Friendly guy, great class, lots of student participation, biology with a twist

alot of writting for a non-second writting requirement class, but he made class fun. good class for anyone who wants to really learn something interesting instead of the old boring stuff

Great teacher.Learned a lot of useful info w/doing hardly any work.Easy hw and exams.Very little math.No textbook.A very helpful class if you're doing undergrad research. The only annoying thing was that he calls on people to answer questions all the time, but at least it forces you to pay attention

Good teacher. Very laid back and easygoing.

Best class I have ever taken

Interesting class, long term paper required, but it as well as tests arent really graded too hard. Go to class but don't bother getting the book

Nice man, interesting class, but you may never get the grade you expect, and that goes both ways.

great class.

Great class. Not your typical lecture. His teaching style is very conducive to understanding the material. Tests are all essay questions. 15 page term paper due a month before the semester ends. No text book, but he has online readings which are mildly helpful. You MUST attend class to get a good grade, but a good grade is easy if you attend class.

Good lectures that kept the material intersesting.

Its a very interesting class and he is an excellent teacher

Very interesting class.Was a bit hesitant first to take this class.But he made it so interesting I hated to miss even one class.A very good Professor!!!!

Great Professor, He is always there to help you out when you have a question, very flexible office hours. He makes statistic kind of fun...

The class is not hard...i'm an undergrad and I think its impossible not to get AT LEAST a B in the class. Classes get kind of boring if you aren't into stat but its very helpful for those who may go on to do bio research.. I recommend this class!

Very laid back professor. Willing to help you out in any way possible, and is also accommodating to meet your needs for an experiment. Definitely a recommendation to those interested in Genetics or biology research.

Keeps class interesting and teaches in a way that is very useful for the real world. Recommmended!

Fantastic class! Professor McDonald was laid-back, funny, and a very interesting professor. He was able to make each class worth coming to. He was also very easy to find outside of class for help. I would highly recommend this course for any undergrad that is thinking about going into research one day.

GREATEST TEACHER EVER!!! HAS GREAT GENUINE INTEREST IN HIS STUDENTS. VERY INTERESTING GENETICS LAB. TAKE THIS CLASS FOR SURE.

This class was awesome; Dr. McDonald is totally the man. Class participation and a 15-page paper are required, but 1/2 the semester was student presentations so it was fun and interesting. Definitely take this class for your 600-level lit course!

Professor McDonald is great and his class is too. Attendance isn't mandatory but there is no book or handouts so you need to go to understand the material. If you go to class, listen, engage in the discussion and take decent notes an A is very doable. 15 page term paper is required but he grades it pretty easily. He is super nice and pretty funny

Highly recommend McDonald's Evolutionary genetics class for your 600-lvl lit. I had little to no interest when enrolling, but have found the subject matter to be fairly interesting. The class isn't as hard as you would expect, and Dr. McDonald is a very laid back, knowledgeable, and humorous teacher.

Dr. McDonald is the man. Today's class was entitled "The Paradoxes of the Scrotum." Case in point. While his tests are challenging in that you have to apply the material and attend class to take notes, I found his lectures really interesting. And yeah, you have to write a 20+ page term paper, but he takes it easy on you. Highly recommended.

Interesting class- especially towards the end of the semester! But I would not recommend this for second semester seniors!! You have to write a REALLY long term paper and get cumulative exams (not just the final) and lots of outside reading so a lot of work that I didn't want to do as a senior. But it is really interesting!!

I loved this class and professor McDonald is the best. The critiques are a pain and the paper can be hard but he is very helpful and gives you plenty of time. You will regret it if you don't take this class.

Great class for 600-level. Fairly easy, only one exam (material isn't hard at all), but one mega monster 15 pg paper and presentation. Overall I'd recommend this and Professor McDonald - he's really funny and personable. Much better than MANY other UD bio professors.

Good professor, interesting material and kept the class interacting. One of the better classes I have taken and pretty easy for a 400 level BISC course.

Excellent professor and interesting class.

Really funny and interesting professor. Manages to make a class about statistics worth coming to. Really clear lecturer and the exams aren't too bad.

Prof. McDonald is pretty awesome.. lectures were pretty funny/interesting for a stats class. Very doable exams, but make sure you study because they can definitely be tricky!

Take this for your investigative lab! 5 semester-long experiments with your group, one final lab report and presentation.

