How should I study for the exam?

• Reflect on Siddhartha by Herman Hesse: “I don’t know what is best for someone else. All I can do is choose or reject for myself.”
• My Calculus professor’s advice from 1990: “Do not study for the exam. Study to learn the material and the exam will be easy.”
• The Tao of Pooh by Benjamin Hoff: “Enjoyment of the process is the secret that erases the myths of the Great Reward and Saving Time.”

Learning is a process: PDF.

• The Gateless Barrier, translated with commentary by Robert Aitken: “Reading supplements instruction and can provide important help in the absence of a teacher.”
• The same book on “easy” vs. “difficult” teachers: “The Kuei-yang teachers were easy on their students, and perhaps this is one reason their stream dried up… Ch’ing-jang is quite firm but cannot be called severe.”

Dr. Moore’s advice:

• Don’t wait until the last minute. Attempting to guess what specific questions will be on exams won’t lead to success.
• Instead, study 6 to 9 hours per week from the start of the semester. Enjoy the learning process and stay non-attached to the reward.

What should I focus on to prepare for the test?

• Study to learn the material, not just for the test.
• Specific topics are outlined in the syllabus and weekly schedule. Homework provides a clear guide.

Comments from previous students:

• S.T.: “Don’t just do the homework, understand it. It really made a difference on the final exam not just memorizing questions and formulas, but understanding the reasoning and ideals behind them.”
• B.B.: “I think your classes are very insightful, and your exams (though some people complain) are very fair tests of whether or not you understand the material.”

Conclusion:

• Understand the homework and examples from class and Canvas.
• Find quiet study spots, make outlines from class notes, and consider study groups.
• Group study helps: one student may grasp concept X but struggle with Y, while another understands Y but finds X challenging. Explaining these concepts to each other deepens understanding for both. This approach has served many students well.