Do I really have to speak?
From the focus groups we did at Lancaster it became clear that the thing most students hated about seminars was silences and next to that, for some, was speaking. You see the problem! On balance the students interviewed recognised that they were all responsible for keeping things going and some expressed their regret at not having actively participated as much as they could. If you think back to a recent seminar, one thing you are sure to notice is that, the bits you remember most clearly are the bits where you contributed. In the problems section there is material on no-one speaking so do have a look at that, but in answer to the question do you have to speak, the answer is pretty much yes. However, that said, the tutor has the task of making that possible and will be aware that not every student has the confidence to just dive in. If as a student you feel this is a real problem and it is hampering your education do speak to the tutor about it (yes I know, not easy, but better than in front of everyone else or get a friend to go along with you and help out). One piece of advice that is worth offering is that it starts to get easier once you do it a few times. Within a short time you might even be able to jump in with a comment without having to summon up reserves of courage and blushing down to your socks.
You will know from experience anyway, but the importance of even minimal speaking or even just nodding yes/no etc. has emerged through research into computer mediated communication (Clark and Schaefer, 1987). Being responsive in some way is really important to keep a conversation going and building a shared knowledge base, this is part of what is sometimes called "grounding" (Baker, M. et.al.) and it helps everyone in the seminar to have a sense that together we know where we are with the matter under discussion.
Giving a presentation
Seminars can be a very good forum for giving a presentation either as an individual, in pairs or small groups. Presentations can take many forms, but are usually a way of you telling the rest of the group about something.
The commonest form is probably presenting a reading, so that although you do the reading each week for the module for one week you make an extra effort over it and present it to everyone else. This would usually consist of a summary of the reading, some critical thoughts on the reading and one or two well formulated questions to prompt a discussion. Why not produce a handout to go with it and really make something of this opportunity to present ideas?
Another form of presentation is where you undertake to present a particular topic, this could be pulling together materials under a particular theme and developing your own argument. A presentation like this can be a bit more formal using powerpoint or OHP slides and a handout, but the main thing is that you are presenting what you have made of a particular subject under discussion. Remember that your presentation should be aimed at your peers, if it is to communicate to the audience, not purely to impress the tutor. The tutor will be looking for skills such as communication and accessibility, responsiveness to the group as well as philosophical ability.