Good prof, sincerely interested in both his subject and his students. Approachable, responsive, seems to be a fair marker (but I would appeciate getting assignments and tests back, with comments!). No BS, not afraid to admit what he doesn't know. Recommend both the course and the prof.

a very wise prof!

The course content itself can be quite confusing, but Mark does his best job in explaining. He encourages in class feedback, so asking questions in class really helps. Weekly quiz helps you find out how well you are keeping up. Overall it's a bit easier than a regular PSYC100 course, as long as you don't slack off you'll do well.

Mark Blair is a fabulous prof. He knows what he's talking about and if he doesn't know something is happy to engage in discussion about the query. Wiki's are a bit of work, but help provide a bit of backup knowledge to supplement what he's teaching. I found that they really helped draw parallels between the different units. (Don't fall behind!)

1st year, 1st sem, not the best class to take. It is quite a difficult course, but manageable if you plan accordingly. Some concepts are hard to understand, and others are no brainers. For everyone it is a different experience. He encourages questions, ask them. I recommend studying with a group of friends. It was never boring. Good luck!

A seriously friendly, funny prof. He actually took the time to remember ever single person's name.. I still don't know how he did it. Two hour classes flew by, everything was very engaging. Your brain hurts a little bit when you leave class b/c there are some confusing concepts. He warns that it's not an easy breadth course!

The professor was really nice and eager to help his students. His course isn't structured; rather it's open discussion amongst the students with some slides. It's a difficult class and requires critical thinking but the professor is very nice.

Very interesting guy. Tries to make things clear by encouraging questions. Lots of class discussions. Lots of quiz's and assignments, but the material was easy in the first half, hard in the second half. Good prof overall.

Consciousness is a really fun class that ought to have a much higher enrollment than it currently does. Discussion-oriented class covering many different areas. It's quite interesting and engaging, but you've got to be a proactive learner, Mark does everything but spoonfeed you. Highly recommendable, I wish I could take Consciousness again.

Funny guy! Probably one of the only classes I don't fall asleep in haha. As long as you pay attention in class, probably can't do worst than a B. However, it is not an easy course, people who like to skip should be aware of this, there isn't a book or any online notes to study off, so yea, keep that in mind!

Pretty amazing teacher! He made me actually get interested in the topic.

Wonderful prof. He's so funny and great at lecturing. Mark always makes sure everyone understands and has the ability to explain things extremely well. Class is fun. The course itself is not hard, it just require A LOT of work so be prepared! It should not be taken for (easy) credit, but out of interest. Highly recommend it though! :D

Good overall. Lectures are interesting as he encourages discussion. Although, you can get caught with some lame "keeners" who never shut up in an attempt to assert their intelligence with dumb questions/remarks. You essentially write an essay a week, which sucks. Allows for unlimited extra credit, something I'm not a fan of. Take if interested.

Mark is a very funny guy. He loves what he's doing. The first half of the course was easy, but second half is extremely hard and complicated. Lots of assignments and quizzes. DO THE EXTRA CREDIT ASSIGNMENT!

Engaging - and WANTS everyone to do well. Explains things clearly and is laugh out loud hilarious. Clearly loves his subject and infuses the dull stuff with great examples. But, uses ppt slides poorly - u better take good notes. Also, too much opportunity for class participation (i kno right?) - ppl feel obligated to talk, many pointless comments.

Very interesting, engaging class; the prof is enthusiastic and wants everyone to do good, explaining some things countless times. Take good notes. Stay awake, it shouldnt be hard to do so. LOTS of writing but it shouldnt be too hard.

Great Prof! Took me sometime to get used to his lecture style. Note taking is extremely important! Let too many people talk too long in class though. Rewrite policy is nice, should have made good use of it =[ DO THE EXTRA CREDIT PROJECT!!! He really wants everyone to do well. He may need a bigger office =]

Great prof! He's patient, clear, and it's obvious he really cares about the material. Lectures are high-energy and engaging, but make sure you pay attention because you'll need to remember it for the quizzes.

Great guy. He has a clear interest in the subject he teaches and that really shines through in his lectures. His humor helps you get through the class too! Totally understanding of his students and in a sense teaches in a 'democratic' fashion. Definitely a clear winner when advocating his field.

Very intelligent individual. He really comes on par with his students, is understanding, funny, and has a passion for what he does. Mark is not very formal which is refreshing, loves the word 'stuff' and is very reasonable if you have any requests or suggestions. YOU MUST TAKE THIS CLASS. He is all about 'big picture' ideas so no 'detail testing'.

Really glad I took it. Take this course from Dr. Blair.

Dr. Blair is GREAT. Super easygoing and has high interest in the material - his goofy enthusiasm and constant reference to stories about his kids always had the class laughing. This class is fantastic. Arts students: really good for a B-Sci credit that you will actually enjoy getting!

