Edgar Moctezuma

This professor has taught: BSCI124, BSCI125, BSCI135, CPSP219L

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Edgar Moctezuma BSCI135 Expecting an A Anonymous 12/07/2024	Exactly how a gened should be. This is an easy A if you show up to lecture and labs. There's a short, easy quiz after every lecture on Canvas, and a few movies to watch in the beginning of the year. 2 exams and 1 final, all easy multiple choice straight from the lecture slides. Don't buy the textbook, we didn't use it once even though he said to buy it. He also makes the class purchase TopHat which is very similar to Kahoot. I think he could probably just use Kahoot instead, which would be free compared to TopHat. It is an interesting class overall, and Professor Moctezuma is a great guy. I learned a lot, and it was very low-stress.
Edgar Moctezuma BSCI135 Expecting an A- Anonymous 12/03/2024	SUPER nice guy, cares about his students and wants them to succeed. Great option for GenEd science, easy lab (if you pay attention in class) and exams aren't too difficult if you study. Not a biology person AT ALL but I enjoyed.
Edgar Moctezuma BSCI135 Expecting an A- Anonymous 11/30/2024	WOW! Just WOW! I was dreading taking a science lab for the DSNL but this is 10/10 recommend. I already liked plants and grew up in a household full of composting and gardening so i was excited to take this class. Professor Moctezuma was so amazing to listen to and made the material so interesting. i learned so much each lecture and in lab. My lab did not go the full 2.5 hours it was supposed to like ever so that was really nice. The lab component is a separate 100 points factored into the total of 400 points for the whole class. There are online quizzes after each lecture and everything is in the slides for the most part except if you have to watch a movie or video. There are 3 exams, 80 points each and a Botanic Gradens paper the last month of class where you go to the museum in dc and write a paper on it. Super easy and fun. He gives so much extra credit and brings food to class sometimes. He is super sweet and accommodating and I would take this class again.
Edgar Moctezuma BSCI135 Expecting a B Anonymous 09/09/2024	Edgar favorite lecturer at UMD. He puts a lot of effort into making this course digestible to newcomers and also enjoyable overall, bringing in real-world examples of the plants he discusses or maybe bringing in a chocolate bar for everyone to tie in the lesson on cocao. He is the professor that I wish would teach every course as he really does have a great way of lecturing and involving students in the lessons. Homework is frequent and labs are sometimes confusing but I do not delegate all of that to Edgar himself as the lab TAs also have a lot of content to go through during lab. The course is generally not hard as long as you pay attention, use what he provides you, and spend some time with the material. The course was enjoyable and I would definitely take him again.
Edgar Moctezuma BSCI125 Expecting an A- Anonymous 05/21/2024	Very nice professor, fast to respond to emails. The only "problem" I had with this class is that the lectures were a bit on the boring and long side. other than that, very easy assignments and fair grading on exams
Edgar Moctezuma BSCI135 Expecting an A Anonymous 05/15/2024	Professor Moctezuma is genuinely one of the nicest professors you’ll meet on campus. One of the only faculty I’ve met that genuinely feels like he cares about his students and provides lots of ways to succeed in the class, even going as far to bringing bagels and fruit for us on the morning of the final. The class itself can be a little boring as his lecture style largely consists of reading off slides, but actually attending lecture and doing some flashcards before every exam should be enough to set you up to do well. Labs were also easy, if not a little boring and long at times, although this largely depends on your TA and how quickly they go through the lab. Overall, as long as you don’t mind putting in 3-4 hours of memorization prep for each exam, you’ll do very well in the class. He also hosts review sessions before each exam, where he typically highlights most of what will actually be on the exam and strongly hints at some potential answers. The extra credit opportunities provided are also enough to help save your grade in case you end up doing poorly on an exam or two. Would highly recommend.
