Engaging in group discussions
Group work at university involves group discussions. A group discussion is a conversation about a particular topic/topics where a group of people exchange ideas to achieve a goal.
Why have group discussions at university?
• to give you deeper knowledge on a subject
• to encourage you to share ideas and insights with other students
• to hear the thoughts and ideas of other students
• to challenge and perhaps change your ideas
• to increase and clarify your knowledge
• to improve your ability to think critically
What are some elements of a group discussion?
- Everyone has a voice – each one in the group has a chance to speak and share ideas
- A variety of ideas are presented – a good outcome can be reached if everyone shares their thoughts
- Everyone listens to others and respond in a respectful way
- Discussion is not dominated by one person
- Group may present a variety of perspectives
- Students feel safe to share ideas in a small group situation
- Students know that they are working towards a common purpose
Key things to do in group discussions
- Introduce yourself to each other – a quick brief introduction is very helpful
- Treat everyone with respect – speak politely to the others
- Don’t interrupt someone when they are speaking
- Be open to all ideas – take each one’s contribution seriously• Try to keep your comments short – respect everyone’s time
- Listen well – stay attentive, listen with an open mind to new ideas or ideas different from yours. Effective listeners listen and actively process what others say
- Think about your response before you speak
- Prepare for the discussion – read the materials related to the topic for discussion, carry some notes, discussions are more successful if you prepare well
- Participating in discussions can be difficult for some- start by agreeing with someone, then ask them to expand on their idea, ask a question which you have prepared beforehand.
Useful phrases in group discussions
When you voice your opinion –
• I believe that…
• I think that …
• From what I understand…
• As I understand it…
• In my opinion…
• The way I see it …
• My view is that…
• It is my view that…
• In my view…
When asking for an opinion
• What do you think?
• Do you have anything to say about this?
• What’s your idea?
• How do you feel about that?
• Do you agree?
When you give a reason
• This is due to…
• What I mean by this is…
• Because/Since…
• As a result of…
• As a consequence of …
• Due to the fact…
How to disagree effectively
Try these three steps when disagreeing with another speaker:
1. Acknowledge their thoughts/ ideas
• I take your point, but…
• I accept that but…
• I can see your point – however …
• That’s a good point, but …•
2. Then explain why you disagree
• That’s not always the case because …
• That’s not necessarily true because …
• This idea isn’t supported by statistics/ evidence …
• I thought the author meant that …
3. Offer your opinion complete with reason and support
• From what I’ve read …
• The statistics seem to indicate that …
• I think what (author’s name) may actually be suggesting is …