He is one of the best professors that SFU has ever had. EVER.

Blair is an amazingly interesting professor and I enjoyed his class immensely. Great sense of humour and very helpful prof. Seriously... go to class because if you miss anything, you're done for. ARTS STUDENTS: there is a computing science portion that is extremely confusing, so be wary. No final.

Mark is an awesome Prof. He will slow down to make sure that every student understands what he is trying to teach. I love his style of teaching, although the computing science material was hard to understand.

He's awesome! A lot of the complaints here are due to the second half of the course which involves a tiny bit of math/logic, which apparently caused the arts students to flip tables. He's funny and interesting to talk to, especially during office hours for extra help. The course is difficult for a 100 level so be prepared to work.

Great class. It's challenging, especially the latter half of the course, but if you're willing to put the thought in (yes, this is a "thought-intensive" course), then you should do well. Mark is very easy going and really wants his students to succeed.

At first I was terrified of this class. Mark came off really strict at the start, and was very clear about his expectations (which seemed impossible). But after a few classes, it quickly became one of my favourites! It was very challenging and required a lot of effort, but Mark was hilarious and the class paid off if you worked hard!!

Online quizzes: extremely rare and difficult to get 100% on the first try (you have 3 attempts) Notes: THERE ARE NO ACTUAL NOTES. There are slides that he does not post online. (He depicts examples; MUST BE NOTED) Class attendance is mandatory due to this. HIGHLY NOT RECOMMENDED FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS. Almost a writing, language course.

Be prepared for lots of essays. Teacher is overall hilarious, love him as a person, but teaching material is rather confusing. If you seek for constant help from him, YOU WILL DO WELL. Course material is quite interesting. Assessments are similar to online quizzes. I reiterate: YOU NEED TO ASK FOR HELP IF YOU WANT TO DO WELL.

This course requires thinking in a way that most students probably haven't done before. This is about as difficult as a 400 level course, but you're guided along the way and Mark will spend as much time as you need on material to get it right. Fantastic professor and a very interesting course, but don't expect it to be easy. Money well spent.

The lecture is interesting. You can tell he is passionate towards the topic. The nature of the course material is a bit confusing. I'm a science student and i'm extremely not used to the format of the course. The grading method is ridiculous. He was not clear on which assignments and surveys would be counted towards final grade.

Great lecturer and very interesting speaker. Well organised and enjoys his job. Wasn't terribly difficult but I was a little dissapointed in the way the grading was set up. 11% of grade was optional and was all or none. Got a grade that reflected my effort but would have liked a middle ground over the all or nothing approach.

Great prof. He really seems to enjoy teaching the course, which is also very interesting. His lectures are engaging, so its never really boring. I also liked how even though the assessments and projects were sometimes challenging, he was really helpful in his office hours.

Mark is extremely down to earth & easy to talk to. COGS is super easy if 1) Have good reasoning/critical thinking skills 2) Can generalize & apply concepts to different contexts 3) See Mark. 2014 was entirely new grading scheme, where only hard-working dedicated students in an "intensive stream" can earn 11%. COGS is the MOST interesting SFU class!

Other than the unusual grading scheme (70% for C-), he ia fairly easy on the exams and assignments.

He's an amazing prof and genuinely tries his best to help everyone. I really enjoyed that class even though i had to work really hard. The second half of the semester was basically not comprehendible because it's so hard but if you ask, HE WILL HELP. you need to make the effort and if you do that is a 100% for you. Also he gives out bonus points :D

Mark is an amazing prof for anyone that's just starting out in university. He does say at the beginning of the course that the world load is atypical of a 100lvl course, but in the end the amount of work you put in is really reflected in your mark. He takes the time to help revise your work before you submit it and tries hard to learn your name!

Amazing prof. His lectures are super interesting, and he asks "big picture" questions on the exams as opposed to memorization. I did the intensive stream which is definitely worthwhile, more assignments but the work you do is interesting, and he adds 8% to your final grade. Take this course with him if you can!!

don't be scared off by the first lecture, he scares u so that you try your best. the first 2/3 assignments were a little time-consuming for me b/c im a very, very slow writer, but after that it was too easy. it is very beneficial to watch lecture recordings, ALL of them. dont forget the "big picture" and if it doesn't make sense, ASK! he'll explain

Mark is a really great prof. He is there to help you out!! Also his class is designed for you to learn and do well if you are willing to actually put in a bit of effort. The grading scale is commonly complained about but it's really nothing to worry about. He also gives extra credit and there is no textbook or final, can't get much better than that

There are usually 2 quizzes and 1 assignment per week, but Prof. Blair takes the time to set up appointments to help - I've seen up to 15 arrangements per week. It's designed to penalize misunderstandings minimally before the midterms, which are scaled to benefit everyone. It makes you think, and it stood out in my first semester at SFU.

