3.4
Quality3.7
Difficulty58%
Would Retake91
Reviews58%
Would Retake
91
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
33
4
19
3
12
2
9
1
18
What Students Say
“She is a very good teacher”
BIO151 - 4.0 rating“Professor Smithson is a very reasonable instructor”
BIO240 - 5.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
74%
Textbook Required
11%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-1.15 avg changeRatings by Course
BIO250AND251
4.6
(5)251
4.0
(2)BIO104
4.0
(1)BIO251
3.9
(15)BIO250
3.8
(11)Difficulty by Course
151
4.0
BIO240
4.0
BIO149
4.0
BIO151
3.7
251
3.5
Reviews (91)
She's awesome! She does her best to break things down. She's eager to answer all q's. She does anything in her power to help you succeed. (you still have to put in effort, obviously) Class is kept pretty entertaining. Different media is used to help clarify different topics. She molds her lessons to benefit all types of learning strategies.
She knows her material but gets very irritated when asked simple questions. Personally I didn't like the way she teaches. Copying and pasting the textbook onto powerpoint after powerpoint. Maye she's not so good because it's her first year teaching this course.
I really did not find her teaching helpful. She expects you to put the pieces together yourself and does not answer your questions when necessary. She grades extremely hard and has terrible time mangement with labs and tests. We were behind all semester. I honestly would not take her class again.
She is very knowledgeable about the topic and she is also very helpful when you don't understand, answering questions and further explaining. There are too many tests and I hate doing a pretest when I am trying to understand the previous material..confusing. I spend the majority of my time on this class and have no time for my other work.
She's a very good teacher.She never gives you any surprises & she lays out exactly whats on each test and quiz. you do have to put work into the class but she gives great resources to help you learn and she never turns away a question. she's clearly knowledgeable on the topic and her personal experience made the concepts and class very interesting
This I a hard subject with loads of memorization. It builds up s you go. She gave exact notes and even prints thm for you. After taking 251, I realize how lucky I was to have her for 250. There are prequizes, chapter test and exams, but practicals mixed in on tests. She shows you every body part while she lectures. Very helpful. Tough subject
She expects students to study 12 hours a week for her class, i studied MAYBE an hour the whole semester and got a C. She is super smart and funny. I enjoyed her class even though it was hard. I am horrible at science and she made the class interesting
She is a really great teacher and I've benefited from having her. She explained things in a way that made me remember and understand. She pushed us to memorize and learn for the practical exams and I am reaping the benefits in nursing school right now! Definitely take her if you're preparing to go into a medical field!
I took this class alone and I still got a D. She went fast and didn't explain well. You basically have to read the entire chapters prior to the course if you take this professor.
Smithson is a great proffesor period. Based on the fact that she grades fairly and offers a plethora of resources on the web. I can access all the power points on my computer in addition to the book. That's really good. However she swears a lot, not in an angry way more just to be humerus (get it?). Also, Attend EVERY lecture and be there.
If you are naturally good at biology, i recommend. I am not, so i struggled. But, she answers emails right away and always answers questions with positive attitude. Lots of homework and long lectures. but she knows when everyone starts to get bored so she'll let us take a 15-30 min break. don't need textbook.
posts lots of extra resources online, willing to help and answer any questions students have. The class does feel a little rushed because there's a large amount of stuff to cover, all in all you get what you give with her, if you try and ask for help when needed you should do well. Tests are very difficult and it is necessary to read chapters
Prof. Smithson was a really great professor in my opinion. I found that her lectures were a bit rushed in her teaching style, but it's expected because anatomy is such a complicated subject. Students should be ready for lectures way before hand. Other than her not-so-concise teaching style, I think she did a great job making the class bearable
If you have any questions she will help as best as she can. Anatomy is a tough subject, therefore studying is required! The lab book is extremely helpful with studying the anatomy of the body! She loves to crack jokes and keep the class engaged with the learning material.
I thought she was a good teacher. She made the material interesting. The tests were difficult and I spent a lot of time preparing and studying for weekly quizzes.
Make sure you read the material several times, the tests and exams are very hard and some of the questions on her exams are topics that are not in the textbook and some things we never went over in class. The labs do not explain procedures very well. She also makes you write three essays for exams. Lots of homework and lots of tests.
