For the record... exam version...

• E-mailing classmates for help won't get you good exam answers -- just ask X.
• Googling a term won't get you a good answer for the term -- that's why I specified that your answer should relate to the course material. You'd be better off with the "1" (out of 5) for "I don't know", as opposed to the 0 those answers get.
  
• Doing ALL the reading assigned in class is a good idea -- especially if we talk about it.
• If your prof writes a paper and assigns it to you, it isn't optional and it could be on the exam.
• Having some clue as to what the term means will probably get you a pretty decent grade. Doing anything above the basic definition will get you even more... even if it's all in your own words... really, that's the point, dumb-*ss.