Is having bad resources from university normal?

[renobueno4153]

Hey, Im now in my second semester of my nanoscience degree and my first semester has been really bad.

The resources I was given by my courses are really really awefull. These scripts and even the lectures itself were awefull. In Chemistry my scripts was full of mistakes and my scripts in Math and Physics were unreadable. Like it has no structure whatsoever. The worst problems in my scripts is that there are either gigantic mathematical jumps in derivations or concepts being introduced like e.g. F = ma and then nothing will be mentioned about that afterwards about that topic. No insight in why that mathematical statement is so important or why it works. It feels more like a big formula book than an actual study material to grasp the concepts. I even went over with a Math major (almost done with their Bachelors) over my math script and even they said it has no structure and was extremely confused about how anyone would be able to study with it.

I feel like I'm just wasting so much of my time with trying to make sense of my given resources. At some point I even completely abandoned my sources and went for the internet.

Ever since I passed my exams, I'm thinking about transferring to a different university in the hopes of getting at least scripts that make sense to read. I'm so confused about what to do. I really love life science, but not receiving the bare minimum of resources to guide me or to give me a reference point feels like not being given a chance to succeed.

When looking back at my first semester, I feel like a stranger waiting on the bus station which just all of the blue decided to study for an exam and not like a proper university student who gets a little bit of guidance.

Is this problem only with my uni, or is that the general problem? Like do I have to accept and get comfortable with the feeling of being lost in the material?

 

[Muu9]

Look for external resources, e.g. David Tong's notes or MIT courses. If those make it clearer, then it's not on you. Just remember to do some problems as well.

 

[CrysPhys]

Hey, Im now in my second semester of my nanoscience degree and my first semester has been really bad.

I even went over with a Math major (almost done with their Bachelors) over my math script and even they said it has no structure and was extremely confused about how anyone would be able to study with it.

Is this problem only with my uni, or is that the general problem? Like do I have to accept and get comfortable with the feeling of being lost in the material?

What you describe is not the norm for decent universities. Was the math major you consulted a student at the same university, or a different one? Have you looked over course material at your university for more traditional courses (math, physics, chemistry, ...)? Perhaps the problem lies with the "nanoscience" degree? When was this program established? And what does it cover? And clarify that you're talking about an undergrad program?

You mention that it is under the umbrella of life science:

I really love life science, but not receiving the bare minimum of resources to guide me or to give me a reference point feels like not being given a chance to succeed.

I'm a bit confused by that.

How do other students in your classes feel about the program? Have you and others voiced your difficulties to the professors?

 

[martinbn]

Why don't you take notes yourself during the lectures or use textbooks!

 

[renobueno4153]

What you describe is not the norm for decent universities. Was the math major you consulted a student at the same university, or a different one? Have you looked over course material at your university for more traditional courses (math, physics, chemistry, ...)? Perhaps the problem lies with the "nanoscience" degree? When was this program established? And what does it cover? And clarify that you're talking about an undergrad program?

You mention that it is under the umbrella of life science:



I'm a bit confused by that.

How do other students in your classes feel about the program? Have you and others voiced your difficulties to the professors?

The Math Major is from a different Uni.

Im taking the same Chemistry and Physics classes which Chemistry and Physics Majors take. I have a special Math class called mathematical methods which feels like a crash course where I should just know how to apply and nothing remotely else.

This program exists since exactly 23 years.

Other students either didn't notice how fundamentally flawed it is (which I was super surprised when I spoke to them) or just lived with it. Some of the higher semester knew the problems and laughed it off. They recommended me to pay for extra classes and get tutoring instead. Other students in my semester have additional help from academics in their families.

I havent voiced my difficulties cause I didnt know thats an option? :O
Throughout my education I just met educators who just didnt care so I was forced to adapt to them...

 

[renobueno4153]

I did that throughout the semester, but as I said before I feel like I'm just studying with the internet, cause the things I'm provided with are as worthless :(


At some point I stopped going to the Math and Physics classes cause I understood and learned as much before the lecture as afterwards. At that point I completely switched to Internet resources.

Also since I had no guidance from my actuall classes I always felt unsure about the topics. I always had the feeling of missing something curcial.

 

[Andy Resnick]

The resources I was given by my courses are really really awefull. These scripts and even the lectures itself were awefull. In Chemistry my scripts was full of mistakes and my scripts in Math and Physics were unreadable. Like it has no structure whatsoever.

I'm a little confused- what are 'scripts'? I've not heard that term. Also, if this makes sense, how do scripts relate to homework problems and test questions?

 

[martinbn]

I'm a little confused- what are 'scripts'? I've not heard that term. Also, if this makes sense, how do scripts relate to homework problems and test questions?

I think scripts means lecture notes.

 

[Mark44]

I'm a little confused- what are 'scripts'? I've not heard that term.

