2.6
Quality3.8
Difficulty29%
Would Retake140
Reviews29%
Would Retake
140
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
140 total ratings5
17
4
32
3
24
2
30
1
37
What Students Say
“He is the worst professor I have ever had at UWL”
PHY103 - 1.0 rating“Surprised that he's rated so low, he was my favorite professor this semester”
PHY155 - 4.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
32%
Textbook Required
80%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-1.11 avg changeRatings by Course
PHY23
5.0
(1)PHY204
4.6
(7)PHY160
4.3
(4)PHY155
4.2
(9)AST155
4.0
(1)Difficulty by Course
PH103
4.8
PHY203
4.3
PHY103
4.0
PHY343
4.0
AST155
4.0
Reviews (139)
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Not a good teacher for physics! I am struggling in this course!!
He is a new professor here at UWL. Although it was rocky at the beginning of the semester, he has shown a true, honest effort to change his teaching styles for the students. He wants the student's feedback so he knows what's working/not working. Ultimately, he has shown passion for physics and more importantly, for teaching. He's a good guy.
I still don't like him. It's hard to understand what he's going on about. He doesn't use many real-life examples.
He seems like a nice guy and is usually helpful, but sometimes seems agitated if you go to him for help more than once. The class is very difficult and he doesn't seem to teach the material real well.
I have an exam tomorrow; and I am totally lostt in his class. By the time he gets trained in teaching us, I will flunk out of this place.
He is the worst prof. I have ever had in my entire life. Avoid taking him if possible. His exams are ridiculous, and he does not know how to teach. If you want to learn physics on YOUR OWN take him, but if you want to learn from a prof. change your major before taking him. I spent hours studying for his exams and failed it. Dont take him!!!!!!!
If you know what a good teacher is, he is everything opposite of that........... Don't take him... Unless you want to teach yourself.
No Comments
This professor doesn't like to do examples. He gives us homework and expects that we know what we are doing. Don't take this professor unless you want to teach yourself everthing that he goes over. He is trying, but isn't doing the job well.
DON'T TAKE HIM!!! DON'T TAKE HIM!!!HORRIBLE!!!
Dont understand him; I am getting help from my lab instructor; much better. I dont recommend taking him.
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Well, I was frustrated in his class, and finally dropped it (and my ACT is not low!!), decided to take it in the summer; I was told that it is a different instructor for summer. By the way, I found out that 103 is the only course he teaches; so he has all the time to prepare and help us. Also, he may be new at lacrosse, he has taught before at oth
This is the easiest class ever. The tests are super easy (problems directly from homework which he posts solutions to). People are complaining that he isn't helpful or clear, well they're wrong and they're right. He actually is really helpful if you ask him, and he isn't clear at all. This class is easier than high school physics.
You have to admit, he's not THAT bad--at least, he's trying. His grading policies are very generous, too, if you can do the extra credits.
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Exams are super easy, but the lectures are not helpful at all. I had Verrall for lab and he was much more helpful.
It's the guy's 1st year teaching here, he's not that bad. How could people fail his tests? He took 75% of the test exactly from homework. Here's the thing, Barnes has an aggressive teaching style. There were some things he needs to do different, he'll learn. There are worse physics profs. The dude cares and was willing to help at his office.
Dr. Barnes was not a helpful professor. He seemed annoyed when asked questions and was very unclear in his lectures. He did not make the grading scale clear in the beginning of the course. His lectures were a total waste of time, but required as he had a quiz that must be turned in at the end of every class period. Not my favorite by far!
He's a pretty boring lecturer, and he seems very scattered with his examples. Tests are fairly easy though. When I went to his office for help I always felt like I was interrupting something important and like I was a pest.
This guys lectures are rather dull and I at least found them to be useless. His tests are pretty easy though, but a lot of the homework you have to learn on your own because he doesn't like to give examples in lecture. He isn't the worst, but is not the best by far.
He had lots of office hours to help students, and was very willing to. However, grading practices were not consistent and there was no grading scale given at the beginning of the semester. The class was easy, but had the highest grading scale of any science class I've taken. 94% to get an A.
