2.8
Quality4.1
Difficulty45%
Would Retake283
Reviews45%
Would Retake
283
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
66
4
34
3
45
2
53
1
85
What Students Say
“Riggs is a new professor, but this class was unacceptable compared to typical Auburn classes”
BIOL1000 - 1.0 rating“Extra credit does nothing, don't take if you don't have to”
BIOL3200 - 2.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
47%
Textbook Required
0%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B+
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-0.46 avg changeRatings by Course
BIO1020
3.2
(87)BIOL5200
3.1
(23)BIOL1020
2.9
(30)BIOL3200
2.7
(118)BIO1000
1.7
(10)Difficulty by Course
BIO1000
4.6
BIOL1000
4.5
BIOL3200
4.1
BIOL5200
4.0
BIOL1020
3.9
Reviews (283)
Newer professor and it shows. Joins the class GroupMe and berates students on their opinions of the class. Very broad lecture powerpoints with very detailed tests. Seemed to be petty and make the tests harder after seeing students did not agree with her teaching style. Would definitely not take again due to her unprofessional behavior,
I have really enjoyed her class this semester. She provides lots of opportunities for extra credit, and her lectures are helpful in understanding the material. Micro is a difficult class that requires lots of studying, but she's a great professor to take.
Have to buy textbook and do assignments; it doesn't help with test. Doesn't take attendance; gets mad if you don't show up and will take points away. Goes WAY FAST while giving lectures; you will never be able to take notes, ever. I'm only passing bc someone retaught me everything. Was gonna give a 2; she showed with covid19 how bad she really is
super fast lectures so you actually CANT take notes which makes her mad. homework literally takes 2 hours each making it impossible 2 complete in 1 session. only reason 2 show up 2 class (b/c she reads slides directly) is random EC given 4 attendance. either ignored or didnt see 1 of my emails and completely misreads others. never explains q's well
Her powerpoints are impossible to follow. Very scattered and in no distinct order. You jump from one thing to the next then back to the first thing... very difficult when trying to take notes. Tests are very hard and not straightforward.
Dr. Riggs knows her stuff. Microbiology is her passion and she does an excellent job bringing this energy to her lectures. It's not easy, but her slides are clear and if you know them you'll do fine on the test. Her countless bonus points bring you up the rest of the way and the final is only worth 15%. Love her.
She goes so fast. it's impossible to take notes. First exam the CLASS average was a 60. That's not a student problem. I had to teach myself more than half of the material. The only good is that , you might get bonus for staying in class. I would never recommend her to any incoming student. Very unprofessional and poor. Don't even try emailing her.
She is a nice lady but treats us like we're 5 years old. She invaded our GroupMe, gets mad if we ask each other for help on homework, and makes the test really hard. Her powerpoints are simple to understand but her tests are hard for no reason. Don't let the extra credit fool you, it doesn't help that much. Better off taking the other professor.
quite possibly the worst professor I have ever had at auburn. she reads directly off the slides, tells you things won't be important on the test, and then mainly focuses on those things. she is very mean and not nice at all and she treats this class like it is the most important class in the world, when the majority of the students are non-majors.
Professor Riggs is very knowledgable in microbiology but did not know how to teach an intro to biology class. Her lectures were confusing and she taught as though her students had a background in bio knowledge. Her tests were extremely difficult and required very in depth understandings. She did not curve tests and the final is cumulative.
Riggs is young, new, excited, and learning. . I took this class my last semester of college (senior) LOTS OF BONUS. LOTS OF HW / CW POINTS TO BUFFER TESTS GRADES. She is quick to help students out. Wants you to succeed. Compared to other college professors / upper level science class at Auburn this class is not bad and Riggs is BEYOND GENEROUS.
Riggs is very sweet and very understanding when it comes to not understanding a topic or missing class for a VALID reason. Most of my classmates struggled in this class because of the Prof. lack of teaching. She reads directly off of the slides with no extra explanation. She tends to ramble and will most likely make up an answer to your question.
Riggs is a bad professor At the beginning of the semester she told us the tests were based on the powerpoints, however after everyone failed the first two exams we realized this was false. In addition to poorly written tests that are confusing, there was material we hadn't covered on them. She goes over pps so quickly you wont have time to take nts
100% accessible outside of class!! Emails fast, office hours, before/after class, you name it! Exams are challenging; you HAVE to study, but they aren't unfair (straight from ppts.) Final can replace lowest exam score, iClicker for attendance, but 2 lowest are dropped. Quizzes every Friday, but lowest is dropped! Don't believe the hate; TAKE HER!
Dr. Riggs is the WORST professor I have ever had! Coming from someone who graduated high school with a 4.1 GPA and someone who took honors Biology and received an A+ Dr. Riggs did an absolutely horrible job teaching bio. She yelled at her students right before an exam about how awful they were, DO NOT TAKE HER!! You will hate your life I promise.
The material for Riggs's tests was straight off of the PowerPoint, so the class wasn't difficult to keep up with. She offers plenty of extra credit and is overall a solid professor!
I know Dr. Riggs is a new professor, but this class was unacceptable compared to typical Auburn classes. Gets mad when students don't come to class, but spends class reading straight off the slides. On top of that, the exams that we were told were going to be just like the powerpoint were extremely difficult and poorly written. I do not reccomend.
Microbiology is a difficult upper level science. Riggs is good and wants students to do well. She was NEW to teaching and it showed at times, but she is trying and was SO GENEROUS to our class; she is knowledgeable and helpful.... she was so patient with students this semester. Take if you want a teacher who is passionate about micro and teaching
AWFUL!! DO NOT TAKE HER!! She is one of the most annoying and rude professors I have EVER HAD. She gives some extra credit but its barely a redeeming quality. She does iClicker questions during class that can really tank your grade if you dont get them. Remember her homework because she wont take anything late. Study your butt off and pray!
She is a new teacher and it shows. Hard exams, and had included things in exams she said not to worry about. Lots of homework, lots of studying. This is coming from having a 4.1 GPA in high school and getting As in every AP science you can think of. She IS TOUGH. Not prepared to teach such a high level class and its painfully obvious.
Its A LOT of information to learn and her questions never reflect the material. Purposely fails everyone on exam 2. She gives bonus but it barely touches your grade. But missing one IClicker could tank your average. She also treats us like 10 year olds too. Our final is 100 questions on everything we learned this semester.
Nice lady and knows a lot about biology, but her lectures are extremely fast (hard to keep up and write down important things she says) and she puts things on tests that she said in lecture not to worry about. Bonus points are given but do nothing to your grade. I do not recommend if you are a non-bio major because it will be a very difficult class
Professor Riggs should not be an intro to biology professor, at the beginning of the semester she told us the class was going to be easy since most of us were non-majors. The class average for the first test was a 60 and she blamed the students. She goes really fast on lectures and we asked her to slow down, she ended up getting extremely mad
Riggs tells students what the test will cover and then the test is completely different and full of small detailed questions. She only reads from the power points and flies though slides. Her canvas page is a mess, so no one knows their actual grade. Luckily the homework will bring up my average, but none of the homework material is actually tested
At the beginning of the semester, Dr. Riggs said she would make the course as easy as possible because there are a lot of non-majors. Unfortunately, that was far from what actually happened. The tests DID NOT match her lectures and material would be on there that she said not to worry about. Don't take her- ESPECIALLY if you are a non-major!
She is super hard, the homework takes forever and the tests are so detailed and hard that you need to study FOREVER. First thing she told our class was that she understood that biology wasn't helpful for our majors and that most of us had to take it and said she would take it easy, but literally everyone said the exam was hard! DON'T TAKE HER!!!!
DO NOT TAKE. Her exams have so many small details and include things on slides she literally skips and tells you not to worry about and then will ask multiple questions about it. She puts way too much information in the powerpoints and just reads off them and explains nothing. I have never gotten a B at Auburn but struggled to even pass this class
BIOL1000 is an intro level course, and it is the hardest "Intro to ____" course I've ever taken. Her ppts are scattered, extremely wordy, and hard to follow. She's new, but I really hope she takes the time to read our class surveys and this website because I think our input would help her do better next year.
2nd review bc I cannot express enough you should NOT take this professor. We were told exams would be exactly like PowerPoints but they ended up focusing on what you would have thought was nonessential info. Each exam had WAY too much material which was not condensed for the final that also contained new material as well. Overall just inexperienced
DO NOT TAKE!!Don't listen to the good reviews because they are probably the teachers pets. Her tests are super hard and the powerpoints aren't even hers. She enjoys failing us whenever we speak our mind. Take the other professor!!