She does not explain anything. Gets very upset when you ask questions. You have to do 3 out 6 essays on the test. She gets frustrated so fast over everything and makes you feel dumb. When it comes to the labs she does not explain just wants you to read and do it. One of the worst teachers I ever had!
I took her for A&P 2 this spring and had to miss class due to medical reasons and it was impossible to make up everything I felt like she rushed through all the topics I really didnt like her teaching style. I test are pretty hard it has multiple choice, fill in the blank & essay questions all I can say is good luck if you take her for anything!
She gives us note-takers for her lecture that are a lifesaver and she's very funny. She'll be up-front about what you do and do not need to know for her tests and as long as you study, you will get a good grade on them. The essays are NOT hard. It sounds intimidating but it isn't bad! She's the best professor I've ever had. Trust me, take her!
Tells it like it is. Grades fair and gives you all the resources you need! Took her 3 semesters in a row.
She is a very good teacher. You can tell she is passionate about what she teaches. She makes you work for your grade, it is not just handed to you. If you actually take the time to study for quizzes and exams it becomes very easy.
She is the absolute best professor to have for Anatomy and Physiology. I only took her for 251 and I sincerely regret not taking her for 250. She prepares you for tests and gives you everything you need to know, no surprises. The essays on the tests allow you to really learn and retain the knowledge you've learned that chapter. She's simply great!
Great professor! Has a lot of real life stories that relate to her lectures which make it interesting. She combines lectures and labs into one class and have powerpoints that are super helpful. She tells you exactly what will be on the exams including the essay questions. Would definitely take her again!
I loved her! Biology is a tough course but she makes it fun and easy. You won't really need the book because she posts the parts you need online. All powerpoints and material are on icampus as well as additional resources that explain things in a different way depending on the type of learner you are. I wish I could have taken her again for 152.
I absolutely loved her! She grades fair and is willing to give up her free time to help! She shares experiences and adds humor to the lessons. The tests are tough, but she tells you what sections you need to study and possible exam questions. If you put in the effort you can get an A!! I would take her for all my science classes if I could!
She's very helpful, works around and is there for you. If you do all homework, tests are a blow off. Very funny, keeps class entertained! If you don't attend class you will fall behind in lab. Would take one of her classes again.
I was too busy worrying about turning in almost 3 assignments per class period to be able to understand the content, which left me terrified the night before exams. I spent hours studying for each one because I realized I didn't understand the content I was just trying to catch up on the homework. This class takes a lot of dedication and free time.
I started out the semester with a different teacher for bio 151 and was getting a 92% in the class, when Smithson took over my class after spring break my grade dropped to an 81%. Her lectures are copied straight from the textbook. I feel like I have to teach myself. Completely unfair, would not take her again.
I took her for 250 and I liked her so I took her again for 251 and what a mistake. I don't know what happened but she has changed. Pretty much yells at students that ask question, gets frustrated when you don't get material. All the people that had her for 250 noticed the difference too. I still did real good in the class but she was no help.
This teacher is amazing. She is always there to help you when you have questions. Yes she does have multiple essay questions on the test but she will give you a heads up as to what they are about. You can give her a rough draft of your essays and you will get feedback as to what you need to add or remove. I would definitely take her again! :)
She was a great teacher. Yes the class was boring, but she managed to throw silly humor in there to make the class better. She does give a lot of homework, but it's totally manageable. She also had all the homework up on canvas, so you can mess around with your grade. I would totally take her again.
She was something else, teach switch up in the middle of the semester threw me off.
Dr .Louis is what she goes by, she tells you what you need to study. she has essay questions but gives you choices. she is an excellent teacher but you can not slack off or you fail. I took the summer class and it was intense but she gives you great feedback.
I took this professor over the summer and I'm glad I did. She focuses on topics she's going to test you on. No extra details, which helps keep you on track. Multiple choice exams with some essay questions. Essays helped boost my grade when I did bad on the m.c. part. Gives study guides and essay questions ahead of time. Weekly quizzes. Read text!!!
