2.6
Quality4.1
Difficulty37%
Would Retake194
Reviews37%
Would Retake
194
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
44
4
23
3
23
2
23
1
81
What Students Say
“Shotwell does not know how to teach at all”
PHYS2B - 1.0 rating“He was a wonderful lecturer who drew everything out on the board versus having power points like other physics professors”
PHYS2B - 4.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
43%
Textbook Required
0%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-1.31 avg changeRatings by Course
PHYS100A
5.0
(4)PHYS100B
5.0
(1)PHYS4A
5.0
(1)PHYSICS2B
4.0
(3)PHYSICS2C
4.0
(2)Difficulty by Course
PHYS2A
4.4
PHYS2D
4.3
PHYS2B
4.0
PHYS2C
4.0
PHYS100B
4.0
Reviews (194)
He was my professor for physics 2b during the summer. He really wants you to learn the material. He doesn't skip the difficult material like other professors. He makes you learn Gauss's law in great detail. Do the hw, attend discussions and ask many questions and you will be ok. The curve is huge too
Shotwell is young and handsome. He's pretty new to teaching and makes awkward jokes. I find them hilarious because of the awkwardness. He explains things pretty well. I wish he produced lecture slides but that isn't too big a deal. I think after a couple more quarters of teaching physics he'll be really good at it.
He def puts the "hot" in Shotwell. I got so distracted by his good looks that I failed every quiz so far. Well actually, it was because his quizzes are really hard. I wish he would put up solutions to quizzes because I still don't know what I did wrong. He really wants students to learn physics but honestly we just want A's.
He definitely knows the course material very well. He is very responsive in class and through emails (even outside class). He just needs more confidence in himself. I think the course itself is hard. Like most new professors, he just want to make the quizzes at least a little bit challenging.
He is really nice and clear in lecture. Although he is a new professor, he tried to give more examples in class as he can. Weekly quizzes are a large part of the final grade but they are not so tough. No graded hw.
He was a wonderful lecturer who drew everything out on the board versus having power points like other physics professors. The course was really tough, however. Also I must admit I may or may not have gotten distracted by how attractive Brian is...
He's a good lecturer although I found Phys 2B rather difficult to understand and conceptualize. Phys 2B is harder to understand than 2A(mechanics) because it's harder to visualize. His curve is really generous and he's a really nice guy.
Physics 2B, in general, is a hard class, no matter the professor. His quizzes, midterm, and final were tough. However, there was a HUGE, GENEROUS curve at the end that saved most of the class from failing.
A really nice professor and probably one of my favorite professors that I have taken. His exams and the labs are a little tough but if you ask for assistance he is readily available to help you. His class layout is very simple and easy to follow. A genuinely caring professor who just wants to see you succeed.
Shotwell is an awesome professor. He does an amazing job at explaining the material but that is no excuse at skipping the reading. His exams are very straight forward and there is nothing on there that you haven't seen before. Attendance is not mandatory but you should go and learn.
Physics 2B is overall a very difficult class. He goes really fast and will gloss over very important topics that will be important for you to understand later. LEARN THE CHAPTER BEFORE. The quizzes are pretty rough however he's very approachable in office hours. It all depends on your TA and my TA was not the best and only confused me even more.
This class is pretty hard, but it makes you to study, which is actually good for me. He is a friendly guy, and is really patient outside the class. If you have any question, post it on Piazza and he will reply you in a short time. There will be a huge curve at the end of the class. I highly recommend him.
Clear lectures. He really wants you to learn and get a good grade. The quizzes are hard but reasonable. Make sure you do the homework problems.
I loved Professor Shotwell. I was really dreading Physics 2B but he made the class doable and the concepts relatively easy to understand. He is very accessible outside of class and genuinely loves teaching. Do the reading and homework problems and ask questions when you need to and you will do well in the class. Definitely recommend him!
Generous Professor... if you understand the concepts.
Prof. Shotwell is just amazing, he is one of the best phys professors in UCSD. Lectures are very useful and there are also a lot of clicker questions. Also mandatory discussions. Before each lecture there are reading questions due but all are pretty easy. The exams are not easy but are fair, if you really pay effort you can get a good grade.
read book is much more useful than him. Do lots of questions without useful lecture
Just simply fantastic teacher and person. Wow just wow. I did not think I would be blessed by such a gracious creature in this lifetime.
Honestly, he's unresponsible. He ask u to read all of the material before the class and if u choose incorrect answer he will say u guys don't do the prelecture questions so we will not continue our lecture. why I need u if I already know everything? Also, he post 72 questions a week. and even u do all of them, u still can't have a good grade.
Book problems and lecture problems are really easy. The exam problems are really difficult. Make sure you can grasp the easy stuff before attempting his practice exams because if you can't do the easy stuff, the exam will be rough. Very concept heavy. Overall, not a terrible professor but I personally wouldn't take him again.
Tests are disconnected from the homework. Spends 2-3 minutes each lecture berating our class. Responds fast on Piazza for specific questions, but he basically tells the people behind to get good.
He's PHYS series ain't made for those who want easy As or basically good grades. His definition of "easy" is not the same as yours! Prepare to work hard and actually do your readings, cuz probably won't give good curves. He actually gets angry if you don't work hard enough. Respect him a lot, but definitely go with someone else for PHYS 2 series.
Professor Shotwell is one of the worst professors I have ever had at UCSD. He berates students in class regularly, and the tests are in no way representative of the homework or material went over in class. He is not a good choice for any physics class and I would most definitely not recommend him for any class at all.