Cares a lot about the subject, but tries to cram too many things into this course, especially for a 100 level. Too picky about writing. Essentially NEED to take extra time and see him about things.

Perhaps my favorite teacher so far. Is tough in his expectations, but kind in his assistance, meaning if you need help he is there 100%. Its obvious he's incredibly passionate about what he teaches, which is great. The material is fascinating. Lots of work, but the individual tasks are not too challenging, keep up with it, and you will do well.

He is a great and very engaged prof! Though his marking is a little strange and will kind of stress you out a lot but it is worth it in the end because you do end up with a great mark.

SUPER EASY A+ QUIZ 80% ASSIGNMENT 7% AND FINAL 13% (SUPER SUPER EASY) you don't have to study for this course at all, but you do need to understand the concepts (as long as you get the concept, A+ :p)

Very insipring prof. His purpose was to help students get highest grade possible and he only required students to understand the big picture not memorizing answers to the quiz and this was really helpful. At first I only enrolled in this course for the Q requirement, but he made me actually interested in the subject and take another cousre of his.

You might not think you learn much for the quizzes, especially if youre just there dor the credits... What you learn in this class really makes you rethink your habits that work for or against your succes in life. Mark is a hilarious prof and he really does make you work for it. Really think about the life lessons youve learnt from his lectures

just for 110, if you really wish to learn the material, just follow his instruction and you'll be fine. lectures and examples are clear and answer to your questions. lots of people complained about the mastery-grading tests, but you have 3 separate attempts, and it really only takes 15min per day to go through some cue cards to pass any of them.

Mark is one of the best professors I've had at SFU by far! His classes are super interesting and he makes his lectures entertaining, even when the content is a bit on the tougher side. He uses mastery grading which sounds terrifying at first but really means that it's easy to get an A so long as you study!

The biggest tip I can give is go to office hours even if you don' have a question. He will go over the material and sometimes accidentally gives away test answers. Also actually practice what you are learning it helps a lot when it comes to the tests if you've tried the methods and stuff. Honestly super nice guy one of my favorite profs

Mark Blair is a great prof personality-wise, but is hit or miss when it comes to teaching. I am one of those people who prefer his teaching style, but there will be people who dislike him. He uses mastery grading, which is different from what people are familiar with, but it doesn't take long to get used to. Overall would take class with him again.

Mark was a fantastic prof! I had him for both COGS 100 and COGS 110 and thoroughly enjoyed both classes. He uses mastery grading which seems intimidating at first (it requires a 90% to pass) but this also means that if you put in a bit of effort it's easy to get an A. Trust me, it sounds scary but is actually quite manageable with minimal studying.

A lot of unnecessary group projects that are worth close to nothing in my opinion, which are especially difficult for online classes. Also, I got 87% for two of the tests which dropped me from an A+ to a B because it meant I would only get half marks for those tests. Would recommend if you can ace fast-paced MC tests.

Mark's lectures are decent. They cover the concepts well but are nothing special. He quizzes every topic using a mastery grading style to ensure you get the best grade you can, which is amazing. He teaches you how to learn, and if you follow his teachings you will do great. Make the flash cards, they will save you.

Lots of small assessments in this course but for the most part the content is fairly simple to understand and there's not much of it. Dr. Blair lectures fairly well and makes his expectations clear on day one of how you should tackle this course. I recommend taking this for a breadth credit.

Honestly, I would recommend this class to everyone new and old to sfu. Mark Blair is an amazing professor and actually makes you learn. I have used the techniques taught in his class for my other classes, and I benefited a lot from him. Most the people with poor reviews probably didn't follow his teachings, and therefore ended up with a bad grade.

Dr. Blair is a fantastic instructor. He uses mastery grading, which requires you to learn everything. It's not an easy course. If you attend lectures and apply the learning techniques he teaches, you will get an A. Cogs 110 should be a requirement for all students along with critical thinking. 10/10 would recommend.

If you take this class, prepare to study. In this class, you will learn the RIGHT WAY to study. If you do it any other way, and not as the prof tells you, this will be a very difficult class for you. The fail grade is higher than usual, and mastery tests require you to REALLY know the material. Also, always ask for help. Dr. Blair will gladly help.

If youre interested in actually putting in the work, this class can be super helpful in the techniques he teaches to "hack" your brain.

This class was super interesting and Mark was amazing but his mastery grading system was a nightmare. I got 10.75/12 on 2 topics and literally got 50% on the units (you need 11/12 for 100%). I still really enjoyed this class as it taught me how to actually study but I felt the marking was harsh. My grade felt completely out of my control at times.