She goes through lecture pretty fast but if you read the book as she recommends and take good notes (I like to print out the PowerPoints since she has them online) you'll be able to keep up with the class. She always tries to help students to do well & gives studying suggestions & always cracks jokes. Attendance isn't mandatory, but you miss a lot.
Best teacher I've ever had! no surprises you know what to expect!
She rocked, wasn't too hard but wasn't too easy. I very much liked the way she taught. Lecture followed by a short break, and then a lab. I was a bit of a challenging student a little obnoxious and loud but she handles it well, she super funny in a sarcastic way. All in all an AMAZING TEACHER that I would recommend to anyone who is not an idiot.
I love this teacher. I took her Bio 151 class and i loved it. I can tell you that if you do not study you will not pass this class, AND she WILL work with you if you ask her. She expects the best out of you and will put the ball back in your court on whether you pass or not. Do not miss any classes, everything is too important to miss. Enjoy her :)
Great Teacher!! There's plenty of extra credit opportunities. There are essays on exams but you know what they are ahead of time AND she'll look at them if you have any questions. All you gotta do is STUDY, A&P is not easy BUT It's only hard if you don't put the time and effort
Dr. Smithson is the best A&P professor there is at JJC. Her lectures are great. There are essays on the exams and quizzes but she gives you a review guide on icampus on what to expect. She is very understanding and wants her students to do well. I would easily take her again!!
Amazing teacher, shows attention to students who need extra help and goes the extra mile to be sure you understand such a difficult subject.
Best bio teacher at JJC!!!! NO SURPRISES ON TESTS OR QIZZES
One of the best teachers I've had. There is homework and online, at home quizzes for almost every chapter. Also an in class quiz for many chapters. She has everything (powerpoints, study guides, etc) on iCampus. Quick grader as well with few extra credit opportunities. Definitely have to work for an A though. Would take her again.
I honestly do not know why she has this low of a rating. I believe she should be above a 4.8. She helps explain everything that will be on the quizzes and test. Lecture is explained amazing. The detail about what to study for the quizzes and test are online! Ignore taking that Murdoch teacher, Smithson is easy as long as you try!
Half of the class was lecture from powerpoint, the other half was lab. Lab was easy, she helps if you need it. She can come off tough, but she is there to help you succeed. HW, in class & online quiz after every chapter. Occasional in class assignments. All easy points. Studying for tests is the hard part, if you don't have good study habits.
10/10 would take a class with her again. although she does give a lot of homework she always tells you exactly what will be on the tests and quizzes so there are never any surprises. for essay questions on tests and in-class quizzes she gives you the exact question that is on the test so you have about 2 days to know the exact answer. very helpful!
Fantastic professor, she always makes class fun and the material easy to understand. Would definitely take her again.
Smithson was a fantastic teacher. Not only did she have detailed lectured and explained everything great, but the test and quizzes she gives she tells you what is on it online! if you put in the work its an easy class. Study the online quizzes for test. I kind got lazy towards end of semester so that why I got a B but TAKE HER #1!! makes it simple!
This isnt an easy class but Dr. Smithson makes it interesting. All of the assignments help for the exams. She tells you what the essay questions are going to be on quizzes and exams ahead of time. There are many opportunities for extra credit. You have to study for this class or you will not pass. I would absolutely take this professor again!
Dr. Smithson obviously loves biology and enjoys teaching even when faced with zombies who are there to take a prereq. By far the best professor you will take because she wants you to engage and understand the material so you can use it in the future. You'll be surprised how enjoyable it is. I will miss her lectures - not expected rxn to course end
I took Mrs. Smithson for microbio, this is a hard class for students like me who struggle with science but she is the best teacher to take for the class. Her tests are exactly whats on the tests, BUT if you are going into nursing, don't just study the answers, well study them so you get an A, but make sure you study the material.
She is so mean. Just late hw 1min, you will get zero. Sometimes I talked to her after class, she always interrupts me while talking, so she misunderstands me as well. When she misunderstand, she thought that I was wrong about that things. When I was wrong, she never gives me a second chance. SO CRUEL!!!!!
Do not take her class. What an awful professor that I knew.
