Posted by alexandra_k on October 16, 2014, at 17:31:25
In reply to Re: books, posted by alexandra_k on October 16, 2014, at 2:34:21
so...
the physics class is 'basic concepts in physics'. they do keep on about how physics isn't just about your ability to plug the values into the equation and do the calculations... but that is because i think they are concerned that they have some lazy maths students who are hoping to breeze through from their mathematical competence.
it makes them inclined to try and put tricky little tricks in there to trip them up. which means... the maths is totally out of my league. i mean... there is no way.
one of the lecturers... said that they weren't trying to trip us up... they were trying to reward tiny little glimmers of physics understanding... and there are a bunch of conceptual questions. e.g., 'what is the physical principle behind fibre optic cable' (total internal reflection) and so on... there are a bunch of conceptual questions like that...
i'm sitting on 22.86/30 percent thus far. test worth 10% on the latter stuff that i'm least good at... and then exam worth 60%. i think the thing to do... might be to forget about the equations... and instead... try and understand the concepts. so i can get the concept questions. and... to draw pictures. models. so... when i can't get the calculation out... because i didn't know algebra let you do that rearrangement... or because i didn't understand the rearrangements enough to see that equation chain would let me get out the value i needed... then maybe i can get 1/2 a mark or maybe even 1 mark (out of 2 or 3 marks) for... drawing a picture that shows i know something about the situation...
drawing the reflections... or the harmonics... or whatever... i don't know... i guess it can't hurt. even if the stuff isn't entirely relevant (i'll make it as relevant as i can)... it will make it more likely that they will try and scrape me up a pass at least... than if i don't have anything at all on the page. i mean... you can't give people marks for nothing...
it makes it feel more manageable, anyway. to focus on the textbooks... the concepts. the story. there is plenty i need to learn... and it is relevant... to the eye... and so on. metabolism... motivation... working up to it.
i have never felt so stupid.
poster:alexandra_k
thread:1058481
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20141012/msgs/1072351.html