4.5

Marty Stepp

Computer Science - University of Washington

4.5
Quality
3.3
Difficulty
100%
Would Retake
95
Reviews
4.5
Quality
3.3
Difficulty
4.4
Helpful
4.5
Clarity

100%

Would Retake

95

Reviews

Rating Distribution
Official

5

70

4

16

3

7

2

0

1

2

What Students Say

After this class I made an art webpage for my friend

CSE154 - 5.0 rating

He made most of Practice It

CSE142 - 5.0 rating
Class Info

Attendance Mandatory

50%

Textbook Required

97%

Grade Predictor

Your expected effort level

LowHigh

Predicted Grade

A+

53% confidence
Based on 1 grades
Most common grades:
A (1)
Grade Distribution
A(1)B(0)C(0)D(0)F(0)A-/B+(0)
Based on 1 reported grades
A: 1
Common Tags
Accessible outside class (1)
Inspirational (1)
Caring (1)
Rating Trend

Stable

-0.07 avg change
Apr
May
Dec
Jan
Jul
Jul
Last 6 months
Ratings by Course

TCSS142

5.0

(1)

TCSS305

5.0

(1)

CSB

5.0

(1)

CSE154

5.0

(2)

CSE373

5.0

(2)
+7 more courses
Difficulty by Course

CSE154

4.5

TCSS305

4.0

CS106B

4.0

CSE143

3.4

CSE142

3.4

Reviews (95)
5.0
2.0
TCSS142
Dec 4, 2005

Although it is kind of weird having a prof who is younger than some of the students in the class, it is nice having one who is not yet jaded. He does a good job making the material very easy to understand and makes himself very accessible when a student needs assistance. Pretty funny to boot. :)

5.0
3.0
CSS305
Apr 3, 2006

Unfortunately, I wasn't able to stay registered in his class, but from what I've seen thus far, he really cares about you as a student (probably because he was one himself only a few years back). When assigning homework, he will work on an in-class project very similar to what he had assigned, which makes it so much more easy and understandable.

5.0
1.0
CSE142
Nov 1, 2006

I LOVED THIS CLASS & THE TEACHER!! If you have the opportunity to take this class with him as the teacher - take advantage of it! It is a lot of work but it makes it entertaining and worth while! Check out his facebook too!

5.0
2.0
CSE142
Nov 16, 2006

Awesome teacher. FUNNY! Really explains things in great detail. Very flexible in grading. LATE DAYS for homework assignments. Professor asks you how to improve the course, and then actually does it!

3.0
4.0
CSE142
Nov 16, 2006

He is an awesome guy and a funny teacher, but he is young an inexperienced (this being his first year teaching). I am not saying he is a poor teacher, he just needs a few more years under his belt to be considered good.

5.0
2.0
CSE142
Dec 8, 2006

Great teacher. Very funny, great rapper. Knows what he is talking about and is very prepared. The assignments are challenging but not impossible.

5.0
2.0
CSE142
Mar 5, 2007

Marty is very helpful whenver in class or in office hour. He's very friendly and his class is very interesting. It's funny that he almost said something that he shouldn't have said when he was still a guest lecturer in summer 2005. It was funny.. I've heard he raps well too, apparently I had to miss it due to class.. so sad :(

4.0
4.0
CSE142
May 7, 2007

Nice guy, but unless you are going on to become a computer science major, expect to be in for a hard class. Definitely teaches towards those with prior computer programming experience.

4.0
2.0
CSS305
Jul 1, 2007

No Comments

5.0
2.0
CSE142
Oct 28, 2007

I loved this proffessor! I've always enjoyed coding, but I understand that most people find it very tedious. He tried really hard to make projects and lectures fun, and I always felt confident in my skills after a project. I highly recommend this professor to anyone with no previous coding experience.

5.0
4.0
CSE142
Nov 2, 2007

An awesome teacher but the class is tons of work. definately reccomended if you have an interest in the subject he teaches eveything starting from the basics. loved the class!!!

