Maths Degree Study

Studying Maths at University and want to know what people do that helps them study - Any tips are welcome!

Is this for general study or for exams?

For exams what I found most useful was writing out all definitions, lemmas and theorems on a couple of pages. Reasons being easy to look up things than using a computer or rifling through 40+ pages of notes, but also to use as a challenge to go from the top and prove everything, again and again so any bookwork questions become trivial and by doing so gives you breathing room for harder, more involved questions.

For general study, doing assignments/problem sets with other people so you get the collaborative process going which lets you see different ways of thinking about the same thing. Also spending a lot of time on these however much it takes to get 100%. If you have coursework say 20-30% make sure you are getting 100% it makes life so much easier in an exam.

Last one may be controversial for some, but use the internet. Problems you have been asked, have likely been asked before. NOTE: this does not mean mindlessly copying an answer, you must go through it as if it were a proof of a theorem in the class, learn why it works and if there is a trick write it down to remember it so hen you come to revision you'll have that trick stored.

Lastly if you are totally stuck and can't seem to go anywhere just ask your lecturer, most of the time just a 5 min chat with them will be enough. Office hours are great as no one goes to them so you can likely get almost an hour of 1-1 tutition.

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Original post by d0nkey_dude

Studying Maths at University and want to know what people do that helps them study - Any tips are welcome!

Hi!

When studying for exams I use flashcards for definitions etc. to help me learn the theory and then focus on practice questions. If you are struggling with a topic I find having a go at working through the example exercises in the notes that have well-written solutions is a great place to start as you can easily check through your work and see which areas you are struggling with. Redoing previous coursework and workshop questions is also a great way to ensure you have a good grasp of the content. I would also recommend, if they are available, to have a look through past exam papers. This can help give you an idea of the format of the questions (as this can sometimes be different to coursework questions!) so there are no surprises when you take the exam!

I hope that helps and good luck with your studies!
-Florence (Lancaster Mathematics Student Ambassador)

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