It's a shame to see this professor bring down the physics department like he does. Being a physics major, I can say he's by far the worst prof in the department. Very unreasonable grader, stubborn, and an absolute horrible teacher. Claims to do "example problems" when in fact they resemble nothing close to the homwork. Avoid if possible!
His class is easier than a high school physics class. Most of the people in the class are some sort of pre-professional majors and yet they think the material is hard? There could be no professor/lecture at all and people should be able to figure out the elementary material this class covers. The only thing he is bad at is being a lab instructor.
Physics is confusing enough without him making it even more confusing and introducing 202309729 topics, few of which are well explained. Pre class quizes and other assorted internet assignments are annoying as hell, too. Might as well just buy a physics textbook, learn it yourself, and then try to CLEP out of it, if possible.
I had him for 103 and 104. I can't say he's the best teacher in the world, but he certainly tries his damnedest. If anything is unclear just go talk to him, he'll help you as much as you're willing try. I think he may not seem clear because 103 + 104 are generic as hell and not clear in themselves. If you want pure clarity then take calc based.
Gets too hung up on theory rather than teaching practical examples that would be useful.
It's a tough class, but he makes it interesting. He also is good at giving partial credit on exam questions.
thought this class was going to be fun but it was rediculous. he rants about useless info. lab is easy and if u read the book it's not too bad just make sure to keep up on the pre class quizes cuz those are easy grades
Not a fan. I think he is angry all of the time. I don't get it. Very challenging course. I did the work and still have a lot of trouble on his tests. I think that he thinks his tests are easier than they are.
good in my opinion, if you dont understand something you have many opportunities to get help. he is almost always in his office during the day and has 2 help sessions a week. exams are not bad as long as you study and he gives alot of partial credit on problems. there are alot of topics introduced but thats the description of the class!
Not the best at explaining things but is willing to help anyone that is willing to learn. Tests are pretty easy and all of the questions are from the homework.
Barnes is a pretty nice dude but not a great teacher. his tests are nothing like lecture, and the homework is sometimes helpful and sometimes not.
Just not overall good, probably the most uncomprehensible teacher I've had in three years at the University. Avoid at all costs
I had him for 103 and 104. He tries to make the class interesting, but the way he approaches it is very boring. He is very helpful outside of class, but what he should do is teach it inside the class the first time around. He doesn't really cover what is on the test, you really end up teaching that to yourself.
Not the easiest or most interesting class but he is always willing to help. He has help sessions and is always in his office.
Super easy, has pretty easy exams and online homework that is a pain but keeps you up on your game. He is smart, so it is hard for him to get on your level of intelligence. Go to the help sessions cause he really breaks the problems down for you
Online quizzes and homework are free points and the tests are problems from the homework assigned. The class is really easy if you can look and the homework solutions and figure out how to do the problems, because what he teachs in class is not on the test.
He is pretty good. The tests are easy, just do the homework problems before the test and you should do fine.
Dr. Barnes is a nice person! He was always willing to help and he was patient (thank goodness). I just thought Physics was the hardest class EVER and would not recommend taking it your freshman year at least. But Barnes was always willing to do whatever he could to help his students.
Eric's a good guy. He's pretty animated during lecture which helps my small attention span greatly. He's VERY easy to get a hold of for extra help. Make sure you ask questions if you don't understand, otherwise he'll move on and expect you to know it. However, don't take this class for GenEd unless you need it for your major. I made that mistake..
Barnes' lectures are amusing and very easy to follow. Out of class quizzes and homework quizzes are also a cinch if you do them with a couple other people. His tests are unnecessarily difficult. 5 multiple choice, 4 actual show-your-work problems. The last problem is always extremely difficult. I wouldn't recommend taking this class for gen ed.
Dr. Barnes is definitely not a boring professor. Keeps lectures interesting and often has in class examples which helps you stay interested. Has you do a pre-class online b4 each class and a homework quiz every week. Tests are pretty difficult so you need to be prepared. I had to take this class for my major but recommend not taking it as a gen ed.
