2.8
Quality3.3
Difficulty39%
Would Retake194
Reviews39%
Would Retake
194
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
41
4
25
3
41
2
34
1
53
What Students Say
“I have never had a bad math teacher until now”
M408D - 1.0 rating“His test are very specific and he doesn't give you a test review so you have to study every section without knowing which sections to emphasize on”
M408M - 1.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
38%
Textbook Required
25%
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A-
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55145
5.0
(1)M341
5.0
(1)MATHAABA
4.0
(1)M408C
4.0
(1)M340L
3.0
(1)Difficulty by Course
M340L
5.0
MATHAABA
4.0
M408N
4.0
M408M
3.8
M325K
3.7
Reviews (194)
I am an engineering major and a strong math student. His math class is geared toward abstract math majors and I would NOT recommend him for a EE or CE major. The workload is excessive and the important points are not stressed. Tedious homework assignments that do not carry enough weight or stress the important points of discrete math.
His class is way too hard and material is just too tedious. The homework was extensive and did not carry that much wait!
Dr. Shirley is an adorable and great professor! His notes are all inclusive and he provides them online. His tests are fair and not too tricky. Great teacher!
Dr. Shirley is a great teacher. He has a tendency to expand more on basic subjects when we all know what he is talking about. Easy class, helpful TA's.
This professor has no idea what he is teaching half of the time. He does problems wrong and goes off on tangents in his own little world. He is very friendly, but I dread going to this class. I rely on the book for everything. He does his examples too quickly in class because the notes are online, but not practicing with him makes it hard to learn
Sweet: Notes online, the actual material isn't too difficult, only a few tests on things definitely covered in class. Not Sweet: Kind of boring, tons of hw, easy material somehow made difficult, attendance is taken every day!, basically didn't explain material well, you have to pay way too much attention in class to grasp concepts.
There's no reason to fail his class, I took it when was a freshman and was hospitalized for over 2 weeks and in 2 other math classes at the same time. I still kicked butt in those other 2. He was really supportive in helping me catch up, couldn't have done it without him. Really nice man. The only drawback is the long tedious homework.
Great guy with lots of enthusiasm for teaching calculus. Very approachable and helpful. He is very anal on how he wants work shown though. It's either his way or nothing. In other words, exams are very hard because he is such a meticulous grader. But coursework is well explained in lecture and he cares about the success of the students. I'd recomme
Very insightful teacher, he knows what he is doing and actually explains stuff very well -- BUT VERY FAST. You gotta know your stuff going in there or he will probably lose you if you get stuck
Shirley is a very good calculus teacher. He explains everything very well and he knows what he's talking about. He actually does examples through out the whole lecture and he also posts his notes online so you can use them to study or for hw! He's a cool dude, totally recommend him.
He makes this class harder than it needs to be. He takes off points like crazy on the tests for the smallest mistakes. So many people failed the first test.
He is not that clear in lectures. Prepare to study for this on your won. Also, during test he will take points off for EVERYTHING! and i mean everything. I would try another professor if possible, would not recommend.
None of what we are learning is applicable to life. This is an INTRO to math class. He makes things so difficult, and gives us these long and confusing handouts that are not helpful at all. I use the book to figure out most of his lectures. He grades really tough on tests. I do not recommend this teacher he has made this class miserable.
Given, I actually don't despise math, this class was ridiculously easy. I show up to class simply because he takes attendance but his lectures are completely pointless. All you really need to do is read the book and do the homework and you'll be more than fine.
He is rather confusing despite his interest and requires you to come to class though it really is not helpful. Without friends to study with this class would blow. There is tons of homework and he grades hard on test. My worst grade in what was to be one of my easiest classes. If you are able to teach yourself from a textbook you may do okay.
Professor Shirley is an extremely nice guy, but it is difficult to follow everything in class. He changes his thoughts all the time and goes off on random tangents. He is a tough grader and requires you to sign in at the beginning of class. This class is not difficult and if you can teach yourself how to do the work you will be fine.
The main thing about this professor is that he has very specific ways that he wants our answers to be and if you don't do it you lose a lot of points. So the material isn't that hard but if you aren't careful you won't do well on the tests. There is written homework every week. Lectures are okay and he is available through office hours.
Shirley is nice enough, but dull - though I don't know how this class could be interesting, no matter who taught it. It was absolute torture sitting through lecture, & I'm not bad at math - just needed a QR flag. Really you only need the textbook to learn & do HW but unfortunately he takes attendance. I felt like lectures were a huge waste of time.
He's a tough grader, but fair. He is always there to help, and the only way to not get an A is to make silly mistakes on the tests.
I really liked Dr. Shirley! All the HW was from the textbook (use Slader) and the tests were all free response with lots of partial credit. I always got a better grade on my tests than I expected! There were only 3 pop quizzes (count as HWs) during discussion sessions & 2 are dropped so that was pointless. Fairly good teacher who laughs a lot!
This was the hardest class ever. Professor Shirley is veryyyyy specific on how he wants his proofs written. Like line by line if its not the way he wants it he will take off about 5 points. and 10 points off every proof thats wrong. He expects so much from his students. Lots of homework and is long. I wouldn't recommend this class.
The lectures are mind-numbing and he frequently trips up over what he says. He's one of those profs that have specific ways of solving calculus problems and will only award credit to students that solve the problems "the right way".
