Study Tips for Chem 33
Organic Chemistry is three dimensional
You will find that nearly all of the skills developed in Chem 31A/B are just as applicable in Chem 33: you still have to put in the time for concepts to marinate, you have to dig deep in problems, and you have to be constantly vigilant by asking “why.” However, in organic chemistry, there is a new visual component. It is essential to begin viewing molecules three dimensionally, since the 3D structure greatly impacts the actual chemistry.
To start visualizing these structures, use a model kit to build molecules every time you do organic chemistry (reading, practice problems, and so on). Bring the model kit to section. Your models will reveal important properties of the molecules, like the spatial relationships between different atoms, or how easily a bond can rotate. Keep the model kit on you at all times and use it! Seriously, use it.
Learning chemistry takes time, so make time to study every day
Just as you need to take time to practice a sport or learn a foreign language, you need to take time to regularly practice chemistry. In many ways, organic chemistry is like a foreign language: if you practice it a little every day, using it will get easier. You’re not expected to get everything right away; some of the most successful students in this course had to wrestle with the material before really understanding everything—so stick with it!
There is a reason Chem 33 is not a directed reading: all the parts—practice problems, reading, lecture, section, office hours, studying on your own or with friends, tutoring—work best when you use them together.
Lecture material is really important
Lectures will provide the primary source of information, so try to stay engaged and focus on understanding this material. You may find that doing some directed reading before lecture provides a helpful background, but don’t read the entire book unless this is effective for your learning. When something doesn’t make sense, use the book and office hours to provide more examples and clarification.
Dig deep on practice problems
Just doing lots of practice problems will not necessarily make you a better problem solver. You will never see an exam problem that looks exactly like a practice problem, so doing every problem possible is not necessarily a good strategy. Instead, when you work out a practice problem, make sure that you can explain why and when you would make each step in your solution. Be able to explain:
- Why certain information is useful to you or might be unnecessary
- What the molecules look like in 3D
- Where the areas of positive and negative charge on a molecule are
- What the nucleophile and electrophile are, and how strong the nucleophile is
- What steric considerations are important
- What the solvent is and how it could play a role
- Why you need to consider a particular reaction
- When you would be able to make any assumptions you are making
It is easy to fall into the trap of reading through a solution key and thinking it makes sense. But unless you can justify each step with more than a “just because” statement, it will be difficult to apply those skills to another problem.
Sections really do matter
Sections will highlight particularly important concepts and often give you the opportunity to check yourself with a weekly quiz. Make sure that you can apply the main concepts of each section before the next exam. A good way to see if you are applying concepts rather than memorizing them is by checking to see if you can explain why you’re taking specific steps to solve a problem. Remember to bring your model kits to section, too!
Ask lots and lots of questions
Scientists ask questions all the time. Especially why! Instructors always appreciate when students ask questions because it shows they are listening and really thinking about the material.
- Ask “what does that really mean?” each time you read a new section of a new chapter.
- Ask “why” as you’re deciding what a problem is asking and how to solve it.
- Speak up in section or lecture when something is unclear or you want to know more.
- Ask questions about the lecture and section material. If you are reviewing material on your own, write these questions down. If you can answer them on your own, great! If you get stuck, take them with you to office hours or a study group. That way, you won’t forget, and you’ll make sure to get a more thorough understanding of everything.
Study more efficiently—not just more
One of the first steps in coming up with an efficient study strategy is to assess what, out of all you are doing to study, helps you the most. If there are some concepts you’re already comfortable with, perhaps spend less time reviewing those and more time on concepts that are still challenging.
Take some time to assess where are you having difficulty on the exams. Retry all of the problems you missed on the most recent exam (before looking at the solutions, if you haven’t already). Do you get farther than you did during the exam? Are you really able to finish them with more time or in a less stressful environment? Do you get stuck on concepts or definitions, on math, or on starting the problem?
If you can start to identify where and how you are struggling with the exam, then you can learn how to make better use of your study time as you prepare for the next one. Debriefing the exam helps you identify the conceptual gaps that you need to relearn versus errors that may have resulted from test stress or a misreading of a question.
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Study Tips for Chem 33
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