Edgar Moctezuma BSCI135 Expecting a B- Anonymous 05/10/2024	Do not take this class. The lectures are extremely boring. I attended for the first unit and got a 75% on the exam, I did not attend for the second exam and got a 75% on the exam, thus rendering them useless. The exams are pure memorization and written in a way that does not care about content mastery. The concept is in theory a cool idea but is taught poorly. Look elsewhere for a gen ed. Professor Moctezuma is a nice guy but the class structure is useless. The lab is an easy 100% if you show up...tbh can be on your phone for most of it and never lasts the full time. The class is graded on a 400 point structure which is not equitable. If you take this class be sure to get good at memorization. No idea how this professor and class has a 4 star LOL
Edgar Moctezuma BSCI135 Expecting a C- jaylxn310 05/09/2024	Prof. Moctezuma was very chill and very engaging with us. Funny guy too. The lectures were very straightforward but the exams were kinda hard as they were worded weirdly and confusing and makes you second guess your answers. Definitely study and ask him questions when it pertains to that. I didn't understand why he wanted us to pay for Tophat, a system that works the exact same way as Point Systems. It's providing an unfair advantage for students who can't afford or don't want to pay extra for a class that's a simple GenEd. It made me upset that he offered extra participation points to students who used that and didn't offer alternate solutions for those that couldn't afford it. There were about 120 students in this course and only 1/4 of them used TopHat. It was ridiculous. He also needs to be prepared for when he does the study sessions. The first time there was a study session, he said there was going to be a Zoom for those who couldn't make it but he couldn't get the Zoom working so the students that were present had to frantically get a zoom open for their peers that weren't present. He didn't offer any reimbursement towards the test and left the rest of us to dry who couldn't be present. Also when the review sessions happened for what I could be a part of, they didn't really help and didn't go over the main ideas of the topics. The labs were chill but they're a huge part of your grade so make sure you go. They're honestly pretty simple and get you engaged with the concepts and ideas of the class.
Edgar Moctezuma BSCI135 Expecting an A Anonymous 04/24/2024	Easy class to get your lab credit if you're non-STEM. Three nonculmulative exams that aren't too difficult; you do need to study lectures to do well but all the content is on the slides he posts. Just go to lectures, go to labs, and complete assignments and it's a really easy A.
Edgar Moctezuma BSCI135 Expecting a B+ Anonymous 02/19/2024	Professor Moctezuma is one of the nicest professors I've ever had. I took BSCI135 over the summer, but the way he presented the material made the class less unbearable. He is very passionate about what he teaches and he shows that he cares about his students. My only complaint is that the labs are poorly worded and thus super confusing.
Edgar Moctezuma BSCI135 Expecting a C pierogi 12/20/2023	Moctezuma is one of the nicest professors I have had yet. He loves the topics he teaches, and he tries to get everyone interested too, even to the point of bringing snacks as examples relating to that days lecture, like coffee, tea, chocolates, apples etc. I wouldn't say this class is an easy A (unless you already know the contents well) but it is definitely very doable to get a A/B if you put in a bit more effort than I did.
Edgar Moctezuma BSCI135 Expecting an A Anonymous 12/20/2023	Took this class as an easy lab credit. Way more work than it needed to be. Labs were easy but exams were all memorization and sucked. The concept was actually interesting but I found myself spending too much time prepping for this class instead of my major classes.
Edgar Moctezuma BSCI135 Expecting a B+ Anonymous 12/15/2023	On the daily this class is super easy; you don't really need to attend lecture because he posts all the slides and there are lots of small assignments to help boost your grade. But the tests are HARD. For someone like me who knows nothing about the content, there was a lot to memorize and the study guides are very confusing. Tests are mostly multiple choice but it is straight memorization from 9-10 lectures that are 30-40 slides each, so you really need to put the effort in to do well. If you need a science gen-ed this one is not too much work, but prepare to study a lot for the exams.
Edgar Moctezuma BSCI135 Expecting an A Anonymous 12/15/2023	Proff Mectezuma is very passionate about what he teaches and cares a lot about his students. The lectures can get a little boring and repetitive but I do recommend going as much as possible as it is the fastest and easiest way to prepare for his exams. His exams are fair if not a little memorization heavy. The Labs are easy, with very little outside of class work. Overall this class is an easy way to fulfill your DSNL gen-ed.
