Worldwide, and through the decades, organic chemistry has had a reputation for being difficult and tedious, especially for biology students. There are two ways to survive organic chemistry:

I. Be real smart and/or have truly exemplary study habits. These still may not be enough--everyone has a different set of talents. Choose the best genes and environment, and make sure you attended a rigorous high school. If this method works for you, stick with it. But perhaps it is too late for this method for you. Then try the second option.

II. Follow the method below. It has been put together with the advice of students and faculty, from the examples of students who did and did not do well; from studies of student learning and success in different ethnic groups in calculus, as reported in Science; and from basic neuroscience studies.

A. Don't be a cowboy. Cowboys ride off into the sunset alone, conquering their difficulties solo. If you work alone, it is too easy to become stumped and then get discouraged. You have to do the problem sets yourself (but see below), and you have to take the tests yourself, but you can make life easier if you decide at the outset to work in a study group. The ideal study group, which should be formed in the first week of class, consists of three or four students. Two students is not enough--it is too easy to get confused or distracted; more than four students is too big--people can hide rather than participate. Remember, cowboys don't have to do organic chemistry, but you do.

B. Where to meet? A room with a place to write, such as a board. Blank paper will also work. Cruise around the buildings the first time you meet--most classrooms are empty most of the time, especially afternoons and evenings. Erase the board when you are done--the poor joker arriving at 8 am doesn't need any extra problems.

C. Take the course first, the tests second. Of course the material on the tests will not be exactly what you had in class--what do you think students are, parrots? [If all they asked for was regurgitation, you'd complain.] If you understand, rather than memorize, your odds of finding something recognizable on the test will go way up. This means that you should be studying all the time, not just when tests are looming on the horizon. Meet with your study group every Friday afternoon (or Sunday night, or before problem sets are due), and do it weekly from the first week. If you have to miss a week for Thanksgiving, schedule an extra session Sunday when you return.

D. What to do at the study group meetings? Go over the week's material, in order. Discuss what is important and how things are related. Go over problems in the book, whether or not you have problem sets due. Ask each other questions, especially study questions. Discuss what you think will be on the test. If you are really confused, try to figure things out as a group. If you can't do that, go as a group or send a representative to the teacher, and do it as soon as possible. If you are going to make up flash cards, do so as a group at the study group meetings. You will make better choices and will remember things more easily because you have heard as well as written them.

E. How to deal with problem sets? The clue is to do more, not fewer, problems. Do them earlier, as you go along, rather than at the last minute. Do the problems before the appropriate study group meeting. Have each person do an extra problem. One at a time, volunteer to present problems on the board, explaining and discussing them. Everyone should participate in these sessions. Suggest minor variations... anything to make an impression on your mind.

F. If you do all the things listed above, you will not get behind. Do not get behind. It can be fatal to your grade. If you do get behind, do not avoid thinking about the material because you are scared of it--things will not get better that way. You must spend twice the time on the same material if you are anxious. Do not give up on one section of material--you will build on it later, and will be punished a second time for not knowing it.

WHAT, YOU ARE SURPRISED THAT THIS IS GOING TO TAKE A LOT OF WORK?

IF THE COURSE WAS EASY, YOU WOULDN'T NEED THIS PAGE.

Home