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Topic: Study strategies?  (Read 5049 times)

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Offline keat08

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Study strategies?
« on: October 29, 2013, 08:29:58 PM »
I'm currently in Organic Chemistry 1 at my university, and I'm having some issues when it comes down to exam day. To keep it short and sweet, does anyone have any solid study strategies? Currently, I read the chapter, do online homework problems, and book problems. But that's not cutting it at all. Just curious to hear what anyone else has to say!
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Offline Corribus

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Re: Study strategies?
« Reply #1 on: October 29, 2013, 09:35:49 PM »
I found flash cards very helpful for studying organic chemistry.
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What men are poets who can speak of Jupiter if he were like a man, but if he is an immense spinning sphere of methane and ammonia must be silent?  - Richard P. Feynman

Offline zsinger

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Re: Study strategies?
« Reply #2 on: October 29, 2013, 09:54:19 PM »
Its like sex…..learn to like it in between classes, after classes, and when your buddies want you to come drink with them.  DO PRACTICE PROBLEMS and show EVERY mechanism…..mechanisms show that you truly understand what is happening, rather than A+B=C.  They will also help you TREMENDOUSLY in the lab.
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Offline Altered State

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Re: Study strategies?
« Reply #3 on: October 30, 2013, 05:18:45 PM »
Quote from: zsinger on October 29, 2013, 09:54:19 PM
DO PRACTICE PROBLEMS and show EVERY mechanism

This.
I took Org 1 and 2 last year and I can ensure you that people who draw every mechanism (without copying it, obv.) for every problem, passed easily both courses.
Going to class just will give you some hints about what subject topics are about. I use books just to cosult what I don't know or what I'm not sure of.

The days which I learnt most are the ones when I'm stuck with a problem and I spend the whole day trying to solve it, consulting books, notes, internet, papers, this forum itself...

Remember, you need TO WRITE IT DOWN, you can't learn O-chem just watching someone or some book solve the problems. Except if you are Woodward, but if you are not you probably can't :D
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Offline orgo814

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Re: Study strategies?
« Reply #4 on: December 25, 2013, 03:56:18 PM »
Success in organic 1 and 2 really just comes down to hard work. If you honestly work the problems hard, writing out the reactions with detailed mechanisms, and do the problems repetitively, you will be fine. One thing I always found helpful- in problems that state "predict the major product".. draw out the mechanism anyway (they're usually short for those type of problems). That way, you're not simply memorizing but understanding. "Understanding" is a key word to the success in organic chemistry. It will carry you far.
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megatyler30

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Re: Study strategies?
« Reply #5 on: December 25, 2013, 08:45:57 PM »
Also make study sheets from the lecture/textbook and include problem solving hints from homework problems you come across helps.
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Offline PSIL

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Re: Study strategies?
« Reply #6 on: April 08, 2014, 10:02:37 PM »
I have found flash cards to be very helpful.
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