3.1
Quality3.7
Difficulty62%
Would Retake109
Reviews62%
Would Retake
109
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
27
4
23
3
20
2
32
1
7
What Students Say
“Honestly, this class was awful”
BIOLOGY1200 - 2.0 rating“The homework assignments are long, but you are given plenty of time to do them”
BIOL1200 - 4.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
39%
Textbook Required
38%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B+
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Improving
+0.40 avg changeRatings by Course
BIOL3660
5.0
(1)EB1060
5.0
(2)BIOLBIOL
5.0
(1)BIOL4250
5.0
(1)1200
4.0
(2)Difficulty by Course
ENVBIO
5.0
BIOL1051
5.0
BIOL1061
5.0
BIO1200
4.0
BIO1050
4.0
Reviews (109)
Extensive, varied work and academic history allows him to pepper his lectures with memorable anecdotes. Grades fairly. Course work load reasonable.
Very knowledgable but tests are hard, and the study guide he gives is of no help whatsoever. He's hot with a South African accent, but thats the only good thing about this class.
this teacher is absolutely awful. the average for 2 sections (500 students total) is a 50%! that reflects how bad of a teacher this guy is.. there is absolutely no interaction and the tests are rediculously hard. studyguide=useless.. basically have to teach urself. worst class ever and i like bio! DONT TAKE HIM!
Awful, awful teacher. He is completely oblivious to the needs of students and doesn't help at all. He just goes through the powerpoints and then asks questions on the tests about material that he never covered. His tests are super specific and the class averages are terrible. DO NOT TAKE HIM
Harris knows his stuff. He's a really smart guy. One of the smartest I've seen. He knows from 1st hand expirence. BUT BUT BUT he does not know how to express his knowledge on a student's level. I DONT reccommend taking him. The tests are INSANE and have nothing to do with what he talks about. Basically, he's a heckuva guy but BLOWS @teaching
The guy is a cool guy and he knows exactly what he is talking about, but when he doesnt respond to emails and the class average on tests are a 50, you know there are problems. I would not recommend him at all unless you feel like being bored to death and failing.
Im taking Dr. Harris for enviromental.All of the reviews are 99% accurate in that the class averages are a 50,and the study guide he gives out are useless.Im studying for the final and pretty much the only way to study for it is to read the entire book. He says only a few questions from previous tests will be on the final.You have to teach yourself
All he does is "teach" from powerpoints and expect you to memorize every chapter. I someone made out with an A- probably because he gave out all of the previous test questions and answers to study from. Basically what another person already said: he's smart but doesn't know how to express it so the class can understand.
His class is extremly hard and the test are even harder. There is so much info he expects you to memorize. If you can DO NOT TAKE HIS CLASS!!!
The class is not as hard as the other reviews suggest. Harris is a fringe environmentalist. For this course you must attend class to do well. The textbooks were not used at all, you won't need them so save your money. Again, go to class and you'll do fine and remember to pay attention! There is alot of material but you should be fine.
He lectures the entire hour and 50 minutes, there are no study guides, test are for 4+ chapters at a time, and the stuff is just hard. If you don't follow his lecture on your laptop and with the powerpoints that he provides, follow in your book and highlight what is on the powerpoint. I wouldn't tell you to take him.
DO NOT TAKE THIS PROFESSOR. the material is so hard and he is not helpful. dont take him if you want a d or to fail. gives no study guides, no review, doesnt give tests back and loses papers. each test is 4 chapters long and 50-60 slides per powerpoint, which he gives no study guide. the final is accumulative and no review is given .DOUCHEBAG
This class was extremely boring. The power points are no help and the tests are extremely hard. The highest grade I got on a test was an 80.
This class made me cry. Test were super hard and I would study for weeks in advance. I have to grade replace this grade now. Horrible teacher.
