2 types of Seminar Paper

2 types of Seminar Paper

1.0 Introduction

Studies and research are going on around the world on different subject matters. With the rapid rate at which these updates are ongoing, they cannot all be included in the curriculum. Seminars are capable of keeping the students up to date on the latest innovations in their field and equipping them with the latest information for more precise decision making and all-around development.

A seminar paper is a form of academic writing undertaken by students duly supervised by an authority in the field. It is a written analysis of the topic specified in the seminar to be presented to a group of interested people in an academic setting. In short, a seminar paper is a well-structured scientific work originally researched. The general purpose of a seminar paper is to go into depth on a particular topic.

It is established that students cannot advance their knowledge from textbooks alone but by also taking part in various seminars on the latest topics in their fields. Seminars help them communicate their ideas about their topics of interest to their peers and teachers, thus helping others understand what their idea is all about.

A seminar paper cannot be written in a mishmash of sections and paragraphs with no well-organized connection to each other – the content should flow smoothly and in a systematic manner from the beginning to the end. Writing quality seminar papers involves using the right parlance, integration, citation of sources, thorough scientific writing skills and strong evidence to support the assertions made.

The importance of seminars cannot be overemphasized, so therefore, as a student, writing seminar papers is of the utmost importance to your studies as it helps in gaining in-depth knowledge about specific topics, formulating research questions that defines a clear goal, analyzing your evidence and related research materials in a systematic way and also reporting the result of your analysis succinctly.

These are arranged in a clear-cut format which may vary across institutions and agencies. Nevertheless, to write a seminar paper successfully, it is important to be abreast of the types of seminar papers commonly requested.

1. Types of Seminar Papers

The routine structure of most seminar papers moves from the proposal of a research question to the testing of the acclaimed answer to the question through the use of scientific methodologies and presented in a consistent and logical fashion. As a result, there are two broad types of seminar papers in academic settings – Empirical Seminar Paper and Theoretical Seminar Paper. These types of seminar papers are discussed in further detail.

2.1 Empirical Seminar Paper

The majority of human decisions depends on evidence, that is, what can be measured and proven as valid. When choosing between two seemingly possible alternatives, individuals are more likely to tilt towards the option that is validated, and this is the same approach used in empirical seminars. Empirical seminar paper hinges on the compilation of data, the processing, and the presentation of the deductions reached as a result.

When writing an empirical seminar paper, the researcher analyzes his or her empirical evidence using qualitative or quantitative methods of observation to arrive at outcomes. Its methodologies and features are what sets it apart from other seminar papers.

The research methodology in this type of seminar paper makes use of verifiable evidence so as to attain research outcomes, that is, it depends solely on evidence derived through scientific data collection methods. When carrying out research for this type of paper, qualitative or quantitative observation methods, as well as mixed methods, can be used, depending on the data sample whether quantifiable data or non-numerical data.

Typically, an empirical seminar paper is generally divided into five (5) main parts which are the introduction, methodology, findings, discussions, and references. The introduction gives a background of the empirical study while the methodology gives in detail the research design, processes and instrument for the systemized analysis.

The findings refer to the outcomes of the research and can be summarized as statistical data or in the form of information acquired through a qualitative survey of research variables. The discussion emphasizes the significance of the study and its relevance, that is, results influence professional practices or future studies. References consist of citation information of the materials cited in the paper.

The research questions guide the whole research process, it constitutes the research hypothesis which is tested using qualitative and quantitative methods as dictated by the nature of the research. Research questions are built around the core of the research, which is the central issue that the research seeks to resolve. They also determine the course of the research by highlighting the specific objectives and aims of the systematic investigation.

The methods adopted in the systematic investigation is clearly outlined. Here, the selection criteria for the data sample, analytic tools, qualitative or quantitative research methods are described in detail, the research process as a whole. The research variables are distinctly defined in terms of their characteristics, behaviours, population, types. In other words, the data sample is placed within the context of the research and clearly delimited.

As a result of an empirical seminar paper adopting empirical research methods, it makes it one of the most useful methods of systematic investigation. Since it insists on having tangible pieces of evidence, this type of research method comes in handy in various fields of study. The most prevalent uses are in Medicine, Law and Anthropology. In summary, empirical seminar papers use empirical research methods which are based on measured phenomena duly observed to derive knowledge, not from theory or belief but from actual experience

2.2 Theoretical Seminar Paper

A theoretical seminar paper involves theorizing or explaining the behaviour of a system and its environment and then researching or applying how it is explained. The results of theoretical seminar discussions produce data and theories where all data need to be documented. As a result, the theoretical seminar paper emphasizes only important or interesting facts as a theory where the theory explaining a system is often developed and explained.

This form of seminar paper also utilizes models or simulations to explain transitions and movements in the proposed theory. Nevertheless, a theoretical seminar paper can be exercised to produce or highlight results that are worth sharing with a larger audience.

In theoretical seminar papers, the researcher supports his claim without relying on experiments, research, interviews or other types of new data. Instead, the discussion is based entirely on the theoretical study of the available academic literature such as books, articles in scientific journals, among others.

As a result, theoretical seminar papers are a very common type of written assessment conducted among students. Typically, in theoretical seminar papers, preliminary research is required. The purpose of the preliminary study is to help the researcher in getting acquainted with the subject of study. Introductory manuals and encyclopedias are usually the best resources for this, but there may be other resources that could be available to the researcher. The source of the information used for the preliminary examination is usually not the final discussion.

3.0 Conclusion

The Seminar paper presentation is an integral process in the study period of students. As such it is important to be abreast of all the writing procedures associated with it. The article identified two types of seminar papers – Empirical and Theoretical.

The major differentiating factor between these two types can be found in the methodology applied in each type of seminar paper writing to achieve the set-out objectives. It is important to be able to differentiate between these two types of seminar papers as this will help you achieve the best results when writing a seminar paper.