Well, I've been gone for a while, but I'm back now. 

It occurred to me recently just how essential solution manuals can be when taking advanced physics and mathematics classes.  See, I've been doing pretty badly in my Electrodynamics class and was in dire need of some help.  I love the lecture, but I don't seem to get much out of it in terms of problem solving.  There are only two other people in the class with me and I never see them except in class so I needed something else.  This was essentially my problem with Classical Mechanics last semester.  Too much interesting bla and not enough applicable problem solving examples. And I find that this is the primary downfall of many textbooks as well.  It has become more difficult for people who tend to be book learners to actually do any book learning.

Enter the solution manual.  I know, this should be cheating...but no, it isn't.  I do require of myself that the problems be solved in detail on my own, but I do use the solution manual to check my answers.  I use it to learn the actual methods for solution of the problems.  I use it to learn.  And I would encourage everyone who needs it to do the same.  As long as it doesn't become a crutch, and as long as you are not simply copying the answers straight from the page.  I use myself as an example; this morning I was able to go through three separate but related problems in one hour...a pretty significant feat for me...and in the process better understand how to solve two different types of questions, namely finding charge and current distribution using Maxwell's equations and not having been given the Electric and Magnetic fields.  A very useful thing to be able to do on a test.

Hopefully I can bring my grade up, now that midterms are over and I can finally get down to the business of actually learning. 

A note on study habits...

Do your homework when you have the time.  Wake up an hour earlier than you normally do, and you can get an extra 2 hours of studying time in.  The someone who wakes up early and starts doing something to avoid boredom ends up finishing everything earlier, and doing better in his or her classes, I've been doing it and it works.  Another thing is to head out to class a half hour to 45 minutes early.  While waiting around for class to begin you can work on some homework that you may otherwise leave until the night before.  This, again, is primarily a way of preventing yourself from getting bored and it pays off in the long run...as well as the short run, as you find yourself with more time for drinking and chasing skirt (or pant if that's your thing).

~J