Steps for studying chemistry:
1)
Read the
assigned chapter material before the
lecture on that topic – see the syllabus and course webpage for an outline (and
also assigned problems). As you read, take notes on important ideas, and also write down a list of questions for whatever material isn’t clear
to you.
2)
Make sure
you work through (NOT just skim) the worked problems examples contained in the
textbook chapters. You may do this as
you first read through the chapter if it’s all making sense, or perhaps you
want to wait until after lecture to feel more confident about the technique or
concept being developed in the problem.
3)
Following lecture,
revisit the questions you wrote down in step 1, above. Are they resolved? If not, re-read the relevant parts of the
chapter and/or get help from the sources listed below.
4)
Now, work all the assigned homework problems (and
even more, if you still feel unsure of the material); when you’re done, check
your answers against those in the back of the book. If you have problems, write these down too so that you can get help later. See the list below for some ideas on how to
best work on assigned problems.
5)
Watch for common themes between your readings,
lecture, assigned work and lab; these are likely to be important! Make a
note of them; they are the most likely topics to end up on exams…
6)
Now, find
time to get help with the questions you
wrote down above. Take full
advantage of the resources listed below.
Reliable
sources to get help:
·
course
website, lecture notes, textbook, laboratory manual
·
textbook
website (see link on the course website)
·
other
students you know and trust, but be careful not to rely too heavily on their understanding; see below…
·
your
instructor – me! (office hours or appointments and by e-mail)
·
chemistry
department tutoring room (run by ACS-Student Affiliates) in Phillips 426
·
Student
Support Services http://www.uwec.edu/sss/services.htm
·
Academic
Skills Center tutors http://www.uwec.edu/ASC/Students/tutoring.htm
Some techniques
to try:
Here are some ideas for proactive chemistry study
techniques, listed in order of increasing sophistication.
1. Remember that chemistry is both a qualitative and quantitative science, so you will be
asked to solve quantitative problems that appear different than those you’ve
seen before. This sort of problem
solving, emphasized in this course, often has a numerical result, but relies on
qualitative, “big picture” understanding to know how to approach the question. So you must practice solving a variety of problems
to become comfortable with the quantitative aspects of the science, not just
the concepts, especially if you are an innately conceptual person. Those who are naturally skilled at solving mathematical
problems cannot simply rest on these abilities, but need to work on the qualitative
aspects. In other words, we all have a
tendency to work on the stuff that we’re good at – this makes us feel good
while studying! Instead, work on the
material that causes you pain and makes you crazy – that’s the way to succeed
on an exam!
2. In general, work the assigned
problems in a way that best prepares you
for the exam. Here are some specific ideas for how to best approach
doing assigned work:
a. When working problems from the textbook or from
previously graded work, first work all of the problems
in a set before looking at the solutions. “Score” your overall performance and for
each answer you get wrong, re-read the text or notes or find a similar problem
already worked out within the chapter in order to correct your approach to the
problem. Finally, go back to find a
related question to try again once you think you understand the concept and
approach.
b. In principle, I am in favor of students working
together in order to better understand the course material. However, you will really only gain any benefit
from assigned problems if you are able to do them on your own; so, first try it by yourself,
then go to seek help from other sources
listed above; otherwise, the assigned problems cannot help to diagnose your understanding. Remember, on the exam, you’re on your own!
c.
When solving the assigned problem set, try not to
refer to the text or your notes while you are working. Try doing them in an exam-like situation,
quiet (i.e. no music or conversation), keeping track of elapsed time, with only
the materials that are provided on an exam.
This will indicate to you what areas need better review and further
work. Then, having identified the
problem areas, review the relevant material and then go back and get them
right!
d. DON’T spend forever on one problem; beating your head against it will only frustrate you, make you lose sleep, cause you stress, etc. You’re too busy to waste time in that way, because it does NOT help you understand the material. Should you sometimes struggle to solve the assigned work? Definitely; it’s the BEST way to learn! But you should KNOW the difference between when it’s productive and when it’s in vain; use that knowledge to know when to quit and find help.
Generally,
things to avoid include: solving problems by consensus in a group; taking hours
to work only a few problems; working in an environment that has continual
interruptions including text messages and cell phone calls, TV, YouTube, or even
music; and constantly referring to the solutions for guidance. Instead, make the problems a like a rehearsal
for the exam, a way to self-diagnose your understanding of the material.
3. Remember, while your fellow students are often good resources for help, there is a limit to how much you want to rely on them. In the end, YOU are responsible for understanding the material, and you won’t have them to help in an exam. So make sure you are working through the assigned problems on your own, even if you are consulting with others as you study. This is one reason that the textbook problems aren’t graded: it gives you the chance to get them wrong without hurting your grade.
4. One of the HARDEST skills you need to acquire as a student is how to assess how well (or how badly!) you understand an idea or a type of problem. One very effective “test” of your understanding is whether or not you can apply the material you’ve studied (sometimes a qualitative concept) to a new calculation (a quantitative problem). So one advanced study strategy is: at the end of each question (either here or in the textbook), think of ways the problem might be asked differently to test the same understanding in a new way. If you are studying for the exam in groups, try this together – each one of you can generate questions for the others in turn.
This all takes time and effort, but should be
well-worth the investment. Finally, come
talk to me about any questions you have – while both can be good resources for
help, neither your fellow students or even the chemistry department tutors are
familiar with the details of the course in the same way that I am. Good studying!
Prof Boulter
A few final thoughts “A college credit is defined as three
hours' work per week; one in class and two (this is considered to be a minimum) outside. That's why
adding a two to four-hour lab to a class only results in one additional
credit. This means that 12 credits translates to an average of 36 hours'
work a week. That's why 12 credits is considered full time; it's the equivalent
of a full-time job… The one thing you can count on is that a few hours of
cramming before the final will not give good results. I recently heard
from a student who lamented that she stayed up until 2 A.M. studying, then got
up at 6 A.M. and studied some more, and did poorly. And she was surprised?
She'd have been better off getting a decent night's sleep. This is
particularly true if you are taking a course in a subject you are not
"good at". Contrary to human nature, which drives us to avoid
pain, you must spend more time on the classes you're not good at. If you're
not "good at science" you will have to work harder to succeed.” http://www.uwec.edu/runningl/178/survival_guide.html