2.6
Quality3.9
Difficulty22%
Would Retake134
Reviews22%
Would Retake
134
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
31
4
16
3
13
2
20
1
54
What Students Say
“Hands-down one of the best professors ever”
BIO213 - 5.0 rating“he's obsessed with birds and gives a huge project for the class that's only worth 10% of your grade”
BIOL213 - 1.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
48%
Textbook Required
57%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B-
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-1.38 avg changeRatings by Course
BIOL418
5.0
(1)INDEPSTUDY
5.0
(2)BIOETC
5.0
(1)MANYMANY
5.0
(1)ECO224
5.0
(1)Difficulty by Course
SCIENCES
5.0
BIOL113
5.0
BIOL199
5.0
ECOL230
5.0
ECO114
5.0
Reviews (134)
No Comments
Passinate, determined to what he does. Great with students. Clear on his objectives and demands. Very Fair when it comes to recognizing the work that a student did.
i think i'm staying at montclair for my master's just because he's there. he's very liberal, very humorous, very talkative.. nice, fun guy.
No Comments
that guy that gave him a bunch of 2's can't even spell biology, so hopefully, that's telling. Dr. Smallwood rocks. ;p
Great professor I'd really like to take another class with him. Not too hard on the test either :D
He is the pickiest proff i have ever had!! Nice guy but make sure u follow all his little rules!!
He is such a nice professor, always willing to help his students. Tests are very fair and pretty easy and from his notes. I would definitely recommend him!
The key to doing well in his class is studying your class notes every weekend. He is big on graphs and charts. Thats the bulk of his tests.
your coffee will need coffee
He's very picky about the smallest details. Make sure to follow all his rules. Lectures are extremely boring, but tests are generally straight from his notes. Study your notes every weekend. He's ok, not great, but not terrible.
sucks
His tests are very unfair; he puts material from the book that he never explains in class on them. I was never sure what to study.
Smallwood. Oh man just by the last name I wouldn't take his class. Afterall, it may be contagious and size does matter.
sucks. not only is this professor unfair and boring, he's an all around horrible teacher, and should go down to teaching high school classes. i strongly do not recommend any student to take his classes unless they want to suffer.
not fair....classes were boring and tests included material not covered in class. I was excoted to learn ecology and he made me hate it..
Tests were confusing and work was not covered in tests. Explainations were vague.
ok so he isnt the greates teacher out there but far from the worst. i dont know why so many people are having trouble in his class, yes he puts things from the book on his exams that he did not have time to cover in class but he only puts like 1-3 of those questions so if you just study his notes alone you should be able to get at least an 80%
His exams are not more his notes, they are all analytical and then there are questions that are from the book which he never covers.
No Comments
He is hands down the worst professor ever. Extremely boring, and goes on random tangents about birds and his research. I can't stress enough how bad at teaching he is. You will learn nothing and do bad. Take someone else! P.S- He is not a nice man either!
Ok heres the good and the bad... His lectures really arent that bad. He talks about birds ALL the time and he gives u decent notes. The problem with this guy is that he is EXREMELY picky and the exams are completely anal. This class is a very easy C-C+ but and a very difficult A. With that said, NO hes not impossible, but save yourself the headache
the absolute WORST teacher! it was just a one credit course and it took it way over board.. he took points of for EVERYTHING. please dont take him. his class will def. drop your GPA.
so this guy, he seems like he smoked up before class. his eyes are always dialated.talks about useless crap most of the time.boring as hell. no curves. stupid extra credit questions. i got a 47 on the first exam. he dropped lowest test grade.after you get you first f on his tests youl know what to expect on the next 3 exams and you will do better.
TAKE THIS PROFESSOR IF YOU ARE READY TO FAIL THE COURSE !! HE'S HORRIBLE. NO DOUBT HE IS NICE PERSON BUT NOT IN ECOLOGY. DON'T TAKE HIM !!
If you guys have that poor of opinions about him, you must be bums. If you guys can't handle this teacher, you might as well switch majors because you have no future in science. Exams are straight from notes. He gives excellent ones. Extremely straight forward. If you did poorly, it was probably laziness on your part.
