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Professor Ratings & Grade Distribution Data for Todd Coburn
Todd Coburn
Professor (2013 – 2014)
Cal Poly - Pomona (Pomona)
Cal Poly - Pomona (Pomona)
Overall rating
Rated by 135 students
No grade data available for this professor.
Fall 2014 Schedule
No classes for this semester.
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Most Helpful Favorable Professor Review
Most Helpful Critical Professor Review
ME 325 - Machine Design
Disclaimer: This review is based off of my experience with Professor Coburn in his ME 233/L class. The option for 233 was not yet available when I wrote this.
In my opinion, Professor Coburn is one of the best professors in the ME department. He is ...
Read the full review >
In my opinion, Professor Coburn is one of the best professors in the ME department. He is ...
Read the full review >
Pros:
Knowledgeable
Pretty good at teaching and explaining concepts
Really energetic
Lots of extra credit opportunities
Could potentially be a very fun class
Workload is pretty much perfectly balanced
Incredibly friendly and approachable
Funny
Always asks about how he can improve
He lifts
Pretty good at teaching and explaining concepts
Really energetic
Lots of extra credit opportunities
Could potentially be a very fun class
Workload is pretty much perfectly balanced
Incredibly friendly and approachable
Funny
Always asks about how he can improve
He lifts
Cons:
Really harsh grading for quizzes and tests
Lectures can drag a bit sometimes (but that's not necessarily his fault)
Lectures can drag a bit sometimes (but that's not necessarily his fault)
Professor rated by: Accounting Student on 5/21/15
Helpful Rating?
EGR 481 - Project Design Principles and Applications
This is a review for ME 499 Composites
Grade breakdown goes like this:
15%HWK
15%MATLAB code
15%Quizzes
45%For 3 Test
10% Final
HWK is due every time you meet for class, Code is usually weekly.
Quizzes are given at the beginning of class and are usu...
Read the full review >
Grade breakdown goes like this:
15%HWK
15%MATLAB code
15%Quizzes
45%For 3 Test
10% Final
HWK is due every time you meet for class, Code is usually weekly.
Quizzes are given at the beginning of class and are usu...
Read the full review >
Pros:
-Great lecturer
-Very Knowledgeable
-Answers your questions with ease
-Very helpful in office hours
-Very straightforward class
-Keeps you awake with his stories
-Plenty of chances for extra credit
-Optional Final
-Very Knowledgeable
-Answers your questions with ease
-Very helpful in office hours
-Very straightforward class
-Keeps you awake with his stories
-Plenty of chances for extra credit
-Optional Final
Cons:
-tons of homework, due every time you meet along with a weekly assignment on writing MATLAB code
-Quizzes just about every day
-too much or for a tech elective
-HARSH GRADER!
-Quizzes just about every day
-too much or for a tech elective
-HARSH GRADER!
Professor rated by: Business - All College Student on 3/12/15
Helpful Rating?
Student Ratings 1 - 20 of 135
ME 325
Machine Design
Pros: Knowledgeable
Pretty good at teaching and explaining concepts
Really energetic
Lots of extra credit opportunities
Could potentially be a very fun class
Workload is pretty much perfectly balanced
Incredibly friendly and approachable
Funny
Always asks about how he can improve
He lifts
Pretty good at teaching and explaining concepts
Really energetic
Lots of extra credit opportunities
Could potentially be a very fun class
Workload is pretty much perfectly balanced
Incredibly friendly and approachable
Funny
Always asks about how he can improve
He lifts
Cons: Really harsh grading for quizzes and tests
Lectures can drag a bit sometimes (but that's not necessarily his fault)
Lectures can drag a bit sometimes (but that's not necessarily his fault)
Disclaimer: This review is based off of my experience with Professor Coburn in his ME 233/L class. The option for 233 was not yet available when I wrote this.
In my opinion, Professor Coburn is one of the best professors in the ME department. He is an extremely driven, kind, and experienced/knowledgeable teacher who has a passion for teaching. He constantly seeks to better himself and asks for student feedback frequently. His lectures are clear and USUALLY kept pretty interesting by his enthusiasm, relations of the material to real world applications, and student interactions. Honestly, I wish I had him for statics, dynamics, and strengths because he explained concepts from those classes so well, that I think he would have been better than the teachers I actually took for them. Occasionally his lectures seemed to be a bit long and hard to follow, but I am almost positive that this was due to the fact that I had to take the class at 8am. Oh, and HE DOESN'T MAKE YOU BUY A TEXTBOOK. Instead he makes you a "softbook" with 90% of the pertinent information you need (the other 10% is in his lecture notes which he posts online).
The way Coburn structures his grading system is absolutely ideal in my opinion. When I took him, the grading system was as follows:
Homework = 20%
Quizzes AND In-Class Exercises = 20%
Projects = 30%
Test #1,2, and Final = 10% each
The homework for this class usually isn't very demanding, which is nice since it allows you to focus more on your projects (which are due once every three weeks). There was only one assignment that was a nightmare for everyone, but Coburn apologized for that and recognized it was due to a lack of information and was generous on grading that one. You can usually get extra credit on homework for being remarkably neat or for showing a bit of additional effort into any design questions he gives you.
The quizzes were probably my biggest complaint about the class. They were never really hard, but Coburn is the biggest hard ass when it comes to grading quizzes. One tiny mistake will probably bring you down to a C and a formatting or lay out error will likely leave you at an F. It's at least reassuring to know that your quiz grade is combined with the in-class assignment grade. The in-class exercises are always fun little design projects that you work on with a partner or group and finish before the end of the session. Coburn is awesome because what he looks for in these is thought, effort, and following of directions. If he sees these three things, you probably won't get any less than an A. He's not super hung up on seeing that all your calculations are correct, which is nice and allows you to focus more on coming up with cool ideas, nice drawings, and a well-constructed report.
The projects for this class aren't insane like the ones I've heard from a couple other professors. I think these ones are perfectly made for a 200 level class. The ones for my class included the dissection and explanation of the functionality of a tool, toy, or mechanism, construction of a marshmallow shooter, and construction of a spring or lever-powered all-terrain vehicle. Coburn is usually pretty nice about grading the projects, as long as you follow directions and your thing works. Again, he's not super picky about seeing that your calculations are 100% correct, as long as you have reasonable-looking ones that obviously apply to your project. He'll also give out extra credit for these if he says you put a bit of extra love into them.
The midterms aren't bad. Honestly, if you pay attention in class and put a few hours of studying into it, you should do pretty well on them. He definitely doesn't throw in stuff that he hasn't covered, so again, just make sure you study the equations well and what everything means.
On top of all this, he offers extra credit in class to people who participate and also assigns two manageable extra credit projects for a decent amount of points.
Bottom Line: Professor Coburn is fantastic. Awesome teacher, nice guy, offers tons of extra credit, doesn't make you buy a textbook, and genuinely cares about his students. His only downside is his harsh grading. You should definitely take him if you can.
