Class is some what interesting. At times she teaches down to her students kind of going too slow, but then exams are at a difficulty above what is presented in lecture.

VERY fair on grades. Class grades are based on 5 things: homework, quizes, the midterm, a final and a bonus final. each is worth 25% and the lowest of the 5 gets completely dropped. Tests are a bit long for the time block but were doable and the curve was pretty generous. Plus she's very easy on the eyes. ; ) A good teacher and very personable.

Her lectures are all review and thus boring as hell but she's nice. Her exams aren't as much hard as they are improperly timed so no amount of study will help. Her section of the class is absurdly easy, just make sure you have time to devote to the second half of the course when you are actually learning new material.

I preferred Professor Spurling's part of the class much better. She made it more interesting, and her exams were much fairer. She was somewhat rushed at times, and didn't seem to like answering questions, but I loved her as a lecturer. I would definitely take another course with her. Mike L. was an amazing TA - highly suggested.

All lecture slides are posted online. Exams are based on the lectures. I opened my book maybe once all semester, no need to buy it. Professor Spurling taught the first half of the course. If you've taken 1107 & 1108 this half is entirely review. She talks very slowly and makes sure everyone understands it before moving on. Boring, effective. Easy.

Good lecturer, although tends to rush through things towards the end of class. Gives a practice exam before the 1st exam so you know what to expect. Exams are multiple choice, but not overly difficult; alot of the questions are taken from the discussion materials, so review those well. Her portion of genetics is easier than the second half.

I really liked this professor. I enjoyed going to lecture because her style of teaching really helped me understand the material. You could tell she genuinely cares about her students. If you attend her office hours, she will explain concepts further to you as well. The material is hard though-meet with your TA often and go to help hours.

Intelligent and solid lecturer. Makes complicated material easy to understand. Her half of the lecture is fairly straightforward, and exams are very similar in format to the practice exam and discussion material. Shows genuine and credible concern for her students, though it may seem like she is talking down to the class at times.

Fantastic. She should teach the entire class herself. Wonderful personality, very easy to understand, gets the attention of the class, and is just all around fantastic.

Lectures are clear and topics are explained well. Quizzes are generally from discussion and can include lecture terms.

She is a nice lady but her slides and lectures are at a 1st grade level while her test questions are at graduate school level. This big difference is why she had to curve her exam by 10 points when everybody failed. The discussion quizzes are also hard.

Great teacher, I wished she taught the whole year! Not really sure how so many people failed the exam, just know the vocab on the study guides and do the practice problems and you'll get an A.

Loved her! So clear about necessary information for tests and quizzes. Just go to class, take notes, and do the discussion worksheets and it should be an easy passing grade!

I loved her, she is so passionate about genetics. The material can be difficult, and I never missed a class because I probably wouldn't have done as well. If you ask her for help after class, she was go above and beyond and make sure you understand.

I had her for the first half of the course. She's a great lecturer and her powerpoints were easy to understand. The concepts she taught were not difficult and she really does show a passion for the subject. The midterm wasn't too bad; just make sure you read the questions and answers carefully. Discussion helps a lot if you have a good TA.

I liked how she presented information during lecture and she was extremely nice, but was not a fan of her test. It was a tad tricky; therefore if you wish to do well with her make sure to put in the hours and study and then you shall succeed!

Took in Fall 2011.Good professor, very nice, explains everything you need to know, passionate about genetics and makes class interesting. She's exactly what your looking for in a professor. Material is basically Gen Bio but a lil' more in depth. Go to class, listen and make sure you do all your necessary work and studying for discussion.

If you study and read the exam questions very carefully, it's doable. Albert was a fantastic TA

Very nice and approachable. Covers material well in class. The midterm was based on problem solving including being able to derive information from passages. Know how to do material from quizzes and practice exams inside and out and you'll be fine. Also use the weekly TA extra help if you're struggling with anything, and you'll get an A no problem

She's absolutely amazing. Keeps everyone engaged in lecture, covers topic thoroughly but speeds a little, and even answers a few individual questions in a 400 person lecture. I suggest getting the book in case you miss parts of lecture because it moves quick and some topics are very detailed. Her midterm was very easy!

It is apparent that this professor loves her subject of study. she is always enthusiastic, available for those who want it. She made learning the material very easy. When she is lecturing she lights up the room and you can't take your attention off of her.

Best professor at UConn. Weekly quizs and exams are easy, if you attend all lectures and discussions.

