Attending Public and Online Events
College organizations bring interesting speakers to campus. Check the campus schedule of events and the newspaper. In addition, professionals and special-interest groups convene for regional or national conferences. A lecture or conference can be a source of fresh ideas and an excellent introduction to the language of a discipline.
TIPS FOR ATTENDING EVENTS
- Take notes on the lectures, usually given by experts in the field who supply firsthand opinions or research findings.
- Ask questions from the audience or talk informally with a speaker later.
- Record who attended the event, how the audience reacted, or other background details that could prove useful in writing your paper.
- Depending on the gathering, a speaker might distribute the paper or presentation slides or be willing to send you a copy. Conferences often publish their proceedings — usually a set of the lectures delivered — but publication takes months. Try the library for past proceedings.
If you join an online discussion, you can observe, ask a question, or save or print the transcript for your records.