Steven Dytman - University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA

Professor: Steven Dytman

Department: Physics

College: University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: PHYS0477
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Dytman isn't very good at lecturing.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: PHYS0520
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

He really doesn't give much help. He's pretty arrogant and almost expects you too know everything there is too know about the experiments. He comes out as trying to be nice but really he is of no help. Not really an approachable guy unlike his assistant who helped explain the setup for everything I have done in the lab. Thankfully he retires soon.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: PHYS0175
• Grade Received: C+
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

After almost failing physics 1 but needing to pass for freshman engineering, I took this class because it was mostly transfer students. he was confusing, and i studied for hours on end and eventually gave up toward the end. my exam scores: 37, 21, final 89. averages: about 70, about 70, final about 70. no idea how this happened, confusing like him

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: PHYS0477
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

He is condescending and accommodating. Had to take him two semesters in a row and now I have decided to drop physics as a major partly because he took the fun out of it.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: PHYS0175
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Really disliked him as a teacher. Seemed like a nice enough guy outside of class. But he was unaccommodating and he was plain condescending. He often made errors and students would have to correct them. The whole semester I couldn't wait to be done with him. Sadly I have him again this semester :(

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: PHYS0175
• Grade Received: C
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Nice enough person but not a good professor. Constantly loses focus in lecture and notes aren't that clear. I had to teach myself almost everything from the textbook. The tests were difficult which was reflected in the averages.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: 0175
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Ugh. I would be fine if he had his lackluster teaching style but also designed tests to reflect how little we learned, or designed difficult tests but gave students the information needed for it, but both at the same time is just awful. Honestly, Dytman wasn't my physics teacher this semester: the internet, my textbook, and myself were.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: PHYSICS2
• Grade Received: C-
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

tests are incredibly hard and goes off tangents in lecture. lecture not mandatory considering he posts them online and follows the textbook

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: PHYS1331
• 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:

Classical Mechanics: Probably one of the better professors in the department. Teaches important skills (e.g. using MathCad to solve problems numerically). Lecture organization is good overall. Sometimes solves interesting problems in class not in the text. Uses sarcasm, but it is humorous and much needed, due to the poor study habits of students.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: PHYS1331
• 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:

Dr. Dytman is better than some reviews have said. He was burdened with the task of teaching a very tricky and obtuse class. He is a genuine guy, and despite his tendency to appear condescending, he can be very approachable. Just make sure you are thorough in your knowledge, his condescension comes through when he sees you as not knowing your stuff

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: PHYS1331
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

I think he's great...a little intimidating, perhaps, but he knows his stuff...he relies a little too much on the computer, but he's very clear and quite approachable if you actually approach him. I approve.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: PHYS2
• 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:

His lectures aren't very helpful, but physics lectures never are. He uses some demonstrations that are kind of cool. His test questions are really easy, no real problem solving skills needed. Just plug and chug. If you can't do algebra and basic trig, what are you doing in a physics course?

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: PHYS0110
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

This class is tough as it is, and Dytman made it damn near impossible. I agree with every other person here. He is unorganized, doesn't really elaborate on topics, and has trouble with his own demonstrations in class. Gives mad homework and the tests are ridiculous. Please avoid this professor. You'll be glad you did.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: PHYS0111
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Pros: seems to like physics. Cons: condescending, disorganized lecturer, pulls slides from book with little original input, seems to spend little time preparing for lectures, makes numerous mistakes (was sending us corrections to practice exam solutions the night before the final for example). You'll be teaching yourself... I'd avoid him if poss.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: PHYS0111
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

STAY AWAY AT ALL COSTS!!! Worst professor Ive ever had!!! Tests have nothing to do w/ the information. EXTREMELY CONDESENDING!! Hates the world. Cant teach physics. Copies notes from book and has no idea what the examples are saying. You are guaranteed to fail if you take him for this class!

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: PHYS89
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Expects a D average on his quizes and blames students for his mistakes. He has no TAs and does not do student evals. wants students to do badly so he can think his class is "challenging" when he really is just a horrible teacher. If he wasn't so full of himself, he could do a better job bc he IS smart, but his ego overrides any hope for learning.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: PHYS089
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Horrible communicator, lectures weren't cohesive or interesting. Exam q's pulled out of the air; seemed like he was trying to be tricky, but actually was horrible at wording them. His "clarifications" only worsened comprehension. Book was better teacher. Sci-fi chosen barely pertained to material. Intentionally didn't do student evals.

Rating # 18

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

He is the worst teacher. One comment says "He is way overqualified for low level classes and it shows." But what I heard he does not even know new and advanced physics. I cannot believe how university keeps him as a teacher.Clarity: he does not even understand himself. Helpfullness: Terrible; Your interested: made me hate phys

Rating # 19

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

Terrible teacher. It is supposed to be a basic class but it wasn't at all. Made his tests purposely deceitful. Wanted his students to do poorly. Arrogant.

Rating # 20

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

i can see him being a good prof for a more advanced class, but for physics and science fiction he was really quite awful. The basic concepts were difficult for him to explain in a way that non-physics people could understand. Plus, his knowledge of science fiction and literature in general was quite limited.