Hardest class ever. I never missed a class and studied really hard but her tests are impossible. Better off taking someone else.
She is a really sweet lady but her tests never reflect the material we learned. When you ask her what we need to know, she always says everything is important and can never answer any question you have. She always dances around the answer. She knows most of us aren't micro majors but she doesn't care. toughest class yet
Dr. Riggs is a nice lady who at the beginning of the semester pretended to be understanding. The thing that makes this class so awful is that she NEVER sticks to what she says. She told us at the beginning of the year that it was "big picture" and the smallest, most irrelevant details were on every exam. She also did a total 180 with lecture style.
Can't make up her mind on what she wants. She changed how she was grading and homework halfway through the year. Her tests are very specific and cover a lot of material in one test. Also asks lots of application questions but she doesn't explain how things may be applied in lecture. Don't expect a curve on tests there is one EC q on test instead (:
Dr. Riggs was ridiculously paranoid all semester about people cheating and sharing information. She was in our groupme and when people would ask questions and other students would answer, she'd think that that was in some way cheating. She is not about students helping one another learn. You can also never trust her on material being tested.
She refuses to acknowledge that we arent all microbiology majors and it shows in her teaching and exam questions. She teaches big picture concepts then tests on small details. She is very passive aggressive and moody in her responses back to students and doesnt like to admit when she is in the wrong. I do not recommend her if u need an A/B.
DO NOT TAKE HER!!! She is the worst teacher i have ever had! She will take the most specific information and put it on the test especially things she said to not worry about. She either doesn't respond to emails or takes 3 weeks to respond. She isn't helpful and makes her LAs do everything for her. She seems so nice at first but its just a mask
She thinks all of her students are majoring in micro and expects way more than she should. If you ask her to explain something, she bounces around and doesn't actually answer the question. Exams are nothing like what she says it will be and are extremely difficult. I went to every class and studied very hard, but she made it impossible to succeed.
She reads straight from the PowerPoints and never explains the infromation. If you ask her a question, she beads around the bush, then tests us on everything. We are always told one thing and always she does another. Take someone else seriously.
She tries. I felt like she was teaching at a Master degree level. This is an undergrad class. Most of the class had no experience in Biology or genetics. The prerequisite is Chemistry 1. Yet she tests on small details. A lot of people only have this one class and never see this information again. Do not take without prior experience.
I am honestly so confused by all the negative reviews. This is a 3000 level science class and people are complaining about it being hard? Dr. Riggs is a great lecturer and very clear. Not to mention she gives more extra credit than any professor I've ever had. She is very kind and a wonderful professor. She is new at this. Ya'll cut her some slack.
RUN AWAY. Dr Riggs is a nice person, but not the best teacher. This was her 1st semester teaching & cared more about "protecting the integrity of her course" than she did helping students succeed. She asks the most detailed questions on exams which are DIFFICULT. It's a hard class but she made it worse & acted like this was everyone's only class
It is so unfortunate how hard it is to succeed in this class. Her tests are the opposite from what she tells you and have specific details that she said in class to not worry about. Very hard to study for and succeed on tests because you are unfortunately being set up to fail. Save yourself extra stress and energy and do not take her class.
For everyone who has negatively commented on Dr. Riggs from this past semester- you are a baby lol. Dr. Riggs is an amazing professor. Yes, she challenges you as she should because of Microbiology being a level 3 biology, but she will make you understand the course like no other. Please listen when I say if you are taking Micro take Riggs!!!!!
To the people saying shes easy to understand: No,shes not. I took ochem II along with this class and I made an easier A than this one. You can do well if you read the text & slides over an over. She just reads off the powerpoint in lecture and when you ask her a Q she wont know it & will just read the ppt to you. Avoid! Not ready to teach at all.
She acts like you can dedicate all your time to this one class and does not have respect for the other hard classes you have to take at the same time. Terrible exams,will not tell you accurately what's on it,lies about the difficulty. Very unprofessional and seems to lead us to failure out of spite. If you need an A, take someone else. EC does zero
you will have a lot of in-class assignments, so go to class. her tests are 100x harder than her lectures. you really have to know and LOVE the material to make a good grade. 3/4 of her tests were some of the hardest I have taken at the university. good luck.
Tests based off of lectures that barely touched the surface of how difficult the test would be. I went to many office hours and when I asked what to study she'd say questions were based off of what she found "interesting". Dr. Riggs is very passionate about the course and expects us to be. Extra credit does nothing, don't take if you don't have to.
Dr. Riggs was the hardest professor I have taken at Auburn. Take the other professor for this micro class. Dr. Riggs is not understanding. She tells us her tests are like the powerpoints but then they are nothing like them. When you ask her for help, she is rude back. Save your time and GPA and take someone else. She gave me so much stress.
WORST PROFESSOR BY FAR!! I usually dont do these because i always find a bright side but she doesnt have one. Shes very sweet but thats not a cover up for the fact that shes not ready to teach a 3000 level class. She read straight from the slides and tested us on irrelevant material. Do not take her!!
She pretends to be nice but really she doesnt have our best interest at mind. Im convinced by now she enjoys failing us. Stray away from her at all costs.
All the good reviews are definitely the teachers pets. The extra credit literally does nothing to your grade nor the homework. She doesnt care about her students at all and the tests are the most irrelevant thing. Take some one else if you can!! Please.
Her tests are hard and she doesnt specify very well what you need to know. She gives extra credit but it does not help much considering her tests are EXTREMELY hard. Her final exam score average was more than 20 points lower than teachers she compares herself to. Most of her students are upset with her class so hopefully she will make changes.
I dont usually do this, but Dr. Riggs class was brutal. I spent a grand on tutoring just for her class and while I understood the material, it did nothing for her exams. She tests are the most irrelevant facts and fails to explain the main concepts. AVOID if POSSIBLE! Shes a nice person, but she has no remorse with exams. EC helps little.
this class was ridiculous. her tests were jokes and you could spend weeks studying and still not be able to understand her test that is ALL application. her final exam average for my class was an F and she almost took pride in that. i hope she changes how she teaches but honestly she thinks she's perfect and thinks we're all idiots. don't take her.
Dr. Riggs is an AMAZING professor!! She makes every class interesting & her lectures are helpful. Also, she gave us lots of extra credit opportunities. Dr. Riggs is so nice and was always available to answer questions. When our class went online, she really showed how much she cared about our success by continuing class through Zoom!
Dr. Riggs cares a lot about the material & about her students. The second test & final were very challenging, but it's definitely still possible to do well. She offered plenty of extra credit opportunities as a cushion & replaced our lowest test grade with the final if that score was higher. She's a nice person & happy to help those who ask!
Difficult courses can also be fair. However, Dr. Riggs was not fair and extremely passive aggressive toward her students. Used very basic notes that cannot accurately teach the depth of the material, but her tests were extremely in depth. She also was rarely consistent on what she specified as important in class then what she tested on.
She used another professors slides. Then, tests were all applications. She was just very petty and when were not doing good she blamed it on us instead of wondering what she was doing wrong. First B in college. For the final she said "know everything" & that was about 1,000 slides so... avoid!
�� i had so many amazing professors this semester ���� she wasnt one of them
Dr. Riggs is passionate about microbiology. That being said, she was not a great professor. Went over the top to try to prevent cheating, tried to institute group work in a massive lecture hall. She also blamed the students when the test average dropped over 10 points from test 1 to test 2 (the test and material covered were very different.)
Dr. Riggs is a very helpful professor who will do anything she can to help you. Her tests are very difficult, but she scales and gives bonus. Overall, the class is difficult but doable. This was Dr. Riggs first year, so I am sure she will continue to improve as a professor.
Dr. Riggs is a very good professor who loves what she is teaching. Her class is difficult but no 3000 level course should be easy. Its very possible to get a good grade in this class but you will have to work for it. She is very helpful and approachable. She genuinely wants her students to do well and will work with you if you are struggling.
Dr. Riggs does not deserve this low of a rating. She is a newer professor and it is important to note that a lot of these bad ratings were when students have to finish online because of COVID. I have taken her for two courses and I think she really cares about her students and will take time with you to help you succeed but you have to reach out!
