James Eckert - University of Minnesota-Twin Cities

Professor: James Eckert

Department: TBD

College: University of Minnesota-Twin Cities

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: PHYS1202W
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Its introduction to Physics (including electrostatics) so its not a cake walk by any means. He doesnt spoon feed you the information, and expects you to use your problem solving skills learned on one type of problem in order to solve a totally different problem. However, he doesnt give off the elitist physics viewpoint that some profs do.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: PHYS1202W
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Lecture topics are discussed for about 20 minutes each time and the rest of the time is wasted with life stories or irrelevant information. Tests do not correspond to book problems, the tests are hard to study for as there are no problems that will help you prepare for them. Tough grader, will not give you partial points.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: PHYS1201
• Grade Received: A+
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

James is one of the funniest professors I've had. He's sarcastic, but one notices right away this man is a gift from God. His lectures are analogous to scripture, and his word is Truth. If you want to be Saved, take this course. If you are easily offended, do not take this course, as this man is enlightened and sees the world as it is.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: PHYS1301
• 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:

His lectures were engaging and he's a funny guy but the actual material covered in lecture wasn't really helpful. Expect to do a LOT of self studying. At least the textbook was clear and easy to read. Expect to put in a lot of time studying. If you keep on top of the material you'll be fine. If you cram, enjoy getting a D or F on every quiz/test.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: PHYS1302
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Eckert was terrible for physics II. First, the guy NEVER responded to e-mails or provided sufficient help. Second, the exam scores were always very low and he did nothing to help us out. I failed most of the exams and thankfully he curved or else he would have failed a large of people. Avoid at all costs.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: PHYS1201
• 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 generally consider myself a fairly forgiving individual concerning professorial shortcomings...having said that. I walked into many tests completely unarmed to the material being evaluated, although I had attended all lectures and performed all labwork and homework accordingly. I love science, but severely wish that I had chosen another teacher

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: PHYS1271
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

I took several Physics courses from this professor and found him to be interesting and easy to understand. His exams were tough but fair. You really had to understand the material to do well, which is as it should be. I think students who whine about him were perhaps expecting someone like their high school teachers, which he is NOT! Great teacher!

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: PHY1302
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Is he blunt? yes. Does he have an ego? yes. If you have a sense of humor and you like people who tell it like it is, you'll probably like him. If you are used to professors who coddle you, you probably won't. I found his stories (mostly) interesting and relevant. Pay attention, don't fall behind and learn to take a joke and youll be fine.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: PHYS1302
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

A good lecturer, entertaining even! He presents material clearly and has a very fair grading system. However, he's not the most personable man and can be somewhat gruff when you talk to him. Overall, though, having him as a professor was a good experience.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: PHYS1202
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

His lecures were interesting, but often irrelevant to the course. He spent several lectures talking about theoretical physics concepts like scroedinger's cat and black holes--all of which are very minimally covered in an introductory physics course. His style of teaching was not very helpful for me. He would do overy-simplistic examples in class.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: PHYS1302
• 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:

the guy is awful...has not respect for students and has a huge EGO!!! tests are awful...no partial credits are given...

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: PHYS1302
• 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:

worse teacher ever....keeps on putting the students down and trying to prove how start he is compared to everyone else. Has no respect for students. the exams are awful and no partial credit are given. Take another prof!!!!

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: PHYS1302
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

All he does is talk about application of what we are learning and never about the material itself. I went up to the front to ask him a question after class and he told a girl she was going to get a 0 on a group quiz even though she was getting heart surgery! HEART SURGERY! What a cold, heartless man. AVOID. AVOID. AVOID.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: PHYS1302
• 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:

AVOID THIS PROF. Lectures are useless since all he ever talks about is his own life. The exams are awful because he teaches nothing in lecture. Office hours are useless because he spends more effort trying to convince you of your own stupidity instead of trying to help you. I cannot stress enough how awful he is, both as a prof and human being.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: PHYS1202
• 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:

Physics is hard and he likes to ramble on about his life a lot. With that said, his stories were interesting and he related physics to real life. If you want to do good in his class you have to put in many hours outside of class studying. He never did an example in class. Although test averages were low he wanted everyone to get good grades.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: PHYS1302
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

this guy sucks!!! take another teacher

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: PHYS1302
• 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:

If you are smart you will love him. Hard to stay awake to him sometimes at 8am when he went on and on about his genius daughter. My advice: take a different professor, or never and I mean NEVER fall behind. You will find yourself so lost and confused...

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: PHYS1302
• 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:

Lectures are ok but can get really unuseful since he keeps on saying he is from CA and his wife is a lawyer. Grading system is really rough. Overall Eckert go back to your CA!!!

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: PHYS1302
• 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:

Loves to ramble on but he keeps lectures interesting and that helps. But you are still pretty much on your own for the tests.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: PHYS1302
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Great Teacher