Michael Montague-Smith

This professor has taught: BCHM464, CHEM231, CHEM241, CHEM395, CHEM399B, CHEM399X, CPSP218L

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Michael Montague-Smith Anonymous 02/23/2024	Horrible when he was in the chemistry department. I'm glad he left!
Michael Montague-Smith CHEM241 Expecting an A Anonymous 12/12/2022	END OF AN ERA REST IN PEACE KING
Michael Montague-Smith Expecting an A Anonymous 12/09/2022	Such an awesome prof!! He's so nice, tells funny stories every class, jokes around with his students, and his exams are pretty manageable. I did study a lot for them, but I think the way he teaches is very straightforward. Just review your notes, practice the old exams, and you'll be fine. Unfortunately he's retiring but I cannot recommend him enough. One of the best professors at UMD.
Michael Montague-Smith CHEM241 Expecting a B Anonymous 12/07/2022	This man is one of the best people ever. He cares for your education and it's so sad to see he is retiring.
Michael Montague-Smith CHEM241 Expecting a B ReakatheGOAT 12/06/2022	Dr. M-S is a good lecturer and fair professor. He ensures students who put in work succeed in the class. I worked pretty hard for my B but I have had to in every single chemistry course I have taken. Students are given ample resources to succeed in this course such as the GSS and discussions. If I were a professor, I personally would add in a few “buffer points” for either participation or homework but generally I didn’t think bombing one exam led to a failing grade in Dr. Montague-Smith’s class. I had some friends who did it and got Cs and Bs as their final grade. If you’re reading this Dr. M-S, have a great retirement!
Michael Montague-Smith CHEM241 Expecting an A- Anonymous 05/09/2022	Rapid Fire Pros: Pretty funny guy, gives a 5 min break, teaching is good and above average, good stories also give you a mental break, the material he teaches is exactly what on the test, tons of old test material, tells you exactly the format and what to expect Cons: lotta memorization, hates regrades, you'll prob lose points if you try, No HW, only test points (good-sized curve though), HANDWRITING is pretty bad but you get used to it IMO, can feel like you're lost in all the material but you eventually get it after doing practice and realizing you're wrong. The course is hard, it's Orgo 2 so...but deff the lesser of two evils between him and Dixon. P.S. get Edward as a TA if possible, he's the best.
Michael Montague-Smith CHEM241 Expecting a B Anonymous 01/23/2022	MS seems like a great guy and has really funny stories during lecture, but beware--you have to put work in in order to do well in this class. He didn't record lectures, but he did post his written notes on ELMS; his handwriting is pretty messy, so I would suggest just going to lecture to ask if you're confused about any words he wrote. In terms of studying, honestly discussion was kinda a waste of time (not saying you shouldn't go, but while you're there ask any questions that you have to make the most out of your time), GSS can be pretty helpful, and he posts old exams. I would say the old exams are the best practice materials you have for the midterms: he reused some of the questions from the old exams, and it's a great way to anticipate how he might ask questions on the midterms. Like the review before me said, he only has 3 midterms and a final--no homework, no buffer points. I'd say honestly that if you want an easier time in Orgo 2 and have a higher chance of getting a good grade, Dr. Davis is the prof to go with. Otherwise, MS is a hard but good teacher.
Michael Montague-Smith CHEM241 Expecting a C Anonymous 01/08/2022	MS was very enthusiastic and engaging during class so I do appreciate that. Although I could follow what he was saying during class for the most part it was hard to understand on my own as he didn't write explanations, only reactions. I tried attending GSS but couldn't go as often as when it was online due to conflicts with time (physics and orgo labs) plus not living on campus made it hard. (I strongly recommend GSS!) With our grade only based on 3 exams + a final it is very stressful. I would appreciate if he assigned homework to practice and help our grade. On exams he barely assigned partial credit. He wouldn't always respond to emails and if he did they were dry and he seemed bothered. Although he is a funny guy I don't feel he really cared about his students.