This class is the worst and Dr. Riggs is nice but an awful teacher. DON'T TAKE THIS CLASS if you want your gpa to be slightly okay after it. I love microbiology, but HATED this class. Tests are hard, VERY specific, and you have no idea what to study bc too much material and she only asks specifics. Don't take it, seriously.
My main complaint with Dr. Riggs is that she adds NOTHING to the lectures. By that I mean she is really good at reading the slides of her lectures in such a way that she gives the illusion that she is teaching. ALSO she is EXTREMELY fast at reading these slides. Ultimately there is little to benefit to attend class, just read the ppt on your own.
Some reviews claim Dr. Riggs is caring, but I have not seen such actions. Every major complaint the class gives to her she brushes off and blames it on the class. Reads so fast off the slides without giving any further input than what is on the slides. DO NOT TAKE, you will have to teach yourself and spend a lot of time out of class doing so.
If you have never taken a Bio class, do not take this course with Dr. Riggs. She is nice and wants you to do well, but is not a good professor. She just reads fast off of slides and expects you to know information immediately. Make sure she knows who you are. That will help.
Dr. Rigg's class is not easy. However, Riggs is a fair and respected professor who wants her students to succeed. I had to work very hard but she was willing to help me by meeting outside of class and gave lots of extra credit opportunities. You have to work for it but if you need to take micro she is a great choice. A kind and clear communicator.
It is clear that Dr. Riggs is super smart but also that she has a lot better things to do than teach intro level bio. The lectures are her speed-reading the powerpoints and she puts heavy emphasis on going to LA or SI sessions, which are helpful but I feel like you shouldn't have to rely on other students to pass this class.
Love Dr. Riggs. If she knows who you are and if you put in enough effort, you will do well in the class. She is very generous with extra credit, and homework grades which will help you out a lot. Bio is a hard class so be prepared for that. Otherwise, stay on top of your work.
This was her first semester teaching the class (spring 2021). Her tests are very difficult. She provides the powerpoints beforehand which is nice, but her entire lecture is her reading from it word-for-word. She's very nice, but her lectures do not match the test difficulty. Also, LA's were no help.
Dr. Riggs is very sweet and wants her students to succeed. Her tests are difficult, but she gives so many opportunities to go to her for help to prepare. She also gives many extra credit opportunities. If you are willing to put in the work she will help you.
Spent many hrs studying for her exams & end up making high Cs at most. We even had an open book exam (only bc everyone was doing so poorly in the class) & the highest grade I heard on that was a B. U need to attend all lectures bc she doesn't post them-yup. I'm a sophomore with a 4.0 gpa & this class ruined it. Cumulative final too:)TAKE YOHANNES.
Basically u have to teach urself bc the slides for the material are surface level compared to the depth that u r tested on. Also here's the format of her tests: MC, but answer choices are: A,B,C, all of the above, none of the above, or 2 of the above :D! Seems nice, but very condescending. Yeah she gives EC but that's bc everyone needs it. Yohannes
Dr. Riggs is super sweet. You can tell she really cares for her students and wants them to do well. She even offers to push back her plans sometimes in order to review more with her class. With that being said, microbiology is a difficult subject. For me the exams were very hard but she give extra credit opportunities and homework points.
cares about students and it shows. her class is very difficult but you should expect that at this level. she gives extra credit, homework, worksheets, points for attending class and even an open note exam and drops lowest test score. her class was incredibly hard and takes work but she cares about her students who want to do well/show up
She definitely cares about her students/wants them to do well. However, I do not recommend taking Microbiology unless you have to if you do not have a true passion for it. Her tests are about 50% what she teaches and the rest you will have to draw conclusions yourself based on what you've learned. Would not take unless you plan to study every day.
I LOVED Dr. Riggs! She made an effort to get to know us personally and went over notes thoroughly in class. She gave us several bonus point opportunities and wanted to make sure our grade was taken care of! I had not taken a biology class since freshman year in high school and was able to pass with an A! Highly recommend, but be prepared to study!
Absolutely love Dr. Riggs. She is all around a good person and professor. She recognizes if you put in the work and is overall such a sweet person!
SHE IS TERRIBLE. The material of the course isn't hard, but you have to teach yourself because her lecture doesn't help AT ALL. Her exams cover too many chapters (5 big chapters per exam which were read in 1 month) - It's like her teaching in the medical school, which she never had a chance to attend. AVOID HER IF AT ALL POSSIBLE!
Honestly, ignore the bad reviews on here. I’m not sure what they expected from a college level science class. Dr. Riggs does a great job lecturing. Introduce yourself, get to know her, go to her office hours and review exams, and you’ll be fine. She’s great about always answering questions and really wants to see you succeed.
I took Dr. Riggs for the intro class and I will say that her teaching has improved. I think she got in some trouble for going into too much detail on unnecessary topics so she really is making an effort to not make the class more hard than it has to be. She clearly is very passionate about this class and there is enough extra credit to help out!!
Not sure why Professor Riggs gets so much hate- if you are taking a biology class at Auburn you should expect putting in a lot of work. Lectures aren't mandatory, but are SO helpful. She explains things clearly and ALWAYS answers questions well. She gives tons of extra credit and study tools based on what the class needs. Highly recommend !!
I would not take Dr. Riggs for Microbiology unless you absolutely enjoy it. Her lectures are too in-depth and do not reflect the tests whatsoever. If the class does not know an answer to a question, she always says to expect it on the test since we didn't know it as opposed to her explaining the answer.
It's important to keep in mind that General Microbiology is a 3000-level class, so there will be an inherent level of difficulty compared to the intro courses taken before it. That said, Dr. Riggs has made the course a very rewarding experience, and even though the course has its challenges, plenty of support is offered by her and academic support.
General Microbiology is going to be a hard course no matter who the professor is, but Dr. Riggs helped simplify it. She does expect students to be in class, however attendance is not a grade. I would highly recommend taking Dr. Riggs for this course.
MICRO ROCKS!!! Dr. Riggs knows this class is hard and will randomly give extra credit for just showing up to class. Super passionate about microbiology, def take her if you are a micro major. The LAs exam reviews are super helpful too
All microbiology classes at Auburn are going to be somewhat difficult. Yet, Dr. Riggs truly cares for her students and if you put in the work you will get the grade you deserve. She has shifted the course material so that is more concise and what you need to know for exams. She gave lots of bonus on exams and other graded work helps with your grade
Microbio isn't an easy class, however she tries to make it as simple as possible. She sometimes gos on rants, however she would tell us what is or isn't on the exams. Her tests were very straightforward and you have the chance for extra credit. Make sure you attend class because she won't announce when activities are and they require a password
Dr. Riggs is super nice and really cares about her students. She does give relatively hard exams and her class does depend mostly on what she says in the lectures, but you can find most of that in the PowerPoint. She also gives lots of extra credit points. Overall a great professor but really lecture heavy and tests can be difficult.
Riggs is a great teacher and explains things very well, but sometimes she can be aggressive when it comes to her teaching. She won't announce when there are inclass quizzes, so you have to come every day, and sometimes she will get upset with the class when we are not responding to material we just learned.Tests aren't bad but are weighted heavily.
She is super sweet and definitetly know what she's talking about. Tries super hard to get you to understand the material in different ways. Lots of material is covered and tests are hard but straight forward and fair. She gives surprise extra credit for showing up and likes participation!
Reads off PowerPoint slides and makes attendance mandatory. Get ready to memorize a whole bunch of stuff. Overall, not the best.
Dr. Riggs is a kind professor. It's just the level of difficulty of the exams that is questionable. Half of the questions are to confuse you, so even if you memorize everything, it does not guarantee that you will do good at all.
Dr Riggs is a very kind woman, but her class is extremely difficult. The exams are near impossible unless you have a photographic memory. Our exams would average 55% and 60%. She does offer a lot of extra credit because if she didnt, all her students would fail. I really did love her as a person, but you better be prepared to study nonstop.
The tests in the class are impossible and all she does is read off slides. We got an extra credit assignment for 1% that required about 2 weeks of work. Her test averages are so low and blames it on us. Even if you memorize everything, you still won't do great. Lab saves your grade from being horrible.
Dr. Riggs I am sure is a kind woman outside of this class, but this class was as brutal as it could get. I haven't made a C in a class yet and this will be my first. Her tests were unfair giving 6 options to choose from each multiple choice. If you argue for points on tests, her powerpoints and textbook do not align and will argue with the textbook
Dr. Riggs is a horrible professor. If you absolutely must take her course I suggest reading everything before hand. You have to attend class for a grade but you could honestly just ignore her and study during that time because all she does is read off the slides and she goes to fast to understand. Basically you're on your own in this class.
