How can I do better?
- "I don't know why I did so bad on the test. I study for like ten
hours the night before." -- The fact that you felt the need to study ten
hours the night before the test shows that your weren't keeping up.
- "I don't know why I did so bad on the test, I can do all of the homework
problems." The first time through a homework assignment do whatever
you need to get it done--check answers in the back of the book, get help
from a friend, look for a similar example in the text, etc. But if you
use any of these aids, you need to rework the homework assignment the next
day. You haven't gotten what you need from the assignment until you
are able to do it on your own from start to finish with confidence and
without reference to answers, examples, friends, or tutors. And after
you've gotten through the assignment once on your own you should look back
on it from time to time to make sure you can still do it.
- "I just don't get any of what Chapter 7 was about." We spent ten
days on Chapter 7. You've waited too long to get help. If you're
lost one day, red lights should start to flash. If you're lost two
days in a row you need to take immediate action! See me in office
hours.
- Find a good study group. A good study group tracks down answers
and makes sure that everyone in the group understands, e.g. "Yeah, I got
that one. Let me show how to do it", or "I don't know, let's ask about
that one tomorrow in class". A bad study group has members who
try to make themselves feel okay about not understanding the material, e.g.
"Man, I'm totally lost.", "Yeah, I got no idea what he's talking about.
Let's just skip it."
- If you're looking for a place to study stats with others, try the
Math Center.
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