3.2
Quality3.8
Difficulty56%
Would Retake296
Reviews56%
Would Retake
296
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
296 total ratings5
64
4
79
3
64
2
60
1
29
What Students Say
“Armstrong's portion of Genetics was AWFUL”
GENE3200 - 3.0 rating“Armstrong is a very respectable professor”
GENE3200 - 4.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
60%
Textbook Required
17%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B+
Grade Distribution
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Rating Trend
Stable
+0.07 avg changeRatings by Course
BIOLLL07
5.0
(1)INTROTOBIO
4.0
(1)BIO
4.0
(1)BIO1103
3.7
(3)1103
3.5
(2)Difficulty by Course
BIOL2112
5.0
BIOLLL07
5.0
BIOL1113
5.0
BIOL1108
4.5
BIO1007
4.3
Reviews (295)
Much easier than Brickman! Don't have to do the readings, just show up for class and you're fine.
Very approachable.
great at helping & explaining until you understand, if you ask.
Let me tell you this guys teaching method is very difficult to sit through. He wastes a lot of time in class asking silly questions. His class was easy however.
He is a good teacher... I hate science, but I did well in this class and as long as you read the chapters and show up for some class, it is easy to make an A, oh, and you have to study too, just watch out for the midterm!
Not hard if you go to class and pay attention really hard. His tests are all application. Try and go see him after class. Helps if he knows who you are and you come to class
Test questions often seemed to have multiple correct answers and with only 16 questions a test, you're pretty well done even after only missing one.
Bored me to tears...and it was too hard.
This guy was cake, that idiot up top must be a football player.
extra credit saved my grade in this class, do all of it! some quizes are very tricky and need to be studied for to get A's. midterm was impossible, i numerous hours and got a C. many others had the same happen to them. final seemed easier. class is worth taking.
The class itself is not that hard with all the extra credit - I would strongly advise using the study guide that accompanies the book and don't waste your time reading the big bulky text. If you can do that, go to class, do extra credit, and succeed in lab - you'll get an A. It's definitely not a gimme though. His teaching method is questionable.
I loved his class. He was VERY energetic and fun. A++
test questions confusing sometimes, but he does give u a ton of extra credit.
The quizzes seem difficult the first time, but you also get to take them the second time as a group.
With only about 15 questions covering four+ chapters of material, the tests aren't all that difficult, but you're screwed if you miss even one question.
The material isn't hard, but his tests are reidiculous. No need to study. Just know the processes to cruise. However his wording is very unclear and you'll probably miss the question anyway because of it. He says you can argue answers to get them counted but never accepts any of them even if they are reasonable and many missed it. NO extra credit!!
he's a nice guy, but the tests are ridiculous. they are not from the notes or from text. he killed my interest in biology. also, there's no extra credit.
Dr. Armstrong is a great professor. Even though his class is hard, just read, use the CD, and study. He's a really nice guy and he cares. He's helped me improve in his class. I'm really glad I had him. A+++
Armstrong was a good professor, but I felt like the lectures were pointless because he did powerpoints and posted them online--it would have been more helpful to have real notes to take,I learned a lot--the TESTS are just rediculously hard. I'm an A student and I struggled with a C all semester--lab brings up your grade, though.
Norris requires attendance by using the clickers and 90% of what he teaches in class you won't need to know. Make sure to read all of chapters and watch every video on the cd with the book or you won't do well on the test. His wording on tests is very confusing also. I did not have fun in this class at all.
Dr Armstrong teaching was not clear and would expect alot on the test.his wordings on test are very confusing. thinks he is testing u on material by tricking or framing questions in adifferent way. sometimes would test stuff which he actually didn't teach in the class.struggled whole through the semester to make an A.i didn't enjoy his class.
Awful class! I would recommend taking 1107 taught by another professor because other bio1107 classes were less time consuming and easier from what I heard. Hated his teaching style and he was very reluctant to help students out as well.
I was excited about biology until I took his class. The tests were tremendously hard and every answer was correct; you were expected to know the answer HE considered the most correct. Lectures were boring and pointless. So basically, unless you want to spend every waking moment studying and maybe get a C, then DO NOT take this professor.
This man is a living example of why people say profs care about their research and not their students.
Very boring and pointless lectures. The grades are a measure of not how much you learn but on how well you can take his tests.
this class SUCKED. his lectures were more than boring, and he didn't give a**** about the class at all. his tests were harder then hell. seriously, if you have him as a prof DROP now!
Armstrong basically gave you notes and made you understand the basic processes and tested you on something completely different. The practice tests are unhelpful except maybe one or two questions might be on the test. Otherwise, good luck with him. i'd get out of that class and switch to brickman.
The class wasn't very interesting, but could have been a lot worse. The group aspect helps, as you can retake the test with your group for half the credit (an easy grade). Otherwise, the tests are difficult and lectures bore you to death. If you have the option, take Brickman.
Don't see what people complain about. The class isn't that difficult. Just go to class, study the material, do the practice tests and you'll do fine.
The class itself was moderately well taught. The problem was that he decided to make us responsible for other people's grades. If you want your grades to reflect your own work, not anyone else's, take a class with a different professor.
Norris wasn't a bad lecturer. He tried to keep the class interesting but it is just a boring class. He does group testing, for what that's worth, so 1/3 of each test grade is based on your group's performance. The tests were a little hard, but with some solid studying, this class wasn't very difficult.
The class wasn't terribly hard, because Armstrong is pretty good at explaining things. Reading the book will definately help you with the harder questions on the exams. The group tests will raise your grade.
I can't stand listening to his voice, attendance is normally enforced, text book is the most boring and vague science text I've ever read. Tests and quizzes cover material from former tests and not the current one. Armstrong acknowledges this. Hard tests, terrible professor...cannot STAND his voice it's nails on a chalkboard for 50 min. straight
He's a good teacher, but the problem is that his tests are only 18 questions and there's always one or two really vague or cheap ones, so it's really hard to get that A. Missing two gives you an automatic B, which is annoying. He does have good explanations though. Attendance is a must.
THis class is demanding. . he only has 18multiple questions per test and u have a test every other week. I didnt think he explained very well and he always said he wouldnt ask detail. But there is detail on the test! basically make sure you understand the concepts that are being discussed u cant just memorize.
He's not that bad but he's not good either. He's just whatever. You need to study for tests and FULLY understand the material and concepts behind them. It sucks that there are tests every other week; my life revolved around this class for that reason.
There's a test every other week so be prepared to study a lot..but at least each test is a small percentage of your grade. Go to class because you use clickers to answer questions that count in your participation grade. I HIGHLY recommend getting the study guide that accompanies the book; I only study this guide and make A's on all the tests.
Not hard, not that great of a teacher, but is pretty easy if you are able to teach yourself (lectures aren't that helpful, but the material is high school level)
armstrong was a pretty good teacher because he is very approachable and explains things really well. the only bad thing is that his tests are only 18 questions so you can only miss one and still have an a. however, the group testing brings up your grade. your grade also depends on labs so hope for a good TA. mines wasn't good.
He's a great teacher, but his tests have questions that are just way too vague. You need to almost remember every little random fact he brings up in class in order to succeed. Overall though, he is a great teacher.
He's an overall great teacher. His tests are not that easy which means NO SLACKING! his test are every two weeks so theres really no time for procrastinating.
Tests were not a representation of what was taught in class.
Tests were very difficult, completely not what was in lecture. Reading the book helped me, but they were still tough. Group tests and extra credit were nice too. He's a nice guy, and lecture isn't too bad, just a tough class. Wouldn't take it if you're just getting a science out of the way
I hate Norris Armstrong with every fiber of my being. He is a horrible teacher and his tests are too incredibly in depth for one person to know. I studied for hours for his tests and still didn't do well. DON'T TAKE HIM.
He is a nice person to talk to and is understanding if personal situations affect your attendance, but his tests are EXTREMELY difficult and have nothing to do with his teachings. Read the book. No matter how much you study or think you know the information it is never good enough for his tests. His tests are abstract application.DO NOT TAKE CLASS!