She is a wonderful professor! Whenever I had questions, she was always very open to speak and work on my questions. She genuinely cares for her students and gives you what you need. Her class is definitely challenging, so you will have to work hard. That being said, you will come out better prepared for using the material in the future! 10/10!
I have taken her class twice, I love her. She is passionate about biology and really knows what she is lecturing. She is very caring and willing to help you if you are struggling in the class. All you need to do is attend class and study.
Dr Riggs is a very nice woman. She cares a lot about her students, but her classes are incredibly difficult. The averages for our exams were between 50%-60%. She was forced to give us extra credit because our class was failing. Go to her office hours often and form a relationship with her, it will help.
Professor Riggs is one of the most charismatic professors I have met at Auburn. She is always accessible and goes above and beyond to prepare her students for exams. Her exams can be tough but this is because she wants you to learn the material past the basics which benefits most students in the end. Put in effort and you will be rewarded.
She was my 8 am, but she made going to class worth it. She has attendance checks but reassures students if they miss a couple, she will drop 2-3 by the end of the semester, same with her quizzes which are in class but she goes over answers before submitting. She makes Bio easy to understand and also gives extra credit up to 10 points for exams.
Dr. Riggs is a great professor! She is caring and truly wants her students to understand the concepts. This class is not easy and is very lecture-heavy. She does in-class assignments about once a week, but other than that she does not take attendance. She will occasionally do attendance quizzes for free points if a lot of students are missing.
Professor Riggs was an amazing bio teacher and she taught very well. It's hard to take notes sometimes with how fast she goes, but she posts the slides online to reread if necessary. Tons of extra credit and as long as you study the stuff you don't already know, you'll do fine
Riggs is an amazing teacher and is super caring. You can tell she is passionate about micro. The class isn't too bad if you go to class and pay attention. The ppts can be confusing so make sure you write down notes of what she says cause they will make a lot more sense. Go to class because she is gives extra credit. Tests are multiple choice.
this is my second time taking Riggs' class. She is a wonderful professor and gives TONS of extra credit. I have ADHD and sometimes struggle with a lot of information at once. The way she provides information and teaches is perfect for anyone in my opinion. I don't know why she has such a low rating, I highly suggest you TAKE HER CLASS !!!
She is an amazing professor and cares about the students not only memorizing the information, but also understanding it and enjoying it. TAKE HER CLASS, you won't regret it
Riggs is a very hard teacher. She is very lecture heavy and her tests are extremely hard. I don't think I made above a 75 on her tests. The only reason I did okay in the class was because of the homework and extra credit opportunities. She is also very hard to reach and doesn't respond to emails.
The class in general is very difficult and its not Dr. Riggs's fault. She does everything she can to make students successful but if you dont go to class or dont study dont expect a B. Tests are hard but she gives a lot of EC and drops assignments throughout. The lab and this class go hand and hand. GO TO CLASS. She gives a bunch of in person EC
Dr Riggs is a very nice person and is very knowledgeable. I enjoyed her class a lot. However, her lectures can become long-winded. Sometimes she would go off on topics that weren't going to be on the test. Also, it felt like the course was aimed at microbiology majors specifically, and not at those of us who aren't microbiology majors.
Riggs is a great professor who is clearly very smart and knows what she is talking about, I'm not sure why she has so many low reviews. I loved her class, and her passion made me enjoy it even more. Microbiology is tough in general, but she helped me a lot with adjusting my studying to the demands of the course. I would take this class 100x over!!!
Professor Riggs' biology class has been my favorite science class I have taken at Auburn. Her tests can be hard but she gives lots of extra credit opportunities. As well as plenty of homework grades to boost your final grade. You are guaranteed a good grade in her class if you do the work.
Dr. Riggs' microbio class is one of my favorite classes I've taken at Auburn! She gives lots of extra credit, drops scores, etc, making it easy to get a good grade despite the tests being somewhat difficult. She's also just super nice and cares a lot about her students success. She seems to love what she does, and I would for sure take her again!
Offered lots of extra-credit, easy to get an A if you take advantage of it. Tests are hard but if you study for and keep up w material you will be fine. However, lecture was VERY fast paced. Attendance is not mandatory but she is very lecture heavy, if you aren't going to go to class don't bother.
Very thorough with her material, thus the tests are very in-depth. Not impossible, but you need to actively listen in class. Riggs herself is very sweet and understanding, but can also tell when you are BSing. Weekly homework and long tests. Not a cheat class, but very doable.
I loved Dr. Riggs. I went to class regularly and studied hard for tests and ended up with a 95 in the class. If you go to class you will get so much extra credit that go on the tests. I really enjoyed this class even though the lectures were fast paced. Dr. Riggs cares about your success and will do her best to help you succeed!
She's great! Tests are difficult simply due to content, but she gives multiple extra credit and bonus point opportunities. She's very personable. She isn't a super hard grader, and she will help you on a test if you don't understand a question. SO SO NICE! go to office hours to see what you missed on previous tests! she's so helpful
exams are hard, mc, 5 options and 2 of them are 2 correct or all are correct. lectures are nothing special, just reads off the slides but you have to go to class because she does in-class activities. 25% of overall grade is from the lab, bonus assignments + chances to improve your grade. cares about students so go to her office hours
I hate science and had to take this as a gen ed. Riggs is nice and approachable to ask questions. Likes students who talk to her and come to her office. Tests are 50 MC. 3 total plus a final exam. Pop quizzes and in class assignments for credit. Textbook readings and Pearson assignments. Prof alright, class sucks
took over our class mid semester and completely changed the entire course and said she thought we werent going in depth enough for her liking so she changed and added more information than needed. Her tests aren't bad tho if you review the material.
She became our professor halfway through the semester and said "she wasn't going to change anything" and proceeded to do exactly that and make the class so much harder than it was with the old professor. She's not a bad teacher but she seems like she often says one thing and does another. Wouldn't recommend taking her.
Hard but good professor. Very hard tests. I didn't like the class mostly because I don't like biology. She is very accessible and easy to talk to, plus gives great feedback. If you go to her office hours and actually try, she's a great professor. As a non-major student, however, she is too difficult and goes too in depth. Overall good teacher.
Not good at all. One of the worst professors I've ever had. So rude and doesn't care or help students.
At the beginning of the year my teacher ended up quitting, so we were put with Dr. Riggs. She said the way our professor's teachings were too easy and completely changed our curriculum. Tests are impossible, she posts all of her lecture slides online. She has ICAs and puts passcodes on them. I had an easy A in the class before Dr.Riggs took over.
Dr. Riggs is super sweet and cares about her students but her tests are so hard, it ruins the entire class. Attendance isn't mandatory but you have to go to class because of all the in class assignments. She just reads off slides and goes way too fast for you to actually learn anything in class. But if you go to her office hours, she will help!
Her lectures are boring and she somehow always finds a way to make mistakes on her own tests. She gives a lot of bonus credit and the tests are not too bad if you study a lot.
Willing to help if you ask, however during class she reads at 100mph off of the slides. Test are 85% application and the rest vocab. Att. not mandatory however there are a lot of ICA that you can't make up if you miss. Study, homework assignments, and a few pop quizzes. She will drop the lowest HW, quiz, ICA assignment at the end of the semester.
I love Dr. Riggs. This is a difficult course, but she makes her expectations known. She lectures and just reads off of powerpoints, but you still need to go to class. She really cares about her students and is great if you go to office hours. As long as you understand each disease, you will be fine.
Riggs is very lecture heavy, so if you don't plan to come to class don't take her. If you do plan to come to class, she gives so much extra credit and SO many extra points on tests. I studied a lot for the tests; however, during class I only wrote down what she told us was going to be on the test. I would 100% take again shes so sweet and reachable
Her lectures are very fast-paced but she reads off a slideshow and posts it before class so you can take notes off of that. The HW isn't too bad and usually includes a few extra credit questions. Her exams aren't easy and her class average reflects that. As long as you do the homework and any extra credit though you'll pass the class.
A great teacher. She can be pretty fast in class so I would suggest writing on slides she gives you ahead of time. She gives you tons of chance for bonus points in many forms, and will even work through quizzes with you most of the time. Her tests can be pretty hard but she scaled most of the tests we took. Take advantage of all the bonus.