Dr. McDonald is the man!! I was dreading this lab...but it turned out to be awesome. We weren't just following a lab manual...we were conducting real, worthwhile experiments. Take this lab!!

McDonald is HILARIOUS. His analogies are spot on, he involves the students, and he teaches you things without you even noticing. There was no text book so going to class was a must, but all in all this is one of my favorite classes to date.

This class was great! It's more of a discussion class than a regular lecture. The tests aren't "easy" but if you pay attention in class, it's pretty hard to do bad. I highly recommend this professor and class!

Take this for lit-based bio requirement! One test (tough), 15 page paper, 15 minute presentation and 5 critiques. Keeps the class involved and likes to crack jokes. Definitely recommend

Interesting class but I'll agree with the consensus that the test was hard! I enjoyed both the lectures and discussions, but there was way more work in the second half of the class, so keep that in mind when it starts out easy.

Definitely take this class. So easy and very informative if you want to do any kind of research. Attendance isn't mandatory, but I recommend going.

It's unlike any other stats class I've ever taken, much more useful! I would recommend anyone who does research to take this class

Very different from stat classes I've taken in the past. McDonald is not only very smart but also practical-teaches the basics and provides spreadsheets, webpages, etc. that do the real work for you. Definitely recommend this class for anyone doing research b/c the material learned and resources provided are so helpful. And McDonald is hilarious

Intelligent,funny,awesome professor.The best professor I ever had!He is extremely helpful,wants his students to get good grades(of course you have to study).His lectures are so interesting that makes you to go to class every time. Definitely recommended.

Great professor. He challenges his students, but at the same time, he wants his students to succeed and truly understand the purpose of their research. Depending on your assigned project, the amount of work varies. But all were really cool! McDonald has such a dry sense of humor, its hilarious. He makes class interesting and enjoyable

McDonald is an amazing professor. Wants everyone to get an A, no tricky tests or memorization of little details. No book, no powerpoint. Just lectures but they are usually pretty interesting. Long paper but he helps you through it and grades pretty easy just a stickler for format. Interesting class, helpful professor. I definitely recommend.

Very funny professor and easy to talk to about any class issues. Pretty easy course and easy to stay ahead of the work. Course is split in two sections-lectures the first half and then presentations the rest. Recommended!

McDonald is a good professor. He is very unerstanding but the class is HARD. the exams are tricky and class attendance is mandatory in order to get a good grade. no textbook required, and don't procrastinate with the paper!

Class is great! A little tricky, no powerpoints just take notes on what he says. The paper is interesting but very long. This isn't a class to just blow off, go to class and take notes because the exams are harder than they seem! Overall great class though, I would totally hang out with this professor.

Good class, great sense of humor, loves to debate and discuss the issues he brings up. Don't take the term paper lightly even though it is graded easier than the tests which are of medium difficulty.

AWESOME COURSE...AWESOME PROF...HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!!!

Very interesting and fun course!

AWESOME PROFESSOR, FLEXIBLE,COMICAL, KNOWS HIS SCIENCE! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Awesome course, definitely take this as your investigative lab. Basically no HW all semester, just 2 BIG papers at the end with a presentation. Fair grader. He is really funny and super smart, but not one of those cocky smart professors. Wish I could take him again. Play with lots of bugs in this class. McDonald is the man

Dr. McDonald is a great professor who cares about his students. Not a ton of work, just make sure your papers are done well. He is very easygoing and always available to help. I would definitely recommend taking this lab course over the others.

Course worth time. Learnt a lot. And fun.

Fun course with interesting analogies and stories.

didnt let anyone use laptops, which was good to keep people engaged. class was always interesting and fun and he kept things light. there is no official outside reading, but there are 2 research papers that will require lots of scientific reading on your topic. I would definitely recommend to anyone

He doesn't take attendance but there is no textbook so in order to pass the exams you have to go to class. You can't use ANY electronics (not even for taking notes), which helps you focus. He also "cold-calls" people to ask questions, but will help guide you to the right answer. The exams are long answer and you have tons of time to write the paper

Pretty interesting class, keeps you engaged in class for the first half. and the second half is presentations which is easy grades. His stories are pretty funny too. Overall a great class , take him for ur 600 lvl requirement. - Bio Major

Prof McDonald is one of the best professors I've had at UD. If you're interested in the subject matter, then this class is very enjoyable. Lectures are more discussion oriented, no textbook, and he is straightforward about what he expects. Don't blow off the papers, you can do well on them if you work hard enough. Definitely take him if you can

Excellent Professor. Probably the best I have had.

