2.7
Quality4.5
Difficulty27%
Would Retake286
Reviews27%
Would Retake
286
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
79
4
33
3
26
2
39
1
109
What Students Say
“This is the most unfairly difficult class I've taken”
PHYS50 - 2.0 rating“TEN hw's due by 1ST WEEK”
PHYS50 - 3.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
92%
Textbook Required
25%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B-
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-1.08 avg changeRatings by Course
PHYSAP
5.0
(1)PHYS4
5.0
(2)PHYS4D
5.0
(4)PHYSIC4B
5.0
(1)PHYS4CD
5.0
(2)Difficulty by Course
42982
5.0
PHYSIPHY
5.0
PHYSAP
5.0
PHYSICS2A
5.0
PHYSICSA
5.0
Reviews (286)
Fun/upbeat professor with interesting lectures. His enthusiasm for the subject creates an excellent learning atmosphere. Highly recommended!
idk why there aren't many reviews, maybe he's new? Francis is probably the BEST college professor ive had so far in 2 yrs of college. He knows his stuff & he knows HOW TO CONVEY it to students without them getting confused or boring them to death. He is very kind and thorough when u ask for help and very understanding. Fairly easy grader too!
I took his class when he first taught at De Anza. I would say that he is pretty tough when it comes to the quizzes and midterms because there is barely enough time to finish. But his lectures are extremely clear and I if you have any questions, he will happily clarify. Really great physics teacher! :D
omg this teacher is frekin awesome. ive never had a phys teacher better than him. he teaches very well. very clear. his explainations are perfect. u dont just memorize a formula in this guys class, u understand exactly how and y the formula makes perfect sense. his tests are hard tho. so i would spend some time in the tutorial center be4 exams and
I have taken 2 classes with him. He is the best teacher I have ever had. He knows HOW to convey information to you. He is very enthusiastic about physics. His lectures are not dry. Exams and quizzes require every second of time, so you must know your stuff when the time comes. No time to figure it out during the tests. He is my ideal teacher. A+
Very clear professor, though for people who are not good at physics and even then are worse at applying it, don't take him. His tests are applications of physics which is literally not easy. Again not recommended for non physics major. Note half my class is gone, but he is a good professor, I just wish I did not have to take him for a grade.
Very intense class. Gives two 10-15 mins quizzes (sometimes 3) every week, you have to be able to explain concepts well and brief quickly. Quiz problems do not come from HW, he makes his own problems and they're very conceptual and HARD. HW sets with ~20 problems due every week. Can get help through email = very helpful. Exams are OK so far...
Although he's hard, he's the BEST physics professor. His explanations are very clear and he's very helpful. He's knows his stuff! But his tests are hard. But not so much if you get the concept. Ask him for help.
tough class but his lecture is crystal clear. He explains things systematically and it helps me understand physics. best teacher ever!
Hard class, but Professor Francis does everything in his power to make sure you know what to do. His lectures are crystal clear and he'll help you if you don't understand anything. He usually gives quizzes about once a week and there are 3 exams. If you need to this class, I would recommend taking it with Professor Francis.
If you think you are doing good in his class, ok,,,,wait for final.....
Hard Class. Lots of thinking an understanding to do. But super clear lecture.
Good teacher, VERY difficult class. This class was a constant source of stress for me, yes he is very willing to help and explains concepts well, but he gives 10-15 min quizzes 2-3 times a week that are often crazy curve-balls and takes off points for almost everything. Do not take this class if you want an A, its not likely you will get it.
Really good teacher. Work hard in his class. Many quizzes which are usually problem solving but will help you to prepare to midterm. You need to think fast AND UNDERSTEND WHAT YOU ARE DOING. Very good if you really want to learn physics. One of the best teachers at De Anza.
BEST teacher i ever had. hes a "teacher" in its full definition. SUPER HARD, but rly fascinating. he makes u think. getting A is hard, but now i LOVE phys thanx 2 him. very clear lecture 2. i rly recommend him. WORK HARD. dont think "I know the stuff, meh i dont needa study." never get overconfident in his class. take his class if u want 2 learn.
Indisputably the best Professor at De Anza. Crystal clear lectures, tons of excellent examples, very smart and can answer any question you have regarding the subject. You can even email him for hw help! If you are thinking which physics professor you want to take the answer 10 times out of 10 should be Dr. Francis.
There are 3 kinds of people who like his class: 1. Those who are just there to learn. 2. Those who've already taken physics even though this is an INTRODUCTORY course 3. Those who love physics and want to talk/think about it all the time. If you care about your grade, you will find your efforts futile.
I LOVED THIS CLASS!!!
I actually was a student of Dr. Francis at Andover High School from 2000-2002. I took AP Physics with Calculus and was able to successfully skip Physics I, II, III in college. He inspired me to study physics in college. Single best teacher I ever had!
I LOVED HIS CLASS!! Sometime I felt as if his tests and quizzes resembles IQ tests--no matter how much you study, the results are the same. However, thanks to his crystal clear and enthusiastic lectures, I managed to pass his class!
Pretty amazing teacher. Extremely clear lectures and overall he keeps you really interested. His quizzes are pretty hard only due to he gives you about 8-12 mins to do the quiz. Exams aren't to bad as long as you study and prep ahead of time. Overall great teacher and I wish he taught 2A this winter. Well fingers crossed for 4A!!! TAKE HIS CLASS!!!
took him fall qtr, not easy if you expect to do nothing and be lazy, but if you go to class and take notes, and do the hwk, youll get at least a b-, i got a c with little to no effort. just go to class and take notes, easy.
His lectures are really clear. Almost have a quiz every class, usually given 8-10 min to complete. Quiz and exam are difficult. He is humorous. I really like his class, but didn't do so well so I ended up dropping it. Heavy workload... expect to put in lots of time and effort into this class.
Definately take professor francis. He is little bit hard but his class is worth taking it.
Really good professor, he is MIT graduate, and I was just facinated by his lectures. It is true that you have to spend many hours to do physics in his class, but it is worthy.
He is very good at teaching. I think he is better than other physics teachers at de anza. At least he explains the subject clearly
Not a very good teacher. All the rave reviews of him being passionate is true, however you don't really learn anything from his class. His lectures fly by you without you understanding a word. Makes you write weekly ESSAYS for physics! Real? Quizzes are nothing like lecture OR textbook material. If you care about your GPA, don't take this class.
He is extremely anal about doing precise measurements without the use of rulers or protractors. Only lectures for about 20-30 minutes each class, which only allows him to provide 1-2 examples of problems. I am surprised he has such a high rating. Not a good class to take unless you want to drop your GPA
TERRIBLE TEACHER. Grades more on drawings than your actual answer. No caluculaters, straight edges, or measurement tools. Expects too much out of the class.I would NEVER recommend this teacher to anyone.his rating should be a zero.
_ Very clear, very helpful, always best review before any events in class. Reply any emails concerning about Home Work. extremely hard to get A, but it depends on your study behavior. High recommend Professor if you want to approach further in Phys.
He is a poor excuse for a professor. His lectures are extremely superficial and from a unique perspective (drawing lines, angles, and concepts). But his tests are in-depth application of physics and not designed to complete in the allotted time. Book teaches from a totally different style. You either know physics before taking his class or you fail
Professor Francis is good but he's very hard. His drawings are different from the textbook. He teaches different style and doesn't follow the textbook. His rating should be zero. He should leave De Anza for another job!
Don't want Francis! He is good but he's really hard.
hard confusing and unclear teacher ever. You will never can get a good grade if you dont know how to draw or you are not good at geometry or if you are not a good essay writer,even if you come up with right answers. Don't get me wrong, I am 3.87 GPA student and I couldn't risk my GPA so I dropped him. DO NOT TAKE HIM AT ALL.
If you want a grade, take someone else. If you want to learn, take his class. To date, Francis was the best professor I've ever had. He's available to answer any questions by email and answers pretty quickly, is very passionate about physics, and his lectures are very clear. They do go fast, so take notes. Amazing professor.
CalTech alumni, doctorate from M.I.T, studied with Feynman, and read physics textbooks as an adolescent. So just do everything he did and you'll be good to go. The course was mainly focused on the conceptual side of mechanics in physics, so minimal calculus was involved. Exams were really difficult, but easy in hindsight, when he went over them.
