It is not hard to do well in this class as long as you follow a few easy tips. Always come to class because she covers alot in a class time and you will be behind. For instance some of the labs are easier to do with the class than at home on your own. Sign up for the class dropbox in order to receive the lecture slides. They are great study tools. Ask the teacher for help or see her in office hours if you are having problems. She is willing to help out. Lastly, pick a good class partner to work with. You don’t want to get stuck with someone you can’t get along with or a slacker that never shows up to class.
To do well in this class you have to attend every day because it’s three hours alot to make up if you don’t have time, keep up with all your home works cause a few missed home works can damage your grade. Also it is important to pay attention in class, and take notes you’ll need them for home work. But good luck to you all, and enjoy your semester. Kate is a wonderful teacher.
This may come as a huge surprise to some of you, but if you show up to class every day and participate in the discussions you’ll have a much easier time with the course than those who do not show up and do not participate. Getting homework done a day or two ahead of schedule helped me out a lot, as it gave me the opportunity to make minor adjustments and/or corrections without being overwhelmed. If you fall behind, you’ll be making the class ten times harder than it needs to be! Labs make up 30% of your grade (which is more than the final and midterm COMBINED), so it is exceptionally important to be detail-oriented on them and not to lose your focus. If you need help, ask for it! Kate is knowledgeable and she is always willing to help steer you in the right direction.
Some advice – take notes on your Mastering Astronomy online homework Tutorials. They are great resources and supplement a ton of the information you will need for the class. Also don’t rush through your labs, it is easy to get a good grade in the class if you take your time and ask Kate any questions you may because she’s always more than willing to help. Her office hours are also great if you’re lost on your homework or have any additional questions.
This class is very different then what you are probably used to, in a good way! It is especially important to attend EVERY class. This is not one of those classes you can show up to half the time just to take the tests and get an A. The labs are sometimes difficult so if you get stuck on something collaborate with another group or ask Kate. Make sure that when answering a question on anything (homework, lab, reading quiz) answer completely. A lot of times especially on labs there will be a multi-layer question and its easy to lose points if all of the layers are not addressed. Again, it is super important to attend every class!
First heads up….GO TO EVERY CLASS, and that will help you so you don’t miss any labs! Second, DO YOUR HOMEWORK!! Two things that you need to do, and if they are done, even partially done, you will totally pass the class; come to class, and do all the labs!! if you miss a class and they cover a lab you’re missing out, labs are 30% of the grades, more the midterm or quizzes. And second, homework, thats another 30%. By going to every class you’ll have all the notes you need for the homework and quizzes. Kate is a great teacher, super helpful, just don’t be afraid to ask!
I believe that doing all of your homework to the best of your abilities is a huge portion of the class that is a key to success. Also taking the one or two hours out of the week to do all of your mastering astronomy assignments is a large part of the grade. Thirdly, if your attendance is good and you partner up with people that also have good attendance you will be more successful in the in class labs.
The most important thing above all is to attend every class! This is what everyone will tell you. From my personal suggestion box let me give you some insight. Have an open mind and absorb as much of the information you are given as possible. This class is awesome as long as you are willing to take the information given and develop it in your mind you will not only learn a lot, but you will have fun as well. You must above all things believe there is an infinite universe out there and at the minimum accept the challenge to learn about as much of it as you can. I was not a fan of astronomy and to be honest was taking this class to fulfill a science. However, after taking this class I have decided to enroll in another Astronomy class not just to fulfill a science, but to learn even more about whats out there. HAVE FUN!!!
The most essential behavior, that you hopefully don’t need to develop, is consistent attendance. Typically, there is about an hour and twenty minutes of lecturing and about an hour and twenty minutes of lab work (with a 10 minute break sandwiched in there), and I assure you that one doesn’t want to teach themselves the day’s concepts, complete a lab, and do a few hours worth of homework all uninstructed. Kate Follette is a knowledgeable and passionate teacher, so finding the will for consistent attendance shouldn’t be tough if you have even a minor interest in space and our universe.
If you end up forgetting to do a mastering astronomy assignment, I recommend you complete it anyway. MA assignments can teach you a LOT and easily make your comprehension more thorough. The tutorials are almost like “re-lectures” taking alternate approaches that open new synaptic pathways.
