Very enthusiastic and clear. You will do well if you do exactly how he wants you to learn. Take notes in class. Easy A.

For his first class, I think he did really well, especially considering his specialty is research, not teaching. It's important to stay on top of this class, and his demeanor and way he explained concepts (he assumes you know the basics) relayed this fact. Learn the basics well and the class won't be a problem:)

Difficult but straight forward.

He is young and it is his first time teaching the course. However, he is very knowledgeable and easy to follow. The negative comment below should be ignored because as long as you put the effort into it he will help you understand much as possible. I think this class is easy A...

he was a good prof, if u are willing to work hard, attend every lecture, and review after each lecture than u can ignore the negative comments below. Ochem is naturally a hard course, just don't treat it like an easy A and u will be ok. Derda is very clear and he will give you helpful hints on what will be on the midterm and the final.

easiest A i have ever got in my life, midterm was stupid easy, all the above is a lie i am in the class now but the midterm was stupid easy, good prof, good jokes, i hope the curve is nice cause there should; be no such thing as a 75% average on a "hard" course

Excellent Prof. Young, enthusiastic and good sense of humor. Always happy to help his students who want to learn. Found his sessions outside of class to be very helpful. He made organic chemistry very fun and easy.

Not as bad as the comments below say. Pretty funny, reasonably easy and very helpful. He uses facebook as as a way to inform students, post notes, etc. I hated general chemisty but I actual enjoy his class. He does have a slight accent at times but you can easily understand him.

In his second year of teaching. This prof is still learning how to present the material, but is learning quickly. He is always available and willing to help his students. He makes some difficult material very approachable. His quiz and midterm are on the easy side, but the final exam is a BEAST, so do not fall behind.

I found Dr. Derda to be an overall really good prof. He offered a one or two evening review sessions before each exam, which were helpful and I would recommend attending. He also was receptive to student's comments and feedback throughout the course. Final was challenging, but fair.

This course is naturally more difficult than others and he tries his best to help you understand the material but will not baby you. Offers review sessions, etc. Not the best prof ever but definitely not the worst

Loved this prof! He offers help sessions where he explains any questions students may have. He really cares about whether or not students understand the material.

I honestly do not understand why Dr. Derda's rating is so low. Yes, the course was difficult - I was an A/A+ student and I found it difficult - but that's because O-Chem is naturally challenging. Dr. Derda was approachable, fair and even humorous; it was evident he genuinely cares about his students. I wish he was teaching Chem 263 next semester.

Tests are fair, he manages to teach everything, and emphasizes on the important parts. his notes are messy but if you write the notes separately (instead of on the slide print out), label everything, and study from your written notes and slides side-by-side everything is extremely clear. He goes fast, so stay alert. I actually enjoyed his class.

I wholeheartedly agree with another person's rating on here. Sometimes unorganized (which he made real efforts to improve upon after surveying us) and enthusiastic. Definitely willing to help the interested and he was cool, while still taking the professor role seriously. I feel like even those who did bad in the course will agree with all of this

Really awesome prof! Holds help sessions before each exam. His notes are a bit unclear at times, but facebook page and office hours really help clear things up. His exams are fair. Take it with him if you can! Cool guy!

Very good at explaining material, but i have to agree his notes is a bit messy. but messy as in his writing , not his notes outline. Good prof. The only prof that creates a facebook page that one can post question and he will answer within a reasonable time

He is a nice guy, and he uses Facebook to answer all questions students have. He offers multiple review session for midterms/finals, and is helpful if you see him during office hours. However, he insists U of A chemistry is advanced and students must be able to keep up despite his notes being unclear. He also writes too fast .

explain things in a clear,easy understandable way

Although the notes could be considerably improved...since they are quite messy, I think that overall, Dr.Derda manages to teach the material quite well. Some things could be explained in better detail , or more clearly,but your jokes made the class so much less boring!

i honestly thought he was a great prof... ochem is hard in general, regardless of your prof. He can only help you so much, if you dont put in the effort AND do your readings you wont do well. i dont know why theres so much negative feedback. hes great and more than willing to set up a 1 on 1 for help! DON'T LISTEN TO THEM DERDA!

Puts a lot of effort into his class notes (even though they are not always super organized). Definitely very helpful. Class facebook group was also an interesting and helpful idea. Competent guy, not a bad prof. Uses entertaining analogies to explain chem principles.

