Tan Dinh - University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON

Professor: Tan Dinh

Department: Physics

College: University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: SCBUS323
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Terrible prof for the 'technology workshop' I was required to take. Ridiculous workload with literally no added content from the prof (zero lessons or course content, just assignments). The course summed up was poorly framed assignments that needed to be done exactly his way to receive a decent mark, and then torn apart by him during presentations.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: PHY112L
• 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:

I loved physics prior to taking this lab, which I needed for medschool. Went to Tan, because I felt my TA graded me too hard and he is an absolutely horrible person. Told me my labs were quote "garbage and a monkey could've written them". I am a 4th year engineering student and he treated me like an idiot and said I don't know how to write labs :@

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: PHYS111L
• 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:

This man is the worst person I had to deal with in my first year. I could say a lot of really nasty things about him, but just be very careful with him if you're going to have anything to do with him.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: PHYS112L
• 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:

First year physics is in general - painful to put it mildly. I was not impressed at all with how things were done in the Department of Physics at UW. Tan Dinh definitely contributed a lot to my negative opinion of this Department. Hopefully people like him wont get hired in the future.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: PHYS111L
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

he doesnt do ANYTHING for the labs. its all TA related and my ta was the absolute worst there was. could never read his writing so his feedback was useless and he could usually never read it himself. further more he took off marks everywhere for things like the edges of my labs werent cut perfectly as they came from a spiral binder...

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: PHYS112
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Very easy labs, all done during lab time. Extremely difficult lab exam, asks for specific values on graphs and how to use the equipment. Only 25 MC, 1 hour lab exam, but very hard, definitely brough down my lab mark.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: PHYS260A
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Tan was not my lab instructor for this course but he put together the exam. And this is exam is what dragged my mark down by 10%. His marking scheme is very shady (20 marks for a 5 line answer) and the exam is very, very long. If you are in science you don't really have a choice with this man... tip: know everything from every lab for the exam.

Rating # 8

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

His thick accent aside, Tan is a great lab instructor, with a good sense of humour if you can figure out what he's saying. His marking is a bit harsh at the beginning, but he'll always answer your question during the lab period.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: PHYS999
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Had for lots of Labs. Can be hard to understand, but he is incredibly enthusiastic and an all around great guy. I can't understand how anyone could dislike him.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: PHYS253L
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

The man is terrible. I honestly hate him. The fact that I have to go back next year and see him again sickens me. He's very hard to understand, picks favourites in his labs and can be very hard to deal with. He likes to keep grudges too. His marking is fair and his exam is fair but he really can be a pain in the side.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: PHYS253L
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Very good prof - really takes the time and effort to make sure you get it

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: PHYS111L
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

The labs are fairly straightforward, although a bit useless. BUT prepare yourself for a failure on the final exam. The questions are insanely difficult (i.e., what is the slope of some obscure graph you don't remember drawing) and i don't even know how you could prepare for it. Best of luck.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: PHYS353L
• 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:

I had trouble understanding his english at first, but I got used to it. The lab was challenging, but Tan wants his students to do well and he gives you all the help you need. He's a really nice guy, smart and has a very friendly personality.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: PHYS253L
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Tan is difficult to get along with at times. But if you can put aside your pride, and step out from the general frustration that labs bring, then you notice that he genuinely cares about you learning the material. If you try to help yourself first, he will go a long way to help you the rest of the way.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: PHYS121L
• 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: N/A

Comment:

The labs were ok, some were way too long, but whatever I got decent marks. But then the exam was clearly designed specifically to ruin everyone's mark. Great job testing us on an assignment we didn't even get returned to study from.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: PHYS360B
• 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:

Tan is genuinely interested in you doing well in his labs. He gives to you what you give to the lab. If you don't want to learn, he won't help you learn. Anyone who has a problem with him clearly isn't putting forth an effort in his labs.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: PHYS111L112L
• 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:

First year labs are messed up and completely useless.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: PHYS132L
• 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:

He's terrible. Very unhelpful and someone with whom it is incredibly frustrating to communicate.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: PHYS132L
• 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:

He wasn't very helpful. TA's are more capable than him.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: PHYS132L
• 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:

Not a pleasant fellow.