Loved this course. Spurling was really boring in lecture, but she loved talking and teaching genetics! Get to know your TA!!!!!!!!! all of the ta's were exceptional...really helpful and smart. Went to office hours occasionally. Easy to do well..lowest quiz gets dropped along with lowest grade in course. I'd recommend to anyone :)

Her smaller class in the Spring semester was MUCH better than the large lecture-hall Fall class. The way the discussion sections were done was also much much more helpful. She is a wonderful person, who clearly loves to teach and loves interacting with students. Not a very hard class, but one where you still learn a lot and feel inspired.

Spurling is an awesome professor! She really cares about her students and is always happy to help. Going to lecture is really important, though its not necessary. The tests can be tricky there are a lot of A&B questions that can trip people up. I would definitely take this class again or anything Spurling offers!

Can either be one of the easiest classes you have ever taken, or one of the more frustrating. Weekly quizzes are easy and lectures are clear-cut, but where this class can get you are the exams. A class based on how good you are on taking exams for the most part.

Prof Spurling was a great lecturer, she gave you all the info you needed to know but she also expected you to do your part. Don't skip class and go to help hours and the class will be soo much easier. No need to purchase the book unless you are absolutely struggling.

Forensics was such a good class. It was fun and interesting and there were minimal assignments/studying. One midterm, a few quizzes, and one final group project/4 page essay. Cool guest speakers and documentaries. Just be aware that some lectures are on more basic stuff and can be a bit slow . Definitely recommend!

This class is difficult, but enjoyable. I highly recommend showing up to take extra notes on top of the ones online. Do ALL of the extra credit if you can, even if you do well on the first exam. The extra credits are easy and don't take a lot of effort or time. Her exams are very hard, so go through the study guide and lecture and discussion notes.

Honestly, the class is pretty tough if you aren't good at logic. She makes it more of a math class where you're solving puzzles on exams, puzzles written super unclear. However, there is a TON of available help and she makes it very clear what you have to do to get an A in the class, it's just time consuming/ hard work. She's a great human though.

Lots of material on every test. Quiz every week in discussion, but usually easy questions. TA's very useful to have and ask questions (but it will depend on the TA). Spurling was very clear in class but often very rushed to get through everything. Powerpoints are uploaded. Barely opened the textbook, maybe 3 times in the semester, once before tests

Awesome professor. If you put in the work and actually study you'll be fine. If you study and go to the TA help hours or her office hours it's not bad at all. She's extremely fair in what she expects and offers multiple extra credit chances which are great. She's very willing to help. HIGHLY HIGHLY HIGHLY RECOMMEND.

Tests are tough. Requires a lot of work but grade will reflect how much time you put into the class. She's definitely willing to help, drops lowest tests and quizzes in discussion help to prepare for what test material is like. Go to class and study!!!

Past reviews said she was difficult but for Fall 2016 she reworked the structure. She goes fast during lectures, but uploads her powerpoints the day before. Print them out and bring them to lecture! Attendance is taken in lecture. There are weekly quizzes in discussion that are annoying but very easy if you do the homework given.

Discussion is essential to your learning. You have weekly quizzes in your discussion section which can be tedious, but is good if you are not good at exam taking because it lowers the percent of your midterm and final to both be only 15% of your total grade. Dr. Spurling is truly focused on her students learning and succeeding.

Dr. Spulring is one of the best professors I've ever had. She's so passionate about what she teaches. I wish I could take another class with her. Take good notes in class and on the online homework. Make study guides for each quiz based off key terms at the end of each lecture and do the weekly worksheets. It's easy to figure out how to get an A.

I was worried going into this class because Dr. Spurling has several poor reviews but I was pleasantly surprised by this class. She was enthusiastic throughout lecture and seemed to care a lot about her students & their well-being. I regret not getting to know her more by going to office hours. The midterm/final can be tricky so make sure to study!

Dr. Spurling is a great teacher! She tried to keep lecture interesting by having interactive activities. Discussion is extremely important! She gives quizzes every week and they count for a large percentage of your grade, at the end of the semester she drops two of your lowest quiz grades. Exams are MC.

She's really into genetics. If you're not inclined to learn about it and put in the time, you will get a poor grade. Worked my ass off for a B. But still, it's fair enough, there's enough room for you to recover if you slip up. Also she's low-key thicc, you don't wanna miss out on that ;)

If this is a hard class, good luck on Biochem. Going to class is important and the quizzes are huge on your grade. Exams are tricky, so read carefully and don't rush out of the exam. I needed an 80 on the final to get an A in the class. Studied for two days and got a 92 on it. Bottom line, be a responsible student and you're fine.

