David Finch - Oregon State University

Professor: David Finch

Department: TBD

College: Oregon State University

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: MTH321
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Absolutely awful. He wouldn't teach us how to do anything, he would just give us assignments and expect us to figure out really difficult problems with what little information he gives us. Very unhelpful when I would ask for help. My homework grades were poor as a result so I withdrew before it was too late. Avoid at all costs.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: MTH341
• Grade Received: C-
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

David Finch is an intelligent man, and you can definitely tell by the way he does lectures. They tend to be really abstract, and you had better do your research and learn the subject before class, because his lectures will not make any sense. I had an extremely hard time dealing with lectures, and he tends to go through problems as fast as he can

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: MTH341
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

I am a good student, and good at mathematics, and Finch was very difficult for me. I went to all three of the lectures every week, and only passed due to the curve. I did all my homework with Math Tutors in the MLC, I recommend that technique if you do end up with him as your teacher. He really enjoys theoretical proofs and questions on tests.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: MTH256
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

A brilliant mathematician, but does not qualify him to teach. He stands at the board going over theorems rather than showing you how to carry them out. He gives incredibly easy homework which seems to barely have anything to do with the tests. Test Reviews are equivalent to HW, and the tests have little to do them. I recommend avoiding at all cost.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: MTH254H
• 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:

Finch spends most of lecture teaching incomprehensible proofs that are useless to you. He also doesn't tell you anything about your grade until it's on your transcript. His tests were extremely difficult, but he did curve everybody's final class grade to produce enough passing grades to avoid complaints. I highly suggest avoiding him.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: MATH256
• 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:

He could be a good teacher, but his writing on the chalkboard is extremely fast, and unintelligible. Also about 4/5 of each class period is used to present proof-type examples which are confusing. He also gives limited explanation of examples. Most of my knowledge gained has come from the book/TA.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: MTH253
• 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:

Difficult to follow in class, doesn't use examples and spends the whole time proving theorems. Luckily there is extra credit and curves!

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: MATH311
• 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:

It is very difficult to get Finch to offer any sort of helpful assistance. He seems to go out of his way to avoid helping you, and when he does you come away feeling like a fool.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: MTH311
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

His 311 is not easy. I imagine 311 would be difficult from any professor, though. He spent most of the class proving theorems instead of doing examples. Homework takes 10-15 hours on ave. Tests were rather easy compared to homework sets. He strays from formalism and expects a lot of proof experience.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: MTH311
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Very abstract style of teaching. He goes extremely fast and doesn't show examples. Homework is most of the grade and expect to spend many hours a week working on it.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: MATH341
• 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:

Dave is one of the best instructors I have ever had. His mastery of the subject is beyond question, and I think he does a great job of communicating the material. The trick is, you have to PAY ATTENTION....and.....DO THE HOMEWORK.... I found him challengeing but fair.I recommend him to anyone who really wants to LEARN.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: MTH306
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Hard to understand. Talks way past class is over. I fell asleep in many of his lectures. Overcomplicates everything. Do not recommend. My friend took the same class from Parks and said it was way easier.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: MTH341
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Was this a math class or an English class? He takes an entire whiteboard to writeout a single mathematical statement in WORDS. Homework is very difficult and abstract, and mostly obscure proofs, with very little applied material.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: MTH341
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Finch teaches by stating theorems and then proving them. He writes out every word he says on the board. Ive never seen so many words in a math class. Finch even spells out "if and only if." It's ridiculous. Avoid $H!TBREAK at all costs!!!

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: MTH341
• 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:

This man taught me nothing that I will ever use

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: MTH341
• 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:

Lecture was so theoretical and abstract, it confused everyone. Homework is extremely difficult, and he told us the way he wanted our proofs written only AFTER the assignment had been turned in and we all failed.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: MTH341
• 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:

Only for those who love learning math abstractly, because that is strictly how he teaches (very hard to understand).HW is super-hard, midterm was mod. hard. Don't take him unless you're up for a challenge.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: MATH306
• 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 clear about his lectures. Talks way too much and kept students over the 50 min mark in his lectures. His crazy eyes will freak you out! Very boring teacher. Test was nothing related to the homework or study guide.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: MTH232
• 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:

Imagine a really smart version of Woody Allen teaching a math class. That's Finch: hard to understand, makes things way too complicated, neurotic, poor social skills.