Not helpful at all. The course is entirely self taught and the tests are tricky, specific, and they do not focus on the main concepts of the book. Usually there is no right answer, just an answer that is the least 'wrong'...
He seems like he would be a likable guy outside of class but the class was just bad. The test questions are sneaky and convoluted. It is a rare situation that I would make a better grade on an essay test than on a multiple choice. It almost doesn't matter how much you know going into the test because the questions are so quirky.
A useless teacher. On every test, there is one question you need to go class to get right, three which come from comprehension of the material, and at least 17 which the only way to get credit for is memorizing the material in the book. Class is mandatory on account of the participation grade, but he never lectures anything that will tested.
Armstrong is a good lecturer, his test are really tricky but as long as you can grasp the concept you'll do fine. Take good notes and study your notes and you'll do well on the tests. Plus group tests are a nice bonus to your grade.
It was hard and I had to study a lot, but he kept the class very interesting. He relates biology to every day life. I don't even like science, but I liked his class.
OMG HE WAS THE WORST TEACHER EVER. USELESS. BAD AT TEACHING. REALLY HARD TESTS. I STUDIED AND FAILED EVERY SINGLE ONE. ALSO USES CLICKERS EVERY DAY SO YOU HAVE TO ATTEND. CAN NOT STAND THIS TEACHER. DO NOT TAKE HIS CLASS.
Ok well this class was awful... he is worthless. he lectures on NOTHING that will be tested over and it is hard to tell if the tests are going to REALLY hard or easy... and they are never consistent so it is difficult to know how and what material to study. Avoid if possible!
armstrong is a complete ass. he lectures on pointless information, like why do we care about insurance companies when we are talking about genetics? his tests arent about understanding biology as much as understanding his stupid way of wording. Avoid him at all possible costs! The absolute worst teacher I've ever had in my entire life!!!
wow okay if you can avoid this professor please do. his style of teaching is horrible, awful and completly irrelevant to what we needed to know on the test. he would give cool scenarios of diseases and stuff but NONE of that was on the test. he would talk about information in class that was irrelevant and not on the tests at all.
His tests are quite difficult and come straight from the book. Lecture isn't helpful, but it is required for participation points. He currently has a monopoly on BIOL1107, so have fun!
sure his case studies seemed annoying useless, but he explained everything else well. if u go to class and read(not memorize) the book, then thats enough to do good on the tests. high school bio was harder to me.
Very tricky when it comes to tets
extremely hard tests, but there are also group tests to make up for it.
Horrible! We spent the first 2 weeks looking at slides of his wife and kids...NO ONE CARES...BORING!! Class is very difficult and he doesn't make it any easier. almost everyone i know got a C. This class sucks, but the 1108 is much much better. ( Go Figure!). If i would not have attended class i would have got the same grade, but with more sleep!!!
Prof Armstrong seems very nice. He knows what he's talking about, BUT he does not review before the test. He has practice tests online from 2005 but doesn't give us the answers cuz we should work with our "assigned grps." I am grateful for xtra credit quizzes and the grp test but it's not easy.
Armstrong is a good teacher and he knows what he's talking about but he reallllly likes case studies and usually spends more time on them than actual material. If you enjoy having tests every 2 weeks then you are good!
Uses real world examples to explain concepts. Uses powerpoint. LOVES clicker questions. Responds to questions posted on WebCT (if asked early). Plenty of bonus point opportunities. Tests were fair (I did take 2 years of high school bio though). You just need to have good test skills. Gave back points for bad questions. Overall, good prof.
You have to study and read a lot just to make a passing grade on the test... his tests are really hard and sometimes have nothing to do with either the reading or the notes... it's easy to make a B in the class but hard to make an A
Norris was interesting in class, but it did not really pertain to the tests. There was a lot of outside work- reading, quizzes, and surveys. The tests were annoying, 21 multiple choice questions. It did not leave a lot of room for error. A lot of the questions on the tests had very similar answers. You have to go to class for the clicker questions.
If he is your only option then take him, otherwise I would strongly suggest taking someone else. I read every chapter, attended every lecture, completed all of the online quizzes yet struggled the entire semester. The tests are incredibly random and I never really understood how to study for them.
Armstrong is a good professor. Barstow is better but if he's your only option don't panic. His tests are hard. Nothing from lecture will be on the test. You MUST memorize the textbook. I made a B but if I'd have put forth a little more effort I'd have an A. Group tests help average.
This class is horrible. Really, if there is another teacher, take them...most likely there isn't though. All the tests are multiple choice, and it usually comes down to a guess between two. If you're good at multiple choice, then you'll do fine. Just be prepared, this class sucks.
Great teacher. Really relates everything you learn to life and makes the lectures interesting. Tests are hard but group tests for less points help boost your grade.
Attend class because of the clickers, the tests are really hard, lectures are worthless, spends time talking about stuff that doesn't matter, oh yeah...did I mention the tests blow ****?
Not exactly the most exciting in the world, but he does make lectures as interesting as possible. He really tries to relate things to the real world. His tests are nearly identical to the practice tests online. I read maybe one paragraph of the textbook the whole semester, attended about half the lectures, and still came out with an A.
TESTS ARE AWFUL...HE DOESNT TEACH, JUST GIVES HYPOTHETICAL SITUATIONS
Armstrong is a pretty cool professor. The tests weren' too hard for me (this is coming from someone with absolutely no interest in science). Clicker questions are really helpful. And the tests aren't too bad if you study the bold key terms in the textbook.
His tests aren't easy - it will definitely require effort on your part. You get your participation points through clicker questions, so attendance is required if you want those points. Homework is easy if you give yourself enough time to do it, and I used the 7th edition text with no problems. Overall: Interesting; challenging, but not impossible.
Armstrong uses a lot of hypothetical examples and case study type questions on his tests because he wants you to be able to apply concepts you've learned, not just regurgitate information. If you study in such a way that you learn how things work and not just what they are, you'll do well.
He is a nice guy but very unapproachable. The lectures do not correspond to the tests very well at all and lecture attendance is strongly recommended for participation grade. He is extremely fair in grading and the lab counts as a big portion.
He does a decent job at teaching the material, but many lectures involve hypothetical "case studies" which didn't really help me to learn. Take this class as early as possible in the day because he makes the test for the morning classes easier than the tests for the afternoon classes. Homework counts for nothing but is a good study tool.
He was a pretty nice professor. If you read the key terms in the book and respond to clicker questions you should be fine. After individual tests there are group tests which help a lot.
This class is a bunch of annoying busy work. Online quizzes and group note taking make the class a bother. yes the tests are group tests but they're onlt 15 questions per test so theyre not detailed. His reviews online before the test never come with answers. take chem for non science majors instead! Does lots of pointless case studies in class
This class is okay. I have had some amazing biology teachers and loved biology. However, this semester I have not seemed to be very motivated by Professor Armstrong. First off is HIS TESTS ARE RIDICULOUS! There are 6 tests, each with only 15 questions. Therefore, if you get two questions off, you don't have a very good grade. He has the class do a
he was a pretty solid teacher. Recording lectures - listen to these before class. KNOW THE VOCAB. test are chalenging, but not impossible. Gotta work for the A in here.
This class was terrible! A ton of homework, tests, group work, and just a pain. I took this class thinking it would be an easy A but i was mistaken. He teaches as if everyone has in depth prior knowledge to this subject. DONT Take this class!
The class is well structured and while the online quizzes for class can be a pain, the class is pretty straight-forward and easy if you put in even a little amount of studying. There is a lot of group work, but it's simple and gives you a lot of easy points. Test aren't too difficult and there are many opportunities for extra credit.
Overall Armstrong was a solid teacher. His lectures are extremely helpful and there are alot of extra credit opportunities if you do the HW correctly and show up to class. Tests are difficult except for the 1st one. Reading the book is a must. He's not the most approachable man but he's much more structured than all the other BIO and CHEM teachers.
