AMAAAAAAAZING

I love this class because of Ragan. It's not an easy class, but totally worth it...he opened my eyes to the beauty of the world through physics!!! <3 him!!!!!

One of the few profs I've had who actually cares about teaching and teaching methods. Brilliant guy

One of the best profs in terms of teaching style. Always available, will make sure everyone who asks understands it. Will go to great lengths to clarify any problems you might have. Unfortunately, none of this prepares you for how difficult his exams are.

He is an amazing professor but you got to listen to each and every word in his class attentively. You need to keep your concepts clear, practice questions after the classes (and ask the ones you don't get!) otherwise you're going to mess up the final really bad. Uses a lot of jargon in class but fancy words don't necessarily teach you concepts.

One of the few professors that takes a genuine interest in educating. His lectures are well organized and suggest preparation before class. Test are hard!

Very helpful professor (who else replies to an email at 1:30 in the morning the night before a midterm?), but exams are quite difficult unless you have a solid grasp of all concepts and can apply them in challenging questions. Questions on the final felt like questions from Physics Contest exams. Otherwise, he's great. And he looks like Steve Jobs!

Great teacher if you take the time to listen in class, but the exams are brutal. The final this year was the hardest exam I have ever taken in my life. Don't let the past exams fool you! Get a tutor if you don't get it from the beginning.

Finals were hard. but he scaled it, so the end result is standard average. He is fair,

Very funny. His lectures are enjoyable because of his humor and personality. People thought midterm was hard (I didn't think so). Very helpful in that he answers questions posted by students on the discussion board. Final was extremely hard, although I think this year was an anomaly. Overall, great professor.

Ragan loves teaching physics. This class is his baby and he's always striving to improve it and the students' understanding and appreciation of physics.

He's one of the best profs I've ever had. People complain about the final because it's too hard, but the midterm was a piece of cake so makes sense he'll make it more challenging. Not everyone's supposed to leave with a 4.0gpa

The best freshman prof if you do like physics. His lecture had always kept me exciting even in the sleepy 1:30pm. Extremely helpful so don't waste his office hour especially if you wanna major in physics. Lectures sounds easy, however, final is kind of hard. You'd better practice the problems in the textbook in order to feel comfortable in final.

He's an awesome prof. Physics is usually dry but he teaches it in an entertaining way with all his jokes and demonstrations. Midterm, labs, and capa were generally pretty easy, but the final was insanely difficult. I was almost sure I failed the final exam, but I still came out of the course with an A because of the massive curve.

Very organized and enthusiastic Prof. Clicker questions and pre-lecture quizzes are very helpful in understanding. Clear explanations and good demonstrations. Extremely knowledgeable. Midterm was very fair, final was extremely difficult but well curved.

The best first year teacher, no question about it. You will end this class at least considering maybe a minor in physics. But prepare yourself, his exams will be the hardest things you probably have ever done in your life. It makes Drury's exams look like a piece of cake. No exaggeration. Beware.

Great Prof!

Prof. Ragan is the best freshman Professor I had!! This class, should be mandatory.

He's the only prof I know who answers every little discussion questions on WebCT. He is so intelligent, and amazing at teaching. I loved going to his classes 'cause he made every class very interesting and fun. Oh, he's so witty too, and he's always there to help. If you review his lecture slides before the exams, you will do just fine.!

He's a great physics prof! Makes you interested in the subject, and explains the concepts well. The exams- you have to study for them if you want a good grade.

If you are good at phys...its an easy A. He is a really good prof and his exams arent that hard at all, just take it easy and you will do great!

Ragan is a great teacher. The course, in my opinion, was fair and decently easy, although I had a decent understanding of physics beforehand, which helped substantially. His exam can be tough, but what I liked the least was the labs (tedious stuff). Ragan is funny, witty (and makes fun of bio. how awesome is that?), and he knows what he's doing.

Ragan is a great guy, very approachable and friendly, responds to your discussion questions, and a great lecturer. His exams have been tough in the past, but he tries to make them fair (and succeeded this year)

good but hard

Ragan is an amazing professor - probably the best I've had so far. He is super helpful but I was so weak at physics, nothing really helped or motivated me. Bombed the midterm, like a 40 but he encouraged me to keep trying my best! Took Prep101 and got a B aha

Best prof i've had so far. Engages the class, makes EVERY lecture worth going to (I was actually bummed I had to miss some lectures). Yeah his class is hard and the exams are a pain but you learn so much which is what university is for, not just getting by on easy exams. Such a great teacher.

Ragan is the best prof ever!!! Both midterm and final were very very fair IF you studied. He is super cool, gives easy bonus marks, and very interesting lecture. He make physics very interesting and easy. He actually cares about teaching. Study, and you will learn a lot and do great!!!!

Very enthusiastic, helpful, and he actually cares. He was the only prof I had who actually went to the midterm and final. Great prof, just gives hard final and midterm.

He is an incredibly smart man and has an answer to every question. He makes lectures interesting with clicker questions and demonstrations. However he expects great things from you so you better stay on top of the material or you WILL get crushed on exams and CAPA. Going to lectures is not enough, you have to put a lot of extra studying in.