Funny, clear lectures. Tests can be moderately tough, but not too bad if you study enough. Not much work outside of class, one homework a week, very doable. Very useful class for students looking to gain introductory knowledge about what statistical tests may be useful in their biological research.

Dr. McDonald's a great professor. He explains everything without using too much jargon, making him very easy to understand; and is easygoing enough to crack a joke here and there. He's super willing to answer questions whenever you have them, in class or not. All in all, I would happily take another one of his classes.

Dr. McDonald is great! There are two big papers due right at the end of the semester, but besides that almost all of the work is completed during class time. He's also a great resource for grad school apps - he'll critique your personal statement for you. If you have the chance, I definitely recommend taking one of his classes.

Dr. McDonald makes what could be a really dry topic more palatable with a down-to-earth attitude and sense of humor. The class is great if you're looking for a conceptual overview of statistics, but may be too superficial if you've had statistics recently or are interested in a field that requires advancedcomplex statistical tests.

McDonald has probably been my favorite professor at UD. Awesome professor, makes class very entertaining and an all around nice person.

Took the class as an undergrad student and was intimidated by the title, but had a genuine interest in the subject. This class was perfect. I learned so much more than I expected. Exams are weighted heavier towards end of the end of the semester, which gives you time to figure things out. Homeworks graded on effort. Would highly recommend.

The class was great and so was Dr. McDonald. Take this class if you can!

Class hinges on your attendance. There is no textbook, and there is no electronics allowed in class. He will call on people randomly in class to answer questions, and then ask you to justify them. Extremely fair professor. If you do the work ahead of time for the papers, you can get an A in the course.

I took this course as a BISC elective during my junior year. McDonald is a great and funny professor that really knows his stuff. There are two tests, both were all short answers and he was pretty lenient with grading. Two papers; one short, one long, both easy as long as you follow all of his detailed instructions. Definitely would take him again!

Dr. McDonald was one of the best professors that I have had. I took this class for the 600 requirement and have no regrets. His outline for the semester is very clear and it is definitely possible to do well. Was it difficult? Yes, but he made the class interesting and you get to pick your term paper topic and I found it to be interesting!

This was my favorite class so far in my college experience. The class was by no means easy, but McDonald makes the material really interesting. The long paper sucks, especially if you wait until the last minute like I did. If you make detailed study guides and stay on top of the papers, you can pass with a B or above.

Started out hating the class, especially since he randomly calls on everyone each class, but ended up really enjoying it and learning a lot. Two exams, and two papers (12 and 8 pages each) with clear guidelines. No other homework. Not an easy class. Go to class because there is no textbook. FYI you can't use your cellphone or laptop during class.

Great professor, and a great overall person. If you have a chance to take one of his classes, do it!

He's a great guy, very funny and makes genetics interesting which damn near impossible. He can be a pretty easy grader, but the material itself is rough. Would definitely take again. Warning, he does randomly call on students to answer questions.

It was my second class with John McDonald. There are always a lot of interactions (he asked a question to every student in the room approximately at each lecture), making lectures really interesting. He can also be funny, and help us a lot, whether during the class or by e-mails. I can only recommend this teacher!

I've taken Dr. McDonald for his statistics class and his evolutionary genetics class. He is a really great speaker and has some pretty funny stories to keep everyone entertained. He is a genuinely nice guy and wants you to succeed in his class, but some of the material isn't always the easiest.

He's really passionate about the material and presents it in an interesting manner. He does like to randomly call on people all lecture so you have to pay attention constantly. Overall, I learned a lot.

you need to work for your grades, its not hard, but u need time to do it. Send him an email about any question, and he will reply in no time. No test, few papers. highly recommended.

For being a 5 hour lecture/lab once a week, this course really was not that bad. Dr. McDonald really just wants you to learn and do well. There was not a lot of work to do outside of class. At the end of the semester there is a paper and presentation worth most of your grade, but you work most of the time towards this end product.

Really an awesome professor. There are two exams and a final, all cumulative; but the information is broken up into manageable sections and he is very clear about his grading criteria. His lectures are very interesting and he has a very fun sense of humor. This was a very useful class to take, and was very manageable despite being an undergrad.

J-Mackey is a very smart and funny guy who keeps classes light with jokes and interesting topic material. Not a breeze-by class but the way he structures his exams is pretty simple (only about 7 possible answers for any test question), though you have to read the ?s carefully. He cares about his students so don't hesitate to reach out. Great prof!

