Great, interesting teacher. Made science fun, not boring like most professors.

Great, interesting teacher. Made science fun, not boring like most professors.

Knowledgeable and nice. She lectures, but it feels more like watching Pop-up Videos, because she injects neat little facts pertinent to the topics. Little chance for extra credit means you must keep on top of the studying for an A, but the labs help.

Very knowlegeable. Encourages questions and is very helpfull. All of the lectures are posted on the internet so you can miss class and not get behind.

Her lectures were easy to understand and the lab was similar. She was helpful when something wasn't clear and added little bits of knowledge for one's benefit. Not an easy A but one that is achievable...I said pretty much the same thing all the others have said

I had her last semester and I absolutely loved the class. I learned more in her class than every science class I've had since 1st grade put together. She is terribly funny, well organized, very knowledgable...made me want to drop my psych major and become a biologist.

This professor is excellent, very succinct, clear, straight forward, and uses mostly power point so there are a lot of visuals. Reading in class is optional, never read anything and still got an A on every exam.

Class was easy to pass due to the notes being available on the net, I only went to class on test days and passed no problem.

Great Professor... She answers all questions to the best of her ability and she is funny as all get out.

How easy is this class? Incredibly easy. Dawn takes the time to prepare lecture notes. The lectures are clear with pertinant examples. Yes, you have to show up, but isn't that the responsible thing? Tests are multiple choice so read your notes & her lecture notes & you'll pass. She even offered extra-cred. Just in case.

good teacher! puts alot of work into the class for her students. who cant like a teacher who saves you money on texts books. the web ct she used for all her lecture notes and etc were greart and i appreciated the work she put in. i got alot out of the class and would recommend it to anyone.

This teacher sets up her class so you don't need to take notes or even really read the book. She requires 5 essays and 5 tests (Final optional). If you get less then an A in her class, your just plain lazy.

Very nice and helpful. Cares a lot about students

Dawn is an excellent teacher. Her lecture and lab are very well structured. All of her lectures are on WebCT. She uses the online printouts to teach the class. Each section has a study guide which makes it easy to take her exams. The exam questions come straight from these study guides. She has 5 exams and 4 assignments. I totally recommend her.

Great professor. Loved the class. She knows what she teaching about. If you have a question and she doesn't know the answer she will find it out and tell you the next time.

Her class consists of 4 tests and 4 assignments. If you attend classes it is virtually IMPOSSIBLE to fail her tests. She is willing to meet with you and talk to you about difficult topics. TAKE HER!!!

tHIS PROFESSOR IS A GREAT TEACHER. EXPLAINS IN GREAT DETAIL. WORKS WITH THE STUDENT, THE CLASS IS NEVER BORING SHE KEEPS YOU INTERESTING. SHE CARES ABOUT HER STUDENTS.I GIVE HER A A FOR EFFORT.

Dawn rocks-if I still lived in Vegas I would be taking any of her classes. Her class is so informative and interesting. She is one of the neatest people I met, very inspiring. FOLLOW HER DIRECTIONS!!

Great professor! Attendance isn't mandatory but highly suggested. As long as u go to class and review your notes you will get an A. She keeps your attention in class and the information is very interesting. Definetly take this professor.

She is one of the best professors I have ever had. As a business major, this class was taken only because it is necessary to earn my degree. However, during the semester, I found myself talking about the material from this class far more than any other. She cares about her students and is a master at simplifying complex concepts. Take her :-)

Excellent teacher

GREAT GREAT EASY TEACHER! sooooo smart, and very clear. if only she taught higher level bio like 189, or 223. took this class by mistake, im a science major---but she was excellent. made bio 189 a lot easier.... shes awesome. even with her shirts with animals on it.

Nelson is by far the best professor i have ever had. There is alot of information to learn but she breaks it down very clearly. There are 5 exams and 3 assignments. Has all the notes and lectures avaiable online. YOU DONT EVEN HAVE TO GO TO CLASS! But youre not going to want to miss class because she makes it interesing. You will learn alot!

