2.8
Quality4.1
Difficulty49%
Would Retake192
Reviews49%
Would Retake
192
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
38
4
32
3
37
2
31
1
54
What Students Say
“One of the worst professors you can find on campus”
BIOL3090 - 2.0 rating“Tests were so bad that he curved 10% on first test”
BIOL2170 - 1.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
91%
Textbook Required
6%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B+
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Improving
+0.31 avg changeRatings by Course
BIOL2910
4.0
(1)DEVBIOL
4.0
(2)BIO2150
3.9
(18)BIOL3070
3.5
(2)BIO2
3.5
(2)Difficulty by Course
BIOL3030
4.7
BIO2160
4.7
BIOL3070
4.5
DEVBIOL
4.5
BIOL2170
4.3
Reviews (192)
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Really vague and random prof.
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This professor is clearly not interested in entertaining opinions which differ from his own. He is unwilling consider that he may be incorrect on grades issued, regardless of the evidence. It is nearly impossible to get a response to inquiries, questions, complaints, etc. Overall, one of the worst and least involved professors I've experienced.
please avoid him at any cost!
Dr. Stevens was not very helpful. His tests were very hard, although there was a trick to studying for them. They are based almost entirely off the slides presented; however, the exams were worded in a difficult manner. He was not always able to explain the concepts in class clearly. I'd definitely rather have taken Plenefisch for dev bio.
Boring, dry Canadian guy. Can insult you to your face is the nicest most proper way.
Hard to know what to study for this class. if you take him GET to KNOW HIM! he plays silly games like lets see if I know your name in class?! the tests are worded completely dumb.
Seriously a horrible teacher, his lectures were incredibly long and incredibly boring. I had to work very hard to earn an A, used the book religiously. Office hours were scarce, and unless you are a kiss ass, he doesn't really care either way. Exams are the only grade and we had to convince him to add bonus questions to each exam to compensate
A bit of a monotone voice as a lecturer, with an understated sense of humor that I personally found to be funny. The grade was based solely on 4 exams with no curve. It's not hard to get a C, but B's and A's are earned.
By attending every lecture save for 1,it is clear to me that Robert M. Steven is a knowledgeable man. His methods for imparting this knowledge to his students, however, leaves much to be desired. He seems unaware that college freshman are not as experienced as graduate students.
Most likely the most horrible teacher i've ever come across. He's extremely knowledgeable but lacks all understanding of how to teach a class. He moves extremely quick and is very brief in lecture but very detailed on the exam. SI sessions should be taken advantage of when in this class.
for Bio II. He is as clear as anyone can be about incredibly tedious material he has to teach. More than fair on exams and grading but you can't be lazy or expect a grade to be handed to you! He even drops q's on exams if most people did not get answer correctly. He is approachable and cares about his students well being.
I really don't think going to lectures helps you at all. I went to every class and studied a couple days before every exam and still did not do well. He doesn't make the subject interesting, and a lot of the information on the slides isn't on the tests. You have to make sure you REALLY know/understand the biological processes or you won't do well.
He obviously hasn't been teaching long. Very awkward with the occasional bad joke or incorrect information. You can tell he's really a nice guy, but as for a teacher he's not so great. My advice, stick to the teachers that are more lively and excited to be teaching. He's not horrible, but he's really not someone I'd reccomend.
Basically he just reads off the power point. Doesn't really 'teach' you much. The exams were pretty impossible, even for the best of students. I guess it doesn't help that the material wasn't that easy either. He seems like a nice guy, but I wouldn't want to take any of his other classes.
He was terrible!
this course is usually mandatory for biology majors when students dnt get A in the course they like to blame on the proffesors whether the result of their grade is caused by their lack of studying or the difficulty of the exams. His exams are detailed, but they are all from his lectures. Also the qs on the exams are focused on important concepts.
I've really enjoyed his class so far. You can tell that he enjoys teaching this class and he explains concepts very well. His exams are very straightforward but you still need a lot of study time because he presents a lot of material.
The majority of the ratings here are simply unfair. Prior to taking this class, I was terrified that this was going to be an awful class. Dr. Steven's lectures are clear, and his exams cover only what was covered in lecture. All three midterm exam averages were around 75, so not a very hard class as long as you take (sparse) notes and just study!
He is great. Soemetimes he contradicts himself during his lectures. He uses clicker and gives you points even if you are wrong (half). THe material in Developmental Biology is very interesting. You can study for the tests and final just following his slides.
He is VERY useless, confusing and Boring. I really think anyone who is planning on taking him to not! He talks in a monotone which can be very boring and put you to sleep. He goes super fast clicking through slides. Finally, his course organization makes no sense, one day were talking about the neuron then the next photosynthesis. Stay AWAY!
He was really nice to the honors section of this class so if you are honors you should take the honors course with him.
Very difficult class, says everything on exams will be in notes, get to exam and i am wondering if i am even in the correct class because it is nothing that i studied for. Probably the most boring lecture in the world to sit through, and the only people that did any good in the class never showed up and just read the book. Very difficult overall
Professor Steven is one of the worst professors I have ever had. The lectures in class have nothing to do with the exams at all, but you have to come to the lectures because he gives clicker points. I found this class really hard. I would not recommend him.