5.0
5.0
CSE142
Nov 14, 2007

Really funny!

4.0
3.0
CSE142
Nov 15, 2007

Textbook is technically optional, but exams are open-book & it's helpful w/assignments so buy it anyway! It's only required on MyUW b/c Marty gets $ as an author when you buy it. Lecture notes online are INCREDIBLY helpful - my favorite class this quarter. Lectures are entertaining and helpful. Homework gets tough around week 4/5...

5.0
1.0
CSE190M
Nov 17, 2007

I definitely recommend this guy especially if this class is offered again. Even though he was learning the material a day before he taught, he did a very good job of structuring this class (new class and very experimental). He did a very good job at making the class fun and interesting the whole time. Very funny indeed.

5.0
5.0
CSE142
Dec 5, 2007

This class was really hard for me, not having prior experience. However, Marty is so cool and ridiculously funny. Uses humor to make the class appealing. Best teacher I've ever had. Homework is tough so pay tons of attention in class.

5.0
5.0
CSE142
Dec 11, 2007

Great at teaching the material and also pretty funny. Nonetheless, the class was one of the most difficult classes I've ever taken.

5.0
4.0
CSE142
Dec 12, 2007

Good lectures. The one class I actually looked forward to going to each day. Homework was very hard, especially since I am not going to be a CSE major. Plan lots of time for hw, like 8-10 hours for each one. And don't miss class. I missed a week cuz I was sick and fell waay behind. But other than that, a very good lecturer and an interesting class.

5.0
4.0
CSE142
Dec 17, 2007

Marty is awesome. He makes the content easy to understand, even for people with 0 prior experience. He has plenty of tips for class resources, assigns interesting homework (it takes a while to finish, beware) and is always funny. He's my #1 recommendation for anyone wanting to take CSE142.

3.0
5.0
CSE142
Jan 22, 2008

he has an interesting teaching style. he just has a weird sense of humor. for me his humor is sort of sad. frankly this course is probably the hardest class and this is only my 3rd week starting CSE 142. i wish the TAs or someone would have some more clarity on expectations. the teaching style just doesn't work for me

3.0
5.0
CSE142
Jan 22, 2008

i really don't see his humor like the rest of the majority do. quite frankly his teaching style just doesn't agree with me. it's only been 3 weeks and I am already struggling in the class. i just wished there would be some more clarity or guidelines that I could understand.

5.0
3.0
CSE142
Feb 26, 2008

Great professor, explains concepts extremely well. Was always helpful. Assignments and tests are hard but fair. Loved his sense of humor! It added something that made me want to go to class every day.

5.0
1.0
CSE142
Mar 1, 2008

I've never taken any programming class before, but just going to lecture and listening (no notes) worked fine for me. Everything that's required for homework/midterms are explained well in lecture. Though if you miss class, notes are on the website. This might be hard for some people, but I think of this class as my fun class for this quarter.

4.0
2.0
CSE142
Mar 6, 2008

great teacher, fun class.

4.0
2.0
CSE142
Mar 17, 2008

This dude rocks! His lectures are great and even if you don't get it, he has good notes so don't worry. The only con is that he doesn't seem very approachable. When asking questions, I kind of had the feeling that I needed to rush because he got annoyed by how trivial my question was. Other than that he's coo. 9/10 prof

5.0
4.0
CSE142
Mar 22, 2008

His real name is Marty. He is awesome!! Really funny and dedicated to the subject. Fun class, lots of interesting assignments.

4.0
3.0
CSE142
Mar 27, 2008

Marty seems nice and funny when he is giving lectures but when you ask him a direct question he makes you feel like an Idiot and is not respectful to his students. I thought he was a good teacher but I believe I was wrong.

5.0
4.0
TCSS305
May 9, 2008

Where do I start? Marty is a unique kind of guy. He is an expert programmer, writing text books for java, and it comes across in his teaching. I just loved his class, even though I struggled. He has an odd sense of humor, but he is very demanding and serious about programming. He teaches to the upper half of the class, so expect to work.