Edgar Moctezuma BSCI135 Expecting an A+ Anonymous 06/12/2023	Definitely take this class for your lab credit. It's probably one of the easiest options, plus the content is pretty interesting (at least to me). It is a lot of memorization, but that's any science class. You might as well take one that's interesting. Plus, it is really easy to cushion your grade so that if you do bomb the exams, you won't flunk the class. He offers extra credit and so do the lab TAs, and again the content is not miserable to learn in the first place so if you put even a little effort into studying you should be fine. I highly recommend this as a non-STEM major.
Edgar Moctezuma BSCI135 Expecting an A Anonymous 06/05/2023	Professor Moctezuma is a very nice professor who is very passionate about what he discusses during lecture. I am a CCJS major, so this is outside of my interests, but Moctezuma manages to make the class interesting. I took BSCI135 over the summer, which can be overwhelming since the class only meets for about 6 weeks, which is for Summer Session 1. The only problem I have with the class is that the Labs are very confusing. It may be better to take it in the Fall or Spring Semester, since the pacing is more relaxed (if that makes any sense). Moctezuma is a great professor and a great guy to talk to.
Edgar Moctezuma BSCI135 Expecting an A- Anonymous 05/21/2023	Nicest professor at UMD. Genuinely cares about his students and is very passionate about course materials. Labs are generally easy to get full credit on. Exams are pure memorization so if that’s not your thing you probably won’t do well on them. Edgar is great as long as you have a good memory.
Edgar Moctezuma BSCI135 Expecting an A Anonymous 05/19/2023	Definitely take this class for your lab credit. The content is honestly interesting and it is not hard to get an A in the class. You definitely have to put effort into studying, but all you need to do is review the lecture slides. I recommend going to each lecture even though many people didn't, just so that you get participation points. Overall the class is really easy and Dr. Moctezuma is a cool guy.
Edgar Moctezuma BSCI135 Expecting an A- Anonymous 05/19/2023	This class is too much work for gen ed. We went over a brand new PowerPoint every class on a new topic and then were expected to memorize almost everything on 9-10 PowerPoint for each exam. The classes themselves were fine and somewhat interesting, but I found myself putting in more time studying for this class than for my major classes. I would find an easier science lab credit.
Edgar Moctezuma BSCI135 Expecting an A- Anonymous 01/25/2023	The class is relatively easy as long as you remember to do the lecture quizzes (which I forgot to do a couple of times) and really study and memorize every bolded term on the slides. It's clear that Moctezuma is really passionate about what he teaches but you really don't need to show up to lecture-- I barely got an A- by only studying the slides 3 days before each exam. Overall, I learned more in this class than many other gen-eds and I highly recommend it.
Edgar Moctezuma Expecting a B Anonymous 12/24/2022	This isn't a stressful class. Attend lectures and labs, complete the canvas quizzes, go to review sessions, and you should do well.
Edgar Moctezuma BSCI135 Expecting an A Anonymous 12/13/2022	DO NOT BUY THE TEXTBOOK, waste of money. Ask for a printed syllabus because the one online is locked and he never fixed that. Very nice professor who wants you to do well. He hosted a review before each exam (the evening before which sucked though) and they helped A LOT so I advise that you go. This class is alot of memorization, so keep that in mind. I took this for my natural lab credit and the lab portion was so easy. A 2 quiz for each chapter we learn and 2 attempts are allowed (highest score kept). This is probably your easiest route to take if looking to fulfill the natural lab credit. People like myself began not attending lecture once they realized its pure memorization, but the professor noticed and got upset. He really is a nice guy and did his best to make the class engaging to students.
Edgar Moctezuma BSCI135 Expecting an A Anonymous 09/28/2022	This is the best science class you can take here. Moctezuma is a legend.
Edgar Moctezuma BSCI135 Expecting an A Anonymous 05/16/2022	As long as you studied the material before the exams you should be fine. Quizlet is your friend. Most of the negative reviews are probably because they didn't bother putting in the time to study. Professor Moctezuma is a very accommodating and easy to talk to professor. You'll learn a lot.
Edgar Moctezuma BSCI135 Expecting a B Anonymous 05/12/2022	Class is not as easy at it seems, and he makes the exams way too hard.