Very difficult gen ed., definitely messed with my GPA. However, Barnes is a great teacher; he is extremely organized and his demos are interesting. Only science prof that has some teaching ability. Not his fault the material is hard; just make sure to do all of the homework and quizzes.
His class in generally easy to follow, but the tests and homework are much more challenging. He may be a nice guy, but he's not a great teacher. Do all the homework twice in order to do well at all in this class
Class can get tough and confusing. Pay attention. Do the work. Don't miss online quizzes and be prepared for tests.
I think that Professor Barnes was a good instructor. His before class quizzes and homework quizzes help keep up on the material. I would say it's one of the harder gen-ed sciences, but if you are willing to put in some time, you will excel. He also has sessions and office hours to address any extra questions that you may have.
Tough class, tough teacher. Barnes is a good professor overall, but his tests pretty tough. Although there are free points in the homework and pre-class quizes, so getting a B in the class is easy. Getting and A is extremely tough.
doenst explain anything. only brushes up on a subject, then puts hard problems involving that subject for homework and on tests.
Some people rated barnes on when he taught 103/104, but as a 203 prof he is worthless. He doesn't explain anything and is very unhelpful. His tests are hard because he puts problems on it that he or the book has not went through. He told us the last question on his tests are not meant to be answered and it is worth 25 points, so lower than a B
Bad teacher, very unhelpful.
I am a Physics major and after taking his 203 class I am considering changing majors all together because of him. The material is interesting but he makes it 10 times harder than needed and also is not willing to help.
Had him first semester for 203. was not impressed. Picked his game up second semester and is a wonderful teacher for 204. Very very helpful and good at explaining.
If you take 103 you will be fine because the class is supposed to be easy. However if you take 203/204 the classes are more challenging and Barnes will not help you. I went to his office for help and he was very unhelpful. (I'm a physics major and out of all of my classes he made this class the hardest).
It is a very difficult class but when I asked him for help he helped me. It helps a lot if you look in the book for examples. I LOVED his grading. Very fair.
To hard to follow. He assumes you know everything about physics and doesn't explain his work. Seems like a great family man, but shouldn't be teaching at all. He doesn't help when he said he would, and doesn't encourage you if you have any problems :( DO NOT TAKE
I took Dr. Barnes for Astronomy and was not looking forward to it. After the first class, I was hooked! He is a really funny professor and makes you appreciate what you are learning about. If you pay attention and take notes in class, you will do great! You do have to study a little for the semi-tough exams. YES to Dr. Barnes!
I don't know how I would have survived a science course without Barnes. Please, pay no heed to the bad grades- he's interesting, knowledgeable, and approachable. I suck at science and by seeking him out and asking for advice, I evened out my grade and understood the course better to my advantage.
Took him for basic astronomy. He is obviously really passionate about the subject, but the notes and lectures were hard to follow. I learned mostly by reading the book. However, he is pretty funny and if you enjoy astronomy, definitely recommend.
I loved this class because of Dr. Barnes. His lectures are entertaining and interesting. The tests are a bit challenging, and he goes through the notes pretty fast, but I'd definitly reccommend him.
He should have a better rating than what he does on this site. He is a great teacher, easy class. I recommend taking this class to fufill your gen.ed. Funny and passionate. All notes are online and you don't have to go to class. It's great. Lab sucks though (not with him).
Surprised that he's rated so low, he was my favorite professor this semester. I came in knowing a little about astronomy, and came out pointing to family and friends which starts were which and planetary movements, etc. Tests were challenging, but if you read the book (lectures serve as supplement to the book, reading necessary) you do fine.
very helpful professor. he works well outside of class but in lecture he can be a bit unclear. ask questions if you take him in lecture and lab. HE WILL HELP!
Very knowledgable and very clear about how to solve problems and use correct formulas. Tough grader on practical exams however
Dr. Barnes is great! He knows his stuff and is good at answering questions
This class was very interesting.Barnes knows his stuff and tries to use as many examples as possible to help students understand. Very approachable and is willing to answer any question. Go to lecture, look over lecture slides, reading the text helps. He likes to crack jokes as he teaches and is one of the better professors I have taken!