5.0
3.0
CSE142
Jun 9, 2008

He's a pretty funny guy. Really knowledgeable. Because I never had any computer science experience before this class, it was a little rough at first. For me, class was mandatory in learning all the material. By the end I caught up though. Expect a lot of time invested in CSE142 if you haven't coded Java before.

5.0
3.0
CSE142
Jun 13, 2008

VERY fun professor and made computer programming simple. The textbook and slides are not very helpful except for reference, but if you attend all lectures and QS's you will do great. TAKE HIM if you have the opportunity.

5.0
4.0
CSE190M
Jun 13, 2008

His CSE142 class was so great (even though I didn't do so great grade-wise) that I took his CSE190m class as well. His teaching style is to the point, VERY humorous (though this may depend on person), and he doesn't rely heavily on slides. He's a very down-to-earth guy; I have IM'd him for questions a few times and he has helped me a ton.

5.0
4.0
CSE142
Jul 17, 2008

He's fantastic, period.

5.0
3.0
CSE190M
Sep 9, 2008

Marty Rules. Take his classes. Do it now.

5.0
3.0
CSE142
Oct 9, 2008

Made class interesting each day and made you WANT to go to lecture because of how hilarious his teaching is.

5.0
3.0
CSB
Oct 18, 2008

Intelligent, compassionate, challenging instructor. Also an inventive programmer

4.0
1.0
CSE142
Nov 3, 2008

Don't know what to say.

4.0
3.0
CSE142
Nov 3, 2008

Marty makes it interesting

3.0
4.0
CSE142
Nov 8, 2008

Hes funny and cool, he makes everything interesting and understandable, an ideal lecturer

4.0
5.0
CSE142
Nov 19, 2008

If you have to take CSE, take Marty!!!!!!! He is the best teacher I have ever had and I don't even like CSE. He is really good at understanding the material through a student's point of view and he explains things in a way that makes so much sense. He is also very consistent in the way that he writes and teaches programs which is important for CSE!

5.0
4.0
CSE142
Dec 12, 2008

He's a good lecturer. Keeps students involved by asking questions. Humorous and keeps it interesting. Only con is that he seemed a little arrogant in person but I guess that's pretty irrelevant. Recommended.

5.0
5.0
CSE142
Dec 15, 2008

I liked this guy because he always tried to stay on a low level with the students. He teaches knowing that most people have seen coding before (even tho he is a master at it), so he never seems annoyed that people don't even get the simplest concepts. I had the first UW class he taught, and he had the confidence to rap in front of us. Pretty cool.

5.0
4.0
CSE142
Dec 17, 2008

Marty is one of the best teachers I've ever had. He's very straight forward and chill when he teaches. I recommend this class to everyone, whether they're interested in the major or just want to learn a bit of Java.

5.0
2.0
CSE142
Jan 12, 2009

Most entertaining teacher I've ever had, he's really funny! He always took time to answer questions in class and gave helpful answers. His grading system was fair, and his lectures really prepared me for the homework. He also gives out helpful tips for the midterm and final, so make sure you attend class.

5.0
2.0
CSE142
Feb 27, 2009

Don't buy the textbook! But other than that, Marty is definitely the best teacher I've had so far. He is hilarious, his lectures are well setup and well developed, the homework is pretty clear, he had good office hours and good resources, he is the coolest teacher ever, and a geek at the same time so it's amazing. He is a funny genius.

5.0
5.0
CSE142
Mar 4, 2009

For those who haven't programmed before, this class is extremely challenging. But Marty is a great teacher and his lectures are worth attending!

5.0
3.0
CSE142
Mar 5, 2009

Awesome. Marty might be the best professor UW has ever seen.