This guy is actually pretty funny but that's about it. if you want to do well in this class you MUST read the book. he does explain the overall concepts really well BUT it almost becomes worthless cuz his tests are so specific. the open book quizes seem impossible sometimes.if you're unlucky to get him READ THE BOOK. A'S are possible :D
Dr Harris is a great teacher. He keeps the class fun. The test are difficult and require you to study, but come on who thought college biology would be easy? The quiz questions are stright from the book if u take time to look up the answers. Bottom line is he's a good professor but it is a difficult class, so read the book, go to class, and study.
Don't know what everyone's complaining about. He does fine teaching it's just a boring subject. Read along in the book what he's teaching and study regularly.. duh..and should be fine
This is an awful class. Do not take this if you don't have to.
He is an awful teacher. None of his notes are on the exams, the exam I did the best on was when I studied at home instead of going to class. If you are able to take another BIO class do it. I barley made a C
Dr. Harris is an ok professor. His test are hard you just have to go to class take notes and read the book. Make sure that you take good notes because some of the test question come only from the notes.
Mr. Harris is an okay teacher, he is really enthusiastic which is especially helpful in the earlier classes, but he isn't the most helpful teacher. His exams can be hard but as long as you take notes and do the practice question at the end of every chapter in the book you'll do good. Clicker questions are five percent of your grade so go to class.
This class was horrible! I took notes everyday, studied them for the first test,which was the worst decision! I did better on my tests when I ignored what he said in class, cause he rambled so much, and read the book instead. I did fairly decent in that class, but would not recommend him as a good professor!
Dr. Harris knows what he's talking about and is a nice guy. He rambles all class and nothing he seems to talk about in class, is actually on any of the exams. The book was also little help because he doesn't really use that to write the exams either. He does drop the lowest exam grade. If you can, get out of the class.
I am a excellent student.. i study, read the book, go to office hrs. and i have never ever done so horrible in a class before. The concepts are easy but the way he words his test make it extremely hard to get a A in the class
He <3's fishes, That's 4 sure. He talks about fishes as much as he can. He's very passionate about Bio; however, how he teaches is not the best. The things on the tests are very specific. I studied as hard as I could, I wrote down notes&tried 2 follow the pp as well, but the highest that I could get on his tests was a 78. *sighs*
Pat Harris is a great teacher who is knowledgable and passionate about environmental biology. If you have an IQ higher than your age and actually read the text book and listen to the lectures you will get a good grade. He will bend over backwards to help you if you ask. I would definitely choose this professor again.
This is coming from a Biology major. His tests are EXTREMELY diffcult unless you take careful notes from the textbook. Had to work very hard for my A. Also he does not pass back tests so after each exam you will thank yourself during finals if you go to his office and look over each one. Some questions are reused. Overall, he is funny and very nice
OK! Ive seen he has some low ratings so I thought Id boost them some, personally I find the class very easy and entertaining, he is funny, and his power points are very thorough, granted I am only about 4 weeks in but still a great professor, read the book and take thorough notes and you should make an A!!!
He has a great personality and is fun, but when it comes to his tests they are horrible! Quizzes are okay, straight from the book, but tests aren't about what is the right answer, it's which answer is the most right and he typically can't tell you why it's the correct answer. Overall an okay class, but you have to study HARD!
I have had Dr. Harris twice and enjoyed both classes. I got a B in the first one (should have been an A) and an A in the 2nd. He is very knowledgeable and knows what he's talking about. Homework is pretty light but attendance is mandatory. I've heard people complain about the tests but I did well on all of them. He doesnt try to trick you up
How this is an entry level course is beyond me. Study or not = same grade. Good luck if you have future plans to take this class with him. Go to class every day because he has pop in class activities. Nice guy, but shouldn't be teaching this course.
Dr. Harris is very nice. Material he teaches isn't bad some more boring than others. He reads right from the ppt and gives in class pop quizzes and activities. He drops 10% of those and 1 test grade. If you go most of the time and read you ppt and chapters you'll do fine.