Dr. Riggs was a great teacher--you can really tells that she is passionate about micro. There is a lot of content during lectures, so be prepared for lots of notes. Go to class!!! She would randomly give out bonus points and they were so helpful and took my tests from Bs to As! Definitely study for her tests, but they are not impossible.
As long as you pay attention in Riggs' class, you will do fine. Attending class helped me a lot, she does go through slides quickly but just take notes before class and highlight what she mentions is important. The tests are kind of hard but just study all of the material.
I have loved Dr. Riggs! She is so caring and always responds to emails quickly. Her office hours are very helpful for reviewing exams/covering hard topics. GO TO CLASS!!! She gives extra credit (4
She's nice but I dreaded her lectures. She talks very fast and it's very difficult to keep up with her if you take notes in class. She does make her powerpoints available online so you can write notes outside of lecture. She used Pearson for our class and there are a lot of study resources and she gives plenty of extra credit opportunities.
I didn't like Riggs based off of her teaching style and her attitude in lecture. She threatens to kick out students if they whisper to each other, even though we're trying to help each other explain the lecture because she goes so fast and no one understands her. Personally, I had to learn outside of her class so be prepared to do that.
Dr. Riggs is a nice lady outside of the classroom. She makes her exams unnecessarily hard and she openly brags about it. Random in class activities and quizzes so be prepared to go to class. She has talked about how the other professors make things too easy and how she makes her exams complex. She does offer extra points on exams though.
I believe that she is a loving person, but her exams are beyond hard. She expresses that hard info will help us out in future classes but this is intro to micro.... most of us don't need to learn this bc it doesnt apply to our major. She even admits that her exams are much more difficult than the other microbiology professor which is so frustrating
I would say not to take this class with her if you have no motivation to learn in depth things on microbio. It is ridiculously hard and she knows it. Class averages are not good and she's proud of it for some reason. Unless you have prior knowledge or a love for micro, you will be miserable.
DO NOT EVEN DO IT TO YOURSELF.
Dr. Riggs is a harder professor for micro. There is a packback and an in class assignment every week. I think she is used to teaching higher levels of bio, because the tests are very hard. She gives a lot of extra credit and drops a few homework assignments which helps. Her lectures are very fast-paced, but she's helpful if you have questions
Dr Riggs was a great person and very easy to access outside of class for help. Her lectures were often boring and fast-paced. The exams were somewhat difficult, but were doable if you took the time to understand the notes/homework. She gives SO MUCH extra credit so it is hard to not do well in my opinion. Final was probably the easiest of all exams
Dr. Riggs class takes a lot of time and hard work BUT she genuinely cares about the success and knowle
She honestly was not that bad. She isn't the best professor in the world because she just reads off of a slideshow so you have to teach yourself. She is extremely nice and gives tonssssss of extra credit which is why I have an A in the class. I have made a D, C, and B on my exams and still have an A. DO ALL EXTRA CREDIT!!!! Go to SI, you'll do good
Clinical Micro was my favorite class I took at Auburn! Definitely recommend this course with Dr. Riggs!
makes exams so hard for no reason and takes pride in it. She seems caring but then she will make a back handed comment when no one can answer her question in class. only good thing is she gives extra credit because no on would pass her class without it.
She goes so fast in class that it's really hard to understand the notes sometimes. She gives lots of extra credit that can boost your grade. I never made higher than a D on the exams and still made a B. She always wants to help her students tho. This would be a great class if you already have a good understanding of bio.
Although this class is doable, it is the harder out of the two. She prides herself in making her exams much more difficult than everyone else in the department. That said, you don't need to score very high to make an A/B. I'd still suggest taking Yohannes instead. She just reads off the slides and requires attendance. Very nice, not a great prof.
Dr. Riggs is a very kind and compassionate professor but her tests are VERY hard. Does not provide any study guides or guidelines for what could be on her tests. The final is cumulative and follows this same process. Learn how to teach yourself the material !!
Our exam 3 average was a 65 and she announced she was happy with it. My test average in here was a 70 and I managed to pull off a B+ because she gives so much extra credit. She knows her class is difficult and does offer many office hours. If she did not have hw and ec I would not have done well. She goes SO fast in class it ia easy to miss smth.
Dr. Riggs is a great professor. She is so passionate about what she teaches and really makes sure her students are grasping her content. Make sure to go to class because she does in class assignments for points and a lot of time she will give bonus points but only to people who attended class. Definitely take Dr. Riggs class. She's the best!
A very kind person who genuinely wants you to do well. I will say her teaching style is not my favorite as she just reads off the slides and you kind of have to teach the material to yourself. She gives ample extra credit so if you take advantage of that you will do just fine in her class!
Dr. Riggs is very approachable and willing to help. The material that is covered is not incredibly difficult, but there is a lot of it. Her exams are tough, however they only made up 45% of our total grade. She also gave a TON of extra credit. I don't love biology, but was able to do well because of extra credit. Take advantage!
Honestly this class was fine. I made a good grade because I went to class, did the extra credit, all of the homework, and used her powerpoint to study for exams. I never paid attention in class because she goes so fast you can't even comprehend what she is saying, let alone take notes. The tests are difficult but the class wasn't hard. Just Meh.
Dr. Riggs is an amazing lecturer. If you are passionate about Biology, I highly recommend taking her class. While the material in general is a lot, she is thorough at teaching everything. She also does group quizzes so these really help boost your grade! While attendance isn't mandatory, she does do in class activities sometimes.
Took this as a summer class and she was awesome. She is always ready to help, super passionate, and wants to see you succeed. I have always had a rough time in biology, but she made the topics interesting and easy to understand. Weekly Packbacks + 2 responses, one or two McGraw Hill assignments per exam, and lots of bonus opportunities. Loved her!
Dr. Riggs is SUPER sweet! I took her in the Spring of 2023 and I could just tell act she loves what she does! She genuinely cares about her students, which is unfortunately hard to find at Auburn. I only ended up with a "C" due to my own personal life problems, so don't take that into account when figuring out what kind of professor she is. :)
It was bad from week 1, started with the most basic things then proceeded to be the most horrendous class ever. How did we go from periodic table to polypeptides in a day and proceed to the next chapter with no overview. Lectures too fast to even read let alone take notes, NEVER SLOWS DOWN. Basically just pray and do the homework.
goes insanely fast, and half of test is from obscure textbook reading she never speaks about. Little to no review as well.
I think Riggs is a very nice lady but her exams are very tough. She goes far too fast for my taste on the slides and covers a lot of material in a short amount of time without much wiggle room. However I think its clear she cares and gives you tons of opportunities to get extra credit. choose a different professor if you can, if not prepare to read
Dr. Riggs is a very nice professor and always seems to be accessible and willing to help during office hours. However, her course is very difficult and she speeds through the material. The exams include information from about 4-5 units, each containing around 100 slides. It's just an information overload with little application until the exam.
This is a challenging class and Dr. Riggs is a great professor. People give her low ratings because you have to work hard for your grade. This is a weed out class so no matter which professor you take, it will be challenging. Going to office hours to ask questions it the best thing you can do and she really wants to see you succeed!
Attendance is not mandatory, but is for quizzes and exams. Lectures are pretty heavy as she talks super fast and goes through over 60 slides in one class. Prepared to get lost and not know a single thing. Went to SI a couple times and they didn't seem to know much either. I would not recommend taking her and would take the class online honestly.
She uses mostly lecture and talks very fast straight off the presentation. Really had to just look back through slides and take notes. I ended up downloading the slides and highlighting things she said was important and making comments onto the slides. Her tests are difficult, but you just have to read each question carefully.
She goes super fast, I definitely would not understand if I hadn't taken AP Bio. Not very good at explaining things. Boring lectures. Homework problems for each chapter, and discuss posts every week. She does give 4-8 points back to everyone on the exams. Random in class assignments too, try not to skip.
Dr. Riggs' class is challenging, but she genuinely cares about her students. Attend lectures, use the textbook, and try unstuck study for study prep - it really helped me stay on top of the material.
I have mixed emotions about dr riggs. she really is passionate when it comes to bio and she will be very happy to answer any questions you have. office hours help a lot as well. where my negative feelings come in for dr riggs, is that she talks so fast that its hard to keep up and follow along. also her exams are hard and can be confusing.
She is a nice person but a horrible teacher. She just reads off of a massive slideshows at a pace that only a robot could comprehend. Riggs doesn't explain anything at all and expects you to know every detail from at least three-hundred slides for an exam. The tests are difficult but are balanced by some quiz and discussion grades.
