thomas M. “The Discussion Section: Your Closing Argument.” Clinical Chemistry 56 (November 2010): 1671-1674; Bitchener, John and Helen Basturkmen. “Perceptions of the Difficulties of Postgraduate L2 Thesis Students Writing the Discussion Section.” Journal of English for Academic Purposes 5 (January 2006): 4-18; Kretchmer, Paul. Fourteen Steps to Writing an Effective Discussion Section. San Francisco Edit, 2003-2008.

Structure and Writing Style

I. General Rules

These are the general rules you should adopt when composing your discussion of the results :

Do not be verbose or repetitive; be concise and make your points clearly
Avoid the use of jargon or undefined technical language
Follow a logical stream of thought; in general, interpret and discuss the significance of your findings in the same sequence you described them in your results section [a notable exception is to begin by highlighting an unexpected result or a finding that can grab the reader's attention]
Use the present verb tense, especially for established facts; however, refer to specific works or prior studies in the past tense
If needed, use subheadings to help organize your discussion or to categorize your interpretations into themes

II. The Content

The content of the discussion section of your paper most often includes :

Explanation of results : Comment on whether or not the results were expected for each set of findings; go into greater depth to explain findings that were unexpected or especially profound. If appropriate, note any unusual or unanticipated patterns or trends that emerged from your results and explain their meaning in relation to the research problem.
References to previous research : Either compare your results with the findings from other studies or use the studies to support a claim. This can include re-visiting key sources already cited in your literature review section, or, save them to cite later in the discussion section if they are more important to compare with your results instead of being a part of the general literature review of prior research used to provide context and background information. Note that you can make this decision to highlight specific studies after you have begun writing the discussion section.
Deduction : A claim for how the results can be applied more generally. For example, describing lessons learned, proposing recommendations that can help improve a situation, or highlighting best practices.
Hypothesis : A more general claim or possible conclusion arising from the results [which may be proved or disproved in subsequent research]. This can be framed as new research questions that emerged as a consequence of your analysis.

III. Organization and Structure

Keep the following sequential points in mind as you organize and write the discussion section of your paper:

Think of your discussion as an inverted pyramid. Organize the discussion from the general to the specific, linking your findings to the literature, then to theory, then to practice [if appropriate].
Use the same key terms, narrative style, and verb tense [present] that you used when describing the research problem in your introduction.
Begin by briefly re-stating the research problem you were investigating and answer all of the research questions underpinning the problem that you posed in the introduction.
Describe the patterns, principles, and relationships shown by each major findings and place them in proper perspective. The sequence of this information is important; first state the answer, then the relevant results, then cite the work of others. If appropriate, refer the reader to a figure or table to help enhance the interpretation of the data [either within the text or as an appendix].
Regardless of where it's mentioned, a good discussion section includes analysis of any unexpected findings. This part of the discussion should begin with a description of the unanticipated finding, followed by a brief interpretation as to why you believe it appeared and, if necessary, its possible significance in relation to the overall study. If more than one unexpected finding emerged during the study, describe each of them in the order they appeared as you gathered or analyzed the data. As noted, the exception to discussing findings in the same order you described them in the results section would be to begin by highlighting the implications of a particularly unexpected or significant finding that emerged from the study, followed by a discussion of the remaining findings.
Before concluding the discussion, identify potential limitations and weaknesses if you do not plan to do so in the conclusion of the paper. Comment on their relative importance in relation to your overall interpretation of the results and, if necessary, note how they may affect the validity of your findings. Avoid using an apologetic tone; however, be honest and self-critical [e.g., in retrospect, had you included a particular question in a survey instrument, additional data could have been revealed].
The discussion section should end with a concise summary of the principal implications of the findings regardless of their significance. Give a brief explanation about why you believe the findings and conclusions of your study are important and how they support broader knowledge or understanding of the research problem. This can be followed by any recommendations for further research. However, do not offer recommendations which could have been easily addressed within the study. This would demonstrate to the reader that you have inadequately examined and interpreted the data.

IV. Overall Objectives

The objectives of your discussion section should include the following: I. Reiterate the Research Problem/State the Major Findings

Briefly reiterate the research problem or problems you are investigating and the methods you used to investigate them, then move quickly to describe the major findings of the study. You should write a direct, declarative, and succinct proclamation of the study results, usually in one paragraph.

II. Explain the Meaning of the Findings and Why They are Important

No one has thought as long and hard about your study as you have. Systematically explain the underlying meaning of your findings and state why you believe they are significant. After reading the discussion section, you want the reader to think critically about the results and why they are important. You don’t want to force the reader to go through the paper multiple times to figure out what it all means. If applicable, begin this part of the section by repeating what you consider to be your most significant or unanticipated finding first, then systematically review each finding. Otherwise, follow the general order you reported the findings presented in the results section.

III. Relate the Findings to Similar Studies

No study in the social sciences is so novel or possesses such a restricted focus that it has absolutely no relation to previously published research. The discussion section should relate your results to those found in other studies, particularly if questions raised from prior studies served as the motivation for your research. This is important because comparing and contrasting the findings of other studies helps to support the overall importance of your results and it highlights how and in what ways your study differs from other research about the topic. Note that any significant or unanticipated finding is often because there was no prior research to indicate the finding could occur. If there is prior research to indicate this, you need to explain why it was significant or unanticipated. IV. Consider Alternative Explanations of the Findings

It is important to remember that the purpose of research in the social sciences is to discover and not to prove . When writing the discussion section, you should carefully consider all possible explanations for the study results, rather than just those that fit your hypothesis or prior assumptions and biases. This is especially important when describing the discovery of significant or unanticipated findings.

V. Acknowledge the Study’s Limitations

It is far better for you to identify and acknowledge your study’s limitations than to have them pointed out by your professor! Note any unanswered questions or issues your study could not address and describe the generalizability of your results to other situations. If a limitation is applicable to the method chosen to gather information, then describe in detail the problems you encountered and why. VI. Make Suggestions for Further Research

You may choose to conclude the discussion section by making suggestions for further research [as opposed to offering suggestions in the conclusion of your paper]. Although your study can offer important insights about the research problem, this is where you can address other questions related to the problem that remain unanswered or highlight hidden issues that were revealed as a result of conducting your research. You should frame your suggestions by linking the need for further research to the limitations of your study [e.g., in future studies, the survey instrument should include more questions that ask..."] or linking to critical issues revealed from the data that were not considered initially in your research.

NOTE: Besides the literature review section, the preponderance of references to sources is usually found in the discussion section . A few historical references may be helpful for perspective, but most of the references should be relatively recent and included to aid in the interpretation of your results, to support the significance of a finding, and/or to place a finding within a particular context. If a study that you cited does not support your findings, don't ignore it--clearly explain why your research findings differ from theirs.

V. Problems to Avoid

Do not waste time restating your results . Should you need to remind the reader of a finding to be discussed, use "bridge sentences" that relate the result to the interpretation. An example would be: “In the case of determining available housing to single women with children in rural areas of Texas, the findings suggest that access to good schools is important...," then move on to further explaining this finding and its implications.
As noted, recommendations for further research can be included in either the discussion or conclusion of your paper, but do not repeat your recommendations in the both sections. Think about the overall narrative flow of your paper to determine where best to locate this information. However, if your findings raise a lot of new questions or issues, consider including suggestions for further research in the discussion section.
Do not introduce new results in the discussion section. Be wary of mistaking the reiteration of a specific finding for an interpretation because it may confuse the reader. The description of findings [results section] and the interpretation of their significance [discussion section] should be distinct parts of your paper. If you choose to combine the results section and the discussion section into a single narrative, you must be clear in how you report the information discovered and your own interpretation of each finding. This approach is not recommended if you lack experience writing college-level research papers.
Use of the first person pronoun is generally acceptable. Using first person singular pronouns can help emphasize a point or illustrate a contrasting finding. However, keep in mind that too much use of the first person can actually distract the reader from the main points [i.e., I know you're telling me this--just tell me!].

Analyzing vs. Summarizing. Department of English Writing Guide. George Mason University; Discussion. The Structure, Format, Content, and Style of a Journal-Style Scientific Paper. Department of Biology. Bates College; Hess, Dean R. "How to Write an Effective Discussion." Respiratory Care 49 (October 2004); Kretchmer, Paul. Fourteen Steps to Writing to Writing an Effective Discussion Section. San Francisco Edit, 2003-2008; The Lab Report. University College Writing Centre. University of Toronto; Sauaia, A. et al. "The Anatomy of an Article: The Discussion Section: "How Does the Article I Read Today Change What I Will Recommend to my Patients Tomorrow?” The Journal of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery 74 (June 2013): 1599-1602; Research Limitations & Future Research . Lund Research Ltd., 2012; Summary: Using it Wisely. The Writing Center. University of North Carolina; Schafer, Mickey S. Writing the Discussion. Writing in Psychology course syllabus. University of Florida; Yellin, Linda L. A Sociology Writer's Guide . Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon, 2009.

Writing Tip

Don’t Over-Interpret the Results!

Interpretation is a subjective exercise. As such, you should always approach the selection and interpretation of your findings introspectively and to think critically about the possibility of judgmental biases unintentionally entering into discussions about the significance of your work. With this in mind, be careful that you do not read more into the findings than can be supported by the evidence you have gathered. Remember that the data are the data: nothing more, nothing less.

MacCoun, Robert J. "Biases in the Interpretation and Use of Research Results." Annual Review of Psychology 49 (February 1998): 259-287; Ward, Paulet al, editors. The Oxford Handbook of Expertise . Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press, 2018.

Another Writing Tip

Don't Write Two Results Sections!

One of the most common mistakes that you can make when discussing the results of your study is to present a superficial interpretation of the findings that more or less re-states the results section of your paper. Obviously, you must refer to your results when discussing them, but focus on the interpretation of those results and their significance in relation to the research problem, not the data itself.

Azar, Beth. "Discussing Your Findings." American Psychological Association gradPSYCH Magazine (January 2006).

Yet Another Writing Tip

Avoid Unwarranted Speculation!

The discussion section should remain focused on the findings of your study. For example, if the purpose of your research was to measure the impact of foreign aid on increasing access to education among disadvantaged children in Bangladesh, it would not be appropriate to speculate about how your findings might apply to populations in other countries without drawing from existing studies to support your claim or if analysis of other countries was not a part of your original research design. If you feel compelled to speculate, do so in the form of describing possible implications or explaining possible impacts. Be certain that you clearly identify your comments as speculation or as a suggestion for where further research is needed. Sometimes your professor will encourage you to expand your discussion of the results in this way, while others don’t care what your opinion is beyond your effort to interpret the data in relation to the research problem.

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Section 4. Techniques for Leading Group Discussions

Chapter 16 Sections

Section 1. Conducting Effective Meetings
Section 2. Developing Facilitation Skills
Section 3. Capturing What People Say: Tips for Recording a Meeting
Main Section

A local coalition forms a task force to address the rising HIV rate among teens in the community. A group of parents meets to wrestle with their feeling that their school district is shortchanging its students. A college class in human services approaches the topic of dealing with reluctant participants. Members of an environmental group attend a workshop on the effects of global warming. A politician convenes a “town hall meeting” of constituents to brainstorm ideas for the economic development of the region. A community health educator facilitates a smoking cessation support group.

All of these might be examples of group discussions, although they have different purposes, take place in different locations, and probably run in different ways. Group discussions are common in a democratic society, and, as a community builder, it’s more than likely that you have been and will continue to be involved in many of them. You also may be in a position to lead one, and that’s what this section is about. In this last section of a chapter on group facilitation, we’ll examine what it takes to lead a discussion group well, and how you can go about doing it.

What is an effective group discussion?

