3.1
Quality3.6
Difficulty52%
Would Retake91
Reviews52%
Would Retake
91
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
30
4
13
3
11
2
12
1
25
What Students Say
“If you want to pass this class, do NOT take this professor”
MCB2010C - 1.0 rating“Hes a great guy just talks really fast and makes it hard to take notes”
BSC1011 - 3.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
64%
Textbook Required
44%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B+
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Improving
+1.09 avg changeRatings by Course
BSCL1011
5.0
(1)BSC1102
4.0
(1)MCB102
3.5
(6)MCB2010C
3.1
(54)BSC1011
3.1
(8)Difficulty by Course
BIO1010
4.0
BIO1011 LAB
4.0
MCB10C
4.0
BSC1011
3.9
MCB2010C
3.7
Reviews (91)
Nice guy, means well; but I do not recommend taking his class unless you can put all your time into his class. You have only 4 tests & no review. My class did so bad that he had to curve & drop our lowest test grade. I heard if you have taken A & P before this guy, then you can just make it!
Avoid like the plague. No emphasis of important topics, no review, no study guide, no "this will be on the test", no "this is important", just powerpoints (like 30% of test material?!). The rest is random details from the book. 4 tests + cumulative final. Our class tests averaging in the 40s - 60s. Run for your life!
He means well, he just rambles on about his power points acting like you know it. If you have a question he WILL answer it for you, I always emailed him and always got a reply. If you show up EVERYDAY and write your notes he will pass you ! His test are very hard and you need to look in the book yourself
His lab is very easy. he is a nice and funny guy. only tests we took was the final exam which was really hard.
This teacher is a nice guy but overall I didn't learn anything in his class and he doesnt prepare you for the final. if your not a plant lover dont take this class because thats basically all you'll be messing with.
This is an independent class but with guided instructions when necessary. It made the lab more interesting & challenging. The lab write-up's were tedious at times, but graded fairly. If you've never worked with a microscope you better learn! You do learn if you let yourself. I see lichens everywhere now! (Take the class & you'll understand!)
The lab is super easy. all we had to do was look through the microscope and draw what you see. Final exam was super hard there was no review. other than that its an OK class.
Subject is dificult enough as it is. Witty is a nice professor but not very clear on what to study for. Exams are extremely hard, 100 questions, no review. He expects students to figure it out on their own and will help minimally.
He is very nice and willing to answer any questions you have. His test are hard, but with open notes and open book you can reference the things he didn't tell you to study for. Lecture is great, but he doesn't push key points at times. His strong point is lab, its lots of fun, but at times seemed repetitive. Just study and you can pass easily.
His assignments are not hard, but he's not clear. His grading is extremely arbitrary, nothing is consistent. If you follow his instructions EXACTLY, you still lose points no matter what, and no explanation. He is commonly complained about, never had a B in college until I had this class. Two people can do the same work and have different grades.
He loves what he does. Very understanding and helpful.
Professor Witty loves what he does! It is not a bad class. He makes you draw what you see, but there is no grading scale, so it is hard to know exactly what he wants. If you want an A in this class, please do extra work, he gives you a list of assignments in the beginning of the class!
Take him. After reading other reviews and by my grades, I was worried but ended up with an A. Didn't have to try, open note/ handout "exams", no book, attendance not required (receive easy makeup assignments), tons of time to complete assignment and always got out of class early. Its annoying when he doesn't have specific grading rubrics but easy A
Prof. W is funny and passionate about biology, and the in-class work was fun. However, I refuse to take him again. His feedback is vague, about 4 hrs of drawing assignments each week, no idea what to study for for tests, and he won't answer emails that ask more than one question. Didn't know my grade until he submitted it at the end of class.
Very unclear, no clear grading criteria. Do NOT take his class. I have never been so demotivated by a professor.
Microbiology is hard, so he lets you use hand written notes which makes the test easier. However, tests are hard. His lectures are very boring and he likes to illustrate the history of the subjects of stuff not in book. He doesn't have a clear grading scale and when asked a question about something, he never answers the question. So annoying.
