Stephen Banks - Louisiana State University Shreveport

Professor: Stephen Banks

Department: TBD

College: Louisiana State University Shreveport

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: BIOS224
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

The only grades are the lecture exams and he requires you to have a wide conceptual knowledge. He is very fair on his tests and will throw out questions that he did not like after an exam and still give you the points for all correct answers, so it ends up boosting the grade. He is very caring and will accommodate his students

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: BIOS320
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Dr. Banks has a rep for being a difficult professor and his tests are brutal. He made this course so much more difficult than it would have been with Dr. Burden. He would emphasize stuff that would not show up on the test. I took this course hoping it would be my easy one, but it was harder than all my other courses. Really disappointed. Avoid him!

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: BIO120
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Dr. Banks is a great professor, however the class seems to be geared towards premed and biology majors as he takes this class quite seriously. Wouldn't recommend 120 with him if you aren't a science major and you need the credit, but the entire biology department are all hard a*ses, so your choices are limited. Grade is clicker questions and tests.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: BIO120
• Grade Received: C
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Great guy, my only issue is that his tests were impossible to pass and the class was super test heavy, so if you messed up on one, you messed up the entire class. He gave us a study guide once, but like only 3 out of 30 questions on it were on the test. Very vague about what's going to be on the tests. Wouldn't recommend unless you're psychic.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: BIO120L
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

If you make one small mistake like messing up on your unit but everything else is right he gives you a zero

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: BIO120
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

This class definitely calls you to challenge yourself. It's not a class where you can sit back and expect Dr. Banks to do all of your work for you but at the same time, if you ever need help Dr. Banks is more than willing to meet with you and help you understand the information.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: BIO120
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Very good teacher, who is accessible outside of class. Very lecture heavy and use of in class questions that count towards a quiz grade using a clicker. Loves to tell stories that relate to the lecture.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: BIO120
• Grade Received: A+
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Great teacher, he explains everything clearly and thoroughly.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: BIO120L
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Knowledgeable and caring, genuinely wants you to succeed. It's a practical lab, you have to be there to do the work, after explaining the concept in lecture he demonstrates how to do the lab before you do it. Quizzes are just about the previous lab. As an older British guy his humor is like a british comedy so if that's not your thing bring coffee.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: BIOS120L
• Grade Received: WD
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

This class is based mostly on quizzes. The labs were pretty straightforward and easy and he was there to help. The quizzes were hard and didn't line up with the lectures. If you're a bad test/quiz taker then you might want to avoid this class.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: BIOS120
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

He is a very nice person, but that's all the good stuff I can say about him. He goes on ridiculous tangents, reads STRAIGHT from ppts, you need to be there for clicker questions though, and his tests are INSANELY hard for no good reason. He curves a little at the end of the semester so that's a plus. Super boring. I hope to never take him again.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: BIO120
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Love Dr. Banks. He makes sure he correlates things you are learning with real life scenarios. You can tell he's passionate about biology and his students. I always see him talking with students in the hall and around campus. His classes are not hard, you just can't be a 'night before' studier. I felt like he was very encouraging.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: BIOS120
• Grade Received: C
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Says he won't put material on the tests that he covers in class, but HE DOES. I made an A on the first test and an F on the second. Half the material on the second test was not covered in class. Read ahead and study nonstop. Avoid Banks for 120 if at all possible.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: BIOS120L
• Grade Received: C
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

If given the choice between taking hot coals and listening to one of this guy's lectures again, I would take the hot coals. When confronted on a plagiarism issue and asked for the attendance sheet to show proof of attendence to the board, claims he is a professor, not a police officer.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: BIOS120
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Very knowledgeable and nice man. Study the powerpoints & show up to class for clicker questions and you should be fine but be sure to drink your coffee because otherwise zzzzzz....

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: BIO120
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Professor Banks is a great professor but you have to work for your grade. He uses stories of himself as a young child during lectures which sometimes has you wondering what does this have to do with what we are talking about. Tests are hard if you don't study or wait too late! Be prepared to work and you should be fine.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: BIOS110
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

His powerpoints were loaded with all the information needed to do well. He's willing to answer questions and really cares that you get it. Tests were long (Especially the final) but I never felt unprepared. He's hilarious and desires students to be the best they can be, great encourager. Well read, he seems to knowing everything about anything.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: BIOS120L
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

He gives one big writing assignment on enzymes. More than willing to answer questions and help where he can. Attendance is a must to have a chance to do well. Banks cares about the students individual success, and he treats students like adults. He has confidence that with enough work, any student can excel. Very approachable and easy to talk to.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: BIOS120
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Everyone on here who says he's "hard" are lying. I have went to everyone of his lecture classes and I've made a B and above on all the tests. The test are rather hard if you don't do studying outside of his class. The lab quizzes were kind of hard so you really have to make sure you can do the math back words and forward. GREAT professor and cares

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: BIO120L
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Like everyone is saying, HIS LABS ARE RIDICULOUS! Every lab there is a quiz, and let me tell you his "10 Point" quiz ARE NOT EASY. He expects you to use "Metacognition" A term which means think hard about what you're thinking. I MEAN ITS THINKING, how can the way we think be counted as a right answer? Overall, his labs are fun, but quiz is hard.