LSM Major AY16/17 Sem 1

hello i am back hahahaha I would say this sem has been fun, tiring, eventful, stressful. I kind of gave up studying for finals... i hope i don't regret too much about it when i see my CAP.... 20 DECEMBER 2016 D-DAY!

YEAR 2 SEM 1
Modules : LSM2101, LSM2102, LSM2191, LSM2291, PR1301 and GES1029 (24MCs - Overloaded) red = pre-allocated
LSM 2291 - 100 points
GES1029 - 1 point
PR1301 - 1 point

LSM 2101 - Metabolism and Regulation

well, if you read several blogs, you'll probably notice the trending statement of "THE CONTENT IN THIS MODULE IS NO JOKE". While there is a lot to memorise, I believe that if you constantly revise this module throughout the semester, you won't have a problem scoring (cause it's a factual module - there's nothing but facts so you don't really need to understand much). Also, the questions are all rather straightforward, if you studied, it's definitely possible to get full marks even for finals. That being said, most of us will probably say "I don't have enough time to juggle this with all my other modules". Suggestion: DO NOT OVERLOAD YOUR SEMESTER IF YOU'RE TAKING THIS! 
There are 2 CAs and both are rather easy to score (20 MCQs - 10 for each lecturer's part). Topics: carbohydrate (metabolism & regulation), proteins, nucleotides & nucleosides, fats and other general information [HOW I CLASSIFIED THEM AT LEAST]. Honestly, i don't think i'll do well for this module cause i suck at memorising content and i didn't put in a lot of effort preparing for CA2 and finals. 
CLICK THE LINK TO FIND OUT MORE~ 

http://www.lifesciences.nus.edu.sg/modules/lsm/LSM2101.pdf 

HOW TO STUDY:
1. you don't have to attend lecture but instead, study your notes diligently and by skipping lectures, you give yourself more time to handle other modules (not webcasted but the content is found all over the internet!!)
2. draw the pathways over and over and over again and it will naturally stay in your head
3. score for CAs if it's the last thing you do! (I got 80% for CA1 and idk the results for CA2)

Workload: 4/5 (if you make your own notes & constantly study)
Expected Grade: B
Overall Grade: B

LSM 2102 - Molecular Biology

Understanding the contents in this module is crucial. They love to test understanding rather than content. It is another heavy content module that you must juggle with LSM2101. The content of this module is similar to LSM2191 but its the deeper version. One way to do well is to pay attention in class. Even if you feel that you're not getting ANYTHING, try to write notes here and there - it will help with your revision. I estimated 2 days to finish studying for finals but i soon realised it was not enough because i didn't finish studying despite staying up and studying overnight... D: ONCE AGAIN I MAY DO BADLY (cause i got A for my CA1 but finals weigh 70%). I didn't finish studying for the CA too, i completed Dr Too's part (since he only had 2 sets of notes) and i went through half of Nobert's part (skipped operon which weighed 40marks in the exam!, phage lambda and some DNA repair chapter). Although I couldn't do nobert's 40mark question, i kinda wrote a logical answer so i guess i didn't get 0/40 for the question. Prof Ding's notes are full of words but they are useful to help you understand the whole story of how proteins are made~ Anyway, this module requires patience to slowly go through the notes until you understand the theory and can visualise the mechanisms.

CLICK THE LINK TO FIND OUT MORE~ 

http://www.lifesciences.nus.edu.sg/modules/lsm/LSM2102.pdf 

HOW TO STUDY:
1. Understand the concepts by reading the notes (couldn't find helpful youtube videos)
2. Pay attention in class

Workload: 3/5
Expected Grade: B 
Overall Grade: A- 


LSM2191 - Laboratory Technique in Life Science

I didn't attend lecture cause it was webcasted (but i didn't watch the webcast oops). The labs were tiring... 6hours long!!! but they were more useful (IMHO) compared to the lectures for term1. CA1 covers the lecture and practical content (which are the same thing). The questions for both CAs are rather tricky and you really have to know the content well to be able to identify the right answer. For term 2, the lecturer didn't prepare any notes and I regretted not going for lecture. Because some questions in the CA2 were completely alien to me and i think the lecturer covered it during the lecture (cause they weren't from lab). Lab reports are heavily graded (25%) and they require a lot of time and effort - you need to do research to write your discussion section well despite your TA giving you clues. Try to explain EVERYTHING that you observe so that you can score and you need to be able to reference a source for your explanation.  