Professor Francis does know his stuff. Though, I don't find him helpful at all. Also, he posts up stuff so late!! Something he really needs to improve on. He also doesn't seem to care about his students
I thought he would be a really helpful professor, but really he isn't. I agree with the last person he posts up assignments really late at night!!! And also you have to already know physics before you take his class, he will automatically think you know this and that. Also when I needed help, he never replies through email ):
Extremely difficult professor!!!! Do not take his class, no matter how hard I study, still very hard to do well in his class.
Let me give you the positives: he is really a passionate teacher. Physics is all he talks about. BUT, he is extremely difficult--too difficult for intro to phys. He isn't really helpful. Too much work too, with essays and everything. I advise to not take his class
You must know physics already before taking his class. If you don't, you will be lost in his class.
He is the best instructor for you, if you want to learn physics. He is very clear, very helpful, and very good with physics. He is not hard, but physics is. Going through his class and get an A means you learned a lot of physics. "Easy" physics instructor usually won't teach you much... The only way to pass his class is to learn physics.
He is the best ever! I love you Professor Francis! He plays the violin! Very easy! Everyone should take his class instead of Luna's. I'm planning to take him again for 4A,B,C and D!
He is the best professors in Deanza. I really love his class!! Very easy class to Everyone should take his him
no comment for him. HE IS THE BEST!!!!! only his marking can be very strict
Professor Francis could NOT be MORE qualified for teaching physics. His lectures are perfectly clear, and he is very often reachable by email for individual questions or concerns (although sometimes he won't reply till late at night) He DOES assign a lot of work, but if you thought you could pass physics without working hard, you already failed.
Excellent teacher, really cares about the students. He is rated as difficult and this is correct, if you don't put significant effort into this class you won't do well. That said, the effort you expend will make you learn SO much under his guidance. Totally worth it, one of the best professors at DeAnza hands down.
Very strict with grading!! Again very strict! Do not recommend to take during the Summer. This is all you'll be doing for 8 weeks if you want an A.
Quiz almost every day in lecture about the previous lecture, but the problem was a chapter outline would sometimes be assigned for the next chapter in between quizzes. Hard to approach due to cocky attitude. A hard ass and is strict on wording. Does not answer emails thoroughly. Does not put in effort to relate with students. AVOID AT ALL COST.
Took this class expecting to learn some basic physics concepts before taking it at another college, but ended up loving this subject and the way the professor taught it. It was a great challenge taking this class but didn't take up too much time-- overall I highly recommend this class.
He is kinda nice to you except you have to do all the homework and turn in right at the time it is due, otherwise there will be no credit for it. He is extremely helpful, but he is strict with late work and attendance. If you are serious about Physics , just take his class, he may seem hard but he helps you a lot
Don't be fooled by the high ratings. All the low ratings turned out to be 100% true. His class is extremely difficult unless you already know Physics and don't expect any real help from him outside of class or through email. He doesn't reply to emails and rambles off on tangents when you ask him something; and barely covers the material in class.
His good at physics but has silly tough grading criteria. No plus sign or some key and boom -10 points. No calculators or rulers in exams. He doesn't teach much and expects you to know everything. Practices are given but he never really grades them so you don't know if you're even right or wrong. Same applies to homework.
Exceptional teacher at De Anza. One of the best professor I've had in my education career. He is very nice and kind. He enjoys teaching and likes to help students outside of class. But he is very strict in grading. Although the material is easy to learn, his grading gets you down. I received a B- and I tried really hard.
Possibly the HARDEST class you'll ever have to take in your undergraduate career. But there are few professors out there that are as qualified as Professor Francis to be teaching this material. Gives out a TON of work, but none of it was busy work - they're all intended to help your understanding! Always available for you during his office hours!
His lectures are clear, though he goes on tangents. He spends half of one day explaining the equations and mathematical concepts, spends the rest of the week defining terms and concepts, then tests almost exclusively on the math. His grading is nitpicky and never predictable; if you're a completely perfect student, expect a B.
Francis is a great lecturer. His class is very hard because he is a very strict grader, but this actually helps you become more precise and more aware of the subject. Lots of short quizzes, which I think is good. Go to his office hours. Not always approachable, but he is amazing at explaining things. He never make me feel stupid for asking him.
Probably a great 4A and 4B prof... but way too difficult for entry level. Ridiculously difficult testsquizes (made worse by absurdly strict grading and unreasonable time frames) Expects a 40% fail rate because "Physics is hard". Gives checkmarks for homework. Little to no feedback. Very smart man... horrible entry level physics teacher.
Taking this class was a nightmare with Francis. I sat down WAY more than the "recommended 2 hours of work" every night. There's an unreasonable amount of HW and other random assignments. Hectic quiz every week, fast paced and confusing lecture. Marks down points for everything!!. Francis' attitude can be nasty and degrading at times.. AVOID!!!!
Professor Francis assigns a lot of daily work and is very strict in grading, but you learn a lot about the world of physics and also about ways of solving problems in physics (ie. using symmetry arguments). He's very passionate about physics teaching and will answer any questions you have! Work hard, ask questions, and you will do well!
The good thing about his class is that it is clear he enjoys teaching the material. Lectures were mostly clear, but it mostly helped taking physics in high school. Where he falls very flat is his strict, borderline pedantic grading style and his hectic no-time quizzes and tests. There's also a lot of work in this class. Class dropping likely.
Covers easy concepts in lecture then assigns lots of homework that can't be done from what he's taught. He makes mistakes in his own tests he makes then will take points off (even thought it was his mistake...) Does not treat the class as an introductory course.
Gives wayyyy too much homework for an entry level class + strict grading, ex. Have to write an lecture review after every lecture(which is due the next day) along with new assignments almost every class. Unless you have a lot of time on your hand or you already know physics, I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND this professor.
Im a 3.9gpa student. Homework on concepts not taught yet; takes more than 3 hrs each night. TEN hw's due by 1ST WEEK. QUIZ: Gives you 5min to stare at it (CANT WRITE, expects you to solve in head)& 5 min to finish for 6 WORD PROBLEMS; MULTIPLE PARTS IN EACH. Class averagescore: 60% Points off if work not IDENTICAL to answer key. TAKE SOMEONE ELSE
Am a 3.97 GPA student. This is the most unfairly difficult class I've taken. Supposed to be an intro course. Tests are extremely difficult (average for the last test was 30%, 11 people of 46 got less than 10%). Super picky grader, tries to take off points wherever he can. Sh*t ton of homework; 10/10 would not take again. Take PHYS 4A instead
This professor is very unfair. However he is a good teacher. This is the third time I've taken physics ever and I understand it better now than ever. He grades very unfairly and focuses on the format of the homework and tests more than the material. If you don't do the format right you will loose major points. He also give a lot of homework.
I'm a 3.87 gpa student and I feel so mad i'm losing my gpa over a course like physic 50. Actual material is easy but tests are unreasonably hard (it's suppose to be physic 50 not a course from MIT) Most people fails tests. Learns a lot but I feel like I spend more time on figuring out the format instead of doing actual work. Avoid at all cost.
The physics concepts and the problems themselves are very easy. If this was a class that I could use any physics method I know to get to the answer, it would be an easy A. Unfortunately, that's not the case. Francis is a VERY tough grader that takes off points for the smallest things. Also can't ask questions during test/quiz. Take physics at FH.
Yes, as others have mentioned he is indeed very knowledgeable in the subject and his lectures cover a good amount of material. That being said, he is ridiculously nit-picky as a grader and will dock off a ton of points for the most minor mistakes. If you don't have time to do the insane amount of busy work he assigns, then avoid at all costs.
Do not, under any circumstances, think that because this isn't 4A that this class will be a breeze. He really makes you work for the grade; a lot of homework involved that will eat up your time, and very strict grading criteria. Put simply, he knows the material fairly well, but if you want to pass with a B or above you need a lot of spare time.
Beginners, never take his class. Tonnns of work. Super picky. I spent the whole quarter memorising his format. But he is nice, and willing to help XP
Do not take Francis. He goes quickly through concepts and expects you to be able to apply them immediately. If you get an answer right but do not format it correctly, he will give you 0 credit. When he works examples in class, memorize this format for the tests. About 70% of students dropped the class. He is undoubtedly the hardest physics teacher.
