bad curve, difficult and rly time limited tests. avoid at all cost. Can learn better with other professors with this course

The lectures themselves were fine but what is taught and what you have to do for homework will not help you with the tests. The tests are worded to trip you up and he never goes over examples so you are left to teach it all to yourself. Only take this class if you have to, and at that point try to get it with another professor.

Lectures are interesting, but tests are super hard. The professor did not have a reasonable time plan for the tests. HARD to get A.

Lectures are cool but do not reflect what is on the exams. The homework also has nothing to do with the tests. He gives sample midterms to practice for the tests and those also do not help. The whole class is graded on a curve so it is possible that the whole class curves down.

Worst Econ professor ever, taking his class doesnt match whats on the test and I have no clue on where the test come from

- forced to buy online textbook that does not help at ALL for exams - no way to prepare for exams, just have to pray you somehow know everything on there - exams rushed for time - practice tests, homework, any practice work on the online website do not help at all

curve is so tough, and time for tests is not reasonable. professor is good.

The whole class is curved and only the top percent of people can receive A's. The test content was fine but had practically no time to answer each question. His lectures make sense as well as the homework my only problem are the tests.

He taught nothing in lectures but exams are very very difficult. Only 9% people can get an A so students are all nervous in studying the course. One of the worst courses I've taken.

Exams gave me a lot of anxiety since you had to join his zoom in case there was any typos on the exam (can't join the zoom? gl trying to find out about the typos mid-exam) and there was always at least 2 typos per exam despite him + TAs checking twice over. The material was fine but he just didn't seem very accommodating for the exams.

Personally, I love Birchenall's lectures and exams. Great professor.

Tests were incredibly hard. The grading scale definitely saved me. Be prepared to do a lot of self-studying.

The exam is too difficult. I got the lowest score in this course since I was in college. It took the most time to get the lowest grades.

Prof Birchenall is a nice guy and he does his best to be accomodating, but his lectures are very similar to the textbook & his quizzes often have confusing wording. Advice for next quarter: annotate the textbook, listen to his lectures in the background (bc he drops important info sometimes) and make sure you can solve all econ formulas 4 midterms.

His lectures are straight from the textbook, there's no need to show up to his zooms. Homework isn't terrible, and it's 25% which is nice. His midterms, however, are very difficult. Most problems are worded very poorly and he picks obscure examples. He's a nice guy but the class is hard.

Professor Birchenall is willing to talk to students about both academic and nonacademic stuff. He holds a "social hour" every week. Homework is very easy to finish. Quizzes are a little bit tricky, which might require a very comprehensive understanding of economic concepts. Personally I love his lectures(watch the recording with 1.5x speed)

The worst lecturer I've ever had at UCSB. Puts absolutely no effort into his lectures. Answers questions unrelated to lecture in the middle lecture slides. AND lecture slides are carbon copies of the book pages making it infuriating to attend lecture. I am embarrassed to go to an institution that allows people like this to run their classes.

I like Econ but didnt enjoy his class. He doesnt seem to care about teaching. Lectures are basically repeats of the textbook. Nominally mandatory but he doesnt use iclicker half the time. Sections not mandatory but are more useful than him. Got a nice TA who helped me ace the class. I might take another class from him tho cuz he has fair exams.

REALLY NICE GUY. He explains things well, and the additional information which is not in the textbook is gem. DO listen carefully on those in you want to have better insight on Economics. The curve is terrible, but that's what the Econ department requires. Can't blame it on him. CLAS & sections are helpful but not the must for having a good grade.

Going to lecture is much more useless than reading slides on your own or going to CLAS. His lectures are extremely boring, trivial, and unorganized. His tests never match the practice tests, and his homework is just annoying, all attempts counts, and the writing home work is just about making you write 500 words for simple, one- sentence concepts.

Terrible experience coming after Econ 1. Makes you buy a $90 online textbook, which purpose is only to do the required homework. Doesn't teach clearly. Won't be quiet during quizzes ("25 minutes left, make sure to... okay class, 23 minutes left... 20 minutes left..."). Hesitant to put mandatory attendance, half the time doesn't do iclicker.

Javier is awful. His lectures are very boring and are just countless graphs of different countries GDPs and other stats that relate to the topics but in no way help understand the material. Unfortunately knowing how the US GDP fluctuates over time with 12 different graphs did not and will not help me ever

Not a good lecturer  if not for the mandatory iClicker no one would go. Grade is 2 MTs, 8/10 HWs, iClicker, 1 Final. you have to buy the $90 online textbook to access hw, which sucks, but it's far more helpful than lectures. standard econ curve which kills, of course, but eh. do well on HW and attendance for a buffer, bc you're gonna need it.

Professor Birchenall explains the concepts well in lecture and always recaps the previous lecture at the beginning of each class. His midterm and final were hard because they were all free response questions. His new testing format is planned to assess whether students get the main concepts or not.