FAQ: Help! I need lecture notes for this course. Some of my courses provide Powerpoint versions of the notes; why don't you?

Reply: Despite some folk's misperceptions, Chemistry is not a course based on memorization. Rather, it is a course about learning to solve problems. The lecture is merely an introduction to the subject - real learning takes place when you work through problems yourself. Reading and re-reading lecture notes is no substitute for working through problems. I can't emphasize this enough! This brings us to the next question...

FAQ: There are too many OWL assignments and I don't like being taught by a computer.

Reply: Please understand the purpose of the OWL learning system. The OWL assignments are there primarily to give you lots of practice working through chemistry problems that are going over the material introduced in lecture. Homework is essential to understanding chemistry. In "the old days," I would have simply said "work through problems 5, 7, 8-10, 15-18, and 25 at the end of chapter 4." I have found from experience that OWL is a MUCH better way of achieving the same end, and most student responses have reflected this. OWL provides immediate feedback when you take the wrong path. In either case, it is ESSENTIAL to understanding the material that you work through such homework problems.

Watching a football game (or tennis match, or a cooking class, or a violin concerto) is a necessary introduction to the game, but will not turn you into a star player. This is why in sports (and many other endeavors), you have practice, where you run through plays many, many times, figuring out what works for you. It is in the practice that the real learning takes place. Problem solving in Chemistry is exactly the same. You can't expect to get an A, or even to pass, this course by simply watching the lectures or reading text (though these are important in getting you started).

FAQ: We are not taught enough in class - how am I supposed to understand the material?

Reply: See above. Most of your learning will take place outside of class. You have the textbook, you have interactive simulations and tutorials on the accompanying CD, and you have tutorials through OWL. This course does not suffer from a lack of support materials!

If you are struggling and "not effectively learning," my response would be to give you more assignments (be they end of chapter or OWL), as this is how true understanding is achieved. This is not a class where I give you the facts and then ask you spit them back out on an exam. Rather, I want you to understand how to USE the facts and concepts to solve problems. You can only achieve that level by working through problems.