Math study skill

thamtuhoctro · 03-12-2007, 01:45 PM

1. If math is difficult for you, audit the course first. You will get most from the course if you take notes, do your homework, ask the teacher questions, study for it and take all the tests. You will have no pressure of being graded.

2. Before registering for math, research which teacher would be best for you. Ask other students which teachers they liked and why. Visit prospective teachers during their office hours; ask about their teaching methods and if you could sit in one session of their course. Be sure to select a teacher who:

* Explains concepts clearly
* Welcomes questions
* Willingly helps students outside of class
* Gives fair tests
* Provides helpful handouts to complement your class notes.

3. Attend all classes and take full class notes. Research has shown that successful students never cut class and usually take down at least 64% of what is discussed in class. Failing students write half as much and often miss class. Remember, missing even one class can put you behind in the course by at least two classes. Do you know why?

4. Consider attending more than one section of the course. By hearing a difficult concept explained a second time you may understand it much better.

5. Make it a practice to read over the topic or chapter before going to your math class. This will give you a much better understanding of what is being discussed in class and as a result you will learn more from lecture.

6. Organize your notes into one large spiral or loose-leaf notebook devoted only to math. Use the first half for class notes and the second half for homework. Take a complete set of class notes and add any helpful clarifications to your notes that you hear in class. Mentally follow all explanations and try to understand the concepts and principles. Then write down the main points, steps in explanations, definitions, examples, solutions or proofs.

7. Dates each day's class notes. Write the topic or chapter heading on top of the page. Leave a 2" margin on the left side for comments. Use only one side of a page, leaving the back for additional examples, notes and clarifications.

8. Label both your notes and your textbook using categories such as: (a) definition of... , (b) theorem..., (c) example or discussion of examples, (d) description of a procedure for solving a problem type, (e) a proof of a theorem or a derivation of a formula, (f) a list of procedure steps, and (g) formulas or equations.

9. It is important to stay current. Do not allow yourself to fall behind or the entire course will become an effort and a struggle for you.

10. Review immediately after class and again eight hours later. Fill in all the missing words or incomplete explanations. Recite important concepts in your own words. Research shows that most of the information is lost within the first 20 to 60 minutes after learning. However, if you review immediately after class and again within the same day, and then do weekly and monthly reviews, the information you have learned will remain in long term memory.

11. Ask questions. Always remember you have the right to ask questions before, during and after class. Never avoid asking a question out of fear of looking stupid. Do not allow a question to go unanswered. Get help fast.

12. Create questions for yourself when you study and then answer them. Be persistent.

13. When you feel "lost" ask your teacher to explain the first step that you did not understand; then question any later steps that you still do not follow. When you cannot see the overall picture of what the teacher is doing, ask questions. See your instructor during office hours and visit the math learning center for help. Notice when you are beginning to get into trouble and seek assistance immediately.

4. To get the most benefit from a help session:

* Use question marks to identify confusing material in your notes or textbook.
* Write down specific questions you will ask.
* Later review what you have learned by "saying" and "doing."

Ask your instructor or tutor if you could explain to them what you have just learned and if you could demonstrate your knowledge by doing a new problem.

15. Always remember the "say and do" principle. Research shows that we remember only 10% of what we read, 20% of what we see, but a full 90% of what we say and do. So, whenever possible say and do.

16. Work out lots of sample problems. Practice, practice, practice. Do assigned problems and lots more. Make up your own problems. Get sample problems from other books. Work with a classmate and explain aloud what you are learning and how to solve problems. Remember the more you "say and do" the more you will be able to recall what you're learning. You must always be actively involved in the learning process.

17. The best time to do your homework is the same day it is assigned. This will help reinforce what you have just learned. Estimate the right answers before you work the problems out. Substitute your answers back into the problem. Redo the problem in a different way to see if your answer still matches.

18. Read and study all your textbook explanations of each type of problem. Whenever possible use additional textbooks and study guides as resources. Each book will discuss your topic differently and offer different examples. This is an excellent way to clarify difficult concepts and to give you more practice problems.

19. Work with a review or course outline book that applies to your math course. They provide many worked-out examples and summary collections of problems and answers which are useful for preparing for tests. Always work out a problem first before reading how the author solved it. Examples of course outline books include: Schaum's, AMSCO, Barron's, Barnes and Nobles.

20. Identify the different types of problems you are learning. Note the elements of each. By identifying the different types of problems, you are more likely to be able to isolate difficult areas in which you need more practice or help.

