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10 Quick Tips for Students

  1. Remember your username and password. Modules are personalized to your learning, so do not share your log in with others.

  2. Complete the PALM over multiple sessions of about 20-40 minutes each, every two to three days apart. Don't try to complete a PALM in one session. The PALM will tell how far you’ve gotten. You might go faster or slower than other students. That's OK. The PALM will help you go at the pace that's right for you.

  3. At first, don't worry about making mistakes. You will get feedback after every problem so you can figure out what you're doing right and what you need to keep working on.

  4. Timing is important, but don't worry if you run out of time at first. The PALM keeps track of how much time you take to solve each problem. You'll get faster as you get more practice.

  5. Pay attention to the feedback, especially if you get a problem wrong. It will give you clues about how to solve that kind of problem the next time. You can spend as much time as you want looking at the feedback that comes after each problem. That time doesn't count when your speed is measured.

  6. It's okay to take a little break and come back later if you start feeling tired.

  7. Don't try to do something else at the same time as the PALM. You won't learn as much and you will waste time. It's better to concentrate on the PALM for 15 minutes than to spend an hour on the PALM and other things at the same time.

  8. To get to the highest levels and finish the whole PALM, you have to be correct as well as pretty fast. Don't race through problems, but don't waste time either. You'll get faster as you learn.

  9. The more you learn, the more mistakes matter. The PALM will be counting how well you are doing on each type of problem. When you get enough problems correct within the time limit, it will give you credit for mastering that kind of problem and you'll be closer to finishing the module. Once you start getting a lot of problems correct, be extra careful not to make careless mistakes or take too long to enter your response.

  10. Be optimistic! You'll be surprised by how well you can learn!

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