Other behaviors that have helped me are: thorough note taking, making friends with reliable lab partners, and importantly, taking an interest in the subject matter and asking questions that follow my interests (and are at least somewhat pertaining to the classroom subject matter).
Quick tips: 1. Set aside 2-3 hours every Friday or Saturday to do the home work and lecture tutorial. That way if you have any questions on the home work you can address them on Tuesday and have greater confidence that you’re turning in a better quality product by Thursday.
2. Read the reading quiz assignments twice. The first time, once they are posted. The second, the day of the quiz. It’s really helpful to have the text fresh in your mind right before you take the quiz.
1. Attend all classes.
2. Take notes from Mastering Astronomy.
3. Look over your homework assignment as soon as possible. Don’t wait until the last minute to do your homework because some of them may require extended periods of time, internet access, or tools that you may not have that will be required to complete the homework.
4. Be sure to answer all questions completely and in their entirety, i.e. show your work & answer all parts of a question.
Go to every class and take notes even though lectures are posted. Some info doesn’t make it onto the slides and it forces you to pay attention to the lecture. Do every lab and ask questions on them because lab grades AREN’T dropped. Do the mastering astronomy ahead of time because the tutorials can get kinda lengthy. Reading quizzes are for comprehension and not facts, so keep that in mind.
Succeeding any class, depends upon your interest, your hard work, you capability, and the instructor. You don,t have to worry about the instructor: Kate is helpful and knowledgeable instructor. So, you shouldn’t miss any classes. Take notes from the classes and the Mastering Astronomy. Study and do the lab correctly, and do Reading quizzes and test well.
Best advice I can give is to keep up with the homework. This was my issue, and although I grasped the material, the homework was always what separated succeeding and excelling.
It is very important NOT to miss class. There is a lot of material covered during class along with a lab. Always do homework, the mastering astronomy, and the labs these are a big chunk of your grade. You do have to dedicate time to class but if you are looking for a good grade it is worth it, plus you learn a lot from it as well. Don’t hesitate on asking questions. Kate is always willing to help and clarified and doubts. Great teacher and very organized.
Tips: stay actively involved in class which means attendance is very important. This is not a class you can plan on missing so if your looking for an easy science credit your not going to find it here. For students who are curious about whether or not astronomy is a field of study they want to chose or just interested in astronomy this class is great. the instructor is very hardworking, reasonable, and willing to work with or understand any issues that may come up over this semester so dont be afraid to talk to her. If you dont have a lot of math background the math section is hard but doable i advise getting or borrowing a graphing calculator because that will make manipulating the sometimes very big and very small numbers used in the class. There are alot of different components in the class so doing things like homework, observing project and Mastering astronomy right away is encouraged. I also stress that you move around during the semester and work with a few different groups because labs are a huge part of your grade so finding good lab partners is very important. i went to one of the free lectures at the U of A for extra credit and it was very interesting so if you need extra credit check it out its free.
One of the biggest pieces of advice I could give would be not to underestimate the lessons. Though some may not be the most interesting at the time, the principles behind them is actually pretty interesting to think about. Read a few non-assigned articles and get excited about astronomy and you’ll do fine. Oh, and showing up to class never hurt someone’s grade.
It is very important to show up for every class, otherwise you will probably miss out on a Lab and you will fall behind. Staying ahead of schedule is very important if you want to pass this course. Kate is very kind about offering students opportunities to succeed, so take advantage of extra credit and any other flexibility she extends.
If you take notes on the lectures, then make sure you write REALLY short hand, as the lectures are fast-paced. I would advise an audio recorder. Buy the lecture tutorial book–there is a lot of work from it. You can get by with Mastering Astronomy and the Dropbox lectures, but you may not realize your full potential with this method. Also, invest in a calendar to remind you of when what homework is due, because as a full time student, I got lost in the sauce with the amount of homework that was put my way by the course. Prof. Follette is an instructor that is all about helping her students, so do not feel afraid to consult her often for pointers.
Do not assume that you can skip out on any portion of the class and still pass. Homework, Mastering Astronomy, Reading Quizes, Labs – they all play a big role in your grade and your overall understanding of the course materials. Do not procrastinate on the homeworks. They all take at least 2 hours and require your focused attention. If you do the work, you will have a better understanding of the material which will make the course more enjoyable for you. (As it should be!)