Michael Montague-Smith CHEM241 Expecting an A- Anonymous 12/22/2021	Dr. MS is super passionate about teaching and even cracks some funny stories and jokes in lecture. He keeps his lectures engaging and his exams are straightforward and are very relevant to what he teaches. The biggest downside is that there’s only 4 grades and nothing gets dropped (3 midterms and a final). Overall, he’s a great professor and I highly recommend
Michael Montague-Smith CHEM241 Anonymous 05/07/2021	Dr. MS is a terrific professor. Although the material and the exams are difficult, he is such a nice guy and a is very compassionate towards his students and his job as a professor. I would HIGHLY recommend taking his class for Orgo 2, he is one of the most genuine and passionate professors out there. (p.s. He tells some of the best stories and shares some of the coolest information throughout the semester)
Michael Montague-Smith CHEM241 Anonymous 12/25/2020	I thought his online lectures were very boring and monotone. He was not sympathetic to student concerns. Online exams are entirely multiple choice, so there's no chance of getting partial credit. Maybe he's better for live class, but I would not recommend him for online class.
Michael Montague-Smith CHEM241 Anonymous 05/19/2019	Love him. The key to success is his practice exams. Accidentally YOLOed last night and missed class? No worries, just go through his old exams. Super animated professor and tells funny stories and jokes too.
Michael Montague-Smith CHEM241 Expecting an A+ Anonymous 12/15/2018	Fantastic orgo professor. My favorite teacher at the university yet. Love this guy. Hilarious, and tells everything that you need to know about what you’ll be tested on. he doesn’t keep you in the dark and he is very transparent about what he expects from you, which I appreciated. He tells stories before and during class, with a molecule of the day in the beginning. He’s got some great stories. The man is one of the most interesting guys out there. You have to work hard of course, but I believe that anyone can succeed in MS’s class if you put the time in. that’s the key to orgo 2: time. If you’re not willing to give time, then you will not get the grade you want. He is very systematic in the way that he tests, meaning the format of his tests have not changed a bit since 2011. That’s the other great thing about this semester: he posted all of his old exams since 2011! So all I did was practice those and then got A’s on the test. Sounds easy now, but doing ALL those tests takes time and perseverance . There’s also no answer keys for them so you have to check with friends. TA andrea was amazing and I loved her commentary during discussion…”we’ll just jones up this bad boy.” Stuff like that. really classic and genuine person. He’s definitely your best bet for orgo 2 and I would be so down to take bchm with him in the future if he ever teaches it. I came from having Dixon for orgo 1, so I was used to the office hours ‘fun’. It’s not like that with MS. He likes his space and sees students one at a time at office hours, so you don’t really get to know him on that personal level like you would if you took Dixon and were hardworking enough to be part of her squad. Overall, highly recommend MS. You’ll have to work hard, but remember that most pre med kids know to take him, so getting around 85% of the total points in his class usually serves to get you an A-. this means the curve is quite small. it’ll be a competitive group, but you can do it. goodluck
Michael Montague-Smith CHEM241 Expecting an A Anonymous 04/02/2018	He's my favorite! Pros: Lectures are structured and include a break in the middle, expectations/exams are straightforward, and he's passionate and so delightful. Cons: You'll get used to his handwriting it's not that bad; some say he's intimidating but it's not his fault he's super tall. Verdict: Take him you will love him.
Michael Montague-Smith CHEM241 Expecting an A Anonymous 03/22/2018	He is my favorite professor ever!!!