John McDonald is an awesome professor. He's super funny and his lectures are entertaining. He cold calls, but that's just how he is and I doubt it will change. Scared me a little at the beginning, but you get used to it. If you're easily offended, I wouldn't recommend his classes because of his crude humor. If you don't, 100% take a class with him!

Don't be alarmed by the fact that this is a 400-level class; yes, some of the concepts are difficult, but McDonald makes the material easy to understand. The lectures are very interesting and he adds humor to keep us engaged. There aren't electronics allowed in class (laptop, cellphone, etc.) so he forces you to pay attention, which helps a lot.

He teaches in Avery unique way, make sure to be attentive. Classes are fun and entertaining rather than being boring and dull lectures. Easy course. Very conceptual, no memorization. Useful.

Fantastic lecturer! A crucial course if you have any intention of conducting your own research and Dr. McDonald makes the material easy to understand and adds humor into the mix to keep the class engaged.

Dr. McDonald boils down complex stats to simpler terms. He is very good at explaining statistical tests and their usage in familiar and easy-to-follow language. You will also get some lessons on ethics and conducting research right way. Sometimes time seems to go by really slow during lectures.

Dr. McDonald is a great professor; he keeps students engaged by randomly calling on them during lecture (it's not as bad as it seems) and presents the materials in an easy and understanding way. He wants everyone to pass the class. Although, test grades are very important; the final is worth 45% of your grade but attend class and study, you should.

Dr. McDonald is a great and funny professor. You will not regret taking your required investigative lab with him. A 5 hour lecture one day a week seems like a lot, but this way you do most of your work (and even outside work) during class time. He puts in a lot of effort to help you and the class is EXTREMELY easygoing just like him.

McDonald's lab is probably one of the better classes I've taken here. You learn a lot of technical procedures (get ready to do 5 hours of gel electro. every week) but it is useful and you get enough time and leeway to do everything required. McDonald is also a notoriously easy grader and just a really nice guy. PS. don't take if you hate bugs!

Seriously one of the best teachers I've had so far. Keeps everyone engaged in the class by calling random people to answer questions. Only 3 exams.

Awesome

Dr. McDonald is probably the best teacher I've had at UD. His teaching style makes it necessary to always be paying attention which helps you learn the material very well The exam material is not hard but you need to make sure you know everything really well or you will struggle. He somehow made a Bio-stat class enjoyable and fun.

McDonald does an amazing job teaching this class. Despite it technically being a statistics class, you do absolutely no math in it. He explains how and when to use statistical tests, which is extremely useful especially if you're in research. He's also a super engaging lecturer. No CC or slides, he writes on a chalkboard, so show up !

He's a cool dude. He calls on everyone around the room during class, so you have to pay attention. The papers you have to write are really long and brutal but the exams are straightforward and he gives partial credit for everything. Go to class, read the assigned papers, you'll do fine.

An amazing teacher, material taught is immediately useable in your field

Dr. McDonald gives you everything you need to do well. He will meet you halfway. Put the work in and youll be fine. Be prepared to get called on though. Very scary in the beginning of the semester, but youll get used to it. Dont be embarrassed if you dont know the answer, he will guide you to the right answer or just skip to the next person

Good professor who takes his time to make sure students understand the material. You can also tell that he genuinely wants people to do well. Class's were fun while also very informative. Would definitely take again.

This class should honestly be taken before any other biology classes because it provides useful information that helps you understand biology. Also no math in a statistics class!

Probably wont get an A but he's a great lecturer and interesting person

Dr. McDonald is passionate about what he's teaching, and I got the impression that he loves teaching his students and preparing them for what actually "doing Biology" is going to look like. However, this class should not be taken lightly. The final is 45% of your grade and can legitimately wreck all the progress you've made throughout the semester.

major grades are the midterm, final, a 12 page paper and an 8 page paper. Papers are not fun to write but he gives you ample time to complete them, and grades fairly. Pay attention in lectures because there is no way to access the material outside of class (no udcapture,textbook, or posted powerpoints). he's hilarious and lectures are interesting

McDonald is the best professor I've had so far in college. His lectures are interesting and funny. Only real grades are the mid-term, final, large 12pg paper and small 8pg paper. His exams are tricky and he grades more on concepts rather than facts. Study the examples he uses in class and try to see how you could recreate those experiments.