I would never take his classes anymore. this is the worst class in my whole life. He didn't respect students and his projected final grades based on your midterms make me feel so offensive. maybe this is because he thought the students didn't respect him because the iclicker questions usually didn't get a good correct rate. he is awful
You can't learn anything from him, just a F.
his exams are totally different with all the questions during the lectures and the hw questions. he made really strange and vague questions on the exams that you usually don't understand what is he talking about. HIGHLY DON'T RECOMMEND HIM AS ANY COUSE PROFESSOR.
agree wit6h most of the comments here. he is definitely not a good teacher, although he maybe a good teacher that help a lot of students who really want to study deeper. don't choose him if you are not
If you generally struggle with physics, don't bother taking Shotwell. What is gone over in lecture and what he puts on exams is so disconnected. He gives a bunch of clicker questions without a decent lecture because he relies on us reading the book. Mad respect to anyone who actually is doing well because wow this class is ridiculous.
This dude took the little appreciation I had from 2B and steamrolled it like that one anime. Despite being mandatory lectures will do little to facilitate your learning in preparation for tests and Shotwell gets a kick out of spending half of lecture scolding us for not understanding clicker questions. Stay away unless physics is 2nd nature to you.
Dr. Shotwell is a creative and awesome professor. Pros: Focuses on practice problems, makes lectures interesting, more action-orientated vs theory for his physics lectures. Cons: The exams are more difficult than the homework assigned. To succeed you need to grasps content more than what is said in lecture. I recommend him to any student.
What he expects vs what he gives during lecture is really skewed. Shame he was the only Phys prof. this quarter.
Really speaks volumes when a professors rating goes from a 4 to a 2.8 over the course of a quarter. Stay away from him.
For the average physics student, such as myself, this class is absolute hell. Unless you are an absolute God at physics and it comes to you without much struggle, by all means, take Shotwell. If, however, this is not the case for you, you are in for one hell of a ride. Hoping the curve is generous, unlike his horribly written exams/lectures.
He is easily the worst professor I have ever had. Physics has never been a problem for me in 2A and 2B but this class was an exception. The tests were not Representative of the the lectures and homework at all. The tests seemed like they were written in another language because the questions were barely comprehensible. DONT TAKE HIM PLEASE
genuinely think he has the potential to be a good prof, but the way he treated his students took a steep dive as people started doing badly on the 2nd/3rd midterm & clicker qs. idk if he's going through it or smth but it doesn't him the right to berate us constantly. the exams were not at all representative of the lectures and (nonmandatory) hw.
Cons: homework is not representative of the tests, attitude comes off as condescending multiple times, lectures mainly goes over practice problems, no review of concepts in class Pros: Lectures themselves are not bad as he does explain problems well sometimes, fair grading scale Don't think he is as bad as people say, but needs to fix issues
Not completely awful as most are saying, but he definitely has major flaws. I will admit I agree with him about relying on the book, but he could be a lot better at helping us understand concepts before throwing a bunch of difficult clicker questions at us, especially since lectures are mandatory. Avoid if ur not serious about physics.
Prof Shotwell is not that bad, and I would like to take his class again. HW and attendance are easy points to get for your grade. He gave u abt 30 textbook problems weekly for practice and not be graded. If u do the problem and spend time to learn, u will be fine on the tests. 1st midterm is really easy, 2nd and 3rd are hard, final is doable.
Brian Shotwell is a great physics professor. His lectures are clear, he goes over the important parts of what we're learning and does a ton of example problems in class. You need to do the reading assignments to be prepared for lecture. Clicker questions, hw and attendance pad your grade. Do the problems in the book to study for the exams.
Lectures are mandatory via iClickers. Reading assignment due online for every lecture. Grade relies on exams as well as attendance and reading. UCSD-specific textbook required but very well written. Frequently shows demos and asks questions to keep class engaged. Cool but committed. Very passionate about academic integrity.
Shotwell might be my favorite professor at UCSD. He is funny, entertaining, very helpful lectures, and he provides everything you need to do well in his class. Mandatory reading assignments and iClickers but they aren't hard. Definitely do the review problems he suggests. His exams are not bad at all if you just do what he assigns. Great guy.
He was the first physics teacher I take at ucsd, and i really enjoyed his class. While he made lots of jokes with students, he also conveyed class materials sufficiently and thoroughly. The video and reading assignments before classes really helped me doing iclicker questions. Strongly Recommend his class
Lecture's just going over problem set and you can just complete by yourself. Homework is a random choice by yourself from a bunch of problems.
Had for 2 upper division courses. Can be on the tough side, but it's clear that he does it because he wants to make sure you are really ready to keep studying physics. Doesn't shy away from expressing disappointment when the class obviously doesn't do the reading, but it's only because he really cares about your education.
Ah shotty. What a guy. Really knows how to lead a good class. Notice that I say lead; this man really understands that learning will come from him but also from our own work, and he structures his class to capitalize on this. Also, he gives points out just enough that its easy to get a good grade if you work hard and learn. Long live brian.
Such a great prof! Super patient and it seems like he actually cares about his students. Yeah it's a hard class, it's physics, but prof shotwell makes is manageable and provides examples that are actually relevant. Highly recommend! Don't miss out. Take his class!!
Weekly homework assignments and corrections during online fall 20 format. No midterms. Super nice professor and easy to understand. Definitely was not as much work as 2A or 2B and I feel like I learned at least as much, if not more. Also, the class itself was pretty fun if you like physics. I definitely would take again.
