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Seminars

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
edited March 27 in Work & Study
Can someone give me more of an idea as to what actually happens in a seminar at uni??

These are what I'm most dreading. From what I know, it's kind of just talking in a group, and I hate doing stuff like that. Talking in groups, presentations etc. are all things I find really really hard, and I get really nervous.

Do you HAVE to contribute?? Do you get prompted to contribute, or is it up to you?? Do you have to do presentations in front of the group, or anything like that??

Thanks
Post edited by JustV on

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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Ok I will tell you about mine. In the first one we had to introduce ourselves. After that, (in Philosophy and English anyway), each week one of two people had to make a presentation on a different topic, basically for 10 or 15 minutes they would introuduce the topic. You may not like talking in front of people but it's only small groups of less than 10 people usually), and you need to be able to do it in real life, in your career. Your seminar tutor also gives you references so if you never talk they won't have much to say about you. Everyone is in the same situation so chill.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    It depends on what your course is like. In some of my seminars, I got away with saying very little and just let other people talk. Although I now know I would have got a lot more out of it if I'd contributed more. Some tutors do make you talk though, they ask you directly what you think about things, and get you to do presentations etc. It is very scary if you're shy, believe me I know, but the more you do it the easier it gets and the more confident you become.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Thanks for the replies. I'm going to be doing Psychology, if that's significant.
    Originally posted by PussyKatty
    In the first one we had to introduce ourselves...one of two people had to make a presentation on a different topic, basically for 10 or 15 minutes they would introuduce the topic...Everyone is in the same situation so chill.

    I know everyone is in the same situation, but not everyone is the same. It may not sound too bad to some, but having to do a presentation for 10-15 mins, or even introducing myself to a group sounds like hell to me. Even if it is only a small group.

    I'll just have to see how I cope :(
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    You are right, for me it is not a problem to speak up. But if you can get over your embarrassment now, it will be much easier later in life. Uni is a good opportunity to get over problems like this, after all, nobody knows you and it's a fresh start.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I did three subjects last year (combined honours)

    In economics we had homework to do, like some short exercises and we would take it in turns to read our answer out, if you didn't know the answer you just said so and she moved on to the next person.

    In history one seminar leader liked the sound of his own voice so much that no-one else could get a word in edgeways!
    Another seminar leader simply made you read a book and then tell everyone the manin points from it.

    Sociology was much the same - you had to discuss questions in small groups and then one person had to tell the whole class what you'd discussed.

    I tend not to talk much, but that doesn't mean I am not learning anything!
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I've just thought of something else:

    We have to go along to our departments and sign up for the seminar slots we want.

    I always waited about two days before I went along then I could see what the least popular groups were (in terms of number of people). I would then sign up for that time slot. Sad but true.

    I thought it would mean that I had a lot of 9am seminars but I didn't really, only one a fortnight.

    Also, most courses only require a few seminars a term. As you're doing psychology you may find you have more practicals than seminars anyway.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Thanks for the replies everyone :)
    I always waited about two days before I went along then I could see what the least popular groups were (in terms of number of people). I would then sign up for that time slot. Sad but true.

    Heh, sounds like something I'd do. I'll try it if it works like that at my uni :)

    I get what they are now, but new question - what are the differences between a seminar and a tutorial??

    Thanks again
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by Alsvartr
    I get what they are now, but new question - what are the differences between a seminar and a tutorial??

    At my university I call a session in a group with a leader a seminar. We sit and talk about what we've learned, discuss problems arising from lectures and goover the lecture topics. We usually have to do some background reading for this.

    Tutorials involved doing some work before hand, like answering some questions froma textbook or some the group leader had given us.

    However, my friend at the same uni did english lit and her department seemed to call seminars tutorials.
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