2.9
Quality3.2
Difficulty100%
Would Retake128
Reviews100%
Would Retake
128
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
17
4
36
3
30
2
32
1
13
What Students Say
“Not very interesting, but an easy A, or B if you're lazy”
BIO102 - 4.0 rating“Extremely difficult class”
BIO102 - 1.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
25%
Textbook Required
95%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B+
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-1.21 avg changeRatings by Course
101
5.0
(1)BIOLOGY
4.7
(3)BIOLSECT
4.0
(1)BIO104
4.0
(2)BIO101
3.5
(16)Difficulty by Course
BIOLG102
5.0
BIO100
5.0
1025
4.0
BIO
4.0
BIO101
3.4
Reviews (128)
If you don't get an A in this class, you need a refund!
the only way to fail is to ignore tests.....all of them
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What a curve!
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HUGE classes, not a hard class if you pay attention, his textbook makes attendance almost mandatory if you want to succeed in his class. Pay attention during his lecture, he doesn't appreciate people sitting in his classroom reading a newspaper or talkin
So easy!!
didn't even buy the book
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He has teaching this class down to a science. It isn't easy. But I worked my butt off.
Online Practice Tests!!! This will ensure you a good grade. Hints: Go to class, take the lecture notes, and take the practice test before an exam. You will never need the text book.
Funny man! You don't have to go to class, but you have to study. It's not that difficult if you are a good student and study concious. I pulled off a high B. However, many students got C's and D's.
He was very good at teaching the course..and I enjoyed his lectures.
Don't need to buy the textbook, just buy the big workbook for notes, because it really helps! Study a lot for the tests. I got a B, and not many students got an A in the class because of the curve. He has his funny moments. Not bad for a gen ed class.
If you buy the coursepack, go to class, pay attention, and study, you will do well. Karpoffcan be quite funny, and he does his best to keep things interesting for the class. (However, I recommend not eating anything before you go to the lecture on STDs -- there are full-colour pictures.)
Book didn't help me at all. I would have done better if i copied the slides rather than fill in the blank and saved me a lot of money. The book is no help at all. The online tests were little to no help. I got a C only because of the curve.
Easy class. You only need the book that Karpoff wrote, not the other one. Very funny, makes class interesting.
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Great teacher, had an amazing sense of humor. Don't bother buying the textbook, just get the lab manual.
Karpoff is a wonderful teacher. He's smart, funny, and really knows what he's talking about. However, I've found if you really need 1 on 1, it's best to go to the SI sessions, because Karpoff doesn't have the time. As long as you keep a good study effort, you're pretty much good. And you don't HAVE to have the book, but if you need it, get it!!
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rudest teacher ever. don't buy the textbook, just get his binder thing he wrote. he designs test questions to be difficult and confusing. his std class sessions are probably the grossest thing you'll ever experience. he has a sick sense of humor.
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great for bus majors
karpoff is an ok teacher. he is nice enough and if you have a question he is always reachable by email. his class isnt that easy. it seems really boring in the beginning, but if you sit and front and center its actually not that bad. just get the coursepack-skip the book. tests are harder than you would expect.
he's a funny guy, always finds some humor in biology
Great teacher, was extremely funny at times. Studying is a must, but not a whole lot. Take the pre-tests, and read your course pack. book is unecessary. he's not very helpful 1 on 1 but always lets you know when the SI sessions are if you need extra help. i entered the course not caring a bit about biology...he made it interesting...
Do not buy the biology book for this class. You will never use it because he gives a workbook that has all the material in it. Make sure to pay attention and attend class. You have to study for this class! He makes it very interesting.
Don't buy the book, just get the binder (it's all you really need). His tests are more difficult then I expected, and many of the questions can be confusing/tricky. Pay good attention and go to class and you'll do just fine :)
Tests are hard. Dont buy textbook, just workbook. Gives practice tests, but not many of the questions carry over to the tests. Always felt there was questions on tests he didnt cover. Tough course, but he is a great teacher, really funny and makes it as enjoyable as possible.
He is a pretty funny guy. His test questions are pretty tricky, so read them carefully! You don't need the text book, just the binder.
Good prof. He's very funny and makes lectures interesting. You really don't need the book, but the course pack is required. The tests are pretty easy, there were only a few questions the entire semester that I didn't have a clue on.
He is funny, his test are beyond easy, and if you do bad on one you can make up at the end. I don't know how helpful he personally is but he helps by making sure ppl know when the SI session is. Also, make sure you do all the practice exams before each test. Most questions come straight from those. It's an enjoyable class and I recommend it.
