Study Guide for Astronomy 105

How to Succeed in Astronomy 105

Attend the Lecture!

Attending the lecture is a NECESSARY part of Astronomy 105. Although your textbook is an excellent source of information about Astronomy, it is difficult to understand these concepts without attending the lectures on the material. I have collected data during the last two years that I have taught the course, and my statistical analysis has shown that students who attend lecture regularly have a B average for there final grade. Students that attend less than half of the lectures have a D average for their final grade! The tests that I give are based mostly on my lecture notes. Just to give you an added incentive to attend the lecture, I give occasional surprise quizzes during some of the lectures.

Read the Book!

The lectures are designed to give a you a good overview of the material, but you NEED to read the textbook! If you read the textbook before each lecture, you should get an excellent preview of the material that will covered in lecture. A combination of listening, writing and READING seem to be the best way to learn any subject. All most all of my lectures are designed to go with specific sections in the text book.

Review the Class Notes!

The notes you take in class and the notes I have put on this server are both good for reviewing the material covered in lecture. If you don't understand some part of a lecture, go back to the book and reread that section. You can also ask questions through email, office hours, or in person. I love to be asked questions about astronomy!

Answer the review questions and sample test questions!

The review questions and sample test questions are designed to review the lecture and reading material. You probably won't see identical questions on the test, but the review questions give you a VERY good idea as to what topics I think are important. Remember, some of the question you see in the review sections ones I have used on tests in other years.

Don't try to cram for the tests!

It won't work. Astronomy is a complex subject. If you work a little every day, you will be able to understand the connections between the topics. If you don't keep up with the review questions and the reading, you won't understand these connections.

Ask questions if you need help!

I like answering questions about astronomy! It gives me a warm, fuzzy feeling inside when I know that someone is listening and wants some part of my lecture clarified. I have office hours set aside just for YOU to ask questions! You can also ask questions using this email! To see my office hours, phone number, and email address, take a look at the information about the Faculty and Staff

If you have trouble, consider getting a tutor.

There are a number of student tutors available for Astronomy 105. George Mason University also has services to help you improve your study habits and make your study time more effective. You might consider taking some of these courses. They are free and really could help your grade in Astronomy and all your other classes!

Form or Join a Study Group.

Many students have found it useful to form a discussion group to review course material and study questions. Although I have provided a great deal of review and study material, it may be very helpful for you to discuss this material with other students.