KING! I am so glad Shotwell was my professor this quarter. He does the reverse classroom thing with lectures to watch before (optional) problem solving sessions which I actually went to EVERY TIME. He is a good teacher for sure and funny! No midterms, but I genuinely still feel like I learned just as much as my other physics classes.
Shotty is the GOAT. The format of the class actually made me want to learn. There are so many office hours and opportunities for questions. One of the few professors who actually cares about his students. I will miss this class.
Weekly homework and lecture quizzes for each lecture. I felt like I learned a lot in the class because he focuses on students mastering the concepts. Would definitely take the class again.
Shotwell is a good professor! His grading structure is fair, almost too nice. More than half his grade is just homework and correcting it, and his exam was 24 hours.
Read the textbook! I learned more from it for the homework assignments than from the actual prof.
Amazing professor and super smart, don't miss any lectures b/c you'll have to explain most of the content for the oral quizzes(i think it's a shotwell thing). The pset corrections is hard, but very useful for a physics/STEM major. He sometimes drops hilarious jokes unintentionally lol. Lectures are very fun and engaging.
Has very difficult to understand lectures, a lot of book focused so get unclear really fast, not the best person if you want to understand and use it in classes future
Has reading quizzes and pre-lecture videos that were pretty helpful in preparing for lectures. His lectures focused way too much on clicker questions rather than the actual content. Learning is done mostly outside of class. His exams are very difficult with no curve.
1 point for trying, another point for not being too mean. Contents are hard, so I can not blame professor Shotwell for his lecture quality. The average for each quiz is really low and there is no curve so far. Quizzes are hard in a weird way. Have done 5 quizzes and 1 more final to go. Attendance mandatory through iclicker. No extra credit.
Shotwell is very knowledgeable on Physics but this is probably his set back because he seems to think we are all massive physics nerds too. His class is extremely hard and you won't survive unless you basically teach the material to yourself outside of lecture. He likes to over complicate everything just because its fun for him.
Does not know how to teach physics. He is very bad at explaining already complicated concepts and methods of solving problems in physics. He forgets that we are not all physics geniuses which leads him to gloss over important content with no explanation. Most of the content has to be learned outside of lecture or you wont understand anything.
Professor Shotwell is average. He knows that this class is extremely hard, and he tries his best to simplify the topics for his students. But ultimately, he doesn't really know how to teach. He doesn't go into details in lectures, he doesn't really go over the i-clicker questions. Assigns quite a bit of homework. Overall, he is just okay.
Shotwell was extremely rude and passive-aggressive. He expects you to understand physics at his level even though he is literally the professor. The extra lecture time was used for quizzes for 7/10 weeks, and there were pre-lecture quizzes, in-class clicker questions, and homework every week--unnecessary amount of effort and time for this class.
Such a terrible professor. He blames his students for doing badly on assessments and participation when he fails to teach the material. The class has no curve despite the average failing grades. He gives so much work in the weekly homework, bi-weekly quizzes, and mandatory i-clicker questions. If he is teaching, skip the class.
Pros: iClicker questions representative of test questions, actively engages with class, very organized, and funny. Cons: Rude on Piazza, Annoying and very long pre-lecture videos, no curve according to syllabus despite previous reviews. Overall, lots of material to cover in this class but he does his best to teach it all in a short time.
Amazing lectures and great clicker questions. Nevertheless, quizzes sometimes are hard and there are no extra credits (but he curves). Super cool and caring lecturer. Videos and reading quizzes before each class but unlimited attempts. PHYS 2B is a hard course but you will learn a lot from him.
Good lectures and kind of funny when he makes fun of us and the other section lol. A couple of annoyances in the class: required iClicker attendance and daily pre lecture quizzes which you can easily forget to do. Also, tough grading and tough questions on the 5 mid term quizzes. He did adjust the grading scale at the end which was very generous.
Class is very quiz/exam heavy. No curve or extra credit is apparent, if you email him about it he likely won't respond or will indicate syllabus policy. Do the HW, and ensure you understand the material. Use discussions and Organic Chem tutor because this guy can't teach. He expects us to know things before his prelecture videos.
iClicker & hw questions are very useful for understanding the subject. His lectures are pretty funny and he cares about his students (how he publicly denounced students who did not wear masks in class; answers emails). Quizzes get harder because physics is just hard is general. The final is representative of old quiz materials and super hard :")
take the negative reviews with a kg of salt. Physics is hard: especially this class. Shotty is a great professor. There's a lot of resources to help students succeed. Lectures are helpful and provide tons of practice. I get that sometimes he can be rude but it's not nearly as bad as people make it seem on here. Take him: he cares and teaches well.
Good prof, hard class. Gives a TON of resources to succeed. The pre-lecture videos can be a bit daunting but if you put in the work you will pass this class. He also is a big stickler about masking wearing and will ask you to leave if you don't wear one which will make you look like a big dummy. Cool, dry humor, not much left to be desired.
he has iclickers. i only went to couple of the discussions, but the practice they gave was pretty good and similar to frq on tests. reading textbook helps and his lectures are pretty good. not sure about all the passive aggressive comments, but if he has to answer questions about integrals in physics class, i think it makes that he gets annoyed.
I took Professor Shotwell last spring quarter, and he was an awesome professor! The material is definitely hard but during office hours he really tries to help you understand it. Unusually active on piazza and responds very quickly to emails. Tests were hard but we had like 6 cheat sheets for the final.
