Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I have a ginormous textbook. Whats the best way to study? Read and memorize everything? or just read the first and last sentence in the paragraph?
This is pretty much the first science class I'm taking in college. And I avoided science in high school (which was a long time ago).
Those who took this class please give me some tips. Thanks.
Study every day and read it all. Reading the first and last sentence of paragraphs is a terrible idea.
If you want to get a good grade in the class, you need to put in the effort. Study 30mins to 1 hour per day until you understand 100% what your professor went over.
Also--talk yourself through the day by body parts...I'm going to use my ulna and radius along with the associated muscles that I can't remember all their names and the various ligaments and tendons to brush my teeth, etc. When you walk to class, go through the anatomy that allows you to walk to class, etc.
A&P would be a tough first science class. The good news is you don't necessarily need a lot of chem/bio to jump in. The bad news is that there's just a whole lotta stuff in the human body.
A&P is generally either taught from a 'regional approach' (arm, then leg, then torso) or by system (epithelial, skeletal, musculature, digestive, etc.).
Either way, until you start to understand how all those pieces fit together, it's going to feel like a ton of rote memorization. Flash cards agreed. golfgal's suggestion is good as well.
Ultimately I think it will depend on unlocking some excitement for the subject, so that you'll always take the next step. If you can understand 'why' a cervical vertebra looks different from a lumbar vertebra, you start to move away from memorization and towards intuitive understanding. Form follows function, as they say.
But there's so much to learn you're not going to get there unless you either really put in the work, and/or embrace the fascination.
Also, these days there are a lot of really great digital resources, whether it be apps for your smart phone, or searching for websites. UMich used to make some of their tests/quizzes available online, though I'm not sure if they still do, and it may not match up with the sequence you're learning in.
Also--talk yourself through the day by body parts...I'm going to use my ulna and radius along with the associated muscles that I can't remember all their names and the various ligaments and tendons to brush my teeth, etc. When you walk to class, go through the anatomy that allows you to walk to class, etc.
Go to class. Whatever your professor emphasizes, you emphasize.
If there are group tutoring sessions, and there usually are, attend them.
Go through each lesson BEFORE it is taught. Write down what you don't intuitively understand. Then, when it is presented in class, many ideas will click. Ask for help with those concepts you don't understand.
A&P is almost never taken without A&P lab, which is often quite difficult also. The labs are almost always set up so that you can review the samples and examples outside of class time also, so take advantage of this.
For very confusing concepts, such as blood transfusions, seek out interactive help on the web.
I took what they called basic A&P at one school a while back and there was a lab. I had to take what they call A&P 1 at my new school and there was no lab, basically the same class with a different name though. Now I'm taking A&P 2 online, seems like basically the same class again, (same basic chemisty etc so far) I think maybe the difference was intended to be that their are labs in A&P 2 but for all practical purposes since its online they aren't like classroom labs.
Anyways +1 for flashcards
Oh yeah highlighting in the book while listening to lecture helped me a lot last semester. At first I was trying to take notes but I stole the idea from the woman sitting next to me and it helped a lot especially when I was doing the homework questions. I still wrote down some notes but usually only when she said it was something really important. Of course it probably hurts the resale value, I gave my books to somebody.
Science is rough at the college level. I learned that the bad way last semester with Chemistry.
Do read it. All the time. Take notes. I'd try not to write in the book because you probably want to sell it at the end of the semester, but use tabs if you need to. ALWAYS GO TO OFFICE HOURS. Do it ASAP. The second you are struggling with a concept, seek help.
Labs are generally easier than lecture, it depends on the person, but make sure to do well on the reports. Lab was considered a quarter of my Chemistry grade, and if you failed lab you automatically failed the entire class (even though lab is one credit) so do take time on that as well. I'm not sure if your school is the same way. The TAs are great help for writing lab reports. I was the only one in the lab who didn't struggle with writing lab reports and I always had to help others. Unless you are like me in a way, you might struggle.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
, (same basic chemisty etc so far) I think maybe the difference was intended to be that their are labs in A&P 2 but for all practical purposes since its online they aren't like classroom labs. 
