Strategies for Success

Multiple Learning Resources

Many students who enroll in these versions of ZO 150 find the course to be more demanding than they expected. A large number of names and characteristics must be memorized, and spelling and appropriate capitalization of names and key terms are graded on tests. You are required to buy three different books, and in addition must refer to numerous World Wide Web pages of supplemental information. Therefore, it is essential to learn the scope of each resource available to you, and develop and stick to a careful plan of study to succeed in this course. Be sure to explore all the links in the course's home page at the very beginning of the semester, and frequently re-visit those that include schedules for possible updates.

Stay in Touch

Check messages in your official University E-mail address at least weekly for notices about schedule changes and reminders about tests and other due dates. If you prefer to receive notices at an E-mail account other than your automatic "unity.ncsu.edu" account, you should change your address in the University's online directory.

Lecture Notes

My lecture presentations are profusely illustrated and include substantial amounts of text, so it is unrealistic to expect you to transcribe everything displayed on the screen within the time allowed for a lecture period. I recommend that, before each lecture, you download and print the posted text portion of the lecture, then mark it up as you listen to the lecture and later read the relevant textbook sections. Some suggestions for enhancing your note-taking skills are provided at the bottom of this page.

Studying for Tests

Preparing and writing out and comparing with friends your answers to the "Study Topics" will have the biggest payoff in studying for tests, since most of the multiple choice questions and all the discussion questions are drawn from these topics and facts required to compose full answers.

Of course, you need to review your lecture notes and compare them carefully with text readings for missing details or errors. I recommend that you do this within 7 hours after each lecture, and then review the entire week's notes after the Friday lecture. It is not necessary for you to study everything in the text chapters 1, 7, and 26-31, just be sure you understand the terms and figures specifically referenced in lecture notes.

A very valuable study aid which may be overlooked by some students is the Laboratory Guide. It contains nearly all the information about classification, anatomy, and phylogeny that you are expected to learn in ZO 150. As you study the lab guide, it is a good idea to make frequent reference to figures in your Photographic Atlas and in the on-line, extra illustrations Web page, especially those that illustrate statements made in lectures and the Lab Guide.

PhyloTree "Game"

Several successful students have found that another productive learning exercise was the construction of wall charts that showed a full, phylogenetic tree or cladogram of the main taxa covered in this class. Last year, two former students completed a project that helps you set up and intensify this activity, and their results are posted in the class Web CT site as the "PhyloTree" You are not required to make use of this somewhat elaborate tool, but I am sure it will help you learn the basic phylogeny taught in ZO 150.

Videotapes of Lectures

You may also benefit from the set of videotapes of my ZO 150 lectures from Spring 2003 that are filed in the D. H. Hill Library's Media Center. However, they cannot be checked out and must be viewed in the Media Center.

Hints on Taking Notes

I copied these recommendations from a Raleigh News and Oberver article in late August, 2004:

Think about how what is being said relates to other points in the lecture, discussion or readings.
Ask questions. [Web CT Discussions board is a good way to do this.]
Listen for the speaker to forecast organization of the lecture. (Example: phrases such as "Today I want to talk about ...")
Use arrows, lines, circles and numbers to connect related ideas.
Listen for important points that are emphasized when the speaker pauses or slows down, repeats a point, changes the volume of his/her voice, gestures or uses visual aids.
Make notes brief but clear. Use abbreviations for familiar words.
Identify information that is unclear and questions that need answers.
Add symbols to highlight important ideas and key words.
Write a summary of important ideas.
Look over notes frequently to keep information and questions in mind.
Exchange notes with others to flesh out information and understanding.

More note tips can be found at www.pilotpen.us/r_notetaking.htm.
[Sources: Avid Center, Pilot Pen Corp.]

Maintained by Sam Mozley, s_mozley@ncsu.edu (click to E-mail)
Last modified on September 9, 2004