He was a really difficult professor, but he teaches a really hard subject. You have to read the book to be able to pass the class. Make sure you go to class, because the clicker points are where your grade can be fixed at. Also, go see him in his office, then he will know you and help you out.
His class is really difficult especially since his exams also have a written portion, worth 30%. I honestly thought he was super difficult and I had no idea what was going on in class majority of the semester. I did not like him and he's super strict and unapproachable.
attend lecture. make sure to read book. i found the class easy. got an A. people were complaining about him but i found his tests easy becasue i read the textbooks. clicker questions are kind of difficult tho
Steven is canadian which is delightful during lecture. He gives difficult exams but if you study and talk to him he will help. Go to his office hours after every exam to get help on the questions you missed because he re-uses questions on his final. Basically, he is one of your only options, I heard taylor gave crazy easy exams but lectures suck.
I had him for Bio 2. His tests only cover important big-idea concepts (not what the third enzyme in the krebbs cycle is) and he doesn't have a thick accent you have to hear through. He's pretty friendly too. Just watch out for tangents or he might confuse you. Know the textbook and what is directly on the powerpoints.
Professor Steven is far from a good teacher. He talks in his lecture like we, as freshman, are graduated scientists. He makes you download over 25 apps to your computer/iPad to use in class and the software hardly ever works. He is not a nice guy and is not very understanding at all. Do not recommend his class and will not be taking him again.
His tests are hard and are based on his notes not the book. He has clicker questions during the lecture which count towards your final grade. He always has a pre-lecture quiz in which you have to read the book for the answers. He doesn't teach he lectures. If you want the A in the class you are going to work for it.
Clarification: I have Dr. Steven for the honors section, so this is more specific to that. I have heard his lectures are quite horrible when there is more people. My class is only 20 or so. He is helpful, really knows the subject, and you can always tell when he likes a certain subject because he's very passionate about it.
I really liked Developmental even though many people warned me about this class. The multiple choice portions of the tests are very difficult, but I got an A with studying a day or two before so they definitely weren't impossible. You really have to work for an A, but just studying the notes carefully makes it possible.
Tests are multiple choice and the weight scale is pretty good. 63 is the lowest C-. Pre-lecture quizzes-need book. PRINT ALL LECTURE NOTES AND WRITE EXTRA DETAILS HE SAYS IN CLASS. He gives hella clicker questions in class. Test questions tend to be application ones, so understand what you learn. Mere memorization won't get you far in there. SWEEP!
It's important to go to Dr. Steven's lectures and take very good notes on things he says are important. It was challenging material but he practically begged students to go to his office hours, and was very helpful if you actually did. He's really good one on one for questions. Also, you will really need to read the textbook if you want to do well!
I took the honors section of BIOL2170. It was very challenging. I would not recommend the honors section of the course to anybody who is not willing to put the work in outside of class.
Professor Steven is the type of professor who became a professor in order to do research. Teaching his students seems to be a huge hassle to him, and he acts like we're all graduate students who understand everything. Lectures are super boring and long, and you do the same thing in every class, every time. Tests are extremely in-depth.
In taking the exams I wondered if I was in the right class. Class averages on exams with 120 students were in the low 70's. He voiced that he has a difficult time relaying the information to students and that was evident throughout the semester. He needs to dumb this course down so that students, not scientists, can understand the information.
Lectures can be long and boring at times but not that bad. Tests are easy if you study and use the chapter guides he writes. He drops questions from the exam that were too difficult. Aced every exam by thoroughly reading the text books and understanding the notes. Always open to help in office hours and lets you review what you missed on a test.
Good professor, is clear in lectures and tests are fair. You NEED to read the textbook and take notes over it. You NEED to go over the lecture notes (you can print off) and you NEED to go over the chapter guides. If you put in the time this class is an easy A. The ones who complain did not put in the leg work. Work hard and study and you'll ace it
Very unspecific about exactly what we needed for class supply wise. Don't really need the book because it's all on LaunchPad just in case you want to save money.
This teacher did a good job of explaining the subjects that we were learning. Review his notes after class because most of the questions come from those. Going to SI helped me a lot in this class. It also helped to watch videos over anything that was unclear but his tests were very fair!
You NEED to read the chapters before and after lecture. The tests are super hard the averages on tests have been in the 60-70%. He has clicker questions during every lecture.
Includes topics on the exam even if not covered in class because of time. Clickers are a constant pop quiz every 8 am lecture. Do not take this class for honors, terrible idea. This class is required, just be ready to spend a lot of time out of class because Dr. Steven rarely if ever says what to actually study for the exam. WEEKS to grade exams...
get ready to study. the key to pass this class is to always be studying for this class. problem is you dont only have his class. it is a very hard topic to do, so get ready to always take notes. every day there are clicker questions and a post quiz to do. 4 exams, and a final. final is 25%. he drops one of the 4 exams.
Dr. Steven has a calm, relaxing voice which is not the best at eight a.m. He's easy to talk to outside of class and wants you to do well. However, his tests, especially the multiple choice part, are really specific, and not necessarily on the material that you thought was the most important. Study the slides multiple times well ahead of the tests!
MAKE SURE YOU WRITE DOWN CLICKER QUESTIONS. Dr. Steven pulls quite a few of them and variations of them for his exams. Beware of tricky wording on exams and always look at your exam in his office since he sometimes pulls those questions for the final.
