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Study Tips for Your Engineering and Science Courses
 As you're making the transition to college life, you'll inevitably find you're bombarded with information from every angle. With the many lectures, exams, program assignments and other aspects of study coming at you, it can all seem overwhelming.
A few tips to help you get a handle on it all will definitely come in handy. We'll cover a few essential topics in this article to help you.
Lectures: To Attend or not To Attend
There's conflicting information going on about lectures. Some say too many will interfere with your schoolwork, and others say too much is never enough. There's a simple rule to follow with any lectures offered: if it in any way pertains to your course, or even if it's in your respective wheelhouse, go.
You don't want to attend every lecture, but you also have to remember that lectures are probably a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to hear a true expert speak about something. To that end, make sure it interests you. Don't go because you feel obligated; go because you're interested.
Proper Note-Taking Techniques
Another issue with school, whether going on-location or attention via virtual classroom, is the note-taking issue.
"What do I write down and what do I ignore?" That's the question millions of students are asking.
The trick here is to approach note-taking as if you're completing an assignment. Instead of simply jotting down things the instructor says, you want to paint a picture with the notes – put it to paper in a way you'll not only comprehend but also be able to build from.
A few important things to note:
- How one navigates through the problem, step-by-step
- Any particular or peculiar aspects of the problem
- The approach taken by the problem solver
- Anything that strikes you as worth remembering
This is just from what you hear. If you're planning on taking proper notes that will be helpful down the road, you'll also have to participate in the Q-n-A process, asking questions and paying attention to the answers.
What you're looking for with this are any techniques, rules, concepts, etc, that will help you develop your own skills.
Lastly, be sure to edit the notes after the lecture or class ends. Check for errors or omissions, and take your time to fill in the blanks so your notes will be easily understood at a later date. Beyond that, there’s nothing left of the process but to review your work.
What about Discussions and Open Office Events?
Apart from the many lectures, you will also have the opportunity to participate in discussion sections. Because these lectures have fewer people attending, you'll gain a more in-depth understanding of what's being said, since the room is more intimate.
The only real issue here is to learn the format of the discussion sections. Once you understand how they're set up to work, make sure you attend.
Discussion sections will help you review your work and to gain a better understanding about the material in general.
You'll most likely also find TA and faculty office hour events, similar to discussions and lectures. The same rule applies here as with discussions, the only difference: you'll want to involve yourself more in these discussions, via questions and note-taking.
Textbooks: Reviewing and Reading
Before you purchase any textbook, ask around to see how helpful it was for someone else. Get a feel for what you're using.
Once you receive a textbook, you want to preview its contents. Your goals:
- To get a feel for the layout of the book.
- To overview the material – intro and summary pages, heading/subheadings, diagrams.
- To look at the problems at the end of every chapter.
- To make notes of new terms, theorems, etc.
- To review old terms and definitions as they relate to new materials.
- To formulate any questions you have.
When it comes to text reading, the idea is to focus more on problem sets and solutions instead of simply text-reading.
When dealing with proper ways to review any text, you could find many different steps, all unique and drawn out. The best way to approach reading the text is to understand that you're only looking to comprehend its meaning.
To help with this, you should:
- Formulate questions before you start reading.
- Know what different symbols and words mean.
- Analyze example problems.
- Cross reference the material.
- Ingest a little at a time, reviewing chapters as you go.
Understanding your textbook is not difficult. However, it's not a novel. Reading it from cover to cover is going to leave you confused. So look for problems, solve the problems, and take what you need from the book.
Problem Solving
In any science or engineering-based course, problem solving is a key factor. You're most likely going to be presented with multiple problems, have to work in groups, and will have to correctly analyze and solve problems.
Simple steps to help you with this process include:
- Reading through problems-per textbook example-to comprehend the overview.
- Work up diagrams and create labels to navigate the process.
- Develop a plan of attack which includes formulating a relationship with the facts; defining the formula; working backwards from completed portions to revise; relating the problem; breaking the problem down in smaller form to solve it; entertaining different answers; finally reaching a course of attack.
- Carrying out the plan.
Problem analysis is the biggest step here. Realistically, it's simple enough to analyze anything. But the harder the problem is, the easier it is to get lost in it. The goal here is to stay sharp, understand the problem, and know how to attack it from all angles.
You want to have a feel for the concept, formula and various rules. Pay attention to the method you use, the starting point you choose, and always measure your solution to make sure you're not leaving anything out. As the steps are completed, you will have a chance to analyze the problem in more detail.
Assignments and Exams
Program assignments and exams are undoubtedly two of the more daunting tasks you will face while obtaining a degree. Not to even mention that, as you progress in your studies, the assignments and exams will increase in difficulty.
Here are a few things to note with programming assignments:
- Always read through the assignment several times to cover all bases.
- Ensure that you have a solid understanding of the assignment, and don't be afraid to ask questions if you do not.
- Plan your course of attack, just like with the problem solving segment, and review the concept and tools you'll be using
- Design your program and review it to ensure you're heading in the right direction.
- Break the assignment down into sections until which time you can put it together fluidly.
- Use the old carpenter’s adage: measure twice, cut once.
- Never work under the gun. Don't procrastinate; get your project completed on time and turn it in.
Keep the same principles in mind when studying for and completing exams. The idea here is to start the preparation early. You never want to be caught off guard. Review your notes, understand what's going to be covered, and study accordingly.
At the end of the day, you'll never get out more than you put it. The onus is on you to complete the work at a satisfactory level. Don't let anything stand in your way.
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