Math 1901. Biol 1003. Phys 1002. (1 Viewer)

[imyh]

:S subject reviews

how are MATH1901. BIOL1003. PHYS1002. CHEM1102 like?

how are advanced assignments in differential calculus (adv) like?
are there projects in physics (fundamentals)?
humanbiology. is it as tough as mblg1901?\

i think i'm just insecure about taking these subjs.

 

[uniform]

Re: :S subject reviews

MATH1901 assignments are quite simple and straightforward. There are only 2, each worth 5% of your total mark, and it is easy to achieve full marks. Most of the class were getting 9/10 and 10/10.

Physics Fundamentals only has one formal take-home project on buoyancy which you can either complete on your own or in groups of up to three. There were only four questions (some calculations, some theory) and they only mark two of them. The only other 'projects' you'll have to complete are the online 'Mastering Physics' tests every now an then. Personally, I hated PHYS1002 all round. The lecturers were quite dull, and the labs were excruciating. The only good thing was that the final exam was relatively easy to get through.

CHEM1102 is excellent. Three amazing lecturers - Todd, Payne and Bridgeman - deliver interesting and easy-to-follow talks, with well-presented powerpoint presentations. I loved this course, and all the help from lecturers and tutors made it an easy step up from no high-school chemistry knowledge and the fundamentals unit in first semester.

 

[brownie44]

I did BIOL 1003 human biology in first semester 08. It has quite a workload as the lectures arent very substantial (or very detailed), so you need the textbook to expand on what was said in the lectures. As long as you read, remember and understand whats in the textbook you shouldnt have too many troubles. Also, there are fortnightly assessment quizzes in the pracs (another reason to study regularly...)

 

[imyh]

zomg thank you uniform and brownie44!

okay at least these sounds so much better than last semester's MBLG1001 and PHYS1004. hahas.

anybody took MATH1015 Biostatistics? I heard the t-tests and all were hard.

 

[Lori.]

zomg thank you uniform and brownie44!

okay at least these sounds so much better than last semester's MBLG1001 and PHYS1004. hahas.

anybody took MATH1015 Biostatistics? I heard the t-tests and all were hard.

the lecturer for math1015 is an absolute toss (as far as i know there was just the one guy) - he makes you write his lecture notes down, so if you dont turn up to lectures, you're basically fucked, since the text book doesnt help either.
The best thing you can do, if you want to get something better than a pass, is to go to the lectures, write everything down, and then make damn sure you move yourself to a tut held by someone who can speak english and ask them to properly explain everything to you.

 

[imyh]

thanks lori!
oh my.. yes i've heard stories about the accents of lecturers for biostats being extremely difficult to comprehend.
in the semester1 08 results discussion thread last year, BoS peeps who took that seem to scrap 50+ passes.

i should take linear algebra math1902 instead?

 

[Lori.]

i found linear algebra much easier - but i didnt do advanced, just the regular one. BUT in terms of lecturers and tutors, its much better.

 

[roadrage75]

Re: :S subject reviews

MATH1901 assignments are quite simple and straightforward. There are only 2, each worth 5% of your total mark, and it is easy to achieve full marks. Most of the class were getting 9/10 and 10/10.

Physics Fundamentals only has one formal take-home project on buoyancy which you can either complete on your own or in groups of up to three. There were only four questions (some calculations, some theory) and they only mark two of them. The only other 'projects' you'll have to complete are the online 'Mastering Physics' tests every now an then. Personally, I hated PHYS1002 all round. The lecturers were quite dull, and the labs were excruciating. The only good thing was that the final exam was relatively easy to get through.

CHEM1102 is excellent. Three amazing lecturers - Todd, Payne and Bridgeman - deliver interesting and easy-to-follow talks, with well-presented powerpoint presentations. I loved this course, and all the help from lecturers and tutors made it an easy step up from no high-school chemistry knowledge and the fundamentals unit in first semester.

I agree MATH1901 was pretty straight forward....

but PHYS1002 WAS HORRIBLE, EXCRUCIATING, AND TORTUROUS. If you have any bit of sanity within you, you won't do it!!!

 

[imyh]

then i'm in for some shit. arghh.
i need Ds!!

Damn. I read ALL the forums in the world about advanced units. yes. ALL.
I even wrote down a list of what to expect for each pros and cons, still can't decide whether to change my math1901 back. messaged the whole world about this. this is torturrrrrre i donwant to fail!

 

[Trebla]

If you did well in calculus sections of Extension 2 Maths, you'll do well in MATH1901 (assuming you've retained your abilities of course...)

 

[conics2008]

Hey trebla, can u tell me all about 1 year maths in syd uni..

I'm doing Math1001,1002,1003 and 1004

im not gonna bother with taking advanced, as it just seems useless in the first year. I'm already doing 5 subjects, i dont want the extra work..

so what do u think about them, how are they...

 

[lou071]

Hey trebla, can u tell me all about 1 year maths in syd uni..

I'm doing Math1001,1002,1003 and 1004

im not gonna bother with taking advanced, as it just seems useless in the first year. I'm already doing 5 subjects, i dont want the extra work..

so what do u think about them, how are they...

but if you did maths ext 2 in year 12, you need to take advanced units,

 

[Trebla]

Hey trebla, can u tell me all about 1 year maths in syd uni..

