2.4

Manuela Martins-Green

Biology - University of California Riverside

2.4
Quality
4.1
Difficulty
22%
Would Retake
143
Reviews
2.4
Quality
4.1
Difficulty
2.4
Helpful
2.3
Clarity

22%

Would Retake

143

Reviews

Rating Distribution
Official

5

17

4

23

3

19

2

33

1

51

What Students Say

Any value in MG's class was overshadowed by her conduct

BIO005A - 1.0 rating

If Benjamin Netanyahu was a biology professor

BIOL005A - 1.0 rating
Class Info

Online Classes

100%

Attendance Mandatory

32%

Textbook Required

50%

Grade Predictor

Your expected effort level

LowHigh

Predicted Grade

B+

95% confidence
Based on 78 grades
Most common grades:
A (21)
Not sure yet (14)
A- (12)
Grade Distribution
A(30)B(12)C(16)D(2)F(1)A-/B+(17)
Based on 99 reported grades
A: 21
Not sure yet: 14
A-: 12
A+: 9
Common Tags
Test heavy (56)
Tough grader (47)
Graded by few things (31)
Get ready to read (28)
Lecture heavy (23)
Skip class? You won't pass. (9)
Amazing lectures (8)
Respected (6)
Rating Trend

Declining

-0.96 avg change
Apr
May
Jun
Nov
Dec
Jan
Last 6 months
Ratings by Course

BIOLOGY5A

5.0

(2)

BIO05A

4.0

(4)

BIOLO5A

4.0

(1)

BIO5B

4.0

(1)

BIOL5A

4.0

(1)
+6 more courses
Difficulty by Course

BIOLOGY

5.0

BIOL005A

4.4

BIO005A

4.3

BIO05A

4.0

BIOL5A

4.0

Reviews (143)
5.0
4.0
BIOLOGY5A
Mar 21, 2003

She is very organized in her lectures, and her tests are not that hard.

5.0
3.0
BIO5A
Jul 18, 2003

She's very organized. Her lectures are not that boring. And yea..her tests are not that hard. Good teacher. Interesting.

4.0
3.0
BIO5A
Jul 19, 2003

Prepare to study for Bio 5A, its prolly the hardest course I took at UCR. Professor Martins-Green is very organized and her tests are pretty straight forward. However, you need to know the concepts and terms to pass! Beware, its a lot of material...

3.0
5.0
BIO5A
Sep 19, 2003

Lots of material to gather and retain in a short time. Rather difficult to understand her--what w/ her accent and all.

4.0
3.0
BIO5A
Nov 21, 2003

She is very organized with her lectures and her tests are pretty straight forward. However, a lot of material....concepts and terms need to memerize in order to pass.

3.0
3.0
BIO5A
Mar 18, 2004

What r u guys talking about, i mean sure she is organized but with pictures, how do you learn by looking at pictures all day. Her test are off the wall, anybody who has ever had the CSI question knows what i am saying. She does care about students though.

2.0
4.0
BIO5A
Mar 19, 2004

Extremely hard to understand. She talks to fast and the test questions are hard. She probably is a good teacher, but I can't get past the language barrier between the two of us.

3.0
4.0
BIO5A
Mar 19, 2004

her english needs some help, her lectures are filled with pictures from the book. it's a very hard class that involves lots of reading. and you definitely definitely need to be prepared to work hard cuz there's no curve.

2.0
4.0
BIO5A
Mar 21, 2004

Sure, she cares about her students, but that's not going to help come test time. She lectures on powerpoint, but its straight from the book. Her tests are very hard, so prepare to study!

2.0
5.0
BIO5A
Mar 22, 2004

Her grammar is terrible. She's difficult to understand and she talks to her students as though they are 15. It's evident that she really cares about the class, but she's just not a good teacher.

2.0
5.0
BIO5A
Apr 10, 2004

She may hav won some kinda award but doesn't mean she can teach. I was doing great when Nothnagel was teaching then she came and my grades dropped like crazy. Nothagel should have just taught the whole course. She's evil and the final was krazy hard

2.0
3.0
BIO5A
Jun 5, 2004

Not that hard, but her teaching is horrible. honestly.

3.0
3.0
BIO5A
Oct 14, 2004

Rapid talker with heavy accent who talks to you as if you were still in high school. Beyond that, she knows her material, works with students if they need help, and her tests are tough but fair.

1.0
4.0
BIO005A
Mar 1, 2005

This teacher sucks. Prof. Nothnagel is wayyyyyy better. She talks really fast, doesn't wait for you to catch up during lecture, she's unorganized and doesn't even know what she's talking about. If you take her class, make sure you go to all of HER lectures cuz she's crazy

5.0
3.0
BIOLOGY5A
Mar 16, 2005

Very approachable and helpful. Compare with Nothanagel, she is much better. Very interesting lectures. Actually have a chance to listen to her lectures rather than write like crazy in Nothnagel's. Tests are very straightforward. Take Nothnagel's tests and u'll DIE!!!!

5.0
3.0
BIO5A
Mar 18, 2005

She's a pretty good teacher, but not as good as Dr. NOthnagel.

4.0
4.0
BIO5A
Mar 18, 2005

She's a good professor. Several problems though: talks really fast, expects you to be able to write what's not in the handout slides in a matter of seconds, and hard to understand her. She wasn't a bad professor, but Nothnagel was much better.

1.0
5.0
BIO5A
Mar 21, 2005

she sucks at teaching. she talks really fast and she's a **** in person. nothnagel is like 100000 times better at teaching and so much nicer.

1.0
5.0
BIOLOGY
Mar 26, 2005

very hard to understand what she is saying. tests are very hard

2.0
5.0
BIO5A
Mar 27, 2005

She gives out a handout of the slides she presents in class but not all of them are on the h/o so you have to write them down. And she expects you to be fast. I suggest you take double notes or re-write your notes b/c if you want the slides + the notes, you have to re-write your notes.