Excellent Professor!!! I don't think I would have received a "B" if it wasn't for Professor Nelson teaching the class. I took the class online and loved it. She is very helpful and encourages you. Any one needing to take Biol 100L take it with Professor Nelson!

Nelson's class was a worth taking. Her syllabus is clear and had no trouble with material.

Took class on-line. Prof. Nelson made a difficult subjects easier to understand.It is very obvious that she genuinely cares about her students learning something!

awesome teacher. every class was completely lecture but you never really realize its a lecture because of how fun she made it. i definitely recommend this class to anyone that wants to learn about biology.

Took online Weekly labs and 5 Exams drops lowest grade..she is very helpful no textbook required if you do the work you will pass

I think this professor is AMAZING. She basically hands you the test, all you need to do is find the answers. She is completely fair and really helpful. I emailed her 100 times durig the semester and she got back to me the same day. There is no text book, and if you read the material, she makes it fun and easy to understand. I took it online too

shes an extremely nice person and will answer any question you have. the test were extremely HARD, lots of material to learn. i studied a lot and still got a D. only way i passed the class was the help of my lab. she has all the lectures and vocab online which i found pretty helpful. if you have to take biology, take her! just study ALOT!

Absolutely fantastic professor, I never had an interest in Biology - in fact I barely got a C in high school - but with her ideas and help can't believe I got an A - learned a lot and not just about biology - totally expanded my horizons about myself. If you do the work and there is quite a bit follow her suggestions - you will do well.

She is awesome, very helpful to students and responds email promptly. I took online class and she is very organized. I have learned a lot of things from this class. She also shares weekly Science News and it is very informative. You have to do your part and that is to read and study. I highly recommend this professor.

No book required. Prof. makes her own lectures. Lots of work. Must go to computer lab to take exams. Lots of work but she makes the lectures interesting. Lots of printing!

I hate biology and I'll be the first to admit I am horrible at it. With that said, it's impossible to fail this class IF YOU DO THE WORK. I receieved a B- for the class, which she bumped up from a 79% (thank you!!) but I definitely could have done a lot better. She is very informative and makes science interesting. I'd take her again if I needed to

I HATE science with a passion. I was dreading this class! Ms. Nelson is quite possibly the BEST instructor I have had both at CSN and in general. There is ALOT of work, but if you are organized, you should be fine. Labs are fun, the articles are interesting, the assignments are easy but the exams are on the difficult side. STUDY!

Great professor! No textbook, everything is in PDF format, which is awesome. She will help you with any questions. Lots of information but she made it a lot of fun! Exams are taken at the testing center. They are on the "tougher" side. LOVED this class!!!

I took this class online in Fall 2011 and enjoyed it very much. She doesn't use a textbook, but all the readings are available online as PDFs, and they're very interesting and include study guide. 5 on-campus exams (plus optional cumulative final - if you take it the lowest grade is dropped), 6 Labs done online, several quizzes taken online.

Took this class online in the fall. Professor is nice and always responds to questions. No book, just pdf documents to work off of. They are pretty interesting too. Easy quizzes and assignments. Labs are time consuming, so make sure you don't wait until last minute. Six on-campus exams (however she drops the lowest grade).

I think she is one of the funnest professors ever. She's GREAT at explaining the material. She has a sense of humor, and makes the class very comfortable. She explains things in a way that will help you understand. I had her for Lab - when she explained something I had just listened to in Lecture, it was like a light bulb went off - OH NOW I GET IT

I had Professor Nelson for my bio 189 lab instructor, she is wonderful!! She is funny and makes the class interesting. She's very knowledgeable and explains things in a way that its extremely easy to understand. She is always there for questions and always provides study material to help you ace your tests! She is highly recommended!

I really enjoyed her Biol 101 class. Her notes are clear and easy to understand. She makes everything so easy to understand. She teaches in the exact same way as my Philosophy teacher Juliette Stevens.

Took this course and was surprised at how well I did. She was very helpful when it came to me needing help on a couple of chapters. I think she is a teacher that definitely cares about her students doing well. Love love love her! She's a great, super interesting professor. Loves what she does and is passionate about her lectures.

