2.8
Quality4.0
Difficulty41%
Would Retake113
Reviews41%
Would Retake
113
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
22
4
20
3
21
2
19
1
31
What Students Say
“DO NOT TAKE THAT PROF”
GEO1511 - 1.0 rating“First year class but it feels like a 4th year class”
GEO1511 - 2.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
57%
Textbook Required
46%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Stable
-0.11 avg changeRatings by Course
GEO2565
3.7
(6)GEO1515
3.6
(16)GEO1111
2.8
(10)GEO1115
2.7
(37)GEO1511
2.6
(42)Difficulty by Course
GEO2166
4.5
GEO1111
4.2
GEO1515
4.1
GEO1511
4.0
GEO1115
3.8
Reviews (113)
In the lectures she turns off the lights and uses french diagrams even through its an english class. The labs are not fun and are a lot of work. The midterm consisted of identifing rocks and filling in diagrams. If you have a choice of whether or not to take this course don't take it. This course is way worse then the hardest physic, chem. or math.
this course is NOT fun. it sounds easy but it is NOT. avoid it
Just avoid her,she is so harsh on enforcing her rules, she wont take an assignment if its an hour late.The course sounds easy but it isnt,theres alot of memorizing. and dont even think about buying the book because u wont have enough time even read the notes because theres so much material to know!!and she looks like a female version of schwazneger
She is an excellent geology prof. Good usage of diagrams. She does teach a lab oriented class like the course discription indicates. So yes, there is alot of memorisation of rocks and minerals and lots of work. And if you don't like geology, well duh, you won't like her class. Thats what she teaches.
NOT HELPFUL, she blames the students for her mistakes
what can you say, she is terrible. when explaining geological concepts she often can't find the correct term in enligsh, uses french diagrams in an english class, and her english is terrible. the final was a living nightmare. avoid this class at all costs!!!
I have taken well over 40 courses in univeristy and this is by FAR the worst course I have ever taken. She is a teaching professor which is the worst part. Actually told the class if they have questions not to contact her. Pretentious,HORRIBLE notes.Avoid this course if you can because it will actually make you hate geology.
Most of the ratings and comments given in here are over the top. She's a very good prof. A lot of work is involved but if you understand the concepts and do well in the labs, the exam should be pretty easy.
Fairly simple course.
Being a lab oriented course, there is a fair bit of memorization needed, but what is asked for is nowhere near over the top. All of the quizzes and the final were very fair and students are commonly asked to comment on these tests. Overall a good course :)
This prof is awesome and so is the class. One of the best classes I took at uni hands down! You will learn so much and the labs are fun! (better than sitting in class for 3 hours). I don'T understand the bad reviews... maybe people were lazy and didn't want to put in minimal effort..theres no way anybody should fail this class.once again GREAT PROF
Why is she allowed to teach? Save the students!
Alrighty: her exams are too hard for this course. It's an introductory Earth Science course (it doesn't help that I'm not in Earth Science and don't care about the Earth), but she tested us as if we cared about the material. Course is too hard for people who find it unbearable to study the material (The material IS unbearable if you're not into geo
This is my 1st year. She was my favorite prof, hands down. She's a great communicator, has time for her students, and makes you feel like she really cares about your education. The class was sort of demanding (which might explain the bad reviews), but it wasn't that bad. Some of the other reviews seem way out to lunch.
She's passionate about rocks, but conveys subject matter ineffectively. If you take this course, go to all lectures or you will miss a lot. Claude Farley (Lab coordinater, makes this class bearable). All about memorization of rocks and the geological history of the Ottawa area. Harder then it sounds. Not a bird course.
for both 1111 and 1115, great profd, very passionate. easy to understand, easy to talk to. Explains this in a great way. Both are pretty easy classes. Best mark in uni so far.
She is very helpful and VERY approachable. After taking this course, I switched to Geology.
Lectures won't make it jump out of your seat, but they're okay and usually are packed full of the info you'll need for the next lab report or quiz. The labs will be tough if you don't pay attention in class. If you do pay attention you'll like the labs, field trips are fun and the lab coordinator Claude Farley is nice...if he's still around.
I didn't attend any classes, so my ratings on the prof are to be disregarded. Before taking this class I read how hard it was...honestly the easiest class of my life. You have to be borderline retarded not to do well. I read 5 lectures worth of notes 3 hours before each exam and got straight 70's...
Her lectures arent glum but her exams are really hard even though they are mainly mcq`s. Not recommended.