Tough but fair. Organic chemistry is a tough course, and I'm taking it only as it is mandatory for my degree ( with not much chemistry focus). Derda could work on his handwriting, orgn., presentation ..., but usually his jokes make up for it. As he says, "ochem is like practicing the piano" so yeah, my cramming for his exams is no good. I know :(

Dr. Derda is a decent prof! He may be disorganized with regards to notes, but it's just because he's trying to clarify or elaborate on a certain concept. He genuinely wants you to do well so he is enthusiastic and helpful. If you go to all, or at least most, of the lectures, utilize the Facebook group and study, you will do pretty well.

Genuinely cares about his students but struggles time management. His tests are fair and if you do the practice problems you should do fine. Attendance is mandatory because it is easy to fall behind. Hard class because of the subject but Dr Derda is a great prof

This was one of the best classes ive taken and I had no interest in taking it before. I would definitely recommend this prof and I wish he taught everything else I needed. He made it fun and interesting for sure.

He is unorganized, but thats something he can easily change. He was actually one of my favourite profs I've had in uni. He makes analogies (which I thought were helpful) so try thinking outside of the box. Go to class and take good notes. Actually put in effort in this course and you can end up with an A. It's not a hard course like everyone says.

I absolutely loved this course! Don't take these ridiculous negative ratings heavily. Its a difficult course and you get what you put into it. Derda was great at explaining everything and got us used to the realistic learning scientific process and not spoon fed everything. Very good professor! Don't rate poorly because you bombed a midterm.

Good prof overall. Very competent and intelligent and knows his material very well. The class and material are rather difficult, but this is expected for a university level class. Dr. Derda keeps it real. His notes aren't bad, they are quite understandable, I just wish he would post them all online. I would definitely take a course with him again.

A lot of people have been complaining about his notes being messy, but it's really not as bad as you think. As long as you're willing to pay attention in class, all should be good! Exams are fair, facebook group he uses is very helpful, and this dude is hillarious! I definitely recommend him if you are going to take this course-you won't regret it!

He knows this course so if u pay attention and practice, this course is not bad

Dr. Derda needs to work on clarity and fluidity on his notes. However, I do not think he was a bad professor. He knows what he is teaching, and he is more than helpful if you seek him. His facebook group was VERY helpful, and he readily gave feedback. Tough course, good class. The music is definitely a plus.

Was very helpful and masterfully arranged course material, as opposed to many organic chemistry profs who try to teach reactions before students understand the mechanisms. Overall very good prof

Dr. Derda provided the class with abundant resources outside of class time (help sessions, a facebook page, etc.) to help students better understand the difficult material presented in this course. Additionally, he took all feedback very seriously and answered all questions clearly and understandably. Very good prof, would recommend to anyone

Dr.Derda means well but trying to keep up and understand notes is difficult. Knows his stuff but can't convey the message to newbies and is demeaning at times. Offers a lot of help sessions and fb help. Exams are somewhat difficult and are marked hard. Textbook and Khan Academy are your best friends for the course. Overall, avoid class if possible.

Once you get used to the way he teaches, and the way he presents his notes, its easy to follow along. I expected to hate this course based on what I've heard about it before, but I actually enjoyed it, and Mr. Derda did a great job of explaining everything. The review/question sessions as VERY helpful.

I thought he was alright for organic chemistry. He allowed cheat sheets for tests which I believe is really fair since organic chemistry is alot to take in. His notes are a disaster however if you attended the lectures, they do make sense when you go back over them. I didn't like how he didnt post all the written notes online. 4/5 !

At first, I really wanted to switch out. His anologies didn't make sense and his notes were really messy. HOWEVER, I'm really glad I didn't switch out because Derda has become one of my favourite profs this semester. Funny, quick marker, and VERY helpful (if you ask questions in person rather than by email or by fb page). Overall good prof :)

Pros - facebook group for updates and question answering, cheat sheets, helpful (ask questions in person not over email or on facebook), cool music, quick marking. Cons - sometimes condescending, can move too fast over tough concepts, messy notes. If you're taking his class, make sure to go to the review sessions before exams - extremely helpful.

Made tough material understandable and manageable. Very helpful and accessible prof. He puts in a lot of effort to help his students. If you didn't understand something, he was great during office hours and review sessions. Fb help group was really handy. I always looked forward to music before class and his sense of humour. FASTEST MARKER EVER.