This guy was great, the real college treat. He makes class interesting and knows how to explain things well. His tests are tricky but he gives you more than enough material to study from.
If you're not a science major and you need to get your gen ed out of the way, take karpoff! Do NOT buy the textbook, you will never open it one time. However, buy the big printed notebook that you take notes in. Study the summaries at the beginning of each chapter really hard, and take the practice tests online and in the back of the book. Easy!
He's very funny, takes time explaining,he always answers questions, his tests are not that hard, but he messes up on correcting them alot, so check your scantron when you get it back.
very funny! 4 tests. multipile choice. will let u make up anything missed! optional exam at end. Read chapters and get slides! hes a really funny guy and sympathetic to anything!
I could not stand this class. It was hard to stay interested and awake. The last exam was the only "easy" one. I recommend studying, studying, studying. Good luck
Karpoff is Hilarious. If your not a bio major and need to get the bio elective take Karpoff! It was the easiest class that I have ever had. He actually made it very easy and understandable. Go to the SI sessions, basically what you all go over in the session and on the study guide will get you the easy A!
Very easy class, never actually went to class and just showed up on days of exams and got a C. grading scale very easy 56+ is a C or better.
He is fun to listen too but it is important to study for the test because the test are the only grades you will get in the class. If you get C's on all the test, you will receive a C in the class. Also, if the supplemental instruction is available take it because it will help when it comes to test time.
This guy is pretty funny. His class isnt hard, but it's not extremely easy either. There are 4 tests and that's it. You don't need to buy the textbook, just the one that he wrote and that has all the slides in it. Just read and study the typed sections before each chapter of slides and you will get an A or B. =]
A fun prof, good at explaining things and making them understandable. Do NOT bother with the textbook, you'll only need his spiral-bound lecture book. If you pay attention and use his lecture book notes/reviews to study, you should do fine.
His class is very simple, just make sure to attend all lectures and keep up with slides. Read the sections before each chapter too. Tests get progressively more difficult and his curve is great for anyone except a student stuck in the high B area who needs an A. He makes no concessions for questions outside of class. You will be looked as a #
He is very funny!
As long as you take down what is on the powerpoint and do the practice tests, you should be fine. If you actually read his book (not the textbook) then you should def get an A. 4 tests and 1 makeup if you need. No cumulative final.
funny guy. very helping if you just take the time to ask him. comes off as mean but is actually very caring if you just prepare for class and take the time to really care about your own grade.
Attendance is not required but you will do better if u go and there r only 4 tests that r not that hard
Tests were online this semester, which made it a lot easier. I just bought Karpoff's book, not the text book and came out with an A.
Very funny professor- trys to keep things interesting. Tests are pretty easy & predictable if you take the practice tests in the workbook. Very helpful-he has calls forwarded to his cell phone when he's not in the office so that he is almost always available. Awesome professor!!!!
Easy class but can be hard to achieve an A. Only 1 A given in my class. Large curve given to students in the C range. One would have to try to get a D or lower. No need for the text, just show up for class.
Professor Karpoff attempts to engage the youngest and most naive students in the class while showing complete disdain for older students and everyone else. The text is his own, and unhelpful and unprofessional in the extreme. The tests are online and quite difficult. I found him to be brash, vulgar, and conceited. I would not recommend his class.
class is ridiculously boring. and karpoff tends to think he's funny but really a jerk when talked to in person. we had 4 tests that were pretty hard and had random questions on them but they were online so they aren't too bad. overall the class isnt bad at all. didnt buy the textbook just studied for tests from the workbook
Karpoff is a funny guy; the vast majority of people that found him offensive take themselves too seriously. However, his coursepak (the only text you are supposed to need) is poorly designed and unhelpful, especially in the diagrams. The tests are difficult, but online. Four tests determine your grade. I was lucky to make an A, but most did not.
I never went to class or read the readings. His lectures were SO boring and I couldn't stand him. I ended up getting a high B+ with just doing the study guides since most of those questions were on the online test. Don't waste your time or money by buying the book because its $160, you cant sell it back, and he wrote it so it makes no sense!
I hated his class. I went to a majority of the classes, studied my butt of and still only got a C! I think he made up most of the crap on the test! The majority of the people that did well had help from older students. If you can find someone that has already taken the class and can help you should do well. Otherwise you might be in trouble.
ew. run far away. thats all i have to say
I took the lab, it was EASY. Learned alot, very low stress! TA (teaching assistant, is mostly the one who teaches the class. Not Karpoff.) I had Megan Purdy (TA). She was nice, and helpful.
