Alan Giambattista - Cornell University

Professor: Alan Giambattista

Department: TBD

College: Cornell University

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: PHYS2213
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

He's alright. He seems easygoing and knowledgeable. Homework was incredibly difficult but this subject overall is difficult for me. Exams are easier than the homeworks, so if you can do the homeworks, you're probably set (still study, though). I basically had something due every day (co-op, video lecture+notes+pce, problem set, lab).

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: PHYS2213
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

I liked his flipped classroom: readings/videos and practice problems before lecture and in-class lecture questions. He was a clear, organized lecturer though maybe a bit too slow. He and the TAs were very approachable and helpful. This class has a lot of assignments at once (psets, pre-lecture questions, etc) but it prepares you well for exams.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: PHYS2213
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

I am not a huge fan of his flipped classroom way of teaching. I would prefer to learn in class and re-enforce at home rather than the other way around. He's a nice guy though. If you haven't taken Electricity and magnetism before it will be a pretty tough class.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: PHYS2213
• Grade Received: A+
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Alan Giambattista is a really great lecturer. I don't know if it's his deep voice or what, but I could never fall asleep during his lectures. Plus, the lectures are mostly working on problems anyway, so that is very engaging.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: PHYS1101
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

The readings are concise and helpful. If you read what your supposed to, do every single problem you're assigned, and are good at algebra, you'll do very well. Doing practice problems till you get it is the key to this class. There's also always help available if you're struggling with something.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: PHYS1102
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Professor Giambattista is there if you need his help, but otherwise, since this is an auto tutorial class, you will mostly be interacting with TA's. Pretty reasonable professor. Very clear syllabus. The class itself is my least liked so far at Cornell. The textbook is not helpful at all, with poor explanations.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: PHYS1101
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Dr. Giambattista is pretty helpful once you reach out to him. He's approachable and he does care about his students. This is an auto tutorial class and it's not easy so you have to work your butt off if you want to do well (especially if you have little to no Physics background). The unit tests were annoying but doable.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: PHYS213
• Grade Received: F
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

He is terrible

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: PHYS1101
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Took the auto-tutorial physics I and II. Overall this course is really dependent on how much effort you put into it. Prof Giambattista was approachable and helpful at explaining concepts when you seek him out so don't be afraid to ask for help. Not a course for those who expect prof to hold your hand. More of a self-pace course.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: PHYS1112
• 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: Mandatory

Comment:

Useless class, learned nothing, quizzes are so poorly written he has to give free points just to make up for it.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: PHYS1101
• 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:

His harsh grading gave me anxiety problems.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: PHYS2214
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Go to class and pay attention, review the posted lecture slides for the prelims and do the homework to practice the material and the class is easier than most I've had. He speaks clearly, usually doesn't rush through the material, and uses lots of good experiments in class.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: PHYS2214
• 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:

Great teacher, but I mean, come on, why can't you just make us buy a book? This class would be so much easier if we had an actual book for the class to work with.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: PHYS214
• 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 guy. This class was fairly rigorous and I heard some bad things about it from other professors. It required a decent amount of work, but Professor Giambattista was very helpful and explained it great. If you have a chance to take any class from him, I'd do it. You'll learn the material and get a decent grade.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: PHYS214
• 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, he helped out a ton, was very informative and very helpful. best science professor ive had at cornell, take his class.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: PHYS214
• 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:

great teacher, very nice, class is semi-difficult but prof. giambattista helped out a lot, was very understanding and overall a great course

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: PHYS214
• 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:

Prof Giambattista is really really good. He explains everything so clearly and so well, I can't imagine myself falling asleep in his class.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: PHYS216
• 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:

Very nice teacher. His handwriting is legible, and his teaching is intelligible, and he is inteligent. I didn't think Special Relativity was this easy until I took his course.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: PHYS214
• 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:

Good teacher. The exams he created were the best: not too hard not too easy and comprehensive.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: PHYS214
• 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:

A very, very good teacher. I took PHYS 214 with Prof. Bodenschatz, who was the exact opposite, but Prof. Giambattista's life-saving office hours played a key role in my passing the class.