Michael Montague-Smith CHEM241 Expecting a C Anonymous 04/05/2016	I had to drop the course, what does this mean? nothing but, I just couldn't learn with him. The other reviews say he is funny, yes. He has lots of Dad jokes. Energetic, yes, he is certainly passionate and very smart in the subject. Good teacher? To each his own. he was not for me, I did try and I had to drop after the second exam. He is straightforward on his exam, they are long but I thought they were difficult. Not unfair but difficult. He told the class if you do not have X amount of points by now on the exams, drop the class. So I did. I now have to take it over the summer. I do not resent Dr. MS or anything like that. Just be aware that his lectures are fast, there is a lot of material in REALLY BAD handwriting. Do not close your eyes for even a second. I wish I took a different professor but, he is not bad, he is not scary but he is intimidating. I felt like I could not go to office hours without being judged, so I did not go. Other Chem prof have open office hours which are extremely helpful. He is not personable which is a shame, he does not want to make friends with his students and that's fine but, it's not my style. Be prepared to work and practice, he is not going to hold your hand. He dies not help out by giving you practice problems or anything like that and of course no answer keys to his old exams. The old exams are truly the only way to study and without an answer key I find them very difficult even when studying with others. The bottom line is this, take this prof if you know you work hard because those who do not will not take him. If you are below average on exams, drop the class because people will only get smarter as the class goes on and odds are you are already behind. The exams are long but they are fair. they are complex reaction problems that warrants basically no partial credit. The NMR on the first exam was so easy but the second exam impossible, if I had gotten those right I would have stayed in the class. Just an honest opinion her, great guy, ok teacher but the fact of the matter is he does not care about his students, he does not care how you feel about him and he does not care if you fail or succeed. He would rater see you leave than fail and he tells you that. So listen to him. I thought I could get a C in his class and chalk it up as I did ok but, honestly I did not have a chance.
Michael Montague-Smith CHEM241 Expecting an A milk 07/02/2014	I had MS for CHEM231 and CHEM241, so this review is for both. Love him. I would take an orgo III with him if I could. Pros: - Straightforward exams - Lecture style (easy to follow) - Generally humorous - Very predictable - Clicker questions to boost your grade (for attendance, not correctness) - Practice exams from the chem frat are very similar to his current exams - HUGE curve Cons: - Terrible handwriting (you'll get over it) - No matter who you take, orgo is based solely on your ability to rote memorize so try not to suck at it MS's best feature is his predictability. I'll give you the full story on how your experience in his class is going to go: You sign up for the class. You get a mass email from him welcoming you to CHEM2X1 (which he reuses every year, and just changes a few numbers). First day of class, he attempts to butter you up so that you either think you've scored the golden professor by the end of it, or you hate him because you like more serious professors. Second day of class and onward, you'll have 1-3 clicker questions (you don't have to get it right, they're attendance points). You'll be astounded by how bad his handwriting is, but quickly get over it. The difference between whether you like MS or not lies in how much you like his lecture style. MS keeps his energy up, whether it's 9 AM or 2 PM. He tells personal life stories to make you laugh (predictably, he reuses those too). It won't seem like it, but he's actually a very straightforward lecturer, especially in 241 - he literally just gives you the reactions and mechanisms you need to know, in addition to clear-cut reasons why they run the way they do. He had what I considered to be a fairly organized and simple system, which is why studying for exams wasn't too bad (by the time an exam rolls around and you start studying, you see the method to his madness). He also makes sure to emphasize nuances that appear on the test (like acetals don't react in base). Your grade consists of 1 quiz (multiple choice test on either gen chem I material or CHEM231 material, depending on which class you're in), 3 exams, 1 final, and clickers. The format of exams is generally always the same. For CHEM231, there's some funky stuff (chair conformation, Newman projection, etc.), some reactions, a mechanism or 2, and multiple choice. For CHEM241, he gets even more predictable: 3-4 pages of reactions, 1-2 mechanisms, 1-2 synthesis, 1-2 NMR. He sends out a list on what you'll be tested on, so there's no surprises. As long as you know every reaction he ever gave and all the mechanisms on the list, you should be fine. He even picks from a set stock of NMRs. There's no surprises/tricks on his exams. The curve is massive as well, like 20-25% (although he'll maintain that it's around 15-20%, don't be fooled). Top 25% of the class gets an A/A-. Also I went to his office hours a couple of times, he was quite nice to me so I don't know why other people had bad experiences but let's be real, it doesn't even matter. He always gets the best TAs (Liz or David) so you can ask them questions instead anyway. This review is getting too long, but save yourself the trouble of taking Dixon or any other teacher and just take him, you'll live. He makes orgo super doable.