He covers things relatively quickly, and will continue teaching to the last minute of class. Marks ridiculously fast, limited number of midterms and finals to study from, but review sessions and FB help group made up for it. Has a cheatsheet as well. Would recommend Dr. Derda so long as you're willing to put the effort in the first place.

Dr.Derda is a great prof. He spends so much time outside of class helping out students with extra study sessions and facebook. My friends from the other 261 class followed facebook and attended the extra help sessions. OChem is a tough subject but you can get an A if you put in a fair bit of time. The U of A is very lucky to have him as a prof!!!

Derda was a pretty good prof, and if you attended class (and payed attention) his notes aren't as "confusing" as people say. Of course, ochem is hard to begin with, so you have to give him that.

He did a very good job on a tough course to teach. My friend took the other prof teaching ochem and was quite lost. He ended up using Derda's notes and attending the help sections in my class. If you think you can get thru this course with little study you are doomed. Prepare to work hard and learn lots of amazing things with Derda.

Derda was a great prof. His notes weren't confusing at all if you attended the lectures and went through the problems together in class. He really tried his best to help anyone that asked for help and held multiple help sessions too. O chem was a hard course you should def read the textbook before class if you want a high mark

Professor Derda is hilarious. He's constantly livening up his lecture with jokes or silly drawings, and he knows his stuff. He does occasionally write something down too fast and mess up, but he makes the fundamentals very clear. An excellent professor. Work hard, and you'll get there!

He's a hilarious professor, and does know his stuff. He's happy to help outside of class, too, and will talk at length, even about things not directly related to the course material (I wanted more in depth info). The only problem is he makes minor mistakes all the time in class - if you don't already really know the material, it'd have to be tough.

Pros: good prof for explaining theory, very helpful outside of class (help sessions/ facebook group) Cons: time management, unclear notes. Made ochem enjoyable, but not sure if it was him or because we focused on the easy material. Friends w/ other profs struggled with material, I understood it all (also because really just focused on easy stuff).

Great prof! Clear, concise, and engaging.

Great prof! Clear, concise, and engaging! Recommend.

Really great guy! Spends lots of time helping. It's better not to take notes in class, and listen - that worked best for me. He's really good at explaining things, people don't appreciate how much time he puts in!

He is a great prof! really knows his stuff. he is great at answering questions and is very approachable and interested in the material he teaches. Made ochem understandable and interesting.

Derda was a good guy, funny, explained as best he could. But he screwed alot of people over by giving easy tests then a death sentence of a final. Before i took the final i was like yeah take derda. Now please save your souls. He focuses on the easy stuff all semester and kills you on the final.

An intelligent man but not suited for the teaching field so much. He's nice, eager to help, and fair, however some of his explanations lacked clarity. His largest fault was probably his lack of planning and his inconsistency. Quiz and midterm were fairly easy, however the final was challenging. Focused on basics and rushed the harder end material.

His note taking is everywhere and he spends too much time in the beginning of the course and not enough time at the end. However, he is funny and his classes aren't boring! Also is always willing to help!

He's left handed and I couldn't see from the left side of the class

I don't get y this guy has so much negative reviews. He bends over backwards to accomodate students. Hosts weekly optional night help sessions. Has super useful fb group where he'll check and help you with hw assigned in class His lectures don't put you to sleep and he has very entertaining analogies he uses in class. Hw don't count 4 marks

Dr. Derda is a very great prof. He explains things well and his notes are easy to read. I would definitely take his class again.

No electronic notes in this class (brief summaries only). The class is based on hand-written lecture notes. You have to pay attention in class and take notes, but it pays off. Weekly help sessions are great; lots of practice problems throughout the semester. Practice tests are really helpful -- if you can ace those, you'll do well. Tough but fair.

Great teacher. He runs a Facebook group and help sessions, both of which are helpful. The midterm and quiz were on the easy side, with a definitely more challenging final. Doesn't post notes on-line (just quick overviews), so going to class is a must! He also has quite funny analogies, which makes the material more interesting. Would recommend.

There's a lot "going on" in Chem 261 (ie. lots of theory to learn and apply), but Prof. Derda does a GREAT job of teaching, and really wants his students to succeed. Uses hilarious analogies, actively encourages discussion in his Facebook group, and arranges extra help sessions. Take this class with Derda, you won't regret it. Really a great prof.