Must read, study, and put in extra effort on your own time. Material is already difficult, tests are tough!!
He's a very smart man, but sometimes too smart to teach a bunch of freshmen. Make sure you know the clicker questions. The wording on the exams is tricky. Go to his office hours because he can pull material from past exams on the final. You're going to need to put solid hours of studying in for each exam if you want to do well. No room to be lazy.
This is the worst professor I have ever had, I've had him twice now. His exams are super tough and detailed. His exams do not reflect how much material you covered. DO NOT TAKE HIS CLASS.
Dr. Steven is just an ok professor. His lectures aren't incredibly boring but his exams are insanely hard. What really made me upset with Steven is his inability to email back. I had to miss class one time due to a funeral of a family member and emailed him in advance. He never emailed me back and it was supposed to be an excused absence.
Worst professor ever! Exams are nothing like what he goes over in class, and are very difficult and in depth, which he doesn't prepare you for. Easy homework and clicker points but the exams are ridiculous. He's a very smart guy but shouldn't teach a freshman level class. People were happy to receive 60's on his exams.
He is super smart and knows what he is talking about. Exams can be hard but if you pay attention in class and study the material he uses, it's possible to get good grades. Office hours are a great resource and he is always willing to help. Material can be hard but if you put in the work and attend class, you can get the desired grade.
Dr. Steven is not that nice when you go to his office hours. Makes you feel like your questions are stupid. Exams are hard as hell (worse than o Chem or biochem). Dont recommend his class at ALL
Not an easy class but definitely not impossible. As long as you pay attention in class, read the textbook, and put time in you will receive a good grade. Make sure you understand the content, don't just memorize it.
You will understand what he says one minute then hell talk more and you will be lost.
Tests are extremely difficult. Although the topics he covers in class he goes into great detail and makes you feel interested, you have to know the material as if you are a biologist, not as if you just learned it. Very hard tests. Final exam is brutal.
If you want an A in the class you have to really work for it because Dr. Steven makes his exams really hard. The lectures can be difficult to follow, so I recommend reading from the textbook after each lecture. If you know the material inside and out you will be fine, but you cannot just memorize and procrastinate or you will do poorly.
Super hard. He is mean in the beginning but if you work hard and go to office hours he will become nicer. He tries to help. Read the textbook and pay attention in lecture and you will pass.
Super hard. If you work hard and go to office hours it will become a little easier. He tries to help. Read the textbook and pay attention in lecture and you will pass.
He's very confusing in lectures and notes are hard to follow. The exams are EXTREMELY difficult no matter how hard you study for them. If I were you, I would take a different professor for 2170 ENTIRELY.
Very tough tests the questions will be tricky be prepared to study a lot.
A bit dry, but he cares about students. Reach out to him and he will respond. This class is quite difficult to begin with, but he makes his own notes for lectures. I recommend also attending the SI sessions.
Knows his biology thats for sure, he can be funny and nice but you will have to work hard in his class. Attendance is key it helped my grade a lot the clicker questions.
Terrible professor. Ive been through 3 years of college and this entry level biology was the most difficult thing be ever taken. He has clicker questions in class that half the class gets wrong, then makes you feel stupid because the questions are difficult. Tests were so bad that he curved 10% on first test. I read the book too. No help at all!
Hardest teacher Ive had so far. He does extra long lectures and has clicker questions so attendance is required. You have to study the material inside and out because he does do t ick questions where you need to know every last thing. I would not recommend him.
One of the worst professors you can find on campus. Not ready to really answer questions during office hours. Very ridiculous.
Prof Steven is terrible. He doesnt help at all during lectures. He talks about the exam grades and they all tend to be below 65%. This exam average was a 63% AFTER a 10% curve. Hell Blake it on not coming to office hours yet no one understands. Never take him, he is the worst professor Ive ever had and its not even close...
I really enjoyed this class, but it was a lot of work. Read the chapter before class, take notes, and make sure you listen to what he repeats in class because it'll be on the exams. Make sure to study the LearningCurve and inclass notes to pass the exams. Take his honors course and go to office hours. Also convergent evolution is always the answer
DO NOT TAKE PROFESSOR STEVENS. You will not pass this class. more than half of my class failed it . Our class average for exams was a 40%
Steven has a reputation for a brutal course. If you are taking this him as a freshman, it can be a rough college introduction, but do the work and you'll be fine. He has an old school style, but he posts all his lecture material online. Go to lecture, take notes, read the book, TAKE NOTES, and study for the exam. No secret, just put in the time.
Prof Stevens knows his biology extremely well and cares deeply for the content. At points lectures can be dry but he tries to keep things lively despite the material. He bases his exams off of his notes and they can be tricky. He usually said which slides to pay specific attention to. Overall I learned a lot, but had to put the extra effort in.
Dr. Steven is a great professor if you are engaged during his lectures. If you're going to take BIOL 2170, make sure to take the honors version, it's not harder than the regular lecture and you get much more one-on-one time where you can interact with him to learn the material. I recommend printing the lecture notes before class & going to SI.
dont take this class. its a waste of time and exams are the hardest thing. I only have to take this class to continue my major and am considering changing my major just to never have him or this class ever again.
