Q1. True or False?
The best academic discussion is where the smartest and most experienced person in the group shares his/her knowledge and the group members ask relevant questions.
- True
- False
Q2. Which diagram illustrates the concept of a good discussion the best?
Q3. T rue or False?
As long as everyone can hear each other’s voice clearly, it does not matter if the group members can see each other’s faces or not.
- True
- False
Q4. It is important that the group discussion stays on task and on topic. Which of the following are acceptable ways to refocus the group back on the goal of the discussion? Check all that apply.
Say “Let’s get back on track, everyone.”
Say “We are running short on time, so let’s get back to the main point.”Say “I think we are getting a little off topic.”
Say “That is totally unrelated to what we are talking about.”
Quiz 02: Getting Started Practice Quiz
Q1. Look at the picture of a group discussion. Then look at the problems and solutions listed below. Choose one problem andone solution that match the picture.
Problem:
Students are not in a position to talk because their backs are to each other.
Solution:
Solution:
Come to the conversation with an open mind and collaborative attitude.
Solution:
Organize yourselves so that all participants are on an equal level and can see each other easily.
Problem:
There is too much clutter on the table top.
Solution:
Clear a good work space free of barriers and distractions.
Problem:
Students’ body language shows an unwillingness to participate.
Q2. When you start your discussion, you should ________________. (Choose two answers.)
clear the desk tops of unnecessary items
see the discussion participants as teammates
have a competitive attitude
Q3. Look at the picture of a group discussion. Then look at the problems and solutions listed below. Choose one problem and one solution that match the picture.
Problem:
Students’ body language shows an unwillingness to participate.
Solution:
Come to the conversation with an open mind and collaborative attitude.
Problem:
There is too much clutter on the table top.
Solution:
Clear a good work space free of barriers and distractions.
Solution:
Organize yourselves so that all participants are on an equal level and can see each other easily.
Problem:
Students are not in a position to talk because their backs are to each other.
Quiz 03:Discussion Analysis Practice
Q1. After you watch the two improved videos of the discussion on water scarcity, answer the following questions about David’s academic conversation skills.
Which of the following describe David’s physical presence? Choose all that apply.
He has eye contact with the other members of the group.
He has a clear desk and no distractions in his hand.
He is on the same level as the rest of the group
He leans into the conversation and uses positive conversational body language, including smiling and nods. Q2. Watch this video clip. In what ways is it apparent that David is listening to understand in this short video clip? Choose all that apply.
Play Video
He nods his head.
He says “yeah”, “hmmm” and “right”.
He leans in with his body.
He makes a related comment connect to what was said.
He has good eye contact.
He asks follow-up questions.
Q3. Which statements describe how David communicates clearly? Choose all that apply.
- He elaborates and gives a specific example to illustrate ideas.
- He negotiates an idea respectfully.
- He uses sentence frames and language cues.
- Ideas are shared in an organized and logical way.
- He reads listeners’ gestures and adjusts accordingly.
Q4. Watch this video of David asking a question. What higher level thinking skill is David challenging his group members to perform?
Play Video
synthesis
evaluation
analysis
Quiz 04: Graded Quiz Q1. Which of the following phrases does NOT require deeper, or critical, thinking?
What is another example of . . .?
Why is it important to . . .?
What did the professor say about . . . .?
What patterns do we see occurring when . . . ?
Q2. True or false?
It is better to speak spontaneously without planning a response in a group discussion so that the conversation does not change direction while you are planning what you want to say.
- True
- False
Q3. What is NOT a way to show respect for your group members?
Make positive comments that are related to what they have said.
Think about what you are going to say next as they are speaking.
Allow your group members to finish their complete thought before interrupting.
Q4. Complete the sentence.
Preparing for an academic discussion is like building a house because ____________________. both things are very complicated.
- for both, you must start by laying the groundwork.
- they both take a long time to plan.
- to do both well, you need lots of materials.
Q5. If you’re taking double-entry notes to prepare for a discussion, what should you NOT do?
