2.7
Quality3.7
Difficulty35%
Would Retake118
Reviews35%
Would Retake
118
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
18
4
28
3
18
2
19
1
35
What Students Say
“Lectures about his wife and dog more than increasing students knowledge on what he is supposed to be teaching”
CHEM144 - 1.0 rating“The teacher does not teach the concepts in class until after you have done the homework of those concepts, which is really annoying because then there is no point of going to his lectures to learn things since you have taught it yourself already”
CHEM144 - 2.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
94%
Textbook Required
75%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-0.54 avg changeRatings by Course
CHEM124
5.0
(1)CHEM144CHEM146
5.0
(1)CHEM124REC
4.7
(3)CHEM303
4.0
(1)CHEM146
3.8
(13)Difficulty by Course
CHEM124146
5.0
LAB
5.0
CHEM452
5.0
CHEM303
4.0
CHEM090
4.0
Reviews (118)
Labs are fun and interesting. The material is geared toward engieering. He is a great teacher and really knows his stuff.
he's a good prof, but the lecture is very bery boring...the lab is cool
Good teacher and all, but is very, very, very, very boring. The last half off the class is extremely confusing and hard. Gives you homework on stuff you haven't learned in class.
Was a very good teacher and ran the class very smoothly. Is willing to answer and question you throw his way. Overall a good learning experiance.
whatever chemisty I is. this guy is pretty easy and doesnt require you to memorize every little thing. very boring though, and i remember the final was tough.
This guy is a jerk. I asked him in the Spring term whether we would be using the same book for the Fall. The guy says sure, then right before the term he switches with another professor. I had to buy a $150 book and I was stuck with my old book from 124.
Not too friendly, reserved and shy personality, somewhat helpful, lot of memorization, fair grader
Donahue is a nice guy. He will teach something over and over again until everyone understands it. His quizzes are fairly easy and he is always willing to help someone with problems.
Donahue isn't anything special, but he is good at explaining concepts to students. I have him for my recitation which helps a TON considering my lecture instructor does not know how to teach.
Also had this teacher for Chem 124 recitation. Amazing, intelligent, very respectful... I never understood the chapters until I had recitation. He gives AWESOME notes and really cares that students get it. Group work and quizzes are much easier than expected. VERY recommended.
Had this guy for recitation, and my god what a differnece it was from lecture. Actually seemed to be able to do the problems without his powerpoints and cared that the students learned the material. Very approachable and knows his stuff. Helped me in chem more so than any of my proffesors.
Good lecturer, material is just boring. Gives handouts for all the material you need for tests. Study the handouts in detail and u will do well. This class requires a lot of work, if you fall behind ur screwed! if you ask him a question hes not very helpful--again study the handouts he lectures on!!
in one word=jerk. unwilling to help people. notes are NOT clear. how can you memorize reams and reams of utter nonsense? has no business being a professor and should stick to his research. his personality is akin to that of a human robot. cold and hard as nails.
Excellent, but ME's watch out. He almost converted me to a Chem engr.
This guy IS SOOOO boring. He talks slow and drags on in his lectures. He has computerized (CPS) quizzes on screen for "fun" that are pointless. I learned more from my recitation teacher in one day than a week with Donahue. He doesn't prepare you well for the test. You have to prepare yourself for the test. Lectures don't do anything.
Donahue is awesome. I learned a lot from lecture, probably becuase I actually paid attention. If you don't like cars and things about them, you may not get a lot of his class. For as mundane as the subject is, he does a good job. I wish I had to take Chem 146 for my major
Great teacher, here is some one who knows what the hell hes talking about! lmost lectures were very long and quite boring some how he still kept most people interest. thru in the random joke now and then and made the class more enjoyable. The lecutre paket he desighned for the class isn't that great however i found the book to be more helpfull.
He is alright. Really knows his stuff, and expects us to know some stuff by the end. I hate the huge lecture packet, and the labs are kinda boring, but eh. He isn't the hardest proffesor, but he makes the tests super long.
Great Prof!