Great prof who actually cares and wants you to do well! Lectures are well explained and engaging. What you are expected to know is clear, and if you are confused Dr Blair will clarify. I learned a lot that has helped me in other classes. Humour him, actually do the qcards and you'll be surprised (it gets easier)! Also listen to his tips for tests.

I really enjoyed COGS 110 with Mark. The lectures were always engaging and informative. He tells you how to study, so if you put in the effort, you can definitely get an A. If you do not understand something, go to office hours; Mark is willing to go over the entire lecture with you if you need it.

GO TO OFFICE HOURS REGULARLY! He is so caring, but this was a brutal class for a lot of people including myself. You learn very valuable things that you'll see yourself automatically applying to your life. Pay attention, ask questions and study you will most likely do great. If you don't, you'll straight up fail. Don't take with too many classes.

Mark has a good sense of humour and always answers any questions you have about the material. Something I didn't really like about his class was how much time I had to dedicate to studying the topics to gain a deep understanding of them because anything under a 10/12 is a fail. If you have a heavy course load, I wouldn't take this class.

Masterygrading really sucks,the content of the course material is very interesting and will apply to the rest of your life.The quiz questions are so cruel and as a person who already has immense anxiety when it comes to tests, its so hard to master them no matter how much time I spend studying I still get tripped up by the wording of the questions.

listen when he advises you to drop this course if you've got too much going on! it requires a lot of dedication, but it's also the most useful courses I have taken so far (def better for study skills than FASS 121) and got me interested in cognitive science as a whole. mark is very sarcastic but caring + his lectures are engaging :)

The class is either easy or hard depending on your effort and mentality. Mark cares a lot about his students and his lectures are entertaining because they are applicable to real life. The concepts are easy but the test questions can be tricky. The most useful class I have taken, but only take it if you are open to learning in a different way.

Mark cares for his students' learning and has engaging lectures. Course is easy if you put in the effort. Do your flashcards and listen in class. He records his lectures but doesn't post his slides. Pay attention to what he emphasizes because it'll show up on the quizzes. Quizzes are mastery-graded, so you can only get 100% if you get 11/12 or up.

Funny and engaging prof. He teaches really well and the material is interesting, but he talks really quickly. He'll literally tell you how to study. If you don't do things right from the very beginning, you'll struggle a lot. Otherwise, it'll go pretty smoothly and you'll learn actually interesting things that you can apply to your daily life.

As Dr. Blair 'created' this course himself, I wouldn't recommend taking it from another prof. This course is based on mult. choice mastery tests, with multiple attempts each. While the material was very useful, Dr. Blair tends to drone on a bit and can fall a bit behind schedule. Very accessible and helpful, study hard and it's a easy course.

Do not take this course if you aren't prepared to do the work (15-30min a day). Dr Blair will give you the tools and opportunities to learn how to properly succeed in the class. His lectures keep you engaged and if you take it seriously, the course content is very, very useful in future classes. Highly recommmend

The grading is very narrow but if you study and pay attention in lectures you will do okay. You need to understand the concepts. Dr. Blair is very nice and tries to make the lectures enjoyable he wants his students to do well and he tells you exactly how you can do that but it is challenging if you don't prioritize it properly.

Dr. Blair is one of my favorite professors I've had so far! He makes the lectures engaging and makes time for students to take down notes. COGS 110 is a very structured course (as in he will tell you what to and how to study).

Prof. Blair's COGS110 is challenging but worthwhile. The material is engaging, and his lectures are entertaining. While attendance is mandatory, the mastery-based assessments allow multiple attempts. unstuckstudy was helpful for reviewing concepts and preparing for quizzes. Overall, a rewarding course if you're willing to put in the effort.

You have to fully understand 100% of the material to at least pass the mastery tests as they aren't just basic questions, you have to apply your knowledge and think through the questions carefully. Almost finished with a bad grade but thankfully professor was nice enough to make final easy. Also, learning logs are an easy 100%

BEST PROF EVER! lots of studying but it was only like 15-30 minutes max a day, I learned so much. so good 😊

elite lecturer, and very organised Very difficult to do well in the class as his marking is so strict. I understand the purpose, but felt it was unrealistic. Wish I had taken this class in my first year bc I learned so much about how to learn

I get why people think his classes are hard, but as a professor he's very engaging. He's open to feedback, he changed his grading system after complaints (still tough and the mastery aspect is still there). Only downside is if you miss a class, it's over. He doesn't upload lectures or slides. There is a textbook, but it's optional. Very cool guy.

I liked him quite a lot, but I understand why people would find him disagreeable. You either get his lectures, or don't, there's no in between. The tests are very tricky, but attending office hours helps a lot. He doesn't post recordings or notes (well, until like the end of the sem), so if you skip class you definitely won't pass.

Nice prof, very engaging, open to communication. Quizzes are tricky but not that bad