The worst.I took this guy for intor to ecology, and now wish i wouldnt have. the worst fking professor, studied hard and still didnt do that well. dont take him. Lets get this guy out of montclair state.
whoever wrote "ur coffee will need coffee" was sooo true. he's really boring.expects u 2 no the weirdest facts for ex. What is the diameter of the Earth? Who cares? Otherwise he's OK just memorize ur notes and pay really close attention to details in class. its even better 2 bring a voicerecorder. helps a lot. take him and memorize ur notes. B+
The worst Teacher in Montclair State University. DO NOT TAKE HIM EVEN IF HE IS THE LAST TEACHER. He actually tell people to drop the class, and tried to get people suck from the University. His lab is a trick to get people into trouble. And the contract he lets u sign in the beginning of his class, is also a form that he wil; use against u later on
Students should give him more credit. Although he loves birds more than most people, his exams are not bad at all! Write everything he writes on the board and just study that! Graphs and everything! The lab teacher though ..... that's something else. TAKE HIM FOR ECOLOGY!!!! Just take your notes and go to class! ;)
this guy is the best prof i had yet -- his notes are the best ive seen at MSU yet, guy might like birds but hes brilliant. honestly, take this class and sit close so you can see the notes and you'll get an A. best ecology prof, and def one of the best prof period
stay away...take hazard, his tests are from the notes with tough open ended and a few trick questions..but he is notorious for getting people expelled ...whatever u do dont work with anyone on your labs!!!
Worst Prof ever. Im a junior and i have never gotten below an A- on any Bio class and im struggling to get a C+. He might know what hes talking about but he cant teach for his life. Hes not helpful what so ever. The class Median for the previous test was a 64.Half of the class failed. The only good ratings u c are the people he loves. He picks favs
Do not take smallwood. You have to be focused ONLY on this class to get an A. Write everthing he says and writes because its all in the test. He is veeery picky,he takes points of for spelling, and haaates cheating!! he will say it everyday, so dont even try it. the lab is veeery time consuming, especially the project!! :(, dont take him!!
I think he is a really good professor. He is not hard to understand and the tests come right from the notes. He is a bit picky but he means well and is just trying to get us bio majors prepared for what we have ahead of us. Over all he seems nice, he doesnt like cheating which is good...you should be doing your own work in college.
Easy class and tests, Take the notes and pass the test. Only 2 questions every test are from the book. Term Project is a hassle. Guy is a bird nut, talks about them all the time. Compared to other ecology professors, asks alot from students. ex: Drive 75 min from campus to watch him band birds for a lab assignment.
Expects every student that takes his class to become an Ecologist. Asks alot from students, like driving 75 min. to Stokes state forest to watch him band birds. Also the term project is very time consuming and a complete waste unless your going to be an ecologist. Never uses the book, only his notes. Very Very picky on the test. Do Not Take
I have had Smallwood for Ornithology and for Conservation Biology. I love this teacher! His notes (and handwriting) are excellent, and only tests on the notes, no need for the book, don't buy it! He is easy to understand and learn from. You do have to work hard to keep "a constant state of preparedness" but it is worth it not to cram later.
AVIOD PLEASE DO NOT TAKE, HAd an emergency and could not take the test. I went to his office and he started laughing, he told me to refer to the sylabus that says no makeup, i had a terrible accident stayed in the hospital for a 2 weeks had a police report, hospital letters insurance claims, wouldnt accept it everybody else accepted it except him.
Stay away!!!!! This guy is horrible as a professor can't even comment so much on him. Takes his class to seriously like everyone is an ecology major or something... I got a C in hid class and worked myself off just to be answering questing on the Beatles on the exam... His exams are all over the place and classes are boring....
If you're a science major, you'll love his classes. If not, you're better off finding another prof who doesnt care about science b/c he def does and its refreshing :) He's a bit of a scatterbrain but thorough and consistent and very smart. Apply yourself & you'll do great, and learn a lot while you're at it!
Nice guy, cares about studes, knows his stuff and is the best ecology professor at MSU. He has VERY high expectations for his students to work hard- good for science majors. Ornithology has (too) LONG saturday field trips but he takes the class to very cool places. Tests are right from notes and regular quizzes keep you on top of things.
