On most courses, it is not enough to show that you are familiar with the leading
authorities. Students are expected to study the conflicting views on any topic and
engage with them, which means analysing and critiquing them if appropriate. This
unit demonstrates ways of showing your familiarity with both sides of an argument
and presenting your own conclusions in a suitably academic manner.
Discussion vocabulary
Essay titles commonly ask students to ‘discuss’ a topic:
‘Children will learn a foreign language more easily if it is integrated with another subject –
discuss.’
This requires an evaluation of both the benefits and disadvantages of the topic, with a section
of the essay, sometimes headed ‘Discussion’, in which a summary of these is made. The following
vocabulary can be used:

One drawback to integrating content and language is the demand it places on the
teacher.
A significant benefit of teaching a subject through a language is the increased
motivation to master the language.

Organisation
The discussion can be organised in two ways, either by grouping the benefits in one section
and the disadvantages in another (vertical), or by examining the subject from different
viewpoints (horizontal). For example, the following essay title can be discussed in two ways,
as shown:
‘Prisons do little to reform criminals and their use should be limited – discuss.’
(a) Vertical
Drawbacks
Prisons are expensive, may be ‘universities of crime’, most prisoners reoffend after leaving,
many prisoners have mental health problems that are untreated.
Benefits
Prisons isolate dangerous criminals from society, act as a deterrent to criminal activity,
may provide education or treatment (e.g. for drug addiction), provide punishment for
wrongdoing.
Discussion
Numbers of prisoners are rising in many countries, which suggests that the system is failing.
Evidence that short sentences are of little value. But prisons will always be necessary for
some violent criminals, and as a deterrent.
(b) Horizontal
Economic
High costs of keeping prisoners secure. Compare with other forms of punishment.
Ethical
Do prisons reform criminals? What rights should prisoners have? Cases of wrongful
imprisonment.
Social
Effect on families of prisoners, especially female prisoners with children. But also necessary
to consider the victims of crime, especially violent crime, and provide punishment for
wrongdoing.
Discussion
Numbers of prisoners are rising in many countries, which suggests that the system is failing.
Evidence that short sentences are of little value, while cost of prison system is rising. But
prisons will always be necessary for some violent criminals, and as deterrent.
The language of discussion
In discussion, avoid personal phrases such as in my opinion or personally, I think . . .
Use impersonal phrases instead, such as:

These phrases suggest a minority viewpoint:

When you are supporting your opinions with sources, use phrases such as:

5 Counterarguments
Counterarguments are ideas that are opposite to your ideas. In an academic discussion, you
must show that you are familiar with both sides of the argument, and provide reasons to support
your position. It is usual to deal with the counterarguments first, before giving your view.
What is the writer’s position in the following example, on the topic of prisons,
from (2) on p. 86?
It is claimed that prisons are needed to isolate dangerous criminals from
society, and to provide punishment for wrongdoing. But while this may be true
in a minority of cases, more commonly prisons act as ‘universities of crime’,
which serve to reinforce criminal behaviour. The majority of prisoners are not
dangerous, and could be dealt with more effectively by other means.

Providing evidence
Normally, your conclusions on a topic follow an assessment of the evidence. You must show
that you have studied the relevant sources, since only then can you give a balanced judgement.
Study the following text, which discusses the idea that young people today, who have
grown up with computing and the Internet, are different from previous generations.
Then answer the following questions.
(a) How many sources are cited to support the ‘digital native’ theory?
(b) What do these writers suggest changing?
(c) Why do their critics disagree with them?
(d) What is the opinion of the writer of this text?
(e) What is your opinion of this subject?