Thomas Mattison - University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC

Professor: Thomas Mattison

Department: Physics & Astronomy

College: University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: PHYS170
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Starts of really unclear but class gets better after midterm

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: PHYS170
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

Although he is hilarious and enthusiastic about the course material, Dr. Mattison is not a very effective instructor. He goes off topic at times with explanations on how to use different calculators. The lectures are usually not engaging and do not involve any student participation (except for "Clicker-less clickers").

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: PHYS170
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

He did not care about the students at all and made minimum effort to improve the learning experience.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: PHYS170
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

He seems to not show a lot of care for his students. Lectures are boring and consist of him reading off of slides. It takes forever for him to grade exams and he usually doesn't respond to emails. Try to avoid this prof if you can.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: PHYS170
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

If you are looking forward to learning how to problem solve, he is the right professor. He knows how to guide students to approach questions and obtain the solutions. His ways of teaching make learning interesting and you will find yourself only learning about 170 but also how to apply them. Exams are relatively easy. Homework is manageable.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: PHYS170
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Trust me, all physics profs are nice.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: PHYS170
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

I don't understand the comments about him being a very intelligent professor because anyone can read off slides and type up a few definitions and equations. If I didn't have to take this course I wouldn't and if you can avoid taking his class do it. Lectures are extremely boring and its a shame the course is taught so dry.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: PHYS170
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Terrible prof. He just reads from the lecture slides. He knows his stuff but then he can't teach. Lectures are incredibly boring and he doesn't always respond to emails.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: PHYS210
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Friendly and helpful, but didn't structure the overall curriculum well and final project deadlines felt rushed.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: PHYS170
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

Despite his extremely boring lectures and bookish notes, Thomas is gifted with effective problem strategies and strong mathematics basis. If you really get the hang of those strategies and do lots of exercise, you will get a decent grade. No one can pass any courses without any practice. BTW relatively easy midterms and finals.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: 170
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

Lectures consisted of him reading off the slides. Quite obviously a smart guy, but condescending when you approach him for help. Midtermsfinals are fair, but you're going to have to teach yourself.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: PHYS170
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

Not helpful. he doesn't really explain anything. Basically all he does is reading off the slides.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: PHYS401
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

He's the worst. He was unable to answer students' questions, his lecturing style is incomprehensible, and I'm really not convinced that he wasn't just making stuff up as he went along. Avoid like the plague.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: PHYS170
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

His notes are very messy, so they are not helpful at all. He often gets lost in his examples and takes a long time to solve it when it according to him is an easy question. His exams are extremely hard compared to the questions done in class and to other profs exams. He can be kind of rude when you ask him questions.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: PHYS170
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Mr. Mattison has been gifted with a brilliant problem solving brain.If you like challenges, I would highly recommend Prof. Mattison. Lecture notes are bookish. Try solving lots of problems and ask him for help. Surely one can get good marks

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: PHYS170
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

He doesn't teach very well. You are going to have to teach yourself using the textbook.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: PHYS170
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

He certainly promotes interest in physics through the problems in class, although the way he solves them is not always the clearest. That said, he is readily available for office hours if you don't understand the material. Very helpful prof.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: PHYS170
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

This Professor goes roughly over the class notes, but explains concepts in such an obtuse manner, its no wonder so many students often have puzzled looks on their faces. He may know the content, but he has questionable teaching ability.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: PHYS401
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

He understands the material. For the most part his lectures are okay. It is clear though that he doesn't read over his slides before lecture. There are many mistakes and sometimes he will spend 10min trying to figure out what something means on his own slides. In general, he will answer questions, but his answers are not very helpful.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: PHYS153
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Prof is very enthusiastic about teaching. Suggests us to do some required reading before attending class. Uses alot of hand gestures to explain his slides. Goes over and provides hints for hw questions. A very dedicated prof. Very flexible office hours (He's in his office almost all the time, especially before exams).