Smallwood is a really good professor, he knows his stuff and wants to teach you everything. You really don't need to read the book for his class cause he tells you everything he wants you to know in lecture. Exams can be a bit difficult. They are really detailed with the information he wants you to learn. I enjoyed the class.
I liked him a lot, no need for the textbook, but take very detailed notes. Only bad thing is you have to go to Stokes for a field trip, but it's entertaining. Tests aren't so bad, and he drops the lowest one which is nice.
great professor. gives detailed notes. just listen to him very closely, and write down what he says, youll get a high grade. does not use the textbook that much. overall, great great professor.
A lot of people complain about Dr. Smallwood, but I think Dr. Smallwood was a great professor. Really passionate about what he teaches and he really cares about the students. He's such a nce person and he's a good professor. Tests are tricky, but he's a good professor. I would recommend him.
He is rude and should answer questions when asked. He seems to think that he doesn't have to do his job and students she teach themselves or already know what he is supposed to be teaching them. Not very interesting.
He teaches the class like everyone is an ecology major. 4 exams, term project, countless lab reports with very specific directions, AND final is cumulative! He takes off points for everything! You must attend a field trip on a saturday! Take someone else if you can!
Very nice and understanding professor. Tests and labs can be long and very detailed. Tests are not easy but gives great detailed notes. SO if you study them you should be fine. There is one Saturday 2 hour drive trip but it isn't that boring.
He does have detailed notes however, you must memorize them word for word. His exams are not easy. Unless you are his favorite student and you have an interests in birds you are not going to do well. Plus the labs that he assigns are ridiculously long (10hrs one lab) and pointless who cares about the diameter of a tree???! Take someone else
Smallwood is a decent professor but he is not easy. He is big on you following directions and expects you to be able to understand material and therefor apply your understanding. He discourages just memorizing material. If you constantly study your after lectures and record him you should do well, also don't take this class with a heavy course load
Dr. Smallwood was a very tough professor. Exams were rather difficult and he is extremely picky, he takes off points for everything!Term project was kind of a nightmare. He just expects so much from students. Overall, I was not a fan of him or this class.
Dr. Smallwood is awesome! The labs are fun! It may seem like a lot of material at first, but it builds on itself, and by the end EVERYONE does well. It really helps if you take 213 with him so you are used to his teaching style. He is an excellent & dedicated, professor who is always available to answer questions, inside or outside of class.
Tough professor but very passionate and will do anything to help you succeed. Exams are 30 MC with about 20 fill ins 3 exams and drops lowest score and one final exam
I loved this professor! He held a high standard of both his students and himself. More people should have such high integrity. He challenges his students because he wants them to meet the science standards and excel in their path. If you are not a hard worker with ethics do not waste his time nor the serious students time. He is the real deal!
Got a B-. He wrote down all the note and it was really easy to understand. The problem was that there was so much material. Book wasnt used in class but he said we "should" read the chapter before class. I never did. test was half multiple choice, other half fill in the blank and diagrams. He is a great guy tho, very sweet. I would recommend him
I have never taken a class where the professor is so picky in what he wants. I would suggest to write EVERY SINGLE THING he says down and record him because most likely you probably missed something. His test are difficult, No calculators can be used on the test. The labs are fun but some are more work than others.
I took Dr. Smallwood twice, once for ecology and then again for ornithology. I loved his class he is very detailed in his notes and if you study them you will pass the class. For ornithology study your families and species!!
He is by far on of the worst professors at MSU. he doesn't really care about his students and makes it difficult to pass his class. If your smart don't take him. Hes really boring and his projects on birds is so annoying. He fails people for the littlest things.
Dr. Smallwood is particular in what he wants and as long as you given him what he asks for, you shall do well. His exams are exactly from lecture and his notes are helpful, but can only be taken in class. He does not take attendance, but he is a freak genius so he knows who isn't showing up. Labs are time consuming but go by fast. Best Prof for Eco
Smallwood is a NIGHTMARE. His class is horrendous, he relates everything to BIRDS. The guy is a total nut job who is beyond paranoid about his students cheating. In the beginning of the semester, he makes you sign a statement stating you won't send anything to a classmate regarding the class. The guy is beyond unreasonable. AVOID HIM AT ALL COSTS!
