2.8
Quality4.1
Difficulty33%
Would Retake267
Reviews33%
Would Retake
267
Reviews
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267 total ratings5
62
4
45
3
34
2
60
1
66
What Students Say
“Tests things that he doesnt teach”
BIO215 - 1.0 rating“Unfortunately, it drove me into a brick wall”
BIO215 - 1.0 ratingClass Info
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100%
Attendance Mandatory
63%
Textbook Required
59%
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BIO150
5.0
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5.0
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5.0
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5.0
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Reviews (266)
He is totally detached from reality.
What's wrong with Reimchen? His lectures are awesome, really interesting
Awesome prof that makes you work for your mark. You gotta think originally.
Makes you think, which is refreshing, don't talk in class, he will get you
Think West-Coast Tarzan but fruigivore and without the tan. Watch out for M/C!
Amazingly Smart Man, Horrible Teacher, Huge Attitude and Ego! Can't Teach...
Interesting lecture topics, extremely vague tests-not really fair
tests are a killer, seems nice, lectures are mostly interesting
Great class, interesting lectures. Multiple Choice tests of DOOM!!!
Smart guy, but he's at UVIC for the research, not to teach.
Awesome, interesting teacher Knows how to get message across Makes you think
Assigned a $90 text (required, and unreturnable), yet failed to reference it the entire semester--the book was neither discussed in class, nor tested on his exams. Thanks for the over-priced coaster, Reimchen.
some tips: try to connect all the ideas instead of studying them as details; dont buy the textbook, dont speak unless spoken to, read some e.o. wilson and talk about the info in class if you want brownie points
terrible, mean man
I looked forward to all his lectures, best class ever! The text was actually great and he expanded on the assigned readings!
One of my fave profs. Very good lecturer, super interesting. Loves what he teaches. But if you miss a lecture, you're screwed.
He reminds me of Wily Wonka off the movie Charlie and the Chocolate factory. Every lecture I expect those creepy little midgets to start singing umpa lumpa and the fat kid in the front row to turn purple. If I wasn't straight I'd do him, umpa lumpa style
His class is pretty boring but what can you expect it's ecology. His tests aren't hard but he asks very stupid questions, stuff that you can forget the second you leave the exam.
Reimchen is my favourite UVic teacher. He is passionate about what he teaches, his lectures are interesting, and best of all...he makes you think! In my opinion, excellent prof.
The most interesting prof I have ever had. I could hardly take notes because I just wanted to listen to what he was saying. Great sense of humor, has a real passion for what he teaches. Very intelligent man.
Quite simply nothing more than a beatnik with a Ph.D. When he stood in front of the class and asked if we had "anything interesting to share," only the green propaganda was accepted. Either you cared about salmon-bear interactions, or you weren'
Dr. Reimchen is a great teacher that has a true love for animals and the great outdoors. He has a lot of experience in the biological field.
His lectures can be really boring. His tests are super hard. A lot of "which of the following is the most important answer..." Don't even bother to study for his tests. Don't bother buy the book. Go to all the lectures!
Boring and pretentious. The class was a venue for Mr. Reimchen to preach from his soapbox. Material isn't hard but the exam is stupid. Choose the best answer kind of thing. Don't buy the textbook, just read the couple of assigned readings in the Library.
I love this guy. My favourite professor on campus, he truly loves what he does. I wish all of our professors were so inspired in their own work!
Dr. Reimchen is a very captivating lecturer. He is tough, but we really learn a lot, and his lectures are very interesting. He is very helpful outside of class time.
He spent most of the lecture time talking about his research instead of course material. He refused to use a microphone for a class of 300 so unless you sat in the first three rows you couldn't hear a word he said.
He has actually changed my views on ecology. His lectures are always very interesting and informative and it is nice to see someone so passionate about his work.
Most passionate and inspiring prof I've ever had. For once, someone who doesn't read you the textbook. His field experience makes his lectures captivating, I never wanted to miss this class.
His lectures are fascinating. He really knows his stuff. Not your typical prof, but really good.
He hates teaching 215 and he'll let you know it. You either hate him or you love him - I didn't love him. Very intimidating and condescending. Confusing MC tests robbed you of marks based on wording not your level of understanding. Wouldn't help him change a tire - not that he would either.
He made the material come alive, shared mostly of his own field experience. Test was based mostly on his notes - using the textbook very sparingly. Great teacher.
I didn't think I would enjoy ecology, but his lectures were always interesting. His section of the final exam was more difficult than I expected, some questions were unfairly so. Look at the DETAILS of his lectures to do well on tests. You can't put in minimum effort with him.
Captivating, but multiple choice testing was inappropriate given the vague conceptual way he lectured, also if he asks the class a question he will wait expectantly til someone answers however long that may be, and if you answer wrong he will not hesitate to tell you so...
He needs to get 'whacked' as he calls it. The midterm was OK, but so many ppl failed he had to scale it over 10%. the final, oh my god... i think he's gonna have to scale that over 20%. it was just brutal beyond belief. bio majors cant avoid so get ready for hell w/him take very good notes in class
Remember that class where he said that thing once in a really vague context that didn't seem important so you didn't write it down? Yeah that's on the exam. One of those profs who will emphasize things like they are important but then never test you on them. Interesting class BUT HARD
Dr. Reimchen is the worst professor I have ever had. His lectures were centred around his own biased, bogus research, and at one point he even told our class that we didn't have the right to have children because the earth was already too populated. The final exam was unreal in difficulty.
Very insightful and intelligent. Expects a lot from his students, and once you get to know him a bit, a lot is expected of him. Excellent professor if you want to be challenged
Most student will either love his class or hate his class.His most important feature is that he stimulate students to think, and to question, in science or in life. He has the ability to change your views in biology and make you believe that there is possibility for you to pursue yourself as a biologist, ecologist, conservation biologist.
Reimchen is more than a little intense, but still an excellent prof! He really makes you intested in the subject material and want to learn more outside of class.
Dr reimchen is very passionate and knowledgeable about what he teaches and makes the class really interesting. He puts a lot of effort into the class and doesn't just regurgitate the textbook. He really stimulates you to think and if you take good notes in class from what he says, not just writes, its not too hard to do well.
Put on a hat and sunscreen cuz you're gonna get BURNED. Yup, it's a hard class, and he loves to challenge his students and watch the failures fall by the wayside. But if you can stay on your toes, GO TO CLASS and are clairvoyant enough to sense which parts of his notes will be on the midterm, you'll do fine. Gotta love his crazy hair....
Passionate about fish, but rub him the wrong way and he will eat your face. Great teacher!