2.0
3.0
BIO5A
Sep 13, 2005

No Comments

2.0
4.0
BIO5A
Mar 31, 2006

Nothnagel is a better lecturer. Her exams are somewhat tricky..and that sucks because she makes up a large portion of the final. Be prepared to do some self learning. She does go over important points more thoroughly, so that is a plus.

4.0
2.0
BIO5A
Apr 15, 2006

I took this class in 2003 when there was no HW. However, she seemed pretty straight forward at the time. I believe people just complain about her b/c Nothnagel makes her look bad by going above and beyond the call. In reality, she and Nothnagel are among the best Bio Prof's at UCR.

2.0
2.0
BIO5A
Jun 28, 2006

she is an easy test taker. but she doesnt teach. have to learn on your own. her lectures are boring. and she wastes time teaching students how to take notes which was really dumb of her. she didnt go over the material at all. and just assign us to read on our won.

2.0
2.0
BIO005A
Feb 26, 2007

omg i wished nothangel stayed, this teacher looks like a woman version of dr. nothangel.

5.0
2.0
BIO5A
Jan 9, 2008

she's hilarious because she YELLS, i mean YELLS, at the top of her lungs to the class and especially to students who leave class early. but she's a good teacher. take her, it's entertaining and a learning experience.

5.0
4.0
BIO05A
Mar 14, 2009

She truly wants her students to do well and is extremely helpful during her office hours. I really enjoyed her class but make sure to study alot in this class. It's worth it!

2.0
2.0
BIO5A
Mar 13, 2010

I had nothdog for the first part of the quarter and I thought he was sort of funny and annoying at first but then I loved him towards the end and now I realllllyy wish that martin's-green did not take over the class because she just cannot teach. Hard to understand and I just stopped going to lecture overall. if you can take another prof/nothnagel

3.0
4.0
BIO5A
Mar 24, 2010

She truly cares about her students. However, that is simply not enough. She is not a great teacher and all she does is put slide after slide which will make you fall asleep. She has an accent which is understandable but still. Her test are much more difficult that Nothnagel but they come as a joint package. Curve is decent so take her for Nothnagel

3.0
3.0
CHEM001B
Mar 28, 2010

The professor looks like she knows what she's doing, but all she does is read the power points word by word. She encourages you to pass, but when she took over the class the home work averages just dropped. She is the 2nd professor for the class so take her if you want.

3.0
3.0
BIO5A
Apr 1, 2010

I read every little detail in the book. I went to every class. But I have one things to say bout her midterm and final. Its honestly difficult. I understood everything and passed with a c+. Her tests are worded in such a confusing way. As a person she seems unapproachable person but she is nice, however, if u wanna pass with an A take someone else

2.0
4.0
BIO5A
Dec 4, 2010

Very hard and requires that you pay really close attention to every little detail. She made this class too hard for an introductory bio course. She is hard to understand and expects you to come to class with prior knowledge. Very negative and puts students down. This was a terrible experience but so are all the bio courses offered here

4.0
2.0
BIOLO5A
Mar 14, 2011

I thought MG was an interesting teacher. I didn't think she was as bad as many people put on here. Although I would personally prefer Dr. Nothnagel I really enjoyed her. If you take her be prepared for fast writing and pay attention to her examples.

3.0
5.0
BIO5A
Grade: Not_Sure_Yet
Mar 11, 2014

She's beyond hard. She is incredibly knowledgeable of biology--hands down, she knows what she's talking about, but her tests are far from easy. Before the midterm and final, she sets up many review sessions and Q&A's, which helped me in the long-run.

2.0
4.0
BIOL05A
Mar 14, 2014

She doesn't take the time to fully make sure that a student's question is thoroughly answered.She answers quickly and then jumps to move on. She is a verbal teacher so watch out. you might want to record the lecture because she hardly uses the power point and when she writes things on the board it is very vague She'd write one word & verbally speak

3.0
4.0
BIO5A
Grade: A
Mar 19, 2014

Great professor but scary. Just had final today and she dismissed this girl's test for working 4 minutes after Dr. Martins-Green called time. She's serious with her testing policies, so don't try anything cute. However, she is extremely smart, though, and she does teach the course material well. Her test questions are easier than Dr. Nothnagel's.

3.0
4.0
BIO5A
Mar 27, 2014

HARD! She talks and goes through slides too fast. She does not write a lot of notes in class and mostly uses her slides (which is available online).

4.0
1.0
BIO5B
Grade: A
Apr 13, 2014

Pretty easy class overall, as a recommendation just make sure you study the book, attend lecture because there are clicker questions and DO THE SELF-QUIZ questions in the textbook. Also use internet flashcards, they really do help you see if you mastered the material. But beware of the final, it does slip up a lot of people...

4.0
2.0
BIO5A
Oct 29, 2014

half noth and half martins...I personally disliked noth, but found her to be more clear and flat out. She clear, but make sure you understand the concepts and do the self quizzes in your text. I can't stress the textbook enough, use the book! And the final is pretty hard so make sure you understand the central dogma really well. (translation, etc.)

4.0
4.0
BIO5A
Grade: B+
Mar 19, 2015

She definitely wants all of her students to succeed. She isn't one of those lazy teachers. She is readily available for your help. The main negative is that her tests are beyond difficult. The avg on the first midterm which was Maslovs portion was a 76%. When she taught the avg on the second midterm was a 56% and the final was a 59%. 80% A-

4.0
4.0
BIO005A
Grade: A+
Mar 20, 2015

Dr. Green was an ok lecturer. She often times yells into the mic and talks loudly, but it keeps the students awake. This class was difficult if you made it. I read all the assigned readings and studied almost daily for this class. Go to discussion and lecture as those are free points. The curve was good A- (80%) i received a 91% overall studying!!

4.0
4.0
BIOL5A
Grade: A
Mar 21, 2015

She is a professor that definitely wants to see you succeed -- and willing to do more for it if you are willing to also. Very enjoyable professor person to person. Her lectures are generally pretty clear, especially with the slides provided, but at times, she moves too fast on hard subjects and too slowly on easy. Her tests are hard, so prepare.