The literal definition of a group discussion is obvious: a critical conversation about a particular topic, or perhaps a range of topics, conducted in a group of a size that allows participation by all members. A group of two or three generally doesn’t need a leader to have a good discussion, but once the number reaches five or six, a leader or facilitator can often be helpful. When the group numbers eight or more, a leader or facilitator, whether formal or informal, is almost always helpful in ensuring an effective discussion.

A group discussion is a type of meeting, but it differs from the formal meetings in a number of ways: It may not have a specific goal – many group discussions are just that: a group kicking around ideas on a particular topic. That may lead to a goal ultimately...but it may not. It’s less formal, and may have no time constraints, or structured order, or agenda. Its leadership is usually less directive than that of a meeting. It emphasizes process (the consideration of ideas) over product (specific tasks to be accomplished within the confines of the meeting itself. Leading a discussion group is not the same as running a meeting. It’s much closer to acting as a facilitator, but not exactly the same as that either.

An effective group discussion generally has a number of elements:

All members of the group have a chance to speak, expressing their own ideas and feelings freely, and to pursue and finish out their thoughts
All members of the group can hear others’ ideas and feelings stated openly
Group members can safely test out ideas that are not yet fully formed
Group members can receive and respond to respectful but honest and constructive feedback. Feedback could be positive, negative, or merely clarifying or correcting factual questions or errors, but is in all cases delivered respectfully.
A variety of points of view are put forward and discussed
The discussion is not dominated by any one person
Arguments, while they may be spirited, are based on the content of ideas and opinions, not on personalities
Even in disagreement, there’s an understanding that the group is working together to resolve a dispute, solve a problem, create a plan, make a decision, find principles all can agree on, or come to a conclusion from which it can move on to further discussion

Many group discussions have no specific purpose except the exchange of ideas and opinions. Ultimately, an effective group discussion is one in which many different ideas and viewpoints are heard and considered. This allows the group to accomplish its purpose if it has one, or to establish a basis either for ongoing discussion or for further contact and collaboration among its members.

There are many possible purposes for a group discussion, such as:

Create a new situation – form a coalition, start an initiative, etc.
Explore cooperative or collaborative arrangements among groups or organizations
Discuss and/or analyze an issue, with no specific goal in mind but understanding
Create a strategic plan – for an initiative, an advocacy campaign, an intervention, etc.
Discuss policy and policy change
Air concerns and differences among individuals or groups
Hold public hearings on proposed laws or regulations, development, etc.
Decide on an action
Provide mutual support
Solve a problem
Resolve a conflict
Plan your work or an event

Possible leadership styles of a group discussion also vary. A group leader or facilitator might be directive or non-directive; that is, she might try to control what goes on to a large extent; or she might assume that the group should be in control, and that her job is to facilitate the process. In most group discussions, leaders who are relatively non-directive make for a more broad-ranging outlay of ideas, and a more satisfying experience for participants.

Directive leaders can be necessary in some situations. If a goal must be reached in a short time period, a directive leader might help to keep the group focused. If the situation is particularly difficult, a directive leader might be needed to keep control of the discussion and make

Why would you lead a group discussion?

There are two ways to look at this question: “What’s the point of group discussion?” and “Why would you, as opposed to someone else, lead a group discussion?” Let’s examine both.

What’s the point of group discussion?

As explained in the opening paragraphs of this section, group discussions are common in a democratic society. There are a number of reasons for this, some practical and some philosophical.

A group discussion:

G ives everyone involved a voice . Whether the discussion is meant to form a basis for action, or just to play with ideas, it gives all members of the group a chance to speak their opinions, to agree or disagree with others, and to have their thoughts heard. In many community-building situations, the members of the group might be chosen specifically because they represent a cross-section of the community, or a diversity of points of view.
Allows for a variety of ideas to be expressed and discussed . A group is much more likely to come to a good conclusion if a mix of ideas is on the table, and if all members have the opportunity to think about and respond to them.
Is generally a democratic, egalitarian process . It reflects the ideals of most grassroots and community groups, and encourages a diversity of views.
Leads to group ownership of whatever conclusions, plans, or action the group decides upon . Because everyone has a chance to contribute to the discussion and to be heard, the final result feels like it was arrived at by and belongs to everyone.
Encourages those who might normally be reluctant to speak their minds . Often, quiet people have important things to contribute, but aren’t assertive enough to make themselves heard. A good group discussion will bring them out and support them.
Can often open communication channels among people who might not communicate in any other way . People from very different backgrounds, from opposite ends of the political spectrum, from different cultures, who may, under most circumstances, either never make contact or never trust one another enough to try to communicate, might, in a group discussion, find more common ground than they expected.
Is sometimes simply the obvious, or even the only, way to proceed. Several of the examples given at the beginning of the section – the group of parents concerned about their school system, for instance, or the college class – fall into this category, as do public hearings and similar gatherings.

Why would you specifically lead a group discussion?

You might choose to lead a group discussion, or you might find yourself drafted for the task. Some of the most common reasons that you might be in that situation:

It’s part of your job . As a mental health counselor, a youth worker, a coalition coordinator, a teacher, the president of a board of directors, etc. you might be expected to lead group discussions regularly.
You’ve been asked to . Because of your reputation for objectivity or integrity, because of your position in the community, or because of your skill at leading group discussions, you might be the obvious choice to lead a particular discussion.
A discussion is necessary, and you’re the logical choice to lead it . If you’re the chair of a task force to address substance use in the community, for instance, it’s likely that you’ll be expected to conduct that task force’s meetings, and to lead discussion of the issue.
It was your idea in the first place . The group discussion, or its purpose, was your idea, and the organization of the process falls to you.

You might find yourself in one of these situations if you fall into one of the categories of people who are often tapped to lead group discussions. These categories include (but aren’t limited to):

Directors of organizations
Public officials
Coalition coordinators
Professionals with group-leading skills – counselors, social workers, therapists, etc.
Health professionals and health educators
Respected community members. These folks may be respected for their leadership – president of the Rotary Club, spokesperson for an environmental movement – for their positions in the community – bank president, clergyman – or simply for their personal qualities – integrity, fairness, ability to communicate with all sectors of the community.
Community activists. This category could include anyone from “professional” community organizers to average citizens who care about an issue or have an idea they want to pursue.

When might you lead a group discussion?

The need or desire for a group discussion might of course arise anytime, but there are some times when it’s particularly necessary.

At the start of something new . Whether you’re designing an intervention, starting an initiative, creating a new program, building a coalition, or embarking on an advocacy or other campaign, inclusive discussion is likely to be crucial in generating the best possible plan, and creating community support for and ownership of it.
When an issue can no longer be ignored . When youth violence reaches a critical point, when the community’s drinking water is declared unsafe, when the HIV infection rate climbs – these are times when groups need to convene to discuss the issue and develop action plans to swing the pendulum in the other direction.
When groups need to be brought together . One way to deal with racial or ethnic hostility, for instance, is to convene groups made up of representatives of all the factions involved. The resulting discussions – and the opportunity for people from different backgrounds to make personal connections with one another – can go far to address everyone’s concerns, and to reduce tensions.
When an existing group is considering its next step or seeking to address an issue of importance to it . The staff of a community service organization, for instance, may want to plan its work for the next few months, or to work out how to deal with people with particular quirks or problems.

How do you lead a group discussion?

In some cases, the opportunity to lead a group discussion can arise on the spur of the moment; in others, it’s a more formal arrangement, planned and expected. In the latter case, you may have the chance to choose a space and otherwise structure the situation. In less formal circumstances, you’ll have to make the best of existing conditions.

We’ll begin by looking at what you might consider if you have time to prepare. Then we’ll examine what it takes to make an effective discussion leader or facilitator, regardless of external circumstances.

Set the stage

If you have time to prepare beforehand, there are a number of things you may be able to do to make the participants more comfortable, and thus to make discussion easier.

Choose the space

If you have the luxury of choosing your space, you might look for someplace that’s comfortable and informal. Usually, that means comfortable furniture that can be moved around (so that, for instance, the group can form a circle, allowing everyone to see and hear everyone else easily). It may also mean a space away from the ordinary.

One organization often held discussions on the terrace of an old mill that had been turned into a bookstore and café. The sound of water from the mill stream rushing by put everyone at ease, and encouraged creative thought.

Provide food and drink

The ultimate comfort, and one that breaks down barriers among people, is that of eating and drinking.

Bring materials to help the discussion along

Most discussions are aided by the use of newsprint and markers to record ideas, for example.

Become familiar with the purpose and content of the discussion

If you have the opportunity, learn as much as possible about the topic under discussion. This is not meant to make you the expert, but rather to allow you to ask good questions that will help the group generate ideas.

Make sure everyone gets any necessary information, readings, or other material beforehand

If participants are asked to read something, consider questions, complete a task, or otherwise prepare for the discussion, make sure that the assignment is attended to and used. Don’t ask people to do something, and then ignore it.

Lead the discussion

Think about leadership style

The first thing you need to think about is leadership style, which we mentioned briefly earlier in the section. Are you a directive or non-directive leader? The chances are that, like most of us, you fall somewhere in between the extremes of the leader who sets the agenda and dominates the group completely, and the leader who essentially leads not at all. The point is made that many good group or meeting leaders are, in fact, facilitators, whose main concern is supporting and maintaining the process of the group’s work. This is particularly true when it comes to group discussion, where the process is, in fact, the purpose of the group’s coming together.

A good facilitator helps the group set rules for itself, makes sure that everyone participates and that no one dominates, encourages the development and expression of all ideas, including “odd” ones, and safeguards an open process, where there are no foregone conclusions and everyone’s ideas are respected. Facilitators are non-directive, and try to keep themselves out of the discussion, except to ask questions or make statements that advance it. For most group discussions, the facilitator role is probably a good ideal to strive for.

It’s important to think about what you’re most comfortable with philosophically, and how that fits what you’re comfortable with personally. If you’re committed to a non-directive style, but you tend to want to control everything in a situation, you may have to learn some new behaviors in order to act on your beliefs.

Put people at ease

Especially if most people in the group don’t know one another, it’s your job as leader to establish a comfortable atmosphere and set the tone for the discussion.

Help the group establish ground rules

The ground rules of a group discussion are the guidelines that help to keep the discussion on track, and prevent it from deteriorating into namecalling or simply argument. Some you might suggest, if the group has trouble coming up with the first one or two:

Everyone should treat everyone else with respect : no name-calling, no emotional outbursts, no accusations.
No arguments directed at people – only at ideas and opinions . Disagreement should be respectful – no ridicule.
Don’t interrupt . Listen to the whole of others’ thoughts – actually listen, rather than just running over your own response in your head.
Respect the group’s time . Try to keep your comments reasonably short and to the point, so that others have a chance to respond.
Consider all comments seriously, and try to evaluate them fairly . Others’ ideas and comments may change your mind, or vice versa: it’s important to be open to that.
Don’t be defensive if someone disagrees with you . Evaluate both positions, and only continue to argue for yours if you continue to believe it’s right.
Everyone is responsible for following and upholding the ground rules .

Ground rules may also be a place to discuss recording the session. Who will take notes, record important points, questions for further discussion, areas of agreement or disagreement? If the recorder is a group member, the group and/or leader should come up with a strategy that allows her to participate fully in the discussion.

Generate an agenda or goals for the session

You might present an agenda for approval, and change it as the group requires, or you and the group can create one together. There may actually be no need for one, in that the goal may simply be to discuss an issue or idea. If that’s the case, it should be agreed upon at the outset.

How active you are might depend on your leadership style, but you definitely have some responsibilities here. They include setting, or helping the group to set the discussion topic; fostering the open process; involving all participants; asking questions or offering ideas to advance the discussion; summarizing or clarifying important points, arguments, and ideas; and wrapping up the session. Let’s look at these, as well as some do’s and don’t’s for discussion group leaders.

