Barry Sinervo - University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA

Professor: Barry Sinervo

Department: Biology

College: University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: BIO140
• Grade Received: WD
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Save your GPA and don't take it! After the midterm 25% of the class dropped. After we received the midterm scores a little over 1/2 the class had dropped. HARSH Graders and the T.A's are out to get you seriously. SubjectEASY, HwHARD, PapersMEDIUM, Grading VERY HARD. Don't combine it w/mcd classes. Memorize ALL examples& read chapters thoroghly

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: BIOE114
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

I have very mixed feelings about this class. On one hand, this course has more field trips and hands-on work than you will find anywhere else, which is awesome. On the other, it was VERY disorganized and VERY unpredictable, with lots of difficult assignments. We had a week 8 final and a final project. I recommend if taken pass/fail or audited.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: BIOE114
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Avoid this class! Hes clearly a great researcher but a dismally awful teacher. So many papers, with little to no instruction. The final was unbelievably hard, and he did not prepare any of us well enough for it. His emails are nearly indecipherable. He was condescending to students who dont get concepts right away. Wouldnt recommend to an enemy.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: BIOE114
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Barry is insane but wonderful, my favorite class ever. DO NOT take this class with lots of commitments, but a good pair with BIOE118. Your TA grades everything, and your grade (for lab 2) is entirely based on like 3 assignments. He WILL drop u in a field with no instruction or context, but if u like a lil chaos this class rocks. Real community 2.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: BIOE140
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Good lectures, available for help, you just have to ask. Getting an "in" with the TA is best, as they will grade all your assignments and will be the most helpful if you need anything.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: BIOE141L
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

This was probably the greatest class I have taken at UCSC, I am actually really sad that this quarter is over because I loved this class. The course is co taught by Bruce Lyon. Both Barry and Bruce are hilarious, and the class really helps you with your scientific writing. If you get the chance APPLY for this lab!

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: BIOE140
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Oy. He wrote the textbook, and in many cases it was still clearly under construction. Badly in need of an editor, in some cases unintelligible. His lectures are slightly better, though they meander through topics so it's hard to figure out what he's talking about. Talks about himself in the 3rd person frequently. Some researchers shouldn't teach.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: BIO166B
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Barry was pretty good. There were multiple lecturers and I always enjoyed his the most. This class only had about four undergraduates and the rest all grad. He personally emailed me when I forgot a homework assignment. He is really busy but he cares.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: BIO166A
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

I find Barry's research fascinating. Barry has been published multiple times in the prestigious journal Nature for his work in evolutionary game theory. He is passionate about what he does & I found him humorous. I went to his office hours and he was helpful to simplify the textbook. I don't understand why other people think he's bad!

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: BOIE140
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Barry is a genius. I wish he could give an organized lecture that actually made sense. Snippets of his lecture were actually clear, and that which was clear was very interesting. Most of the time he is rambling and his lectures made me lose brain cells. Go into this class only if you have already taken some sort of ecology. It's hard.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: BIO140
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Barry's style of teaching takes some getting used to. However, he's extremely passionate about the subject, and his lectures are always interesting, engaging and funny! He goes through the material really quickly and is admittedly not that helpful, but if you already have some basic knowledge of animal behavior you will definitely love this class

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: BIOE140
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

My interest level coming into this class was very high. This was my favorite topic in the whole Biology field. However, the inadequate TAs (Elizabeth McHuron and Cara) are out to fail you and make your experience a living hell. They grade down for minor technicalities like Ogren. Read books if you like the material, but dont take the class.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: BIOE114
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

This class was a train wreak from day 1. Lectures were completely random and Barry made no attempts to tie them together. Final had nothing to do with lecture material and was taught in 2 hour cram session 3 days before the practical. Field trips were often Barry dropping us on the side of the road and than leaving. No guidelines given for papers.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: BIO143
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Had Barry twice. Once you figure out his thought processes a little you're able to start picking up what he's layin down. I failed his first midterm. Buckled down and REALLY learned something. You attend a UC because they're research universities with professors who research. Barry is one of the best. Stop crying. Read a book. Ask a TA for help.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: ECON166A
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Had him for Game Theory. He clearly had a firm grasp on the subject but had no idea how to teach it. Every classmate felt the same way.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: BIO166A
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Worst prof Iv ever had. Period. Unhelpful, if you dont understand something, he'll tell you youre an idiot. He literally refused to give me help during office hours and made fun of my questions in front of other students, it was mind blowing to see someone who WE PAY treat a student that way. lectures are useless too. Avoid at all costs.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: BIO140
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Although his notes and text book are both incredibly impossible to decipher, the guy is insanely passionate about what it is that he does, so if you listen obsessively, it becomes a little bit easier. And his drawings are kind of incredible. Maybe he should consider being an art teacher instead?

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: BIO140
• 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:

A massive waste of perfectly good oxygen.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: BIOE140
• 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:

Worst class I have EVER EVER taken at UCSC. He makes this class a lot harder than it should be. Lectures are boring, and his notes on the board sucks. I also had the WORST TA (Ashely Rogers) ever at UCSC in this class, which made my experience 10x worse.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: BIO140
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

By far the worst professor on earth. The only thing he does is babbles like a moron for three hours a week and his entire course is exactly the same as it was ten years ago. The rest of the class is run by his godawful TA's who take enjoyment out of student's misery by grading down for technicalities. It's a shame UCSC is overrun by these idiots.