If you're any good at physics this class is an easy A. Labs and CAPA are a mark booster. Study off of the many midterms/finals available offline as well as challenge questions from any textbook, and you'll be fine.

Ragans a real good guy. Class is tough, but do-able. Do your CAPA assignments as they count for a good portion of your grade. Only complains are that in lectures he writes extremely messy and spends the whole lecture deriving stuff you do not need to know how to derive, and the CAPA problems are questions on stuff you havent covered in lectures.

He's incredibly passionate and enthusiastic about the material. He's really witty and will make you love Physics. His class demonstrations are a lot of fun and really solidify your understanding of the material. His exams weren't hard; they're really fair and his hints are quite helpful. Studying from the text, mainly doing exercises is vital.

Very good prof, gives nice demonstrations in class and makes the class laugh. However, the lectures can't prepare you for the final exam. If you do all the challenge problems that he gives out and in the textbook, you will do fine for the exam. As well, make complete use of the tutorials and office hours (I didn't and now I regret it). Hard exams.

Ragan's lectures are very interesting, and he's a really good prof! the exams are definitely not easy, but they're do-able, as long as you study from the textbook as well as attending lectures. He's very fair :)

A lot of people thought that Professor Ragan's midterm and final were ridiculous. Don't expect that you can just listen to the lectures and do some easy problems and get an A. Do challenging problems, make sure you really understand the concepts. Most of all, DO THE PRACTICE MIDTERMS AND FINALS and you'll be fine. He really makes you deserve that A

Amazing prof

Nice pro! very clearly and organized lecture. exams are too hard for non-science students QAQ simple lecture hard exams.

Really great prof. Knows his stuff.

Interesting and lectures are a pleasure to attend although they will not prepare you well enough for the exams which are tough.

I. LOVE. HIM.

Great prof. Does not write brutal exams, contrary to popular belief.

It's all on you to do well in this course. He teaches the concepts but doesn't really go through many examples. Don't take this course because you "like physics," as it will kill your GPA. Take 101 unless you NEED 131 (or just love to punish yourself). Worked my ass off just to get a A-, never felt more terrified walking into an exam in my life.

Great professor, had his class at the end of the day, but never got tired of it because the lectures were so interesting (and entertaining)! The difficulty of the midterms vary, but if you really do understand the concepts and have practiced enough *challenging* problems, it's a fair exam :)

Nice guy, but if you've seen Ragan memes, you'll understand why these exist after you take this class. Midterm is death. Final is slightly less death, but still rather hard. If you didn't take Physics in high school, I wish you the best of luck..

People in 101 who have complained about his seemingly impossible exam are the ones who obviously haven't studied enough. His exams are extremely fair. Moreover, he gives you that unnecessary 5% bonus which will boost up your letter grade at least.

Great prof, difficult exam but if you prepare right you'll be fine.

clear and nice

Even though physics is my WORST subject and i would never touch it again with a ten feet pole, I do have to admit that Ragan is a very good professor. His exams and midterms are hard but if you study VERY hard, you can still do alright.

I LOVE HIM! HE'S LIKE THE MODERN NEWTON! if you study enough, you'll do really well on the exams. work, and you'll get the marks you want.

Awesome prof. Clear, intelligible, very good quality lectures.

The class is a lot all at once. You really need to come to class prepared or be ready to work like crazy before the exam. It's non-calculus based so if you took high school physics you will be mostly okay up to the first midterm but then it's all new material (more or less) from there. You won't die, but you'll work

Great class, only take it if needed. Not too easy, but very interesting and useful.

A guy who really looks like a physicist. Good and clear lectures, fine sense of humour. You'll get bonus marks if you just do some efforts. Tests are not as easy as you think, but they are not abnormally difficult (of course, for science guys, tests are bloody easy). If you work hard, you will be fine.

Awesome prof, great class

80% of the course content of PHYS101 is high school material. So if you've done a decent amount of physics back in high school you will find it easy to pick up as most of the materials were just review though more in depth. Exams aren't as brutal as some of the people who make it out to be. Practice with textbook problems weekly, it's essential.

He is an amazing professor, gives fun lectures, but he uses calculus a little too often in my opinion... Anyway it's good to take him, and he isnt hard on exams and grades, as opposed to many think

Ragan is incredibly knowledgeable, and I always found his lectures to be super interesting even if he was covering things we already learned in high school. He's a great, funny guy who really knows what he's doing as a professor. Exams are doable. Practice by doing past midterms and finals and you should be ok.

He's an excellent professor. Made the lectures very engaging, has a great sense of humour, and is very clear and enthusiastic about the material. Labs are easy, exams are tough. Study hard! His bonus 5% will likely push up your letter grade!

Ragan is by far my favourite first year professor, super inspirational and knowledgeable. He really cares about making sure everyone understands, and if you do your part, it should be fine. The best advice I can offer when studying for exams is to do past midterms and finals bc they're very similar.

Definitely my favorite prof in first year, he gets a bad rap for giving hard tests, but if you pay attention in lectures (he makes this easy) and can get past capa, there's no reason to not get a solid grade. He's brilliant and super interesting and makes you want to learn more about the material.

He is the best prof I had in the first year. Super polite and knowledgable. He knows what he's doing and gives amazing lectures.

