Tests always seem to be stressful, huh? Ever notice how everybody gets a little weird around mid-terms? Welcome to test anxiety. Faculty (believe me!) like tests least of all -- its a lot of work!!!. But tests have several important instructional uses: (1) they help you consolidate your ideas on material already presented; (2) they let you know how your study approach is working; and (3) they "turn pages" on the course material, which is too large in scope for one exam. because we have longer exam periods, we have fewer exams (three) than any Geology 101 sections, which makes test performance and preparation all the more critical. One "zinger" test can mar your whole semester.

Control your test performance. Common reactions to pre-test stress for some include cramming, all-nighters, bronchitis -- none of these are very productive! There are many similarities between test preparation and preparing for athletics, musical recitals, debates, etc. Think of preparing for a test much as you would MENTALLY prepare for an athletic event, say a long-distance race. If you hoped to do well, you would PREPARE far in advance -- several weeks -- to prepare your speed and endurance. The day or so before the race, you would rest and "wind down" your preparation. You would do anything but fatigue yourself with an all-night cramming session. Also ATTITUDE can be important! If you enter the test saying things like "God this is going to be a hard test" "I can't do science" "I'm going to really blow it" -- you may in fact be programming yourself for failure.

THE MATERIAL IN THIS COURSE IS ELEMENTARY AND MAY BE MASTERED (B or better) BY ANY STUDENT WHO READS, COMES TO CLASS, AND WANTS TO/WORKS TO SUCCEED.

On Class Attendance: Regular attendance is the key element in success. Here are some observations (based on statistics from a prior year's quiz attendance). The percentages are for the estimated % of classes each student attended, and the resulting grades. FINAL GRADE IN THIS COURSE HAS BEEN SHOWN TIME AND TIME AGAIN TO RELATE DIRECTLY TO CLASS ATTENDANCE!! There are no promises, but I estimate that about 85% of all people taking this course will fit into this grade model based on their attendance. Think about what your grade goals for the course are as you plan your course attendance.