Be careful taking this class with a weak basis in chem. He's smart, yes, but he expects you to understand just as much as he does about chem. Lectures usually sound like a foreign lanuage. I got a good grade in the class because I worked my butt off, but I learned nothing from Donahue. Go to recitation. That's where you really learn.
HIS Lectures are boring. Class is pretty interesting. U'll never find him in his office, there is a sign front of his office" I AM OUT OF MY OFFICE" (24/7). I always had to stay after class to get more details from him. NEVER ****ING SMILE. PRound of his ****ing daughter. What a freak? Brings her to exams, i get so annoyed.poor old guy?????????
Horrible teacher, takes pleasure in making students suffer, very hard tests
Hard test, boring lectures
He is a very hard and unfair grader. He expects students to know everything about the subject of inorganic chemistry. He plays favorites and he dares to call me unprofessional.
He was horrible. Exams are freakin long, and never in his office for help. So many things to do in class in so little time.
He is a total ****, he should be fired, he plays favorites, he is ****, and he is totally unprofessional.
Lectures were long and boring. Never got his point across as well as he should have. Gave pointless info and wasted time talking about it rather than the actual class material. Would not take again if I had a choice.
He is a horrible professor. He wastes way to much time in lecture talking about his "Word of the Day" and other things not on the tests. His tests are extremely hard and he expects you to know everything about everything. Take CHEM 134/,136 you can get the same credit.
HE was a horrible teacher
He is absolutely horrible. If you want to risk getting blown up, burned, cut, poisoned, or becoming sterile then by all means take this doofus for your advanced labs.
please avoid chem 144. he does not teach anything, but expects the student to already know everything (including organic chemistry). relatively difficult course, he is very unclear.
I enjoyed his class and thought he did an excellent job. He was a nice guy and he was always looking for ways to teach so the students could better comprehend the subject. The problem sets were very helpful in preparation for the tests (and keeping up on the reading). The class made me really appreciate the subject but be prepared to work.
This class was average. Make sure you are well prepared for tests and quizzes. He explains everything fine and to the point where it actually keeps you interested and awake. Worksheets every week are your major work besides tests, but the only problem I had is when he keep braggin about how educational his family was. Chill man, everyone isnt rich!
Material is somewhat easy, but there's a lot of it. Do the homework, it's a pain in the butt, but it will pay off, and turning in the homework is the only real reason to go to class. Lab is useless, but attendance is mandatory - it'll kill your grade if you don't go. Recitation sucks, but it's the only place that teaches how to do the math.
hard tests and hard lab reports
I'll be honest. I did not care for this guy at all. First off, he is a ridiculously tough grader. Secondly and most importantly, he is very unapproachable. He comes across as intimidating to talk to. He is also very unrelenting with a lot of things. I am not a fan, and do not recommend him.
Do the homework, go to class and take notes, try to get old tests. Go to lab and rec to understand material. ASK FOR HELP IF YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND THE MATERIAL. He is not that hard.
Firstly, this guy is extremely rude and unapproachable, he is about as much help as a rock. He lectures for a long time on many pointless subjects that aren't even on tests. For some odd reason he thinks that everyone is a freaking genius because he acts like any question is a stupid one.
Donahue is pretty strict. His expectations for students are almost too high, which doesn't make him helpful at all. His exams are VERY hard but he does give last year's exams & precise review guides. Lectures are long, boring, & pointless (I only went to turn in my hw, & left). If you took chemistry in high school but don't like it, take Chem 136.
His class isn't that difficult, as long as you study and go to the SI leaders you should really have no problems. For the most part he gives out last years exam, but for the last exam he didn't give us one. If I encountered any problems, I simply called his office and he gave me a pretty gewd explanation of what I needed to know.
