Karin Melnick

This professor has taught: MATH131, MATH310, MATH340, MATH430, MATH436, MATH730, MATH740, MATH742, MATH744, MATH848I, MATH848M

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Karin Melnick MATH430 Expecting a B+ Anonymous 01/30/2022	Lectures were taught quite nicely, and I was able to follow everything (although hyperbolic geometry did get somewhat hazy at times). This is definitely one of the more doable upper level math classes, and I appreciated the diversity of assignments/teaching: some written homework, Geometer's Sketchpad, down-to-earth videos highlighting math concepts, and in-class proofs that we'd do. She's a nice person, and she helped make the class content feel substantial.
Karin Melnick Expecting a B? Anonymous 12/03/2014	She is a horrible teacher. Plus, the material is boring at best; it seems so freaking irrelevant to anything. Her tests are always hard, and after the first midterm she promised that an 80% or higher was an A overall. However, after the second midterm (where the average score actually went down from before), she stated that the 80s were now B+/A- territory, with the lower 80s being B+'s... This "teacher" goes back on her own word. I'm anticipating the final to be brutal as well, but maybe it's because I stopped giving 2 sh!ts after this horrible teacher. Currently have an 84%, but expecting that to drop even lower with the brutal curve. Honestly, take Grillakis if he's teaching next year. Apparently, he is faster paced but results in a higher percentage of A's. Melnick isn't cut out for 340.
Karin Melnick MATH131 Expecting an A- umdstudent3 12/21/2013	In all honesty, I really regret taking Melnick. She made the tests 10x than the other professor's test, which was really unfair. She purposely designs her tests so that the average is around the low 60s, but when it came to final grades, the "curve" was only three percent, which is nothing comparing to the low average on the tests. She was decent at lecturing but honestly, the exams are so extremely hard that not even the quizzes and bioprojects prepared you.
Karin Melnick MATH131 Expecting a B Anonymous 11/29/2012	Unfortunately, I think she made what could have been a good class much harder than it needed to be. She is a very boring lecturer but thats just Math and you have to accept it. However, I feel like she could have done so much more to help the class learn and understand the material but she just didnt. She spends the entire class writing on the board and almost never turns around to see if people get what shes talking about. The only redeeming part of the class is the discussion. Even though theyre SOO ANNOYING because theres a quiz twice a week which means you have to go to every single discussion, they are super helpful. The only reason I was successful in the course was because I payed attention in discussion. Melnick is not the best lecturer out there, but i dont think shes the worst and if youre willing to work hard you can do well in the class.
Karin Melnick MATH430 Expecting an A- zaqu413 12/24/2011	First off I must say that people must account for the class she is teaching when thinking about taking her class. I took the upper level geometry course with her and she would occasionally complain about how bad her calc students were. She seemed to like us a lot more. Lecture: Was a little dry, but she gave good examples and explained things very well, things get a little strange when we get to non-Euclidean stuff which is weird. Homework: Was hard. About 85% of the homework problems she made up, which were often pretty hard, if she assigned work from the book it was often pretty easy. There were also three computer projects with Geometer's Sketchpad which were somewhat difficult. Office Hours: Very helpful, in the beginning most people didn't know how to write a proof so she would more or less just do it for us. Tests/Quizzes: Quizzes were fairly easy, just basic test to make sure you are keeping up with the material. The midterm was pretty easy too, the Final was a little harder because it had some crazy hyperbolic stuff. The layout of the midterm and final were something like this: 1) Some true false (no justification) 2) fill-in-the-blank proof 3) Do it yourself proofs 4) Some computational stuff or short answer Grades: 25% = 12 Homeworks assigned on Friday due the next Friday (drop 2) 10% = 3 Geometer's Sketchpad projects 35% = Final 20% = One midterm 10% = 4 In class worksheets and 4 quizzes (lowest dropped) Again this review should only be applied to her upper level classes.