Don't even bother going to the lecture his slide shows are not even close to making sense or even on the test. He curves everything. His assignments make no sense and when you ask to explain better, he doesn't. He gives you a good grade in the class because he knows the whole class would fail. Run while you can!
Keeps you interested with his corky sense of humor.
This class is HARD! He's funny at time and tries to be reasonable. DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT SKIP CLASS! The only reason I made an A in the class was because I attended every class and took more notes then there were pages in the book. Read everything and take lots of notes! He does not give powerpoints a head of time so take notes from the book 1st
He tries to be interesting. The lectures are long and it is hard to figuire what will be on the test though you are allowed unlimted hand written notes. The labs require a lot of drawing which can be difficult. It is impossible to tell what your grade is untill he has posted it after the end of the semester before then you really can only guess.
I was scared taking this class, but it wasn't so bad. He does not have a clear grading scale so you don't know your grade till the end. Lectures are long wlots of history. You must read the book and take your own notes, his pp are not enough. Tests were open handwritten notes. If you take your own notes along w pp, & study, you will get an A.
Prof Witty is nice and passionate about biology. Expect lab procedures and assignments for every class. Frustrating and confusing with grading lab assignments and just trying to know your overall grade. Gives extra credit throughout the whole semester.
The test are constructed on the material that is not stressed on the weekly assignments. In other words between the lines.
It isn't hard to get an A in Professor Witty's biology lab. He is very passionate about biology. It is hard to know what your grade is throughout the semester but he will tell you what it is if you ask. He also has many opportunities for extra credit throughout the whole semester.
This class was awfully disorganized and confusing. If you want to learn about Microbiology DO NOT take his class because he does not teach anything. The power points don't make sense at all. There is no study guide for the tests or the final!! I bought the book and lab manual and I never used them. I didn't learn anything.
Awesome & passionate professor. At the beginning of the class he explains how he grades; just keep track of your points. No way to get a perfect score in class but he gives a handout at the beginning of the semester with Extra Credit opportunity to make up for it. If you show up, take notes, do assignments & E.C you are basically guaranteed an A.
His lectures and class are completely disorganized, and felt that there was no order. It is not clear how he grades assignments at times. Open handwritten notes are allowed on tests, but I had written down everything from every power point and that still was not enough. He used an older version of the textbook, but he didn't have us open it once.
Dr. Witty is a nice guy. His lectures are long, but the lab portion is fun. Lab and lecture test, as well as the final, are all open notes. If you take good notes and go through his power points, you should do good in the class. He also gives a lot of extra credit. I didn't do great on the exams but still ended up with an A in the class.
Professor Witty will not tell you your grade until the grading period at the end of the semester, and feedback from each assignment will never be beneficial. You are going to be losing your mind trying to guess what you grade is at the end of the semester. I would ask if my assignment was up to par and he would tell me that is my decision.
I would not recommend him. When you have questions, he vaguely answers them and you won't know your grade until last minute. He is the only teacher I've ever had that made me this unsure about myself.
Professor Witty is a really smart guy, dont like his grading scale, did not do well on exams but still got an A, 3 tests one pop quiz, his labs are super fun I would take him again for sure, written notes excepted on all test accept the final,BRING ENERGY DRINK TO CLASS, HE WILL PUT YOU TO SLEEP!!!!!
It's hard to find a place to start, from the random pop TESTS (on subjects not yet covered) or the tedious assignments. I've had my share of hard classes, this class was hilariously difficult. Every lab required multiple elaborate drawings, expect to spend a few hours a week working on them only to get an 80. "He doesn't give 100s on assignments".
I really respect him as a person; however, he isn't the right teacher for me. Grades for all tests/quizzes/assignments were never posted or returned at any point in the semester. That's too much stress for me.
Pros: Fun labs, scientific drawings, good humor, not particular picky, interesting, if you participate the entire semester you will have an A. Cons: Difficult and vague tests, no accurate grade reflection until course has ended, diagrams that you have to fill in during the test, test writing sections, etc... Great guy; Doesn't use canvas; Be wary.