Michael Montague-Smith CHEM241 Expecting an A+ krychik 05/19/2014	You have to take Orgo 2 with MS. He's funny, always tells interesting stories when he was in grad school, and has molecule of the day section that relates orgo to our everyday lives. His tests are very hard and the avg is usually in the high 50's but they're very straight forward. Its just all reactions. Everyone knows whats a going to be on his test. Its just a matter of knowing how to do it. Definitely take MS for orgo 2, i guarantee you won't regret it. Theres a reason his sections always fill up fastest
Michael Montague-Smith CHEM241 reviewzfoyou 06/06/2013	Here's the low-down on 241 with Montag. He's hilarious and extremely entertaining, even at 8AM in the morning. He gives you the reactions straight up, and only what he gives you is on the exam. Plus, if you pay attention in class he often emphasizes what he will and will not put on exams (very helpful). You do not need to use your book (looked at it only when I missed lecture). His TA Liz is the bomb dot com. She helps with labs if you ask for it, explains things very well, is merciful, and responds to all inquiries, e-mailed, in class, or in person. Clickers are 100 points... The final is a joke and a half (for an orgo exam). Don't worry about the grading distribution...he said an 85 was an A- but I ended with an 82 and got an A. If you get a 60 I'm pretty sure that'll still be a B-. THE CURVE IS HUGE PEOPLE. You will be okay. I recommend him. Only problem is his chicken scratch handwriting. I'd write things down in my notebook wrong all the time. Just check with friends and you'll be fine.
Michael Montague-Smith CHEM241 Anonymous 04/01/2013	Teaching ability: I had him for organic 2 which, as everyone knows, is not an easy class to teach. I ended up getting a B. I felt he was easy to follow, and provided clear explanations as far as reaction mechanisms and such. However, he rarely provides a comprehensive view of how all of the reactions relate in the grand scheme. You could say he paints the trees rather than the woods. I think it's unlikely you will get a B or higher in this class if you don't attend GSS (a weekly meeting where a previous student provides practice problems and clarifications) Testing: Tests are extremely long and difficult, so time management is key! Do not underestimate this. His tests strictly adhere the material covered in class. If the book has a section that he just glossed over, then it's not going to play a huge role in the exam. Personality: In one word, BIPOLAR. I have emailed him questions before and he was very rude in reply. Seriously talks to you like you are a piece of crap. Really really awful. He also was my advisor for some time, and was extremely hot and cold. The majority of time, he is so personable in class, but is randomly very grumpy. I also find him to be a little arrogant. I started out loving him, but over time his true colors have emerged. A note about Organic Chemistry 2: This subject has some inherent properties that can't be blamed on the instructor. For example, the heavy reliance on memorizing, the almost impossible to master infinite number of details, etc etc. Please know what you're getting into before you take this class. It is not easy for some people.