RUN! If you have no prior knowledge to biology, Armstrong is NOT for you. Lectures are pointless, although attendance is mandatory bc of clicker ?'s. Homework is an easy A, but wont help you do well on the tests. The book is more helpful than anything, but tests are still IMPOSSIBLE. You can start studying a week before the test and still fail.
His tests are very difficult and he adds essays questions to his tests despite the syllabus stating they are only multiple choice. He doesn't curve either.
Pretty good teacher. He uses scenarios to make his point, which helps you on test because a lot of the questions are analysis based. I learned a lot.
Professor Armstrong was an excellent professor. His lectures are very organized, and very helpful. He is also extremely helpful when you visit his office hours. However, his tests are VERY VERY difficult. You have to REALLY understand the material and seek help outside of class. I got A in the class, but had to work, work and work.
Excellent professor. He is very knowledgeable, and very helpful if you seek help. One of the hardest-working professor you will ever meet. You will most definitely learn to THINK after taking this class. However, his tests are EXTREMELY difficult, because you have to think so much. I got A in the class and I had tears from happiness.
THIS CLASS IS THE HARDEST I'VE TAKEN AT UGA SO FAR. (That deserved all-caps.) It's made me feel like chem is a breeze. The lectures are easy to understand and he seems like a nice guy, but the tests are so difficult. Don't take this class if it isn't required; if it is, try to get another professor.
His tests are insanely difficult!There isn't much time & he gives short answer questions.Even when you feel you know the material his tests are still nearly impossible to make an A on.He posts podcasts so attendance isn't necessary, but lecture stuff isn't on test. Overall, if I had a choice, I would never take or suggest taking one of his classes.
AWFUL teacher. Biology as a subject should not be that hard, but it seems as though he doesn't want his students to do well. Lectures are pointless, he doesn't teach the material, just does Case Studies which aren't even on the tests.
I complete disagree that the case studies do not help. They have a lot of information that is actually on the tests if you think about it. But I do agree with you that his tests are insanely difficult. However, your final grade doesn't nececessarily correlate with your tests grades. You can get B after getting low C's on the test. Lab counts alot.
He doesn't care about his students. Seems like he wants them all to fail. The tests are unnecessarily hard. Doesn't seem possible to make an A.
I got an A and I still think he's one of the worst professors at UGA. His tests are really tough though and if I hadn't been knowledgeable before I probably would have done worse.
His class was definitely possible, I made an A but I had to study my head off. His tests are very hard, you have to study his class notes and the book to do well. I'm an English major so it was a little frustrating, but anyone with an interest in science would probably enjoy it more. Brickman is easier but Armstrong is a good second choice overall.
I studied countless hours for all his tests and still only managed to get C's or worse on all of them. I could pretty much recite the chapters we needed to know. His lectures verged on pointless. Do well in lab because you'll need it. But if at all possible, avoid him. I have heard other teachers are easier.
Armstrong is a great teacher. You get a ton of grades for attendance and online homework. Reading the book is not completely necessary, but it definitely helped me. His class got harder as the semester went on, but if you have to take biology, I think he's probably the lesser of the evils.
Awful Professor. Studied numerous hours for each test and still did horrible. They are hard and reflect nothing taught in lecture. Went to his office for help, and it was a waste of time. Incorporates homework and attendance questions into grade so do well on that and the lab. Does not care about his students.
Very nice guy, but his lectures are not always relevant to his tests. You can study a lot and still make very bad grades on his tests-they are very tricky but don't hurt your grade that much either. Go to class and do all the homework and it is possible to still come out with a very good grade.
This class was a challenge but doable (and I took it with Ochem ). Pay attention to his class problems because they were similar to his short answer on the test. Keep up with the readings and HW you should be fine. Group work help boost your grade. I payed more attention to ochem so i ended up with a B which isnt that bad.
I had Professor Armstrong about a year ago, and I am so glad that I had him as my Biology professor. He teaches you how to THINK CRITICALLY, and this is a skill that you will need as you continue to study in medical, nursing and pharm schools. I admit that his tests are very challenging, thats why you need visualize, not memorize for his tests.
This is a hard course. DO NOT GET BEHIND. Stay on your readings, I had three different professors (Armstrong, Bledell & Devartanian) so it was hard to get used to one teaching style, then the professor changed. He doesn't follow the book, but you need to follow the book.
This class is really easy to do well. Read the book, do the end of chapter questions, and go to class and you'll get an A. Everyone complains about how hard it is, but honestly, I only studied the night before tests and got an A. Homework is easy & online. The final is pretty hard though so definitely study and review everything.
One of the best professor I have had hear at UGA. He is a great teacher. Yes, the course is difficult, but he is an excellent teacher. He is very helpful and cares about his students. He really knows the material and does an excellent job of explaining it. I REALLY wish he taught BIOL 1108.
Difficult course, but not because of the professor. He has informative lectures and gives helpful homework. Doing well in this class mostly depends on the amount of work you put in, tests are challenging so the amount of time you study is directly reflected on your grade.
Decent professor for a huge class. Tests aren't easy, but they're not impossible if you put the work in. The online homework is annoying.
He is a tough professor. Period. Do your work though and at least try to PASS your tests with a 70 or more and you should get a B in the class. Do the extra credit!!
Armstrong is a great professor. He genuinely cares about the learning process and keeps lectures worthwhile and entertaining. You MUST do a lot of work outside of the class to do well though, attending lecture is NOT ENOUGH. Tests aren't a breeze but if you put in the work you'll be fine. You will miss Armstrong when he's gone.
Tests are extremely difficult compared to homework. Armstrong is an okay lecture professor but does not teach towards his tests.
Dr. Armstrong is a really nice guy. Firm but fair. Teaches the material with absolute clarity and takes time with every question. Tests are almost ridiculous, though... because Stanger-Hall creates the test material... I got a B in the class not because I didn't understand the material, but because the tests were from left field.
Armstrong is a great teacher. The class isn't easy, but he does a really good job going over everything. He teaches clearly and he's easy to follow. He does his best to make sure students understand. He even took the time to go over an entire test with me to help me understand missed concepts. He cares about the students and the subject.
He's a nice guy who obviously cares about this class. He teaches in a way that applies knowledge, rather than simply regurgitation of vocabulary. For this reason, his tests are SUPER hard. (I did awful and ended up dropping the class.) They can be conquered, but you have to know the all the dirty details to every concept.
Armstrong cares about his students and his teaching. He puts up old tests (without the answers), answers emails and ELC discussion questions quickly and consistently, and records podcasts of his class in case you miss. But his tests are VERY challenging. You must understand the concepts forward and backward. I've still yet to make a B on one.
Armstrong is a great professor! He is so responsible/responds to emails punctually. His tests are not easy, but it is very possible to get an A. Out of the four tests, I got 3 A's and 1 C. I got the C because I really did not UNDERSTAND the material. You HAVE to understand the material to do well on his tests. He's not as bad as most people say.
His test questions are not knowledge questions but comprehension and application so it is a very in depth class and can be very difficult. I found that even though I knew the material it was difficult to do well.
Armstrong is awesome! This class requires a lot of work, but if you are a science major it should be what you are interested in and willing to work for. There is a lot of flexibility with in the class grading. Armstrong is engaging and cares about his class. You CANNOT slack in the class, but if you do what is asked an A is very attainable.
Lectures are very interesting, he is a great teacher. His tests however are very hard. Read the textbook and it helps a lot. Must be able to apply information to real world situations. Really hard class, but glad I took it.
