Skip to main content
discussion section

discussion section

3.4
A small group in a course where students meet to talk about material, usually led by a teaching assistant
  • noun
  • /dɪsˈkʌʃən ˈsɛkʃən/
  • US
translation icon : sección de discusión
  • We have two lectures and one discussion section each week.
  • introduction and discussion section

Examples

  • I have three teaching assistants who run the discussion sections.

    Academic text (2002)
  • Students often have to write reflective essays on the readings prior to coming to the discussion section; this helps to get the discussion going and also encourages the students to be prepared for class.

    Academic text (2002)
  • We return to this in the Discussion section.

    Academic text (2013)
  • An analysis of these differences is found in the discussion section.

    Academic text (1997)
  • The individual patterns of significant effects across various survey items will be addressed in the discussion section below.

    Academic text (2004)
  • The import of these findings will be explored in the discussion section presented next.

    Academic text (2003)
  • Additional discussion and an evaluation of the implications of this assumption are addressed in the discussion section.

    Academic text (2016)
  • We consider the implications of the foregoing responses in the Discussion section.

    Academic text (2001)
  • A possible explanation offered in the discussion section proposes a strongly expressed orientation toward open-ended, learner-involved tasks in the high-ability male population.

    Academic text (2004)
  • Each week, we meet in a discussion section to go over the topics from the lectures.

Synonyms

section
vsdiscussion section
389 2.4

A group within a larger organization, like an orchestra or company team

is narrower and means only a small student group within a course
seminar
vsdiscussion section
209 3.7

A small class where people discuss a topic with a teacher

is led by a less senior instructor such as a teaching assistant

How Interactive

workshop
175 3.3
tutorial
  • UK
25 4.0
discussion section
  • US
3.4
seminar
209 3.7
to lecture
65 3.8

Surface Forms

Morphology

discussion + section

The overall meaning is directly and predictably derived from 'discussion' (a talk for exchanging opinions) + 'section' (a part of a larger course or class). This compositional academic phrase follows common patterns across languages (e.g., tutorial/seminar sections), so a B1 learner who knows both words would readily infer it refers to a part of a course devoted to discussion.

Etymology

Discussion section comes from university courses where a large class is split into smaller sections led by a teaching assistant. In each discussion, students talk about the main class and ask questions, so the phrase means a 'small class' where students meet to talk and learn more.