Don Reed - San Jose State University, San Jose, CA

Professor: Don Reed

Department: Geology

College: San Jose State University, San Jose, CA

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: GEO105
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: No
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

If you are taking more than one class, forget this one. He assigns 2 assignments a week that take forever to get through. The lectures are strenuous. He will dock down points for grammatical errors, probably not realizing that not everyones first language is English. He makes many mistakes himself.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: GEO105
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: No
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

Awful, Im taking his ONLINE class and he requires an actual field trip. He has assistants who help him grade so you rarely get feedback from him. Even though its a science class hes really picky on grammar. He is very rude when trying to ask for help as well, as if he expects you to automatically know the content. He has work due on Sundays.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: GEOL105
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: No
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

Avoid at ALL costs. The professor grades on grammar when this is a geology course - and what makes it worse is that he makes so many typos and mistakes himself lmao. No textbook, but 2 weekly assignments that take 4 scores and 7 years to complete. 4 quizzes, 2 essays (heavily graded on grammar lol), a field trip, and a final.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: GEO105
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: No
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

Do. Not take this teacher! He doubles the homework and gives no feedback in addition to being rude! Worst class ever.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: GEOL112
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: No
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Just the worst. THREE MIDTERMS, 2 assignments a week, 2 research papers and a constant flow of menial and low quality, but extremely dense course material. Extremely slow grader, never keeps his own deadlines, and is a total snob when replying to e-mails. If you think this is an easy area R class, take any other class. GET OVER YOURSELF DON.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: GEOL112
• Grade Received: C
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: No
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

I hope that no student have to go through what I went through for this guys class, he's clueless to knowing his students are only taking his class because its required. So he refers to you as Geologists and grades you in grammatical errors to where its out of hand and effects your grade no matter how well you did the work. Hate the student grader.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: GEOL105ONLINE
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: No
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

Stay away from this class if you have a life. I took this class online during summer and he expects so much from you. so much reading, watching boring videos and so much homework. take him if you're free literally all the time.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: GEO105
• Grade Received: C-
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: No
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

This class was by far the most time demanding course, I have taken at SJSU. Seriously you think this might be interesting, but think again. Professor Reed requires so much work that he doesn't seem to remember this is an area R course and students are taking other courses. The exams are worth over 100 points and there is 22 expeditions. Horrible!

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: GEO105
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Weekly assignment: Create and answer 2 multiple choice questions based on the readings, videos or lecture. Lectures and power points are clear and concise. Exams are created from the weekly assignments. Long study guides so join a study group! Big penalties for late work so do not fall behind. Overall, its a well organized and fair class.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: GEO105
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: No
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

I really do not recommend taking this class online during the summer. He is VERY VERY picky about grammar, and it's honestly really annoying. He picks on the most littlest thing whether it be grading the discussions and the essay. If you really want to pass this class be prepare to devote 3-5 hours per expeditions to do well for the online quizzes

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: GEOL112
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: No
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

No textbook, so that's a plus. Posts lectures online and uses lots of external videos. Canvas discussion posting due twice a week. Can be a tough grader but assignments are pretty simple. Instructions for papers sometimes unclear. You don't need a science background to do well in the class.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: GEOL112
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

I don't recommend this class for international students because he deducts points on every single grammar-error. He cares about writing quality VERY MUCH! (160 points paper: 40 points for writing quality) You have two discussions every week, 3 online exams, and 2 papers. If you mess up one exam, you won't pass. He is willing to help though.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: GEOL150
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Professor Reed is difficult to communicate with and always refers to the syllabus instead of explaining. He relies on students to help one another, rather than taking time out to help you himself. I would not recommend this class! There are 4 tests and you are given a sample test of 150 questions and 15 are asked and it is 125 points!

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: GEO105
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

There are weekly discussions, 2 essays, 4 quizzes and a final which is another essay. I strongly suggest taking this online class with a friend to split the work in half because there is quite a bit work. the quizzes aren't too hard, but you do have to put in effort. If you don't mind watching boring lectures from your computer take him.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: GEO105
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Expect homework (plenty), discussions (plenty), participation (MUST), quiz (3), and exam (2), final (1). He is very clear and concise regarding his grading and expectation of how he wants his assignments completed. JUST FOLLOW HIS EXACT INSTRUCTIONS and you will pass his class with an "A". He is the EASIEST Professor, I LOVE HIS CLASS!

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: GEOL105
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

Summer 2014 - yes, there is a lot of work to be done but it is a condensed course so there is going to be lots of work. Provides great feedback, clear directions for assignments, and reviews for tests. Weekly tests instead of midterm or final. Very passionate about what he teaches and really intrigued me to study this subject further!

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: GEOL112
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Like others mentioned lots of work. I did more work for this class than all my other 4 classes combined. He is also fairly rude when students ask questions. Short replies such as "refer to syllabus" over and over again. We're asking you for a reason. Hard grader, unclear with what he wants and dock students points for things they were unaware of.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: GEOL105
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Annoying and tedious! There was a months gap between the quiz and first exam, and a week gap between the second exam and the final. Unless your major is related to the course or you’re extremely passionate about the ocean, steer clear. Yes, online classes can be harder than in-person classes, but I considered the workload superfluous.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: GEOL105
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Ok although you might be thinking...ooo oceanography that sounds interesting...WRONG. This class was so overwhelming. 3 weeks is not enough time for the amount of work Professor Reed expects you to do. You can't even enjoy break because you're stressed out by this class. 22 expeditions and an obscene amount of reading on top of that!

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: GEO80
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

WINTER ONLINE SESSION-Good Points:the course uses various forms of multimedia, fairly easy but tedious, the professor responds quickly to questions, Negative Point:too much work for 3 weeks (22 exped.(1.5 hours avg each), quiz,2 exams,final,5 350 discussions,essay,reading, thick course packet.IF YOU WANT A LIFE, DON'T TAKE THIS DURING THE WINTER