Co-directing a seminar involves taking over the class for a given part of the session. That is, you become the teacher. The purpose of this co-direction is two-fold: 1. to have the presenters work closely with some material and come to an in-depth understanding of it; 2. to inform and interest the hearers (stimulate questions, comments, etc.). Both the content and method of presentation need to be thought out carefully.

1. Study the material thoroughly. It will probably be necessary to read the text several times and take extensive notes.

2. Brainstorm. Talk to someone else or yourself about the text and explore any and everything you wish. Brainstorming involves a process of association that frequently allows for new insights into the text and the possibilities of presenting it. Think of your colleagues as resources to help you develop ideas from a variety of perspectives.

3. Prepare a clear outline and/or notes that you can follow easily while leading the discussion. The outline should be organized so as to express as clearly as possible the argument you wish to make. That is, it should be clear what central point (or points) you are trying to make. If, after going thoroughly over the material, questions remain, simply ask them. Good questions are often the best starting point for discussion.

4. Like papers, oral presentations need a good introduction. You should make it clear to your audience where you intend to lead them (which does not, of course, preclude surprises). There should also be a conclusion to wrap up your argument.
You will usually have a suggested time limit. Time your presentation and be sure it can be done effectively in the allotted time. REHEARSE. Yes, that's right, rehearse. Ask someone to listen to your presentation to see if it makes sense to them. If that's not possible, go over the presentation yourself to make sure it comes out smoothly.

5. Your presentation will be of an analytic sort. A working dictionary definition of analysis is: 1. separation or breaking up of a whole into its fundamental elements or component parts; 2. a detailed examination of anything complex made in order to understand its nature or to determine its essential features.
Therefore, you will need to reduce and rework the information presented in the text(s) so as to highlight the main points and the relations among them. You are trying to get at the "essential features" of the text in such a way as to make your audience understand it more thoroughly and/or in different ways. Once you are sure you have done that, you should proceed with discussion questions and possible critiques of the positions presented in the text(s).

6. In general you should not plan small group discussions as part of your co-direction.

A presentation should not be like the following: 1. A mere listing of the points made (e.g. "First she said a, and then she said b, and then . . ."); 2. "I liked (or didn't like) the article because . . . ."

Remember: you will listen to more oral reports than you will give. If you do not like to be bored or confused, you might presume your audience feels the same way. If you like to be stimulated to understand a text more thoroughly or in a different way, ditto. Thus you should feel encouraged to be creative in the your presentation. In most cases it will be helpful to provide a handout or use some other visual.
You will find that by and large it is better not to read the presentation. Reading tends to be monotonous and frequently too fast for your audience to follow. it is better to interact with the other members of the class.

On the other hand, as listeners we should all cooperate with the co-directors by preparing thoroughly for the class, being attentive to their presentations and by participating in the discussion. Again, if you do not like to be ignored, presume that other members of the class do not like it either. We can all help each other and make the class a better learning experience by treating seminar co-direction as a significant cooperative learning venture.

Co-directors should meet with one of the instructors on Wed. or Th of the week preceding the scheduled presentation.

The outline, discussion questions, and any other materials should be sent by email to all students by the Mon. preceding the presentation. All students should review these matierials and begin to respond to the questions before class.