Samuel Sawan - University of Massachusetts, Lowell, MA

Professor: Samuel Sawan

Department: Science

College: University of Massachusetts, Lowell, MA

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: CHEM1020
• 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:

Easy, easy A. Each week you have a quiz, a homework quiz (for which you get 3 attempts), and a short discussion board post. Accessible outside of class, very clear grading criteria, and a good filler class if you are interested in the topic, but don't want to add too much to your workload. Textbook isn't absolutely necessary, but I'd recommend it.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: CHEM1020
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Easiest A I've ever gotten. Quizzes are based on the slides, so you don't really need to get the textbook. He gives you plenty of opportunities to get an A so I don't see how you couldn't. Coming from someone who almost flunked bio/chem in high school, if you need a science class for your gened make sure to take this.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: CHEM1020
• Grade Received: B-
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Textbook could be considered optional. I didn't need it much but there were times that info is only in there. Weekly homework quizzes and weekly regular quizzes. Each between 8 and 12 questions. Pretty interesting class and Sawan does a nice job of presenting the material. Laid back but interesting course, would recommend it!

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: 84102FORENSIC
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

No textbook. You are given lecture readings. Weekly online HW (8 questions). Weekly online open note quizzes (8-10 questions). Weekly/biweekly online discussion board post (couple sentences). No exams or finals. Easy GPA booster and actually a very interesting course! Would def. take again!

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: FA16
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Grades are based on tests, homework and discussion board. Quick response for grading and always available to help. I enjoyed this class. Workload not bad as long as you stick with a routine.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: FORENSICSCIENC
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

This class is not for the Non Scientist. Be ready to learn chemistry & have a good understanding of chemistry. I don't feel the description of the course is correct, it wasn't what I thought it would be. Lots reading & time spent on the homework. Do the homework & you should do well on the tests. The professor was fair.

Rating # 7

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

Decent person, hard professor. A lot of math and chemistry. Discussion posts are graded each week & it's hard to understand what he is looking for because when you think you did well, he will tell you otherwise. Multiple attempts are allowed to reach an A for homework. He does listen to the class and will adjust assignments based on class needs.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: FORENSICS
• Grade Received: D
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

I took him online. I was confused as to when certain things were due but he tries to help. He understands when personal stuff gets in the way. He's a tough grader but tries to be there when you need him.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: FORENSICS
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Grades are based on tests, homework and discussion board. He allows you to retry until you earn 100 on the homework on Sapling. If you go back and review the homework, you will do well on the tests. Discussion board is graded--hard to earn a 100. He really wants to help, and responds quickly to emails. He is a very nice man.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: 84102
• Grade Received: A+
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

He's a really nice guy and he really knows his stuff. But I found his lecture notes a bit confusing and although I religiously followed all the worked examples in the reading assignments, the homework would always include equations that were not included in the reading. He will go out of his way to help you pass the course and answers any questions

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: 84102FORENSIC
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Tough class. I took it as a science requirement and it is HARD. Straight up chemistry. Long, long homework, lots of reading, long tests, difficult weekly discussions. Not a lot of help, but he tries. It's just hard. Even with doing all homework, I can barely keep up. Hours of work a week. Posts are never good enough. Nice guy, just really tough.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: ORGANICCHEM
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Everyone gives him a bad rep. He is alright. His lectures are not helpful, for the fact that his thoughts are scattered. He tries to give relevant examples, but they end up confusing the students. You cannot opt out for another teacher. Just deal with it and give the time needed for the class for a good grade.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: CHEM1
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

A lot of people give him trash, but honestly he isn't the bad teacher, you could just be the bad student. If you pay attention in class, do the homework, and put in a little study time, he is a perfectly reasonable and helpful teacher. He is the most difficult professor I had in terms of getting an A, but still pretty chill

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: CHEM124
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

He knows his stuff but he doesn't teach it very well. He tends to go off on sidetrack talks which tend to be off topic. Quizzes are multiple choice.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: CHEM101
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

He doesnt teach well, he doesnt explain his slides and often goes off on a tangent, i recommend NOT taking him as a professor. the quizzes are multiple choice though, which is nice

Rating # 16

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

he is the nicest guy.. but really doesn't know how to teach or ration out his time. he will explain things very well if you ask him to.. but I ended up teaching myself from the book in order to get the A. experimented once by not looking at the book for the quiz and just going to class and doing the homework.. got a 55 on that quiz.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: CHEM84
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

His lectures can get pretty boring and you might end up drifting to sleep. However, his class is very helpful and he's great at explanations and clarifying things. His homework can be a pain, but it is extremely helpful.If you don't like lectures that has you sitting and trying to fight yourself to pay attention, take a different class.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: CHEM121
• 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:

I had Dr. Sawan my first semester at Lowell. I enjoyed his class a lot. His lectures were clear and provided good examples. What I liked most were his weekly quizzes instead of doing tests. Every Friday there is like a 20 minute one. The HW is a ****, but is helpful. I think I failed the final the final, but he bump me to a C. Highly recommended.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: CHEMCHEM
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

this guy is the worst teacher of all time. Has no clue how to teach. I took him and ended up with a D in the class, then retook it and got an A, so if you do poorly don't worry it is not you. He might know all there is to know about chemistry but when it comes to explaining it forget about it

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: CHEM122
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

He's helpful. He gave online homework, but if you don't know how to do certain questions, he will help. Quiz every Friday and only one exam which is the final. Cool professor.