5.0
2.0
CSE143
Mar 10, 2009

Marty is a real funny guy and he would make fun of the TAs sometimes. This is my second quarter attending his lecture since CSE 142 and he's been great. I'm planning to sign up for CSE 190 next quarter which is also taught by him. Great guy. He did a good job teaching 143 for the first time

5.0
3.0
CSE143
Mar 11, 2009

Marty does an amazing job of making his lectures accessible not only while he's teaching them but after as well. His teaching style is humorous and his metaphors are apt. His homework isn't nitpicky; if you understand the concepts, they're a breeze. And if you go to lecture, he pretty much tells you exactly how to do it.

5.0
5.0
CSE143
Mar 24, 2009

I had Marty for both CSE142 and CSE143. Personally, I liked the content of CSE143 better. His lectures are always helpful for completing hw assignments. His midterm and final are challenging, but his practice exams let you know what you're in for. He's by far one of the best UW teachers.

3.0
3.0
CSE143
Aug 4, 2009

Marty Stepp is a decent professor. He teaches the material well in lecture, and usually has a few jokes thrown in to lighten the mood. However, his assignment writeups often contain errors that make getting full points difficult, so check the class message boards for erratum before turning in your assignments and then cross your fingers.

5.0
3.0
CSE142
Aug 5, 2009

Great teacher. Makes an effort to keep the class awake with some jokes. Really fast at responding to questions. Hard midterm and final but his practice tests help a lot.

5.0
2.0
CSE142
Oct 14, 2009

Marty rocks! He's really funny and makes it easy to learn Java. Keeps lectures interesting.

4.0
4.0
CSE142
Oct 26, 2009

really fun, very informative!

5.0
2.0
CSE142
Nov 17, 2009

Basically, your life is not complete until you take one of his classes. He's a great teacher and his lectures are both interesting and hilarious!!

5.0
3.0
CSE142
Dec 16, 2009

Awesome teacher; funny and interesting. Definitely take a class from him if you have a chance.

5.0
3.0
CSE142
Dec 17, 2009

Marty makes lectures really interesting, and he's really good at teaching all the concepts necessary to succeed for the class. Yes, his tests can be tricky, but he gives out a lot of practice problems, so you really know what to expect on those tests. Help is very available, so no worries if java's new to you.

1.0
5.0
CSE142
Dec 21, 2009

hard hard hard ....

4.0
1.0
CSE142
Jan 2, 2010

Marty did his best to make the class interesting despite the dullness of his topic (procedural programming).

4.0
2.0
CS142
Jan 3, 2010

He's great at teaching java. If you're familiar with programming, this class is a joke. If not, pay attention and work hard and the resources available to you will get you the grade you desire. He's pretty funny too.

5.0
4.0
CSE142
Jan 5, 2010

Marty's a really good teacher. Java is really hard but you have so many resources to learn the topic of the week: you can go to lecture, read the book, look at the slides, or watch the lecture online (what I did!). Also there are online practice problems. And an almost 24/7 computer lab dedicated to CSE students with TAs to help. Good, hard class.

5.0
4.0
CSE142
Jan 22, 2010

Hilarious and a fantastic teacher. I looked forward to every lecture!!!

4.0
5.0
CSE142
Jan 30, 2010

While Marty may be an awesome teacher, this is one of the hardest classes I have ever taken. Homework is highly challenging and takes forever to get it perfect. 50 minutes is way too short for the midterm. Not a well-designed class, IMHO. However, there is a lot of help if you need it. And it's hit or miss with the TA you get (they are undergrads).

3.0
5.0
CSE142
Feb 16, 2010

Very nice and approachable professor. The class went really fast and the examples he gave during lecture were not similar to the homework at all. If you're stuck get help right away or you'll do bad in the class.

5.0
4.0
CSE143
Mar 11, 2010

Took CSE 142 and 143 with him. Marty is the OG. I've never programmed before and got A's in both classes. He's not afraid to talk trash and makes fun of the annoying nerdy kids that always shout out the answers. Material is easy I just go to the lecture to see Marty. Looks and acts like Daniel Tosh. He knows his material and teaches it well.

