• Interpersonal and Personal

    Treat others as you would be treated: compliment, reinforce, encourage, be open, help, share responsibility, don't dominate, and encourage shy people to join in. Always listen and react to others as you would want people to listen and react to you.

    Avoid:

    • Adapted from suggestions by Martin, Nerison, and Scarborough in Building Learning Communities: A Coordinated Studies Handbook, Washington Center for Improving the Quality of Undergraduate Education, Olympia: The Evergreen State College, 1989, 48-50.

    Seminar Discussion Grading

     

    Guide to Effective Seminars

    Read material fully: highlight, underline, comment in margins, identify key words and passages. Take notes about important ideas as you read if the above is not enough. Spend as much time as possible on your seminar paper. Look for connections with other readings, films, happenings.

    Papers

    You will be writing many seminar papers during the course of the quarter.  Seminar papers should follow a conventional essay format with a strong thesis statement in your opening paragraph and  at least three supporting paragraphs with topic sentences that thread back to the thesis. These supporting paragraphs develop the thesis by using details, examples, observations, references, etc. to support the points you as the writer are making. Finally,  you should have a strong concluding paragraph.

    Participation

    		Prepare your written work at the designated time. It should be a well-thought out piece of writing that shows your understanding of the assigned readings. You will not be able to participate in the feedback/seminar discussions if you have not prepared your paper.
    Be prepared to discuss everyone's paper on Wednesday and Thursday.
    When you refer to a story or poem, cite the page and passage, and allow time for people to find the place. Listen carefully so you can connect with what has been said previously, disagree politely and specifically, play the sensitive devil's advocate, and ask questions.
    lengthy discussion of readings others are not familiar with
    coming to seminar not having carefully prepared
    put downs
    dominating, either by one person or several
    interrupting rudely
    side comments and conversations
    B.S. and generalizations which are obviously meant to substitute for careful preparation
    remember these suggestions when using the Discussion modes in the class as well
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    Last revised: November 19, 2009 by Jan Strever -- jstrever@scc.spokane.edu
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