Hands-down one of the best professors ever. He's sooooo passionate about what he teaches and truly cares about his students. People who complain about him are the ones who never show up to class and his exams are entirely based off of lectures. If you have the chance to take him, DO IT! I recommend him and I would absolutely take his class again!
I wouldn't recommend taking him. He talks super low and very fast; he often goes off into tangents, especially about birds. He definitely did not make my experience with Ecology any good, as I really don't care for the subject now. He writes key words on the board but expects you to write down everything else by listening. No power points to follow
Write down everything he says and you'll do fine, he pulls maybe 1 or 2 questions from the textbook but everything else is from his notes and labs are easy
He's a horrible prof. he's obsessed with birds and gives a huge project for the class that's only worth 10% of your grade.
Dr. Smallwood is an amazing professor. You need to show interest in the course, go to his office hours in order for him to help you out. If you don't show effort, he won't know you need help. 3 exams, 1 cumulative final, lab 20% , and term paper 10% of your overall grade. He's not as bad as people say he is.
Horrible! I do not recommend anyone to take him. Worst teaching style, complicated/tricky exam questions. The way he grades is just dumb he uses excel spreadsheet You never know what to study for! Textbook was never used but he recommends it (bs doesnt help). Heavy work load for lab thats not even worth a lot. HES OBSESSED WITH BIRDS!!!!!
Students that have issues with him are uninterested in the material. Ornithology was the best class I've ever taken. I was EXCITED about Saturday lab. If you want to do well in this class stay within earshot of him on trips and ask questions. He is a walking field guide and a great person. He instilled a love of birding in me. This man is an angel.
His class is awful. He cares only about birds, and only about the students who are interested in birds. You can spend as long as you want studying for his tests because nothing that he tells you will be on his test anyway. Then when you go see him for extra help, he will just tell you all the things you did wrong, not how to improve. Avoid.
His class is the worst , he pays no mind to the text book, very poor lecture, all he cares about is birds, takes everything personal, wont answer your questions if he feels they are worthless, ATTENTION: worst professor on campus
Worst professor I ever had. If youre looking forward to fail the class go ahead and take him ��. Also have the worst personality ever. talks about birds too much that he would waste most of the lecture ( his adventures with the American kestrel)
Take him and youll regret it, thank me later
Guy is nice. Professor wise hes not good. Exams, very wordy, in a way theyre asking specific things and can be tricky. Dont miss a thing he says in class like examples. Final 30% dont fail it. Ask questions b/c he defines things by example not definition. Know how to apply the concept(s). I just didnt like his teaching or exam setup. Project!
Smallwood is super nice and knows his stuff! He is accessible after class/during office hours as well. He gives four exams and they all come directly from his class lecture notes. There is also a project, which is time consuming but doable. The labs are pretty easy. I don't really understand all the bad reviews, if you put the work in, youll be ok!
Prof. Smallwood is awesome! His class is not easy, but if you try its an easy B, and if you really study an A is possible. He really knows his stuff, and is very approachable.
Final term project is %15 of your grade. I had one typo at the beginning and he didnt bother to continue grading and gave me a 0. It was only when I went and told him did he revise and give me an 85. Very unprofessional.
All he talks about is birds, his exams have nothing to do with lectures. Read every detail in the book youll pass. Very boringgg I dont recommend
He is a great professor as long as your are willing to put in the work. For his exams all you really need to do is record his lecture and take notes since the questions are directly from there. He recommends reading the book but its not really necessary. He also is willing to help, he gave me a 30 min review before exam to help calm down(anxiety)
One of the worst professors Ive ever had. Class is based on tests which are hard the pass class average was between 50-60 and he didnt curve. No feedback on labs so you dont know what you did wrong. His lectures are all over the place and he doesnt do powerpoints. Avoid this class is you love your life and want to do well. He makes it hard smh
Very good teacher, all bad reviews are by people who don't want to put in any effort. If you put in some form of effort you will be fine
Dr. Smallwood is such a great professor. He is so willing to help out his students. He is very approachable and really wants to see his students succeed. For all those people that say he talks about birds too much, that is because he is an ornithologist he literally studies birds for a living hence why he talks about birds a lot. Would take again.