Karin Melnick MATH140 Anonymous 04/28/2011	Quite possibly the worst professor I've had at my two years at UMD. If a student asked a question in class she would sometimes not answer the question and tell them to see her after class or answer the question and not repeat the question so other students can hear it. She teaches proofs straight out of the book and barely goes over any examples. Her tests are significantly harder than other Calc teachers. She does not curve the class. Avoid this teacher at all costs. I'm sure she knows what she is talking about but it just did not translate well to her students. You know how I know this? All the familiar faces in my Calc class this semester. I cannot stress this enough. Avoid this teacher if you plan on learning Calculus.
Karin Melnick MATH140 Expecting a B CB 02/17/2011	Do not take her. Just don't. I only passed her class with a B because I had taken AP calc in high school. On every test that I took, there was always one question that I couldn't answer. So I lost 15-20 points automatically. She made everything so complicated and confusing. I only went to class because of the weekly quiz. Seriously, take anyone else.
Karin Melnick MATH140 Expecting a B Anonymous 01/24/2011	the person below me pretty much said it all. this was my third year of calculus 1 (2 years in high school and chose not to take the AP credit which i did earn). the way she tests is also harder than other teachers. my section learned everything in discussion from each other and the TA.
Karin Melnick MATH140 Expecting an A Anonymous 12/25/2010	I can't let anyone get deceived by the two reviews before me. Melnick is awful. All she does is teach easy material in the most complicated way. She doesn't look at her students and just writes on the board whatever it says in the textbook, then several times during the class will turn around and give a look to the class as if we know exactly what she's trying to say. Everyone I talked about her class with, HATED her. Not one person in my discussion, which was the discussion with the highest averages in the class, said one thing nice about her. I HAD to go to Denny Gulick's lecture in order to give my chance of learning the material. Who cares if she baked us cookies. I'd rather be good at math than eat one cookie on the day before thanksgiving. The reason she doesn't teach well is simple, she goes over proofs but doesn't go over concepts well or sometimes even at all.
Karin Melnick MATH140 Expecting an A Anonymous 12/16/2010	HAHA. I just read the review before me. Yes, she did bake us cookies for Thanksgiving, although only 40 people (around there) showed up for class. She is a very nice lady. She's very approachable. I have never been to her office hours, but she does emphasize that she has those hours opened for us. Yes, she does try to push the due date back for WebAssign if she hasn't taught the material. I have taken this class before and I will admit, I was pretty lost for the first few classes for some reason. It took me a while to get used to her teaching style. If you don't understand math, it may be a little difficult since everything seems to be definition. That made it pretty difficult for me at first. One person mentioned, "she teaches like a wikipedia page" and in a way, it kind of is. You need to get used to it. If you don't understand math, you really need to take notes. When you look at them later, they'll make sense. I have to admit, if you've never been a math buff, this will be a very difficult class for you. The lowest exam wasn't supposed to be dropped (it was supposed to be half the weight of a real exam), but since the average was so low for the third test, she decided to drop our lowest test grade. The class average on the last exam was pretty high, so you should be okay. Your TA will definitely help you if you need help. Having discussion twice a week is very tedious. You need to put a lot of time into this class. Good luck.
Karin Melnick MATH140 Expecting a A? Anonymous 12/15/2010	First thing I'm gonna say: "She baked us cookies." She was a bit incoherent and awkward at the beginning of the semester, but that was probably because she was nervous or something. Anyway, I had already seen this material in high school, where I got a C. From what I've seen, she is incredibly nice to her students. She also tries to learn everyone's names. If you're having trouble, she will try her best to explain the material further. Unlike many other teachers, if she did not teach what was on the WebAssign, she will push the due date back (Ain't that amazing?!). One thing that was a bit frustrating though was that her exams were rather difficult. Everything on the exams is on what she taught, but the format of the exams is more difficult than those from other professors. On the contrary, she does give out practice exams (in the same format as the actual exam) and she did drop the lowest exam grade. Overall, she was a pretty good instructor.