2.2
Quality3.5
Difficulty100%
Would Retake112
Reviews100%
Would Retake
112
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
8
4
12
3
21
2
31
1
40
What Students Say
“must use pen for test, does not give partial credit”
CHEM252 - 2.0 rating“must learn material outside of class”
CHEM251 - 3.0 ratingClass Info
Attendance Mandatory
0%
Textbook Required
100%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
A-
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Stable
+0.10 avg changeRatings by Course
ORGCHEM231
5.0
(1)ORGANICCHEM
4.0
(1)CHEM253
4.0
(1)251
3.0
(3)525
3.0
(1)Difficulty by Course
251252
5.0
OCHEM252
5.0
CHEMISTRY252
5.0
CHEM231
4.5
252
4.0
Reviews (112)
Worst teacher ever...must use pen for test, does not give partial credit.
must learn material outside of class
Don't take him if you can't. If you must then make sure to read the book
His lectures are confusing. Skip them; read the book instead.
No Comments
No Comments
he's horrible at getting the point across, but tests are easiest out of all...
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No Comments
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He is not very helpful to students.
Best OCHEM teacher I ever had. Sure he's old, but if you pay attention to the lectures and really study your notes, you don't even need the book, unlike other professors.
Unclear, tests on subject matter mostly irrelevant to topics covered in lecture, used the most horribly written test for a final i have ever encountered. Immense thanks to Dr. Fraenkel for cutting my consistent A to a lousy B- Did I mention senile?
Tea and crumpets anyone?English accents are hot unless you're trying to learn ochem from a fossil with an attitude.All the tests come straight from his notes so you have to suffer through the bloody lectures. Although his terets attacks are amusing.
worst teacher I have ever had!!! everyone I know agrees with me. He jumps topics, changes subjects in the middle of sentences, and wonders why you don't understand.
Fraenkel is VERY unclear when he goes over lectures in class. His tests are pretty similar to the practice exams, but just be prepared for a few surprises and to be able to study hard. It helps a lot to study in groups.
No Comments
he is horrible!!! The worst time of my life! The final came out of nowhere. Not a good professor.
I never understood what he was talking about.
In my 3 years here, he is by far the worst prof I have ever had. Mumbles about nothing like the senile man he is. Book has nothing to do with the exams. You have to MEMORIZE his lectures to get anywhere. And that is not fun. Please take another prof!
This guy sucks. When i got to 252 I had no idea what I was doing! My 252 prof kept saying, "and since you learned this in 251, we won't go over it". Only problem- I learned NOTHING in 251. Dr, Fraenkel was the worst prof ever. His handwriting is
Awful! Lectures are hard to understand, tests are totally random material. I went from an A in 251 to a barely getting a D in 252 and ended up having to retake the class altogether because I learned NOTHING from him. Change professors if you get him.
he is thw worst prof in the chem department.he will make his first midterm easy and from his notes,and the secand midterm will come from no where ... any ways drop himm immidiatly if u can or it will take u 2 years to finish the organic series
His lectures are hard to match to the material in the book, and he often lectures out of order to the material posted on the web. I spend more time figuring out what he is talking about, than actually studying. I would recommend not taking his class.
Worst chem teacher ever, had him for 251, screwed me up in 252 b/c i didn't know anything, ahhh!! you ruined my liking for organic chemistry, thanks dr. frankel!
He was by far one of the worst prof I have had at OSU (i've been there for 3 years). For example, he gives us a practice final BUT does not give us the answer key and when a student asks him to give the answers he replies that they are in our notes!
He is the worst teacher I've ever had in my life. He cares very little about his students and his teaching is all over the place. His tests weren't too bad, but I wouldn't take him again if I had the choice.
It was like learning Organic Chemistry from OZZY Osbourne. He is by far the worst professor I have ever had. He makes no sense at all just rambles and is not interested in teaching what-so ever.
do not take him!!!
