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Good lectures, but ridiculuous 1st midterm. The final was ok. He was late to class almost everytime. I think he showed up late for the final too. Dr Richards does not seem very interested in the course, and it would have been much better if he didnt make the quizzes five minutes before class.

This is not supposed to be an easy class.However, Dana Richards is a very smart guy. He taught at UVA and you can tell. He knows what he talks about and if you just listen you'd learn a lot in his class.

He was definitely a hard teacher, but you learned a lot. He does curve.

Very good and knowledgable professor, you will get an A easy if you study hard for his class. The quiz and exam probe are all reviewed and cover in lectures. Be on time and class will be easy.

Lectures are logical and clear although sometimes they go bit fast so it's good to look over the chapter ahead of time. Midterm and quizzes were hard but he curves generously. Projects were OK -- just start as soon as they are assigned so you can ask questions if necessary. Do your work and your grade will be OK in the end because of the big curve.

You either like him or you don't. I liked him a lot. Two exams. One page of notes allowed for each! Didn't like the weekly quizzes and early morning class time though. I did get my first ever C in any CS class, but it's not his fault. I stopped reading and putting in effort in the 2nd half. Projects were fun and easy. I would take him again.

Richards is clear and deliberate in all of his lectures. Overall a great professor. He is not easy, but also really not that hard. He tests what he teaches, and if you do the homeworks, you will be well prepared for the quizzes. Plus, you get to enjoy a nice fat curve from all the lazy whiners that take this class.

Incredible class and teacher get what you put into it. Teaches Lex and Prolog with great clarity wish I had taken better notes. So much to learn so little time, difficulty is completely offset by curve. Foundational class taught by an expert. Be prepared for quiz one every week. Gives answers to every homework problem get more if you try first.

He goes out of his way to say something new. It's not just a regurgitation of the book. He aggregates his years of knowledge into what is relevant to the topic at hand. You may struggle while taking his course, but it will be worth it. It is worth it to have known him. One of Mason's finest professors for sure.

Prof Richards is very enthusiastic and will really get into it explaining concepts sometimes going too deep for the class. Gets excited whenever someone asks a question. Yeah the exams are really tough with the class avg around 50% so there's a big curve. You will definitely need to read the book alot in this class

To be honest, the class isn't that hard. But he was super hard on grading. The average of the midterm was 55. But he grades on the percentage. So if you are in the top 30% of the class you can get an A. Quiz every week which is tedious. Textbooks are useful if you can't digest what he teaches in class. Not recommanded but no need to avoid also.

extremely helpful professor!

It seems this professor is not for everyone, but, in all honesty, he is my favorite professor of all time. If you skip or zone out, you get lost and suffer miserably. If you pay attention closely, you will be amazed at his ability to describe tough concepts with crystal clarity. I thoroughly enjoyed his class because it felt like pure enlightenment

The course material isn't easy, but I think the professor has a good way of simplifying and explaining things. He is very knowledgeable about the subject material. The midterm was a bit challenging but the final was OK. Quizzes can be very difficult sometimes. he doesnt take attendance but you've got to show up in class if you want to do well.

Brilliant professor. Makes the subject very engaging, but you will definitely have to put your back into it. Don't panic if your grades look bad at first; he has a unique grading system which I've actually come to appreciate.

Best CS professor ive had at mason so far. took class over summer and thoroughly enjoyed all 2.5 hours of class every day. Has a great way of explaining things. although not everyone in the class felt the way i did about his lectures. There will always be people that wont like a professor but i HIGHLY recommend taking him for this and any course.

Class is hard and he concentrates on the theoretical aspects. If you go to class he'll CLEARLY tell you what to expect for hw and tests. Tests are essentially the weekly quizzes (TA provides the answers to). Quizzes are essentially hw. Tests are still hard, but he curves out the wazoo. Very fair with partial credit. Projects were fun but took time.

Richards is a good professor. Very enthusiastic about what he is teaching which helps a bunch. Subject material isn't easy so don't expect to slack off and pass. Quizzes every week helped me keep on track and let me know what I needed to study more. Pretty decent curve also so don't be upset if you get a 40 on a test.

This professor gets an undeserved bad rap. He's actually really good at what he teaches and it's fun to attend a lecture where the professor is animated and obviously into what he's teaching. The midterm I took was very fair and almost exactly like the practice exam he gave us. This was a high-info, low drag class with no red tape. I liked it.

