eliciting discussion

USAGE SUMMARY

"eliciting discussion" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
It is an active verb phrase meaning to provoke or bring about a discussion. For example, "The professor asked a thought-provoking question, eliciting discussion among the students."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

These results suggest that the interview succeeded in eliciting discussion of individual problems and concerns that were distinct from one another.

Health and Quality of Life Outcomes

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

Senior managers themselves need to be assessed on their ability to elicit discussion and dissent.

Huffington Post

The FGDs used case scenarios to elicit discussion.

BMC Public Health

Initial interview questions were general in nature, and designed to elicit discussion about traditional wild harvest/management.

Human Ecology

Key questions were developed to elicit discussion on specific focus areas, and the verification checklist was developed to be used as a probe for items not previously discussed.

BMC Health Services Research

The purpose of the workshop was to elicit discussion on these and other recommendations concerning the human health safety of animal feed.

Emerging Infectious Diseases

To elicit discussion about physicians' attitudes about the use of race in treatment decision-making, physicians were presented with a brief clinical vignette describing a hypothetical patient.

BMC Health Services Research

The moderator followed a guide consisting of a short list of open-ended questions designed to elicit discussion relevant the study purpose (See Moderator's guide).

BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine

The following name generator was used to elicit discussion network members; it is identical to the one used in the NSHAP [ 2, 68].

BMC Geriatrics

Interviewers elicited discussion of obese smokers' thoughts about smoking, the effects of quitting on change in weight, challenges they faced with quitting, and how quitlines might better serve their needs.

BMC Public Health

The rest of the focus group was structured around a prepared list of open-ended questions regarding diabetes self-management issues that was developed into a topic guide to elicit discussion.

BMC Family Practice

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "eliciting discussion" when you want to emphasize the action of drawing out or prompting a conversation, rather than simply having one.

Common error

Avoid using "eliciting discussion" in passive constructions that weaken the sentence. For instance, instead of saying "Discussion was elicited by the question", say "The question elicited discussion".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "eliciting discussion" functions as a gerund phrase, often acting as a noun. It describes the action of prompting or bringing about a discussion, as evidenced by Ludwig's examples.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

68%

News & Media

23%

Formal & Business

9%

Less common in

Wiki

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "eliciting discussion" is a grammatically correct gerund phrase widely employed to describe the act of initiating or prompting a discussion. As Ludwig AI states, the phrase is commonly found in scientific and news contexts, suggesting its formality and analytical nature. While alternatives like ""provoking discussion"" and "stimulating discussion" offer similar meanings, "eliciting discussion" specifically emphasizes the action of drawing out conversation. When writing, it’s best practice to use this phrase actively and avoid passive constructions that might weaken its impact.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

provoking discussion

Similar to "eliciting discussion", but implies a stronger, more intentional instigation of discussion.

instigating discussion

Focuses on the initiating action, often implying a deliberate effort to start a discussion.

stimulating discussion

Highlights the effect of making a discussion more active and engaging.

triggering discussion

Suggests that something specific has caused the discussion to begin.

generating discussion

Emphasizes the creation or production of discussion.

sparking discussion

Implies that the discussion has started suddenly and with energy.

fostering dialogue

Focuses on creating an environment that encourages continuous and constructive conversation.

promoting debate

Highlights the act of encouraging a more formal or structured discussion.

encouraging discourse

Emphasizes the broader, more intellectual exchange of ideas.

inviting commentary

Focuses on seeking opinions and insights from others.

FAQs

How to use "eliciting discussion" in a sentence?

You can use "eliciting discussion" to describe something that provokes or encourages conversation. For example, "The speaker's controversial statement was aimed at "provoking discussion"".

What can I say instead of "eliciting discussion"?

You can use alternatives like "sparking discussion", "stimulating discussion", or "fostering dialogue" depending on the specific context.

Which is correct, "eliciting discussion" or "to elicit discussion"?

"Eliciting discussion" functions as a gerund phrase, while "to elicit discussion" is an infinitive phrase. The choice depends on the grammatical structure of your sentence. For example, "Provoking discussion is her main goal" versus "Her main goal is to elicit discussion".

What's the difference between "eliciting discussion" and "having a discussion"?

"Eliciting discussion" refers to the act of causing a discussion to start or unfold. "Having a discussion" simply refers to the state of being in a conversation or debate.