Discussion quizzes every week are a big part of your grade, but not that hard. The class has a midterm and a final that are tricky so you need to study a lot. The way she weights everything makes it easy to get an A but you need to put in a lot of work for it.

Dr. Spurling is one of the best professors I've had. She really cares about her students, and you can tell that she really loves what she teaches. The online program she uses with her class is very helpful, quizzes actually help you learn the material. Her exams are tricky, but only worth 30% of your final grade (15% for midterm 15% for final)

Spurling is really sweet and very approachable. She gives quizzes every week in discussion that are worth 40% of your grade. There are 3 exams only 10% each. The rest comes from outside worksheets and online quizzes. Overall would recommend.

Spurling is absolutely a good professor. Her exams were hard because you needed to know genetics inside and out, but it wasn't any hard concepts to learn. Each person is different though, so if you don't like genetics you may not be motivated to learn it. Medium level of difficulty. Also super attractive for a professor mom and great music choice

Dr. Spurling is by far my favorite professor at UConn. She made genetics very enjoyable. You have to put in the effort, like in any other class, but it is worth it. She is accessible outside of class if you need to meet to go over content. She truly cares about her students doing well. I recommend taking genetics with her.

Dr. Spurling is a great professor. We had no exams, but instead had cumulative weekly quizzes. There are several options for extra credit, and she is caring about not only her work but also the success of students. She really wants you to understand concepts. She is also understanding. Overall, she is very down to earth, and she has great passion.

If you work for it, you can deff do good in this course. There are so many extra help hours and resources that are offered. The quizzes are mostly based off the discussion period with some facts from the lecture powerpoints. Overall, she really cares about her students and she really loves what she teaches.

Prof. Spurling is amazing. She is super enthusiastic and tries to make lecture interesting. There are no exams, just weekly quizzes (some get dropped). I see a lot of people on here complaining about the difficulty of the class,but she sent us the grade distributions and the class average was an 85, so clearly its manageable

Colleen Spurling is an amazing woman on the inside and outside. This is a college course. You need to put the work to do well. She is a phenomenal teacher who gives students multiple ways to learn and multiple chances to be DILIGENT.

Dr. Spurling is a wonderful woman who cares about her students success in her class. Lectures can be confusing at time so definitely need to review other materials provided by her. NO EXAMS, but weekly quizzes mainly based off of previous discussion class with some stuff from lecture. Several opportunities for extra credit.

Dr. Spurlling is really perhaps the best sciences teacher that I've had in UConn. She is passionate about the topic and shows that she is caring for her students. Also, her course assessments are great since it shows you were to specifically improve on a more regular basis since these are weekly and make actually engage with the material.

Spurling is an awesome professor, the best Ive ever had. Her quizzes can be difficult at times, but as long as youve studied ahead of time and done the homework youll do fine. Her superquizes are also really tough but theyre only worth 10 percent of your grade each, and she gives extracredit on them. Study and go to lecture and youll get an A

Dr. Spurling is very passionate about the subject that she teaches, and a wonderful lecturer. I learned so much in this class and enjoyed going to lectures. If you study for weekly discussion quizzes you will do well in the class. Definitely worth taking this class with Dr. Spurling.

Professor Spurling teaches the material in a very enthusiastic way. She brings lots of examples to class to help visualize different concepts in genetics. She has very clear lecture slides and the material is very simple.

A WOMAN!! So kind and sweet - wants you to succeed inside and outside the classroom. 9 weekly quizzes drops the lowest and you can replace the remaining lowest w extra credit. 2 "superquizzes" and 4 graded HW assignments. Weekly online homework as well. You have to work for the grade you want but she gives you so many chances to prove you want it.

I love her passion and enthusiasm for teaching MCB material! She is such a wonderful person, and I know she has a lot on her plate to handle. This course was a little difficult just because it felt like she was a bit absent this semester. She is so caring about her students and clearly just wants everyone to succeed. A very inspirational professor!

Dr. Spurling is a great professor. We waste no time in class and she is approachable despite being well organized and passionate about the material. The class isn't easy, but it isn't insanely hard by a long shot. If you read all the materials, come to lectures and discussion, and view all the videos, do worksheets, etc. you will be fine.

Dr. Spurling is an amazing professor who is passionate about what she teaches and cares about her students. Very approachable for help. Going to lecture, doing the discussion worksheets and reading the material she posts helps for the exams and quizzes. Really interesting class and great professor. Highly recommend taking genetics with her.