Steven is the WORST PROFESSOR IN THE UNIVERSE!! You won't learn anything from him, you have to learn it on your own but you will still fail. He expects you to understand biology at his level and makes his exams impossible. don't take his class ever in your life
dont take him. this class is THE WORST class ive ever taken
aim for a passing grade, this class will make you want to switch majors. ive gone to see him multiple times and he made me feel stupid. nice guy but not a good professor.
He goes through lectures WAY TOO QUICKLY. It's almost impossible to keep up. I HIGHLY recommend watching videos before lecture or reading the textbook!! Basically had to teach myself when it came time for exams.
Was not hard for me--based on his reviews, I was concerned. If you haven't taken biology since fresh./soph. yr. of h.s., it may be hard for you. I had IB Bio jr./sr. yr., so this class was easy. Didn't read the book--online quizzes before each lecture can be found in quizlets if you google the question--lectures are IMPORTANT. Do not miss! believe
Dr. Steven often gets a bad wrap. He is a good professor, and a very kind man. There is just SO MUCH material to cover that is hard to simplify. You have to read the material outside the lectures if you want a good grade. However, he is very helpful and will work with you outside of class. I recommend his class to anyone willing to work for it.
Get ready to study and write super fast
No matter how much you prepare for this class you will not get an A unless you're a good test taker. Doesn't help you if you go to his office hours, or email him questions. If you read the book, go to every lecture, and study then you might get a B but good luck.
Prof. Stevens is clear on what you do and don't need to know, so go to SI sessions, look at chapter guides, and start studying for tests at least a week before. Test avgs are in the 60s, read the book when you are confused. Go to office hrs to see what you got wrong on tests. Go to SI right before tests and they will have study guides.
Was hard to get used to his style of teaching, but once you're used to it his class is a little bit easier. Focus on lectures and homework quizzes.
Dr. Steven is really not a bad professor. He does make you work for your grade though. You really have to put in the time and study. Making an A on a test is actually doable. SI sessions will be your best friend. Review his lectures and focus on his chapter guides. He's a nice guy so if you have questions just email him or go to his office hrs.
Lectures are mandatory in order to pass the class, although they tend to be almost 2 hours long, I enjoyed them. I thought he conveyed the topics very well and made it interesting. His grading style is very nice and understanding. But in order to pass the class studying and reading are mandatory. Definitely go to his office hours to review exams.
Dr. Steven is a great lecturer. His lectures are incredibly helpful in understanding the material. He really knows his stuff and will make sure you do too. Make sure you read the book and understand the power point slides. He is very responsive to email and does want you to succeed. His exams are applications of the material.
I took this course as a guest student and this course was very difficult (but not impossible). Dr. Steven knows his stuff and will share as much as he can with you, so make sure you stay engaged during lectures. He does want to help but will not coddle you. He is very accessible out of class. Also provides real-world examples and news.
He is a great lecturer and really knows the material he teaches. His exams can be tricky. Pay very close attention to the wording and you should be fine. Reading the book helps understand the material. Not the easiest class but an A is definitely possible with a little effort.
Professor Steven is the worst professor I have ever had at the University of Toledo. If you have the opportunity to, do not take this class. A lot of the exam information was not from lectures.
Study every day and assume everything in the notes will be on the exam unless he says otherwise. Phrasing on exams can be tricky, but it is easy to adapt to. BE SURE TO ASK if you are unsure during an exam. Definitely watch the videos he posts to Blackboard. He makes you a better test taker and effectively prepares you for higher levels of bio.
Horrible. Just horrible. Expects you to know every single thing for exams, dry as a board in lecture. Developmental biology is required for biology major and he is the only instructor teaching. Study notes many weeks before exams. Im so sorry. Good luck.
Simply put, this is the absolute worst course and professor at this university by far. I literally have to record the lectures, relisten, and write literally everything down to just barely pass exams. He thinks it's funny when you do badly on clickers. Exams are extremely detailed, and he's the only option for this course, so good luck!!
Dr. Steven is not a bad professor, his tests are just difficult. The test questions are phrased very weird, it is hard to know what is being asked. In addition, his lectures are pretty dull. The only thing that keeps me awake is the fact that we have fill-in notes.
Terrible professor! Very disrespectful towards his students and does not help. Exams are fairly difficult, but his attitude is horrendous towards his students so you can't even ask him questions on the exam or he'll make you feel dumb. TAKE ANYONE ELSE IN THE BIO DEPT.
Dr. Steven is very unapproachable and does not appreciate questions. He likes to say things like "you should know this." He is also a monotone lecturer and and it is very hard to focus in his class because of it. The text book is very heavy and takes forever to read. He does know the material well though.
Oh boy. I truly believe that Prof. Stevens is a wonderful person as a whole. BUT- holy cow his class is so hard. It was impossible for me to get above an 80% on any tests when I started to study a few days before the exam. I had to study almost every single day for an hour a day to get a 90% on an exam. Sooo much work over every single detail.
Compared to the other biology professors, Dr. Steven is your best choice. His notes don't line up with the book very well, but he still expects you to take quizzes over the book material before each class. My advice is to read the book and go to SI because Dr. Steven will contradict himself and confuse you.
Biology is a tough class with a lot of information. The lectures were long and full of material and I would not suggest skipping ever. If you take notes during lectures and pay close attention then the exams won't be as hard as everyone else thinks they are. I highly recommend reading the chapters before class, its a deal breaker.
