LEARNING TIPS FROM FACULTY
Form multiple associations with the material by associating what you are learning with other things you know and other concepts you have learned in class. Think about what it is, how it works, and why it is significant. Study the concept and an example. Create your own examples to make it relevant to your life. Compare and contrast similar material.
Rebecca Klatzkin
Assistant Professor of Psychology
Review your notes after class while they are still fresh in your mind. If things are unclear, ask about them at the beginning of the next class or in office hours. Look for connections between your class notes and the readings. You must put much of the puzzle together in your own mind as you encounter pieces and see how they connect.
Jeffrey Jackson
Associate Professor of History
In math, the single most important thing that students need to understand is that it is not enough to understand how a professor or a classmate works a problem. Rather, students should be able to work a few comparable problems through to completion without help or reference to notes or the text before they should assume that they have mastered a certain kind of problem.
Eric Gottlieb
Associate Professor of Mathematics & Computer Science
Discussion, especially in philosophy classes, rarely focuses on merely reviewing what is in a reading assignment. Most often, our aim in discussion is to understand why an author says what s/he does and what the ramifications of those beliefs are. Consequently, discussion is often focused on application and critical examination of ideas.
Patrick Shade
Associate Professor of Philosophy
Practice makes better! And practice over time builds memory and problem solving intuition. Take advantage of homework as an opportunity for practice. Use feedback on your homework and other assignments to hone in on the skills with which you need more practice, and use your study time to practice what is still challenging you.
Erin Bodine
Assistant Professor of Mathematics & Computer Science
See if you can explain a new concept to someone else; typically if you can do that, you know the material.
Courtenay Harter
Associate Professor of Music
Actively read – constantly talk back to the authors. Ask yourself questions like “So what?” “Why?” “Do I believe that?” and “What’s missing?” as you read. Take notes not only on what the author said but on your reactions to it.
Marcus Pohlmann
Professor of Political Science