DO NOT take this Professor if you want to keep your friends because all you'll do is complain to them. His grading's very unfair- 15 points off for misplaced staple, in fact he'll take off points whenever possible. If it's not his style you'll lose points and he doesn't come prepare to class - thinks what to teach at the beginning. worst proffessor
VERY mean. Goes so fast in lecture (usually goes over time). Mandatory LECTURE notebook that is graded unexpectedly. Horribly difficult exams, very little time in lab to complete and turn in notebook. All around horrible teacher with a rude attitude. VERY unorganized, very hard to get points on both lab and lecture notebook and tests.
Professor Francis is inspirational, motivating, and tough. He know physics like the back of his hand and never has to refer to any texts when teaching. He teaching style is impeccable in that he gives clear, descriptive, and thorough lectures. Though his grading on quizzes and tests is quite hard, it is because he wants you to fully understand it.
The ultimate weeder course since Grading is based more off of following instructions than understanding. MASSIVE CURVES. Subject matter is not hard and mechanically Newton is harder, but Francis questions are often unclear as is the grading. Quizzes/tests have typos that he will not address until mid-test. Hes a good teacher but sub-par assessor.
He talks in a very condescending tone. He gives you an extremely amount of work and makes the work very tedious to do. The amount of work is insane for a class that's worth 5 credits. Barely any time in between assignments. His grading makes no sense. He's always slow on on grading assignments and ends up emailing you all the work assigned later rather than give it to you ahead of time or on a website. Lacks empathy.
HORRIBLE! MEAN! CONDESCENDING! Taking points off is a hobby; way too focused on formatting & not the actual content of the class. Makes you feel stupid for asking questions. Physics is all he has going so he's very pretentious about it. U can tell he doesn't like his students; he basically sprints out of class, makes U chase him to ask anything.
VERY VERY VERY HARD, but you can definitely learn a lot. If you are not interested in physics, or if you are not a hard worker, you should probably avoid him. Tons of works to do, Hard test, Hard lab, Heavy lecture.
If you're an average student don't even think you are going to pass his class. He thinks he is genius and doesn't let anyone be right(He is always right no matter what)
He is the professor who do the real Physics. It's hard to find such profs these days. Nice, Great, and Excellent. Any natural science students & engineers should take his courses.
Taken Francis for 2 classes now. He is a difficult professor and makes you work for the grade but you leave with an amazing understanding for the fundamentals of physics. He focuses on the concepts and covers material in a very logical, methodic manner. Highly recommend if you enjoy physics and want to obtain a deeper understanding of physics.
This professor gives you a lot of work. Everyday you're required to do busy work that doesn't really help you understand the content very much but definitely eats up a LOT of time. In addition, he is ridiculously picky on format and having everything done HIS way. (Seriously who uses unruled composition notebooks?) I do not recommend.
Strict, doesn't answer questions thoroughly and rushes an answer just for the sake of answering it. Strict on format and his way of doing things and will dock you for it which doesn't really have to do anything with physics.
Easy for me but I am a physics major and I like it. he's not too bad if you study. Still not a good teacher though
Be the top of your class, then you'ill get an A. Do your best on the exams (study at least 3 full days for each exam, in addition to the homework), do all the homework, do very well on labs, then you'ill get B. You tried "your" best, but may be it wasn't good enough, then you'ill get C. Half of the class will drop, Approx. 45 people will fail
He asks difficult questions in the midterm and quizzes and cuts off your point for small mistakes.
Really difficult class, no slacking or you will fail, no sleep either.
Great physicist who is passionate in teaching. He is very knowledgeable, but the quizzes and tests are quite difficult. If you really work hard, passing is possible. But to get an A, effort is not enough. You need more than that. But still, a great professor.
Only 4B class available. Fast, clear lecturer. Started with 94 students. Now about 20 with avg quiz score 40. You know material? He will find a way to dock massive unfair points on tests, quizzes. Doesn't thoroughly grade homework you turn in, just a check 100%. Prepare your GPA for pain, if you pass. Prospect students- you have been warned.
Professor Francis, Newton, and Mosh are the reason why you should choose De Anza College. You will be able to survive in Berkeley if you can handle this
he was very tough grader. Avoid taking him
Very good professor. If you major in science, Francis is a good choice. If you think he is hard, then later on when you transfer to a university, you will realize that Francis class is easy. He teaches well. His exams are fine.
He is a good professor. He gives the class massive curves. He always tells you that he will not curve. At the end, he curves the class very generously.
His class helps to prepare well for your major. As a science major student, you should consider his class is not hard.
This is not high school anymore. I am studying at Berkeley and I failed physics there. I have to retake the series physics here. Compared to the class at univeristy, the class here is easier and relaxing. If you do not get an A, that is your problem, not his.
Hes from MIT, and he teaches this pretty much at graduate level. Tests will always stump you and will rarely just be problems you've done before. Still, do all the assignments and office hrs because you'll every single percent if you want a good grade; it only gets harder. Final quiz average was 30, so he will curve a little, but don't count on it.
Great professor. Amazing lecture. He is very passionate. Tests are fine. Final is not too hard.
He is probably the worst professor I have ever had. He spends way too much time explaining the concepts that we know by common knowledge and just breezes through tough concepts and equations. There is way too much work and he is an unreasonably hard grader. He treats the class like a high school class with the way he talks and the requirements.
You need to work hard to get a good grade in his class. I like him since he always encourages me to perform better in class. Best teacher I've ever had. Thank you for passing me.
Oh my goodness. Incredible easy A if you know all the concept
Most professors I've had want you to succeed and thus will give you the benefit of the doubt 90% of the time. Professor Francis is different. It seems as though he WANTS to take off as many points as possible. He doesnt care about our success and will only award points on tests if you follow every. single. one. of. his. requests.
Ronald expects perfection in ALL things; from the way you staple your papers into your lab book, to the structure of your solutions, everything must be EXACTLY to HIS required specifications. You can be a physics genius and fail this class because you staple your papers at an angle he doesn't like. I'm not kidding, he's that strict. Beware!
Think PHYS 2A is going be easy?That's what I thought when I signed up. I was proven wrong. Extremely hard grader,confusing class format, etc. Most people get C or D on exams if they haven't dropped by week 8. He posts the distribution of test scores so this is how I know. The other profs are equally hard. Save your GPA, take at Foothill or SJCC!
A ton of incredibly difficult quizzes; even if you understand the concepts, he will find SOMETHING to take points off for. No calculators yet still expects exact decimal answers, even with trig functions. No rulers or protractors yet still expects accurate vectors (within 3 degrees). Doesn't care about you personally tbh, loses papers, unclear.
Graded work format (hw, lecture review, & quizzes) is difficult & gets in the way of learning the material. Forgetting 1 caveat in his 12 page syllabus can get you a 0 for all the time spent on that assignment. Hand calculations on quizzes & gives no time to finish it. Makes u read the quiz before solving thus subtracting time from solving it.
Francis is an amazing professor. His lectures are engaging and easy to understand. He has a high standard for his students and wants us to succeed in the field. If you are able to keep up and finish the class, it will be very rewarding. If you want to have a strong physics core knowledge and can take challenges, then he is the perfect professor
I have taken Physics 50, 4C, and 4D with Dr. Francis. He is very involved with his classes and often stays after class to answer questions and continue the discussion for as long as there are questions. The coursework is larger than other professors, but it is consistent and doable. This workload made transferring smooth into a UC physics program.
Dr. Francis is very involved with his classes and often stays after class to answer questions and continue the discussion for as long as there are questions. The coursework is larger than other professors, but it is consistent and doable. This workload made transferring smooth into a UC physics program. Take if serious Physics or Engineering Major.
Hardest class I have ever taken in my life. Do not take Francis unless you are an engineering or physics major and absolutely have to. Lectures are sometimes informative and helpful but more often leave me confused and feeling unprepared for quizzes and exams. He overcomplicates topics that any other professor could explain in minutes.
Review for Lab section of PHYS4B: All 3 hours will be taken up by either 15 (not an exaggeration) middle school level mini-experiments or 2 full normal experiments (like those that Newton or Luna would do). And then he might STILL give you a new concept at 5pm, leaving you to do additional work at home with archaic methods (paper, compass, etc.)
Had professor Francis for the 4b lab. I would avoid him. He grades really hard, especially since he doesnt give very much specific instructions, he also gives homework every week for the lab(and not easy hw)!!! The difference between a 5 credit class and 6 credit class is so much. This class is a lot of work. Take with another prof.