5.0
3.0
BIO05A
Grade: A+
Jan 26, 2016

She's brilliant, knows her stuff, and cares about her students! Given that, the exams test conceptual understanding and piecing information together - just like real life in the science arena. Currently in med school and wouldn't be here if it weren't for her class. Go to office hours, ask questions and be eager to learn. She'll warm up to you.

4.0
5.0
BIO05A
Grade: A-
Mar 17, 2016

As soon as she starts teaching, read and outline the chapters she teaches. Every tiny detail has the possibility of showing up on her midterm and final. Her questions are tricky and must be read at least three times over. For the final, study from the textbook, lecture notes, and homework. A challenging professor, but she means well.

1.0
5.0
BIO5A
Grade: C+
Mar 18, 2016

She is very arrogant and all over the place, not very clear. I felt intimidated to ask a question because the way she answers is very discouraging and unhelpful and condescending. AVOID AT ALL COSTS

4.0
3.0
BIOL05A
Grade: A
Mar 19, 2016

Dr. Martins-Green is a great professor who takes time to help students. Whenever I had an issue that I would bring up to her, she would talk me through it and make sure I understood it. I enjoyed having her as a professor, but I have some friends who were on the fence about her and other friends who just didn't like her, so it depends.

4.0
3.0
BIOL05A
Grade: B
Mar 20, 2016

Great Teacher but expects a lot from you. Nothnagael's side was a lot easier. Final was nothing like the Midterms. It was 100 questions and felt like hell. Do not study last min. unless you plan on failing. CPR's are pretty easy if you go to TA office hours and ask for help. I got a B bc I did not really prepare that well for the Final.

3.0
4.0
BIO005A
Grade: Rather not say
Jun 15, 2016
Wouldn't take again

Her lectures are very heavy and fast paced. She posts the notes online so be sure to print them out and takes notes on the print outs. Make sure you understand the material before class. If you plan on learning the material during class you won't survive. Use her lecture as a review of what you read. You have to work for the A to get the A.

3.0
5.0
BIO5A
Grade: C
Apr 5, 2017
Wouldn't take again

She goes really fast during lectures and can come off a bit mean, but if you ask her questions personally she's nice. She does A LOT of clickers certain days so make sure to go to class. Make sure you read/watch videos and know how to apply the content. Her exam questions are HARD. Make sure you are on top of everything you learn.

Tough Grader
Get ready to read
Skip class? You won't pass.
5.0
2.0
BIO005A
Grade: A+
Mar 21, 2018
Would take again

Dr. MG was a fantastic professor and she really wanted all of her students to succeed. I realized this the first day of lecture and studied practically daily for the class, even if it was for a mere 30 minutes. The class is not hard at all, even though there might be some difficult questions on her tests. READ THE TEXTBOOK RELIGIOUSLY!

Respected
ACCESSIBLE OUTSIDE CLASS
Amazing lectures
3.0
2.0
BIOL05A
Grade: A
Mar 31, 2018
Would take again

MG is an okay professor. She rambles a lot and is often distracted by technology. Copy down whatever she writes on the board and annotate the notes she posts online. Some of the exam content are not talked about in lecture so read the book and PRACTICE USING THE BOOK QUESTIONS. Good luck!

Respected
Get ready to read
Skip class? You won't pass.
2.0
4.0
BIOL05A
Grade: Not sure yet
Mar 7, 2019
Wouldn't take again

If you are a visual learner you will do great but if not good luck. Basically all her slides are pictures which she verbally explains but in a 500 person lecture hall its a little hard to understand. Its like she knows exactly what she is talking about but doesn't actually teach it to us she just shows us then expects us to understand.

Get ready to read
Skip class? You won't pass.
Graded by few things
3.0
4.0
BIO005A
Grade: Not sure yet
Mar 21, 2019
Would take again

Bio005a itself is a difficult class especially because the only points that factor in your grade are your midterms, final, and discussion quizzes. Dr. Martins-Green's questions on her tests are really long and confusing; her lectures are practically all pictures so you really need to focus and pay attention.

Participation matters
Test heavy
Tough grader
4.0
3.0
BIO005A
Grade: B
Mar 24, 2019
Would take again

amazing prof. shes so sweet and caring about the students, but bio5A is generally a hard course so as long as you thoroughly understand the material, youll be okay

Respected
Test heavy
Caring
1.0
4.0
BIO005A
Grade: B+
Jun 5, 2019
Wouldn't take again

awful professor & confusing lectures. she seems nice at first but if you personally ask her a question, there's a good chance she'll be rude to you. Her test questions are confusing, unnecessarily long & badly worded. Don't rely on her redemption system because it doesn't really work. If you're stuck with her, prioritize bio over all other classes.

Get ready to read
Test heavy
Tough grader
2.0
4.0
BIOL05A
Grade: C+
Mar 27, 2020
Wouldn't take again

MG is not an understanding professor, I took her class in the midst of the COVID19 outbreak and she truly tried her hardest to make it harder on us. She did not end up rounding my grade up either. This class was split between Dehesh and MG and Dehesh was BY FAR a better lecturer. MG's lectures are mostly pictures good luck to non-visual learners

Skip class? You won't pass.
Test heavy
Tough grader
2.0
4.0
BIO5A
Grade: C+
Mar 30, 2020
Wouldn't take again

MG has an attitude that makes you not want to go to class at all, and refers to examples that are difficult to understand. She also gets very distracted with technological issues, and often would hold the class back after lecture ends just because someone started packing up at the 5 or 10 minute mark. Her tests are badly worded and confusing. AVOID

Get ready to read
Test heavy
Tough grader
1.0
5.0
BIO5A
Grade: B
Jun 20, 2020
Wouldn't take again

If you're a premed student, this is one of the weeder courses. Class was so hard and exams were on a completely different level. I struggled SO much in this class but then took Bio 5B and got an A+. Just push through the class and try your best. Make sure you watch lectures and READ THE BOOK!