While the material itself isn't hard and the HW comes from the book, Dr. Shirley is an extremely meticulous grader and will take points off for the smallest mistake, and often doesn't even know what will be on his own exams/quizzes until the day before. He stumbles through lectures and he doesn't update grades on Canvas, which was very frustrating.
Dr. Shirley is ancient but he really cares about his students. I barely went to class and discussion and made it out with a B+. He gives four exams and a final and they are very straightforward, he is just so specific so even if you get the right answer but got it the wrong way, he'll take points. I don't recommend him but it was a bearable class.
Beware of tests. Write everything you think and take no shortcuts. Write those silly required sentences for everything, even that obviously convergent 1/n p-series. Homework is slightly time consuming but easy. Tests, tests, tests. Professor is very hard to pay attention to in lectures, and his standards are unreasonable.
I do not do math. Math is not my thing. Me + math sadness. But in Dr. Shirley's class, I did okay! He really cares about his students and that shines through his teaching. Really liked his class and appreciated all of the support he offered outside of class.
I have never had a bad math teacher until now. He once laughed at me when I asked him a question over the homework after class. Condescending, SO dry and dull, ridiculous requirements of you when answering a question. AVOID AT ALL COSTS!!!!!
Not good at explaining mathematical concepts. Studders over himself and messes up a lot during lectures. Very weak teacher who assigns much more homework than other math professors
Shirley is extremely particular about the way you format and phrase your answer. If you skip steps he will mercilessly take off points, which is very frustrating given that his tests usually have you pressed for time. He seems to laugh at everything, which is initially charming but when he laughs at you it's hard not to feel mocked. Avoid him.
Terrible experience in Shirley's class. Not a good lecturer and is extremely picky with grading. Pretty much had to teach myself all of the material, and he assigns a ridiculous amount of homework. If you get him as a professor, I highly advise switching out.
Shirley is nice, is accessible with office hours. Boring lectures, I never listened and learned more from doing the homework, of which he gives a lot of (I like this though). Tests are straightforward, like the homework, but you only have lecture time to complete it so you got to work fast. Class isn't overly difficult. Solid professor for 408D.
I would not recommend this professor if given the opportunity to take someone else. He is very specific on what he wants on tests (usually 6-7 free response), and if you don't do it his way, you will get points taken off. He stumbles a lot during class and can get hard to follow. Lots of homework, but tests are usually similar to some problems
Tests are extremely straightforward, and Shirley never throws any trick questions/proofs in. Write down everything that comes to mind on tests so you don't get points off for 'not showing all your work.' His lectures can get boring, but it helps if you convince yourself that he's really funny/charming when he laughs at the randomest of things.
He's impossible. He has such strict rules for how to do problems, and he contradicts himself on how to do those same problems. He gives very little room for mistakes, taking off points for very minor things like missing a parenthesis. I had all A's until him, and I worked really hard in his class. Don't take him.
Shirley is a very tough grader. He is extremely specific in how he wants your work and answers to look like and will take lots of partial points off that add up quickly. His lectures can be entertaining... never seen someone who thought math was so funny.
You better find some friends in this class, because there is A LOT of homework. I'm talking 6 hours a week, the amount is absolutely ridiculous, and they ain't easy either, each question get progressively harder, so chances are you'll seek help on half of them. Professor himself is alright, but wayyyy too much homework.
He makes things unnecessarily difficult. Not enough time on tests, but he will give you nasty numbers to work with. The way he assigns and grades HW is outdated.
TONS of homework, but if you do ALL of it, it makes for thorough practice for the tests. Do NOT miss class. Take notes, pay more attention to his instructions than those in the textbook, study his handouts, go to his office hours and talk to him about what you're unclear about. He's a tough grader, but he really cares about his students doing well.
He's just alright. His lectures aren't bad, he shows us how to work practice problems over the topic. The tests are straightforward, but you only get less than an hour to complete them, so that is where the real challenge is. He also likes to dock points really hard for small things. Kind of hard to get an A.
Frank the Tank is a nice professor. He really enjoys what he's teaching, and the lectures can be intense. He can be very picky when grading your tests, and will take off points for the littlest of things. He is generally seen as a hard professor, but I feel as though his teaching is fine. Laughs at math things a lot.
His lectures cover the material well but can make you fall asleep. Exams are fair and never tests on anything he didn't cover. He took off 12 pts on an a lot of people's exams if you failed to recognize an improper integral so don't make that mistake. Usually 5+ hrs of hw every week. People aren't kidding when they say he laughs at his math jokes.
Dr. Shirley loves math and finds calculus hilarious. For lecture, he suggests reading the textbook section before he expands and works through examples each day, but probably a quarter of the class doesn't value his lectures. His grading standards are high and he expects to see every step and proper notation every time on tests and the final.
Shirley is an extremely dry professor (coming from someone who loves calc). He assigns a lot of HW, all straight from the book, but the homework prepares you for the exams. He has a VERY strict and absurd standard of grading, but his exams are pretty fair and easy, content wise. He does post every set of lecture notes online.
Dr. Shirley is a great professor, but a really tough grader. His exams are only about 45 minutes which is hard to do since some of the proofs are lengthy. His worksheets are more helpful than the textbook.
I found Dr. Shirley to be a pretty decent lecturer. He tells you what you need to know and the tests were really basic questions that went over lecture content. Nothing too complicated.
Dr. Shirley is one of my worst professors. He seems to enjoy his job but comes off as very dull and boring. Lots of homework, tough grader. Messes up a lot. I usually just spend class time doing homework and learn new units online.
