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Chemistry 301 Organic Chemistry Professor Kelli Khuong |
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| HOME | SYLLABUS | PROBLEMS | REVIEW SHEETS | ANSWER KEYS |
CHEMISTRY 301 FALL 2011 MWF 11:15a-12:10p location ST 130
E-mail:
khuong@sandiego.edu Office hours: MWF 12:15-1:15p, W 9:30-11a; and by appointment.
Chemistry Department home page **************************************************************************************************************************************************
PRACTICE PROBLEMS Make a study schedule and stick to it – be realistic and include time for breaks. Concentrate on the HW problems. Do them over and over and over. Do the practice problems the week that they’re given. Check your answers and if you don’t understand go into office hours. Also do any practice problems given during class. PRACTICE! You must dedicate time each day to go through the suggested problems and any practice problems given in class. Do not get constantly interrupted/daydream while doing problems or studying. Practice, practice, practice. It is very easy to believe you can know and absorb everything just by repeatedly going over your notes. One must apply these concepts and work out practice problems to fully understand how and why things work. O. chem is a “work it out” subject, not just look and memorize. Practice! Practice! Visualize stereochemistry by using your models. Having that concrete in your head is important because stereochemistry does not go away. Practice! Practice! Practice! You can never do too many problems. Make sure to practice working problems, especially ones involving mechanism regularly. The more you practice the more comfortable you will be in recognizing problems on exams as things you have done before. Constantly practice (not just before a test). After reading the book and doing all the practice problems, go to the teacher during office hours (don’t be scared) and go over your answers. I found finding the real reason why your answer is wrong instead of making one up on your own is much more helpful. Do a lot of practice problems, but understand the concept (don’t just go through the motions you memorized. Work through ALL practice problems and suggested problems, help very much. Work on suggested problems as you learn about them. This class builds everyday and if you are lost, it just gets worse. If you work on problems everyday and get help when you need it, it won’t be nearly as overwhelming. Practice reactions more than you think you need to. Keep up with the work! Don’t leave it for the last minute and do all the practice problems! Do the practice problems – if you don’t have a solid understanding, ask. The most important thing in this class is to practice all the problems you can. Work on the practice problems everyday. Keep up on suggested problems. It makes the night before the exam much easier. Always work suggested problems and go over notes daily if possible. DON’T FALL BEHIND Come to class everyday. Ask questions! If there is anything you don’t fully understand, utilize office hours. Go over notes about 15 min each day to refresh or review lecture so that you can keep it fresh in your mind and be able to quickly do any questions asked in class. Actively pay attention so that time in lecture is not wasted. Think about what you are writing down and don’t be a droid scribe. The key to know and understanding this class is constantly practicing (not just before a test). I would give students a friendly warning on how much work this class requires. Never skip class. O chem. is a subject in which each new topic builds off of previously taught topics. If a student were to miss a class, they will not receive information that will be necessary and important for the new material. Stay caught up, and work the problems as you go along. Start studying for your exams at least a week or two in advance, while reviewing your notes and practice problems on a regular basis. On the nights before tests, don’t stay up until 5am working on this stuff. Even if you lean things, your brain will not function during the test and you will make the dumbest mistakes every. Start studying days ahead of time so you can sleep. Stay on top of reactions, they carry over through out the year. Very helpful to learn the first time then refresh from there. Before each class, go over your previous class lecture notes and that way you can positively contribute in lecture, because everything builds on past material in this course. If you don’t understand something, learn it ASAP because o chem. is very cumulative. Don’t miss class! If you have to, then get the notes, ask questions, and make sure you understand the material. Stay caught up. Ochem is deadly if you fall behind because it builds on itself. STAY ORGANIZED Organize all of your notes, well in advance of exam time (especially your reactions!). Always read the book before coming to class. Make notecards for each new reaction learned as you go. It will make studying easier. One side could have just products/reactants. The other side, put the mechanism (if it is necessary to know) as well as regioselectivity or stereochemistry (Mark vs anti Mark and syn or anti addition). Review your notes a few times a day (especially right after you learn something) that way you get to know the material better and faster and then you won’t cram. Don’t’ try to memorize stuff, learn what is happening on a conceptual level. ORGANIZE REACTIONS! Really try to understand the material. Memorization will not be as effective in really being able to apply concepts to questions and go to office hours for help when needed. MAKE USE OF RESOURCES LIKE MODEL KITS, OFFICE HOURS, AND PEERS Go to office hours because it really helps. Most importantly, use office hours. Ask questions! If there is anything you don’t fully understand, utilize office hours. It makes a difference to ask the question and find out the correct answer. Never be afraid to utilize office hours. Study groups: I found that working in a small (3-4 person) group was very helpful in working through problems together because you can bounce ideas off each other. Work in a study group because peers may be able to explain concepts in a way you could better understand them. Molecule kits are your friends! Play around with Newman projections, rings, stereocenters, etc. Use model kits when leaning about stereochemistry because they help visualize the molecules when it’s difficult picturing it from a 2D drawing on paper. Use models on your own to convince yourself it really works.
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