I don't know who would hate Dr. d but I thought he was a pretty good teacher. Knows the material well, sometimes he is diffcult to understand but mostly he is pretty nice and understandable. He will help you if you go to him and lab/rec is boring but must attend or will fail class. Curves are great but make sure to pass all class with 85% to get A
The lectures are drawn out and usually pointless. Go to Recitation to understand the material. Do your homework, because aside from your Recitation professor, your best teacher is yourself. Worst mistake you can make: buying the book. Stick with his lecture packet, because it does a better job of explaining the class than the book does.
i have no respect for this guy as a professor. students pay quite a bit of money for professors to teach information to them. if the lecture does not do that, and that information can be learned by reading a book, then why are we paying any money? he should be ashamed. he is not doing his job. he is an embarrassment to the university.
Donahue is a great professor. He is very nice and he explains the material in a very understandable way. Some of it can be difficult, but this is a college chemistry class. He usually hands out old exams to study from too.
I like Dr. Donahue. He loves his subject, and knows it extremely well. He also tries to tie his lectures into a relevant event, or something you can understand. Don't buy the book, it's useless in his class. He uses the Lecture and Lab 'packets' (both of which he wrote himself!) All of my friends from the class concur with this assessment.
Donahue is the rudest most unhelpful professor. He expects too much from his students. He should stick to research and give up teaching. He is useless and your better off teaching yourself :)
Lectures are boring and most of the learning is done by reading his lecture packet and doing the problem sets. Have to come to every class to turn in hw and pick up handouts. Tests are like the hw and he tells you exactly what's on them.
His lectures made no sense. You must be willing to learn everything on your own. His tests are easy, just do your homework and the practice tests that are in the lecture packets and you are good. You have to learn everything on your own though to perform well on the exams :( You have to work real hard to get an A or B.
Really good professor. Teaches you everything you need to know! Tests are based right off homework and lab assignments and you even get a list of topics for the upcoming test along with last year's test. Labs are most of the time pointless in terms of material learned in class.
Doc(what I reffered to him as) seemed like an ok guy, his tests wern't bad if you study. He doe's want to help you if you ask, but if you don't he can't. labs were boring but rectation and SI were gold. He is a great base if you are heading into engineering.
Loves how he gives out old exams; they are similar to the exams he gives out. There are lots of group assignments. So, be ready to work with other students and hope you are put into a good group
I'm warning you, DO NOT TAKE THIS CLASS IF YOU ARE NOT READY! It is very fast-paced and requires a lot of work. If you can handle it, God bless. Other than that, wait a little bit. In high school? TAKE AP CHEM! He's a pretty good teacher, but college chemistry is a struggle! Stay focused.
Be prepared to do all the assigned in class exercises, problem sets, labs, and more. His lectures are particularly boring, and usually aren't helpful unless you are clueless. If you keep up, study, and know how to do everything he puts on his exam information sheets you will do well. If not, it is easy to fail an exam without expecting it
Dr. Donny keeps you busy all semester with work, but is organized, straightforward, and a fair grader. Lots of practice and examples to prepare you for the exam. The only thing I never liked about both classes was the fact you get put in groups you are stuck in for the whole semester. This can be feast or famine, be prepared to carry your group.
This is the worst class I've attended at UofM-Dearborn. Donahue tries to control and organize this class in a manner that Hitler would admire; however, in the end he shows his ineptitude for anything but Chemistry(I think? I never learned anything in lecture/lab). Anyway, despite shortfalls, the class is easy but there is a generous amount of work.
He is a good professor but the order of assignments in the class don't always coincide with the lecture (homework on topic due day he first talks about it). But when he does a lecture he is generally easy to understand and thorough. Exams are pretty easy as long as you do the problem sets and review previous exams.
Donahue seems to come off as am ashole, but I feel like he is a nice guy at heart though because he tends to smile and laugh a bit. His class requires a homework set for each lecture class (2x per week) 1 lab report during lab due each week, and an exam once a month. His exams cover a lot of material so be prepared to study A LOT TO GET OVER A C-.
Be ready to teach yourself alot of things because he doesn't. SI was key, they taught me everything, i would have been lost without the SI sessions. He is a nice guy but makes things harder than they should. Do all the hw assignments, don't slack off, and get help when you don't understand something.