Dr. Derda is absolutely hilarious and made organic chemistry a joy! He's super helpful and does everything he can to help out the students . He's a great teacher and his exams are very fair. I would love to have him as a proff again!

super smart and funny prof, very detailed explanation of the course material

I cannot understand why Dr. Derda has so many negative reviews?! Never have I had a prof spend SO much time ensuring his students succeed. FB group, weekly help sessions, quick email replies. Practice exams are VERY similar to the real thing. Organic Chem is tough, don't expect a cake walk.

Dr. Derda is amazing. He is very helpful with anything you have an issue with! He held weekly homework help sessions which were a lifesaver in this course. The lectures were always interesting and engaging. His analogies made the course much more understandable (and they were super funny!). I highly recommend Dr. Derda and I would take 261 again.

Great Prof. Some people might give a negative review but that's likely because of the course and not the prof. Derda is hilarious, willing to help and explain things at a level that's appropriate for this course. Attend the lectures and you'll do fine. Ochem takes work but Derda makes it fun and straightforward. Highly recommend.

Funny prof, gives ample examples and prep for tests. He explains things clearly. Ochem isn't the easiest and Derda makes it enjoyable. Do the practice finals and examples and you're golden.

Was a great prof! Had amazing analogies that really did help! Also the lecture was on time and he made sure to get feedback from the class to make sure we knew what we needed to. Gives lecture summaries and homework which is great because thats how his tests are worded and look like!!! GO to class to follow along. Its worth it!

Awesome prof! funny, clear 95% of the time, and provides a lot of help through facebook group and review sessions. He has a lot of bad reviews which I think is not right because the COURSE is hard, dont blame the prof for the course difficulty. An A is very possible IF you put in the work. Take this guy!

Dr. Derda made my first time learning organic chemistry an awesome one. He's funny, full of knowledge, helpful and cares for his students. Attending his lectures were probably my highlight each week! Too bad he isn't teaching 263..I def recommend him!!

I always hated OChem since highschool. I took this course because I had to. But it turned out that I enjoyed this class more than any other class this semester. Dr Derda is truly amazing, going beyond what's needed to help us, and he is almost a stand up comedian( a really nerdy one). He definitely learns from his experience and got much better.

Dr. Derda is by far the best science prof I have had at the U of A. He provides a lot of help sessions throughout the semester and is super dedicated to his students. He uses the best (and funniest) analogies in class that make it easier to remember difficult concepts.

Dr. Derda made Chem 261 the easiest course of the term. All you need to do is go to class, go to his help sessions, do his regular homework (on lecture summaries), and do the practice exams. His analogies in class are amusing, and he genuinely wants students to understand the material and do well. Most dedicated prof I've had at the U of A.

Really cool guy :) Goes the extra mile in helping out students. Practice quizzesmidtermsfinals are pretty much the same as what you get for the real thing which everyone loves. His analogies are super funny and made the class enjoyable for me. Going into the semester, I really dreaded Ochem, but now im considering minoring in it lol.

smart

One of the best profs I had at the UofA. I can expecting the worst and I was told that oChem is boring and tough and all about memorization. He really changed my mind about it. Love the hand written notes; kept me focused in class.

Derda cares about his students and puts a lot of time into teaching. Weekly problem solving sessions were very helpful. He runs facebook group where you can get help form other students. The lectures are clear and classes are hilarious. I would take his class again if I could.

Derda definitely puts in the extra effort in making class interesting with jokes and relationship analogies. He also puts in the extra effort by holding weekly help sessions. The only negative thing about him is his notes were kinda messy. If I tried harder and did the practice questions, I could have had a much higher grade.

Dr. Derda was one of the best professors I have ever had. He made a tremendous effort to make himself available for his students through weekly review sessions to go over any questions we had to help us understand the material the best we could. He most definitely provides the opportunity to do well in his class. Beyond respected by his students.

Rad guy, great class. Somewhat roundabout, but teaches the WHYs (not just the hows) (good for memory, reduces stress)- solid MO. Will patiently work out concepts over again if you get lost. Insane marking speed (record smash: marks done day of on an all written final). Tests are good: don't require keening. Great handout summarieshw sets to help.

Good prof, hard to understand sometimes but overall excellent, definitely recommend.

Dr. Derda was the best chem prof I have ever had! He worked very hard to help you understand the subject matter and inserted interesting relatable metaphors to explain concepts better. He marks in record speed and gives constructive feedback for tests if you ask for it. Overall, Dr. Derda is the total package! Caring, entertaining, hot and helpful!

Professor Derda was really funny and engaging. The course was hard and fast-paced but he did his best to help students understand. He made the course fairly interesting with examples and analogies. If I had to take O-Chem again I would for sure try and get him as my prof.

