The Academic Discussion task asks you to join a class conversation in writing. It rewards a clear opinion and one well-explained reason far more than long, complicated sentences.
What the prompt looks like
You see a question from a professor on an online class board, followed by two short posts from students who give different views. Your job is to add your own contribution to the discussion.
A four-part structure
- 01State your view in the first sentence. No long introduction.
- 02Give one clear reason that supports it.
- 03Add a specific example: a situation, a fact or a short personal experience.
- 04Link to a classmate: agree with part of their idea or explain why you see it differently.
A sample answer
Professor’s question: Should universities require students to take a course outside their major? Answer: I believe they should. Courses outside our major teach us to think in new ways, which helps in any career. For example, a computer science student who takes a psychology course learns how real users think, which makes them a better designer of apps. Maria worries that it wastes time, but one course a year is a small cost for such a useful skill.
It is short, but it has everything: a view, a reason, an example and a link to another student.
What raises the score
- A relevant contribution: you answer the professor’s actual question.
- Development: your reason is explained, not just stated.
- Language: varied, accurate sentences and fitting academic vocabulary.
- Clarity: a reader can follow your idea on the first read.
Mistakes to avoid
- Repeating what the other students already said without adding anything new.
- Two or three reasons with no explanation, instead of one reason explained well.
- A memorised template that does not fit the question.
- Running out of time before the example.
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