Horrible, handwriting sucks, complains about being on laptop. Tests are harder than textbook questions and homeworks every week.
Shirley is a cute old man, but he is the type of prof that wants you to do some things HIS way, otherwise you'll get the question wrong. He would make you feel stupid if you asked a stupid question. His tests are hard compared to anything he ever gives on homeworks. But the class is doable. GO INTO HIS OFFICE HOURS IF YOU WANT HIM TO LIKE YOU!!
Decent professor. He's pretty specific about what he wants on tests and homework even though its tedious (he wants specific notation). I missed most classes and mainly learned from the textbook, but the few lectures I went to were alright. He seems like a nice person, but there's better professors for M408D.
Very heavy workload. His test are very specific and he doesn't give you a test review so you have to study every section without knowing which sections to emphasize on.
Worst lecturer I've ever had. Instantly makes me fall asleep. Super boring. Randomly laughs over the most un-funny things he says. Homework heavy but the homework is super useful and the answers are online. Tests are not very difficult but he grades really hard
His lectures are dry and hard to follow, scatterbrained and messy. Pretty much teaches straight from the textbook, but does offer insightful example problems in class. There is a lot of homework each week, but doing them really prepares you for the 3 tests and final.
Not a bad professor. He gives a lot of homework, but the homeworks do really prepare you for his exams. Just make sure to write down every proof and step down so you don't get taken points off over silly things. He is fairly generous with partial credit as long as you are meticulous with all your steps.
He covers all the material you need for the exams in class. However, his lectures are extremely dry and boring. Exams are straightforward, but he's the pickiest math grader ever; getting the answer is not good enough, you HAVE to do it his way. Only went to class 20% of the time... you can just learn from the textbook. OH are occasionally helpful.
What is said about him here is mostly true, though he truly does teach the material well at the end of the day. His tests barely change from year to year and are the same level as homework, so in the end making the grade isn't impossible with him. The class gets easier as the semester goes on so beware if you don't have a strong foundation in calc.
He is a very dry lecturer, and he likes to focus excessively on the basics, which is useful if your fundamentals are not very strong. Attend lectures to learn his specific notation and do homework because his tests are similar to the homework problems. I thought he was an amusing professor with fair tests, but I probably would not take him again.
Shirley gives very helpful lectures, but they fairly slow and full of dry humor. The homework load is pretty heavy, but the pop quizzes he talks about never actually happened. Tests are completely fair, but he grades very harshly on certain mistakes.
Lectures can be a bit dry, but he posts a ton of handouts, so there's really everything you need to succeed. Homework can be graded a little harsh, but he's willing to hear you out if you there was a mistake. Tests are very consistent and indicative of the final. Get your hands a few old tests, and you should be golden. Beware of notation!
His lectures are very straightforward and clear. Test questions are similar to homework problems, and he has a variety of worksheets that are very useful. As for his picky grading - He does require you to show your work/word your justifications in a certain way, but honestly, it makes understanding/answering the questions much easier.
Shirley is definitely not the easiest 408D professor at UT. However, if you go to the lectures and do the HW, you should be just fine. Tests were fairly easy and were mostly similar to the HWs and the examples he went thorugh in class. However, he wants you to work the problems on tests in a specific way that he taught you in class.
Not the best, not the worst. I came in having taken BC in high school, so I didn't depend on Shirley's lectures for most of the class, but when we started covering Calc 3 topics, it was hard to follow him. He's a sweet man, but his grading scale can be harsh.
You will have to follow every single detail that he provides as far as proofs go. He has double docked and triple docked me at times on questions, in which following the mistake through would have been much more sensible. Overall, if A is supposed to be a mastery of the material per his teaching, then I got robbed. Very kind and likable person tho.
Class is useful for learning his notation and nothing else. Mess up on a single thing and there goes any shot at an A. He's a very strict grader, things must be written HIS way or you'll get points off. He's also condescending when you ask a question or challenge something he said - no sense at all that you're seen as an equal. Avoid if possible.
Old fashioned professor. Everything is on paper, and he is SUPER picky about the way things have to be (etc. the way your hw is folded). Literally 90% of the class is straight out the textbook, and the homeworks are unreasonably long sometimes. I do have to say, hes passionate about what he teaches but lectures are still boring.
Shirley is passionate and loves what he does. He has a specific way he wants things, but it's not hard to adjust to. The material is pretty easy and the tests are straightforward. He makes his expectations very clear and it is very possible to get an A. The homework can be annoying, but not nearly as excessive as ppl on here like to make it seem.
Shirley clearly explains calculus concepts and illustrates with them with example Qs. It's HW heavy but the HWs prepare you for the test. His tests are very recall-based; know how to do the HW Qs and you'll be good. Peers complained about his harsh grading, make sure to layout your work clearly and in detail. Very passionate prof and helpful OH.
Lots of homework every week, but it is helpful for the tests. Although the tests are not too difficult, he is a very tough grader. He tries to make sure you understand the concepts, but his lectures are very slow and boring.
Shirley is NOT the best professor for M408D but he's ok. There is a lot of homework that is a small % of the grade but if you want to be prepared for the exams you should definitely do it. My main critiques are that his lectures are incredibly dry and he is not clear on grading criteria making many students unnecessarily lose points on exams.