If you don't come to lectures you probably won't do well in the class. There is a lot of material and she moves pretty fast but she also offers bonus opportunities and will answer questions if you have them. If you can study 10-12 hours for every exam and do the homework on time you'll probably make an A.
Riggs class is EXTREMELY lecture heavy. She goes through at least 60 slides per class and goes through them fast. Her exams are hard, but she does a lot of quizzes and will help and give you the answers to a few of the questions. She gives you multiple tries on the homework, and she does extra credit activities if you attend class.
Compared to other Auburn science teachers, I think she's pretty good. I do think she's fair and clearly cares about her students. The exams are hard, but if you put time into studying they aren't impossible. She offers a lot of extra credit and assignments that help buffer your grade. Overall, I would reccomend.
Although she can tend to read off the slides, she does have a lot of info on the slides (which she posts all on canvas). She gives a lot of chances to get your grade up (in class assignments, quizzes, homework, extra credit for showing up to class). A lot of people give her a bad rap because they don't give enough effort. study a lot for the 1 exam
She was a nice person, not a great professor. She isn't very helpful and has an attitude sometimes but still cares about her student. Exams were kind of hard and she will curve, but with a class of hundreds of students a curve most likely won't be available.
Dr. Riggs is a great professor. Her class is tough, so you have to stay on top of it, but she gives multiple opportunities to help keep your grade up if you mess up on a test or quiz. She is always willing to meet with you if you have any questions, especially after tests. Just send her an email. I would 100% recommend Dr. Riggs. She's an Icon.
Professor Riggs is a nice teacher who wants you to succeed. If you go to her office hours, she will one-on-one talk to you and help you understand topics. Her ratings are lower because her lectures have so much information to cover and she moves quickly. It's very possible to get a good grade in this class, but I would recommend not skipping.
Dr. Riggs is OK. Her lectures are pointless since she reads directly off the slides. You do in class activities that count for attendance so go to class. Her exams are really hard and barely reflect the material covered in class, so you have to study early. She gives extra credit which helps. Would only take her again if she was the only option.
Exams are difficult but if you do well on the quizzes and homework you'll be fine. She also does random attendance credit so I would attend regularly. She will help you with any questions you have and she cares a lot.
She is OK. Professor Riggs is very nice and knowledgeable but she does go through her notes pretty fast and her tests can be pretty difficult as well. If you stay on top of the notes, do the packbacks and homework, study, and take advantage of SI sessions you should do good.
Pretty good professor. Does a lot of lecture and slides. Tests are harder but SI sessions and just reviewing what is learned helps. Tests are more application of what we learned. Moves pretty fast. Has attendance quizzes from time to time.
She's really nice but she basically just read off the slides. I learned more in SI than I did in lecture. Really difficult to take notes because she moves so fast, and she's bad at responding to emails. Tests weren't too hard. She drops a couple quiz and homework grades at the end of the semester and replaces worst exam grade with final exam grade.
Exams are hard, do not expect responses to your emails, nice person, but will yell at students that are not in her class coming in to use the Langdon bathroom.
Dr riggs is a pretty good professor. pros, she does a good bit of extra credit and will curve. she also go over any questions you have and will drop some hw and quizzes. oh and final can replace bad exam grade. cons, talks fast, hard to really get all notes so take advantage of SI, and exams are pretty difficult.
Dr. Riggs is a good person, but she could be a better teacher. She teaches way too fast and too much in each class, making the material hard to understand. We had three tests, and if you studied, a C was attainable on each test. The homework boosts your grade by 10% if you do it all, and two extra credit options were given.
All she does is read off the slides, so if that's how you learn, she's perfect for you. The tests were unreasonably difficult and specific for no reason, so the class averages were always 60s or below. Her only good quality is how much extra credit she gives. Beware, if you talk in her class, she stops the lecture and threatens to kick you out.
Overall Professor Riggs is a great teacher if you go to her office hours outside of class, she is very caring and understanding about how her class is very difficult. You should definitely expect a course like this to be difficult especially most people's major in this class in pre-health related. Preps you for a heavy workload in other classes
I really wanted to be a pre medical major and at first I went to all the SI sessions and studied but every test I would get a D and every time. I would show up to every class, she would read 50-100 slide presentations and it felt like we were robots.
Literally the only good things about this class are the SI sessions and the extra credit. I do not think Riggs is a mean person I think she truly wants us to do good. However, all she does is read off of slides and assign lots of pointless busy assignments. She also snaps a lot during lectures. The only reason I did good was teaching myself.
Her lectures are AWFUL. Reads straight off slides and does not explain anything. She is a nice person but would not recommend as a professor. Tests are VERY hard I averaged a 67 on them and only finished with a B bc of homework and extra credit.
Dr. Riggs can come off scary, but she is one of the most caring professors I've encountered at Auburn. She knows her stuff and wants to make sure that you know it, too. I couldn't imagine a better professor for Clinical Microbiology--her course was what I thought about learning when I declared my major as Microbiology! Such a fun semester!
She just read the slides off the screen. Hundreds and hundreds of slides. How am I supposed to study for a test when all she does is give a crazy long list of objectives that she doesn't provide information on that is congruent with any test. Hidden assignments that you have to look for and don't get any lars credit on. Seriously, avoid her.
Dr. Riggs is awesome. I definitely will be taking her for Microbiology, she really does want her students to succeed but it isn't easy but not impossible she wants you to actually learn the concepts which is great for Pre-Med majors. She also offers lots of extra credit.
Dr. Riggs is an amazing teacher!! Her class can be very challenging but if you apply yourself and do all the extra credit then you will be fine. She is very knowledgeable about the class and is very willing to help. I would definitely recommend taking her!! If you are looking for an easy A this probably is not the class.
Her lectures consist of her reading off of her slides and then answering questions in between. Her tests can be difficult but she gives plenty other assignments that make it easy to achieve the grade you want without doing perfect on every test. Says attendance isn't mandatory but gives in class quizzes, so its best to go to class.
Her class is very difficult and isn't TAUGHT, she just reads over PowerPoint slides and calls it a day. Even if you don't do well on the exams, your grade will have a lot of cushion if you participate in her lectures. Attendance isn't mandatory, but make sure you go to do the extra assignments.
She's a pretty good teacher and I have no complaints about her. She drops your lowest quiz, he, and ica grades. She also replaces your final exam score with the lowest test grade you have if you got higher on the final.
This course was informational. However, I do believe it could have been taught slightly better. There was much reading off the PowerPoints which I did not enjoy. Overall though, this is a good course to take for anyone going into the medical field. This course will help me going into professional school next year.
She is a great professor and cares about her students. Any science class will be harder to understand, but she does a good job of explaining and giving any help. She gives extra credit sometimes and most of the quizzes we do together as a class. I highly recommend her and you will do well in the class as long as you also put in the work.
Dr. Riggs cares about her students genuinely. Class is very lecture heavy, and exams have a good bit of memorization select all based questions which aren't very helpful. Organization of the course is good, and extra credit project at end of semester can help boost grade for comprehensive final. Can get points on lecture exams for EC assignments.
Reads very fast through slides but really knows and cares what she's talking about. Personally rly enjoyed her
I LOVED Dr. Riggs! She truly cares about teaching and her students doing well. She offers lots of extra credit on exams ,quizzes, and homework assignments. The exams are hard but the questions are on topics she teaches. If you go to class, do the homework on time, and STUDY for the tests you will be fine. I would definitely recommend her class!!!!
She genuinely wants her students to learn. Very passionate. Teaches very quickly with slideshows. Amazing teacher
Riggs exams are very hard, but if you attend lecture, study, utilize LA study sessions, etc. you'll be fine. I failed 2 out of 4 of the exams and ended up with a B+. If I can do it, you can do it I promise. I'm not very smart but did fine because I went to class and studied a ton for the final. She's more than willing to help you outside of class!
I wouldn't recommend taking this course with Riggs. She mostly reads straight off a powerpoint. Also your grade is entirely dependent on exam performance and other things that sometimes just didn't show up on canvas (WHICH YOU WILL BE BLAMED FOR)... The amount of times the class was PLEADING for curves still haunts me. It's all a mess!!!
In a course that is supposed to be pretty simple, she always makes it more difficult. Whenever the class does bad on an exam, she AUTOMATICALLY blames ANYTHING besides herself like people talking in class (nobody talks). Has no clue how to teach concepts in a comprehensive manner. Due dates all over the place and they're never visible on canvas.