He's a hilarious dude from S. Africa and sometimes when he gets excited his british vocabulary come out. He gives quizzes almost every week on Bb, and his tests are difficult, but not impossible as long as you study. Going to class isnt required, but it's not a good idea to miss. He is a little lazy with posting grades, but i'd take him again
Great teacher! very nice, and funny! He had made some grade errors but I ultimately ended with an A in his class Spring 2012. He is very helpful with emailing you back and has a true interest in his field. I have taken 2 classes with him and would enjoy taking any classes with him again in the future. Still, this is college so try to pay attention.
Dr. Harris is a very nice professor and he's very passionate about what he does. His class and tests were not that difficult like people make it seem. He gives quizzes every week and drops two of your lowest quiz grades. I would definitely recommend him for this class. This is college, if you work hard a little you should do just fine in his class.
Awesome guy, great techer.
He is a really nice guy and a really good teacher. I was very nervous about his class (I am HORRIBLE at biology) but it was surprisingly easy. Just pay attention. He uses the clicker to take attendance, but you can miss around 5-6 classes and be fine. All around great guy. Would gladly take him again!
He goes off on random stories and the tests do not match the study guides. His lectures are interesting but not worth the grade. I got A+ in all other bio classes I've took, and with him I'm fighting to get a C
One of the better Bio professors I have had so far. He makes things so easy for his students I'm really surprised he's rated so low. Test are about as easy as it gets. He provides both study guides and chapter outlines for each chapter. Great guy, great stories, good class. TAKE HIM!
He is a nice guy, and he knows what he is talking about, and he lectures pretty well. However, tests are kind of difficult and attendance is mandatory because of clicker questions. OK class, but so boring.
Great Teacher. Exams are quite challenging.
Quizzes and tests are impossible, i went to every class, wrote down and studied everything he said and there were things on the tests i had never seen before. Really hard and miserable class
I found his class to be very intriguing. His blackboard quizzes were pretty difficult but his tests were pretty straight forward. He covers all of the material pretty clearly, and textbook use is not much needed. As long as you study and pay attention you'll do well!
Very kind teacher, doesn't assign too much work and the tests are pretty much exactly what is covered in class. Easily my favorite professor I have taken. All these people saying he is difficult are idiots. The lowest score I got on an exam was a 96, and he makes the class fun with his stories.
Very hard material, very detailed and specific. Can be tricky. Read the textbook, go over notes, powerpoints, and meet with him.
Keeps lectures interesting. Just read the chapters before tests and you'll be fine. Tests aren't difficult at all. He's seems very passionate about what he teaches and that makes class better. Quizzes are trickier than tests but you get two tries at them. Definitely recommend.
This class is very do-able. He's a nice guy and will help you out if you need it. Tests come directly from the powerpoints that he goes over in class. He's interesting and a good guy. One of my favorite professors so far.
Harris is a very laid back guy. Class is mandatory because of the clicker questions in each class. The weekly online quizzes aren't too bad because you get two tries. His exams cover a lot of material but if you study you'll do fine. I recommend taking him.
Honestly, this class was awful. However, Dr. Harris is a very nice man just a horrible teacher. All he talks about is his fish research and gives very hard tests. Take note: if you plan on taking his class, know that you can find valuable information on Quizlet and Study Blue.
Very Nice teacher. He is very clear with his lectures but can talk for a very long time. He doesn't assign much work. Just take notes and read the book and you'll be fine. Clicker points make it mandatory for class
Harris is a great teacher and keeps class interesting. He's like to crack jokes in class, a lot of people struggles with class but it was very easy of you outline the textbook and review your class notes. In reality the book can teach you all you need to know for the exams, the people who struggles only looked at the notes. I highly recommend him.
Very nice man. He is passionate about biology. He tries to make it as interesting as he can by being funny even though a lot of the time the class is boring. Mandatory attendance with clickers. Test are somewhat hard but doable. If you work hard, you should do well in this class.
He doesn't assign much work, just the usual chapters on Mastering Biology. I go to class every day & studied for hours and still made a 51 on the exam. He says "more than one answer is correct, you have to chose the most correct." He doesn't teach fast and he tries to explain everything thoroughly. He's a nice, but I'm not taking his class again.