I signed up for his class knowing that I will have to work very hard the entire semester and I had to. But I would definitely take him again because he's actually a really good professor and very willing to help you when you go to his office hours. He does come off as a little rude at times but he's still great at explaining the material.

Going to his office hours whenever you can makes it easier to ask questions, but try to have something specific to ask him about to keep the focus on what you need help with. I'd take the class again if I had the time, since there is so much information that can be useful in other CS areas. Missing class can mean you miss crucial info sometimes.

This class challenges you. My strategy for this class is: if I can, skim through the chapter before class, take good notes in class, work through the hw so that you understand the way Prof explain the hw next class, then very important, do the hw again. Make sure to give you time for the Prolog and Awk projects, without time pressure, they are fun

He's a good teacher, but this is a hard class for two reasons: difficult material, & too much of it crammed into 1 course, which is probably why he has to curve so much (if you get 60%+ on tests/quizzes you're doing well). Do the homework & go to class and you'll be OK. If not, you'll fail. Don't take over the summer, unless you're on your game.

Very touch teacher. rigorous curriculumn but in the heart, i say he is good man. he wants us to learn. learning which some people take for granted. he reminds us of hard work, demanding intellectual challenge takes us to new height. you know, i don't like or hate him personally. i don't bring personal feellings to class. but he is smart teacher.

The material is indeed tough and at times it did feel like he sped through some of it (mind you it was a summer section), but overall he taught it pretty well. He curves the final grade. Lots of opportunities to ask questions and yet no one bothers to ask any and instead come here to complain. What? 300-level courses require effort? :thinking:

Great course! Took this with some of my friends for fun and we agreed his lectures are super fun and easy to understand! Quizzes were easier than any of my other classes, and I am taking psychology 100 and IT 101! He also loves answering questions and is always happy to help you no matter what your issue is :) WOULD TAKE AGAIN! A+++++

Easiest class I've ever taken. He's a really compassionate guy and is always happy to help. His tests are super easy, all the questions are straight out of the book(That he wrote HIMSELF, he's such a genius). You won't have to go to lecture, but you'll NEED them just because of how fun he is to be around. Love this man.

Many complain about this teacher only because they don't under the values that he is trying to instill in his students. Dana Richards, the man himself is one of the smartest and most compassionate teachers on this campus. Midterm is extremely reasonable. Prolog project is extremely easy, all you have to do is type around 20 of lines of code.

Challenging course taught by possibly the smartest professor at Mason. Expects a lot of his students, do not take this course if you want to slack off or get an easy A. Take this class if you really want to learn something and are willing to apply yourself. Things learned from this class have already popped up in multiple internship interviews.

Professor Richards is a very smart and knowledgable guy who teaches the material in a very clear and interesting way. As long as you diligently read the book and pay attention, this should be one of the more rewarding classes you've taken so far. My one complaint is that I had no idea what my grade would be till I got it back at the end.

Dr. Richards is extremely knowledgable, concise, & very helpful in 1-on-1 interactions. He can also be (for better or worse) curt, dispassionate, and focussed on his lectures to the point of seeming impatient or dismissive of students' questions & concerns. Overall, he's a fantastic professor. Weekly quizzes, 1 page cheat sheets allowed on tests.

Definitely a tough grader, and fast paced course. It's difficult but he's a great professor and will help you all you need. If he says the word trivial call him out on it, he's been teaching the same stuff for 20+ years.

Richards tells you what will be on the exams, and the quiz. The material is tough.

I watched the battlefield from a nearby tower. People were dropping like flies (38 starting, 22 ending). Dr. Richards put his hand on my shoulder and asked, "Isn't this war glorious?". I did not know how to respond. These men, fighting for the highest grade, based on the principle of a curve - a curve that had no mercy. It did not allow survivors.

It is a difficult course, but regardless of how you do; he curves; a lot.

The material is Hard! However, the professor was not that bad. I'm sure it is very difficult to explain all of the hard-core math behind computer programming. The average was extremely low, but he already knew it was going to happen. He did a huge curve at the end. He wrote the book himself. Therefore, the examples in the book are very helpful.

Richards has a reputation for being a difficult professor, and the reputation is well earned. However he knows a lot about the subject and seems to really care for it. There are only 3 grades for this course, 2 exams and 1 small project, so if that's your thing then he's ideal but if not you should avoid.

The professor I hold most respect for in the university. Bright, humble and knowledgeable teacher. Do not miss the chance to receive education from this person.