Hes an indecent person. If youre sick and miss an exam and you provide him a doctors note he will not let you make up an exam. He wants his students to fail. Take someone else. Theres no leniency in his class. He doesnt go through all the material clearly and doesnt provide feedback on anything. This class is a hit or miss thats how bad it is
Very bad professor, loves birds.
This was taken during COVID. I'm a CS major and I thought his class was fairly straightforward. Pay attention to his lectures cause he quizzes you on all the knowledge listed there. Follow instructions to labs and the term project and you should easily get an A. The only tricky part is calculations which he rarely explains.
Professor Smallwood in general was a nice man, however when it came to being a professor I feel as if he should've been more helpful when it came to his grading and exams. For his grading he takes off points for minor things, and as for the exams he doesn't tell you exactly whats on them and his wording is tricky.
Dr. Smallwood, despite what people say about him, is a great ecology instructor, and his was probably my favorite class this semester. To those who say he only talks about birds, he's an ornithologist so of course he'll talk about them . His exams are challenging, but fair. And he's always happy to help someone out beforehand. Just pay attention.
Prof. Smallwood was not caring for his students especially during this pandemic, he is a hard grader, ask for a lot of details. Don't take him if you care about your gpa, he failed 1/2 of the class during the pandemic without any empathy.
This professor is very picky with his assignments and if a small detail is missed, he takes off many points. Projects and exams were difficult and in each exam the class average was a D. He assumes everyone is a Bio major, but I was a CS major that had to take this class for credit. I would've took Chemistry if I knew it would've been like this.
I really struggled in his class. Do not take him. Take Aardema if you can. I heard his exams are open book and open notes. Beware yall
Overall, all his exams are a joke, barely related to actual lecture material. He is by far the worst instructor I have encountered thus far.
I took him for ecology and it wasn't super easy, but if you put in moderate effort you will be ok. He takes a lot of notes and is constantly talking so just make sure you write everything down because he doesn't post the slides. The exams are not horrible but a little difficult, just because there is so much info. Lab is fine and he Loved birds
I took his course thinking this would be very simple and straightforward. I was completely wrong. dont get me wrong, he knows his stuff and he teaches fairly well. HOWEVER, his exams are by far one of the most difficult if not horrifying tests. I studied for days, tutored students, listened to recordings for hours and still failed exams. BEWARE
The exams are your whole grade, don't take him the exams are rough. I studied for a whole month for one of the exams and still failed. He only talks about birds. He's smart and knows his stuff but the exams will mess you up.
Professor Smallwood is a very kind, respected man. That does not take away from the fact that he expects you to know 7 chapters worth of material per exam, and a CUMULATIVE final exam. He goes on tangents for 20 mins about completely random topics that won't be on the exams. I took Orgo Chem 1 at the same time and this class was SO MUCH harder.
i had smallwood and overall it was the hardest class i have taken. ive always had a gpa of 3.7 or higher and this class broke me. tests are extremely hard. barely any reviews. do not get tests back only grades. overall the lecture is all over the place. ta grades harshly. heavy lectures. would not recommend. majority off class fails exams!
This is a warning to anyone considering him and thinking that these comments don't seem that bad. No PowerPoints, no notes on the board, so be prepared to type everything up while he talks. He doesn't care about his student's performance in the class. Your grade is based off hard exams. Expects you to know most of material before taught.
So heavy test and poor material, no power point, no review to test, really so difficult class
literally the worst professor I ever had to take. he is very insensitive of ANYONES situation and his lab assistant moonia is literally worse than him, moonia doesn't even know what she is talking about half of the time. Smallwood gets really happy when his students fail hence, not giving a crap when ALL of us failed his first exam.
I took this with this professor thinking this would be an easy course. WORST EVER! The labs are basically just a stats and excel course no ecology at all. He lectures with no slides just pictures, write couple things on the board, no review for exam and his exams are difficult considering not much studying material. Super harsh + UNFAIR grader.
