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Universities » University of Texas (UT) » Professor Ratings » Stephen McCord

Professor Ratings & Grade Distribution Data for Stephen McCord

Stephen McCord
Professor (2006 – 2012)
Texas (UT)
Chemistry
Rate Professor
 
3.5524***+
Overall rating
Rated by 105 students
2.44
Avg GPA
across 3 classes
Spring 2012 Schedule
CH 302 - PRINCIPLES OF CHEMISTRY II
Add to schedule MWF 10:00am-11:00am
Add to schedule MWF 12:00pm-1:00pm
All Classes
CH 301
CH 302
CH 304K

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Most Helpful Favorable Professor Review
Most Helpful Critical Professor Review
4****
CH 301 - PRINCIPLES OF CHEMISTRY I
He's a good teacher, but don't take his class unless you're prepared to listen and expect some reasonably difficult exams. His method of grading does however allow you to make up for some bad grades, by letting you drop an exam or weight midterms/f...
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Pros: Funny guy
Curves reasonably generously
Enthusiastic
Cons: Difficult tests
Occasional questions which try to catch you out
Professor rated by: Mechanical Engineering Student on 5/1/11
Helpful Rating?
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NO
+2 Helpful
3***
CH 302 - PRINCIPLES OF CHEMISTRY II
P.S. I put some of his exams from this year up on Koofers so if you are unfortunate enough to have to take his class, you won't have to suffer as much as I did.
Pros: McCord is a good lecturer, so his class can be interesting. At the end of the semester, he actually curves quite a bit by giving quiz/homework drops and adding points on exams. He lowers his grade breaks a lot too.
Cons: Attendance is taken by daily clicker quizzes. The tests are very, very difficult especially if you are not a fan of chemistry. He says he doesn't make trick questions, but that's a lie, because he does. He oftentimes teaches to the kids that have had his CH 301 class. His tests are much harder than the homework he gives, so it's very difficult to study for them. I spent the entire semester dreading his class and thinking I was going to barely pass but in the end I got a decent grade. In my opinion, though, it's just not worth the stress.
Professor rated by: Civil Engineering Student on 5/20/11
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+4 Helpful

Student Ratings 1 - 20 of 105

 
CH 302
PRINCIPLES OF CHEMISTRY II
3***
Pros: McCord is a good lecturer, so his class can be interesting. At the end of the semester, he actually curves quite a bit by giving quiz/homework drops and adding points on exams. He lowers his grade breaks a lot too.
Cons: Attendance is taken by daily clicker quizzes. The tests are very, very difficult especially if you are not a fan of chemistry. He says he doesn't make trick questions, but that's a lie, because he does. He oftentimes teaches to the kids that have had his CH 301 class. His tests are much harder than the homework he gives, so it's very difficult to study for them. I spent the entire semester dreading his class and thinking I was going to barely pass but in the end I got a decent grade. In my opinion, though, it's just not worth the stress.
P.S. I put some of his exams from this year up on Koofers so if you are unfortunate enough to have to take his class, you won't have to suffer as much as I did.
Professor rated by: Civil Engineering Student on May 20, 2011
Helpful Rating?
YES
NO
 
 
CH 302
PRINCIPLES OF CHEMISTRY II
3***
Pros: very good professor. he knows chemistry well and you will learn with him. i took for both ch301 and 302
Cons: Very hard test. it was hard to pass, and very hard to even get a B. He teaches well and homeworks kind of prepare you but you really have to do a lot of the studying on you own.
Professor rated by: Mathematics Student on May 1, 2011
Helpful Rating?
YES
NO
 
 
CH 301
PRINCIPLES OF CHEMISTRY I
4****
Pros: Funny guy

Curves reasonably generously

Enthusiastic
Cons: Difficult tests

Occasional questions which try to catch you out
He's a good teacher, but don't take his class unless you're prepared to listen and expect some reasonably difficult exams. His method of grading does however allow you to make up for some bad grades, by letting you drop an exam or weight midterms/final more than the other. I enjoted his classes in general.
Professor rated by: Mechanical Engineering Student on May 1, 2011
Helpful Rating?
YES
NO
 