He talks in a monotone voice for the whole lecture. The tests are kind of hard and if you go to his office hours he is very difficult. He gets kind of smart with you too
I honestly thought I was smart until I took this class. This was the only class I didn't receive an A in. The exams are ridiculous because they have options like one of the above, none of the above, or two of the above. All around it was a traumatizing experience. Best of luck.
He's honestly not as bad as people say, you just have to learn quickly how to study for his exams. His homework is very straight forward super easy, but thats only like 15% of the class. He drops 1 of the 4 exams. Read the lecture notes and do the learning curves.
One of the toughest classes I've taken so far, he really makes you work for your grade. If you are a pre-med student, he can be very beneficial. TAKE 2170 first!! However, if you just need a natural science, choose Sally Harmych for an easier semester or choose a different science. COVID-19 only made it more difficult.
I loved Dr. Steven's class. His grading criteria was very clear and if you went to SI sessions and studied, you would do just fine. He is very helpful doing office hours and actually wants to help you. I would 100% take his class again, although it can be hard sometimes because he can be very monotone in his lectures.
This class is very hard especially because the only real grades are the exams. If you pay attention and study averagely you should be able to get a good grade
Make sure you read the book because Dr. Steven flies through the lectures and will often contradict himself. He's not a bad person, but his lecturing skills could use a bit of work. He's still probably your best bet for intro-level biology courses.
Dr. Steven is your best bet for Biology 2150 & 2170! His lectures are straightforward with an average of 8 clicker questions. He offers office hours if you need to discuss topics you're stumped on, go over your exam, or just advice. In order to get a good grade in this class, you need to STUDY! Best advice: READ THE BOOK!! This IS a tough class!!
Yes there is a lot of material to cover, but goes into detail on tests more than in lecture, as well as test questions are very confusing and are in grad-school level format. He is funny and sarcastic, but should be teaching upper level classes- NOT freshman/sophomores.
He is brutal, he doesn't care for what you have to say. If you fail an exam he will belittle you and insult you for not passing. He believes he is a great professor and comes off cocky and rude. He has been on academic probation multiple times. I do not recommend taking a class with him at all.
Im at 100 credit hours in in my college experience and this man takes the cake for the hardest exams especially for a class thats a freshman level course. Between chemistry, calculus, and other biology courses Ive taken, this man is on a whole different level of difficult. You think you know the material till he jumbles up the wording and K-Type
Rob's class is mostly lectures. You don't have to be in class, but you get points from questions in class. There is homework due before each class, but it is pretty simple. Rob genuinely tries to make the class more interesting. Just go to class, do the SI reviews, and actually study for the tests and it's not a hard class.
The lectures are very boring and hard to stay awake. Often would second guess himself and if you ask a question he makes you feel stupid. This class was horrible, the exams were 30% written response and he expects you to know everything even stuff he did not discuss. If you have a choice do not take this class :(
taken during Fall Covid: This class was the hardest class I have ever taken. The class was 85% tests. I went to office hours to get help for this class at the beginning and he wouldn't let me see the test to see what I got wrong. He is not helpful or reasonable. He will not boost your grade if you are close to the next grade. SI wasn't helpful.
Dr. Steven's class is one of the most challenging classes I've taken in college. I heard several stories of Dr. Steven belittling students during office hours and he won't let you look at your past exams unless you go to office hours. If you want to pass, you HAVE to read the textbook. His lectures are taught as if you already know the material.
One of the most difficult classes I have taken in college. Dr. Steven teaches the class as if you already know the material so you HAVE to read the textbook if you want to pass. Exams are worded weird and will require studying. He will not let you see past exams unless you go to office hours, where you are often belittled for not knowing material.
Attendance isn't mandatory, but there are graded clicker questions in each lecture. While Steven isn't quite as bad as most of his reviews make him out to be, he is lecture heavy, expects that you have read the textbook (an entire chapter before each class), and can be snippy to students; however, if you put in an effort, you can succeed on exams.
Professor Steven is the worst biology professor you can have. His classes are test heavy making up 70% of your grade. He is snappy to his students, will skip lecture slides and expects students to know whats going on, and does not teach well. Exams are hard as well. Do not take him. Take anyone else.
This class is one of the hardest biology classes I have taken here at UT & he's the only one that teaches this course so you won't even be able to avoid him. His lectures are boring & he grades clicker questions so make sure you put some effort into those. Also his exams are really hard & the free response is all or nothing!! HE DOES NOT CURVE.
Doesn't explain anything, believes everyone knows the material at the level he does. exams every 2 weeks with study material that doesn't help at all. and if you need help good luck getting it from him
Rob teaches like he expects you to already know the information that he is trying to teach you. If you want to pass this class you basically have to teach yourself the material. Make sure you read through all of the chapters and take really detailed notes. Even after attempting to teach myself the information, I still really struggled.
Ok look, this class is difficult, but Dr. Steven is not the problem. He has a kind personality, his lectures are not intended to confuse you, and he is a truthful person. He is helpful in his office hours too. You have to learn how to study for his class, go to office hours, and SI, but Dr. Steven is actually good.
