Problem Solving (TIPS)

In the previous section there were some general tips in regards to homework sets as a whole. Here are some tips to help you actually work the problems. Note that some of the ideas were important enough that they are actually in both sections.


Read the Problem.
Read the problem to get an idea of what you’re being asked to do. This one of the biggest sources of point loss that I’ve seen in grading. Too many students just skim the problem and assume they know what’s going on and what they are being asked to do.


Read the Problem Again.
Now that you know what you’re being asked to do, read the problem again. This time around make note of what you are given and what you need to find. Also make sure that you understand just what you’re being asked to do.

Learn From Your Mistakes (TIPS)

This is probably one of the more important sections here and also one of the most over looked. Learning from your mistakes can only help you.
 

Review Homework.
When you get your homework back review it looking for errors that you made.

Review Exams.
Do the same thing with exams.

Understand the Error.
When you find an error in your homework or exams try to understand what the error is and just what you did wrong. Look for something about the error that you can remember to help you to avoid making it again.

Get Help.
If you can find the error and/or don’t understand why it was an error then get help. Ask the instructor, your tutor, or a classmate who got the problem correct.

How To Study Mathematics Part 2 (TIPS)

Read what the instructor will be lecturing on before you go to class. Read slowly. Reading mathematics is not like reading a novel or even history. Speed reading techniques are not appropriate. Every word and symbol is important to the meaning. Do not skip the symbolic part of the text. This is often the most important part. If you do not understand a symbol, look in the glossary or in the earlier part of the text. Symbols are often explained when they are first introduced. If you still cannot find out what a symbol means, ASK! Read with a pencil in hand. Every time the author does a problem, do it on your own—either before or after you read his or her explanation. This makes sure you know what steps have been shown and, more importantly, which ones were omitted. If there is something you do not understand, try to formulate a question about it. Often if you can ask a specific question, you can answer it yourself. If you can’t answer it, you know what part of the instructor’s lecture requires your complete attention. Your question is ready if the lecture does not clear up your misunderstanding.

Understand the concepts. Don’t be satisfied with vague ideas about how to work problems. Do the examples yourself, understand the concept illustrated, then try making up your own examples. Keep in mind that the questions on the exam may be very different from the example in the book.

Doing Homework!

Note that this section contains some general tips on making the most out of your homework. The next section contains tips on actually working homework problems.


Understand the Purpose of Homework.

Instructors do not give you homework assignments to make your life miserable (well some might, but most don’t!). Homework assignments are given to help you to learn the material in the class and to develop good reasoning and problems solving skills.

Mathematics is just not a subject that most people will instantly understand every single topic after hearing the instructors lecture. Most people need to work on some problems in order to really start to understand the topic. That is the point of the homework. It gives you a set of problems that will help you to understand the topics.

Taking Notes (TIPS)

Here are a couple of tips for taking notes in the class.

Listen in Class.
Do not just write down what you see on the board. No instructor is going to write down every word they say and sometimes the important ideas won’t get written down.


Write Down Explanatory Remarks. 

Make sure you write down any explanatory remarks the instructor makes. These often won’t get written down by the instructor, but can tell you how to work a particular kind of problem or why the instructor used one formula/method over another for a given problem.
Note Important Formulas/Concepts.If an instructor emphasizes a particular formula or concept then make note of it. This probably means the instructor feels that it’s important and important formulas and concepts are much more likely to show up on an exam.

General Tips for Studying Mathematics (TIPS)

These are some general tips that where either important enough to single out or just didn’t seem to fit into any of the other sections.

Go To Class.

Remember that math is cumulative. If you don’t go to class you will miss important material that will be used in later sections and/or important announcements.

Get to Class On Time.

Sometime important announcements are only given during the first few minutes of a class.

Listen During Class.