In my opinion, Professor Coburn is one of the best professors in the ME department. He is an extremely driven, kind, and experienced/knowledgeable teacher who has a passion for teaching. He constantly seeks to better himself and asks for student feedback frequently. His lectures are clear and USUALLY kept pretty interesting by his enthusiasm, relations of the material to real world applications, and student interactions. Honestly, I wish I had him for statics, dynamics, and strengths because he explained concepts from those classes so well, that I think he would have been better than the teachers I actually took for them. Occasionally his lectures seemed to be a bit long and hard to follow, but I am almost positive that this was due to the fact that I had to take the class at 8am. Oh, and HE DOESN'T MAKE YOU BUY A TEXTBOOK. Instead he makes you a "softbook" with 90% of the pertinent information you need (the other 10% is in his lecture notes which he posts online).
The way Coburn structures his grading system is absolutely ideal in my opinion. When I took him, the grading system was as follows:
Homework = 20%
Quizzes AND In-Class Exercises = 20%
Projects = 30%
Test #1,2, and Final = 10% each
The homework for this class usually isn't very demanding, which is nice since it allows you to focus more on your projects (which are due once every three weeks). There was only one assignment that was a nightmare for everyone, but Coburn apologized for that and recognized it was due to a lack of information and was generous on grading that one. You can usually get extra credit on homework for being remarkably neat or for showing a bit of additional effort into any design questions he gives you.
The quizzes were probably my biggest complaint about the class. They were never really hard, but Coburn is the biggest hard ass when it comes to grading quizzes. One tiny mistake will probably bring you down to a C and a formatting or lay out error will likely leave you at an F. It's at least reassuring to know that your quiz grade is combined with the in-class assignment grade. The in-class exercises are always fun little design projects that you work on with a partner or group and finish before the end of the session. Coburn is awesome because what he looks for in these is thought, effort, and following of directions. If he sees these three things, you probably won't get any less than an A. He's not super hung up on seeing that all your calculations are correct, which is nice and allows you to focus more on coming up with cool ideas, nice drawings, and a well-constructed report.
The projects for this class aren't insane like the ones I've heard from a couple other professors. I think these ones are perfectly made for a 200 level class. The ones for my class included the dissection and explanation of the functionality of a tool, toy, or mechanism, construction of a marshmallow shooter, and construction of a spring or lever-powered all-terrain vehicle. Coburn is usually pretty nice about grading the projects, as long as you follow directions and your thing works. Again, he's not super picky about seeing that your calculations are 100% correct, as long as you have reasonable-looking ones that obviously apply to your project. He'll also give out extra credit for these if he says you put a bit of extra love into them.
The midterms aren't bad. Honestly, if you pay attention in class and put a few hours of studying into it, you should do pretty well on them. He definitely doesn't throw in stuff that he hasn't covered, so again, just make sure you study the equations well and what everything means.
On top of all this, he offers extra credit in class to people who participate and also assigns two manageable extra credit projects for a decent amount of points.
Bottom Line: Professor Coburn is fantastic. Awesome teacher, nice guy, offers tons of extra credit, doesn't make you buy a textbook, and genuinely cares about his students. His only downside is his harsh grading. You should definitely take him if you can.
Professor rated by: Accounting Student on May 21, 2015
Helpful Rating?
ME 325
Machine Design
Pros: Dr. Coburn is an extremely caring professor who will take the time to learn all of your names and genuinely wants you to succeed both in his class, and as engineers.
He is a very reasonable person and values student input, even if he doesn't always follow it.
He is also a lively lecturer and can keep your attention for almost any subject with random tangents and his general enthusiasm. Great for morning classes!
He is a very reasonable person and values student input, even if he doesn't always follow it.
He is also a lively lecturer and can keep your attention for almost any subject with random tangents and his general enthusiasm. Great for morning classes!
Cons: This has the potential to be one of the most time consuming classes you will take due to the Master Project requirement. Don't be a single minute late to class unless you want to lose credit on homework or quizzes. Homework is also due every class period, even if you've only had one day in-between.
Dr. Coburn puts a lot of effort into making his classes the best they can be. He isn't too knowledgeable on Machine Design (he'll admit this himself), but granted I don't think Machine Design lends itself well to a lecture style course anyway. His PowerPoints are extremely polished, however I find that I rarely learn anything while he is actually presenting his slides. I mostly just have to read the book and look over his PowerPoints while doing the homework for the information to stick with me.
If you are a diligent person, this is the class for you. Homework is collected every class period and is generally 3-5 problems from Shigley's each time. I'd estimate it is about 1-3 hours per assignment. Most, if not all, of these problems can be found in a solutions manual, however if you want to do well on the tests I'd highly recommend you actually do the homework. Tests are open book, and if you've done the homework you are pretty much guaranteed to ace it since the test questions are generally almost the same as the homework.
If you are the kind of person who wants to put the work off until right before the midterm, you will flounder in this class since homework is usually worth a significant portion of the grade (20%). He throw pop quizzes on a weekly basis at you that are almost identical to the homework - there's nothing to worry about with these unless you didn't do the HW or didn't bring your book to class. He really pays attention to who is completing the homework, and it will hurt your ability to negotiate your grade later on if you haven't been keeping up with the homework.
The "Master Project" is unlike something you have ever experienced in a class before this. It will consume your weekends during the quarter you take this course, with some groups in my class spending over 150 hours on it. You are required to engineer and product, do the analysis, and write a report that ends up being about 60 pages long (writing, drawings, and pictures). Be prepared to drop $300 - $500 on this project divided between 5-6 people. The hardest part for most groups is that you actually have to build what you design, and it has to work or else your grade is going to be hurt. Examples of projects that our class did were: A 4x8 foot hovercraft that a person could ride on, an electronically-assisted bicycle lift that could raise 250 lbs, a dynomometer for the Formula 1 team, a revolving potato gun, and an electric bicycle. It really helps to be a hands-on person for this project. Although the end result was fun and I learned a lot, you will spend a ridiculous amount of time on this project.
Overall, I would recommend this class to a diligent student who is looking to get some actual experience with designing and building a product. You'll get an A if you put the work in on the homework and show up to class, and you can gain some real world knowledge from the Master Project if you do it well. Don't take this class if you're looking to skate by without putting in much effort, or if you don't plan on showing up to class.
Grade Received: A
If you are a diligent person, this is the class for you. Homework is collected every class period and is generally 3-5 problems from Shigley's each time. I'd estimate it is about 1-3 hours per assignment. Most, if not all, of these problems can be found in a solutions manual, however if you want to do well on the tests I'd highly recommend you actually do the homework. Tests are open book, and if you've done the homework you are pretty much guaranteed to ace it since the test questions are generally almost the same as the homework.
If you are the kind of person who wants to put the work off until right before the midterm, you will flounder in this class since homework is usually worth a significant portion of the grade (20%). He throw pop quizzes on a weekly basis at you that are almost identical to the homework - there's nothing to worry about with these unless you didn't do the HW or didn't bring your book to class. He really pays attention to who is completing the homework, and it will hurt your ability to negotiate your grade later on if you haven't been keeping up with the homework.
