PHY3063: HONORS MODERN PHYSICS

  • Qualities of instructor which contributed to success of the course

    * Always available outside of class, enthusiastic, wants students to improve

    * Knowledgeable about subject material, concern and respect for students, willingness to accept and benefit from constructive criticism, willingness and eagerness to take the time to talk to the class about applications to the real world and stimulate interesting conversations about the realities of the world of science and to give good advice


  • Qualities of instructor which hindered success of the course

    * 2012: Information presented too quickly in class, would be helpful if she gave out printed lecture notes, too much information in too short of a time, difficult course

    * There is a lot of material therefore she has to go fast. It was easy sometimes (especially since the class was early and 2 hours long) to let the information just wash over you. When you let that happen you do not learn.


  • Opinions of course, including printed material

    * Textbook is terrible and needs to be changed, too much material is being covered for a 1 semester class, structure of the course fits too many topics into one semester, texbook lacking in complete derivations and decent explanations, textbook has too many mistakes and too verbose for a physics class, too many errors in text in physics problems

    * Its too much information for one course.

    * The textbook leaves way to many derivations out, and chops it up to "math". Only a lot of the derivation provide insightful information about how and when to apply features of a certain equation. The second textbook helps pick up the slack.

    * I did however enjoy the supplemental material either printed or written by the professor which made up for any shortcomings of the textbook


  • Additional comments to improve overall quality of the course

    * 2012: Should be more examinations, provide printed material add an extra exam b/c there was too much material on the first exam, three exams plus a final is better than the two that we had

    * Mandatory homework may have been helpful.


  • Any other comments

    * 2012: Have a test on just chapters 1-2

    * Thoroughly enjoyable course despite the incredible amount of effort it took to study and prepare for each quiz and exam.


    2012
  • Did you feel that the material was covered with sufficient depth of an honors course? (Please keep in mind that we are obligated to cover the majority of material in the text; we have limited ability to reduce the number of topics covered.)

    yes, depth was good for each topic, one person said "no"