The most stupid thing about MCDB1LL is the poster. We didn't do this experiment at all, but instead, the poster, which relies entirely on the editing process, gets the biggest score. It's really stupid and disgusting.

I honestly have no words. To sum it up, I'll give you this: It was so confusing that my entire lab class was under the impression that we would eventually DO the worm lab at some point, and were not informed that we would never actually do it (and were supposed to work off the old data the WHOLE course) until week 8. WEEK. EIGHT.

What hasn't been said? The fact every bio student pays to go through her courses is a crime. She makes me want to self-immolate in front of Bio2, or wherever her office is. When a TA posts a rating saying the prof Is bad, it's bad. Sorry to every other bio student. Prepare yourself. I agree w/ "this is my villain origin story".

This is literally a made up class. We write a research poster on research we did not do. The in person labs are an actual joke. This is a waste of three hours every week. And don't get me started on the horrible organization and direction of this class and the stupid pre-lab quizzes. I am sorry if you have to take this class.

It's bad. The pre labs are borderline ridiculous. The questions are so out of date that they still ask about covid green badges in pre lab quizzes. It just feels like they are so unprepared to teach this class. Even my TA is confused by the organization of this class. Also we are writing a poster about a lab we will never do. Weird.

I am speechless. I have never encountered someone who couldn't care less about their students. MCDB 1LL is my villain origin story and I have never felt more misery. She never responds to emails and her videos are less than helpful. Do not get me started on the pre-labs. The questions are awfully worded and the answers are not clear either.

Makes a class that's supposed to fun ridiculously complicated and tedious instead. Way way way too much work for 1.5 units and essentially an online class. Worst class I've taken here so far.

While I never met Dr. Nguyen in person, she seemed nice, but the class was very complicated for a 1.5 unit class and the grading criteria was not clear. The pre-lab quizzes were so stupid because the questions changed every time you attempted it and were worded badly which caused significant confusion and time to be wasted. I was disappointed tbh

The MCDB 1LL course was a mixed bag. TAs were often lost, prelabs were confusing, manual lacked clarity, and the course was disorganized/chaotic. Students were offered a small EC opportunity and GS was regularly updated (2 positives of this class). Email responses were unreliable. Labs could have been engaging if given better instruction/detail.

Honestly just awful in so many ways. Terrible PDF assignments that force students to buy Adobe Acrobat and then bait them into clicking links that make them lose all their work (this happened to me and many other classmates). Having to pay for the stupid lab manual that she probably makes thousands off of. Stingy and inaccessible. Horrible prof.

MCDB 1LL is way too much work for 1.5 units. In the first week during Winter quarter of 2022, we were doing remote learning and the LURE project drafts were so confusing, as no experiment videos were provided and we were just doing worksheets based on numbers/data given to us. The pre-labs are also tedious and time-consuming.

Insane amount of work, very disorganized, the work we are doing seems pointless

Easily one of the worst professors at UCSB. Both of the Intro Biology lab courses are incredibly disorganized. It's almost like Alice was the only one applying to be the head of the bio department and UCSB was stuck with hiring her. If she can get a job, anyone can >:(

Anna James is nothing short of a gift from god. All she wants to do is help you succeed and give you A's. She is so caring and passionate and just wants to see you learn and enjoy her interests. I cannot recommend her classes enough. She makes her classes so easy, all she asks is that you engage with her and appreciate her efforts. She is a SAINT!

Not good at her job. Has made multiple mistakes such as telling people incorrect grade cut offs and accusing people of cheating and later admitting it was her mistake. Makes you feel like a number. Weeder class

So kind and values learning over testing. Went over topics again she thought we didn't fully understand. Offers ways to makeup missed exam questions. Super kind, office hours are unique and have a lot of learning activities. Highlights varied speakers who give info about getting into their various careers/fields. Really cares about her students

Half the class was accused of cheating on the last day of the quarter so no one could do anything about it. She didnt respond to the emails. Left us in the dark. Some got letters saying it was a mistake on their end. All exams had multiple mistakes they refused to fix. Waited to very last minute to submit final grades so we could not protest.

The class wasnt well run but not necessarily that difficult besides that. Dr. Nguyen didnt do her PhD in a molecular biology field, which was apparent when she tried do discuss even intro molecular biology topics, and especially more obvious in hindsight as you go on to upper div MCDB classes. Not the same level of quality as other UCSB profs.

Absolute gem of a professor. Very understanding and accomadating during a very difficult and unorthodox quarter. Did not end up taking final, so no comments on how difficult her final was, but I heard from many others that it was very reasonable.

Amazingly concise, organized, and straightforward lectures. Explicitly hashes out all the info you need to remember for her part of the class. Her section of the final was exactly what you studied about, no trick questions or overly hard ones. Removed two whole lectures to alleviate our stress. Exceptional professor, could not recommend her more!

Anna was so good at teaching she actually made me want to watch lectures. Her slides were very organized and she emphasized major points. She's super sweet and wants the best for her students.

Dr. James is everything you want out of a collegiate professor. She not only is extremely knowledgeable about the information she presents, but she is incredibly caring and passionate to her students. Dr. James truly wants you to succeed in her class and she goes out of her way to make sure all questions you may have are answered. Best experience!!

Anna James is undoubtedly one of the best intro bio professors at UCSB. Her lectures for the animal portion were so organized, phenomenal, and full of enthusiasm that there was never an instance where they felt dull or boring. To a great extent, she makes every aspect about marine life much more enjoyable. Professor James is truly one of a kind :)

Brilliant teacher! Very inspiring and makes me want to learn more about marine biology and animals in general! Very accessible and helpful in her lectures, office hours and emails. One of the best course experiences I've had at UCSB