Richard Ignace - East Tennessee State University

Professor: Richard Ignace

Department: TBD

College: East Tennessee State University

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: ASTR1010
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Ignace is a great guy and he knows a lot about Astronomy and Physics. The problem is that he doesn't teach it well to students. I was always lost in his class and he always switched back an forth between power points and never gave students enough time to copy down notes. Hardest class ever. I'll be lucky if I pass with a C.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: ASTR1010
• 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:

I hated this class! HUGE mistake taking it... If you're thinking of taking astronomy, don't. His class is for non-majors but he's so advanced that he lectures like all of his students have a background in Astronomy. He does not post grades on d2l so unless you're keeping track of your own grades, good luck.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: ASTR1020
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Dr. Ignace is a great guy. He's lots of fun to listen to, and since he wrote our book, his personality carried over into the reading. He was extremely helpful when asked about assignments, and he was understanding when you couldn't show up. I would take him again in a heartbeat.

Rating # 4

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

Grading scale was very unclear. The tests did not follow lecture at all. Talked down to students instead of teaching us. Gave us "study guides" as homework, but never returned them in time for the test so they were pretty much useless. Definitely not a 1000 level course.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: 11951
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Professor Ignace is great. Anyone thinking about taking this class should get in ASAP. If you have a desire to enhance you knowledge about the universe then this class is for you. The tests are a bit involved, but if you show up to class and take notes and at least skim the book you will do well. Professor Ignace has a good sense of humor.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: 1010
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Even though attendance isn't mandatory you have to go to class to keep up. He does his best to dumb it down for his students but if you miss a class you will be behind.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: ASTRONOMY2
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Astronomy is a hard class. But he is easiest to understand in astronomy dpt. He really tries to dumb it down as much as possible and help people. Your homeworks (big part of your grade) are in the book so you HAVE to have it, but other than that you wont need it. He is a really fun and awesome teacher, it's the material that's hard

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: ASTR1010
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Hardest class in 4 years of college! He takes for granted that it is easy since it is a 1000 level course and doesn't explain well. Extra labs saved my exam grades (despite near perfect attendance and 2+ hours of study every night). He doesn't answer your questions and seems burnt out on teaching. ASTRO1? More like advanced astrophysics. Avoid.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: ASTR1010
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

So confusing! Nothing in this class was clear. Even the syllabus was hard to follow, nevermind the textbook or lectures. I learned more from google the morning of the final than from the professor all semester long. He's great at physics, but should definitely not be teaching introductory astronomy. Not helpful at all when you have questions.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: PHYS2010
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

He's a great guy and good professor. Physics is stupid hard to begin with, but he really tried to dumb it down and make it easier for us. He has a very soft grading scale (87 is A)and the exams are much easier than the homeworks. Too bad I really don't like physics or truly would have enjoyed his class.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: AST1010
• 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:

The textbook needs serious editing. No index, no glossary, no flow whatsoever. I ended up having to buy a different book as a study aid. No access to lecture slides, and even if you attend every session it's really hard to grasp what he's talking about. Take excellent notes and hope for the best. He makes it much harder than necessary.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: ASTR1010
• 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: Not Mandatory

Comment:

He only knows one way to explain things, and it is not simple. Finds a way to make everything more complicated than it is. As for a curve, he doesn't really explain his grading scale at all. Doesn't use D2L or post grades. The textbook doesn't clarify anything (he wrote it himself). Nightmare!

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: ASTR1010
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

I think most of the people complaining probably didn't come to class. Dr. Ignace doesn't make attendance mandatory so I remember one of my classes, which should have had around 75 students, on day had only 19 in attendance. If you miss a lecture you are in trouble. If you pay attention and take notes you will be fine. He grades on a major curve.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: ASTRO1010
• 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:

The way he teaches, physics should be a pre-req for this course. Lectures are incomprehensible and the textbook doesn't clarify anything either, because he wrote it himself. Even if you can get someone else to explain the material so that you understand it, exam questions make no sense. Hands down the worst prof I've had at ETSU in any department!

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: ASTR1010
• 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: Not Mandatory

Comment:

He ends up having to lecture on exam day (before the exam) in order to "cover" all the material, so you are literally tested on stuff he just glossed over for the first time! Homework (which is intended to be a study help)is due before we've covered everything, and isn't returned until AFTER the exam. At least the lab section has a different prof.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: ASTR1010
• 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: Not Mandatory

Comment:

PowerPoint slides are not available online, which would be fine if he would lecture at a reasonable pace, but he flies through them before you can even take notes. The textbook is a train wreck, no index, no glossary, etc. I'm a straight A student, and dropped the course at midterm to salvage my GPA. Not an intro course at all.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: ASTRO1010
• 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:

He is very knowledgable but talks way over his students heads. His homeworks and tests are very hard. This class feels more like astro physics than astronomy I. The class doesn't discuss basic astronomy but jumps right into complex astronomy. Not what I expected from this course. I do not recommend taking this course with this professor

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: ASTR1010
• 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: Not Mandatory

Comment:

Simply painful! Rambles on about nonsense and thinks everyone is a physicist. Not a 1000 level course. Seems like he goes out of his way to make it confusing and prove how smart he is. Doesn't use D2L for anything; course website is not user friendly at all. Homework is never graded in time to be a useful study aid. Avoid.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: ASTR1020
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

If you enjoy astronomy with a hint of astro physics, then this is the professor for you. He enjoys to be engaged by his students. I highly recommend having a firm grasp of the fundamental forces. Attendance is not mandatory, but he does say when something will be on the exam. Don't worry about purchasing the book if you plan to attend class.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: PHY101
• 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:

Don't worry about buying the book. Didn't need it at all. The homework and tests are really hard. He didn't curve. He likes trick questions. Has a soft grading scale but if you need an A, don't take.