How to Give a Seminar

Most of the seminar giving guides focuses on the main seminar presentation that we have to give, but what about other things like selecting the seminar topic, getting it approved, creating the seminar report, creating PowerPoint slides etc, so we must not forget that seminars in colleges are part of the curriculum and so they should be prepared like any other subject to get most marks.. Here we will discuss all of the above mentioned in detail.

Selecting Seminar Topic

So lets start with selecting the seminar topic. Now you must be thinking that we can take any topic out of the thousands available on the internet, but a good seminar presentation depends on your knowledge and preparation of the topic, so select a topic of which you are already aware of or select a completely new topic that interests you.

Getting the Seminar Topic approved

It happens many times that most common, popular and easy topics are selected by most students. So if your seminar topic is clashing with someone else’s topic then you may be told to change yours. But the good news is that there is a way around this. You can make slight adjustments to your topic like adding a branch of the topic into it. For example, if you have selected Nanotechnology and its clashing with someone, then you can go for Nanotechnology in Computers or Nanotechnology in Nature. Work with this the way it suits you to get the topic approved.

Creating Seminar Report

Next comes the creation of seminar report. Seminar report is needed to be submitted before giving the seminar. Now creating a good seminar report is not hard as it seems, and if done correctly can help you in getting those marks that you want. The creation of seminar report is explained in a different topic which focuses entirely on this.
How to Create Seminar Report 

Creating Seminar Presentation Slides

Seminar presentation involves creation of the slides that the audience will see at the time of the main presentation. There are many software available for this, the most common is PowerPoint. If you don’t know how to use it then you can refer any online guide, but it is easy so don’t worry about that. Now the rule of thumb in creating the slides is that it should cover all the points in your report. Follow the points below to create a good presentation.

• The number of slides depends upon the time that you take in giving seminar, so have one slide for each minute of that time.
• Include images and graphs if required because it helps the audience to understand the topic better.
• Use bright text for dark background and vice versa.
• Use the first slide for the topic name in top and your name (and roll number if required) at the bottom.
• Use the last slide for references.
• Don’t populate your slides with too much of the data.
• Don’t use very flashy animations and sound effects.

Giving the Seminar Presentation

Here comes the part for which you have been doing all of the above things. Giving a seminar is not that difficult as it seems. Follow these guidelines in giving the seminar presentation.

You can follow this structure for you seminar:

1. Introduction : Explaining in short the conceptual background of the subject.
2. Hypothesis and objectives.
3. Explaining the objects and points listed at the time of introduction.
4. Summary and conclusions.

• Start off by practicing the seminar 3-4 times in front of the mirror. Practicing is important and helpful in many ways, first: it builds up confidence; second: it helps in the assumption of time you take to finish the seminar so that you can make changes to finish it in required time; and third: you can practice on body language and gestures.
• Speak clear and loud so that people sitting in back can hear you.
• Face the audience not the slides or black board.
• Don’t walk while you talk.
• Speak slowly so that everyone can understand what you are saying; you can skip slides if running out of time.

Always remember that giving seminar is easy, all you have to do is to prepare and be confident.

Best of luck for your seminars.