I have collected here the two letters I sent by
email at the beginning of the semester with my
suggestions for succeeding in PHY111.  You should
also see the suggestions by your textbook authors
at the beginning of the text.  In addition, you
should look at my comments within Textbook Sites
(Practice MC Questions) on our class webpage.  GBA

WELCOME MESSAGE (sent 1/14)

         All course information is available by following
      the PHY111 link at my home page:
      
            http://www.public.asu.edu/~gbadams/
      
      Lectures begin on TUE.  Recitations begin on
      THUR (the TUE 7:40 recitation does not meet
      this week).
      
         Many students find PHY111 to be a highly
      challenging course.  The objective of the course
      is to teach you the SKILL of analyzing physical
      situations utilizing the established principles
      of classical mechanics.  As in any class where
      you must learn a skill, and develop your ability
      at that skill, the key to success is practice;
      this principle is just as true for analytical
      skills as it is for motor skills.  I recommend
      a minimum of one hour of practice a day, six
      days a week.  "Cramming" for a physics test is
      about as useful as trying to learn a sport
      overnight (pick your favorite motor activity,
      whether it be a sport, musical performance,
      etc.); successful performance depends on
      enthusiastic participation in regularly
      scheduled practice sessions.
      
         Your practice sessions should be centered
      around the homework assignments; those
      assignments, if done properly, will give you
      the kind of "workouts" that you need to develop
      your analytical skills.  Study groups of three
      or four students are STRONGLY recommended (for
      most students good "workout partners" are
      essential to success in physics).  Study groups
      help provide motivation, encourage valuable
      discussion, and help avoid downtime during
      practice sessions (as when you are stuck on
      a problem and cannot proceed).  We have an
      excellent textbook; please read the suggestions
      at the front of your textbook for succeeding in
      a physics class (my suggestions would be quite
      similar to those).
      
        Here are some things you can do before our
      first lecture on TUE.  Look over the class
      website; all information that you need should
      be available there.  Get your textbook and
      do the reading for TUE's lecture (see our
      webpage for the page numbers).  Register for
      WebAssign and take a look at your first few
      sets of HW exercises.  Get a CPS clicker and
      go through the registration process (again,
      see the class webpage for instructions).
      
        While highly challenging for many students,
      if taken seriously, an introductory
      physics course can be an invigorating
      learning experience.  I hope you will accept
      the challenge and enjoy Physics 111.

SECOND MESSAGE (sent 1/20)

         The first three HW sets are due next week,
      on TUE, WED, and FRI (normally the due dates
      will be on MON, WED, and FRI).

         On SUN night I noticed that only 39 out of
      our 120 students have started the first HW set,
      Units and Vectors, which is due TUE.  As a result,
      I decided to send out this final appeal.  PLEASE
      join (or establish) a study group and schedule
      regular practice sessions.  If you haven't yet
      started "Units and Vectors", then you are already
      nearly a week behind in your practice sessions.
      
         It has been my experience, over the six
      semesters in which I have taught PHY111, that
      PHY111 students can be separated roughly into two
      groups, those who practice physics at least six
      hours a week every week, and those who do not.
      Those who do not practice regularly (anything less
      than six hours per week every week) are about five
      times as likely to fail (receive D, E, or withdraw)
      as those who do practice regularly.  Those who do
      practice regularly are almost ten times as likely
      to earn an A or B.  These numbers are based on
      somewhat inreliable student surveys and so are
      only approximate; nevertheless, they are a
      testament to the positive effect of regular
      practice.  You can decide to which of the two
      groups you prefer to belong.
      
      HOW TO MAKE YOUR PRACTICE TIME LESS THAN WORTHWHILE:
      
      (1) Start an assignment on the day it is due.
      
      (2) Have a goal of getting the assignment done as
          quickly as possible.
      
      (3) Do the assignment alone with open book and open
          notes.  Do each problem by searching for an
          equation into which you can plug numbers to
          get an answer.
      
      HOW TO MAKE YOUR PRACTICE TIME VALUABLE:
      
      (1) Start the assignment as soon as possible after
          the lecture in which that topic is covered.
      
      (2) Have a goal of strengthening your quantitative
          analytical skills with each problem completed.
      
      (3) Work in a study group.  Pay attention to the
          topic in the title of that HW set.  Briefly
          review your notes for that topic before
          beginning work; then refer to the notes or the
          book only as a last resort.  Discuss the physical
          situation described in each problem, with
          appropriate drawings, and arrive at a workable
          solution strategy before beginning any math.
      
        Three two-hour sessions per week is minimal, four
      sessions a week is better, and six sessions a week
      is best (six one-hour sessions is best for most
      students because the human mind continues to process
      newly-learned skills for about 24 hours even in the
      absence of conscious practice).  For almost all
      students, study groups are better than working alone;
      time spent stuck on a problem (not making progress
      towards a solution) does not count as practice time.
      The HW exercises are designed to strengthen your
      skill at quantitative analysis of physical
      situations.  If you get stuck, get a hint as soon as
      possible, but don't allow the person giving the hint
      to tell you in any detail how to work the problem.
      
         Please take advantage of my office hours.  A
      classroom is reserved for each of my office hours
      (see the class web page for locations and times),
      and your study groups are encouraged to meet there.
      I will be there to help you if your group gets
      stuck on a problem.  Also, Help-Study is a good
      place for study groups to meet; the Help-Study
      room is staffed by volunteer tutors beginning
      this TUE (see the class web page for schedule
      and location).
            
      Thanks for reading.  Practice Physics.
      GBA.