2.6
Quality3.5
Difficulty44%
Would Retake98
Reviews44%
Would Retake
98
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
98 total ratings5
16
4
11
3
22
2
21
1
28
What Students Say
“life changing experience”
BIOK101 - 5.0 rating“These reviews had me worried but he's actually a great teacher”
BIOK101 - 5.0 ratingClass Info
Attendance Mandatory
34%
Textbook Required
56%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B+
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Stable
-0.08 avg changeRatings by Course
BIOK101
3.5
(25)BIO101
3.2
(5)BIOL101
3.0
(1)BION100
2.9
(8)BIO100
2.8
(5)Difficulty by Course
N100
5.0
K101
4.0
BION100
3.8
BIOLK101
3.6
BIOLN100
3.5
Reviews (97)
He is a good teacher. He tries his best to explain the material the best that he can. He is very nice and tries to crack jokes every now and then. He is pretty laid back. He gives you opportunities to earn 25 extra credit points. He gives a lot of nickel and dime points for attending class. He is very organized.
Very boring. Rambles on about things that are probably not going to be on your test. Has taken a non-major biology class that is suppose to be easy and turned it into a class that is quite difficult.Also doesn't review for tests.
Good professor! He gives you alot of quizzes but if you just show up for class he gives you full points, He understands it is a hard course and 100 level so he doesn't expect alot from you, he post lectures online, gives out study guides for tests and gives out candy on holidays! I loved him, he is a very funny guy!
He definately knows what he's talking about. The one and most important problem with him is he cannot teach the material very well. I don't think he's good at explaining things clearly and he tells crappy jokes. Tough class, test are okay, attendance is key
Monotone, boring professor. Exams are mostly easy, but they don't cover what he emphasizes in class. Lab exams are a joke, but lecture exams are more challenging. He's way too particular about not having cell phones or laptops and he takes attendance in lecture, which is ridiculous.
Not bad. Good grades on all the assignments in his class hinge on actually attending. So as long as you're there for his lectures, exams aren't bad. But don't put to much emphasis on his syllabus schedule, he'll spend days on certain lectures and have to play catch-up later.
Pros: Gives lots of extra credit, makes class interesting. Cons: Lots of notes, really tough tests, hard to contact him outside of class.
Prof Vaughan makes you think that the info he puts on his slides is what you will be tested over. This is not true. His test questions are 10X harder than they should be for a 100-level class! No matter how much you study for his tests, you will not get more than a C if you're not some genius. He is awful and he is incredibly boring. I wish I could
His tests are very difficult and you have to devote many hours to studying them but you still won't get an A or a B. He specifically tells you "you won't be able to answer some of the questions on the test, but that's ok". That's NOT okay to me since I'm paying more than $1,000 for this horrible class. Take this class at Ivy Tech if you can and sav
Pros: Funny, nice guy, loves learning, brings in mushrooms and stuff to show you, cares about students, tries to be fair. Cons: Disorganized, late to nearly every class, does not cover much material, not confident in his general biology knowledge, just plants. I really like Dr. Vaughan, I think he's a bit better than average as a teacher.
Provides lecture slides but reads them word for word...Tests are too hard for a 100-level class...stuff you didn't cover in class. (Lab exams = easy) Know examples he gives in class...they'll be on the test. Always late, even on exam days and we only have 50 min. Nice but boring and just bothersome. Def. take Dr. Marrs (Fall) over him (Spring).
Rating from below...Tests are scantron and he takes SO long to get them graded. SO annoying
Dr. Vaughan is one of those teachers who's lectures have nothing to do with the test. Here's a tip: don't waste your time going to them. Instead, read the book. All of his tests are derived directly from it (Campbell) and if you work really hard to learn the text, you can pass the tests. He also never responds to e-mails and is unavailable.
Dr. Vaughan was late 10 min to just about every class, and the class was only 50 min to begin with! He included material on the test the was not covered in class, or in the book. took FOREVER to grade scnatron tests. could not get ahold of him AT ALL out of class. still got an A but only because i spent my wknds reading the text
As others have said, the cons are he's unorganized, late to class, and takes forever to get exam grades posted. To me the tests weren't THAT hard, but you had to study. You should attend lecture, because he will give examples that will be on the test! I enjoyed the class, and like that he is passionate about what he's teaching.