Test heavy
Lecture heavy
Tough grader
1.0
5.0
BIO005A
Grade: C+
Mar 19, 2021
Wouldn't take again

If you are not a good test taker (like myself) DO NOT TAKE THIS PROF! The grade is made up of only 2 midterms, the final, and discussion quizzes/worksheets(WKSTS ONLY WORTH 0.5 points!!!) This prof is a good lecturer but not too approachable. Lectures are recorded and posted. Good luck!

Get ready to read
Graded by few things
Test heavy
3.0
4.0
BIOL05A
Grade: Not sure yet
Mar 19, 2021
Wouldn't take again

She taught the material nicely; however, her exams were tough :( During the exams, she would leave her mic on, which was very annoying. You also can't go back and change your answers :/ Also, some of her questions were on quizlets, so just look around and you will be better prepared for the exams.

Get ready to read
Graded by few things
Lecture heavy
1.0
5.0
BIO005A
Grade: Not sure yet
Nov 13, 2021
Wouldn't take again

This professor seems to think you should already know everything about biology before even taking the class. The tests do not reflect what is discussed in class and she doesn't curve the class grades. She has mentioned her average is about 52% yet she sets a C- to 57%... this is completely unfair. If you have to option, do not take this class.

Get ready to read
Skip class? You won't pass.
Test heavy
1.0
5.0
BIO005A
Nov 13, 2021
Wouldn't take again

For being an intro bio class this class gave me so much stress, her slides are mostly pictures and she goes so fast. Lectures are already difficult to understand but exams are so painfully hard. If you have the option to take any other prof take them, avoid this professor. Even my smart bio friends struggled heavily in this class.

Skip class? You won't pass.
Graded by few things
Tough grader
1.0
5.0
BIO005A
Grade: Not sure yet
Dec 5, 2021
Wouldn't take again

AVOID HER LIKE THE PLAGUE! You better know how to study in this class w the complex material & weird wording on exams. This prof is so rude & indifferent; she wonders why people don't come to OH because she snaps at you when you ask questions & gives unnecessary responses then assumes you don't come to class. She'll make you feel less than a person

Graded by few things
Lecture heavy
Tough grader
1.0
5.0
BIOL005A
Dec 5, 2021
Wouldn't take again

Exams were unnecessarily hard for an intro bio class. Confusing wording and majority of kids score a C in this class. Rude to students and she will yell at them over small things

Skip class? You won't pass.
Graded by few things
Tough grader
1.0
5.0
BIO005A
Grade: Rather not say
Dec 9, 2021
Wouldn't take again

Final is so unfair. Actually all of the tests are super unfair. They are wayyyyy too difficult for the learning criteria necessary for the course. I would rate as a zero if possible do not take this prof if you have the choice. Not worth ruining your gpa. Even with studying as much as possible you will not pass or get close to the grade you want.

Skip class? You won't pass.
Test heavy
Beware of pop quizzes
2.0
5.0
BIO005A
Grade: A+
Dec 24, 2021
Wouldn't take again

I had this professor for the second half of the quarter for this course. To succeed in her class you need to be able to teach yourself a lot of things as this professor is far from approachable. Make sure to read the notes, attend lecture, do the HW, and read read read the notes. If you want to have a chance at the exams, attend her study sessions.

Skip class? You won't pass.
Test heavy
Beware of pop quizzes
1.0
5.0
BIO005A
Jan 2, 2022
Wouldn't take again

If you get this professor, leave the class. Not help with explaination and very rush. My fried who had her ask if she could get slides ahead cause she want to learn ahead of time and get it over, did not post it until the day she was really busy. She takes a while to understand the situation, and very stubborn like when someone ask for zoom code.

Test heavy
Lecture heavy
Tough grader
2.0
5.0
BIO005A
Grade: B-
Mar 18, 2022

Questions are worded in extremely convoluted ways that leave multiple possible answers. In all respect she knows exactly what she is talking about; but explains it in a way that goes over most peoples heads. She is a prof who disagrees with the book.

Get ready to read
Test heavy
2.0
5.0
BIOL005A
Grade: A-
Mar 22, 2022

Her slides are TERRIBLE and old. Her lectures aren't clear. Constantly has problems with zoom. Grade cutoffs were unknown. Sucks at communicating. Graded on only the exams and discussion. Discussion attendance is 4% of the grade only! Seriously avoid her if you want to save your GPA. I had to do god knows what to barely get an A-. AVOID HER!

Tough grader
Test heavy
Graded by few things
3.0
3.0
BIO005A
Grade: A
Mar 23, 2022
Would take again

She’s not that bad you just have to pay attention to lectures and take notes during class. You don’t even have to read the textbook as long as you listen to her and go to office hours. She gives clicker questions during office hours and it helps during exams

Tough grader
Lecture heavy
Test heavy
2.0
5.0
BIO005A
Grade: A-
Mar 24, 2022

She refuses to post the grade cutoffs throughout the quarter and even AFTER grades are out. Her lectures are basically review sessions rather than, you know, lectures. You MUST read the textbook beforehand to understand her, but the thing is why should I attend class if I've already self-studied? Avoid her!!

Tough grader
Get ready to read
Graded by few things
1.0
5.0
BIO005A
Mar 29, 2022

This class is challenging and if you want any chance of succeeding, you need to read the textbook. The lectures were horrible and just regurgitated what was in the textbook. She is also very scary to approach and will yell at you when you ask her questions. Do not recommend her at all!

Tough grader
Test heavy
1.0
5.0
BIO005A
Grade: B
Mar 31, 2022

Overall this class was really challenging! For my class the lecture was fully online as well as the two midterms. The final was in-person and pretty difficult. Also, MG tends to be a very impatient professor and seems to get irritated at the smallest things (bringing backpacks to final). To succeed make sure to attend lecture and read the textbook!

