Not bad

If you fail Bio0160 maybe you should consider changing your major.

great teacher, tough exams tho, we'll definitely find out who studies

Some people didnt like him...i thought he was great. One of my favorite sci profs. Kinda dry, but extremely thorough and clear, you knew the tests were hard, but what do you expect??? Its collegiate science here people, not grade school

great teacher, tough exams but he curves a lot

Great teacher, exams go after a lot of detail though. You really have to read and understand the book to do well....lectures help a lot

one of the best, HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Old, but a good guy and knows his stuff. Tests go into detail though. Make sure you read and come to lecture. He also types notes and posts them in Langley which are helpful.

he's one of the smartest teachers i know. you can tell how much he loves his job by how much he talks. i feel bad for falling asleep in every class. but i do like him.

He is very intelligent and an overall great teacher. You can learn so much by listening to him. If you are a serious Biology student, he will be invaluable. He is very hardcore (teaches during recitation) but you will feel great succeeding in his class

Ask questions, study his notes, and listen to what he says in class. He is one of the most qualified professors at the university and his experience is unbelievable. Great teacher.

Notes have everything on the test... not in notes, not on test! He does use figures from the book on the overhead, the person who said there were no visual aids was wrong.

A litle pompus, but he's fair and his tests are straight from the notes so there are no surprises.

Pretty easy. Lectures can get pretty boring when he just reads from his slides, but atleast he only tests on the notes.

very knowledgable- can tell you almost anything about biology! ask him questions. if you're tired in class you might fall asleep cuz its all just notes, but if you listen to him talk you will definitely understand it. tests aren't bad once you adjust to his style.

He knows a lot about Biology. He' very helpful when you have a question. But his lectures are boring and there's lots of note taking. His exams are on the notes, but they're still hard.

Prof Coffman is a really good teacher. His tests can be tricky and lectures are nothing but note taking, but there are probably few Bio teachers at Pitt that know more than this guy. Take Coffman's class if you want to leave the class understanding Biology.

He is one of the better bio professors I have had. To do well in his class study hard and make sure you really know the material.

Phenomenal course, but not offerred often. The textbook was great and Coffman gave excellent examples and really organized and outlined notes. The exams were extremely fair and quizes helped boost up everyone's grade

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Very smart guy, very interesting. Helpful, funny, good teacher. Tests are difficult but fair. You can pull of an A if your studying is thorough.

one of the best professors i've had, regardless of subject. speaks the language of biology so fluently and flawlessly that you can't help but come away with a great understanding of the topics at hand. study his notes and the assigned readings and you'll do beautifully!

most enjoyable science course I had because of how easy it is to listen to him talk. he's a perfect bio orator.

this professor makes you memorize very large quantities of information, in detail. if you are good at memorizing 6 or more chapters at a time then you will do well if not you will do poorly. his exams are hard cause he doesnt repeat questions from one to the next and tries to trick you with the wording of his questions.

Tests are virtually impossible. You may thin you know the information because he does teach it well, but his tests are very confusing.

He's a knows his stuff, and the tests are hard, yes, but if I could go from a D/F in bio I to an A in bio 2 that should tell you something...

He's a good teacher but his exams are difficult. You have to know every single detail from his notes. You don't really have to read the book. He also can be very boring when lecturing. He tries to make jokes once in awhile but there not that funny. He's a nice guy though and will try to help you if you have a question.

The notes arent very clear.

good prof. has a really funny old man voice that i find pretty endearing (say dinosaaar like in jurassic park, etc.), keeps me awake in lecture. tests are hard but if you go to lecture, read the book and not freak out at test time you should be fine. know details! if he points something out, write it down!

His tests are absolutely impossible. He wants everyone to fail.

Very funny old man. Is very approachable and can answer all questions. Also good at explaining confusing concepts. Notes give good summary of concepts with some descriptions but exams are difficult and focus on little details. Paying attention and reading chapters is highyl recommended

Do not listen to anyone who says Coffman is impossible, too hard, unclear, etc. He is tough, but fair. I got a C in bio 1 with someone else, and then an A in bio 2 with coffman. you just have to study hard... like any other class in college.

So it wasn't the easiest class in the world, but all you had to do was memorize the lecture notes and you were golden. Coffman cracked me up all semester. He would be such a cool dude to have as a grandpa. Plus I should have had a B in that class, and somehow I pulled out an A-.

Great Prof, chuckles like a cute old man! For an A, Simply memorize his notes that he gives you and you will get 90+ on his midterms and final. By memorize, this means EVERY detail though!

Cute old man, though the class is pretty boring at times. Tests are pretty difficult but not impossible. You must know your notes in and out. Study the practice exams heavily and attend the peer leading sessions and you should be fine.