Dr. Don was a great teacher. If you try and do all the work, and seem the least bit interested he will give you a better grade that you earned yourself. Past exams are extactly like the exams he gives. In 146 make an effort to do discussion questions, since hes the instructor, he will notice and so will your grade since these problems aren't graded
Donahue thinks his lecture packet is a fine substitute for actually teaching. It's not. He instead spends class time rambling and explains few of the tested concepts in detail. We learn things at home using his lecture packet and the book. He knows a lot about chem but he doesn't teach the material well. Avoid this guy if you can, waste of money...
Didn't learn one thing from this class. All he wanted to talk about during lecture was how he has to go to chemistry meetings and when the new edition of American Chemistry Society comes out and does not prepare you for tests at all. Would never recommend. Go to lab you'll learn more there.
Dr. D. is an interesting professor but be prepared to work hard for a good grade. You need to keep up with weekly HWs and understand them. The good news is, if you understand the HW you'll be set for the tests. I barely studied and did well bec I worked on the HW probs myself and nerstood them. If you slack on the HW you will struggle on the exam
Awesome professor, white, lot's of busy work but it helps you learn and get credit, tough tests, learn a lot
Dr. Donahue is by far the worst professor I have experienced yet. His lectures are extremely uninformative and the only way you can learn anything that is necessary is by doing everything for yourself and essentially teaching yourself. Recitation instructors and doing homework with friends is useful and helps much more than Dr. Donahue.
Chem 144 seems quite unorganized. The homework is almost always given before you actually learn the material. The labs usually have absolutely nothing to do with what you learn in the lecture, and the class doesn't really follow the book. Overall, the class is confusing, not because of the chemistry, but because of the organization.
Lectures about his wife and dog more than increasing students knowledge on what he is supposed to be teaching.
He is a good teacher if you are ready to learn and work hard. Will say this is the first class I learned a lot about chemistry in. He keeps moving through topics so do not fall behind.
Dr. D has an amazing affinity for understanding and relying his knowledge of Chemistry, but you have to actually pay attention and try if you want to succeed. Don't get behind or wait till the last minute to do the work that he dishes out because you'll just be stressed out and confused. Great prof!
DO NOT TAKE HIM! He does not know how to lecture at all! He gives you assignments that get graded on material that you haven't even learned yet, and gives surprise assignments in class that he only gives you 5min to do on material you learned during that lecture. Oh before you take him make SURE you have a good background in chemistry.
The teacher does not teach the concepts in class until after you have done the homework of those concepts, which is really annoying because then there is no point of going to his lectures to learn things since you have taught it yourself already.
Professor Donahue was just awful. He gives homework and in class assignments that are lengthy and sometimes difficult as sometimes you haven't learned it yet. Lectures were boring and useless most of the time. Reading his lecture packet and the book was better. If you understand the homework and practice tests you'll be fine though.
Lot of homework, at least two assignments a week that he hasn't taught how to do, on top of in-class work, lab reports, and studying for his many hard test given. Be ready to work hard, he lets you know you're not in high school anymore.
Get ready to do a lot of learning on your own. This class is not impossible, but you will definitely have to work for it. Many difficult homework assignments are assigned before the content is actually taught. The content is difficult and moves at a fast pace, make sure you're able to grasp new concepts quickly. Practice exams are your best friend.
Cons: Long lectures fail to keep your attention Tests are hard Not very interesting Homework due every class Lots of reading Pros: Assigns groups of 4 who you work with in labs Your group will help you do the homework 3 weekly SI sessions taught by former students (optional) I would recommend setting up a groupme chat with lots of students
Dr. Dongahue is a great example of 0 hotness. Recitation work that needs to be done before recitation every week, in-class exercises, clicker quizzes on the reading he assigns. Gives you homework before he teaches it, often. I studied in a group for all the exams. Got a B in the end. Curves a bit. Doesn't post a single thing in canvas. Bad boi.
Good professor, explains the material really well. HOWEVER, when I had him for Chem 144 you had to do the homework BEFORE the lecture that discussed the material. Very odd in that respect. Can be tough at times when grading exams. Would MAYBE recommend. Depends on the class.
