4.3
Quality2.4
Difficulty79%
Would Retake98
Reviews79%
Would Retake
98
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
63
4
20
3
7
2
5
1
3
What Students Say
“Not terrible, just terribly boring”
BIO200 - 2.0 rating“Professor Norris is a good teacher”
200 - 3.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
56%
Textbook Required
55%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
A-
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-0.28 avg changeRatings by Course
BIOLOGY
5.0
(1)BIOL100
5.0
(1)BIOL312
5.0
(2)BIO101
5.0
(1)BIOL201
5.0
(1)Difficulty by Course
BIOLOGY
3.0
BIOL312
3.0
BIO201
3.0
BIO316
3.0
200
2.7
Reviews (98)
Norris does a good job of providing pictures and diagrams to explain every concept. I got an A just by taking good notes, didn't crack the book at all. Good lab teacher too.
fun teacher, gets upset every now and then if markers dont work though so dont sit in the first 5 rows in the lecture. overall, awesome guy! he sticks with u in lab til u have everything down and explains in detail everything u must know. great teacher.
Dr. Norris was very into the subject matter. He used almost every kind of visual aid he could find to make everything that much more clear. He was always there to help and to answer any questions you might have. Overall, it was the best of the six classes I took that semester.
Rather booooring! Talks quietly
Norris is one crazy guy, hes an awesome professor that will make sure you understand the subject. Just study your notes for the tests and you will get a good grade. My favorite teacher personally
He si so awsome! He is the only guy I have ever seen get so excited over pup fish! Norris is a great teacher! He makes it interesting. Love the outfits!
Best teacher I've had at CSUCI!! He's got spunk cuz he loves his line of study which makes the class fun. Unfortunately, He's married to Nancy Mozingo who is the most boring teacher I've had.
Great teacher. Very pationate about fish... (and teaching ingeneral). Deffinately recomend taking his class
He is the best teacher ever!
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Really great teacher. His analogies are hilarious (ex. the busines end of a flower!) Gets mad if computer doesn't work. Hits himself when he says the wrong thing (sometimes double fists himself.) VERY ENTERTAINING! Makes the subject interesting. Loves fish. Tends to wear fish shirts a lot. Definately recommend this teacher! Tests are easy.
Really interested in the subject matter - and it shows. Makes lectures really interesting with powerpoint and tons of pictures and examples, and extremely helpful during labs. Love the analogies. I would definitely take a course with him again.
Great teacher, clear, fair and fun. If you see his name...don't hesitate
Great teacher, passionate about what he does. I hate bio, but he made it fun and interesting.
Absolutely LOVE him!!! He's very approachable, has cute and funny mannerisms, exams are based on lectures. He's passionate about teaching which motivates you to want to learn so don't hesitate to take his class!
He is a great teacher! Take him! He is always willing to help you, he is very nice, and makes the class enjoyable! I wish all teachers were like him!
Wonderful. A very enjoyable class.
He was a pretty cool teacher. He didn't make the class particularly interesting but I would recomend him.
Marine Biology was the second time I took Norris. If you had him for 200 the animal section of this class is super easy...lab was pretty cool took a couple of fieldtrips to the water but we didn't really get great weather this semester...overall a pretty interesting class and awesome guy! wish he could teach every class I need!
Always offers extra help, interesting, animated, awesome teacher!
He was an awesome biology teacher. If you have to take a science class, make sure to take it with Norris. His class was one of the few times in my life where I looked forward to a lecture instead of dreading it. He is also very helpful if you ever need help outside of class. I would highly recommend him to anyone.
One of the best teachers at Channel Islands- they are VERY lucky to have him. He made me look forward to Biology, and really understand it. He is also very clear in his lectures, and if you need ANY help he is more than willing.
Norris seems so excited about what he is teaching he makes the class extreamly interesting and fun.
An amazing professor!!! Of the seven teachers I've had at Channel Island, Steve Norris was probably my favorite. Before the class began I had no interest in Biology, and was dreading taking the class. About half way through the quarter, his biology class was one of my favorites. Take this professor for any class possible!!!!