21. Describe in your own words the similarities and differences between the different types of problems you are learning. Do this aloud with someone else. By understanding the structure of each type of problem you will be able to select the appropriate method or formula for solving it.

22. Know and understand your math terminology. This is one of the keys to success in any field. Use 3" by 5" review cards to study math's own unique vocabulary. Put the term on one side and the definition on the other. Carry these cards with you everywhere and review them at odd moments throughout the day. You will not even feel like you are studying.

23. Never attempt to memorize a formula (or rule, proof, or procedure) until you have attempted to understand it first. This understanding will help you recreate a formula (or procedure, etc.) if your recall falters in any way. Make sure you can illustrate the definitions, theorems and the use of the symbols. You may want to use 3" by 5" cards to help you memorize some formulas for convenience and quick recall.

24. Write up summary sheets of math terminology and formulas and review them often.

25. Successful math students study math two hours per day at least 5 days a week. In addition, they work out 10 new problems and five review problems during each study session.

26. If math is your most difficult subject, make sure to study it before all other subjects. Do not leave it until the end. You must study math when you re most alert and fresh. It will go better for you and you will recall more. Research also shows that you will retain more information if you take 5 to 10 minute study breaks every 20 to 40 minutes.

27. Act as if you have control of your level of success in math. Act as if you are really enjoying it. Eventually, your habit of pretending and resulting success will make your feelings match your behavior.

ThanhTam80 · 12-12-2007, 08:51 AM

28- You can learn more by teaching !

Good post!!!

lhp_tphcm · 25-01-2008, 09:32 AM

Thạnks for your good post, I think Math is very interesting but not easy. It depends on our work.

bolzano_1989 · 18-05-2008, 02:47 AM

Read what the instructor will be lecturing on before you go to class.
Read slowly. Reading mathematics is not like reading a novel or even history. Speed reading techniques are not appropriate. Every word and symbol is important to the meaning. Do not skip the symbolic part of the text. This is often the most important part. If you do not understand a symbol, look in the glossary or in the earlier part of the text. Symbols are often explained when they are first introduced. If you still can not find out what a symbol means, ask!

Read with a pencil in hand. Every time the author does a problem, do it on your own—either before or after you read his or her explanation. This makes sure you know what steps have been shown and, more importantly, which ones were omitted.

If there is something you do not understand, try to formulate a question about it. Often if you can ask a specific question, you can answer it yourself. If you can’t answer it, you know what part of the instructor’s lecture requires your complete attention. Your question is ready if the lecture does not clear up your misunderstanding.

Understand the concepts
Don’t be satisfied with vague ideas about how to work problems. Do the examples yourself, understand the concept illustrated, then try making up your own examples. Keep in mind that the questions on the exam may be very different from the example in the book.
Practice
Be sure you understand the concepts before you practice. Then practice will help you remember and give you confidence in your mastery. Force yourself to remember the methods as you work problems; don’t look back in the book.
Keep up with assignments
(whether they are graded or not)
The pace is much faster in college and keeping up to date with assignments helps you to better understand what is going on in class. Mathematics is not a spectator sport. The only way you can learn mathematics is by doing it. Following are some suggestions for getting the most out of the time you spend on homework.

* Understand the purpose of homework. Homework in mathematics classes is assigned to help you understand certain concepts and to help you build certain skills. Homework is not assigned to you because it is important to get the right answers. Your instructor already knows the answers.
* Try to understand the process, not the specific problem. Classify problems in the assignment by problem type. Although this is often done for you by the directions, it is not always. Do each assigned problem and then check it in the back of the book. Try to figure out why you missed the ones you did instead of just working toward the answer. A similar problem may be on a test or quiz.
* Mark homework problems you still do not understand and get help with them before the next class. The next lecture may build on a concept or skill you did not understand in the homework. When you do get help, make notes on what you learned, so that you can study them for the test.
* Before closing the book, look back over the assignment and try to explain to yourself what the assignment was about, what each kind of problem was asking, how you got the answers and what the answers tell you. This process will help you understand the material and will help you discover what you don’t understand.
* Keep your homework in a convenient and neat notebook so that you will be able to find questions or difficulties you have quickly and easily. This will also provide an invaluable study guide for tests.

Ask questions
Do not hesitate to ask questions. Ask your instructor for help after you have tried to pull class notes and textbook explanations together for review and still don’t understand. Write down specific problems so you have them ready; don’t be vague and say you just don’t understand.
Don’t hesitate
Get help right away. Tutoring and help sessions are available. The longer you wait before getting help, the harder it will be to get caught up. Most of the time when you feel lost, it is just one concept that you are missing, so get help quickly. One missed concept in a math class will make the rest of your math career a hardship. Don’t feel embarrassed to ask questions and get help; even the best mathematicians have felt completely lost at some point.