Tough prof because it's a tough subject. You have to know the material because she does not hold your hand. Looks for intricate and detailed answers so if you register for the class, go into iCanvas and start studying the essay questions for the tests. Know those like the back of your hand!!!
Challenging class. During lecture, she chooses students randomly to answer questions. After each lecture, there is an online quiz and an in class quiz the next class. Shes kind of a tough grader. Attendance is not required, but if you miss class you will be behind. As a heads up- only 3 students got an A in the class. Use the textbook & STUDY.
Not very compassionate regarding student emotional needs. Moves quickly in lecture and often becomes flustered when students ask questions. On quizzes, a significant quantity of questions are unclear, and concerns brought up about these topics are often dismissed with little/no further explanation from the professor.
Shes very intelligent but makes you feel dumb sometimes so be prepared for that. Make sure you do your work and study because she makes you work for it.
She overloads you with information. Very powerpoint heavy and very boring. she is really smart but is not good at being a teacher and actually teaching you the information. is also kind of rude at times
This is not supposed to be an easy class. Mrs. Smithson is tougher because it is tough material. She will set you up with a foundation for other bio classes. With this class you MUST be prepared. Read ahead and take your own notes to go along with her power points. I studied average 10-13 hours a week for her tests. Hard class, but passable!
This was probably he hardest class I have taken. I slipped by without doing any of the homework, but if you do take this course, I would highly suggest you do the homework and actually take the time to study outside of class. She was a good instructor, and knew what she was talking about, but it was just a really hard class for me. Don't skip.
Professor Smithson is a great professor! I took her for anatomy 1 during summer and she was amazing! Went over what was covered on the exams. Shes also clear on how she grades and not to mention she goes over exactly what will be on the test and what essay questions you will get! If you pay attention and do your part (study everyday) its an easy A!
Prof Smitson makes you work for your grade. Microbio was a tough class and there was a lot of content, but she does try her hardest to explain everything. If you expect a grade handout; do not take this class, but if you want to actually learn, she is one of the best.
She has the mentality where she thinks that her class is the only commitment you have. She can also be very rude especially when you ask for clarification on something you do not understand. She also told my class that if you're failing in her class that you will fail at life. Workload is so heavy that there was never anytime to study. Lecture FAST
Dr. Smithson is intelligent and enjoys the topic and is funny at times. However she can be very rude and condescending. She gets irate in lab and yells frequently and makes even good students feel like idiots if they ask her to clarify something. She isn't good at math, multiple times my grade was added incorrectly. Worst professor I've taken.
as much as im a nice person, smithson was a total jerk. she has yelled at so many students in my class. she treats you like you dont know what youre talking about if you ask a question. her british accent is ridiculously strong to understand. she doesnt have respect for students and if you take her just beware she is not the best teacher at all
Do not take this clas!! She thinks that this class is the only commitment that you have! Extremely rude. Docs you for every assignment whether you missed a period or a comma at the end of sentence.
Questions on the quizzes were unclear at times. She's rude and uncaring.
Her class is not meant to be taken online. Shes a very tough grader and she does not allow mistakes to be made.
Very rude teacher. Don't bother reaching out for help because she will not work with you. She will take off points for minuscule mistakes and acts like you should already know all the material when we are here to learn.
I would not understand some parts of the rubric for assignments and I would send her emails asking for clarification. She would literally tell me to read the rubric. She is not helpful and not willing to help me understand material that I am having trouble understanding. Her replies can be very rude and I dread taking her class...
Since this class was taken online, I found it to be pretty easy for a microbiology class. If you do the discussion boards, it is very easy to get a good grade on them. Also, for the essays, make sure to write a lot and you should be fine.
Took this class online due to Covid. This teacher is very rude when it comes to responding to questions in an email. She is a hard grader when it comes to her essays and she gives A LOT of homework. Her powerpoint quiz questions are rarely ever in her slides. Her final is so short-timed with extremely hard in-depth questions. Know the information.
She truly deserves a zero. Too many Essays! 3 250word Essays for every test. Not enough time given to take test or even review your answers. Classmate Discussions turn into mini essays that are also graded. Insulted when you don't refer to her as doctor. She doesn't provide in depth explanations of course material. Horrible and rude Professor.