I know why Norris is a crowd favorite--he is easy, passionate, and you will learn a lot from him. That being said, he is one of the most disorganized people I have ever met. It takes him weeks just to run a scantron through a machine! He tends to "dumb down" the material a little bit, which you will either like or hate. I would recommend him.
TAKE HIM! He is an amazing teacher. He gets so into lectures and makes things so interesting. There is never any homework and quizes are directly from notes. He gets really happy when people ask questions. I highly recommend him.
Dr. Norris seems as though he doesn't want to be in class. the lecture basically consist of power point lecture with pictures. he doesn't go into much detail, which is nice. i say you could pass the class based on the power points and not attending class at all.
Pretty easy. Based on power points. I dont think I have ever opened up my text book... but then again, I didnt do so great on every exam!
Great teacher, tests only from his lectures. Class material is a bit shallow, feels like a high school biology class as opposed to a college level class. Great for non major students. If you are a serious bio student take someone else for a challenge.
took him for 200, 310 and 314 awesome in all three knows his info and has very interesting lectures a bit disorganized takes a while grading and makes ppts literally right before class but tests are easy as long as you go to class. 200 the book was worth getting, but not 310
I love his class! he makes the lecture very interesting and so easy to comprehend. He uses really good examples that stick to you.I look forward to class everytime. As long as you pay attention and take notes, you'll do perfectly fine in his quizes and tests.
He is a really great teacher! i wasn't really interested in the class before, but now i love biology. he makes the subject sound really interesting. he explains everything perfectly clear, and his exams are based on his lectures. i highly recommend him. He definitely knows what he's talking about!
His class was fairly easy. Exams are based off of the powerpoints, study them and you'll be good. He's great at explaining concepts and breaks them down so that they're easy to understand.
He is very passionate about his topic. Basis tests off powerpoint lecture. Never opened the book once. Tests are not too hard if you pay attention in class. He is very willing to help you if you need it. He is a nice guy, and can be funny.
Super nice guy! Makes lectures very easy to understand and will go back and explain anything you don't understand. Made the class interesting for people who aren't bio majors. Four quizzes and two tests that are very straightforward
Great guy. Very helpful office hours. Makes the class fly by in what seems like 15 minutes. Slideshows are very easy to understand and concepts are made clear with his lectures.
If you like Bio then take this class because this guy seriously knows his stuff. Otherwise if you are just taking it for GE requirements then it is so a dull class. Dont get me wrong he know a ton of stuff but if science is not your thing then think about taking it later on in the year. I would not jump into to taking this class as a freshman.
Norris is the coolest. Super passionate about his teachings and is willing to help those who need it. He makes everything super clear and straight forward.
This guy's a real science guy. He truly knows his stuff, and is an authority on fish. The great thing about him, is he doesn't just read off his powerpoint, but incorporates examples and stories to help you on the tests. Grading is all based on tests with him, so its imperative you do well on them. I recommend him if you have an interest in Bio
My favorite professor of all time. If you attend class and take notes you'll ace his tests no problem! Great explanations and very informative lectures. Strongly recommend taking him!
I absolutely loved having Dr. Norris. His tests are hard but if you study well and go to his office hours you will do fine. Lectures cover a lot of information so you shouldn't miss them. His tests are lecture based. He loves helping students who truly want to learn the material. If you take his class seriously you will get a good grade.
Very enthusiastic professor, plus he has a sense of humor! He knows what he's talking about and does a good job on explaining things in lecture. The exams are also pretty easy, just review the power points + book. If you're interested in the subject, there's no way you won't do well. Also, note: He gets rather upset when people disrupt class
Tests are somewhat difficult but an A can be pulled off with a lot of studying. He is very nice and does his best to make sure you understand the material. Personally wasn't very interested in the material and found the lectures to be a tad dull.