Tough grader
Get ready to read
Lecture heavy
1.0
5.0
BIO005A
Grade: A
Apr 11, 2022

I ended up getting an A by simply memorizing everything in the book. Literally everything. For each chapter, I had to make like 70 flashcards and then memorized all of them as my life depended on it. Never went to 1 lecture because the book is a better teacher. Also, Martins green is just an old Karen who yells at students. Just memorize and study

Tough grader
Get ready to read
Test heavy
4.0
5.0
BIOL005A
Nov 18, 2022
Would take again

I would say attendance NM, but she gets pretty upset when people leave/don't show. Anyway, I loved MG's class, I felt that I learned better from her than our other prof (it was dually taught). She uses a lot of her own research & findings to explain key ideas/concepts. She can be intimidating & aggressive but respect her & her time, & you're good.

Tough grader
Get ready to read
Graded by few things
2.0
4.0
BIO05A
Grade: C
Dec 16, 2022

She was a very sweet and understanding professor. The quizzes were rough and she was understanding of everything. Her final however was extremely tough and I feel like her lectures did not prepare us for that. Im so glad I passed and do not want to take this course again

Lecture heavy
Test heavy
Graded by few things
2.0
5.0
BIOL005A
Grade: A+
Dec 29, 2022

Had her for the second half of the course. Lectures were confusing and info that we were supposed to know for exams was not clear. She gives many examples during lectures that she expected us to know. Exam questions are very long, confusing and many are application based. Read the textbook and rewatch the lectures if you want to do well.

2.0
4.0
BIO005A
Grade: A-
Feb 28, 2023

She isn't a bad professor but she did seem a bit passive-agressive towards students. Her test material is a lot heavier than the professor for the first half of the course. I did pretty well on the midterms but the final was absolutely horrendous. Discussion section had quizzes that were fairly easy which saved my grade.

1.0
4.0
BIO005A
Grade: Not sure yet
Mar 19, 2023

The lectures are pretty straightforward, but the quiz questions are completely different than what is asked on the midterms.

Tough grader
Get ready to read
Lots of homework
4.0
4.0
BIO005A
Grade: A+
Mar 25, 2023

Her lectures are good but you need to pay close attention and take good notes because she usually teaches the more complex half of the course. Her exam questions are difficult because some of them are application based. This is NOT a class you should cram it but once you really understand the content, it's a cakewalk.

Test heavy
1.0
5.0
BIO005A
Grade: A-
Apr 2, 2023

Run asap if you have her. You can never get an A if you are not top 10% of the class. Most of the lecture has nothing to deal with the exam questions, be ready to read the textbook. Tough grader, the average of the exams is around 60% and you need 85% to get an A-. Very tough course.

Tough grader
Lecture heavy
Test heavy
2.0
5.0
BIO005A
Grade: Not sure yet
Apr 2, 2023

This class has to be the hardest class I've taken at UCR so far. The amount of time and studying it takes is unreasonable as the tests ask about the most minute and specific details instead of focusing on the bigger picture. If you want to get an A, good luck. However the lectures themselves aren't too bad. The review sessions do not help.

Test heavy
Graded by few things
1.0
4.0
BIO005A
Grade: D-
Jun 6, 2023

By all means do not take her, the final I had in fall2022 in her class was 100 questions and multiple choice

Tough grader
Test heavy
Graded by few things
5.0
4.0
BIO005A
Grade: A
Jan 3, 2024
Would take again

A lot of the ratings here are so negative and while I get where everyone's coming from, SHE ISNT BAD. DON'T BE SCARED just study smart and learn the material. YES, the material is hard and the class reflects the material difficulty, but just do ur part (annotate slides in class and study it for exams, go to exam reviews and do practice exams).

Tough grader
Amazing lectures
Respected
5.0
4.0
BIO005A
Grade: A
Jan 3, 2024
Would take again

genuine professor, really cares about your learning. put your full effort into the class, dont slack off and you're alright. i got through just with the lecture slides (and my annotations), practice tests and review sessions. textbook isnt rlly needed imo. shes not a bad person!! biol5a is just a hard class and the tests reflect it.

Amazing lectures
Caring
Test heavy
1.0
5.0
BIO005A
Feb 27, 2024

Makes the class way more difficult and complex than in needs to be.

Tough grader
Test heavy
1.0
4.0
BIO005A
Grade: Not sure yet
Mar 7, 2024

Manuela Martins Green makes Biology Majors want to switch majors. She makes her class unreasonably hard than it should be(introduction class). She doesn't give any practice exams, and will tell you "study the slides" if you ask her for one. She does host sessions before exams, but personally it wasn't enough time to grasp what she taught.

Lecture heavy
Test heavy
2.0
5.0
BIO005A
Grade: Not sure yet
Mar 11, 2024

MG made this class x10 harder than what it's supposed to be. You only get graded for your discussion section, 2 midterms, and the final exam, that's it. Most of the material in the exams weren't even in the lecture, even some concepts weren't even in the book. If you ask her question, she sounds almost irritated. Honestly, she is one scary grandma.

Lecture heavy
Test heavy
Graded by few things
1.0
5.0
BIO005A
Grade: Not sure yet
Mar 21, 2024

If you have the choice to take her, don't. She makes exams very hard and has unreasonable expectations for students. Her class is way more difficult than it should be for an intro class. Studying a lot is far from guaranteeing a good score. She's very scary to go to for help too. Tests are very frustrating and unfair.

Tough grader
Lecture heavy
Test heavy
1.0
5.0
BIO005A
Grade: Not sure yet
Mar 21, 2024

In this class, the professor does not ever give you study guides and makes the class way harder than it is supposed to be. In an introduction biology class, she makes it difficult on purpose and she even states that she expects to fail over 50% of her class, which is unacceptable for an introduction course.

Tough grader
Test heavy
Graded by few things
2.0
5.0
BIO005A
Grade: A
Apr 16, 2024

I understand that she is a very hard proffessor and sometimes passive aggressive.The lectures are not hard if you have taken AP bio. However I will say study like for weeks to do well on the exam.

Tough grader
Lecture heavy
Test heavy
4.0
4.0
BIOL005A
Grade: A-
Jun 5, 2024
Would take again

Class Grade is based upon two midterms (40%), discussion quizzes & participation (20%), and final (40%). 80% and above is an A |57% and above is too pass. Also everyone is lying below that she "failed 50% of the class". She said during lecture she will not curve even if 50% of the class is failing. But as a matter of fact she did curve a bit.

