Robert (Bob) Givan - Purdue University - West Lafayette, West Lafayette, IN

Professor: Robert (Bob) Givan

Department: Engineering

College: Purdue University - West Lafayette, West Lafayette, IN

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: ECE608
• 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:

One of the best classes I took at Purdue. His lectures are very meaningful and every statement he says has great depth. He makes sure you understand the basic concepts well. However, if you zone out during the lecture, getting back to understanding the rest of the lecture is quite hard. Also, you need to put in effort to get good grades.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: ECE608
• 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:

His lectures are amazing. Instead of just telling you how to do something or what is what, he inspires you to really think. Although homework are not graded, they will affect your grade if you do not do them when he curves. Midterm is ok, final is a bit tougher (especially NP-completeness part). Overall, you should expect to read and practice a lot

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: ECE608
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

I honestly learnt a lot under Professor Givan. Considering how massive the syllabus is, he does give you the intuition you require to understand the topic. But this is a tough class and you have to show up to every lecture , listen and understand. Without his lectures, you can't appreciate the beauty of algorithms.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: ECE608
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Professor Givan's lectures are excellent and his exams are very good at determining whether you learned the topics discussed in class. Homework is semi-useful, as it can show up on exams, but is not fully in line with the lectures. The grading is surprisingly harsh. My score was reasonably above average and I still received a B. I recommend Givan.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: ECE608
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

From my experience the professor does not like teaching or students. I got a B even though my exam score was significantly above average. His course is purely based on exams so I am not sure how much of it you will retain after you are done with the course. I would highly discourage any one from taking this course.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: ECE608
• Grade Received: D
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

I really don't have any idea what he taught.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: ECE608
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

There is not much advantage of taking this course as assignments are not collected. The method of instruction is also not clear. The way he prepares his lecture material is also very bad as he writes notes during the time of class and his presentation of the notes is POOR. Also, the professor doesn't care to clear doubts during the exams.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: ECE369
• 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:

If you complain about him, you probably shouldn't be a computer engineer. He makes you earn everything in his class, and the lectures are designed such that you won't be able to find his material anywhere. He teaches 1.5 times of a normal course, the extra half is easy stuff that he expects you to go over the book and do homeworks on. Very bright.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: ECE608
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

I really liked the textbook. My mid-term experience: Answered the proof correctly (minus a minor verification at the end), got 0 credit for the problem. If I hadn't answered I would have gotten 25% . I loved the course subject and the lectures but exams (and therefore grade) is extremely difficult. Take class only if you have to.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: ECE369
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

He had made his course an incoherent jumble of poorly presented topics, which weren't presented in completeness due to lack of text. It was hard to know what to study and work on. He is unhelpful in office hours as well.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: ECE369
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

He is engaging and entertaining at times. The course is difficult and ambiguous, an he does not fully clarify all topics. The homework is partially out of the book. Exams are impossible. Overall, a good professor.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: ECE369
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

No Comments

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: ECE369
• 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:

Not recommended, very bad prof, lack of material, strange policy

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: ECE369
• 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:

Very sharp professor. Uses extremely exact wording and is rarely wrong about what he says in class. Homeworks are long and can only hurt your grade. Tests aren't bad if you understand the material.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: ECE369
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Very engaging professor. If you actually go to every lecture and pay attention you will learn loads! Very little out-of-class help though. Odd course policies also, such as homework must be typed, homework grades only affect your maximum possible grade not the grade itself...

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: ECE369
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Just took the final. Just know that if you want an easy A, this is not your professor. This guy is from MIT -> his tests are freaking hard. Also lacks outside help.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: ECE369
• Grade Received: A+
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Terrible professor. Hard to follow. Strange policies.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: ECE369
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Worst Course Policies Ever. Outcome calculation is a ten page formula. Miss a single homework, and you might as well drop the class. His exams are so bad that he gives 25% credit if you dont write anything.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: ECE608
• 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:

Has a really good teaching style. He likes to use the overhead and work through problems. Exams are hard because they make you think rather than memorize.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: ECE369
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Fantastic Professor. Exams truly tested your understanding of the material. Made what could have easily been a very dull class fascinating.