 
CH 301
PRINCIPLES OF CHEMISTRY I
5*****
Pros: For being a student who dislikes chemistry, Dr. McCord made the class very interesting and enjoyable. He throws in a joke or two (about the subject), which keeps you awake and alert listening.
Cons: Attendance counts because he gives out iClickers, which count for 5% of total grade. You need to go over the stuff on you own and make sure you understand the material otherwise, the exams will seem hard.
Professor rated by: Nutrition Student on May 16, 2010
Helpful Rating?
YES
NO
 
 
CH 302
PRINCIPLES OF CHEMISTRY II
4****
Pros: Enthusiastic lectures! Whatever McCord is talking about, it makes you want to participate. Study the homeworks/ make sure you can do each problem without notes and you should be fine.
Cons: The class is tough, conceptually, but TA sessions help. Don't put off studying or homework. Read the book to connect his lectures to the material. He covers a broader range of topics than the other professors.
Professor rated by: Mechanical Engineering Student on March 1, 2012
Helpful Rating?
YES
NO
 
 
CH 302
PRINCIPLES OF CHEMISTRY II
3***
Cons: daily clicker questions
This is a very difficult class, and you have to put a lot more effort into it than 301. Mccord is a decent teacher, but you have to read to the book and finding problems outside the homework will really help a lot.
Professor rated by: Undergraduate Studies Student on April 12, 2011
Helpful Rating?
YES
NO
 
 
CH 301
PRINCIPLES OF CHEMISTRY I
2**
He lectures straight out of the book. He talks the whole time. He does not post slides or anything like that. You really need to read the book to get a good grade in this class.
Professor rated by: Biomedical Engineering Student on December 5, 2009
Helpful Rating?
YES
NO
 
 
CH 301
PRINCIPLES OF CHEMISTRY I
4****
Pros: He is really good at conveying the material to students and keeping ones attention. Great lecturer, keeps you awake even if it's a morning class! Helps you really understand Chemistry.
Cons: His tests are way harder than the homework he posts online, but practicing old exams while keeping up with hw makes the exams easier to pass.
Professor rated by: Nutrition Student on February 9, 2012
Helpful Rating?
YES
NO
 
 
CH 302
PRINCIPLES OF CHEMISTRY II
4****
Pros: Knows what he is talking about.
Cons: Hard as all get out.
He is a good teacher, but his class is really hard, mainly his exams. I wish we have a discussion to go with this class. The good thing about him having hard exams is that it will drill good study habits into you, assuming you took his suggestions into consideration.
Professor rated by: Biology Student on March 27, 2012
Helpful Rating?
YES
NO
 
 
CH 302
PRINCIPLES OF CHEMISTRY II
5*****
Pros: McCord is a great lecturer, you can tell he knows what he's talking about. His grading system is great, you choose either 20% homework and clicker questions 60% exams (1 dropped) and 20% final. or 80% exams (all) and 20%final.
Cons: Homework (which is on Quest) can get very tedious and can easily slip your mind to do.
Professor rated by: Chemistry Student on March 6, 2012
Helpful Rating?
YES
NO
 
 
CH 301
PRINCIPLES OF CHEMISTRY I
3***
Pros: Clearly understands the material

Cons: Unorganized

Tricky Tests (not straighforward)
It is possible to get an A, you just have to work very hard, attend every class and try to find old exams to get an idea of how he tests.
Professor rated by: Geological Sciences Student on December 7, 2010
Helpful Rating?
YES
NO
 
 
CH 301
PRINCIPLES OF CHEMISTRY I
2**
Pros: He can be entertaining and sometimes has interesting ways to think about concepts.
Cons: His tests are extremely hard and full of exceptions. He doesn't work any kind of examples problems or discuss possible questions in class. He is also openly very critical of students and makes it hard to approach him for help. He has lots of TAs but since the class is huge, their office hours are always busy. The TAs can explain the homework problems but they seem to have very little idea of what will be on the tests or what is important to study.
Professor rated by: Biology Student on October 29, 2011
Helpful Rating?
YES
NO
 
