Written by Christina Pichler, Aug 4, 2022
A colloquium is coming up, but you have never heard of that before. No need for despair. We will show you what a colloquium is, how it is structured and what you should pay attention to. This way you will overcome this challenge and move closer to the finish line of your studies.
A colloquium is an academic discussion among teachers, students or experts. There is not a standard format, duration or even unified structure. On the one hand, this give you a lot of freedom for personal preferences; on the other hand, it makes this task seem overwhelming because you do not have a clear plan of action.
We have created a list of typical situations at university that may include a colloquium, so that you get a better understanding of this concept. A colloquium can be a:
Firstly, you should get a better understanding of the format and requirements and answer these questions:
Tip: You can prepare more efficiently if you know the evaluation criteria for the colloquium. Ask your teacher or fellow students.
It is crucial for oral exams that you know the material by heart. Here are some tips for memorisation!
The exact structure may vary among teachers. Most of the times, the teacher will ask you targeted questions about the study material or ask you to speak freely about a specific topic, which sparks a scientific conversation.
Tip: Ask other students for mock exams and their experience with this professor.
If your colloquium is part of an academic paper, then you are hopefully already an expert on that topic. Use post-its and other tools to mark important passages that you will talk about in your speech.
If a visual medium is required, then you should start putting together your PowerPoint presentation. This also helps with getting a better overview of the topic. Here are tips for a successful presentation!
Depending on the setting, your presentation may be 5 to 15 minutes. In this time, you should talk about your topic (research questions, method, results) and important aspects.
Tip: Ask your STUWO flatmates if they can listen to your presentation and give you constructive feedback.
A big part of your colloquium are the questions that teachers and students ask after your presentation. Your audience may ask you questions or make arguments. Based on the findings of your work, you should answer these. This part can vary in length, between 10 to 20 minutes.
Tip: Try to think of questions that your audience may have during preparation.
If you are attending a discussion with experts, teachers and students, you should do some research about the topic and read more about it, so that you can participate in the conversation. Most of the times, universities host this type of event and invite experts.
Tip: Look for publications by the speakers to get a feel for the topic.
During the Q&A, your audience wants to know more about your working progress (choosing the topic and methods), your results and their interpretation as well as future research.
A colloquium can be a presentation with a follow-up discussion as part of an event, but also a (exam) discussion at university between teachers and students at the end of a class or a part of an academic paper.
If your colloquium is graded, then the teachers will decide your grade and put it into your semester report. Otherwise, your work is done.
This depends on the evaluation criteria. If your colloquium is graded, then it is possible that you fail your colloquium. Whether that also means that you fail the class, depends on the grading system of this class. It is best to ask your teacher.
A colloquium may seem overwhelming at first glance. However, it is not that bad. With this article, you have a great overview of what is expected of you. If you have any questions, we recommend that you ask your teacher. Here are more tips for oral exams!
Good luck!
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