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Seminars opinions?

Hey

I'm probably going to go to university next year, but I was just curious on this.
I know that uni is mainly independent study, where lectures act as like an 'enforcement' where the teacher just talks whilst students either listen/make additional notes or muck around or not turn up at all :tongue:

I also heard seminars are the smaller classes where everyone just discusses stuff on the topics. Now I'm a shy in front of groups of strangers, but I hear that normally seminars are the most common type of class to skip? Usually cause they are perceived as 'pointless'.

I was just wondering whether seminars are actually useful in developing your knowledge, or are they just to stimulate thinking ?

Thank you :smile:

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Reply 1

Vitamin D

Don't skip seminars/tutorials. Don't know about the uni you're going to but every single one of my tutorials/seminars was marked and counted towards my final grade for the module. A lot of the time they are a bit crap but just get on with it.

Reply 2

Baula

Original post by Jkizer

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You don't have to go but when you're paying so much to attend university, I've never understood the people who skipped them because they could. I always found that the seminars were really valuable because even if you don't say too much, you have the opportunity to ask questions about what you're studying and have a chance to apply what you have learned through the class work.

Reply 3

Gray Strawberries

Seminars tend to be a lot better than lectures, more opportunity to ask questions etc

Reply 4

chikane

Original post by Jkizer

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I found seminars to be quite useful for certain modules and useless for quite a few as i learn nothing and the teacher was awful.
My seminars had a register but at my uni it never affected final grades. However in 3rd year we had to run a seminar in a group of 4 or 5 and had to present our topic and we definitely had to attend every week and contribute as this counted towards module mark.
Seminars are good way to make friends as usually classes are smaller that's how i made my friends at uni so would not skip them.

(edited 10 years ago)

Reply 5

Jkizer

Hehe don't worry I don't plan to skip any lectures or seminars, even if I feel unwell! (I'll just quarantine myself) -though easier said than done

It's good to hear that the seminars are still a good learning resource :smile:

I assume seminars are much shorter in length than lectures?
Coup I also sneakily ask, when you have to do your independent study, do you get an email or notice on topics you should cover or is it like 'Chapter a week from xxx textbook?'

Thanks for your tips guys :biggrin:

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Reply 6

Vitamin D

Original post by Jkizer

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Mine were always an hour long so generally the same length as lectures :smile:

Reply 7

Kre

Original post by Jkizer

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My lectures were usually 2 hours, although there was the occasional 1 hour lecture depending on the module. All of my seminars/tutorials were 2 hours though. I know you don't plan on skipping anything but I really wouldn't advise skipping seminars since they are much more useful to you than lectures and registers are often taken. One too many absences and you could get kicked off the module or lose marks towards your overall grade. A lot of people tend to skip lectures though as the year goes on. You'll notice a gradual decrease in numbers from September all the way until May!

In my modules, we are advised on what books/chapters to study and make notes on after each lecture and seminar. Although bare in mind, for first year at least, a lot of the journals and books they tell you to read can be excess. I studied from the core textbook alone for one of my modules and still achieved a high first in the module overall.

Hopefully this helps! Oh and I was just like you before university started, saying things like I'll never skip a single lecture/seminar. I hope you're stronger than me though, because a 9AM morning lecture after a heavy night of drinking was usually a write off! :colondollar:

Reply 8

Magdatrix >_<

Original post by Jkizer

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Please don't attend lectures etc when you're not well - there's nothing worse than accidentally sitting near someone who is coughing and sneezing the whole time...except of course, feeling someone sneeze on your back *shudder*

Most of my lectures in year 1 and 2 were 1 hour (longer ones in final year), although a few were 2 hours long. Group work tended to be 1 hour long, and discussion seminars and feedback tutorials with tutors were 1 hour. We also had 'workshops' that were usually 2 hours that were a bit like a 'big seminar' where there was more people and a little bit of discussion but mainly a computer-based task to work on independently.

I never got emails about independent study. Especially in first year, the lecturers usually mentioned chapters etc at the end of the lecture, but it's normally quite easy to spot which chapters are relevant to your module in your coursebook. And easy to look things up elsewhere if you're really interested.

:biggrin:

Reply 9

PrettyLittleLiars

I attended some seminars whereas I skipped some. Generally speaking I quite liked seminars because the lecture just goes over any parts we may have not understood or summarises a series of lectures which is helpful.