Virginia K Walker - Queen's University at Kingston, Kingston, ON

Professor: Virginia K Walker

Department: Biology

College: Queen's University at Kingston, Kingston, ON

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: BIOL103
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Very engaging lectures but her test and exam questions are on the most specific details that she only mentioned once. Do the readings she mentions in the textbook because although she will never mention them again, they are likely to show up on a test or the exam.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: BIOL103
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Wow! Her lectures are packed full of information, but they are engaging. She is clearly passionate about what she lectures on. The exam was difficult, but a good grade is definitely attainable with some hard work. Overall, great prof and would definitely take another course from her.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: BIO103
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

She wasn't too bad to listen too, although I didn't attend many of her early morning lectures. She seemed very willing to give help and have plenty of office hours available. She does make you work for your marks, doing homework, readings and attending lectures is a good choice if you want to do well on her tests and exams.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: BIOL103
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

Okay here's the thing, Virginia Walker is one of the best profs I had in first year. She made the 8:30 lectures easy to stay focused in and very interesting and funny. With that being said, her exam is brutal. Focus on every small little detail and story she tells if you want to pass her section.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: BIOL103
• Grade Received: A+
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

I enjoyed the material; the way Dr. Walker presents is effective (in terms of keeping you engaged). However, every upper year I talked to warned me of the final's brutality. To no surprise, it was the hardest exam ever. HOWEVER, the grade distribution was good. When studying, connect everything to everything, and ask what if questions. Don't fret!

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: BIOL103
• Grade Received: A+
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

She is an amazing lecturer, and it was hard to NOT pay attention! She has high expectations, and teaches a lot of material. Her exams are designed to test knowledge and understanding, as opposed to memorization. Re-watch lecture videos on 2x speed a few weeks before the exam, take detailed notes throughout the semester, and you'll do well.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: BIOL441
• Grade Received: A+
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

Best teacher you can expect.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: BIO103
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

May have actually just failed her exam. Please listen to people when they say her exam is brutal. It is brutal. I have nothing else to say.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: BIOL103
• Grade Received: B-
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Literally the worst prof ever. Once you see her exams, you will realized that the only reason she teaches is to fail students. She tries to make lectures funny but you can't enjoy them because you have to take note of every single detail she says even if she says it for once.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: BIO103
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Gives excellent explanations of processes. I have referred back to my notes taken in this course for Physiology in second year because she makes it so clear and yet still thorough. She also makes herself available after class to go through things if you don't understand. Exam was really hard though--mostly application questions.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: BIOL103
• Grade Received: A+
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Dr. Walker tests in a different manner than every other first year prof. Her exams are all application questions, so you need to be able to apply, *not just regurgitate* all the facts! She is very funny, animated & clear. She makes time after every lecture for questions. All lectures are videotaped. Great prof, if you work hard you'll be fine.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: BIOL103
• Grade Received: A+
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

On one hand, you want to like Walker because she is very animated and her lectures are interesting. On the other hand, you need to remember a lot of little details. If she even mentions something in passing, it will most likely be on the exam. Lectures can be hard to follow. I would recommend re-watching lectures online during reading week

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: BIO103
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Worst prof I've ever had. She doesn't teach ANYTHING she tests. The exam might as well have been in a different language. I have no idea how she is still allowed to give us those exams!!!!

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: BIOL103
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Makes lectures fun, but tests on every little detail she says in class, especially side stories! Exam questions are almost unfair.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: 103
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

I loved her lectures always very entertaining and fairly easy to follow and she is always eager to help you out after class! Despite being warned countless times about her exams I felt like I had the information I had learned in her section of this course down packed! Well then the exam rolled around... Yikes! By far the hardest exam i've writte

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: BIOL103
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Oh Virginia... Her exam is difficult, her questions confusing, but she's a nice lady. She gets off topic easily (you think) but all of the random stories she talks about are on the exam, so take good notes.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: BIOL103
• Grade Received: A+
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Teaches poor foundation of basic concepts for upper year level courses, often presenting only half-truths. Exam questions are awful; failed attempts at critical thinkingapplication questions. Her teaching would discourage a student from pursuing further studies in biology

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: BIOL103
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Dr. Walker's exam questions are totally not related to biology. She should NOT be teaching this course, as I feel the questions are not relevant to what we really need to know. One of the worst biology professors I ever had. Boag's section of the exam was more manageable and fair.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: BIOL103
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Dr. Walker should not be teaching such an critical part of a first year course. Looking back, there were enormous gaps in her teaching that disadvantaged me years later because she decided to focus on very inconsequential anecdotes and skimmed over important foundations, especially on human physiology. And of course, her exam was extremely unfair.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: BIOL103
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

You have to work hard in her class. Critical thinking is the most important part, but take notes on the examples she gives in class because they will be on the test and know everything well. On the exam, the ecology section is fairly easy and you will sail through, but Dr. Walker's section is like hitting a water wall, your speed in the test drops