Really good lecturer. She's funny and really knows what she teaches. Take female phys with her, or Bio of AIDS

she knows what shes talking about but sometimes jumps around while lecturing, which makes it hard to follow at times. overall good.

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Very interesting lecturer, knows her stuff.

Very clear and helpful to students. I am not a science minded person at all, but I did well here.

Funny lady, but her midterms are hard! Her lectures can be hard to sit through.

I enjoyed her lectures, they really made me think. Her midterm was fair.

Fun, interesting class, good lecturer, not hard at all unless you are lazy and never study. I thought it wasn't too bad. Plusthe final project is to volunteer ten hours, pretty easy. Take it! You learn a ton, without cramping your brain

Hot triathlon woman-lady. She rocks!

Not a bad course to take. 2 midterms and a mini project.

She is one of the most understanding and knowledgable i have ever had. She is incredibly knowledgable of each topic she discusses. A must take class!

She teaches an awesome class! She really knows her stuff, and she's pretty funny too. Most of her lectures are awesome, though the material can get a little rough. I recommend this class, especially for women!

i really liked this class...it was difficult but do-able. I like how Mary was knowledgeable and interested in the topic

THis class is amazing!! Possibly the best class I have ever taken. Mary knows what she is talking about and enjoys it.

zavanelli really knows what she's talking about. she can answer any question you have. i've learned so much about my own body in the past eight weeks. the tests are a bit difficult, but there's a nice, comfortable curve. take this class!

She is UCSC experience. People are missing out a lot by NOT taking her class. I suggest enroll in her class ASAP! And if you're not science major take her female phys or bio of AIDS, she makes you aware of your body and health.

Mary is a great teacher, who always has something interesting to tell you.

probably my favorite class i have taken so far. she is knows the material well and is so interested in it, which makes it that much more interesting for us!

started out interesting, ended up boring and redundant. love your TAs because theyll get you through this material. lots to know! the exams are relatively easy, but sometimes tricky.

This class was totaly easy but she is a really good teacher. She is really knowlegable about what she is teaching, and she shoul be since she is a woman.

i did not like her for female phys but i LOVED her for bio lab! she's sooo helpful and has tons of patience. not too difficult to get an A in this class, considering it's a writing intensive bio lab that was 4 hours twice a week..argh..

Great lecturer. I've taken 2 of her courses and want to take more. Reading is really light if you even want to do it since it's a lecture based course.

Good teacher, learned a lot, good and helpful TA, go to section they are fun

Lectures were UBERboring but going to them was necessary because all the test material came from lecture. Tests were not hard but not exactly a walk through either. Got an A- because I studied off my friend's notes but I slept almost every class.

I liked this class, and I hate science classes. Mary was interesting and gave out relevant information. Tests were definitely challenging but nothing most people couldn't get through (review sessions with good TA's help a lot). Worth the time and effort.

Very interesting class. Teaches material well. Some of the TAs are quite rude and condescending so get a nice TA. Study hard for midterms because they can be tricky but this class is definetely worth the effort.

AWESOME CLASS. this class has so much to offer if you're a girl. lots of info that is very helpful in real life. dont need to buy the book, just go to class, take notes, and you can get an A. highly recommended

WOW...she gave us all the basics and then had all these various guest speakers come in to talk about different topics. I pretty much felt like an expert afterwards. And she makes you get involved with the cause somehow which is great.

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WOw.. what a great teacher! I got a lower grade then i expected. But what an interesting class and she teaches it with experience and enthusiasm!

This class rocked... she taught us so many things and the book is great... i still have it and use it... she is a great teacher, and I cant say enough about this class... everyone should take it... i hate science and i got a B...

She is a good lecturer, but man does she like to talk about herself.

great class, she knows what she's talking about, is funny and excited

Ridiculously amazing teacher for this course. Her notes are better than the reading, you really dont have to do the reading as long as u take good notes and do well on the quizzes. tho study a lot for tests, its a lot of info. great teacher, if u are female or male and plan on being around any females, TAKE THIS CLASS WITH HER!!!

Mary Zavanelli is one of the best teachers in the bio department. Her lectures are full of well-presented information and hilarious anecdotes. She is also very approachable! Highly recommended.

This is one of the most awesome classes I have taken at this school. She is interested in everyone learning the matterial, and as long as you somewhat understand it, you'll get a B. She's an awesome lady with a great sense of humor and a huge amount of knowledge on biology. This is not a depressing course, its really intersting!