Edgar Moctezuma BSCI135 Anonymous 12/16/2021	He is a really nice guy but this class is pure memorization of facts. His exams often have very specific facts. The class is purely him reading the slides, occasionally he has activity sheets that go along but i ended up skipping classes. The lab was super easy but exams are too difficult because of their specificity.
Edgar Moctezuma BSCI124 Expecting an A+ Anonymous 01/12/2021	Besides the inconvenient, last-min lockdown browser issues (I took this class spring 2020), the class itself wasn't bad. His lectures were, in my opinion, not engaging whatsoever--I only attended them because he had us fill out blank PPTs that were only available in lecture. If you memorize (literally memorize, not even study) the PPTs, you'll get at least a B on exams. BSCI125 (the lab) was super easy as well.
Edgar Moctezuma BSCI124 Expecting a B- Anonymous 05/27/2020	CAUTION! Difficult course for non-cs majors!!!!! I was attracted to the course as it seemed to be a fairly easy gen-ed for non-cs majors but as soon as you start the class, you see the content is a lot and although it isnt too hard, the exams are very tough. The exams are all multiple choices and he asks very specific questions that you would find hard to answer unless you treated this course like a major course. During Spring 20, he informed the online class that the exam would take place on the lockdown browser 20 MINS BEFORE the midterm. We all had to struggle to download and many of the students had difficulties with the software too. He did not seem to care at all. Overall, suggested to never take a course with this teacher again unless you're a bio major.
Edgar Moctezuma BSCI124 Expecting an A Anonymous 05/13/2020	Take this class if you hate yourself. Lectures are UNBEARABLY boring. He does not teach, just reads right off the slides. The exams are tough because they cover over 400 slides worth of information. There's also only 4 of them! One poor result and 25% of your grade is gone. The only reason he's not rated one star is because he offers extra credit. Only take this class if you have to.
Edgar Moctezuma BSCI135 Expecting an A Anonymous 06/01/2019	Moctezuma is an all star. Memorize the lecture slides before exams. Do all the extra credit. You'll get an A
Edgar Moctezuma BSCI135 Expecting an A Anonymous 12/08/2016	BSCI135 is a GREAT course. I would recommend this class for anyone who's trying to fulfill their Gen Ed lab credit. The material is very interesting, and he keeps the class engaged by throwing in some jokes here and there. You learn about food - what's there not to like? He says there's an optional textbook you can get - don't get it. He bases his exam questions off of the powerpoints, some movies we watched, and articles we read. There are a lot of extra credit opportunities at the end of the semester which is great for people close to jumping up a grade, and they're not hard at all. This class doesn't require a lot of effort - just put in some time to study for exams. The labs were easy and interesting as well - we got to cook food in lab! Take this course! You won't regret it. Moctezuma is a great, funny, and helpful guy and the TA, Annie, is the best!
Edgar Moctezuma BSCI124 Expecting an A Anonymous 05/17/2016	Moctezuma is super nice! Like literally one of the most understanding and genuinely nice professors I've ever had. He understands that a lot of people in the class are not science majors and tries to present the information in a way that applies to daily life. The exams are straightforward. Usually 55 questions with 50 MC and 5 FITB. The only way you could fail these tests is if you didn't dedicate any time to studying or didn't come to lecture. It's all very basic. Moctezuma posts a study guide the week before and holds review sessions the week of. Your grade is an average of these 4 and they are NOT cumulative! The final is the fourth exam. He also offers a ton of extra credit. Up to 25 points. I maxed out on extra credit this semester and managed to bump my grade up two letter grades (B+ > A- > A). The corequisite lab is even easier than the main class. If you didn't get an A+ in the lab you either (a) didn't come or (b) are genuinely an idiot. If you want an easy A and/or to fulfill you DNSL credit take this class! The textbook is useless, save yourself the 75 bucks and don't buy it.
