This is a super easy class with a very light workload. You get 3 short writing assignments total and one quiz a week. Everything including the final is open note so if you really wanted, you could skip every lecture and just look up the answers. Section is participation based and very relaxed.
He is a very good lecturer and makes students participate in the lecture, which is very helpful. The only reason I am not giving him a 5 is because his grading system is sooooo weird. Unlike every other teacher who has a 80-82.5% (B-), 83-86.5% (B), and 87-89.5% (B+) grading scale, his scores are B-=(80-81), B=82-88, and B+= 89.
He's an amazing lecturer, his tests are awful. I took him in the summer, and the class itself was amazing and he makes learning information fun. Dude his tests tho... They were full of synthesis questions, which really makes you learn the material, the issue was THERE WAS TOO MUCH. Fun class and great prof, but oh god
While this course is test heavy with 90% of your grade relying on two multiple choice, online tests, the course is still enjoyable. The first test was on ecology (I got a 78%), and the final was on evolution (I got an 89%). Class averages were high so there was minimal rounding. He tells you exactly what to expect on tests (45 questions each)
Professor Latto is amazing! I took this class after taking EEMB 40 in the Fall because I enjoyed his teaching so much. Each week you learn about a new non-infectious disease like diabetes, cancer, or heart disease. Lectures are recorded and attendance is only mandatory for section. Sections are chill and easy. Prof Latto is super smart and funny!
Literally would take this class again just because of professor Latto's energy. He's so understanding and truly does want all his students to succeed. Definitely recommend if you need a simple science course.
The first half of this class sucked because it wasn't with him. But as soon as he started teaching it, IT WAS SO GOOD!! Like a genuinely interesting class in every way. It was pretty profound. And I felt like his teaching style was just so good like I was fully engaged and was learning so much. Got 97% on the final, but still a C in the class.
Prof. Latto is great! Very entertaining lecturer and gives sooo many resources to help you succeed! Failed my first midterm with Even, but was able to get back on track thanks to Latto
This whole course is in shambles. TAs are always unclear of how to set up experiments, but it's not their fault, because they aren't properly prepped. Unclear lab directions messed up our research poster project, which was a HASSLE for half the quarter. The actual biology was interesting, but the department honestly needs to scrap/rework this class
This course is extremely frustrating. Instructions are very unclear, deadlines are ridiculous. Only given 48 hours to turn in lab workbook despite it taking over a month for it to get graded. Received 0% for an assignment that I spent hours on because of a technicality that was not clear in her horrible directions.
just horrible no standards unclear instructions and cares more about technicalities then learning. makes me want to kms and drop out
The entire course is very confusing, with guidelines that are extremely vague. The grading is very tough, and simple mistakes in formatting is harshly punished, regardless of the actual quality of work. She seems like a person who wants to see you fail, and who will make things difficult for no reason in order to ensure that you fail.
Most annoying class I have taken at ucsb. MCDB 1LL is an introductory lab course that is structured like a weeder class. Lots of mindless work. Grading is unnecessarily tough for a class that is so easy. Infuriating to get a 0 on assignments that you put time into because of a technicality. Put due dates in google calendar and you will do well.
Horrible. Expectations for research project in this lab were super unclear. TAs were clearly not communicated to well as they seemed confused too. Missed deadline by 10 min and was counted as a 0 docking a whole letter grade.
My grandma died right before MCDB 1A midterm, i had to fly across the country for the funeral. Alice needed proof she actually died to not get a zero with no leniency. No obituary cause she was buried 24 hrs after death (jewish) & death cert would take weeks to get. I sent a picture of me at her grave, my family was in on it and we had a laugh.
Super passionate about the material and makes it interesting and easy to understand. Would 100% take one of his other classes!
Super interesting class and very interesting lectures! Tests are all online and you only have a few assignments all quarter.
If you are gonna take a GE for Area C, TAKE THIS CLASS!! This was actually an amazing class and the material was pretty easy. Quizzes get 2 attempts, no midterm, everything open note (including final). He is super sweet too, and him and the TAs are very passionate, helpful, and engaged. I recommend this class to literally everyone. He is amazing!!
Professor Latto is a delight - his lectures are engaging and he genuinely cares about student success. Use Unstuck study alongside the provided materials for great exam prep. Overall, a fantastic STEM class experience.
The first half of this class has a different professor, Dr. Even jokes and kind of rambles then loads a lot of vocabulary quickly in lectures. Tests used lecture concepts but also had to understand specifics a person could google for vocabulary matching questions
John Latto is one of my favorite professors. lectures posted online, only a few writing assignments and quizzes online with 2 attempts. no midterms, final also online. he is the sweetest, funniest and very passionate about what he teaches. DEFINITELY TAKE EEMB40!!
The class is open notes for all assignments and since the lectures are so well done, it is easy to take good notes and understand everything. The diseases we learned about were interesting and provided a good class for first year students.
Professor Latto was great! He always came to class with lots of energy and made all of his lectures interesting in some way. The class itself is also very easy. There was rarely any homework. Every week there was a quiz but it was online and open book. There were no midterms and the final was open book and online. I highly recommend his class
great professor…. If I was bald like him. his tests are way too long. the final was near 100 questions. he tries to be cool by making jokes in video modules we have to watch but he tries too hard and just adds to the time of the videos to make it seem like we are learning. i spend only like 2 mins writing notes out of the 30 mins when he talks blah