Okie dokie, I'm a first year Kinesiology student, and I'm forced to take this course, and it is the best course that I've ever been forced to take. No question.

You start with Dr. Parise, who is far and away my favorite prof I've had this semester. You start with embryology and...

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This was my favourite class of the year by far. It wasn't the easiest though because it requires a LOT of memorization. The labs were very interesting and lots of fun. I honestly wish I could take this course again lol, the profs were very organized with their notes, print the powerpoints before hand and just write down details they talk about in lecture and you'll be fine The quizzes every Friday are pretty easy, they ask small details so be prepared for that. The exam I think is 100+ multiple choice, the questions do get very detailed, and you also get tested on lab images as well so make sure you label those (create a group and help one another to label them) beforehand so you can study them for the exam! If you study the images very well, it's a free 30 marks on the exam right there because the lab Qs are very straightforward. Memorize, memorize, memorize, the material is interesting though so this shouldn't be very hard enjoy

I really liked this course. Material is interesting and easy to grasp. The weekly tests really help out on the final, which is very fair. I preferred MacDonald to Howarth, but both are good teachers. The labs are 75% tutorials, being lectured by a TA, and 25% hands on dissections or experiments.

Has anyone had Dr. Danny Pincivero for 1AA3/1YY3 before? I wonder why this course doesn't have a review section by itself...I'm just wondering how he is and if his quizzes/exam are any harder than the first semester of 1Y03?

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Both Kins were the the lowest marks I've gotten in my first year(Life Science). Although I did well on the weekly tests(easy and simple), I totally bombed the Exams...memorizing more than 20 ppt with at least 24slides on each of them were just too much pain for me. I think one of the reason I did poorly on the Exam was because I would cram for most of the weekly tests and the materials I studied would wash away from my brain as soon as I came out from the test room. Hence reviewing the materials on the exam was very time consuming and painful as I had to learn the material again. I felt that this course requires a good memorization skill rather than good understanding. I would suggest constantly reviewing the previous materials while studying for the new materials. Also, you can do well on the weekly tests by cramming but this will absolutely put you at a disadvantage when the Exam comes around.

Originally Posted by banana93

Both Kins were the the lowest marks I've gotten in my first year(Life Science). Although I did well on the weekly tests(easy and simple), I totally bombed the Exams...memorizing more than 20 ppt with at least 24slides on each of them were just too much pain for me. I think one of the reason I did poorly on the Exam was because I would cram for most of the weekly tests and the materials I studied would wash away from my brain as soon as I came out from the test room. Hence reviewing the materials on the exam was very time consuming and painful as I had to learn the material again. I felt that this course requires a good memorization skill rather than good understanding. I would suggest constantly reviewing the previous materials while studying for the new materials. Also, you can do well on the weekly tests by cramming but this will absolutely put you at a disadvantage when the Exam comes around.

*For the Exam

Originally Posted by SarahLee

Has anyone had Dr. Danny Pincivero for 1AA3/1YY3 before? I wonder why this course doesn't have a review section by itself...I'm just wondering how he is and if his quizzes/exam are any harder than the first semester of 1Y03?

I took 1AA3 in 2012/2013 with Pincevero and the course was the exact same format as 1A03, except:
-Lectures were later during the day
-We lost two friday quizzes due to the snow day and Avenue

Personally, I found 1AA3 to be easier in comparison to 1A03. For me, 1A03 was ALL new content (considering I didn't take ExSci in grade 12). 1AA3 was more of a review, yet there are still tons of new concepts. If you're in Kin, then you'll have him in first semester for Kin 1F03 (Nutrition) and you will actually talk about similar concepts that you will later discuss in 1AA3.

His lecturing style is a little hard to adjust to. He explains concepts well, but more often than not he'll go off on a tangent and begin explaining something that may not be on the slide (but it may be in the slides to come). With DP, just make sure you're focussing.

Also, I found tests to be a little easier in 1AA3 as well. Most people will agree that after writing 11 or so in first semester, you get used to the process, and studying for them becomes much easier. I found this to be the exact case with myself.

iClickers still exist, but towards the end of the term DP said he would put some of the iClickers we didn't cover on the exam, which was awesome

Overall, it's a great and really interesting course whether or not you are required to take it. As long as you put in the effort to study for the exam, a double digit grade is very reasonable.

is it mandatory to buy the textbook or can i get by with just the lecture slides + taking my own notes diligently in class? (i have dr. howarth this term)

If anyone is interested in buying the fall 2012 lab manual message me

I'm going into Honours Life Sciences next year and was wondering if I could take this course as an elective, although the McMaster website does not post this as an elective choice for Level I? Thanks!

You have to be in level II science or level I Kinesiology to take it

Originally Posted by aaam319

I'm going into Honours Life Sciences next year and was wondering if I could take this course as an elective, although the McMaster website does not post this as an elective choice for Level I? Thanks!

It was changed into 2Y03/2YY3 this year, so the rules changes and you must be in second year to take it.

does anyone have a current review of this course they would like to share?? thanks

Originally Posted by Kobina.Baiden

does anyone have a current review of this course they would like to share?? thanks

The course hasn't changed very much/at all in the last few years since it's split from 1Y03. So any threads referring to that and Dr. Howarth as a the prof are still relevant (use the search function at the top!)

Originally Posted by Kobina.Baiden

does anyone have a current review of this course they would like to share?? thanks

Course is great! It's taught by 2 profs (one for each term): Dr. Howarth and Dr. Pincivero. You have weekly tests which are pretty easy but only count for 30% of your final grade. Then pre-lab quizzes count for 10% I think, iClicker questions for 5% and the final exam is 55%. So definitely a great idea to do really well on the easy stuff because the final is a lot of material to study, but not by any means deathly.

Term 1 1AO3 with Howarth is more anatomy based, memorizing questions. Term 2 with Pinci is more physiology based, more comprehensive questions. I found term 2 easier, but that may just be me...

Make sure you don't fall into the 1280 trap every Thursday and you should be good to go