Absolutely hated this class. He was very appropriate most of the time. If you have any connection to people with AIDs or mentally handicapped, he'll probably offend you. He made offensive jokes and his tests were hard. take bio with someone else!
Course pack that he wrote is very confusing and needs to be edited for grammer, spelling, and completness...tests are difficult and cover material not covered in class...does not do a very good job explaining stuff as I felt like his lectures were the basics and then to grasp the material you had to go do your own research...make sure to study lots
Tests were hard because they cover stuff not gone over in class and in the coursepack. Curve only helps students that do bad in the class
Tests did not consists of what he went covered in class. Do the practice tests and read the textbook, instead of bothering with the boring lectures and you'll do fine.
His tests have nothing to do with the lectures for the most part. Do the online practice exams. He is an entertaining character. I wouldn't take his class in the summer if you're a freshman. It is EXTREMELY fast paced. You have about a test a week.
AWFUL. Tests cover a lot of material not at all covered in class. STAY AWAY
You only need to buy the coursepack, we didn't use the textbook at all. His lectures were also pretty irrelevant to the tests, so you need to read the coursepack, except he wrote it so it's very confusing!
HORRIBLE! You only need course pack but it's full of blanks so you pretty much have to attend class. Tests have material that he didn't cover.
His class is extremely boring so I choose not to go ever go. His tests don't cover anything that he lectured about (the few times I went). Don't buy the textbook! I preferred not to go to class and did fine on all of the exams. They're all online too so that's always good! SOOOO BORING!
Lectures are terribly boring and the tests aren't even based off of what he says in class. Do the practice tests and there is an additional book, mastering biology, that some of the test questions come from. It's not too hard if you try but an A will be difficult.
easy online tests.
With each semester, his course load of work keeps getting higher.
I think he's brilliant! Great class; I learned so much. He adds so much more material on top of the required textbook and made Biology fun and interesting. I am so happy that I got Karpoff instead of another professor.
He is a terrible professor; the exams cover nothing he discusses in class. This class lowered my GPA. Do not take him!
He is a boring teacher. His lectures have nothing to do with the test. All tests are online and they are really difficult. Don't take him if you can help it.
Horrible class, is lectures do not help with text at all. He is a smart ass and not helpful. The only way to pass is to have the old test or lots of genious friends to take it with.
This is a Bio class so it's going to be boring, but I think Karpoff is a good teacher. He makes sure that everyone understands and has all notes down before moving to a new slide. He has made a course pack that is EXTREMELY helpful. He is older so sometimes he gets an attitude, but overall he is a good guy!
Dr. Karpoff is a really funny teacher. He is kinda intimidating to approach for questions and his teachings have NOTHING to do with his tests. My 1st test I really studied for and on the practice test I received a 98% but the real test I received a 68%
Karpoff can be a funny guy, but his classes are very hard to pay attention to. There is alot of reading to do that doesnt always relate to his tests. All tests are online and are very hard to pass. Do no take him unless you absolutely have to.
Funny guy if you have his sense of humor, but can be flat toned. His classes are hard to pay attention to and he only uses his self-written book. DO NOT BUY THE EXPENSIVE ONE. Now I'm stuck with a $200 bio book. Tests are tough and online. You're not supposed to use notes but....... yeah. I'd make cheat sheets. Highest grade I've gotten is a 80%.
He is funny...seems passionate about the subject. Nice guy if you have questions. He uses different forms of media to keep things interesting (pics, videos, notes). Tests are hard though, especially for a low level course. If you come to class everyday, take notes, and study hard (use study guide) youll make it through.
Karpoff was so boring and really was not that funny as mentioned by other students. He was incredibly boring most of the time and a large portion of the questions on the exams were not even disscussed in lectures. Do not take Karpoff unless absolutly necessary.
His lectures have nothing to do with what he lectures about in class. But his tests are online which helps a lot. Do not buy the expensive textbook, I never used it.
He is a really monotone person. His humour is dry, but funny if you understand it. His class is very hard and difficult to pay attention to. Don't buy the textbook from the bookstore, he doesn't use it and tells you to take it back. Overall, i wouldnt take his class unless i was FORCED too.
Very boring, goes off on tangents a lot, half of the exams are over stuff not talked about in class. DO NOT TAKE HIM.
Hard Tests and boring lectures.
The tests are very hard and not often covered in class. For an intro level class, this class was very hard. Karpoff will not negotiate anything on grades either.