Setting the topic . If the group is meeting to discuss a specific issue or to plan something, the discussion topic is already set. If the topic is unclear, then someone needs to help the group define it. The leader – through asking the right questions, defining the problem, and encouraging ideas from the group – can play that role.
Fostering the open process . Nurturing the open process means paying attention to the process, content, and interpersonal dynamics of the discussion all at the same time – not a simple matter. As leader, your task is not to tell the group what to do, or to force particular conclusions, but rather to make sure that the group chooses an appropriate topic that meets its needs, that there are no “right” answers to start with (no foregone conclusions), that no one person or small group dominates the discussion, that everyone follows the ground rules, that discussion is civil and organized, and that all ideas are subjected to careful critical analysis. You might comment on the process of the discussion or on interpersonal issues when it seems helpful (“We all seem to be picking on John here – what’s going on?”), or make reference to the open process itself (“We seem to be assuming that we’re supposed to believe X – is that true?”). Most of your actions as leader should be in the service of modeling or furthering the open process.

Part of your job here is to protect “minority rights,” i.e., unpopular or unusual ideas. That doesn’t mean you have to agree with them, but that you have to make sure that they can be expressed, and that discussion of them is respectful, even in disagreement. (The exceptions are opinions or ideas that are discriminatory or downright false.) Odd ideas often turn out to be correct, and shouldn’t be stifled.

Involving all participants . This is part of fostering the open process, but is important enough to deserve its own mention. To involve those who are less assertive or shy, or who simply can’t speak up quickly enough, you might ask directly for their opinion, encourage them with body language (smile when they say anything, lean and look toward them often), and be aware of when they want to speak and can’t break in. It’s important both for process and for the exchange of ideas that everyone have plenty of opportunity to communicate their thoughts.
Asking questions or offering ideas to advance the discussion . The leader should be aware of the progress of the discussion, and should be able to ask questions or provide information or arguments that stimulate thinking or take the discussion to the next step when necessary. If participants are having trouble grappling with the topic, getting sidetracked by trivial issues, or simply running out of steam, it’s the leader’s job to carry the discussion forward.

This is especially true when the group is stuck, either because two opposing ideas or factions are at an impasse, or because no one is able or willing to say anything. In these circumstances, the leader’s ability to identify points of agreement, or to ask the question that will get discussion moving again is crucial to the group’s effectiveness.

Summarizing or clarifying important points, arguments, or ideas . This task entails making sure that everyone understands a point that was just made, or the two sides of an argument. It can include restating a conclusion the group has reached, or clarifying a particular idea or point made by an individual (“What I think I heard you say was…”). The point is to make sure that everyone understands what the individual or group actually meant.
Wrapping up the session . As the session ends, the leader should help the group review the discussion and make plans for next steps (more discussion sessions, action, involving other people or groups, etc.). He should also go over any assignments or tasks that were agreed to, make sure that every member knows what her responsibilities are, and review the deadlines for those responsibilities. Other wrap-up steps include getting feedback on the session – including suggestions for making it better – pointing out the group’s accomplishments, and thanking it for its work.

Even after you’ve wrapped up the discussion, you’re not necessarily through. If you’ve been the recorder, you might want to put the notes from the session in order, type them up, and send them to participants. The notes might also include a summary of conclusions that were reached, as well as any assignments or follow-up activities that were agreed on.

If the session was one-time, or was the last of a series, your job may now be done. If it was the beginning, however, or part of an ongoing discussion, you may have a lot to do before the next session, including contacting people to make sure they’ve done what they promised, and preparing the newsprint notes to be posted at the next session so everyone can remember the discussion.

Leading an effective group discussion takes preparation (if you have the opportunity for it), an understanding of and commitment to an open process, and a willingness to let go of your ego and biases. If you can do these things, the chances are you can become a discussion leader that can help groups achieve the results they want.

Do’s and don’ts for discussion leaders

Model the behavior and attitudes you want group members to employ . That includes respecting all group members equally; advancing the open process; demonstrating what it means to be a learner (admitting when you’re wrong, or don’t know a fact or an answer, and suggesting ways to find out); asking questions based on others’ statements; focusing on positions rather than on the speaker; listening carefully; restating others’ points; supporting your arguments with fact or logic; acceding when someone else has a good point; accepting criticism; thinking critically; giving up the floor when appropriate; being inclusive and culturally sensitive, etc.
Use encouraging body language and tone of voice, as well as words . Lean forward when people are talking, for example, keep your body position open and approachable, smile when appropriate, and attend carefully to everyone, not just to those who are most articulate.
Give positive feedback for joining the discussion . Smile, repeat group members’ points, and otherwise show that you value participation.
Be aware of people’s reactions and feelings, and try to respond appropriately . If a group member is hurt by others’ comments, seems puzzled or confused, is becoming angry or defensive, it’s up to you as discussion leader to use the ground rules or your own sensitivity to deal with the situation. If someone’s hurt, for instance, it may be important to point that out and discuss how to make arguments without getting personal. If group members are confused, revisiting the comments or points that caused the confusion, or restating them more clearly, may be helpful. Being aware of the reactions of individuals and of the group as a whole can make it possible to expose and use conflict, or to head off unnecessary emotional situations and misunderstandings.
Ask open-ended questions . In advancing the discussion, use questions that can’t be answered with a simple yes or no. Instead, questions should require some thought from group members, and should ask for answers that include reasons or analysis. The difference between “Do you think the President’s decision was right?” and “Why do you think the President’s decision was or wasn’t right?” is huge. Where the first question can be answered with a yes or no, the second requires an analysis supporting the speaker’s opinion, as well as discussion of the context and reasons for the decision.
Control your own biases . While you should point out factual errors or ideas that are inaccurate and disrespectful of others, an open process demands that you not impose your views on the group, and that you keep others from doing the same. Group members should be asked to make rational decisions about the positions or views they want to agree with, and ultimately the ideas that the group agrees on should be those that make the most sense to them – whether they coincide with yours or not. Pointing out bias – including your own – and discussing it helps both you and group members try to be objective.

A constant question that leaders – and members – of any group have is what to do about racist, sexist, or homophobic remarks, especially in a homogeneous group where most or all of the members except the leader may agree with them. There is no clear-cut answer, although if they pass unchallenged, it may appear you condone the attitude expressed. How you challenge prejudice is the real question. The ideal here is that other members of the group do the challenging, and it may be worth waiting long enough before you jump in to see if that’s going to happen. If it doesn’t, you can essentially say, “That’s wrong, and I won’t allow that kind of talk here,” which may well put an end to the remarks, but isn’t likely to change anyone’s mind. You can express your strong disagreement or discomfort with such remarks and leave it at that, or follow up with “Let’s talk about it after the group,” which could generate some real discussion about prejudice and stereotypes, and actually change some thinking over time. Your ground rules – the issue of respecting everyone – should address this issue, and it probably won’t come up…but there are no guarantees. It won’t hurt to think beforehand about how you want to handle it.

Encourage disagreement, and help the group use it creatively . Disagreement is not to be smoothed over, but rather to be analyzed and used. When there are conflicting opinions – especially when both can be backed up by reasonable arguments – the real discussion starts. If everyone agrees on every point, there’s really no discussion at all. Disagreement makes people think. It may not be resolved in one session, or at all, but it’s the key to discussion that means something.

All too often, conflict – whether conflicting opinions, conflicting world views, or conflicting personalities – is so frightening to people that they do their best to ignore it or gloss it over. That reaction not only leaves the conflict unresolved – and therefore growing, so that it will be much stronger when it surfaces later– but fails to examine the issues that it raises. If those are brought out in the open and discussed reasonably, the two sides often find that they have as much agreement as disagreement, and can resolve their differences by putting their ideas together. Even where that’s not the case, facing the conflict reasonably, and looking at the roots of the ideas on each side, can help to focus on the issue at hand and provide solutions far better than if one side or the other simply operated alone.

Keep your mouth shut as much as possible . By and large, discussion groups are for the group members. You may be a member of the group and have been asked by the others to act as leader, in which case you certainly have a right to be part of the discussion (although not to dominate). If you’re an outside facilitator, or leader by position, it’s best to confine your contributions to observations on process, statements of fact, questions to help propel the discussion, and clarification and summarization. The simple fact that you’re identified as leader or facilitator gives your comments more force than those of other group members. If you’re in a position of authority or seen as an expert, that force becomes even greater. The more active you are in the discussion, the more the group will take your positions and ideas as “right,” and the less it will come to its own conclusions.
Don’t let one or a small group of individuals dominate the discussion . People who are particularly articulate or assertive, who have strong feelings that they urgently want to express, or who simply feel the need – and have the ability – to dominate can take up far more than their fair share of a discussion. This often means that quieter people have little or no chance to speak, and that those who disagree with the dominant individual(s) are shouted down and cease trying to make points. It’s up to the leader to cut off individuals who take far more than their share of time, or who try to limit discussion. This can be done in a relatively non-threatening way (“This is an interesting point, and it’s certainly worth the time we’ve spent on it, but there are other points of view that need to be heard as well. I think Alice has been waiting to speak…”), but it’s crucial to the open process and to the comfort and effectiveness of the group.
Don’t let one point of view override others , unless it’s based on facts and logic, and is actually convincing group members to change their minds. If a point of view dominates because of its merits, its appeal to participants’ intellectual and ethical sensibilities, that’s fine. It’s in fact what you hope will happen in a good group discussion. If a point of view dominates because of the aggressiveness of its supporters, or because it’s presented as something it’s wrong to oppose (“People who disagree with the President are unpatriotic and hate their country”), that’s intellectual bullying or blackmail, and is the opposite of an open discussion. As leader, you should point it out when that’s happening, and make sure other points of view are aired and examined.

Sometimes individuals or factions that are trying to dominate can disrupt the process of the group. Both Sections 1 and 2 of this chapter contain some guidelines for dealing with this type of situation.

Don’t assume that anyone holds particular opinions or positions because of his culture, background, race, personal style, etc . People are individuals, and can’t be judged by their exteriors. You can find out what someone thinks by asking, or by listening when he speaks.
Don’t assume that someone from a particular culture, race, or background speaks for everyone else from that situation . She may or may not represent the general opinion of people from situations similar to hers…or there may not be a general opinion among them. In a group discussion, no one should be asked or assumed to represent anything more than herself.

The exception here is when someone has been chosen by her community or group to represent its point of view in a multi-sector discussion. Even in that situation, the individual may find herself swayed by others’ arguments, or may have ideas of her own. She may have agreed to sponsor particular ideas that are important to her group, but she may still have her own opinions as well, especially in other areas.

Don’t be the font of all wisdom . Even if you know more about the discussion topic than most others in the group (if you’re the teacher of a class, for instance), presenting yourself as the intellectual authority denies group members the chance to discuss the topic freely and without pressure. Furthermore, some of them may have ideas you haven’t considered, or experiences that give them insights into the topic that you’re never likely to have. Model learning behavior, not teaching behavior.

If you’re asked your opinion directly, you should answer honestly. You have some choices about how you do that, however. One is to state your opinion, but make very clear that it’s an opinion, not a fact, and that other people believe differently. Another is to ask to hold your opinion until the end of the discussion, so as not to influence anyone’s thinking while it’s going on. Yet another is to give your opinion after all other members of the group have stated theirs, and then discuss the similarities and differences among all the opinions and people’s reasons for holding them. If you’re asked a direct question, you might want to answer it if it’s a question of fact and you know the answer, and if it’s relevant to the discussion. If the question is less clear-cut, you might want to throw it back to the group, and use it as a spur to discussion.

Group discussions are common in our society, and have a variety of purposes, from planning an intervention or initiative to mutual support to problem-solving to addressing an issue of local concern. An effective discussion group depends on a leader or facilitator who can guide it through an open process – the group chooses what it’s discussing, if not already determined, discusses it with no expectation of particular conclusions, encourages civil disagreement and argument, and makes sure that every member is included and no one dominates. It helps greatly if the leader comes to the task with a democratic or, especially, a collaborative style, and with an understanding of how a group functions.

