How to Earn an A

The following is a strongly suggested weekly schedule for Week 2 and all upcoming
weeks.

Preparation for ILL:

Read the text (pdf) of this week’s Lecture while watching the video of the Lecture.
Annotate the pdf, take notes of any questions you have, and equations used.
Try solving the multiple-choice and short-answer problems found in the lecture,
called Lecture Questions (LQs), by hand well before submitting your answers to
those same questions in the LQ test on Canvas.
➡ (due the night before ILL)
Read the Chapter Intro and Conclusion first, study all illustrations and attempt all
worked out examples and the conceptual Stop-to-Think questions within the chapter.
Skim through the chapter in the textbook for important information and equations
(read the chapter thoroughly at the end of the week after attempting most HW
problems). Then, go to MasteringPhysics (MP) to answer the questions in the
short Reading Assignment (RA) Quiz
➡ (due the night before ILL)
Watch the Problem Solving Videos (PSVs), pause these and try to solve the
problems before seeing the solution. Redo the problem by hand, but with variations
such as change the values, directions, givens and unknowns, etc…
Redo the PSVs, follow the instructions on the RAs on what question to solve.
➡ (turn in to me reworked problems at the beginning of ILL)
Read the instructions for the upcoming ILL, so that you and your group are ready to
start experiments in a timely manner. If there are Practice Quizzes (PQs) in the
next ILL, work on those before coming to class (but, do not work on the
experiments!).
➡ The PQs are also homework and will be checked off at the beginning of ILL for
quality, effort, and completeness.

Do not wait to the last minute to work on these assignments

Work on HW throughout the week:

Weekly HW (on MP) is to be completed by Sunday night by 11:59 pm.
Most of the weekly MP problems are assigned from the textbook. Check which ones
are, then work those same problems in the textbook and check your answers in the
back of the textbook. Next log on to MP to solve those same problems generated
with different values.
 How to Earn an A
Spread out your work. Do not do all of your HW Sunday night! Do a few HW
problems and a little studying each day.
On Canvas in the weekly class webpages you can find additional links to helpful
animations and videos. Make use of these to help you understand the material.

Wrap-up the Week:

Read the textbook chapter thoroughly at the end of the week after attempting most
HW problems.
Be sure to check your answers and read the feedback after submitting an LQ.
Read the Study Guide for more tips on how to study and respond to the
corresponding questions and problems for this week’s material. Much of the Study
Guide involves creating your own physics problems, which you will also do on
Discussion Boards (DBs) on Canvas creating your own Review Questions before
each Exam.
Try solving my old exam questions from the Practice Exams (PEs) related to the
concluded week’s material.

Have Questions?:
• If you have questions you feel are worthy of class discussion, post them on the DB
Physics Help Board.
• Meet me during office hours to seek help.
• Why are next week’s assignments not available?
All the assignments for an upcoming week will become "visible" by the weekend. I
recommend always reviewing/redoing the current week's material (see the Wrap-up
section above) to strive for mastery, rather than getting ahead.

My strong advice is not to pile your studying and work on just the day of
ILL nor on the day when HW is due; you’ll have to put the time in to do
the work regardless, so make it easier on yourself and do a little work
each day.
Do not wait to the last minute to work on these assignments!

“I find that the harder I work, the more luck I seem to have.” - Thomas Jefferson