He's not really all that bad. As long as you read the book and do the homework, you can understand him because you will know the concepts. Must go to class and pay attention to do well, but most classes are like that. Just do the work and you should be fine.
Its pretty wierd to see people hating Dr.Fraenkel. I for one think he is an awesome teacher, i do admit he is a little wierd at first but if you pay close attention to him everything you need to know is in your notes. He actually made me get relly interested in chemistry.
he isnt as bad as everyone claims!
He is by far the worst professor at OSU. He doesn't care about his students and could care less if anyone learned anything. His notes are very messy and jumps from chapter to chapter in the book. His grading is very unfair. I would not take the class if he is your only option. Absolutely horrid!
Read the book before lectures! When you do you find that his lectures organize the material well. If you don't read the book chances are you'll get more lost during class. Tests of the lectures, of course, so go to class.
If you have to take this guy, pray that you have a really good TA.
He's not near as bad as everyone makes him out to be. Pay attention in class and read your book before lecture and you'll follow along with everything he says. Fraenkel's a good guy.
Ugh...full credit or no credit...all over punctuation?
He really wasn't a bad professor, but his lectures were sometimes hard to pay attention to. Just make sure you don't fall behind, and always study for quizzes, etc. Flashcards are really helpful since he follows his notes on tests.
He is not the worst professor ever as some would like to have you believe, but he's not one of the all-time greats either. Tests often deviate a lot from the notes, and he gives very little (actually no) partial credit. Can be unclear in lectures and doesn't like giving keys to practice exams.
It's very easy to sleep in his lectures but if you can actually pay attention and take notes, he's not that bad. his exams are from notes (lecture and rec.) but some of the questions are not straight forward. He jumps around in the book A LOT so study from notes. I crammed b4 midterms and got a B.
Even the best students complain of his unclearity as he floats in and out of topics with examples that are not usually in the book. He makes mistakes in class notes and sends a vague explanation in an E-mail. He doesn’t clarify to students in class. Then you are tested on it.
crazy old man. he knows things in his head and rambles it out expecting us to grasp it with ease.
O-chem is already hard enough and he makes it even more difficult than it really is. He tests on weird things and not the basic stuff. Maybe he is a great researcher or theorist, but he sure sux at teaching. All I can say is read the book before hand and study his notes like crazy.
His lecture is one continuous ramble. Constant bickering about his mic or chalkboard not working... His notes are hard to decipher, but if you read the book you can do decent in his class. Occasionally he will throw you a curve ball on an exam, but he's not impossible. Averages on tests are ~60%
i cant understand why people have a problem with this guy. hes actually funny, brilliant, easy to understand and can write a mechanism in all its glory for almost any reaction. dr. fraenkel is the real mccoy professor!
Dr Fraenkel is not that bad a professor if you just skip class and jsut read his notes outside of class. Midterms and tests are from notes exactly. Lectures are horrible due to his constant bickering like an old man trying to send back soup at a deli.
This guy sucks! worst professor I have ever had, his handwriting is disgusting, his lectures suck, his notes make no sense, this guy needs to retire right now. i got yelled at by him when i went to his office hours, what kind of professor does that? his grading methods are ridiculous and even his own TA's talk him down.
Unbearable lectures and relentless with grading and class policy. Even his TAs hated the way he did things and gave us slack. The class had a great curve though, it got me a B out of nowhere. Avoid this prof like the plague.
Had him back in 95. Got an A in the class, but his grading was tough. He once kicked me out of his office during his office hours...he felt the need to finish his twinkie instead. If you require the aid of a prof to learn material, i would drop his class
although i hated the man, his class is actually kind of easy if you just study his notes and learn the mechanisms and practice tests...i got a the averages for the tests were sometimes like 50%...but his curve is amazing...wish i had him for 253
As a person, Gideon was the****. He was like this cute old English guy who does OCHEM...well I guess thats exactly what he is. Anyway his teaching skills are sub-par even tho he's been teaching for 80-some odd years (give or take) But I got an A- and an A in his classes, so once u get used to him just cram the night b4 exams and u'll be fine.