Loved him! Great professor! His tests are hard but they are doable1
He is an okay teacher, but his tests are ridiculous. Almost all of the material on the test is application, not knowledge. I knew everything in the book, but I failed the test. Nothing can really prepare you for his tests
BIO 1107 had 3 lecturers this semester (which was weird), Armstrong taught the first quarter of the material. I failed his exam (the first one) and made a B on the second one (taught by our second lecturer). Homework is constant but not difficult, tests are pretty hard if you don't read the book and just go off of lecture. Overall, liked Armstrong
To me, nothing ever seemed to make sense. The course doesn't use a specific textbook, so the tests are based off of his lectures, which were kind of confusing, in my opinion. This made the tests a challenge.
Armstrong's portion of Genetics was AWFUL. Seriously, you can study weeks for the exam, yet when you get to the exam you will be wondering if you are taking the correct test because it is NOTHING like what you did in class. Test averages were in the 50's. I was so terrified of failing and not graduating. Hands down hardest class for my bio degree.
Armstrong taught the first quarter of 1107. His test was by far the toughest. He is super boring and often pauses for a long time for someone to answer a question he asked. However, he is fair and dropped a couple questions from his exam that a lot of people missed to boost grades.
I love biology genetics. My favorite subject. However, I've never met a person who can make biology so BORING. I hated this class. Not the subject matter, just the way it was given. YACK!! I'll take my A in Genetics and BIOL 1108 vs. my B in 1107.
Armstrong's lectures are pointless & give no further information. He doesn't give notes, just random slides to talk about for far too long. We do WS's in class that help a lot with the short answer portion of the tests, but the multiple choice questions are tough and very badly worded. Requires lots of outside work to understand anything.
lectures are interesting & easy to understand if you pay attention on HW. also learn to use the HW website because you can take practice tests and quizzes which are basically the homework questions but it is nice for Multiple choice practice. do work outside of class (worksheets and practice tests) and go talk to him. he will help you understand.
Do not take this man's class. His lectures are so boring and tests don't always line up with what we learn in class. He does clicker questions so you are required to go to class. Homework isn't hard, but it won't help you pass the tests unless you put in a lot of effort learning things on your own.
Lectures are long and monotonous. Worksheets help with short answer, but multiple choice are VERY tricky and most of the time the tests did not line up with what we did in lecture. My test average killed my grade even though I had a 100 average or above in just about everything else. To succeed, you have to basically teach yourself.
Armstrong's lectures are pointless and don't really correlate with the material he tests on. Therefore, his tests come from the textbook more than anything else, although the textbook still doesn't prepare you enough.
I personally thought Armstrong was an interesting lecturer. 4 exams (w/ multiple choice and free response) and one is dropped, a lot of busy work (online HW, group work, reading), gives old tests to study (but no answer key). For the tests, he basically tells you to study everything, so the tests kinda suck. Multiple choice are worded badly.
This class sucked so much. We didn't have the same teacher for more than a month and the tests were so incredibly hard. Don't take it at UGA unless you must.
Dr. Armstrong is a very respectable professor. He knows the material he is teaching very well. My negative aspects of having him were really just the level of difficulty of the exams. Some of that is strictly due to the material we were learning at the time, but his exams are something you have to put SERIOUS commitment into in order to pass.
Lectures are very informative and helpful. The worksheets help you to understand the material and are helpful in preparing for the exams.
Armstrong is always willing to help his students but the class is awful. We had three different teachers throughout the semester. The test are incredibly hard and you have to put major effort into passing them. Make sure to take the worksheets seriously, you will see those questions again. Take plenty of notes and outline the chapters. Very hard!
Armstrong was great. His lectures were more than just powerpoint reading. His multiple choice are tough but the short answers can bring them up. The other two professors that taught the class were not nearly as good as Armstrong at communicating the material in a non-"oh my gosh I want to leave this lecture" way. Armstrong good; other two not.
So Armstrong himself was a decent lecturer and made class pretty interesting. There just really wasn't any organization in this class and that's what pissed me off. There were 3 different lecturers with different teach styles. We used a free textbook but used the expensive hw program for the old textbook + test questions were from the old textbook.
Armstrong's different from other professors in that his research was focused on education; as such, he's an incredible teacher. His lectures primarily covered material that showed up on the short-answer portion of the exams, and they were not hard at all.
I would never take him again. Did not use the same textbooks to make his tests as our homework was based off of. Tests were very difficult and very few people did well on them.
AVOID: He is a complete A$$ who doesn't want to help unless you go to office hours. His tests are insanely hard and he doesn't give much extra credit. He assigned an online book with lots of homework WHICH DOESN'T EVEN HELP PREPARE FOR TESTS. He does not like providing clear, consistence answers. He is only helpful in office hours.
ARMSTRONG IS ONE OF THE WORST PROFESSORS I'VE HAD IN MY ENTIRE COLLEGE CAREER. The new textbook that he uses doesn't align with the tests AT ALL! His lectures are pointless and don't prepare you for the content on the test. He frequently wastes class time by making you work on worksheets in groups. His final is also SO hard! STAY AWAY AT ALL COSTS
Nice professor that wants you to really understand the material. 5 tests (1 dropped) and the final are majority of the grade. Homework and Openstax textbook not really related to test material. Watch the videos before class, study the worksheets, old test questions and questions from Campbell's book, had to work for an A- but it's possible
Overall, Dr. Armstrong is a solid teacher. His tests are based off his videos, worksheets, and lectures. If you know and understand the info on worksheets, you are prepared for the tests. The online book was mainly for homework points. The hardest thing about the course was the cumulative final.
Armstrong's methods work for some, but not for all. Some don't learn well with group work/activities--you need to figure this out early on and compensate by reading a textbook. I found class time unproductive, but occasionally helpful (genetics lectures). It was difficult to get straight answers on the worksheets, which comprise the tests.
Dr. Armstrong is a nice person who cares more about whether or not students actually understand the material. The class is more difficult than most intro biology courses, but certainly not impossible to do well.
DO NOT TAKE. You have the watch lectures at home and take a pre-lecture quiz. Then he FLIES through the material in about 20 min so you can do your groupwork, which you won't know how to do because nothing was really taught. Then after class you have a post-lecture quiz to "reinforce" what you "learned". Take anyone but Armstrong.
Armstrong's tests do not go with the material he teaches. He teaches very basic concepts and once the tests come around it's like a slap to the face. His questions are very abnormal and go over things NOT discussed in class. Prepare to basically have to learn everything on your own. There is some extra credit but it barely helps. One dropped test.
Armstrong is an ok teacher. The multiple choice can be tricky on the tests, but it's not too bad. The short answer portion on the test is what determines if you get an A or a B. Make sure you know how to do the in-class activity worksheets, and you'll do fine on the short answer. The ELC quizzes are tough but are only worth 5% overall.
Put minimal work into the class & did fine! Don't need to go to class, since TopHat works outside class & lectures are the same as videos. Ace the little homework assignments, review old exams, do Easy Notecards for MC section, KEEP UP with the videos & worksheets for free response portion. Minimal bonus & small curve. Other profs. might be easier.
I think Dr. Armstrong is a good lecturer and is very fair in grading and everything else related to the course. Nice person as well.
This class really isn't as bad as everyone makes it out to be. All you have to do is take notes on the videos and other things he assigns so that you understand it all. For the multiple choice part of tests, study easy notecards heavily. For the free response, just do the worksheets the night before the test. curves final averages a lot
Genetics was probably one of my favorite classes I've taken in college because the information is super cool and interesting. However Armstrong's half of this course (dyer was the other) was extremely hard. He's a good lecturer and very well informed on the subject but be ready to study a lot for the tests as they information is difficult.
Armstrong wants you to do well and gives a lot of different easy quizzes, homework, and worksheets to help. However the tests are genuinely just very hard and don't always reflect what he teaches in lecture. Take another teacher for this course.
Armstrong is very passionate about biology and can answer almost every question you ask him BUT the tests are VERY hard- emphasis on hard concepts talked about in passing and very complex short answers. Activities go along with the short answer, but they HAVE to be EXACTLY what he wants or it's wrong. Curves final grade. Take another professor.
