<p>I'm a biochemistry major and I'm having a lot of trouble in one particular class this semester (molecular and cell biology). This class has 2 texts, a intense amount of dense reading, and the exams are very detailed. There are 2 midterms and I bombed the first one; the class average was about a 50 (which is a C) and I got a 42 (a D). I was so lost and confused during the exam, I started panicking and flipping frantically through the fat packet of questions and everything looked so unfamiliar. I did all the reading and I attend lectures, but I can't seem to remember all the details. </p>
<p>My other classes this semester are organic chem, physics, stats, and a psychology elective - I'm doing fine in all those, this is the only class I'm having a lot of trouble with. We have our 2nd midterm in less than 2 weeks and I'm reading and outlining the chapters, but that isn't helping at all.</p>
<p>Any specific advice on how to study for this type of course? No vague stuff like "go to office hours!" please because I already do that, I'm looking for specific tips on how to learn, process and study information in this type of class, from other science majors.</p>
<p>I’m sorry that this post won’t help you at all, but I feel like my situation is so similar. For me it’s honors chemistry that’s kicking my butt. I also bombed the first midterm (with a 42%…weird!) and I don’t know what else to do. Like you, all of my other classes are fine. It’s just chemistry that is killing me. I too would appreciate some advice!</p>
<p>Re-write notes directly after class. Make chapter outlines. Make study guides of the notes and book. Re-write, re-write, re-write. Say it aloud. Have friends ask you questions. Find practice problems online and do them. Use mnemonics as much as possible.</p>
<p>Also, get a tutor. I struggled in a science class, got a B first semester, got an A the second semester. He clarified things, and explained things in interesting ways that I could remember. He also had the same professor and could teach me based directly upon what was most likely going to be on an exam.</p>
<p>I replied to a post similar to this a month or two ago, so I’ll just copy/paste since people said they found it helpful. The OP had mentioned that they hadn’t been having much luck with just trying to learn definitions, and used “desmosome” as an example, so my reply is framed around that.</p>
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<p>That’s mainly how I got through bio courses. I’d first make chapter and lecture note outlines, and then I’d take the major concepts from those outlines and make big review sheets for each concept with diagrams/drawings and written definitions. But, that’s just my study style, you have to sort of play around and see what works best for you.</p>
This is basically all I’ve been doing so far. I feel like reading the chapter and outlining it isn’t doing anything, because I end up with pages and pages of detailed outlines and it seems so overwhelming like I can’t remember it. There are just hundreds of definitions and it’s hard to draw connections between everything. </p>
<p>I feel so overwhelmed because I have an Orgo test, Physics tests, Stats quiz, Psych test, and Psych presentation all in a 7 day span and I’m just so behind and struggling to catch up. 2 of my classes (Psych and Stats) are easy but I neglect them for my harder classes tbh.</p>
<p>My notes in Bio are crap because I feel so lost in that class and don’t understand lecture. It’s like I don’t understand half the words the professor uses. I need to learn some serious vocab/definitions because I can’t understand the question if I don’t understand 4 out of 9 words in the sentence.