He was an ok lecturer but I did learn a lot from him.
impossible to understand, chicken-scratch writing, do not take him if possible. if you have him, study the practice exams over & over
Very poor notes and hard to understand
i really liked dr fraenkel. he is quite brilliant and his class really is not that difficult if you study. i got a B and worked less than i did in general chemistry. his notes are kindof unclear though, i often had to look hard to find the hidden mechanisms within.
Here's the deal. Study his notes, and do the practice exams ahead of time, and your golden. He's very funny, and more than happy to answer questions in office hours. Some people don't care for his style of teaching, but if you like to take notes from the chalk board/online notes, and follow them, then you'll enjoy him.
Hard class, but not impossible.
I enjoyed him writing everything out on the board...made him go slower so that I could stay with him. Writing can be hard to read at times. His practice exams didn't reflect the material on the actual exam. He kept telling our class that we should take at least 2 or 3 more chemistry classes. I did better in this class than gen chem.
This guy is brilliant. Some people in my class couldn't get past his English accent. Most of those people didn't pass the class I would imagine.
Lectures are basically mind-numbing. He's pretty monotonous, and the notes are hard to read. But he's suprisingly funny, and his tests are pretty easy if you do the work (read the book, go to class, etc.) My friends and I always played hangman or that dots game in class with one ear on Fraenkel.
He is hard to understand because he mumbles
Gideon is quite entertaining although not purposely.. His midterms are fair as they follow the practice test almost exactly but there is little else credit in the class if you do screw up...*memorize* notes if you can read them...
if you get fraenkel, switch out asap
the worst professor ever. I like chemistry, but this class really makes me so frustrated cause i can hardly understand anything. Notes are really hard to read, and his strong british accent makes it hard to understand him. regret staying in his class..
He's a nice guy, kind of senile.
atrocious, horrible, words cannot describe his complete hidebound myopia and utter incompetence
Fraenkel is by far the worst professor that I have had since starting college. He is hard to understand, as he mumbles all the time. His notes are very hard to read and all over the place. His tests are also difficult. Anything I learned I picked up from my TA. DO NOT TAKE CHEM 251 WITH FRAENKEL!!!!
didn't have him for lecture, went to increase ochem knowledge, heh, don't, he'll put you to sleep, VERY unclear, moreso than Bong, really needs to retire, he is personable but you can do better, also, exams look HARD from what i've seen,
Terrible teacher, lectures were unbearably boring and nothing is taught clearly, but you must go because the tests are based solely on his lecture notes, that is the only reason anyone goes, but from what I've heard and seen, his tests are easier than other Ochem teachers' tests
easy but he grades hard. Instead of beating curves you must beat percents like the ACT.
He wasn't really that bad, as long as you memorized the notes and the practice exams his tests were easy. He is a stickler for details though and his handwriting stinks.
Although he was not the best teacher, he was very fair. There was nothing on his tests that were not in the notes. If you went to class every day and took notes, your grade directly reflects how much you studied. Curve was good. I wouldnt rule him out if you are willing to study (which you have to a lot no matter what prof)
No Comments
I took this guy's ochem class in 1999, and it still stands out as the worst class I ever took in my undergrad career. The only reason I got an A was because I read the textbook- the guy's tests were based on his lectures, but you couldn't understand a thing he said (more like mumbled, actually), and his handwriting was completely illegible.
The worst professor I've ever had. Doesn't let you ask questions during class, scribles on the board, and has a hard to understand accent. He also looks irritated if you bother him in his office during office hours. I ended up paying for a private tutor so I could pass his class and have a clue for 252.
Thank God his notes were posted online.His handwriting was terrible and made no sense in lecture. He expects you to write out the by-products unlike Callam in 251, so I lost several points because of that on the first quiz.