Main thing people who are thinking about taking this class need to know: DON'T. Armstrong honestly believes he is preparing students for his test, when it is not possible to prepare for questions that designed to trick you or contradict what was said in lecture. His test are made difficult and worded a certain way so that students do poorly.
Dr. Armstrong is not a great professor. His lectures are extremely boring and do not teach much. You will be forced to learn from the textbooks and watching videos. The only good thing about the class is that he gives worksheets that are sometimes similar to the short answer section of the test. TopHat measures attendance.
horrible teaching style; not only do his powerpoints contain no useful information, he lectures for 30 minutes and makes you do all the learning. Might as well be an online class. Tests are unnecessarily hard and designed to mess you up. DO NOT TAKE HIM
Before I came into this class, I loved biology. After taking BIOL1107 with Professor Armstrong, I honestly can say my perspective has changed. Tests are extremely hard, contradicting, and meant to confuse you. Pre-lecture quizzes before almost every lecture and post-lecture homework. If youre think about taking this course. My advice- DONT!
If you think this class is going to be an intro to Biology (which its supposed to be), get ready for a rude awakening. Lectures are boring and useless. The only information I learned in the class was from the online videos he posted from Bozeman Science, Crash Course, etc. Also, the tests are incredibly hard and the average grades were always Cs
I had Armstrong for Biol 1107 & Gene 3200. For Biol 1107, I agree that he is significantly harder than other professors, but it just prepares you for later science classes. For Genetics, he was super organized and his lectures were very engaging. You can tell he really knows his stuff. Tests are hard, but curved. Highly recommend for Genetics.
Dr. Armstrong was open to answering all questions students had, and he provided great examples to help remember course content. His tests were based on lecture, so attendance is beneficial. He is a solid choice for a professor and provides lots of material to review for tests. Make sure to ask questions if you don't understand something.
Lectures are bare-bones, and much of class is spent struggling with difficult worksheets. TAs are helpful it mostly feels like a waste of time. Most of your learning will be from watching videos he assigns. Tests are very tricky, especially the multiple choice sections that try to trip you up with obscure details. Quite rough for an intro class.
He was okay. Class wasn't supremely difficult - do the work and study some, and you'll be fine. I got lazy and blew through the homework and studied like the day before the test. I did fine, but I could have made an A without much a whole lot more work, I think. I didn't like him as a prof as much as I like Dyer, he's just more of a biologist.
GENE 3200 with Armstrong has been the hardest class I've ever taken. It's way harder than Ochem because this class involves so much critical thinking about concepts. Exams are hard and the grade definitions are changed so 85-87 is usually an A. You need to study 3 weeks before every exam to make sure you do well and do all textbook problems.
Mr. Armstrong is not as terrible as everyone is saying. You can tell he genuinely wants you to learn and do well in the class. As long as you do the tophat homework and at least try on the worksheets in class you'll be fine. His multiple choice can be difficult at times but the short answer is exactly like the activity sheets he gives you.
I prefer lectures. In the beginning he lectured more, but then it became more about doing worksheets in designated groups for half the class that I could do at home. You don't have to buy a textbook for his class. Class is mostly mandatory. As long as you have 80% in-class participation on TopHat, you get the full 100% for that grade.
There are TopHat questions you are graded on, for correction and for participation and you have to be in class to answer them. There are many chances to see him outside of class and during class to ask questions, he's very willing to help you. Really nice guy and wants you to do well.
I know a lot of people didn't like the fact that there was mainly groupwork and worksheets as the semester progressed but as far as college science classes go, this class was a breeze. If you show up or just have your group put your name down on the paper, you will likely pass. The tests were like the worksheets so it was an easy class to pass.
Armstrong was a decent professor but don't take him if you expect the class to be an easy intro class. You definitely have to work for it. Tests can be tricky, but if you really practice and study the activity sheets, you should be okay. He's a nice guy and knows his stuff.
Tests were multiple choice and short answer. Pretty hard unless you basically memorize the activity sheets he gave you. Didn't lecture much. Tophat questions everyday in class for participation, and Reading/HW due before almost every class. I feel like I would have done better if he explained the readings more, but he only lectured for 15ish mins.
Dr. Armstrong lectures for the first 15 minutes and then had us do work sheets that were hard and expected us to learn that way. He was a very nice guy but his teaching method did not suit my learning style.
All I can say is he's fine. You can definitely do worse. His lectures are pretty dry and the tests are hard but he gives them a more than fair curve. Actually read the textbook, it helps. Truly not as bad as people have made it seem. Exams are detailed and conceptual, as they should be, its genetics. I did the bare minimum and get an A-.
I am typically a B+/A- student but this class absolutely killed me. I studied for 50+ hours per test and still barely made C's. Dr Armstrongs lectures were boring and the powerpoints were not helpful at all for studying. The tests were impossible but the curve is the only reason I didnt drop.
His tests are ridiculous but the curve is a saving grace. Everything we learn in class is doable but nothing like what we are tested on. I think studying notes/textbook is a waste of time. His exams are much more upper level- so study his recitation probs and prac. tests. Hardest science class I've taken, but genetics also isn't my thing.
He is a nice person, but his tests are very hard. The material isnt too hard, but he makes the tests much harder than they need to be.
Dr. Armstrong was super cool but man can he go through a lecture QUICK. His tests were pretty darn hard (mainly the second on prokaryotic regulation). Lots of 'choose all that apply' questions. Have a basic understanding of lecture before going to class (he posts his slides on eLC). Do well on test one because test two was the class worst.
Lectures were LONG and hard to understand at times, but tests based fully on lecture. Tophat was extra credit and tests and ridiculously curved and almost exactly like practice tests posted on eLC. The class was hard, put put in the work and an A is manageable.
Prof. Norris is a solid choice for a Biology teacher. The class is by no means an easy A, but neither are most bio classes. You're graded on 4 test (none of them are cumulative) and online homework/in classes quizzes. The tests are relatively hard but if you study and go to class you'll be fine.
Dr. Armstrong is very knowledgable about the material he teaches and really tries to help you understand. The information is difficult at times but is very doable. Go to class and recitation sections and you will do well. He teaches the first half of the class and then Dyer teaches the second half.
I heard bad things ab Dr A before taking his class. Everyone said his tests were more difficult than Dyers. I ended up enjoying his portion more. I read, did the recitation sheets, and the old exams the provide and made really good grades. Its hard work but easy to manage. Definitely attend his review sessions before the test. Definitely take him.
It is a hard class. but Dr. Armstrong cares. He has study sessions before the classes. He can come across rude, but I think thats just because the class is so massive. He is very welcoming when you talk to him in person. Def take advantage of the review sessions, they helped a lot. Read. Pay attention. Go to class. Study. And you will do fine.
He is ok. Tests are crazy hard. We don't have a textbook and the readings provided cover the BASICS, but we are tested like we are in BIO Grad School. Some stuff on tests not taught. Lots of PDF drawing assignments-NOT easy to do on a computer. It's COVID, not everyone has access to a printer to print, draw, scan. ONLY gives & accepts PDFs files.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: no textbook (reduce student cost & over-reading YAH!), no chemistry, lots of math and drawing, need PDF software, 7 practice activities (graded for completion not accuracy) 14 medium-hard quizzes (can take twice-still might fail both), 7 tests w/20 questions (ALL unbearable, multi select & multiple choice) no final PERIOD!
I feel sad for anyone taking this class after covid Fall 2020. We had no F2F lectures which is a blessing because I could not imagine not having access to the internet for these quizzes and tests. I will pray for you. On the bright side, at least you don't have to buy/rent a textbook and don't need to know any chemistry.
I can't tell you to simply study, read or do your assignments and you will pass because all of your efforts are undermined by the complexities of their quizzes and tests. Tests are very wordy, 75 mins for 20 questions and you are told that you will not find their questions online anywhere, so the internet is not going to help you.
Dr. Armstrong is truly a great guy. He knows alot about biology in general. However, he is difficult to understand sometimes. He goes to in depth with some material, which kind of confuses some people. But, he truly does love his job. A good grade is hard to get though.