One of my favourite 1st year profs. Made physics actually pretty interesting and fun. He was good at explaining things ard tried to make sure the majority of the class understood a concept before moving on.

Ragan is one of the best profs at McGill. His lecture notes are very detailed and clear and should be your main study material. His exams will be challenging, but are FAIR. Very dedicated man who will answer your questions clearly. Be prepared to do some work (his quizzes and CAPA assignments), but overall a very well-respected prof and course.

A very good professor. He is my favorite professor in my first year in McGill. He made physics really interesting, and his lectures are really clear. Although the exams can be difficult sometimes, but if you work hard, it won't be a problem.

By far the most popular prof at McGill in terms of undergrad.

He is a cool guy,but not easy at all.

Always enjoy his lectureson.

Funny but still a solid teacher

He is by far my favorite professor (since I started school!)

"OK Fantastic"

If you complete your homework every week you'll be fairly prepared for the exams. Exams are not as difficult as people say they are.

Great teacher for an intro class--grounded, reasonable guy. Keep up with the CAPA assignments--if you do them and don't just search them up on Yahoo Answers (guilty), you'll be pretty well prepared for the tests.

Best prof at Mcgill. The course can obviously be tough if you aren't inclined toward this kind of stuff, but his lectures are amazing. He explains everything really well, and he makes you actually look forward to attending class. He's also really available to help outside of class and makes you feel really comfortable coming to him in office hours.

Coming from someone who hated high school physics, Ragan made me actually enjoy it. He's a great lecturer, always there to clarify questions after class, and also pretty funny. His tests are hard though, so be sure to know your concepts well! CAPA helps. I rarely buy textbooks but this one had useful practice problems.

Probably the most engaging and interesting prof I've had in freshman year. You will never be bored in his class . He gets a bad rep for having harsh exams; I found them pretty fair. You just need to study really hard, do homework, and pay attention to his clicker conceptual questions. CAPA is manageable if you don't don't do it the night before.

Ragan was definitely the most engaging professor I had this semester. He's so passionate about physics, and every lecture is pretty much a stand-up comedy routine - CAPA assignments are easy when you do them with friends, midterm and exam are fine if you study really hard and do lots of practice. I only got a bad mark because I hate the subject!

Teaches well. But exams are challenging so practice before hand. Helps via email and office hours.

Labs are easy

CAPA can be tough (online assignments) but do them with friends and you'll be fine. Final is easier than the midterm. Find the tough problems in the textbook and figure them out before the midterm and you'll do really well. Okay, fantastic. Attendance through clicker participation will really help your mark.

CAPA is hard but if you work on it with friends you'll be fine. Plus the midterm and final seems easy after doing CAPA all semester. The tests were very fair and if you put the work in getting an A is no problem.

Prof. Ragan is not one of those teachers that look down on freshmen: he seems to really enjoy teaching to them. He is a born-entertainer and will give a lot of examples that you are likely to remember when you take the exams. Labs are usually quite simple and you should go see him if you have trouble understanding. You can also attend the tutorials

Clearly a brilliant professor who loves what he does. Although he attempts to scare people off during the first few days of class, it is an okay class if you follow along. I didn't open the textbook once and did very well in the class. He recycles old exams, so try and get your hands on previous exams.

Ragan is an amazing prof! The class was tough for sure, but if you put the effort you can get an A even if you did not take physics in High School. The exams were fair and the marking generous.

Ragan is literally the best prof ever. Super cool guy who made me love physics to the point where I changed my program. He is very helpful and easy to approach (doesn't look down on first years). CAPA is hard but make sure you understand how to do every single question. The exams are harder than CAPA, so be sure to do as many past exams as possible

Ragan makes you work. A lot. Most of my studying time last semester was dedicated to Physics. But his lectures are pretty interesting, and I do feel like all my hard work paid off-- I learned a lot. Class can actually be fun with him, even if you're not a huge fan of physics.

This material is really challenging as are Ragan's exams because he has to test you on the material, but ask him specific questions in office hours and listen to lectures. He's better than explaining things than basically anyone else.

I hate physics, but even I can't argue that Ragan is a good teacher. He's always prepared and ready for his classes and he tries to make things as clear as possible. His lectures do go pretty fast though, and sometimes he'll skip working through problems and expect people to know them. And his exams are HARD, but not totally unfair.

Very generous with grades, get a free 5% for showing up. Big curve up on the final.

Amazing prof! The difficulty of the course is definitely exaggerated- for 101 he even gives a 5% bonus if you show up to all your classes. He has a brilliant technique of teaching and adds just enough humour to engage you. Get ready for great demonstrations, pies in the face and his famous epigrams.

Ragan was one of the best profs during my first semester. he speaks pretty quickly, but you'll get used to him. Exams were hard but easier than i thought, you just have to work for it. Overall, the most hilarious and engaging professor i've had, he's also so passionate about the material he's teaching, it's contagious!

Best lecturer at McGill. Fair exam. In Ragan's class only people who deserves a 90 gets a 90 or 100 while in other classes even the dumbest person you know could get a 90 as long as they cram.

the realest in the game. I thoroughly enjoyed his classes

He makes you want to go to his classes because of his incredibly engaging lectures. For exam preparation, do all of the Giancoli textbook problems - he used one or two for our midterms this year. I want to take more of his classes!