The "Master Project" is unlike something you have ever experienced in a class before this. It will consume your weekends during the quarter you take this course, with some groups in my class spending over 150 hours on it. You are required to engineer and product, do the analysis, and write a report that ends up being about 60 pages long (writing, drawings, and pictures). Be prepared to drop $300 - $500 on this project divided between 5-6 people. The hardest part for most groups is that you actually have to build what you design, and it has to work or else your grade is going to be hurt. Examples of projects that our class did were: A 4x8 foot hovercraft that a person could ride on, an electronically-assisted bicycle lift that could raise 250 lbs, a dynomometer for the Formula 1 team, a revolving potato gun, and an electric bicycle. It really helps to be a hands-on person for this project. Although the end result was fun and I learned a lot, you will spend a ridiculous amount of time on this project.
Overall, I would recommend this class to a diligent student who is looking to get some actual experience with designing and building a product. You'll get an A if you put the work in on the homework and show up to class, and you can gain some real world knowledge from the Master Project if you do it well. Don't take this class if you're looking to skate by without putting in much effort, or if you don't plan on showing up to class.
Grade Received: A
Professor rated by: Mechanical Engineering Student on December 7, 2014
Helpful Rating?
ME 325
Machine Design
Pros: - Very knowledgeable on subject
- Keeps student focused
- Well structured course
- Extra Credit
- Keeps student focused
- Well structured course
- Extra Credit
Cons: - Grading a little harsh
Mr. Coburn is an amazing professor. He worked for Boeing, he is very knowledgeable on the subject and tries really hard to help. His course is very nicely structured, he follows the syllabus and makes constant announcements. As long as you work hard you will earn your grade. If you are looking for a easy professor look somewhere else. But if you are looking for a quality professor to learn the material take Coburn. I really enjoyed his class even though it was challenging.
Professor rated by: Mechanical Engineering Student on April 3, 2015
Helpful Rating?
ME 325
Machine Design
Pros: 1) He is very enthusiastic with teaching the material which will keep you intrigued throughout the class!!
2) There are plenty of opportunities for extra credit as long as you are willing to work for it.
3) Assigned homework is given every week and can be used to maintain a higher grade in the class.
4) The design projects are very fun as long as your group members work together to complete the assignment.
2) There are plenty of opportunities for extra credit as long as you are willing to work for it.
3) Assigned homework is given every week and can be used to maintain a higher grade in the class.
4) The design projects are very fun as long as your group members work together to complete the assignment.
Cons: 1) The exam was not difficult, however if you mess up on some of the problems, the red ink bleeds all over the paper!!! (If you do the homework and pay attention during lectures then this won't be an issue!)
THIS IS FOR ME 233/L.
Another tip is to make sure you are on time to his class. His quizzes are at the beginning of class and check Blackboard regularly as he posts up material that may help you for the next quiz. (Sometimes you have to check the morning before class!)
Overall, I had a great experience in this class. I honestly could not recommend a better professor for this course! Professor Coburn inspired us to be more creative which really helped improve our projects.
Another tip is to make sure you are on time to his class. His quizzes are at the beginning of class and check Blackboard regularly as he posts up material that may help you for the next quiz. (Sometimes you have to check the morning before class!)
Overall, I had a great experience in this class. I honestly could not recommend a better professor for this course! Professor Coburn inspired us to be more creative which really helped improve our projects.
Professor rated by: Mechanical Engineering Student on May 22, 2015
Helpful Rating?
ME 325
Machine Design
Pros: Professor Coburn is a professor that cares. He wants students to do well and his focus is on helping students to better themselves as future engineers. He lectures and tests fairly on theoretical knowledge + grades a final design/build project to allow both theoretical and hands-on type students to do well in his class. Coburn allows freedom of project selection with his approval to maximize student interest in the project, which can make the class really fun if you build something cool (propane-powered turbojet engine, hovercraft, etc.). He is very knowledgeable, enthusiastic about teaching and overall a great professor. Highly recommended.
Cons: Homework consisted of example problems from each chapter which can become ineffective for learning the material if you only take the time to copy it down.
Coburn tries to improve himself as a professor as much as he tries to improve students as engineers. He relies on student feedback in class and at the end of the quarter to help him decide how to teach the material better the next time around if there's anything students struggle with, let him know anything you have to say because he will listen.
Professor rated by: Mechanical Engineering Student on February 26, 2014
Helpful Rating?
ME 319
Stress Analysis
Pros: - Learning Matrices
- Course well structured
- Extra Credit
- Matlab
- Course well structured
- Extra Credit
- Matlab
Cons: - Grading
- Homework every class
- Homework every class
I really enjoyed taking this class with Mr. Coburn. This was my second class with him and I am glad I took it with him. This class is challenging because of the heavy work load. There is quizzes, and homework every class and project every week. I personally enjoyed this challenge, the subject is very difficult but Mr. Coburn makes it much more managable. After you take this class you will be pro at composites and have a nice code you can use in the future. I highly recommend him if you are willing to work hard.
Professor rated by: Mechanical Engineering Student on April 3, 2015
Helpful Rating?
ME 325
Machine Design
Pros: Interesting lecturer
Plenty of opportunities for extra credit
Projects are actually fun
Plenty of opportunities for extra credit
Projects are actually fun
Cons: Minimal problem solving examples in class
This is for professor Coburn's ME 233 class because koofers doesn't list it. Coburn is a solid teacher and even better a guy that is willing to help students out which is already better than some of the other ME department. This class isn't too hard but it does require a fair amount of work. The material is interesting but very introductory, leaving the harder calculations and concepts for your other classes. Overall this guy is definitely a good choice for this class.
Professor rated by: Mechanical Engineering Student on May 23, 2015
Helpful Rating?
ME 325
Machine Design
Pros: -offers tons of extra credit
-knows all student names(tries to get to know you)
-very active/energetic during class(you will not fall asleep)
-easy grading for projects, homework
-knows all student names(tries to get to know you)
-very active/energetic during class(you will not fall asleep)
-easy grading for projects, homework
Cons: -strict grading on exams
THIS REVIEW IS FOR ME 233/233L
Some general comments:
- Always be on time to class, there is usually a short 5 minute quiz beginning of class
- Raise your hand to answer/comment on questions( you will get extra credit)
- Lectures are all powerpoint, I just wished there will be more examples on the board relating to exams
Some general comments:
- Always be on time to class, there is usually a short 5 minute quiz beginning of class
- Raise your hand to answer/comment on questions( you will get extra credit)
- Lectures are all powerpoint, I just wished there will be more examples on the board relating to exams
Professor rated by: Student on May 25, 2015
Helpful Rating?
ME 325
Machine Design
Pros: Professor who cares!
NO TEXTBOOK
Tons of Extra Credit
Possibility to not take the final
Fantastic Professor across the board
NO TEXTBOOK
Tons of Extra Credit
Possibility to not take the final
Fantastic Professor across the board
Cons: For sketching quizzes, one line out of place could send you from an A to a C
* NOTE- THIS IS FOR HIS 233/L CLASS (Intro to Machine Design) NOT 325*
With that said, I found Professor Coburn to be an amazing Professor. First of all, THERE IS NO TEXTBOOK. That is a great plus. Instead, he puts up the main slides he wants you to know on Blackboard and you just print those off. You can even bring these to the tests, as well as a 3X5 card, so the tests aren't even that difficult. The grading scale is as follows:
Homework= 20%
Quizzes/In Class Exercises (bundled together) = 20%
Projects (Three of them) = 30% total
Tests (Two of them) = 20% total
Final Exam = 10%
One of the best things about him is that if you have an A going into the final, (93%) YOU DON'T HAVE TO TAKE IT.