- Include the author’s viewpoint in your notes
- Take notes on the text’s organization and on your personal reaction to the ideas
- Indent your notes to show which ideas are most important
- Take notes only on your personal reaction to the ideas
Q6. What is the purpose of preparing a list of points that you’d like to make during a discussion?
- To give you ideas for possible contributions you could make to the discussion
- To remind you of the points you absolutely must make during the conversation
- To help you win the discussion
- None of the above
Q7. Complete the sentence.
When you introduce yourself, ____________________.
- give a hug
- say your name
- shake hands
Q8. Complete the sentence.
A common mistake in starting an academic conversation happens when _________________.
- students use their notes too much
- students are too friendly during the discussion
- everyone talks a lot
- not everyone understands the discussion topic clearly
Q9. Complete the sentence.
During your discussion it is good to be aware of all except _________________.
what is happening on your phone
your classmates’ names
the goal of the discussion topic
your own body language
Q10. Choose the word that completes the collocation.
integral ____________
part
party
approach
Academic Discussions in English Week 02 Quiz Answers Quiz 01: Examples Practice Quiz
Q1. What is a hypothetical?
true information from research, surveys, and lectures
fictional situations used to examine possibilities of a situation comparisons that illustrate similarities and relationships
comparisons that illustrate similarities and relationships
Q2. What kind of example for supporting your ideas is this?
My friend had her computer hacked when she clicked on a link in an email.
hypothetical
facts and statistics
anecdote
analogy
Q3. What kind of example for supporting your ideas is this?
A good essay is like a hamburger, with the bun being the introduction and conclusion….
hypothetical
anecdote
facts and statistics
analogy
Q4. An anecdote is mostly likely to begin with _____________.
When I worked at a company like that one . . .
According to the lecture . . .
This situation is like . . .
What if we were to . . .
Quiz 02: Going Deeper Practice Quiz
Q1. Which of the following are critical thinking skills? Choose all the apply.
To find relationships between different ideas
To memorize information that was presented
To give an opinion with appropriate support
To see things from different points of view
Q2. True or false?
When a discussion group makes the effort to think more deeply and critically, the discussion is more engaging.
- True
- False
Q3. What level of thinking requires learners to state an opinion and support it with evidence?
knowledge
application
evaluation
Q4. What level of thinking does the following question represent?
“Is it better to have lots of GM food available to feed more people or to limit GM food in order to protect people from unknown health risks?”
evaluation
comprehension
knowledge
Quiz 03: Discussion Analysis Practice
Q1. Watch the video clip below from an academic discussion on the topic of genetically modified foods. Then answer the question that follows.
Play Video
Which of the following is true about the group discussion?
The group members are not listening to each other.
The group members do not have good eye contact with each other.
The group members are not physically positioned in a way that motivates the members to do their best and to be involved in the discussion.
Q2. Watch the video clip below of a group discussing the following question: Do you think that GM foods are good for society? Then answer the question below.
Play Video
Which of the following phrases communicates that there is one clear and correct answer?
It’s not so black and white.
There are a lot of grey areas.
There are a lot of grey areas.
You can’t just say 100% “yes” or 100% “no”.
I can tell you certainly that they are good for society.
Q3. Watch the video clip below of a group discussing the following question: Do you think that GM foods are good for society? Then answer the question below.
Play Video
True or false?
Jackie thinks that GM foods are good for society.
- True
- False
Q4. Watch the video clip below from an academic discussion on the topic of genetically modified foods. Then answer the question that follows.
Play Video
In this video clip, the members politely challenged each other’s ideas. Which of the following phrases were used to politely challenge ideas that had been previously mentioned?
I see your points, but . . .
You know, Chad, maybe . . .
On the other hand. . . .
Even though . . .
If they were so good, then why. . . .?
Quiz 04: Graded Quiz Q1. Why should you elaborate in a discussion?
To find out more about others
To explain with analogies
To give hypothetical examples
To clearly explain your ideas
Q2. What are some ways to elaborate in a discussion?