I never tried drawing pictures. I like the idea of grouping things together into broader concepts because so much of bio is pattern-finding and drawing connections. But I feel like I could fill up 2 sketchbooks with pictures/diagrams of what’s on each exam! I rarely have trouble understanding concepts, what I have trouble with is processing ALL the information. I’m horrendous at time management too, and with the 4 exams coming up I don’t know what to do.</p>
<p>I’m going to try your picture/diagram concept though. I’m a visual learner so it can’t hurt.</p>
<p>You may need to narrow down what you’re outlining. Re-writing the entire chapter won’t help.</p>
<p>Also try to understand the theories. Something you have to just memorize, but the more you actually know, the less you’ll have to memorize little details.</p>
<p>If I have trouble in lecture I will either (if I’m super productive) read the chapter before lecture, or if I’m less productive the night of the lecture, so I can clarify things. Define any words you don’t know. Memorizing words in a definition that mean nothing to you is not helpful.</p>
<p>I also like to read news articles that relate to what I’m learning. It applies the concepts to real life scenarios and make it easier to learn.</p>
<p>Read. Read your textbook and read supplemental texts. Studying chem? Get a “chem for dummies” book, or use the internet (forums, google, youtube videos, etc.) to find answers to specific questions you have about things you don’t get. And do practice problems from your book and grade yourself, and redo the ones you got wrong.</p>
<p>This has worked for me, so far I have all As.</p>
<p>Don’t know about biochem, but I do know that in physics sometimes you have to do a lot of problems on a particular topic before you will understand it. Voltage was something I had a hard time understanding, and potential energy (voltage is electric potential energy). Only until I had done a lot of problems did I start to develop an understanding. And something my textbooks never explained thoroughly was that only <em>changes</em> in PE or V are important, not individual values of potential energy in a given location. I wasted a lot of time trying to understand voltage and PE <em>the wrong way</em>, because I didn’t get more outside help from the internet and by doing problems.</p>
<p>Eh, I’m near the end of my rope with just genetics lol. Dunno how much more I can take of these classes, especially when they only get harder. Really considering switching from bio, heh.</p>
<p>Do you know why you got certain questions wrong? Is your test more based on memorization, or problem solving? If it’s memorization, then I would just study more? I’m not sure since I haven’t had a hard memorization based class yet.</p>
<p>But if the reason your test was so hard was because it emphasized problem solving, it might help to first focus on understanding the material. This probably sounds kind of weird, but when I study for math classes, I try to like meditate on the material, or do things like read a section, and then take a nap or something and think about what the material means and how it relates while I try to fall asleep. Being more relaxed might work better than frantically trying to do outlines and stuff.</p>
<p>Like I said, I’m not having much trouble in Organic Chem or Physics or Stats or Psych; only Molecular and Cell Biology. Those other classes are hard but manageable - I just feel lost in this particular one. </p>
<p>I tend to do better in problem-solving, so Math/Physics/Chem comes a bit easier to me than Bio courses where the problem-solving can only be done after a crapload of memorization.
That’s what I’m asking, how? Because reading/outlining the text is doing nothing for me.</p>
<p>I try to read ahead in the course, the day i get the book i flip through it lookign at all the pictures, and then the next couple days i try to read it, not understand it and stopping at the first sign of boredom, and maybe looking at the diagrams and pictures again, to study i have to be having fun so as soon as it is not fun i stop studdying, i also like to read right before class, because when i have read the material i understand what the teacher is going to say, however i have gotten into the habit of correcting the teacher when he makes a mistake, and now everyone thinks i am some brillant person and they only ask me for help, no one wants to just hang out, however i guess i get too anxious around people so it my fault also, but that is kinda the choice study hard / be anxious about everything or not study not be anxious and have friends</p>
<p>I know this is silly but youtube the material. It really helps. Theres catchy songs for remembering the material. Also get a tutor if your school offers it.</p>
<p>Jeez, goto is so 1970s…
No, seriously, you were already saying that the way you prepared for this kind of test was wrong - so try to fix this. Have you read the red book by Cal Newport? If so, try to remember the case study of the girl with the history test.</p>
<p>What helps me with classes where I lack background, is to get the big picture from wikipedia / way too easy book, before attending the lecture. After that, I mainly work on p-sets or, if available, old exams.</p>
<p>I also work on vocab by not only looking stuff up, but also reading the surrounding wiki articles - if the prof requires a word, he probably also requires a bit background.</p>
<p>I was the person who Emily2007 was talking about, and I was/am having similar problems to you. I recently got 100% on my latest test (yay!) so I thought I’d share what worked for me.</p>
<ul>
<li>I got a tutor in the subject. This helps a LOT.</li>
<li>Read the chapter before the test, and look up any terms you don’t know</li>
<li>Record your discussion so you can write notes after the class… Spend the class listening intently to what he has to say and what he puts emphasis on</li>
<li>I know this sounds silly, but I would google biology (or chemistry or whatever) for kids and look for the main information about things. Because their main job is to make it easy to understand, they really seem to apply basic examples and easy way to understand something that may be difficult. (Of course this does not work for more complex things)</li>
<li>Rewrite everything the professor says, but in your own notes and in a way you understand. Write everything clearly and simple.</li>
<li>I joined a study group. Having things explained to you and most importantly explaining it to others, for some reason, really seems to help me.</li>
</ul>
<p>Hope this helps some… Good luck and keep us updated!</p>
so it my fault also, but that is kinda the choice study hard / be anxious about everything or not study not be anxious and have friends</p>