Derda was very helpful, he went out of his way to help students. I like the hand-written notes in his lectures because you have to pay attention in class. He does not post notes but he has lots of extra material on Facebook and lecture summaries online. Lots of practice exams! Not an easy course but he makes is fun. One of the best profs I have had

Dr. Derda is a stone cold fox - he focuses his lectures more on the application of the concept, rather than the explanations, so it is imperative that you keep up with the textbook readings. His exams are fair and based heavily on his assigned homework, so even if you're completely hopeless in ochem like me, you'll be alright. Excellent class.

Dr. Derda's class isn't easy- he really expects you to know applications and the "why" behind things, not just memorize answers. But if you put the work in, you can definitely learn a lot from him, and his jokes and analogies are pretty funny. Wouldn't recommend if you want a straightforward class, but a great prof if you can handle a little more.

Professor Derda was one of the best professors I had in first year. He makes funny jokes in class to help us remember different concepts and is very helpful during his office hours as he goes the extra mile to give you more practice examples. Textbook isn't mandatory as his lecture notes are what is tested, but the textbook is useful for practice.

Really liked Dr. Derda and hope I can get him for 263. Textbook is a must as his exams are based heavily on the problems. He provides practice exams similar to his tests, a summary of topics covered from the textbook, and help sessions before exams(all great resources). Notes can be messy and unclear. Go to class, do your homework, and you'll pass.

Dr. Derda is one of the best professors. Organic chemistry is a tough class. You have to put in some effort, in order to get a good mark. Dr. Derda will make sure you understand the concepts before you leave his office. The keys to ace organic are understand the concepts, practice the problems and review the solutions to the problems.

Dr Derda is hilarious and a good prof. His review classes before midterm and final are very helpful and tests are similar to practice ones, learn the concepts behind those and easy A.

This was the best class I have ever took. Class was amazing and is making me consider changing my major and my program after his class. His lectures are amazing and he explains all the concepts very clearly easy to understand and remember. If you even take 5 minutes everyday to skim textbook his lectures will be amazing. ALWAYS TAKE THIS CLASS!!

this guy is amazing tbh , i dont know how people walk into a 261 organic chemistry class and expect an A+ without trying and blame the professor for their own problems. marking is a bit questionable but amazing prof and tests are easy if u do ur work

Great prof! Explains concepts very well, approachable and very helpful during his office hours. His lecture notes can be very disorganized but you really just have to listen and you'll get it! He made organic chem very interesting and fun!

Dr. Derda is an excellent professor, demonstrating a vast knowledge of organic chemistry and a passion for helping students. In his individual meetings with students, he exceeds expectations with his attention to detail and care for his students' education. I wish him the best retirement and hope to have the honour of being in his class again.

I have the honour of taking Dr. Derda's class. He inspired me to be a chemist. There are some comments I agreed about him. However, certain comments are defamation. I hope people are more aware when writing about someone when it is not true because this can lead to criminal-libel. Please be mindful of what you are saying.

Dr. Derda was an excellent prof; I'm not sure why he gets so much hate on here. He explained concepts clearly, gave great analogies, lectures were hilarious and practice exams were really similar to the real thing! Pacing and organization weren't always the best, but as long as you check with the textbook occasionally, you'll do fine.

Best Ochem prof N/A

Awesome professor!!!

Dr. Derda is a very funny person and knowledgeable about Organic chemistry and life. I understand many students were upset when he does not provide answers for practice tests and assignments. Does it matters if he post the answers? Would you have learned better if answers are provided. I have spent at least ten hours a week studying for OChem.

As a student, it is my job to prepare for my lecture. For example, read the textbook ahead of time so I can prepare concepts and questions that I dont understand. My professors and TAs are supplement toward my learning. I am responsible and accountable. I should not blame situations and persons.

I feel students should give Dr. Derda a break. He is the hardest working professor that I know of. He is willing to put time and effort to help students understand the concepts so he expected the same.

It was a great class!!!

I would take this class again.

There aren't surprises on the exams. The first month of class was very disorganized but then he started using another professors note pack and everything fell into place. A very funny and likable guy. Was a very relaxed class especially compared to other 261 sections. The people giving bad ratings are likely salty premeds who lost hope for med

Requires a lot of independent learning since Dr. Derda's notes serve to develop connections between the content in the textbook rather than a replacement of it. However, if you are a person who does their assigned readings and homework, an A would be totally achievable. If you're not that person, blame yourself, not the professor. Notes not posted.

