GNED 1300
First-Year Seminar

Guidelines for Presenters

1. Do the reading for that session early.

2. Take responsibility for initiating and guiding a discussion of your topic on the listserv list.  Send an initial message to the group taking a stand or raising a provocative issue, then continue to prod the discussion along.  The initial message should be sent out the afternoon of the class prior to the session at which you will present.

3. In class the day of the presentation, take approximately ten minutes to defend a position related to the topic for that session.  Guidelines for the presentation:
 

• You should defend a thesis related to the topic for the day.  Think of the presentation as like a mini-paper:  you need to defend a position by means of persuasive arguments.
• Make use of the reading for the day.  You can do this by using or modifying the arguments in the reading, or by raising objections to the arguments in the reading, or simply by defending a view that contrasts with the one defended in the reading, but tie the presentation to the reading in one way or another.
• However, you should not use the talk to summarize the reading.  You should assume that we have all read the material carefully (and we should make certain that your assumption is correct).
• I'd suggest talking with me and/or Cory prior to giving your presentation.

4. You may want to do some additional research on your topic and let us know what you've found via the listserv.

5. If you'd like to distribute a handout to the class, please bring it to me no later than 10:30 on the morning of the presentation so I can make copies for the class.  (The day before would be better!)