The Secret of Success in Organic Chemistry Courses
Below are some basic tips that I gave my clients when I tutored organic chemistry while I was going to graduate school.
Make flash cards with reactions (named and types), reactants, etc.
Study the flash cards backwards, forwards, and shuffled. This is to help you know the reactions by their names, know the products formed from the reagents and starting materials involved.
Do the homework problems at least 3 to 5 times, successively.
Write out the mechanisms of all of the reactions in each chapter at least 3 to 5 times.
Whenever you come across a homework problem that doesn’t ask for the mechanism, do it anyway.
Study for 30 minute periods with 5 minute breaks, keeping well hydrated and nourished.
Go over all previous chapters (at the very least, the chapter summaries) and work on any mechanisms and/or reactions that are unclear.