His tests have nothing to do with what he talks about. You can email him and he won't email you back. If you ask for help, he will make a joke back at you and not really give you a clear answer. I would tell everyone to not take his class. I am a straight A student in every other class, but this one.
Unorganized. Takes forever to grade tests. Doesn't lecture over what he will test over. Tests are very hard and they will be over information in Campbells book, not the McGraw Hill one he puts as the required text. Do everything in your power not to take him. Worst teacher I have ever had.
This professor is terrible..his tests have nothing to do with his lecture/outlines.If you ask for help, he makes a joke about it. He covers information that has nothing to do with the class. He runs the class like you are going to be a Biologist. FIND ANOTHER PROFESSOR.
Dr. Vaughan's class is a little harder than it should be being a 100 level course. He offers lots of extra credit and online homework are easy points. Study the book and online stuff more heavily than his stuff and you should be fine.
Not sure why all the negativity. I enjoyed Dr. Vaughan's classes: he was interesting & helped when asked (try asking questions after lecture when time is less limited!) Exams not that difficult apart from the lab. practical, which was brutal. Yes, he lacks a little organization & took time to post grades, but overall would definitely recommend him!
Good professor. Explains the material the best he can. If you enjoy biology and a Funny joke every once in a while then you'll really like this professor
This was the worst class that I've ever taken. Not because of the material but because of the teacher. He's not very helpful and doesn't test over what he goes over in class. The test were really hard to study for with so much material to cover with just aa 50 question test
This class was terrible. Dr. Vaughan spent all of the class period discussing biological subjects he was interested in and no time discussing things we actually had to learn for the class. Tests were terribly hard. Extra credit is given but not enough to actually make a difference! Way too hard for a 100 level course.
Definitely a class where you have to teach yourself. His test were difficult. The way he worded things made it confusing and the practice test were nothing compared to the test.
Dr. Vaughan seems to know much about Biology, but nothing about teaching it. He assumes that you already know this stuff, so he skips much of the material. Teach yourself or try to find a different teacher.
Please find a diff Professor!! His tests are hard b/c he gives no guidance on the exams. There is extra credit and I had to do it in order to pass with a C. Very Monotone, Very boring.. I learned nothing. I went to class, took notes, read chapters, and did the study guide.. It doesn't matter.. he does not teach from the book.. his exams r a joke
He was okay. He seemed to like to ramble about a topic and give us information that we did not need to know for his course. He liked to believe everyone in the lecture was a Biology Major, when the reality is not the case.
He's a nice, funny guy. But, this class is definitely way too hard for a 100-level course.
This is the absolute worst professor I have ever had. He is confusing and boring. For weeks he tells you one thing and does another on the test. He is pretty much unreachable in terms of being able to contact him. For a 100 level course, it is extremely difficult. The sad part is, someone that really loves biology probably hates it now.
Dr. Vaughan was a terrible professor. Hardly ever stayed on topic and his tests never seemed to be stuff we were taught, if you would even call it teaching. He changed the format of our lab practical FOUR DAYS before it. Studied numerous hours for exams and it never paid off. Too difficult for a 100 level class. I loved biology before this class...
don't even try to take his class! please choose another prof :( I promise his exams are pieces of hell!
Dr. vaughan was late to class consistently, upwards of ten minutes. He regularly provided the class with a research artical that was irrelevant to the material. So class typically started 20 minutes late. He seemed more interested in making lame jokes than educating the students.
Often late and not prepared for class, late posting lecture outlines and study guides, gets off topic easily which makes it hard to take notes, never replies to emails, doesn't use the book, late posting grades. Somewhat knowledgable about material but he is not a good teacher. Save your time and money and find a different bio teacher.
He is a good lecturer. The information is presented clearly, and he has many interesting stories that tie into the course material.
Without a doubt one of the worst professors I have ever had! Very contradicting and does absolutely nothing to prepare you for the tests in lecture. I strongly advise you to take Dr. Marrs instead if you want to learn biology because Vaughan does a terrible job of preparing you.