A good group discussion leader has to pay attention to the process and content of the discussion as well as to the people who make up the group. She has to prepare the space and the setting to the extent possible; help the group establish ground rules that will keep it moving civilly and comfortably; provide whatever materials are necessary; familiarize herself with the topic; and make sure that any pre-discussion readings or assignments get to participants in plenty of time. Then she has to guide the discussion, being careful to promote an open process; involve everyone and let no one dominate; attend to the personal issues and needs of individual group members when they affect the group; summarize or clarify when appropriate; ask questions to keep the discussion moving, and put aside her own agenda, ego, and biases.

It’s not an easy task, but it can be extremely rewarding. An effective group discussion can lay the groundwork for action and real community change.

Online resources

Everyday-Democracy . Study Circles Resource Center. Information and publications related to study circles, participatory discussion groups meant to address community issues.

Facilitating Political Discussions from the Institute for Democracy and Higher Education at Tufts University is designed to assist experienced facilitators in training others to facilitate politically charged conversations. The materials are broken down into "modules" and facilitation trainers can use some or all of them to suit their needs.

Project on Civic Reflection provides information about leading study circles on civic reflection.

“ Suggestions for Leading Small-Group Discussions ,” prepared by Lee Haugen, Center for Teaching Excellence, Iowa State University, 1998. Tips on university teaching, but much of the information is useful in other circumstances as well.

“ Tips for Leading Discussions ,” by Felisa Tibbits, Human Rights Education Associates.

Print resources

Forsyth, D . Group Dynamics . (2006). (4th edition). Belmont, CA: Thomson Wadsworth.

Johnson, D., & Frank P. (2002). Joining Together: Group theory and group skills . (8th edition). Boston: Allyn & Bacon.

Essay on Group Discussion

Students are often asked to write an essay on Group Discussion in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Group Discussion

Introduction.

Group Discussion, often abbreviated as GD, is a method of assessing individuals in a group. It’s a tool to gauge a person’s ability to communicate effectively, express thoughts, and influence others.

Importance of GD

GD helps in developing critical thinking, listening skills, and articulation of thoughts. It’s a platform where students learn to respect different opinions and develop team spirit.

Conducting a GD

In a GD, a topic is given, and participants are expected to discuss it. Everyone gets a chance to express their views. The aim is not to win an argument but to exchange ideas.

Overall, GD is a vital tool in education, helping students to grow both personally and academically. It fosters a sense of respect, understanding, and cooperation among participants.

Also check:

Advantages and Disadvantages of Group Discussion

250 Words Essay on Group Discussion

Introduction to group discussion.

Group Discussion (GD) is a methodology employed in educational and corporate settings to encourage a structured and critical exchange of ideas. It is a platform where participants express their views, opinions, and knowledge on a particular topic.

Significance of Group Discussion

GD is instrumental in assessing communication skills, leadership qualities, and team spirit. It also showcases one’s ability to analyze, reason, and think critically. It facilitates the development of interpersonal skills and the ability to work collaboratively.

Effective Participation in Group Discussions

Effective participation in GD requires active listening, clear articulation, and respect for others’ viewpoints. It is not about dominating the conversation but contributing meaningfully and constructively. Participants should display logical thinking, clarity of thoughts, and the ability to persuade others without disrespecting their opinions.

Role of Group Discussion in Education and Corporate World

In academia, GD helps in the holistic development of students, preparing them for real-world challenges. It enhances their analytical skills, boosts confidence, and promotes healthy competition. In the corporate world, GD often forms part of the selection process, testing candidates’ problem-solving abilities, leadership skills, and adaptability to team dynamics.

In conclusion, Group Discussion is an essential tool in both educational and professional domains. It fosters critical thinking, effective communication, and collaborative problem-solving. By engaging in GD, individuals can not only broaden their knowledge base but also refine their interpersonal skills, preparing them for future challenges.

500 Words Essay on Group Discussion

Group discussion, an interactive activity where individuals exchange ideas and opinions, is a crucial part of the modern academic and corporate world. It is not merely a conversation, but a structured process that tests the ability to think critically, communicate effectively, and work in a team.

The Importance of Group Discussion

Group discussions are vital for several reasons. They foster active learning, promote critical thinking, and enhance communication skills. By engaging in group discussions, students can understand different perspectives, thereby expanding their knowledge and broadening their horizons. It also helps in developing problem-solving skills, as the group works together to find solutions to complex issues.

Components of an Effective Group Discussion

An effective group discussion consists of several components. Firstly, it requires active participation from all members. Each person should contribute their thoughts and ideas, ensuring a wide range of perspectives. Secondly, it necessitates effective communication. Participants must articulate their thoughts clearly and listen attentively to others. Thirdly, it involves critical thinking, where individuals analyze and evaluate ideas before accepting them. Lastly, it requires mutual respect among the participants, as differing viewpoints are inevitable.

Role of a Moderator in Group Discussion

The role of a moderator in a group discussion is pivotal. They ensure that the discussion stays on track and that every participant gets a fair chance to express their views. They handle conflicts and manage time effectively, ensuring that the discussion is productive and reaches a conclusion.

Challenges in Group Discussion

Despite its benefits, group discussions can pose certain challenges. Dominance by a few members, lack of preparation, and miscommunication can hinder the effectiveness of a group discussion. It is essential to address these issues to ensure a fruitful discussion.

Group discussions are an integral part of the learning process, fostering critical thinking, effective communication, and teamwork. While they may present certain challenges, these can be mitigated with proper preparation and the effective role of a moderator. As students, mastering the art of participating in group discussions can significantly enhance your academic and professional journey.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

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Strategies for Facilitating Successful Group Discussions

Group discussions can be extremely beneficial to any learning environment, providing a space for critical thinking, open discussion, and diverse opinions. Not only do they provide individuals with the opportunity to develop their communication and listening skills, but they also help foster collaboration and creativity in students.

In this article, we will cover strategies for facilitating successful group discussions. We’ll discuss topics such as the benefits of using this strategy, how to prepare for and facilitate discussions, how to monitor Participation, and how to create effective sentences stems that facilitate student conversations. With these strategies, you will be able to make the most of your classroom discussions and ensure that everyone’s voice is heard.

What is a Group Discussion?

Group discussions are informal, non-structured conversations between a small group of people focused on a particular topic, which promotes critical thinking and problem-solving. Participants must consider the perspectives of other group members and actively contribute, making it a great way to engage students and encourage socialization, comprehension, and synthesis of material. Group discussions can take many forms and be adapted to any teaching style or classroom setting.

The most common form of group discussion involves one person acting as the leader or facilitator of the discussion. This entails asking open-ended questions, summarizing and paraphrasing each point in the discussion, acknowledging each contribution, and using strategies like brainstorming techniques, visuals, and Socratic questioning to keep everyone engaged and involved.

During the discussion, the leader pays attention to the flow of the conversation while monitoring time limits, encouraging Participation, and helping to build off individual ideas proffered by students. Following the discussion, the leader should debrief and reflect, summarizing key points for future reference.

Group discussion offers a variety of advantages, both practical and philosophical. It helps students master communication and collaboration skills, utilizes every participant’s strengths, encourages active engagement from all members to avoid monopolizing the conversation, builds critical thinking and meta-cognition, allows for different perspectives and experiences to be adequately expressed, and fosters a sense of unity within the group.

From a philosophical standpoint, group discussion has the potential to connect people with diverse backgrounds and dissolve divisions in a democratic society – all contributions are viewed as important and respected, allowing for valid discussion free from bias.

Overall, group discussion is an invaluable tool that has limitless possibilities for engaging in class conversations and allowing teachers to create meaningful interactions among their students. Utilizing this type of learning strategy encourages student ownership in their learning, providing them with opportunities to ask their own pertinent questions and internalize concepts through supported verbal interaction. A group talk may come in the form of a threaded discussion online.

Read also: 15 Great Tips for Speaking in a Group Discussion

What are the Benefits of Group Discussions?

Group discussions are vital in almost all interpersonal interactions and learning environments. They facilitate communication, collaboration, and the exchange of ideas. Group discussions provide opportunities for people to come to decisions together, drawing on inputs from various participants and stimulating creativity which leads to better outcomes. Thus, group discussions can be a valuable tool in any learning environment.

Leading a group discussion increases the chances of success due to better organization and direction. Doing so gives you control over the progress and trajectory of the conversation. As a leader, you can ensure that everyone is given the opportunity to voice their opinions, identify potential areas for improvement, and lead the discussion toward generating workable solutions. When done responsibly, leading a group discussion can also help build leadership skills among the participants.

Students’ social skills are increased through group discussions, and it is one of the most effective ways to enhance student education. Through cooperative discussion, students can practice critical thinking as well as public speaking as they consider different perspectives, ask questions, and speak up when appropriate. Additionally, using technology tools to participate in and manage class discussions can help foster connections among peers and create an atmosphere of exploration.

Group discussion is also beneficial to companies. It offers opportunities for collective problem-solving, idea generation, and improved communication. In a company setting, group discussions increase productivity and team bonding by allowing members to collaborate and exchange ideas. Likewise, group discussions contribute to a democratic society as they provide a platform to discuss issues, debate, and think critically.

Overall, group discussions are beneficial across all settings since they can be used to facilitate open communication, engage members, improve critical thinking skills and develop social skills. Despite the numerous benefits of group discussions, it should be noted that it is important to ensure all members are heard equally and that topics are managed efficiently for optimal results. With prudent oversight and preparation, group discussions have the potential to be highly productive conversations that can result in tangible outcomes.

Types of Group Discussions

Classroom discussions can take a variety of forms. The discussion leader has the responsibility of introducing topics and encouraging Participation without taking over the conversation. There are several strategies for facilitating successful group discussions, some of which are outlined below.

3.1. Socratic Seminars

Socratic seminars involve small groups of students who engage in shared inquiry around a written text or prompt. They are named after the ancient Greek philosopher Socrates, who believed that truth could emerge if people engaged in thoughtful dialogue. This type of group discussion encourages active listening, critical thinking, and respectful dialogue among participants.

To prepare for a Socratic seminar, teachers should print one question per piece of paper and insert it into a team pack. Teams work together to answer the question, then pass it on to the next group. Groups can be no less than three, and no more than five members. When structuring a Seminar, teachers have the option of leading all or part of it, depending on their comfort level and the age group they are teaching. During the group discussion, students are encouraged to ask questions, listen to responses and make connections to other ideas and texts. Students should be asked to keep their answers concise and remain focused on the topic while still exercising freedom of thought. After the session, teachers should provide a summary and closure to ensure everyone is on the same page before moving on to the further discussion.

This year many schools and organizations have had to move to digital learning. One way to adjust socratic seminars to an online setting is to use props, or Google slides with an interactive “open” team pack feature. To involve all students, have each student take a turn as a moderator or guest speaker. Three different roles (speaker, moderator, and audience) can be used to keep things fresh and interesting.

3.2. Fishbowl Discussions

Fishbowl discussions are another strategy used to facilitate engaging conversations. It involves forming two circles – one inner circle and one outer circle. The inner circle is composed of a smaller number of participants who engage in the primary discussion. The outer circle is composed of onlookers, who observe and think about the conversation for later Participation. The purpose of this strategy is to empower conversation partners, encourage peer-to-peer learning and engage multiple perspectives.

To run a successful fishbowl discussion, the discussion leader should first select an appropriate topic and establish ground rules, such as speaking one at a time, maintaining eye contact, and actively listening. Once the discussion begins, the discussion leader should monitor the conversation, making sure everyone’s ideas are heard and respected. A key component of this process is also ensuring that participants are asking relevant questions and avoiding personal attacks.

When participating in a fishbowl discussion virtually, teachers should provide students with structure and clear expectations. If the discussion is held online, Teachers might consider using the breakout room feature or having students work in assigned groups. Additionally, technology tools like Mural and Jamboard can be used to facilitate collaboration and visualization of conversations.