The tests are because they do not cover everything he has said in class, but the iclicker questions are pretty easy. Hes not very helpful, but his sense of humor is okay, i guess. I wouldn't recommend anyone taking this class, but if you have to, you will not die and you can pass the class.
The tests are hard and most of the questions are not over what he has covered in class. The iclicker points are pretty easy, however. He can be funny at times. I don't recommend anyone taking this class, but if you absolutely have to, you will survive, and i guarantee you can pass the class.
read the text book. go to class. this is what you need to earn an A. Seriously, it IS that easy.
This class lowered my GPA but it was interesting material. Karpoff is tough. I took this class over the summer and was ill prepared for how much studying it was going to take. Make sure you get the clicker, it is worth an exam grade and make it to class on time if you do choose to go.
His tests are kind of hard and you really have to study to do well. But as long as you study and answer the questions in his course pack you will do ok. He knows what he is talking about and he is funny. At times I think he can seem intimidating, but if you ask he will help you.
Bio 102: Introductory Biology. I received an A in this course. I thought the teacher was mostly useless, most of my learning came from outside of class. I truely believe that Karpoff knows not many would come to class, hence why we had iclickers on random days during class. So naturally, you end up having to go every time. Sit next to someone smart
In Karpoff's class, it is a hard class to take your freshman year because his test are very hard even though they are online. First you will think that you have all the answers to the question and that this is a piece of cake but then when you recieve your score its soo low, so you really have to pay close attention to detail in his questions
It's hard not to fall asleep in class, and he doesn't really care to elaborate further to help you unerstand some concepts. When you ask him a question he is rude when answering, and it just makes you not want to ask anything. I do not recommend taking him, but if you have to you will get through it.
He is very arrogant and rude. If you have a choice, don't take him. He makes the class much harder than it has to be and isn't helpful what so ever. Hardest class I've had so far in my college career.
It is possible to pass this class all you have to do is read your book. In my opinion, he was no use to me whatsoever, not even in his lecture. He is a nice guy and is easy going I just couldn’t learn from him. Overall, fairly easy class.
This class was the hardest class I have had thus far. He is very rude and not helpful AT ALL! I suggest you do not take him unless you HAVE to. He is not helpful and the test are extremely hard even though they are online. If you do have to take the class i suggest you take tutoring because that will be your only hope because lecture is useless.
Prof. Karpoff teaches an a moderately hard class and is an ok teacher. He covers things quickly and doesn't go that in-depth on analysis. He is sometimes immature and rude, but tolerable every other time.
I am kind of torn with this review. While I liked him as a person and thought his stories and examples were kind of interesting, his tests and iclicker questions were not clear some of the time. Not that you have a choice, but Karpoff is an ok teacher. I got an A, but apparently hes hard. So, if reading is not your thing, maybe try the other prof.
Professor Karpoff is a great teacher. He makes each class interesting and fun regardless of topic. He goes to certain lengths to make sure that you will have the highest possible grade within his class and gives you many opportunities to succeed. I highly recommend this teacher!
Walking into Dr. Karpoff's class I already hated biology, It didn't interest me nor did I think it would be helpful for my degree. However boring the subject of biology may be, Dr, Karpoff is funny and creates an easier understanding of the subject for students. Now I see how biology is helpful for any degree.
Funny man. Text is made by him and embarks on hilarious tangents. Comedy gold. Class is always interesting because you never know who is going to be a smartass and get owned by K-dog.
He is a great teacher and explains everything very clear. The only thing I didn't like about him was the way the exam questions are presented. They could be really tricky.
I wished death upon him every time I took an exam because out of 50 questions, mc, maybe 5 would be from a practice test, 10 would be from the course pack, and the rest, he must of pulled out of his arse. AND he REFUSED to meet with me to discuss my grade in the class (his use of bb is terrible!) I'm sorry to those who have to take him for gen ed.
Horrible professor, not helpful and very rude. The tests are very hard and tricky. Lack of clarity in the questions. I wouldn't take him again.
I took his lab which he has TAs teach instead. The class is pretty much straight forward. You have a quiz every week, 5 lab reports, and two exams. You are allowed to drop 2 quizzes and one lab report and an extra credit lab report will be provided at the end of the course. Pretty easy class.
Had to take for my Gen-Ed's, hardest course I've had yet! If it wasn't actually studying I would of failed horribly. Plus I had the lab the same semester.....ugh!!! Prof Seams to be approachable but won't help you.....he's been doing this a longtime.
He's really smart and funny guy. Classes were interesting and he clearly knew his subject, seeing as he wrote the book. However, the tests were hard, questions were worded to mess you up. The book, while interesting had a ton of unessasary content, that wasn't of the exam. Do not take unless you're prepared to study.