Dr. Vaughan gets off topic. He scrolls through the power points before you can even blink!! Its basically pointless to go to lecture when he is speaking. I definitely suggest you go see Dr. Marrs if you're taking BIO-K 101. Tests are impossible because he doesn't give any guidance.
Usually is late to class, doesn't upload PowerPointsoutlines before lectures. He is more concerned about cracking lame jokes than educating students. You don't have to show up, he doesn't care. Tests are really specific, read the book.
If you want to do good on tests, then you HAVE to study a lot. Not just study the notes, but read the book too. He takes a week + to get test grades back and doesn't respond to emails. With that said, I thought he was really and the fact the class is tough, it pushed me to study, so I have never learned more in a bio class than I did in his.
Dr. Vaughan was horrible. Whenever he managed to stay on task, it was basic information, of which only half was on any exam in the class. He even forgot to cover a chapter, admitted it, and put it on the exam anyway. Avoid this man of at all possible.
His tests are crazy hard!
Does not use the book at all (seriously), guaranteed to be at least 5 min. late, anything on the outlines lectured in class will not be on the exams, and expect to get off topic EVERY DAY. Great guy, just a terrible teacher. Should not be a 100 course.
Great guy but gets off topic a lot. He has really good energy. Sometimes goes through the material super fast. Powerpoints for bio were all online so don't get the book. Do the practice tests and try to stay focused in lecture. go to class
One of the worst professors I've ever had (and I've been to 3 colleges in Indiana). "Lectures" for 75 minutes about nothing and the tests have nothing to do with the little study guides that he gives. Unless you know a lot about Biology, you probably won't pass because I don't know what to tell you to even study. And he doesn't respond to emails
I can tell that Vaughan is really interested in Biology, but if you're a non-major this class is HORRIBLE. He gives study guides online for the test, but they are honestly nothing like the actual exam. He gives you some extra credit and easy assignments so your grade isn't only exams. He does not respond to emails, but he will help if you ask.
He just rambles the whole lecture and you never know what information is actually on the test when he lectures. I felt like coming to lecture was a waste of my time because either it was rambling about non-course material or it was reading straight from the powerpoint that was posted online. I basically taught myself everything in this class.
His lectures usually start with the material but end with something that has nothing to do with it. He thinks he's funny, but his jokes are usually pretty rude and offensive. The tests are way too difficult for a 100 course. You can try studying, but it may not help. Started off kind of interested in biology, hate it now.
One of the worst professors I have ever had. He gets off topic and does not explain the material well.
I really enjoyed being in Dr. Vaughan's class. Biology is hard, but he made it much more enjoyable and was very willing to help when needed. Attendance not mandatory but you should go.
Dr. Vaugh is one of the best professors I have had since my freshman year at IUPUI as a Biology major. He truly cares about student success and if people say he was bad or the class was hard then they clearly did not do enough to do well in the class. He cannot give out the grades you want but he will help you get the grade you want.
Dr. Vaughn really cares about the success of the students and will do whatever you need to help you succeed in Biology and at the University. He is an older man that is extremely funny and always there if you need some advice. Really helped with a difficult situation during the Semester.
Lectures aren't the most exciting, but the material is very condensed and the prof only tells you what you need to know. There are only 3 tests total, so that could be a good or bad thing. There are 4 written assignments throughout the semester (only one page each), they are easy points. The prof gives good info and study guides before each test
Dr. Vaughan has a basic understanding of the material in his lectures but spends most of his time telling anicdotes and reading directly from the PowerPoint.
His class was super easy. He read off of powerpoint for every class lecture so I never even went because you could access them at home. I only showed up for tests and was fine. If you took biology in high school then this class is a breeze.
Terrible professor. Take anybody but him.
Professor Vaughn was a good teacher! He made class interesting and he is a pretty funny guy. The tests are straight forward, and he is generous with extra points to help your grade! He is a nice guy!
Most people never showed up to lectures because he wouldn't stay on topic and often the tests had nothing to do with what he taught. The times that I did go, he spoke super fast to the point where it was hard to understand him and I didn't feel like I learned anything worth remembering. He seemed nice, but I just didn't like his teaching style.