3.3. Debate

Debates are another form of group discussion and can take place both virtually and in person. In a debate format, two sides (for and against) argue a specific topic or point of view. In order to ensure fairness and effective exchange of ideas during the conversation, debates should be structured with either differentiated teams or specific roles (such as propositioner, oppositioner, and moderator).

In order to ensure Participation from every member, the discussion leader should assign specific tasks or questions to each team or role. Additionally, the leader should grant equal opportunity for both sides to respond and highlight similarities or differences in opinions when necessary. To help maintain focus, it is also important to establish time limits for each response.

While leading a debate, participants should never forget to remain respectful and open-minded, even when disagreements arise. It is the discussion leader’s job to ensure that all sides of an argument are heard and that no single viewpoint dominates the conversation.

Overall, debate strategies are valuable for fostering critical thinking and debating skills among students. At the end of the conversation, the discussion leader should ensure everyone’s opinion is heard, summarizing key takeaways and reflecting upon the points made during the session.

Group discussions hold considerable potential for success. They provide an opportunity for students to reasonedly discuss significant and complex topics, building collaborative learning opportunities and helping them build respect for one another. By familiarizing themselves with the various types of group discussion strategies, discussion leaders can create successful experiences that promote and foster student engagement, deepen understanding of the subject matter, and build relationships.

Preparing for a Group Discussion

Group discussion is a unique approach to learning and collaboration. It encourages engagement, critical thinking, problem-solving, and creative expression. By adequately preparing for a successful group discussion, instructors can create an even more successful and stimulating learning environment for their students.

4.1. Choose an Appropriate Topic

When choosing a topic for a group discussion, it is important to choose one that is engaging and relevant to the current course material. Ensuring that all students have some familiarity with the topic will help to facilitate more meaningful and productive conversations. Furthermore, selecting topics that lead to a well-rounded exploration of diverse perspectives and different approaches to understanding a problem can enhance the quality of the discussion experience.

4.2. Establish Ground Rules

Establishing ground rules for the discussion is essential for creating a safe and respectful learning space. Before beginning the discussion, ask students to come up with a set of group guidelines or explicitly establish these guidelines yourself. This includes setting expectations and clarifying the roles and responsibilities of group members. Concrete rules and boundaries should also be established to ensure that each student is able to voice their opinion without feeling marginalized or judged. In addition, setting a timeline for the discussion will help to keep the group on task and prevent unnecessary tangents.

4.3. Assign Roles

Assigning roles to each member of the group is a great way to ensure everyone is engaged and participating in the conversation. Consider assigning a facilitator to lead the discussion, as well as individuals who are responsible for timekeeping, note-taking, and summarizing key points. This will help to structure the conversation and keep it from veering off in multiple directions. If using small groups, consider assigning specific tasks and activities such as brainstorming ideas, conducting research, or completing sentence stems. These activities can engage the entire group and give each member an opportunity to participate.

During the Group Discussion

5.1. facilitate open communication.

Group discussions are an excellent way to engage students in active learning, critical thinking, and collaborative problem-solving. They also provide an opportunity for different perspectives and ideas to be shared freely and collaboratively. However, it is important for the facilitator or group leader to take an active role during the discussion in order to ensure that open communication is facilitated effectively.

The facilitator must create a safe space where all members feel comfortable expressing their opinions without fear of criticism. As such, identifying any potential sources of conflict beforehand, dealing with disagreement respectfully, and responding in a balanced manner all help to create a constructive environment. Ground rules should also be agreed upon prior to the discussion so that boundaries are in place and everyone understands how to interact with each other and stay on topic.

In addition, active listening skills are key to ensuring that everyone’s perspective is heard and respected. This might involve summarizing, paraphrasing, repeating back, and engaging in follow-up questions. An atmosphere of respect is also essential; if a particular view dominates the discussion, welcoming input from quieter members of the group is important.

5.2. Encourage Participation

Encouraging Participation is key when facilitating a successful group discussion. A few simple strategies can ensure that everyone has the opportunity to contribute. Firstly, participants should be asked to think up their own questions beforehand so they have something to talk about and their contributions will be more meaningful. Similarly, distributing texts among the students can provide useful material to draw upon during the discussion. Optional warm-up activities can also help students become more familiar with the discussion topic.

It can be helpful to divide participants into smaller groups in order to keep discussions focused and give shy students an opportunity to express their views. The leader or facilitator can also preface each contribution by introducing the speaker and setting a time limit to ensure that each person is given adequate space to express themselves.

Finally, providing small treats such as food and drink can make the whole experience far more enjoyable, and fostering a relaxed atmosphere is important for any effective group discussion.

5.3. Monitor Time Limits

Time limits play an important role in group discussions because it ensures that the session does not go off-topic or run too long. During the discussion, it is the facilitator’s duty to monitor time. As such, they should have an idea in advance of the allotted time for each discussion, informing the participants of these limits before the discussion begins. At the same time, it is important to recognize that there is no hard and fast rule—time limits need to be flexible enough to allow the conversation to flow naturally and reach a satisfactory conclusion.

Similarly, asking questions that require quick responses can also help to move things along. Interjecting at appropriate times can also be beneficial, as it will help keep everyone on task. Establishing breaks throughout can also be favorable, allowing people to regroup, refresh, and refocus before returning to the discussion. Ultimately, every group discussion needs to be monitored carefully and appropriately managed in order to be successful.

After the Group Discussion

6.1. debrief.

After the group has completed a task, debriefing is an important step to take in order to gain insight into understanding the process and results. Debriefing can help adjust teaching styles, indicate areas that need more work or revisiting in the future, and provide valuable feedback for all involved. Through metaphors and similes, active voice, rhetorical questions, and short sentences, we can effectively communicate our thoughts on what went well during the task as well as what could be improved upon.

6.2. Reflect and Summarize

Reflection and summarization are key pieces to facilitate successful group discussions. For example, the instructor or leader should summarize the key points of the discussion and assign tasks or topics to various students throughout.

Additionally, it can be beneficial to allow five minutes of informal writing prior to beginning a larger discussion, create a talking diagram, and combine gold standard discussion strategies for success. Rhetorical questions such as “What are key pieces to facilitate successful group discussions?” and “What strategies should be followed to ensure a successful discussion?” help introduce this topic in an engaging way. Metaphors and similes, active voice, and short sentences can also be used stylistically when discussing how best to lead effective group conversations.

Strategies for Effective Group Discussions

Group discussions are an effective way to get students talking, allow for different perspectives, and give everyone a chance to be heard. Facilitating a successful group discussion requires creating a low-risk environment, setting up proper rules or guidelines, monitoring time constraints, understanding the types of discussions available, and consciously incorporating strategies to maximize Participation. Here are some strategies to use when facilitating group discussions:

7.1. Ask Open-Ended Questions

The best way to engage all students in discussion is by asking open-ended questions that promote higher-level thinking. These questions can help to create critical thinking rather than a rote response and will help to encourage inquiry throughout the conversation. It is important to remember that these questions are not intended to be answered directly, rather, they serve as prompts to generate further dialogue.

7.2. Summarize, Paraphrase, and Repeat Back

Another effective strategy to ensure everyone is heard and remains focused on the task at hand is to reiterate, recast, and summarize what has been said. This pushes the discussion forward and allows participants to understand where the conversation is going and provides verbal confirmation of what others have said. This practice is particularly useful during longer civil debates where there is a wide variety of perspectives being voiced.

7.3. Follow-Up Questions

A teacher can use follow-up questions to help the group explore topics more deeply and aid in their ability to think critically about what has been discussed. Asking specific, prompt, and relevant questions allows leaves room for reflective response, creating the opportunity for meaningful conversations. Follow-up questions may also keep the conversation flowing while ensuring the conversation remains organized and on track.

7.4. Allow for Silence

Silence can be a powerful tool during classroom discussion – allowing time for reflection and letting students process ideas with one another. Teachers often overlook the importance of lingering silence, but this gives individuals ample opportunity to contemplate what has been said and thoughtful craft responses truly. Making sure there is ample room for silence when facilitating a group discussion encourages more student involvement and a more meaningful contribution to the discussion.

7.5. Take Notes on Key Points

Taking notes during a discussion helps to keep everyone on track and aids in summarizing key points at the end. Keeping notes can also help identify areas where more in-depth exploration is needed and provide the facilitator with insight into what the group accomplished. Taking notes during a conversation gives all members the opportunity to review their reflections and evaluate their own performance throughout the exchange.

7.6. Use Brainstorming Techniques

Engaging in class discussions should also involve brainstorming activities to help generate new ideas, pinpoint areas of interest and explore how multiple perspectives can offer a broader view of the topic discussed. To ensure maximum Participation, choose brainstorming methods such as mind-mapping or idea-generating, which create space for individual input without dominating the conversation.

7.7. Utilize Visuals

Discussion boards and blogs can provide the opportunity for students to post and share visuals that support their views and become productive elements of the discussion. Incorporating visuals into class discussions adds an extra layer to the conversation, allows students to communicate their points visually, and may promote further discussion. Be aware that visuals are often interpretive and subjective, so they must be analyzed thoughtfully in order to eliminate any bias.

Group discussions can be an incredibly rewarding experience for both teacher and student. When properly facilitated, these sessions offer a unique platform for learners to present their ideas, work together to problem solve and gain valuable insight from their peers’ perspectives. By understanding and employing key strategies, teachers can utilize group discussions to encourage meaningful discourse, foster collaboration, and develop tangible skills.

Also, it might be useful for you to learn about communication barriers , also in a group discussion.

Group discussions are an invaluable tool for educators to facilitate meaningful discussions among their students and contribute to student learning and development. As instructors of group discussions, we have an important responsibility to ensure a positive learning experience for all participants. In order to achieve that, we must be cognizant of the types of discourse and topics best suited for our groups, illustrate clear expectations and ground rules beforehand, monitor time limits, encourage collaboration, and utilize effective strategies during the discussions, such as asking open-ended questions, paraphrasing and summarizing, introducing follow-up questions, allowing for silence, taking notes, practicing brainstorming techniques, and utilizing visuals. By acknowledging the power of effective group discussions, we can create stimulating and successful learning environments for our students.

Read also: How To Be Diplomatic and Tactful At Work: The Basics

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the four types of discussion.

When it comes to discussions, there are four types. These include Debate, Dialogue, Discourse, and Diatribe. Depending on the context, each dialogue type will require different approaches and understanding. It is essential to identify which conversation you’re in for effective communication with your partner.

What is effective group discussion?

An effective group discussion is when all of the participants are respectful and cooperative, engaging in lively debate while actively listening to each other’s points and pushing ideas forward while respecting dissenting views. Ultimately, the goal should be to reach a common understanding or solution.

What makes a discussion effective?

Making a discussion effective requires thoughtful preparation and engaged Participation from both the facilitator and the participants. Effective discussions should be framed with clear objectives, draw on each participant’s knowledge and experiences, encourage questions and open dialogue, and provide structure while still allowing for the free exchange of ideas.

What are the three skills required for an effective group discussion?

To be successful in a group discussion, the participants should possess strong communication skills, non-verbal behavior, the ability to follow group norms, decision-making skills, and show cooperation.

How to lead a discussion in class?

To lead a successful discussion in class, begin by framing the key questions or points you want to focus on. Make sure students understand their importance and relevance to master material or understanding larger issues. Provide an explanation for any terms used, then assign activities like partner work and brainstorming to generate further connected conversations. Utilize open-ended questions to prompt the exchange of ideas and opinions.

How to Write the Discussion Section of a Research Paper

The discussion section of a research paper analyzes and interprets the findings, provides context, compares them with previous studies, identifies limitations, and suggests future research directions.

