Seminars and Seminar Papers

Seminars provide in-depth engagement with a specific topic in computational linguistics or language technology and introduce you to important methods of scientific work. You will engage critically with research literature, discuss theoretical approaches and empirical results, and learn to communicate scientific ideas both orally and in writing.

Seminars normally combine active participation with a scientific presentation and a written seminar paper. The specific topic, format, and requirements depend on the seminar and are explained by the instructor at the beginning of the course.

An important part of a seminar is learning how to understand and communicate scientific research. You will typically work with research literature on a specific topic, identify the main research questions, methods, and findings, and discuss their strengths, limitations, and implications.

You will usually prepare and deliver a scientific presentation on your topic. The presentation should explain complex ideas clearly, place the work in its scientific context, and provide a basis for discussion with the other participants. Active participation in seminar discussions is an important part of the learning process.

The seminar paper gives you the opportunity to develop your seminar topic in greater depth and to practice scientific writing. You should address a clearly defined question related to the topic of the seminar, engage with the relevant research literature, and present your analysis or results in a clear and well-structured scientific paper.

Depending on the seminar and the topic, the paper may focus on reviewing and comparing existing research, analyzing theoretical or methodological approaches, interpreting empirical results, or carrying out a small-scale investigation of your own.

Your paper should follow the conventions of scientific writing in computational linguistics, including appropriate structure, argumentation, terminology, citations, and references. Detailed expectations regarding the scope, format, and content of the paper are specified by the instructor.

The exact requirements and assessment criteria are specified separately for each seminar and can be found in the UZH Course Catalogue and the information provided by the instructor. Assessment may combine different components, such as a scientific presentation, a written seminar paper, and active participation.

Please pay particular attention to the submission deadline for the seminar paper and any requirements concerning attendance, presentations, or other coursework.

Your seminar paper must comply with the applicable rules on academic integrity, plagiarism, copyright, and the use of generative AI. Please consult our Academic Integrity page for the relevant rules, guidelines, and documents.