EC ENGR 123B
Fundamentals of Solid-State II
Description: Lecture, four hours; outside study, eight hours. Enforced requisite: course 123A. Discussion of solid-state properties, lattice vibrations, thermal properties, dielectric, magnetic, and superconducting properties. Letter grading.
Units: 4.0
Units: 4.0
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Most Helpful Review
Where to start... OK, let's go with the positive side first. Unless you ask for it, it seems like it is almost impossible not to get an A for EE123B. That is, show up to class, do homework, and try decently hard to complete tests, and you get an A. So, good for those who take classes who only cares about grades. Now you may be thinking this sounds like a good deal, right? Here is the drawback. You learn almost nothing in this class. Why? Two reasons. 1. The book used in this class (Solid State Physics, Kittel) is garbage. 2. The professor is obviously not qualified (in my opinion) to teach, simply because of not knowing the material and lacking preparation. Do you know what happens in class when teachers don't know what to teach? 1. Lecture slides are composed of meaningless equation after equation from the text without no physical insight or reasoning. 2. Often gets lost in her own slides. (and making non-trivial, fundamental conceptual mistakes.) 3. Pop quizzes for most of the lectures (perhaps to cut lecture time?) 4. Makes every student do an in class presentation. Now, do you know what happens out of class? 1. TA teaching what should have been taught in class. 2. Take home format tests. Trust me, you won't like these at all. It will take you all the time given (3 days or so) non-stop to complete them. Why take-home? Well unfortunately, in class exams would be impossible for this class because nobody has any base of knowledge to work problems with! I could keep going on and on why I hated this class, but I think you get the idea by now. Hopefully, you guys will disagree with me. If not, too bad.
Where to start... OK, let's go with the positive side first. Unless you ask for it, it seems like it is almost impossible not to get an A for EE123B. That is, show up to class, do homework, and try decently hard to complete tests, and you get an A. So, good for those who take classes who only cares about grades. Now you may be thinking this sounds like a good deal, right? Here is the drawback. You learn almost nothing in this class. Why? Two reasons. 1. The book used in this class (Solid State Physics, Kittel) is garbage. 2. The professor is obviously not qualified (in my opinion) to teach, simply because of not knowing the material and lacking preparation. Do you know what happens in class when teachers don't know what to teach? 1. Lecture slides are composed of meaningless equation after equation from the text without no physical insight or reasoning. 2. Often gets lost in her own slides. (and making non-trivial, fundamental conceptual mistakes.) 3. Pop quizzes for most of the lectures (perhaps to cut lecture time?) 4. Makes every student do an in class presentation. Now, do you know what happens out of class? 1. TA teaching what should have been taught in class. 2. Take home format tests. Trust me, you won't like these at all. It will take you all the time given (3 days or so) non-stop to complete them. Why take-home? Well unfortunately, in class exams would be impossible for this class because nobody has any base of knowledge to work problems with! I could keep going on and on why I hated this class, but I think you get the idea by now. Hopefully, you guys will disagree with me. If not, too bad.
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Most Helpful Review
*Taken 6B and 6C He's the greatest physics professor ever. I got a A in 6B with him so I'm taking 6C with him now. I highly recommend him. He only tests what's in lecture which is great so you don't have to look at the book at all. He doesn't care about the homework either as long as it gets done. The homework is basically irrelevant for the tests. I would recommend recording the lectures and really understanding everything he says (ie every demo and practice problem). Pay special attention whenever he says various possibilities of variations of an example can appear on the test, hes not kidding. He's very straightforward, and honestly if you can't get an A in his class you can't get an A in any physics class at ucla. Very doable.
*Taken 6B and 6C He's the greatest physics professor ever. I got a A in 6B with him so I'm taking 6C with him now. I highly recommend him. He only tests what's in lecture which is great so you don't have to look at the book at all. He doesn't care about the homework either as long as it gets done. The homework is basically irrelevant for the tests. I would recommend recording the lectures and really understanding everything he says (ie every demo and practice problem). Pay special attention whenever he says various possibilities of variations of an example can appear on the test, hes not kidding. He's very straightforward, and honestly if you can't get an A in his class you can't get an A in any physics class at ucla. Very doable.
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