It is not hard to do well in this class as long as you follow a few easy tips. Always come to class because she covers alot in a class time and you will be behind. For instance some of the labs are easier to do with the class than at home on your own. Sign up for the class dropbox in order to receive the lecture slides. They are great study tools. Ask the teacher for help or see her in office hours if you are having problems. She is willing to help out. Lastly, pick a good class partner to work with. You don’t want to get stuck with someone you can’t get along with or a slacker that never shows up to class.
To do well in this class you have to attend every day because it’s three hours alot to make up if you don’t have time, keep up with all your home works cause a few missed home works can damage your grade. Also it is important to pay attention in class, and take notes you’ll need them for home work. But good luck to you all, and enjoy your semester. Kate is a wonderful teacher.
This may come as a huge surprise to some of you, but if you show up to class every day and participate in the discussions you’ll have a much easier time with the course than those who do not show up and do not participate. Getting homework done a day or two ahead of schedule helped me out a lot, as it gave me the opportunity to make minor adjustments and/or corrections without being overwhelmed. If you fall behind, you’ll be making the class ten times harder than it needs to be! Labs make up 30% of your grade (which is more than the final and midterm COMBINED), so it is exceptionally important to be detail-oriented on them and not to lose your focus. If you need help, ask for it! Kate is knowledgeable and she is always willing to help steer you in the right direction.
Some advice – take notes on your Mastering Astronomy online homework Tutorials. They are great resources and supplement a ton of the information you will need for the class. Also don’t rush through your labs, it is easy to get a good grade in the class if you take your time and ask Kate any questions you may because she’s always more than willing to help. Her office hours are also great if you’re lost on your homework or have any additional questions.
This class is very different then what you are probably used to, in a good way! It is especially important to attend EVERY class. This is not one of those classes you can show up to half the time just to take the tests and get an A. The labs are sometimes difficult so if you get stuck on something collaborate with another group or ask Kate. Make sure that when answering a question on anything (homework, lab, reading quiz) answer completely. A lot of times especially on labs there will be a multi-layer question and its easy to lose points if all of the layers are not addressed. Again, it is super important to attend every class!
First heads up….GO TO EVERY CLASS, and that will help you so you don’t miss any labs! Second, DO YOUR HOMEWORK!! Two things that you need to do, and if they are done, even partially done, you will totally pass the class; come to class, and do all the labs!! if you miss a class and they cover a lab you’re missing out, labs are 30% of the grades, more the midterm or quizzes. And second, homework, thats another 30%. By going to every class you’ll have all the notes you need for the homework and quizzes. Kate is a great teacher, super helpful, just don’t be afraid to ask!
I believe that doing all of your homework to the best of your abilities is a huge portion of the class that is a key to success. Also taking the one or two hours out of the week to do all of your mastering astronomy assignments is a large part of the grade. Thirdly, if your attendance is good and you partner up with people that also have good attendance you will be more successful in the in class labs.
The most important thing above all is to attend every class! This is what everyone will tell you. From my personal suggestion box let me give you some insight. Have an open mind and absorb as much of the information you are given as possible. This class is awesome as long as you are willing to take the information given and develop it in your mind you will not only learn a lot, but you will have fun as well. You must above all things believe there is an infinite universe out there and at the minimum accept the challenge to learn about as much of it as you can. I was not a fan of astronomy and to be honest was taking this class to fulfill a science. However, after taking this class I have decided to enroll in another Astronomy class not just to fulfill a science, but to learn even more about whats out there. HAVE FUN!!!
The most essential behavior, that you hopefully don’t need to develop, is consistent attendance. Typically, there is about an hour and twenty minutes of lecturing and about an hour and twenty minutes of lab work (with a 10 minute break sandwiched in there), and I assure you that one doesn’t want to teach themselves the day’s concepts, complete a lab, and do a few hours worth of homework all uninstructed. Kate Follette is a knowledgeable and passionate teacher, so finding the will for consistent attendance shouldn’t be tough if you have even a minor interest in space and our universe.
If you end up forgetting to do a mastering astronomy assignment, I recommend you complete it anyway. MA assignments can teach you a LOT and easily make your comprehension more thorough. The tutorials are almost like “re-lectures” taking alternate approaches that open new synaptic pathways.
Other behaviors that have helped me are: thorough note taking, making friends with reliable lab partners, and importantly, taking an interest in the subject matter and asking questions that follow my interests (and are at least somewhat pertaining to the classroom subject matter).