Gen-ed requirement so I had to take it pretty much and he's usually the only one to teach it. The class itself was okay, but the tests were hard. Also, you couldn't miss a class because there were iClicker questions almost every class. No need to buy the book (unless you really really want to study it). Need the course pack. It's a hard class.
This class was made unnecessarily hard. He grades on a bell curve, so you may have a 90% for the class like me and still get a B. The tests are extremely hard. Asked him to help me understand a concept I didn't understand. He asked me if I read the material and attended class. I told him I had and he replied "Then I don't know what to tell you."
Horrible, Horrible class. He messed up the grades right before finals. He is not easy to talk to, very rude. I have nothing good to say about this class or this professor.
can be funny in class but hard online timed tests. I got high B's or A's on all of them and still only got a B...he use iclicker points and doesn't even know how to work the system. messed up everyones grades during finals...very stressful. this class was annoying, not fun to attend, boring, and tests were not easy even in you went to his lectures
Never even opened the textbook, however the coursepak was used every day for power points. No final, no homework, and all tests were online, so very easy to get a good grade. For our class, he didn't even count the iClicker questions, but it didn't matter because they were very basic anyways. Not very interesting, but an easy A, or B if you're lazy
Took this course for a gen ed requirement. Karpoff is widely known for his rudeness. His lectures can be funny. He screwed up our iclicker points and then decided not to count them. I was pissed. So, not attendence isnt mandatory. Just so rude. His tests are online and are tricky. Wouldn't ever recommend him.
Karpoff would have been a good teacher if he wasn't so rude. He had a little sarcasm within his lectures but besides that it was the most boring 2 hours of my life. Doesn't put much personality within his lectures but he did get the points across. The lecture wasn't as helpful as the coursepack though. You really don't need the textbook.
I personally don't have a problem with this professor, I thought he was very funny but what he talks about in class doesn't really relate to what is on the tests. His tests are very hard. I wouldn't recommend him.
I took this class last semester. It was terrible. He was always off topic and I didn't learn anything from class. The tests are online but they are very hard. I never got over a B on them. The iclicker points were based on attendance. SO make sure you go to class. Even though I always went to class, he messed up our iclicker points. Very upset.
Extremely difficult class. Gen-ed requirement and lowered my GPA. Don't buy the textbook because he doesn't use it, but you will need the coursepak. iClickers every class, 4 online tests that were nearly impossible to pass. Monotone and very boring, very confusing class. Do not recommend.
If you read the course pack thoroughly and actually study the material you will be fine. It is not an easy class but if you put in the time and effort, an A is definitely achievable. Tests are online and mostly over material in the course pack. STUDY
Whole grade depended on 4 online exams, but don't get excited.. you don't even have time to cheat. Test question were a pretty difficult because they were in HIS words. Lectures didn't really help much, hes boring and talks like everyone already knows what hes talking about. Always sarcastic too, comes off rude.
I don't know what everyone is complaining about, yes Karpoff is a bit sarcastic but most of what he says is entertaining. He won't hold your hand through the course because it's fairly simple. The online tests? I definitely had time to look through my coursepak during them, just make sure you read it beforehand too so you know what to look for.
Class is very boring and attendance is not mandatory. I stopped attending lectures in late September and got a B. Tests are online but very tough. The only materials you need are the coursepack. Definitely would recommend another professor though.
Very rude teacher, and not helpful at all.
I am taking this course online. He grades on a curve, which makes it all a little easier. I think a 78% right now is a B, for example. If you buy the course pack and follow the online lecture , he helps you with the notes because he diagrams the slides. The Campbell book has a useful glossary. You will get one bonus essay question worth 10 pts./tes
I thought he was great. Grades only on tests. He curves and drops the lowest score. His lectures are interesting. I took his class 10 years ago and still remember some of the stuff he covered.
Textbook not needed but helpful. His tests are hard and he doesn't explain well if you ask him questions. Basically a do it yourself course. 4 exams make up the class with 1-2 extra credit questions at the end of each test worth 5 points each. He said he would drop your lowest exam in the syllabus, but never did.
Class Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
25%
Textbook Required
95%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B+
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-1.21 avg changeRatings by Course
101
5.0
(1)BIOLOGY
4.7
(3)BIOLSECT
4.0
(1)BIO104
4.0
(2)BIO101
3.5
(16)Difficulty by Course
BIOLG102
5.0
BIO100
5.0
1025
4.0
BIO
4.0
BIO101
3.4