If you ever took Newton's lab, you will know how bad his lab is. A lot of excessive homework after lab, boring lecture. He always gave us not enough time to finish the lab; if we finished earlier, he would add additional labs (15 labs a day). Would definitely not take his class again. BAD!!!!!
2 normal labs every session (right up to 5pm). Long lab reports with several badly explained steps due the next week. Forces you to use archaic methods/equipment to do data analysis (no excel or good tech allowed). Doesn't distribute assisting time equally to make up for the unclear procedure explanation, finish for 1 group and screws up another.
The class will be difficult but if youre serious with your physics or engineering majors, you will sure love the class. He gives detailed lectures, so if you take notes and study carefully, you will be fine. Physics 4D is where you can learn a lot of interesting topics in physics.
Took the summer class, and it was a lot of work. Quiz almost everyday and homework everyday (2-3 hrs per night) b/c summer class is faster. He says he doesn't curve the class, but he does. By raw scores, I should've ended up with a B or B in the class, but I got an A. There's barely enough time to finish tests and quizzes, but lectures are great.
Dr. Francis lectures are first class -- the kind you would have at a top-tier university. He is VERY approachable outside class and his help is very valuable throughout the course. It's true that you'll have to work really REALLY hard when taking classes with him, but that's the way to learn physics! Take his class
Francis is extremely knowledgeable on the subject and his lectures were interesting. However, he assigned an insane amount of homework and practically the entire class didn't pass his quizzes or exams.
This course is difficult, and no one should take if not required. However, Francis makes things worse, tons of homework that u even have no idea how to start with. Quiz once a week which is normal, but why there are so many concept questions!
Francis's physics classes may be one of the most difficult classes I've taken at Deanza, but he really does care about his students and gives you the resources to succeed if you're willing to put in the work. I have also heard from friends who have transferred that the discipline required in this class prepares you well for upper division courses.
Quizzes and exams are not very difficult, but you probably won't have enough time to finish. Like the way he lectures. Homework is little bit too much. Lots of requirements for homework format, lab report format, etc. You can earn 15 to 20 percent of the missed score on each exam if you submit a exam reflection.
The class was way too difficult and way too fast. There was sooo much hw and I couldn't keep up in his lectures. His labs were also so stressful because they were so fast. I'm not sure why people say that you'll really understand the subject after taking him bc I was confused the whole time. He never answers people's questions and I struggled hard.
I used to be Art major, after taking his class I switched to Physics. I really didn't appreciate the subject prior to taking his class, but he made me realize how fascinating Physics is.
Tests and quizzes make up most of the grade and you will most definitely fail the quizzes and tests. He says he likes teaching physics, but really ends up teaching to the 10 kids that are left in the class after the drop date for the W. Save yourself a W and do not take his class.
Very tough class. Professor does not give enough time for quizzes or tests so you will fail unless you have a gift for physics. Went from waitlist to having 20 kids in the class. He says there is no curve, so don't hope for it. Labs are 3 hours long and you will end up using all 3 hours. Trust me and do yourself a favor and choose someone else.
Very interesting lectures, good at explaining difficult concepts. extremely difficult exams and quizzes, not nearly enough time to finish. A huge amount of homework. My advice: ONLY TAKE IF YOU HAVE TO or if you LOVE physics. You will learn a lot if you can handle the workload, but most people drop
He consider himself an easy grader? That is just a joke. Not only is he really tough in grading people, he is really not helpful overall. His explanation on concepts are really confusing. Even though in the syllabus he states that he has office hours everyday, he only has two office hours and he does not go to the other three on time.
I would recommend him if you're an engineering/physics/math major. You will learn A LOT and you WILL be inspired by his lectures. However, he is insanely difficult. Tons of homework and barely enough time for quizzes. You kinda have to be a math genius to ace, or heck, even pass this class! His classes are arguably THE MOST difficult in de anza
do not take him. just don't. if he's the only choice of yours, then take him (or do physics somewhere else). you might somehow learn physics, but his workload is insane. I spent my whole quarter just studying physics. The other 2 classes I took were java and differential equations which I spent only a few days before tests to get A(s). good luck!!!
Francis is knowledgeable about the subject and is a smart guy BUT that does not make you a great teacher. He teaches exactly out of the Serway textbook. Goes into detail about obvious intuitive concepts and rushes through difficult concepts without clear explanations with no questions allowed. Workload is oppressive (HWs, LAB, Chapter Outlines etc)
Claims he cares about the thought process and the thinking of the student to arrive at the answers. However, you will soon see he cares about precision and you will miss most of your points for missing a fraction of the problem which sometimes is extra and beyond what he is testing you for. Understanding concepts he teaches is not enough
Unclear explanations but expects students to understand right there, ZERO guidance on what to expect on tests /quizzes, Labs are all over the place and goes into concepts that were not yet covered in lectures and offers zero help/explanation on how to setup the lab. AVOID unless this is your ONLY class , and you don't have a job and no hobbies.
He does not support student well
I came back to edit my previous feedback about Francis because I think it is not fair to represent him like that. Francis is the toughest professor at De Anza, but that's because he is a very smart person, But he also uses his intelligence to teach effectively, if you take his class, you just have to give it all you can.
He is super smart (went to CalTech and MIT). He is one of the best professors I have ever had. It is true that it is difficult to get an A in his class. The class has lots of work, goes REALLY fast (1 chapter per 3-4 days), and is still very rigorous/difficult. However, if you are aiming for Cal/MIT/etc, take this class. Put in the work, get an A.
i did phys10 over the summer. this class was an absolute pain in the butt (probably because it was a summer session). good lectures but not enough time for quizzes/exams. i am pretty sure he curved b/c there is No way i would have gotten anywhere near an A if he didn't. other than that, hes not that intimidating in person. it's weird but good ?
Physics 10 is supposed to be a very barebones physics class but what I got was a lot more than that. Yes it was educational and he was very smart, but that class was so hard. I would recommend reading his syllabus(peep the PLR section) before taking his class. Personally, I wish I never took it because my gpa took a dip but I did learn a lot.
Francis is a tough professor but it's physics so deal with it. His tests are really hard but he curves a lot so you are good to go. You can't bs this class and actually have to work to get a desired grade. Do his assignments and labs on time and don't procrastinate.
Lectures are not engaging and does not help deepen your knowledge with the concepts you've read. He sometimes gives practice problems in class that are helpful. There is lots of different types of homework like lab, textbook hw¬es, midterm reflections, practice notebook, and more misc homeworks. Class average on tests/quizzes 40-50% curved
He is a hard professor. You will not be able to pass unless you really understand the concepts. Quizzes and tests are challenging to say the least. You can make back some points on midterms by doing the reflection. There is a lot of homework. I learned a lot even though I failed the class.
He touches on every concept in the textbook and anything he touches on in lecture is fair game for tests. Lecture is basically an info dump. His study guide for tests: know everything he touched on in lecture. His tests have many problems 20-MC + 5-Short Answer, you get 50 minutes. If you already know the subject and want to learn more take Francis
Dump everything to his students, not consider their capacity and mentality as a normal human being. Class is extremely high in quality though. You gain a lot of intuition in physics.
STAY AWAY!
Not sure what to say. Took him for 4B and the lectures were indecipherable, he didnt write down steps or equations, so if youre a visual learner like me, condolences. He was bolstered by the small percent that knew what was going on/ asking questions behind the scope of 4B. If you werent a natural or already knew from HS physics, it was brutal.
AT FIRST, I THOUGHT WHAT YOU ARE THINKING ABOUT RIGHT NOW SINCE EVERYBODY SAYS HE GIVES GOOD LECTURES AND HE IS SMART. IT IS GOING TO BE ON MY ADVANTAGE TO TAKE HIM EVEN THAT HE IS VERY HARD. I SAID TO MYSELF THE HARDER THE MORE TO LEARN. BUT IT TURNED OUT THE OPPOSITE. I CANT TYPE MORE B/C OF LIMIT, BUT LONG STORY SHORT, DON'T TAKE HIM.
Dont take this prof if u have intentions of taking any other class but this one. He assigns way too much hw, even during a pandemic. For every chap, a ch outline (3 pgs MINIMUM, handwritten), txtbk hw (physical diagrams required or no credit), and multiple choice questions(formatted corrected or 15% penalty, and explanation of ans). DONT TAKE HIM!!