The lectures are fast paced and very boring. There was only one lecture a week that only about 20% of the class actually attended because they were unbearable. I do not recommend this class.
I took 2nd year sedimentology with this professor and found the course extremely well organized, very interesting, and well taught. Simone is an excellent teacher and is always available to her students. She may not be hot or hype or cool, but she knows exactly what she's talking about. She deserves much better reviews than she has been getting!
The classes were slow because you can tell she was translating from french to english in her head. Unlike the other guy though, she actually knew the stuff she taught.
She is a good teacher, but she is harsh when she corrects papers.
Her lectures were extremely slow moving and not very hands on. She mostly reads directly from her posted slides. Her final exam was largely not related to material covered in class and was extremely difficult. (Considering I had a strong understanding of the course) I wouldn't recommend her to anyone.
Class is unbearably slow and most students did not attend. Lecture material poorly reflects final exam material. I would not recommend this class to anyone as an elective or with an interest in Geology.
Final was tough
hard final and very long (impossible to finish) and long labs especially at the end! don't take this class if possible.
She marks very hard, not fair at all. It's like she does not want anyone to have a good mark... passing is like the only option. What ever you do, make sure your lab reports are not long and they contain the answer directly do not add extra information! very unfair and picky marker!
Make her student's feel like idiots if they don't have the right answer wright away. The labs are very exaggerated for a first year course (10 to 12 questions)! She wants everyone to pass with 50 to 60 %, having 80 % will be a miracle with that prof! Very arrogant prof. Your Final grade is your final grade, their is no revision!
She really knows her stuff. She is a really nice person and cares about her students. She definitely takes time to get to know her students during the field trips. The final exam was pretty hard since it was the only written test of the year. Labs are fun.
Talk to her, it'll help
Lots of long labs. Get ready for that final!
She's not as bad as everyone says, but she does marks insanely hard. Thought I aced the final, ended up just passing. The class itself is pretty easy especially if youre interested in the topic but study hard for the final by reviewing her lecture notes.
Super though grader. If you want a good mark avoid her at any cost, the english version of this course is way easier than this.
This prof is such a hard grader. You can learn all the course by heart and the most you can expect is a 60%, it's like she wants you to fail. I can tell she comes prepared to class but considering the fact that less then half the class actually attend, her lectures are useless a boring. Don't recommend
RUN. Elle devrait être renvoyée selon moi. Elle ne sait pas de quoi elle parle, rend un cours de 1e plus difficile que les cours de 4e. Tu apprends TOUT et tu as 50%, venant d'une personne qui a des A+. Incapable d'écrire un examen correct, refuse de te donner tes points, arrogante. Son cours vaut 3 cours. Si le seul prof, je ferrais une pleinte.
There is a ridiculous amount of content considering its a first year class. There were 3 midterms and the final was cumulative -there was WAY to much to memorize and I felt like I was constantly studying. If you have to take this class make sure to memorize EVERYTHING, its the only way you can do well.
I've never had worse than her. There's about 17 lectures 50 pages each. You need to learn all by heart. 3 midterms and a final that covers 5% what you saw in class and 95% things she pulled out of her ass. you can know all the material going into exams and still only come out with 50%. Her grading scheme makes no sense so she clearly can't do math.
Arrogant prof! it is a first year course and it feels like a master one (no joke). there is just too much information to learn. there are 3 midterm and many labs. Even if you study like crazy you will only get 60 or 65 % in the final exam (very hard, long, impossible to finish). she grades harshly and teaches both classes (English and French) ....
Good and easy labs that were every week. (with Farley) Can't comment too much on Dumas. Went to half of the first lecture and didn't go back she was that dull. The lecture section only had 1 final exam worth 35% but you had to pass. Too many people failed and they had to remove that requirement. Ended up with a B+ without class thanks to the labs.
DO NOT TAKE THAT PROF. She makes the midterms unnecessary hard. Be ready to study 60 pages of notes for 40 hours for 1 out of 3 midterms and expect a C+ or B at best. I took it as an elective and it turned out to be my lowest grade and I had to spent to much more time on studying crap. do not pick her unless you want a lower GPA.
Her tests are insanely hard and her development questions are so specific its almost impossible to pass her tests. Her powerpoints have barely information and she speaks so quickly in class you can't take notes. First year class but it feels like a 4th year class. You would think its an easy class but it is extremely hard because of the teacher.