Professor Witty is not clear on directions and is all over the place . He can't answer questions and if you email him he expects you to know answers. He gives verbal directions which aren't clear and will change directions often. If you want to keep sane dont take microbiology with him .
Professor is a brilliant man, knows his stuff. Soooo not meant for teaching. Not willing to answer questions. Always unclear when giving instructions. Exams graded against you when you haven't even reviewed or gone over the subject. Expects you to magically know what is not in book, rambles a lot. If you want your sanity, this is not your professor
Lectures are so monotone & boring. HW is mostly for Lab. No study guide, doesnt explain AT ALL what is on the exam, will schedule an exam and cancel the exam the day of. Exam could be on anything he talked about or not. You wont know your grade, even if askd til the very end. Extra credit is everything!! He knows his stuff but this class is a joke!
Very difficult course. I do not recommend Prof Witty.
I see Professor Witty has a lot of mixed reviews, but I must say I enjoyed his class and I would recommend taking his course. Come to class and show your effort and participation, that is a big percent of your grade. Exams are hard, but he gives an abundant amount of extra credit opportunities (mostly in lab). Must read textbook and put in effort.
This is one of the craziness classes I have taken. The test will have material we didnt even cover. You have to do a lot drawings. TAKE PICTURES of what you are doing in class through the microscope for EXTRA CREDIT. Thats the only reason I got a B. He is hard to understand at times. Genuinely he is a nice person.
I've never met a more unorganized professor. I should have dropped his class when he said he wasn't going to use CANVAS to upload the proper information. He was going to "email" it. I felt unprepared for his class and decided to drop it. I will be taking the class online with a more structured professor. I want to learn the material.
In my honest opinion, he is just misunderstood. This was the most fun lab class I have ever taken. He gives you freedom in the lab to actually be a biologist. What you need to remember is that drawings need to be exactly how he asks for them (they don't have to be good), but the tests and quizzes are all arbitrary. You basically earn an A foreffort
Dr. Witty is a good professor. He is fair, helpful, and really understands biology. His teaching style is different than most professors because he gives you more autonomy to explore science through the microscope and your own research. If you put forth the effort and attend classes, you will get a good grade.
Professor Witty is so unorganized. He always gave pop quizzes. His test are nonsense, they are nothing like your notes, he doesn't even do notes basically; however, he let's you use your notes from your lecture or anything related to his class. You will not know your grade unless you ask, nothing will be posted on canvas. Extra Credit will help.
Very good
Professor Witty is a sweetheart, he is passionate about this courseand very knowledgable. His labs are a lot of fun. Every lab expect an assignment but those are the only assignments he assigned through the course. His tests are tricky but if you read and take notes on the assigned pages (tests are open note) youre good. Lots of extra credit opps.
Professor Witty is awesome. He gives a clear grading rubric in the 1st class, you just have to take note of it and follow it throughout the semester. Most students forgot the outline he gave out and wonder why they didn't do well on the labs. Really, just show up and do the work. It's fun and easy. There's so much extra credit. I enjoyed this class
OK Guy
He is great
Great professor! I never rate any professors but I had to rate professor Witty because he is the best. He makes it easy to understand what he is teaching. Very nice person, very funny. I thought I would never be able to pass a microbiology class because of the complexity of the subject but I did and I can say I retained a lot of what I learned.
He is an amazing professor, he is passionate and extremely knowledgable, and most of all he wants his students to do well and understand microbiology. His exams are what kills you. Open note tests. Use every outside reference you have and use the textbook because nothing in his power points will help you. Unlimited extra credit available saves you
Dr. Witty encourages finding microbiology in your own daily life & how to use it every day. Instead of memorizing many terms or talking about abstract subjects, he shows you how to use it moving forward so you can evolve in your career path and continue to use those skills long after you have finished the class.