Professor Spurling was one of the best professors I've had. If you go to lecture, actually pay attention in discussion and finish the worksheets on your own, you will do well and get an A. Definitely recommend TA office hours as well! If you're pre-med, this class is great MCAT prep as well.

The content of the class really isn't that bad , the lectures are cohesive and make sense, but I think the exams/quizzes just do not accurately reflect what she teaches. They are so specific and the select alls just kill me. The worksheets and hw will be your savior because you need to understand them to do well. Way too much work for a 3 credits

Spurling is a very kind and generous professor. She offers so many extra credit opportunities as well as gives out a lot of homework and practice problems which I personally believe are so helpful in learning the content and making sure that the good grades on those things help your overall grade after difficult exams.

Dr. Spurling is an amazing professor. She always has amazing energy in the lecture hall making it more enjoyable to learn the material. She always answers questions beyond full extent to make sure you fully understand the material. This material was fun to learn but it is very hard material so you really have to put in the work.

Highly recommend putting the lectures on 2x speed if you're taking it online. Quizzes become harder as the class goes by. The worksheets will save your life on those quizzes and exams. Overall, there is just a lot of work that comes with the class so be prepared to spend time with all the her assignments but getting a good grade is doable.

Great professor and class. The quizzes and exams can be tricky at times, but if you watch her lecture videos thoroughly and take good notes, it is very doable. After the first few assessments you get the hang of how she tests you and it becomes easier as you go on. She is very approachable. go to her office hours if you need help, or ask your TA

I love learning about the material in Dr. Spurling's class, but her tests/quizzes can be VERY tricky. I still get A's on the exam, but I study for so long and the exams give me such bad anxiety. She's very helpful at office hours, but will never answer her emails. Overall, I would recommend to take the class, but maybe with a different professor.

Prof. Spurling's class has a lot of quizzes. If you go over the homeworks and study, the tests and quizzes aren't too bad, although some are harder than others. She responds to her email a week late, so if you need to ask her something go to her office hours or ask a TA. Overall I really like the class and find a lot of the topics interesting.

The test and quizzes were a but challenging but manageable and she allows open notes. she give so much extra credit that its almost hard not to pass if you do all your work. Her lectures are very informative and interesting, she knows what she's talking about and everything she says makes sense, her jokes make the lectures.

Spurling is a great professor who is highly knowledgeable and really cares for her students to do well. However she was very overloaded this semester and it seemed like she kinda set aside our class at the end of her priorities. It's a very interesting class though! Fun and easy group project, no exams, guest speakers.

LOVE Dr. Spurling. Cares so much about her students and super approachable. Loved getting to know her too. Class was interesting and she's so passionate about her field so it's not boring. One group project, 10 quizzes, no exams or final. A few homework assignments. Take this if you need some MCB credits!

Dr. Spurling is GREAT but she gave SO MUCH work. Tedious homework or writing assignment due every week, some weeks both. Lots of extra credit. Spurling is very passionate but her lectures are hard to stay awake for. Exams are open note but VERY difficult. We're tested on topics talked about in lecture but not written on slides, so pay attention!

I took human genetics with Spurling and she's such an energetic professor and really tries to keep you engaged during class. Although her lectures are very informational, they very rarely reflect the difficulty of the quizzes and tests. Very out-of-class work heavy, with frequent quizzes, weekly homework, and written papers. super interesting class

Spurling truly wants you to learn but lecture rarely reflects what's on the quizzes and exams. She has more assignments so the class isn't just based on exams. Also gives extra credit opportunities. Quizzes and exams were open printed notes but they don't help because a lot of questions are problem solving. You have to actually put in the work.

Colleen Spurling is my favorite professor I've had so far. She is so energetic and excited about what she is teaching, and will work very hard to make sure that you understand it too. Exams were always online and open note, so testing is very application based. Take good notes but make sure you really understand the material inside and out.

One of the best professors I've had! Try not to miss class, there's a lot of material. Keep up with homework and do the extra credit. Her lectures are really engaging. And she really tries to make sure everyone understands and welcomes any feedback or questions you may have. Definitely recommend!

Dr. Spurling was a great professor who was very passionate in her lectures. She gives a lot of work every week, so keep up to not fall behind. Her exams / quizzes were difficult but manageable; her select-all-that-apply questions can make you lose a lot of points. She offers a lot of EC to boost your grade up easily! Lectures were all on HuskyCT.