Math Study Advice

Below are a list of suggestions to help you improve your success in your math class.

Preparing for class In class Taking notes Homework

Preparing for class

	*Come to class every class period and be on time.* The first five minutes of class are just as important as the last five minutes.
	If you miss a class, ask a classmate for a copy of his/her notes and if any projects, homework, or tests dates have changed. It is your responsibility to know what happened in class the day you missed. You are also responsible for making up any missed work.
	*Be prepared for class.* You should have your book, paper, and pens/pencils for every class. Math is not a spectator sport. You need to actively participate by working problems along with the instructor or in group settings.
	*Peruse the sections in the book that the instructor is covering before class starts.* You do not need to understand what you are reading at this point in time. But this will help you get familiar with the terminology and topic of the day. The reading should bring questions to your mind that hopefully the instructor will answer during the lecture.

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In class

Ask questions. Not only will this help you, you will also be helping your classmates and your instructor. Some students are so lost that they do not know how to phrase the question. The question you ask might give your classmates a different way of looking at the subject. If no one asks questions, your instructor will assume that the class understands the subject and will move on. If you have lots of questions, it would be wise not to take up class time with all of them and see your instructor during office hours.

Answer questions. Don't be afraid to be wrong. If you knew all the answers, you wouldn't be in this class. Your wrong answers give the instructor insight to your misunderstandings.

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Taking notes

How many notes you take depends on the type of learner you are. If you learn by listening, you will not take as many notes as someone who learns tactile or visually. However, everyone should write down when an instructor says this is important, this is a common mistake, or this is going to be on the test. If you take a lot of notes, put a star by these comments. You should also work the problems as the teacher works them.

Keep your notes in a notebook along with your handouts, exams, and homework. When it comes time to study for the final exam, everything will be in one place. Keep your notebook until after you received your final grade; that way, if the instructor misrecorded a grade, you have proof of your work.

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Homework

	*Before doing your homework, review your notes and reread the book.* This will reinforce the techniques you are using and why you are using them. The better you understand the topic, the easier it is to remember.
	*Do not spend more than 45 - 60 minutes at a time on your homework.* If you are tired, you will not remember what you did. Take a break. You can work on another homework subject, wash the dishes, or take a walk. Then come back and finish your homework.
	*Do a couple of problems and then check your answers.* You want to make sure that you are practicing the right steps. If your answers are wrong, make sure you understand what you did wrong. Otherwise, you will repeat your mistake in the future.
	*You may need to work more problems than assigned.* If at the end of the homework assignment you still uncomfortable doing the problems, work some more problems.
	*If you do not understand an assignment, get help immediately.* Math builds on what you learned the day before. If you wait a week before you get help, that usually means you have a week's worth of work that you do not understand. Get help from your instructor (that is why we have office hours), from your classmates, from the Math Lab, or the tutorial center.

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Preparing for an exam

	*As you do your homework, write down on a 3 by 5 card a problem, including the directions, that represent the homework.* On the back side of the card put the answer to the problem and the page number from the book. Do a card for each type of problem in the homework assignment.
	*Start studying for an exam two or three days ahead of the test day.* If you study the night before and don't understand something, you will not have time to get some help.
	*Read over your notes.* Pay special attention to those notes that you starred.
	*Work many problems.* The more practice you do, the more confident you will feel. Check your answers. You might think you know how to do a problem, but you will not know if you don't check your answers. Don't start the problem and think I know how to do this and stop. It usually is the last step or two, the students miss.
	*Time yourself.* Shuffle the note cards that you made. Take out five cards depending upon the class. Set a timer for 15 minutes. (More time at a higher level class.) See if you can work the problems in the given time. Usually a student will take more time doing their homework than what is given on an exam. When it comes time for the exam they feel uncomfortable and rushed, and this can lead to math anxiety. Since you have already learned how to do the problem, you do not need as much time and you just need to practice at the faster pace.
	*Make sure you understand the directions to a problem.* Many students do their homework without ever reading the directions. They just did what the teacher did in class. When it comes to the exam, they do not know what the instructor is asking. Mathematics is a language. Make sure you understand the language before you take the exam.

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Taking the exam

	*Do not study until the last minute before the exam.* Your brain needs a rest. If you do not give it a rest before the exam, it will rest during the exam. Has your mind ever gone blank during an exam only to start working when you walk out the door? Stop studying at least a half hour before the exam.
	*Take a deep breath and relax.* You should have some tension, but if you are too stressed your mind will not work efficiently.
	*Read the directions.* Don't think you don't have time. Many students lose points because they did not put an answer in the form the instructor wanted.
	*Read the problem. If you know how to do it, do it. If you don't, go on to the next problem.* Remember the instructor is trying to assess how much you know. If you stay stuck on a problem and don't do any others, it will look like you do not know the material. Also, while you are doing the other problems, your mind is usually working on the ones you passed. You may have to cycle through the exam two or three times.
	*If you are not sure how to do the problem, ask your self questions.* What are the directions asking for? What does a word mean? What do I need to find the answer? How can I find what I need? Breaking a problem into smaller parts can sometimes lead you to the answer. If not, at least, you might get some partial credit for what you do know.
	*Check your answers.* Does your answer make sense? Did you include your units? Did you completely answer the question? Did you follow the directions?

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