Biochemistry Seminar

Conceiving, Preparing, and Presenting Your Seminar

Contents

Introduction
Selecting and Developing Your Topic
Preparing Your Abstract
Preparing and Delivering Your Seminar
Evaluation
Attendance at Seminars

Introduction

During the last few weeks of the course, you will present a seminar on a biochemical topic of current importance that we have not studied in the course, but that is related to course material. Your main goal is to bring the class up to date on a subject that is an important current topic of biochemical research. I will judge your seminar on how well you accomplish these requirements :

• Your topic should be genuinely molecular in nature, or provide insights into molecular mechanisms.
• Your seminar should include data and interpretation of data from recent biochemical literature (peer-reviewed journals)
• Your seminar should provide evidence in support of the models or conclusions presented by the authors of your source papers. This requires that you explain their techniques, present their data, and tell how they reached their reported conclusions.
• Your seminar should be up-to-date; in other words, it should include findings from papers that have appeared in the biochemical literature since our textbook was published -- within the past two to three years at the oldest.
• PLEASE NOTE: Your seminar may not be about research you have done yourself or research that is going on at USM.

Selecting and Developing Your Topic

You may already be aware of a topic that interests you, and that you would like to pursue in current biochemical literature. If so, make sure that the topic will allow you to meet the requirements listed above. Then conduct a literature search using tools available in the library (try UnCover and Medline in the URSUS Electronic Indexes and Databases). If you are not already aware of a research area of current importance, one good way to find topics is to browse recent copies of Science, Nature, Biochemistry, JournalofBiologicalChemistry, JournalofMolecularBiology, ProceedingsoftheNationalAcademyofSciences, Proteins, or comparable journals. Once you find an article of interest, begin your pursuit of the necessary background by consulting the list of references at the end of the article.

You should immediately begin thinking and talking with me about a possible seminar topic. By Monday March 2, submit to me a brief written description of your proposed topic, including complete citations of at least two of your most important references. I will let you know at the next class if the topic is acceptable. If not, improve your proposal according to my suggestions and resubmit until satisfactory, with final acceptance of your proposal not later than March 16.

As soon as you define your topic, begin to study it, develop your seminar, and prepare the abstract, bibliography, and reading assignment. You may need to obtain papers by interlibrary loan, so start early to allow time to get all the materials you need.

Preparing Your Abstract

One week before your seminar, provide, as a single page handout to each member of the class (including me), the following:

1. an abstract that outlines the coverage of the seminar,
2. a bibliography of most important materials you consulted in preparing the seminar (especially ones that are good for further reading on the subject), and if appropriate,
3. an assignment in the text or a handout of material for all students to read or review in preparation to hear your seminar.

In the abstract, provide a brief overview of your subject, aimed at stimulating interest. Then briefly outline your plan for the seminar, to inform the reader of the range of topics you plan to cover.

Preparing and Delivering Your Seminar

Your seminar should be about 35 or 40 minutes in length, leaving time at the end for questions and discussion. Remember to build your talk around evidence that supports the conclusions or models you present. As you prepare, review the requirements above, and make sure that your plans allow you to meet all of them.

Illustrate your talk with overhead slides or computer views, so that you can show and discuss complex diagrams and structures without taking time to draw them on the board. I will instruct you on making slides, provide the blank slides themselves, and allow you to use the chemistry copier to make the slides from your own pasteups of illustrations. All other copying, including copying illustrations from your sources, is your own responsibility, and department policy forbids your using the chemistry copier except to turn your final illustrations into slides.

Here are some additional suggestions to help you give a good seminar:

1. Practice the talk before an audience to test your timing and organization.
2. Preview all your slides in the classroom before your seminar. Make sure they are clearly visible and readable from the worst seat in the room.
3. Do not stand at the overhead projector; stand at, and point at, the screen (if screen at eye level).
4. Do not read from notes; talk to your audience.
5. Do not belittle or apologize for your topic, your slides, or your own performance. Project confidence.

Evaluation

Your fellow students and I will provide comments and suggestions on your seminar. At each seminar, I will distribute an evaluation form to all students except the speaker. Each student will evaluate the seminar and turn in the form no later than the beginning of the next meeting. I will review all student comments and then pass copies of the evaluations on to the seminar speaker. Student evaluations will not adversely affect the speaker's grade, so please be frank and helpful in your comments.

Your seminar grade will be based on my opinion of the level and quality of your abstract and talk, and on how well you satisfy the requirements above.

Attendance at Seminars

There will be no examination over the material covered in the seminars. However, all students must attend and submit evaluations ontime. All students should prepare for each seminar by reading the abstract and assignment, and should make an effort to participate in the discussion at the end of each seminar. Absence from seminars or failure to provide evaluations on time will reduce your own seminar grade.

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