Hello, .

Getting ready for one of the most challenging courses in college takes hard work. This course can help.

But where should you start?

START:

We all have gaps in our knowledge, but most of the time we don’t know where they are. We strongly encourage you to start this course by taking the COURSE ASSESSMENT (link on your Desktop). The results will help you focus your studying and make the best use of your time.

LEARN:

Using the results from your COURSE ASSESSMENT, start in the Cycle of Study that has the greatest need.

1. A Cycle of Study is sort of like a “Unit”- it is a series of interrelated topics. The Cycles of Study are: Biochemistry, Cellular Biology, Molecular Biology, and Organismal Biology. Click “Learn more” to enter a Cycle of Study.
2. First you will see the Cycle of Study starting page with valuable information about the goals of the Cycle.
3. Within each Cycle of Study are focused Sections:
   1. Within each Section, start with the Section pre-Quiz. This gives you your baseline for the specific content in the Section. This is required; the post-Quiz for a Section won’t open if you skip this step!
   2. Read and Complete the Section Concepts content (Notice the “+” symbols- these are where you can open the information hidden under the headings.)
      1. Along the way, make flashcards, take notes, create diagrams, or use whatever your preferred method may be.
      2. To get practice with the material, download and complete the Applied Learning Activity (ALA) for that Section. The link to this fillable Word document is on the bottom of the Section page under Section Resources- click “Document download.”
      3. Doing something active with the material is a key step in learning. The ALA Answer keys will be available for you to check your understanding- don’t be tempted to peak until you’ve tried to do the ALA on your own!
   3. Take the Section post-Quiz. Did you improve? Are there still topics you need to review?
   4. Be sure to click the “Finish Section” button on the bottom of the Section page after you have taken the Section post-quiz, to mark that Section ‘complete.’

• After you complete one Section, move to the next Section until you have finished the entire Cycle.
• It’s a game! Notice that, along the way, you accumulate points: for taking the pre-quiz, for taking the post-quiz, for passing the post-Quiz, and for Finishing the Section (be sure to click that button after the post-quiz!) If you skip a step in the process, you don’t earn those points. Have fun tracking your Discoveries and overall Ranks on your Desktop!
• On your Desktop also notice the Gradebook, where you can track your progress and all of your quiz scores.

FINISH, and SUCCEED:

Take the COURSE ASSESSMENT again and see how far you have come!

Working hard now will help make sure you are ready for your next steps forward. Good luck!