Jim Cooper

18 reviews
Tough grader Tests are tough Test heavy
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MCDB108C . 8 Years Ago

This class is an allegory to people thinking that biology courses are memorization and not learning anything. This class is the epitome of how much you have to study for biology courses and not learn anything. Like someone else said, the only reason to take this series is because of Dr. Lew. He is leaving so hopefully better professor steps up.

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MCDB108C . 8 Years Ago

This class is straight memorization. Cooper just reads off the slide and expects u to know it. We prob. went through 60 slides/lecture. TONS of info, not very engaging. I recommend going through the lecture slides after class and rewriting everything again. I also read the book bc it's basically the slides. Coop is helpful if you go to office hrs

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108C . 8 Years Ago

By far the worst professor I have ever had at UCSB. Makes you memorize useless information, and you don't come out learning anything. He simply reads off his already terrible slides. Makes me almost rethink taking this series. The only reason i would do the series again is because of Dr. Lew.

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MCDB108C . 8 Years Ago

Really bad. You come from the preceding biochemistry courses beginning to understand logic behind the driving forces of chemistry in biological systems and then come to final class of series into a lower-division level or even high school level teaching,memorization dump of a class. Lecture is useless but required cause of clicker and slides stink.

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MCDB131L . 12 Years Ago

Wish I hadn't taken this course concurrently with mcdb 133. There was so much lab material that didn't connect to lecture but tested on both. Information overload. Would have done better if I had taken course next Fall tat way I'd have a solid understanding. Also TAs and Prof weren't helpful so it was a lot of material to learn by myself.

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MCDB20 . 14 Years Ago

The class is hard and the lectures are useless to go to, he reads off the slides which come right out of the book! Supposed to be a "concepts" class but the exams were crazy hard and detailed. Interesting topics but I barely passed because of the exams. He seems apathetic about teaching undergrads. Talked about his dead wife so I felt bad for him.

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MCDB20 . 14 Years Ago

VERY HARD CLASS! the lectures are pretty useless to go to. He reads right off the slide (and the slides come right out of the book). The tests are very in depth and the chapters take forever to read through (about 4 hours to read and take notes). very interesting topics are taught i just wish my grade would reflect how interesting it was though :/

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MCDB131 . 14 Years Ago

Awful teacher. Takes forever to respond to emails, even around exam time. Essentially reads slides over, except at 10x normal speaking speed. Says stuff wont be on the exam, then changes his mind BUT ONLY TELLS A SMALL GROUP of students this in a LAB section (not even for the class!)

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MCDB131 . 14 Years Ago

It was obvious that he doesn't care about his students. He doesn't reply to emails (or apply really really late); he expects too much of us. He says things like "this won't be on the exam" and putting it on the exam, and being an ass about how hard it is to write an exam. He procrastinated writing the exam and goes too fast in lecture. He sucks!

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MCDB20 . 14 Years Ago

This was the hardest class I have taken at UCSB, but there was a curve. They expect you to know everything you learned in AP Bio in 1 quarter. The about of information and detail is astounding. I studied for hours and hours and I still don't think I knew half the material. The curve must have been enormous because I got a B.Avoid class at all costs

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MCDB131 . 15 Years Ago

He wants students to learn, but goes very fast through the slides, and if you do not go to lecture you will not do well on exams. Lots of information thrown at you. Tests are difficult, but do-able...he expects a lot from his students

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MCDB131 . 15 Years Ago

I though his notes were very good and all you needed to study, most organized notes out of many profs i have taken at UCSB, and yes he is fast and we did have 1700 slides over 28 lec's but it wasnt bad at all, b/c if you study u'll own, bunch easy extra points, work hard, get high grades! Awesome professor though, he knows his micro! thanks

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