5.0
4.0
CSE143
Mar 19, 2010

Awesome teacher, his lectures have to be the most entertaining that I have ever had. He is pretty funny during lectures and isn't above making fun of himself or other, more obnoxious students in the class. The class is difficult but my TA was excellent and Marty is always answering questions on the message boards. Sometimes at 3 in the morning!

4.0
5.0
CSE142
Mar 21, 2010

This class was very challenging for me. Marty made the class entertaining even if mildly inappropriate. Programming is often the bane of peoples academic career but he made it as painless as it could be. Recommend.

5.0
3.0
CSE143
Mar 21, 2010

Great guy! I had Marty for both 142 and 143, no other way to do it! His lectures are very enjoyable, and no surprises on exams. HW and tests can be hard, but attend lectures/ sections/get help when you need it, and you'll do fine. He got me interested in CS!

5.0
1.0
CSE143
Mar 23, 2010

Really easy, but his tests are getting old. Found like one or two questions that were either almost, or the same as one of the practice exams... Average is really high, so you can't slack off not even a day.

5.0
3.0
CSE143
May 4, 2010

best. class. ever. I've never had a more interesting, informative, rolling-on-the-floor-laughing-humorous teacher. No, seriously, lectures are approaching stand-up-comic levels of hilarity. Yes, it's challenging, but it's so much fun I really didn't mind.Bottom line: this class made me become a computer science major. TAKE IT.

1.0
5.0
CSE142
Jun 14, 2010

Rudest professor ever. Very mean. He tells us to write on the message board and then complains. Don't ask him for help EVER or he'll get aggressive.

5.0
4.0
CSE142
Jun 23, 2010

Runs a 200 person lecture with the ease of a 30 person class. Very clear expectations, you'll know exactly what you're being graded on. Material is difficult and takes more than the hours would indicate. Don't get lulled into "I got this" and start slacking. It's easy to get behind, and with the workload, tough to catch up.

5.0
4.0
CSE142
Sep 19, 2010

Very hard subject to learn. But Marty makes things really interesting, he's funny and keeps you awake with his jokes. It's highly recommended that you have prior programming experience before taking his 142 & 143 class cause they were two of the toughest classes I've taken. Overall he's a really good teacher.

5.0
4.0
CSE142
Nov 4, 2010

Marty is a lot of fun. He can be a bit crud with jokes, but he means nothing bad by it. He knows what he's talking about and is easily approachable. His class is what made me switch from a Psych to an CS major. A lot of work, but there is a lot of help available!

5.0
3.0
CSE142
Nov 14, 2010

Really fun professor and easy to understand.

5.0
4.0
CSE142
Nov 22, 2010

Great professor, super funny guy

5.0
4.0
CSE142
Dec 8, 2010

smoking hot. good prof. great class.

5.0
2.0
CSE142
Dec 10, 2010

Great professor. Really clear on the subject matter and throws in jokes that are actually funny, not corny like a lot of profs/teachers. Highly recommend classes by him. Also, he wrote the textbook for 142/143 so he knows it well. Doesn't use it much though, so you can easily get away with sharing it with one or more people.

4.0
5.0
CSE142
Dec 12, 2010

Extremely hard class, especially for people like me who had no prior programming experience. However, now that I've taken it there's no doubt that I want to be a CS major. I had to devote all academic energy into the class, but finishing the homework each week after ten hours of labor is possibly the most satisfying experience I've ever had.

5.0
2.0
CSE142
Dec 31, 2010

Great class. Great teacher. He's hilarious one of the best profs at UW.

5.0
1.0
CSE142
Jan 11, 2011

Marty is extremely organized and clear in his teaching. He is absolutely hilarious. He is very approachable and easy to talk to. This class is really easy if you have a knack for problem solving and even slight prior programming experience.

5.0
5.0
CSE143
Feb 7, 2011

He's a tough teacher, but you really learn the material. He's also actually funny and I think that helps make the class less boring!