Made 50-minute lectures feel so long and boring. Very old-school, writes his lessons onto paper and displays it on a projector. Assigns a hefty amount of questions pretty much every week (sometimes seems excessive). Tells his TA's to give random pop quizzes during the discussions. Grades hard and takes points off for little things (very annoying).
Average, old school, dry professor. Assigns a lot of homework. His tests are fair and relatively easy, however is very particular in the way he grades. He takes off points for notation even if you get the correct answer! Only curves the very low grades. Lectures are extremely boring but a lot of people go to see his particular notation.
He assigns an excessive amount of homework every week. I had to use chegg to keep up with all of it. He gives random pop quizzes in discussion sections even though his TAs cant teach anything. Grades really hard for notation. I got more points off for notation than wrong answers. Only curves really low grades. Hes really nice though
ABSURD GRADER will deduct big of points for not showing a step, even not justifying a correct step, impossible to please. On Exam 1 I got everything right and got 91%; my friend also got everything right and got 80%. Fairly good lecturer but 100% useless in office hours bc he interrupts your question every few seconds to answer a different question
The lectures are pretty straightforward. The most common complaint was how specific Shirley is about writing answers and justifications, i.e. I got deductions on a tests because my line was too straight for a graph and I didn't explicitly write down x^2 > 0. There's weekly textbook homework that's time consuming but not hard
Although my HS calculus teacher taught the same way, another semester of long, dry lectures didn't help my GPA. His grading is very meticulous and if it isn't written the way he wants it, you loose points. His class was very manageable and his homework expectations were clear, but if you could, please choose a different professor.
Really boring lectures, and very hard exams. I retook this class with another professor and it's A LOT easier. avoid at all costs
Outdated style of teaching, everything is written, asks questions in 10 different ways each time. Tests are extremely difficult, and it is nearly impossible to learn every way to do the problems on the exams. Takes off points for every little thing. No multiple choice ever, you have to write in complete sentences for CALCULUS. Doesnt make sense
So dry that he'll give the Sahara Desert a run for its money. Gives lots of homework to prepare you for tests that are strictly graded in irrelevant criteria such as grammar (plural and a singular nouns costed my brethren 4 points on a test). 408D is fast-paced but easily manageable with a strong math background. If you have the credit, skip 408D.
Shirley is a good professor and teaches you the information you need for the tests. However, he can be boring and doesn't really use technology, so expect to be copying his handwritten notes. He takes off points for the smallest things on tests, so try to do everything his way. Not a tough class if you work really hard.
Honestly, he is not too bad of a teacher and you can get an A in his class. However, his grades his tests VERY specifically, and his lectures can be very very dry. On his tests, make sure you show our work for almost every step of the problem or you will lose around 20 points. I liked that his lectures were available on his website.
I really like his teaching style, but he requires students to do homework physically. Other than that, he's a pretty good lecturer.
Dr. Shirley's lectures were more confusing than helpful - I always had to read the textbook after to figure out how to do the homework. The tests weren't too difficult, but the homework was pretty difficult/time consuming and it was easy to lose points over little things. However, he was very sweet, and he really liked answering questions.
the worst class i have taken at ut. worst professor. unclear grading criteria. docks points for every single little thing. i failed so hard. took the class again next semester with staron and got an A+ with less effort. enough said
Literally the most frustrating professor ever. Do everything you can to get out of his class.
I enjoyed having him as my professor as everything was straightforward and I didnt have to attend class. The only problem is that he isnt the best at explaining things in lecture, but he does try harder with you if you attend his office hours. Im sure there are better professors for M408D, but he is okay. Also, it was an easy A with simple tests
He just copies down the textbook and its examples onto handouts and reads it out loud, which I can literally do on my own. As for grading, it's absolutely ridiculous. Tests should be an opportunity to demonstrate what you have learned in the class. However, his style of grading is meant to play "gotcha". Just take it with a different professor.
Having prior knowledge entering this course, I attended two of his lectures before deciding I had better things to do with my life than to spend an hour every other day listening to his dry, unhelpful lectures. His exams are meticulously graded and small mistakes can be the difference between an A and B. Highly recommend you do not take Shirley.
This is my second time taking Dr. Shirley's class and I still think he's one of the most underrated professors. He's an amazing professor and his lectures are really helpful. He's always prepared for class with a lot of written handout and he really cares about his students. 10/10 recommended.
Dr. Shirley's lectures can be tedious and monotone, but he records all lectures and has multiple OH throughout the week where he is more helpful. The tests are very similar to the homework, but he takes off points for very little things. I think the poor man must feel uncomfortable with the online setting, so just be patient with him lol
I think Dr. Shirley was just uncomfortable with the online setting. He did have delays releasing exam results and tends to focus on little specifics. While homework grading is mediocre, his test grading is meticulous - pointing out small mistakes. Some of the lectures you can skip due to a good portion of this class being Calc BC all over again.
He just reads directly off of the textbook and adds little input of his own. The only real learning-input that he puts into the lectures are the annoying things he takes points off of on the test. If you don't attend the lectures you'll miss out on the specific things he counts off for. takes 3 weeks to grade tests, didn't even grade the final.
I personally think people are a bit too harsh on his lectures. I actually found his lectures quite good in quality. A word of caution though, his grading can be very harsh and he does not really do curves.
Shirley is as dry as a person can get, haven't seen lectures less enthusiastic and interesting. He also has very very overtly specific methods to things, which if you don't follow you can basically expect to fail. The hw load is also wayyyy too much.