Ragan is hilarious and obviously cares a lot about this class. MIDTERM AND FINAL ARE IMPOSSIBLE THOUGH! And the capa is not easy either. Still a great professor, and you cant really avoid him in first year physical sciences, but be ready to work hard for your grade

A great professor whom I learned to respect and admire for his passion, knowledge and interesting lectures.

As this is coming from someone with 0 physics background, the course was tough. The test were hard, and I was surprised I passed the midterm, however the final was definitely hard. That being said, the man is great. Great sense of intellectual humour, and extremely smart man.

I had no idea what I was getting into with this course, and I had very high marks in all assignments and labs, but then I failed the final which caused me to fail the course. I went to Ragan and he was very supportive and helpful, and I took the supplemental exam which was much easier. Ragan is a great overall professor.

Great prof, ridiculously easy if you took physics in highschool, tests are hard but he re-uses theory questions from previous years so use the old ones to study

Great professor. Class isn't mandatory, but there are free clicker marks and the atmosphere is great. The suggested pre-readings significantly helped me understand the lectures so I never had to watch the recordings. He also puts up the best comments from the pre-lecture quizzes, and it's everyone's dream to show up on the projector.

This course isn't easy, especially if physics isn't your best subject (like everyone in 101) but there are lots of rewards, like clickers and capa. The labs are also very easy. If you have exposure to physics from high school, this course won't feel as difficult. Ragan is tough but amazing. Review old finals as he repeats exam questions!

A great professor whom I enjoyed, especially during lectures and for office hours.

Ragan is a fantastic professor! I came into the PHYS101 knowing next to nothing about physics. I was scared knowing it was going to be a difficult course. But he made it incredibly fun and easy to understand. It is a hard course though. Take advantage of the CAPAs (UNDERSTAND and KNOW how to do them), the clicker questions, office hours and FRezCa!

Very honest, but also very funny! He doesn't sugarcoat how hard his class is, but he sure does make a boring subject to some at least manageable to everyone.

Amazing prof. Great lectures. But gives challenging homework and exams.

Came into McGill planning on doing biology. A combination of Ragen and PBS spacetime during my first year are why I'm now doing honours physics.

He is good and he know how to keep students engaged during the lectures.

Ragan is a great prof, he's hilarious and makes you feel like going to class. He isn't also super knowledgeable and does many in class demos.

His lecture slides and presentation in class are so cohesive, concise and clear. You are left with a FULL understanding of the subject matter. Super funny and really great at teaching. Precopy the lecture notes, read the assigned textbook section-trust me, they do help, but don't bother during exam review, only before lectures. Go to lectures/video

Downsides: Very hard exams..... Brightside: Very engaging lectures with all methods of visualizing the problems Clickers used so get ready to participate Steps to pass the course: 1- Stay up-to-date with him at all times 2- Do NOT UNDERESTIMATE CAPA assignments or the lab portion 3- THINK OUT OF THE BOX !! Best of luck!

Super easy class. Exams are really easy, 100 on midterm is easily achievable. So far everything has been really chill. I find the CAPA HW really straightforward. I'm hoping to get 100 on his final exam as well.

Ragan achieves something rare: hard assignments/exams, but not unreasonably so. The homework and class reflect perfectly the difficulty of the exam. Do not underestimate the importance of CAPA! Take each CAPA as a practice test & it should be a clear indication of your final grade. He explains very well and keeps you engaged with clicker questions.

Ragan is an amazing prof, makes concepts clear and concise. I came in not having done high school physics, and dreading this class. Though his tests are tough, if you keep up, do the readings before class, and the Giancoli problems it's not too bad. Look over old midterms and finals; Ragan repeats questions.

Ragan is the best. Tough, but he makes physics as easy as it can be. He's an extremely engaging lecturer, even in Leacock 132. Not too hard to get a good grade in the class, as exams are hard but not worth much; CAPA, lab grades, and extra credit will help your grade a lot. Skim the readings and do practice problems, and an A is manageable .

Lovely prof that really tries to engage students with physics. Super accessible, shows up to Frezca and is responsive to emails, and his lectures are often interesting /hilarious. Makes you work in his class - make sure you understand all the quizzes and do practice finals :)

Best professor ever in Mcgill! So amazing to hear his lectures!!! Explain everything clearly and make learning quite interesting and easy! PS He gave us past exams before MT and final(THEY ARE EXTREMELY HELPFUL) Strongly recommended!

really funny prof, hard exams tho so you gotta study. doesn't like to curve.

He was really funny and engaging, but his exams were much harder than the questions he would ask in class or those in the textbook. Make sure to be extremely thorough when answering short answer questions on his exams.

He's a great prof and although I hated physics before, I love this course!! Make sure you attend all of the review sessions he has because he will put past papers and review all the past papers because he recycles them. Phys 101 was very hard but if you do problems consistently in the year, you will succeed! Don't give up :)

a smart guy

Prof Regan is really funny and makes his class so enjoyable. The class is not hard overall, but you do need to study for it. The exams were hard but you can get lots of marks from homework, labs and bonus points, so it is not hard to get A.

