John O'Brien - Truman State University, Kirksville, MO

Professor: John O'Brien

Department: Chemistry

College: Truman State University, Kirksville, MO

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: CHEM333
• Grade Received: A+
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

O'brien is the best professor to take for Org. He gives ten points of extra credit per test just for showing up as well as giving extra credit for giving blood. Really laid back and chill teaching style. You will have to buy sapling for the homework in his class

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: CHEM331
• 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:

Dr. O'Brien is a great choice for Organic Chem. classes. His tests make up most of the grade, with Sapling for homework. The tests are hard, and the class is really hard; however, he doesn't make things too hard and provides extra credit when he can. His office hours will make things a lot easier, and he is approachable

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: CHEM329
• 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:

Dr. O'Brien would be my number one pick for either Org. Chem. class. He doesn't complicate the material, which is already very hard. He gives extra credit on tests and for donating blood and doing prof. reviews. Homework is Sapling and the tests make up most of the material. The class is hard, but Dr. O'Brien is a good teacher and you can pass.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: CHEM329331
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

We are usually 3 chapters ahead of other org classes because he goes through the material really fast. No point in going to lectures. If you read the textbook and do the online homework this class is an easy B. Definitely ask people for his old tests. Automatic 10 bonus points on each exam plus more if you donate blood.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: CHEM329
• 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:

Dr O'Brien is amazing!!! I took his organic class over the summer after receiving a D from Humphry for the same class the Fall semester before. I finished the summer session with a high A and even got 108% on one of his exams. Let me stress however, he does not give everyone A's, but if you take the time to read the book and study, you will succeed

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: CHEM329
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

He's a solid choice for organic chemistry. The textbook is a great companion for this course, as everything he covers can be found in it. Tests are relatively difficult, but with enough preparation you'll pass.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: CHEM130
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Great professor. Lectures are clear and easy to understand, and he's very approachable. He gives a lot of help in lab.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: CHEM329
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Dr. O'Brien is one of the best chemistry teachers. He is a very good lecturer and explains difficult concepts very well. You will have to study quite a bit for the tests but he prepares you for them. Office hours are helpful so if you're struggling definitely utilize them. Really chill guy and funny too!

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: CHEM131
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Dr. O'Brien is one of the best chem professors on campus! He is really clear in his expectations and presents the material in a way that makes it easy to learn. He is super chill in lab and I love his class! The material is pretty tough but manageable. Make sure you do problems from the back of the book (like all of them) and you will be fine!

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: CHEM331
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Great professor. Kinda tough, but if you go to all the lectures and pay attention you'll be fine- study for his tests. Grades are based on tests and online homework (Sapling).

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: CHEM129
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

he's the best chem professor at Truman. the only reason i struggled was because of ALEKS. he's chill, explains everything clearly and you learn a lot in his class.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: CHEM131
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Excellent professor. Writes everything on the board, so he's teaching at the pace he can write (i.e at the pace you can write.) You do have to study a lot for his class...but! He's the best gen chem teacher in the department. You can get an A if you work for it.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: CHEM129
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Although the ALEKS software was annoying, the class was awesome. He is a very helpful professor, and it was an easy A. Nice guy, and always has extra credit on the test. I wish I had him for 130!

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: CHEM130
• 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:

Great teacher! really will help. he understands his students and really strives to help. for example, he missed class a lot during my course and let us do a take home test instead. It was great!

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: CHEM131
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Dr. O'Brien is seriously the best teacher. I never use the book because he teaches and explains everything. He is really helpful outside of class and emails back promptly. Tests are semi-easy. They require studying though. Doing the homework assignments and lab reports really boost your grade. He is really engaging in his lectures.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: CHEM129
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Awesome teacher! He went through examples on the board so you knew how to do each kind of problem. As long as you do the homework and ask questions you will be just fine. The only reason I got a B was because the final was standardized. Definitely Recommend Dr. O. :)

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: CHEM333
• 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:

Dr. O has a great teaching style-no powerpoints and walks through the chapter on the board. However, unlike Dr. Delaware, he doesn't give as much of a mechanistic approach. In org, I learn by understanding mechanisms; in Dr. O's class, most mechanisms you must learn from the book. However, this was a summer class, so it may be due to lack of time.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: ORG329
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

I really like O'Brien. He's a great teacher, just sucks that I had him for organic. The class is difficult and requires a lot of time and effort. The tests are difficult and usually require at least a week of studying to get a decent grade. I would recommend him though, if you have to take organic.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: CHEM333
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

I had O'Brien for superlab. No tests, 10 points completion for labs, no redoing experiments, and he walked you through all of the mechanisms, you just had to copy them down. The only problem was that it was a hard to get a straight answer out of him for a question. But his sense of humor is one of a kind and makes the lab easier to suffer through.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: CHEM333
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

O'Brien is definitely THE teacher to take for superlab. He's not super tough on lab reports and he's generally pretty chill during lab. The midterm and finals weren't awful, know your basics and you should be fine. He usually explains the lab in about 15 minutes whereas the other profs use up the entire first hour. Don't be afraid to ask for help!