He assigns homework abouut once a week, and the majority of it is really easy. You grade it yourself, but he checks it over to make sure you are trying to get points where you shouldn't
His quizzes were not that bad. They were the only thing bad i could say about him because he gives sketching quizzes, and if you miss one line you go from an A to a C. But they really weren't that bad. His Exercises are bundled with his quizzes, and he gives them out everyone once in a while. Basically, he gets you into groups, you design whatever he asks, and he collects it at the end of the class. Those were always interesting, and very easy as well.
For his Projects there were three of them, each worth 10%. One was dismantling a toy/tool and displaying it, one was building a marshmallow shooter, and the last one was building a spring powered car/land vehicle. The last two had powerpoint presentations attached. When it came to grading the projects, if they worked/ were done properly, Coburn was a really easy grader. Most people got 10/10's from him in our class. Funnily enough, most of the points lost were from the class grades ( His grading is worth 60% on projects, and the rest come from the class grading you). But as I said, if you actually do it and it works, you pretty much can't get lower than a 90%.
The tests were quite easy. You can bring your powerpoint slides (known as a "softbook") to them and you can also bring a 3X5 card. They are usually very short, and are not that bad at all.
That's pretty much his class, and I really enjoyed taking him. I HIGHLY advise you take him to. He cares and his projects are really fun. He is pretty easy, but you also learn a lot in his class.
Take him, take him, take him.
With that said, I found Professor Coburn to be an amazing Professor. First of all, THERE IS NO TEXTBOOK. That is a great plus. Instead, he puts up the main slides he wants you to know on Blackboard and you just print those off. You can even bring these to the tests, as well as a 3X5 card, so the tests aren't even that difficult. The grading scale is as follows:
Homework= 20%
Quizzes/In Class Exercises (bundled together) = 20%
Projects (Three of them) = 30% total
Tests (Two of them) = 20% total
Final Exam = 10%
One of the best things about him is that if you have an A going into the final, (93%) YOU DON'T HAVE TO TAKE IT.
He assigns homework abouut once a week, and the majority of it is really easy. You grade it yourself, but he checks it over to make sure you are trying to get points where you shouldn't
His quizzes were not that bad. They were the only thing bad i could say about him because he gives sketching quizzes, and if you miss one line you go from an A to a C. But they really weren't that bad. His Exercises are bundled with his quizzes, and he gives them out everyone once in a while. Basically, he gets you into groups, you design whatever he asks, and he collects it at the end of the class. Those were always interesting, and very easy as well.
For his Projects there were three of them, each worth 10%. One was dismantling a toy/tool and displaying it, one was building a marshmallow shooter, and the last one was building a spring powered car/land vehicle. The last two had powerpoint presentations attached. When it came to grading the projects, if they worked/ were done properly, Coburn was a really easy grader. Most people got 10/10's from him in our class. Funnily enough, most of the points lost were from the class grades ( His grading is worth 60% on projects, and the rest come from the class grading you). But as I said, if you actually do it and it works, you pretty much can't get lower than a 90%.
The tests were quite easy. You can bring your powerpoint slides (known as a "softbook") to them and you can also bring a 3X5 card. They are usually very short, and are not that bad at all.
That's pretty much his class, and I really enjoyed taking him. I HIGHLY advise you take him to. He cares and his projects are really fun. He is pretty easy, but you also learn a lot in his class.
Take him, take him, take him.
Professor rated by: Engineering - All College Student on May 28, 2015
Helpful Rating?
ME 325
Machine Design
Pros: -Uses PowerPoint fairly well
-Offers a lot of extra credit by telling you to email him for a point for a variety of things you can do in class such as answer questions or say something interesting or allow yourself to be used as an example.
-Very clear about his expectations
-Very nice guy and cares about his students and loves learning new things
-Offers a lot of extra credit by telling you to email him for a point for a variety of things you can do in class such as answer questions or say something interesting or allow yourself to be used as an example.
-Very clear about his expectations
-Very nice guy and cares about his students and loves learning new things
Cons: -Forgets about giving a break at the top of the hour in a 3 hour lab/lecture
-PowerPoint can be harder to follow through the more analytical topics such as welds and springs
-A lot of tables put into the softbook that was provided have fairly low quality resolution and are hard to read after printing them out
-2 weeks for one project can sometimes be too short
-PowerPoint can be harder to follow through the more analytical topics such as welds and springs
-A lot of tables put into the softbook that was provided have fairly low quality resolution and are hard to read after printing them out
-2 weeks for one project can sometimes be too short
NOTE: THIS IS FOR HIS ME233/L CLASS (there is no option to choose that class for him for some reason)
Professor Coburn is a pretty great lecturer in my opinion. He lectures mainly using PowerPoint, however he is one of the professors that uses it fairly well. One of the problems with PowerPoint is that sometimes it makes it a bit harder for a student to figure out what is important to write down while it is still up. He always posts his lecture slides though so it is never really too much of a problem.
There are 3 projects, 2 midterms, 1 final, a fair amount of quizzes, and a fair amount of design activities. Usually you can get a pretty good grade on all of them if you put effort into making your designs and projects in a way that is a bit extra. If you have a 93% or higher, you don't have to take the final.
He decided to give us a softbook with all the general concepts and formulas we need for our midterms, quizzes, and final exam which is pretty comprehensive and very useful. However some of the tables can be hard to read from poor resolution.
A lot of times he gave us mercy in terms of deciding to give us a quiz or not, which is nice in my opinion.
Machine design is not his area of specialty, nor does he pretend it is. His specialty is more in the strength of materials and composites area.
This quarter Spring 2015 is his last quarter in the Mechanical Engineering department. Starting next quarter in Fall 2015 he will be in the Aerospace department.
Overall I think Professor Coburn is a very down to earth guy who loves to teach and strives to become the best teacher he can. He is always willing to accept criticism. If I could I would take him again, although he is moving out of the ME department.
Professor Coburn is a pretty great lecturer in my opinion. He lectures mainly using PowerPoint, however he is one of the professors that uses it fairly well. One of the problems with PowerPoint is that sometimes it makes it a bit harder for a student to figure out what is important to write down while it is still up. He always posts his lecture slides though so it is never really too much of a problem.
There are 3 projects, 2 midterms, 1 final, a fair amount of quizzes, and a fair amount of design activities. Usually you can get a pretty good grade on all of them if you put effort into making your designs and projects in a way that is a bit extra. If you have a 93% or higher, you don't have to take the final.
He decided to give us a softbook with all the general concepts and formulas we need for our midterms, quizzes, and final exam which is pretty comprehensive and very useful. However some of the tables can be hard to read from poor resolution.