Edgar Moctezuma BSCI135 Expecting an A Anonymous 05/11/2015	The class itself is pretty easy. There were three exams that weren't hard, and in each class he had a worksheet based on the notes that day, which you typically turned in the next class. Labs were an absolute joke, and you often got to leave early. However, the lectures got kind of boring; you'd fill in one blank on a powerpoint, and otherwise basically not pay attention. There were a few extra credit opportunities, so definitely do those. DO NOT BUY THE TEXTBOOK, all the exams were based off the powerpoints. Overall, easy class, the subject matter was interesting enough, and there was actually minimal info about real biology, it mostly focused on the nutrition of foods, how they're grown, and how they might affect you (i.e. caffeine wgives you energy, etc.). If you're a non-science major looking for a lab requirement, definitely take this class.
Edgar Moctezuma BSCI135 Expecting a B Anonymous 11/19/2013	This class is super annoying for many reasons. It's super boring and easy in lecture. He gives you a powerpoint before each class with one word blanked on each page. You then listen to him ramble on for 75 minutes. The exams, though, are super difficult. They aren't what you're expecting at all. The exams are actually difficult! Pick one, Moctezuma! Hard or easy! The lab was easy, but TA John Clay is annoying. Bottom line: Moctezuma is a cool dude you can probably grab a beer with, but this class is deceptively harder than it seems.
Edgar Moctezuma BSCI124 Expecting an A+ Anonymous 12/29/2011	PERSONAL BACKGROUND: I'm a English/Journalism major and needed a Lab Science. I heard this was the best class to fulfill this requirement. CLASS CONTENT: Dr. Moctezuma does his lectures in Power Point style. You fill out a fill-in-the-blank notes during class. EXAMS/ASSIGNMENT: There is no homework. There are 4 MC, uncurved exams, each worth 100 points. They are entirely lecture based. They are not tricky, but if you do NOT pay attention in class and/or study, you will NOT do well on the test. During the semester, you will have the opportunity to earn a maximum of 25 extra credit points that are basically tacked on to your final exam score total. So if you perform poorly on an exam, you can boost your final grade by a whole letter grade. TEACHER: Dr. Moctezuma does a good job on making plants as interesting as humanely possible and relative to your lives. Also, he has a good, if somewhat dirty sense of humor. He is willing to help students if they are struggling with the class and easy to approach. CO-REQUISITE LAB (BSCI124): Easiest lab I've ever taken. I had B. Gonzales and got out at least 30 mins. early almost every lab. OVERALL: I have no interest in science, often fell asleep during lectures, and suck at memorizing large amounts of information. I still got an A and would recommend to this class for all non-science majors. Because all assignments and exams are ENTIRELY lecture based... DON'T BUY THE BOOK. DON'T BUY THE BOOK. DON'T BUY THE BOOK. DON'T BUY THE BOOK. DON'T BUY THE BOOK. DON'T BUY THE BOOK.
Edgar Moctezuma BSCI124 Expecting an A Anonymous 12/13/2011	Professor Moctezuma is the best biology teacher I have ever had. He knows his stuff, and he makes the material easily accessible. He brings in things like coffee for class when you discuss stimulating plants, and he always has a presentation or joke in his slides to make lecture interesting. As long as you go to lecture to fill in the slides he posts online, you are almost guaranteed an A. Even if you do poorly on a test, it is fairly easily to keep on top of your grades with all of the extra credit that he gives. If you need to take a science CORE class, this is definitely the one to take.
Edgar Moctezuma BSCI124 Anonymous 12/13/2011	Hands down best lab science at UMD. Textook is helpful but is definitely not necessary. The lab is scheduled for two hours but we never spent more than an hour in it. The tests are straightforward. Just by doing all of the easy take home quizzes you add 2.5% to your overall grade in extra credit. If you hate science, take this class. I hated science and still do, but loved this class.
Edgar Moctezuma BSCI124 Expecting an A- Anonymous 05/19/2011	I loved this class. I never missed a lecture, mostly because of the fact that he does not put the slides online and we have to fill in the blanks on the powerpoint slides. But it did help that he was funny in his own way too. He's a really nice guy who you can tell cares about his students and wants his students to do well. One thing that makes the class awesome is the fact that the exams are not cumulative, all four weigh the same amount, so if you're struggling in the beginning, you can still make it up by studying hard for the last one. I'll admit that I only studied hard for two of the exams, but I still did well - and I DESPISE science. Like I really do. He doesn't curve, but that is because he gives extra credit, so make sure to do those. It really makes a difference.