I think that it was mixture of me hating chemistry and the fact that he seems to think that we are/should be chem majors. He is just a crotchety old man who needs to retire.
EASIEST OCHEM PROFESSOR OUT THERE!! when compared to Callam, Fraenkel is a cake walk!!!! u guys don't know how easy u have it with Fraekel. take Fraekel and study the heck out of his notes and u are guaranteed a good grade. DON'T TAKE CALLAM, HE'S OVER-RATED!
so i haven't had this guy for long but he is so funny and smart and is a great professor!! you just have to givehim a chance. he is not bad at all like everyone says on here. i am taking him again for 252...love him!!
I really don't know why everyone gets on his case. He isn't the easiest to understand but he posts all his notes on line and his exams are word for word out of his notes. Just work hard and you'll be fine.
Not near as bad as everyone claims. Every question on the test comes directly from his notes. He is very fair and very smart.
His class is the easiest in ochem. As far as a teacher, hes not real great, but his exams are straight from his notes, so you dont even need to go to class. You have two options: Take Callam, much tougher, but you WILL know ochem. 2nd option is take Fraenkel, get a good grade, but be potentially screwed for lab and another professor.
terrible professor.... even if he does have his tenure, osu should cut their losses and get rid of him! do not take fraenkel!!!!!!!!!!!!
I'd actually recommend taking Fraenkel. He doesnt teach the greatest, but if you read the book before lectures the mumbling he does actually makes sense. Furthermore if you memorize his notes (dont study anything but them) you'll basically have the exams.
i really really liked him a lot...no tricks...everything he tests you on has been discussed in class...so you dont waste your time on useless info...you still learn the basics.
Dr. Fraenkel is the Real McCoy. I like his lectures because he slips in little jokes that make you do a double take. His exams are straightforward. He never test you on anything he doesn't mention in lecture. He also posts his notes online so attending lectures is optional. I don't like his penmanship though.
Dr. Frankel's class was the hardest class that I have every taken, I ended up dropping it with a W after getting a 36 on the midterm.
lectures are boring but he has all the lectures online
Fraenkel is the worst professor I have had in 4 years at OSU. Sure, he posts all his notes online, and you don't have to attend one class, but half the battle is interpreting his notes and discerning what he will test on. When he says he curves, he means it. Provided practice exams are useless to prepare for his exams. Unless you need 231, avoid!
Fraenkel is very knowledgeable, and in person he much more helpful than in lecture. He is somewhat hard to understand sometimes. It is very important that you go to lecture, as everything is based on the notes. He puts them online, but he corrects and adds to them in class. His quizzes are sometimes tricky, but not too bad. Exams are pretty tough.
that picture is at least 20 years old. Picture a frail, old British man with a hunched back and a limp and you've got him. Class is alright. Study the notes. If you take him, at least you'll be amused by his constant adjusting of the overhead and his favorite phrases, and the way he thinks the mic. is broken but it's just him all the time.
EASIEST PROFESSOR EVER!!!! no need to go to lecture/read the book/ ect...just memorize his notes and you will get an A without a doubt!!! absolutely love him...and he's incredibly nice and helpful if you go to his officce hours!
I hate when people say Fraenkel is a terrible teacher. He knows what he is talking about, and he does not try to trick you like alot of other professors. Just like any other prof., if you study you will get a good grade, he is no different. Personally I thought he was not bad.
Awful. Mumbles all throughout lectures, notes are not only completely incomprehensible, they frequently contain typos and his tests are impossible.
Oh dear, very nice man who is prolly interested in research more than teaching. So hard to understand, especially as your first OChem class. Had no idea what to expect on exams, barely passed & didn't learn too much. I suggest trying to take other professors if possible.
Notes are posted online, but hard to read and follow. Coming to the lectures will save you the troubles. Don't bother reading the book or doing the suggested HW because nothing like those will be on tests. However, STUDY EVERYTHING from HIS NOTES and be able to "mess" around a bit is a must! 95% of the Q/MT are from the NOTES. So, study them!