His tests are to the point and usually cover what he really wants you to know (can be vague at times though..). DONT BUY THE TEXTBOOK. He strictly writes tests off lecture. Go to class because his power points have photos as he explains further their meaning which is always on the exam. Ive had him in more than 3 classes =)
Awesome guy, funny, really easy to talk to, clear lectures. Class requires a lot of studying but overall great class.
He is the best teacher I've ever had. He truly cares about the students and knows what he is talking about, he is an expert on animals and has even discovered his own fish! His lectures are fun and interesting. He is what ever professor should strive to be.
Fantastic Professor. Very Passionate about Biology and it shows in his lesson plans. Nice guy but don't bring out your phone during class, he will bite
Professor Norris is a good teacher. If you like fish, you should probably take this class because he relates fish in his lecture almost every time. His tests are pretty difficult, there is a lot of information you need to study. However, he is always there to help and answer question. If you study enough you should get a good grade.
Very passionate about fish in particular. Very nice guy but to seemed to answer questions sarcastically when in front of the whole class. Really wanted to just comb his hair everyday during lecture cause there was always this one piece sticking up. Online hw is extremely easy and tests are easy if you take good notes in lecture. Overall easy class
Great professor for Bio 200. Knows a lot and everything in lecture is on the test. Online homework is monotonous and is the only downside but if you go to lecture you'll get an A.
He doesn't really go off of the book that much (and I mean all of the specifics that are in there). His tests are based off of the stuff that he goes over in class so you need to be there but at least you know exactly what is going to be on the test!
Great at making time for his students, go to his office hours if you have questions. The most important thing to do is GO TO CLASS!!! Can't stress this enough, his tests are fair and 90% of the test questions come from the his lecture notes which is why attending class is so important. I would definitely take him again, he loves his profession.
Dr. Norris was an excellent lecturer. All of his slide were visual and were well organized. He is an ichthyologist, so he has many fish examples. There is only 1 quiz, 3 tests, and the final, which is not cumulative. I didn't open the text book and received a high B. He is very strict about no cell phones, and has some funny stories he shares.
I took him for vertebrate bio and it's clear this is his thing. He was really engaging and definitely seemed like he enjoyed teaching it. The powerpoints weren't much help, but the lectures are comprehensive and interesting. The tests were pretty easy and the labs are fun. If you can take this class with him, you absolutely should! New favorite!
Dr. Norris is a great professor. He is very straightforward with his grading criteria- basically you get all of your points in the exams and the lab. As long as you study well, you'll pass. Going to lectures and taking detailed notes is very helpful because his power points don't have much description. Definitely knows his stuff. Would recommend.
Tests are straight forward. Take good notes
Needs to be your priority class. Need to be able to take really good notes, and really need to study a lot to pass his test.
Professor Norris is a fair man and really only demands respect. He doesn't like it when you are on your phone. He choose not to assign HW this semester because he didn't want to grade it which was a big bonus. You should go to lectures because the powerpoints he posts online only have a few words. Most of the information is given in class.
I really really enjoyed this class. If you show up ready to listen every day, theres no chance of failing. He is clearly so passionate about what he teaches. He doesn't connect on any sort of personal level, which can be a bummer, but is over all a great professor
He is so smart. You can just tell he's so intelligent and learning from him is so interesting.
Norris you can tell enjoys what he does and he really made an effort to make use everyone on the waitlist got in. He is an EXTREMELY fair grader and doesn't want to kill students with his exams. He awesome and the labs are fun.
Very animated, wants you to learn and makes sure you understand. Explains well, answers questions, knows his stuff. Show up and you'll pass. Extra credit for good attendance. Wants to help, very accessible outside of class. 3 tests, no homework.
he is so caringggggg, such a great person and really cares about his students. he loves biology and makes you love it too. he has a daughter and sometimes talks about her and that shows how sweet he is. god bless him.
He is an amazing world renowned fish scientist (ichthyologist). Very caring and inspiring lectures. I have taken many of his classes. He is always willing to help out and answer questions. Must take.
