How to Earn an A

At the end of Fall 2008, all students earning an A in PHYS 2212 G, H, or J were invited to pass on any advice they might have for students in subsequent semesters. Here are their responses, for your benefit, in the order they were received. The only editing has been for spelling, and to remove material that was not advice to students (advice to instructors, for example).

I think sitting down with the physics book and doing the online homework independently, along with going to class and seeing you work out the PRS questions is a great way of getting an A.
-AL

Making sure that the student understands the homeworks goes a long way to test performance. And a great way to study for tests is to use the MasteringPhysics Practice problems.
-EG

I think [the instructors] gave us all the advice we needed to make an A.
-MQ

In physics 1 I focused solely on taking last years tests to study for the exams and I earned a B in the class. For physics 2 I found that I was better prepared for the exams if I also read the chapters and worked the stop and think questions. These questions are usually very similar to the multiple choice on the test. Also work the recitation problems. Sometimes they like to put similar problems on the tests to see if you were paying attention. The second half of the semester has more complicated concepts. I found them to be very counterintuitive. Getting strong grades in the beginning helps to counteract lower grades later. When the final comes around focus more on the multiple choice. More people seem to struggle with those and all but 2 problems on the final were multiple choice.
-Megan Schroeder

Tell them to carefully read the chapters of the book that the test is over multiple times, and thoroughly go over the purple example problems in the book. Once they understand the basic concepts from reading the book and seeing how they are applied through the example problems, then they should be able to apply the concepts to the test problems. Finally, the day of or before the test, do previous test problems to make sure that they understand the types of problems that might be asked in the test.
-JF

Probably the most important thing to do in this class to achieve a good grade is a LOT of quiz preparation. Since the quizzes make up a total of 50% of each student's grade, it is very important to do well on them. I printed off the 3 most recent quizzes from previous terms and worked them out entirely before checking solutions in order to prepare for my quizzes. This made a significant improvement in my test scores (I failed the first and got a C on the second quiz, As on both the 3rd and 4th, and a B on the 5th).

Also, before class, I'd say it's definitely a good idea to look over the section in the book corresponding with the next day's lecture. Even if you don't study the section hard, be sure to understand main concepts and formulas before each lecture.

Be sure to attend every lecture! There is so much information covered in lecture that the book does not go in-depth on that it is VERY important to be there all the time. In addition to the material, there is also (obviously) a class participation grade at the end of the semester. Why waste these free points when you can just show up and get them all?
-VM

My advice to a new student is (in order of importance):

1. Read about the lecture's topic before actually going to it.
2. Watch Walter Lewin's course at MIT's OpenCourseWare afterwards.

Did I mention watch mastermind Walter Lewin's videotaped course? If [you] manage to allot time for watching his lectures, you are more than set for acing this class.
http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Physics/8-02Electricity-and-MagnetismSpring2002/VideoAndCaptions/index.htm
-FS

Read the book and make sure you understand all of its concepts. Without the knowledge from the book it will be impossible to do well in the class. Do all the homework on time if not early. It is very helpful. It is also helpful to do th extra homework even if you don't do it when it tells you to. To study for the test print out all the old exams and solutions and make sure you can work every problem on them. Lastly make problem solving strategies for each major type of problem. This may seem a little like grade school, but you will benefit from it.
-LH

Physics in general has always been thought of as challenging and complicated. Don't let this common idea get to you. This is not true. Conversely, the beauty of physics lies in the fact that comprehending basic concepts allow you to solve any problem that may seem complex, require calculus, and/or trigonometry. Almost all ideas we learn are all related in a very logical manner, and problems can be approached differently. Thus, never move on through the chapters of our book without making sure you understand everything discussed in class. In my opinion, lectures and recitations are not only required but you should also give yourself no credit for the fact that you attended. In other words, don't feel happy and satisfied by yourself just because you attend. This has to be a must. Furthermore, always do your HW on time not because you would lose points but to ensure you understand the concepts and are ready to move on and learn new ones. In addition, I believe the HW is never enough. The HW usually allows you to test how much you understand a concept, but once you are done with that you need to make sure you are ready to solve almost any given problem by reading a question, or at least recognize what you need to do or how you must approach it. This is done by PRACTICING. The set of problems at the end of each chapter is an excellent resource. Solve as much as possible! Finally, you don't need to be a genius to get a "high" A in this class. You only need to be a hard, determined worker! Good Luck & Enjoy!
-WC

In both 2211 and 2212, I just did what was required, nothing more. I went to class (and paid attention), did the reading, and did the homework. But you actually have to do the homework, not just copy what other people do (I used the hints most of the time). As for the tests, make sure to know the concepts, because the multiple choice is a large portion of the tests. And as always, brush up on your calculus.
-JM

Before each test, look over all the old exams. After doing the reading I thought I knew the material, but I was always surprised by the old test questions. Write out all the equations for each chapter and know what they mean. You'll learn the material well while doing this.
-KP

Basically what I did was I made sure that I understood the basic idea behind all the concepts and apply those to the more complex problems presented in the course. With a good understanding of the basic ideas from which the formulas and concepts are based on I could solve most of the problems quite easily. Reading the book and understanding the Mastering Physics are also important; if you can do all the mastering physics, the rest of the course should be quite easy.
-SK

My advice: Try to grasp each concept as it comes up (ie not right before the test) as concepts build off each other, and it helps to learn them over time.

Also, keep recitation problems, they are great for studying.
-IM

The one thing that helped me more than anything else was keeping up with the homework. I admit, my homework grade was not that good, it could even be considered bad, but even glancing at the homework, knowing what the professor will be going over in class helped me a lot. Class attendance also doesn't hurt. Again, my attendance was far from perfect, but just listening to the professor, whether or not you understand it or can completely follow it, helps.
-TM

Some tips I can share —

1. Go to the helpdesk in N-209
2. ask questions in class and after class
3. practice old questions

-KR

See the remarkably similar advice from Spring 2008.