JE VOUS L'ÉCRIS EN GRAND CARACTÈRE POUR QUE VOUS COMPRENIEZ LA GRAVITÉ DE LA SITUATION CETTE PROF EST LA PLUS ATROCE QUE JE N'AI JAMAIS CONNUE DE TOUTE MA VIE ELLE EST TRÈS ARROGANTE ET REMPLIE DE HAINE SI VOUS VOULEZ ECHOUER OU BAISSER VOTRE MOYENNE PRENEZ CE COURS SINON SACHIEZ QUE JE VOUS AUREZ PREVENUE JE ME DEMANDE QUI LA DECLARER PROF
Not as bad as some say. She knowns her stuff, her lectures are interesting, and the material is generally pretty simple, there's just a lot of it. Her exams are harder than you'd expect, but it's not impossible to do well, you just have to earn it.
Ses cours que j'ai pris, trois en tout, étais les meilleurs cours de mon université! 10/10 would recommend!! Elle est très sympa et connais son matériel!
Pretty god prof, lectures are a bit dull if you aren't interested by the subject. Too many people take it thinking it's an easy science credit. Very important to participate during labs and write everything down so you can go through the lab easily. A lot of material for the one final Cares about students, her and lab coordinator are easy to talk 2
The final exam was hard and was like writing a textbook. Not good for an introductory course and for 3 hours.
I've never had a better teacher before. Sure, her exams ask for a lot of details, but I've never had a better feedback for a midterm. She's always there for her students and always answer to your questions. Most of all, she cares for your success. She postponed more deadlines during exam period than all teacher I had in my time at UOttawa
The lectures were set up awfully. Its not as easy a course as it sounds, the lab every week was annoying but doable however the final exam was horrendous. It just was not clear what was needed to be known and so it was hard to get a good grade. The amount of material that you were expected to know was way too much for an introductory course.
Cette prof est super sympa, mais la classe était un peu diff; il fallait rendre un rapport de labo à chaque semaine. En plus de ça l'examen final était HORRIBLE!!!! Il y avait trop de questions à répondre, et il fallait tellement écrire... Prenez cette classe seulement si vous devez absolument la prendre, mais ne la prenez pas comme classe au choix
Dr. Dumas was an awesome prof. Attend all lectures and write down everything she says! Memorize it all for the final! The questions are extremely specific! Listen and participate in labs as TAs give answers for all lab report questions. Amazing intro course that requires a lot of work!
Terrible prof. Despite being very comfortable with the material, the exam was so long that everyone ran out of time. She asks for ridiculous amounts of detail and grades very hard even though the material is easy. Knowing geology will not help you. She does not want to help you get a good grade.
Terrible professor. Easy material, incredibly hard tests. She tries to not make her questions too obvious and in doing so makes them impossible to understand. Will screw you over on exams. Avoid at all costs.
Monotonous lectures, often lacks organisation... the class itself is not difficult, though parts of the notes on slides that are made available to students are removed, so go to class...
Loved it! She knows what she's talking about. Always ready to answer questions. Tough grader because she is very specific in her questions. You need to really UNDERSTAND what's going on. But once you do, you'll be getting a good mark! Study after each class and you should be fine! But she is definetly a good prof!
While I have a lot of respect and admiration for Simone as a person, I really don't like her as a professor. It is clear that she is very passionate and knowledgeable, however, she makes her tests unnecessarily difficult. The course itself is very interesting but difficult where it doesn't have to be.
Truly don't get her poor rating. She's really helpful and gives very complete notes!
She was my favourite prof last semester! If you listen in class you will do really well in her class. She's really captivating and always has a bunch of pictures and videos shown during her lectures! She made sure to prep us and let us know what and how to study for the midterms and finals. Would definitely take again, good grade booster.
She's really passionate about what she does but she goes really fast through her notes. The slides have little to no information on them so you HAVE to show up to get all the info you need.
Prof Dumas is not as bad as people say. Her final exam was very long, and labs are tedious, however, if you go to class and take good notes, all the topics that appear in the labs and the final exam are relevant to the material discussed in class. Prepare to invest time in this course, as in any other. Take advantage of office hours and tutorials.
Terrible Prof. The labs were doable- give two days to yourself for each lab and you should be fine. Attending DGDs for extra info will ensure a good grade on labs. The lecture portion is horrendous. She is boring and teaches terribly. Her final exam was a terrible 3 hours and I think it gave me PTSD. Avoid this class and prof at all costs!!
Great prof, really wants you to understand content and applications. Was very accommodating to students taking the class in their second language and has many opportunities open for students who want to get help with learning the concepts. The exams are worded a little weirdly, but if you read your notes, you will do well!
