John Ellison - University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA

Professor: John Ellison

Department: Physics

College: University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: PHYS040A
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

If you take this class over summer, then there are no clicker quizzes. He recommends reading the physics book before lectures which actually really helps. If you dont stay on top of things, the final will be hard. If you try your best on homework and read the book, it is really easy to get a high A. P.s. the lab final was only 15 questions easy

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: PHYS040A
• Grade Received: A+
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

He gives both a sample midterm and a sample final letting the students know what kind of problems to expect on the actual tests. The midterm was alright, but the final was more challenging. To put into perspective, I got a 100 on the midterm and a 87 on the final. However, 75-100 % is the grade range for an A making a hard final very understandab

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: PHYS40A
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Midterm was very straight forward. They were straight out of the examples from the textbooks. I didn't use any lecture slides or notes at all and still got a high score on the midterm because of the examples. The final was a little harder than the midterm though. But the average is usually 50 or 60, so there's always a curve.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: P40
• 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:

Ellison is fairly good professor. He has a few clicker questions scattered throughout lectures ...one day he'll have one and maybe five other lectures won't have any ...bt they're pretty easy if you have the slightest idea of what is going on. MasterAnything is entirely horrible, so it no doubt will apply to you when you do HW on Mastering Physics.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: PHYS40A
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

He's a pretty good professor, compared to soome of the other physics teachers here. The midterm was alright, 4 free response questions. The final was hell though..dropped my grade. But, he does have an interesting British accent, and does interesting demos in class. Take him, I think he's worth your time.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: PHYS040A
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

I wouldn't call him a bad teacher, because he's definitely not incompetent or malevolent, but his lectures are very dry and he's so soft-spoken that I had to strain to hear him in class. But the textbook he chose for the class...god, I don't think the people who wrote that mess could have made the material any less clear if they tried.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: PHYS40A
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

He was very dry and boring. Probably one of the most unpassionate teachers at UCR. Midterm was simple, final was very hard. Do as best as possible on the midterm, homeworks, and lab because the final is HARD and will most likely bring your grade down. BUT as with any physics class he is generous with the grading and curves. So I guess take him.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: PHYS40A
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

he's really not that "easy" because the curve is usually crazy in ANY physics class you take. Not much different than any other physics professors. Even the one with bad ratings. Physics is physics. Practice midterms he gives are kinda similar to the actual exams but don't expect to pass the midterm just by studying that alone.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: PHYS40A
• 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:

great teacher!!! he knows how to teach!!!

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: PHYS40A
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Ellison is a good teacher. He explains things well. He gives plenty of examples. He is easy to understand. For my class the midterm was easy but the final was very hard. The exams are very similar to the practice exams.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: PHYS40A
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

good teacher, gave good practice midterms similar to the real midterm. final was not as easy. NO clicker quizes!! :)

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: PHYS40B
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

This guy mumbles a lot. You need to come to class having read the text book with a good understanding or don't go to class at all. HW is kind of hard but the tests are easier.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: PHYS40A
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Great professor. If you do the homework and understand it you will do well.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: PHY40A
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Lecture was great even though it was at 8 am. And your grade should reflect whether you like the subj or not.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: PHYSICS40A
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Does a good job teaching. Native English speaker. Pretty easy.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: PHYS40A
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

his accent is difficult to understand. while he makes a good effort to teach, I get lost in his boring lectures. Unless you are interested in physics (and think you can stay awake), don't take ellison.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: PHYS40A
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

This is how physics professors should be. Not scaring off students from science but helping them do well. My favorite physics professor. I really appreciated all his review sessions. And I'd say I learnt the material very well.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: PHYS40A
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Very generous curve. Cheat sheet on exams too.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: 40A
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

cool teacher very cooperative, really helps you about grades. study homework, and practice problems, it should be no problem getting good grades.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: PHYS40A
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Sometimes I wonder if this guy is a hobbit. But he's a coo foo. He has a cool accent. His class is fair. I got an A in class. Back in highschool he was a homie. I like this guy, I'm gonna hit him up tomorrow so we can chill. Good guy!