Michael Novak - Miami University

Professor: Michael Novak
Department: Chemistry
College: Miami University
Rating # 1
Overview:
  • Course: CHM244
  • Grade Received: B
  • Overall Rating: 1.5
  • Course Difficulty: 3.0
  • For Credit: Yes
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: Mandatory
Comment:
Orgo is hard. That's a given. Novak definitely does not make it easier. He challenges you and gives you 3 credits worth of work for a 2 credit class. However, you're gonna learn quite a bit fighting for that B. I turned an unedited version of the final report & he let me turn in the right copy. He does have a heart.
Rating # 2
Overview:
  • Course: 244
  • Grade Received: A
  • Overall Rating: 1.5
  • Course Difficulty: 4.0
  • For Credit: Yes
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: Mandatory
Comment:
Dr. Novak is intelligent but off-putting. He yells at TAs in front of everyone. Several of the labs have no direction. The reports are graded harshly. Exams are not bad but focus more on minute details rather than general concepts. I would not recommend taking him. The TA did his best, but he was Chinese and did not speak English very well.
Rating # 3
Overview:
  • Course: CHM244
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 1.0
  • Course Difficulty: 5.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
bad professor, decent class. interesting expts. you really never see the guy, but he always gets pissed off and isnt approachable. expects to know everything. points on reports get taken off mainly for report organization and structure, not content. tests are very hard. Also you have to learn an entire chapter on your own for the final exam
Rating # 4
Overview:
  • Course: CHM244
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 1.0
  • Course Difficulty: 5.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
Literally the worst teacher ever. When he comes around at the beginning of the lab to give directions, first off you can't hear him and then he makes no sense. If your doing something wrong he yells at you and gets really angry. Grade gets dropped 10% on each lab for dumb stuff and little small mistakes that don't effect the results of the report
Rating # 5
Overview:
  • Course: CHM244
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 1.0
  • Course Difficulty: 5.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: No
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
Expects you to know everything
Rating # 6
Overview:
  • Course: CHM144
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 2.5
  • Course Difficulty: 4.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
I really don't like Novak as a person, but you won't see much of him in the lab as his TA's do everything. He's very condescending but if you just listen to your TA you'll be fine. Novak is really smart and designed a lot for the lab, so he knows what he's doing. He's never in the lab, though, so just make sure you can depend on your TA for help
Rating # 7
Overview:
  • Course: CHM144
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 2.5
  • Course Difficulty: 5.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: No
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
Hard as hell, but really clear about assignments and what not.
Rating # 8
Overview:
  • Course: CHM145
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 1.5
  • Course Difficulty: 5.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
This was the worst three hour lab course I have ever had in my life...an absolute disaster...the environment is so hostile that literally I have seen ppl walk out crying afterwards....my TA was excellent, which is how i got a B in the class...this professor is terrible though..uninterested in students and impatient, another tenured, uncaring prof.
Rating # 9
Overview:
  • Course: CHM144
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 3.5
  • Course Difficulty: 3.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: No
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
I didn't see Novak much. He'd pop in lab once or twice and answered students' questions, but I never went to his office hours. The class wasn't impossible, just a lot of sometimes unnecessary work. The TA was more helpful than anything.
Rating # 10
Overview:
  • Course: CHMCHM
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 1.5
  • Course Difficulty: 5.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
This was the worst class I've ever taken at Miami. Novak doesn't help and just makes you feel stupid when you ask him a question. I lived in my TA's office and that's the only way i even passed the class. The midterm/final does not reflect what went on in class. I spent more time on this 2 credit hour class than any other class the whole semester.
Rating # 11
Overview:
  • Course: CHM144
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 1.0
  • Course Difficulty: 5.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: No
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
He is absolutely HORRIBLE!!!! DO NOT TAKE HIM!! I got a 100% on the midterm and had a high A going into the final, until I took the final. It was absolutely nothing like the study guide he gave us and questions came out of nowhere. It is so frustrating to lose an A on a final that was impossible. Do not take him!!
Rating # 12
Overview:
  • Course: CHM144
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 2.5
  • Course Difficulty: 5.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
He doesn't seem to be approachable and often yells at the TAs for "going slow".. It may just be the new lab book used but its really hectic in lab.
Rating # 13
Overview:
  • Course: CHM144
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 1.5
  • Course Difficulty: 5.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: No
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
I have an A in this class but it is such a struggle. This is a LAB!!! I do more work for this class than i do for lecture, that is stupid!! Do NOT take him. I go in to see my TA before every lab to check over my lab report and I still dont get a 100 on it because Novak changes things at the last minute! You cant win in his class, dont take him
Rating # 14
Overview:
  • Course: CHM254
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 4.0
  • Course Difficulty: 4.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
Originally I thought this was the meanest, most condescending teacher imaginable... but looking back I realized that I got more out of Dr. Novak's class than any other class I've taken at Miami. He's very tough, and you have to put a ton of time into his class, but if you do the work, you will go SO much out of it.
Rating # 15
Overview:
  • Course: CHM254
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 4.0
  • Course Difficulty: 4.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
Dr. Novak is organized, methodical, smart, and definitely fair. He only loses his patience when students come to class unprepared, expecting to be told how to do everything. Being able to think and function independently is the key to doing well in his lab!
Rating # 16
Overview:
  • Course: CHM254
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 4.0
  • Course Difficulty: 5.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
Prof. Novak gave more to the class than expected. I thought he was an excellent teacher, though some of the material was difficult to understanding. But, if you are having trouble with spectrometry from the beginning, go in to office hours right away.
Rating # 17
Overview:
  • Course: CHM244
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 2.0
  • Course Difficulty: 2.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: No
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
He seems like an intimidating dude and maybe condescending in lectures, but one on one he's a nice enough guy. Also, don't be scared about the grading, he curves the hell out of the class. I'm pretty sure an 80 was an A, and more than 2/3 of the class got an A or B.
Rating # 18
Overview:
  • Course: CHM241
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 1.0
  • Course Difficulty: 5.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
He's a jerk who doesn't care about educating students. He did coauthor the ACS exam a few years ago, but as professor he is demeaning, contemptuous, and hostile. Be prepaired to discipline yourself and expect nothing rom this professor.
Rating # 19
Overview:
  • Course: 241
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 2.5
  • Course Difficulty: 5.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: N/A
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
haha, don't ask a question because it will be a dumb question!!!!!!!!!!!!! this guy needs to just do research because i think he's too smart!
Rating # 20
Overview:
  • Course: CHM241
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 1.0
  • Course Difficulty: 5.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: N/A
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
Organic Chemistry sucks, but this man is a NIGHTMARE! Take anyone but him, if you have the option. He is unhelpful and rude. He is just horrible.
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