I didn't mind her but if you can, take this course in English. The english class has way easier midterms and their final was ridiculously easy. Her teaching is good but her midterms are really hard especially MC and the final was meh but no where near as easy as the English class. It felt more like a 4th year course rather than a 1st year mandatory
Simone is a really nice and caring person, she's a really good prof and will try her best to help you if you don't understand. Lectures have A LOT of content and the final exam is extremely long and difficult; beware.
Really good prof. This course is really easy if you have taken geo1115 before. There is a lot of content but the exams are pretty easy.
elle explique les concepts individuels assez bien, mais c'est vraiment les connections entre les concepts qui sont importantes, et elle ne couvre vraiment pas ca en classe
Class PPT are loaded with content that makes it extremely hard and long to memorize everything and study for her midterms and exams. Her exams are very precise too.
It is evident that Simone is passionate and confident about her work and is extremely knowledgeable but her lectures are monotone and engaging. Quite a lot of content for a first year mandatory course, so try your best to stay focused in lectures and take lots of notes as many important chunks of information are missing on the PPTs!
-Goes over content very fast -Exams are pretty hard -If you put time into studying you should be okay
Très bonne prof. Le cours est quand même demandant et les examens sont longs et parfois difficiles. Cependant, elle est passionnée par ce qu'elle enseigne et rend la matière intéressante. :)
Do yourself a favour and take this class in english if you can. Her midterms are hard (who makes each multiple choice question worth 2 points ?!) and too specific. Her voice also puts me to sleep so good luck listening to her for three hours a week. ALSO, don't sign up for a lecture right after hers since she keeps lecturing even after the 1h20mins
I've had Dumas for GEO1515 & if you've taken that course, you have a major advantage. For those having her for the first time, she packs ppt slides & they can be hard to read(pls go to class). A lot of people complained this year about her exams but she stated many times what she would be asking & the exact format. Exam was as she described.
she's a decent person, the class is just so unbelievably boring and unnecessary to most programs that it reflects poorly on her. Don't take it if you don't need it.
Simone is a very good professor, she's clear in what she expects out of her students, but she grades very harshly. If you do not use the exact key words she is looking for, you won't get part marks. You need to be able to make correlations lab-lec. The labs are also fairly easy if you put in effort. If you want to take a GEO elective, take 1111.
Good prof! Tests aren't easy but expectations are clear.
Professor Dumas is a solid prof. Although her voice is not super engaging, it is evident that she cares about the quality of her teaching. I took this course online and there were pre-recorded lectures, live consultation periods and a lot of (open book) weekly homework. There are no exams in this course, so put in the effort and you're set!
She's a solid prof. Clear, to the point lectures. Excellent choice for online learning.
it was great!
Ok come on now. A 61-page final culminating due the week of exams. Come the hell on, as if I didn't hate this stupid rock course enough.
Exams are very hard and she only gives one hour. Barely have time to think.
Exam's were terribly hard, not even doable in the time that she gives. Did not give any extra credit assignments to boost up average. Geology should not be this difficult.
Many students have made complaints to this prof about the length and content of her exams being unfair. But nothing has been done to fix it. The exams are very difficult and impossible to succeed in with the time given.
Terrible! the exams are really hard, and so long, you barely even have time to think, professor doesn't care , they just read the power point slides and call it a day. Avoid taking this course as much as you can.
This professor is awful don't ever think to take her course EVER unless you want to fail. Literrally her exams are so hard there is no chance you can study and understand what she puts in her exams. There is no activities or labs to compensate your grade. Most difficult course to pass.
Avoid taking this class with this prof. Exams were impossible to finish and pass in the time given. The prof doesn't take any criticism and yells at students if they try to ask for extra work to pass the class. Geology does not need to be this hard. No reason why I should be passing organic chemistry and not geology.
ABSOLUTELY HORRIBLE she does not want you to succeed and doesn't care if the whole class is failing.
Good notes are necessary. Her tests are a bit long but ok.
Those who failed said the exams were difficult/long and the prof had no empathy. Well, make sure you put effort in the class before complaining:) The exams reflected the material taught, were long but doable in the time given, and the professor was very sweet and passionate. If you show up to her classes and study the material, you will do great.
Excellent prof! Grading criterias very clear, did exemples in class of how she expects us to answer different questions. Gives a list of learning objectifs for the exams, if you study them your basically garantied an A+. Very passionate about what she teaches, nice person and tries to connect with her students. Would def take her again!!
