Daniel Briotta - Ithaca College, Ithaca, NY

Professor: Daniel Briotta

Department: Physics

College: Ithaca College, Ithaca, NY

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: PHYS301
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Brilliant man. One of the smartest people I know. But his lectures don't always get the point across. He expects students to understand more than we do and gets annoyed if we ask questions. Don't ask him how you're doing in the class, he won't know and won't bother to calculate it. Lectures are long but he gives interesting examples.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: PHYS217
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Dan has a 'difficultly' reputation that is unjustified. He has a knowledge source that is unparalleled by anyone I have ever met. If you are at Ithaca College to learn physics, then Dan is your guy. He is an absolute genius, clear communicator and hilarious. His course grades are 85% exams and 15% homework. It's basically all exam with a little HW.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: PHYS217
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Tests are graded on a heavy curve, if you're around the average you're doing fine. If you're below the average you need to put in some more work. Has a great sense of humor and wants you to do well. He expects a lot out of students because he knows you're capable of a lot.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: PHYS120
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Dan isn't exactly the most helpful teacher I've had. He is often very unclear in his teaching and when you ask him for help during a lab he simply comments on the fact that we must have done something wrong. He often seems to think that we know more than we do and forgets that he has to break things down more for students.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: PHYS217
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Dan's lectures were long and dry but also useful. He knows the material extraordinarily well but his teaching skills lack which in my opinion is due to an inflated ego. Most importantly, his grading/testing style is outdated. The exams are much harder than they need to be and is consistently unclear as to where you stand in terms of a final grade

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: PHYS2214
• Grade Received: B-
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Decent lecturer, always presented information in a clear-cut manner. Often posted homework assignments the day before they were due and there were several problems in the HW on material that he explicitly told us we would not cover in class. Exams were very poorly worded & he did not keep solutions so grading was inconsistent and feedback was rare.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: PHYS17500
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Stars, Galaxies, and the Universe was one of the worst classes I've ever taken. Professor Briotta just talked at the class for 50 minutes each class session. I felt as though I didn't learn anything from going to class.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: PHYS217
• 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:

Knows what he's talking about, puts an effort into his lectures and lessons, work can be tough but makes you understand the material. Great Professor

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: PHYS225
• 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:

I had this teacher for the AC/DC lab and have spent 10 hours doing one homework. He doesn't teach anything relevant, and will spend hours on problems that aren't in homework or on exams. He spends more time talking about how he was taught in his day and on calculus "tricks." I like physics, but he made me rethink my major.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: PHYS225
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Dan's smart, but doesn't know how to share the wealth of his intelligence (aka teach). If you think you're capable of doing homework without relevant notes or a textbook to reference than you're good to go with Dan.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: SGU
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

knowledgeable dude, subject hard at times and power point stuff is way too fast to take it all down. isnt clear about whats game for testing and whats just interesting. class was still real interesting and recommended, just be ready for his speed.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: STARSGALAXY
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Somewhat dull and long winded lecturers. Class too big to ask questions. Doesn't take attendance and doesn't care if you skip.

Rating # 13

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

smart guy, knows what he's talking about, but doesnt teach. he just talks, doesnt stop much for questions, and talks to fast so note taking is difficult.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: PHYS214CU
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

I actually had Prof. Briotta for Physics 214 at Cornell during the summer of 1998. (I'd failed the class in the Spring and had to re-take it.) Funny how one of the best professors I had at CU wasn't a CU prof at all. This man actually managed to make quantum physics interesting. He was very accessible, willing to help, and exams/HW were fair.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: 217218
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Thinks more of himself than necessary, but still a decent teacher. Should be called the Phantom, not around much.