Zavanelli was very knowledgeable & passionate about the subject. Interesting class & not too much work, but the tests were hard!

This class was pretty interesting, but its a pretty heavy science class. It's not a walk-in-the-park... talk about social issues course... we covered the science behind HIV/AIDS. Lecture attendance is a must; the book is useless. Bother your TA with questions.. have them clarify stuff. Tests are tough, but generous curve.

Very interesting class but BAD GRADING SYSTEM. Two midterms add up to 80% of grade..40% each. if you screw up on one, you're basically going to have to drop it. Tests focuses on memorization of her condense lecture notes and graphs. Best to take it P/NP and not graded. Hard to get an A but easy to pass the class. Fun GE class overall.

very interesting class, but she tends to go of the subject...tests are a large part of your grade but they are curved a lot

She is well informed and her notes are really easy to follow, especially if you get the worksheets online. The tests can be tough if you don't study so be sure to thoroughly go over your notes. If you are willing to put in the effort, you won't be disappointed with what you learn. I highly recommend taking this class with her.

Very knowledgeable, although I can't say the same for her TA's. The subject matter is really interesting, but her tests are hard. Just study and keep up with the readins, and you'll do well.

Highly recommend taking her if your interested in health sciences, whether male or female. She knows her stuff! One thing to note that I did not like about this course was we were graded on 3 mult. choice tests, so if you're bad at mult. choice, you might not do so well in the course.

Loved this class. Must attend lectures her test are made up of these. Makes it very interesting. The text was not useful but a nice book of referance for any female. Class mostly memorizing the stuff.

This was Evolution. It was the first time the class was taught. Her midterm wasn't overly difficult but it def relied more on the book than everyone thought. We were graded on a midterm[which had a take home section], group presentation, and final.

Biology of AIDS. Great teacher. Interesting class. One midterm and final. Term "project" or research paper, you choose. I chose to do the AIDS Walk. Easiest project you will EVER do. Hardly ever needed the book. I never bought it and was still able to do well on tests. She posts her lectures online, but they are only outlines.

This class was awesome. I learned so many different lab techniques. The end of the quarter lab paper was challenging because I have never written one and should have spent the quarter piecing it together a little after each class (highly recommend that). But the class was a pleasure and she was really approachable and fair.

Mary is awesome!!! She is really enthusiastic about the stuff she teaches. She can get a little side-tracked sometimes, but it makes lecture more relaxed and more interesting. Class has 2 midterms and a term project/paper. I recommend taking any of her classes.

She gets a little sidetracked and talks really fast. If you pay attention and take notes on what she says AS WELL as what is on the board, then your notes will get you through the tests. TA's were stupid and the tests were hard, but overall a fair class.

Zavanelli is extremely knowledgeable, but the TAs are all pretty inept. Make sure to study the section quizzes to do well on the tests. A ton of information is covered, but it's all pretty interesting (and relevant!) Lots of note-taking, which actually makes the class go by pretty quickly. I never doze off.

AWESOME professor. Totally knows what she's talking about, really great at keeping your attention. Quite easy course, no need to buy the book, as long as you go to lecture you'll know everything for the exams.

Great teacher, knows what shes talking about. She hans tangents, but they help and make the class more fun. She is really excited to teach and it shows. Great prof, but the T.A.s are lame. go to her after lectures if you need help or visit her office hours. GREAT PROF!

She is by far the best professor I have had here. She is amazingly knowledgeable in her fields and can answer any question you throw at her. I have taken two of her classes and strongly recommend her as a teacher. Lectures are never dull, but sections could be better.

very cocky woman. She's definitely funny though. Didn't go to discussion for 2 months- only section- and easily managed to pull off a B+. no homework but quizzes every week. Lectures are painfully boring. It was alright

Best professor I have ever had here! Tests are online and so grades are instant. Most of the questions are straight off of the quizes and review sheets. Don't expect to go to lecture and then Ace the tests. This class takes alot of devotion! I got an A, but b/c I studied the notes every day.

Mary is a great professor! She is worth the money that I pay to be here at this college. You really need to go to lecture for this class to be able to do well. It's a good idea to look over your notes every other day because there's a lot of material to know. Go to section and ask your TA all the questions that you need answered. Take her class!

