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Study Tips for those having trouble with Chemistry
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Are you having trouble with Chemistry?
Chemistry is that course you either like or you don’t… and at this time of year most students don’t. Chemistry is just like everything else in life… if you understand it then it’s easy. If you don’t understand it, then it’s like listening to a foreign language.
Most students who dislike Chemistry have missed some key point along the way and are now getting progressively farther behind. The trick is to find out where that key point was, and then master it. That usually starts a chain reaction (so to speak) of facts that begin to fall into place and make sense.
If you had trouble with the first quarter of Chemistry, don’t wait until it’s time for semester exams to start trying to track down the problems. Start reviewing the older material now, in order to catch up to the new material before the end of the semester.
Tips for improvement:
1. Go over any graded material (homework, class work, tests, lab reports, etc) in order to find where you lost points.
2. Use your notes and textbook as you review the material in order to repair any incorrect material. If you didn’t take good notes, then borrow another student’s notes to use as a guide. If they have good notes, then model you future notes after theirs. Don't just copy notes. Taking good class notes is a way to reinforce important material.
3. If you can’t find the answer or figure it out, write down a detailed explanation of your problem as you see it. It really helps to pinpoint as much information as possible before you go to someone else for help, such as your teacher or tutor. If you go to them with “I don’t understand”, it’s difficult for them to help. But if you go to them with “I don’t understand how….” or “I don’t understand why…”, they will have some insight into where to begin helping you.
4. Don’t just go over the material that was wrong. If you missed a lot of material on an assignment then you may have guessed at some of the other answers and you may see them pop up again on semester exams.
5. Work through all of the problems. Include all formulas, symbols, units, and write down each step in the problem solution (especially until you are proficient in solving the problems).
I know this seems like a lot of work, and it is. The idea is to catch up and stay caught up, then you’ll have more free time to enjoy with your friends later. You’ll also have the satisfaction of knowing that you are just as ‘smart’ as any other person in class.
Remember, just because you made a bad grade doesn’t mean that you are dumb, it just means that you’re behind and missed some material. The longer you wait to fix it, the longer and harder it will be to catch up.
Coming Soon… How To... Articles on Problem Solving in Chemistry.
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