I am not a big fan of calculus in general, and I will accept that my grade was not where I would have liked it to be due to my own lack of interest. I found the lectures confusing and unclear, the tests weren't as hard as the homeworks, which was nice. I wish I had known people in the class to study with, as it was hard to figure out alone.
Probably the worst math professor you can get in terms of this class. Extremely boring lectures that basically reiterate what the book explains followed by a couple example problems and that's about it. Gives a ridiculous amount of homework and grades very thoroughly on exams. Try and find any other math professor before choosing him.
Perhaps the worst professor I've ever taken. Has unclear grading criteria for his homework and his exams. Terrible at lecturing and his notes are absolute garbage. Prepare to do all your learning from all other online sources. Also, he grades his tests in the most petty way, taking points off for things that aren't even math related.
Get ready to read textbooks and spend nights doing homeworks
He is easily the worst professor I've had at UT. Lots of people complain about hw load but I didn't think it was that bad, biggest issue is that his lectures are horrible (he just reads straight off of handouts he copied from the textbook) and his grading on homework and tests is awful, I lost half credit on a proof I did correctly due to grammar
Worst Professor. Makes no sense in lectures. Don't take him.
Genuine comment, hes decent at best. Not the best but not the worst, definitely not an easy A and one slip up on a midterm, will have you fighting for youre life. Make sure to review homework because midterms usually ask similar style questions. Textbook and YouTube are your friends. Definitely fought for to survive here, but its do able.
Good person, terrible teacher. Only take his class if you're willing to teach yourself or if you were really good at BC calc. He sounds like he's making the lectures up on the spot. Grades tests fairly and gives lots of partial credit. There's not TOO much homework. It's easy to finish all of it the day before its due.
I was expecting worse when I saw his rate my prof score, but he was fine. He wasn't great by any means, but he wasn't terrible either. You will probably do fine if you did well in BC calc. I thought his lectures were very thorough, but a lot found them confusing. No test drops so watch out.
To be frank (no pun intended), Dr. Shirley is a solid calculus professor. He is evidently knowledgeable in the subject. But he almost takes a legalistic approach when grading papers and homework, expecting clean and explicit definitions and/or invocations. He once took off points because I did tangential work on my paper and didn't draw an arrow.
Dr. Shirley is not a bad professor. His lectures are very clear and to-the-point. Some of the examples he gives in class might even show up in exams. There is a lot of homework, but if you do not procrastinate, it is doable. Tests are also doable and are FRQ (so partial credit!). Put in the effort, study, and you can do well in this class.
Dr. Shirley is obviously knowledgeable about mathematics, but it's his teaching style that frustrated me so much. He wasn't very good about completely covering material in class, and his lectures got a bit hard to follow at times. When exams came, he graded them quite tough, and just really caused a lot of stress last semester. I'd reconsider.
I know that not many people will agree with me, but I personally loved Dr. Shirely's teaching style! He explains concepts very well and focuses on how ideas work rather than just covering the formulas. He's very particular about the way that work is shown, but if you follow the method he taught, you'll get full credit & partial where it is earned.
You get one HW assignment weekly but personally each took from 4-7 hours to complete. They all have 20-30 problems but he only grades like 7-10 problems so one wrong will cost a lot of points. No cheat sheet on test, and is in person. The tests are reasonable and he gives like 15 point curves since everyone does SOO BAD.
Professor Shirley very clearly understands mathematics. His lecturing was solid in terms of content, and sometimes he seemed very light hearted and interesting but other times would result in me falling asleep to a very relaxing monotone voice. The homework was tedious and only a select few questions are graded: an interesting sampling method.
Not the greatest professor here. Tons of homework and only a few questions get graded, plus grades still haven't gotten put in for all the homework and exams even though the semester is nearly over. I would advise against taking his class simply for that.
Worst Professor I have ever had . Excessive hwk load, harsh grader, does not teach well so you have to teach yourself consistently, and only accepts paper hwk submissions. I strongly advise against taking his class. He is notorious at UT for being a terrible professor. He is currently on probation.
Excessive homework and only grades a few problems, sometimes I would skip one hard problem and thats the one that he would grade and I would end up getting a bad grade. His exams are difficult and in person, be careful with grammar on exams. Bad professor dont take him.
Bad professor. Trust these reviews, you don't want to take him if possible. Gives no formula sheets during any exam, horrible grading weight distribution, overall bad. Only grades a few questions from the homework, and doesn't update the canvas grades at all. Skip this professor if you can!!!
Shirley definitely does not get enough credit on this website. RMP made me terrified of the class but I ended up with an A! He really enjoys what he teaches which is great, and if you take the time to get to know him hes a great guy! Be ready to put in the work BIG TIME, but once you get into the swing of things it will definitely pay off for you.
He spends an entire lecture on a question that could be better explained in 10 minutes and you somehow leave more confused then you started. You are better off watching YouTube videos. Overall just not a good teacher.
He is literally the WORST professor you can take for this class. His notes are hard to follow and grades test very harshly. His lectures are so bad that I had to teach myself the material. I have taken many math classes at UT and this is by far the worst one. AVOID this professor if you care about your grade.
Harsh grader that takes off points for grammar. Very specific instructions as to his proof structures, so you need to memorize the exact words he wants you to use, as you don't get any formula sheets. Material itself isn't very challenging, but his lectures tend to use more time than needed to explain a concept. Homework load isn't terrible.
