I don't really have any special insights for improved
success. My best advice is as follows.
A
response to the FAQ "Do you have any hints on how to prepare for this
class?" plus various sources of advice.
Advice
from a faculty member at SUNY Buffalo, which has received a lot of praise
from students (and whose suggestions pretty much mirror mine).
Additional
advice of a no-nonsense sort: why you should study ($$$) and how you
should study (this is good stuff!)
SQ3R [site
A] [site B]: a
method for improved reading comprehension.
If you don't have time to read the textbook assignments
before class, first quickly skim the chapter sections, then review the
related material on the "GEODE" CD-ROM that came with your textbook. If
it wasn't included, then use a friend's.
Many earth science textbook publishers maintain web-pages
containing a variety of potentially useful study materials -- including
practice quizzes. I've provided a link
to the practice questions for your textbook (it is also available
on our GEOL-1030 class page.)
As indicated in class, a set of multiple-choice review
questions is available on-line for each of the major topics on Exam
1. Ignore them at your peril.