He is such a nice guy and is always willing to help. I would recommend going to every class because he has clicker questions. Tests are not too hard if you read the book. I would take his class again.
He gets all of his powerpoints from the book's website which are directly copied from the book and he posts them online. Unfortunately, the tests do NOT correlate with the bookpowerpoints. It is very hard to succeed. Attendance is mandatory and lectures are 2+ hours. He has a thick South African accent and is VERY apparent when he says zebra.
Hardest class this semester. The tests killed my grade, they covered so much material I had no idea what would be on the test my highest test grade was a 76. He gives quizzes but they don't count much. Class assignments sometimes, still don't count much. if you're a bad test taker don't take him. His lectures drag & leave you mentally drained.
loves what he does. class is boring, but not mandatory. lot of work, but he drops a lot of grades. online quizzes are easy. tests are multiple choice & only hard if you don't pay attention or study a little.
Harris is super funny and really passionate about Biology. Read the book, try not to miss too many classes (doesn't take attendance, but there are random clicker questions), and pay attention to his lectures.
Mr. Harris is a really nice guy, but this class awful. He is lively while giving lectures, but the material is so unnecessarily confusing. Between the textbook and his PPTs I was still lost, as were many of my fellow students.
He really likes beer. He relates everything to beer. Be prepared to feel like your intelligence is being questioned as he reads off every slide to you. It is a long, boring process. However, if you study just a little and do the assignments you will pass. Attendance is taken through clicker questions.
Very enthusiastic & upbeat. He's done a lot of pretty cool stuff so he's always sharing stories. Lectures & ppts are clear & understandable. Tests are pretty easy. Attendance not mandatory but there's clicker questions everyday. He doesn't round up on grades. I was less than a point away from an A, but ended up with a B+. I would take him again
He is a really nice guy you can tell he is very passionate about Bio. Gives power points as well as study guides. Went to every class and did every study guide and still did bad on tests. His tests are hard with a lot of information on them. I would not take him again.
The tests are extremely difficult. No joke.
You have to pay attention in class to do well on the tests, but he does provide study guides and review sessions. The homework assignments are long, but you are given plenty of time to do them. You don't have to show up to class, but you may miss a clicker quiz. He's pretty good at answering email and offering help should you need it.
Professor Harris is a really great guy, but his tests are extremely difficult. I studied for hours a day and still did terrible. He drops the lowest test score though.
Want to know about fish and not the subject at hand? Then this is the class for you! I spent every lecture on my tablet browsing Reddit because I lost interest the first minute. Class goes by as if it were two hours instead of one hour. I studied but guessed on every single test question and got an 85, so you're better off guessing than studying,
The portion of the Biology 1200 class taught by Harris was enjoyable. He is a very interesting teacher and does a good job explaining the topics. The clicker quizzes are important and get the online book. Also, his review sessions are helpful.
He's extremely passionate about fish. His tests are also extremely difficult so you BETTER study and go to his office hours.
He was such a nice guy, and he really cared about what he was teaching!
He is a great person - easy going guy. But his tests are extremely hard so STUDY. I would recommend you to not take this class with him if you don't love biology. P.S. Work hard, show up to his office hours, ask questions, make sure he knows your face & maybe he'll help you out with your final grade. :)
His test are VERY hard, so you definitely need to study. However he is such a nice professor, very understanding and will definitely help you out if you just ask. Go to class because he takes attendance by clicker questions. Hard class, but he makes the best of it!
Love this teacher! he knows his stuff and always keeps his lectures interesting. he didn't give a lot of homework and personally I never had to study for his test just because he covers everything in class. If you get him than you will be good!
He drops your lowest exam grade which saved me. Also, he takes attendance on TopHat but doesn't ask for an attendance code so I got counted present when I just answered the questions even if I wasn't in class. Lectures are alright, and he only gives work a lot in the beginning of the semester then he stops completely (except for online quizzes).
By far the best biology professor I've had. Funny, and gives lectures that are engaging.