Professor Dumas is a great prof, she is very passionate about what she teaches. However, the grading in her course was way too harsh, especially when it was a first year course that a lot of students take as an elective. The average for the course is the lowest I've seen in any course I've taken so far.
Before the final I had an A+ and came out with an A- Went to see my exam afterwards in her office bc of my grade. While in her office she said that the average final exam mark was a failing grade meaning she wasn't teaching the average student in her class enough for them to pass. I hope anyone considering this class doesn't take that fact lightly.
I liked her a lot! She's clearly very knowledgeable in her field and she's very passionate in what she does. If you have her as your lab coordinator, she tries to get to know you. By the end of the semester, she knew us all by name. However, the course itself is a lot of work. You have to very specific in your answers in order to get a good grade.
I got a better grade coz I worked from myself but this professor is horrible
Don't take this professor if you care about your grades. Expectations are extremely poorly communicated (if at all) and you either figure out what she wants by trial and error or by spending every lab session and all office hours asking questions about every single thing. The final exam was not doable in the amount of time given, even for the TA
I found this class very hard for a first year class. It was probably not Simone's fault, but being able to identify 60+ minerals/rocks in the lab final is a lot, especially when we only had access to them for a limited time. Her grading criteria is extremely selective, she's looking for specific key words found on her slides! Would not recommend.
i found this to be my most difficult class first semester. the lecture notes posted are mainly just photos, so you have to go to the lecturesl. nice lady, she is very polite. however, i found the exam super difficult and long,make sure you know the lab stuff+lecture content. i met people who have retaken the course 3 times bc they failed the exam.
Her lectures are well structured and she teaches well, but can be a bit boring at times. The mid-term was graded generously but the final exam was very difficult. Overall, a pretty good professor.
Lectures weren't really engaging at all. She is a good prof but honestly looks annoyed all the time. Can also be a bit discouraging at times.
Geology should not be difficult but professor Simone makes it so difficult. Please please do not take this course if you care about your Gpa. Exams and midterms are heavy and you have to know every diagrams. PowerPoint are only images so you really have to go to class.
I'd recommend her to anyone interested in actual geology classes. The content is easy-to-mid to grasp if you review the slides beforehand. The labs are unique; asking to record them helped me pass. For memorizing rocks quickly, take photos to study later.
didnt care at all about student even if all class failed her class do yourself a favor take this class in english if you care about your grades avoid her and exam very too long you dont have enough time to finish.
Prof seemed ok. Pretty straightforward during lectures. No complaints about her but the course structure is kind of heavy for a first year geology course. Unless mandatory, most people took it as an elective. Bad choice! Very lab heavy and time consuming. Do not recommend this course unless mandatory for your program. TAs are also hard markers!
Ce cours pourrait être simple, mais le professeur le rend inutilement compliqué. Ses attentes ne sont pas claires, les examens sont courts et mal concus, et beaucoup d'élèves doivent se débrouiller seuls ou avec leurs camarades pour comprendre. Le cours devient stressant et décourageant, malgré les efforts fournis.
Simone's class is challenging, but if you engage with the material and use tools like unstuckstudy, you can succeed. Attend class, study hard, and you'll learn a lot.
Absolutely HORRIBLE professor in terms of grading and constructing midterms.
If you actually put in the work you should have no problem passing. She clearly highlights the important information she wants you to focus on for each topic (provided in a document available for the entire semester). She even created a glossary of geology terms and their definitions. The exams accurately reflect what is covered in class.
shouldn't be as hard of a class as it is. most people in this class are never going to touch geology ever again. mindblowing how this prof seems to think we can retain 35 pages of info for a final when EVERY DETAIL makes you lose a point. midterms and final were very hard and long. also hard to study for, cause prof never gives anything to guide...
has to be one of uottawa best profs, will take again
wow most clear grading criteria ever
This prof might have the worst course set up I have ever seen. Do not take this course if you dont have to. Labs are also done horribly
Do not take this proffesor
Simply the amount of detail and quantity required for the final is completely unreasonable. She also is testing lab material in the lecture aspect even thought 65 percent of your grade is lab that already has two lab exams. There is no reason to have overlap and such a long exam with that amount of writing.
Class Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
57%
Textbook Required
46%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Stable
-0.11 avg changeRatings by Course
GEO2565
3.7
(6)GEO1515
3.6
(16)GEO1111
2.8
(10)GEO1115
2.7
(37)GEO1511
2.6
(42)Difficulty by Course
GEO2166
4.5
GEO1111
4.2
GEO1515
4.1
GEO1511
4.0
GEO1115
3.8