Michael Montague-Smith CHEM241 Anonymous 11/06/2012	He is a very good professor and makes the material relatable to real life. He always started class with a molecule/substance that we use in everyday life that also relates to what we are leaning that day. He doesn't expect you to memorize the 240 or so reactions that you will know by the end of the semester.. rather he actually teaches you the chemistry behind everything. I am in higher level chem classes right now and i still look back at his old notes. Overall he is an amazing teacher... one of the best on campus. I try to convince all my friends to take his class because it is truly worth it. * his class also goes hand in hand with the laboratory. you learn the same things at the same time.. unlike alot of other orgo II teachers. His exams are hard but fair. He will never put anything on an exam that he has not gone over in class. His final is also very VERY fair. I would recommend buying the "orgo II as a second language" book because it goes hand in hand with his class (better than the actual text book)
Michael Montague-Smith CHEM241 Anonymous 02/02/2012	I dropped out middle of the semester. Before I continue, I just want to clarify that I am not bitter about the professor, just on his teaching style. Of course there are a lot of things I personally could have improved on to do better but I really believe the major influence of me dropping was Smith's teaching style. As another reviewer pointed out, Smith is shockingly childish but very enthusiastic about subject material. He went on unnecessary tangents or stories from his personal life that really took focus away from what we were learning at the time even though the stories were slightly related to the material. His illustrations are awful and there were many instances where students had to butt in and tell him they can't read what he is writing. I also found that his extremely high level of energy was ironically distracting. I also suggest you do not take this class at the 1 hour and 15 minute slots. At least for me, the amount of information given in that span of time is overwhelming and it is unbearable once 45 minutes goes by and the only thing you think about is when the class if finally over. Grades were curved and averages fell at the F/D/ or C cutoff for the exams. At the same time, there were many students who did well, like a student who got a 100% raw on one of the exams so don't be discouraged if you are a stellar student. For me, his teaching style didn't really mesh, As a result, I had little motivation for studying and fell back on material (which as anyone in Orgo can tell you is the point of no return on catching up on material), forcing me to drop out. Again, I could have taken initiative and done better, but I don't think I would ever do well or get an A in a Montague classroom.
Michael Montague-Smith CHEM241 Expecting an A Anonymous 01/07/2012	This guy is very funny and a very good professor. By the end of the semester he had practically trained the whole class to boo and cheer on command. I didn't look at the book once during the semester and still did well. He has difficult exams but he will never put something on an exam he didn't cover before. His spectroscopy questions for the exam are usually much simpler than the ones you'll see in CHEM242. He wont give partial credit for some problems unless you clearly show your thought process. Also, as a side note you can get a synthesis entirely incorrect on the exam but still have it be correct. If you did it in a way that was not on the answer key you can still get full credit if you just explain your way to the professor. Your synthesis must be functionally correct though to receive credit.
Michael Montague-Smith CHEM241 Expecting a B NeuroSciX 12/20/2011	Overall he's a very good professor, has a good sense of humor, practice tests are very similar to current tests, and overall approachable. However it's pretty difficult to get an A in his class, but that can be said about all organic 2 classes.
Michael Montague-Smith CHEM241 Anonymous 04/28/2011	Dr. M-S is a great prof. He's funny, very nice and helpful in office hours, and does not have unrealistic expectations of his students as some other orgo profs do. My only criticism of him is that he does not give much partial credit. AT ALL. You have to have things pretty much close to perfect on his exams to get points. I highly recommend you copy his old exams - they are more helpful than the textbook.
Michael Montague-Smith CHEM241 PossePrincess 02/23/2011	I love Dr. MS!!! He's the first entertaining chemistry professor I've ever had, and he teaches well. Every lecture we were all interested, even though it was at 8:00 in the morning. I feel like I'm actually learning chemistry this time around. (I dropped Khachick's class last semester because although I though I learned the material, the exam had nothing to do with what we covered in class). If you have the opportunity, definitely take Montague-Smith.
Michael Montague-Smith CHEM231 Anonymous 01/14/2011	2 words The Man... Funny as hell... still orgo tho so u gotta put a lot of work into the class
Michael Montague-Smith Anonymous 12/22/2010	Dr. Montague is engaging and funny, but he did not seem to be particularly fond of teaching freshman. I learned almost nothing in lecture, and did all of my learning from the book. His lectures were really not helpful, and he got off on many tangents. That said, though, his tests were pretty straightforward - if you do practice problems in the book you'll be more than prepared. Towards the end of the semester, he started showing us some interesting molecules at the beginning of class which made the class more interesting. He makes a lot of awkward sexual chemistry jokes, which I guess requires a degree of talent, but if that kind of stuff doesnt offend you you should be fine. Given that he didnt require us to memorize a lot, or force through the end of the book because we didnt have time, he might be one of the better professors for CHEM135. But, be warned, do not let the simplicity of his lectures fool you - many calculations that he does not even mention in lecture, but are in the book, show up on the test.