I personally liked Rob because he was nice and taught well for my learning style. However, if you want an easier class or don't learn well from boring lectures, DO NOT take Rob. A couple small quizzes are due before every lecture which are quick and easy and you can do them in 15 minutes, but the exams are very in depth and difficult.
Dr. Steven is a really great professor. He always answers emails quickly, usually within an hour or two. Heavy lectures, take a nap beforehand. GO TO OFFICE HOURS, you won't receive an answer key for exams and can only see it during office hours between exams, but this is good because you get to know Dr. Steven better and explains questions well.
Would never have taken except it's a major requirement. DO NOT TAKE IT HONORS if you can. Honors tests were way harder than the regular classes. He expects you to remember everything about cells from high school biology. He is not very accommodating to students who miss his class. Do not take him if you can avoid it.
Definitely the hardest professor I have ever had... drops the lowest exam so that is nice but only if you get good grades on the other ones which are very difficult. Exams are worded very oddly and his lectures have many slides that he goes through way too quickly. Would not recommend him.
The lecture moves fast but overall he teaches the material very well.
Professor Steven gives a reasonable amount of homework and four midterms, where the lowest one is dropped. If you pay attention during lecture and understand the material, his exams are not that difficult as they require you to think critically in terms of cause and effect. He also drops the most missed questions after every exam.
Developmental is only required for bio majors but I (chem major) took it just because hes a great professor. Theres an astonishing amount of new vocab youll cover, but if you listen to how he explains it and connects it to other concepts in lecture, the class becomes 10x easier.
Dr. Steven is literally amazing. He stresses that he enjoys it when you go visit his office hours and ask questions in class. This class is difficult in general, but he teaches the materials very well. You may not walk away with a beloved A+ but you'll walk away with a ton of knowledge. He teaches MCAT material too!!
He clearly knew what he was talking about for this class, but he made it very hard to understand. DO NOT take the 2.5h/2d/week lecture, I promise you will hate it, just take the option with more lectures a week. His tests are EXTREMELY applied, the textbook is almost a must-read. I heard his next class is much easier, but he made me change majors.
Dr.Stevens is one of the most knowledgable professors I have ever met.He makes all this lectures relatable and includes random facts about everyday life which not only make a funner class but allows to understand the material better.He truly cares about his students and wants them to succeed.Yes you need to study and work hard but that is expected
Pretty average teacher, pay attention during lecture and do the homework and it's not overly difficult. He's better than many other bio professors at UT. Would take him over Vestal or Gray any day.
Dr. Steven is a very hard teacher, but he means well. Class is very lecture and exam heavy, with attendance being mandatory. If you put in the work and attend lectures, you can easily pass this class. Dr. Steven is abrasive, but he is a very good professor and his lectures are enjoyable and easily understood. You will definitely put in work.
Actually told the class during lecture that we are stupid if we didn't understand the material. The class average was extremely low and he didn't do anything to help, and insulted us instead. His office hours were no help, and those who did go cried after because of how mean he is. I wish I took biology with the other professor.
I took both BIO2150 and BIO2170. I would recommend that you take these sections as honors. The flipped classroom style in the honors section made it a lot easier to understand the material. The only difference with honors exams are written question on the exams, which are not hard. Overall, he is an amazing professor, and wants students to learn.
I had Dr. Steven for BIOL 2170, 2150, and 3090. His courses are undoubtedly challenging, although everything he expects you to know is clearly communicated. It is a lot of material and it's crucial to stay on top of it. Tips: read the book section before lectures, make an Anki deck for every term/clicker Q on his slides, and review exam mistakes.
Even though I got a C- in dev bio, I could have gotten a C+ if not for his final. His final is very hard. Must go to class for participation points. He's a great lecturer but the material is just difficult in general. Dr. Steven makes sure you know what to study for each exam, but exam questions can be difficult, especially since its a written exam
Dr. Steven is a great professor. His notes are very detailed, and enable you to ace the class without opening the book. You do have to go to the lectures to be able to complete the skeleton notes he provides on Blackboard, he'll provide the info that goes in the blanks. He drops your worst exam grade, exam grades are curved.
His teaching style is the worst part about this class. Each class, he'll lecture the entire time about things that are very irrelevant to what we're doing, so come test time, none of the questions make sense. He talks and talks, but never about anything that will be on the test. He expects you to just understand what's going on without explaining.
He favors the honors section. Going to SI sessions will help you for the exams. He is easy to contact and will help you when needed.
He talks slowly but won't reveal what you need to write for awhile and then will go to the next slide without much time to write. His tests are very difficult; he expects you to know the ins and outs of all the cycles and there are multiple in each lecture. I would say avoid him but he's the only one who teaches 3090, so be prepared to study a lot!
Does not help students prepare for exams at all, questions them so hard that he makes everyone fail.
funny
Dr. Steven is clear in his expectations (chapter guides) but he can become hard to approach as he gets a bit defensive. His teaching method is not the best either, so you have to work very hard to do well on exams. If you have already taken a good biology course it will probably be easier. Hard work pays off, otherwise prepare for a bad grade.
Down right hardest professor with boring lectures. Had to curve every text by 16%
He was a decent professor but his exams were difficult to prepare for. If you studied the right material, then you could do well but it was hard to know what he wanted you to study. He wants to help and he gives some test questions as bonus if majority of people get it wrong. Difficult teaching style for some.