By giving analogies, hypotheticals, facts, and anecdotes
By giving analogies, hypotheticals, quotations, and antidotes
By giving analogies, hypotheticals, facts, and antidotes
By giving anatomies, hypodermics, facts, and antidote
Q3. Which is NOT a good sentence frame for encouraging other people to elaborate in a discussion?
I’d love to hear more about . . . ?
Can you be more specific?
What do you mean by . . . ?
Can you please try to be more succinct?
Q4. How would you characterize this quote from an academic conversation?
“We will see an increase in the scarcity of water in the near future. In fact, two-thirds of the world’s population may experience water shortages by the year 2025.”
It is _____________.
repetitive
well elaborated
lacking specificity
too short
Q5. In a discussion about urban sprawl, someone tells a story about growing up in the countryside.
This is an example of _____________
an analogy
a statistic
a hypothetical
an anecdote
Q6. Which of the following are considered lower level thinking? Choose all that apply.
comprehension
synthesis
application
analysis
evaluation
knowledge
Q7. Which of the following are critical thinking skills? Choose all that apply.
to find patterns in seemingly unrelated ideas
to recall information that was presented
to give an opinion with relevant support
to see things from different points of view
Q8. True or false?
When critical thinking is integrated into a discussion group, the concepts discussed in the group will be remembered longer than if they had only used lower-level thinking skills.
- True
- False
Q9. What level of thinking does the following question represent?
“What, in our opinion, is the best way to educate the population about the dangers of genetically modified foods?
knowledge
synthesis
application
analysis
evaluation
comprehension
Q10. Choose the word that completes the collocation.
anecdotal _____________
evidence
review
conference
Q11. Choose the word that completes the collocation.
pilot ___________
lunch
study
belief
Academic Discussions in English Week 03 Quiz Answers
Quiz 01: Interaction Practice Quiz Q1. True or false?
If someone isn’t participating in the discussion you should leave that person alone.
If someone isn’t participating in the discussion you should leave that person alone.
- True
- False
Q2. True or false?
The goal of a discussion should always be agreement.
- True
- False
Q3. True or false?
Disagreement among participants can improve a discussion
True
False
Q4. Decide if the statement below is appropriate for the given situation or not. Situation: Someone is talking too much.
You say to them: “That’s interesting, but we haven’t heard from everyone yet.”Yes, it’s appropriate.
No, it’s not appropriate.
Quiz 02: Constructing Conversation Practice Quiz
Q1. Understanding the value of a group discussion can motivate you to come prepared and to fully participate in the discussion. Which of the following questions can help you reflect on the value of the discussion?
Why am I in this discussion group?
In what ways can I benefit from being in this group?
How can I be helpful to others in this group?
All of the above.
Q2. What are two benefits of having background knowledge of the discussion topic, according to the video? (Select two answers.)
You will be able to keep the discussion on focus because you will have an idea of the scope of the discussion. You will be able to contribute more insightful information for your group members to think about.
You will be able to tell your group members when their information is not correct.
Q3. True or false?
Background knowledge is attained only by the homework that the teacher assigns on the topic.
- True
- False
Quiz 02: Agreeing and Disagreeing Practice Activity
Q1. Statement 1
All of the questions in this activity refer to the following situation:
Megan and Brendan are having a discussion in an Intro to Music class. The topic of the discussion is “Which musical genres will be most relevant to future generations of music fans?”
For each question, click on the Statement link. Then listen to each answer response and pay attention to how the other speaker disagrees with the statement.
Choose the statement that sounds more collaborative, or polite, and less confrontational.
Statement 1
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Which response below is less confrontational?
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Quiz 03: Discussion Analysis Practice
Q1. Watch the video clip below from an academic discussion on the topic of population growth. Then answer the question that follows.
Play Video
Which quote from this clip shows that the conversation partners are trying to honor and build on their partners’ earlier ideas?
“Well, I believe . . .”
“I think that’s a really interesting point and something I hadn’t thought about before.”
Q2. Watch the video clip below from an academic discussion on the topic of population growth. Then answer the question that follows.