Started off hating this class because I couldn't apply the material and subconsciously blamed it on the Ken. Once I started putting the work in and doing the readings I started loving going to class and found it fascinating. What you learn in this class you see in every day life which is why it is so interesting. Make sure you focus in class.

Ragan is a really good prof. It seems like he's getting a bad rep this year for some reason, but having not done grade 12 physics, I manage to follow the course material with relative ease. A couple of things: -CAPAs are great study material -Go to class. He explains concepts well -The exams are fast-paced -Study with friends. It's beyond helpful

Don't understand why everyone here hates him.

Everybody loves Ragan and they have a reason to. His exams seem to have a lot of questions similar to previous exams questions and to what he shows in class, so, study hard and youll be fine. PHYS 131 is a challenging class, but he makes it fun and its definitely possible to do well.

GO TO CLASS. DO CAPA. DO THE LABS. DO EVERYTHING you can in order to get the highest marks. Tests are really tough, you need to prepare by doing Giancoli, past problems, and CAPA. Understand the concepts by going to lectures. Class is huge so it's hard to get feedback from him or his TEAM.

Lectures are in a huge auditorium, you will barely get any help for this class. Don't fall behind in the course because you will probably never catch up. Go to FrezCa and do tons of practice problems and definitely find a group of friends to help you with the quizzes.

Ragan's lectures are great, and he keeps you into it with clicker questions and participation. If you don't understand, read the textbook. His exams and midterms are challenging, but if you do CAPA, labs, attend lectures, and go to the odd frezca/office hours there is no reason for you to fail.

Great lectures! Do the exercises in the book, some of them are on the final exams...

Ragan is brilliant but also turns an easy course such as mechanics into a living hell for those who take physics 131 (101 is significantly easier To Ace so ignore if you take it). He teaches very well but exams are extremely tough. This year the average was 59% and it was pretty much middle difficulty. but he does give you a great base for physics.

Obviously a phys geek and really enjoys teaching. He lectures materials extremely fast so do your reviews and practices at home. Exams are quite hard, the best way is to do all past exams that you can find. Good luck!

Professor Ragan is an amazing teacher! He made physics super interesting, and being in life sciences, that says a lot! He was super enthusiastic about the material and did many in class demos that were really cool. His exams are tough and require lots of practice; best tip is to review the CAPAs, past finals and Giancoli questions!

Ken is extremely knowledgeable, enthusiastic about the material. Exams are quite difficult & make you think but it is not impossible to achieve a high grade in this class!make sure to get that clicker participation and pre lecture quizzes done! Read most of the chapters and to study for exams , do past exams & CAPA challenge questions :)

The bad: Very tough application Exams, hard CAPA. The Good: The prof is a genius, best demos and lectures and ready to listen to you. Description: ThE course doesn't care about your prior physics knowledge. I failed in my mid but passed (miraculously) perhaps for CAPA and labs. Be ready to cry, remain strong and ask when stuck(which is usual).

Phys 131 is possibly hardest class at McGill. If you have an option, take Phys 101 with Prof Ragan which is the easier option.

Tough class but Reagan's sarcastic comments make it all worth it. This class made me want to major in phys even though I didn't do as well as I'd hoped.

He's amazing. Ragan is a legend in McGill! Very interesting course, fun demonstration in hard physics problems. Bonus marks will help you ace this course.

Ragan is an amazing prof, his lectures are amazing and very interesting. The midterm was fairly hard, but the final was fair. He gives you old exams to study off of, so I recommend those as well as redoing CAPA problems, and conceptual problems! Also, I would highly reccomend going to his office hours if you do not understand a concept!

Prof Ragan teaches every lecture like it's his last. I personally struggled with this course (Failed the midterm) but he gave us a reason to believe that it was still possible to do well in this course. Put the work and effort into this course and you will do just fine. Ragan is very approachable too so don't be afraid to ask him questions.

I love Ragan's memes

His lectures are so enjoyable.

His classes are like live comedy shows -- in terms of joy and fun.

The prof has a nice sense of humor, he makes you laugh in class. But every time you laugh at his jokes remember that he will make you cry in the exam.

Ragan is incredible. The course isn't easy, but go to all the lectures and do what he asks of you and you'll be more than fine. He's also super willing to help you out and - despite making the tests hard - really wants you to do well. Kind of like physics now.

This is a difficult course that you'll really need to work for to get a good mark. Ragan is a good prof and I find his lectures funny/entertaining but he does not explain concepts very well. He speaks very quickly and usually leaves his students feeling confused after the lectures.

Ragan was a good prof, his lectures were interactive but if you start skipping his classes you wont be able to catch up! He doesnt solve that many problems during lectures but you should definitely attempt to do all the capa and challenge questions. Dont be afraid to talk to him, go to his office hours, he really does care about his freshmans

Very good teacher. Fairly clear. Lectures are not as important as reading the text book. Do lots of practice questions (level 3 giancoli) and be very prepared for a tough midterm and final.

He is a great prof. His teaching style is awesome. The midterm is hard and challenging, however, his final is fine and fair. Read his lecture notes, do CAPA, be sure to get the full bonus marks. I did not do labs well and it was still OK.

Acceptable difficulty. Friendly Prof. Always accessible outside class.