Updated on September 15, 2023

researchers writing the discussion section of their research paper

Structure your discussion section right, and you’ll be cited more often while doing a greater service to the scientific community. So, what actually goes into the discussion section? And how do you write it?

The discussion section of your research paper is where you let the reader know how your study is positioned in the literature, what to take away from your paper, and how your work helps them. It can also include your conclusions and suggestions for future studies.

First, we’ll define all the parts of your discussion paper, and then look into how to write a strong, effective discussion section for your paper or manuscript.

Discussion section: what is it, what it does

The discussion section comes later in your paper, following the introduction, methods, and results. The discussion sets up your study’s conclusions. Its main goals are to present, interpret, and provide a context for your results.

What is it?

The discussion section provides an analysis and interpretation of the findings, compares them with previous studies, identifies limitations, and suggests future directions for research.

This section combines information from the preceding parts of your paper into a coherent story. By this point, the reader already knows why you did your study (introduction), how you did it (methods), and what happened (results). In the discussion, you’ll help the reader connect the ideas from these sections.

Why is it necessary?

The discussion provides context and interpretations for the results. It also answers the questions posed in the introduction. While the results section describes your findings, the discussion explains what they say. This is also where you can describe the impact or implications of your research.

Adds context for your results

Most research studies aim to answer a question, replicate a finding, or address limitations in the literature. These goals are first described in the introduction. However, in the discussion section, the author can refer back to them to explain how the study's objective was achieved.

Shows what your results actually mean and real-world implications

The discussion can also describe the effect of your findings on research or practice. How are your results significant for readers, other researchers, or policymakers?

What to include in your discussion (in the correct order)

A complete and effective discussion section should at least touch on the points described below.

Summary of key findings

The discussion should begin with a brief factual summary of the results. Concisely overview the main results you obtained.

Begin with key findings with supporting evidence

Your results section described a list of findings, but what message do they send when you look at them all together?

Your findings were detailed in the results section, so there’s no need to repeat them here, but do provide at least a few highlights. This will help refresh the reader’s memory and help them focus on the big picture.

Read the first paragraph of the discussion section in this article (PDF) for an example of how to start this part of your paper. Notice how the authors break down their results and follow each description sentence with an explanation of why each finding is relevant.

State clearly and concisely

Following a clear and direct writing style is especially important in the discussion section. After all, this is where you will make some of the most impactful points in your paper. While the results section often contains technical vocabulary, such as statistical terms, the discussion section lets you describe your findings more clearly.

Interpretation of results

Once you’ve given your reader an overview of your results, you need to interpret those results. In other words, what do your results mean? Discuss the findings’ implications and significance in relation to your research question or hypothesis.

Analyze and interpret your findings

Look into your findings and explore what’s behind them or what may have caused them. If your introduction cited theories or studies that could explain your findings, use these sources as a basis to discuss your results.

For example, look at the second paragraph in the discussion section of this article on waggling honey bees. Here, the authors explore their results based on information from the literature.

Unexpected or contradictory results

Sometimes, your findings are not what you expect. Here’s where you describe this and try to find a reason for it. Could it be because of the method you used? Does it have something to do with the variables analyzed? Comparing your methods with those of other similar studies can help with this task.

Context and comparison with previous work

Refer to related studies to place your research in a larger context and the literature. Compare and contrast your findings with existing literature, highlighting similarities, differences, and/or contradictions.

How your work compares or contrasts with previous work

Studies with similar findings to yours can be cited to show the strength of your findings. Information from these studies can also be used to help explain your results. Differences between your findings and others in the literature can also be discussed here.

How to divide this section into subsections

If you have more than one objective in your study or many key findings, you can dedicate a separate section to each of these. Here’s an example of this approach. You can see that the discussion section is divided into topics and even has a separate heading for each of them.

Limitations

Many journals require you to include the limitations of your study in the discussion. Even if they don’t, there are good reasons to mention these in your paper.

Why limitations don’t have a negative connotation

A study’s limitations are points to be improved upon in future research. While some of these may be flaws in your method, many may be due to factors you couldn’t predict.

Examples include time constraints or small sample sizes. Pointing this out will help future researchers avoid or address these issues. This part of the discussion can also include any attempts you have made to reduce the impact of these limitations, as in this study .

How limitations add to a researcher's credibility

Pointing out the limitations of your study demonstrates transparency. It also shows that you know your methods well and can conduct a critical assessment of them.

Implications and significance

The final paragraph of the discussion section should contain the take-home messages for your study. It can also cite the “strong points” of your study, to contrast with the limitations section.

Restate your hypothesis

Remind the reader what your hypothesis was before you conducted the study.

How was it proven or disproven?

Identify your main findings and describe how they relate to your hypothesis.

How your results contribute to the literature

Were you able to answer your research question? Or address a gap in the literature?

Future implications of your research

Describe the impact that your results may have on the topic of study. Your results may show, for instance, that there are still limitations in the literature for future studies to address. There may be a need for studies that extend your findings in a specific way. You also may need additional research to corroborate your findings.

Sample discussion section

This fictitious example covers all the aspects discussed above. Your actual discussion section will probably be much longer, but you can read this to get an idea of everything your discussion should cover.

Our results showed that the presence of cats in a household is associated with higher levels of perceived happiness by its human occupants. These findings support our hypothesis and demonstrate the association between pet ownership and well-being.

The present findings align with those of Bao and Schreer (2016) and Hardie et al. (2023), who observed greater life satisfaction in pet owners relative to non-owners. Although the present study did not directly evaluate life satisfaction, this factor may explain the association between happiness and cat ownership observed in our sample.

Our findings must be interpreted in light of some limitations, such as the focus on cat ownership only rather than pets as a whole. This may limit the generalizability of our results.

Nevertheless, this study had several strengths. These include its strict exclusion criteria and use of a standardized assessment instrument to investigate the relationships between pets and owners. These attributes bolster the accuracy of our results and reduce the influence of confounding factors, increasing the strength of our conclusions. Future studies may examine the factors that mediate the association between pet ownership and happiness to better comprehend this phenomenon.

This brief discussion begins with a quick summary of the results and hypothesis. The next paragraph cites previous research and compares its findings to those of this study. Information from previous studies is also used to help interpret the findings. After discussing the results of the study, some limitations are pointed out. The paper also explains why these limitations may influence the interpretation of results. Then, final conclusions are drawn based on the study, and directions for future research are suggested.

How to make your discussion flow naturally

If you find writing in scientific English challenging, the discussion and conclusions are often the hardest parts of the paper to write. That’s because you’re not just listing up studies, methods, and outcomes. You’re actually expressing your thoughts and interpretations in words.

How formal should it be?
What words should you use, or not use?
How do you meet strict word limits, or make it longer and more informative?

Always give it your best, but sometimes a helping hand can, well, help. Getting a professional edit can help clarify your work’s importance while improving the English used to explain it. When readers know the value of your work, they’ll cite it. We’ll assign your study to an expert editor knowledgeable in your area of research. Their work will clarify your discussion, helping it to tell your story. Find out more about AJE Editing.

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What is Group Discussion? (GD), Objectives, Types, Prerequisites, Steps

Post last modified: 4 June 2023
Reading time: 24 mins read
Post category: Business Communication

What is Group Discussion?

Group Discussion (GD) is a technique where the group of participants share their views and opinions on a topic for a specific duration. Companies conduct this evaluation process because business management is essentially a team activity and working with groups is an essential parameter in organisations.

Table of Content

1 What is Group Discussion?
2 Group Discussion (GD) Definition
3 Objectives of Group Discussion (GD)
4.1 Topic-based GDs
4.2 Case-based GDs
4.3 Article-based GDs
5.1 Prior knowledge
5.2 Active listening
5.3 Effective communication
5.4 Appropriate body language
6.1 Initiate
6.3 Summarise
7 Do’s and Don’ts of Group Discussion
8.1 Communication skills
8.2 Analytical and interpretative skills
8.3 Interpersonal skills
8.4 Persuasive skills
9.1 Objective of conducting a GD
9.2 Venue setup
9.4 Pre-instructions for participants
9.5 Defined parameters for selection
9.6 Role of assessor/evaluator
9.7 Clear communication of results post GD

GD is an opportunity for an organisation to evaluate a candidate’s communication skills, knowledge, leadership skills, listening skills, social skills, ability to think on the spot and improvise. A typical GD has about 8-12 participants and 2 or more assessors. The assessors sit where they can clearly see and hear all the candidates.

They record the behaviour of participants during the group discussion. Then, they evaluate the recorded observations against the desired traits and finalise a few candidates from the group.

Group Discussion (GD) Definition

Group discussion is a communication process that involves the exchange of ideas, information, and opinions among a group of people. It is a powerful tool for problem-solving, decision-making, and generating new ideas. – Stephen P. Robbins, author of “Organizational Behavior”

A group discussion is an interactive process where a group of individuals come together to exchange ideas, opinions, and information on a specific topic. The goal of a group discussion is to arrive at a collective decision or solution that is acceptable to all members of the group.” – The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT)

Group discussion is a method of communication in which a small group of people come together to discuss a topic or problem. The group members share their ideas and perspectives with one another in order to arrive at a solution or decision that benefits the group as a whole.” – The American Psychological Association (APA)

Group discussion is an effective means of exploring and analyzing complex issues, generating creative ideas, and arriving at consensus among participants. It provides a platform for individuals to express their views, clarify their understanding, and learn from the perspectives of others.” – The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)

Objectives of Group Discussion (GD)

Group discussions are conducted to serve various purposes. It is a two-way communication process through which recruiters get to assess the soft skills of candidates, while the candidates can gain clarity about their own thoughts, opinions and views.

The following are some of the objectives of a group discussion activity:

To collect data
To breed fresh ideas and take inputs from a particular group
To perceive the common ideas of people on a particular topic
To identify the solution of a specific problem or issue
To select a candidate for hiring in a company
To select candidate for admission in an educational institute
To arrive at a consensus regarding a common concern

Types of Group Discussion (GDs)

A group discussion delineates how a candidate participates, behaves and contributes in a group. There are three main types of GDs :

Topic-based GDs

Case-based gds, article-based gds.

These are based on certain practical topics, such as the harmful effects of plastics on the environment or the need of college degree for entrepreneurship. These GDs can be further classified into:

Factual GDs : These are informative GDs that require comprehensive knowledge about a subject. For example, the economic growth of India since independence.
Controversial GDs : These GDs are based on controversial topics, which test the ability of a candidate to handle a situation, control anger, display patience and think critically. For example, arranged marriage vs. love marriage.
Abstract GDs : These GDs are based on certain conceptual topics that are used to evaluate a candidate’s creative thinking and analytical ability. For example, challenges before humanity.

In these GDs, a case study is presented to group members to read and analyse in a given period. Candidates need to discuss the case study among themselves and reach on a com- mon consensus to solve the given situation. This helps to evaluate their problem solving, analytical ability, critical thinking and creative thinking skills.

Candidates are presented with an article on any field, such as politics, sports, or technology, and asked to discuss the given situation.

Prerequisites of Group Discussion (GD)

There are some essential requirements for gaining success in a group discussion. The following are some important requirements to be fulfilled by a candidate in order to ensure a successful GD:

Prior knowledge

Active listening, effective communication, appropriate body language.

A candidate with in-depth knowledge and command over the topic initiates the discussion. He/she gets noticed and usually selected in a group discussion. However, starting the discussion does not guarantee the selection and also it does not show the leadership qualities.

Therefore, one should start a discussion only when he/she is well acquainted with the topic. In case, one is not well acquainted with the topic, he/she should first listen to others and then speak.

Only good listeners can be active participators in a discussion. Such persons listen to others and remain attentive and active throughout the discussion. Therefore, a listener is more likely to imbibe knowledge than a speaker. By listening carefully, a candidate can contribute by formulating his/her own thoughts that can be verbally delivered.