Michael Montague-Smith CHEM135 Expecting an A Anonymous 12/18/2010	If you've taken AP Chem, this class is too easy with MS. Like the others said, hardly any memorization is needed. Skim through the chapters, make sure you can do the Mastering Chem hw, and you're good to go. Lectures become a waste of time (I just gave my clicker to my friends), and I never went to discussion/GSS. The final was 1/3 directly copied and pasted, and he gave us the titration problem beforehand. If you haven't had any chemistry for awhile, you're in trouble. Be prepared to teach yourself and study like crazyy!
Michael Montague-Smith Expecting an A Anonymous 12/18/2010	Dr. M-S is super fair. His tests were exactly what we were prepared for: he very rarely had trick questions, and he tested the same concepts that he talked about in lecture. His jokes can be a little awkward at times, but he makes up for it by not expecting us to memorize any useless information.
Michael Montague-Smith CHEM135 Expecting an A- Anonymous 12/06/2010	One of the better professors for Chem135. He doesn't require his students to memorize much; if it is found in a table in the book somewhere, chances are it will be given to you on the test. The tests are pretty straightforward, and you will do well if you study. A lot of my friends had other professors, and their tests were much harder, plus they were required to memorize a lot that I wasn't required to.
Michael Montague-Smith CHEM135 bigbabby 12/02/2010	Pretty good professor. He doesn't make you memorize as many things like polyatomic ions, constants, formulas etc., and his tests are easier than other professors. Clicker questions almost every class, MasteringChemistry HW every week (completion grade), and he curves. Only (possible) downside is that he goes off on tangents in class and tells stories, which is entertaining to some and a waste of time to others.
Michael Montague-Smith CHEM231 Expecting a B jq272 08/08/2010	As much as I dreaded Organic, Dr. M-S was a fantastic teacher. His teaching method seemed slightly erratic but it was ultimately effective for me. He sprinkled his lectures with hilarious stories which helped make him one of the best overall lecturers I have had to date.
Michael Montague-Smith CHEM231 Expecting a B pat 07/20/2010	This guy is a real windbag. For starters, his lecture notes would serve better purpose as back-up toilet paper. They are basically random molecules or reactions that he pulls out of a hat all scrambled down onto a piece of paper - poorly with no apparenty logic or reason. This man killed any possible inherent interest in the chemical sciences I ever had. He is like this big goofy 57 year old clown who isnt funny at all. I consider myself a good student (90 transfer credits on a 3.8 GPA) and this guy blew my f*cking mind. He is a real self esteem killer - and his tests are unreasonable as he gives you no way of practicing for them. He gives out a piece of paper with "recommended problems" on it from the book, all of which I did and still felt remarkably unprepared for his tests. I got a B somehow, and I can sit here and honestly say that I know no more about orgo than I did when I walked in. He is the most disorganized moron of a teacher I have ever had the displeasure of having, and his ass needs to retire. I basically wanted to kick him in the fatch on a daily basis. If you have no other choice but to sign up for this guy then I'd recommend setting CHEM231 aside for the time being and staring at your ass in the mirror for 50 minutes three times a week - you would learn just as much about orgo as coming to this jerks class. I feel as if I wasted my money and time, and I did put in an honestly diligent effort to learn the material. INFURIATING. PS - if you really want to piss him off tell him that chemists are people that flaked out on a physics degree (the only real scientist).
