Last minute advice and tips

staceym · Apr 1, 2011

Do you have a tough time with algebra? I've heard that many students who do also have a hard time with Chem. My advice is to keep a positive attitude and continue to practice daily. One thing I enjoyed about Chemistry was that it felt easier to memorize bc a lot of formulas followed a pattern like scientic formula and conversions. I also like learning about gases, particles, neurons, etc. bc it didn't feel like total memorization but more conceptual. Here are a few sites that you may find helpful:

http://people.cornellcollege.edu/cliberko/studytips.htm

http://chemistry.about.com/od/homeworkhelp/a/chemistry101.htm

http://chemistrylecturenotes.com/

http://chemistry.about.com/od/collegechemistry/College_Chemistry.htm

GOOD LUCK!

jennylouwho · Apr 2, 2011

Does your school have a tutoring center? You need to get a tutor. You can do it!

my4helpers · Apr 2, 2011

I have always struggled with algebra, but with a great tutor and prof. combined; I was able to get an "A"! It was just kind of sad because I feel my prof. knows how much time/effort that I am putting in and he could not give me any advice. He told me to take a day off studying which I replied that I just had spring break and I do not have time to be taking days off!

my4helpers · Apr 2, 2011

Does your school have a tutoring center? You need to get a tutor. You can do it!

I actually have 3 tutors. My husband helps me with most of my math concepts like conversions, stoichiometry, gas laws etc, then I see a tutor on campus every Friday morning for 2-3 hours and then I have a personal/private tutor for Tues. and Fri. evenings. Trust me I am doing all I can and giving 100% and it still is not good enough!

Saysfaa · Apr 2, 2011

Is there a pattern to what you miss on tests? I mean what kinds of things.

Saysfaa · Apr 2, 2011

For example, if it is usually understanding the concepts fairly well but not sure what the question asked vs mixing up similar terminology. Different patterns have different remedies.

The basics (because I have time now and maybe won't later, like after getting your answer) of doing the best you can in a situation like this. Numbered to indicate seperation but not in any particular order of importance

First, it is better to learn fewer things but have them solidly than to be kinda, sorta familiar with everything but have no confidence/consistancy about anything. So, pick something you know will be on the test and learn it by rote or pnemonics or whatever it takes and purposely don't study anything you will confuse that with.

Perhaps with so many tutors, each one is a covering different things or in a different way (Chemistry is quite rift with different ways to do the same thing and with almost same things but with critical differences). Pick one and ask the others to go that way... even if it means not covering everything.

Second, take baby steps. It is faster in the long run. Also, much more effective and pleasant. For example, when learning chemical symbols of elements... pick out just the ones that you already know for sure (H, O) and set them in one pile (if you do flash cards) or one list (if you do lists), and the ones that you almost know (is P phosphorous or potassium?, is flourine F or Fl? ). Don't pick too many, not more than ten and I've gone as low as two when they were particularily problematic. Ignore the rest. Work with just these until you are sure of them.... copy and recopy them, tape them to your kitchen window. If some are particularily troublesome then make up silly connections or songs like "POTassium calls the Kettle black but Flourine takes no FLack" (see it doesn't have to be good) - then use it as a crutch for a while but don't use it in place of learning them straight out (I wasted too much time/energy/grades on the workarounds.... they have a place but it isn't too long before it is easier to just learn it straight out.) I assume you know how to use them for a crutch for a while? Just use them for a little while, then start trying to get it right without thinking of the crutch first and check yourself with the crutch. When you consistantly get them right, drop the ones you knew to start with (H, O), and add a set that seems to go together to you... maybe the noble gasses or all the ones that start with "s" or whatever.

Also part of baby steps. I realize much of chemistry is not that straight forward - like with the ions and cations, do you sort by first element, by biggest subscript number, by "-ate" vs "-ite" ending, by what? Actually, it doesn't matter. Accept that it makes no sense and don't beat yourself up trying to make sense of it, just pick something to group together and ignore that the same kind of criteria won't work for the next group you pick. It doesn't matter if one of them is in more than one group. It would be like learning the periodic table by learning the ones you sorta knew and sulpher was one of them. Then later doing all the elements that start with "s" and sulpher is in that one too.

Third, take a little time out to study how you learn. What time of day is best, how important sound or visual or movement it (mixing in some of each will help but you'll have some that are particularily strong). Spend some time paying attention to the process as much as to what you are learning. And stack the deck in your favor.... get enough sleep, exercise, eat right.

Fifth, your professor is right. When you study as hard as you do, taking a day off can give the information a chance to settle and you can start seeing what you have been looking at for ages without seeing... noticing the connections and the critical differences. I saw that you just had vacation, but I'll bet you didn't back off from studying. Taking a day off, means a real day off - not sitting there stewing about what you are not doing in chem... do something you enjoy. It is the same concept as a morning person pulling an allnighter, I learned not to do that because my eyelids might be open but not much was happening. I get more done in 15 minutes after a good nights sleep than in six hours of an allnighter and better quality too.

Sixth, seperate understanding the concept from ability to do something. It is true they feed each other but often that can come later. Get either one down solidly, then later, spend some time trying to understand the other using what you have down. For example, you may have trouble keeping the parts of exothermic reactions straight but you could learn to draw the map of them without understanding them. Once you have the map down, you can attach understanding to each part.

Seventh, reread the objectives of the class...it should be either with the syllubus or with the detailed class description. That will tell you what will be on the test. Oh, and reread your notes from the first day of class.

I apologize for the messiness. I needed to go over these concepts again for myself and though you may as well benefit if you can but I also need to put my editing time into the papers I'm turning in. :)