Olson's Science

So, a lot of people get intimidated thinking of science as a bunch of memorization of formulas and data tables.  NOT TRUE!  The simple fact is that if you enjoy the science and use it a lot, you will end up memorizing the formulas and data tables, but that really isn't what science is about.  Think about that grandma who doesn't even need to use a cookbook anymore because she has cooked so many dishes over and over again that it is second nature.  Thus, using reference tables is perfectly fine.  New York State put together some excellent ones for what they call their Regent Exam (think MEAP here in Michigan).  Use them.  The important point to remember though is that these won't 'give' you the answer.  You will need to understand how to use the formulas, and how to read the tables, etc.  Grading isn't based on memorization, but understanding and application.