Late summer 2022 CS 330 review - don't hate the player, hate the game. Computational theory is harder than diamonds, but he still tries to teach it to people that have never heard of the topic. He gets flak for his teaching style (which is very textbook-driven), but it's still possible to learn. Don't skip his test reviews, they will save your gpa.

First things first, show up to class, read the book, do the homework. This class is harder than the others. He is very straightforward with his expectations, he even shows you what will be on the exams. The midterm exam average was a 50. Trust me, if you show up and practice the material he says to practice, you will pass. You NEED to try!

This guy is my goat. Do not listen to all the other reviews. As long as you read the textbook and attend lectures, you will be just fine.

Join a group for textbook problems. Complete all assigned textbook problems. Attend class to learn Richards' exact proof methods; he stops grading if done differently. Quizzes are the same as assigned problems. Grading is curved; 70–80% often earns an A. Textbook work takes ~2 hours weekly. Follow these steps for an easy A or avoid his class.

Professor Richards is a very smart guy, but he tends to overcomplicate things because of that. Quizzes are 30%, the midterm and final make up 70%. Read and take notes on the textbook chapters covered before lectures, use the lectures to fill in gaps in knowledge, and do the homework. So far it's been working for me, but that could change later on.

If you want an easy A, skip Professor Richards. He's inaccessible outside of class and if you miss lectures you are doomed. Exams are quite hard and you don't know your grade till the end. However, he himself is the most knowledgeable lecturer by far for this class. I was captivated by his teaching style and he made the material interesting. T

black board isnt open

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Make sure to study well and u will be fine

Unique content (esp. Ch 8.5-8.7) isn't elsewhere, so learn it. Consider one-on-ones/office hours. Thoroughly understand each chapter: first half (Ch 1-6) is discrete math, second half (Ch 7-12) is automata. The midterm covers Ch 1-6; the final only covers Ch 7-12. First-half topics won't reappear after midterm. Practice problems to understand.

The class feels hard, but fair. He alternates between a lecture class with a quiz covering the previous week's material, and a homework answers class. He does not post class material online, but all quiz/exam questions were very similar to the textbook's homework questions. He can be silly at times, but is also stubborn.

Super easy class. Professor Richards is the best; he does not deserve the hate. If you put in even a basic level of effort, you'll be good. Honestly, this class is significantly easier than CS110, and getting an A is a piece of cake. Highly recommend CS 330 w Prof Richards if you want a low-stress course with a solid learning experience.

Prof. Richards is an amazing instructor. The course content was easy, and he explained it in a way that was easy to understand. Attendance is not required, and you can learn everything from just the textbook and still get a high grade in the course. Highly recommend taking this prof for one of the best CS course experiences.

Attendance is not graded. Did not attend a single lecture and got an A due to Midterm and Final being super easy and structured. Really hard to believe people struggle even though the expectations are crystal clear. Just read HIS textbook since the class uses the textbook he wrote.

Grading scale was very straightforward from the start of the class. If you study a little bit of the content every week it's very easy to get a good grade in the class. The exams are worth a lot but they're immensely curved so that's not really an issue. Richard's can seem mean at times but if you visit his office hours he's really not that bad.

Honestly the class was really easy. I don't think I studied much in this class but it was curved so much that it was pretty easy to get a good grade. Also quizzes are also important so make sure to know the content every week since it is 20% of your grade for the course. Just know your stuff a little bit and you'll be fine.

Best teacher ever! He was helpful and he knows and understands his stuff.

idk why there are a lot of bad reviews. he is honestly not that bad and super easy to get an A in this class. just attend lecture and do you'll do fine.

So many people on this website give Richards a bad rep but they're really just not putting in the work. Richards makes the quiz questions very similar to the homework, and the exam questions similar to the quizzes. Just attend lectures and spend 2 hrs/week outside of class to learn the content and you'll ace the quizzes and exams.

attend lectures and study for a few hours outside of class to do well on the quizzes. the exam questions are basically the same so if you worked hard every week you'll be fine. also go to his office hours or your TA's if you struggle with anything they are super helpful

Good teacher, doesn't explain much but he knows his stuff. Go to his office hours for sure to clarify things because his lectures go very fast.

Not as bad as others make it to be. Got an A in the class, and all I did was go over the textbook and attend TA's office hours. Thomas de Mastri is a GREAT TA and will dedicate a lot of time to help you. Highly recommend Richards for anyone trying to really understand formal methods as well as automata.