A 1010 Students Approach

1. Read the chapter in advance of lecture, it really helps understanding the concepts.

2. Take notes on the reading. Just jot down points you think are key to the concepts.

3. Make a list of all of the formulas that we've been taught. This is especially helpful when you are doing the CAPA because you can match the elements in the problem with an equation. (I also have a few conversions, etc.)

4. Get help from Dr. Rankin! I e-mail the poor woman at least once a week and make it into office hours at least once a week as well. Although I seem a bit bothersome, I ultimatey finish the week satisfied with the results.

5. Don't settle when it comes to Capa. I never let it be ok to only get part of the Capa correct. Each week the material builds on the work from the previous week. If you don't understand this weeks, how will you understand next weeks?

6. Start CAPA early! I always have all of the questions attempted on Capa by tuesday morning. This allows two days to work out errors and receive help. Usually I go into office hours after e-mailing Dr. Rankin on tuesday and trying to apply her suggestions. Then if I still have questions, I have plenty of time to visit her personally.

7. Start studying for the exam by Sunday night. I usually go over my notes, the reading and capa. I work through the problems in the book and check my answers. I always make sure I understand all of the "learning checks" and verify my answers in the back.

CAPA notes:

If you are having trouble, I always do, these are my most common problems:

1. The units do not correspond througout the entire problem. Make sure at the beginning that you are solving for the right unit and have the right conversion method. I use this:

ie) 45sec.=?hrs

45sec=45sec*1hr/(60) sec

(multiplying by 1hr/60sec is like multiplying by one because 1hr=60sec)

45sec*hr/60sec= .75hrs

(because there are secs on the top and the bottom, with this trick they cancel out leaving the unit you want. In this case it is hrs.)

2. Make sure you know what you're solving for. Although you may not find an equation for the resulting answer right away, it is always possible to use a combination, but make sure what you enter in is what it wants you to solve.

3.Make sure you answer in the correct format. I am classic at entering T and F on answers that ask for the letters of the true statements.

4.Check the math. Sometimes all capa needs is an extra decimal point value ie) 2.40 g not 2.4 g, but sometimes you just didn't get all of the numbers correct or the adding isn't adding up.

5.Check the number values. Look in the equation to see if you thought it said 1000kg when it really said 1.000kg.

Those are about all I can think of, if you have trouble, Dr. Rankin is very helpful.