People say that he doesn't explain things enough, but that's because you're supposed to read the book section before class and get the jist of it. If you can do that, then you will be fine, just make sure you do the homework.
Prepare to work hard. Barnes demands as much as he gives. He is a brilliant theoretician that has written his own textbook. While his class is considered HARD by many, if you simply do the work, you will find yourself achieving A's. He is a very rewarding professor to take.
Barnes is a really funny nice guy. He always had an interesting demonstration in class and he often used futurama in class. His tests are moderately hard, but if you go to lecture every day you should be fine. I would recommend this class to anyone.
I find myself getting frustrated often because he goes so fast through the slides and is very hard to follow. He seems like a funny guy, and he has the potential to be a great professor if he would slow down and explain in simpler terms for those of us who aren't great at science.
He's not the easiest professor you'll ever have, but you know exactly what he expects. He will give you practice tests and homework problems along with the easy D2L quizzes, and if you do those, you'll pass easily enough. Just make sure you read the section before class so you know what's going on.
I took his astronomy class and everything you needed to know for the test and quizzes was on the power points he posted on D2L. I would still go to the lectures because he does some cool demonstrations like shooting a marshmallow through some pop cans and blowing up marshmallows.
He is a very good teacher. He truly enjoys teaching this class and you can tell from his lectures. There are quizzes every other week but there are review sheets online. You don't need to read your textbook and the tests are mostly multiple choice. There are also review sheets for those. I highly recommend him.
If you've never taken physics before, definitely take Dr. Barnes. Its tough stuff but he is really helpful and explains things very well.
His x hat y hat vector notation is a killer. My lab instructor didn't make me do that and things seemed much easier!
His lectures are useless. The examples done in class are ten times easier than questions on the exams. After the first week I stopped going to class and still did well. The only way to learn this stuff is by reading the text book because he doesn't explain the material very well. Also he skips his office hours often. I would not recommend.
Dr. Barnes expects you to read the textbook before every lecture. He does many examples during class, but they are normally not every helpful on the homework quizzes. He expects that you know how to do problems even if he has not taught you how to do them. On the exams if you don't put down the formula used he takes points off.
There are only 2 exams - a midterm and final, homework quizzes almost weekly and a pre class quiz before every class. They are super simple - HW quizzes are on D2L and come right from the HW. Doing the HW problems are essential to passing - all exam questions come from these too. Barnes was always in his office when I needed help - great prof.
Dr. Barnes is not a very good professor. A large part of your learning happens during struggling with homework that he doesn't explain during lecture. Covers the basic principles but doesn't explain how to solve the more challenging problems in the homework. Tests are crammed for time and difficult, with 5 point multiple choice questions.
He makes his homework assigments 10 times harder than any example in class. Read your textbook because that is the only way you will pass. Final exam had problems on it that were unrecognizable even if you studied. I would strongly advise against taking him. The only good thing is that quizzes keep you from failing if you have a bad exam.
His email after grading our tests, "The performance on this exam is one of the worst I have experienced. If you question your exam grade, you can stop by my office.. and I will be happy to point out the horrible, horrible mistakes you made." Needless to say don't take him. Doesn't consider his teaching ability may be a factor in poor exam scores.
Must read the textbook for everything. There is a quiz for every reading before you are taught in class, and a ton of homework problems every single week. He is not helpful in teaching the material, just skims over it like you should know it. Expect a very difficult midterm and final exam. Definitely would not take if you haven't had physics.
He's an alright professor, just too overqualified for this class. Only 2 tests, midterm and final, and I bet if he would've split it up more, I could've done better.
PHY160 is an interesting course, and Dr. Barnes did an excellent job explaining the material very clearly. Textbook reading recommended.
god awful. avoid if possible.
He his great prof if you like office hours. He helps a ton if you go see him, but I don't always have time for that. Definitely have to pay attention and come to class and have a good buddy to take notes when you can't make it.
Great professor if you ask questions and apply yourself. Go to class and pay lots of attention and it will help immensely. I really enjoy how he is passionate about the subject matter and makes it interesting, he is extremely qualified for what he does. He'll answer any question you've got. Loved this class.