He is a good prof, very approachable, and his lectures are great *especially if you read ahead as he suggests*. Midterm and final are tough but if you prepare you'll do well. Take the labs and CAPA seriously (had I done it I'd have an A) , it really helps boost your grade - go for the extra 5% it's easy to get and is more helpful than you expect.

Kenneth Ragan is a really hilarious lecture, makes learning a boring topic super interesting. In his first lecture, he said learning his material was like drinking out of a garden hose for those who took grade 12 phys, like drinking out of a fire hose for those who took pre-grade 12 phys, and a tsunami for those who haven't taken it so beware.

Professor Ragan is a very nice and brilliant person and an absolutely amazing lecturer. All of my friends think his course is one of the must-take courses in McGill. Be careful of the exams tho, they can be cruel. And be aware of all of the CLICKER QUESTIONS as they may appear on your final exam.

Honestly I got an A in this class because of the extra credit which was nice. The final and midterm were very difficult, but honestly Prep 101 is the reason I still did okay on them. The textbook questions are kind of a waste of time in this course cause they're too easy compared to the tests, but they do give you a nice background.

Good prof, hope take his course again.

I didn't take physics in high school and I studied a lot for his class. He speaks FAST. I had to pay close attention in class and review after class. His exams were overwhelming to me.. You may be able to do it well if you really make good use of your time during the exam and think and try your very best. Besides all that, he is smart and kind.

He gave me a feeling that he got really good eloquence, which was quite fascinating. However, the instruction or explanation in many sides of the course could be quite vague or ambiguous. There were both assignment and exam questions, which confused people a lot. I hope Prof. Ragan would get improved regarding to this side.

one of the best profs in McGill. Amazing lectures yet challenging, very very organized , midterms and finals are hard but they are fair.

Many complain about Prof Ragan because his class and his exams are difficult. I came in to PHYS 101 with no past Physics knowledge (oh the magic of public American education). He truly cares about everyone succeeding. His lectures are entertaining and really helpful. I hate physics but he made it bearable for me.

He makes physics seem so logical, always gives real-world applications. Had him for Phys101 and going to his lectures were entertaining and inspirational.

He gives very funny and clear lectures, but what really makes him stand out is his patience and kindness to students after class. The content is hard, but we all respect him. Now.... this is before the midterm..... so i am probably the most unbiased I will ever be

Professor Ragan is a phenomenal professor; the way he teaches is captivating, and allows for one to never feel bored in his lectures. Yes, his exams/assignments are difficult, but he is very transparent with what he expects out of his students and makes it well-known that work is required to do well in this class. I would love to have him again!

Prof Ragan is so inspirational and funny. He always gives clear concepts and indepth explanations. He makes me love phys classes. I don't think he is a tough grader. The exams are not that difficult but you might need to make extra efforts off-class to understand the knowledge. There are lots of resources you can use anyway. Great prof again!

Lectures are fast-paced and it's very easy to fall behind. This course is straight from hell if you're weak in phys. Ragan is an awesome prof. if you have a good foundation in phys. also kapa questions(online assignments) are hard and time consuming. finish ASAP

I did well in the class because I'd taken physics c before in high school, but otherwise it would've been a train wreck. Content is very fast paced and no time is spent deriving formulas. Since you only learn the basic intuition, you might find yourself glued to the formula sheet during exams. Also, major Steve Jobs energy, for better or worse.

Short answer: Dr Ragan is one of the best professors I have ever had in my life. His vivid and inspirational lectures possess the gravity to pull you into physics, no matter which major you are in. Kind, patient, and willing to guide people through their problems, he is also an extraordinary life coach for he teaches you how to learn.

Pros: Funny. He clearly knows what he's teaching at a fundamental level. His exams are very challenging. He does not give one-step questions and interrelates multiple concepts, which forces you to study. Cons: Very fast paced, if you don't have any physics knowledge. Lab grades feel too random and are heavily dependent on partners and TAs.

Albeit a difficult class, he makes lectures interesting. Truly a prof to look up to.

If you took IB phys or even just Ontario high school physics and did well, the class will be a breeze. Just do cappa and challenge and you are set. If you are new to physics, good luck. Get ready to grind all day. It's gonna be tough. He's an amazing lecturer too. Best STEM lecturer i've ever had.

Definitely one of the best profs I've had during my undergrad. He's gifted in teaching, unlike a lot of the profs at mcgill who are more research centred. His lectures are extremely thorough and his exams are quite easy.

Hands down the BEST PROF AT MCGILL. I love this man. I absolutely hated physics but looked forward to lectures because of him! McGill celeb

Amazing prof! Very knowledgable and accessible outside class. Quizzes are very fair and many problems come off very similar to homework problems. The reading he makes us do really helped with my understanding. His clicker questions really helps me stay focused and interested in the material. He is also very funny 10/10 would recommend.

