Page 216 - Keys To Community College Success

WHAT WILL HELP YOU REMEMBER
math and science material?

The strategies you’ve just explored apply to all sorts of academic areas. However,
recalling what you learn in math and science courses can demand particular attention
and specific techniques.
Here’s the key overarching strategy for math and science: Avoid falling behind at all
costs. In a world religions course, for example, missing a lecture on Buddhism is not likely
to cause serious problems with understanding the coverage of Taoism a few weeks later.
Not so with math and math-based sciences such as chemistry and physics. These topics
are presented sequentially with earlier concepts forming the foundation for later ones.
7 You cannot effectively understand a later concept without a clear grasp of the concepts
CHAPTER that precede it. Take calculated risks for the reward of staying on top of your work: 11

■ Before class, read what will be covered. You are more likely to grasp what your
instructor covers if you have a baseline understanding of the concepts.
■ Read slowly and note symbols. Go step by step through each process and descrip-
tion. Work to understand symbols—they are as important as numbers.
■ Stay on top of homework assignments. Doing your homework is as important as
reading when it comes to staying caught up.
■ When you have trouble, seek help fast. Every day you wait can put you that much
more behind. Consult your instructor, a tutor, or an experienced classmate.

Review processes and procedures. Much of math and science work involves know-
ing how to work through each step of a proof, a problem-solving process, or a lab
experiment. Look at your notes with the textbook alongside and compare the lecture
information to the book. Fill in missing steps in the instructor’s examples before you
forget them. You may want to write the instructor’s examples in the book next to the
corresponding topics. Review your class notes as soon as possible after each class.

Do problems, problems, and more problems. Rework problems that appear in
your text, on your own paper, as well as doing problems found in exercises. Working
through problems provides examples that will help you understand concepts and for-
mulas. Plus, becoming familiar with a group of problems and related formulas will help
you apply what you know to similar problems on other assignments and tests.
Fight frustration with action. If you are stuck on a problem, go on to another one. If
you repeatedly get a wrong answer, look at the steps you’ve taken and see if anything doesn’t
make sense. If you hit a wall, take a break to clear your head. If you have done the assigned
homework but still don’t feel secure, do additional problems or ask for help.
Work with others. Working with one or more
classmates can be particularly helpful when try-
ing to figure out math and science problems. Do
as much of your homework as you can on your
own, and then meet to discuss it and work
through additional problems. Be open to other
perspectives, and ask others how they arrived
at answers, especially if they used different
approaches. When the work is really tough, try
to meet daily.

Focus on learning preferences. Use strategies
that activate your strengths. A visual learner might
draw pictures to illustrate problems, and an inter-
personal learner might organize a study group.

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