Professor Nelson is very devoted to her class, although the class was very easy, i didn't really learn anything as the tests were open notes and book (you take the tests online). if you want an easy A, this class is the choice. but if you want to actually learn some,then pick another teacher.I agree she teaches exactly like Prof Juliette Stevens.

This is not an easy class. The quizzes (online class) may have been open book but the exams that covered each section were all taken at the testing center and were not open book. It is hard not to learn if you do not study for these exams - THEY'RE NOT EASY!! Do the work and use the study guides, you should do well. Hard Work = Good Grade!

Took Dawn for Lab. BEST LAB TEACHER! She is clear and wants you to pass. If you have a choice take Dawn! The material sucks, but she's always willing to help and she WANTS you to get a good grade.

I am not a science person, it has never been interesting to me and I have no pleasure in hearing about it. But Professor Nelson talked about science in a way that I had never understood it before. This is THE easiest class I have ever taken, AND I actually learned something. You only learn if you want to, either way, you pass.

Do yourself a favor,and take this professor.I took the online class and I must say that she makes it really hard to fail.She gives you everything you could need and more to succeed.Take advantage of all of the tools that she gives you,and you will do well.The study guides are great!If you don't do well in this class,you only have yourself to blame.

This class was extremely hard, in the fact that I felt it was another language. :) But Professor Nelson made it easy by answering your emails right away. There is alot to read in her syllabus so you can get a bit confused as I did, it can be overwhelming as an online class, but if you try hard you can pass the class and learn a lot of great facts.

FORGET trying to take general notes. PRINT OFF THE NOTES ONLINE leaving space to answer them underneath. Take that to class and listen for the answers. Just listening to her lecture is not effective. Tests are hard. You have to answer EXACTLY how she wants. Great if you are a science enthusiast. Not good for GE fullfillment

She is a Good teacher! However, she doesn't prepare you at all for upper division bio classes. On the first day of my bio classes at UCSD, my professors clearly stated that the key to success in their classes is NOT MEMORIZING but to get the concept. Well guess what...the only way to get an A in Nelson's class is MEMORIZING ALL HER NOTES! Boo!

Professor Nelson was a GREAT lab teacher. Very clear and always willing to help! She covers what you need to study in class for quizzes/tests and makes it easy for students to pass (if you study). Her lectures are quick and easy to comprehend. Highly recommended!

Her textbook is written by her and she lectures on it word for word. It is online so you don't have to go to class. She gives a lot of examples but over-explains every concept that, in my high school bio class, was much simpler to understand. STUDY STUDY STUDY! Read her lecture and if you do attend class, take your study guide and fill it out there

I had Dawn for Biol 189 Lab - I loved her!!! She was absolutely helpful. She had a "joke of the day" ha ha ha She is a GREAT teacher - and for the students that complain that she is hard - just wait until the higher biologies, you will wish you had her class again. Super fun and helpful teacher!

WOW!!! This professor is awesome! Don't like science? Don't understand it? You will after her course!!! I LOVED this class, and was actually sad when it was over. She wrote her own textbook!! She will come to her office and meet with you even when she's not scheduled!! Best professor I've had ever. EVER!

Professor Nelson sets the standard as far as a teacher who's interested in you learning the material presented. She's responsive and helpful to inquires. The class is not easy, but it is interesting. You get out of it what you put into it, but she's beside you 100% of the way. Highly recommend this teacher. Wish CSN has more like her.

She is very helpful! I only had her for lab, but she made the lessons in lecture make sense, and she has a great sense of humor. Would definitely recommend her.

Her online class was very simple. She provides a very clear and overly simplified textbook. There is a lot of reading, however, it was online and at your own pace. I finished her class in 2 months. There are 4 exams, no notes and taken at the school. Easy A if you find Bio. interesting. I recommend.

I was nervous to take Biology online, but this is the best possible setup for a class like this. Very clear cut assignments and grading. She uses a textbook she wrote, so no buying one.