DO NOT take this professor! He gives an INSANE amount of work everyday. Chapter summary, textbook work, multiple choice, lab, quizzes, every. single. day. You won't be able to have time for any other classes. He's also really disorganized and changes around deadlines last minute. Basically, you feel like you're set up for failure from the start.
Only take this class if you want to do physics and nothing else. Goes through chapters like there is no tomorrow... Assigns homework like I am researching for my PHD and oh boy this class is nothing but a whole lot of mess. Not that many practice problems done in class and the ones done in class are partially done and u have to finish at home.
Francis can be summed up with a quote from J. Robert Oppenheimer. "I am become Death, the destroyer of gpas."
Just don't ever ever try to consider taking his class. Your life gonna be ruined by him. You will get stress, your gap gonna fail, and you learn nothing from his class except how to sketch a 'diagram'.
He's a really good teacher. Take him to get a lot of physics intuition!
These guys are just slow. Don't worry, if you spend the effort you will definitely do well in his class. He really cares about his students and provides plenty of extra credit.
Best teacher ever seen in my life. Unbelievably helpful. I still wonder how a busy person like him can assign so much assignments at the same time giving all students thorough feedbacks and gradings. I recommend Mosh/MK and Francis/Newton for whoever serious about learning. Professor Francis's physics labs are best as well.
I wish Professor Francis would use Canvas and upload our problems & questions rather than hold daily 2 hour lectures that frequently go over the time limit. Quizzes are too short (2 minutes per short answer) especially when English is your second language and it doesn't even matter that it's open book when you don't have time to look at your book.
Horrible class I ever had, he doesn't care about final answer based on mathematics, only care about the progress. You need analyze full point to get full credit and quiz time only 12 minutes to have 7 questions. Heavy homework everyday and you still will get bad scores on quiz.
While he was good at teaching the material, he was not understanding at all about how students function, giving 10 min typed quizzes that we didn't have time to finish (the average was a 36%), and refused to give us more time when multiple students requested it. Every day, (Mon-Fri), I had about 4 hours of homework per day, plus my other classes.
Professor is unreasonable with work load and doesn't listen to students even during a pandemic. Impossibly short time constraint on quizzes and an immense amount of hw, doesn't even consider that students may have other classes or work outside this class. Expects us to study for an exam for 3 hours/night but assigns 4 hws due the night before exam
While the professor is knowledgeable and I did learn alot about Physics (this is Conceptual Physics), the amount of writing work is what got to me. YOU HAVE TO KNOW HOW TO DRAW THE PROBLEMS ON THE BOOK IN A DIAGRAM. All problems need to have a diagram even the simplest questions. U only get 10 - 12 mins on quizzes. BETTER LEARN HOW TO READ QUICKLY!
Dr. Francis is by far the hardest professor I had at De Anza. But it's physics so deal with it. I learned a lot but his workload is very heavy to say the least so make sure you step up on your time management skills and really know the concepts.
Ronald is an absolute garbage professor. He assigns insane amounts of work and expects it to be completed within a day. His children constantly interrupt his class with signs and drum sets and calling his class "boring". He has lectures on days we aren't suppose to have class (Wednesday AND SATURDAY). It's only the third day. This teacher is trash.
His lectures are interesting and easy to follow bc he writes w us instead of reading from the board or ppt slides. He cares about his students and he's enthusiastic abt teaching. However, there's way to many homework and not enough time to do his quizzes. Extremely stressed. Not recommended if you want to not worry about your grades every day.
Dont take unless youre willing to give him your soul. You will spend way more time than you expect on him. The content itself isnt too hard, but his time constraints will make it extremely hard to get good grades on tests unless youre very fast. He will be very picky about formatting. Watch out. I audibly curse him out every day. Not a good time.
I signed up thinking this would be 3 lectures + 1 lab a week but he crams in separate lectures throughout the week). You also need to finish the work given on those days. Wayyy more work than I anticipated from a 5-unit course. You barely have enough time for quizzes and labs. Only take him if you're a physics major.
The worst professor I have ever come by. Assigns too much work. Prof. doesn't care about the students. Will fall behind himself and assign more work and lectures on the weekends. Work that you are assigned to do has little if nothing to do with exams or quiz. Not very good at teaching, doesn't help prepare for exams, watches you on exam/quiz no tim
Prof is passionate, but that's it. NOT primed for online learning, regularly goes over time and assigns lecture on weekends, and seems to specifically design curriculum around following his obscure directions and making things as hard as possible for the students. Take as last resort.
Quiz problems are fairly easy hindsight, problem is that you have 30 seconds to complete each quiz problem so average scores are around 40-50% consistently. Complex homework problems, a 3-page minimum chapter summary every week. Is very picky about your answers. Lab exercises are also stressful because you barely have time to finish them. Buy rope.
so much homework and practice need submitting. the quiz is ridiculous. gave 10min to write down without calculators. ask us to remember cos values for every 10 degrees. the lecture is messy and unorganized. (always add classes on weekend) 2hour lecture in a 3-hour lab. write down 6-8 pages of one lab report in that short time
He will turn into your life. Your everything. You will neer look into the eye of your beloved again. Nothing else has meaning. Your life is his. It is for naught, however. You pour your soul into his ever-open grasp he is insatiable. But yo, straight up, you could spend 30 hours a week studying and still get an D on a quiz. Theyre fast
Absolute trash. He has ridiculous requirements for quizzes in which he prepares you for in lecture by defining vocab words. You are required to be able to draw straight line w/o rulers, memorize sin,cos,tan values of every ten angles in decimals, and his time limit is so short the class always fails. He adds additional lectures every weekend.
Quizzes every week and grades everything very harsh. I just got 8/50 for a quiz that I did correctly but did not explain everything step by step. I felt like I didn' need to because it was obvious but I guess he marks 15 pts off for every small error I did not include. VERY harsh grader. He the type of prof that would give low grade for simple HW.
Find another teacher unless physics major. We are given multiple assignments a day, one is due the same day everyday. Cherry picks assignments when grading, doesn't give feedback yet is strict with formatting. Not enough time for quizzes. Is unable to keep class on track lecture on days NOT presented on course catalog, work is due from those days.
Don't take this guy at all cost. Because you are most likely going to take him throughout the series because he will be the only prof that will be available after you take this guy. VERY VERY VERY tough grader and shows no sympathy. 99% of you guys aren't physics major for 2 series so don't pick a dude that graduated from MIT as a physics major.
Wow Ive never disliked anyone more in my entire life. I spend 6/7 nights a week cussing him out. And I usually never swear. This class will frustrate you a lot. The deadlines are tight, and he probably wont end up grading your work, either. I dont recommend taking him unless youre a math or physics major or a masochist.
If you have the opportunity to take any other physics professor at De Anza, DO NOT take Francis. The man is a sweetheart and very intelligent but his class is ass and very confusing for the uninitiated. That said, he curves this class so heavy! If you can stay above the other students in the class you should be able to get an A/B.
This guy doesn't even deserve the "Skip Class? You Won't Pass" tag because even you attend every single lecture (even the ones he makes us attend on the weekends) you're still probably going to fail. Assigns an ungodly amount of homework that he doesn't even care about, nowhere near enough time to complete quiz questions.
Francis' difficulty shouldn't be a 5. It should be 100! I spent my whole last spring just studying physics with barely enough time for my other classes just to barely pass this class. Immeasurable amount of homework and extremely tough grading on already difficult exams. Good luck to you if you're taking him...
This class is really difficult... but he makes you prepared for transferring to good schools. Homework is super heavy and expect to see a lot of assignments. Prof is a sweetheart and genuinely loves physics, but treats us like were MIT undergrads or something. Anyway, good luck if you take this class.
I'm glad I got the opportunity to take Francis this quarter. Before, I would always get away with wasting time on non academic things, but I realized that I had to fix my schedule to do well in this class. He does great in teaching us all the fundamentals of the class, and I can be confident knowing that I'll retain this information for a while.
Although Francis has a notorious reputation for difficulty and workload, he's a good professor as with what he teaches and I could see that he prepares you really well for UCs. He's passionate and deep down cares for his students. I'd only recommend if you have lots of spare time to read ahead, study, and do all his work unless you have no choice.
A truly incredible professor. He's deeply knowledgeable, and does a wonderful job explaining concepts that are very complex. Yes, the class was a bit challenging; homework was a little difficult and quizzes can be tricky, but I found that reviewing examples well helped a lot. My study habits improved and I saw clear improvements. Highly recommend.