Quick tips: 1. Set aside 2-3 hours every Friday or Saturday to do the home work and lecture tutorial. That way if you have any questions on the home work you can address them on Tuesday and have greater confidence that you’re turning in a better quality product by Thursday.
2. Read the reading quiz assignments twice. The first time, once they are posted. The second, the day of the quiz. It’s really helpful to have the text fresh in your mind right before you take the quiz.
1. Attend all classes.
2. Take notes from Mastering Astronomy.
3. Look over your homework assignment as soon as possible. Don’t wait until the last minute to do your homework because some of them may require extended periods of time, internet access, or tools that you may not have that will be required to complete the homework.
4. Be sure to answer all questions completely and in their entirety, i.e. show your work & answer all parts of a question.
Go to every class and take notes even though lectures are posted. Some info doesn’t make it onto the slides and it forces you to pay attention to the lecture. Do every lab and ask questions on them because lab grades AREN’T dropped. Do the mastering astronomy ahead of time because the tutorials can get kinda lengthy. Reading quizzes are for comprehension and not facts, so keep that in mind.
Succeeding any class, depends upon your interest, your hard work, you capability, and the instructor. You don,t have to worry about the instructor: Kate is helpful and knowledgeable instructor. So, you shouldn’t miss any classes. Take notes from the classes and the Mastering Astronomy. Study and do the lab correctly, and do Reading quizzes and test well.
Best advice I can give is to keep up with the homework. This was my issue, and although I grasped the material, the homework was always what separated succeeding and excelling.
It is very important NOT to miss class. There is a lot of material covered during class along with a lab. Always do homework, the mastering astronomy, and the labs these are a big chunk of your grade. You do have to dedicate time to class but if you are looking for a good grade it is worth it, plus you learn a lot from it as well. Don’t hesitate on asking questions. Kate is always willing to help and clarified and doubts. Great teacher and very organized.
Tips: stay actively involved in class which means attendance is very important. This is not a class you can plan on missing so if your looking for an easy science credit your not going to find it here. For students who are curious about whether or not astronomy is a field of study they want to chose or just interested in astronomy this class is great. the instructor is very hardworking, reasonable, and willing to work with or understand any issues that may come up over this semester so dont be afraid to talk to her. If you dont have a lot of math background the math section is hard but doable i advise getting or borrowing a graphing calculator because that will make manipulating the sometimes very big and very small numbers used in the class. There are alot of different components in the class so doing things like homework, observing project and Mastering astronomy right away is encouraged. I also stress that you move around during the semester and work with a few different groups because labs are a huge part of your grade so finding good lab partners is very important. i went to one of the free lectures at the U of A for extra credit and it was very interesting so if you need extra credit check it out its free.
One of the biggest pieces of advice I could give would be not to underestimate the lessons. Though some may not be the most interesting at the time, the principles behind them is actually pretty interesting to think about. Read a few non-assigned articles and get excited about astronomy and you’ll do fine. Oh, and showing up to class never hurt someone’s grade.
It is very important to show up for every class, otherwise you will probably miss out on a Lab and you will fall behind. Staying ahead of schedule is very important if you want to pass this course. Kate is very kind about offering students opportunities to succeed, so take advantage of extra credit and any other flexibility she extends.
Show up for every class.Take plenty of notes.Freshen up on math skills.DO ALL THE HOMEWORK!!!
If you take notes on the lectures, then make sure you write REALLY short hand, as the lectures are fast-paced. I would advise an audio recorder. Buy the lecture tutorial book–there is a lot of work from it. You can get by with Mastering Astronomy and the Dropbox lectures, but you may not realize your full potential with this method. Also, invest in a calendar to remind you of when what homework is due, because as a full time student, I got lost in the sauce with the amount of homework that was put my way by the course. Prof. Follette is an instructor that is all about helping her students, so do not feel afraid to consult her often for pointers.
Do not assume that you can skip out on any portion of the class and still pass. Homework, Mastering Astronomy, Reading Quizes, Labs – they all play a big role in your grade and your overall understanding of the course materials. Do not procrastinate on the homeworks. They all take at least 2 hours and require your focused attention. If you do the work, you will have a better understanding of the material which will make the course more enjoyable for you. (As it should be!)