I thought Dr. Armstrong was a great professor especially with explaining things during lectures. However, you definitely need to spend time studying and working a lot outside of class to pass the tests, which effect your grade a lot. He's very understanding, but just make sure to pay attention during lectures, work hard, and you should be fine!
Honestly, he was a nice professor he put on recorded lectures and the test was harder because it was online and they try to trick you a lot but they did review sessions, would go over the quizzes, on would go over the activities you were assigned to do. Not an easy class but it was fair.
he was not a good grader because his tests only had 20 questions each and if you get one question wrong then you already loose a ton of percentage points. extremely hard to get an A in this class. if you study a ton and work extremely extremely hard then it might be achievable. he does not respond to emails and does not seem to have interest.
BIOL 1107 at UGA will be good no matter who you take because their coordinated assignments are so helpful & provide ample opportunities to improve your grade, but Dr. Armstrong is the slightly drier option. His lectures make it obvious that he's super knowledgable, but sometimes he'll make drastic typos on quizzes and won't do anything about it.
Dr. Armstrong is a sweet guy & great professor. Its just with this class being online we had limited resources given to us for tests. They would make the test super hard and nothing like weve practiced. Although they say attendance wasnt mandatory, you definitely could not succeed in this class if you didnt go..
Everyone says they prefer Dyer over Dr. A but I LOVED Dr. A. He was an amazing lecturer (to me) & the tests were doable as long as you put in the work. For me, the textbook, review sessions, & the recitation packets were key. Those packets really resemble the tests. Overall, BEST bio major elective I've ever had bc it was fun, interesting, & doable
Our course became fully online due to COVID, so Armstrong and Dees sort of merged their classes, which is why I feel like I have a good description of how Armstrong is as a professor. If you read, you will do well on everything except the tests. They require advanced application of the material, which was often never taught. Go to class and study.
This class seemed very do-able from the content of the readings and quizzes but the tests were harder than expected. I got a 5 on the AP Bio exam but I really had to work to do well on the quizzes and the homework for this class. If I could retake the class I would use the tutoring system/ study outside of the given content.
I took Armstrong and Dee's co-taught biology course online. Armstrong was very knowledgable and caring, I enjoyed his videos because they were short and sweet. He gave you the information you needed and talked at a good pace without wasting time (no offense, Dees). I enjoyed this course, the only thing is the exams were unnecessarily hard imo.
Dr. Armstrong is terrible at teaching the material for this course. There were three professors teaching this course at the same time and the tests over his content did not reflect his teachings and my grade was at jeopardy because of this. You can probably do well, but he should not be teaching this course in my opinion.
Armstrong is a really nice prof and did his best to be accessible during office hours. He cotaught with Dyer and Bi but his lectures by far were the most confusing and I got As on every test except the two units taught by him. For his portion of the class, make sure. you do the recitation problems and practice tests early and understand well
This professor is really straightforward and gets to the point. He will answer questions but his teaching cant be compared to kelly dyer. I wish she taught the whole class
Armstrong was an ok professor. The class was very hard though, I felt like I did not understand when he taught it. Spent countless hours at tutoring trying to get a B. The lectures cover the bare minimum, and the textbook covers the rest, so lots of reading. This class made me change my major, tests are hard, they want you to fail.
Dr. Armstrong is a pretty good professor. His powerpoints are all on elc, but most of the info you learn is on your own through assigned readings, so if you miss a class its not too big of a deal. He does take attendance through top hat questions, but you can honestly just do them from anywhere. He can be a bit of a tough grader at times though.
He can be really confusing during his lectures. His tests are super hard and usually not like the worksheets, practice questions, etc. It seems like he wants students to get a badf grade. Would not really recommend.
Armstrong is a very smart man, but this class was painful. Specifically, the tests were unlike our practice problems, and Armstrong made his tests way too hard for a beginning biology course. I understood the material, but the tests were always upsetting. Also, it seems like he wants his students to get bad grades. His grading policies are absurd.
Listen, he was a nice guy, but he is not really always willing to help you. His class is hard, and unless you're a hardworker, it's not a walk in the park. His tests are super hard, and the material comes straight from his teaching. He is not really willing to help you, and he's sometimes unapproachable. He is nice, but not really as a professor.
Dr. Armstrong was a great professor and he did a good job of making things make sense in class. Sometimes it seemed he would get off topic, but most of the time the "off-topic" thing would be an example to better explain the topic.
Dr. Armstrong makes it clear that he does not care if his students succeed. His tests are NOTHING like any of the worksheets, practice problems, tophat, etc. He also is not lenient at all when it comes to grading. His tests are select all that apply, rather than multiple choice. Save yourself the tears and dont take him.
He wasnt as bad as the reviews made him out to be. Hes a nice person and hes willing to help if you ask him questions or go to office hours. The biggest thing is that his tests are pretty hard, especially the multiple choice because its select all that apply types of questions, but if you study the material in detail, you should be okay.
Norris is a great professor and he gives very good lectures. I never had to contact him outside of class, but he does seem approachable. As long as you do the readings before class and the unit worksheets, you will be fine.
He's a good person and his lectures were relatively interesting. You can tell that he's passionate about what he teaches, but his test are abnormally hard. The sheer amount of select all that apply questions as well as content that was mentioned once at a maximum will catch you off guard.
He does a flipped classroom, but in a way that actually helped me to be successful. For every unit, we get practice worksheets (not graded) and online worksheets (graded) that are very good practice for what you will be asked to do on the test. This is a class where participating, practicing, and putting in effort will actually pay off a lot.
Dr. Armstrong was an amazing professor. He was always helpful during office hours and was kind when he was explaining stuff one-on-one. If you do not understand something, ask him! He uploads a recording of every single topic that will be covered on the test and you can get an A if you watch these and do the worksheets.
He genuinely cares about his students. Go to class, do the assignments, and if you need help, go to office hours and you should pass with ease! He's truly a great professor.
don't do it
Great Professor, but it is hard to pay attention in class. The class is challenging but fair. Do the problem sets, youll be fine.
I got a 5 on AP bio and did not need to take this class but my advisor told me I did. By the time I figured it out add drop had come and gone. With a 5 on the AP exam and being exempt from this course I did not expect to struggle, but I had to claw my way into barely a B. Tests are too hard for this course, and you will be underprepared.
I loved Armstrong! the class was easy to understand and the tests weren't bad. I skipped many lectures and did the in class tophat questions in bed. he was very engaging and easy to understand, and I still did great without going to class. 10/10 recommend
Armstrong himself is so nice, he's so caring, and he really loves his students. But, his tests are hard, you need to really know the material like the back of your hand, the tests are also not multiple choice they are application questions that you need to fill in, the multiple-choice usually select all that apply. i liked him as a person.
He is genuinely a sweet human and cares about his students. The class is definitely hard, but he makes it interesting and fun. I would take him again for sure
I adored Professor Armstrong, his class was also a very fair class. If you did what was asked then you could easily succeed and he was always willing to help his students if you were struggling.
I ADORED Professor Armstrong! He is very eager to help students understand the material and set them up for success. There is mandatory TopHat readings and attendance, but it's only a few questions a week with a 20% of wiggle room. Overall, he was a great professor and I would 100% take him again!
Dr. Armstrong does a good job explaining the content and makes his lectures fairly interesting to listen to. The tests are a mix of multiple choice, select all that apply, and short answer, but if you study the practice activities and old test you should do fine.
I was worried after reading some of the reviews he had, but honestly he is not a great option for Biology 1107. He posts the tests and answer keys from last year which make for great practice, uses tophat, posts the lectures and powerpoints on eLC, and gives a lot of partial credit on tests. His class is pretty straightforward. Take him!!
I love this class. Armstrong is a really engaging teacher and it's a really fun class. The tests are pretty easy if you study and understand all of the concepts. The homework grades are also super easy, it's mostly completion.