Super interesting class. Quizzes and exams are based on daily assigned readings so take notes and pay attention to them. He's super helpful during both class and office hours
Just do assigned textbook problems and take every extra credit opportunity, and you will get an A. Barnes is awesome (and I personally hate math and physics, but he made me like his class). Do not understand people who complain about him. His exams are just textbook problems; no tricky questions. Partial points if you show some knowledge.
Dr. Barnes is an extremely nice guy but you will have to work for a good grade in his class. Homework is optional, but extremely important because 25% of the grade is homework quizzes and the tests are all homework problems as well. Nothing is surprising, just read before class and do the homework problems, and that is all there is to it.
Barnes is a great professor. He made very difficult material understandable to someone who has never taken physics before. He is always available if you need extra help, and he really cares that you understand the information. So don't be afraid to go to his office hours if you're struggling! I would 100% recommend.
As someone who had never taken a physics class before, this class scared me. It got even worse once we started the actual material. He gives no unit tests so you only have a midterm and a final (which there is no review for). An extremely hard class and concepts were way over my head. Sometimes moves through material too fast. Hard to pass.
Dr. Barnes is a great professor, but you only have two exams. He explains things very well, but if you didn't take physics in high school it may be tough. He gives a lot of partial credit on exams. You have daily reading quizzes which are pretty easy and also homework every week. Midterm and final are all homework questions.
Dr. Barnes is great. He's really good at answering any questions you have and making you understand the material. There are only two exams for lab but all the questions are the sample exam questions at the end of each lab. The one thing is, even if you do the sample questions there is no answer key so you don't know if you're doing them right.
Good god, DO NOT TAKE BARNES EVER. This professor (along with TAK as the lab instructor) made for a NIGHTMARE duo of physics. Eric barnes will rarely teach you anything that will be on the exam, and he will dig in the back of the book for questions that are on the exam just to get you. VERY HARD TO PASS.
He wasnt very helpful when it came to online learning. He was not very nice, as it seemed in an email. Would never take a class with him again.
A gross amount of homework, you basically have to become the physics professor to teach yourself the actually difficult concepts he neglects to cover. He will find problems that are so obscure you'll wonder what unit it was from.
I felt like I had an unfair chance to succeed in this class. His tests were extremely difficult to take online and the grading was really harsh. I probably put in over 20 hours of physics every single week and it still wasn't enough. If you have to take this course, take literally anyone else.
Barnes was an okay professor, pre class quizzes everyday, homework quizzes once a week, and a final and midterm exam. Homework quizzes come directly from homework assignments (would recommend getting a Numerade subscription) but final and midterm are super difficult and are weighted heavily. The midterm got curved by 25 pts because we all did bad.
worst class ever. had him for both lecture and lab. mainly taught myself through youtube and google. preclass quiz 3x a week before each lecture. homework quiz each week with tons of homework problems that were nothing like midterm or final. Doesn't demo in lab so you sit there confused, even when he helps you. worst professor i've ever had. avoid.
He is absolutely awful at preparing you for his exams, every question is the result of the deepest digging through the course material. He'll combine course material in way you were never shown or asked to even think of before, you'll just have to figure it out on the fly during the test. Oh yea, and he'll blow off your emails during finals wk.
AVOID! If you're already good at physics he's probably fine, but if not, this class will be incredibly difficult to keep up in and super hard to pass.
Taking Barnes for physics 103 was probably the biggest mistake I've made so far as a student at UWL. The midterm and finals have content in them that are never mentioned in the book or during lecture. His lectures are the most incoherent explanations of course material. Prepare to teach yourself from the book rather than lecture. Avoid!
Lectures move very quick with little explanation. Hard to ask for help, he'll tell you to try again and then come back to him. Test material is very tough. If you struggle with homework, your tests will be bad.
Dr. Barnes made the class very enjoyable for me. His exams were challenging but always fair. He also did a great job of flowing naturally from one topic to the next, making logical connections to what we already learned. My suggestions to pass his class: pay close attention to lectures, take good notes, do the practice, and always ask questions.