Nor have I. @renobueno4153, do these classes have textbooks?

Also, if this makes sense, how do scripts relate to homework problems and test questions?

If these scripts are lecture notes, as @martinbn surmises, they are probably just summaries of what the instructor presents in class, which should probably be supplemented by notes that the student takes during class.
However, if the classes are as disorganized as described, the program doesn't sound very good. Transferring to another school might be a good idea.

 

[martinbn]

Nor have I. @renobueno4153, do these classes have textbooks?

If these scripts are lecture notes, as @martinbn surmises, they are probably just summaries of what the instructor presents in class, which should probably be supplemented by notes that the student takes during class.
However, if the classes are as disorganized as described, the program doesn't sound very good. Transferring to another school might be a good idea.

If his discription is accurate. Sometimes students have a wrong impression.

 

[renobueno4153]

I'm a little confused- what are 'scripts'? I've not heard that term. Also, if this makes sense, how do scripts relate to homework problems and test questions?

Oh im sry, im studying in Switzerland. Script refers to materials the prof provides us. Like they give as a few pdfs, with the information to study.

 

[renobueno4153]

Nor have I. @renobueno4153, do these classes have textbooks?

If these scripts are lecture notes, as @martinbn surmises, they are probably just summaries of what the instructor presents in class, which should probably be supplemented by notes that the student takes during class.
However, if the classes are as disorganized as described, the program doesn't sound very good. Transferring to another school might be a good idea.

Yup, exactly what I was thinking. So im guessing this is not the default at universities around the world?

 

[MidgetDwarf]

Make sure the problem isnt with you.

By you, I mean, that its your natural ability and or effort which is impeding your lecture and not the courses themselves.

Oftentimes, it is easier to blame others for ones shortcommings.

Something to think about.


Have I been in classes were the instructor was useless? Yes, maybe 2/3 of my classes. But as an adult you have to realize that the information is the information and one must rise to the occasion, if one wants to be succesful in whatever field they choose.

Ie., if the notes are garbage, find readable materials that have the information and work through them with paper amd pencil.

Do you go to office hours? Ask questions in class? Are you studying consistently and not trying to jam the information in one long sitting? Are you reading books? Have you asked students, professor, or other professors about recommended study materials?

 

[symbolipoint]

Oh im sry, im studying in Switzerland. Script refers to materials the prof provides us. Like they give as a few pdfs, with the information to study.

Would that be equivalent to Syllabus?

 

[Andy Resnick]

Oh im sry, im studying in Switzerland. Script refers to materials the prof provides us. Like they give as a few pdfs, with the information to study.

Are the scripts intended as a replacement for a textbook? Is there a textbook? You mentioned the scripts "have no structure", I'm trying to understand if that is a bug or a feature.

 

[Andy Resnick]

I think scripts means lecture notes.

Don't you think the OP should be answering my question?

 

[martinbn]

Don't you think the OP should be answering my question?

If you think my post was inappropriate, report it.

 

[berkeman]

No need for any reporting of that. I think the motivation for guessing what the OP meant was based on the slow replies from the OP. That was frustrating for me as well, so I think it's fine to try to guess in the absence of quicker replies from the OP.

 

[symbolipoint]

If you think my post was inappropriate, report it.

He did answer the question, to some extent. I am still curious if "script" is equivalent to "syllabus".

 

[jtbell]

So im guessing this is not the default at universities around the world?

Different parts of the world have different academic customs.

In my experience in the US, at the undergraduate level a professor usually bases a course on a specific textbook. Students in the course are expected to either buy a copy of the textbook or have reliable access to it some other way. They also make their own notes from the lectures, to supplement the textbook. Professors assign exercises from the textbook.

Courses on specialized advanced topics, for which the professor can't find a suitable textbook, may depend on copies of material written by the professor and distributed to the students. This is more common at graduate level (masters or PhD) than undergraduate (bachelors).

 

[Herman Trivilino]

He did answer the question, to some extent. I am still curious if "script" is equivalent to "syllabus".

No. Based on the OP's response they contain course material. Plus, you never get more than one syllabus and the OP has referred to scripts, plural.

But every issue raised here could easily be addressed if we could see at least one script.

I have a pretty good idea of what's wrong, but let's see a script before jumping to conclusions.

 

[renobueno4153]

I just noticed I can attach a file, so you can find the first 2 chapters of the "script".

I'd like to apologise for being not as clear as I could be with my situation and for my late response times.

You can see two chapters of my physics script. Sometimes I get like a big one with all the chapters we are going to cover in that semester or I smaller chapters on a weekly basis.

In physics, I have a textbook (Experimental Physic 1 from Wolfgang Demtröder). I can recall that the prof said that her script is based on that book and acquiring it would only be necessary if one want to have a deeper insight. I did work with it, but I stopped at some point because I got lost in the material.