Awesome Lab Professor wish I had her for lecture too

Class was great and there was a lot of information. She uses her own version of textbook so you don't need to buy any book which is a huge plus. The exams are tough! They cover a lot of information and specific details. She gives plenty of time to prepare for exams but there's a lot of information. Labs are amazing!

A lot of reading but it is very fun and easy to understand. She made her own textbook specifically for her class AND it is a pdf so you DO NOT have to buy it. I took it online and had no trouble with anything. She really encourages students to ask for help if you need it. I WOULD STRONG RECOMMEND HER!!!

I just finished this online class, it was 1 of the hardest classes I have taken but I hadn't had a biology class since high school. The opportunity to pass is there, she gives some extra credit - take advantage of it. Overall, I liked the class, it challenged me, but be prepared to work hard if you're not good in this subject. I honestly liked her!

Dawn Nelson is THE best Professor I've ever had. This was an online class, BIO 101. She writes her own lessons, no textbook required, and they are detailed and clear. For the first time in my life I feel like I am actually learning Biology, it's not going over my head. Cannot say enough good things here-will take other classes from Dawn Nelson. ++

I took her online class. A LOT of reading, but it's actually interesting and there's plenty of time!! I would highly recommend her! Also, there's no textbook it's just all on canvas.

I attended her BIO189 LAB and I actually liked her a lot more than my lecture professor. She tells you what you need to know and what will be on the quizzes. 1 Lab 1 Quiz every week. She lectures for a bit before lab, use those notes for quizzes! As far as the labs themselves, they are interesting but kind of a waste of time.

Very difficult class if you have more than one class and are not really a reader. However she is an excellent professor who wants to help. I would just recommend she does an exam on two lessons instead of four. Also, you have to take exams in a proctored environment with no notes what so ever. Basically be a brain at biology before you take theexam

Professor Nelson is super nice & always available for help but this class is a LOT of work. Makes the lectures/readings as clear as possible but there is SO MUCH info to jam into one semester. I spent 4-5 hours a week reading, studying, & doing assignments. 5 labs, 10 quizzes, and 5 exams (at testing center). Probably as easy as BIO is gonna get.

I did this class and the lab online. If you read the chapters and do the questions at the end of each chapter you will be fine. All of the small tests,lab,quizzes are done from home, this makes it easier to check all you answers before submitting . The 5 major tests have to be done at test center with no book/notes so study for it and you will pass

I liked this class, I have never really been good at Biology so I thought for sure I would have a hard time with this class. This class was surprisingly simple. As long as you make time for all of the assignments and study for the biology exams you will do great. 5 proctored exams. Very easy to follow along and no book required.

Professor Nelson really cares about her students and will guide you if you need help. There is a lot of reading to do but if you keep up you should do ok. Answer the questions at the end of the chapter and use them as study guides, it really helped. She has her own text she teaches from there so there is no need to purchase an expensive text book.

Spaces out Tests/Labs Two weeks apart, so you certainly have to manage your time. All the test material is in the reading, and it's lengthy and boring. Tests were all online and open note. One lab required a partner. Take good notes. Very responsive and willing to help. Straight-forward class with no surprises.

Professor Nelson is one of the best professors I've ever had. Grading criteria is clear with plenty of time to get things done. She believes in working for your grade and not just passing everyone because it will look good. I would take her again in a heartbeat and wish more teachers were like her.

Professor Nelson is AMAZING!! Coming from someone that has NEVER understood science very well or has never really had an interest in science, I actually enjoyed this class and understood everything. Professor Nelson provides a study guide at the end of each 'Lesson' which I highly recommend doing for the Exams. Take her, you wont regret it!!

Professor Nelson made BIOL101 more fun and interesting ! You have to read and steady in order to get a good grade. The Professor provided a clear information and all the exam are multiple choice (four proctor exams). As long as you steady you will pass the class

The BEST professor I've had! I took the online course, and Prof. still found a way to make the material easy to understand and so interesting to learn! Lots of reading, but as long as you do the study guide while reading, pay close attention to the lab instructions, and do the extra credit (EASY x credit), you'll pass with above 100%. Amazing class

The class was self paced since everything was opened online to be taken whenever by the deadline. I loved that the 'textbook' was an online PDF Professor Nelson provided. The open book exams are very thorough so definitely prepare for that since they cover 5 lessons each. I learned a lot in her class and really enjoyed the layout and info!

