Post-test self-evaluation

From time to time, it is a good idea for a student to self-evaluate his/her study habits, especially after a Test. If you did not do well on the Test you have just taken, I invite you to go through the following exercise to evaluate your study-habits and to take a hard look at how you should have prepared for the Test you have just taken. Here are the steps.

Step-one: Make up a correspondence chart. Based on the Test and the course material, make a chart, which displays a rough correspondence between the Test-problems, and course materials, i.e the related problems in

§ your homework,

§ textbook examples and

§ in the iq-questions

§ and classnotes if applicable.

Here is an example for one of the past 303K tests to illustrate the setup of the chart.

Exam-Problem	Homework & Text examples	IQ-questions
dimension analysis	HW1:4,5	1.4.1, 1.4.2
velocity curve (displacement equal to the area under a velocity curve)	ex 2.4, 2.6; HW2:1, 9	2.2.1, 2.2.2
Vertical motion of a ball	HW2: 4-7	2.5.1, 2.5.3
Monkey and coconut	HW3:17-20	4.3.2
Cannon ball and battleship	HW3: 13, 14	pi 1.12, 4.3.1
swinging a ball	ex 4.9, HW3 24	4.5.1

You should makeup a similar chart for the Test you have just taken.

Step2: A checklist on how to study:

§ Review the course materials: Now you should temporarily put the exam aside. For each exam-problem you missed, study those related problems in your chart. Make sure you understand the physics.

§ Redo the missed exam problem(s): Then you close the course material and proceed to redo the test problem. It is important for you not to have the course material open when you do this step. This is to simulate the closed-book exam condition in as much as possible.

§ Begin a checklist on how to study: Based on the problem you have just finished, begin to make a checklist on how you should have studied the course materials in order for you to do well on this problem The guideline in making this check list is that, if you had the checklist before the exam, you would have done well on this problem.

§ Add new items to your checklist: In this manner, you go through all the problems for which you have missed one-by-one. Include additional items on your checklist, when appropriate. The eventual check list should be such that, if you had prepared the exam based on this checklist, you would have done well on this exam.

Step3: Analysis on the outcome. We divide the outcomes into two categories

• Category 1: You are able to do all the problems from this Test in the manner described above. This indicates that you have the potential to do well in this course.
• Armed with your check list, you should look ahead to the preparation for the next exam. Study the course material as you go along. Do not wait until the last minute to cram for the exam. For each chapter, go through
• the textbook examples,
• IQs and
• the homework.
• examples in your class notes
• Remember you should study these physics problems in the manner as indicated on your checklist. Refine your checklist as you go along.

Improve your understanding of Physics: Here are several ways which may help you to improve your understanding of physics

· Detailed problem solution: Write down the solution of each problem which you consider difficult in your own words. Include a proper sketch, and also the accompanying step-by-step reasoning.

· Reasoning behind the work: Do not just concern yourself with how to work out a problem, but also reflect on why the problem is solved in the manner which you have just followed.

· Ask another question: See if you can ask another question about the problem which you have just completed.

• Category 2. After studying the corresponding textbook examples, HW problem(s) and the IQ question(s), you still are unable to complete the Test. This indicates that you have a deeper problem. You must pro-actively seek help. For example, come see to me. You should bring your work sheets together with the corresponding IQs, homework sets and the Test when you come. Your difficulty can not be fixed by simply altering your study habit. We need to further explore the source of your difficulty.