Math 216

So you're working your hardest and reading the book. You're doing the assignments and studying every night. But it's just not enough! Here are some suggestions to read and think about:

1. Talk with your lecture instructor and GSI Attend office hours—we post all office hours so that you are able to take advantage of those offered by any instructor in the course. Check with your instructors, or the course coordinator, for tips on how to succeed in the course.
2. Attend all lectures and lab sessions. Staying home and just reading the book or looking at a friend's notes is a recipe for disaster.
3. Read the book. Really really read it. Sit down and read it. Carefully. Rework the examples in the book for yourself. It's a good book.
4. Do lots of homework. Do every problem assigned, at the time the material is covered in lecture. Then do a few more problems for good measure. Do not wait until the last minute to do the homework.
5. Go through the practice problems. The practice problems page has a lot of additional problems that are picked to give you the practice you need to both master the skills you need for the course and develop your understanding of the material.
6. Work with a friend, but learn the material yourself. There are times when a friend will explain the material in a way that makes more sense than other instructors' explanations. Do be careful, however, that you can go back and do the same work again on your own. To actually learn from someone else, whether it's your lecture instructor or a friend, you have to have worked things out yourself in the long run.
7. Recopy your lecture notes. It is important to be able to refer back to these when you are preparing for exams, and recopying them will force you to think about what your instructor said in lecture.

Other sources of help:

1. Visit the Math Lab. There is a Math Lab in the basement of East Hall where you can get free tutoring on specific problems. Follow the link in the menu on the left for more information.
2. Find a personal tutor. There is a tutor list maintained by the mathematics department. Follow the link in the menu on the left for more information. You can also ask about updated tutor information in the Undergraduate Office in 2084 East Hall.