Our exam grade had been in canvas for 2 weeks. All of a sudden, the exam grade goes down 5 points followed by an announcement that reads "was reviewing the exam with a student and realized I made a mistake with the answer key, that's why there's a shift in the grades." So SHE made a mistake and then penalized the students for it. WILD.
She blames everything on the students, when in reality she just can't teach. She is all over the place, the canvas is so confusing with dates literally all scattered around. She decides to wait until there's 5 minutes left of class to make us complete an in class assignment that's due for a grade.
This lady cannot teach. All she does is read straight off the power point. Each exam covers 500+ slides but literally none of the info from the slides is on the exam. No material she teaches is on the exam. Good luck!
shes really rude and blames everything on the students when she teachs awfully and makes the tests way too hard for the material she always changes dates on things and isnt great about communication also not understanding of attendance and gets made when people come or leave class bc of the door like really just annoying and rude
The only reason I'm not failing is bc I ignore everything she teaches and just read/take notes of the textbook(it takes forever).Her fav way to teach is tell you minimal info and then test on the in-depth process. Our last exams mean was a 56 and "she doesnt believe in curves". Also expect to miss a few assignments bc she will post them last min.
Teaches way to fast, her exams are extremely difficult and take a bunch of studying because you basically teach yourself the material if you want to be successful in this class you must take notes during the whole lecture.
Her tests are impossible and are "based on" the slides she goes over in class, but little if anything on the exam is based on the slides. She also has random in class assignments so you have to go to class, good luck.
This class was ok. I loved the material we covered, but lecture just consisted of reading off the slides which I found boring. Exams were tough, 5 mc options and pretty specific. She offered extra credit quizzes and an extra credit project at the end of semester. Overall a very nice lady and wanted to see students succeed.
I would avoid. Tests are extremely difficult. She reads directly off the slides and gives minimal info during class and then test questions are extremely specific and in depth. Also, does not respond to emails. Missed an in class assignment and quiz she told us about 3 days before because I was sick. Emailed her and she's ghost mode.
Her "teaching" style shouldn't even be regarded as such, as it never fails to inefficiently give students the knowledge needed for exams. Things you think you know will be manipulated in unnecessary ways on exams. Truly the worst part is how she will always blame the students in some manner and never herself, although she is almost always to blame.
She honestly was terrible. She gave 5 exams and I didn't get above a D on any of them. The exams are nothing like she says they will be and the class average is always terrible. She does give a ton of extra credit which did help my grade, but I know she only did this because she knows she can't teach. Class is just her reading the power point.
Don't take her under any circumstances. Even if someone is technically "worse" on RMP, her intolerability simply supersedes this. On top of this fact, her manipulation of topics on exams is never a part of their explanation in class. Do not take her.
Do not take this professor, especially if you are a freshman just trying to deal with your science credits. Her class is literally just her reading off the powerpoints. She does do extra credit, but the exams are so cryptic and hard to study for because you feel like you didn't learn.
Dr. Riggs pretty much just talks at you and expects you to already understand everything she's saying. Her exams are easy if you actually read the questions. Attendance isn't mandatory, but show up because she does a lot of in class activities and some of them are locked and need a password. She gives some extra credit.
Professor Riggs is a nice person, but most classes are simply her reading directly off of the slides with no further elaboration. I am pretty sure in one lecture we went through over 70 slides. I was always confused. She does in-class activities for credit and has weekly Packbacks, but has them due at 10 pm, which always screwed me over.
Okay, Riggs is not a great teacher, and her tests are difficult. I legit only got a B because of ICA and so much bonus. I feel she gives a lot of bonus because she knows her class is hard/she can't teach. Flies through PP slides. I got like 2 C's on her tests and the rest D's and still ended with a B+.
Dr. Riggs is overall a good professor. Lectures are very content-heavy, so make sure to take detailed notes and constantly review lecture material.
At first, I didn't like her classroom style but once I got used to it I. succeeded. She goes over lecture really fast in class, but if you review it before and after class then you will be fine. Her exams aren't that hard if you study, and she does offer extra credit. Highly recommend would take again!!
Riggs is a great professor. Her class is hard, don't get me wrong, but her office hours are super helpful, and she will help you if you just ask questions. Her tests are hard but not impossible; just make sure to study gradually NEVER wait till the last minute to study. If you do well with lecture classes, you will be fine in her class. Love her!
Straight forward class. All memorization. Tests are easy and multiple choice.
She makes the material much harder then it needs to be and with the way she writes exam questions you'd think she was dyslexic. You need to start studying weeks in advance for these exams but if you do all the homework and participate in in-class activities-you'll be fine. She's nice and always willing to help if you come to her.
This class is pretty easy. The tests are not that bad, I haven't had to start studying till the night before for any of them and my lowest grade so far on them was a 90. I Clicker is annoying, but it's whatever. She's stern, but genuinely nice and a good teacher. If you do the work you'll be fine in this class.
If you are able to take another professor even if it means waiting another semester do it. The powerpoint slides she reads in class have nothing to do with the exam. She also frequently makes mistakes on her exam key and does not give points back for those questions. Her schedule is everywhere and she gets frustrated when students ask for help.
Riggs is the bane of my existence. Simply the worst teacher I have had in college and i've had to take her TWICE. If you have an
This is a hard class but getting an A is not impossible. Her tests are harder than some other teachers but if you take the time to study you will do just fine. She cares about her students and wants them to succeed. Go to her office hours they are super helpful. She's super smart and loves what she is talking about, and wants to help her students.
Barely teaches- just reads off powerpoints. Get ready to teach yourself all of the information and go to Si's.
I don't think she deserves all the hate she gets, but her exams are definitely tough. She is passionate about microbiology. Be prepared to study and do weekly discussions. She does give some bonus points for exams. She does read straight from the slides and gives random in-class assignments. I found going to the LA review sessions the most helpful.
Riggs class is hard and you definitely have to study, but she curves and gives plenty of bonus so as long as you dedicate time to the class you'll be fine
HARDEST EXAMS IVE EVER SEEN AND THERE ARE MISTAKES ON ALL OF THEM THAT CAUSE DISTRACTIONS WHILE TAKING THEM
Mrs Riggs was very friendly and approachable, but she was a very poor teacher. Most of the material given is directly from a slideshow, and her lectures are read word-for-word from these. She tends to bail out the horrible class average on tests by providing a bonus. Doesn't do study guides because "she has too many classes to teach"
Such a nice lady, but the tests are challenging. Not many people make high scores so the curve is a lifesaver.
One of hardest classes I have ever taken. Had her twice as a professor and both times the tests were nearly impossible and asked for miniscule details barely taught . Messes up many questions on test and will randomly drop ur test grade 10 points if SHE makes mistake. SAVE URSELF and DONT take her. Is genuine, but should be a microbiologist instead
I loved professor Riggs class. She is a very nice lady and while her tests may be hard as long as you study in advance for them you can get a good grade. she genuinely cares about her students and gives a ton of bonus. she gets bad reviews from people who don't care enough to take the time to study. i would 100% take her again.
I was present everyday in class and always studied multiple days in advance for exams. The powerpoint she reads off of have almost nothing to do with the exam. Constantly re grades exams based on mistakes that she made in the answer key so your grade fluctuates. Also kept changing the schedule for assignments at the last minute.
Office hours can be very helpful for this class to ask questions or review tests! You can tell that she is very passionate about what she is teaching and happy to answer questions. The exams are relatively difficult so reviewing content every day and attending SI sessions are very helpful. I would certainly take Dr Riggs again!
I would recommend any other teacher for biology if you actually want to learn. Most of her tests have a below C average. Lectures will not prepare you for tests and she teacher word for word from the slideshow. She is a great woman, but will not prepare you at all for her tests. She bails bad grades out with bonus. Would not recommend.
DO NOT TAKE
Not sure why people expect this class to be easy like its not a 3000 level class. But to be honest it was pretty easy. She's very nice but never responds to emails. Study for tests about a week in advance and thats plenty of time. I ended with a 96% and only studied for tests. Homework answers can all be found somewhere online. I'd take again.
This class wasn't terrible, also not the greatest. But it was pretty difficult. She rushed through lecture slides so don't come to class expecting to write down the slides while she's lecturing. Her extra credit helps a ton. Kind of have to re-teach yourself the material for the exams though.