Suggestions for Preparing for and Taking Math Tests

* Keep a list of things to remember - problems stressed by the instructor, definitions, terms, diagrams and graphs, formulas.
* Keep up with the work - some courses can be passed by cramming, but math isn’t one of them. Skills in math, as in sports, must be practiced.
* Study copies of old exams, chapter tests from the book, or make up your own. Then practice them with the same limits as the real exam.
* Get a good night’s sleep before the test so that you are rested and alert; a quick review before the test should be a summary only.
* Arrive at the test early so that you can be relaxed when the exam begins.
* Quickly look over the test and budget your time - don’t spend too much time on any single problem or section of the test.
* Do some work on each problem - try to work at least part of each problem because partial credit is better than none.
* Check your answers and look for careless mistakes during the last few minutes of your test time (budget this important time).

Suggestions for Word Problems
Solving problems is a practical art, like swimming or playing the piano; you can only learn it by imitation and practice. There is no magic key that opens all doors and solves all problems. The major goal in solving word problems is to translate the written words into a mathematical equation that we know how to solve.

* Read the problem for a general sense of what it is about; sometimes putting it into your own words will help.
* Then re-read it to pick out specific information:
o What you are asked to find? Usually you choose a variable to represent one unknown and other unknowns will be represented in terms of the first.
o What information is given? Make a list, then organize it into a diagram, picture, or chart.
o What are the relationships among the information given and the information to be found? Sometimes it helps to think of similar problems from arithmetic and the formulas needed there.
* Translate the information into an equation - get into the habit of doing this for easy problems. The longer problems will not seem as difficult.
* Solve the equation you have written and label your answer - then find any other quantities to be found.
* Return to the original problem and check your answer(s). Do they make sense in the original problem and answer the question posed in the problem?

Adapted from On Your Own in College by William C. Resnick and David H. Heller.