My favorite professor in my time here, so far. Got to respect anyone who'll use his own dog for behavioural experiments. =] He teaches with an unequaled passion in his field. It keeps his lectures interesting and engaging. Exams can be tricky, as they regard interpretation of material instead of simply rote memorization.
He is the most amazing and informative teacher at UVIC, he is seriously my new idol, his class is alot of work but it isnt that hard to get a good mark you just have to eat up his words i am going to take another one of his classes again for sure... and he has a weird hotness about him
He knows a ton about the field, and is well informed. So, alright, he's passionate, but he's also opinionated and closed minded. If you were looking to have opinions made for you, rather than be provided with the facts to decide yourself, then I suppose its great.
Passionate, experienced, & prepared... but the poorest evaluations I've ever experienced. Exams seem to avoid testing your knowledge of ecological principals & instead focus on trivial facts. It's a shame bio majors & and those interested in ecology are rewarded with a pummeling of their GPA. If you don't need, consider an ES class instead.
This is pure indoctrination. The whole class was an emotional con-job leading you down a path towards his extreme views on animal rights. His test are easy, so long as you pick the answer that you know reflect his biases. Teach, don't preach, Dr. Reimchen
He starts sentences with "its not rocket science" and "obviously" and "right?" and teaches as if we should already know the stuff he is telling us. He thinks the students taking the class are all know-it-alls who think we have nothing to gain. Really condesending manner of teaching.
Very oppinionated. The text book is useless, learning is useless, simply memorize his notes.
He knows his ecology but he gave the worst exam ever! Exepcts you to know way more than what we should (it's not even first year bio!) On the final he asked sooo many questions on minute percentages and stats that do nothing to test our knowledge and said that we should be able to "wing" the exam and those kinds of questions.
I learned a lot and thought he was a great lecturer. But... hard exam (seems others agree)! He warned us that it would be hard but many of his questions wanted us to spit out very specific numbers (basically trivia) rather than prove we understood his lectures. Moral of the story... memorize the data on his powerpoint because he will drill you!
Great lecturer. He makes this topic very interesting and engages the class in conversation, an ability I find very rare in profs. Sure to those who says he preaches rather than teaches, he's expressing his opinion, but do you necessarily disagree with trying to save the environment?! If yes, then biology may not be your thing.
Arrogant and Self-righteous, but unavoidable if you're a bio major. You'll learn more about his personal research and opinions than anything else.
Honestly, I really like this prof, but he is very opinionated. The material is always interesting. The textbook was good for the labs, not so much the lecture. One thing that I really dislike is that the exams focused on how well I could remember numbers of cryptic examples that did not demonstrate how I understood the material at all.
He's doesn't teach you or tell you what to expect on the exams.
AVOID HIM if you can because his mc tests are REALLY hard. He tests on so many number questions and you really have to pay attention in his classes because he tests stuffs that he said in his lectures but infos NOT on the notes!! Also don't read the text because it's almost USELESS. Just pay attention in his lectures although ecology is BORING
Awesome the best prof i have ever had. once you get used to the test style it isnt bad at all. This class really changed my views love it loved him. Rock on Reimchen.
Arrogant and biased. Take everything he tells you with a grain of salt.
Dr. Reimchen has extremely interesting lecture topics. You need to go to class and take notes, but if you do that you can easily get an A in the class. I thought he was one of the best and most fascinating profs at UVic. He has influenced the way I think about a lot of topics.
Awesome lectures, really enjoyed going to classes. Learned a lot for sure (but im a crammer...not recommended!) Tests are way too hard; not accurate measures of what you've gotten from class. (for example..is it a?b?c?ab?ac?abc?none of the above?)!! But im still going to take all his classes: so totally worth it if you're into ecology!
Terrible prof whose lecture material is extremely biased, only showing material to support his ideas ie. humans are terrible creatures. The class is extrememly pointless and I have come out of it caring less about ecology and the environment than I did going into it. Likes to screw students over in his tests with stupid m.c. questions.
although i never managed to get higher than a B in his classes, I took 3 of them, and came out of it feeling like i had learned TONS. It doesn't seem like it at the time, but in hindsight i can say that you really do learn new CONCEPTS rather than little details.
go to every single class and take really thorough notes because he doesn't go by the book and doesn't post good notes
Just go to every class and take notes because he doesn't use the text and only posts slides. If u do that and study those notes its an easy class.
He has a really big ego, don't ever leave his class part way through or he will yell at you
Thank god a prof exists who stands up to the idiots who arrive early, prance down to the front, and then pack up 10 minutes early and leave while everyone is trying to still listen. A hardliner, but it is appreciated. A great lecturer who really loves his material, and has a lot of relevent personal experience to talk about.
AWESOME!!!!!! Best professor ever. So inspireing!
Makes the material extremely interesting! Don't get bored in class at all. Great change from previous Bio professor.
Absolutely AMAZING Prof. Love his classes! Really engages the students in the concepts thru discussions ... and you'd better be able to explain/back up what you attempt to say in class! Fair tests. Once you take one of his classes you'll be able to get a feel for his exams. Learn the Take Away Mssg he stressed from each example and you'll do fine.
While he does engage the students while he is talking, his faults ruin what could be a good class. As stated by others, his tests consist of number questions from his slides which don't demonstrate a students grasp of material and he refuses to touch the textbook. Go to all his classes, care about what he cares about and memorize his numbers.
I'm surprised that folks loved this guy. I found his final exam brutal after the straightforwardness of the former Prof. The class was interesting. I found his shouting at students who were disruptive more disruptive than the students themselves. I did okay but perhaps would do better next time now that I know his exams ask for bizarre numbers
COULDN'T STUDY FOR THE FINAL. I had great marks, until this guy took over. His one and only exam (the final) was full of weird # questions, like Math disguised as Bio. I couldn't demonstrate any of my knowledge. Forget about studying, his notes just have pictures and 1 or 2 words. YOU ARE FRIED if you miss a single class or anything he says.
Super smart and interesting.
This class is really hard for a second year class. The content is not difficult, but his exams are brutal MC questions that have next to nothing to do with the content. Too many questions, not enough time, and the answers aren't always there, its choose the best one. The lab is super easy if you've taken stats. This class WILL drop your GPA.
amazing man..inspiring and interesting.
His classes are extremely interesting. He is passionate about what he teaches, and gets his students to feel the same way (in a good way though). Tests are fair, but you still have to know your stuff.
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Hate him. His exams test trivial and useless information
Horrible!
Great lectures. Absolutely loved attending class! Very interesting course. Reimchen is a good lecturer, but his tests can be difficult.
Loved the class, didn't even feel like I was trying to learn, it just flowed right in to my head.