5.0
4.0
CSE142
Feb 10, 2011

Amazing prof, very approachable and is very willing to answer questions. Super entertaining lectures

5.0
3.0
CSE143
Mar 12, 2011

Marty's hilarious and great at what he does. He provides tons of resources to succeed and has more office hours than many of my other teachers. Of course this may be because he's so popular. I knew that I wanted to go into computers before taking this class, but now I'm even more sure.

5.0
4.0
CSE143
Mar 15, 2011

Awesome teacher made it an extremely fun class and great at explaining things. Learned a lot without any use in the textbook.

3.0
5.0
CSE190M
May 13, 2011

He's a fun teacher but the way he tells his TA's to grade is harsh. Fun class but hard. If you aren't a CSE person, be very attentive in class and get help. He's very bias too.

5.0
3.0
CSE143
Nov 9, 2011

Fun! And hilarious!!! He's a GREAT teacher and makes the material soooo easy to understand.

4.0
4.0
CSE143
Mar 14, 2012

Funny and very smart. Gives good lectures and is willing to give help. Very tough on grading, a little too tough in my opinion, but overall a good teacher.

5.0
4.0
CSE143
Apr 4, 2012

Great professor - I have had him for several classes, and his lectures are probably the only ones I do not fall asleep in. However, the material IS very difficult, and I believe he grades way too harshly. Also the tests on PAPER for a COMPUTER programming class are brutal. But I learned A LOT.

5.0
4.0
CSE154
Jan 8, 2013

Marty is an awesome teacher, the lecture notes as well as screencasts are put online, so you don't have to go. Grading can be rough, lots of focus on efficiency and eliminating redundancy can cause you to lose point for little things. The final wasn't very easy,do the practice tests online with a timer for a good idea what you are up against.

5.0
5.0
CSE154
Jan 12, 2013

A very very very hard and time consuming class for a non major, but you will learn some very important skills and this class will help build your resume. I enjoyed this class and I learned I like the web-dev stuff more than the software side. After this class I made an art webpage for my friend.

5.0
2.0
CSE373
Apr 18, 2013

Awesome teacher.

5.0
3.0
CSE373
May 24, 2013

Marty is easily one of the best teachers at UW. He is very enthusiastic about the material he is teaching and jokes around keeping his lectures upbeat. Like most programers however, Marty is less patient with people who ask stupid questions. If you get the chance definitely take one of his classes.

5.0
3.0
106B
Grade: A
Dec 17, 2014

funny

5.0
5.0
CSE142
Jan 15, 2016

He made most of Practice It! Amazing tool. Definitely changed the world for the better. Also responsible for the thousands of new students taking AP. Without PracticeIt those students would not be taking Computer Science. Wow.

5.0
4.0
CS106B
Jul 13, 2016
Would take again

Really good lecturer, great at teaching

5.0
1.0
CSE142
Jul 25, 2019
Would take again

He's at Stanford now as of July 2019. He made practice it, and another website called codestepbystep

Accessible outside class
Inspirational
Caring
Class Info

Attendance Mandatory

50%

Textbook Required

97%

Grade Predictor

Your expected effort level

LowHigh

Predicted Grade

A+

53% confidence
Based on 1 grades
Most common grades:
A (1)
Grade Distribution
A(1)B(0)C(0)D(0)F(0)A-/B+(0)
Based on 1 reported grades
A: 1
Common Tags
Accessible outside class (1)
Inspirational (1)
Caring (1)
Rating Trend

Stable

-0.07 avg change
Apr
May
Dec
Jan
Jul
Jul
Last 6 months
Ratings by Course

TCSS142

5.0

(1)

TCSS305

5.0

(1)

CSB

5.0

(1)

CSE154

5.0

(2)

CSE373

5.0

(2)
+7 more courses
Difficulty by Course

CSE154

4.5

TCSS305

4.0

CS106B

4.0

CSE143

3.4

CSE142

3.4

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