How to Study for the Exams
- The exams focus on concepts, not just factual details.
- The schedule is the study guide. Start by looking at the ideas and questions there.
- Next, look at the lecture notes.
- Finally, look at the readings, both in the textbook and the others linked from the syllabus.
- Do not try to memorize the readings. Instead, ask of each section of reading, “What point or argument is the author making? How does it relate to the ideas of the course?” That will help you understand the concepts and how they relate to one another.
Look here for sample exam questions and here for powerpoint slides from the lectures. (The lecture slides are not a substitute for lecture notes.) The final exam is one half cumulative, and one half on just the material since the previous exam.