A lot of times he gave us mercy in terms of deciding to give us a quiz or not, which is nice in my opinion.
Machine design is not his area of specialty, nor does he pretend it is. His specialty is more in the strength of materials and composites area.
This quarter Spring 2015 is his last quarter in the Mechanical Engineering department. Starting next quarter in Fall 2015 he will be in the Aerospace department.
Overall I think Professor Coburn is a very down to earth guy who loves to teach and strives to become the best teacher he can. He is always willing to accept criticism. If I could I would take him again, although he is moving out of the ME department.
Professor rated by: Mechanical Engineering Student on May 28, 2015
Helpful Rating?
EGR 481
Project Design Principles and Applications
Pros: -Great lecturer
-Very Knowledgeable
-Answers your questions with ease
-Very helpful in office hours
-Very straightforward class
-Keeps you awake with his stories
-Plenty of chances for extra credit
-Optional Final
-Very Knowledgeable
-Answers your questions with ease
-Very helpful in office hours
-Very straightforward class
-Keeps you awake with his stories
-Plenty of chances for extra credit
-Optional Final
Cons: -tons of homework, due every time you meet along with a weekly assignment on writing MATLAB code
-Quizzes just about every day
-too much or for a tech elective
-HARSH GRADER!
-Quizzes just about every day
-too much or for a tech elective
-HARSH GRADER!
This is a review for ME 499 Composites
Grade breakdown goes like this:
15%HWK
15%MATLAB code
15%Quizzes
45%For 3 Test
10% Final
HWK is due every time you meet for class, Code is usually weekly.
Quizzes are given at the beginning of class and are usually based on the HWK you just turned in.
DO NOT BE LATE AT ALL, if you are you will lose points on your assignments due, quiz, and possibly more. (this I liked about Coburn)
3 Test are given throughout the Quarter, Number of questions vary due to the length of some problems.
The Final is optional. Coburn usually works out a deal to help your grade with the final. For us, he would take your top 3 test (including Final) and use that for your grade. If you choose to not take the final then your grade will not be affected by it.
This class is VERY time consuming, You can easily spend 10-15 min on one problem and multiple hours on writing MATLAB code. The topics covered are not very hard to understand, its very straightforward (thanks to Coburn's teaching) but very tedious and lengthy. Everyone SHOULD get a C or above in this class.
Coburn will have 2 required texts in his syllabus.
Don't buy either textbook. It has a lot of great info but it's unnecessary to the class. He provides a reference sheet with all the information you'll need. There was never a need for either book. It sat on my desk at home all quarter.
He hands out extra credit points for participation, finding mistakes in his work, and some extra credit assignments.
DO THEM ALL
My biggest gripe with Coburn is his very harsh grading of quizzes and test. You're not graded on how well you understand the material, you're graded on your final answer. If you make a small mistake somewhere near the beginning of at problem that obviously effects your final answer you will lose points on that particular mistake, any following parts based on the you get number from that mistake, and your final answer. You will literally lose half the points for that problem resulting in an F. You'd either get all the points if you had no mistakes or lose more than half if you made one, more if you made two. I alone knew about 15 students who had similar frustrations with his grading. Speaking to him about won't work either, he'll only tell you to study more and leave your score unchanged.
This was a big surprise to me as I've had him before for other classes and he was never such a harsh grader. Student's who have previously taken this class we're also surprised with his harsh grading when I spoke to them about it.
Don't expect the same easy grading you get from other tech electives.
Coburn is a great professor who truly cares about teaching students. It's very obvious he puts a lot of effort into it and I admire that about him. There are only of handful of professor like that in ME. Just wish he'd go a bit easier on grading.
If you want to learn composites and you're very good at catching small mistakes then take him. If you want to learn composites and don't want to risk a bad grade don't take time. Pull up mechanics of composites text book or NASA's journal on composites. Covers just about everything he does.
Grade breakdown goes like this:
15%HWK
15%MATLAB code
15%Quizzes
45%For 3 Test
10% Final
HWK is due every time you meet for class, Code is usually weekly.
Quizzes are given at the beginning of class and are usually based on the HWK you just turned in.
DO NOT BE LATE AT ALL, if you are you will lose points on your assignments due, quiz, and possibly more. (this I liked about Coburn)
3 Test are given throughout the Quarter, Number of questions vary due to the length of some problems.
The Final is optional. Coburn usually works out a deal to help your grade with the final. For us, he would take your top 3 test (including Final) and use that for your grade. If you choose to not take the final then your grade will not be affected by it.
This class is VERY time consuming, You can easily spend 10-15 min on one problem and multiple hours on writing MATLAB code. The topics covered are not very hard to understand, its very straightforward (thanks to Coburn's teaching) but very tedious and lengthy. Everyone SHOULD get a C or above in this class.
Coburn will have 2 required texts in his syllabus.
Don't buy either textbook. It has a lot of great info but it's unnecessary to the class. He provides a reference sheet with all the information you'll need. There was never a need for either book. It sat on my desk at home all quarter.
He hands out extra credit points for participation, finding mistakes in his work, and some extra credit assignments.
DO THEM ALL
My biggest gripe with Coburn is his very harsh grading of quizzes and test. You're not graded on how well you understand the material, you're graded on your final answer. If you make a small mistake somewhere near the beginning of at problem that obviously effects your final answer you will lose points on that particular mistake, any following parts based on the you get number from that mistake, and your final answer. You will literally lose half the points for that problem resulting in an F. You'd either get all the points if you had no mistakes or lose more than half if you made one, more if you made two. I alone knew about 15 students who had similar frustrations with his grading. Speaking to him about won't work either, he'll only tell you to study more and leave your score unchanged.
This was a big surprise to me as I've had him before for other classes and he was never such a harsh grader. Student's who have previously taken this class we're also surprised with his harsh grading when I spoke to them about it.
Don't expect the same easy grading you get from other tech electives.
Coburn is a great professor who truly cares about teaching students. It's very obvious he puts a lot of effort into it and I admire that about him. There are only of handful of professor like that in ME. Just wish he'd go a bit easier on grading.
If you want to learn composites and you're very good at catching small mistakes then take him. If you want to learn composites and don't want to risk a bad grade don't take time. Pull up mechanics of composites text book or NASA's journal on composites. Covers just about everything he does.
Professor rated by: Business - All College Student on March 12, 2015
Helpful Rating?
ME 325
Machine Design
This review is for his 233 course.
Coburn is one of the best professors you will ever have. He is an extremely caring and knowledgeable person. Here are some things you should know: Make it a goal to come to class early. If you are one minute late (literally), you will get points deducted off your homework or miss a quiz. In addition, you don't want to miss anything in his lectures. He is full of interesting stories and jokes. This makes the class more amusing especially at 8 in the morning.
There is a lot of information in this class, but he tells you what you need to know. He assigned homework once a week and they consisted about 3-7 problems. You had to grade your own homework based on the guidelines posted on the syllabus. The only problem I had is that sometimes the homework was a bit of challenge because I felt like there was inadequate information posted on his power points. I would recommend reading the book to fully grasp the concepts discussed in lecture. By the way, the book is optional and he provides a "softbook" (basically slides of power points) which he allows on the exams.