I really enjoyed this course.. the lectures were fantastic, and the material was very interesting. The tests can be difficult.. but he says that for 20% of the questions he will allow for more than one right answer. I will be taking many more courses with tom....GREAT PROF!!
terrible. very full of himself and opinionated.
Fantastic. An inspiring, humble, and intelligent man. Probably is the best speaker at UVic, and it shows... when you go to study, all the info is already in your head!! Anyone who says he is full of himself is wrong. He knows his material, and takes it personally if people refuse to learn in his class. Hes is what every prof should be.
Also had him for 345. He is opinionated, but he backs it up with research. Find apposing research if you don't like it. His tests are tough, but far from impossible. I got 98% after 2.5 days of studying or the midterm. Ps. You'll have to learn note taking at some point so you might as well start sooner rather than later.
Terrible, egotistical prof. Very opinionated and full of himself-I don't understand how anyone can argue against that. Some people like him I guess but they must agree with everything he says. He really only cares about himself and loves to discreetly compliment himself. I will never take another class with him-he made me hate a topic I loved.
Has no respect for his students. Thinks highly of only himself-acts like he is better than anyone else, and completely disregards others' (professors and published authors included) opinions if they are not the same as his.
His exams are tough. They're all "choose the best answer" type questions, and most of the choices can be right. Also, he posts slides on the internet, but not until AFTER the lecture is over, so you have to learn how to take your own notes, and then correlate it afterwards with the stuff online. More work, if you as me.
Amazing prof, passionate about the subject matter and about teaching. It's obvious he teaches because he loves it, which is something you can't say for a lot of profs, especially at UVic
"...so you have to learn how to take your own notes..." Yeah, that's a basic university skill. Don't waste all your time writing the stuff down that's already ON the overheads, just write down the additional stuff he mentions. I reread the assigned notes twice for the exam and midterm, and got A+'s on both. Just think, don't expect regurgitat
I have taken 3 courses w/ him.He is an intelligent individual.Some may criticize his opinions but I assure you his opinions are 100% based on scientific research, he is definitely not above changing his mind.Biopsyc students tend to have problems w/ him because he feels we are equal w/ animals while they have been taught to put humans on a pedestal
Took 215 345 and 335 with him. He is so inspiring and smart. Be prepared to get your world turned up side down. Backs up all his opinions with sound research Awesome labs Hard tests but that's what university is for. Lectures are engaging. I wish every prof was as dedicated as he is to his work. Wants you to pass with flying colours.
Reimchen is in the top 3 most intelligent people I have met in my lifetime. His views are radical, but that's what the world needs. I am so happy that someone like this is sharing their knowledge. Expect to be challenged in your beliefs and your exam writing skills. You just have to get used to his tests, that's all. Most dedicated person, amazing.
He tests are ambiguous. He tests his own opinion (which he comes to using a flawed sense of logic). He's a nice guy, but the questions on the tests don't require you to 'think', they require you to know things that he hasn't taught. Students with a strong background in marine biology will enjoy it.
his tests are ridiculously hard. mc answers could all be right but you have to choose the answer he prefers. the lab section is interesting and easy but the lecture is solely based on one midterm and one final, extremely unfair when his tests are so difficult!
He always brings incredibly interesting and diverse materials (pictures & videos as well) to lecture. The Material is always cutting edge research, topics challenging, controversial and engaging. I've taken all the courses offered by him and only wish there was more!
He is a terrible teacher. I was excited to take the class but Reimchen sucks. I would avoid taking any classes of his at all costs
Literally the worst teacher I have ever had. Extremely opinionated and expects you to know exactly what he is thinking. Exams are all mc and most Q's ask what the "best" answer is even though all answers are correct and he never once tells you what he thinks the best answer should be. avoid at all cost!
His tests are hell to study for and take (so many 'best answer' questions), but his lectures are amazing and he has so much cool information. i'm switching to Ecology because of him!
Class is a shock to the system when you take it. Not like many other biology classes in that it has a very specific style, but do not be turned off. You should not expect to get an A+ in this course, but you will learn a lot. Find the main focus from each lecture and that's usually going to show up on tests. Take his other classes, they rock!
Great Prof! Can't wait to take more of his classes. His tests are tough - But if you attend class and take notes you will do fine. He is happy to answer questions after class if something is not sticking with you.
Took BIOL 215 and BIOL 329 with Reimchen. Awesome class if you are stoked about animals and biology. Hard exams but so insightful and relative the content.
Awesome prof, tough tests, really makes you think in class. Don't miss lectures EVER, tests are very lecture-based. My fave prof at UVic!
He's so inspiring and the best prof I've ever had, bar none. Yes, tests are a little tough, but if you're truly attentive in lectures (impossible not to be because he's awesome) and passionate about animals/ecology, you'll be fine. It's worth it to go to the lectures even if you're not in the class. I took every one of his courses while at UVic
Hard tests but fair, overall really good/engaging teacher.
There's not a lot of correlation between the grades you get on essays and the multiple-choice tests. He's absolutely awesome as a lecturer- I felt like I learned more than with most other courses at UVic- but your grade on the tests is frankly kind of a crapshoot, so if you're okay with that then he's a great teacher.
One of my favourite lecturers...he's great at encouraging critical thinking and student participation.
He was my Honours supervisor for UVic Biology. I was encouraged to be internally motivated and he pushed me past my perceived limits as a scientist. My thesis was published in an internationally acclaimed journal of ecology (Oikos) and he gave me lead authorship. It has seriously boosted my career after university. Incredible human being.
Reimchen is probably the best lecturer I've had at UVic. His tests are tough but fair, but more importantly, his lectures are more than informative. They're inspiring. If you are looking for a genuinely educational experience in how you analyze not just Biology, but the world, Reimchen is your guy.
I see a lot of hate on here from 215 and 345 students. 215 I can take was just a shock for some people who weren't ready, but I have a difficult time understanding 345. Reimchen is definitely opinionated but his logic is sound and he backs it up with research. Lots to be learned in this course, from one of the most intelligent people possible.
Lecture really interesting, but sit near the front because he has quiet conversations with the front section that is relevant to the testable material. He is active in his field so can talk about his own studies and findings as they apply to the course. Tests are really hard though....
Interesting albeit opinionated lectures. Answers to exams are often not in the posted notes though. You may want to spend more time trying to wrap your mind around concepts than cram. Good in that way but NOT a GPA booster.
Hard to reconcile my like for him as a professor (engaging, enthusiastic, clear) with my hatred of his exams! I'd taken many ecology courses in ES so I thought 215 would be a piece of cake. Wrong. The exams consist of minute factual details and impossible "best answer" choices. My GPA took a hit but I still think it was worthwhile.
