Academic Communication and Discussion Language Structure

Academic courses involve various interactive situations that require specific communicative strategies. These include: - Presentations - Discussions - Seminars

In academic discourse, it is essential to frame arguments from the viewpoints of various stakeholders. The following expressions facilitate this:

Perspective-Taking Phrases: - "From [a teacher's] perspective, …" - "If I were [the headteacher of the child's school], I'd probably feel that…" - "[The child psychologist] would argue that…" - "From the point of view of [the parents], …"

Concluding a group academic exchange requires specific language to synthesize findings, acknowledge opposing views, and add necessary caveats.

Summing Up Your Position: - "We finally all agreed that…" - "After much consideration, we decided that…" - "All things considered, we felt that…" - "On balance, we felt that…" - "We couldn't reach agreement on this issue." - "Some of us felt that…, whilst others…"
Recognizing Strong Arguments Against Your Position: - "It's true that" - "We recognized that" - "We're fully aware that…" - "One has to acknowledge that…"
Qualifying Your Position: - "This action should only be taken if…" - "So, although we agreed with the statement, we stressed that…"

Managing an academic discussion effectively involves structuring the session, ensuring clarity, and monitoring time and participation.

Getting Started: - "Shall we begin?" - "Today, we're looking at the following question/topic…" - "Who would like to begin?"
Clarification Techniques: - "So what you mean is…" - "If I've understood you correctly, …"
Managing Contributions: - "Thanks, Pete, for your contribution…" - "OK, Pete. Would anyone else like to comment?"
Concluding the Session: - "So, to sum up, …" - "We're running out of time, so…" - "Does anyone want to make a final point?" - "Have I forgotten anything?"

Signposting allows a speaker to guide the audience through the structure of their presentation or argument.