His exams were kind of like the homework. Use every single minute of the exam time to check your work. Coburn will brutally destroy your grade. If you forget to convert from inches to feet, say goodbye to an A. DON'T let that scare you away though. He will kindly let you redeem yourself by the amount of extra credit he offers. It's ridiculous and awesome at the same time. Coburn will you give extra credit from creating an object out of 3D parts to having a conversation with him about video games (I'm kidding about this part but I wouldn't doubt it).
He assigned three projects which can be a bit time consuming. START on the projects right away. You may think you are able to pull it off last minute but if you can't get your darn device to work then you're screwed. Your grade is based on 40% from your peers and 60% from Coburn. He is lenient. He will give you full points if you meet the requirements and give you extra if you went above and beyond.
Overall TAKE HIM. I will miss having Coburn as a professor. I wish he could teach every subject in the ME department.
Coburn is one of the best professors you will ever have. He is an extremely caring and knowledgeable person. Here are some things you should know: Make it a goal to come to class early. If you are one minute late (literally), you will get points deducted off your homework or miss a quiz. In addition, you don't want to miss anything in his lectures. He is full of interesting stories and jokes. This makes the class more amusing especially at 8 in the morning.
There is a lot of information in this class, but he tells you what you need to know. He assigned homework once a week and they consisted about 3-7 problems. You had to grade your own homework based on the guidelines posted on the syllabus. The only problem I had is that sometimes the homework was a bit of challenge because I felt like there was inadequate information posted on his power points. I would recommend reading the book to fully grasp the concepts discussed in lecture. By the way, the book is optional and he provides a "softbook" (basically slides of power points) which he allows on the exams.
His exams were kind of like the homework. Use every single minute of the exam time to check your work. Coburn will brutally destroy your grade. If you forget to convert from inches to feet, say goodbye to an A. DON'T let that scare you away though. He will kindly let you redeem yourself by the amount of extra credit he offers. It's ridiculous and awesome at the same time. Coburn will you give extra credit from creating an object out of 3D parts to having a conversation with him about video games (I'm kidding about this part but I wouldn't doubt it).
He assigned three projects which can be a bit time consuming. START on the projects right away. You may think you are able to pull it off last minute but if you can't get your darn device to work then you're screwed. Your grade is based on 40% from your peers and 60% from Coburn. He is lenient. He will give you full points if you meet the requirements and give you extra if you went above and beyond.
Overall TAKE HIM. I will miss having Coburn as a professor. I wish he could teach every subject in the ME department.
Professor rated by: Mechanical Engineering Student on June 1, 2015
Helpful Rating?
ME 319
Stress Analysis
Pros: Entertaining
Funny
Nice Guy
Great Professor
Funny
Nice Guy
Great Professor
Cons: Lots of Homework
Lots of quizzes
Lots of quizzes
Review for ARO 327
Coburn is honestly probably one of the best professor I have had, he really wants his students to understand the material. With that being said, expect to put in a lot of work. You need to come to class everyday, he gives frequent pop quizzes that cover basic concepts. Homework is assigned every single class and can end up taking 4+ hours to complete. Exams generally aren't too bad if you really have learned and understand the material. Coburn is pretty fair when it comes to grading and you'll never receive a grade that you did not deserve. His finals usually end up being optional and extra credit to take. Sometimes his lectures are really hard to follow, but I think that's just because he tries to throw a lot of material at you all at once and hardly ever does examples.
Lots of people will complain that Coburn is a really hard professor, last quarter I think around 40% of the class didn't pass. But his class is definitely passable/easy if you really take the time to understand the material.
Coburn is honestly probably one of the best professor I have had, he really wants his students to understand the material. With that being said, expect to put in a lot of work. You need to come to class everyday, he gives frequent pop quizzes that cover basic concepts. Homework is assigned every single class and can end up taking 4+ hours to complete. Exams generally aren't too bad if you really have learned and understand the material. Coburn is pretty fair when it comes to grading and you'll never receive a grade that you did not deserve. His finals usually end up being optional and extra credit to take. Sometimes his lectures are really hard to follow, but I think that's just because he tries to throw a lot of material at you all at once and hardly ever does examples.
Lots of people will complain that Coburn is a really hard professor, last quarter I think around 40% of the class didn't pass. But his class is definitely passable/easy if you really take the time to understand the material.
Professor rated by: Aerospace Engineering Student on November 27, 2016
Helpful Rating?
ME 325
Machine Design
Review For ME 233- Intro to Machine Design
Pro-
-Nice, Approachable
-Great lecturer
-Knows his stuff
-Organized
-Returns assignments right away
Cons-
-Really tough grader on tests/quizzes
-Lectures can be boring (b/c material covered and 2 hr lecture w/o breaks)
I would take him for ME 325, but he is leaving the department. Other than the fact that he grades super tough he is a great professor.
Pro-
-Nice, Approachable
-Great lecturer
-Knows his stuff
-Organized
-Returns assignments right away
Cons-
-Really tough grader on tests/quizzes
-Lectures can be boring (b/c material covered and 2 hr lecture w/o breaks)
I would take him for ME 325, but he is leaving the department. Other than the fact that he grades super tough he is a great professor.
Professor rated by: Mechanical Engineering Student on May 22, 2015
Helpful Rating?
ME 319
Stress Analysis
Pros: Great lecturer
Homework is effective in mastering material
Answers questions well
Homework is effective in mastering material
Answers questions well
Cons: Loads of Homework
Frequent quizzes can catch you off guard
Frequent quizzes can catch you off guard
RATING FOR ARO 329 (Not Listed)
I had Professor Coburn for ARO 326, 327, and 329. If you have taken him for 326 or 327, you should know the amount of workload to expect from 329.
General things to note about Coburn's classes:
There is homework due every class session, and he gives a frequent amount of quizzes, so make sure you come to class on time. Quizzes are based on broad topics and basic concepts. If you miss a lecture, you will be behind and the homework will be more difficult to finish. The tests are fairly similar to the homework. If you know how to do the homework inside and out, the tests won't be that bad. The final exam is optional and counts as extra credit if you decide to take it.
Specifically for ARO 329:
I found ARO 329 to have easier concepts than ARO 326 or ARO 327. The topics are easier to master, and the homework did not take as long as previous courses. The textbook for this class is a draft of the Aerospace handbook Coburn is currently writing, and such, there are some places with missing content, and you will need to write down what he says in lecture. On the bright side, it's a lot cheaper than buying regular textbooks.
TLDR: You will learn a lot about analyzing structures from Coburn, but be prepared to face lots of homework, quizzes, and tests.
I had Professor Coburn for ARO 326, 327, and 329. If you have taken him for 326 or 327, you should know the amount of workload to expect from 329.
General things to note about Coburn's classes:
There is homework due every class session, and he gives a frequent amount of quizzes, so make sure you come to class on time. Quizzes are based on broad topics and basic concepts. If you miss a lecture, you will be behind and the homework will be more difficult to finish. The tests are fairly similar to the homework. If you know how to do the homework inside and out, the tests won't be that bad. The final exam is optional and counts as extra credit if you decide to take it.