Dr. Harris is such a great professor and is easy to follow through lectures. However, I would advise anyone to read through the chapters in the textbook as his PowerPoints really don't cover everything on the exams.
This professor is very nice, but his test are super hard. I read the chapters, look over the powerpoint and study the study guides that he gives us before each exam , but none of that helped for the exam. Luckily there are a lot of quizzes and assignments that help balance out the test average a little.
Harris offers a lot of other assignments to balance out your test grades which is great because his tests are hard. The way his questions are set up will make you second guess yourself. The study guides help but not much. His powerpoints are straight forward though.
Dr. Harris tests are very hard and the study guides dont help much at all. There are a few other things to help weight out test grades (quizzes, in class assignments, homework) The class is pretty hard in general. Also gives questions on TopHat instead of attendance, but they count against you if you miss or dont do them. Drops lowest test grade
Honestly Dr. Harris's class was super hard in terms of the tests, all the other assignments like quizzes, in-class activities, and quizzes were easy and helped to balance out your grade. The most useful tip for this class is to really understand the material by reading the textbook and doing as many practice questions as possible.
Took this course as a computer science major because I was required to take a science class. Attendance was mandatory, but I didn't even bother showing up because it was worth so little (only 5%). I don't understand how people could complain about grades when I scored higher than them and I didn't even show up. A B is easily obtainable if you try.
I took his class in a 5-week online class. All the test were super hard. His study guides do not help at all. Very little turnaround. Tests were long and you must choose the "most correct" answer.
Harris is a very funny guy but only comes to class to tell stories about Africa and to prove how much knowledge is in his brain. He is very arrogant and conceited. It doesn't matter how much you study or what you study, the tests do not make sense and are ridiculously difficult.
Dr. Harris is a great professor and makes biology interesting. The class is lecture heavy and if you don't show up you'll have difficulty passing. Tests are difficult but there is extra credit on every test and multiple homework assignments and quizzes that balance your grade out. At the end of the semester, he also drops your lowest test grade.
Very hard exams, but has plenty of homework and extra credit to complete. If Bio isnt your strong suit, I would suggest taking another professor
Patrick is a very good professor. Some people just expect it to be easy and not have to study or work for a good grade. If you go to his lectures & PAY ATTENTION, you will pass because he always says key things that are on tests or quizzes and his PowerPoints sometimes dont have words but pictures instead that he explains. Gives good study guides
Made Bio interesting. As long as you study the key points and pay attention to what he emphasizes in the lectures, the tests are not difficult, however, do look out for some of his wording.
I enjoyed his class, most of the information is easy to digest and the only hard part about the tests are definitions of some small concepts, if you show up to class and pay attention to his wording on tests you will pass. He has a pretty cool accent too.
He is a really good guy!! His stories and relatability to the students is great! I never opened the textbook once in his class! I just took notes on the lectures, payed attention in class, and did the study guides.. He has weekly quizzes that are a easy grade. Would take again!
I took his class online and it was the worst thing I could have ever done. His powerpoint notes were filled with only pictures. We were given group assignments, which didn't help at all. Avoid him online at ALL cost.
Very heavy lectures that consist of only taking notes. You only need your textbook for the code that comes with it because without it you cannot complete your assignments... its 170 some dollars. Attendance isn't mandatory but you can gain credit from going. Study because the exams are rough if you don't attend class or actively read the notes.
Harris is a cool professor, I appreciate his grading and his stories. Had a great time in this course despite its natural difficulty. It is learning about the entire ocean. He teaches in a very real and down to earth way, genuinely awesome vibes. Wish I had gotten to take him for another course
As long as you do the homework he provides, show up for class once a week, and make sure to study hard for the exams you will pass, normally the midterm exam comes from the quizzes so you have to pay really good attention to them in order to pass. If you are late and need help he is the most helpful without taking points very understanding
Dr. Harris is a very nice and great BIOL 1061 teacher. His class has tough course material but if you just go to class and do all the assignments, it is very easy. Find a way to get as good a grade as possible on the quizzes and you will do fine. For the tests just glance over the notes, but make SURE you re-study the past quiz questions!
