I have my first organic chemistry exam wednesday. I plan on putting all my effort into it for the next five days and wondered how members who did well in the class (>B) planned out their studying efforts and if they had any tips. Thanks again!
How to study for my organic chemistry exam?
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Is it 1st semester orgo? If it is, I'm guessing a huge chunk of the test is going to be just nomenclature and chair conformation building, and then maybe a few of the simple reactions.
Unfortunately, the first step is to just memorize everything, even the smallest of details. Then, the most important thing I can suggest is when it comes to reactions/mechanisms, don't get bogged down by all the atoms in your molecule. Find the specific functional groups (hydroxyls, carbonyls, etc) that could be involved in reactions, see what they can react with. From there, deduce the most likely reaction that could occur based on intrinsic properties of the reactants (whether a carbon is primary, secondary, etc. or if there's steric hinderance etc.)
edited because I accidentally clicked reply before I intended to haha
Unfortunately, the first step is to just memorize everything, even the smallest of details. Then, the most important thing I can suggest is when it comes to reactions/mechanisms, don't get bogged down by all the atoms in your molecule. Find the specific functional groups (hydroxyls, carbonyls, etc) that could be involved in reactions, see what they can react with. From there, deduce the most likely reaction that could occur based on intrinsic properties of the reactants (whether a carbon is primary, secondary, etc. or if there's steric hinderance etc.)
edited because I accidentally clicked reply before I intended to haha
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For me, notecards are a godsend. I know many of my classmates that use them for organic too. I do mine online and pull pictures from google, but most people in my class seem to hand write them and carry them around in their backpacks.
Like the above poster said, if this is your first test in your first semester, usually it's on things like formal charge, resonance structures, maybe acids and bases and nomenclature. Take some time to think about how you could make effective notecards for each of those sections. For instance, maybe have a notecard with the rules for naming alkanes on it, and then some notecards with a structure drawn on the front, and the name on the back. Taking time early in the semester to form some good study skills will help you tremendously throughout organic. Every chapter builds on the one in front of it, so the class can get incredibly overwhelming if you're not reviewing old material on a regular basis.
Let us know what sections are going to be on your test and maybe we can offer some more tips.
Like the above poster said, if this is your first test in your first semester, usually it's on things like formal charge, resonance structures, maybe acids and bases and nomenclature. Take some time to think about how you could make effective notecards for each of those sections. For instance, maybe have a notecard with the rules for naming alkanes on it, and then some notecards with a structure drawn on the front, and the name on the back. Taking time early in the semester to form some good study skills will help you tremendously throughout organic. Every chapter builds on the one in front of it, so the class can get incredibly overwhelming if you're not reviewing old material on a regular basis.
Let us know what sections are going to be on your test and maybe we can offer some more tips.
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I use a small dry-erase board to rewrite mechanisms and reactions. For memorizing names and structures, I make study sheets, one that's an answer key and another that's blank so I can fill in and erase with a pencil. This forces me to actively remember the material. I pay special attention to any answers I get wrong, know why I got them wrong, and what I can do to get it right next time. It also helps to study a little bit each day, so it won't overwhelm you the night before the test.
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Do as many practice problems as you can find
D
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I got "C's" in both gen chems, but turned my study habits around and managed an "A" in O Chem 1, while O Chem 2 is looking just as good as 1 so far.
I very cleanly rewrite all of my notes with every mechanism and reagent table relevant to the material covered. I make sure I can do my professors problem sets in my sleep, as well as mastering any practice exams. Try to find past exams for your school if your professor doesn't post them. Do book problems but take it easy on these if your prof doesn't use the book that much. The internet is your best friend also, so use it.
Even after saying all of that, I think the number one thing that helped me was teaching other students what I knew. For me there is no better way than to talk to someone and be able to mentally see what's really going on. Good luck, and remember it is easier to do well if you forget about the reputation for difficulty it has and try to enjoy the material as much as you can.
I very cleanly rewrite all of my notes with every mechanism and reagent table relevant to the material covered. I make sure I can do my professors problem sets in my sleep, as well as mastering any practice exams. Try to find past exams for your school if your professor doesn't post them. Do book problems but take it easy on these if your prof doesn't use the book that much. The internet is your best friend also, so use it.
Even after saying all of that, I think the number one thing that helped me was teaching other students what I knew. For me there is no better way than to talk to someone and be able to mentally see what's really going on. Good luck, and remember it is easier to do well if you forget about the reputation for difficulty it has and try to enjoy the material as much as you can.
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I would say:
Step 0, go to class
Step 1, read the textbook.
Step 2, do some problems, isolate the weak areas.
Step 3, go to said weak areas, hone those up.
Step 4, more problems.
Step 5, final review, see if you can do the reactions/ whatever from memory.
Step 0, go to class
Step 1, read the textbook.
Step 2, do some problems, isolate the weak areas.
Step 3, go to said weak areas, hone those up.
Step 4, more problems.
Step 5, final review, see if you can do the reactions/ whatever from memory.
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Oh, and make sure you have a list of questions going. Then go to office hours or the equivalent and ask them, which both helps familiarize the subject matter, as well as helping build a relationship with the professor.
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Whiteboard and practice problems. Over and over.
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Identify what you are not strong with early on and work on it before the exam.
Also, reviewing notes for 5-10 minutes a day helps a lot
Also, reviewing notes for 5-10 minutes a day helps a lot
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Practice practice practice (I made flashcards for EVERYTHING, didn't buy any books, I'm broke lol). Ochem is a lot memorization, like memorizing mechanisms, reagents, and nomenclature. You'll begin to see trends as you practice mechanisms and things like that too which helps a lot for exams when the professor gives you a crazy synthesis problem or something. Also make sure you know the big ideas, like why is product X more favorable than product Y, what causes event X to happen instead of Y, stuff like that.
Bottom line, if you just put in the time to study each day, I think you'll do exceptional. I think I spent more time on Ochem I and II than all my other classes combined that year... It was a lot of work but when the exams rolled around I was prepared, confident, and killed the exams.
Good luck OP! I tutor Ochem too, feel free to PM me if you want to chat more about study tactics or whatever.
Bottom line, if you just put in the time to study each day, I think you'll do exceptional. I think I spent more time on Ochem I and II than all my other classes combined that year... It was a lot of work but when the exams rolled around I was prepared, confident, and killed the exams.
Good luck OP! I tutor Ochem too, feel free to PM me if you want to chat more about study tactics or whatever.
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Practice problems, practice writing out mechanisms, practice reactions.
I don't remember memorizing anything in ochem, if you see a movie 11 times, it's likely you'll know everything that will happen in every scene of the movie. Just apply this to ochem.
I don't remember memorizing anything in ochem, if you see a movie 11 times, it's likely you'll know everything that will happen in every scene of the movie. Just apply this to ochem.
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