Be prepared to do a LOT of homework every week. Wants everything to be done/solved HIS way, so if you find a way to solve a problem and it doesn't suit him, he will take off a lot of points. As well as being somewhat rude to students. However he does know a lot about the material, and is decently organized.
DO NOT TAKE THIS PROFESSOR. PERIOD. If you are looking to take calculus 2 at UT, avoid this professor at all costs. His grading rubric on midterms are ridiculous and takes off many points for small mistakes that will drop your grade very easily. There's three midterms and a final. The third midterm that we took is all on calculus 3 material. BRUH.
Take literally any other professor, and they'll be better than Shirley. Everything people have said about him being a tough grader is true; I got every problem right on the first exam but ended up with a 92 because of grammar. He also takes an unacceptably long amount time to grade tests-- It took him a month and a half to grade our 2nd exam...
Frequently made mistakes during lecture that made it difficult to follow his work, lots of HW, very tough grading, takes incredibly long to grade papers, nothing is online so it's very hard to tell how you are doing overall in the class unless you save every paper and figure it out yourself, doesn't follow the syllabus or communicate changes
Not a good lecturer. It is time to retire.
He is a strict (really just unfair) grader when it comes to tests and takes far too long grading. We also have pop quizzes. However, the quizzes are graded by the TAs and you get a lot of partial credit. His lectures are also hard to follow but it's a good resource to see how he wants work to be shown on tests. Lots of homework.
Oh, Shirley. Surely Shirley can't be that bad! YOU'RE WRONG. I'm begging you. Take literally any other professor. Shirley knows his stuff, but he does not know how to teach. Lectures are extremely difficult to follow, exams make up almost your grade, grading takes eons (he returned 2/3 of our exams THIS WEEK, THE LAST WEEK OF SCHOOL), cranky & slow
His style of teaching is super outdated. His lectures are extremely dull and difficult to follow. The fact that he uses a pen for math and has terrible handwriting doesn't help either. On top of all that, his condescending manner towards students make it so that almost no one wants to interact with him or ask questions. Do not take his class.
Dr. Shirley is fair, he let me reschedule my final when I got the flu. However, the only way I learned the material was through the homework. He is harsh and refuses to curve exams (each question was 15-20 points. Once I forgot a negative sign so my answer was off, and he took of 12/15 points). I tell all my friends to avoid his class.
Dr. Shirley's lectures are boring and confusing, and he discourages students from asking questions. Although the tests are reasonable, they are worth a very high percentage of your grade, and he grades the tests harshly (takes off lots of points for little things). I would not take this course if you have not already learned the material.
I took multivar in high school so I understood everything. This class was supposed to be an easy A, and while I still got an A, this class sucked, he explained things I had learned previously terribly, and if it was my first time , I would have not understood anything. WAY too much homework, loses his train of thought, and has terrible lectures.
He's difficult to follow and he's not receptive to questions from students. His requirements for proof-writing seemed arbitrary, which, I think, undermined the knowledge I gained in this course. Unless you have excellent memory, the lack of reference sheets during exams makes for a grueling experience. Register only if no one else is available.
Professor Shirley grades unnecessarily harsh. I don't think he even has a rubric when he grades, I think he just random decides when he's going to take off points for something. You could get the correct answer using the correct method and he will still find some reason to take off points. His class is also 80% exams so take that as you will.
It appears I am the only person that finds Dr. Shirley's teaching style effective and appealing. His lecture notes are interesting in that he often writes the words he is speaking along with the mathematics in a way that I found to be helpful in following his thoughts and understanding the concepts. The only negative about him is his impatiences.
Under no circumstances should you make the mistake of taking him unless you are prepared to teach yourself. You need to have a perfect understanding of everything he goes over just to pass. His lectures are useless and he does not provide enough resources to to do well. Even with heavy curves, the exam averages are concerningly low.
Dr. Shirley is a really harsh grader, and tests count for a huge percentage of the grade and are barely curved at all. He also gives pop quizzes during discussion sections, essentially making attendance mandatory. On the bright side, I took some really good naps during his lectures (the textbook is a better teacher anyway).
I found that students who took BC in high school breezed through the class. A strong foundation in calculus is needed to excel in this course, especially considering that 80% of the overall grade are exams. He does, however, replace the final if it is higher than the lowest exam grade.
This class was pretty challenging. The textbook chapters oftentimes went more in-depth than what was covered in class, and the lectures weren't in-depth enough. This class was pretty test heavy, making up 80% of the grade. My biggest complaint is that we didn't get a lot of feedback on our work before exams, and the grading was SUPER slow.
Honestly a lot of comments here aren't good but that's because many people didn't read the textbook. If you do what he says you WILL do fine. He uses his notes from previous years but rewrites them so it isn't boring to listen to him. Many people dislike him but as long as you pay attention you will be okay.
Shirley is a difficult class but if you are forced to take him don't worry, there are a few ways I think anyone can make an A or B. He is a bad lecturer who gets lost in his own work but it's vital you go to class because he explains what material he's testing on and how he wants work shown. I would strongly recommend getting access to a test bank.
Awful. Don't take him unless you hate yourself.
This course was unbelievably poor. The effort needed to succeed was disproportionate to the material itself. I cannot emphasize enough how poorly delivered the lectures were. If I could go back, I would take any other professor possible. Learning what Dr. Shirley wanted to see was more important than learning calculus itself.
This class is lightwork, just take notes and do the homework. Prof is unintentionally comical.
