Okay, I'm here along with the other SDL's to hit you with some of the best things to do when studying. These tips should help you in class and on the quizzes. I recommend you look at everyone's study tips, that way you can pick and choose. If a couple of us mention the same thing, it's probably something worth trying.

1) Understand the Examples - many quiz questions are very similar to examples from the book or class. Know them, and you'll at least be able to work them out on the quiz. There is nothing worse than seeing a question that doesn't look like anything you've seen before.

2) Understand the Question - Quiz questions are tough enough on their own. If you don't know what they are asking, there's no way to get them right. Look for key words in the QUESTION, not the answers. When doing "example" problems, work them out in your head. These application questions are relatively straightforward, and only ask for simple comprehension. Don't make them more confusing than they are.

3) Go to Class (Videos & Ex Credit)- This is obvious I hope, but let me explain. Professor Katz loves to show videos, and the only thing he loves more than showing videos is asking questions about them on quizzes. Secondly, Prof. Katz has started to give out extra credit, either by doing small assignments, or just for being in class.

4)Print Out the Notes - Prof. Katz follows his notes, and they are all available to you on the web. If you quickly look over the notes before class, you can follow him in class and pay attention to everything else he says. Since all of his examples aren't in his notes, it is essential that you do this.

5)Ask Questions - Professor Katz spends time explaining examples, but not everyone thinks in the same way. If he explains it one way, he probably knows three other ways to do it as well. If you don't get it, ask him to show you another way, he doesn't mind.

6)Know Those Quizzes - The exams have some reworded quiz questions. Since we go over the answers, you'll at least have them. Now if you can't put the two together, find someone that can. Trust me, you'll hate it if you're sitting at the exam thinking, "I saw this on a quiz before, I just never learned how to do it."

I'm fresh out of ideas for now, but my office hours are Tuesday 6-7pm in the Grad Student Lounge in the Rutgers Student Center. I'll hold them even if something is going on in there. I'm also available in class for pretty much anything you want to ask me.

--Michael Peterson

-- Michael Peterson (michaelp@eden.rutgers.edu), October 05, 1999