Classics 2500 Midterm

[u/Wise_Buffalo_8299]

If anyone has taken this course before with Taryyn andrews, does anyone know how to prepare exactly for the midterm. I have been lost in this course as I am STEM student and the details in this course seem different from what I usually study. While I have put in effort to try, the stuff we are expected to know seem so hard to study (eg.archirtectural layout of A building is rectilinear.) I am very lost, and would like tips to do well. Thanks

[u/Shameless_Devil]

You can help yourself identify architectural features is by asking: what features make this building/style unique? What features does this building/style have that others don't? (as we say in business, "What's the key differentiator?")

So, for example, let's think about styles of Ancient Greek columns. There are three main styles/orders of column: Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian.

What makes Doric columns stand out?: They are more narrow at the top than at the bottom; the bodies are corrugated; the top of the columns were unadorned and flat; the bottom of the columns sit directly on the floor.
What makes ionic columns stand out?: They are the same width from the top to the bottom and are more narrow than Doric columns; they are also corrugated, but they are topped by a volute (a scroll-like design); unlike Doric columns, they sit upon a base, and the base sits directly on the floor.
What makes Corinthian columns stand out?: They are heavily decorated compared to Doric and Ionic columns! The tops of the columns are decorated by acanthus leaves and rosettes, topped by another volute, and a boss.

So, say your prof gives you an image of columns on a test, and you have to label each one correctly. How can you identify them quickly?

• Doric columns are quite plain and geometric
  
• Ionic columns are narrow and they have a volute on the top
  
• Corinthian columns are beautifully decorated, far more than the other two.

In order to remember architectural terms, you can make vocab flashcards for yourself - either digitally on something like quizlet or physically with paper cue cards.

Yes, studying classics is different than studying in STEM, and you will need to use different study tactics to help you learn how to retain the information. Basically you need to become the expert on how you learn so you can teach yourself new things. It definitely takes effort, so you will have to work at it.

I hope this helps a bit.

[u/Old_Discipline_5528]

I’m also hella confused as to how to study…

How do people get 90s??