Professor
Richard Turco
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Most Helpful Review
If you would have asked me before i got the grade in this class, i would have told everyone to never take this class. First, Air Pollution was extremely boring. Professor Turco is a pretty boring lecturer too so all and all it made for a majority of the class sleeping in his class every lecture. Furthermore, basically everything you need to know is in the slides so going to lecture can be kind of pointless, but you pretty much have to go to lecture because he give pop quizzes and there are no make-ups. Needless to say, my TA was really good, but i heard the other TA could barely speak english and most people didn't grasp any of the concepts. Also, the midterm and final were really hard and tricky even though i studied a lot for that class. Despite everything i just said- I got an A in the class. I have no idea how, but i did. So i don't know if every quarter has an extremely high curve, but if it does, maybe someone might consider taking this class. I, though, think that it was too much effort for a GE.
If you would have asked me before i got the grade in this class, i would have told everyone to never take this class. First, Air Pollution was extremely boring. Professor Turco is a pretty boring lecturer too so all and all it made for a majority of the class sleeping in his class every lecture. Furthermore, basically everything you need to know is in the slides so going to lecture can be kind of pointless, but you pretty much have to go to lecture because he give pop quizzes and there are no make-ups. Needless to say, my TA was really good, but i heard the other TA could barely speak english and most people didn't grasp any of the concepts. Also, the midterm and final were really hard and tricky even though i studied a lot for that class. Despite everything i just said- I got an A in the class. I have no idea how, but i did. So i don't know if every quarter has an extremely high curve, but if it does, maybe someone might consider taking this class. I, though, think that it was too much effort for a GE.
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Most Helpful Review
I took this course thinking it was going to be a breeze. There were no tests, quizzes, or even a final. However, there are weekly 1 page essays and 1 final 10 page research paper. Turco is one of THE MOST BORING professors I have had to endure throughout my stay here at UCLA. I have never seen so many students asleep in such a small class (about 40 kids). He takes attendance, but this doesn't factor into your grade, but in my opinion it factors into how much he likes you and the grades he gives you on the essays. These page papers he assigns are always assigned on Thursday, due on Friday by 5 (I think it's his cruel way of trying to punish those students that go out Thursday nights). Not to mention he takes off fraction of points without explanation (3.2/5, 4.7/5, etc). He makes lengthy power point presentations, but 9 out of 10 lectures, he only stays on about 1 or 2 slides and just talks in circles. He knows he's a big shot in the atmospheric science realm and he doesn't hesitate to show it with his hauty attitude and demeanor during lecture and OH. Take this class if you don't mind writing a research paper and don't mind being put to sleep during lectures.
I took this course thinking it was going to be a breeze. There were no tests, quizzes, or even a final. However, there are weekly 1 page essays and 1 final 10 page research paper. Turco is one of THE MOST BORING professors I have had to endure throughout my stay here at UCLA. I have never seen so many students asleep in such a small class (about 40 kids). He takes attendance, but this doesn't factor into your grade, but in my opinion it factors into how much he likes you and the grades he gives you on the essays. These page papers he assigns are always assigned on Thursday, due on Friday by 5 (I think it's his cruel way of trying to punish those students that go out Thursday nights). Not to mention he takes off fraction of points without explanation (3.2/5, 4.7/5, etc). He makes lengthy power point presentations, but 9 out of 10 lectures, he only stays on about 1 or 2 slides and just talks in circles. He knows he's a big shot in the atmospheric science realm and he doesn't hesitate to show it with his hauty attitude and demeanor during lecture and OH. Take this class if you don't mind writing a research paper and don't mind being put to sleep during lectures.
Most Helpful Review
Course taken: Air Pollution (A&O 3) Professor Turco is a good person. He is a good lecturer and is prepared all the time. Sometimes he does some scientific experiment in class, which you have to pay attention to as it comes out on quizzes and exams. But his textbook has a serious problem. When it comes to an environmental issue like the air pollution, I think keeping up with the most recent data is the most important thing. However, almost all of the graphs and statistics about the extent of air pollution in the atmosphere are at least 20 to 30 years old. Also many of estimated amounts and numbers and theories and hypothesis explained in the book are hardly believable. If there is one good thing about this class, it will be the high curve that professor Turco adds to your grades. I massed up some quizzes, got a C on the midterm and a B on the final, and never participated during discussions. So, I thought I would get a B or B+, but I got an A. So, I don't know if this is an easy class or not because I got bad grades on the exams even though I thought they were pretty easy. And I got a grade far higher than what I was expecting to get.
Course taken: Air Pollution (A&O 3) Professor Turco is a good person. He is a good lecturer and is prepared all the time. Sometimes he does some scientific experiment in class, which you have to pay attention to as it comes out on quizzes and exams. But his textbook has a serious problem. When it comes to an environmental issue like the air pollution, I think keeping up with the most recent data is the most important thing. However, almost all of the graphs and statistics about the extent of air pollution in the atmosphere are at least 20 to 30 years old. Also many of estimated amounts and numbers and theories and hypothesis explained in the book are hardly believable. If there is one good thing about this class, it will be the high curve that professor Turco adds to your grades. I massed up some quizzes, got a C on the midterm and a B on the final, and never participated during discussions. So, I thought I would get a B or B+, but I got an A. So, I don't know if this is an easy class or not because I got bad grades on the exams even though I thought they were pretty easy. And I got a grade far higher than what I was expecting to get.
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