Candidates should have good communication skills and they should take care of the overtones. One should be able to understand other participants’ perception and thoughts. Then, accordingly, Agree to or refute the ideas or viewpoints presented by other candidates.

Therefore, healthy and clear thoughts should be exchanged while pursuing a group discussion to gain attention of the assessors.

Gestures, facial expressions, eye contact and tone of voice show the amount of interest a candidate has in a group discussion. It is important to maintain eye contact with the evaluator(s) when starting a discussion. The coordinator notices the body language of the candidates to assess their confidence level.

Steps of Effective Group Discussion

A GD is a method used by organisations to analyse the skills of candidates and decide whether their personality traits are desirable for the job or not.

While facing a GD, the following steps should be performed:

If you want to quickly grab the attention of assessors, then start the GD. However, you must have good knowledge or understanding of the subject being discussed. To make your speech more interesting, you can start with a relevant quote or a short/interesting story; but keep track of time.

There might be a situation when you do not have enough knowledge to start a discussion. In that case, wait, watch and listen to others. As soon as you get an opening, jump in and take charge. Move the conversation forward to make it impactful. However, remember not to over-drag the topic. Sometimes, less is more.

Closing a GD is another opportunity to get the attention of the evaluators. Recap the discussion, connect the dots, highlight the key points and summarise them. Make sure that the summary includes both the positive and negative viewpoints on the topic presented by the candidates.

Do’s and Don’ts of Group Discussion

In this section, we will discuss some Do’s and Don’ts to be taken care of by all the candidates who wish to perform well in a GD.

Some Do’s to be kept in mind during a GD are:

Be a good listener by being patient.
Acknowledge everyone else and what they say.
Articulate views in a way that is comprehensible to others.
Structure your thoughts and present them logically.
Read newspapers, current affairs, essays and articles to develop thought structuring.
Respect others for what they are.
Be open-minded and acknowledge the fact that people think differently about issues.
Train your mind for analytical thinking by taking all aspects into consideration.

It is also important to avoid doing certain things while participating in a GD. Some Don’ts to be aware of while pursuing a GD are:

Avoid irrelevant talk.
Avoid interrupting others while they are talking. If you need to cut short a speaker, then do so politely and with due apology.
Avoid dominating the conversation. Ask others to contribute. Acknowledge their viewpoints.
Avoid getting into an argument. Try to express clearly in a healthy manner.
Do not show lack of interest and negative attitude.
Avoid stating only your viewpoint.
Avoid dwelling only on one aspect of the GD.

Group Discussion Evaluation Criteria

Each group discussion exercise is assessed by one or more individuals who are trained to observe and assess behavioural traits relevant for a specific job. The four main behavioural traits assessed through a group discussion are shown in Figure

Let us discuss these behavioural traits in detail.

Communication skills

Analytical and interpretative skills, interpersonal skills, persuasive skills.

These skills are judged on the basis of how a participant is getting his/her message across, how he/she is using his/her body language and also listening skills.

Assessors draw conclusions about a participant’s interpreting and analysing skills by observing how he/she uses facts and data, considers complex problems and issues, suggests solutions, etc.

Assessors observe the participants’ interactions with one another, how they allow one another to express themselves, etc.

The influencing skills of participants are as- sessed based on how well they are able to persuade one another, convince others about a viewpoint or impact others’ behaviour.

Organising a Group Discussion

A Group Discussion generally involves a group of 8-10 participants who are evaluated by a selection panel. GDs are used to evaluate whether a candidate is a perfect fit for an organisation or not. Be it college placements, MBA courses, job interviews or general researches, GDs are conducted almost in every field to gauge whether the candidate possesses the required skills and personality traits to be a part of the concerned institution. A facilitator has to take care of all the nitty-gritties of organising a GD.

In order to conduct a successful GD, the following aspects need to be taken into consideration:

Objective of conducting a GD

Venue setup, pre-instructions for participants, defined parameters for selection, role of assessor/evaluator, clear communication of results post gd.

Every GD has a specific purpose such as selecting deserving candidates for admission in professional course or gaining new talented employees in an organisation. Therefore, the objective of a GD should be clear to all the members of the selection panel in order to select the most deserving candidate.

An appropriate venue should be set up to conduct a GD. The venue should not be overcrowded, which may make the participants feel uncomfortable. The space selected for conducting the GD should be well-ventilated, equipped with proper lighting and should have a proper seating arrangement.

A stipulated time limit should be set for each participant to present his/her views. Firstly, participants are given a topic and some time to understand the topic and organise their thoughts. Thereafter they start presenting their views and opinions over the given topic. The time provided to the participants should be logical and it should start at that time only with no delay and waiting.

Prior communication with the participants should be properly conducted along with mentioning the time allotted to one participant to speak. The topic of discussion should be specified clearly along with the instructions and timings of when to start and stop. Big MNCs have their well-panned GD guide that provides instructions to the participants.

There are various parameters based on which a candidate is evaluated. Some of these parameters are listening power, level of confidence, decision-making ability, analytical skills, leadership skills, etc.

Candidates can speak whatever they like on the subject under discussion. The assessors note down their observations for each candidate. Once the discussion is over, the assessors review the information recorded against the desired behaviour. Therefore, a proper evaluation sheet should be maintained for writing down observations so that no errors occur while the selection of candidates.

The results should be announced clearly post the GD. The facilitator should ensure that the participants should not be made to wait for too long for the results.

The following are some points that you should take care of while preparing for a group discussion:

Ensure your contribution to the group : Candidates need to make sure that they contribute to the conversation. Candidates having avoiding behaviours or actions do not contribute to the discussion’s outcome. Such behaviours need to be avoided and involvement in the GD is necessary to make a mark.
Manage conflicts effectively : In case of any disagreement with members of the group, ensure that you persuade them without getting rude and aggressive. Assessors will pick such arrogant behaviour and highlight it as your negative aspect.
Manage your time : Candidates need to stick to the timeline al- lotted for the discussion as the same would suggest that they are punctual and follow the timeline persistently.
Include others : Encourage those who do not speak up during the discussion and urge them to give their opinions. This will gain assessors’ praise and group members appreciation.
Be a team player : Generally, group discussion exercises require that the members come to an agreement on the topic being discussed. However, ensure that you do not impose your ideas on others. A better way is to include everyone’s ideas and centre it around the organisation rather than express something that might only benefit one member.

Business Communication Notes

( Click on Topic to Read )

What is Business Communication?
What is Communication?
Types of Communication
7 C of Communication
Barriers To Business Communication
Oral Communication
Types Of Non Verbal Communication
What is Written Communication?
What are Soft Skills?
Interpersonal vs Intrapersonal communication
Barriers to Communication
Importance of Communication Skills

Listening in Communication

Causes of Miscommunication
What is Johari Window?
What is Presentation?
Communication Styles

Channels of Communication

Hofstede’s dimensions of cultural differences and benett’s stages of intercultural sensitivity, organisational communication.

Horizontal C ommunication
Grapevine Communication
Downward Communication
Verbal Communication Skills
Upward Communication
Flow of Communication
What is Emotional Intelligence?
What is Public Speaking?
Upward vs Downward Communication
Internal vs External Communication
What is Interview?
What is Negotiation?
What is Digital Communication?
What is Letter Writing?
Resume and Covering Letter
What is Report Writing?
What is Business Meeting?
What is Public Relations?
What Is Market Segmentation?
What Is Marketing Mix?
Marketing Concept
Marketing Management Process
What Is Marketing Environment?
What Is Consumer Behaviour?
Business Buyer Behaviour
Demand Forecasting
7 Stages Of New Product Development
Methods Of Pricing
What Is Public Relations?
What Is Marketing Management?
What Is Sales Promotion?
Types Of Sales Promotion
Techniques Of Sales Promotion
What Is Personal Selling?
What Is Advertising?
Market Entry Strategy
What Is Marketing Planning?
Segmentation Targeting And Positioning
Brand Building Process
Kotler Five Product Level Model
Classification Of Products
Types Of Logistics
What Is Consumer Research?
What Is DAGMAR?
Consumer Behaviour Models
What Is Green Marketing?
What Is Electronic Commerce?
Agricultural Cooperative Marketing
What Is Marketing Control?
What Is Marketing Communication?
What Is Pricing?
Models Of Communication
What is Sales Management?
Objectives of Sales Management
Responsibilities and Skills of Sales Manager
Theories of Personal Selling
What is Sales Forecasting?
Methods of Sales Forecasting
Purpose of Sales Budgeting
Methods of Sales Budgeting
Types of Sales Budgeting
Sales Budgeting Process
What is Sales Quotas?
What is Selling by Objectives (SBO) ?
What is Sales Organisation?
Types of Sales Force Structure
Recruiting and Selecting Sales Personnel
Training and Development of Salesforce
Compensating the Sales Force
Time and Territory Management
What Is Logistics?
What Is Logistics System?
Technologies in Logistics
What Is Distribution Management?
What Is Marketing Intermediaries?
Conventional Distribution System
Functions of Distribution Channels
What is Channel Design?
Types of Wholesalers and Retailers
What is Vertical Marketing Systems?
What i s Marketing?
What i s A BCG Matrix?
5 M’S Of Advertising
What i s Direct Marketing?
Marketing Mix For Services
What Market Intelligence System?
What i s Trade Union?
What Is International Marketing?
World Trade Organization (WTO)
What i s International Marketing Research?
What is Exporting?
What is Licensing?
What is Franchising?
What is Joint Venture?
What is Turnkey Projects?
What is Management Contracts?
What is Foreign Direct Investment?
Factors That Influence Entry Mode Choice In Foreign Markets
What is Price Escalations?
What is Transfer Pricing?
Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC)
What is Promotion Mix?
Factors Affecting Promotion Mix
Functions & Role Of Advertising
What is Database Marketing?
What is Advertising Budget?
What is Advertising Agency?
What is Market Intelligence?
What is Industrial Marketing?
What is Customer Value
What is Consumer Behaviour?
What Is Personality?
What Is Perception?
What Is Learning?
What Is Attitude?
What Is Motivation?
Consumer Imagery
Consumer Attitude Formation
What Is Culture?
Consumer Decision Making Process
Applications of Consumer Behaviour in Marketing
Motivational Research
Theoretical Approaches to Study of Consumer Behaviour
Consumer Involvement
Consumer Lifestyle
Theories of Personality
Outlet Selection
Organizational Buying Behaviour
Reference Groups
Consumer Protection Act, 1986
Diffusion of Innovation
Opinion Leaders
What is Business Law?
Indian Contract Act 1872
Essential Elements of a Valid Contract
Types of Contract
What is Discharge of Contract?
Performance of Contract
Sales of Goods Act 1930
Goods & Price: Contract of Sale
Conditions and Warranties
Doctrine of Caveat Emptor
Transfer of Property
Rights of Unpaid Seller
Negotiable Instruments Act 1881
Types of Negotiable Instruments
Types of Endorsement
What is Promissory Note?
What is Cheque?
What is Crossing of Cheque?
What is Bill of Exchange?
What is Offer?
Limited Liability Partnership Act 2008
Memorandum of Association
Articles of Association
What is Director?
Trade Unions Act, 1926
Industrial Disputes Act 1947
Employee State Insurance Act 1948
Payment of Wages Act 1936
Payment of Bonus Act 1965
Labour Law in India
What is Brand Management?
4 Steps of Strategic Brand Management Process
Customer Based Brand Equity
What is Brand Equity?

What is Business Meeting? Need, Importance, Conduct, Role of Participants

Flow of Communication: Internal and External

Read more about the article Organisational Communication

What is Johari Window? Model

What is a presentation objectives, elements, important skills, four ps.

Emotional Intelligence

What is Written Communication? Advantages, Disadvantages

What is Business Communication? Process, Types, Importance, Barriers

Read more about the article Listening in Communication

What is Letter Writing? Layouts, Types

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How to Write Discussions and Conclusions

How to Write Discussions and Conclusions

The discussion section contains the results and outcomes of a study. An effective discussion informs readers what can be learned from your experiment and provides context for the results.

