Round Robin Rules

How to Succeed in this Course

College level general chemistry is fast-paced and challenging, so you may find that strategies you have used in previous course work need to be rethought. First, get information about how you should approach your study of chemistry. Complete the Learning Styles Inventory at (http://www2.ncsu.edu/unity/lockers/users/f/felder/public/ILSdir/islweb.html)and read the pages on learning style descriptions that are hot-linked at the bottom of your individual Learning Styles Results page.

Adopt strategies used by many successful chemistry students:

Read pertinent sections in the text prior to lecture. You won't comprehend everything you read, but doing so will make you better prepared to understand the lecture and to actively participate in group problem solving activities.

Attend every class. Ask questions during lecture and actively participate in all group activities.

Review the lecture material daily. Right after class, review the day's material. Many students find it helpful to recopy lecture notes, adding corrections and explanations as needed. This is the time to reread the text, paying particular attention to sections you did not understand during your first reading.

Keep up with homework. Do ALL assigned homework problems related to the day's class topic. Daily problem-solving practice is essential for success in chemistry. As we begin each new chapter, specific problems from the book will be assigned. This homework will not be collected, but you should realize that students who keep up with homework problems as the topics are being covered in lecture do much better in the course than those students who delay working on them until just before an exam. Avoid falling into the trap of working problems while looking at the solutions manual. You must develop the skill to solve problems independently, and excessive reliance on the solutions manual will only impede your progress. If you have difficulty with a particular assigned problem, try working a similar problem from the same set for more practice.

Make a real effort to connect your laboratory work with what you are learning in lecture. Laboratory is designed not only to introduce you to laboratory techniques and methods but also to introduce and reinforce topics you'll be tackling in lecture. Invest time and effort into your laboratory work for a better understanding of lecture material.

Do not delay in getting help. The material in the course builds on itself, and you will fall behind if you wait to get the help you need. DO NOT WAIT HOPING THAT EVENTUALLY YOU'LL 'GET IT.' The course material should make sense as it is being presented. If it doesn't, then you need to ask an instructor for help. A few minutes with an instructor may clear up confusion that would take you hours to sort out on your own.

Participate in study groups with other students. Group problem-solving sessions are often the most effective way to learn chemistry. Most students find it useful to review course material in a study group 2-3 times a week. To facilitate this, the instructors have organized Supplemental Instruction sessions.