Donna Nelson - University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK

Professor: Donna Nelson

Department: Chemistry

College: University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: ORGANIC1
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Graded by only exams, very little guidance on how and what to study. She will curve the grades very hard, so if you can stay ahead of the rest of the class, you can get an A or B without too much difficulty. Lectures are dry and straight from the book. She tries to get people to come to class by periodically giving hints for test answers.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: CHEM3053
• Grade Received: INC
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

She only grades based on tests. She doesn't give out study guides, worksheets, or helpful tips. In lecture she reads out of the book and often times criticizes the author's work, so it can be hard to decipher what she wants. The tests are 20 questions and sporadic, and many of the answers aren't found in the designated chapters for that test.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: CHEM3053
• Grade Received: B-
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

She definitely knows the subject, but she teaches straight from the textbook. I stopped going to class after the 1st exam because it was so easy to just read the textbook myself. She only tests on the basic principles, nothing in depth. BUT there's only 5 grades: 4 midterms (only 20 questions each) & the final so it's EXTREMELY hard to get an A.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: CHEM3053
• Grade Received: C-
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Her class is only graded by four tests which are kinda hard if you don't read the book. Even if you read the book, the test questions generally aren't from the book. There aren't any practice worksheets. She also isn't very helpful when answering questions. She is very smart but is too smart to teach basic organic chemistry.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: CHEM3053
• Grade Received: C+
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Only grades are exams. Reads the textbook to you in class so if you read outside of class (which you have to anyways), then you might as well not go to class. Dr. Nelson is extremely educated in Organic Chemistry and is extremely intelligent but I personally don't like her method of teaching.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: CHEM3053
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Do not take her, especially if you have anxiety. She refuses to help you and told other professors not to let us use their work sheets for extra help. Your grade depends 100% on four exams including the final. She only uses the textbook, but the questions on the exam do not come from the textbook. She does not do any practice problems in class.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: CHEM3053
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

She has 15 minutes of office hours before lecture and will not help you during that time. The book is almost no use. She flies through material while other classes with different professors cover less material and have tests at later dates. She rolls her eyes if you ask questions. Tutors can't help. She is intelligent but lacks clarity as teacher.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: CHEM3053
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

If you want to teach yourself absolutely everything, take her. She gives you nothing to be successful. She gives mostly word questions on her organic exams and how is that supposed to teach me how to do organic? Worst Prof, I've had so far. Take Prof Biggs!

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: CHEM3053
• Grade Received: INC
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Donna Nelson seems knowledgeable; however, she is not the best at communicating the material in a coherent manner. Also, she is not the best at communicating in general. She changed the first test date to a week and a half earlier without sending out a mass email.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: CHEM3253
• 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:

She is a great teacher. You must be willing to put time into a class like O Chem II or you will not do well regardless of the teacher. Go to her action centers, she often gives tips on to study best for her exams. Overall I thought her exams were easy if you studied (all multiple choice).

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: CHEM3153
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Do not take Nelson unless you have no other option. Talks to students like they are fifth graders and covers very little material in lectures. If you want to succeed, plan on self-studying. I stopped attending lectures after the first exam and still got an A because her tests are easy, and I read the textbook. Overall: AWFUL!

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: OCHEM2
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Overall a good class. She does teach straight out of the book and is terrible and treats the class like children. My advice is to ask questions during class and make note of what she stresses as she goes through the text book. She's not as bad as people say really.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: CHEM3153
• 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:

Great prof and interesting course.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: CHEM3153
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Avoid her like the plague. She couldn't care less about you, she only wants to pursue her own research and get interviewed about her ties to the production of breaking bad. She doesnt even hold office hours for our class. She thinks her time is more valuable than yours and it really shows. Also, lectures are straight from the book.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: CHEM301
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

I got a C, despite the fact I had an 84%

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: CHEM3053
• 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:

poor quality teacher better to go with someone else

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: CHEM6880
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Really great class.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: OCHEM2
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Ridiculously simple lectures, difficult tests. Go to the help sessions and do all the problems, or else the exams are freakin impossible. Lecture is hard to sit through since she treats the class like children. You have to learn for yourself if you want to pass. She is nice, though, just clueless as an instructor.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: CHEM3153
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

We have a couple of TAs to hold help sessions about 8 times per week. We are using new teaching techniques, which keep the class from being boring. The material is pretty easy so far; we have a quiz each day, and we've been told that the exams will draw from those.

Rating # 20

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

I was not really interested in the subject material before hand, but she made it interesting.