03-12-2007, 01:45 PM	#1
thamtuhoctro +Thành Viên+ Tham gia ngày: Dec 2007 Bài gởi: 28 Thanks: 0 Thanked 37 Times in 25 Posts	Math study skill 1. If math is difficult for you, audit the course first. You will get most from the course if you take notes, do your homework, ask the teacher questions, study for it and take all the tests. You will have no pressure of being graded. 2. Before registering for math, research which teacher would be best for you. Ask other students which teachers they liked and why. Visit prospective teachers during their office hours; ask about their teaching methods and if you could sit in one session of their course. Be sure to select a teacher who: * Explains concepts clearly * Welcomes questions * Willingly helps students outside of class * Gives fair tests * Provides helpful handouts to complement your class notes. 3. Attend all classes and take full class notes. Research has shown that successful students never cut class and usually take down at least 64% of what is discussed in class. Failing students write half as much and often miss class. Remember, missing even one class can put you behind in the course by at least two classes. Do you know why? 4. Consider attending more than one section of the course. By hearing a difficult concept explained a second time you may understand it much better. 5. Make it a practice to read over the topic or chapter before going to your math class. This will give you a much better understanding of what is being discussed in class and as a result you will learn more from lecture. 6. Organize your notes into one large spiral or loose-leaf notebook devoted only to math. Use the first half for class notes and the second half for homework. Take a complete set of class notes and add any helpful clarifications to your notes that you hear in class. Mentally follow all explanations and try to understand the concepts and principles. Then write down the main points, steps in explanations, definitions, examples, solutions or proofs. 7. Dates each day's class notes. Write the topic or chapter heading on top of the page. Leave a 2" margin on the left side for comments. Use only one side of a page, leaving the back for additional examples, notes and clarifications. 8. Label both your notes and your textbook using categories such as: (a) definition of... , (b) theorem..., (c) example or discussion of examples, (d) description of a procedure for solving a problem type, (e) a proof of a theorem or a derivation of a formula, (f) a list of procedure steps, and (g) formulas or equations. 9. It is important to stay current. Do not allow yourself to fall behind or the entire course will become an effort and a struggle for you. 10. Review immediately after class and again eight hours later. Fill in all the missing words or incomplete explanations. Recite important concepts in your own words. Research shows that most of the information is lost within the first 20 to 60 minutes after learning. However, if you review immediately after class and again within the same day, and then do weekly and monthly reviews, the information you have learned will remain in long term memory. 11. Ask questions. Always remember you have the right to ask questions before, during and after class. Never avoid asking a question out of fear of looking stupid. Do not allow a question to go unanswered. Get help fast. 12. Create questions for yourself when you study and then answer them. Be persistent. 13. When you feel "lost" ask your teacher to explain the first step that you did not understand; then question any later steps that you still do not follow. When you cannot see the overall picture of what the teacher is doing, ask questions. See your instructor during office hours and visit the math learning center for help. Notice when you are beginning to get into trouble and seek assistance immediately. 4. To get the most benefit from a help session: * Use question marks to identify confusing material in your notes or textbook. * Write down specific questions you will ask. * Later review what you have learned by "saying" and "doing." Ask your instructor or tutor if you could explain to them what you have just learned and if you could demonstrate your knowledge by doing a new problem. 15. Always remember the "say and do" principle. Research shows that we remember only 10% of what we read, 20% of what we see, but a full 90% of what we say and do. So, whenever possible say and do. 16. Work out lots of sample problems. Practice, practice, practice. Do assigned problems and lots more. Make up your own problems. Get sample problems from other books. Work with a classmate and explain aloud what you are learning and how to solve problems. Remember the more you "say and do" the more you will be able to recall what you're learning. You must always be actively involved in the learning process. 17. The best time to do your homework is the same day it is assigned. This will help reinforce what you have just learned. Estimate the right answers before you work the problems out. Substitute your answers back into the problem. Redo the problem in a different way to see if your answer still matches. 18. Read and study all your textbook explanations of each type of problem. Whenever possible use additional textbooks and study guides as resources. Each book will discuss your topic differently and offer different examples. This is an excellent way to clarify difficult concepts and to give you more practice problems. 19. Work with a review or course outline book that applies to your math course. They provide many worked-out examples and summary collections of problems and answers which are useful for preparing for tests. Always work out a problem first before reading how the author solved it. Examples of course outline books include: Schaum's, AMSCO, Barron's, Barnes and Nobles. 20. Identify the different types of problems you are learning. Note the elements of each. By identifying the different types of problems, you are more likely to be able to isolate difficult areas in which you need more practice or help. 21. Describe in your own words the similarities and differences between the different types of problems you are learning. Do this aloud with someone else. By understanding the structure of each type of problem you will be able to select the appropriate method or formula for solving it. 22. Know and understand your math terminology. This is one of the keys to success in any field. Use 3" by 5" review cards to study math's own unique vocabulary. Put the term on one side and the definition on the other. Carry these cards with you everywhere and review them at odd moments throughout the day. You will not even feel like you are studying. 23. Never attempt to memorize a formula (or rule, proof, or procedure) until you have attempted to understand it first. This understanding will help you recreate a formula (or procedure, etc.) if your recall falters in any way. Make sure you can illustrate the definitions, theorems and the use of the symbols. You may want to use 3" by 5" cards to help you memorize some formulas for convenience and quick recall. 24. Write up summary sheets of math terminology and formulas and review them often. 25. Successful math students study math two hours per day at least 5 days a week. In addition, they work out 10 new problems and five review problems during each study session. 26. If math is your most difficult subject, make sure to study it before all other subjects. Do not leave it until the end. You must study math when you re most alert and fresh. It will go better for you and you will recall more. Research also shows that you will retain more information if you take 5 to 10 minute study breaks every 20 to 40 minutes. 27. Act as if you have control of your level of success in math. Act as if you are really enjoying it. Eventually, your habit of pretending and resulting success will make your feelings match your behavior.

12-12-2007, 08:51 AM	#2
ThanhTam80 +Thành Viên+ Tham gia ngày: Dec 2007 Bài gởi: 2 Thanks: 1 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	28- You can learn more by teaching ! Good post!!!

25-01-2008, 09:32 AM	#3
lhp_tphcm +Thành Viên+ Tham gia ngày: Jan 2008 Đến từ: Auckland, New Zealand Bài gởi: 33 Thanks: 15 Thanked 11 Times in 4 Posts	Thạnks for your good post, I think Math is very interesting but not easy. It depends on our work.