She gives a few extra credit assignments, but it felt like when you would go take the test, nothing that she taught would be on there. There were always mistakes on the exams, and no matter how much you study its still super hard.
Literally just don't take her for biology. bio 1020 w/her was horrid. Her "lecture" is literally just bulletpoints of random stuff about the topic, it does not map out the material well. tests are honestly just a guessing game. there is NO WAY to properly prepare for the exams. its just a bunch of random questions that were never clearly taught
Bad at lecturing, don't even try to keep up with her lectures in class or take notes, she just zooms through the powerpoint slides. Best way to make a good grade is to learn and review ALL of the slides on your own time and consult the textbook if you're confused. Even if you learn everything at home, still go to class for attendance.
Microbiology is a hard class. The material itself is not easy to learn, but Dr. Riggs explains things very well. You have to study a lot but the tests are fairly straightforward if you listen and take notes during lectures. Highly suggest reviewing tests during office hours because she will explain everything you missed.
Not sure what these other reviews are on about. Go to the lectures, study and know the slides. I finished with a 102 in the class. I am guessing the others reviews are just by people who did not want to study. I bet there are easier professors, but she is not the worst for sure.
Dr. Riggs is clearly very smart and good at what she does research-wise, but her language in the classroom feels infantilizing. This is a 3000 level class, so please stop talking to me like I'm 12
I tried to like her but the exams are ridiculously hard and there is always stuff on them that she said we didn't need to know. This class is harder than organic chemistry and it absolutely shouldn't be. She's a very nice woman but please take a different professor.
Only writing a review because I have to take her again and I am so deeply disheartened bc of that fact. She should not be allowed to teach at our school. Her insecurities for teaching show often in the way she blames people talking in class for poor test grades; nobody is talking, its her teaching skills, rather a lack thereof.
You have to pay attention during lecture bc she will mention details that will be on the test that aren't on the slideshows. Gets a lot of hate but if you pay attention and put in the work outside of class you have the potential to do well. Tests can be a little confusing sometimes.
All of these comments are very bias. It is a hard class because there is so much information. She is very clear about what will be on the tests and hosts plenty of review sessions where she uses exam questions. She allows students to earn 8 points of extra credit on every exam for doing a small homework assignment. Highly recommend.
She reads lectures off the slides and makes super hard tests. She is not nearly good enough at teaching to give tests at the difficulty level that she does.
Dr. Riggs knows what she is teaching and she wants her students to succeed. If you utilize her office hours and SI, her tests are very doable and I did well by always reviewing my exams with her. Her class is not a free A by any means, but I do not agree with a lot of the other reviews hating on her. She is also so nice and caring!
Was this class difficult? Sure but it's a college class that requires a college amount of effort. If you go to class and study for tests you'll be fine in here. She's very helpful during office hours and will make sure all of your questions anew answered as she wants you to succeed! She also gives lots of bonus opportunities that help out.
I like her as a person, but sometimes this class feels impossible. I've never gotten a C in my life and rarely get Bs, when the time comes for exams, it literally looks like its written in a foreign language. No matter how much you study, you're not going to do well. The class average for exams was usually around a 60% which tells you everything.
She was a good professor andcaring. However, I had this class for a duration of 1 hour and 15 minutes, and feel if there was a 5 minute break instilled it would've helped. Sometimes it felt like she rushed through everything and all of the slides, and I found myself getting lost. The tests arehard but if you understand the material you will be ok.
This class is extremely difficult. It always felt like no matter how hard you study, you are humbled every single time. It is a great class to take if you are a microbiology or genetics major. Otherwise, take someone else. However, she is a very sweet and caring professor.
She is a very caring person. If you really get the time to get to know her it is worth it in the end. She will do almost everything in her power to help you succeed. the class is lecture heavy but if you pay attention and take notes it is not that bad. I will defiantly be taking her in the other classes she offers at auburn!
Dr. Riggs is probably the most caring professor I've ever had. She genuinely cares about you as a person. Her class is hard (because there's a lot of material very quickly) but I think it's definitely worth it. Just be ready to take notes during her lectures. She gives tons of extra credit and will help if you ask. I personally loved her class.
Riggs is really nice, however she is the most difficult teacher I have ever taken. She doesn't do a great job of explaining hard concepts and she moves soooooooo fast. I would not recommend taking her for Bio.
SPECIFICALLY MICROBIO (idk abt intro) was a good teacher, but go to office hours they were the most helpful thing on the planet. everything application so know info inside and out, but to be expected its a 3000 class. attendance not mandatory but in class assignments often. genuinely does not receive the hate
This class contained a lot of material, but Dr. Riggs is one of the most caring people, and if you want to succeed, you will need to study and attend class. She provides lots of extra credit opportunities and wants to see students succeed.
She is extremely lecture-heavy, primarily just reads off the slide shows she posts (if she posts them, because sometimes she doesn't until the day of the lecture). Be sure to check Macmillan almost daily because sometimes she posts assignments there without telling the class they are there.
Dr. Riggs is the nicest and kindest professor I have taken at Auburn. She is strict but fair with grades and rounding, but offers a bonus project at the end of the semester. This course is one of my favorite classes I've taken at Auburn and I highly recommend. It is not an easy class, but if you put in the work you can definitely make an A.
Dr. Riggs is great! Her exams are difficult but if you study they're manageable. She is very knowledgeable about the subject and wants to help you learn. I highly recommend taking micro with her!
Only read off powerpoints, rarely did anything that would actually teach us. Would randomly take attendance for grades, so you'd never know. The only reason I am currently passing the course is because of the homework grades she assigns. If you go to her office hours prepare yourself to wait 40 minutes passed her office hour time to speak with her.
Riggs is a slideshow presenter but in a way where when you go back to review the slides, if you were not in class, they are helpless. The slideshows have previews concepts but there is no clear way on how to apply concept so when the test comes around you are like a blind mouse that has the inability to recall something briefly mentioned in lecture
If only I could sum up my experience with Dr. Riggs in only 350 words... Just don't take her. Just because she's knowledgeable about what she teaches doesn't mean she knows how to teach. Therefore, being in her class is kinda like being in the backseat of a car crash... there's nothing you can do about it. I would avoid her class like the plague.
This class was insanely hard for no reason. Dr. Riggs is awesome to talk to and she is very caring but if you think you're going to do good in this class you better be prepared to STUDY. The average for all 4 exams were 68-70. The lectures are a lot and you usually cover a whole 40 slide PowerPoint in a day.
Dr. Riggs is a great teacher! Very passionate about biology, so lectures are very detailed. But it's really not a hard class if you put in the time to study. I recommend taking notes of PowerPoints before class + recording lectures. She cares about her students and wants to help so go to her office hours! She gives a good amount of extra credit.
The exams are hard, go to class and you will get a lot of extra credit, and she is very caring!
Love her as a person, but not as a professor. Some, if not most, of her exam questions are very niche. The first and final exams are the easiest. This course requires a lot of studying!
She goes through slides pretty fast, so fast you can't even take notes I feel like. She will do in class assignments so participation does matter. Her tests are pretty hard and she doesn't provide study guides. The test average is almost always pretty low with no curve, however there are some chances for EC. Shes just average
The exams for this class are really difficult. The test questions are very detailed, but the slides do not fully represent the extent of the information. There is a bonus project at the end of the semester to help boost your grade. She is very kind and will help you out as much as she can with class and career-related questions.
Dr. Riggs gets a bad rep but she is honestly one of my favorite professors. She moves through slides quickly, but if you take notes during class and then make a quizlet with every detail from the slides, you will succeed. It is a lot of material to memorize, but so much easier than genetics and ochem. You can tell she cares about her students.
The class is challenging, and her tests are ridiculously hard, but she offers extra credit if you go to class and the quizzes/ICAs make up for the rest. The final was super easy and helps boost your grade at the end of the semester. Overall, not that bad tho
Dr Riggs was very kind and engaging! Exams are very content heavy, but are multiple choice and matching. She has the graduate section give presentations on Fridays, and she will ask questions about them on exams. The class is definitely hard, regardless of who you take it with!
Exam 2 is very difficult. However, even making a 60 on that exam, I was able to scrape by with an A. She truly wants everyone to succeed. Almost every test is just material straight from the slides, you just have to be diligent.
Dr Riggs is very helpful outside of class and very personable. She takes attendance sometimes. The class itself and HW is not difficult, but the exams are difficult. She moves really fast through the slides but not impossible to follow. I recommend skimming through the book before exams.
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