Dave McDonald - Wichita State University, Wichita, KS

Professor: Dave McDonald

Department: Biology

College: Wichita State University, Wichita, KS

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: BIOL106
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Amazing man. Very interested in what he teaches and gives lots of examples for everything he goes over, making it easier to remember info. Posts lectures online in powerpoint and podcast form. 6 points of EC offered for each lecture. Has answers to any question you throw at him. Loved this class!

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: BIO106
• 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:

You don't have to go to class, he posts the powerpoints AND recordings of his lectures. Tests are your only grade, but he drops the lowest one at the end. TONS of extra credit (6 points per lecture) and you just do it online with the textbook. Just make sure you study if you don't go to the lectures.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: MICRO661G
• Grade Received: A+
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

The best teacher I've had!! He is the perfect role model. Never condescending. Interesting classes. Wonderfully designed presentations. The Socratic Method can be intimidating at first. But once you get the hang of it, it's fun!

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: BIOL330
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Dr. McDonald is an excellent professor. He loves to teach microbiology and gets the class involved with the Socratic Method. Personally, I think he is the best public speaker I have ever listened to. He makes difficult concepts easier to understand. I mean just pay attention to his word choice, tone, and hand movement which helps with visual memory

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: BIO106
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Gives great lectures and is clearly passionate about what he teaches. He answers all questions in class and is helpful. All the things he will cover in the exams are on the powerpoints they are the study guides look over them closely. if you do the pre and post lecture quizzes they offer 3 extra credits points for each one they can cover an exam.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: BIOL309
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Dr. McDonald is the best professor I have ever had! As a Biology major I always struggled with most classes but when I take a class with him its the best science class I had taken. He does use a a Socratic method for his lectures which is a little intimidating at first but you get use to it. His lectures are the best! 100 percent would take again.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: BIOL330
• 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:

Great Micro teacher, The Socratic Method of teaching is great. Keeps class involved, just pay attention to what he stresses in class.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: BIOL106
• Grade Received: C
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

He covered too much material too fast in the non-majors class that I was in, as if we had prior knowledge of Bio and would get what he was saying. Puts hard questions in his 60-70 question tests, where you'll have to compare the right answer to the second closest, so you're left wondering. Seems proud that many fail his class. Unreasonably strict.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: BIOL106
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

He really loves what he's teaching and it's hard not to listen to him. He's so passionate about what he does!

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: BIOL106
• Grade Received: B-
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

I struggled a lot in this class. However, Professor McDonald is the most genuine and caring professor I have yet to encounter. Science is not my strength at all but Professor McDonald did his best to help me and motivate me to achieve my highest potential. Great professor, great man.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: BIO106
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Mr. McDonald is a good teacher, gives you a good lecture normally the full class and posts his notes online. YOU WILL NEED TO STUDY TO GET A GOOD GRADE. He has a quiz every week and a half over 3 chapters at a time. He cares about your success and is good at his job.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: BIO499
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Dr. McDonald is amazing! He was my undergrad research mentor and I was lucky to stumble upon this opportunity. He's been a great mentor not just for research but provided advice for future employment options and how to do well in the scientific world. Definitely the best mentor I've had in college, better than any advisor in the department.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: BIOL106
• Grade Received: A+
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

The tests are hard, I never got above an 80%. I have over 100% in the class though because he offers A LOT of extra credit.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: MICRO661G
• Grade Received: A+
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Best Bio lecturer for sure. His interest is to make sure that students understand the main concepts. If you don't go to class you will not pass this course. Attendance together with personal study gets you an easy A for all exam questions will be too familiar. He was my best undergraduate lecturer for sure.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: MICRO661G
• Grade Received: A+
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

I LOVED this class & the professor. His interest is to make sure that students understand the main concepts. If you don't go to class you will not pass this course. Attendance + personal study gets you an easy A for all exam questions will be too familiar. I will never forget him, he's simply the very BEST lecturer I ever had as an undergrad.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: BIOL106
• 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:

High expectations for 100 level class. Lecture is boring, mainly reads the powerpoint. Attendance mandatory for random points. 95% minimum for an A is criminal. It's not impossible, but this class will be your life to achieve that. Nice guy but a bit arrogant and less than approachable. He preaches about the book but test material is 100% lecture.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: BIOL309
• 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:

If you don't pay attention to what he says in class, you're gonna have a bad time. Sometimes, at least in the non-majors class I attended, I felt as though his topics got a little complicated.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: BIO309
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

He expects a lot of his students so don't think he's a breeze, but if you pay attention and understand basic concepts it will pay off.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: GENETICS419
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

This guy knows his stuff, and you better read the text before class, or you will regret it. Interesting socratic method intimidates some. I read every word in the book, got an A, and am satisfied. Those who don't work won't pass. Claims a 35% failure rate in his class, including dropouts. Nice guy, but very busy and hard to access.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: GEN419
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

He is a wonderful teacher and cares very much for his students. Just be polite and study like your life depended on it! And for god sakes don't fall asleep! I've never read a textbook from front to back - you can but expect to. The lab is easy and fun!