18-05-2008, 02:47 AM	#4
bolzano_1989 +Thành Viên+ Tham gia ngày: Mar 2008 Bài gởi: 19 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Read what the instructor will be lecturing on before you go to class. Read slowly. Reading mathematics is not like reading a novel or even history. Speed reading techniques are not appropriate. Every word and symbol is important to the meaning. Do not skip the symbolic part of the text. This is often the most important part. If you do not understand a symbol, look in the glossary or in the earlier part of the text. Symbols are often explained when they are first introduced. If you still can not find out what a symbol means, ask! Read with a pencil in hand. Every time the author does a problem, do it on your own—either before or after you read his or her explanation. This makes sure you know what steps have been shown and, more importantly, which ones were omitted. If there is something you do not understand, try to formulate a question about it. Often if you can ask a specific question, you can answer it yourself. If you can’t answer it, you know what part of the instructor’s lecture requires your complete attention. Your question is ready if the lecture does not clear up your misunderstanding. Understand the concepts Don’t be satisfied with vague ideas about how to work problems. Do the examples yourself, understand the concept illustrated, then try making up your own examples. Keep in mind that the questions on the exam may be very different from the example in the book. Practice Be sure you understand the concepts before you practice. Then practice will help you remember and give you confidence in your mastery. Force yourself to remember the methods as you work problems; don’t look back in the book. Keep up with assignments (whether they are graded or not) The pace is much faster in college and keeping up to date with assignments helps you to better understand what is going on in class. Mathematics is not a spectator sport. The only way you can learn mathematics is by doing it. Following are some suggestions for getting the most out of the time you spend on homework. * Understand the purpose of homework. Homework in mathematics classes is assigned to help you understand certain concepts and to help you build certain skills. Homework is not assigned to you because it is important to get the right answers. Your instructor already knows the answers. * Try to understand the process, not the specific problem. Classify problems in the assignment by problem type. Although this is often done for you by the directions, it is not always. Do each assigned problem and then check it in the back of the book. Try to figure out why you missed the ones you did instead of just working toward the answer. A similar problem may be on a test or quiz. * Mark homework problems you still do not understand and get help with them before the next class. The next lecture may build on a concept or skill you did not understand in the homework. When you do get help, make notes on what you learned, so that you can study them for the test. * Before closing the book, look back over the assignment and try to explain to yourself what the assignment was about, what each kind of problem was asking, how you got the answers and what the answers tell you. This process will help you understand the material and will help you discover what you don’t understand. * Keep your homework in a convenient and neat notebook so that you will be able to find questions or difficulties you have quickly and easily. This will also provide an invaluable study guide for tests. Ask questions Do not hesitate to ask questions. Ask your instructor for help after you have tried to pull class notes and textbook explanations together for review and still don’t understand. Write down specific problems so you have them ready; don’t be vague and say you just don’t understand. Don’t hesitate Get help right away. Tutoring and help sessions are available. The longer you wait before getting help, the harder it will be to get caught up. Most of the time when you feel lost, it is just one concept that you are missing, so get help quickly. One missed concept in a math class will make the rest of your math career a hardship. Don’t feel embarrassed to ask questions and get help; even the best mathematicians have felt completely lost at some point. Suggestions for Preparing for and Taking Math Tests * Keep a list of things to remember - problems stressed by the instructor, definitions, terms, diagrams and graphs, formulas. * Keep up with the work - some courses can be passed by cramming, but math isn’t one of them. Skills in math, as in sports, must be practiced. * Study copies of old exams, chapter tests from the book, or make up your own. Then practice them with the same limits as the real exam. * Get a good night’s sleep before the test so that you are rested and alert; a quick review before the test should be a summary only. * Arrive at the test early so that you can be relaxed when the exam begins. * Quickly look over the test and budget your time - don’t spend too much time on any single problem or section of the test. * Do some work on each problem - try to work at least part of each problem because partial credit is better than none. * Check your answers and look for careless mistakes during the last few minutes of your test time (budget this important time). Suggestions for Word Problems Solving problems is a practical art, like swimming or playing the piano; you can only learn it by imitation and practice. There is no magic key that opens all doors and solves all problems. The major goal in solving word problems is to translate the written words into a mathematical equation that we know how to solve. * Read the problem for a general sense of what it is about; sometimes putting it into your own words will help. * Then re-read it to pick out specific information: o What you are asked to find? Usually you choose a variable to represent one unknown and other unknowns will be represented in terms of the first. o What information is given? Make a list, then organize it into a diagram, picture, or chart. o What are the relationships among the information given and the information to be found? Sometimes it helps to think of similar problems from arithmetic and the formulas needed there. * Translate the information into an equation - get into the habit of doing this for easy problems. The longer problems will not seem as difficult. * Solve the equation you have written and label your answer - then find any other quantities to be found. * Return to the original problem and check your answer(s). Do they make sense in the original problem and answer the question posed in the problem? Adapted from On Your Own in College by William C. Resnick and David H. Heller.