| Information | Review |
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Edward Redish
PHYS131 Expecting an A Anonymous 01/06/2014 |
This class is indeed challenging and causes you to look at physics in a much different way, meaning its not simply plug and chug physics. He makes you think critically and wants you to understand what is really happening. Overall this class seriously takes a lot of effort and work, but all in all it is highly possible to get an A. Professor Redish is one of the few professors I've had thus far that wants you to succeed and really wants all his students to pass. If you go to office hours in the course center for homework help you will be golden. Also if you have the pleasure of having Kim as your TA then you are extremely set. This class is a lot different than what you may be use to, but it really is possible to pass. |
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Edward Redish
PHYS131 Expecting a B fea 07/26/2012 |
His class is difficult in that you SHOULD/WILL put 6-10 hours per week on weekly assignments. Thats how you learn in this class, from your mistakes. But this course has been the best I have taken yet; his style of teaching concepts in lecture really allows you to expand from the usual "way" of approaching science education. That's what I loved about this class, designed to make (or teach) you how to think critically, approach detailed problems using the strong foundation he instills about physics and biology. For a serious pre-med student, I strongly recommend him and this course specifically. |
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Edward Redish
PHYS121 Expecting an A Anonymous 03/31/2011 |
He has 3 exams, including the final. His test questions come from quiz questions that had poor average scores and from the homework. You will spend about 3-7 hours every week on homework. Labs depend on your TA. I had the fortune of having the best TA I have had at UMD. Redish's lectures are interesting and worth attending, but you will have to spend a lot of time outside of class learning the material because he doesn't really teach the content so much as teach you how to think about physics. If you want an A get help on the homework. Make sure you understand the answers to all the homework problems and the tests should go well. Overall a fantastic teacher, a cool person, and you will learn a lot if you put in the effort. If you want to learn physics for the MCATs you should definately take him. What I learned from Dr. Redish also helped me a lot in biomechanics. |
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Edward Redish
PHYS122 Anonymous 03/19/2011 |
DO NOT TAKE REDISH! He intentionality tries to trick students on his exams and is proud of it. He will often say, "don't just memorize the equation or I will trick you on the exam and you will get it wrong." This idea would not be bad if he actually taught the material correctly. Instead of doing any practice problems during class, he will ask a question and then just make it a clicker question. In phys121 I took a different teacher and got an A fairly easily, but this semester I am struggling to make a B. Additionally, on his homework he will include several non-physics questions that are usually very hard to figure out and will bring down your grade. Overall, this class is very weird and is not taught correctly for a student to succeed. |
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Edward Redish
PHYS121 Expecting an A Anonymous 12/24/2010 |
A LOT OF WORK. Syllabus says it takes 4-6 hours of the week to do lecture hw due on Friday, but I was working on a little bit everyday and I had a pretty high average on the hw. Almost every homework had an annoying problem that required arguing with classmates and consulting with several TAs. You learn in this class from experience, such as by getting quiz and hw questions wrong to learn the concepts for the exams. But helpful that he teaches conceptually so you feel like you don't have to memorize. Really puts in the effort to learn everyone's names. So it's a tradeoff between feeling like you really learn with a nice professor and having a class take up most of your time during a semester and whether you can afford to take it with your other science classes. |
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Edward Redish
PHYS122 Anonymous 07/20/2010 |
I had him for both 121 and 122 and hes a great professor!! His techniques seem weird at first but once you get the concepts you'll always remember them. I'm studying for MCATS right now and I can tell you that all the concepts I learned in his class are of great help to me and the ones I didnt fully understand are coming back to haunt me |
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Edward Redish
PHYS121 Expecting an A Anonymous 12/27/2009 |
Dr. Redish has a very... unorthodox way of teaching, for his PHYS 121 class at least. He doesn't do any example problems in class, and skims over conceptual material in a hurry. There's a substantial amount of work to be put in for this class, even for a 4 credit class--weekly tutorial homeworks, lecture homeworks, labs, and quizzes. The lecture homework took at least 5 hours a week, and can be very frustrating and time-consuming. The tutorials are a joke. He's an OK professor to talk to be can be kind of condescending if you don't understand the material the first time round. His grading scheme is also kind of wacky; the quizzes and exams are not curved (with >75% and A), but the labs and homework are, dependent upon the harshness of your TA's grading. |
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Edward Redish
PHYS121 Expecting an A Anonymous 01/16/2009 |
Dr. Redish is a education research professor. He will learn your name, interact with you, and he really does care whether or not you LEARN the material. You might get a slightly lower grade because his tests and homework require you to think really hard, however I highly recommend him. You will get something out of his class. |
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Edward Redish
PHYS121 Expecting a B Anonymous 12/08/2008 |
Very good lectures. The homeworks took up most of my free time during the week, you have to get help on them or work with others. Tests are difficult but there is a generous curve. The lab and discussion are a waste of time. |
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Edward Redish
PHYS121 Expecting an A Anonymous 11/18/2008 |
A bit confusing and not clear. BUT, he tries his best. Do ALL the homework and classes, then you'll be fine. |
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Edward Redish
PHYS121 yellohswttart 12/15/2007 |
He's not the best teacher I've ever had-very confusing, not very clear, and his approach to teaching is very different from other physics courses. BUT, he does try to make the material interesting with interactive lectures. He requires a lot of independent work; I learned more from doing homeworks and talking to other students, rather than listening to him. |