You have four exams that have nothing to do with his lectures. You have four papers due before each one, and you have online homework, that is super easy. I didn't like how he lectured, they didn't make sense to me. He didn't lecture, he more like talked to you and I don't learn like that.
You need to take notes and put some effort into studying but as long as you do that it should be an easy A!
His class was super boring. I never knew what to take notes over during his lectures because he always seemed to ramble about nonsense.
I dropped the class because he was 2 lectures behind schedule and was still going to give the exam on the date listed in the syllabus. He does not respond to e-mails and wasted class time by rambling about articles he found on the internet.
I had Dr. Vaughan as a professor for K101. I loved the class. He really makes you work hard for the A, but it really prepares you for classes to come. I think he is very underrated. He was very interesting and enthusiastic about teaching the course. I enjoyed the class very much.
Dr. Vaughan is easily the worst biology professor at IUPUI. He gets off track and talks more about random things he finds online than he does teaching class. He is very boring and does not respect his students. Take anyone but him.
Dr. Vaughn is VERY frequently off topic, and although I appreciate his enthusiasm for biology, he doesn't seem to realize this is a lecture, not a comedy club.
To be honest, I thought Dr. Vaughan was a good biology professor. Although his lectures take some getting used to, once you become familiar with how he teaches, they're pretty easy to follow.
Prof. Vaughn is an ok professor. He honestly really good at what he does but he is very frantic about phone usage inside of class. If he wouldn't care about that and stay on the study material class would be much better. Don't let the students upset you. They paid for the class, if they fail its on them.
Dr. Vaughan was obsessed with the idea that cell phones are just rude and would waste lecture time every class talking about it. Plus, he wasn't very engaging and it was very easy to fall asleep when he was lecturing.
He wastes a lot of time talking about random stuff and his lectures just confused me more than anything. Also he thinks he's funnier than he actually is and his jokes were pretty annoying. If you get bored during his lectures (which you will), dont look at your phone unless you want to hear a long rant about how using cell phones is rude.
Dr. Vaughan takes some getting used to, but all in all is a great professor. While he does occasionally get off topic, it shows his passion for biology. If he doesn't explain something clearly the first time, don't be afraid to ask for clarification. He does care that his students are learning and expanding their knowledge.
I was strongly urged not to take his class but it fit with my schedule. He's not absolutely terrible. He focuses the material more on what we should know and learn rather than everything that's in the textbook. His tests strongly reflect his lectures or even stuff that he doesn't mention at all. He gets off topic but brings it back eventually
I think Dr. Vaughn isn't given the chance that he deserves. He is usually pretty effective in covering all topics and some of his side tracked stories reinforces the lectures. Some students in and out of his lectures have been extremely rude towards him and no one really gives him a chance which is why I think people don't really like his lectures.
Stay away! Lectures are a waste, all he talks about is articles that he found online.
I am sure he is a nice guy, but the class was so boring and he never stayed on topic. I ended up withdrawing because no one knew what was going on. Choose another class for the Life and Physical Science requirement.
I don't think Dr. Vaughn is given enough credit. Yes, he does digress, like a lot and he does make "jokes" that are hard to get. All around though he is a great teacher. It takes a while to get used to him, but he is not as bad as some people make him out to be. :)
Dr. Vaughan is a great person who constantly tries to incorporate jokes into his lectures to make things more fun. However, sometimes his lectures can be not-so-interesting. Regardless, make sure you are not on your phone while he's lecturing and be respectful to him and fellow students.
Tells many jokes during lecture
Not the best... goes off on a lot of tangents and puts you to sleep. Also, beware of using your phone in class! One of his biggest pet peeves!
Makes lectures fun and easy to digest, helps out with Top Hat.
Dr. Vaughan was awesome! Maybe because I'm older I got his jokes more often than most people. I enjoy the nerdy science jokes! uh, hello science majors! How could you not? Yes some of his lectures (plants) were a bit boring but he's still a bomb professor and I thought he was hilarious! Very clear on what you need to know/ focus on.
Dr. Vaughan was not a bad professor, but i just found it difficult to stay awake when he lectured. I like that he tried to help you out but, when he lectures its just boring.
