Seminar Success
True or False: Your seminar grade is based entirely on attendance.
False
5% is attendance and 5% is participation.
How long is the 'spoken' component of the Current Events presentation?
A. 1–2 minutes
B. 4–5 minutes
C. 8–10 minutes
D. As long as you need
B. 4–5 minutes
When should you expect to find the lecture notes uploaded?
Mondays!
You should communicate with professors, TAs, and the course coordinator using your __________ email address.
@brocku.ca email address
True or False
There is a textbook you need to purchase for CHYS 1F90.
False. There is no textbook; readings are available on Brightspace.
Which is an example of high-quality seminar participation?
A. Talking as often as possible
B. Reading directly from your notes
C. Connecting your comments to readings, theories, or concepts
D. Waiting until the TA calls on you
C. Connecting your comments to readings, theories, or concepts
True or False: You can use PowerPoint slides during your Current Events presentation.
False.
No prompts or technology are to be used for the presentation.
Which email address should you use for your Top Hat account?
A. Your personal Gmail
B. Your Brock email
C. Any email you remember
D. Your parent's email
B. Your Brock email
A professional course email should include:
A. “Hey”
B. A greeting, clear message, proper sign-off, and student number
C. Only your question
D. An emoji explaining your problem
B. A greeting, clear message, proper sign-off, and student number
How much is the Current Events Presentation & Discussion worth?
A. 5%
B. 10%
C. 15%
D. 20%
B. 10%
You have seminar tomorrow and haven't done the readings. You plan to listen carefully to everyone else and participate anyway.
Question: According to the syllabus, what's the problem?
Answer: Students are expected to have completed the relevant material before seminar.
Which of the following is NOT one of the four components of the Current Events assignment?
A. Summarize the current event
B. Explain its connection to course material
C. Verify the source's accuracy
D. Write a 5-page research paper
Write a 5-page research paper
Where should you begin the Top Hat enrollment process?
A. Top Hat's website
B. Google
C. Brightspace
D. The Brock bookstore
C. Brightspace
Situation 1: The Last-Minute Email
It's Sunday night. Your presentation is Wednesday. You aren't sure whether your news source is appropriate, so you email your TA at 11:30 p.m. asking for help.
What course expectation did you potentially overlook?
Give your TA 48 hours to respond.
*** 2 business days
You are planning a vacation during the December exam period because your exam date hasn't been announced yet.
According to the syllabus, what should you consider?
Don't make travel plans until after the final exam period because the exam may be scheduled late in the examination period
High-quality participation also means engaging thoughtfully with __________.
Answer: Other people's comments.
You find a fascinating story online and want to use it for your presentation. What should you do before assuming it's reliable?
Consider the source, author, media organization, publication date, and whether the information can be verified through other sources.
*will also accept sending it to the TA for support with verification.
Where do you submit Medical Declaration Forms if you need to miss seminar?
The assignment tab on Brightspace.
“Spot the Problem”
“hey, is this article good for my presentation? thx”
Name at least two things that could be improved.
Possible answers:
When is reading week in Term 1?
October 12-16, 2026
Give one example of a seminar comment that demonstrates critical engagement rather than simply summarizing the reading.
No single right answer - TA discretion
You walk into the Term 1 midterm. How many sides of a resource sheet can you bring?
Bonus: How many sides can you bring to the final/progress exam?
One-sided.
Bonus: Two-sided
Name three things Top Hat is used for in this course.
Attendance, participation, and some graded lecture questions.
TA Challenge
Rewrite the previous email into a professional email in 30 seconds.
“hey, is this article good for my presentation? thx”
No single right answer.
Name three different things that make up your Term 1 assessment grade.
Possible answers: