Dr. Kvaal is very nice given the time he spent in Iowa, although on the pipetteman scale he would be much closer to a p10 than a p5000.

Very intelligent teacher. Very helpful inside as well as outside of the class.

He was a good prof. Talked a little fast sometimes but used good analogies. Was willing to help. The notes he gives arent very helpful you have to read the book and teach yourself. There is unannounced quizzes that should be easy if you do the readings.

He is a nice guy, but hard to follow. If you REALLY pay attention you can usually decipher what he is trying to say. He is a lot less scatterbrained out of class, so if you have a question or need help, go to him in his office.

He is actually very nice and helpful. I did better on my exam for his lecture than Tubbiola and Julius. He is very approachable.

really nice out of class but once in class it did not seem like he was very organized at all

I think most people are basing their reviews on the 151 class, of which he only teaches 1/3. I'm in his BIOL 262 Genetics class and he teaches just fine. He ties everything together well, and makes sure everyone is getting what he is saying in lecture before he moves on. He even let me take the class as a co-requisite with CHEM 210. I like him.

I found Kvall to be very helpful, especially since he posts everything on D2L and provides many resources in and out of class to help a student to understand the course material. Many complain about this class, but this is as easy as it's going to get, and if you're going into anything related to Biology, you'll have to deal.

Kvall is an allright prof. Sometimes the lectures are slightly boring, but they are helpful for the exams. If you put in the effort, come to class, and study you will do fine. (The clickers were actually useful because at the end of the semester he adds participation points to the grade) Exams are difficult so be sure to study!

He's really easy to understand and covers things well in class.

very good, easy to understand. go to class and pay attention! go over the power points and i recommend purchasing the study guide, it really helped me. he's good at letting you know what to study for and what's important. very good experience in that class, he was my favorite professor this semester.

i got a C, but i didn't study as much. some of the tests are crazy and tricky, but otherwise it's not so bad. labs suck though.

I thought He was a great professor. He teaches off of powerpoint slides which makes it easy. As far as the test's go they are hard, but study. A LOT (i mean ALOT) of the test questions are on the textbooks website. The textbooks website definately helps with studying. Don't buy the book. complete waste of money!

Kvaal is the worst bio teacher ever, he thinks he knows all and he thinks hes funny but hes not, and he teaches off of powerpoint which most of the stuff isnt on the tests, tests have trick questions, he jumps around from subject to subject, and makes no sense, he only has four outfits he wears too( not like that matters) but he only wears corderoy

Great teacher! Is very very hard, but wants you to learn as much as possible. His tests are really hard and sometimes tricky. If you have problems he is very helpful and is willing to work with you. Some test questions are found on the books website.

Great teacher. Knows how to teach. Clicker needed for the class and the use of clicker helps a great deal for the exams. Tests are easy and study guide is provided. Lowest scoring exam is dropped, so u have some sort of cushion.

Kvaal just wants you to learn. You whiners who say he's not there to help you, or that the powerpoint isn't the best, or the tests are not directed-- daahhh! You whine!

This professor does all that he can to try and help you succeed. If you put in the time after class, you will do amazing no questions asked. He explains things on your level and make sure everyone can understand the whole big picture of everything.

I really like the class but half the stuff that's on the test Dr. Kvaal doesn't cover or even mention to look over.

Kvaal is very good at making this subject understandable. His tests are hard because there is alot of critical thinking questions. If you read the book and actaully understand things instead of just memorizing them you will do fine.

A very laid-back guy. Sometimes he tends to stray off subject in lectures, but on material related to the course. Exams are pretty straightforward. Make sure you keep up in lab, it's an easy way to bump your grade up.

He's alright, just not very interesting and is too interested in 'learning objectives' instead of the actual class material.

I think most of the negative comments are from freshmen who have never taken a college science class before. College level biology is a hard subject, Kvall does a great job teaching. He drops your lowest test score AND he curves the tests, which are much easier then in BIO 152. If you go to class and use his study guides, its easy to get an A

Dr. Kvaal would rather not teach a freshman level biology class; it's quite obvious. However, he is relatively easy that allows you to drop an exam. This guy is probably a better prof for higher level bio classes.

not as bad as everyone really says. I hate CPR though (grading other peoples essays). Tests can be hard (ave. like 80%), but they were pretty easy for me.

took online class for generals. class was just a 20 point quiz every week or two on a chapter of the book. Syllabus was crystal clear.

I thought he was a great teacher. The class was well organized. If you read the book, go to lecture, and write down the metaphors he gives, the tests should be pretty easy for you. I think people assume 100-level classes are going to be easy A's and that's why they complain. If you do the work and study you'll be fine.

teaches biology very will and knows what he is talking about

Dr. Kvaal was a good (though socially awkward) professor. I felt he was very informative in his lectures, and did his best to convey concepts in ways to help students understand. He is NOT an easy professor, but if you actually work and pay attention, it's easy. He seems unapproachable, but that is due more to social deficits than bad temperament.

CPR in this class is a joke, half of the people don't even bother doing it so most of the time only one person graded my essay instead of the expected three. Lectures are interesting, choose your lab group VERY wisely, and study hard for the tests, and attend class! It amazes me how many people do not attend a science class and expect to do well.

As long as you attend class and do simple studying, you will have no problem passing this class. Dr. Kvaal is funny and it's important to him that everyone understands certain concepts, which is why he uses the CPS system. I would recommend him!

Great professor for this class. His analogies really helped you learn the material. Really tried to liven up a rather dry subject with jokes, YouTube videos, and whatever else he could think of. Exams were a little tricky, but his exam policy is very lenient. Lab is fun as long as you have a good TA. I would recommend him for this class.

This class was very enjoyable..it was my first biology class and I loved it! Do your work, study, attend labs and lectures and it will be easy. Lectures are very helpful, Kvaal gives analogies that make biology easy to learn and very interesting. Lab helped tie everything together and was fun and interesting, though it might depend on the TA.

All of the people giving Dr. Kvaal bad reviews are going to be in for a reality check if they wish to continue their studies in Biology. Biology is NOT an easy subject, but Kvaal does an excellent job, there are worse professors and much, much tougher classes. If you can't handle this class there is little hope for you in future biology classes.

Very funny. Even though attending lecture classes is not required I would go anyway because he gives you the answers to the test and make the class a lot easier than if you wouldn't attend class. He also makes some funny jokes at times

By far the greatest professor i've had. the professor is not hard just his class is hard and he will do everything to help you understand the subject. take this class with this professor i will recomend it

Kvaal is an excellent professor and made this class very enjoyable. One of my favorite professors here at SCSU! Definitely would take another of his classes, though you do have to study, it's possible.

This professor was excellent as long as you do your own fair share of the work. Review the ppts and read the text before coming to class and you will ace it. He has a sort of dry humor to him, but overall I would take courses with him again.

He may seem like a bad professor at first but he really knows his stuff. Go to lecture and you will get a B minimum. His final is optional if you do well of 4 of the 5 lecture exams. Sometimes he gives exam questions during class and flat out tells you the answer. Get used to his metaphors, he uses them a lot and sometimes on exams.

He is not like the ratings here online at all!! YOU get the grade you work for, honestly. Half the time he gives you the exam questions before the exam and supplementary quizzes which can bump your test grades up by 5%!! I recommend him even :), just adjust to a little sarcasm you will be fine

He was a pretty good professor overall. He made the class easy by dropping an exam and making the final optional.

Dr. Kvaal is very fair, very clear, and very honest. You work hard, you will do well. he gives you all the tools you need to succeed in his class. If you go to lecture, listen, and put in some time on your own, you'll do well. He can give the impression of being unapproachable but he's really not. Highly recommended!

Kvaal is a good prof, but be advised that he tries to be funny. He's extremely sarcastic. The class itself is easy just because the lecture notes that he provides are whats going to be on the test. SHOW UP TO CLASS AND YOU WILL GET A GOOD GRADE!

He teaches in a way that every professor should teach. Go to class and listen and then review the material asap. It helped to read supplemental books in genetics as well. It will not be easy if you have a lack of motivation in the class.

I had previously taken this class during fall semester and ended up having to withdraw from the class because it was so difficult. I retook the class with Dr. Kvaal in the summer and understood the class so much better, attendance wasn't necessary but very helpful. I recommend taking this class with him if you have the choice! Great teacher!

I felt like Dr. Kvaal was definitely a good choice for this course. It's obvious he knows what he is talking about and asks some good critical thinking questions. The lectures can be somewhat mundane but it was still very beneficial to attend all of them.

I found Dr. Kvaal to be a fair professor. I worry that the students who gave poor scores did not go to class and suffered for it. When I took genetics, he posted the three exams and said 90% of the final is right here. Yes his lectures could be a little dry, but I feel that professors make up for that with enthusiasm for the subject. Just study!

Best biology professor I have ever met at SCSU! He is always there to help you when needed. The class isn't supposed to be easy, but he does all he can to make sure students know what they need to get out of the class. Amazing professor that knows genetics very well. Makes the class very interesting . I would highly recommend.

It's a pretty difficult class, especially if you're new to basic chemistry. What makes this class difficult is he will explain definitions and vocabulary but he expects the student to critically think about the concepts. Tests are difficult. They are a shock if you don't do a lot of studying! He's a great teacher though and more than fair.

I took this course online and it was an easy A. All of the tests are easy and he gives more than one chance on all of them. He also assigned very few assignments and the few he did assign were easy.

Kvaal is a dedicated man when it comes to teaching and he truly makes sure that everyone thinks outside of the box. He is also very funny, he would bring such a great vibe to his lectures. Also he offers extra credit which helps if tests are not your strong suit. The labs are also very easy and the learn smart activities helped me a lot!

I've had Kvaal for a few classes now and his teaching style has grown on me. When I first had him, I was indifferent to him. He doesn't give answers out freely, he makes you work for it and think about it. Now I really like him and his teaching. He cares about students, and he is more approachable than he seems. I would take again.

Do the homework, show up to class, study and you'll be fine. His exams aren't too bad, but there are always a few more in-depth questions that are tricky. Lab is really easy. The online homework gives you access to the ebook, so don't bother buying a hard copy.

Dr. Kvaal is by far my favorite professor. He can be intimidating but after having 2 classes with him hes actually very caring. Hes always prepared and has great lectures! We had mini pop quizzes so id suggest not missing class because the extra points were helpful. Take any class you can with Dr. Kvaal you will not be disappointed!

One of my favorite educators I've experienced at SCSU so far. Great lectures, emphasis on conceptual comprehension as opposed to fact retention. Labs are usually on paper or computer with a grad student assistant. Rather lecture heavy, but very interesting and he often relates course material to relative careers and other courses you might take.

I really enjoyed the way that Dr. Kvaal taught this class. I honestly was not interested in genetics before I began this class, but now I want to make it a career! He has a fairly dry sense of humor, so don't be alarmed. He is always available for office hours and they helped so much. He really does care about his students!

Pretty good teacher, although sometimes when lecturing he goes off topic. Always brings so much energy to each lecture. Don't miss class because there are always in class quizzes that count towards final grade. I took the class during the summer so it was very interactive. do well on lab reports and you do not have to worry about finals

Took Bio 151 in the summer, which if you can don't do this. Way to much information in five weeks. Kvaal is awesome and actually cares about your grade and you if you out in effort. I didn't feel like I really learned all that I could from this class because it went so quickly so I would recommend taking it spring or fall. Good Luck.

He makes lecture fun.

Dr. Kvaal is a great professor. He want his student to learn critical thinking and understanding the class and not just memorizing his class. do your connect assignments and go to class for kahoot, finally get on time to class, he will give sometimes easy pop quizzes at the beginning.

Dr. Kvaal is an amazing professor and has been my favorite professor I've had during my undergrad. He seems intimidating at first but he really cares. This class isn't an easy A and Dr. Kvaal will make you work hard but it made me a better student. He's always willing to give extra help outside of class as well.

Dr. Kvaal puts a lot of effort in his job and it shows. Very professional and engaging. I love the Kahoot questions! Great teacher and great class! I would recommend.

I was scared by all the bad reviews, but I shouldn't have. He can come across somewhat brunt, but he's a great teacher that cares about us students. If you ask for help, he will be there for you. He is very busy, so make an appointment or catch him right after class!

I had a great time taking this class with Dr. Kvaal. The class was mainly review for me so it was super easy and just went over BMB techniques. As long as lab notebook is kept up with you will be fine. By far the easiest class I took, but the final was somewhat hard as stuff wasn't discussed much in class that was on the final.

YOU HAVE TO GO TO CLASS FOR CREDIT. He was okay, he did a lot of group or kahoots which didn't really help some of us. I lot of Mcgrawl so get ready to read. I wish he would change how he teaches as kahoot is kinda of annoying. I feel as lots of studying was done outside of class. He's a great professor though and I would definitely take him again.

Really funny professor and makes the class easy to succeed. Attendance is mandatory and easy points for your grade so GO! Do the online homework and study from it. Tests are simple multiple-choice questions. Study with book and actually KNOW the content and you'll be fine. If you need help in the class, go to tutoring or form study groups.

i think dr. kvaal has evaluated his teaching style and gotten better. i used to be warned about this guy and i love his class. sometimes it's frustrating because its mainly worksheets in class rather than lecture but he's always willing to go over content. very nice guy.

He is a better teacher than he was. I was warned about him and enjoyed the class. Exams weren't easy or hard. He allowed the entire class to retake an exam and kept the questions the same. Participation does matter but it is very easy. I really liked genetics and he was funny and nice. I recommend!

As some of the newer comments are saying, I think he has gotten better. He is very knowledgeable in the subject and really the only issue is that he took until the end the semester to grade the mandatory in person labs but, this also was a summer class and everything was fast paced. Good professor all around. Maybe just don't take in the summer.

Prof. Kvaal has a unique teaching style, but engaging with it pays off. The class is challenging, but manageable with the free textbook and study resources like unstuck ai. Attendance matters, so just show up and participate.

Collage isn't easy and in this class if you don't study and do the McGraw hill/GO TO CLASS, you are going to struggle. He gives out a lot of questions for exams to in class. I do feel like he lost his steam at the end of the semester, but the final wasn't hard and he's pretty funny if you talk to him. The worksheets are super important as well.

His method of teaching this class is very hard at first - he jumps in head first in the first week and you're expected to learn as you go. You can tell he much prefers to teach this class and is a much better professor than the one you experience in 151 or 262. He can be a polarizing person, but if you show interest and ask questions, you'll be OK