I would recommend him over any other professor so far. He tells you exactly what you need to study. No BS. Great guy. A lot of homework thats busy work most times but in the end its still helpful when it comes to exams. He is truly a good prof to pick for Chemistry!
for gen chem 1 try your hardest to not get him. he's without a doubt the hardest of all the gen chem teachers and makes things unnecessarily more difficult. he talks about everything but chemistry during his lectures and assigns homework assignments before he teaches it and proceeds to grade on accuracy. he actually sets his students up for failure
Worst teacher ever. Does not care about his students and wants to see you do bad. Gives assignments on things before he teaches them and will cry if you miss one class.
Honestly his class was the hardest chem class so far for me. I had no time for my other classes. He comes off rude a lot of times, so its intimidating to ask him for help. I recommend going to SI, I learned more there than lecture. The homework is graded for accuracy and you have to learn everything yourself. Try to avoid if you can.
Worst professor ever. Give assignments that weren't taught well, if at all. Exams were rough for everyone, but he didn't care and blamed US for being bad at chem. AVOID AT ALL COSTS!
Dr Donahue is a solid professor. He is old so at times he may be uptight, but besides that he explains concepts clearly and is helping. Goes off on tangents sometimes. HW load is manageable, attendance is not mandatory but its in your best interest to attend as tests are lecture based, and recitation includes nongraded helpful practice.
Graded coursework consisted of online homework, "In-class" exercises, labs, and exams. In class exercises were basically homework, but never too difficult. Only one that felt unfair. All the practice and in-class exercises did a great job of preparing you for tests, as he explicitly tells you which ones will be on the exam.
For a gen chem class, the amount of work and effort you needed to put in may be intimidating at first. This is college, expect to learn things on you own. His class was structured well and was easy to navigate. Study the practice problems and the study guides. You should have no problem
he's fine as a person, way too fast in lecture, and can't keep up with him so I get left behind, hence me writing this review mid-lecture
this man has been teaching for 50 years and it shows. very traditional teaching style but it's livable. probably a great dude if you're going into chemistry as a career, not very easy to engage with otherwise. even if you acquire textbooks in the ;) fashion, we were required to buy a ~$70 online program for hw.
Goes by content really fast. Doesn't give time for students to review. Goes off tangent Exams were tough & long. Has high expectations. If you want to succeed in this class, get ready for a lot of self teaching and studying. He is also intimidating so hard to reach out to. Don't recommend tough but he's passionate ab chem so good for chem majors
Tough but fair. goes wayy too fast. Hard exams
Exams were hard. he is straight up on what is on the exam but goes fast in lecture. Talks about irrelevant things a lot of the time. Work with your group for the semester
tough and has harder tests than the other professors
very hard
overall a really great guy. If you participate and lecture and lab and take his class seriously and you show him that you will be in his good graces. Make sure you pay attention during lecture and show up everyday otherwise your going to be so lost. Go to the recitation also very very helpful.
Professor Donahue has been teaching for 50+ years and knows what he is talking about. Recitation problems cover class material, and exam information sheets are given a few weeks before an exam. Exams are hard but curved. Quizzes every week on Canvas (when no exam). He is passionate about what he teaches, and frowns upon using outside sources.
I would take him over any other chem professor!! His exams are basically examples of the hw he gives out which is EASY if u practice using youtube and go to SI!! I took Donahue for 134 and dr b for 136 and my grade went from an A in 134 to a B- in 136... that says smtg. Make friends with ppl in the class and always check ur answers with them!!
Does not explain all materials in class, and is rude to students. He talks endlessly and gets pretty much nowhere in terms of explaining chemistry or what may be seen on exams. His exams are fairly hard and most material that is covered on exams are talked about for maybe 15 minutes of class time.
Professor Donahue is a good professor compared to others I have studied under. His strengths fall in his classwork, exam prep, and community building. Chemistry is complicated, and there is a lot of information at any level. You have to work hard, or you will fall behind quickly. Donahue does a good job making his classwork related to his exams tho
My experience with Professor Donahue in Gen Chem was disappointing. Unclear instruction, inconsistent feedback, limited availability, and unengaging lectures created challenges. Caution to others considering the course.r Donahue's courses.