Tough grader
Test heavy
Graded by few things
5.0
4.0
BIO005A
Grade: A
Sep 6, 2024
Would take again

as someone who didnt take ap bio, her class was certainly hard but DOABLE. make sure to put in effort outside of class and stay on top of content. do ur best and you'll be alright. also for us 80% and up was an A. she had really interesting lectures and a lot of the stuff she says shows up on exams!! so make sure pay attention in class

Tough grader
Amazing lectures
Respected
5.0
4.0
BIO005A
Grade: Audit/No Grade
Nov 21, 2024

A lot of people did not like this class, but I think it was because for some reason half of the quarter was from Professor Sachs and half of it was MMG. There are questions at the end of her lectures that are not posted. Some questions ended up on the midterm her practice midterm exam questions appeared too, just worded slightly differently.

Participation matters
EXTRA CREDIT
Test heavy
4.0
3.0
BIOL005A
Grade: A
Dec 17, 2024

MMG places heavy emphasis on attending lectures because she goes over clicker questions, which are similar to those on the exam. Although not mandatory, going will help you out, even if you just watch the recordings she posts. She is very strict and not necessarily mean, but she lacks warmth. Read the textbook because it will show up on exams.

Get ready to read
Amazing lectures
Test heavy
4.0
2.0
BIO005A
Grade: A
Dec 19, 2024
Would take again

Was taught half by her half by Professor Sachs. 80% and up was an A, not that hard just study.

3.0
3.0
BIOL005A
Grade: A+
Jan 4, 2025
Would take again

Co-taught with Joel Sachs. Lectures are recorded and uploaded. I recommend going to or at least watching lectures because her sample questions at the end are similar to the exams. I would still read the textbook and do the practice tests too. Occasionally provides extra credit for asking/answering questions. Hosts review/Q&A sessions before exams.

Get ready to read
Test heavy
Accessible outside class
4.0
3.0
BIO005A
Grade: A+
Jan 21, 2025
Would take again

MMG is very organized and give students many opportunities to succeed. She rewards participation with ec. Some complain that she seems harsh and has more complex test questions, but if you're willing to learn and study hard, you can easily get an A. Her lecture slides are very organized, so just memorize whats on the slides and you'll be fine.

EXTRA CREDIT
Respected
Accessible outside class
1.0
5.0
BIO005A
Grade: A
Feb 20, 2025

Be prepared to study by yourself as most of the lecture does not show up on the exams. Study the textbook to the best of your ability, but if you could avoid her course altogether do that.

Get ready to read
Lecture heavy
Graded by few things
4.0
4.0
BIO005A
Grade: A
Feb 21, 2025
Would take again

This class is no walk in the park, but with dedication and tools like unstuck ai, you can conquer it. The professor sets high expectations, but engaging with the material and attending review sessions pays off. Textbook not essential, focus on lecture slides and practice.

4.0
4.0
BIO005A
Grade: B-
Mar 11, 2025

Its a hard class in. general. She is very concerned for your LEARNING. Don't expect to walk in and get a A, you actually have to work for it. Connect the lecture with the textbook points and you'll be fine. Start early and come to class prepared with questions

Get ready to read
Amazing lectures
Graded by few things
2.0
4.0
BIO005A
Grade: Not sure yet
Mar 19, 2025

dodgy and unclear, kind of disorganized. midterm 1 and 2 avg was less than 50%. test q's were a lot of real-world application, study hard! prof is not super fun but i think the class can be doable if you have the right amount of studying, saw some people still do well despite majority of the class getting the life sucked out of them

Tough grader
Get ready to read
Lecture heavy
1.0
5.0
BIOL005A
Grade: F
Mar 20, 2025

I would steer clear from Dr.MMG's course. She teaches fine. This was an intro class and she expected us to know in depth topics that weren't covered in lecture. She never curves, words questions so difficult, no extra credit opportunities.

Tough grader
Test heavy
Graded by few things
2.0
5.0
BIOL005A
Grade: Not sure yet
Mar 24, 2025

after dehesh left this class was incomprehensible. midterm averages were very low and TAs did everything they could but she doesnt curve. read ahead in the textbook and write on blank lecture slides during lecture and get all discussion points possible. the good reviews are wrong please please please lock in for this class

Tough grader
Get ready to read
Test heavy
1.0
5.0
BIO005A
Grade: Rather not say
Mar 25, 2025

BE READY TO READ!!! AVOID HER AT ALL COST!! I took her for Biol005A and her tests are extremely hard. Attended all of her lectures and review sessions, ALL ARE POINTLESS. The book is a better teacher than her honestly. The average for both midterms were extremely low especially for being an intro class. If you do end up with her, good luck.

Tough grader
Get ready to read
Test heavy
1.0
5.0
BIOL005A
Grade: Rather not say
Mar 25, 2025

AVOID HER AT ALL COST! Please if you can choose to avoid her. Trust me she makes this class WAY harder than it needs to be. She makes the exams EXTREMELY HARD AND APLLICATION HEAVY. Why is an intro bio class this difficult? The average for both midterms were below 50 percent.

Tough grader
Get ready to read
Test heavy
1.0
4.0
BIO005A
Grade: C+
Mar 25, 2025

Holy Moly.. Dehesh absolutely carried the class. Asking questions or leaving during lecture will get you yelled at. Her exams are very difficult and she doesn't prepare students well for them. The avgs for my class were failing (F). She doesn't curve, and exams included topics that she did not go in depth to. Absolutely study the textbook and Pray.

1.0
3.0
BIO005A
Grade: C+
Mar 25, 2025

I hate this lady. Her exams have the worst, most confusing questions. I think I spent most of my time just trying to figure out what she was trying to ask. She was just asking random trivia questions rather than actually trying to test my knowledge. Memorized all of cellular resp. and photosynthesis and she had like maybe 1q on it.