Dr. Norris is a FANTASTIC professor! He's a human encyclopedia. No outside work from class, but 3 tests and a final. Loves discussion, sorta dark humored. Must study to keep up w/ tests. Very fair, loved his class, wish I could take again! Lab related topic wise but not time-wise. Would've had a higher grade if I studied more, easily.
majority of whats on the test is what he says. His slides don't really have words just pictures so write down what he says and you should be good.
Take VERY good notes on everything he says. I typed all my notes because there is not much info on powerpoints. I only studied my lecture notes and got an A. I studied charts on powerpoints. 4 tests, no homework, final is test 4 w/ 15 cumulative questions. Teaches using mostly examples. Show up on time and DO NOT use phone. Office hrs useful.
general bio, so theres not much to it, his lectures were good and the grade is off of 3 tests. generally a wierd guy
Amazon professor. Really cares about learning but wont go the extra mile for you if you wont. Tests are on lecture slides and labs.
Dr. Norris tests heavily based off the lecture, so while he didn't take role most times in class, you HAVE to show up to take notes on his lectures. He is a very fair grader, and a very nice man, very smart and gives interesting lectures. Tests form the bulk of your grade. Overall, would take again.
Exams are based on lectures & powerpoints. I recommend to take detailed notes & even voice record his lectures (w/ his permission) to play back. There are 4 exams & no homework. The final is exam 4 w/ 15 cumulative questions. It is important to show up on time and to NOT use your phone class. Having a study group & going to office hours are useful.
He divides the course in 1 quiz and 4 exams, that includes the final exam. It's not hard, multiple choice as long as you study lecture notes and go to class.
He truly wants his students to understand the way that organism work and the tests are heavily reliant on the notes, so paying attention in class is important.
I took Dr. Norris for BIO 200 and 201 because I loved his lectures so much! His way of teaching really pins things to your brain. He is not charismatic at all, he just goes to teach but if you need help he is more than willing. The tests are exactly off his notes.
This teacher has inspired me. I'm an ESRM major and I can honestly say you will learn so many life lessons and he will open your mind to all sorts of new concepts. My favorite class I've taken so far because of how good his presentations are. You have to work for it, but his lessons will stay with you for life!!
Slides don't have much info, must go to lecture to take notes. Study and you'll pass. Tests aren't too bad. 3 tests, 1 lab practical, final, lab book. Lab chapter review questions are very doable. Don't procrastinate on the lab book. He's very understanding, knowledgable and willing to help. Emails back within reasonable time. STAY OFF YOUR PHONE
Professor Norris' quirkiness will help you get through his lectures. He is very helpful but he is not as caring as the professors I had so far. Try to be an active listener/note taker because he talks and moves on his powerpoint slides too fast. His exams and quizzes aren't that difficult, just remember that you have a book to read and your notes.
I was expecting BIOL 200 to be just another class, this professor made it the most interesting class I've had while attending this university. His lectures were great! To get the best grade in his class, you need you take notes based on what he says during class, just the power points isnt enough. Compare your notes with the pictures in the slides.
LOVED professor Norris! He was one of my very first professors in college and so far gives my favorite lectures. So long as you show up to class and take notes you should be able t pass the class. His exams were pretty straight forward. Just make sure he doesn't spot your phone out during his lecture or he will flip!
He's a good guy and gives really clear grading. A few homeworks per chapter (multiple choice questions) and 2-3 tests and a final. Doesn't really know how to work canvas or zoom. Overall, just a really boring, average class. His lectures are really long and his tone never changes. Talks about fish A LOT. Really nice and fair though.
His online class was very boring we were supposed to use a textbook but he lectured so much that I never looked at the book once. He would talk for a really long time and he was really passionate about his fish. The homework was not too bad we got to use open book and open notes, but his tests were hard and you did have to study!
Prof. Norris is a good, solid choice. Although he had a bit of trouble working Zoom and Canvas, he made it work. There are a few homework assignments and exams. The exams are easy if you pay attention. Take notes and you'll do just fine! This course has a lot of material, so be sure to attend class. Prof. Norris is very passionate about fish.