Play Video
In the clip, Chad says, “To dovetail on what you said.” What does this mean?
To agree with what you said
To disagree with what you said
To connect with what you said
To finish what you said
Q3. Watch the video clip below from an academic discussion on the topic of population growth. Then answer the question that follows.
Play Video
Later in the clip, how does Kevin show that he partially agrees with Dana?
“But what about . . .”
“I can see your point, but I don’t agree with . . .”
“I can see your point, but I don’t agree with . . .”
“I see that, but don’t you think that . . .”
“I agree in a way, but not completely.”
Q4. Watch the video clip below from an academic discussion on the topic of population growth. Then answer the question that follows.
Play Video
How does Dana defend her point in a collaborative and polite manner?
“That’s true and I see where all of you are coming from, but I still stand firm in my belief.”
“You’re right about that, but I think my point is still valid.”
“Ok, ok, but you’re missing the point of what I’m saying.”
“Yeah, but I still think I’m right.”
Q5. Watch the video clip below from an academic discussion on the topic of population growth. Then answer the question that follows.
Play Video
When Cameron is speaking, how do Dana and Kevin show that they’re listening attentively?
A. Words like “yes,” “yeah,” and “excellent point”
B. Head nodding
C. Eye contact
D. Giving a thumbs up
E. Winking at the speaker
D and E
A, B, and C
Quiz 04: Graded Quiz
Q1. Which of the following is an appropriate statement to get the discussion back on track?
“We haven’t heard from everyone yet.”
“What are you talking about?”
“That’s a bad idea.”
“We are running out of time and we haven’t answered all of the question yet.”
Q2. What should you do if someone is acting bored or just not saying anything?
Invite that person to participate.
Keep the conversation going and ignore anyone who doesn’t speak.
Leave that person alone.
Tell the moderator or teacher that someone isn’t participating.
Q3. What should you do if there is disagreement among discussion participants?
Try to get everyone to agree.
Try to convince everyone you are right.
Keep calm and respectful. Disagreement is normal.
Stop the discussion. You don’t want people to get angry.
Q4. Which concept of constructing a conversation is illustrated by the following? (Match the parts of the analogy.)
the foundation of a house
The task guides the development of the topic and provides focus for all of the group members.
A solid discussion relies and rests on background knowledge and understanding the value of the conversation. Q5. Complete the sentence.
_________________ adds to a conversation because hearing a diversity of opinions helps you to develop your own ideas.
Confrontation
Disagreement
Emotion
Criticis
Q6. Choose the two words that complete the sentence correctly.
To keep a discussion collaborative–not confrontational–you need to be _________ and use _________.
logical; emotion
logical; evidence
subjective; evidence
subjective; emotion
Q7. Of these phrases of disagreement, which will probably help your conversation partner to save face?
I really don’t think so.
I disagree.
I see your point, but I can’t agree.
I don’t agree.
Q8. Of these phrases of disagreement, which will be least likely to add to a collaborative feeling in your discussion group? I see your point, but I can’t agree.
Well, actually . . .
Seriously?
I’m sorry, but I don’t agree.
I’m sorry, but I don’t agree.
Q9. Choose the word that completes the collocation.
conventional ____________
wisdom
premise
visio
Q10. Choose the word that completes the collocation.
become _____________
the impact of
the focus
greatly
Q11. Choose the word that completes the collocation.
vary ______________
range
majority
considerably
Academic Discussions in English Week 04 Quiz Answers Quiz 01: Synthesis Practice Quiz
Q1. Choose the word below that matches this definition:
the pulling together of data from different sources to support one’s ideas and combining all the information to create something
new
synthesis
concise
summary
Q2. Choose the word below that matches this definition:
logical and organized
coherent
synthesis
summary
Q3. True or false?
Summary and synthesis are essentially the same thing.
- True
- False
Quiz 02: Wrapping Up Practice Quiz
Q1. Read the following statements from a discussion on whether or not the planet can sustain 9.2 billion people.