He is a bit weird yes but overall the class was good and honestly super easy, he lectures well and gives bonus points with participation. Makes jokes and recitation was super helpful (before UMD made the disappointing decision to combine lab and recitation). The exams are so easy he gives you the outline. Make sure to take time to study and review!
He aight. Just study and you will be fine. He does a good job telling you what is on the exam, he throws some curveballs though.
Good overall professor and teaches you more than just chemistry.
Avoid this professor at all costs. They have zero regard for students. If you value your sanity and GPA, take your classes elsewhere.
His class was incredibly hard to follow and he seems completely uninterested in helping students understand the material. His lectures are a mess, and he offers little to no support when you're struggling. Overall, it's a frustrating experience that makes learning feel like a chore.
I seen the bad reviews but thought he couldn't be that bad. Man was I wrong. Everything was just so confusing and he doesn't do a good job of teaching the material. I had to learned everything on my own by watching youtube videos.
Listen everyone who is reading this comment I am literally telling the truth, do not take this professor especially the ones coming in as freshman. Professors can be nice but not all can teach and he cant teach at all. Remember, this is your future we talking about and your paying for college.
don't take him simple as that
This professor doesn't do a very good job of teaching the material.
The way he teaches the class it is almost if he wants us all to fail. Terrible.
Would not wish this professor on my worst enemy.
At first, Dr. Donahue may come off as a bit intimidating. The in-class exercises could be difficult if a student or group is not prepared. However, if you put in time to actually learn the subject, this class will be a class you will fall in love with. Dr. Donahue's course singlehandedly gave me a passion for chemistry. Take him if you can!
Donahue is a passionate professor who makes the course engaging, though it can be challenging. His lectures and recitations are helpful, and exams align with the material. Studying the practice problems and using resources like Unstuck study can make a big difference.
lecture's ok, mostly quantity over quantity. you're expected to go thru a good chunk of material on ur own.not very warm, "figure it out/cant tell you" or sighs/roll eyes when asked real questions.Few assgmts in class, cant make up if u miss, difficult if u don't spend a lotta time/teach yourself outside of class, but not impossible
he tells you what is on exam and where to find the work (study guide). wasn't picky about numbers sig figs anything like that if u show work and get anwser wrong but did work and showed it correctly he will always give u the points on it. very lenient spreads out due dates if he notices class struggling. THIS IS A HARD CLASS so put in work.
Not the best lecturer but gives what you need to prepare for exams which is extremely helpful, tests are just like the practice sheet. You must go home and learn it, it won't be easy if u dont actually study.
This teacher is the GOAT, his test are very clearly outlined in the exam information sheets, there a lot to cover so you'll always need to be studying everyday 2 hours. You don't really learn anything in lecture, the ICE, Aktiv assignment and lab really is were you learn. Overall, I would take him for chem 2, now that I know how his class works
Where do I get started, From the very first day of class he gave us assigned seats like it's some middle school classroom. Horrible Lecturer, you will have to learn everything by yourself. Very strict grader on exams rarely gives partial credit. He will ignore your emails whenever he wants to. Don't recommend this professor avoid if you can!
Tough grader, lecture heavy, and hard exams
This guy filled my inbox with canvas announcements, his exams are whatever but his study guides are due to their ambiguity.
This guy bombarded my inbox with canvas announcements, his exams are whatever but his study guides are bad due to their ambiguity. The most unclear and confusing grading scales and his canvas is filled with too many modules and other files, unorganized canvas page. Pretty rude and short with students for no reason, not approachable. Avoid him.
Class Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
94%
Textbook Required
75%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-0.54 avg changeRatings by Course
CHEM124
5.0
(1)CHEM144CHEM146
5.0
(1)CHEM124REC
4.7
(3)CHEM303
4.0
(1)CHEM146
3.8
(13)Difficulty by Course
CHEM124146
5.0
LAB
5.0
CHEM452
5.0
CHEM303
4.0
CHEM090
4.0