Incredibly sweet, genuinely cares about his students, very passionate about his field of study. Lecture heavy, grades based on 4-5 tests. Lectures at an easy, calm pace which is great for note taking. Some test questions from the book, dont think you can get away without readying, if you dont come to class you wont do well. Great guy!
During this semester, I was going through a tough time and found out my wife had cheated on me. Through that week, he allowed me to take my exam a week later and worked with me throughout my divorce process. He is super respectful of students and their time if they notify him of issues that arise. All of his exams were scantron.
To put it simply, Norris is an OK professor. If you are a Bio major or in a related field, you may love this class. However, if you want to take this class to fulfill a GE, you will probably find it extremely boring like me. I did fine in the class, grades were mostly based off tests and your lab grade. Not terrible, just terribly boring.
I took this class for a ge requirement and let's just say Professor Norris is very passionate about his fish. But also for this class you have to really be engaged because he's very fast. Also, his powerpoints are not the best because all they are is just pictures. Doesn't give out study guides. You are basically on your own for this class.
You are kind of on your own in this class, if you want to look back at the slides you'll have a hard time as there are no words just pictures. Also, the class is graded heavily on tests. Professor Norris is great but I think the way the class was taught made it harder.
Very sweet man. You can tell he enjoys what he is teaching which makes the long lectures bearable. Take good notes and study well before the exams and you'll be fine. He is very straightforward with exams and doesn't sneak stuff on you.
Professor Norris is a passionate and respectful instructor. 4 tests count for basically all of your lecture grade (3 exams 1 final exam). no review sessions or anything of that sort for the tests, you just have to go off your notes. If you're interested in biology you'll probably succeed in this class, if you are not interested then probably not.
This professor is passionate about what he teaches. I'm usually a straight A student and this was my only B (including other difficult courses like chem). Not that it's a difficult class but you have to be a strong test taker as there is absolutely no homework to help out your grade. If u love bio (I don't) you'll do well.
Dr. Norris is great and very knowledgeable! Truly passionate about what he teaches. Class is based off of 4 exams, plus your lab grade. Tests are reasonable, and the lectures are very insightful. Would totally take again!
Prof. Norris is passionate about the subject and makes the long lectures bearable. Attend class, take detailed notes, and utilize resources like unstuck study for effective exam prep. While the course can be challenging, it's manageable with dedication.
Dr. Norris is an amazing professor who cares about the subject he teaches. During Bio200 all of the topics he talked about were something he was passionate about. His teaching style is mostly lectures, and they are sometimes long, but they are very interesting if you care about actually learning. Tests are easy
I gotta say Norris really knows his stuff, very smart man. I took him for lab and he is very strict. He will not hesitate to call you out. Do what you're told and you'll be fine. Also make sure to study because he only grades by a few things that will heavily impact your grade. Also make sure you put the microscopes away correctly!
Dr. Norris can be a bit grumpy, but he's very passionate about biology, esp ichthyology. He grades mainly on 3 exams, the lab, and the final (all multiple choice). Exams can be tough, but fair if you pay attention and take good notes. Don't get caught on your phone. No extra credit and likely no curve. Review old exams before the final
The level of incompetence has never been seen before he's a horrible professor he lacks basic common sense he fights with his computer rages and takes forever to grade exams this guy likes to take his sweet time his sweet time grading everything he takes his sweet I don't think he's a good professorhe mocks Bible many times and who cares about fish
You don't need to attend class you can just put his slides into chat gpt and get an A. He's pretty boring and he takes his time grading exams I would say it will take him half the semester to grade the first exam he'll barely grade the 2nd exams. He has very terrible technology skills I wish we had more options for a bio proffesor cause he sucks
Class Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
56%
Textbook Required
55%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
A-
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-0.28 avg changeRatings by Course
BIOLOGY
5.0
(1)BIOL100
5.0
(1)BIOL312
5.0
(2)BIO101
5.0
(1)BIOL201
5.0
(1)Difficulty by Course
BIOLOGY
3.0
BIOL312
3.0
BIO201
3.0
BIO316
3.0
200
2.7