In order to get something out of the class you need to listen while in class. Often this can be difficult to do but it is very important. Sometimes important ideas will not be written down on the board, but instead just spoken by the instructor. Watch for things the instructor emphasizes, even if just in words. This often means the instructor thinks it’s important. The more important that an instructor thinks a topic is, the more likely that it will show up on the exam!

Take Good Notes.

Try to write down everything that instructor puts on board. It may seem easy when watching the instructor, but it often is not so easy when it comes time for you to do it. A good set of notes will help remind you how to do these problems. For some instructors writing down everything may be difficult. In these cases you should try to write down as much as possible.

Studying for Examinations (TIPS)

Here are some tips on studying for exams.

Start on Day One.
You should always be studying for the next exam. Do a little each day, or at the very least start studying 2-3 days before the exam. Do NOT start studying the night before the exam. Cramming, while a time honored college tradition, just doesn’t work as well as spending time each day studying, especially with a math class.

Get a Good Nights Sleep.
Get a good nights sleep the night before the exam. It is important to be well rested and mentally sharp when you take the exam.

Make a List of Important Concepts/Formulas.
Review your notes and make a concise list of important concepts and formulas. Make sure you know these formulas and more importantly how to use them!

How To Study Mathematics (TIPS)

Before I get into the tips for how to study math let me first say that everyone studies differently and there is no one right way to study for a math class. There are a lot of tips in this document and there is a pretty good chance that you will not agree with all of them or find that you can’t do all of them due to time constraints. There is nothing wrong with that. We all study differently and all that anyone can ask of us is that we do the best that we can. It is my intent with these tips to help you do the best that you can given the time that you’ve got to work with.

Now, I figure that there are two groups of people here reading this document, those that are happy with their grade, but are interested in what I’ve got to say and those that are not happy with their grade and want some ideas on how to improve. Here are a couple of quick comments for each of these groups.

International Journal Site List

1. http://www.ejmste.com - Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education
2. http://www.iejme.com/ - International Electronic Journal of mathematics Education
3. http://www.cimt.plymouth.ac.uk/journal/default.htm - International Journal for Mathematics Teaching and Learning
4. http://www.upd.edu.ph/~ismed/online/index.htm - International Online Journal of Science and Mathematics Education
5. http://www.e-iji.net/ - International Journal of Instruction
6. http://www.ied.edu.hk/apfslt/ - Asia Pacific Forum on Science Learning and Teaching
7. http://www.philjol.info/index.php/TAPER - The Asia-Pacific Education Researcher
8. http://ccsenet.org/journal/index.php/ies - International Education Studies
9. http://www.joci.ecu.edu/index.php/JoCI - Journal of Curriculum and Instruction
10. http://www.eurojournals.com/EJSS.htm - European Journal of Social Sciences

List Of Thesis Titles And International Scientific Journals

Integrating SchoolSciencewith Sustainability  LeeShok Mee Education:A Content Analysis

Greening the NewChemistry Curiculumin Mie-Ling Tio &Kai-Li Matriculation Colege: ASuggestion Teh

Models of Chemistry Education and theDani Asmadi Ibrahim & SEAMEO Matriculation Chemistry Course: A Review Kamisah Osman Hal

An Investigationof theRelationships between Lay Yoon Fah, Khoo the Knowledge,Atitudes, and BehaviourChweeHoon,Anuthra Dimensionsof EnvironmentalLiteracy among  Sirisena & Aileen
Urban and Rural Form4 Students in Sabah, Chong Malaysia

Creating a Best Practice of Thoughtful Ng Soo Boon ChemistryClasroom

Pre-service Saudi Arabian Science Teachers'Nawaf Alharbi,David F. UnderstandingofDifusion, Osmosis andTreagust& A.L. ParticleTheory Concepts and Their Atitudes Chandrasegaran toScience

Misconception of Microscopic Level on AcidSri Winarni, Syahrial & Penang Base Concept ontheUniversity Chemical Rusman Room1 Students atFinal Year in Faculty of Teacher
Training andEducation UNSYIAH School Year 2010/2011