If you can take this class with someone else do it. Hes an awesome person, and loves what he does, but his tests are ridiculous and spends 0 time preparing you for it. You should go everyday and take notes on EVERYTHING. Know percentages, and details! His labs are god awful and so are his TA's.
He is very good at criticizing work he disagrees with, but misses some gaping flaws in research he accepts. He cites stuff like "minor" differences of 3 amino acids in genes without acknowledging that 3 amino acids can be a big difference. Has a tendency to throw the baby out with the bathwater if a study (he disagrees with) has a minor flaw.
Condescending, rude, and completely bias. Examinable material is kept as arbitrary as possible and notes are all but useless. This class will teach you more about Dr. Reimchen than about vertebrates of B.C. as lectures indulge his own views to no end. Just learn to adopt his line of thinking and you'll do fine on the exam. Worst prof at Uvic IMO
Most knowledgeable prof in terms of conservation and ecology at UVic. lectures are intensive and paying attention is a must. 215 was a shock but after you get to know his way of thinking you're golden. took 215, 329 and 335 with him and wish I had him this year! favourite prof at UVic.always gets a bad rap for his tests but his courses are worth it
Awesome professor. My favourite at UVic. He gets a lot of flack for having hard tests but that because you actually have to THINK about the questions instead of just regurgitating information. He's not a biased prof by any means, people are just upset that he makes you actually think. Attend every lecture, focus on concepts not details.
He's great at making an interesting subject as confusing and boring as possible. This class shouldn't be in the science department, there's no science here. It's his opinion, and an art trying to figure it out. I've learned more about animal behaviour in a few episodes of the nature of things. Studying for exams is futile, luck is what you'll need.
Such an interesting lecturer and had great material to discuss; but the WORST tests! No amount of studying can prepare you for them; the answers are subjective interpretations of what is the MOST important.
Horrible! His tests are about his opinion, his entire class has very little science. Overall it's all about getting into his mind and opinions and trying to figure that out = impossible!
Very biased....completely ignores anything that does not support his own ideas (to a point were it brings a comedic aspect to the class). His tests are impossibly hard to study for...Do NOT recommend
Best professor I've ever had but hands down the most challenging exams. If you are not willing to put in time to study and think critically about the information you are learning, do not bother to take his classes. If you are, all of his classes will be your favorites. He is inspiring in incredibly knowlegable about the subjects he teaches.
I actually found his test extremely easy, the lab is better than most but his lectures are super BORING, I rarely went to them, just study the case studies he uses on his lectures that's where most of his questions come from
I have taken 4 of his classes - hated all of them (he teaches quite a few upper level bio courses so not much choice here). Seems to think that students have lots of free time on their hands (e.g. manditory weekend fieldtrips for 327;345 lab will have you outside trying to track down wild animals for god knows how long). Thnx 4 waisting my time Tom
You can do well if you focus on main points of each topic; however exams are tough and fairness is questionable. Slams studies and students that he does not agree with. No structure in his lectures and he pretty much reads off his slides. One thing positive about him is that he is friendly, but I still regret taking his course.
Reimy is by far the most interesting prof at UVIc. He's SO knowledgeable and you can really tell he loves what he does everyday. Lectures are mandatory, since he doesn't use a textbook. He encourages/provokes critical thinking more than any other prof I've ever had. Yes, his tests are brutal, but once you get the hang of things, theyre not too bad.
One of the only profs I can pay attention to - excellent lecturer, knows how to keep you engaged. He's passionate too. Ecology is a great course. I took BIOL 215 and BIOL 345 at the same time though - DON'T DO IT! He scheduled the midterms on the same day, and the finals too.
The WORST prof I have ever had. He is not a bad lecturer and is very knowledgeable but asks exceedingly vague questions and is very condescending to his students. His tests are the worst. They have little to do the main points he makes in lecture and do not entirely test ones knowledge of ecology. I hear that he is the same in other courses.
Although he is very passionate and intelligent, I think he has spent to much time doing research in the wild. That seems to be his forte. He hasn't quite got the teaching thing down yet. When the majority of the class answers a question on the midterm with the same answer and they are wrong, then the teacher did not do their job properly.
My hero in biology. Not afraid to bring his personal topics of activism into relevant lectures. The lectures are captivating. Very unlikely to do well on his tricky multiple choice exams--not an easy mark at all. Interesting, funny, conscientious, DO NOT BE LATE OR LEAVE EARLY FOR A LECTURE.
Reimchen explains concepts well and his tests are fair, given that you study. The labs are easy to do well in and the 5% TopHat bonus helps too. Overall, I would take other courses with Reimchen.
Reimchen is passionate about BIOL 335, 215, 345, & 329, he is very knowledgeable and very helpful. The amount of material that is required to be learned for this class; however, is overwhelming for the first half of the semester, but then eases off for the second half. His tests are really really hard, but if you study a lot you can do well
Wow. Never ever take this class with him expecting to get a good grade. You will not. His lectures are interesting but his tests, well wow once you write one you'll know what I mean and studying was a waste of your time. If it is ever given the option, take this course with someone else.
If you really know his slides you CAN do well. However, there is A LOT of info to know for the final exam especially for a second year course. Try to do as well as you can in the lab to boost your mark!
His notes are the least coherent collection of thoughts and pictures. His exam questions are super subjective and unreasonable. The course name should be change to 'what would Reimchen do'
This man has no business teaching. By far the WORST, most unfair professor at UVic. The man's tests are COMPLETELY unfair. You'll come out of this class a great ecologist with lots of knowledge and a D average. Avoid him if you possibly can. If not, attend every lecture and remember WWRD - what would Reimchen do. Good luck. You'll need it.
I regret not switching my major to anything but biology just because this is a degree requirement. It's not entirely impossible, but even hard working, intelligent students won't be able to live up to their potential as his notes are obscure, his exam questions are unfair , and if you go to him for help he assumes you aren't coming to class.
I had my ups and downs with this course, but concluded that he is a great prof! If you take the traditional approach of cramming information you are screwed (I tried this), but if you learn concepts and apply them to his questions they are easy. Labs are practical, and the most inspiring and educational lectures at Uvic!
Makes you think in class & during exams. Exams are fair, but extremely challenging & the questions are directed at which is the best answer (what he thinks is the besthis opinion) rather than a right vs wrong answer. I love that he makes you question everything and if you are passionate about learning the material, he's wonderful and inspiring!
Fantastic speaker, very passionate and very obviously a genius, but his tests expected you to be as smart as he is.
Such an interesting class taught by such an uninteresting man.