Ragan's is a real king. He is a god himself but my gosh, his exams and assignment will make every single internal force inside you act out because it so difficult. He makes you read before every lecture and his quizzes are killers in my opinion. Take the course but be ready to put forward at least 15-25 hours/week for just physics (and maybe more)

Perusal, if you have 5 good comments its easy marks. Capa is ridiculously easy. Labs are graded super easily, if you put in effort its easy marks. Quizzes are harder but you have so much time for them, and half the questions show up in challenge capa. If you get the easy marks, you would need a sub 35 final to drop below a 4.0 GPA! No stress at all

Good prof, demonstrates real-world examples.

hardest class Ive ever taken but still the most fun because ragan was a blast

I would say that prof Ragan is definitally one of the hardest prof for first years as his quiz questions are extremely challenging! His exams are also very difficult and it is quite hard to do well. However i like him beacuse he is very flexible with marks

He teaches a tough class, but he's very accessible outside of lectures and gives you help if you seek it out. Participation in his lectures isn't mandatory, but highly recommended, as the interactive elements are not only fun but helpful in understanding concepts. His memes are great too.

Good prof. Hes passionate about physics which makes learning the material much easier. Only negative thing is that his labs took way longer than they were supposed to.

Prof. Ragan is the best ever, he was considerate of students, very funny, and did lots of practice problems. However, the material is very hard if you haven't taken any highschool physics. It is extremely important to understand the material ahead of the week's lectures. Like actually understand! Once you get a week behind you'll never recover

Prof. Ragan is very understanding & flexible. He takes the time to ask students for feedback regarding the course, marking scheme, content, lectures, labs, etc & implements those changes. The coursework/material is difficult, but the key is to ask questions, stay on top of the material, & REALLY understand it. It's difficult but that A is worth it

Ragan is a great guy who wants students to succeed. However, that doesn't mean any of his formative quizzes or exams are easy in the slightest. We were saved by the fact that the lowest grade from every assignment category was dropped. Online labs were a real pain. A solid choice but must be prepared to do work outside class to really understand.

Great professor. You will do fine as long as you don't post Ragan memes in the discussions.

To do well in this class you have to spend time reading the textbook. Trying to understand the material just with his lectures is quite difficult. Read the book (and solve problems too) according to the schedule and you will be fine.

Dr. Ragan was one of the best professors that I had in McGill. He really cares about students to learn and grasp physic concepts which can greatly enhance your problem solving skills. He is the best, enjoy while you can

midterm was difficult, doesn't really go over concepts in detail during class. Assumed you have a bit of high school knowledge, even though there is no pre requisite. overall class is structured well and you can do poorly on the exams and still end up with an ok grade

Excellent professor. Very clear and to the point. Midterm content was all covered clearly and in detail in his lecture recordings. The tutorials and CAPA problems provide excellent practice and experience for solving complex physics problems. Could work through more examples in his lectures, and sometimes, the textbook readings aren't very helpful.

Professor Ragan is a hilarious person, honestly, his humour was the only thing getting me through this class. Though it is an introduction to physics for life sciences students, I never did physics in high school and the midterm and final were really hard for me. But the grading scheme allows you to still get a good grade in the class.

I took 131 when I should have been in 101 (do not recommend). The course was super tough but as long as you stay super on top of it and make sure you understand the textbook, homework and clicker questions you should be ok. The midterm was super tough (but got curved) and the final was very fair. Ken is willing to help but you need to ask for it!!

Never took Physics in high school, but I found all aspects of PHYS 131 really supportive out-of-classroom support, grading scheme also lets you excel in other areas (textbook discussion, homework, etc) if you bomb your midterm at first (e.g. I got a 40). Amazing lecturer, always makes sure to answer peoples' questions fully. We stan Ragan!

Prof Ragan was great. He really wants his students to succeed. For example our grading scheme was out of 107.5, so in theory you could get 107.5% in the course. His exams are REALLY hard, I failed both of them but he allows for so much extra work to be done that you can get a good grade. Readings, tutorials, exercises helped boost my grade.

Ragan is a funny prof. Wish I had his class in person. He's super invested in his teaching and tries his best to make us interested in physics and to make online classes fun. However, there is A LOT of content to cover and sometimes he just breezes through it a bit too fast.

Probably the best lecturer in my first year at McGill. Exams were fair, but Capa problems were pretty hard. Try to do past exams as his always reuse one or two problems (maybe more if you are lucky) on his exams.

Kenneth, what more can be said. The name alone brings back memories to the mind of first-year physics students. He's a fantastic prof and made lectures interesting and interactive. The lecture content is significantly easier than the exams, but that's to be expected with physics.

Ken is a really good guy. He obviously doesn't need to be teaching a huge first-year physics class given his long and successful career, but he does because he cares about students and pedagogy. I found the content to be easy, but some people struggled; there are many help systems available if that's the case.

Hilarious lecturer and he really does want everyone to understand mechanics; his in-class demonstrations are so useful. You're going to need to read a lot on your own to cover all the content. The homework is hard but work together with ppl in the gc. Exams are heavily curved if needed and have a mix of conceptual/computational.

Raggan is the GOAT. His lectures are engaging and hilarious. His exams are VERY difficult so make sure to dedicate sufficient time to practice and master the material(there is a curve thankfully). His explanations are great so make sure to go to office hours if you're struggling. Overall, a McGill legend and one of my favourite teachers of all time

Explains things pretty well, just sometimes a bit too "advanced" and off-topic. Is willing to slow down to go over things again if you don't understand, but is also willing to discuss more advanced topics with those that are interested. Gives difficult problems on CAPA assignments, quizzes, and final.

