Evaluation Comments
Course:Data Structures II
            (CSC-403-910)

Quarter:Spring 12/13
Time: ::: - :::
Location: Distance Learning
James Riely PhD

Associate Professor
jriely@cs.depaul.edu
Instructor homepage

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Summary     1       2       3       4       5       6       

What are the major strengths and weaknesses of the instructor?


1.   Great teacher, terrible at getting homework graded promptly on his own. He needs the help of a grader.
2.   Strengths are that he is obviously skilled at his craft. Weakness is that he is not a good communicator and confuses more than helps. I think he knows what he is talking about but he cannot seem to communicate it effectively to others. He doesn't like to answer questions and seems unorganized.
3.   Knowledgeable of the subject matter, but basicallly used all the material of another school's Algorithm's class and taught it in a more confusing manner.
4.   I've had Prof. Riely twice now. I have greatly enjoyed his classes. Strengths: Understands the material backwards and forwards and explains it very well. Gifted lecturer. He picks assignments that are not exceedingly hard and help with comprehension of the subject matter. Goes above and beyond to answer questions after class and through email.Weaknesses: Not many. Last quarter I found his exams to be monstrously difficult, but this quarter the midterm was just right.
5.   Very knowledgeable about all the topics and information presented in the class. Very animated and involved in the material which made it easy to get into. The book was great, but I feel like all of the material we saw in class and in the book was the same so it was hard to get a different perspective on the material when a concept didn't make sense.
6.   He was very engaging.

What aspects of this course were most beneficial to you?


1.   Great course as baseline for other study.
2.   Learning about graphs.
3.   All of it.
4.   
5.   The book was one of the biggest assets because of the clarity of its presentation.
6.   The whole course has been useful and applicable to my current employment.

What do you suggest to improve this course?


1.   Make sure Prof. Riely has a grader to help him grade homework in a timely manner.
2.   Have it taught by another instructor.
3.   Clearer Lectures, assignments with more instruction (some are vague).
4.   
5.   More material, homework, or exercises that don't come from just the book.I loved the book but the homework problems were not very good and often times very confusing.
6.   None

Comment on the grading procedures and exams


1.   
2.   It is hard to judge because we never get feedback. Dr. Riely doesn't even grade our work. It is 3 weeks from the final and we haven't even got homework 1 graded yet. Only the midterm grades came back. I wish I could get a partial refund for this course.
3.   Please grade the homework on time! It's 7 weeks in and I don't have any graded homework
4.   Keep the short answer format.
5.   Exam was graded very quickly.Homework seemed to not matter and while I understand the problems facing the instructor in grading it we never really received much feedback on it. I think a different homework format next semester, and less problems out of the book might make the homework experience better and more useful.
6.   It was fair.

Other comments?


1.   
2.   Dr. Riely is a brilliant mind in Computer Science. But I sincere believe he should be in research or in the field and not teaching people. He is not very patient, he doesn't answer questions, he doesn't give feedback, and he seems like teaching is more like an after thought. I like the fellow, as he can be entertaining, but he isn't what I would call a top notch instructor.
3.   
4.   
5.   Great instructor, great class, couldn't imagine taking it with any other professor.
6.   I'm glad it's over.