So you’re taking chemistry…
Study smarter, not harder!
Q: Why is chemistry so much harder than high school chemistry or other classes I’m taking at Carolina?
A: College chemistry moves at a rapid pace where the material piles up fast if you don’t have a good system for keeping up! Also, the
material is more difficult, requiring deeper levels of understanding. Because most chemistry classes are cumulative, the problems
are more complex. Many students notice this most on tests where the question requires you to connect several concepts at once to
reach an answer.
Q: Do I have to think differently for college chemistry?
A: Well… yes! College chemistry wants you to use application and analysis to solve problems. Where you may have previously relied
on remembering and understanding to get through a class, you’ll need higher order learning skills for college chemistry. Bloom’s
taxonomy (see pyramid below) represents this hierarchy of learning levels. With analysis and application in mind, you can tailor
your study time in order to develop and hone your critical thinking skills.
Q: What does this higher order thinking look like?
A: It’s the difference in remembering that HCl is a strong acid versus analyzing the present
species to calculate the pH at equivalence point in a titration.
Q: How do I move up the pyramid?
A: Unfortunately, there isn’t a “one size fits all” fix to move from understanding to analyzing
and eventually evaluating and creating (skills you’ll definitely need for professional and
graduate schools). This handout provides several study strategies you can incorporate in to
your routine to help you achieve those higher level learning skills. Read on to learn more
about them and see what works for you!
1. Metacognition
Q: Meta what?
A: Metacognition is basically thinking about your thinking. Checking in with yourself while you study is a great way to assess
your level of understanding. You ask lots of why, how, and what questions to be reflective about your learning and to
strategize about resolving issues.
Q: How do I practice metacognition in my chemistry class?
A: You can ask yourself some of the questions below or come up with your own!
Does this answer make sense given the information provided? Why or why not?
What did I hear/read that conflicts with my prior understanding?
How did what I just heard/read relate to what I studied yesterday (previously)?
What questions are popping up during class and when I study? Where am I making a note of these questions? (Taking note of
these questions can help you make the most of office hours and discussion sessions.)
When I do something like this again, what would I do differently? What worked well and should be used again?
2. Incorporate the Study Cycle
Preview the Review what you Assess your
Attend class Study
class material just learned learning
Skim through the Take useful notes and Read over notes, fill Read textbook, work Test yourself using
chapter, review chap- get answers to the in any gaps, and take problems, supple- end-of-chapter ques-
ter objectives, and questions you identi- note of new ques- ment class notes with tions and other prac-
identify questions fied in the previous tions. This is best readings, and gener- tice problems. Don’t
you’d like to answer step. done as soon after ate figures/diagrams look at the answer
from the lecture. attending class as from notes. before attempting the
possible. problems!
Q: How is this cycle helpful?
A: It strategically organizes your studying into manageable pieces of enhanced and focused learning! It also exposes the class
content to you three different times in typically less than 24 hours.
Q: When should I use the Study Cycle?
A: You can use this cycle every day! This type of spaced repetition will help you to put the content information in long term
memory so you won’t need to cram before an exam. Aim to finish one whole cycle before beginning another.
3. Intensify your study time
Q: Intensify?!? That sounds scary!
A: When studying, you definitely want to get “more bang for your buck.”
An intense study session often follows this model:
1. Set a goal (<2 minutes)
For help implementing any of these
2. Study with focus (30 - 50 minutes) strategies, come see an academic
coach in the Learning Center. You
Work homework problems without a key
can also check out the other great
Make a concept map study resources on the Learning
Paraphrase the lecture notes or textbook passages Center website!
Talk through figures and diagrams
3. Take a break (10 minutes)
4. Review what you just studied (5 - 10 minutes)
Use self-testing to gauge what you learned and what you still need to work on.
References: Cook, E.; Kennedy, E.; McGuire, S. Y. J. Chem. Educ. 2013, 90, 961—967.
Tanner, K. D. CBE Life Sci. Educ. 2012, 11, 113—120.
learningcenter.unc.edu https://www.facebook.com/UncChLearningCenter 919-962-3782