Specifically for ARO 329:
I found ARO 329 to have easier concepts than ARO 326 or ARO 327. The topics are easier to master, and the homework did not take as long as previous courses. The textbook for this class is a draft of the Aerospace handbook Coburn is currently writing, and such, there are some places with missing content, and you will need to write down what he says in lecture. On the bright side, it's a lot cheaper than buying regular textbooks.
TLDR: You will learn a lot about analyzing structures from Coburn, but be prepared to face lots of homework, quizzes, and tests.
Professor rated by: Aerospace Engineering Student on March 6, 2017
Helpful Rating?
ME 325
Machine Design
Pros: -Entertaining professor
-Gives out in class extra credit points to participating students
-Projects and in class exercises are fun
-Provides you with a soft-book full of formulas that you can use on tests
-You grade your own homework
-Gives out in class extra credit points to participating students
-Projects and in class exercises are fun
-Provides you with a soft-book full of formulas that you can use on tests
-You grade your own homework
Cons: -Long lectures
-You ALWAYS have to be on time
-A lot of presentations
-Doesn't do many examples in class
-Need the book to do some of the homework
-Strict grader on tests
-You ALWAYS have to be on time
-A lot of presentations
-Doesn't do many examples in class
-Need the book to do some of the homework
-Strict grader on tests
THIS REVIEW IS FOR ME 233/233L
Professor Coburn tries to make a 3-hour lecture as entertaining as it possible can be, but this is a difficult feat for anyone. At times you feel engaged in the lecture, but other times it will put you to sleep. ALWAYS BE ON TIME. If you're not, then you will miss quizzes, turning in weekly homework, or you might be stuck doing group exercises by yourself. Coburn assigns 3 group projects throughout the quarter which are fun, but they are slightly time-consuming and might hurt your wallet. You have to present each project to the class, but usually Coburn will grade nicely if you have a working project and nice presentation. On the other hand, he is a strict grader when it comes to midterms. He will take away a lot of points if you don't have the correct answer or accurate isometric/orthographic view. In order to get a good grade, you have to be willing to put in a good amount of effort.
Professor Coburn tries to make a 3-hour lecture as entertaining as it possible can be, but this is a difficult feat for anyone. At times you feel engaged in the lecture, but other times it will put you to sleep. ALWAYS BE ON TIME. If you're not, then you will miss quizzes, turning in weekly homework, or you might be stuck doing group exercises by yourself. Coburn assigns 3 group projects throughout the quarter which are fun, but they are slightly time-consuming and might hurt your wallet. You have to present each project to the class, but usually Coburn will grade nicely if you have a working project and nice presentation. On the other hand, he is a strict grader when it comes to midterms. He will take away a lot of points if you don't have the correct answer or accurate isometric/orthographic view. In order to get a good grade, you have to be willing to put in a good amount of effort.
Professor rated by: Mechanical Engineering Student on May 27, 2015
Helpful Rating?
ME 325
Machine Design
You can tell he really loves teaching and wants to generally help you learn. If you are lazy, late, or do not like a large work load, do not take his class. However if you are like that good luck in the industry as he merely prepares you for the future. Many may say he is a harsh grader but I think he was very fair. As long as you do your work, participate, and put in your honest effort it will be an "easy A", especially with all the extra credit handed out. Quizzes right when class starts so if you are late you don't get the points, homework each week worth a decent amount, tests are a little hard but possible if you study and the projects may be time consuming but you will learn.
Professor rated by: Mechanical Engineering Student on May 20, 2015
Helpful Rating?
ME 325
Machine Design
Pros: - grades harshly but fair on assignments/ quizzes/ tests
- grades like an angel on project but turns into an cold-hearted inquisitor if the presentation exceeds time limit or the project reflects a lack of heart and faith
-light-hearted on jokes or jabs/ charismatic
- tests are representative to course materials (No surprise)
-notecards/ softbook allowed on tests
- class grade distribution is merciful comparing to grading
- plenty of extra credit opportunities
- his detailed powerpoint slides illustrate the material graphically.
-great examples
- does not hesitate to challenge us by giving us difficult in-class project (aka throwing us into the ocean)
- really trains or coerces students into becoming effective communicators by putting emphasis on presentation
- giving us insightful advice on working outside in the field generously
- his project criteria requirement is golden and should be observed when doing senior project
-his extra credits open your eyes (Project Symposium)
- preparing us well for the rest of Machine Design series
- He will turn you into a real macho bad mamba jamba who is not afraid of taking on challenges.
- grades like an angel on project but turns into an cold-hearted inquisitor if the presentation exceeds time limit or the project reflects a lack of heart and faith
-light-hearted on jokes or jabs/ charismatic
- tests are representative to course materials (No surprise)
-notecards/ softbook allowed on tests
- class grade distribution is merciful comparing to grading
- plenty of extra credit opportunities
- his detailed powerpoint slides illustrate the material graphically.
-great examples
- does not hesitate to challenge us by giving us difficult in-class project (aka throwing us into the ocean)
- really trains or coerces students into becoming effective communicators by putting emphasis on presentation
- giving us insightful advice on working outside in the field generously
- his project criteria requirement is golden and should be observed when doing senior project
-his extra credits open your eyes (Project Symposium)
- preparing us well for the rest of Machine Design series
- He will turn you into a real macho bad mamba jamba who is not afraid of taking on challenges.
Cons: - truth (aka grading for tests) is brutally heart wrenching but it lets you know what is to be expected in the industry if you make stupid mistakes
- earning extra credits can be quite expensive (Ex: AIAA Conference, 3D printing)
-lectures can be long and boring but he tries to make it interesting with personal stories
- earning extra credits can be quite expensive (Ex: AIAA Conference, 3D printing)
-lectures can be long and boring but he tries to make it interesting with personal stories
This review is for ME 233/L.
Out of all the professors I have in CPP so far, Coburn is one badass that exemplifies the quality of a hard worker (nicely made powerpoint slides) as well as an honest instructor (honest grading). As a side note, his mustache is a symbol of macho grande. First and foremost, attendance is mandatory and do not be late. His class grade distribution is lenient. Although he punishes you dearly with his red marks if you screw up on one quiz/ assignment, many have ignored the grade distribution is his grace on students. Quizzes/ In class Projects are 20%, 3 tests are 10% each, homeworks are 20%, 3 projects are 10% each. That means your grade will not suffer if you have one screw-up. However, a lot of mistakes will go against you. His quizzes are easy. However, a lack of preparation (no softbook) means that you will not do well on quizzes. Most quizzes in his classes deal with orthographic 3 views or isometric drawings which should have been covered in MFE 126/L. People should not complain when he specifically said that he is going to test us on the drawings more than once. The complaints for his quizzes are panssy whining. As for tests, he gives 3 hours to do all the questions. Of course his grading will be unforgiving when we got a reference softbook, a notecard, and ample amount of time for the tests and quizzes. Both in-class practice projects and group projects are the breads and butters for this class. In a way, these projects increase students' confidence on the mastery of the course material such as simple machines. Also, in-class projects try to ignite your ingenuity on creating new gadgets/ machines. Most of them are fun and interesting such as the newspaper delivery robot. However, a well-constructed report/ presentation is the best way to get good grades and his attention. More so, the more time/ effort to make the design more complicated, the more points you will score. Also, you have to approach the project as if you are already an engineer which requires you to do calculation and safety inspection. It is essential for you to rehearse your presentation because a great product without a good presentation is a flower on top of a cactus. In brief, it will be a crime if you do not pass this class because it shows that you lack the work ethnic to become a competent engineer. Everyone should get an A if he/she is enthusiastic, diligent on his/ her work.
