Here you will find study tips and advice on how to take this class.
Try to set aside time every day at the same time to work on the class. Read through your book, watch the videos, do the problems, and then do even more problems. It is easy to fall behind in online classes and try to cram at the last minute. By setting aside time every day, you can stay on top of the course load.
When you read the book, it takes a while. This is not like other reading. Try to understand every line. If you don't understand a statement, ask. As you go through problems in the book, don't just read, try the problem yourself. On particularly tricky problems, try them again by yourself after you've read the section or watched the video.
Math is like learning a sport or a musical instrument. Perfect practice makes perfect. Do lots of problems, practice checking your work, and post questions! Reading other people's solutions is another good way to practice. Read them skeptically, try to understand every step. Notice when steps have been skipped. Should they have been skipped? Can you still understand the solution? Watch for small algebra errors and larger conceptual errors. Help out when you can and ask questions when the solution is not clear.
Practice taking exams as you would in the class. Sit down for 50 minutes with a timer on and your phone off. Try this several days before the midterm or final at the same time you are going to take it. Have your calculator and note sheet ready. Think of this as a golden opportunity for getting feedback. Study the questions you had trouble with. Ask questions about the ones you missed. Post solutions for feedback.
The more connections and the more time you spend thinking about vector calculus, the better you will do. Try to put time into your journal entry, not just writing it up, but thinking about interesting ideas of how to apply vector calculus to the world around you. Ask questions! Spend time on Piazza reading student journal entries and questions. Read the instructor answers and the student answers. Try to add to these answers!
Office hours: Thursdays, 1:30-3:30pm.
Office: Padelford C-8B
How to find my office: See my web site
E-mail: jps314 "at" uw "dot" edu
Class site: see here