Advice from Former Students
Math 174, Harvey Mudd College
Prof. Michael Orrison
- Don't be afraid to do small examples.
- Have fun--this stuff is awesome!
- Approaching a problem computationally is really valuable.
- Reread previous chapters every once in a while--it makes it easier
to absorb and remember the ideas.
- See Prof. O. whenever something on the homework seems unclear or
there is a hard-to-grasp concept.
- Take advantage of Prof. O.'s availability.
- Dive in or it won't be fun.
- Start the homework early and when stuck, do small examples.
- Get used to thinking about things (e.g., representations,
modules, class functions, ideals) in multiple ways at once and switching
between them often.
- Make sure to work hard at the beginning of the course.
- Do as many problems in the book as you can--it makes things easier
later.
- Talk with Prof. O. whenver you have a question. He will not only
answer your question, but will address other things you may not have
gotten to in class that will help even more.
- Do the reading--it's essential.
- Go in and talk to Prof. O. whether or not you're confused; you'll
learn lots of cool things either way.
- Be proactive in grasping the ideas and concepts behind the
reading, and talking it out with your peers. The first exam will be a
surprise if you haven't developed deep familiarity with the material.
- Don't take the course lightly. Take all opportunities afforded to
learn the material.
- Skim the readings before lecture. Then read the chapter much more thoroughly afterward.
- Don't fall behind because it will be very difficult to catch up. Most of the material builds off of previous material.
- This class is for grownups. You must read.
- Invest time in the homework, rather than trying to learn a lot at once for the tests.
- Read the book, play with examples, and start the homework early!
- Make the most of in-class time. If the ideas start to go over your head, it's easy to become a scribe who isn't really learning.
- Professor Orrison teaches at a good pace, so read over the notes to pick out important facts before reading the text to get the essential material.
- Make sure you understand exactly what a question is asking before you try it...it saves a lot of time!
- Don't panic if you can't do the homework. Collaborate. Go get help if you don't understand something.
- Spend more time reading the text than you think you need to.
- Exams are little romps through mathland—your best bet is to give the homework a good fair try and us that to prepare for the exams.
- Be prepared to work hard—if you're dedicated, you'll learn a lot of interesting things.
- Smile, Prof. O. is nice.
- If you sit in the front row, be prepared to do an interpretive dance.