Evaluation Comments
Course:Automata Theory and Formal Grammars
            (CSC-444-702)

Quarter:Autumn 04/05
Time: 01:00 - 01:00
Location: Distance Learning
James Riely PhD

Associate Professor
jriely@cs.depaul.edu
Instructor homepage

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Summary     1       2       3       

What are the major strengths and weaknesses of the instructor?


1.   Major complaint is not being prepared for class. Often fumbles at proof steps and back-tracks multiple steps, confusing the student who has spent time trying to understand the steps that were just nullified. Instructor can obviously understand the proofs, so I believe that he simply needs to review the proofs before teaching them to avoid this situation.
2.   The instructor is very friendly and knowledgeable however, his teaching methods along with the fact that none of our homework was graded left me feeling like I had to teach myself. I found the most beneficial information on the Internet.
3.   weaknesses - perhaps assumes too much about students understanding of subjectstrengths - knowledge of subject

What aspects of this course were most beneficial to you?


3.   helping me decide what I don't want to do in the future

What do you suggest to improve this course?


3.   more structured (maybe one class) on proof concepts, what's expected of the student?

Comment on the grading procedures and exams


1.   Midterm exam was very long. Major complaint was the 'busy' work involved. One could ask a question with a short answer where only the student who understands the concepts could get it right (appropriately testing the material), but I feel that some questions on the midterm were tedious and extremely long where a much shorter question could have tested the same knowledge.
2.   Grade the homework.
3.   no comment

Other comments?