These reviews are clearly only made by people who have done bad in his class. Smallwood is an amazing professor who wants his students to do well. He expects a lot, but its literally college, that's the whole point. As a biology major, you should expect to have to put in work. His class is easy if you take good notes, study and follow directions
I feel like I learned more on birds than anything. He's unorganized & he messes up a lot with grading. No Modules on canvas. The TA Ollo is just as lost as the rest of us so don't ask her questions bc she don't know what she's doing, if u do what she says you'll get a zero for a lab grade. lots of spreadsheet assignments for an eco. class :/
would not recommend him at all!
DON'T RECOMMEND HIM AT ALL, HE'S LITERALLY IMPOSSIBLE.
This is the worst Professor in MSU. First lecture he informed us not to believe his ratings on RateMyProfessor and said It was Chinese food,turns out Professor Smallwood they were correct. Showed no respect to any students and did not care to post any notes, he would only write them which was hard to read and told us to become Bing Chilling.
The class was a disappointment. Excel worksheets that are impossible to pass. I was stressing more over how these excel spreadsheets were graded than learning about ecology. The exams have tricky wording and he does not give reviews. Had to drop with no help. One thing is to be a challenging professor but he just makes it impossible to pass.
Avoid taking this professor at all costs. If you're thinking this class will be easy, you are very wrong. The professor is very picky with grading and won't let the smallest mistakes slip thru. Gives .825 points of extra credits so if that's doesn't tell you something already I don't know what will. Take the other professor PLEASE.
Many others who left reviews, did not come in to the class wanting a challenge. They wanted an easy class in which minimal work was required from them. This is not that class. Dr. Smallwood expects a lot from his students- some use that as motivation and some use this as fodder to complain. He wants nothing more than to see his students succeed.
Dr. Smallwood is a good professor. As long as you take very good notes during his lectures you can pass his exams. You cannot miss any assignments. He is tough but he is fair. If you are looking for an easy relaxed class this is not it but otherwise it is OK. He appreciates students who are serious about learning. Nice guy.
If you are looking for an easy A type of class keep looking, this is not it. There is a lot of work and the exams are not easy. Proper lecture notes will save your life. Don't miss a class or you will fail. He's a nice person and does NOT have favorites. He loves what he does so he's passionate about it. Rating : 8.5/10
Do not take this professor if you want to save your GPA! He doesn't reveal the overall grade until he puts the final letter grade at the end of the semester.The final project is another nightmare, you will drain yourself , waste time collect data,after all that he won't accept it for a stupid reason. He failed me by 0.76 pts not even a full pt.
DO NOT TAKE THIS PROFESSOR. Smallwood is a nice person and I have nothing against him, his way of teaching is horrendous. He expects you to put every other waking second you have that's not in class working on the course. The rules behind the term project make 0 sense, and his lectures can make the simplest 8th-grade class biology topic confusing.
Professor's lectures tend to involve a lot of pictures without clear cut explanation. Talks a lot about his experiences but that just makes the lectures feel longer. His lectures don't have any actual examples. Every little thing is criticized for his excel sheets for lab. Term project is the worst. You go around collecting plants. 1/10.
Avoid if possible. This man is very smart but for an intro course makes it so difficult. Ignore the "WORK FOR IT" reviews. Even if you he will always find something wrong with it. AVOID. If you want to take 213 and there is no professor it's him. The department knows nobody wants to take him.
It's sad to say but this professor will make you reconsider your future in a bad way. He overwhelms you with spreadsheet assignments instead of teaching ecology. He is the toughest grader I have ever had. Just choose someone else. You are welcome.
DO NOT TAKE THIS CLASS. He doesn't post the notes all he does in the lecture is talk and the notes he writes on the board make no sense. The exam and what you learn during lectures do not add up. The material isn't hard but if theres no guidance or notes how are you supposed to pass?
Dr. Smallwood is very knowledgeable however, he makes this class complicated and confusing. The tests are difficult to study for because you can't guess what will be on it. Spreadsheet will become your nightmare. It's not an easy class. He's nice but the way he teaches this class will overwhelm you.
