Do u think it's unfair when profs ask Q's on the midterm that were NEVER discussed in lecture?

Question

and barely mentioned in the book? The book might include a small blurb on the side about it or something. Grrr.. There was a Q on my chem midterm about the earth's crust. WTH We never talked about that. I spent my time studying all the main concepts of chem that we discussed. BOOOO Earth's crust is made of like 15 elements. Like i'm gonna remember that as opposed to more important things like u kno... laws and equations and stuff.

Answer 1

That's fair game. If you stick to the lecture material, and learn it thoroughly, you should get through the exams with 50% to 60%. The other 30% or so of not-lectured Q's in the exams is how the prof finds out who his top students are.

You can only expect to get top grades if your motivation and your interest in the subject have made you want to find out and understand more and more and more about it. It's your choice.

Answer 2

If it is discussed in a lecture, handouts or even a small paragraph in a book its fair game. If all tests were based only on what the professor lectured more often then not it would be an easy A or you wouldn't obtain all the knowledge you were meant to. You are in college to obtain an education it is your job to read the book and any suggested reading. I had a psychology professor that spent 70 of the 90 minute class discussing his childhood or previous patients. The only way I passed the class was to read the book, many many times and thank god I did had I not I would have never obtained my Masters in Psychology by the age of 21

Answer 3

Yes, I think this is unfair. The exam material should reflect the course content. Drumming up questions on arcane subject matter does nothing to enhance the educational experience of the student.
On one of my finals in EE one year over half the material was from before the midterm and a whole section in the latter half of the course was omitted. I was angry as I spent a great deal of time on the second half of the course. Typically 25% is from before midterm and the remainder is from after midterm.

Answer 4

A little unusual if that's ALL he asked.

I remember a math class where the exam questions never involved just remembering what was covered. Rather the questions required us to use what was covered to figure out questions that had indeed not been covered in class.

From my own experience, it's hard to think up exam questions that aren't too simple, too hard, or just rote memorization. And do it year after year.

I don't think requiring you to reason is too much to ask.

Answer 5

The professors want to know that you've paid attention in class or actually reviewed the book.

Anything is fair game.

Answer 6

If it is in the lecture or in a chapter that was assigned to you as reading than yes it is fair game.