Answers are normally supplied, and worked solutions may be made available for reference. The procedure as regards note taking varies considerably with subject matter and lecturer. To assist in comprehension and note taking, use may be made by the lecturer of audio-visual aids, and blackboards and overhead projectors to display slides, transparencies, detailed notes, sections of analysis, headings, or keywords. Lecturers often provide information or argument which will be valuable when tackling assignments and sitting examinations. It is usually possible to stay behind after a lecture, or to call on the lecturer later, to ask questions.
Attendance is compulsory and a register is normally kept.
The format depends on the tutor and the subject material, and is not usually the same for each meeting, but a key element always is student participation. Their purpose is not for the tutor to give a lecture, though there will often be a short talk, but rather to provide a forum for discussion or debate, for looking at methods for solving problems, for giving students practice in presentation, for requiring students to report on projects done individually or as a group, etc. The students will generally be told in advance what to prepare, and they must come well prepared so that they can play an active constructive part in the discussion. They learn by participating rather than just listening and taking notes. The quality of the participation may be assessed, but active participation is expected even if this is not the case.