Very difficult professor, but really wants you to learn. He's willing to do anything to help you succussed.
Read and take notes before lecture, focus on listening during lecture, go to SI, and you barely have to study. Posts recordings and lecture slides. Exams questions directly from clicker questions and lecture slides.
Definitely a tough class, but if you are prepared to write notes beforehand and rewatch lectures, he clearly states everything that will be on the exam. He gave great feedback, and really just wants his students to succeed.
He doesn't allow you to see your answer to each test unless you goto his office and he doesn't post reviews for each exam.
Our class averages for the exams were consistently awful and he would tell us to just "study more". He would encourage us to prepare weeks in advance, yet he taught us entire lectures of material two days before the midterms. Unless you have tons of free time and can spend it studying bio, choose a different professor.
I first got a recommendation for Doctor Steven from someone who had just gotten into med school. They said that he was the best professor in the system and I think that they were right. You have to pay attention in his class and take notes, but I'm one year out and I remember everything he taught. He's a put in the work, get an A type teacher.
Awful. Don't do it. Class average for exams is usually failing and he blames it on the students.
DONT TAKE HIS 2170 CLASS! I made the mistake in staying in the class after upper class men told me to leave it. I am now having to re take bio because of how hard his exams are. He uses the applied method on exams. There has been times where he put material on the exams from sections we have not yet covered. Switch to another bio if possible!
He is extremely knowledgeable in biology. He is one of the harder professors and his tests are pretty difficult and are comprehensive based questions. Do your homework and extra credit because that will save your grade. He is fair with grading if many people miss the same question he dropps it and converts it to extra credit.
It literally took him an entire month to grade our exam. The way his lecture slides is set up is mad confusing, I didn't understand it until I was studying for the final. He went off on tangents pretty often, we ended up being an entire lecture and a half behind schedule. Also have to do discussion posts and clicker questions for barely any points.
NOT recommended. Grades are very exam heavy. Exams are very tough and "all questions are correct but pick the best one". You have to think like him and not the material. TERRIBLE grader. Exams are put in MINIMUM 1 week after being taken. Does drop questions to exams and the lowest exam and responds well to emails.
Dr. Stevens is a lecture heavy professor. His lectures tend to be long and a little exhausting But as long as you pay attention and know the lecture slides very well you will do well in this class. You do have to put in a little bit more effort in this class, but he is very willing to help you with topics if you go to office hours.
Just don't take his class. TRUST ME, you'll do yourself a favour.
Everything you need to know comes straight from his lecture slides. While attendance is not mandatory, it is difficult to recover if you miss lecture. Additionally, this class was graded on two midterms, a cumulative final, weekly discussion posts, and in class participation questions (heavy weighting on the exams). The class was at 8 am though.
LOTS of important material from lectures. Make sure you study slides very carefully because he asks specific questions off the slides often on exams. Drops one midterm (out of four). Very accessible outside of class, and a caring person overall. Some might find reading the textbook helpful to supplement lecs, but the textbook is super long.
Everything for this class relies on his lectures and lecture slides. Took the honors section for BIOL2150; it wasn't terrible, but the exams have free-response questions. Not a super super strict grader though and he will drop questions if multiple people miss a question. Office hours necessary to review old exams. Overall, mediocre professor.
For 3010. He explains lectures thoroughly and encourages students to ask questions. Although His tests are difficult (85% of grade), if you review lecture, understand homework, and take practice test on program you should be fine. he gives points back on exams on questions where majority of the class misses (usually raises your score by 5-15%).
Professor Stevens runs a tough but rewarding class. His lectures are dense, so staying focused and using resources like the textbook and Unstuck study are key. With preparation, his tests can be conquered, and he's great at helping students succeed.
Dr. Steven is an amazing professor. People who complain about him are lazy students The material is very simple. Understand the processes in how things work then you'll do fine on exams Took me 2 days to memorize all material for Exam 4, without even attending the lectures, but that's just me. Don't do what I do, ur not me. I got a 94 precurve.
Dr. Steven knows a lot about the topics he teaches. He has great office hour time almost every day of the week. His exams are a little tricky but by studying well and attending lectures it isn't that difficult. He makes some jokes in class and gives extra credit on occasion. Overall, I would take him again!
The worst professor i've ever had. He barely goes in depth in any topics during lecture and gives the most in depth questions on the exam. Your whole grade isdetermined by 3 exams, lowest one gets dropped, so if your a bad test taker your screwed. The exam averages were 60-70s and he told us to “study better” rather than realizing he's the problem.
Had him for dev bio and must confess that he's extremely smart. The class wasn't too bad, no homeworks, just discussion boards and i-clickers.
Even if you go into the exam understanding the topic, be prepared for him to ask niche questions that you barely talked about in the most confusing way possible. TERRIBLE professor that I have taken 4+ times because he teaches so many things at Toledo. I almost danced leaving my final because I will never have to see him again.
Dr. Steven is very educated in his teachings, but sometimes you have to learn like he does to understand the material. Class is extremely exam heavy, but if you show him you want to be there and put the work in for it he will help you. Very accessible out of class and quick to respond to emails. Put in the work, get an A type of class.
