chE 118A (Fall, 2019) INTRODUCTION, ADVICE, AND CLASS LOGISTICS

Welcome Che 118A students.  My name is Eric and I've been tutoring organic chemistry for over three years at UC Davis, along with other courses such as biochemistry and the MCAT.  I created this website to provide a potential study resource for students and help them succeed in organic chemistry.  Although you may have heard that organic chemistry is one of the harder courses at UC Davis, it is entirely manageable. Instead of treating the class as a memorization class, try to truly understand concepts and test your understanding with a ton of practice questions. 

                Che 118A is foundational for the entire series. By doing well in Che 118A, you are much more likely to do well in Che 118B/C with a fraction of the work compared to others who do not have the same foundation from Che 118A and rely more on rote memorization. ​​
che 118a ss1 nasiri syllabus
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Tips on how to succeed

  • Make use of outside resources & office hours:
    • Professor and TA office hours
    • Che 118A workshops 
    • AATC Drop-in hours: MTWR 9-4pm, F 9-12pm, Sun 3-7pm library basement
  • Stay AHEAD of material 
    • The class moves quickly, so stay on top of your material. 
    • The best way to do this is to review lecture material both before and after lectures and also do a TON of practice problems. I will write and post practice problems on this website.
  • The entire class is cumulative-- continue to review old material
  • Do TONS of practice problems
  • Use spaced repetition 
    • Spaced repetition is one of the most popular study techniques for medical students for a reason. Try using apps like Anki or simply continue to review your notes and test yourself often. Based off of research, the best time to review material is just as you are beginning to forget it.

HOW TO USE THIS WEBSITE

Use the menu or the linked boxes below to navigate to the course of your choice. Then, select the desired week or lecture that you would like to study. Each topic has carefully selected, high-quality educational youtube videos along with a set of practice questions. You can find additional practice questions in the "Useful resources" menu. By both watching the videos and completing the practice questions, you are setting yourself up for success in the course.