Grades pretty fairly and covered most of what was needed to know. If you did the problem sets you probably did fine. Only complaint I had was that the final sucked, otherwise he was a great guy and great to have.
If you're a nonmajor taking this class for a science credit I would suggest looking elsewhere. Eric explores problems thoroughly, but don't expect to just show up and do well. Lots of time outside of class needed to master material. HW is not like exams; expect to be tested on your critical thinking ability, not plugging in numbers. Hard but fair.
He was one of my least favorite professors at UWL, and his homework was helpful. At review sessions, he would be stuck on one question for the entire class. My grade was fine until the final when he didn't curve and most of the class suffered because of it. A lack of effort was apparent with his teaching and exam style.
There is only 2 exams the semester with the mid term and final but there is plenty of homework and pre class quizzes to keep a decent grade. Exams are nothing like the homework quizzes and require critical thinking. My grade went from an A to a C after the final, extra credit made it go back up to a B.
Online pre-quizzes before every class based on the assigned reading and online homework once a week. There was only a midterm and a final. I had to do a lot of learning from tutors and youtube. However, as long as you pass lab you get the full 50 points and there was enough extra credit offered that it saved my grade.
He is the worst professor I have ever had at UWL. The man acts like you already know everything there is to know about physics. His lectures are horrible and he never makes it through a single problem. When you ask a question he makes you even more confused saying, "well you might be able to do it a few ways", but doesn't show you how.
Taking this class was the equivalent to a vending machine eating your money. Stuff we learned in class did not translate to homework quizzes or tests. Had no idea what was going to be on the midterm and final, and had no idea how to do the midterm and final. Homework answers are impossible to read and understand. Do not take him.
Bro, I took this class thinking I was a physics pro. Little did I know the midterm and final were gonna be on things that had no sense of logic involved I mean bro I was so confused and sad when I got that grade back yo. this is coming from a homie who aced O-chem. I recommend taking someone else or your gpa is gonna on the down lo0wwww dawg.
Grade pretty much depends on midterm and final. Struggled so hard in this class and have tried every study method under the sun. Even the tutors couldn't really help me. Hoping and praying the final goes well.
Barnes is very knowledgable in his instruction, and clearly has a passion for teaching those who wish to be taught. ASK QUESTIONS! He is a very reasonable guy, most of his quizzes and exams are "hard" in the sense that they require you to think beyond just regurgitating a formula. Will sit down and explain anything to anyone so long as they care.
Professor Barnes is very knowledgeable in physics, but he assumes his students know plenty already as well. For an entry level class, this was difficult since lectures are mostly going over practice problems and not the notes. Exams were online which was nice. He's a great guy but I feel as if he shouldn't be teaching an introductory class.
DO NOT TAKE IF YOU DON'T HAVE TO. Exams online with no partial credit which is ridiculous. Knowledgeable guy but too harsh for an introductory class. Taught myself from the textbook. Tutors also don't help much. Have to take him again next semester because the physics department thought it would be smart to let him teach both intro classes. AVOID.
The exams were online which you would think would benefit but it did not. There were no opportunities to show work for partial credit so if you did any of the math wrong you get a 0. Not fair.
Don't take Barnes. No partial credit on exams because they are online; problems are not multiple choice so if you don't know how to do it you're going to lose at least 4-5 points. Can learn more from reading the book than you can going to class.
He is good with lectures. But, his exams and quizzes are tough. Nonetheless, he curved every single exam and the final grade. So the hardness of the exams did not impact the letter grade adversely. He was always available to clear concepts through mail and in person. Getting an A is not impossible but it's challenging! Get ready to work hard!
Extremely hard timed tests with NO partial credit and not multiple choice. Open book helped only a little. He does not respond to emails well and expect no sympathy for anything. The only things that saved me were that it is easy to get good grades on homework, and tests are curved 15-25% because everyone does so bad.
Professor Barnes is a very respectable and knowledgeable professor. However, it was very difficult to recall formulas and apply the concepts within the timed exams. Barnes spends about 15-20 minutes going over a singular problem in class but expects students to complete 10 similar problems within a 60-minute time frame. PRACTICE! PRACTICE!