I am taking this class online during the Summer. This is one of the most demanding courses I have ever taken. This professor over loads you with work, and gives out so many essays. There are too many assignments which include discussion boards, lab work, quizzes, and module assignments. Beware.. worst course set up I have experienced so far...
Begs her students to reach out & then belittles them for no fn reason. Yall can take what you want from this & waste your money but I would take this course at a more reputable campus with more resources :)
I took this professor in person & let me tell you this teacher was interesting. The one thing I absolutely hated was how many essays we had to write 3 essays for 6 exams besides the last 2. She will grade students that barley do good in the class the same if not better than students that are trying really hard which is a complete slap in the face.
Great class if you are willing to put in the work. Instead of multiple choice exams there are 3 essays, so if you are not willing to do that every chapter do not take the class. I do feel like I learned a lot from this class and would recommend it if you put in the work.
She is not the worst but I wouldn't take another class taught by her. Tells students to ask for help and her feedback can come off as rude/harsh. She lectures heavy (reads off P.P and randomly picks on students to answer ?'s). Tests are 50 multiple choice, 2 essays, and lab practical over 2-3 chapters at a time. READ, WATCH VIDEOS & NOTES!
Seems as if I never was getting my full credit for any of my assignments and she is very rude.
The lectures were usually an hour to an hour and a half and were really boring. The labs were kinda fun, though. There was a test pretty much every two weeks, and two essays had to be written and due by test week. I definitely recommend doing the essays a few days in advance rather than waiting until last minute like I did. They help on the test.
Professor Smithson is a very reasonable instructor. For every multiple choice exam you take, you have to also do a paper on the topic tested. Very reasonable and even reviews and gives feedback before turning in . Tests are similar to the online quizzes. Once you understand her grading style and what she looks for, you will succeed in her class.
Honestly, she gets a bad rep. She is one of my favorite professors ever! For anatomy, her physiology quizzes are online and you can use your notes. Practicals and exams are hard, dedicate time to them It's not her fault students are lazy. Lowest quiz is dropped, lowest exam is dropped, and lowest two homeworks are dropped. Essays are easy points.
Way of teaching is disorganized, does not give good or understanding lectures, too much assignments.
She is very fair in her grading and is a very hilarious professor, she can be disorganized at times. She extends assignments or gives points back if she feels that she is at fault for poor performance. Very fair instructor and intelligent. Would take her again.
Overall, not a bad teacher. Her attitude and disorganization are very annoying at times. As long as you listen during lab and study the quiz modules, you will be fine.
This was my first time taking professor smithson. At first the negative reviews scared me but after taking her class i realized that the negative reviews must be from students who DID NOT TRY. I found her class very enjoyable and I was always able to ask for help if I needed clarity on something.
I've never had a professor i enjoyed so much. If you are willing to put in work and listen and accept the help she offers you will excel in this class. If you put in effort she will do her best to make sure you succeed. She 100% deserves a better rating then what people give her on here.
Dr. Smithson will not give you an easy A but she will make it possible to earn As and Bs in this class. Pay attention, ask questions- she will give you helpful feedback. She provides multiple resources for each topic and gives students the short answer exam questions ahead of time. She is hilarious, very real with people, and encouraging. Just try!
She was a good teacher and for a 3-hour class crammed a lot of info in. But it honestly went by super-fast every day. She is very up front which was nice. homework was a participation grade with weekly online quizzes that were a great use to study with! Make sure you attend class bc it is graded but overall, a good course. I would take again.
I took Dr. Smithson for A&P 2 and Microbiology. The curriculum is straightforward and she is very honest with what to expect on exams. There is a lot of assignments at times but they prepare you for the exam. Class attendance is graded by ICA. She really wants her students to do well but you have to put in the effort.
Professor was very snappy. She read off slides & flew through chapters. She made exams extremely difficult. Not very organized but overall as a person she was cool
Class Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
74%
Textbook Required
11%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-1.15 avg changeRatings by Course
BIO250AND251
4.6
(5)251
4.0
(2)BIO104
4.0
(1)BIO251
3.9
(15)BIO250
3.8
(11)Difficulty by Course
151
4.0
BIO240
4.0
BIO149
4.0
BIO151
3.7
251
3.5