Lecture heavy
Test heavy
Graded by few things
1.0
5.0
BIO005A
Grade: D+
Mar 25, 2025

bro by 1% im heart broken

Tough grader
Lecture heavy
Test heavy
5.0
3.0
BIOL005A
Grade: A+
Mar 25, 2025
Would take again

The course is difficult, but it's definitely very doable. The key is to attend her lectures, and ask her for clarification if you don't understand. She might seem somewhat intimidating during the lectures, but she's very accessible during office hours and her review sessions and she explains the concepts relatively well. Not as bad as people think.

Caring
Lecture heavy
Accessible outside class
2.0
4.0
BIO005A
Grade: B-
Mar 25, 2025

This is going to be a hard class, make sure you read the textbook and do practice problems daily. Don't fall behind, work hard.

Tough grader
Get ready to read
Test heavy
1.0
5.0
BIO005A
Grade: C-
Mar 26, 2025

Green reviewers are lying. I've never studied more for a test than I did on the final and I still did bad. Even smart people were coming out saying that was the worst test they've taken. Both midterms had an average of 50%. Her lectures made sense but the test did not reflect that. She gets aggravated when you ask a question. AVOID AT ALL COST.

Tough grader
Clear grading criteria
Graded by few things
1.0
4.0
BIO005A
Grade: B+
Mar 27, 2025

So bad I wrote a review. Every positive review is LYING Makes fun of students when they ask questions. Tests are completely different from the lecture. The final was absolutely ridiculous If you have the class next quarter DROP THE CLASS. No curve someone asked and she laughed. I'm not religious but for whoever is taking this I am praying for you

Tough grader
Test heavy
Graded by few things
1.0
5.0
BIOL005A
Grade: A-
Mar 27, 2025

Terrible. Everything. Terrible.

Tough grader
Lecture heavy
Test heavy
1.0
5.0
BIO005A
Grade: C
Mar 28, 2025

this class is really difficult. make sure you stay on top of your work and know your lectures to a tea. dehesh was a reiteration of ap bio, but mmg utilizes real world applications for her exams (midterm 2 and the final). midterm averages were 50% so, make sure to go to lectures because her slides are all photos and read the textbook. good luck!

Tough grader
Lecture heavy
Test heavy
1.0
5.0
BIO005A
Grade: C
Mar 29, 2025

why was the final 26 pages long

Tough grader
Get ready to read
Test heavy
1.0
5.0
BIO005A
Grade: C+
Mar 30, 2025

Final wasn't much like the midterms. She wasn't very supportive of her students... Every class I attended, I felt less confident in my ability. The TAs are great but most of the grading is from the bad tests... Just study... a lot... she focuses on application rather than memorization of terms... It's like taking a physics course...

Test heavy
Graded by few things
1.0
5.0
BIO005A
Grade: C-
Mar 31, 2025

AVOID HER class if you have the choice to. If you are in a LC and cannot get out of her class, GOOD LUCK ima pray for u. She and professor Dehesh are good at giving lectures, but absolutely SUCK at making the exams and the final because the lectures do NOT reflect the exams and vice-versa. One mean grandma i tell ya :(((((

Tough grader
Get ready to read
Clear grading criteria
1.0
5.0
BIO005A
Grade: C-
Mar 31, 2025

Do not take this class. Half the quarter was another prof and the second half was MG. Final is 75% from MG and her half was significantly harder. Lectures don't reflect the midterms and finals and slides are basically all just pictures with no explanations. Do not take this class.

Graded by few things
1.0
5.0
BIO005A
Grade: C-
Mar 31, 2025

The lecture material doesn't match the exams at all, and it feels like you're preparing for two completely different courses. This is probably the strictest professor you can get; if you get her then good luck.

Tough grader
Graded by few things
3.0
4.0
BIOL005A
Grade: B
Mar 31, 2025
Would take again

Professor Martins-Greens class was definitely tough but if you reach out to her at office hours and really put in the work you can pass. Make sure to read the textbook but also go to her office hours since not everything in lecture is covered that you need to know. The tests are difficult but only cover what is talked about in lecture.

Amazing lectures
Test heavy
Graded by few things
1.0
5.0
BIO005A
Apr 8, 2025

Please just drop. She is absolutely terrible at teaching as well as the most apathetic and rude I've ever encountered. The exam questions she writes are completely unfair in regards to what she teaches, and she has a habit at yelling at students for not knowing answers and asking questions. Just pass on this

Tough grader
Graded by few things
1.0
5.0
BIO005A
Grade: Rather not say
May 31, 2025

NO JUST NO, DO NOT TAKE HER, IF YOU HAVE A LC THEN DROP OUT.

Tough grader
Lecture heavy
Test heavy
5.0
4.0
BIO005A
Grade: A
Jun 11, 2025
Would take again

Great professor, enjoyed the class when she taught it (it was taught by 2 professors). Very caring and understanding, she genuinely wants you to pass the class. She has a slight accent though. As long as you do the reading, put in the work, and show up to class, you'll be fine.

Amazing lectures
Caring
1.0
3.0
BIO005A
Grade: A-
Jun 15, 2025

AVOID. Any value in MG's class was overshadowed by her conduct. Highly antagonistic disposition towards the class. Before the final, she shrieked at multiple students+TAs who were attempting to turn in/collect phones to comply with exam rules. Office hrs worth going to, but independent studying crucial—lectures do not cover all test material.

Test heavy
4.0
3.0
BIOL005A
Grade: A
Jun 17, 2025
Would take again

The grade you get is honestly a reflection of how much effort you put into the class. It's not an easy A but it's most definitely doable with effort and consistency. You might have to use outside resources to better learn the material but I think that applies for any hard class. Study the slides in depth and you'll be good for an A.

Clear grading criteria
1.0
5.0
BIO005A
Grade: B-
Jun 18, 2025

DO NOT TAKE MG, half of out class failed. Take any other teacher to get a understand the material.

Tough grader
Lecture heavy
Test heavy
1.0
5.0
BIO5A
Grade: C+
Jun 18, 2025

Her lectures don't reflect the material on the midterms and final at all. Please drop her class, if you have her then Rip.