Pretty decent teacher, not bad lectures can be boring but he does tie it all back, he tries to use the concepts and tie them into real life applications which confuses people sometimes, can be boring but he deserves a chance
Dr. Vaughan is really funny, but he tends to stray off topic. He lectures on unimportant things and gets sidetracked extremely easy. Dr. Vaughan is a really nice guy and is willing to help you understand topics, but every time he lectured I felt like I wasn't getting the info I need and often times Dr. Marrs would have to re-lecture his topics.
Boring lectures and off topic too much.
Dr. Vaughn is a really funny and inviting guy. The downfall are the lectures. He often times gets off topic easily. He also is very monotone if he isnt making a joke which makes the lecture hard to stay awake and pay attention too
Dr. Vaughn's exams had material on it that we didn't even cover. When half the class messaged him about the study points for an exam, he didn't even answer. He also gets off topic on lectures. He isn't funny. He cares more about people with phones than the material. When he is on subject, he goes into WAY too much detail. I would not recommend.
He needs to learn how to teach a large lecture such as this one. Never on topic, exams were unrealistic since half the material was never covered, and he is not as funny as he thinks he is. Mediocre professor at best.
Boring and wastes lecture time. I withdrew because he didn't properly prepare anyone for exams.
DO NOT TAKE HIS CLASS. He seems like a nice guy and can actually be pretty funny, but he is a horrible professor. He reads right off the lecture slides (which don't help much) and spends most of the class time going off on pointless tangents. When it comes time for the tests there is so much on there he never even covered. Avoid his class!
Dr. Vaughn is very poor compared to Dr. Marrs especially in lecture. Very boring.. his lectures were not good to attend, while Dr. Marrs' were. Is funny, knowledgeable and accessible, but is not a good lecturer at all. I loved taking his class because of Dr. Marrs, but did not care to come to class when he was lecturing.
Dr. Vaughan is an absolute sweetheart, he's an amazing professor with a very strong passion for biology and he's very funny. Contrary to what everyone else says, he's an amazing lecturer and if you actually care about the class and biology in general then you'll love Dr. Vaughan as a lecturer and his classes.
Gives out good lecture information but often goes on tangents that distract from the material. Very nice man and very knowledgeable. Visits lab sessions. Kind of hard to pay attention to in class because of the tangents and jokes constantly. Much slower lecturer than Prof. Marrs which causes the timeline of the class to skew.
life changing experience. I was gonna be a business major, but thanks to him I stayed as a gender studies major.
These reviews had me worried but he's actually a great teacher. He came to check up on our labs multiple times and offers plenty of one on one help! thank you V!
Dr. Vaughan loves what he teaches, and it shows! He makes a lot of jokes during lecture, and also shares "Fun Friday" facts and stories. He's very knowledgeable, and the tests are straight from the PowerPoints.
Whatever you do, don't listen to the reviews on here, they are just people who are bitter about the grade they received in the class. Do the work and you'll succeed. On a more positive note. Dr. Vaughan is an amazing person and lecturer. His lectures are informative but also very funny so it keeps you intrigued.
Dr. Vaughn is a good professor! He is understanding of situations that happen and a caring professor. However though, if you skip lectures it will definitely show on the exams. He didn't require a book but if you like to read more about subjects in class or don't quite understand the book can help.
Best professor I've ever had! He never puts you down for not understanding something and is very patient....
I took Professor Vaughan's A&P I and really enjoyed it. I'd taken the same course 10 years prior & really struggled, I passed with a 75 but it was brutal. He's straight forward with what he expects and he's very generous when it comes to points. A & P is a difficult class and Mr. Vaughan presents the material in a way that's easy to understand.
Class Info
Attendance Mandatory
34%
Textbook Required
56%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B+
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Stable
-0.08 avg changeRatings by Course
BIOK101
3.5
(25)BIO101
3.2
(5)BIOL101
3.0
(1)BION100
2.9
(8)BIO100
2.8
(5)Difficulty by Course
N100
5.0
K101
4.0
BION100
3.8
BIOLK101
3.6
BIOLN100
3.5