How to succeed in Concepts in Biology.

As in much of life, what you get out of something is directly proportional to what you put into it.  If you work hard, you will do well (or at least better than you would have done by not working hard).  However, it is also important to work intelligently.  Doing the following will enhance your learning and, not incidentally, improve your grade.

1.  Attend lecture and lab.  It sounds obvious, but the more classes you attend the better you are likely to do.  I will cover material in lecture that is not covered in the textbook and I will emphasize what I think are the most important ideas and concepts.  Also, there is a lot of material in the textbook that will not be covered, so the best way to know what you are expected to study is to come to lecture.  Furthermore, if you come to lecture you can ask questions and have material explained when you are first learning about it. You should take advantage of the opportunity.  The same advice applies to attending lab.    

2.  Take good notes.  You should not be trying to take dictation. However, you should be getting a considerable amount of material down.  Depending on your handwriting and style of note taking, you should be producing about 3-5 pages of notes per class.  You should make sure to get down figure numbers and page references to your textbook so you can review the material later.  You also should leave space in your notes to add material from your text book or that you read elsewhere.

3.  Review and study your notes.  You should read through your notes within a few hours of class and clarify anything you may have not written down clearly.  You should also pencil in any questions that come to mind.  Think about the material, and if you are unsure of something be prepared to ask about it in class the next day. Studying your notes a couple of times in the first week after material is covered in class will substantially improve your chances of understanding and remembering the material later. Remember that you should be studying at least 2-3 hours a week for each hour of lecture.  So, even in a non-test week that’s 6-9 hours per week.

When studying, you should do more than just read the material.  You need to think about it. Thinking is the hardest work there is, which may be why so few people appear to do it.  However, if you want to understand the material, you have to think about it and wrestle it into submission. You need to think about the implications of what you’re reading, to try to extrapolate from it and to relate it to other things you’ve learned.  Just reading the text and your notes is of little use, if you don’t put in enough effort to understand them.  As a good rule of thumb, if you can explain an idea to someone else you probably understand it.  As well as reading the material, you should be testing your knowledge by answering questions.  There are a large number of problems at the end of each chapter in your book. You will improve enhance your studying significantly if you answer as many of these as possible.

4. Follow directions. Often points are thrown away in exams and quizzes because students don’t take enough time to read what the question is asking.  You will always have plenty of time in an exam to answer all of the material asked, so take the time to read the questions carefully.  Similarly, for the writing assignment I will give specific instructions.  You should follow them.  If you are in doubt, ask me.  I’m always happy to clarify a question for you.

5.  Hand in all your work (and hand it in on time).  If you do not hand in work, you cannot receive credit for it.  That is an obvious statement, but many students dig themselves a big hole by not handing in material or by handing it in late.  You need to be organized and to schedule your work so that all material is completed on time. Remember that skills you develop now in learning to use your time effectively will stand you in good stead when you get a job. 

6.  Keep track of how your are doing in class.  If you are having difficulties, you need to figure that out as quickly as possible and get help (see below).  As a matter of routine, you should hang on to your old exams, score sheets, and papers at least until the end of the semester. Although, I and the lab instructors are very careful, it is possible for a data entry error to occur or for an addition error to be made.  You can at any time during the semester, check with me that your scores have been recorded correctly.  If you believe a mistake has been made in assigning your grade contact me ASAP and I will be happy to help. 

7.  Get help.  In addition to review sessions scheduled before exams, help is available through the learning center.  Tutors will schedule time to meet with you and usually hold review sessions before exams.  You can also get help by making an appointment with me or with one of the lab instructors.  You also can e-mail me questions and I will answer them as quickly as possible.  I am happy to help so don’t be shy about asking.

This page last modified 04 October, 2000

© Neil Buckley 2001. 

Questions? Contact Dr. Buckley at neil.buckley@plattsburgh.edu

Dr. Neil Buckley, Department of Biological Sciences, SUNY Plattsburgh, Plattsburgh, NY 12901, USA. (518) 564-5165.

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