Biochemistry - BCHM 321

Pre-class Questions

Introductory  Survey - Fall 2003

Please fill out the following form that should help me understanding your interests and concerns related to the class.  I will NOT post this survey on the web, so your answers will be seen only by me.  When you are finished, select the submit button.  Thanks.

1.  Last Name    2.  First Name

3.  Name you would like to be called in class 

4.  Check all of the following Biology Course which you have taken.

   Concepts I        Concepts II       Cell Biology       Molecular Biology       Genetics

   Microbiology        Immunology        Others  

5.   How much interest do you have in the field of biochemistry?  Check one of the buttons below

   Very little interest        some interest       moderate interest       great interest

I always tell my students that if they really understood chemistry at the level of General Chemistry and Organic Chemistry (excluding the design of   multi-step synthetic reactions), that they will do very well in this class.   How would you rate your present understanding of the following chemistry topics (again based on what was presented in General and Organic Chemistry):

6.   thermodynamics (free energy, enthalpy, entropy, equilibrium constants)

        poor         some        moderate        excellent     

7.   kinetics (rate constants, rate equations, initial velocity, concentration dependence)

        poor         some        moderate        excellent     

8.   acid/base reactions (pH, pKa's, Henderson Hasselbach equation, buffers, titraiton curves)

        poor         some        moderate        excellent     

9.   redox reactions (oxidizing and reducing agents, Nerst equation, standard reduction potentials)

        poor         some        moderate        excellent  

10.   organic reaction mechanisms (reaction mechanisms, nucleophiles, electrophiles, addition, substituiton, elimination, functional group chemistry)

        poor         some        moderate        excellent  

People have many different learning strategies.  Answer the following questions to illustrate your preferences.

11.   I prefer to study new material as a pre-class assignment BEFORE it is discussed in class, rather than studying the material AFTER it has been discussed in class.

strongly disagree      moderately diagree      agree       moderately agree      strongly agree       

12.   Which percentage of lecture/group work is most effective for your learning? (%lecture/%gp work)

   100/0      75/25      50/50       25/75      0/100