The goal of this class is to master key concepts in biology and develop some appreciation for biological science. Biology can be a difficult subject if one does not approach it correctly. To study biology, one must learn a great deal of new vocabulary and be able to learn and apply new concepts. This requires dedicated and consistent study. There are some keys to making the study of biology more interesting and less painful, as well as less time consuming, than might be expected. Hopefully, these keys will not only improve your grade, but will make your study of biology exciting and interesting!
1. Complete all assignments. Many assignments will be graded based on whether it was completed and you made the effort to do the work. Accuracy is important, but nobody is perfect! If you have questions about the assignment, get some help!
2. Turn in all assignments on time. Promptness and following directions are important qualities you need to develop and improve. In light of this fact, you MUST turn in work on time. Be sure to turn in ALL work; many students find their grade is suffering simply because they did not do all the work. If you complete 50% of the assigned work, the highest grade you can have in the class is a 50%.
3. Study every day. There is no substitute for putting time into the subject. You cannot expect to learn the material if you never look at it. If you invest a short amount of time (20-30 minutes) working on biology every day, you will be surprised how much you can learn!
4. Ask questions in class. If you do not understand, you MUST find a way to get some help. Ask the teacher; ask another student; do some research on your own. But FIND OUT the answers to your questions. Very rarely do answers magically appear in your head or flash across the sky.
5. Come to study sessions. Study sessions are available on Tuesday mornings (6:45-7:15) and Thursday afternoons (2:00-3:00). (other times by appointment). Come for an opportunity to ask questions, get help on homework, go over test questions you didn't understand.
If you feel you are doing all these things and still struggling with success in biology, try some different approaches to study skills and test taking skills.