Chem 334 - Fall 1998 - Organic Chemistry I
Portland State University - Dr. Carl C. Wamser


What Works - an e-mail assignment

You can receive up to 2 points extra credit for thoughtful responses to the following questions.

E-mail your responses to Dr. Wamser ( wamserc@pdx.edu )
before Thursday, Nov. 5, noon).

A summary of the class responses will be discussed on Friday.


1. How have you been spending your time on this class (outside of our scheduled in-class time)? Indicate the main ways that you study or prepare.

2. What do you feel works well for you in learning organic chemistry (including both in-class and out-of-class activities)?

3. What are some things that seem to be ineffective and we should do less of?

4. Any other comments about the class at this point would be welcome.


The Results - - How You Learn Organic Chemistry

The Top Ten - what works for you
(numbers of votes in parentheses)

10. Write out notes (12)
9. Put in time regularly (12)
8. Outside resources (books, web sites, etc.) (13)
7. Discussion list (18)
6. Study groups (24)
5. ConcepTests (29)
4. Class web pages (33)
3. Quizzes (34)
2. Working with models (37)
1. Practice with problems (64)

Other activities receiving votes:

Read the book (everybody said they read it)
Flash cards (10)
Class discussion and questions (10)
Multiple modes of doing things (8)
Connections to your life (4)
Office hours (4)
Chemistry Commons / tutors (3)
Talk to your bus driver (1)

We should do MORE:

Take-home pre-quizzes (26)
Lecture (18)
Problem-solving (16)
Review sessions / recitations (16)
Complete, timely web notes (7)

We should do LESS:

Quizzes (17)
Going over quizzes (11)
Question time before quizzes (8)
Hurried lectures (8)
Hurried quizzes / exams (5)
ConcepTests (3)
Discussion list (3)
ChemTV (2)

Textbook comments:

7 positive, 2 negative