I'm doing Math1001,1002,1003 and 1004

im not gonna bother with taking advanced, as it just seems useless in the first year. I'm already doing 5 subjects, i dont want the extra work..

so what do u think about them, how are they...

Advanced units are much more rigorous and focus on proving theorems as well as using them unlike normal level units which are apparently more like "here's a formula, now use it". They are definitely more challenging but at the same time it's scaled really well. I remember finding the differential and integral calculus finals extremely difficult, but in the end managed a D and HD respectively thanks to scaling lol .

I took the SSP unit (which is built on advanced units) and the extra topics in the seminars were quite interesting (though the assignments were a pain lol). This was one of the reasons I chose advanced as well as mixing (sometimes leeching lol) with the smarter bunch of the cohort lol.

Advanced units are a must if you want to pursue advanced units in higher years. If you wish to take advanced units in 2nd year, you either need to pass the advanced unit in first year or get credit average in the normal unit. I think just passing an advanced unit is much easier than getting credit a normal unit lol.

Also advanced level units are highly recommended if you intend to do honours in Mathematics or Statistics.

 

[lou071]

Advanced units are much more rigorous and focus on proving theorems as well as using them unlike normal level units which are apparently more like "here's a formula, now use it". They are definitely more challenging but at the same time it's scaled really well. I remember finding the differential and integral calculus finals extremely difficult, but in the end managed a D and HD respectively thanks to scaling lol .

I took the SSP unit (which is built on advanced units) and the extra topics in the seminars were quite interesting (though the assignments were a pain lol). This was one of the reasons I chose advanced as well as mixing (sometimes leeching lol) with the smarter bunch of the cohort lol.

Advanced units are a must if you want to pursue advanced units in higher years. If you wish to take advanced units in 2nd year, you either need to pass the advanced unit in first year or get credit average in the normal unit. I think just passing an advanced unit is much easier than getting credit a normal unit lol.

Also advanced level units are highly recommended if you intend to do honours in Mathematics or Statistics.

is there a scaling like HSC in uni course?

 

[Trebla]

is there a scaling like HSC in uni course?

Yes. However, between advanced and normal, it works a bit differently to the HSC scaling. In the finals, advanced and normal get the same multiple choice questions. Since advanced generally do better in the common questions, this determines the extent the marks will be scaled.

 

[lou071]

Yes. However, between advanced and normal, it works a bit differently to the HSC scaling. In the finals, advanced and normal get the same multiple choice questions. Since advanced generally do better in the common questions, this determines the extent the marks will be scaled.

where can i get information about scaling at uni?

 

[Trebla]

Senior Mathematics and Statistics Handbook

 

[imyh]

Advanced units are much more rigorous and focus on proving theorems as well as using them unlike normal level units which are apparently more like "here's a formula, now use it". They are definitely more challenging but at the same time it's scaled really well. I remember finding the differential and integral calculus finals extremely difficult, but in the end managed a D and HD respectively thanks to scaling lol .

I took the SSP unit (which is built on advanced units) and the extra topics in the seminars were quite interesting (though the assignments were a pain lol). This was one of the reasons I chose advanced as well as mixing (sometimes leeching lol) with the smarter bunch of the cohort lol.

Advanced units are a must if you want to pursue advanced units in higher years. If you wish to take advanced units in 2nd year, you either need to pass the advanced unit in first year or get credit average in the normal unit. I think just passing an advanced unit is much easier than getting credit a normal unit lol.

Also advanced level units are highly recommended if you intend to do honours in Mathematics or Statistics.

okay look. here's the struggle i get. everyone is saying the same thing that it's really easier to score D and HD due to scaling, when they found the exam difficult. and shoutouts like 'i don't understand y people still takes normal units. i rather be worried about my subj the whole semester and get a HD, than be consistent and score 10/10 for quizzes in normal unit and get only a high Credit.'

one said she had 3 friends who failed the adv unit. then another friend came along telling me to stay away from advanced unit where possible. i don't intend to do honours in maths/study advanced maths in second year.

i don't want to get zero for not being able to answer those questions in adv maths at all. but yet i don't know if this scaling thing is the safety net that's gonna save me when i really can't answer the proving questions.

ahhhhhhhhh

 

[Templar]

The question is, what happens when you don't go so well (markwise) in your normal assessments. There is no certainty that since you don't do well in advanced that you will do well in normal. At least in advanced, scaling will pull you up (at least more so than normal), whereas in normal, you wouldn't be scaled as much (you won't fail, but you will get only an average mark).

However, if you are not that good at maths, then normal is probably better, but if you qualify for an advanced level course, especially in maths, then do so.

 

[conics2008]

but if you did maths ext 2 in year 12, you need to take advanced units,

no you dont, i dont see why u would do a subject which is basically similar to another one, in your first year that will give u the same cp at the end of the day. so y put pressure on your self in the first year, and maybe 2nd year or so, take up higher level of maths, and btw its not like u cant do it on your own.