– “Our earth can sustain 9.2 billion people, but not the way it is currently being managed. We need to do a better job at managing resources, educating people, and sharing wealth.”
– “As with technology, there is potential to use our limited resources more efficiently, but we are not doing it.”
– “We probably have enough resources to sustain 9.2 billion people; the question is whether or not people can live together or not. With so many people, there may be wars because of differences of opinion.”
– “It comes back to if humans can live harmoniously with each other. The more people the more problems there are.”What is the best synthesizing statement for the ideas above?
9.2 billion people cannot survive on our planet because we cannot manage that many people.
The earth has the resources to sustain 9.2 billion people; the threatening issue is whether or not people can live in harmoniously with each other.
Q2. Which of the following are sentence frames that would precede a statement of synthesis? Choose all that apply. Based on what we have discussed, we should probably . . .
To summarize . . .
This discussion has led us on a journey that took us from . . . to . . .
Our take-away from this discussion is . . .
Q3. Which of the following are sentence frames that would precede a statement of synthesis? Choose all that apply. What is the common denominator in all that we have discussed?
How can we synthesize our conversation?
What is the general consensus?
What do you think is the best suggestion that was made today?
Q4. True or false?
An action point is the task that is assigned to an individual in the group as a result of the discussion.
- True
- False
False
Quiz 03: Discussion Analysis Practice
Q1. Watch this video clip of the introduction to an academic discussion about poverty. Then answer the question that follows.
Play Video
This is a good example of an introduction to an academic discussion because:
Q2. Watch this video clip of the introduction to an academic discussion about poverty. Then answer the question that follows.
The facilitator warmly welcomes everyone to the group
The topic of the discussion is clearly explained
The task that needs to be accomplished is clearly mentioned
All of the above
Play Video
A family has an income of less than $30 a month. What kind of poverty is this family experiencing?
Extreme poverty
Absolute poverty
Relative poverty
Q3. Watch this video clip of the introduction to an academic discussion about poverty. Then answer the question that follows.
Play Video
What are some things that the group facilitator does to encourage group participation?
He asks, “Do you have any more examples of that?”
He asks, “Do you have any other causes that you want to identify?”He makes eye contact with each member often.
All of the above.
Q4. Watch this video clip of the introduction to an academic discussion about poverty. Then answer the question that follows.
Play Video
Which of the following were mentioned as causes of poverty in the video clip? Choose all that apply.
Poor government policy and the poor management of money Lack of education
Poverty is decreasing
The growing population
Quiz 04: Graded Quiz
Q1. Synthesis in a discussion involves all of the following elements except _____________.
gathering data from resources
including every idea mentioned during the discussion in the conclusion
forming a response to the discussion questions
combining ideas with data from resources
Q2. It is important that the final synthesis be logical and organized. The term for this is ______________.
summary
concise
consensus
coherent
Q3. A brief overview of main points is called ______________.
consensus
summary
synthesis
discussion
Q4. Which of the following is not essential, according to this lesson, when ending a group discussion?
being sure to use sentence frames
assessing if the goal was accomplished
agreeing on what to do next and who should do them
synthesizing the ideas
Q5. Which of the following is NOT a sentence frame that would precede a statement of synthesis? The next step should be to . . .
The evidence seems to suggest . . .
We conclude that that . . .
As a result of this discussion I think that we should . . .
Q6. True or false?
Q6. True or false?
An action point is the task that is assigned to an individual in the group as a result of the discussion.
True
False
Q7. Which of the following were frequently-referenced ideas in this course? Choose all that apply. You should try to avoid disagreement at all costs because disagreement causes hurt feelings. Have a plan for your conversation, and try to follow it. Don’t get sidetracked. Discussions are all about collaboration, so be sure to build on what other people say. Be sure to build your background knowledge, or knowledge of the topic, before you have your discussion.
Q8. Choose the word that completes the collocation.
effective _____________
impact
policy
evidenc
Q9. Choose the word that completes the collocation.
enormous _____________
impact
opportunities
evidence
Q10. Choose the word that completes the collocation.
get ___________
expectations
involved
impact