Dr. Armstrong is one of the best biology professors I've had. He's kind of all over the place, so don't take him if that's not your vibe. Most of the material was easy to understand. One thing I will mention is that the TopHat homework is easy to forget, and it makes up a good chunk of the grade. The participation grade is important, too.
He uses tophat in class so you do need to attend most classes. He can be good at lecturing but sometimes he just talks too slow and loses the classes attention. Overall the tests are a little hard but pretty similar to the questions he shows in class and its a doable class.
Dr. Armstrong is actually awesome! We do reading via tophat before class, but they are super manageable and easy to understand, and thats really all the hw you'll have. The class is not super challenging, and the tests are application of what is learned in class, which can occasionally be a bit tricky. 1000000% take him!!!
He was never very approachable outside of class and I found his tests to be some of the hardest I've ever taken. When I tried to talk to him once he blew me off and was very rude. The grades are 75% tests made up of five tests which doesn't sound bad but its really difficult to do well and you should take Dr. Dees instead if you are able
I didn't think bio 1107 was very hard (probably because I took ap bio in high school) but I felt like he was a fair grader and gives good resources for studying. I would recommend taking the practice tests he puts out for every unit. Looking over the material for the unit isn't enough because the tests are heavily focused on practice problems.
Dr. Armstrong is a good professor and gives good, clear lectures explaining the material. There aren't a lot of assignments or grades but they are easy participation grades. Tests are a big portion of the grade and he makes them more difficult than the other 1107 professor. Overall, he's a pretty good professor.
I loved Dr. Armstrong. He cares about students and is incredibly approachable. I didn't find this class to be too hard, and he gives a lot of resources to help study for tests. There were a handful of extra credit points and homework is completion, so if you go to class and pay attention, his class really shouldn't be too difficult.
Armstrong was great. He gives lots of good study materials. The readings are short but basically teach you the content. If you struggle, he has lots of office hours and the class before the test is a help session.
This was my first semester at UGA and Dr. Armstrong was my favorite professor. He knows how to make his lectures interesting and the questions during class really helped me understand the material and stay focused. I would recommend him for any STEM majors. His tests are hard but he gives really helpful resources on ELC to make sure you get an A.
Tophat clicker questions was asked in class that counted as your attendance but you could do them from anywhere so you didn't really have to go. The tests are not that difficult if you actually do the previous practice exams and the worksheets for each unit. Gives partial credit on tests and worksheets are participation. I would recommend him.
His class was a complete struggle. He has the most difficult tests of any professor/teacher that I've ever had (especially his "select all" multiple choice questions). Do not take his class if you don't want to fail the majority of his tests, which are worth 75% of the grade. There is also a ton of online notes that have to take before every class.
Overall, Armstrong was not a terrible professor. I enjoyed his lectures because he made it interesting; however, his tests are extremely harder compared to the other 1107 professors. His questions are worded and formatted weirdly, making the tests pretty difficult. Highly recommend reviewing each practice test before the exam.
He was super great at explaining concepts and always has extra resources. He had plenty of class time to recieve help on practice questions as well as out of class help sessions!
Honestly, taking BIOL1107 with Dr. Armstrong was not bad. It was a difficult class especially if you were not paying attention. I had to go to a few tutoring sessions outside of class just because he moves at his own pace whether the class is ready or not but as long as you keep up with the readings it's a fairly average course.
Armstrong moved extremely fast, even for a college-level class. The homework and readings did not cohesively merge into the lectures and the lectures were bare minimum information. The tests were challenging and would sometimes be confusing with its wording. The units did not build on each other and seemed to jump around. I wouldn't take him again.
I think he was good at teaching the material, but his tests were so very very hard for me. It did not help that tests were worth 75% of our grade. There were a lot of small homework assignments. Everything was fine except for the hard tests.
Armstrong was a decent professor as long as you go to his office hours before the exams. It is crucial to understand the steps and thought process for the questions on his old exams that he provides! If you thoroughly read and take notes on the tophat readings, lecture slides, unit worksheets, and old exams, you will get an A in the class.
Attendance is technically mandatory but you can just answer top hat questions during the class period. His tests are unnecessarily hard and application based, so you really have to understand the material. Also, tests basically comprise your whole grade.
Dr. Armstrong was a good professor for me. I had to get extra tutoring for this course because of the application part in all the tests but he did care about the students during tests and after tests. The tests were half MCQ and half short answer. They weren't impossible but you need to work on a lot of practice to be prepared for the tests.
I had him first semester of my freshman year, explains the information clearly, is always willing to help and he offers free practice tests that help out a ton. You will basically make the same grade on the actual test as the practice so make sure you are on top of your game and stay organized and you can easily make an A!
He's too smart to be teaching this course, he knows a lot of information and I think that causes him to move very quickly and think we all know the same amount of info that he does. I had to get lots of tutoring outside of class and even that didn't help enough. Only take him if science/biology is your strongest subject.
Tests were much harder than what was covered in the lecture, but once you get used to it it's not that bad. Probably would not take him again unless I had to because of the tests. He was a really friendly guy and was not hard to talk to. Tests just felt way harder than lectures.
Extremely tough grader that made exams overly complicated and designed to trick you rather than test if you understand the material. Somewhat unapproachable as well (in my opinion) and overall just a poor experience. If you can take any other professor for 1107 I would highly encourage it (especially Professor Dees if possible).
Dr. Armstrong cares so much and is always available to help. I took his class last semester, and eventually realized that reading and studying the (short) Tophat articles gives you everything you need for exams, and you can do attendance questions from home. I stopped going to class and still got >95 on every test by doing this + his practice exams
This course is certainly easier than OChem, but you still need to put in the time to study. Go to office hours and test review! Dr. Armstrong is happy to re-explain content until you understand it. They provide a lot of materials to help you succeed, but you need to sit down and do the problems until you are an expert.
Dr. Armstrong was great. The content can be complex, but the problem sets and practice tests he gives are very helpful and the same difficulty level as the tests. Lots of assigned reading, but just skim for context because it can be overwhelming. Go to office hours for help because he is great at explaining tough concepts in an understandable way.
Take him for genetics! He prepares you so well for every test. I really enjoyed his class. The tests could be hard but I always did well because the tests are basically reworded practice questions and he gives past tests which are almost the same. Do what he says and you'll get a good grade!
The class itself is difficult and I struggled but Mr. Armstrong had good lectures and provided videos online, practice activities, tests, and worksheets.
Norris grades the tests super hard, but he gives out other things that are for a completion grade to it kinda balances out. I feel like even though I don't get As on the test I am still learning and understanding the information super well. You also get through the content on time.
He is a decent professor but his tests are hard. They are all FRQ and select all that apply, so study and ask questions.
I took 1107 with Dr. Armstrong and loved it! He is very helpful if you talk to him; I often could not take the exams on Thursday evenings and he let me take them early. I thought he explained concepts well, however, to do well on exams read the Top Hat chapters AND take notes on them. Much of the details aren't covered in lectures.
Dr. Armstrong is an incredible professor. I've severely struggled to understand biology in past classes, but his style of teaching is clear, organized, helpful, and most of all interesting - and I can't thank him enough for it.
He uses tophat, which I loved, and makes it very easy to stay engaged in class. Tests were not bad and he always provided the test from the year before so we could see what it would be like. Didn't take AP Bio and got an A on every test. He was so wholesome and just gave off dad vibes. 12/10
Armstrong is extremely difficult dont get me wrong BUT if you go to office hours and work on the practice problems with him YOU WILL BE FINE IN THE CLASS. i rlly struggled at the beginning of the year but i put in the time to go to his hours and it helps SM. highly suggest science guyz no matter what and going over the practice tests he provides.
Dr. Armstrong is very kind, helpful, and intelligent. While he is a very kind man, he was almost too smart to thoroughly teach the class for students who hadn't had biology in a while.
