Study tips

Organzing your course materials

Written Notes

• I highly recommend you have a physical notebook dedicated to this class so that you can keep your notes in one physical place.
• I recommend you write notes:
  • while watching videos for each checkpoint, pay attention to:
    • definitions
    • new concepts/ideas
    • R functions: what they do and how to use them
    • questions that still remain (that you could ask in class)
  • during class, jot down:
    • deeper understandings to a concept
    • connections to previous concepts
    • equations, notation and what they mean
    • procedures (checklists to ensure you are covering all the important aspects)
    • interpretations (key words and why those words are important)
    • R functions: what they do and how to use them
    • questions that still remain (that you could ask in class or office hours)
  • after class, before working on the problem sets, rewrite a summary of your notes
    • key concepts
    • definitions and notation
    • procedures (what to do when)
    • context-based interpretations

Computer Files

In order to implement the concepts, we will be working with many files on our computer. In order to find them, it is important to set up a file structure.

• In your Desktop or Documents folder, create a folder called stat155.
  • Within that stat155 folder, create a folder called inclass_activities. This is where you’ll put provided qmd files from in-class activities.
  • Within the stat155 folder, create a folder called practice_sets. This is where you’ll put provided qmd files for problem sets.
  • Within the stat155 folder, create a folder called project. This is where you’ll put qmd files for the final project.

Studying in between class

You should be studying on a weekly basis, not just before quizzes. There are so many ways to study! Here are some basics:

• Complete every activity you didn’t finish in class.
• Revise and edit your notes. Add details that you might not have written down in class – think of this as a communication with your future self that will be more rusty on the material than your current self.
• Check the activity solutions in the online manual.
• Review all recent activities & checkpoints.
  • What were the new concepts, definitions, and tools?
  • Are there any consistent problem-solving strategies?
  • Where do you still have questions? Attend office hours to discuss those questions, and re-do any related exercises for extra practice.

Studying for a quiz

There are so many ways to study! Here’s one of many possibilities:

1. Start today.
2. Start your own summary study sheet (e.g. on paper in your notebook, or a Google doc).
3. Review all CP videos & activities, focusing first on the big picture. Add any big definitions, concepts, and consistent problem-solving strategies to your study sheet.
   
4. Redo the exercises in all activities, checkpoints, & problem sets using only your study sheet.
   • Take time to write out complete answers, just as you’ll be expected to do on the quiz.
   • Take note of the areas where you are the least confident so you can return to them later.
   • Take note of concepts, tools, and notation that you needed but didn’t already have on your study sheet.
5. Edit your study sheet accordingly.
6. Try to redo exercises without using the study sheet. Repeat editing and trying exercises without the study sheet until you’re confident in the material.

While you don’t get to use this sheet during the quiz, the process of making one requires you to synthesize material and is one of the most effective ways to study!