Tests are straight from the notes, but he tends to try to trick you with his wording. Pretty interesting class and he seems to know everything about biology. Definitely consider taking; an A is very managable if you study a lot a few days before an exam.

Lot's of people say his lectures are boring and that his exams are terribly hard. I really enjoyed his lectures but I do agree that his exams are hard, only because the questions force you to think about the info. He looks things up online for current status and is obviously devoted to biology. I enjoyed his class.

I loved Dr. Coffman's class.. if you are a good memorizer, you'll do fine in his class. He tests straight out of his notes so there is no need to read too into the book. Just memorize his notes because his exams are word for word out of them. He is a good lecturer and keeps class interesting. Highly recommended!

Don't listen to anyone here. He is more straight forward than most professors I've had. To do well on tests study the notes in and out, use the book to go over things you don't understand and you're gold. Tests are tricky but if you studied well, you should be good. He really knows his stuff. Only complaint are recitations being used to lecture.

I am glad I took Dr. Coffman. I respect him the most of any professor I have taken. His course is very tough but you will learn much. His tests are very tough but straight from the notes. No need to read the book, unless you need more explanation. He may be the best of the Biosc 0160 teachers as the course is hard by nature. Has Funny Laugh

I loved Dr. Coffman. He was really old school, but he is really passionate about Biology and knows so much about the subject. He definitely answers question even though he uses recitation as another lecture. Its inspiring to have a professor who truly loves teaching their subject.

I was hesitant to take his class after reading some of these comments, however after taking him I have to disagree. If you attend class, take notes, and study a few days before, you will be fine. I enjoyed his lectures and thought that his exams were fair. He used some tricky wording, but if you studied his notes then you knew what to look for.

I just had to post again so people aren't misled by everyone that got < than an A. The tests are STRAIGHT out of the notes. Yes for his tests you actually have to think. Its not just memorize and throw it up on the test. Read the book, understand it, study the notes and you're gold. All the people complaining here obviously did not do that.

Dr. Coffman is really passionate and really knowledgeable about biology. He tests straight from the notes so you never really have to read the book. He also tells some funny stories in lecture to keep interest. Overall, explicity clear and made lectures easy to follow.

I completely agree with the person that said s/he earned an A- in the class but lost his/her sanity in the process. Coffman is very old-fashioned. But he is very knowledgeable and is helpful in office hours. However your hair will become white while trying to earn an A in the class but you'll learn a lot in the process.

Hard professor. Tests are completely from his notes so memorize them. Record the lectures if you have to and study study study. He's also very old-fashioned as far as his lecture. I felt like he talked at us instead of taught us. Oh and the recitation is an additional lecture. He takes a few questions and picks up where he left off in class.

All his tests are from the notes, however, his tests are very difficult. Most of them are the "which of the following is true or false" questions. Also, he likes to use letters D or E as answers A and C or B and C options. His recitations are just another lecture and he was always available when I needed help. Prepare to work very hard and study.

This man is in love with Biology, if you have even a reasonable level of interest in Bio, you can find something to enjoy. His class isn't incredibly easy, but its doable, the majority of the exams are the notes, so coming to class is important, and he lectures in recitation as well. Ultimately, be ready to work, but you are guaranteed to learn.

Tests are STRAIGHT from notes. Study the notes repetitively and you're guaranteed a solid grade. Coffman is an incredibly intelligent man and invokes some thought. If your good at memorizing pages upon pages of notes, take coffman

All BIO2 classes are challenging, but Coffman is very straightforward with what he wants, memorize his notes verbatim(and yes everything and verbatim) and you will be able to see through his many tricks he tries pulling. Helpful in office hours, class usually has about 5% curve and gives a few pts back due to bad test questions. Not bad at all.

Unconventional in that success is based on rote memorization of his notes verbatim(and yes only notes and yes verbatim) while lots of people will complain about his class, its easy compared to classes you take later on where what ur expected to know is unpredictable and ur challenged to think/apply vague concepts. Needs work but is straight forward

I've since graduated Pitt but I took this professor 2-3 years ago for Bio II. I just wanted to say that if you're pre-med, pre-pharm, whatever...you won't succeed by taking to heart what everyone else is saying. Just worry about yourself, trust yourself, work hard, and you will do great. This guy's tests were as straight forward as you could get.

Class is all about rote memorization of his notes. That's all it is. Only look at his notes and memorize them word for word. It takes time but don't waste time on anything else for him. I wish I knew this right off the bat instead of only by week 10. Don't read the book just his notes. You'll wish your future classes were this straightforward.