You get out what you put in. Memorization is easy, but it does not confer understanding. Knowing the basic information is just a start. Your goal in this course should be to understand the material.
Understanding requires questioning.
You cannot attain understanding simply by passive absorbtion or by copying, either from lectures or from the reading. Understanding requires that your mind be actively involved. Questioning what you read, looking for relationships, and solving problems are active involvement and are essential to effective studying. Questioning often leads to confusion, which is a sign you are probably on the right track. Confusion is resolved by thinking.