He's a very nice professor and cares about his students, he explains the topics very well and his PowerPoints are very helpful. Attendance is mandatory because he uses tophat questions during to class to make sure you are there. However, if you do 80% of the tophat questions asked in class you will get 100% for the category.
He's a good lecturer. Participation is on TopHat. you have to answer 80% of them to get full participation credit. The only grades are the tests, a worksheet per unit, participation, and reading homework, but everything except the tests are pretty free. The tests arent horrible. There is a lot of reading on tophat. overall a fine class
Very difficult but a good teacher
Really great at lecturing and really organized! Content isn't hard, but tests can be confusing, at the beginning, I didn't know some questions were multiple answers, so I got a lot wrong from there because it wasn't clearly stated. Just pay attention, take notes, DO LOTS OF PRACTICE PROBLEMS, and attend group sessions and you should be good.
Professor Armstrong was great. His did a great job lecturing and using analogies to help his students understand the concepts. He's super understanding when it comes to life outside of school and does his best to help. You will have reading assignments for reach Unit and the whole class is essentially a lecture, but his tests can be confusing.
I went to office hours and sometimes I felt like I couldn't ask questions because he would respond in a condescending way or he would not answer my question. Overall, I did not think the course was difficult but it definitely requires outside efforts. The exams are very difficult as multiple answers are accepted but he has explicit expectations.
He does an excellent job at teaching and supporting other students. I do hear, however, that asking questions is intimidating. I have been to his office hours frequently, and I sometimes have the same feeling. His tests are hard, yet they are incredibly problem-heavy. I highly recommend prioritizing practice problems and conceptual understanding.
very very hard test. but he is a awesome guy and I would make use of his office hours. he also gives past exams which is huge
Dr. Armstrong- nice guy, not a good teacher. He does powerpoint lectures & none are anything like the test. They're all application questions & make up majority of overall grade (75%). Going into the test, I knew all the material, and then could never figure out what the questions were even asking. He does give past text which are helpful.
I would not take Armstrong for 1107 if given the chance to take other professors. He is very passive-aggressive and does not seem to care about the content as, a majority of the time; he would simply read off of the slides. His tests are extremely hard with selecting all that apply questions that can have up to 10 answer choices. Do not take him.
RUDE and makes his exams entirely too hard.
Armstrong genuinely cares about the subjects he teaches. However, his tests are mainly application-based so you can know most of the material and still not do well. The tests are extremely hard and worth 75% of your grade. ALL multiple-choice are select all that apply which is where I lost most of the points. take Deez if possible
DO NOT TAKE HIM. His lectures are out of touch with his tests. The tests are all application questions that he never goes over. I felt like every time I asked him a question, he didn't want to be there. He is not understanding. Also, try asking him a question he will most likely not answer. If you trying to get an A take Dees. GOD AWFUL TEACHER!
His lectures are both engaging and informative. The tests are relatively easy provided you at least pay attention a little in class and do some extra work out of class. Overall, the class was pretty fair.
His class was very interesting and is somewhat easy if you study outside of class. The course is very test heavy and the test are mainly application based but he provides many practice problems and he and his PLAs are there to help you understand if you ask. I really enjoyed his class.
He was good, lectures were completely useless but mandatory for clicker questions. Tests were easy if you completed the practice tests he gave.
Dr. Armstrong is an extremely kind man. I enjoyed his humor and his engagement. However, he was almost too smart to be teaching. He knew so much which made it difficult to understand certain concepts. For me personally, what was taught in class wasn't nearly as hard as the exams.
I loved this class even though it was a good bit of work. Very important to read the assigned material before the class, do all the practice problems/exams take advantage of the TLAs. going to lectures alone is not enough but if you are well prepared it is engaging and Armstrong does a great job of organizing the course.
Dr. Armstrong is a great teacher, and I learned a lot. However, this class is challenging. Tests were difficult even if you completed the practice. I put so much into this class and wasn't able to make an A. Going to office hours is good because he is willing to help you out one-on-one, and the PLAs are helpful too. Overall, too hard for intro bio
Even though it was a big class I felt like I knew the material very well. He uses a system called TopHat which is similar to Kahoot and his style of active learning is very effective. Practice test and extra problems are provided through elc. These are great resources and reading and practicing the TopHat is a must.
Makes you teach yourself before class. Overall would not recommend
Hardest BIO 1107 Professor out there. His tests were so hard for no reason and he made them very tricky. Would not recommend taking him. Take Dees if you want a good grade.
Test material comes straight from the textbook, but he organizes the readings into sections to make it easier and manageable. The tests are written and multiple choice and some questions try to trick you, but if you study you will be fine. He is good at teaching the material and wants you to succeed.
Seems like a nice guy just doesnt seem like he doesn't knows how to teach the best. Be prepared to read and do a lot of work outside of class. Tests super hard always had 3 trick questions I NEVER knew. only 5 tests and a few other participation grades. Try to get Dees but Armstrong isnt a bad bet either
This guy is awful. He gives out-of-context questions that are designed to trick you and loosely based on the lectures. He talks really fast and assumes everyone in the room cares to be a geneticist. Very ambiguous questions. Putting in the work, an A is doable.
Really nice guy, however, this class is nothing to laugh at. His tests are formatted to be completely written/drawn, and multiple-choice is never a single answer; it's open-ended to multiple answers OR one. If you can grasp content quickly and know how to study, go ahead. If not, explore other options because this professor is TOUGH. Good luck
Worst professor I have ever had at UGA. Gives lectures and then when you open up his practice problems they are super involved and nothing like what we talked about in class. Dr. Dyer is so much better than him
All he cares about is making the class hard. All his practice questions involve understanding genetics experiments and cannot usually be answered based on the lecture materials. Avoid him if you can but it is possible to get an A
He was a great BIOL1107 professor! I was scared to take him before because of his ratings, but he really wasn't that bad. I ended the class with an A, but of course, I had to work really hard for that. He has office hours, and you should definitely go if you are ever struggling. His tests were a mix of multiple choice and short answer.
Textbook is useless. He is obsessed with DNA sequences. Take someone else.
He talks so fast in his lectures. The practice problems are much different from what he lectures on. He never walks through the practice problems in class (unlike Dr. Dyer). It would help if he went through the practice sets in class but he doesn't so he is a terrible teacher
He assumes you have so much knowledge from "intro bio." His part of the course is extremely over-complicated. He is more concerned with useless examples and relaying his own agenda than getting us to understand the practice problems. Was not a fan of his part of the course. He really tries to make it hard.
Loved his lectures, but exams were difficult. Made you really think and some were tricky. Only wants answers HE thought were acceptable; took BCHM 4020 and knew about DNA pretty well and some of my free response questions were marked wrong becuz it was "right but not what he was looking for." Attendance required, iClicker questions, & exams hard.
He's a very plain and straightforward professor, but the day-to-day work is never bad. The readings were short and there was minimal homework, and the in-class questions were participation. The tests were only select-all style, but if you can connect strings of content in your head, you can easily weed out which answers aren't right. Nice guy!
Lectures were engaging, but exams were brutal - covers niche genetics concepts not well-aligned with course material. Attendance required, and unstuckstudy ai alongside the textbook were essential for staying on top of the content.
I thought the way he taught made the class very interesting, and encouraged engagement and practice between what he was teaching. Has periods where you do practice questions and CLAs explain if you're confused. If you study the concepts are easy! The tests contain lots of written response, but if you learn the content it isn't too difficult.
He offers many opportunities for help if you need it. Participation via TopHat is required for attendance purposes. One homework assignment per unit and a few TopHat readings so very minimal work. I will say use all of the practice material he offers for tests because they can be tricky. Def do the old exams he posts!
I think he is a great professor and he keeps his lectures interesting. He goes through really helpful practice problems in class. Grade consists of 5 exams, tophat readings and participation, and worksheets (graded on completion). Overall I would definitely recommend him, he is very helpful and offers extra credit as well.
The class wasn't very hard, but the test were actually pretty difficult. Armstrong is super nice and understanding though which helps.
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