Very nice guy.. Had him for 251 and 252. Hard to get used to but very predictable after taking a midterm or two. Did well in both classes but struggling in 253 now because he skipped alot. Notes are messy but coming to lecture helps. All tests are from notes, so study those!!
most worthless teacher i've ever had. i'm in the fourth week of his class (getting ready to drop might i add) and all i've learned is that carbon has four bonds. notes don't go with the book at all and doing practice problems is a waste of your time. quizzes on overheads during lecture?? his notes are ridiculous and illegible. don't hurt your gpa.
Everyone, hes not that bad. his notes are quite messy and he does have an accent. 1st lec i barely understood him, but ull get used to it. notes are all online and quizzes fairly easy. he's not that hard, im only 17 and im doing quite well in the class despite sleeping in every lec for the past 4 weeks. read the book and study the notes and ur good
Not as horrible if you know how to study on your own. Quizzes and exams come from his notes, which are all online, and he explains them in class. It's paying attention that is hard, and he likes to mumble. Amazing TAs, and quizzes in lectures on Friday I enjoyed because it meant recitation was all for questions. Don't take if need chem for major.
Nicest teacher I've ever had. Do not take him if you are planning on taking Chem 254 and chem 255 with Callam, it will be a hard transition. Just memorize his notes and go over practice exams.
Just terrible. Had him for 251, learned absolutely nothing and much to my dismay, got stuck with him again for 252. I'm finishing out the quarter but I'm retaking 252 next quarter. In fact coming in to 251, our TA even told our class "I hope none of you plan on taking 253 or you're screwed."
I've taken him and have gotten to 255. If you study with an active and engaging attitude, you'll do just as fine as with any other professor. He does have an accent and his notes are kinda sloppy, but he teaches directly from his notes and they're all posted online. His quizzes are pretty easy, and his tests are a little bit harder.
If you want a professor who will really teach you the material, dont take him. But if you want an easy A go for it. His exams come straight from the notes and the quizzes are really easy. Really helpful guy. If you really want to learn ochem be prepared to learn it yourself.
Plan to teach yourself. The quizzes are more difficult to figure out what he's asking than to figure out the actual chemistry. He will spend a lot of the time lecturing on things "you won't need to know for this course."
It took a few classes to be able to understand him, and even then I learned nothing from him. However, even putting almost no effort into the class I got a B-. What made me mad was that originally they posted a B as my grade; three days later they changed it to a B- w/ no explanation. Who does that? So glad I'm done w/ OSU's chem department.
He was probably one of the worst teachers I have had. I highly recommend switching out of his class if you have him. He is very sloppy with his notes and does not follow the text book. If you have him find someone to study with.
He's the worst teacher I've had at OSU. Despite what everyone else says, reading the book before lecture makes it much easier to understand him. Memorize all the reactions which are provided to you including the mechanisms and any byproducts. Don't depend on his exams similarity to practice exams.
Not the guy you want to take for coherent notes. Exams are dervived from the notes, but are pretty difficult. Beware the road map problem, there is one on every test.
During review sessions, he tells student that they should know that, and doesn't really answer good questions
His notes aren't readable. You can't understand him when he talks and when you can he makes comments about how stupid you are for not knowing something. Soh ow are you supposed to learn?? Worst teacher I have ever had at OSU. DO NOT TAKE, DROP IF HE TEACHES IT!!!
Wonderful man
Class Info
Attendance Mandatory
0%
Textbook Required
100%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
A-
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Stable
+0.10 avg changeRatings by Course
ORGCHEM231
5.0
(1)ORGANICCHEM
4.0
(1)CHEM253
4.0
(1)251
3.0
(3)525
3.0
(1)Difficulty by Course
251252
5.0
OCHEM252
5.0
CHEMISTRY252
5.0
CHEM231
4.5
252
4.0