Smallwood isn't a half bad guy, and I honestly feel like he'd be a pretty cool field professor. But by the heavens, this lecture was not worth it. Even with reading the textbooks, showing up to all his classes, weekly study group, *recording entire lecture periods*, etc. - at best, I have a low C, presuming I am passable on the final.
I am a hardworking student who has never received anything below a B- before. Ever. Until I took his class. He never posts slide notes, only thing he has are slides with pictures of birds with no labels whatsoever. You miss one lecture class, you are ruined for that exam. His exams are VERY hard. Class is not a 213 level, rather a 400 level.
Professor does care about students and cares about learning. Very wise and knowledgable but is not good at teaching. He over complicates materials very much and his exams are very hard and need LOTS of studying.
im a student that studies and pays attention in class. I have not failed a class until this class. No matter what i did to study, I still ended with terrible grades. His labs were a nightmare and don't get me started with his lab project. You are warned, do not take him.
gave us a quiz for 3 minutes, locked it right away, he was pretty mean and disrespectful about it. don't take him, save yourself and avoid.
I took Ornithology. Unless you love spending 7/8 hours every other Saturday watching birds in places that are hours away( Cape May, etc) then don't take this class. This class has MANDATORY field trips, that if you miss results in a 0 in as a quiz grade. His lectures are actually pretty nice and informative, but are typically 2.5 hours long.
Talks a lot about birds. At first you think okay he's not too bad until ur 20 minutes into class and he is off topic babbling on about birds. Lab work is a lot and really complicated unless you're blessed with a good TA. If you HAVE to take him, just study the textbook before every class. Attendance every class that is determined by a short quiz.
This shouldn't even be your last option, just don't do this. Exams are impossible and you don't get them back unless you go to his office hours. Your attendance is dependant on graded QUIZZES and God forbid you're a minute late. And the lab project and assignments are an annoyance unless your TA is amazing.
Even if this was your only option, do not take him! Seriously one of the worst professors I have ever had. He does not know how to teach all he does it put pictures of birds up and just yap. His exams are the stupidest most complicated things. His lectures are boring and he just talks about random things. DO NOT DO IT, avoid him.
Professor Smallwood's BIO213 is no walk in the park, but putting in the effort pays off. The lectures can be dense, but taking thorough notes and using resources like unstuckstudy make it manageable. Tough grader, but a fair one who wants students to succeed.
I took Dr. Smallwood for fall 2025. Attendance is not mandatory, however he does throw quizzes randomly and they're worth 6%. You have to be on time for class otherwise youll miss the quiz since its only 2 minutes long. Exams are very difficult and he won't let you see your average grade for the class, you have to calculate it yourself.
I have never struggled in bio, never failed a test and always ended with an A. Not until this class. No matter how much you study you're going to struggle. Yes, not everything is meant to be easy but his tests are absolutely ridiculous. If you like being happy and enjoy living life, this isn't the class for you. DONT TAKE HIM
Avian Biology 575/ Ornithology 430. Don't buy the textbook, save for gas money. The class has mandatory field trips—if you don't have extra time on seven Saturdays, I wouldn't recommend it. The field trips are genuinely fun but are ~7hrs long. During the field trips you WANT to be next to him, listening. You'll be fine if you are a hard worker.
DO NOT TAKE THIS COURSE WITH THIS PROFESSOR YOU WILL REGRET IT. It's non stop stress the entire semester. He should not be teaching. The tests are the worst and weigh so heavily you're at risk of not passing very early on.
Although I got an A, I had to fight for my life. He is nice, however- attend all lectures! His tests are more conceptual/application based questions. The labs are time consuming. There is no curve so be sure to take this class seriously. The average on most exams were less than 45%, including the final. About 80% of the class failed. Beware.
Super strict when it comes to grading. Points come flying off for little things. He's a nice guy, but he doesn't really explain what to expect on the tests. You'll definitely feel the pressure in this class. He is knowledgeable but maybe not great at delivering the knowledge to students. Not an easy class to pass.
This professor made me question my sanity on a daily basis. He had a weird obsession with birds, literally only talk about that. Only 5/91 people passed his exams. Had a term project that took all semester and was very tedious. His lectures never reflected what was on the exam. Take him if you want to go crazy.
He's a nice guy
Class Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
48%
Textbook Required
57%
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