Edgar Moctezuma BSCI124 Expecting an A Anonymous 05/11/2011	He's the nicest guy ever, and he tries to make things as fun and interesting as possible. Pretty much a guaranteed A, provided that you study for the four tests. He also offers SO much extra credit.
Edgar Moctezuma BSCI124 Anonymous 04/27/2011	When taking this class I was under the impression it was super easy from the reviews. I was also recomended by my advisor to take this class because science is not my strong suit. I found the first exam to be the hardest. The material is not difficult, but there is just so much to study all at once that it's easy to get mixed up. Moctezuma is a very nice and makes lectures not as dry. Do go to lecture!
Edgar Moctezuma BSCI125 Expecting an A Anonymous 02/17/2011	If you don't get an A in lab you probably have some sort of disability.
Edgar Moctezuma BSCI124 Expecting a B Anonymous 12/22/2010	This guy is really nice and actually cares about his students. Lectures are interesting even if you aren't a big science person because he relates things back to real life and throws in the occasional joke or two. I only wish the class was earlier so I could have woken up for it more often. Your grade basically comes down to 25% Exam 1, 25% Exam 2, 25% Exam 3, and 25% Final. You may think you know everything going into the first test, but if you don't study you will fail. Don't buy the book it's pointless, just go to class or get the lecture notes. TESTS ARE BASED ON THE LECTURE NOTES SO STUDY THEM. He also offers an insane amount of extra credit that can help you. I didn't get over a B on the first three exams but managed to do a bunch of ec at the end of the semester and still pulled off a B. Overall it's a pretty easy class that you can definitely get an A in if you put in a little effort.
Edgar Moctezuma BSCI124 Expecting a B Anonymous 12/20/2010	I LOVED THIS CLASS! I don't care much for science and I failed a the Insects CORE. I should have listened to my gut and taken this class to begin with. Moctezuma knows his stuff, and he's so nice. I highly recommend this class. Don't be discouraged by Test I. It gets better. Also, go see him in office hours and do the extra credit. Great class, great professor, great TAs. Thanks Grace!
Edgar Moctezuma BSCI124 Expecting an A Anonymous 12/16/2010	Moctezuma is the man. And I hate biology. I very much dislike science. But Moctezuma actually made plant-biology shutter as interesting as possible. I found him very funny. If you paid attention you would pick up on all his little humor cues. You DO have to go to class. I had it at 9:30 am. It sucked it was so early. However, I never went to two 10:00 am's and two 11:00 am's this semester, but I always attended his 9:30 class. All the information on the tests is given in class. The class is structured VERY well. If you go to class (which is TOTALLY manageable for a course like this), and you are even half decent in picking up cues for what is going to be on the test, you will do fine. Note: I feel like the vast majority of the class struggled. Thats because nobody went to class. I am somebody that misses many other classes, but I did not miss this one. Going to class is essential for the A. The book is NOT a supplement for his class. The power points have blanks that need to be filled in during class. Its very easy considering. In fact, don't even bother getting the book. Also, there is a fair amount of extra credit you can get throughout the semester. And most of it isn't annoying extra credit. You can get up to 7.5% extra credit added to your final grade if you do it all. And most people did. I highly suggest to take this class if you need it for core. It won't get better than this. All in all, Professor Moctezuma is the man. Just one little example to leave you guys with: For one of the extra credit assignments we had to fill out a quiz about psychoactive plants. One of the questions was about if you supported the legalization of marijuana or not. Then it asked to explain why. At this point of the year I had a high grade so I didn't take the extra credit seriously, so I quoted the Notorious B.I.G. for my answer: "Life's ***** and then you die, thats why we get high, 'cause you never know when you gonna go." The T.A.s grade the quizzes, and I'm almost certain that mine was horrified and took it straight to Professor Moctezuma to show him. Instead of getting zero credit, he doubled the extra credit points for my assignment, and make a joke about it during lecture. He didn't call me out because he didn't want to embarrass me, but he used it as something to spice up the average class day. Professor Moctezuma is a champ. Give him a chance and it will be very evident. Probably my favorite college professor.