Guide to consultation meetings
Guide to consultation meetings
Why this guide?
There are many reasons why you might want to book office hours with a lecturer. If you have a specific concern, such as preparing for an exam or a dissertation, it is relatively straightforward to explain why you are seeking an appointment. However, your concern may also be complex, and you may not be able to say straight away exactly what the issue is.
Furthermore, students often find that, although they have received a great deal of information, crucial questions have not been asked, answered or retained.
Whatever brings you to your lecturer’s office hours: office hours are there to support you in your studies. Please regard our guide as a recommendation for preparing for a productive discussion that will have a lasting impact.
Before the conversation
Possible occasions for dialogue
- You want to write a seminar paper or prepare a presentation.
- You want to prepare for your next written exam.
- You have questions about writing your Bachelor’s or Master’s thesis.
- You’ve read the examination regulations, but still have questions about the modules or the course structure.
- You’ve been ill or have ‘somehow’ fallen behind.
- You are highly motivated in your studies and are hoping for some extra ideas on how to structure your studies.
- You’re studying whilst looking after a child and would like to know what arrangements you could generally make with your lecturer regarding exam concessions (the final decision on this rests with the examining board).
- You have questions about time management.
- You want to incorporate a period abroad or an internship into your studies.
- You need a reference for a scholarship application.
- You are considering a PhD after your degree and need further information.
The important thing is this: stop thinking that your concern might not be important. The fact is: you’ve given it some thought – so it’s important to you!
Brainstorming
Make a spontaneous note of your thoughts on the topic. All thoughts are allowed and should be written down (the brainstorming session is only intended as a guide for you).
You will probably come up with many keywords. Now sort your keywords, or rather your topics, into key areas and formulate your questions. A mind map can be helpful here.
Formulating specific questions is a challenge, so you should let your questions "rest" for a day or two before you decide to use them in your office hours.
Narrowing down the topics
The following questions can help you get to the heart of your concern:
- What exactly is your concern?
- Which central questions / topics result from this?
- How do you want to start the conversation? (Think of a suitable introductory sentence)
- If you are talking about a specific project - have you thought about a realistic timetable for realising your project?
- What have you done so far to solve the problem you are concerned about independently (literature research, structuring the seminar paper/presentation, developing a research question, working out the state of research, etc.)?
- What documents would you take with you to the office hours?
- What can you do to ensure that the discussion goes to your satisfaction?
List of topics and catalogue of questions
- Type up your list of topics or questions on a computer rather than writing them by hand. That way, the lecturer will be able to read your notes easily.
- Rank your questions in order of importance (priority list).
- Summarise the keywords into a few key points.
- For example, if you have questions about a term paper or dissertation and have already developed ideas for a rough outline and research question, it is best to write down the working title, the research question and your outline on a sheet of paper so that it is clear at a glance what you have already worked out.
During the conversation
Objective
At the end of your discussion with your lecturer, clarify the next steps you should take and, if necessary, arrange further meetings.
In any case, always have the confidence to ask for clarification if there’s something you don’t understand straight away.
Consultations in the group
Clarify in advance with the team who will ask which questions and how you want to interact during the office hours. Make sure that not just one person from the team speaks. It should be clear that you are working together on a topic and have divided up your tasks or areas of work in a comprehensible way