Three Exam Tips
No doubt you’ve got some important exams coming up. With that in mind, here’s three simple tactics you can use during exams. 1. Draw partial
Read moreOrganic Chemistry Study Tips
Top 10 Skills
Now that pretty much the entire course has been covered, maybe it’s helpful to go back and highlight some of the key skills you should
Read morePutting It Together
I have a lot of students ask me about how to do synthesis. Today, I’ll share with you a 3-step method I suggest to them,
Read moreThoughts on Synthesis
Part 1 – Synthesis Let’s start talking about synthesis. Guess where I’m going to start? You might think, “what bonds form, and what bonds break?”.
Read moreHow To Do Well In Organic Chemistry: Advice From A Tutor
This is a guest post from Anna Tsimelzon, Ph.D., a university organic chemistry instructor and private organic chemistry tutor. You can learn more about Anna’s
Read moreCommon Mistakes with Carbonyls: Carboxylic Acids… Are Acids!
Carboxylic acids… are acids. I know that seems obvious. But it’s a near certainty that students taking Org 2 for the first time will forget
Read moreThis Is Why Students Use Flashcards
A long but interesting letter from a reader who I’ll call “Annie” on how preparing for an exam the “right way” (learning the mechanisms for
Read more“Organic Chemistry Is Like…” – A Few Metaphors
What’s organic chemistry, and how is it different from most classes you’ll encounter? In this post I share a few useful metaphors from commenters on
Read moreWhat Does “Don’t Memorize!” Mean, Anyway?
“Memorize Everything!” was good organic chemistry study advice in 1952. From the MIT Technology Review, a letter to the editor: A Memorable Chemistry Final There
Read moreHow Esther Bounced Back From a “C” To Get A’s In Organic Chemistry 1 And 2
The importance of attitude The student who is the subject of today’s success story, Esther, didn’t start off doing well in organic chemistry. Actually, she
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