Professor
Alexander Spokoyny
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Most Helpful Review
Fall 2018 - I really enjoyed this class. I’m a Spanish Major and just took this class because I needed extra units. The class consists of a midterm, a final, and a Wikipedia project. It’s not an extremely difficult course but you need to pay attention in class because there is no text book or extra materials, so the exams are based off of what he says in lecture. He provides a print-out of the PowerPoint so you can take notes. He also replaces the midterm with the final if you did not do too well, which is nice. He’s really passionate about his work and he makes classes interactive. He also requires you to attend office hours to elaborate on the Wikipedia project, which was helpful. I learned a lot of interesting facts throughout the course. He mostly cares that his students learn. He doesn’t make his exams hard, he just wants to make sure that you are learning the concepts of the course. I think this is probably one of my favorite class I’ve taken at UCLA, coming from a north campus major.
Fall 2018 - I really enjoyed this class. I’m a Spanish Major and just took this class because I needed extra units. The class consists of a midterm, a final, and a Wikipedia project. It’s not an extremely difficult course but you need to pay attention in class because there is no text book or extra materials, so the exams are based off of what he says in lecture. He provides a print-out of the PowerPoint so you can take notes. He also replaces the midterm with the final if you did not do too well, which is nice. He’s really passionate about his work and he makes classes interactive. He also requires you to attend office hours to elaborate on the Wikipedia project, which was helpful. I learned a lot of interesting facts throughout the course. He mostly cares that his students learn. He doesn’t make his exams hard, he just wants to make sure that you are learning the concepts of the course. I think this is probably one of my favorite class I’ve taken at UCLA, coming from a north campus major.
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Most Helpful Review
Just out of curiosity in regard to the last poster below: If you don't need chem 172 (and thus have not and will never even take 172), how do you know if the way Spokoyny taught will not prepare for 172 in any way? To be honest, 172 can be taken independently from 171 material-wise. I'm not sure why 171 is a pre-requisite; 172 is very straightforward because you just follow the motions of solving the same problems over and over again. I feel 172 is just an intro class for group theory and 171 helps establish appreciation and recognition of what's out there in 171. It's not the teacher's fault if the student can't put two concepts together and has to have the teacher spell out every single thing...that's called studying at home. Spookily is a great teacher and does not trick you. For the second poster: ok sure he asked some history questions...look back at the test again...you may have missed 4 points out of 100 AND he curves in everybody's favor. Also recall the solid state chemistry questions that took a whole page. How about the page of quantum mechanics and conceptual mass spec questions on the next page? It's a lot to learn but it comes down to the student's responsibility. Good luck!
Just out of curiosity in regard to the last poster below: If you don't need chem 172 (and thus have not and will never even take 172), how do you know if the way Spokoyny taught will not prepare for 172 in any way? To be honest, 172 can be taken independently from 171 material-wise. I'm not sure why 171 is a pre-requisite; 172 is very straightforward because you just follow the motions of solving the same problems over and over again. I feel 172 is just an intro class for group theory and 171 helps establish appreciation and recognition of what's out there in 171. It's not the teacher's fault if the student can't put two concepts together and has to have the teacher spell out every single thing...that's called studying at home. Spookily is a great teacher and does not trick you. For the second poster: ok sure he asked some history questions...look back at the test again...you may have missed 4 points out of 100 AND he curves in everybody's favor. Also recall the solid state chemistry questions that took a whole page. How about the page of quantum mechanics and conceptual mass spec questions on the next page? It's a lot to learn but it comes down to the student's responsibility. Good luck!
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Most Helpful Review
Spring 2017 - Taking a class with Prof. Spokoyny is always a pleasure! I have taken both Chem 171 and Chem 172 with him. What's even more helpful than his engaging and funny lectures is that his door is always open to discuss any of the materials or even help you with astute advice on how to apply to grad school. The tests are tough but it's UCLA so that's normal. If you study, do your assignments, make sure you get the material, you'll be fine! I highly recommend taking this class with Prof. Spokoyny!
Spring 2017 - Taking a class with Prof. Spokoyny is always a pleasure! I have taken both Chem 171 and Chem 172 with him. What's even more helpful than his engaging and funny lectures is that his door is always open to discuss any of the materials or even help you with astute advice on how to apply to grad school. The tests are tough but it's UCLA so that's normal. If you study, do your assignments, make sure you get the material, you'll be fine! I highly recommend taking this class with Prof. Spokoyny!
Most Helpful Review
Fall 2015 - Alex is a fantastic professor who teaches a great class that is an broad overview of inorganic chemistry as applied to biology and bionanoscience. Very relevant topics. Assignment is a presentation on a researcher and an NIH style research proposal. Great class for anyone planning on continuing in science or medicine.
Fall 2015 - Alex is a fantastic professor who teaches a great class that is an broad overview of inorganic chemistry as applied to biology and bionanoscience. Very relevant topics. Assignment is a presentation on a researcher and an NIH style research proposal. Great class for anyone planning on continuing in science or medicine.
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