Amazing Professor, taught the concepts well and gave good lectures.
Very nice professor
he's kinda passive aggressive if you're not on top of your stuff and definitely has favorites in the class. he makes you teach yourself more than he teaches you (not a bad thing per se). class is a lot of busy work but relatively easy otherwise.
Good professor. Lectures are easy to follow, but you will still need to study the textbook. A lot of clicker questions, so attendance is mandatory. Quizzes are usually every other week and are hard, but not extremely difficult. Homework assignments are very difficult and take a very long time, but they will help you prepare for the quizzes.
He does not know how to teach, explain things vaguely and throw you with tons of homework and bi-weekly quizzes.
Shotwell does not know how to teach at all. Attendance is mandatory (3 lecture classes plus mandatory discussion and quiz sections EVERY WEEK). Assigns 20+ homework problems every week and quizzes are unnecessarily hard. Also has pre lecture quizzes based off videos. People who like him are either teachers' pets or nerds. Do not recommend at all.
Never really taught anything just read slides without explaining; expects students to have prior E&M knowledge which most do not.
Professor did not teach and had no control over his classroom. Very hard to understand material without previous knowledge of the topic. Hard class in genera made harder by his lack of teaching.
Shotwell is an overall fair professor- he may seem daunting to talk to due to his passive aggressive demeanor, but if approached personally with a question/concern he is very helpful and thorough. He relies heavily on the textbook, so be prepared to read before attending lectures. He also provides plenty of practice material for exams.
Shotwell was great, I had previously taken this class last quarter with a different professor and it did not go as well as Shotwell's class did. The class is a lot of work, he has pre-lecture videos and quizzes every week but they really do help you learn the material better. His quizzes can be tricky but he provides the material needed to pass.
PHYS 2B is material heavy. The prof does a great job in conveying it. We had 9 quizzes throughout the quarter which were pretty fair. Iclicker attendance. The prof allows 10 cheat sheets for the final.
My primary complaint is this professor's constant reliance on "prelecture 'readings.'" Rather than thoroughly explain anything during the lecture, every lecture is relegated to feeling like you should already know everything he's half explaining and rushing through even the video is supposed to be preliminary. Unclear explanations, can't recommend.
Easy to pay attention to, good at explaining and pacing lectures, and assigns enough problems to learn everything you need. Professor is not special, just decent. Grade reliant on 20% participation, 50% 7/9 best quiz scores, and 30% final. Most difficult class for me in college so far.
Shotwell has a bit of an attitude and an ego. I personally believe he is one of those people who is very intelligent but cant teach. He is not that good at explaining things and expects you to know a lot of things beforehand. This class is very difficult with all the homework, pre-lecture reading quizzes and weekly quizzes. Just be prepared to cry!
The people complaining about him never opened the textbook. He is a great prof and gives literally THOUSANDS of practice problems. He even provides a canvas page with all of the problems to prepare for the final. Read the textbook religiously, take the homework seriously, make good cheat sheets with example problems, and you can ace every quiz.
Physics is just hard fs, but he is very active on Piazza to help. 7/9 quizzes for 50% so if you study you can mess up on lots of them and its ok. Final is only 25% which is very nice when I'm stressed about other classes for finals week and 25% of the points are completely FREE (completion, attendence, pre-lecture quizzes w/ unlimited attemts).
Great professor. Class is very hard, but hey, it's physics...
Pretty good Prof. Quiz and exams are tough.
I believe because of Shotwell I enjoyed 2B out of all of the physics series. Despite having a quiz every week, you get to use all the cheat sheets you made for the quizzes on the final which is extremely generous. The grading scale was fair and made clear to us from day one. Homework was graded based on effort which is free points.
Can't understand the concept he explained at all. very confused...
Do NOT take this professor by any chance. He is the worst professor you can have for any course. He cannot explain the concepts clearly and acts as if you already know most of the content. He keeps laughing at his own jokes and he is the only one who finds them funny.
LOTS of HW. But I don't mind that. I mind the fact that he doesn't explain the concepts and everything clearly enough, and just speeds past everything. He should take more time to elaborate on what he explains is my feedback. There are much better profs than him.
He is really bad at explaining. Doesn't teach at all. Just keep giving questions which he solves without explaining clearly. And gives easy practice quizzes but awful graded exams. Just don't take him. Never.
Found him super attractive so lectures were more distracting than helpful, but regardless weren't very helpful in understanding the material anyway. He skips over a lot of small steps so his solutions/explanations are often confusing. If approached personally though he's super patient and helpful, more so than in lectures. I'd say he's fair
Not the greatest with feedback but does communicate quickly. Can be terse and a tiny bit disrespectful without realizing it. Not phenomenal but not the end of the world if you need to take him. He tries to be funny here and there, just come into it with an open mine. You got it!
Professor Shotwell's lectures are engaging with *optional* poll questions and cover the broader elements of what is needed for the quizzes with hints throughout, non-mandatory. He has regular office hours and is accessible outside of class. Quizzes are tough and require conceptual knowledge to do well. Curved beyond what the syllabus suggested.
He can do a better job of explaining things properly conceptually. Very hard tests and hard grading scheme. Would NOT recommend taking him.
Honestly just take another professor, not worth explaining all of what he can improve on.
I really do not understand these positive reviews. Shotwell is a terrible teacher who is inconsiderate of his students.