He isn't a bad prof. He knows the stuff well, but the material is HARD. He goes really fast so it's hard to understand it good. He is a tough guy. When I went into office hours, he helped me but one person told me he yelled at them and called them stupid because they didn't understand something. So if you really struggle, it's hard to get help
Dr. Barnes' lectures are what he calls 'discussions' which means he rambles about little to nothing for most of the class, then might give an example with highly ideal numbers, all while his exams give no partial credit and combine two to three things seen in lecture once in a question. I would recommend trying to get another professor.
Professor Barnes is knowledgeable, but the exams were a real challenge. I found Unstuck ai and other study tools like ChatGPT helpful for preparing. Overall, be ready to put in a lot of practice to do well.
Dr. Barnes is very smart, but I feel like he doesn't care about teaching so much. He definitely has a passion for Physics but you can tell he doesn't like to explain concepts to people who don't understand them. I'd recommend not taking him if you can avoid it, but he's not the end of the world. His exams and "discussions" are also very challenging
Dr. Barnes is good lab professor. He explain the lab before starting and makes sure that everyone is aware on what to do for the lab. He's not unapproachable but he definitely comes off a little more stern which is 100% valid. Overall he's a good professor for lab, but I didn't have for lecture
Prof. Barnes is very knowledgeable. I had Dr. Docktor as my main prof. and she ran the lectures, but Barnes did all the grading. I found his tests to be extremely hard and I struggled to understand them. The final was especially hard. The tests are graded, which helps, but I still struggled to keep a good grade, as I struggled on the exams.
Barnes has made some changes to this class, including having 4 midterms instead of 1. All of his exams are online but he added lockdown browser to the last 2 exams and final. His lectures are long, boring and don't really connect to exam material. He was the only option for PHY 103 this semester, but don't take him if you don't have to.
While Professor Barnes is a nice enough person, this class was more difficult than it needed to be. Exams were extremely long (most didn't finish) and quite difficult. Lectures mostly covered conceptual content and equations despite us being tested on concept application. I suggest doing most of, if not all, the homework to prepare for exams.
He didn't really teach in class, and his examples were very basic, but then the exams were almost impossible. I would not recommend him, but most physics professors at UWL structure their classes like him. There are a lot of supplemental points to help balance out all of your exam scores, but it's still almost impossible to get an A in this class.
he's very good at explaining the concepts of the class during his lecture and he's very helpful when you don't understand a specific problem. But he doesn't teach the applications of the concepts to the problems very well during lecture. Save yourself the headaches and don't take him for any course below 300 level. You'll thank me later.
No partial credit, his lectures are extremely confusing, not easy to talk clearly I don't recommend
Dr. Barnes is a completely different person in his upper level courses. He is so attentive and really cares about making sure you understand the material as long as you put the time in and ask questions. He explains concepts very well and doesn't bash you for being confused. Exams are ROUGH though, barely anyone finishes on time.
If you're looking to take an upper level physics course and are afraid to take any of his classes because of his Ratemyprofessor, don't be. Dr. Barnes was an amazing professor for PHY 320, he clearly laid out expectations and explained the course material clearly. He is a tough but fair grader. Beware of exams, they're long and not many finish.
He was the worst professor I had at UWL. If you are not a physics major or engineer, you will suffer from his class. Going to the class is pointless because he will not solve any questions that can arise in the exams. He will teach you conceptual interpretation of the problems but rarely uses numbers so you will be confused.
This was the worst professor I have had at UWL. His exams are near impossible to do well on. I spent hours doing homework problems and going to lecture only for him to tell me that the homework problems don't help for exams. He didn't talk about exam averages ever and if you wanted to know you had to go to his office hours. Do not recommend.
Class Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
32%
Textbook Required
80%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-1.11 avg changeRatings by Course
PHY23
5.0
(1)PHY204
4.6
(7)PHY160
4.3
(4)PHY155
4.2
(9)AST155
4.0
(1)Difficulty by Course
PH103
4.8
PHY203
4.3
PHY103
4.0
PHY343
4.0
AST155
4.0