Page 349 - Statistics for Dummies

All-purpose pointers for succeeding in class
Here’s some general advice my students have
mechanical pencil, a good eraser, a cheap
found helpful:
three-hole punch for my handouts, and a
tiny stapler was one of the best days of my
✓ I know you’ve heard this before, but you
student life. Okay, it’ll probably cost you 10
really are at an advantage if you go to class
dollars for these items today, but trust me,
every day so you have a full set of notes to
it’ll be worth it!
review. It also ensures you didn’t miss any
✓ Get to your know your professor and let her
of the little things that add up to big points
on an exam.
get to know you. Introducing yourself on
the first day makes a big impression; get-
✓ Don’t just write down what the professor
ting face time (as well as some good help)
wrote down — that’s for amateurs. The
by asking a question after class (if you have
professionals also write down anything
one) or stopping in during office hours
else he made a big deal about but didn’t
never hurts. Don’t worry about whether
write down. That’s what separates the As
your questions are silly — it’s not what
from the Bs. Chapter 21: Ten Surefire Exam Score Boosters 333
level you’re at now that counts; it’s your
✓ Do little things to stay organized while you desire to get to the next level and do well in
go through the course; you won’t get over- the class that’s important. That’s what your
whelmed later when it’s crunch time. The professor wants to see.
day I invested 5 dollars and bought a good
Avoid “Yeah-Yeah” Traps
What’s a “yeah-yeah” trap? It’s a term I use when you get caught saying
“Yeah-yeah, I got this; I know this, no problem,” but then comes the exam and
whoa — you didn’t have it, you didn’t know it, and Houston, you actually had
a problem. Yeah-yeah traps are bad because they lull you into thinking you
know everything, you don’t have any questions, and you’ll get 100% on the
exam, when the truth is you still need to resolve some issues.
Although many different yeah-yeah traps exist, I point out the two most
common ones in this section and help you avoid them. I call them (cleverly)
yeah-yeah trap #1 and yeah-yeah trap #2. Both of these traps are subtle, and
they can sneak up on even the most conscientious students, so if you recog-
nize yourself in this section, don’t feel bad. Just think how many points you’ll
be saving yourself when you get out of “yeah-yeah” mode and into “wait a
minute — here’s something I need to get straightened out!” mode.

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