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Other assessments: Assessed discussion

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In many professions, the ability to communicate verbally, with well thought out, evidenced arguments is key to success.

Assessed discussions can develop skills that you are likely to use in many professional or vocational contexts. By interacting with others you can increase knowledge and understanding of the discussion topic for yourself and the other people involved.

What is an assessed discussion?

conversation of three people

An assessed discussion is a structured and formal conversation or debate where students are expected to participate actively and engage in critical thinking.

The discussion is typically evaluated by the instructor, and the students' performance is graded based on their contribution to the conversation, their ability to present and defend their arguments, and their overall comprehension of the subject matter.

The goal of an assessed discussion is to encourage students to think critically, communicate effectively, and actively engage with the course material.

Assessed discussions can take various forms, including small-group discussions, debates, and online forums. This page focuses on face-to-face discussions. A page on online discussions is coming soon!

Using evidence to inform your discussion

An assessed discussion is more than just a chat, you will need to discuss relevant material. This could include:

Journal article

Research. Journal articles that are relevant to the given topic. 

Case study

Cases. Examples from real cases. Your discussion may be about a specific case, but you can include information from others too. Remember to mention sources.

icon of one person

Your own professional experience. If you have worked, are currently working in a relevant field, or have experience from placements, you can bring this into the discussion too. Keep your examples brief and to the point though - it can be tempting to spend a lot of time talking about yourself!

Preparing for a discussion

Review the course material

Make sure you are familiar with the course material and have a good understanding of the topic of the discussion. This will help you to contribute meaningfully to the conversation.

Research the topic more thoroughly

Do some additional research on the topic of the discussion to deepen your understanding and to be able to contribute to the discussion with well-informed points. You are often required to provide a reference list as part of the assessment, so take a note of the research you read.

Prepare your argument

Think about the key points you want to make during the discussion and organize them in a logical order. Make sure you have evidence to support your arguments.

Bring notes

It is usually perfectly acceptable to bring notes to the discussion - it is not a test of your memory. Short summaries of the main evidence you want to bring are usually best - rather than complete journal articles etc. Use clear headings so that you can glance down at your notes and find the information you need.

Practice active listening

You will need to listen carefully to other participants during the discussion and make sure you understand their points of view. This will help you to respond thoughtfully and engage in a productive conversation. There are techniques that you can use to ensure you are listening actively - so learn a few in advance!

Anticipate potential questions or counterarguments

Try to anticipate potential questions or counterarguments that may arise during the discussion, and prepare responses in advance.

Participate in practice discussions

If your tutor offers practice discussions, make sure you attend them. This will give you a chance to practice your discussion skills in a low-pressure environment.

Preparing and working in groups

Many assessed discussion assignments require you to work in groups - both to prepare for the discussion and during the discussion.

 

Preparing as a group

The main way to work as a group when preparing, is to divide up research tasks and then feedback the main findings to the group. This could involve producing:

  • short summaries of key papers or documents,
  • a list of take-away bullet points with sources indicated,
  • a diagram that shows connections between sources etc.

If you have any pertinent personal experiences that can inform the discussion, it is best to share these in advance, so that your group-members are not surprised if you bring these up during the discussion - or can ask you about them (see below).

Also, prepare some questions to ask each other during the discussion - in case you feel one of your group members has not been able to contribute significantly.

 

Teamwork during the discussion

discussion with all contributing

The key thing is to ensure that everyone gets a chance to contribute in a meaningful way. That is why having some prepared questions to ask each other (as mentioned above) is so important. You may not need to use them if everyone seems to have contributed well, but they are useful to have in reserve. Consider things like:

"Lucy, do you have any professional experience that is relevant here?"

"Sinan, didn't you find a great article about that - can you remember the main findings?"

Your earlier preparation should mean you know they do and can - don't ask questions that could make your group members look bad. It will not make you look good!

If you want something more general, try "Dola, do you have anything to add?" or something like that.

 

Remember, an assessed discussion is an opportunity to demonstrate your understanding of the material and your ability to think critically and communicate effectively. By preparing thoroughly and participating actively in the discussion, you can showcase your skills and earn a good grade.