This is specific to 1033, but good ideas for all classes.
There is a lot going on in this course, so set a plan for success from day one!
One key item is that you must spend at least 5 to 10 hours a week in order to learn this material well enough to pass the course. It is best to spread study time out over 5 to 7 different days. Do not try to cram math!
Homework
Rarely does a student achieve success if they do not do their homework. Plan on doing your homework, and aim for at least 85% on every assignment. Let your homework grade be the grade you want for the course.
- Start homework as soon as possible after a lecture. When you miss a problem or need to use an example or show me how to do this, or if you need to get help, make a note of the problem so that later, before your quiz, you can review it. Reworking homework problems and class examples are great study habits!
- All homework and quiz assignments are available to look at after the deadline in the gradebook tab.
Quizzes
Quizzes happen right after your homework so it is easy to blow off studying for them. Better to work on your study skills at this point.
- Before you take your quiz, review your formulas, concepts, and definitions.
- Next, take the quiz at the Studio and do not hesitate to ask for help. When you get help, note the problem so you know where your weaknesses are. After this first try, go over what you missed and where you got help; then do the quiz again.
- After you have a good quiz grade, try the quiz by yourself (no notes or tutor help) to prove that you know the material. This step is key.
- Taking a break before you try the quiz again will give you a good idea of what you are learning and what you need to study more carefully.
- Keep repeating the quiz until you feel very comfortable with the material without looking anything up. You get multiple tries on each quiz, so use that to your advantage!
- Create a place in your notebook for writing down all of the quiz problems that you missed and the correct solutions for how to do them. This will be an important document for you to review prior to your exam.
- Get in the habit of taking quizzes for the first time several days before the due date so that you have plenty of time if you need it.
Tests & Exams
To get ready for tests/exams, you have a lot of material to review. Create a document with all the formulas, definitions, concepts and some key examples of the work you did during that test period.
- Your notes are a great place to start. Summarizing your notes each week is a good study habit.
- Go back over your notes from quiz problems that you missed so that you can become aware of them and do not miss the same problem again. Cover up your old work and rework each problem. Think about why you do each step, and check that your answer matches the directions.
- When you are ready, take your review quiz (preferably at the studio) at least two days prior to the exam. If you know that you will have a class review day, do your review packet beforehand.
Plan on taking your review quiz at least FOUR times.
- Students who do this typically do better than those who do not. A key issue is that it takes about four tries on the review quiz before you see all of the different questions that will be on the exam.
- After each test, review the material and learn from your mistakes. Rework all of the problems you missed (you have to turn that in), and ask questions! That way, when the final exam comes, you will not miss the same items.
