Professor
Matthew Malkan
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Most Helpful Review
Some days he is good at teaching, others not. Some days he is gone to a telescope or conference and just cancels class or has someone fill in. Some days he is really awkward, others really nice. Although he does a good job of getting across the basic ideas, the details (which the homework and tests are based off of) he is not so good with. The tests are pretty tough and there is not enough time for them. No reason to avoid him, but I wouldn't take a class just because he is teaching it.
Some days he is good at teaching, others not. Some days he is gone to a telescope or conference and just cancels class or has someone fill in. Some days he is really awkward, others really nice. Although he does a good job of getting across the basic ideas, the details (which the homework and tests are based off of) he is not so good with. The tests are pretty tough and there is not enough time for them. No reason to avoid him, but I wouldn't take a class just because he is teaching it.
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This evaluation is about Astro 3: Nature in Universe, not Physics M155. I took two Astro classes at UCLA, one of which with Prf. Malkan in Fall 2009. This might be a hasty generalization, but I want to say UCLA astronomers are good people indeed, but terrible teachers. 'Generous' grading scale they employ, intriguing class materials they teach. Yet insincere lectures they offer, and unreasonable tests they give out.
This evaluation is about Astro 3: Nature in Universe, not Physics M155. I took two Astro classes at UCLA, one of which with Prf. Malkan in Fall 2009. This might be a hasty generalization, but I want to say UCLA astronomers are good people indeed, but terrible teachers. 'Generous' grading scale they employ, intriguing class materials they teach. Yet insincere lectures they offer, and unreasonable tests they give out.
Most Helpful Review
This is an evaluation for Astro 3. During lecture, he seems like a funny guy with a really entertaining voice. He cracked me up, but that's basically all he did. As amusing as his expressions and fluctuations in his voice were, I fell asleep in all his lectures and ended up going to around 4 of them. I didn't watch the podcasts either. READ THE BOOK. that's where I received all my info, and I received a solid A for the midterms. oh, and do masteringastromony, and do it right. Study it before each test as well, because for the first midterm, he takes so many from the homework assignments. What's nice is that he posts practice exams as well, and you should do those, because similar questions show up on the exams. The exams consist of around 50 questions and 3 free response (which are very easy). I don't remember the final though. Honestly, I did extremely well on the 2 midterms and for some strange reason, the strategy didn't work for the final. I didn't do so hot, and it dragged my grade to an A-. I'm not sure how to help you with that one. SO FOR MIDTERM EXAMS: read the book, study the homework, and do practice exams he posts up. And I believe there are a few previous midterms at SAC, so take advantage of that too. The labs were pretty interestng, but if you don't finish in class, you're screwed. You can't take it home to work on, so don't slack off. Overall, i LOVED astronomy and studying for the class gave me so much information. But notice, studying from the class was what gave me info, NOT the professor. And on a random note, when you see him face to face, he's slightly intimidating as well.
This is an evaluation for Astro 3. During lecture, he seems like a funny guy with a really entertaining voice. He cracked me up, but that's basically all he did. As amusing as his expressions and fluctuations in his voice were, I fell asleep in all his lectures and ended up going to around 4 of them. I didn't watch the podcasts either. READ THE BOOK. that's where I received all my info, and I received a solid A for the midterms. oh, and do masteringastromony, and do it right. Study it before each test as well, because for the first midterm, he takes so many from the homework assignments. What's nice is that he posts practice exams as well, and you should do those, because similar questions show up on the exams. The exams consist of around 50 questions and 3 free response (which are very easy). I don't remember the final though. Honestly, I did extremely well on the 2 midterms and for some strange reason, the strategy didn't work for the final. I didn't do so hot, and it dragged my grade to an A-. I'm not sure how to help you with that one. SO FOR MIDTERM EXAMS: read the book, study the homework, and do practice exams he posts up. And I believe there are a few previous midterms at SAC, so take advantage of that too. The labs were pretty interestng, but if you don't finish in class, you're screwed. You can't take it home to work on, so don't slack off. Overall, i LOVED astronomy and studying for the class gave me so much information. But notice, studying from the class was what gave me info, NOT the professor. And on a random note, when you see him face to face, he's slightly intimidating as well.
Most Helpful Review
Astronomy 3 evaluation I don't know where these positive evaluations are coming from but this guy is a crackhead. He gets very red while lecturing, he's very twitchy, he always seems to be out of breath, and he scratches himself vigorously during lecture...I only made up two of those things. Anyways, I think he made this class way more difficult than it should be as his tests were a lot harder than those of other professors. Not a difficult course but a weird guy and I would advise you to take this class with a different professor.
Astronomy 3 evaluation I don't know where these positive evaluations are coming from but this guy is a crackhead. He gets very red while lecturing, he's very twitchy, he always seems to be out of breath, and he scratches himself vigorously during lecture...I only made up two of those things. Anyways, I think he made this class way more difficult than it should be as his tests were a lot harder than those of other professors. Not a difficult course but a weird guy and I would advise you to take this class with a different professor.
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I took ASTRONOMY 3. I'm a freshman, and I just took this class for fall quarter. As for the professor himself, he's pretty funny, but as a previous poster said, he seems like he's on crack during lectures. His lectures tend to stray off from the textbook and what's on the midterms and finals so I ended up not going to a lot of them (his pace is a little slow in lectures as well). The book/information though was solid. I'm not a big science person, but I do have an interest in astronomy and the textbook teaches you SO MUCH about the world. I didn't ever think of reading the textbook as homework because it was THAT interesting. There's not too much reading, a medium amount, but it's so absorbing that it goes by pretty fast anyways. The midterms were easy - DO MASTERING ASTRONOMY. He pulls a bunch of his questions from there. Also, I learned this rather late, but apparently past midterms are good for the midterms as well. As for the finals, I didn't do quite well on that. I can't pinpoint how, but it seemed to be a bit different from what I expected based off on the midterms. I got an A- overall for the course. I did expect an A, but I definitely would blame myself for not doing enough work for the final instead of the class not being good. Definitely recommended to anyone thinking of taking this course.
I took ASTRONOMY 3. I'm a freshman, and I just took this class for fall quarter. As for the professor himself, he's pretty funny, but as a previous poster said, he seems like he's on crack during lectures. His lectures tend to stray off from the textbook and what's on the midterms and finals so I ended up not going to a lot of them (his pace is a little slow in lectures as well). The book/information though was solid. I'm not a big science person, but I do have an interest in astronomy and the textbook teaches you SO MUCH about the world. I didn't ever think of reading the textbook as homework because it was THAT interesting. There's not too much reading, a medium amount, but it's so absorbing that it goes by pretty fast anyways. The midterms were easy - DO MASTERING ASTRONOMY. He pulls a bunch of his questions from there. Also, I learned this rather late, but apparently past midterms are good for the midterms as well. As for the finals, I didn't do quite well on that. I can't pinpoint how, but it seemed to be a bit different from what I expected based off on the midterms. I got an A- overall for the course. I did expect an A, but I definitely would blame myself for not doing enough work for the final instead of the class not being good. Definitely recommended to anyone thinking of taking this course.
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