[BIOL 0304]
Aquatic Ecology

Rate This Class

Professor: Sheldon / Backus

Value of Course / Overall Score

Not Much (55.6%
Average (22.2%)
Valuable (22.2%)

Material

Friendly (14.3%)
Average (57.1%)
Competitive (28.6%)

Class Atmosphere

Boring (42.9%)
Average (57.1%)
Fascinating (0%)

Prep Time Needed

1-2hr (0%)
3-5hr (28.6%)
6-8hr (28.6%)
9-11hr (14.3%)
12+ hr (28.6%)

Grade Weighting

Harder (85.7%)
Average (0%)
Easier (14.3%)

Adequate Assistance

Yes (85.7%)
No (14.3%)

Would Recommend Class

Yes (14.3%)
No (85.7%)

Evaluation Comments for Sheldon / Backus

  1. This class is wonderful if you are already familiar with Sallie's teaching style. She is very unique, and her style is definitely different if you haven't had her before. She puts a lot of emphasis on you completing small assignments by going out and finding information on the internet or from other sources and synthesizing that. Her grading is certainly fair once you understand what she is looking for, and the labs are very interesting. Another great part of the course is that she allows you to work in groups on most assignments and really tries to stay away from lectures all the time. My biggest piece of advice for someone who has not had Sallie previously would be to befriend someone in the class who has taken a class with her because they will have a better idea of what she is looking for. She is also very available for questions and is always willing to clarify something if it is unclear. In summary, I thought it was a great class but it's certainly not for everyone.
  2. No Comment
  3. No Comment
  4. Aquatic Ecology was one of the most fun courses I've taken at Midd. You get to go snorkeling in lakes, wading in bogs, visit rivers to net fish, and design and run your own study at the end. In class, a large amount of time is devoted to student discussion and presentations about interesting aquatic systems such as the Great Salt Lake, and issues facing today's fisheries industry, like the continuing harvest of tuna. As Bio 302 changes the way people think about terrestrial organisms, Aquatic Ecology will change the way you think about aquatic ecosystems. Unlike many professors at Middlebury, Sallie Sheldon seems to actually care about her students more than she does about her research. She's always there to help if needed, and despite what some may say, there is an easy way to succeed. Just go talk to her during office hours before each assignment is due, and you'll raise your grade while actually learning something.
  5. Take it, but don't leave the "exams" to the last minute. Labs were fun, we went to bog, went snorkling in two lakes and visited the fish hatchery.
  6. Do not do not do not do not do not take this class with Sheldon. Worst experience since I've been at Middlebury. The structure of the class is all over the place and makes absolutely no sense. She is an extremely harsh grader without reason. Consider this your warning!
  7. I would not recommend this course. Although the labs are fun and exciting, the rest of the class was so poorly organized that it's impossible to actually learn anything. Lectures are extremely scattered and there are lots of busy work assignments and reading that have no relation to anything in the course. The take home exams end up being long research projects that take at least 12 hours each to complete (although, to really do a good job it requires much longer), and a lot of the information is in obscure, hard to find places. I was never really clear what the professor expected. Overall, I thought the class sucked up all my time and in the end, I don't feel like I actually learned anything.
  8. This class sucked up my life this semester. It was interesting material, but there was a lot of busy work that did not add to the education value at all, the "assignment" took literally at least 20 hours each, and the lecture was really messy. The labs were fun, but honestly this was not worth it. Also, do NOT take this class after having taking only intro bio classes, as it is really quite intense
  9. I would avoid this class. Sheldon is great, but I had trouble learning the way she structured the course.

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