The Book

1.

Do I need to buy the book? Do I need to read the book?

Yes, buying the text will be useful. My examinations are a combination of lecture and text materials. Historically, students that buy and read the book in concert with attending class get better grades.

2.

The book has so much detail. How can I prepare for class?

For most of my courses, I provide outlines of the lecture materials prior to the class session. Please click on the links to download the outlines. These outlines will help you to follow the class session and serve as a guide for your reading.

Class Meetings

1.

Do I need to attend class?

Class participation is part of your grade. Obviously, you will be more participative if you have a physical presence. By choosing to take our class, you are responsible for making a positive contribution. Everyone (including me) learns when we are together. Students that regularly attend class get one letter grade higher than those that do not (all else being equal).

2.

I am terrified of saying something wrong. How can I participate?

Do not be afraid of saying something wrong, we all make mistakes. After a week or two of sitting through my class, you will learn that I make mistakes too. If you are a naturally shy person, there are other ways for you to participate. For example, you can send me e-mail messages with questions or comments. Also, please feel free to ask questions before/after class or schedule an appointment to meet with me. The key is that you need to be actively engaged in your education.

3.

I missed the last class session. Can I have a copy of your notes and PowerPoint slides?

Sorry, I do not have student versions of my notes available. Your best bet is to ask one or two classmates for copies of their notes. I recommend sharing notes even if you attend class. Most of my PowerPoint slides follow the outlines that are available online, so you can download the lecture outlines. If a PowerPoint slide is very important and complex, I do distribute copies of PowerPoint to everyone in the class. You are welcome to those copies.

4.

I missed the last class session. Did I miss anything important?

Yes, every class session is important (at least in my opinion). If your concern is whether or not the course schedule has been altered, I send out e-mail messages to you on your school account. Please check your e-mail regularly. Also, changes will be posted on the online course schedules.

Examinations

1.

I studied all night and still did poorly on the test. How can I do better?

Assuming that you attend class regularly and read the assigned chapters prior to their discussion in class, you may need to develop a more systematic method of test preparation. I provide study questions several days prior to the examination. Once the study questions are available, you should write out answers to each one. Remember that the answers come from both the book and the lectures. Also, I recommend that you study with another person. Both of you should answer all of the questions first. Next, you should meet and discuss the answers. Dividing the questions and answering half of them will not be as effective for learning. Also, you are making the assumption that your study partner has the right answer. Another alternative is to study with me. I am more than happy to look over your answers too.

2.

Can I get extra credit to boost my grade?

No, you need to make up ground by doing better on the remaining part of the course. Typically, students wait until the last week and panic about their course grade. In nearly every case, the student was aware of his/her poor performance very early in the term. You need to take corrective action when the problem first occurs. You cannot fail this class with one bad test score; you can fail it with three or four bad tests. A combination of working with other students, seeing me for help, and prioritizing your activities will put you on the path of success.

Getting Help

1.

I have class during your office hours. How can I get help?

I will do my best to accommodate your schedule. Please contact me to arrange for an appointment. Also, if your schedule is really full, please feel free to ask questions by e-mail, or call me. Please remember that I am here to help you maximize your learning experience.