The worst class I ever took. No Grades are posted. He keeps having Saturday lectures even though his official class time is only Mon to Fri. An unreasonable amount of work, he gave a reading assignment and textbook HW each takes many hours plus a quiz due on the same day after lab final.
Passionate about physics, but cares very little about student struggle. Only quizzes/tests graded, and 3/4 weeks late at that. No communication, sometimes gives students problems he didn't cover, tests half of the times is spent copying questions, leaving no time to answer questions, rushed 3 chapter's lectures then covered heavily on final/quiz.
His class is challenging, but he is knowledgeable, accessible, and explains difficult concepts in simple terms. He will go over the scheduled lecture time a lot and gives a lot of work, so plan your schedules accordingly. Tips for success: Understand, don't memorize. Utilize testing strategies for timed tests. Go to office hours.
Overall, I am generally surprised at this professors grade on this forum. I will say that he is an educated person whose passion clearly shows in lecture, but this was probably the worst class I have ever taken in my 3 years of college. He does not grade assignments, does not respond, doesn't show up to office hours, and gives way too much work.
If you are not a good student, stay away from this class. But if you are, take him! You will be rewarded for your efforts immensely from working through this class. Some things I did that other students didn't do: attend office hours, study his in-class practice problems, and study for exams a week in advance instead of the day or a few days before
Almost half of the class dropped by the end. That should tell you all you need to know about this class. Grades extremely tough on the quizzes and takes forever to grade homework. It gave me so much anxiety and stress just being in this class so please for the sake of your mental health, take physics elsewhere.
To anyone who have survived the entire Physics 4 series with Francis, trust me, nothing can stop you in your life.
Are you aiming to transfer to Stanford? Take francis. No? You just want a decent gpa that'll get you into berkeley with some decent extracurriculars? Drop.
Francis has very high expectations for his students. You need to be in the top 10 students in your previous classes to stand a chance here. Email responses take a long time, so go to office hours. Francis spends a lot of time after class and during office hours to help his students. Expect low scores, but know that he curves in the end.
He teaches well, but quizzes/exams are tough. Plus there's tons of homework. You'll have to work really hard and dedicate a lot of time to pass, although you'll also learn a lot. Overall, this class was a lot of stress, but he does curve at the end.
AVOID AVOID AVOID!
For the sake of your mental health, do not take this class
Extremely knowledgable professor, but the workload is insane. I would be up to 4am doing work only to not be able to pass quizzes in the short time frame. If you can pick information out of problems quickly and get the answer in less than minute because he's worried about cheaters, so if you have no integrity dont take this class he got bodies.
Extremely knowledgeable professor, but teaching style will be hard for most students. You will literally have to take an intro class before this intro class. Also, you will regularly lose all points on a question for not meeting an unclear grading standard. Be happy if you get a D or C in the class.
Pros: Extremely knowledgeable, very passionate and enthusiastic teacher, curves final grades at the end of the quarter Cons: Unnecessarily tough grading, condensed time pressure on quizzes and tests with lots of questions, excessive workload Comment: He prepares you well for upper division, but don't take if you value time and grades
Expect a high school class-type lecturer with mandatory participation. Class engagement is high and around 8 hours of homework per week. He proctors quizzes and exams. Quizzes have high weightage.
So, I took this class thinking that it wouldnt be too bad despite the negative reviews (Im good at keeping up in tough classes). While hes very knowledgeable and lectures are wonderful, the precision he requires in our work (especially at the intro level) is quite frankly unbearable. Knowing the material doesnt guarantee you a good grade.
The teacher gives quizzes every week and their worth 45 percent. That' not even the wors part, he gives you a total of 4 min to do like 5 problems with him watching over you from your camera via zoom. He also takes extreme amounts of points off for the simplest thing. Once got a 13/100 on a quiz. Completely ridiculous and not how a class should be.
Good lecturer but knowing the material isnt enough. Quizzes like bombs for ur grade. Few min to copy down ?'s, stops sharing screen, few min to answer. Impossible if u who work slow. Doesnt sympathize w/ students. HW is useless bc it doesnt match up with his ? style. 3hr labs stressful & very hard to manage time. You do learn a lot the class tho!
Ah Francis... I woke every day, even on weekends. The only person on my mind was my professor. I took 4C first. It was mind-blowing, so I decided to challenge myself a little bit more with 4D. The adrenaline rush you get during quizzes... The sense of impeding doom on every day basis. Prof. Francis is a life-style. Join the club.
There's no point in praying to pass this class. Francis is built different; even god wouldn't try to save you. Homework questions do not really match up with quiz questions. Even though he claims that you don't need to know calculus for this class, it's best to learn a little. This class is good for people that have too much time.
Weekly quizzes worth 43% of grade but barely gives any time to finish them. No calculators or rulers on quizzes and exams but expects you to be precise. REALLY understand the concepts bc his lectures are surface level and won't be enough to immediately understand what he's asking on quizzes. Only take if you're taking 2 other classes/good @ phys.
This class was honestly very demotivating. The only real preparation you have for quizzes, which impact your grade heavily, are the PC problems that he gives you in class and your notes. Textbook HW hardly helps you learn and takes a while to do. Quizzes are graded extremely harshly and have strict time constraints for each question. Good Luck.
If I could give less than 1 star, I would have done it. I am not sure how De Anza College keeps hiring professor like him. He gives tons of hw and quizzes of 4 big questions in 15 minutes. You need to copy the data in 3 min and then you cannot see the questions again. He sends messages every 10 min with more hw. This is a self-learning class.
Do not take him if you dont have to, and if you do you just unlucky. He gives lectures on Saturday, and if you wont show up, you have to write an essay of 300 words on this lecture. (Lol, what?) He thinks this class is 15 units class, otherwise why giving tons of hw every day to submit?? Do whatever you can in order to take other professor.
The lecture is him covering half the screen while turning around to write on a white board. Sometimes it will take even 10 minutes in order to actually see the board he covers with his body. Knowledgable, but casually use new/unexplained terms. 9min quizzes for 40+% of grade weight (6 bc we copy it down, he hides the questions to show his face).
Difficult to understand lectures, absolutely insane quizzes, no scientific calculator alllowed, approximate (with insanely small and big numbers smh). Lots of unrealistic expectations. All of these casually assigned on the spot essays/summarys/Classworks are 300-500(or more) words, and must be handwritten. More than my other 3 classses workload.
I've had enough. This professor does not have any flexibility whatsoever. No respect for student lives, and literally said "you should prioritize my class over other classes hw" in an email. I looked at his reviews before, and I thought I could handle it. Trust me, even if you think you can you can't. You're better off without phys for a quarter.
This professor has weekly quizzes that are 40% of your grade. He tries to fit in way too much in little time for his lectures. He expects an ungodly amount of effort from each student. If you want to even pass, you need to buckle down and forget everything else about your life. Attend his office hours and ask every single question to pass.
There are 8 students in the class left, 2 days before the drop date. Professor Francis does not care about student mental health. The time for quizzes and tests are insufficient. The midterm which he said would have MCQ, ended up being a 15 Multi-part word question test in 44 minutes. You can only view each question for a short time before hidden.
Francis marks people inconsistently despite having the same mistake. A majority of the quizs have been D/F for even the top students, and he has only insulted students and neglected his duties. For transfer students, avoid at all cost. He justified grades by saying its common to take the course 2-3 times, major red flag. He has weekend lectures.
If you want carpal tunnel this professor is for you! Only handwritten work is allowed and I've ran out of ink 3 times this quarter, all brand new pens. He typically doesn't respond to emails, but when he does he's condescending. He's also horrible at teaching, so you'd learn more by using your textbook as a pillow.
This professor is amazing: very clear lectures, a ton of office hours, and a very good zoom lecture setup. However, don't take this class if you aren't prepared to put in the work. Professor Francis is a very nice person, but he takes his physics seriously. I would recommend this class to anyone who wants to learn physics at a fundamental level.
Francis... He wants you to be serious about physics. This is the hardest class I've ever taken in my life. I did terribly first, but then I decided to take it seriously and put work and effort. I learned in this class self-discipline, and I feel it prepared me very well to UC system. When you really want to learn, Francis will be there for you.