I took this call for fall of 2021 all online, this was one of the best and most organized classes I have taken. She is strict with due dates and doesn't give any makeup work but there is a grace period and extra credit. There is enough notice in advance for you to plan and get everything done. She doesn't require a textbook, she provides it for you

No homework Free textbook. Work at your own pace. Lots of reading. 25 chapters- each 20-40 pages, exam every 5 chapters. ALL answers to exams are from the study guide questions at the end of each chapter, so do the study guides and use during the open-book exams. 5 quizzes based on SHORT articles. Drops lowest grade and has 2 extra credit surveys.

Easy but time consuming and tedious. 5 lab assignments that you do at your own pace. Math and line charts involved but she explains how to do them. Minimal interaction with the teacher but she makes it VERY clear that she is available and encourages you to reach out to her if you need help. Dont be intimidated, shes actually very nice and CARES.

It was a fun class, there were a few times when I felt like I was behind on a few things but if you pace yourself it'll be fine. 5 labs, 5 reading quizzes, and 5 exams couldn't be any simpler. If you understand all her notes you'll be fine and don't be afraid to send her an email for questions because she is amazing at providing information.

This is the first class to ever give me constant panic attacks. I cried countless times and lost sleep because of this class. Each exam has 200+ pages of reading. Labs take hours. Don't procrastinate because you will fail. No coming back from a failed exam. Doesn't give you time for other classes. Great teacher but it is A LOT of work.

Professor Nelson is alright. She will congratulate you for having a good grade in her class however, at the beginning of the year she did brag a bit about how hard her class is and the percentage rate of failing students. There are labs, quizzes, and exams and they all take forever to do they are worth a lot but you can get past that iykyk

Never really liked science until this class. All the lessons were mad interesting always looked forward to them. 5 quizzes, 5 exams, 5 Labs, & optional cumulative final exam. Just read the textbook and you good.

Professor Nelson was pretty clear and straightforward with her expectations since day 1. There were 5 quizzes, 5 labs, and 5 exams. Total of 25 chapters around 30 pages ea. The study guides were extremely helpful and pretty much were exact to the exams. It is a bit reading heavy, but you do have time to get through everything. Not a bad class.

Professor Nelson provides the textbook which is great. It is reading heavy, but you can just skim and do the study guide really well and you will pass! She opens the material so you can do it at your own pace. Do not slack, make sure to do your work and put in effort and you will pass!

excellent professor .very caring she will do feeback through messages of your progess in the course. Get ready to read alot ,try to read everything so you can do well in the chapter exams.The news quiz are easy and labs can be challenging but overall great class pretty easy and you have a lot of time to work on all assignments.

There is one Lab, one quiz based off 10 short science articles, and one exam every module (5 modules). The tests are based off 5 chapters of reading in the textbook she wrote which she provides for free. The tests are very easy as long as you read and understand the material. Tests are also timed, so again, make sure you read the material. Easy A.

She is very nice, you get three weeks to do your assignments. Its a new quiz, lab, and an exam a week later. Her exams are open note. Basically just don't procrastinate and look over the material in advance and you'll be fine. Also she drops the lowest exam grade including the final. Her only rule is just don't turn stuff in late. 10/10

One of the best classes and professors. She sets you up for success. If you don't do the work, you won't get the grade. simple. Do the study guides. she allows for open notes for the test. The labs are easy as she walks you through it. I can't imagine failing. she drops your lowest test score too. IT DOESN'T GET EASIER THAN THIS! shes amazing.

Professor Nelson's BIO101 class is reading-heavy, but her study guides are a lifesaver. Quizzes and exams are challenging, but manageable with consistent effort. Unstuckstudy proved helpful for efficient prep.