Do not take Shirley no matter what. He is super condescending towards students - I have literally never had a worse experience with a professor. He will nitpick at grammar, and if you write out a proof and a sentence isn't phrased as he writes it in class, he counts it as incorrect and will tell you that what you wrote makes no sense.
very boring lectures, made lots of mistakes in his work. I had already taken calc BC in highschool so this class was easy comparatively. discussion sections had pop quizzes. the tests are easier than the homework.
Dr. Shirley's emphasis on notation, while not unfounded, is a headache. The abysmal quality of his lectures and his temperament overshadow his caring for his students. While it isn't impossible to get a good grade in his class, you'll have to do a LOT of work. Be prepared for extensive weekly homework and condescending feedback.
If you are wanting to leave this class with a solid understanding of how to write proofs, take someone else. Dr. Shirley has unreasonably harsh proof requirements (so much so that he tells you to copy his example instead of learning how to write them yourself). You have to memorize so much that there is no room for in-depth understanding.
Worst calculus teachers I've ever had. The lessons are always hurried and he is barely able to explain content. If you did not take AP Calc BC in high school, RUN AWAY from Dr. Shirley's class. You'll barely understand anything during the lectures and will have to re-learn everything on your own later. Only thing saving me are the easy tests.
Shirley's lectures are slow and difficult to understand due to his poor handwriting. Homework is excessively long, as he will pull 20+ questions from the textbook weekly that neither he nor the textbook teaches you how to do and that you must answer handwritten. Tests and homework are harshly graded. Don't take him for any class.
His exams are easier than the homework problems but he is very harsh on formatting. There is a lot of homework assigned and they take hours. His lectures are extremely boring and his handwriting is difficult to read.
Lectures double as nap time. If you know calc class isnt hard. Homework isnt that bad. Tests are relatively easy. Comedic genius.
Dr. Shirley is the greatest professor of all time! His lectures are so engaging and in-depth. He sometimes plays the recorder in class too! For the midterms all you have to do is do the homework. It is alot easier than the homework.
Bro's a G. He's actually him. Take him if you want to succeed in life.
hes ok honestly not bad solid ez a just do hw and show up to the tests
im not a man of many words but hes too nice of a grader tbh. i wish this class was harder so i could learn more
I always go to his office hours outside of class and he tells me funny jokes. I honestly love Dr. Shirley so much I wish I could take him again next year! Everything is really easy as long as you put in some effort. Free A!
He gave all of us cookies in class once! Nicest professor ever!
light class. ask him about his pet parrot lmao
He just talked the whole time during class but everything was super easy.
He is like my idol. I idolize him. I very very very will much miss him in the future... I wish I could forever take his classes only
one time he said FREE PALPATINE it was so funny. take his class for an free A
Imagine this: you are at a animal shelter what do you see? Animals. Is there anything else you see? No. That's what this class is like. Dr. Shirley just teaches M408D Like how you expect. Super clear and straightforward, nothing in the way. If you talk to him after class and go on walks with him, he tells some pretty funny stories.
Dr. Shirley's lectures were engaging and sufficient, but he was a bit of a stickler for being present in class. The workload was way too high considering the level of the material; I would've greatly preferred Quest to writing out my work for like 12 integrals a week. He was personable during office hours, so don't be afraid to reach out.
he just talks about his past nothin much, class is light
I love his parrot! He showed me pictures of him and he's so cute! Dr. Shirley is also very nice and you can reach him easily through email or office hours. He also gave us cookies one time!
Do not eat the cookies he gave in class. Gave me diarrhea for a few days.
At the beginning of the semester, I felt frustrated with my professor but after being in the class for a while I realized Dr. Shirley taught the concepts well and in a way I could digest them.
Everyday I just go home and pray, I pray soo hard, that Dr. Shirley can teach me forever. I haven't thought about anything else other than being in his class everyday. Sometimes it helps me sleep that I know he is my math prof. I also canceled my Netflix subscription because I just go home and read his handwriting on the notes. It looks so clean.
In my opinion, his lectures are not bad. There is a lot of homework, he is rude to students, and he is super anal about grading. You can reach a conclusion an in appropriate way but if you don't do it the way he likes, then he will take off points.
Every time I walked into his class, it was like heaven on Earth. Waking up in the morning, I just had an itch to attend his class and learn more than I have ever learned in my entire life. When I die, my final wish is to be buried next to him so I can assist him on his way to heaven.
Man I am so thankful for Dr. Shirley because I have to admit it, he cured my gambling addiction. Instead of spinning slot machines or playing blackjack, I attend his class because I enjoy it so much. My lord, my savior, my bestest buddy Dr. Shirley, I wish I can be with him forever.
Avoid this professor. I never needed to attend his lectures but he decided to fail me on my final (was passing with a A before) because I never needed his lectures in order to learn. I came into his office hours to discuss my grade and it was made apparent that he was upset at the fact that I was able to pass his class without attending lectures.
Lectures are okay, not very engaging. Lots of homework with problems way harder than what's covered in class / tests. Homework takes a while to grade, and doesn't upload grades to Canvas.
You'll grow to like Shirley after a few months, but won't be happy with the endless homework and his strict grading of tests. Shirley is a good human being but is hard to follow during lectures. Also, don't ask him about the limit theorem shown in class.
Cares about his students but very strict grading and tons of homework. Beware of his workload.
