How to study?

The pop exam is the best model of how the exam will look like. As you have seen from your experience form the pop exam, the focus lies exclusively on the materials covered in class. These materials are summarized by the overheads I use in class that are posted on the WWW. In your studies the book provides the background for these materials. The reader does the same in more abstract way that the book.

The very best way to improve is to learn from your mistakes.  My assistant, has your old exams in her office.  I suggest visiting her in her office hours (see electronic syllabus).  Once you determined pattern in your mistakes, we can start troubleshooting. 

 If the problem is content specific, consider the following study guide:

1. Prepare: organize your study plan.  Consider deadlines and exam dates.
2. Eat: read the relevant chapters in the textbook before coming to class.
3. Digest: use the class for asking questions you had about the reading.
4. Ruminate: take your class notes and/or my Internet postings to go though the assigned readings.  Take my lecture to guide you in your self-learning process.