His quizzes are so hard. The questions from discussions and lectures are good at helping you understand, but on the quiz, those same questions were made a step harder, and they require deep conceptual knowledge to solve them correctly. He never repeats questions. The practice quizzes are only helpful for practicing learning and using concepts.
The class was taught very well. As someone who nearly failed the prerequisite (130A), I could still understand everything. Clicker questions in class made it engaging. He also used the corrections system for HW, which forced us to learn from our mistakes. He gave a nice project that allowed us to explore other areas of stat mech.
i think this class made me mentally ill because i have not been the same since taking this class. anything physics related is now traumatizing and i still have the rest of the series to take. never lets students finish their questions, cuts them off and answers instead. cannot explain anything. will never forget this class (in a bad way)
Genuinely one of the hardest classes I taken, his lecture slides are old + really hard to understand and you'll be mostly self-teaching yourself. His exams/quizzes are extremely difficult, and I would say it requires outside sources to understand what he is trying to teach. He's patient though, so there's that.
Professor Shotwell is an excellent professor who is clearly passionate about teaching. His lectures are engaging and highly interactive. He is also always willing to clear up concepts outside of class time and checks Piazza often. If you attend every lecture and actively engage with the course material, you will most likely do well in the class.
Phys2A with Shotwell felt like solving quantum mechanics with a crayon. His lectures move faster than light (but less comprehensible), tests are harder than diamond, and office hours are a philosophical wormhole where you leave more confused. If you enjoy chaos, existential dread, and no partial credit, this class is your Super Bowl.
Tough quizzes that require deep conceptual knowledge. Lectures are engaging but explanations can be unclear at times. Use unstuck study and the textbook to supplement learning.
His lectures are really unclear, he doesn't explain the tough concepts well at all. His notes aren't organized they're just scattered all over the screen. He understands the concepts himself, but he is seriously bad at putting them into words for students. And there's a ton of homework every week
Although sometimes his explanations can be vague, he answers questions pretty well to clear up confusions. lectures cover pretty much all that appears in quizzes. Makes some awkward and hilarious jokes in class. Content can be challenging but if you pay attention and ask for help it should be fine
Just go to the lectures and actually do the homeworks/practice quizzes. 4 biweekly quizzes with 1 allotted drop, honestly put in way less effort than I did for Phys 2A and probably will get the same grade (A-). Never took physics before and felt Shotwell wasn't going crazy fast during lectures.
This class felt like the professor threw toothpicks at you during lecture then asked you to build a fully functioning bridge with them on exams. Lectures were basically just going over formulas and simple practice problems that were typically about rearranging those formulas. This was deeply unhelpful for the difficult tests.
Before this class, I believed I could succeed at physics. Lecture were easy; yet far different than exams. While final grades were curved, exam averages were consistently failing- even the final had a 52%. Discussion sections were un-doable and office hours were few. This class broke not only my 5-year streak of straight A's, but my spirit.
Professor Shotwell's teaching style needs improvement. He assumes students understand the pre-readings, making difficult topics hard to follow during lecture. While the grading scheme is clear, he blames students when test averages are below 50%. I wouldn't recommend him if you're aiming for a B or higher.
Don't need to buy textbook, watch Professor Shotwell's reading videos instead. Need to attend at least 9 discussions. I wish the lecture slides were more concise and organized. Overall, Professor Shotwell is engaging through usage of example questions in lecture, checks Piazza often, and he is funny! Practice lots of problems and you will succeed!
Professor talked so fast and unclear that I couldn't follow the materials in lecture. Also he made it complicated solving the problems while the tutor helped me so easily understand it. You can bring 5 cheatsheets to final exam but it's still very hard.
90% of the grading contribution comes from exams. 1 quiz every 2 weeks. Homework is optional, but he recommends tons problems from Knight each week. There's only one practice test from Spring 2020 (online during COVID), and he said he could not promise they are relate to this quarter. He goes through the material very fast.
Got an A in 2A, thought I'd be ok. Boy was I WRONG. Yes, Shotwell is nice/funny, but if you haven't learned the material before, don't take him. Lectures consist of conceptual explanations & general/easy examples w/ equations. Grades are mostly quizzes/exams, which feel diff from lectures and are filled w/ mcq's w/ 10 diff choices. Save yourself
The class is 78% tests, four quizzes every other week, and one final. The lowest quiz score gets dropped, and each quiz is 13%, and the final is 39%. He goes over the concepts okay, but to understand them, I had to read the textbook a lot and ask questions after lectures. The class was curved, maybe 5-10%, but the test averages were around 50-60s
He is so terrible at explaining formulas or concepts during lectures. His handwriting is very hard to read, and most of the class time is spent going over difficult iClicker questions without clearly explaining the problems or solutions. PLEASE do not take him.
Disorganised and a lot of deliverables. I enjoyed lectures a lot which is why I stayed in the course, but the homework and exams were unbearably difficult. I'm in a major that involves a lot of math, so that isn't the issue. Lectures / homework aren't catered to the tests at all. Far too much in 10 weeks. Not worth it if you don't need to take it.
horrible. avoid him. half of the class is just solving problems HIS WAY, and humiliating students.