Reimchen is obviously very brilliant and he is enthusiastic about what he teaches. His lecture slides are a mash-up of photos with far too much infoslide. He can be very condescending to students and his tests expect that you know every little detail despite saying the focus is on big picture concepts. Easily the worst course of my Uni experience
Tell's students not to come if they will be a few minutes late, yells at them in front of the whole class if they come in late or leave early.
least favourite prof at uvic. lectures are all over the place. tells you to understand the "big concepts," yet still tests you on small details. very opinionated. avoid at all costs.
I took Icthyology, Animal Behavior and Ecology with him 9 years ago. As a professor now, I often speak about how inspirational and memorable every lecture and class was. I absolutely recommend him, and he stands out as one of my favorite parts about college. Good things do not come easy, and yes he makes you work for it, but it is worth it!
ok lectures, brutal brutal exams. bummer
Extremely hard to please. Lecture slides are no help studying for the exam. Content of class was super interesting, but the delivery of the material was mediocre at best.
In order to understand his testing style, you really have to know who he is. The hardest tester I have experienced in my four years at UVIc so far. Very interesting, intelligent man, very fun to listen to in lecture, but the tests are near impossible.
Reimchen is a wonderful man, really passionate about what he does. But... he's notorious for his tests, which are usually 100% incredibly subjective, tricky multiple-choice questions. This year our final thankfully had an essay component, and he generally scales up the marks at the end. THIS LAB IS THE BEST LAB YOU WILL EVER TAKE.
Take a Powerpoint course. Pictures covering testable text. Blurry graph and pictures with no figure title. Attitude towards students. "If you are going to be late dont come." Stops his lecture to humiliate student coming in late and leaving early. Tests. Multiply right answers. "Your answers is right but not the 'Best' answer" *REMEMBER* WWRD
Dr .Reimchen is an good speaker and the passion he has for his field of study drove me as a student. Unfortunately, it drove me into a brick wall! Lectures were filled with unless content and disorganizes and opinionated slides"Study the Big concepts"Tested on in-depth material. ATTITUDE!Talks down too and humiliates students who are late or leave
Ecology was my favourite class. I went to his office hours and he was very nice to talk to one on one. Don't bring in dumb questions and talk smart. HOWEVER I did terribly in his class and I can understand why people dislike him. HIS TESTS ARE HARD. I got As in other courses. I had an A in the lab. The lecture - not so much. And I studied a lot.
His exams are all multiple choice, only some of them are worth 2, 3, even 4 marks so if you don't get it right you lose all of them, there is no 2/4 only 4/4/ or 0/4. Additionally the questions that are worth 3 and 4 marks are random statistics that you probably won't memorize, while the 1 and 2 mark questions are about actual relevant material.
poor lecturer hard to know what to expect on tests
Reimchen is an amazing lecturer, he is super knowledgable and passionate about the material he teaches. His tests are not easy, you definitely have to work to get a good mark. If you listen to the information he talks about rather than focusing on what is written on the slides, you are more likely to do well.
An incredibly knowledgable professor, who gives interesting well thought out lectures. Many students are critical towards him because his tests are hard. But he tests like that because he wants to know if you understand the material not whether you can regurgitate information. Pay attention in class, go ask questions and show interest. WWRD?
Awesome prof, always interested to converse about topics in Ecology. Tests are hard but fair; as long as you attend class and pay attention to his opinions, it is easy enough to do well. In lab exams read all the papers!
Lab is stupidly hard. But Reimchen is an amazing and passionate prof, highly recommend him as a prof.
The material for this class is very interesting but Reimchen is less than wonderful. He shames students who leave class early or come late and the final exam is really hard! It is all multiple choice with some questions worth 4 marks, and those questions are random statistics. On the final exam only around 5% of students scored higher than 80%.
This course was the reason I switched my major from Biology. The information was interesting and he delivered it well, but his tests are nonsensical. He tests his own opinion - he is not objective in his test making. 5 correct answers with 1 slightly more correct is illogical. This is coming from someone with an 8.1 GPA in another science degree
Interesting content but tests are hard. He always says focus on the big pictures instead of the numbers. But the numbers don't lie, and Reimchen does.
Reimchen is the reason why I haven't taken many biology courses at UVic, which is tragic because he teaches a lot of courses I would love to take. He is good at presenting material in lecture but OH MY GOD his tests.... nonsensical, opinion based, won't listen to legit arguments from students, just crazy. You can't win.
Reimchen really inspires you to care about the world around you and how it's happening. He really cares about his work, and his personal stories about his field work and diving experiences are captivating. Great lectures, very detailed and up to date. Class is not easy but it's interesting enough that studying doesn't feel like a chore at all.
Reimchem is a very knowledgeable and passionate teacher. Lectures are very interesting and important because he says a lot of things that aren't on his slides but are often on his tests. He made this required course for my degree a lot more interesting than it could have been and I left this course with a new outlook on the world. True inspiration.
His tests are notoriously difficult, but this is not a class to take for an easy A. I've read comments about him being too opinionated and testing on his opinions, but his views are backed up by scientific articles. Read the articles and consider the findings, you really can't argue with facts. Warning: the lab is very difficult.
This course was brutal. Reimchen is an extremely challenging person to please. Test was impossible as his multiple choice questions are worth 4 marks each, include 5 right answers, and if you don't pick the most correct you lose a ton of marks. Tests are entirely subjective... don't bother going to his office to argue, he will not even consider it.
Reimchen is extremely passionate and inspiring which makes lectures very enjoyable, that being said his teaching style is not the greatest. He lectures quickly, power points are non-sensical, gives you no practice/supplemental material and tests as though it's possible to memorize every word he says during lecture...
Tests things that he doesnt teach. Expects you to know exact dates and numbers rather than the concepts he teaches
He is interesting in lecture but sometimes his tests can be really hard and if you go and ask for clarification on a question there's a very large possibility you will leave crying because he is quite harsh and does not listen to a word you say
Makes up for the hard tests and the high expectations by being super interesting, full of knowledge, and a great scientific mind. Only lecture I NEVER got bored of. Every lecture went by very quickly, felt like 10mins. The hard work that comes with his classes is worth the opportunity to learn from him.
Professor Reimchen is amazingly talented and incredibly smart but unfortunately this doesnt make him and great lecturer. I have taken 3 courses with him and while I love listening to his lectures I despise the tests because they arent an accurate test of my knowledge. I highly reccomend is classes but only if you ave an easy work load and work hard
Like other commenters I found Dr Reimchen to be engaging in lecture but little else. His lecture slides are poorly laid out and incredibly difficult to study from, his tests focus less on understanding concepts than on minutiae from slides and trying to guess his opinion. In person he is quite difficult, so approach after class at your own risk.