His class was great. He had a great teaching style and would do questions in class to make sure you were there. If you miss class a bunch you won't pass but if you have something going on in your life and need to miss class he is very understanding. I would suggest his class if you don't mind having to go to class every single time he holds.
The huge down side to the class is the exams. They usually only have 35 questions which makes them off so much for. You miss 10 and you have a D.
Dr Harris was a good professor.He really tries to help your grade at the end. Drops the lowest test, and only 3 tests. Attend lecture after tests cause he will most prolly give extra credit.He has webex but really doesn't care about the webex people LOL.His slides are mostly pictures which is why you should attend class. Study guides help the most.
Dr. Harris is a great professor. He does clicker questions in his presentation which are graded. Just show up to class and pay attention and you should have no problem passing. He provides extra credit for all of his tests and he has a great personality for the class. His tests are in person and not online. However, his quizzes are online are easy.
Super awesome and funny guy. Environmental biology was the easiest class I have ever taken and finished with my average above a 100. Show up to class every once in a while and turn in your assignments and youll be fine.
If you work hard and study in this class, you will get an A. Make sure to go to class, as he talks about topics that are not on the PowerPoint but will appear on the test. Extra credit is given after every test, and usually boosts your grade by a good 7 points. Lowest test and simbio assignments are dropped. Dr. Harris is a great professor!
Very understanding and allows you to make up missed tests outside of class.
My favorite professor this semester. Harris is very funny and his lectures are detailed. He tries to help you if you don't understand a topic. The tests are difficult, multiple choice with two essay questions. He provides opportunities for extra credit.
Terrible class and teacher. If you have to take this class do anything but choose him as your professor. He only does in class assignments when he knows people aren't gonna show up, for example: after a football game, day after Halloween, day after coming back from break. Terrible study guides, he does not care if you pass or not.I do not recommend
He is not a great professor if you're a freshman!! He is a great teacher, but he doesn't teach his class as a general education class; he teaches at a level of 3000 and up. His tests are super difficult, and the study guide does not accompany them. Don't take his class if you are not super passionate about biology.
I failed biology in high school but passed this class. Harris really cares about his students, and if you come to class and study, you will do just fine. The tests are hard, so read the textbook and take notes during class. He is a sweet guy and is helpful if you have any questions. I recommend him.
Professor Harris makes lectures engaging with his humor and interactive approach. Tests are tough, but extra credit opportunities and helpful study resources like unstuck ai make this class manageable with consistent attendance and effort.
He's a pretty good professor. His accent was a little bit hard to understand, but overall, he's a good teacher. He's a little strict about phones, so just be aware of that. He uses a lockdown browser for exams and says he does take attendance, but you are not graded for it. Also, there are little assignments he grades you on, so be aware
Very unorganized, gave many wrong questions in multiple exams. All over the place, and unclear in lecture. Eexam questions are not answered through lecture, notes, or powerpoints. Still hasn't graded assignments from 3 months ago. Participation is not required but your grade will go down if you don't answer clicker questions, which also isn't in.
Gives in-class assignments without warning, only on days he knows the attendance will be low. He is also very disorganized and has forgotten to post the homework multiple times. When he realized, he posted it all at once, giving students a week to finish. Lectures get off topic, and he rambles often. Grades are also never put in regularly.
Few grades total for this class, and exams are unreasonably difficult. The study guides are not accurate. Gets off topic easily during lectures and does not often update grades. Slideshows are mostly pictures, and it isn't easy to take notes at the speed at which he goes through his slides. Did not respond to my emails.
Class Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
39%
Textbook Required
38%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B+
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Improving
+0.40 avg changeRatings by Course
BIOL3660
5.0
(1)EB1060
5.0
(2)BIOLBIOL
5.0
(1)BIOL4250
5.0
(1)1200
4.0
(2)Difficulty by Course
ENVBIO
5.0
BIOL1051
5.0
BIOL1061
5.0
BIO1200
4.0
BIO1050
4.0