If you did not take physics in highschool don't take his class. During lectures he expects you to know which equations to use to solve the questions he does during lectures instead of walking you through the material. The homework barely reflects what's actually on the test and is hard to understand his hand writing.
all you can do is laugh truly... average exam grades sat around 50 percent and he gave the impression that it wasnt his fault whatsoever. felt like i was going into cardiac arrest every time i did the homework because of how different it was from the class content. hes a dilf tho and i love his sideburns
dont do it to yourself i dont know how he has so many 5s like i kinda feel bad but he's so passive aggressive and blames students for the 50% test average like brother that is on YOU. He assumes you already know everything on the subject before he even teaches it and literally prays on our downfall "I can't wait to see your test scores..."
every day when i walked to this class i would jaywalk in hopes that someone would hit me and i would never have to see him again. all the quizzes have sub 50% averages, and instead of improving his teaching skill, he scolds us. the test questions are so outlandish i think he's on an acid trip when he creates the tests. bottom line: DO NOT TAKE!
Holy mother of god his exams are outrageous. Mcq worth half the points and many of them have around 10 options. I'm pretty bad at physics so lowkey it is is on me but to an extent man. Homework slowly making me bald. If you have to take 2A and he's the only option take it next quarter and save yourself.
He legitimately hates his students. The practice quizzes (easy!) are nothing like the real quizzes (hard). EVEN if you knew the answer to a free response, you will NOT get credit if you do not demonstrate expert level knowledge, kinda true for multiple choice too. Please don't take him, wait a quarter. please save urself. I need him to stop this.
Under-50% average quizzes that are near-impossible to study for because the practice quizzes and lectures don't cover the same material. Lecture examples skip steps, yet you get huge swathes of points off on quizzes for not showing every exact piece of work. To top it off, prof wholly blames students for poor performance. Don't take at all costs.
Just wait until there is another Physics teacher to take. All the practice and homework he gives you does not even come close to what is actually on the test. He states that the best way to study is make sure you understand the concepts then take the practice quiz and see how you do. I got 100 on practice and failed the actual test.
he is very test heavy and humiliates students in class when he tries to act funny. He gets frustrated over quiz scores but does not own up to his average of 50-40%. Do not recommend wait to take this course before ur GPA tanks.
His explanations can be vague and overly wordy, not the most organized, but if you ask him he'll clear it up really well. Has an awkward sense of humor, which is hilarious, and classes feel pretty chill. Outside of class he responds to questions almost immediately. Overall I liked his teaching, although I get why many don't.
Yaps a little in lecture sometimes which makes some of his explanations vague, but if you want to learn the concepts well just go up to him. He's pretty funny and super down to explain stuff one-on-one if you ask him. Exams take up 90% of the course grade, but exams are easy compared to his optional homework practice problems. Has podcast.
Just don't take this class, wait for another professor if you actually want to pass. Averages are 40-50%, this explains a lot about this class.
People have strong opinions about him, but he really is not that bad. He cares about his students and wants them to do well. The tests are hard but this should be expected from a college physics class. As long as you study the examples he provides in class you can put things together for the free response on the test. Review the practice exams!!!
He is SO condescending, like having a parent who hates you for existing and being born. Like having a friend who never believes in you and always undermines you. He made me break out and lose hair. Quiz averages NEVER exceeded 50%, lowest was 41%, it's a course with 300+ students, yet he doesn't seem to think he's the problem?! impossible quizzes!
Honestly, I thought this would be the case where the reviews were wrong but LISTEN TO THE BAD REVIEWS!! He was very condescending and was so overwhelming. I contemplated ripping hair out a complete times. You think you know the material and then you receive the exams and you know absolutely NOTHING!! He gives you attitude when you ask questions.
Dont take this class! U are better off with a different prof. Quiz avg have been 40-50%. Just as u feel confident enough to know the material, when it comes to the test u are simply humbled.
Brain o brian. My savior. Keep teaching for me will ya? Also, make an account on instagram for your quiz distributions for me too, will ya?
I took him as a freshman (Winter 2024) and feel like I got an A only because of my strong base in calculus-based physics from high school. He can be a little harsh and make you feel dumb/worthless when you don't understand something right away.
Sheldon Cooper teaches a physics class. Lowkey can be the goat sometimes but beware of his tests. I have lost my sanity but like as long as you're above the curve you should be fine. tests are super difficult but he teaches well, but not well enough. Cant teach beginner stuff. His practice exams are the biggest pranks.Exam problems are on steroids
Exam averages were around 40-45%. A lot of the content from lectures is not in the exam. The exam problems are like homework problems on steroids. Exam problems are straight out of hell. First quiz(50% avg) was easiest, and the other 3 were like a hammer to the kneecap.
Im actually starting to feel bad for him because everyone hates him. Like maybe he is trying to be a good teacher and is just failing (like us!). Just don't take him. He's lectures are funny, but he's a tough grader and is praying on your downfall. He's acting as if that pass is coming out of his paycheck. I feel sorry for whoever has to take him.
possibly the worst introductory undergraduate physics class at ucsd. does not give you an intuitive understanding even though he claims to, bombards you with pre-lecture quizzes, weekly 20 problem sets (definitely not graded on completion) and bi weekly midterm exam style quizzes. avoid him, and avoid professor bal if you can.
Shotwell can be condescending and he laughs at the 40-50% averages on quizzes. He makes it seem like its entirely our faults for the low averages but it is also partly due to him speeding through material and then throwing a bunch of problems at us without building a solid understanding of the topic. You need to be good at self-studying to do well
Not a great Professor if you want a deep understanding of physics, but he tries to keep material simple. As long as you know which equation/concept to use and decent at algebra, you'll be fine. Only DI for attendance. I didn't buy the textbook and I survived. Overall, Professor Shotwell is funny and engaging!
