So next semester I need an awesome bird course where I can do minimal work and still get a 10+... I've narrowed it down to Earth Science 2GG3 - Natural Disasters and Origins 2LU3 the universe one.

Based on your past experience which one should I take next semester? I've heard good and horrible reviews about both and I'm just looking for more inputs!

Thanks for any help, oh and if you know a better bird course please tell me... Thanks.

Earth Sci 2GG3 is one of the worst classes I've taken during my 5 years at McMaster.

It is awful. There is a lot of information to take in, which is okay. But the tests, quizzes and exams are ridiculous. If it's being taught next term by the same prof as this term, do not take it.

Keep in mind that I also took this class when I was actually in second year (3 years ago) under another professor and dropped it half through through. I'm still doing pretty poorly in this class, even though I have already taken half the course before.

Oddly enough I found 2GG3 to be a joke. But I took it in the summer and with a different prof (I think).

It's straight memorization, which is good for an elective, I think. All you have to do is read it over and over.

I want to know about the Origins course too, right now I'm also taking it.

GAH!! lol again a good and bad review... xD thanks anyways guys. The master timetable doesn't say who's teaching it this year... So IDK what to do.

Big questions isn't a bird course.

2LU3 is taught by Dr. Stone. He's fantastic, but I wouldn't call his courses "bird courses". Mind you, I have not taken this course but I did take Bio 3FF3 with him this term, and his tests are not always easy. Also, he tends to follow the textbook very closely (atleast for 3FF3), and this means really keeping on top with readings.

Again, 2LU3 may be different.

Originally Posted by Sintos

GAH!! lol again a good and bad review... xD thanks anyways guys. The master timetable doesn't say who's teaching it this year... So IDK what to do.

Elizabeth Sonnenburg, she's teaching it this semester as well.

It's an interesting class when it comes to content because, well, you learn about natural disasters.

But as mentioned before, there is a lot of memorizing, but she's trying to move it more towards an application aspect, so the midterm took quite a few people by surprise.

lol i honestly dun think there is actually a bird course in uni cause no matter how easy the course is, your gonna have to study for it in the end :/ if you want a good grade even for like econ and gerontology and what not. It best to just take the course you find most interesting b/c atleast you wont be too bored with the material

Originally Posted by bloodywarz

lol i honestly dun think there is actually a bird course in uni cause no matter how easy the course is, your gonna have to study for it in the end :/ if you want a good grade even for like econ and gerontology and what not. It best to just take the course you find most interesting b/c atleast you wont be too bored with the material

I agree. It sounds kind of cheesey, but if you take what you're interested in, you'll probably get a good grade. The courses I've done the best in are the ones I enjoyed the most (like Pol Sci 2C03 - the course average wasn't very high but it was my favourite class and I got my highest mark in it)

it depends on who is teaching 2GG3. The thing with these bird courses is that, if the prof keeps it a bird than the class average starts being more than 80% (and thats a little too high and it means you dont really have to put that much of an effort in to get a good mark).

When i took 2GG3 last year, the test was worth 30% ish and the class average was in the high 70's and then we had these online quizzes worth 25ish % and people were easily getting 90's on them. So The prof (Gloria Lopez) raped us on the exam. She picked on little detail from the book that she never talked about in class. The books was like 300 pages.

I always find taking courses like these a bit of a gamble, because profs do ridiculous things to lower the class average. Most people in 2GG3 went into the exam with a high 80 and ended with a 10. So overall, not that bad.

Is Sonnonburg a good teacher for 2GG3?

Originally Posted by Sintos

Is Sonnonburg a good teacher for 2GG3?

The course has been really, really hard and specific so far. But I think I should withhold my comments until after the exam. She said she is writing the exam (as opposed to the quizzes, midterm and lecture slides being given to her by the textbook publisher), so the course might turn out okay.

Neither. Take Math 2S03. I think we cover dihedral groups, so you could apply that to birds

Originally Posted by Mahratta

Neither. Take Math 2S03. I think we cover dihedral groups, so you could apply that to birds

lol.

Bio 3F03, Vertebrate Anatomy?

Lisa Sonnenburg! I've had her as a TA for countless courses. She's really helpful if you have any questions. Really friendly! I took it years ago with a visiting prof...it was pittifully easy, which made us very appathetic towards the material. The prof didn't understand alot of the science behind the natural disasters.

You have a great opportunity to learn alot from Lisa if you take this course. I'd retake it with her if I could.