He told his students to quit their jobs so they had more time for his class. I actually believe he is right. Working and passing this class is definitely not happening for you. He additionally assigns 3 assignments due by midnight on day 1, when other teachers are having syllabus day, so be prepared. He has saturday lectures.
Writing this a few years since Ive taken Francis for 2B. In short, he makes the concepts unnecessarily more difficult than they need to be. Electricity, magnetics, and optics are relatively easy if taught well. His lectures are alright and his tests are worse. Ended up taking physics at SJSU and passed with ease compared to his class.
Francis is a nightmare. If you have to take him or 4D, then I advise you to take Foothill instead. I once spent 3 hours a day studying phys then got 9% on a quiz that I get no time to complete. Hard work = "maybe a c" (his words). You don't learn anything in this class. You just get cynical. HW, essays, even notes don't matter. Take another prof.
This professor made me hate physics, 90% of the time I don't understand what he's talking about.
Francis has to be the most difficult and brutal professors I've taken. Weekly quizzes with only 10 min to finish while he gives you a short time to take down all the information. Midterm and final are similar in which you have to take down information. Avoid taking him at all costs unless if necessary and seriously consider taking 4C at another CC
Attend lecture, take good notes, attend office hours, take good notes, or you are probably going to do poorly. It's been a while since I've taken his class, but funnily enough, some of the stuff I remembered from his 4a class helped me get ahead when I started learning relativity, the 4d equivalent, at another uni.
He is really into physics which is great but the amount of homework is too much. I had a quiz and 4 homework due the same day before class. Doesn't check email. don't take him unless you don't have a choice. The passing rate of the class is really bad too.
Took him for a lab class. Labs are due at the end of the period with no pre or post lab, so there's no extra work other than the lab class every wednesday. The instructions for the labs are either hyper precise or confusing at best. The labs are graded pretty harshly so every minor detail missing is minus points. Very stressful wouldn't recomend.
lectures incredible... you will learn twice as much but he expects you to know all of it. if you likephysics, take him.. he didn't go to Caltch and MIT for nothing. people love him or hate him. Take the work seriously ... go to office hours.... read practice solutions. my office hour groupies all did well. complainers wanted easy class
Best Professor I've had. cares about students. I went to tons of xtra office hours, evening office hours, personal office hours... even Saturday classes to relieve stress. Gotta work hard to do well in his class though. Love practice quizzes and midterms. Answers students questions with real clear explanations. Worth taking, real physicist
THIS PROFESSOR IS CRAZY IN THE HEAD ABOUT PHYSICS BUT NOW I AM CRAZY IN THE HEAD ABOUT PHYSICS. attend every office hour do hw problems memorize every lecture/OH problem or your gpa will die! It's a good challenge, but if your studying skills are in the early stages or you aren't into trying that hard, would be a good idea to pass on this.
Very difficult compared to the majority of classes at De Anza, but Prof. Francis will prepare you for physics and engineering at top tier universities. This class is not an easy A (you'll likely struggle to get a B). Only take this class if you're serious about learning physics and intend on transferring to UC Berkeley, UCLA, or other top programs.
If you just want to take a physics course and get it over with steer clear of this professor. He doesn't allow calculators or any tools for that matter on any of the weekly quizzes or tests so if you arent a math magician this class isn't for you. along with that he takes up to 3 days to get back to any emails you send.
His lectures make sense and he can explain stuff extremely well but his grading is extremely harsh and unclear. There is no Canvas, and he does not check his emails much. All grades are in his paper grade book that's usually not available so you have to calculate manually. Overall, not a bad class but do not take if your grade matters to you.
This teacher is probably the worst I've ever had in my life. Around 4/8 quizzes throughout the year where the average was 25%, instead of curving it, all he did was say "let's do better next time guys". If you want to have a stressful and extremely difficult time in an already difficult subject then be my guest and sign up for his class.
Super difficult class and majority of students were failed. He says that taking the class the second time is better, but I'm trying to pass the FIRST time. Weekly quizzes with questions that are more difficult than what we went over in class. A lot of hw which includes problems we never were taught to do. DON'T TAKE UNLESS HE IS UR LAST OPTION.
Physics with Professor Francis was the hardest course I took during college. He is demanding, he grades harshly, and the class takes way more time than a typical 5 credit class. I cannot recommend this professor to most students. However, if you want to learn physics, there is no better professor.
pls... save yourself and avoid. Weekly quizzes that dramatically effects your grade if you don't do well and the worst part is you won't be able to improve yourself bc grades aren't posted until the end of quarter.
Professor Francis is passionate about physics, he put a large focus on scientific accuracy and its importance. Grading was inconsistent, group lab work that was the same was sometimes graded completely differently. Final worth 55% of overall grade, had a written portion and an experiments section which did not have enough time to complete properly.
Expect to work a lot and possibly get poor results. He demands a lot from you. At least two homework (~2-3 hours each) assignments, weekly quizzes, finals, and midterms are quite tough. Only take him as a last resort. He teaches well, but do not expect your GPA to stay the same (it will probably go down a lot).
Too much questions for quiz and not having enough time to complete.
Amazing lecturer, but disorganized, lack of course structure(layout of material), aides given out too close to quiz causes binge study, due dates are not given ahead (making planning difficult), does not relate book to lectures or practice problems. subpar tech/communication skills. Take if have continuous tutor or nothing but school in your life.
Lectures were alright he know his stuff, obviously very smart guy. Found it difficult to approach Francis a few times. He might be crazy. Knows when he is using too many big words and will adapt to your capabilities appropriately. Overall had a horrible experience but i passed 2A-2C with him.
I respect Professor Francis (Get ready to dislike my rating). As everyone claims, and as I agree, he is definitely one of the harder teachers at De Anza. Enormous workload, back-to-back assignments and quizzes. Exams are very restricted by time, but I genuinely think he is a good professor. If you give it your 100%, then you'll get around 80% lol.
this class was extremely difficult, i do not recommend at all!! :((
worst professor I have taken in de anza. Class average for quizzes are like 40%, the most recent one being ~27%. if your work in exams are not identical to his answer key, its automatically wrong. everyone would be getting at least a C in exams and quizzes for any other professor. 13 people left in my section compared to the 35 in the beginning
you'll learn physics but be prepared to fail your quizzes and exams because of the most irrelevant points off like lines not being straight enough without a ruler, not close enough to 1cm for each mark. he can teach but he has zero sense of school life balance.1-2 hour lectures to watch outside of class time, 300 word summary required for each.
Worst experience I've ever had in CC. Was 30min late to a mandatory lecture the day after Thanksgiving on a non-lecture day. Every test averaged ~40, and he put it on us for not studying seriously enough. Assigns homework on content he hasn't even lectured yet. Forget finishing on time in lab. Great scientist, bad prof. PLEASE avoid at all costs!
The start of the class was going pretty well in my opinion, but the pacing of the class is really inconsistent. He gives extra lectures on the days you don't have class every weekend on things he didn't cover in class. We started with 1-2 things due per week, then all of a sudden it jumped to 5-6. I feel like I've been sprinting the past 2 weeks.
as a full time student who also works, adrenaline replaced my blood in the past few weeks and all I want for Christmas is to take any other professor for 2B/2C. can't check your grade because he doesn't use canvas, but all of us are tethering on barely satisfying that C to take 2B. he grades exams and quizzes on the projector for everyone to see.
He is good at teaching physics, but unusually harsh when it comes to grading. Be prepared for complex calculations with no calculator, and learn to estimate a centimeter. Lectures outside of class. Study for quizzes a week in advance and do the practice quizzes. Attend office hours and ask him any questions. If you use time efficiently you'll pass.
Not an easy professor by any means, but he will set you up VERY well for the rest of the physics series. Francis knows his stuff and will impart his knowledge onto you. Best of luck if you take him.
This professor is perfect for anyone who plans on majoring in physics, as this class prides itself on testing your conceptual understanding of physics rather than seeing if you could do problems. As someone who isn't majoring in physics, its kinda concerning how physics-oriented my mind was throughout this quarter in order to do well in this class
The most worst professor in De anza college
Get ready to have your GPA destroyed by this class if you stay to the end.