This professor is amazing! She really explains things well and with a sense of humor. She's really down to earth and easy to talk to. This class was really interesting and everyone should take it if you have the chance.

Knows a lot about what she's talking about. Clearly passionate about the female body. She makes a lot of corny jokes and some of them can be lol funny. She's helpful; though she does ramble off topic often. You're exposed to a lot of topical info about biology, so stay on top of notes and the readings and you'll be fine

great lecturer and easy class. lecture is a must because her tests are based right off her notes.

Grade is based on section quizzes, midterm, and final. Questions on quzzies show up on midterm & final. They're very comprehensive. I suggest you study super hard, and prepare WELL in advance. MEMORIZE everything u read! Her exams are based on info from her lectures! even tho lecture isnt mandatory, since exams r ALL lecture, u should go to lecture

I was in Female Phys and she was amazing! She is organized, funny, and is clear about what she wants. Everything I learned I still remember and have been able to use in daily life. A GREAT teacher and a GREAT class

I loved Female Physiology! It is very interesting. It is fast paced. Zavanelli is very funny and amusing. She is hyperactive, which makes class funny. Tests & quizzes are hard, but there is basically no reading, which means the only hw is studying. I would definitely take this class, especially if you are a male and want to learn about your gf!

she talks alot, like alot. lab itself is simple, try to write your report ahead of time so u can get them (mary &TA) to read it, if u can. the day u first isolate total RNA from a chosen plant be CAREFUL b/c ur the rest of your experiments depends on this-make sure u pick a good partner since the 2 of u will b doin exps & oral presentations

Female Phys was seriously amazing! Zavanelli is brilliant. Great lecturer, great slides, really funny. Probably some of the most important information I'll ever learn. The class was tough, but the information is relevant, which made it pretty comprehensible, even for non-majors. A must for any female college student.

Currently enrolled students beware: this class seems very easy at first but it is VERY hard to get an A. Other than the lectures, there is no resource for learning the material so get ready to study on your own. 10-15% of her multiple choice tests are based on hardly discussed, highly trivial facts. Has a "holier than thou" complex as well.

ITS A BIO CLASS! Don't underestimate it! She goes FAST and into tangents... Since they cut the funding, discussions were made optional (there was only 1 per week). Weekly quizzes are online and sporadic. Know everything for the midterm and final (lecture notes, statistics, and questions were straight from the book). Try to get a good TA...

Very excited to be teaching, makes interesting jokes and comments. Her tests are killer, but the quizzes are nothing like the tests. Study from the book, really. You need to know all the chemicals and fine details really. One of my favorite classes though.

Good professor. Lectures are pretty interesting. She doesn't post the lectures online, so attending class is mandatory. She also talks really fast, so bring a recorder or laptop to take notes. Her tests have random questions you don't really expect, so study EVERYTHING. Overall, pretty good professor.

Easy class if you love the subject and attend lecture EVERYDAY. You need to write down as much as you can about what she says. Her slides are filled with a lot but you can ask her to slow down. Memorize class lectures for the midterms and finals. She uses quiz questions on exams. She's really interesting and will answer ANYTHING. I got an A-

Interesting, tangent-filled, lectures. Lulls one into thinking that the class is incredibly easy only to strangely ask many questions on the exams that simply weren't covered at great length during the course. The class would be much better if the exams weren't multiple choice. Still, good topical class overall.

I took the AIDS class and Female Phys. Loved both! Mary is awesome!! I wish she taught more classes. She doesn't post the lecture notes online, so come to class. It isn't that bad! If you ask me I prefer Female Phys to the AIDS class! Would highly recommend. Nice lady.

Relatively easy class; skipped a few lectures and didn't pay attention to the ones I did attend. Just make sure you start to study a week before midterm and final and you should be good for the quarter.

Lectures are interesting & she explains materials well. But I agree with others that strange questions appear on exams. She's willing to answer random questions but at times it holds up the lecture. Some questions are better saved for your physician/gyno and not a 300+ lecture hall.

Good prof, explains things well and very clear about what she wants to test you on. Go to lecture! best way to get material and do well on exams.

Good professor; she explained the topics well. The course itself is pretty tough and the exams are tough as well. I don't recommend taking this class if you do not have a strong biology background.

I am SO glad I took Female Physiology. I learned a lot of things that will benefit me for many years to come. Mary is kind, non-judgmental, and has a genuine interest in the subject. I recommend this class to everyone, both females and males.