E-mail from students:

Hello,... I am in your Chem 1314 MWF 3:30 class. I just wanted to ask you for advice on how to approach studying and learning Chemistry. I unfortunately did not have Chemistry in high school, but I am very ambitious and want to make the best grade I can make in your class. When we were in class yesterday, I was somewhat lost, probably only due to the lack of prior experience in Chemistry.

So any advice or strategy you suggest will be appreciated, because once again, I want to do as well as I can.

Thanks,

If you are a total newbie, yesterday would have been confusing. All I covered yesterday were sections 1.1 - 1.3 in BLB (our textbook). You might consider reading those sections as the text will be more organized than my lecture. Then get busy on ICE1 - 5 (InClass Exercise you received in laboratory). Particularly important is ICE1.5. That question will strengthen your understanding of atoms, molecules, elements, compounds, mixtures, pure substances, gas, liquid and solid. These are all fundamental concepts. Also you should be able to do PS1.1 - PS1.3.

Use class lecture notes from the web site to help you as they are also more organized than my lecture. Check out the lecture summary link in the Lecture Notes link on our web site. You may find that useful.

Students can read the Chapter as many times as they want, but if you can not do the problems you do not understand the material. So do what you want reading or whatever, then do problems. If you get stuck, that is what your TA and I are here for, to get you past the road blocks. So drop by my office with a few questions and I'll get you on track.

I would expect newbies would spend at least 2 hours out side of class for every hour of class. We meet four hours a week so I want 8 hours of your study time.

Does this help?

dr..g

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Hello, Dr. Geldar. I'm in your Chem 1314 class. I was just wondering if we are going to be using this Student's Guide book. I got it with all my other books when I had them reserved. I'd talked to some other students and they said that they didn't get it. So I was wondering if I needed it, or if I could take it back. Let me know. Thank you.

... The Student Study Guide is a 'recommended' book for the class. It is not required. I will not make specific assignments from the Student Study Guide. However, if you require additional problems, and worked examples as you prepare for exams or problem sets this book may be very useful. The decision is yours.

Does this help?

Let me know if you have additional questions.

Dr..g PS:

Dr. Gelder answered your question. Dr. Geldar was away from his desk thinking up terrible questions for the next problem set!

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Dr. Gelder I need some help getting that periodic table that you had in class to come up on my computer. If you could email me directions on how to download it that would be fantastic.

The periodic table that I had on my computer in class on Wednesday was on a CD in my computer. Check out this web site for one of the coolest periodic tables. http://www.shef.ac.uk/~chem/web-elements/. This site has all the physical and chemical properties anyone could need.

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Dr. Gelder, I was just dropping you a note to inform you that I am in a class that has a field trip scheduled É and I will most likely not be able to attend lecture on that day. I would greatly appreciate it if you would email me and let me know if this will cause me any major problems or anything. Thank you so much for your time.

I do not think it will be a major problem. There are lecture notes on our web site and I will also have the lecture videotaped. So you would be able to review the videotape if you would like. You might ask someone to take notes for you.

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sir, i'm sorry to bother you, i have your class MW and labs on F. I missed the Monday class, i was having all sorts of trouble with my schedule on Monday, but i'm sure that you don't want excuses, anyways, i took the initiative and went to intro.chem.okstate.edu and i printed off Problem Set #1 and the syllabus and i filled out and submitted the SID thing, and i was reading about the PLE thing but i was confused on where to watch/read it and when it's due. i'm so sorry to bother you, but if you could fill me in if there is anything i missed that i will need to know. thank you in advance.

No problem about missing class. I hope you were able to get things worked out. Just check out the syllabus so you know when the exams are and read the General Information...lots of rules. If you have any questions...e-mail me or drop by after/before class. You are 'on the ball', by getting to the web site and getting the PS and doing the SID stuff. I just put the PLE 'up' so you can now do it.

The PLEs are not graded. I will award some 'extra credit' for completing the PLEs. The more PLEs you do this semester the more extra credit.

PS There is a Friday lecture also...see you there.

 

dr..g