Helpful Hints for a Good Grade in Genetics 311

1) Keep up with your reading.  The pages I've assigned in your textbook are an important supplement to the lecture.  They expand and reinforce the material I plan to cover verbally.  I know it may be tough going in places, but if you've done your reading before coming to class, you'll be able to ask questions on the most difficult material right when it's most relevant.

2) Study actively.  OK, the subject matter is dry in spots.  So find some sort of trick to keep yourself actively involved.  Use a highlighter pen, develop an outline of the chapter, list key principles or questions as they come to you...anything to keep yourself from dozing off.

3) Keep up with your problem solving.  Genetics is quantitative analysis.  Please solve, or attempt to solve, all the problems assigned from your text before coming to class.  Do the practice problem sets as review after class, but before each help session.  If you come to the help session two nights before the test unprepared, and watch me solve the problems for your classmates, and figure you can do that yourself when the time comes, you're in for a rude awakening.

4) Participate in class.  Don't miss lectures, for heaven's sake!  If you don't understand, ask me a question.   Are you afraid of looking dumb in front of your classmates?  Nonsense!  Your classmates will thank you for requesting clarification, or at least, slowing me down.  And I'd much rather explain something once to the group of you than 35 separate times in my office.

5) Review the material after class.  A good rule of thumb is to spend two hours in study outside of the classroom for each hour spent in the classroom.

6)  Feel free to study with others.  Many students find it helpful to talk about the material with classmates, form study groups, quiz and be quizzed.  But too much company can be distracting!  Sometimes it's best to find a quiet place.

7) Extra help is available, if you need it:

           http://www.mhhe.com/biosci/cellmicro/tamarin7/
           http://www.mhhe.com/biosci/cellmicro/tamarin/index.mhtml

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