If you want to pass physics, just take it with another professor. Averages were 40-50%, in which we get blamed on for not performing well. Genuinely, this class leaves you confused 24/7. Just dont take Shotwell.
He blamed on his students every time the average grade was low but it always between 40%-50%. His exams were harder than what he teaches in class and never curve. Discussion is mandatory but it didn't help at all, and it was 5% of your grade. DON"T TAKE HIM if you don't want ruin your GPA
Honest to god one of the most rude and disrespectful instructors at UCSD, avoid at all costs
Professor Shotwell is extremely condescending, rude, and arrogant. He makes you feel dumb/worthless for asking questions, and there is no option for private posting on piazza. The main killer about the class are the exams, which are worth 84%, and are extremely difficult. 40% of students failed w/ a class GPA of 1.7, blaming low scores on students.
This class was quite perplexing for me given my lack of prior exposure to physics (Beware!), which was made worse by the professor's attitude. Few UCSD professors have acted with such pessimism — a trait I had previously associated exclusively with philosophy faculty. Absent this element of cynicism, however, it would be close to 5/5.
I swear, this professor is the most pessimistic professor I've ever met. It's like he genuinely doesn't believe in his students at all.
I was part of the 40% that failed. I just spend 1,500 in tuition at ucsd to retake the course with the regrade policy. I could be hawaii. He's tests are ridiculous and none of the questions are on ANY resources he provides. Just a wait a quarter I promise i'm trying to help. I should be tanning in hawaii rn. I wish him nothing but misery.
Hes good had him for PHYS 2A & 2B during summer. I dont think theres a problem with his lectures/teaching it was pretty clear and his test are hard but reflect the material pretty well. I think people fail his class not cause he a bad prof the content between phys 2A & 2B are just wildly different and abstract which catches people off guard.
Four quizzes and a final make up most of your grade. Really rude to students and berates them for test scores. If they're sub 50 and the average only declines, at some points on you. He's not even hot, don't listen to the people saying to take him for that. Tries to make 2A a weed out course for some reason when it just shouldn't be.
He will do anything but teach. Do NOT take him. Dislikes teaching.
I tend to disagree with the notion that he doesn't like his students; he just has a sassy sense of humor. That being said, his teaching style is shockingly subpar for someone who is obviously very smart. Lectures are just powerpoint's where he solves problems, if you are having trouble grasping concepts then lecture will not be helpful to you.
Shows no favoratism. Dislikes everyone equally [exept himself ] "I don't hate you ......... I just hate the way you perform on exams" - Shotwell FA25 "Students in Phys 2A SP25 ignored this advice and (not surprisingly to me, surprisingly to them) didn't do well on exams [course]" - Also Shotwell FA25
Does he know physics ? Yes . Yes he does. Can he teach? No . Absolutely not. Will refer you to other studntes ( not TA's not SI's ) if you have a questions. An intellect for sure. But people get the feeling that he doesnt like them. Was the happiest when class got over and people started leaving.
Student - "Do you hate us?" “Enough with the hate talk, let's start with physics talk,” says Shotwell in Fall Quarter 2025, but alas there's no way to discuss the physics he teaches without hate. If you're foolish enough to take him after reading this, then don't be surprised when you realise that this guy just does not like teaching :) Good luck
Isn't he delightful?! "Erm well ask your friend, she'll know, if you're asking this question you really shouldn't be sitting in this class." - Shotwell Fall 2025. "You know you ask too many questions; how about you try solving them instead? You're not being very productive by asking so many questions." - in Office Hours, mind you. Ugh.
"I know this question causes a lot of annoyance to me during office hours, when you come and ask me the same question 30 times. I understand some of you get as annoyed as me during exams. So for the benefit both of us don't come and ask those to me during office hours" Oof. This isn't even about grades, it's about his lack of interest in teaching.
It's ironic how he is teaching a grad course Phys 500: Instruction in Physics Teaching, when he clearly hates teaching. At this point, this guy has just become a running joke and in fact, a bonding point for all Phy 2A survivors.
This was a difficult class, but Dr. Shotwell was in all honesty, a good professor.
Professor Shotwell's exams are indeed hard but the professor is very welcoming to questions after lecture. If one studied for the exams it is possible to get an A. Prof also has a sassy, hilarious sense of humor that could be mistaken for being rude or distasteful at times.
I've seen a few reviews saying that Prof Shotwell is welcoming or that his humor is “misunderstood” but that's not true. His attitude toward students is dismissive and condescending, especially when asking questions. What some might call "sassy" is honestly just outright disrespect to students. This is about the lack of basic teaching effort.
Yes, if you self-study a lot, you can get an A but that's entirely because you're teaching yourself. His lectures don't clarify much, and he shows little interest in actually helping students learn. So yes, it's possible to do well but only by ignoring his teaching altogether. You'll succeed in spite of him, not because of him.
One time during office hours, he literally pulled out a book and started reading while students were waiting to ask questions. People eventually just turned to each other for help instead. He seemed genuinely pleased with himself for finding a way to avoid interacting.
It's really not worth your money to take this class. In terms of learning, grades, and time spent, it just doesn't pay off. Take it with someone else instead, it's worth waiting a quarter if you have to.
I learned so much and also he's a great guy, especially if you go to office hours.
Loved Profesor Shotwell. His office hours were the highlight of my week. He used effective stratergies such as grouping students with other students so that we could tackle a physics problem quicker and more efficiently. Very straight to the point and is helpful in clarifying questions.
