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Want to Succeed. Motivation is the single most important determinant
of your success in this class, as it is in life. If you are not prepared
to work in this class you can skip the rest of this page.
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Come to class. Not surprisingly, there is a high correlation between
class attendance and grades. Students that sit towards the front of the
room also tend to do better.
If you miss lab due to illness or for some other
valid reason talk to me as soon as possible; don't wait until the next lab.
You might be able to make up the assignments and avoid the loss of a grade.
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Spend at least 6 hours/week studying the material. It is more effective
to set aside 1 hour per day than trying to do it all at once. Find someplace
quiet to study and
focus on
the task at hand. Attending college is a full-time job, so 40 hour per week
is not unreasonable.
Time management
is essential.
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Review your notes on the day you took them and again before the next lecture.
Add comments and questions to your notes while the material is still fresh
in your mind. Plan to ask me about any points that are not clear. The University
of Guelph has specific suggestions on
effective note
taking.
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Study the material in the text before it is covered in lecture. You will
then be able to assimilate and understand the lecture material much easier.
If you have ever had the experience of reading a page and then realizing
that you don't remember anything you just read then you know the importance
of being an active reader. The
SQ4R method is
very effective and worth a try.
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Don't just memorize. At the college level you are expected to understand
the material at a deeper level than might have been required in high school.
In exams and writing assignments you often have to integrate, synthesize
and evaluate material from different sources. Simple regurgitation of your
notes and text is not enough.
Don't fall for the "Illusion of Knowing." This is when a
students mistakenly believe that they understand some material because
they recognize it in a particular context (for example the textbook or
lecture notes). Recognition is easy, understanding is harder and
requires effort. Perhaps the best way to recognize this illusion
for what it is is to try to explain the material to someone else.
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Ask questions. Ask questions in lecture if I say something that is
not clear. The beginning of class is a good time to ask questions about
the material covered in previous lectures. You
can also come to my office or use e-mail.
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Do not cram. Cramming is stressful and inefficient, and students that
rely on this strategy are setting themselves up for failure. If you have
been keeping up with your studies you should need only a few additional hours
to prepare for the exam.
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Improve your writing skills. Writing is an essential skill in science
and many other professions. The IUP Writing Center provides one-on-one
tutoring and word processing at no charge.
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Get additional help. There are sometimes tutoring opportunities available
within the Biology Department. Generally these services are offered by upper
level biology majors and may be free. The IUP Learning Enhancement Center also provides
tutorial help.
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Teach each other. One of the
best ways to learn biology is to try to explain it to others. It might be beneficial to form a study group that meets once
a week to discuss the course material.
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