Very good prof. Lectures are very entertaining, even tho they cover more complicated parts of the chapters, so you'll have to read the material before lectures. He does a lot of demos which are very fun. His tests are very tough, so prepare well for them. But other than that, good course and an even better professor. Definitely a mcgill legend.

Expect to rely pretty heavily on the textbook for additional help, but you do get easy marks for reading it, which helps. Midterm and final were extremely challenging, but he grades very generously and will curve substantially if the class average is low. You'll need to dedicate quite a bit of time to this class, but I would still recommend it.

Super cool dude, clearly loves to teach and really tries to make a physics for life science course tailored to silly little life science kids. Hard class if you didn't take physics in high school tho.

Ragan is a really engaging prof and his lectures are never dull. Sometimes it'll take a while to wrap your head around topics but he does his best to explain it in the limited time of the lectures. He went to every single peer collab without fail and he has helped me there so much and we've had really interesting discussions. Legend.

Funniest professor I've ever had. He knows the material inside and out and goes the extra mile to keep us engaged. Do NOT be afraid to ask him for help, as he makes the effort to be available through many means. It's a TOUGH class though. HW is no joke and the final was scaled from 48-60%. A tough but rewarding class.

A great professor. His class is definitely a "weed out course", not in the sense that he wants you to fail, but in that it'll give you a sense of the level of McGill classes, and separate those who are willing to put some effort in, and those who won't. Wish I went to office hours/peer collab, as he puts lots of time in to help students succeed.

Professor Ragan is amazing. His lectures are clear and engaging, and he balances what you are graded on between reading, homework, midterm, and final. He is also very available outside of class. That said, his exams are VERY hard and although he does curve if the average comes out really low, be prepared to work hard for your grade.

Ragan is a wonderful professor who is incredibly talented at teaching. Unfortunately, the content of Physics 131 is very difficult. The lectures are relatively easy to follow but the labs, homework, and exams are a different beast altogether. I highly recommend taking Physics 101 if you can, especially if you have no background in calc.

Ragan cares deeply about physics and speaks very well, using demos and Slido to create very engaging lectures. Having taken Grade 12 physics in Ontario, this course was easy, but if you haven't already studied mechanics it will be very difficult. Phys 101 is much easier if you prefer that. Attend SciLearn and do the challenge problems.

Prof. Ragan is great and is one of the very few professors that really prepares you well for the exams. His lectures are clear and can be mastered with enough exercise. Although he gives a lot of Perusall readings and difficult CAPAs assignments, he grades things generously and lets us enjoy while learning physics. The grade was curved up.

A travesty that he's no longer teaching. More people should experience his exams. My class's average on the final was a 47% before he curved to a 60%. Luckily the grading scheme is really nice with lots of assignments/labs/etc so the final wasn't weighted too heavily. GREAT lecturer but really hard final. Used to swing around Leacock on a rope.

Prof. Ragan is a challenging but engaging lecturer. His exams are notoriously tough, yet he curves generously. The textbook is essential, and using unstuckstudy AI alongside it can be really helpful for study prep. With dedication, you'll learn a lot in this class.

really cool professor. lectures were engaging and fun and i learned a lot. the ANS assignments can be a lot of work but they prepare you decently well.

Very smart and funny, however there's so much content that's very difficult so unfortunately he goes very quickly through concepts that are often really confusing. Great at answering questions if you attend office hours or sci-learn he is usually there. Super funny and nice but his exams are very difficult, read the textbook and go to sci-learn.

I love him as a professor and he is super fun and interesting, but I fear his lecture notes and the way he teaches does not explain the material thoroughly enough for how difficult his exams are. At least he curves grades so nicely, idk how I got an A-. The labs are also impossible if you don't write the lab report before getting there.

Incredible lecturer, keeps students engaged and demonstrates concepts in the real world. Very helpful in his office hours and the homework is great practice, but his exams are ridiculously challenging.

He is by far the best lecturer I have ever taken. However, he expects you to know his material inside and out. The exams are incredibly difficult and will make you question yourself, but they will be curved, so don't worry too much. It is important to read the textbook and to do the challenge problems he provides because a lot of them are on exams.

Prof. Ragan is one of the best physics profs I've ever had. His lectures are extremely engaging.

Prof. Ragan gives interesting lectures. His midterms and finals can be hard, but you'll be fine if you do enough practice.

Prof. Ragan gives very interesting lectures. His slido questions are very helpful for the exams.

Ken Ragan is an amazing guy, and a great lecturer, theyre very captivating. However... The course and the labs? The labs are really tedious and easy to lose simple marks. The exams were also intense. hard to feel confident after completing them but itl be okay.

great lecturer, evil examwriter, go to ragans class to learn and go to the test to wonder if you've actually attended, not really that bad but just obnoxious test qs

This guy sees life from a higher dimension than you do. Be prepared.

Prepare to question your existence throughout this whole course.

I loved all his demos which motivated me and helped me engage in class. I wish there were more in-class examples before jumping into ANS. The exams were brutal but looking back, he might be one of my top 3 goated profs.

Ragan is a great prof, engaging and very funny. However he sometimes comes of as condescending. Overall a great prof and fun class, but hard work

Evil Exam Writer. 10/10