The grade speaks for itself. EASY CLASS, EASY A, EASY PROFESSOR. He explains everything well so you won't need to go to office hours tbh. Kinda slept in class and did other work. He doesn't really care if you talk in class so sit in the back and chill.
He gave us cookies on finals day! easyyyyyyy AAAAAAAA
clutched an A- after not coming to class the whole semester. if you took calc bc you will be fine its just a review with one week of calc 3. the final doesnt even cover calc 3. his parrot looks funny too
Prof Shirley saved my wife from a burning building on the 30th floor of my flat. Amazing prof, and put his life on the line for me. All jokes aside, he always includes a picture of his parrot (Gregory is his name) in the slides and is super cute! He brings him to school on the last day and one time brought us cookies when we were taking the final
Chill af prof, all he did during class was yap and we turnt up to his tests and got free A's
Frank is a great guy. Not too much homework and a kind and caring prof who will understand if you are late on an assignment- just shoot him an email and 99% of the time will give you an extension.
one time he played nba highlights in class like wtf cuh..., anyways just do his homework read textbook if you want it really helps for the tests because he just copies the examples
Frank is undoubtedly the goat. Super chill syllabus and allowed us two midterm drops- isnt that freaking crazy? Super chill and all tests are open note, open book with partner quizzes every now and then. Also I like his parakeet Gregory, super cute
Professor Shirley is an amazing prof- sometimes i think the class is too easy... He gave us TWO midterm drops and they were open note open book to begin with LOL. I think his humor during lectures are too boring and ik a lot of people find him enjoyable, but I didn't think that he was that funny. Still a good prof, 10/10 reccomend
I know that some people have frustrations with Prof Shirley, but I cannot disagree more. Attending class felt like a snoozefest, and I seriously don't understand any of these other ratings. The class was sincerely a breeze and I think the kids who took this class and rated it anything below a four are just plain unwilling to pay attention. ez A+
Legitimately the most rewarding class and professor. It was tough at times but as long as you read the textbook, you'll be fine. A lot of reviews here mention some parrot which I never saw but had always heard stories of, but I really enjoyed the cookies he shared with us. People who had Profs Reyes and Cepparo really wanted to join our class.
Ngl a good professor. Told us he's a Philly Eagles fan and despises the Cowboys which is the only reason why I gave him a 2 instead of a 5. It gets kind of obnoxious. Like he walks in decked out in a philly green outfit, occasionally with cookies, and begins class with a "FLY EAGLES FLY" chant. On the bright side, we get extra credit if we join in.
Funniest prof of all time. Literally was talking about the Josh Giddey situation for the entire first half of the class. He is so chill and he brought his parrot once to class and it started speaking chinese and singing Drakes song. It kinda went like "If I'm with two of 'em, then it's a threesome If she alone, you know she a freak one"
Talk to this man about basketball, he knows his stuff. One time in class he played the highlights of san antonio spurs vs houston rockets. Turns out he is a huge san antonio spurs fan because of Wembanana or whatever. Just go to class and read the book and you will do fine. His class is entertaining anyways you won't fall asleep.
Honestly probably the most chill class I've ever taken. He once asked the class who enjoys listening to classical music and no one raised their hand. Without a response, he still showed the class his favoritest classical pieces and we got to listen to it once for the entire class. I think this guy is a genius. This is the most free A class ever.
He obsesses over the eagles and the spurs. Can't go a single class period without hearing an earful about those teams. Frankly, Dr.Shirley might as well teach sport science or smth because he took intermittent breaks in between lectures to discuss the nba and show highlights. Like, he even begins the class with an eagles chant.
Is the sole reason I switched my major from Business to Mathematics. I hope to pursue a phd under him. I dropped my dreams of an MBA, disappointed my family and friends, but it will all be worth it in the end when I earn that academic achievement. What matters more than academics? Some people say money. Some people say enjoying life. I say no.
I had a league of legends and anime addiction but FRANK SHIRLEY THE GOD cured it. I'm really convinced that Frank Shirley is jesus and he is here to save us of our sins.
Watch out for trolls on this rmp, DO NOT TAKE SHIRLEY. Not impossible, but why not transfer to easier prof(even if in a fig). Lectures are boring and useless, yet mandatory. I got a 5 on BC and found this class hard. He is strict on notation and grades harshly. Homework is heavy, but counts for little of the grade. Everything is done on paper.
Dr. Shirley gets a lot of negative feedback here. But he is very knowledgeable, great examples, lectures, and very helpful in office hours. There is a lot of homework, which takes a lot of time and graded harshly at first, just memorize whatever he does in class. Tests are relatively easy and curved. Don't be scared if you have to take this prof.
I'm begging you to not take Shirley, especially if you already have a heavy semester. HWs are long and all on paper and tedious. Only saving grace is that he accepts late HW two days after the original due date. Also learn from my mistake and DO NOT SKIP MORE THAN 4 LECTURES - he subtracts a half point for every unexcused absence after the first 4.
Shirley's M408D class is entertaining, but the workload can be heavy. Attend lectures, use the textbook, and try unstuck study - it's a great study aid. Overall, a doable class if you commit the time.
very nice guy, he is the best professor i have ever taken before and he brought his parrot to class once!
I got baited by the people here who said he was a great professor...HE WAS SO BAD OMG. Taken in Spring 2024, there was soooo much work to do. The exams were graded really harshly IMO. And attendance was mandatory. Just take someone else, please!
Class Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
38%
Textbook Required
25%
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