Pros: Good cure for insomnia.

Cons: Ha! Where do I start?

I'm surving this class by watching videos from a true instructor, Salman Khan, at khanacademy.org. Aside from this supplement I suggest reading the book like its the Holy Bible if you hope to pass this nightmare of a class. Also go to all of the TA Discussions because you might actually learn something there.



In past classes (transfer student with 62 credits) I have listened to the lectures and sometimes read the book for supplement. I have found in this class that you can only learn the course material by reading the book and going to class for supplement.



On an evil note, I heard if you mention that you have a dog (even if you don't!) during his office hours and have conversations about dogs, he will grow fond of you... hint hint.



This professor seems to be the type of professor who would be great for upper level classes, however he is terrible at explaining introductory material in Layman's terms. Also, did I mention he is obsessed with dogs?

It is easy to fall asleep in this class. Professor Steffek teaches a lot of useless material and goes off on tangents quite often. Less than half of the material he teaches is useful to students, the rest is data that students do not need to know. Basically, there is a lot of "filler" material. I suggest either not going to lectures, and just going to discussions OR go to both, but bring a crossword puzzle or sudoku to lectures.

There is almost never enough time to complete the experiment. It depends on how competent your TA is. The grading also depends on the TA--some are real hardasses while others are more lenient. Go to the extra help office hours near the Chem library. The midterm and final exam are brutal.

Horrible, horrible teacher. I'm sure he is a great guy, but as a professor I hate him.

Three exams make up you're grade and they are hard

Cons: Grades very harshly: often takes points off for ridiculous things

The midterm was hard, and the final was impossible. The class average was 4/12 and the class is only curved about 5%

Awful teacher, probably my worst in my time at Maryland

This class is way too much work for a one credit class. I spent more time doing the labs and spending hours in the TA office than I spent studying for orgo lecture.

This class really depends on your TA, I haven't seen Steffek the entire semester.

Horrible class, don't take it

orgo 2 lab is just a difficult class in general. there are lab reports due every week which are graded harshly but it is highly recommended that you go to the TAs for help. doing well on the lab reports will help you out when you do awful on the midterm and final, which are impossible but that's why there is a big curve at the end of the class. you will see steffek on occasion walking through the labs and can go to him for questions but most help comes from the TAs.

Pros: The TA's all work together to give you maximum office hours for the best work.

Cons: Seeing as you never see Steffek, if you have a shitty TA, you're going to have a shitty time in lab.

The lab is a bit more meticulous than orgo 1. They grade you more intensively on the lab reports, making sure you use a specific tense and layout for full points. The labs themselves aren't any more difficult than orgo 1 labs, but often times you will run out of time to finish the labs.

Pros: -We don't really see him much but the work he gives us is a lot. Labs are always more work then lecture. But if you understand what is happening and get data then the post labs are not too bad. During lab pay attention to directions and follow through and you should get data and get out early.

Cons: -Takes a lot of time to read for pre-lab quizzes, and write up procedures and work on post labs.

Pros: it's a lab class?

Cons: There is no graduate assistant help in this course like there was for orgo. The TA's don't help you and the labs are much more time consuming. The lab reports are graded harshly and Dr. Steffek doesn't answer emails.

This lab was a typical lab course, terrible. The first exam was easy, the second exam was nearly impossible.

Pros: Dr. Steffek's pre-written procedures are as thorough as can be.

Cons: Lab experience is based on knowledgability of TA and his/her resourcefulness.

This is not a lab for the weak of determination. You will need to seek extra help to succeed, and you will be extremely frustrated by the emphasis on high yield and appropriate melting points.

Pros: Straightforward, organized, due dates are clear.

Cons: This lab sucks and is hard. You will probably need help from the TA's even if you are a genius.

Most people take this class if they are a chem major or want or are prehealth. Its very hard and the labs are time consuming. Steffek isn't a bad teacher but his exams are kind of hard.

Pros: Loud and clear

Cons: Boring and 8am class

This class is really easy. I had a really good chemistry teacher in high school. I almost never went to class, if I did, I slept. His exams are fair, he usually has one really hard question. If you understood the homework, the exam is pretty easy.

Pros: Might give an extra credit quiz that brings your grade up significantly.

Cons: Midterms and exams are basically your only grades, so you can't mess them up. His lectures aren't that great and you can't always trust your discussion classes. You need to study a lot on your own.

Pros: Labs usually got out early, Steffek's notes are very neat and straight-forward, the final was very easy.

Cons: the exams were very tricky and easy to do poorly on due to significant figures or minute details.

Don't wait until the night before lab to complete the previous lab.

I had Professor Steffek for chem272. His lab lectures are pretty boring. I wish he would make them more interesting so I could be motivated to actually go. Lab reports are extremely long. In my opinion, the exams didn't test my knowledge of what we did in lab at all.

Pros: He knows the material Good curve

Cons: Boring, dull voice (8 am class was a killer)

I would recommend him for students who took AP Chem in high school. The TA can definitely help out a lot, especially in solving problems. Definitely go to discussions.

Pros: good professor, straight forward, answered questions if you had them and was helpful.

Cons: did have to read the book. His tests were easy, but you have to study material in the book and do lots of practice problems, to do well on the tests

Pros: He's detailed oriented and lays all the materials and expectations for the course out in writing online.

Cons: Never saw him. Actually saw him run away from a student once.



His exams are RIDICULOUSLY difficult.

Pros: He knows what he's talking about

Cons: If you're taking chem135, you will get a horrible grade in the class, but the curve at the end will bring you up.



He teaches the bare minimum then expects a lot out of you