===== Guidelines =====

==== Resources & Content ====

  * The **Wiki** will contain:
    * all the material (**syllabus**) covered in the AA lecture, including definitions, proofs, examples.
    * all material covered in labs, including **some** solved exercises
  * The **Lecture** will feature:
    * a comprehensive treatment of the syllabus, with lots of examples and motivations. Some proofs may be omitted at lecture, however it is **recommended** to go over them.
    * **additional examples** which may not be part of the wiki
    * **solutions to tricky exercises** which may not be part of the labs
  * The **Lab** will feature:
    * Discussion of (more difficult) concepts discussed at lecture
    * Exercises 

==== Attending AA in a 'healthy' way ====

   * Students are **expected to take part at most lectures**. Most subjects are highly connected and **it may be hard to attend later lectures with no information from the previous ones**.
   * Students are expected to be **active** at lecture. During the lecture, **there are many questions**. One should be able to answer most of them.
   * Write down questions which you **do not understand** / **do not know how to answer**.
   * Write down any **aspects of the lecture which you do not understand**. Revisit them during the lab with your lab supervisor
   * Students are **encouraged to ask questions** during the lecture. **Do not be discouraged that**:
     * your question 'may not good'
     * your question 'has already been answered'
     * you may not receive a satisfactory answer (sometimes, during the lecture, there is limited time in addressing all possible questions. Revisit your question with your lab supervisor or offline with the lecturer)
   * Solve all assignments on time, and try to **avoid leaving difficult subjects for later**.

Check out **John Dunlosky's advices** on how to learn efficiently. They will help you **a lot** at AA:
  * [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3d73Qsr-Hm4| An interview with John Dunlosky]]
  * [[http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1021069.pdf|Strenghtening the Student Toolbox]] by John Dunlosky.

==== Common mistakes at AA ====
AA is different from other lectures you (may) have attended. It blends mathematical notions with aspects of computing and programming. For some students, AA may seem difficult. To successfully pass the lecture, take notice of the following:

  * preparing for the exam during the holidays will not work: most students which do well during the lecture finish with high grades. Passing the exam is **extremely hard** if your results are poor during the lecture. 
  * skipping the lecture while attending the lab will not work. Most of the lab exercises are strongly linked to the lecture. At lab **elements of the lecture are only briefly reviewed, not re-explained from scratch**. 
  * taking part at the lecture without being able to answer the lecture questions will not work:
    * write down what you do not understand
    * revisit unclear things (several times if necessary)
    * **ask for help!**
  * it is not necessary to write down definitions while taking notes. Focus on:
    * what you do not understand
    * examples
    * proofs (sketches)
  * **do not postpone understanding difficult concepts**. Most students which do not understand the first part of the lecture have difficulties later on as well as at exam.