Attendance and class requirements

How to Succeed in Structural Mechanics

The key outcome in Structural Mechanics is being able to understand the concepts.  Being able to perform calculations is an important task, but it is not the only task.  Being able to do calculations will help provide insight into the key issues and parameters, but understanding will also result from being able to visualise the problem and see the connection between the physical observations, theory, calculation methods, and practical situations.

In general, you will be expected to answer three types of questions:

Simple calculations:  You will be asked questions of similar nature to those covered in lectures or tutorials.  This is to ensure that you know the process for standard calculations.

Understanding & explanation:  You will be asked to explain (without calculations) the implications or issues behind a problem.  This will demonstrate that you understand the physical meaning of a problem.

Applied questions:  You will need to make use of the equations and processes you have learned, but the question will need to be considered from a different view.  You will not be able to copy a previous answer; you will need to think first before answering.  This will demonstrate that you are an engineer!

Weekly email update

Each week, enrolled students will receive an email update summarising the content of the week, and information on upcoming content and assignments.  It will contain suggestions on tutorial questions, assignments and quizzes.  Use this as an important part of your study program.  Message archives are on Canvas.

Lectures

• Attend every lecture.
• Be actively involved.  Read the lecture notes before the lecture.  Revise the notes after the lecture and attempt relevant questions as soon as possible afterwards.  Take notes – not just what is written on the board, but also what the lecturer emphasises verbally.

Tutorials & Problems

• Attempt problem questions as soon as possible after the relevant lecture.  The first few easy questions will follow a very similar procedure from examples in the lecture notes.  Use these examples to reinforce the procedure.
• Attend every tutorial.  Have several questions already attempted – if you have problems you will be able to ask your tutor.
• Do not look at solutions before you have attempted questions.  This is counterproductive and does not enhance your problem solving ability.  In a real job and in the exam you will not have the solutions available.

Workload

• Assign an average 9 - 10 hours each week.  There are 5 hours of lectures/tutorials each week, and you should also be prepared to do 4-5 hours a week on sample problems.

Quizzes

• The quiz questions are predominately similar to the simpler tutorial questions.  Some past quizzes and solutions are online.  However rote learning of solutions to previous quizzes is not recommended.
• Students who maintain a regular up to date, workload of tutorial questions during the semester should be adequately prepared for the quizzes.

Exam

• The exam has a mix of simple questions, explanation questions and applied questions.
• While the exam is open book, you should be suitably confident and competent to answer the simple questions without reference to the notes (i.e. you should just know “how” to draw a BMD).
• Applied questions – think about what the question is asking you to do and how to go about solving it before you write
• Prepare for the exam by doing past exams under exam conditions – i.e. lock yourself away in your room for 3 hours with no solutions, no coffee, and no SMS, chat or Facebook!
• Rote learning of solutions to previous exams is not recommended.

Assignments

• Do them as early as you can.  Do not leave them to the last minute.