“You cannot be taught physics, you have to learn it!”

• Review and understand: old exams, class notes, and homework problems, textbook examples, etc.
  
• Study with another student or in a small group – you learn best by teaching others.
• Come to class, pay attention, take good notes, and focus on understanding.
• Understand the point of physics demonstrations presented in class.
• Work textbook problems that seem confusing, but do not spend too much time on any one problem.
• Review conceptual questions presented in class and at the end of each chapter.
• Read the textbook, but do not waste time reviewing sections you already understand.
• Keep up with the reading.
• Review a little each day; do not wait to the last minute.
• Do not memorize - understanding physics requires higher-level thinking skills.
• Do not spend too much time studying topics that are not covered in class.
• Get a good night’s rest the day before an examination.

Adapted from http://user.physics.unc.edu/~deardorf/phys25/studytips.html.

Reading the text and solving homework problems is a cycle. You need to read before working on problems. Your work on problems will lead you to questions. Questions lead to answers that lead back to more questions. You need to enter into this cycle before coming to class, so that in class you can ask questions. An entire chapter will often be devoted to the consequences of a single basic principle. You should look for these basic principles. These Laws of Nature give order to the physicists’ view of the universe. Moreover, nearly all of the problems that you will be faced with in a physics course can be analyzed by means of one or more of these laws.

When looking for relationships among topics, you may note that in many instances a specific problem is first analyzed in great detail. Then the setting of the problem is generalized into more abstract results. When such generalizations are made, you should refer back to the case that was previously cited and make sure that you understand how the general theory applies to the specific problem. Then see if you can think of other problems to which that general principle applies. Some suggestions for your physics reading:

1. Make use of the preview that you did prior to the class. Again, quickly look at the major points of the chapter. Think back to the points stressed in class and any questions you might have written down.
2. Read the homework problems first. If specific homework problems have not yet been assigned, select several and look these over. Critically assess what principles seem to be most significant in the assigned chapter. Based upon your brief review of the class and your examination of the problems, try to generate questions in your mind that you want the chapter to answer.
3. Read actively with questions in mind. A passive approach to reading physics wastes your time. Read with a pencil and paper beside the book to jot down questions and notes. If you find that you are not reading actively, once again take a look at the problems and the lecture notes. Read to learn, not to cover material.
4. Stop periodically and pointedly recall the material that you have read. It is a good idea to repeat material aloud and especially to add notes from the textbook into the margins of your class notes.

 

During your reading you will notice sections, equations, or ideas that apply directly to assigned problems. After you have read such a section, stop and analyze its application to a homework problem. The interplay of reading and problem solving is part of the cycle of question → answer → question → …. It helps you gain insights that are not possible by reading alone, even careful reading alone. Passive reading is simply following the chain of thought in the text. Active reading also involves exploring the possibilities of what is being read. By actively combining the questions that are inherent in problem solving with your reading, you enhance both your concentration while reading and your ability to recall and to apply the material.

Adapted from http://www.ph.utexas.edu/~turner/classes/HowToStudyPhysics.htm.

Preparing for a quiz requires three different, simultaneous approaches. First, the student should ask himself/herself, “Which pieces of information are most important and impart the most understanding about the topic under study?” The answer to this first question should guide the student in rationing time properly. Secondly, the student should seek to understand what the overall goal of the material is, asking, “How does the information fit together?“ Finally, the student should examine the materials provided by the instructor and prepare (by memorization, etc.) those items noted.

Tests are cumulative. Information from all previous quizzes and the class periods immediately preceding the test will be required for success. First, study all previous quizzes. Make sure to obtain the correct answers for the quizzes and study the corrected information. Secondly, study the materials covered in class since the last quiz as though preparing for a quiz on those topics.