Michael Montague-Smith CHEM231 Expecting a B TerpGuide 06/08/2010	This guy was the reason for my only B. Haha actually, well I can take part for that. Montague-Smith is awesome. But his handwriting is bad and his lectures are all over the place. Discussion helps and so did GSS. You learn a lot from this class; my biggest advice is to study reactions and reagents. Montague-Smith doesn't lie about what is gonna be exams, but he is also not that specific. Don't get the wrong impression when he tells you that a lot of the final is copy and pasted questions from the previous exams. Though there are some, its not as much as I thought there would be. I would pick Montague-Smith though, he is the man
Michael Montague-Smith CHEM231 Expecting an A widmiester 04/25/2010	The Man.
Michael Montague-Smith CHEM241 Expecting an A Anonymous 12/23/2009	I was initially not quite used to Dr. M-S's style of teaching, but in retrospect, I think he was an effective, straightforward teacher who was reasonable and most of all, very fun. His exams are challenging, yes, but definitely manageable with adequate studying. Also, he gives you a mechanism list to memorize. His test format is always the same, with 15-20 reactions, 1-2 mechanisms, 1-2 syntheses and 1-2 specs. He obviously knows a whole lot about orgo and biochem, and you can tell that he's really excited about this stuff. At the end of the semester he gives a very generous curve, with the high 70s being an A.
Michael Montague-Smith CHEM241 Expecting a B Anonymous 12/18/2009	Professor Montague-Smith is a fantastic professor for a difficult class. He gives you 5 minute breaks during the one hour and 15 minute class, tells jokes and anecdotes to help you remember reactions, and explains mechanisms thoroughly. Also, if you take the time out to meet with him, if you improve throughout the semester you will get a good grade. His tests are difficult but as long as you review your notes, he tells you exactly what to study for the exams. My only complaint is that he writes his notes on the overhead projector and sometimes it is difficult to read what he writes. However, if you ask what he just wrote, he will attempt to correct it so it is easier to read.
Michael Montague-Smith BCHM461 Anonymous 12/18/2009	Great professor. Fun to attend lecture. I love his thing about including a break in this 1.25 hour long classes. Really helps. His exams are ok, not too bad. He tells you exactly what mechanism is going to be on it so you know what to study. Oh, also you may want to check his structures. He tends to get them wrong in little places because he's so excited about teaching it.
Michael Montague-Smith BCHM461 Expecting an A rbterp 05/03/2009	I really liked Dr. MS's style of teaching biochemistry, which is his actual specialty. He writes out notes on the overhead, so its easy to take notes with him throughout lecture. He was very clear as to which mechanisms would be tested and he often gave examples of test questions after finishing various topics. He added humor to what could otherwise be a dull topic.
Michael Montague-Smith CHEM271 Expecting an A- cninferno 12/26/2008	Dr. M-S is a really cool, funny, and an easily approachable professor. His lectures were very clear and he always writes everything he says up on the overhead projector so it should be very easy to copy notes in his class. However, he does say some important stuff (what will be on the next exam or on the final, what you HAVE to know, and any other side information) that he does not write on the overhead. I highly recommend him for ANY chemistry course, whether it may be General Chemistry I (CHEM131), Organic Chemistry I or II (CHEM231, CHEM241), General Chemistry II (CHEM271), or Biochemistry I (BCHM461). You will not regret it.
Michael Montague-Smith CHEM231 Expecting an A- Anonymous 12/29/2007	Taught Orgo I really well. Really funny and makes the class enjoyable. His tests are hard but doable. He gave a really generous curve at the end.
Michael Montague-Smith CHEM231 yellohswttart 12/15/2007	He's an excellent Orgo teacher; I've heard otherwise for his CHEM 2 class. Anyway, he's engaging, interesting, and knows his stuff. His tests are somewhat difficult, but not unnecessarily hard. It is a difficult class, but that's the nature of the class. He really pushes you, so be ready to work if you're taking the class.