Let me know if my issues were actually real, or it was just me feeling overwhelmed by it.

 

[renobueno4153]

Different parts of the world have different academic customs.

In my experience in the US, at the undergraduate level a professor usually bases a course on a specific textbook. Students in the course are expected to either buy a copy of the textbook or have reliable access to it some other way. They also make their own notes from the lectures, to supplement the textbook. Professors assign exercises from the textbook.

Courses on specialized advanced topics, for which the professor can't find a suitable textbook, may depend on copies of material written by the professor and distributed to the students. This is more common at graduate level (masters or PhD) than undergraduate (bachelors).

In my Swiss university, it depends on the prof.

In Math, I get copies of material written by the prof. Every week to understand the theory. The prof gave us a list of books she recommends us if we want like more information.

In Physics, I get the complete set of material and a book recommendation as a supplementing source.

In Chemistry and Biology, I get the lectures slides and a book recommendation as supplementing source.

It was always mentioned that the book wasnt a necessity.

 

[martinbn]

I just noticed I can attach a file, so you can find the first 2 chapters of the "script".

I'd like to apologise for being not as clear as I could be with my situation and for my late response times.

You can see two chapters of my physics script. Sometimes I get like a big one with all the chapters we are going to cover in that semester or I smaller chapters on a weekly basis.

In physics, I have a textbook (Experimental Physic 1 from Wolfgang Demtröder). I can recall that the prof said that her script is based on that book and acquiring it would only be necessary if one want to have a deeper insight. I did work with it, but I stopped at some point because I got lost in the material.


Let me know if my issues were actually real, or it was just me feeling overwhelmed by it.

You said that they are awefull, unreadable and without structure. Can you explain that and give examples from these two chapters?

By the way is the course taught in English?

 

[renobueno4153]

You said that they are awefull, unreadable and without structure. Can you explain that and give examples from these two chapters?

By the way is the course taught in English?

Most of my classes are in German and the rest is in English.

When I said that, I mentioned my math script in particular. That's the one I went over with my math major friend. Additionally, that one is in German, so I'm not sure how useful it would to send that too.

The physics one is fine in regard to readability. I think the mathematical jumps are too big to make sense of it, but I do see that is based on personal skill. Going over the chapters I felt to me more like a huge formula book than smth that shows me the actual meaning of those numbers and letters. Like I can see a formula and put my numbers in it, but Id like to know why I that mathematical expression works and the effect of law on our world.

 

[Herman Trivilino]

The resources I was given by my courses are really really awefull.

The physics one is fine in regard to readability.

Well, which is it? Fine or awful?

I think the mathematical jumps are too big to make sense of it, but I do see that is based on personal skill. Going over the chapters I felt to me more like a huge formula book than smth that shows me the actual meaning of those numbers and letters. Like I can see a formula and put my numbers in it, but Id like to know why I that mathematical expression works and the effect of law on our world.

Your "scripts" seem like a typical textbook to me. Sometimes they just don't match your learning style. What you do is use them as a reference. Then find a textbook that suits you better and use the reference to guide you towards which parts you need to study. You also need human contact. Since your professor doesn't suit your learning style find a tutor or the like.

At some point you have to decide if the problem is really your learning style or is instead the subject matter itself. Why make a career of something you don't like when there are endless other options out there.

 

[Mark44]

From post #1:

my scripts in Math and Physics were unreadable.

What you wrote in post #25 contradicts what you wrote earlier, at least about the physics class:

The physics one is fine in regard to readability.

I think the mathematical jumps are too big to make sense of it, but I do see that is based on personal skill.

I went all the way through the script you posted, which seemed pretty reasonable to me. For the physics course, are there any prerequisites? If the jumps seem too big for you to follow, it's possible that you either haven't taken the prerequisite course(s) or that you did take them, but didn't do very well. Something a lot of students fail to grasp is that poor performance in a base-level class will prevent them from doing well in a following class.

Going over the chapters I felt to me more like a huge formula book than smth that shows me the actual meaning of those numbers and letters. Like I can see a formula and put my numbers in it, but Id like to know why I that mathematical expression works and the effect of law on our world.

From what I could see in the script you attached, the formulas had definitions that preceded them, in blocks with a red background. If you just look at the formulas and skip over the definitions, you might feel the way you described.

Regarding the script, it seems intended to be nothing more than a short summary of important things being covered in the course. You mentioned a textbook -- it would certainly go into much more detail about things and would include examples and problem sets for each section.

 

[Herman Trivilino]

Something a lot of students fail to grasp is that poor performance in a base-level class will prevent them from doing well in a following class.

Yup. Many students have an answer-making strategy, using it in the hopes of passing a class. They lack a sense-making strategy. Then, when an understanding is needed either later in the same course in or a more advanced course, they are left in a lurch.