What Is a Lecture?

A lecture is a class in which an instructor, usually a professor or lecturer, presents material to a group of students, often in a large hall. Lectures are the most traditional form of college teaching, and they are especially common in introductory courses and in subjects with a lot of content to cover, such as sciences and economics.

How lectures work

Class sizes can range from 30 to several hundred. The instructor speaks, often with slides or a board, and students listen and take notes. There may be short polls, questions or discussion, though less than in seminars. Many lectures are paired with smaller sessions, called discussion sections, recitations, labs or tutorials, in which you practice and ask questions.

Lectures may be live, recorded or both. Many colleges provide recordings, and online courses use video lectures that you can watch at your own pace.

What is expected

You are expected to keep up with the readings, attend regularly if required and review notes afterward. Lectures usually do not repeat the textbook, since they highlight important ideas, add examples and show how to think about the subject. Exams often draw from both lecture and reading.

Getting the most from lectures

• Preview the reading or slides so that the content is not completely new.
• Take notes in your own words, focusing on structure and key points.
• Ask questions in class, by chat or in office hours.
• Review notes within a day and fill gaps.
• Test yourself by turning notes into questions.
• Sit where you can focus, away from distractions.

Related ideas

A lecture can feel passive, and research on learning suggests that active practice and review matter more than listening alone. Pair lectures with problem sets, discussion and self-testing.

Related terms

See seminar, tutorial, recitation section, lab section and office hours.