Health and life balance destroyed. It's very rewarding to pass his class even through receiving a "low" grade. If you truly study and understand the concepts you can pass. Comparing to PHYS4A w/ another prof, I studied 4 times as much and had 6 times more problems and resources to succeed. Don't give up and attend office hours. Good luck
Had Francis for 4C+4D two years ago. He's excellent at explaining concepts and knows physics from front to back, but heavy workload, speed-based exams requiring deep intuition, and grading made the classes stressful. He'll solidify your physics basics and prep you well for upper-division, but it may come at the cost of GPA and time.
Professor Francis is a tough grader, but if you stay on top of the material and use study aids like unstuckstudy ai, you can do well. Attend office hours and don't miss lectures - the workload is heavy, but engaging with the course will pay off.
I normally don't write about professors until I finish the course, but this one is an exception. He makes you write so much, hard to understand. And for the Quizzes, he gives you very little time to complete it. My whole class is struggling to finish the quiz due to lack of time. Only ok part is the Lab session. Lecture wise it is horrible.
Class average for quizzes were 40%, no time to do quizzes, assigns so much homework and is so unorganized. Doesn't give grades, minuses points for anything. This class requires a lot of effort and covers so much material quickly and he doesn't set you up for success. If you do take him study hard.
This professor expects all your time for this class. Lecture notes for every day, sometimes does lecture videos (1-2) per week outside of schedule lecture days. Takes a lot of point off for minor mistakes on quiz (missing ONE word for answer). Does not use canvas at all expects you to calculate your grade. Lab final is very overstimulating.
The most unorganized and hardest class I've ever taken. He ignores/ghost emails completely.
Prof. Francis is very knowledgable in his field of expertise and is quite good at explaining/teaching concepts. Basic mathematical fundamentals are required to do well. Course moves a bit fast and be prepared for lots of homework. Taking extensive notes in class helps a ton. Prof. Francis is honestly very caring and accommodating.
Good Professor, difficult class. You need to have a good understanding of basic math and algebra otherwise you will fail. Tests are difficult but doable as he provides you with all the resources you need to succeed. Attend lecture, everything covered in lecture can and will be on the quiz. Great lecturer, gives good examples.
His lectures are very disorganized and he makes you write daily summaries on very little information. He only explains concepts abstractly and doesn't go into the details of formulae. He doesn't cover formulae used in his homework and gives too little time per question on quizzes and tests. Expect to sacrifice a lot more time than other classes.
He is an ok professor who runs an absolutely horrendous class. The time given on tests/quizes was set with the expectation that you can do the problems as fast as he can (not kidding). Lectures didnt have plans so we fell behind/miss details. "Optional" weekend lectures to catch up. Material near the end was very rushed. Canvas was a disaster.
I wouldn't recommend this class unless you're majoring in phys or ee. Be prepared to dedicate a lot of hours to studying. The professor goes in-depth into the concepts. The exercises in the book are nothing compared to his quizzes and exams. The class started with 27 people, but only 10 made it to the end. The professor is extremely knowledgeable
Someone please teach him how to use Canvas!!!!! Very disorganized messy teacher. No calculator allowed, have to solve intricate calculations during time-sensitive tests/quizzes. Made me disdain Physics.
Do not take Prof. Francis unless: - You are extremely interested in Physics - You need PHYS 4D for your degree/transfer goals and he is the only professor teaching it - You have extreme discipline - You do not have any medical conditions, mental health issues, or potential real life circumstances (you will not be accomodated)
Dude teaches unrequited material in a quarter system and expects the whole class to be capable because 2 people got high scores…turns out they cheated lol lotta of cramming in the class, tons of hw is required but won't help you pass the tests.
attend office hours and class is doable
Great lecturer, passionate & patient but the class is simply horrific. **GO TO OFFICE HOURS!!** Not possible to do well w/out office hours unless you're genius. Students need good mental math/thinking on feet & deep/intuitive understanding of concepts. Extraordinarily heavy workload, sloppy pacing. Purists will have fun, everyone else will suffer.
This professor is the best physics professor I've ever had—hands down! He's incredibly smart and has a great sense of humor. I'm really looking forward to learning all kinds of knowledge from him. I highly recommend everyone to take his class!
You won't even be able to get a B. I am a straight-A student who does well in every other STEM class, but this class is so overwhelming. It is very conceptual and heavy on proof rather than problem-solving. Just wait and take another professor's class or Foothill. Even Luna is better than Francis.
I'm usually good with STEM but this class is a bit overwhelming. When I make little blunders or am just having an off day, his comments don't help. "use your brain, it's common sense" "this is basic algebra, how can you not get this?". Def a smart man who knows his stuff, but idk, my classmates have agreed that he sounds a lil condescending
I beg you not to take him.
Need to handwrite everything, more than half of the material on quizzes and midterms are curveballs that he never teaches about. Makes mistakes daily and doesn't correct them. Never answers emails, doesn't even read the emails. Have to remember every single tiny detail he says and no equation sheet for anything except the final.
FLEE All content only accepted when hand written on printer paper, after each lectures you make a mini test & 400 words summary, 1~ 2 4 minute videos on lectures each week and another 400 words on each textbook chapter, dress like it's work, attend lectures with assignments due after.Expects you to respect his time but does not reciprocate and more
Unreasonable
too much unreasonable requirement
I have no idea how he is allowed to teach the way he does. I had to miss a midterm due to an unplanned medical reason, did not let me retake nor respond to my emails WITH doctors notes 5 days after I missed the exam. His midterms and quiz are HEAVILY graded, impossible to get anything higher than a 60-70%. Had him for all 2 series, please AVOID.
for one of the tests I forgot to put a "+" next to a positive number, so i just wrote 1 instead of +1, we all know that's positive except him. Dudes basically a loser that wants to take revenge on humans for treating him bad in his childhood development. Impossible to pass don't waste your time guys. No one ever passes his classes
If you're about to start with him PLEASE take it at another cc he's going to lower your GPA. Terribly low midterm avg. and no curves. Doesn't post lectures, and adds mandatory Friday sessions to a M-Th class. Tough grader wants u to fail man, delayed grading, and poor communication even if dad passed. 3 midterms, two finals, and biweekly quizzes.
Professor Francis's lectures are incredible, he truly focuses on the physical intuition. He is very responsive and passionate both in and out of classroom. HIGHLY recommend him if you are actually serious about physics. But...he is the single most difficult professor at De Anza. His level of teaching far exceeds the requirements.
DO NOT take this professor I PROMISE YOU. You will fail the class. He is inCREDIBLY difficult and everything must be done in HIS way. HE NEVER PUTS IN ANY GRADES. A 2 page lecture summary is required for each class and 3 page CH summaries once or twice a week. We weren't shown our grades until the day after the drop date (he never told us the date)
Im not even at De Anza anymore, yet I still get PTSD. I can never go through another lecture without TRAUMA from this man. Dr. Francis is brilliant, HOWEVER expects you to be as knowledgable as him. This class will destroy your confidence, sleep schedule, and well being. I got really sick before midterm, did not let me retake even WITH doctor note
This man does not care about your success. For an intro to physics class this guy makes quizzes hard
extremely limited time for quizzes and tests, no calculator allowed, not enough opportunities to practice what is taught. avoid at all costs
You get no calculator in a physics class...
Absolutely horrible instructor. Let me get this clear for whoever gonna pick him. ONLY PICK HIM AS INSTRUCTOR IF YOU HATE YOUR GPA AND YOUR LIFE. Heavy work loads and time consuming, tough grader and mandatory heavy quizz every week. Keep in mind, there is no such thing as CALCULATOR in this physic class, No Calculator, No ruler, No Cheatsheat.
Class is just outright bad. Extremely time consuming and difficult, exams are to be completed in 50min, and quizzes in 17min??? Profesor has no awareness when it comes to making sure his students understand and are given the tools to pass a class. Just don't take this course…
He'll put you through hell, and you still have to pray to get a C. He expects you to solve problems in the same time frame as he does. His questions sound like “find the speed of the left plane falange if a hedgehog spins through his right shoulder and does a half backflip” DO NOT take this class unless you're a physics genius or a masochist...
Class Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
92%
Textbook Required
25%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B-
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-1.08 avg changeRatings by Course
PHYSAP
5.0
(1)PHYS4
5.0
(2)PHYS4D
5.0
(4)PHYSIC4B
5.0
(1)PHYS4CD
5.0
(2)Difficulty by Course
42982
5.0
PHYSIPHY
5.0
PHYSAP
5.0
PHYSICS2A
5.0
PHYSICSA
5.0