Tom is a super great prof who is extremely knowledgable. His lectures are super interesting as he includes his own research into them; however, you will not get a good grade if you miss this classes. His lecture slides are a little bit of a mess, but my tip is to write down what he says in class. Overall not too bad of a prof, just work hard!
Dr. Reimchen does not teach his classes like other professors, but here is my guide to do well in his classes. 1) Go to lectures - He provides context to his powerpoints that will be tested 2) Do not simply memorize - Understand the connections between the things he talks about 3) Understand the abstracts on the slides 4) Do some outside reading
He has very unclear, disorganized lecture slides that he releases after each lecture. He talks about a lot of stuff that isnt on his slides which is why I think its important to go to lectures, or else you would miss this info. He also has very hard exams with questions meant to trick you. My advice is start studying early! Good luck!
Reimchen is a super knowledgeable, engaging professor. IT IS NOT A CLASS FOR AN EASY A. Go to lectures and you will get a lot out of it. Labs are really easy, but lecture tests are pretty hard to study for. Test questions require knowledge of all concepts/random facts to answer, most students don't do well but worth it you leave a good ecologist!
I've taken a few courses with Reimchen now and this was by far the most interesting class I think I've ever taken at Uvic. Yes his tests are extremely hard, but if you go to class and write down everything he says then you will be okay. The final is wayy easier than the midterm as there is an essay to bring up your grade.
Reimchen was a good prof. He was passionate and extremely engaging. However, his exams are EXTREMELY subjective, almost all the questions are "which is the best answer" and give you 5 correct choices. you need to memorize countless statistics and article abstracts, and he tests on lots of things never mentioned in the lecture slides.
Reimchen is a very interesting professor but his tests are extremely difficult. Take notes on what he says in class as that is basically all he tests on and focus on what he talks most about. For the final it is helpful to write your essay on the crib sheet to get an easy 100% on that section. The lab is tons of work and they grade very hard.
he needs to speak up and learn how to make exams.... He asks questions that are extremely vague and forces us to memorize details that are not really helpful with the material. I would absolutely hate to retake any of his classes.
Reimchen is my fav prof at uvic. His lectures are amazing, I did not take notes in class, I just listened and I did well.
He never posts the slides before class which makes it very hard to take notes as his slides are very messy. He is a tough grader with tricky multiple choice questions based on his opinion. He puts people on the spot when asking questions in class and just overall was not a good professor for me.
He is an extremely intelligent professor and is very passionate about the subject. If you pay attention in class and take notes on what he focuses on is fairly simple to figure out what he deems as important. For his tests as long as you read the question carefully, ie when he says "main idea" rather then give me an example of" youll be fine
Honestly, I took this class as the description sounded really interesting however this class was anything but. Thomas tests are extremely hard for no good reason and his slides make no sense. Hes also pretty rude if you get the answer wrong when you try to answer it in class. Avoid if you can
I really didnt enjoy BIOL 215 with him.. his teaching style doesnt help us at all. I still dont understand how he expect us to be good when he doesnt allow us to pre-read his lecture notes because he releases them hours after his lecture
his exams are the worst. they are very subjective and unclear. His lectures are below average. he doesnt explain well and doesnt know how to speak up or to use microphone. Avoid any of his class at all cost.
I was fine with ecology until I had him. He discourages students by making intentionally challenging questions on exams. Also, he has a weird habit of just throwing numerous scientific abstracts at students to expect them to memorize the little details that are clearly not that important. He has unusual pride in his research paper he published.
He puts his research paper on his exams and lectures and expect students to memorize the details in it instead of putting actual materials. It looks like he's awarding himself a medal for doing what he does, but that's just how it is. Avoid him if you can, if you want your first ecology experience to be enjoyable.
I admire his passion for ecology and his love for his own research. However, his lectures get depressing and are very, and I cannot stress that enough, mandatory. His lecture slides look like abstract picasso paintings with graphs, numbers, and pictures scattered in every which way. The lab component is super awesome though!
So hard to pay attention to his lectures, can barely hear him and usually just reads off the slides. Only stayed in this class because its required for credit. Lab component is the only good thing about this class, however assignments arent required to turn in so it can be easy to slack off.
I'm not even kidding. The note this guy hands out is 80% abstracts of other scientific papers. You have to memorize EVERY DETAIL on these abstracts no matter how minor the detail is. Each exam questions are worth different point 1 3 mark and are VERY subjective. just try not to fail this class.
Imagine you are forced to enter the lecture without any material prepared for the class since he posts his notes hours after his lecture. On top of that, his lecture notes are just a collage of abstract screenshots so sometimes the screenshots are on top of each other and you can't read anything on it. And all the blocked abstracts are examinable.
I'm a 4th year bio student in UVIC and by far, Reimchen is the WORST prof in the university. Disorganized, incoherent, arrogant, and apathetic to students who visits him in office hours. Try your best to avoid his classes.
He's probably the least helpful prof in UVIC. His exams sucks with 80% of the questions being unambiguous and misleading. Posts lecture slides hours after lectures, so you kinda have to enter the lecture blindfolded. I'd never take any course taught by him ever again.
imagine multiple choice questions consist of correct answers as choices but you have to choose that one answer that arouses the prof the most. That's the exam. no part marks for choosing less-arousing choices.
Was not a huge fan of Reimchen. His lectures were at a lightspeed of a pace and horrendously set up with pictures over the text and full abstracts that you were required to know. His tests were not an accurate depiction of your knowedge as they had four correct answers but you had to pick the "best" of the right answers.
I absolutely hated this prof. His lectures are dull and his slides make me physically ill. You MUST attend lecture if you want to succeed because it's impossible to try a make sense of his slides having not attended lecture. Be prepared to memorize specific numbers for his midterm and exams and be familar with the main idea from the abstracts.
Unfortunately Dr. reimchen teaches all of the courses that interest me most at university. His teaching style is unbearable and his slides are literally unreadable. On top of that, his lectures are horrible and he ends every sentence with 'etc' even when it makes no sense.
There is no textbook, no practice problems, and no clear directions to what will be on the midterm or final. Your only lifeline is the class slides... which are too horrendous to put into words.
This is during quarantine where class is now online and things are difficult for everyone. He teaches at an insane pace and refuses any type of reasonable aid to this even when everyone in the class lets him know. Keep in mind this is all during the Covid pandemic. His exams also work at the same pace, with zero accommodation for CAL students.
Professor Reimchens course is very difficult but interesting. The lecture midterms and final are all based on what he SAYS in his lectures so missing class is not an option if you want to succeed. I respect Reimchen very much. However I would not take his course again. If you can take notes at light-speed & attend all classes, youll be fine.