Amazing amazing amazing. Hes so passionate and really cares about the students success. Hes so positive and chipper, making lectures and labs relate to real world and makes coming to class enjoyable.
Professor is clearly passionate about subject. However he is not a straight to the point lecture. He can sometime be very hard to understand and to follow. Hard to sit through lectures. How ever very necessary for test. (open notebook).
Hes a great guy just talks really fast and makes it hard to take notes. I usually just listen in class then write the notes later which is hard because there is a lot of them and I do not have a lot of time. Only 4 grades for the class which makes it really hard to get your grade up.3 tests and 1 presentation.
Lectures were eh to sit through as they weren't that interesting, but labs were AWESOME. Tests are all open note, except for final. Grades pretty tough on lab assignments but if you talk to him he'll let you fix and get more credit. Gave tons of extra credit.
I took professor Witty's class some time ago, but I'll never forget him. His enthusiasm for the subject made the class enjoyable. Microbiology isn't easy in it's own right, but I enjoyed the class.
Great professor, you can learn a lot from him. Works with you to help you understand. Classes are entertaining while you learn.
Amazing professor. I was afraid to take Microbiology but this turned out to be one of my favorite classes. Lots of EC. Open note tests.
Do the class participation document he hands out, its literally extra credit. Hes very enthusiastic about the subject and the labs every class are fun. If you pay attention, you will learn. An eccentric professor, I enjoyed the class a lot.
You WILL be teaching microbiology to yourself. Extra credit will save you (that is the only reason I ended with an A). Honestly, his PowerPoints dont really help for the tests so focus on the textbook.
This class is VERRRY hands on . Miss too many days or even 1 and youll be behind . His assignments are 9/10 times given verbally and you will be lost . So make sure you have friends or make friends in the class . On the bright side if you do miss a couple of assignments he will give extra credit assignments for you to catch up.
Professor Witty is a Cambridge educated professor. This is evident in his lecturing and the way that he presents his information. He is flawless. He gives us the highest grade education, and therefore it might seem intimidating. Do the extra credit, come to class, and organize yourself! This is a hard class, but he works with you!
Do yourself a favor & take Dr. Witty's Micro class, you will NOT regret it! Do NOT take online microbio. Heavy lectures, TONS of extra credit opportunities, 2 exams, 1 final. Hands on labs are a blast, educational, and very thought out. Witty wants you to succeed. Verbal HW assignments, nothing due on canvas. He is a classically trained professor.
The power points in class are no help for exams. What we were tested on is not equivalent to what we learned in class. His extra credit was not actually extra credit. He is not clear on what he wants us to do for assignments. He is really nice but not a good professor in my opinion.
He's so bad I'd give him a zero but I can't so I give him a 1/10
It is very hard to focus on class bc he smells! His classes are very long and boring.nothing we learn is on the test. The only extra credit he gives us is to go in the woods and collect mushrooms.
I will never take this class nothing on the test is anything we learn in class.
He caused my mental illness
Never taking this class again
He is not a good teacher
this professor purposely takes points off of our assignments for no reason. he tells us all to write notes on our textbooks and lectures but the questions on his tests are very difficult and do not match. he also says that nothing in micro bio is perfect and that we shouldn't get 100% overall, just a bad teacher who can't teach
unorganized and difficult class
Great professor, gave out so many extra credit. If you let him know your in nursing or any other medical profession he works with you in order for you to succeed and gives you open notes on your test. Who ever is writing all these bad reviews have to be the same person who just had a bad experience.
I would leave this class crying and distressed, and Professor Witty doesn't help me. I wasn't good with this course to begin with, but I feel I must have gotten much worse. Would not recommend!
Professor Witty is accessible when help is needed!! He gives a lot of extra credit opportunities, and he is really sweet. Previous reviews do not match who professor witty is. They must have gotten in trouble w him bc he doesn't care what you do during his lecture...
He starts everyone at 0 and you have to "earn points." No extra credit is given its participation and if you do not do it then you will fail. He allows for open notes test but usually the material he teaches is not even on the test so it is not that helpful. He only gives verbal assignments and does not announce anything on canvas. Don't take it.