Professor Steven is extremely tough. His BIO2170 class average exam scores had to be in the 50-60s each time. He often went on not useful tangents during class and would say information would be on the exam that wasn't. He showed up an hour late to our final exam and never fully finished his lectures (some on information not in the textbook).
As a person, I love Dr. Steven. As a professor? Just please avoid the class. He does grade fair, but the difficulty of the exams are unreasonable. He will go over exams during office hours though. This helps.
Dr. Steven is definitely a weed out for students who aren't willing to put in the work it takes to succeed in college. If you study outside of class you will do well! There is hardly any outside work and the class largely depends on tests. Everything on the test is from the lecture slides.
Dr. Steven is a good lecturer and seems to love the material within this course. The exams are not super easy but very doable with the appropriate study habits. Homework is very simple and helpful to understanding the material. The plant physiology and reproductive portion of this course is probably the most difficult.
Pros -Accessible and wanting to help -Minimal HW -Provides many resources -Advocates for research -Records lectures Cons -Exams are somewhat unpredictable (always curved) -Not flexible with illness or technical issues -Will call you out mid class -Inconsistent in lecturing (confuses himself) -Has taken back extensions after promising them
Would rather get polio than take this class ever again ruined my grade and love life. I have ED because of this class and the stress I went through. Want to waste your time, money, and mental health? Take this class. I dropped out went into an active war zone lost two friends and would rather never take this class again than have my friends back.
I personally did not greatly enjoy the course content of Developmental Biology, however, I did enjoy Dr. Steven's teaching style. I believe that he gives you exactly what you need to do, granted it will suck in the process, don't read the textbook I had him for Mol Gen and Dev Bio. It is a very difficult class, but I believe he is a great professor
Dr. Steven is a great professor, and is big on maintaining fairness. . BIOL2150 is easy; granted you need to spend time learning things, but do you really expect to get results with no effort? . 10/10 professor, explains things super clearly, put effort=get results. U may hate something, but it is good for you.
Great Professor. Has office hours almost everyday. Gives lots of extra credit. Exams are mostly from lecture slides. Exams are based on applying concepts rather than memorizing, which might be a hit/miss for students. You must put in effort, lots of material is covered. Not very sympathetic as a prof, so go to office hours only for qs/exam reviews.
I really loved Dr. Stevens class and honestly thought the exams were very straightforward. Study the lecture slides and you'll be good. He gives extra credit on exams and also removes questions that were missed by a lot of students, which really really helps. Highly recommend him for bio!
brotha this man does NOT know how to teach molecular genetics. like yes i got an A but you have to basically memorize the slides and learn everything by yourself. curves questions on exams at least so there is some hope, but he legit does NOT know what he is doing and stumbles on his own examples in class. terrible professor!!
Most NSM majors can't avoid Steven, so here are tips for Mol Gen: re-do the hw qs before exams because they are the most like what you will see; pay attention in lecture (or rewatch if you can't) bc he tells you what you don't need to know; study DETAILS bc they will be on the exam; focus on how to apply the material vs memorization for exams
This class is easy to fall behind in because of how much of it is review but the new details are important. Homework is also pretty difficult for this course. Study some of the low yield concepts, they tend to be extra credit. He doesn't seem as thrilled about this material compared to previous courses.
This professor only teaches using lectures, if you do not understand what he is telling you, that's your problem, not his. I failed his course 3 times before passing, each time asking for tutors, additional resources and assistance. Each time I got told that I needed to work harder at understanding it. He is terrible at teaching.
This class is probably the worst class I have ever taken and I took bioengineering guided thermodynamics. Everything is quick and he could mention it for 0.2 seconds and you better believe it will be on the exam. Grades are based on 3 midterms and a final, no homework, nothing. Good luck. Find someone else to take it with.
Dr. Steven is a professor that wants his students to WORK for grades, just like medical/dental school will. USE HIS OFFICE HOURS, I'd go once a week and I excelled in class (100% exam scores). Bio 2 is a HARD class, his lectures are very dense, but every slide has all the information, exam que are application encouraging you to THINK!!
I personally, I love Dr. Steven but hear a lot of people say otherwise. I have taken three courses with him and would gladly take another. He helped me learn who I am as a student and learn how to be efficient in studying. If you put in the work to understand what his leactures are truly saying, you'll be fine. I got A's in all of his classes.
He answers the questions pretty well but he only really reads off the lecture slides lectures are very long and lots of information wouldn't recommend skipping attendance is mandatory he will fail u if he catches u using iClicker when ur not in class exams are pretty hard he tends to word a lot of the answers very similar
he reads so that we can sleep !!!!!!
his exams are very in depth and you need to be paying 100% attention in class to do well, but he teaches material very efficiently. He is easy to reach outside of class and encourages his students to come to office hours and seek help. It is very much possible to do well in this class (I got 100 on all his exams)
I'm ngl the exams are tough but once you put in the good work you can get good grades. You don't need the textbook if you take notes during the lecture. Go to his office hours, review your exams, ask questions, the office hours are REALLY helpful. Overall, one of my fav professors, teaches well and wants you to THINK.
Class Info
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100%
Attendance Mandatory
91%
Textbook Required
6%
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BIOL2910
4.0
(1)DEVBIOL
4.0
(2)BIO2150
3.9
(18)BIOL3070
3.5
(2)BIO2
3.5
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BIOL3030
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