It's a love hate relationship with him. Sometimes things would be disorganized and all over the place but on the other hand his practice exams and final were extremely similar to the real thing. He often gave away what he was likely to test on too.

I thought he was a really great prof! He made his lectures entertaining with all of his jokes. As long as you put in the extra work that this class requires, I think anyone would do fine. The grade consisted of the lab, a quiz, the midterm and final. There were sample exams posted on eClass, and the real ones followed suit. He's a great choice!!

Dr. Derda is one of my favourite profs at the UofA. His lectures are one of a kind and always will leave a smile on your face. He uses skeletal notes and kept a very good pace for lectures. If you want a true university experience take his class.

Attendance mandatory as his notes are fill in the blank. Midterms and final almost identical to the practice one however he doesnt post answer keys. textbook practice necessary to do well since he doesnt post many practice questions of his own. Hilarious prof, one of the only lectures I enjoyed attending first year.

I took CHEM 264 online this semester, and Dr. Derda was a great professor. It was my first organic chemistry class and he gave clear explanations which made topics much clearer. He's a funny guy, and was pretty interactive with students. His practice midterm/final were almost identical to the real ones, so be sure to do those for practice!

Dr. Derda wasn't an awful prof. Majority of the time he is really clear as to what will be on exams and is straight to the point. His exams are fair and are exactly like the practice exams. But, his lectures can be really long and boring and sometimes a bit extracurricular. Dr. Derda can be a bit rude but once you look past it he's not a bad prof.

Unsure why Dr. Derda has such bad reviews. Super passionate guy and a great teacher, which got me more interested in ochem. Also really hilarious. He doesn't spoon-feed answers/homework but gives you enough resources and material to be very successful if you work hard . Practice exams are exactly like the real exam. Strongly recommend!

I found his lectures easy to follow. He didnt over complicate things and had practice questions after each topic to help solidify the ideas. His tests were very similar to the practice tests. He had office hours but you couldnt reach him by email. He made a Facebook group so students could help each other.

Derda doesn't really give part marks on questions so you have to really understand the material, he's a great prof though who really loves his field and is quite an accomplished researcher, he can come off as a bit rude or condescending at times but I think he's originally russian and afaik thats just the culture there its not personal.

This was Dr. Derda's first time teaching 263/265, so he used a mixture of materials from another prof and his own. Because of this, sometimes the difficulty level between the quizzes and exams did not match well, especially the final which was more difficult than expected, since the midterm was on the easier side.

Many complain surrounding this class and leave a bad rating but dont put in effort at all. Truth is you will have to study hard for the class. Material is not difficult if you put in work and actively think during lectures. Dr. Derda teaches how to approach problems and think intuitively in lectures not just read off slides.

Good at answering questions that can satisfy most misunderstandings, and gives fair exams, I'd definitely recommend him as a professor for CHEM 261, he definitely makes the class seem easier than most say it is.

Goes very in depth, helps you understand (which helps you know what to do instead of memorize). Offered many help sessions. Graded the final within 4 hours I hope whoever reading this takes my advice: 1. THE PRACTICE EXAMS ARE EXACTLY LIKE THE MIDTERM AND FINAL DO THEM, UNDERSTAND THEM! base your studying off of them 2. Dont focus on definitions!!

Great guy in terms of his personality and even bought us pizza! Practice exams are highly representative of real exams, and there are many opportunities for extra credit. But, he sometimes struggles to explain concepts simply (the first time) but is able to clarify and answer questions. Didn't enjoy having to watch very long videos before class!

This was my favourite class this semester because of how funny and engaging Derda was during lectures. Gives funny analogies that helped me so much in remembering concepts. Practice Midterm and final as VERY similar to the real one SO STUDY THEM! Provided slides that were very clear and easy to follow.

CHEM 261 is definitely not an easy course, so make sure to put in the work early on in the course. Practice exams are similar to the actual exams so make sure you study them very well! His notes are easy to understand. Overall, Dr. Derda is quite hilarious and goes into adequate depth of explanations required for you to understand the material.

Lectures are very relaxed and Derda is a super funny guy who clearly enjoys the material. He does make up a lot of the tests on the fly, but if you're okay with being flexible, they are a lot of fun and require very little memorization. He can be blunt at times which others might've interpreted as rudeness, but it didn't seem that way to me.