You will pass if you take this class, there are some serious haters writing the same review... you can tell but if you take this class you will pass and have a great time just make sure to do the extra credit and you'll get an A. Be careful with these false reviews... He's very nice and loves those who are inspiring to be in the healthcare field.
Microbio is a really tough course don't get that confused, but he's really understanding and tries to help and will give you ways to pass, If you are not a good test taker I would say take the advantage of all the extra credits like I did. Make sure you have friends or make friends in the class to succeed.
If you want to pass this class, do NOT take this professor! He does not answer any questions that you ask him, and he simply tells you he cannot answer that. Yes, his tests are open notes, but even if you copy the book word for word, it will not help. He gives "extra credit," but it is graded as class participation. His lectures are pointless.
I am a 4.0 student and had to withdraw from this course. Please go take ANYONE else. There are no study guides, practice quizzes, or homework assignments. The tests are not even remotely related to his lectures. He does not know anything more than what is on the board so do not bother asking questions. Please do not waste your money!!
Overall, I thought the class went well. Some of the comments I have read are true. The lecture he gives does not follow the exams. There are no study guides. There are about 6 hw assignments. He really does care, but has an odd way of showing it. If you take this class, DO THE PARTICIPATION points and you will pass. It is easy to do. Read his files
He knows the material very well an tries to make it interesting. Read the textbook as the lectures are not to teach but to pull things together for better understanding of the material. DEFINITELY do as much class participation as possible as this will be your saving grace!!
Some of these reviews do not depict a true idea of how his class works, there is so much extra credit he gives that even if you fail his exams you can still pass his class. Yes, the test are hard, its microbio... what did you expect? He's so nice and helps if you ask, the labs are fun and just follow his extra credit guidelines and you'll be good.
The only way to pass this class is to send him "anything microbiology related" whether that be images from labs, complete post-lab assignments, or lichen on trees outside, aside from doing well on the final PowerPoint presentation. He's amazing and well-educated on this subject but his exams are completely unrelated to his lectures.
This professor is awesome. Easy B. Honestly the exams have nothing to do with the lectures but he gives so much extra credit and plenty of assignments that even if you do poor on his exams (which are never more than 40 questions) you can still pass the class with a low B. I tanked all exams and I'm sitting at a low B. TAKE HIM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I love professor Witty, anyone who is complaining just simply DID NOT TRY. Do the class participation! His lectures have nothing to do with the tests BUT its open notes. If you read you can pass but even if you fail, YOU CAN STILL PASS. The class participation matters a lot in this course. His knows what he is talking about and is very funny to me.
I absolutely loved this professor. He is a very caring and sweet guy who wants everyone to enjoy the class and leave with a good grade. I would definitely take him again!
Very caring and sweet professor but does not know how to manage canvas, his lectures have NOTHING to do with test including final, most of your grade will come from the class participation portion. He has 2 exams and one final. Barely gave out assignments to raise our grade, and at times incorrectly enters grades. very excruciating lectures.
Take a look at all the reviews, this professor does not teach what is on exams and doesn't give you information on what is on them either. There are no study guides or indicators of any form to help you even get an idea of what is going to be on an exam for you to study. If you take Professor Witty you are gambling what your grade will be.
I would say the biggest thing is to do the extra credit; it boosts the grade a lot. He is old-fashioned, so he does in-person proctors, doesn't use any extensions for them. He does open-note exams. He's very sweet and caring. I would take his class, it's an easy A if you do the extra credit.
Class Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
64%
Textbook Required
44%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B+
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Improving
+1.09 avg changeRatings by Course
BSCL1011
5.0
(1)BSC1102
4.0
(1)MCB102
3.5
(6)MCB2010C
3.1
(54)BSC1011
3.1
(8)Difficulty by Course
BIO1010
4.0
BIO1011 LAB
4.0
MCB10C
4.0
BSC1011
3.9
MCB2010C
3.7