 
CH 301
PRINCIPLES OF CHEMISTRY I
5*****
Pros: Enthusiastic, excellent lecturer. Teaches the concepts well. Often he is fairly funny and even entertaining. Bottom line is that he is a good teacher.
Cons: His tests are typically rather difficult. Although, the exams DO cover the material and they are fair. You must LEARN the subject in order to do well. Maybe that's not really a con after all.
I Highly recommend taking McCord. He prepares you for organic and even for other classes where you have to learn to study.
Professor rated by: Chemistry Student on May 23, 2012
Helpful Rating?
YES
NO
 
 
CH 301
PRINCIPLES OF CHEMISTRY I
4****
Pros: He's a great teacher. He really cares about his students but he also wants you to put in the work. He makes chemistry fun because he genuinely loves it. You learn the concepts rather than just memorizing.
Cons: His exams are difficult. They require you to really understand the material and to study study study.
I'm an Art History major but he is one of my favorite professors.
Professor rated by: Art History Student on April 2, 2012
Helpful Rating?
YES
NO
 
 
CH 302
PRINCIPLES OF CHEMISTRY II
4****
Pros: McCord is a good lecturer, and this semester (Spring 2012) we didn't have to know as much information as some of the other classes, especially for nuclear and electrochemistry.
Cons: Very hard tests, difficult to get an A in the class.
Reading the book helped me a lot, I started reading halfway through the semester and my test grades shot up a good ten points.
Professor rated by: Biology Student on April 30, 2012
Helpful Rating?
YES
NO
 
 
CH 302
PRINCIPLES OF CHEMISTRY II
4****
Pros: Knows what he's doing

explains well

funny

relates to you

curves

lectures are recorded
Cons: exams are extremely difficult

what is in the hw isn't always covered in class

you have to really read the book, his exams are really hard but he curves so if you're on the class average i'm sure you'll be fine. You really have to try hard, it is NOT AN EASY A.
Professor rated by: Undergraduate Studies Student on May 1, 2012
Helpful Rating?
YES
NO
 
 
CH 301
PRINCIPLES OF CHEMISTRY I
4****
Pros: Lectures recorded online.

Drops one exam out of 5 total.

Provides curves.

Provides two types of grading scales based on performances on exams, homework and in class participation.

Cons: Material not always explained clearly during lecture.
He's gotten a lot better from what most people have said about him.
Professor rated by: Nutrition Student on November 19, 2011
Helpful Rating?
YES
NO
 
 
CH 301
PRINCIPLES OF CHEMISTRY I
3***
Pros: Gives a lot of material that helps in studying. He is very hilarious and makes learning fun. His homework problems can easily be done with the help of google as he repeats questions.
Cons: He doesnt explain all the concepts he teaches. He uses iclickers so attendance helps.
Professor rated by: Mechanical Engineering Student on October 31, 2011
Helpful Rating?
YES
NO
 
 
CH 302
PRINCIPLES OF CHEMISTRY II
4****
Pros: Great lecturer, and great at explaining difficult concepts. His website is very helpful and makes tons of resources available to his students. All TAs are very helpful too.
Cons: Exams and Final are quite difficult and require a lot of studying and dedication.
Professor rated by: Psychology Student on April 30, 2012
Helpful Rating?
YES
NO
 
 
CH 301
PRINCIPLES OF CHEMISTRY I
3***
Pros: Really nice guy

HW opportunity makes up for the hard tests

Entertaining

Fair grade point curves
Cons: Confusing lectures

Really hard tests

Have to teach a LOT of it yourself
Overall I would take this class again. It's not horrible but definitely a challenge.
Professor rated by: Biology Student on December 8, 2011
Helpful Rating?
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NO
 
 
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