What makes an effective discussion?

When you’re ready to write your discussion, you’ve already introduced the purpose of your study and provided an in-depth description of the methodology. The discussion informs readers about the larger implications of your study based on the results. Highlighting these implications while not overstating the findings can be challenging, especially when you’re submitting to a journal that selects articles based on novelty or potential impact. Regardless of what journal you are submitting to, the discussion section always serves the same purpose: concluding what your study results actually mean.

A successful discussion section puts your findings in context. It should include:

the results of your research,
a discussion of related research, and
a comparison between your results and initial hypothesis.

Tip: Not all journals share the same naming conventions.

You can apply the advice in this article to the conclusion, results or discussion sections of your manuscript.

Our Early Career Researcher community tells us that the conclusion is often considered the most difficult aspect of a manuscript to write. To help, this guide provides questions to ask yourself, a basic structure to model your discussion off of and examples from published manuscripts.

Questions to ask yourself:

Was my hypothesis correct?
If my hypothesis is partially correct or entirely different, what can be learned from the results?
How do the conclusions reshape or add onto the existing knowledge in the field? What does previous research say about the topic?
Why are the results important or relevant to your audience? Do they add further evidence to a scientific consensus or disprove prior studies?
How can future research build on these observations? What are the key experiments that must be done?
What is the “take-home” message you want your reader to leave with?

How to structure a discussion

Trying to fit a complete discussion into a single paragraph can add unnecessary stress to the writing process. If possible, you’ll want to give yourself two or three paragraphs to give the reader a comprehensive understanding of your study as a whole. Here’s one way to structure an effective discussion:

Writing Tips

While the above sections can help you brainstorm and structure your discussion, there are many common mistakes that writers revert to when having difficulties with their paper. Writing a discussion can be a delicate balance between summarizing your results, providing proper context for your research and avoiding introducing new information. Remember that your paper should be both confident and honest about the results!

Read the journal’s guidelines on the discussion and conclusion sections. If possible, learn about the guidelines before writing the discussion to ensure you’re writing to meet their expectations.
Begin with a clear statement of the principal findings. This will reinforce the main take-away for the reader and set up the rest of the discussion.
Explain why the outcomes of your study are important to the reader. Discuss the implications of your findings realistically based on previous literature, highlighting both the strengths and limitations of the research.
State whether the results prove or disprove your hypothesis. If your hypothesis was disproved, what might be the reasons?
Introduce new or expanded ways to think about the research question. Indicate what next steps can be taken to further pursue any unresolved questions.
If dealing with a contemporary or ongoing problem, such as climate change, discuss possible consequences if the problem is avoided.
Be concise. Adding unnecessary detail can distract from the main findings.

Don’t

Rewrite your abstract. Statements with “we investigated” or “we studied” generally do not belong in the discussion.
Include new arguments or evidence not previously discussed. Necessary information and evidence should be introduced in the main body of the paper.
Apologize. Even if your research contains significant limitations, don’t undermine your authority by including statements that doubt your methodology or execution.
Shy away from speaking on limitations or negative results. Including limitations and negative results will give readers a complete understanding of the presented research. Potential limitations include sources of potential bias, threats to internal or external validity, barriers to implementing an intervention and other issues inherent to the study design.
Overstate the importance of your findings. Making grand statements about how a study will fully resolve large questions can lead readers to doubt the success of the research.

Snippets of Effective Discussions:

Consumer-based actions to reduce plastic pollution in rivers: A multi-criteria decision analysis approach

Identifying reliable indicators of fitness in polar bears

How to Write a Great Title
How to Write an Abstract
How to Write Your Methods
How to Report Statistics
How to Edit Your Work

The contents of the Peer Review Center are also available as a live, interactive training session, complete with slides, talking points, and activities. …

The contents of the Writing Center are also available as a live, interactive training session, complete with slides, talking points, and activities. …

There’s a lot to consider when deciding where to submit your work. Learn how to choose a journal that will help your study reach its audience, while reflecting your values as a researcher…

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Writing a Great Discussion Essay: Steps & Examples
Compose the body of your essay. Write down the main points of the body paragraphs of your discussion paper. A well-written body paragraph illustrates, justifies, and/or supports your thesis statement. When writing body paragraphs: Typically, present each issue separately and discuss both sides of the argument in an unbiased manner.
Essay on Group Discussion
Group Discussion is an important tool for students in their academic life. It helps them to learn and train better and faster than any other learning method available for the students across the globe. A group discussion involves a large number of people who represent different backgrounds and cultures, which makes it possible for the student ...
How to Write a Discussion Essay (with Pictures)
Write your position at the top of a sheet of paper or at the top of a word processing document to start your outline. If you were given a text to base your essay on, make sure that text has enough evidence to support your chosen position. 4. Add the main points you'd like to cover to your outline.
Group Writing
The range of possible collaboration varies from a group of co-authors who go through each portion of the writing process together, writing as a group with one voice, to a group with a primary author who does the majority of the work and then receives comments or edits from the co-authors. Group projects for classes should usually fall towards ...
PDF Strategies for Essay Writing
inconsistency in your essay. • suggests an answer complex enough to require a whole essay's worth of discussion. If the question is too vague, it won't suggest a line of argument. The question should elicit reflection and argument rather than summary or description. • can be explored using the sources you have available for the assignment,
PDF WS Group Essays Handout
plan for the essay. 5. Write - Write the essay. Googledocs and Wikis are online tools that enable multiple users to edit a document online, which may be useful if members cannot meet in person to write the draft. If the essay is very long, members may be designated to initially draft a certain section.
How to Write a Group Essay Without Losing Your Mind
7. Be a good peer editor. Group writing assignments can be awkward for various reasons, but peer editing can be particularly uncomfortable. However, nailing this step is integral to the success of your group writing essay. As any editor will tell you, the line between constructive and destructive criticism can be a perilous one to walk.
How to Write a Discussion Section
Table of contents. What not to include in your discussion section. Step 1: Summarize your key findings. Step 2: Give your interpretations. Step 3: Discuss the implications. Step 4: Acknowledge the limitations. Step 5: Share your recommendations. Discussion section example. Other interesting articles.
Composition: Discussion Strategies
In many ways, a discussion paragraph essay resembles a compare/contrast essay. You group the details of each side of the argument: rewards and challenges, advantages and disadvantages, choice A and choice B. In other words, introduce the issue; present one side of the issue; present the other side of the issue; conclude with your opinion or ...
How to Write an Essay Outline
Revised on July 23, 2023. An essay outline is a way of planning the structure of your essay before you start writing. It involves writing quick summary sentences or phrases for every point you will cover in each paragraph, giving you a picture of how your argument will unfold. You'll sometimes be asked to submit an essay outline as a separate ...
Over 170 Prompts to Inspire Writing and Discussion
During the 2020-21 school year, we asked 176 questions, and you can find them all below or here as a PDF. The questions are divided into two categories — those that provide opportunities for ...
Discussion essays
When writing a discussion essay, it is important to ensure that facts and opinions are clearly separated. Often you will examine what other people have already said on the same subject and include this information using paraphrasing and summarising skills, as well as correct citations. The following are examples of discussion essay topics.
8. The Discussion
The discussion section is often considered the most important part of your research paper because it: Most effectively demonstrates your ability as a researcher to think critically about an issue, to develop creative solutions to problems based upon a logical synthesis of the findings, and to formulate a deeper, more profound understanding of the research problem under investigation;
How to Structure an Essay
The basic structure of an essay always consists of an introduction, a body, and a conclusion. But for many students, the most difficult part of structuring an essay is deciding how to organize information within the body. This article provides useful templates and tips to help you outline your essay, make decisions about your structure, and ...
GROUP DISCUSSION OF ESSAYS and ARTICLES
Step 3: Identify the major themes and key points of the article. Make special note of those which are relevant to the concerns of the course. These will provide the most for discussion. In preparing the worksheet, a point-outline of the article is often an effective way to accomplish this. Step 4: Allocate a certain amount of time for ...
Section 4. Techniques for Leading Group Discussions
Group discussions are common in our society, and have a variety of purposes, from planning an intervention or initiative to mutual support to problem-solving to addressing an issue of local concern. An effective discussion group depends on a leader or facilitator who can guide it through an open process - the group chooses what it's ...
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500 Words Essay on Group Discussion Introduction. Group discussion, an interactive activity where individuals exchange ideas and opinions, is a crucial part of the modern academic and corporate world. It is not merely a conversation, but a structured process that tests the ability to think critically, communicate effectively, and work in a team.
Group Discussion
Purpose of Group Discussion. There are several purposes for group discussions. Some of them are listed below: To reach a solution on an issue of concern. To generate new ideas for solving a problem. For choosing the applicants after the written test for a job or for admission to educational institutes.
A Group Discussion: Five Strategies To Make It Better
6.1. Debrief. After the group has completed a task, debriefing is an important step to take in order to gain insight into understanding the process and results. Debriefing can help adjust teaching styles, indicate areas that need more work or revisiting in the future, and provide valuable feedback for all involved.
How to Write the Discussion Section of a Research Paper
The discussion section provides an analysis and interpretation of the findings, compares them with previous studies, identifies limitations, and suggests future directions for research. This section combines information from the preceding parts of your paper into a coherent story. By this point, the reader already knows why you did your study ...
What Is Group Discussion? (GD), Objectives, Types ...
A group discussion is an interactive process where a group of individuals come together to exchange ideas, opinions, and information on a specific topic. The goal of a group discussion is to arrive at a collective decision or solution that is acceptable to all members of the group." - The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT)
How to Write Discussions and Conclusions
Begin with a clear statement of the principal findings. This will reinforce the main take-away for the reader and set up the rest of the discussion. Explain why the outcomes of your study are important to the reader. Discuss the implications of your findings realistically based on previous literature, highlighting both the strengths and ...
PDF 7th Edition Discussion Phrases Guide
7th Edition. Discussion Phrases Guide. Papers usually end with a concluding section, often called the "Discussion.". The Discussion is your opportunity to evaluate and interpret the results of your study or paper, draw inferences and conclusions from it, and communicate its contributions to science and/or society.

How to write a discussion essay

Quick summary

Choose a controversial topic

Create an outline

Discussion essay outline example

Write your introduction

Discussion essay introduction example

Compose the body of your essay

Discussion essay body paragraphs

Conclude your discussion essay

Discussion essay conclusion example

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I express my personal opinion in a discussion essay?

Do I need to include counterarguments?

How do I ensure a balanced presentation of viewpoints?

How can I transition between different viewpoints in my essay?

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How to Write a Discussion Essay

Discussion Essay Outline and Example

Planning Your Essay

Writing the Introduction

Composing the Body of Your Essay

Concluding Your Essay

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Group Writing

Disclaimer and disclosure

The spectrum of collaboration in group writing

Overview of steps of the collaborative process

Helpful collaborative writing strategies

Start early and allow plenty of time for revising

Plan a strategy for scheduling

Find a convenient and effective way to share files

Try separating the tasks of revising and editing/proofreading

Immediately dividing the writing into pieces

Procrastination

Being a solo group member

Waiting for other group members to do all of the work

Leaving all the end work to one person

Entirely negative critiques

Works consulted

37 Composition: Discussion Strategies

What is a discussion essay?

SAME, BUT DIFFERENT

Why do you write discussion essays?

How do you organize a discussion paragraph or essay?

Topic: An increasing number of students are going to college in another country. What are the rewards and challenges of such a situation?

Example discussion paragraph

Over 170 Prompts to Inspire Writing and Discussion

Questions for Debate and Persuasive Writing

Questions for Creative and Personal Writing

Discussion essays Considering both sides of the argument

What are discussion essays?

Discussion vocabulary

Example essay

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