Tough grader
2.0
5.0
BIO005A
Grade: A-
Nov 19, 2025

Avoid if possible, Dehesh and Martins-Green both teach different portions of the class and create the test questions for their portion. You can tell who writes what, and the difficulty contrast is huge. MG exam questions are not similar to her lectures at all and very hard, however bad questions only make up some of the exams so the A is doable.

Test heavy
Graded by few things
5.0
3.0
BIO005A
Grade: A
Dec 6, 2025
Would take again

Dr. Martins-Green goes out of her way to ensure that her students are well prepared - even while sick! She cares for the students' learning, is a great lecturer, and does well in explaining complex topics. Do not be intimidated by the rate my professor reviews - she is truly a wonderful professor and extremely approachable.

Participation matters
Amazing lectures
Inspirational
1.0
5.0
BIOL005A
Grade: Not sure yet
Dec 9, 2025

If Benjamin Netanyahu was a biology professor.

Get ready to read
Test heavy
Graded by few things
1.0
3.0
BIO005A
Grade: A-
Dec 9, 2025

Have you ever wanted to meet Helen Keller? If so, take this class and meet her yourself. You will not be seen, heard, nor will she communicate with you. Does not answer questions well, and when she does you will be met with pure sass and annoyance.

1.0
5.0
BIO005A
Dec 9, 2025

all the 5/5 ratings are mmgs alt 😭

1.0
5.0
BIO005A
Grade: B
Dec 11, 2025

I wanted to get run over by a scooter before that class because I go there just to be yelled at for asking a question and feeling pathetic for even being there... just save urself and find a diff bio professor u dont want her... her tests are so bad and nothing like her slides let alone that long textbook

1.0
5.0
BIOL005A
Grade: A
Dec 13, 2025

If I can give a negative score, then I will. She was very rude to many students; being a teacher is about teaching, not making them feel bad about not knowing. Her self-made quizzes and exams have so many holes, and they are absolutely twisted with words; they have vague meanings. Her expectations for students are unreal, crazy high. AVOID HER!

Tough grader
Lecture heavy
Test heavy
1.0
5.0
BIO005A
Grade: A
Dec 13, 2025

Everyone: “There is no such thing as a stupid question” MG: “If you ask a question, you're just stupid” If you're in an LC and have MG, just drop it to save yourself. MG was very rude to her students and her lectures were useless. The test material wasn't too difficult, but the wording of the questions were very obscure. Good luck if you have MG!

2.0
5.0
BIOL005A
Grade: B-
Dec 16, 2025

She does too much for bio5a. She acc does host review sessions and wants her students to do well though. She offers lots of material to do well but u have to WORKKK hard for it bc it is not easy. Everyone was so scared everytime results came out and this class is meant to weed ppl out of cnas get 100 in discussion bc that clutches USE TEXTBOOK

Tough grader
Get ready to read
Test heavy
1.0
5.0
BIOL005A
Grade: B
Dec 17, 2025

professor of doom and despair

Tough grader
Test heavy
Graded by few things
3.0
3.0
BIO5A
Grade: A-
Dec 18, 2025

Not as bad as people describe her. She has multiple office hours even on weekends for those who can't make it on weekdays. She may be intimidating but she isn't mean as described. Her class is not as hard as described at all as long as you read the textbook, but I do agree the lectures are not the best. Practice questions she gives are very helpful

Test heavy
Graded by few things
Accessible outside class
2.0
4.0
BIO005A
Grade: B+
Dec 30, 2025

Unlike with Dehesh, the lectures are pretty hard to follow and the test questions she writes are a lot harder. Some questions in the final were poorly written as well. However, she does take time to respond to questions in lectures and is overall pretty fair. Just buckle down and review the content.

Lecture heavy
Test heavy
5.0
4.0
BIOL005A
Grade: A
Dec 31, 2025
Would take again

Everyone writes negative reviews for Dr. MG, but her lectures are very detailed, and she points out topics that she'll test (for ex, her handwritten diagrams). I asked her questions, and she explained everything very well. Imo, she was a good professor; you just need to study the lectures and the textbook material thoroughly, and you'll do well!

5.0
4.0
BIOL005A
Grade: B+
Dec 31, 2025
Would take again

Biology 5A is meant to challenge you. Dr. Martins-Green is one of the few professors who cares about students' learning and understanding, and is there for you if you try. Her enthusiasm and encouragement towards material is astounding. Take it seriously and if you don't understand, ask questions during the lecture. Attend in-person office hours!

Get ready to read
Gives good feedback
Accessible outside class
2.0
4.0
BIOL005A
Grade: A-
Jan 2, 2026

This class is difficult, and it requires a lot of studying in your own time. While it's possible to still get an A, it needs a lot of time and commitment since your grade is based solely on exams and since understanding of lectures is not enough, and you need to be able to apply things. Professor can be intimidating but still answers questions

Test heavy
Graded by few things
Class Info

Online Classes

100%

Attendance Mandatory

32%

Textbook Required

50%

Grade Predictor

Your expected effort level

LowHigh

Predicted Grade

B+

95% confidence
Based on 78 grades
Most common grades:
A (21)
Not sure yet (14)
A- (12)
Grade Distribution
A(30)B(12)C(16)D(2)F(1)A-/B+(17)
Based on 99 reported grades
A: 21
Not sure yet: 14
A-: 12
A+: 9
Common Tags
Test heavy (56)
Tough grader (47)
Graded by few things (31)
Get ready to read (28)
Lecture heavy (23)
Skip class? You won't pass. (9)
Amazing lectures (8)
Respected (6)
Rating Trend

Declining

-0.96 avg change
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Ratings by Course

BIOLOGY5A

5.0

(2)

BIO05A

4.0

(4)

BIOLO5A

4.0

(1)

BIO5B

4.0

(1)

BIOL5A

4.0

(1)
+6 more courses
Difficulty by Course

BIOLOGY

5.0

BIOL005A

4.4

BIO005A

4.3

BIO05A

4.0

BIOL5A

4.0

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