Professor Reimchen is a really interesting lecturer, it's more of a conversation than a speech. The material moves at a fast pace because there's a lot to cover, but he offers plenty of opportunity to participate in zoom lectures (Thanks COVID!). Audio recordings available but attending class is better. Listen carefully and you'll be alright.
Ridiculous class. Everything you're tested on is "concept" and "big picture" based, which is harder than it sounds. When the class average for a quiz was 45% he blamed it on us not understanding the material. The 3 tests were all worth 8% and consisted of all short answer questions that you only have 20 min to do. Avoid this prof if you can!!
This guy says "etcetera" more than he does relevant teaching. By far the worst class I have taken at UVIC, content is super interesting but the organization was a dumpster fire. Chat was hostile due to course moderator, moves at a ridiculous pace and refuses to answer questions if we are behind, also did not accommodate CAL students in lab
This class was such a mess. Tests were on the smallest things he would say during lecture and never on the big picture of what we actually learned. There was no guidance for what kind of studying we needed to do. Questions were never answered, we were always told to just focus on new content (which was given immediately after the midterms).
Reimchen is extremely knowledgeable and caring. After taking both 329 and 335 with him, I am eager to take 345 with him as well. He has an incredibly practical lecture AND testing format. Easy? No. Overly difficult? Also no. He expects you to learn and think, not memorize and regurgitate. I suspect many of the negative reviews here are personal.
He says ect more than he actually says useful information which is a rarity b/c you can't follow any of the content he teaches due to his useless lecture slides and the fact that he does not answer his own Q's and when asked says that the answers are 'obvious.' The tests in this course were unfair and mc q's were worth 1-3 marks w/ no partial marks
the course material is for the most part interesting, but i found the prof to be uninspiring. the conservation biology module did not seem to embrace much nuance in its scope. some of the course content seemed to be filtered through a subjective/aesthetic moral lens as opposed to one of scientific objectivity.
He's a really interesting dude who is super passionate about ecology. After reading the reviews on here, I was dreading taking his class but in the end, it was the highest grade I got last semester. He's not easy by any definition but you will do well if you listen and try to actually apply the concepts he brings up. Learnt a lot from this man.
This class was changed from in-person to online days before the beginning of the semester. Reimchen gave terrible exams, they were extremely tight on time for questions with heavy calculations. Multiple-choice questions were worth multiple marks and there was no chance for partial marks. The lectures were extremely dry and dragged on. Avoid.
Worst class I have taken in university so far. His tests are impossible. All MC but in every question there are several answers that would work. He just picks the answer that he likes the most. Very unfair teacher and marker. When students ask questions in class he sometimes chooses not to answer. Terrible lecturer. Uses "etc." more than anything.
He is condescending and unhelpful, his tests are half trick questions and on random pieces of irrelevant information. Ive taken other ecology classes so I understand the concepts and the labs are enjoyable but the tests and lectures are from hell. Dont take if you dont have too
The content of this class is interesting, but the tests are terrible. Filled with trick questions where multiple answers could be correct, but you have to choose the most correct. His lectures were super boring and hard to take notes for because he wouldn't give the lecture slides until after class.
Dr. Reimchen clearly enjoys teaching, but his tests are challenging, and the lecture grade is based on three tests only. There are often many correct answers and one must choose the option he likes best. He allocates a different number of marks for each M/C question. In addition, he purposefully does not answer many questions asked by students.
He's very quirky that for sure. I love his exams! He gives you the chance to explain your answers, and all the questions topics were covered in class.
His lectures are super interesting and the research he’s done is very inspiring. The tests are definitely hard but he also listens to his students - we told him the first test was too hard so he made the next one a lot easier. I took 329 and 335 and both were probably my favourite courses so far. 335 lab is very content heavy, so beware of that.
Awesome class!
just the best. i love this man. a legend. so much knowledge and care into lifetime of work. high respect for Reimchen
Favourite prof ever. Fascinating lectures. Tests can be difficult but focus majorly on concepts instead of facts, which I think is a much better way of testing understanding. Attend lecture, listen to what he says, participate in class, and you'll do just fine.
zero effort, zero enthusiasm, and no content or prep work for exams which make up a student's entire course grade. The course page is literally empty. A great example of someone who knows a lot about a subject but is just a horrible teacher. Hope he's better in the upper-year courses because this is not what I paid to go to school for.
The content of this course was really interesting but everything else was bad. This lecture slides and the labs are so disorganized. The labs are boring, and the marking is harsh. The tests are just 5 questions and very subjective, and even though I answered the questions exactly with the content of the course I didn't get full marks.
I have taken 2 ecology courses prior, and knew the content inside and out as it was the same stuff and still got below 60% on the first 2 midterms. The exams are full of trick questions where most answers are right and you must pick what answer he would like best. Evidently very knowledgable, but consequently very condescending. No resources given.
Confusing lectures. Only went into real depth with studies he did in the 90's. Almost no examples from recent studies. Grades dependent on exams where questions don't relate to learning outcomes. When class struggled, he put us all down and was demeaning. When someone asked for an example question to help us better understand the topic he refused.
Write down every little thing Tom says. Midterms were all written and very doable if you understood the concepts well. Final on the other hand had super difficult multiple choice. Written parts of the final were pretty straight forward and had been discussed in class. Overall the content is interesting, but lectures are somewhat dry and move quick.
If you have to calculate something and your answer is 20 but the only options are 22 80 10 and 4, answer 22. For some reason he doesn't put the exact number in the list of multiple choice and if you didn't know that you'd assume you're wrong, guess the answer and then not get a mark despite calculating correctly. He's absurdly difficult and unclear
complete lack of empathy for students. complains about this generations lack of work ethic with no intent to help us succeed. if you have to take him, attend as many lectures as possible. he will mention in passing what he wants you to know and then expect you to remember it 3 months later
If you don't have to take his classes, DO NOT TAKE THEM! I've taken two now and while the second time around is "easier", I'm still doing worse. It's also unfortunate that he teaches every interesting class which makes me (personally) feel discouraged and hating university. I wish someone younger would take over. He's very unclear and not inspiring
His lectures can be very confusing and if you miss any details, it will be difficult to do well on exams. He also changes the format of the midterms if you write the make-up exam period. Went from multiple choice to higher point written questions, making it more difficult and a lower chance of passing. Tough grader and doesn't explain his grading.
Worst professor I've ever had at UVic. The notes he posts are terrible and full of lengthy abstracts from old studies that you have to remember EVER detail and statistic to. The teaching style in lectures is fast-paced, dry and not enjoyable in the slightest. By far my least favourite course don't take it if you don't have to.
Thomas is kinda rude to his students, clearly doesn't respect them. He takes marks off if you get a question wrong. If you have to take his courses, make sure to memorize absolutely everything. He tests for memory and details instead of concepts.