Out of all the professors I have in CPP so far, Coburn is one badass that exemplifies the quality of a hard worker (nicely made powerpoint slides) as well as an honest instructor (honest grading). As a side note, his mustache is a symbol of macho grande. First and foremost, attendance is mandatory and do not be late. His class grade distribution is lenient. Although he punishes you dearly with his red marks if you screw up on one quiz/ assignment, many have ignored the grade distribution is his grace on students. Quizzes/ In class Projects are 20%, 3 tests are 10% each, homeworks are 20%, 3 projects are 10% each. That means your grade will not suffer if you have one screw-up. However, a lot of mistakes will go against you. His quizzes are easy. However, a lack of preparation (no softbook) means that you will not do well on quizzes. Most quizzes in his classes deal with orthographic 3 views or isometric drawings which should have been covered in MFE 126/L. People should not complain when he specifically said that he is going to test us on the drawings more than once. The complaints for his quizzes are panssy whining. As for tests, he gives 3 hours to do all the questions. Of course his grading will be unforgiving when we got a reference softbook, a notecard, and ample amount of time for the tests and quizzes. Both in-class practice projects and group projects are the breads and butters for this class. In a way, these projects increase students' confidence on the mastery of the course material such as simple machines. Also, in-class projects try to ignite your ingenuity on creating new gadgets/ machines. Most of them are fun and interesting such as the newspaper delivery robot. However, a well-constructed report/ presentation is the best way to get good grades and his attention. More so, the more time/ effort to make the design more complicated, the more points you will score. Also, you have to approach the project as if you are already an engineer which requires you to do calculation and safety inspection. It is essential for you to rehearse your presentation because a great product without a good presentation is a flower on top of a cactus. In brief, it will be a crime if you do not pass this class because it shows that you lack the work ethnic to become a competent engineer. Everyone should get an A if he/she is enthusiastic, diligent on his/ her work.
Professor rated by: Mechanical Engineering Student on June 3, 2015
Helpful Rating?
ME 325
Machine Design
Pros: Fantastic Professor,
Very energetic and passionate about his subject
Is very honest with what he knows and doesn't know.
Very accessible via email.
Lots of Extra Credit
Very energetic and passionate about his subject
Is very honest with what he knows and doesn't know.
Very accessible via email.
Lots of Extra Credit
Cons: Grades pretty harshly on tests.
DISCLAIMER: This Review is for ME 233/233L as the option is not available for whatever reason.
Dr. Coburn was by far one of the best professors I have had. Although he may grade harshly, it really teaches you to check your work thoroughly. He takes into account that some students may not have the knowledge from a previous class, and often explains it briefly. During the lectures he also tries to add as much applications and examples as possible. Even if the subject matter wasn't the most interesting at times he would do his best to make it interesting. Very passionate about teaching and sharing knowledge as well as learning things himself. He isn't afraid to learn from his students if they know something he does not. The same can not be said for most professors.
He gives out a lot of extra credit, which helps since he deducts a large amount of points on tests and for coming into class late. I missed a quiz at the beginning of the year because I was 5 minutes late, but because of that I made sure I was punctual from that point on. I would call his grading a strange mix of harsh and generous. Even when it is harsh, it is still fair. Very little partial credit. He gives random points for random reasons, ie someone made him laugh or he used a person's name in an example.
He has a great sense of humor and takes comments or criticism very well. He even asks for input from his students on how to make the class better. If he does take anything personally he doesn't show any indication outwardly.
I put a lot of work into the class and even if I don't anticipate getting an A, I still sincerely believe it was one of the most beneficial classes I've taken thus far. Whether that is a function of the class itself or of Dr Coburn I may never know; but I can say I would have taken less out of it if not for him.
If I could take him again I would, however he will be moving to the Aerospace Engineering Department.
Dr. Coburn was by far one of the best professors I have had. Although he may grade harshly, it really teaches you to check your work thoroughly. He takes into account that some students may not have the knowledge from a previous class, and often explains it briefly. During the lectures he also tries to add as much applications and examples as possible. Even if the subject matter wasn't the most interesting at times he would do his best to make it interesting. Very passionate about teaching and sharing knowledge as well as learning things himself. He isn't afraid to learn from his students if they know something he does not. The same can not be said for most professors.
He gives out a lot of extra credit, which helps since he deducts a large amount of points on tests and for coming into class late. I missed a quiz at the beginning of the year because I was 5 minutes late, but because of that I made sure I was punctual from that point on. I would call his grading a strange mix of harsh and generous. Even when it is harsh, it is still fair. Very little partial credit. He gives random points for random reasons, ie someone made him laugh or he used a person's name in an example.
He has a great sense of humor and takes comments or criticism very well. He even asks for input from his students on how to make the class better. If he does take anything personally he doesn't show any indication outwardly.
I put a lot of work into the class and even if I don't anticipate getting an A, I still sincerely believe it was one of the most beneficial classes I've taken thus far. Whether that is a function of the class itself or of Dr Coburn I may never know; but I can say I would have taken less out of it if not for him.
If I could take him again I would, however he will be moving to the Aerospace Engineering Department.
Professor rated by: Mechanical Engineering Student on June 2, 2015
Helpful Rating?
ME 319
Stress Analysis
Pros: Very engaged teacher
He will help you whenever you need it
Pushes you to work hard and actually learn the material
Keeps you on your feet and doesn't let you get lazy
Easy to approach in office hours
Lectures are entertaining
Enthusiastic
He will help you whenever you need it
Pushes you to work hard and actually learn the material
Keeps you on your feet and doesn't let you get lazy
Easy to approach in office hours
Lectures are entertaining
Enthusiastic
Cons: Heavy workload
Tests can be difficult but they help you really understand material
Does not curve but offers extra credit and tries his best to not let you fail
Tests can be difficult but they help you really understand material
Does not curve but offers extra credit and tries his best to not let you fail
THIS REVIEW IS FOR ARO 499
You can be a sensitive student if you plan on taking Coburn. A teacher that actually wants you to learn by making you work very hard and practice constantly. He does not hand out easy grades so you could get your first C in the class but the amount that you've learned with that C is probably better than a lot of A's you have received.
You can be a sensitive student if you plan on taking Coburn. A teacher that actually wants you to learn by making you work very hard and practice constantly. He does not hand out easy grades so you could get your first C in the class but the amount that you've learned with that C is probably better than a lot of A's you have received.
Professor rated by: Aerospace Engineering Student on September 21, 2016
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