CLICK THE LINK TO FIND OUT MORE~ 

http://www.lifesciences.nus.edu.sg/modules/lsm/LSM2191.pdf

LAB REPORTS + APPENDICE HERE

HOW TO STUDY:

1. Write everything in lab

2. Start your lab report early (THE SEQUENCING PART IF ARGHHHH)

Workload: 3/5 (lab reports are tough)
Expected Grade: A- (cause of CA2)
Overall Grade: A

LSM2291 - Fundamental Techniques in Microbiology 

"FREE A" is what people would say about this module. There's only 5 lecture at the start of the term and you'll be free from lectures. Labs are also on alternate weeks only so there's only 5 sessions! This module is slack and so you should definitely take it if you're planning to overload your semester (and if it's cheap). People rush to take anatomy (LSM2212) when it's hard to score, expensive and heavy when you can always just take microbiology and still be able to get into biomed specialisation. Lab sessions are LONG but worth it if you have a really good TA that explains everything in detail and makes you think at times. If your TA is quite useless (meaning: not around when you need help, no explanation or theory whatsoever, not doing anything and leaving labs early) join another TA's briefing for it WILL help you. Do the "homework" the TAs give (read up on agar, principle etc.) because those stuff will CONFIRM + CHOP be tested in both CA1 & CA2. The lab reports are only 4 pages long but the deadline might be tight (complete 2 reports within a week). I scored quite well for CA1, idk my grade for CA2 and my reports because my TA was the only one who refused to disclose our grades.... anyway, everything in the lecture and lab are tested because the content is not very heavy overall.

CLICK THE LINK TO FIND OUT MORE~ 
http://www.lifesciences.nus.edu.sg/modules/lsm/LSM2291.pdf

HOW TO STUDY :
1. Study everything in the notes (the history part too! Antoni van Leeuwenhoek!!!!)
2. Do your homework, know your AGARs, MICROBEs & PRINCIPLEs
3. Put in effort for your lab reports (Pictures of your results get you more marks apparently)

Workload: 2/5 
Expected Grade: A
Overall Grade: A-

PR1301 - Complementary Medicine & Health

The module is interesting. There's a lot of read through stuff that you will immediately understand for Lin Haishu's part (yoga, taichi, cancer, aromatherapy etc.) and Chan Cheng Leng's part (legislation). So i practically skipped all their lectures and studied the lecture notes (sufficient). For Koh Hwee Ling's part (TCM, integrative medicine, herbal medicines, mindfulness) i encourage you to go for her lectures because she has a lot of additional information that helps you memorise and some concepts/philosophy of yin-yang theory may take awhile to understand on your own. While the herbal medicine part is quite heavy, you really should focus on ginger, garlic, panax ginseng, gingko biloba, hypericum perforatum as these are the commonly tested ones if you really don't have the time to study that is. Otherwise, study EVERYTHING, EVERYTHING is tested! There's a short/simple/easy assignment that you need to do. To score, simply show how you apply the KNOWLEDGE of the class to your everyday life (i think that's how it works cause i got A-). CA will be structured true or false questions (KHL will give examples during her first tutorial session). Finals is just MCQs... 125 qns..... jiayou! I didn't finish study but i think i didn't die too badly...

CLICK THE LINK TO FIND OUT MORE~ 
https://ivle.nus.edu.sg/lms/public/view_moduleoutline.aspx?CourseID=C3B4D5E2-FB2E-4B0A-ABCF-EF4C7F7FA43B&ClickFrom=StuViewBtn

HOW TO STUDY :
1. CA (study the herbal medicine well and you can already pass! LHS's part may be a bit harder to score cause he made it tricky)
2. Finals - like i said, study everything, it's all tested! mainly from LHS & KHL 

Workload: 2/5 
Expected Grade: B+ (i hope i won't do too badly, no more S/U)
Overall Grade: B+

GES1029 - SINGAPORE FILM: PERFORMANCE OF IDENTITY

A lot of films to watch = fun.... not really. some films are traumatising and some are boring but a handful are funny and interesting. I usually stay back and watch them during the screening session instead of going home to watch them because i probably won't watch it.. There are R21 films and strange films, funny films and interesting one. It's a pleasant mod to take and the exam (CA1 and CA2) only have 1 essay question each! The question can be anything regarding one of the films you've watch in the TERM + SINGAPORE! Singapore will definitely be part of the question because this is a geSSSSSSSSS!!!!! The film project may or may not be fun depending on how efficient your group is. My group was not bad i think, we won the best narrative award HAHAHAH. Try to make your movie suit Edna's taste and you'll probably score (she'll say what shows she like and don't like during her lectures). Include the stuff taught during lecture and tutorial into your film report (can score!) Report : Film = 50:50 ratio in terms of weightage, equally important!!! I didn't really pay attention during tutorial cause i had no idea what the TA was saying 99% of the time; too technical...
CLICK THE LINK TO FIND OUT MORE~
https://ivle.nus.edu.sg/lms/public/view_moduleoutline.aspx?CourseID=E656C3C5-17E9-456F-ABB5-F61ED76B0EAF&ClickFrom=StuViewBtn 

HOW TO STUDY for CA:
1. Study the lecture notes (obviously) by going for lecture! She gives a lot of info during lectures and the trailer of certain films showed WILL help
2. Memorise your show names (even those you don't need to watch like They Call Her Cleopatra Wong) & character names because you MUST give examples
3. do not write out of point - always go back to SINGAPORE!!!!

Workload: 4/5 (filming project burden, watching movies burden)
Expected Grade: B+
Overall Grade: B

OVERALL CAP FOR SEMESTER:
LSM2101: B
LSM2102: A-
LSM2191: A
LSM2291: A-
GES1029: B (S/U)
PR1301: B+

CAP: 4.42