Reimchen is clearly a man very passionate about ecology and it's a shame he doesn't translate that into this course (especially not in assessments). I enjoyed most of the content we covered in this class but testing felt unfair and unrepresentative of my learning. The lab component saved my grade. I'd avoid this class if you don't need to take it.
Very knowledgeable about topics in biology from years of research and teaching. Lectures were fast paced but interesting, marking was a bit subjective but if you show up to lectures and pay attention you should do fine.
Reimchen is a pretty amazing researcher but difficult professor. I have had him for three courses and his tests are difficult and subjective, and his lectures are very dense. I have found that the best technique for doing well in his class is to type down practically every word he says and to sit at the front of the room so you can hear him
His expertise and knowledge are plagued by complacency and ego. Loves to push his own research and experience, instead of elaborating on course content. Testing this term has been horrible. V. vague questions on content he legit glossed over. After handing it in he said to me, "aced it?". Some lab sections have impossible lab activity requirements.
He is definitely very passionate about this subject and made lectures very interesting and engaging. I do wish that he posted the slides ahead. Tests are based on the information that he emphasizes most in lecture so if he barely touches on it it isnt that important. If you pay attention and study you will do well.
The reason I will never take another course with Dr. Reimchen is because his class had the WORST assessments I have ever taken. Content was barely relevant to the course, beyond unpredictable (difficult to study for), and really the tests did not seem like an accurate way to assess my knowledge (I did very well on the lab tests but not lecture).
Reimchen's class is challenging but bearable with the right study strategies. The lectures are dense, so using resources like unstuckstudy ai along with the textbook is key. Attend office hours and study sessions to succeed.
- Very passionate about Ecology - tests are an absolute joke, he will never put the exact answer. If 5+5 was on the exam 10 wouldn't be an option but 9 would be and you would have to choose 9 - his lectures are poorly structured slides are all over the place and sometimes hard to follow - his microphone is so quiet and he is hard to hear. - rude
I started counting how many times he says etc in each lecture starting in October. He has a total count of roughly 983 etcs since then with a personal best of 121 in one day. Scratch card exams are ridiculous, pay attention to the graphs and abstracts he highlights, and most importantly, keep the etc tally going.
He's incredibly knowledgeable but he is old school; he expects a lot from his students and won't take any excuses. He's one of the most passionate professors I've encountered and you have a lot to gain if you commit but you will have to put the work in. Frankly a lot of people that don't like him just don't go to lecture and blame him for it.
He is the worst prof I've ever had in my life. I would never recommend taking any of his courses as the clear lack of care and respect shows strongly. The course as a whole was really interesting, but you can tell Reimchen hates teaching it. Poo
tbh he wasn't bad at all. very reasonable amount of content compared to other science courses ive taken. only issue is he is unclear about expectations for what to take out of the lecture.
Minimal encouragement to do on tests in the sense that students asked for help and the effort to do so was very low. I would ask him questions like examples of formula questions and he told me to make them up myself. I think Reimchen should enrol himself into an old an old folks home. He seems like he is tired and going to expire.
Avoid at all costs. Not a very helpful professor and does not seem interested in student success. His tests are not a good evaluation of the topics.
He seems like a great academic cause he knows his stuff but like his tests.. im being honest, brace yourself. You cant prepare yourself. He puts the smallest things he covered in class on the exams and only some of the time the 'correct answer' is completely factual. But it is a bio major requirement so good luck!
The only thing important in Reimchen's classes is attending every single lecture and taking notes like a court stenographer. You seriously need to write down everything he says because you will not have any other resources to study from, and your entire grade will be composed of tests you never feel prepared for.
Try to avoid if possible. Tests are not a good evaluation of the topics and Reimchen is not a very helpful or encouraging professor.
the slides were hard to follow, difficult tests, bad lecture recordings
Old school prof. Examines are difficult due to phrasing and the short time frame allowed, lots of the questions are on attached reading on lecture slides. Memorization heavy
this guy needs to retire.
I took the class because it sounded fascinating and figured Reimchen couldn't be that bad. I was wrong. He mostly read from his slides, reading full paragraphs from scientific papers. There was a lack of structure in the lectures, and it was incredibly difficult to follow as you weren't quite sure where things were going.
I reported him to the dean of science. I suggest you do the same if you don't want him messing with your GPA. No digital literacy, no resources to help you pass his class, poor attitude when it comes to asking for help, lectures are heavy and hard to follow. Slides are atrocious. I didn't pay almost $700 to teach myself.
Dropped the class because he was messing up my GPA. Thanks for wasting my time and stealing my money UVIC.
Was genuinely excited for this course, severely disappointing prof, how do you expect us to learn when you're not even comprehensible? Can't hear him, mumbles, and says etc every 5 seconds. Not a clue what is expected of you
He honestly isn't that bad. He basically just marks based on how much he likes your answer so you can have all the right information and still got get full marks. That being said if you go to every class and don't take notes just listen to what he says you will be fine. He doesn't care about specific details he wants you to understand the context
Do not take this course if it is not required. Buy an ecology textbook instead it is not worth the money, time or effort to take this class. He makes tests ridiculously hard that do not demonstrate your knowlege. He is rude to students that bring up different points than him. I will switch schools if I have another mandatory course with him.
I agree the tests are hard but they are not impossible to pass like people are describing I just haven't been able to get over a 65. To succeed go to his lectures understand his points he is very passionate about ecology. The lab final was extremely hard for me which made me mad cause I was relying on the lab to boost me. Goodluck you'll need it!
Awful assessment design. Lecture grade is heavily dictated by exams, which are dominated by vague, trivia-style multiple choice that reward memorizing random statistics rather than understanding ecological concepts. I learned a lot from the material, but the grading and exams did not reflect real understanding of ecology.
just start praying if you take this class, exams are cooked
I honestly learned so much in this class about ecology and grew such a passion for it but I couldn't even show my skills on tests and final because they were so random and hard. Your not tested on your understanding of the material and what you learn your tested on random facts and data we barely touch upon. Doesn't help that were only graded on te
the worst possible profesor ever
Really boring sometimes. It's clear he isn't that interested in some parts of the course and just skims through. Once he gets to a subject he loves it is evident as he displays a lot of passion about concepts. SUPER interesting course! Tests are literally just memorizing directly from lectures. Super interesting guy with tons of experience
Tom is the GOAT. Don't let ecology dissuade you from taking more of his classes
No direction or learning objectives, unless asked during class. Prepare to read lots of abstracts. Unusable recordings because he walks away from the mic. Go to every lecture to do well. Rewards in class participation and attempts to promote critical thinking (difficult for students because, once again, no direction). Midterms too time limiting.
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