Prof has good intentions at heart. "You guys are not dumb. Everyone else treats you like you're dumb. I'm the only one that doesn't treat you like you're dumb." He truly wants us to become smarter physics students. Honestly, he's a nice chap, give him a chance. You can always drop after 2 weeks :/
I went to ask him a question, and he laughed at me for not understanding. Thanks Doc!
Professor Shotwell actually cares and explicitly asks students for questions even in lecture time. Seriously although the physics does take some work in doing the homework problems and practices quizzes he will help you and you will do alright. Give professor Shotwell a chance, seriously. Honestly love the dude.
He claims beginners are welcome, yet quickly shows frustration when you lack prior physics knowledge. Office hours feel impatient and step-by-step help is discouraged. The class is highly stressful: your entire grade hinges on quizzes and the final, with no partial credit. Not ideal for novices in Physics 2A.
This man is the most evil professor I have ever come across in my college years. Not only does he not teach the material he puts on exams but he also tells his students how disappointed he is in their performance in his class-oblivious to the fact that poor performance across the class reflects solely on his abysmal teaching.
96% grades are midterms and finals. Bit of a meme professor imo
I was scared to take this class. Many do not have time to study for this class and Shotwell can be impatient, snarky, and has high expectations. The tests have easier questions but the curve is unforgiving. Thank goodness for Thomas, who gave his time to help the class (not Shotwell). Very easy to get burnt out but that's the physics department.
This guy actually doesn't want his students to succeed. He refuses to curve or do anything to support his students even through every quiz average is below a passing grade. He teaches 2a like it is a weed out class and not the first physics class many to most students here will take. He exemplifies how not to teach in higher education.
Dont take his class
"[People] really are treating you like you're dumb. And I'm the only one not treating you like you're dumb. So it feels bad that you're not doing well on exams, but really, I know that you can do better," said the prof, who consistently implies that the SP25 Phys 2A class failed bc they didn't try hard enough.
A professor that never takes responsibility for the low mean&median grade, always say it's the student "not working hard enough" even in the syllabus, but don't tell us how to work. He even knows the problems he has but just fails to change it. Super harsh grader, wrong on one small question could give you a letter grade difference. Don't take him.
I'm lowk not in his class but yes, he is the supervillain of UCSD. Every bad thing you hear about him is true, do not take him.
Physics 1 is the easiest class so I don't know why his teaching makes it so hard. Its like basic af and the class average is 50 percent on all the quizzes (you have 4 btw), which shows how his teaching isn't really effective. If you don't have a baseline in physics its lwk not worth and just wait til next quarter.
I got an A but thats cuz I took AP physics and already knew everything. Going to his lecture made my brain cells devolve and I felt like I was going backwards in my learning. It literally makes that little sense don't do it guys.
Quiz averages consistently hovered at 40-50 percent but blames students for not asking enough questions. No, I think that means that your teaching style has fundamental issues. Speeds through material in class and provides snarky feedback to questions. The curve by the end of the class was extremely generous, but I feel like I learned nothing.
He makes this class way harder than it should be. There should be no reason why quiz averages are always between 40-50%, especially if our grade is almost 100% exams. Blames the students for the low averages, but if everybody's failing then that's on him. Seems approachable in lectures, gets annoyed in office hours if you ask too many questions.
He's lowkey funny and kinda cute but not good at teaching. Wouldn't take him again.
The worst physics class I've taken. Lectures towards the beginning were okay but people did not show up to class for half the quarter. Quizzes were not representative of what we learned. Take a different prof.
If you're not religious yet pick one and start praying.
If you have no prior knowledge on Physics coming into this class, take another professor. He's sassy funny that's his only pro, but if you are trying to learn physics he is not the guy. Most of class is example problems, and if you're good at self studying then it's a lot easier. He has good intentions, but just a bad lecturer.
Pro: Provides the bare minimum in terms of formulas so you can do the work. Cons: forget about intuition. You have a cheat sheet... write down the formulas and plug & chug. Also, don't bother asking questions; Shotwell is snarky and acts like you're dumb for not knowing & then gives a poor explanation. Also exams are 96% of your grade. Don't take.
Honestly I feel like he's the best physics teacher I've ever had... You can literally bring 5 cheatsheets to the final exam, plus he also provides 1 formula sheet himself. The review sessions before quizzes were super relevant to the topics that were tested. The grade did depend heavily on quizzes and the final though, but he curves a lot.
Put in the work or your GPA will suffer. Tests are very hard and class is very fast paced. Homework is optional, but if you want to do well on exams you should do it. Exams make up all of your grade.
He's a nice guy and obviously knows his stuff, but maybe knows it a little too well that that it makes him expect too much of introductory physics students. Showing up to lecture and doing the optional homework helps, but lots of the quiz questions are much more complex than what that preparation will get you ready for. 96% exams is rough
Do NOT take phy 2A with prof shotwell if you've never done physics before . Test heavy. But if you DO end up taking it do ALL of the optional hw and I mean ALL ( Especially the additional questions) . They help a lot for the quiz. The prof does NOT like explaining questions to students
Class Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
43%
Textbook Required
0%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-1.31 avg changeRatings by Course
PHYS100A
5.0
(4)PHYS100B
5.0
(1)PHYS4A
5.0
(1)PHYSICS2B
4.0
(3)PHYSICS2C
4.0
(2)Difficulty by Course
PHYS2A
4.4
PHYS2D
4.3
PHYS2B
4.0
PHYS2C
4.0
PHYS100B
4.0