Professor
Ben Knowles
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Most Helpful Review
Fall 2025 - Such an amazing and engaging professor! The lectures were extremely interesting as Professor Knowles uses analogies and drawings rather than simply reading off slides to get his points across. This year, the class was updated, and there were quizzes on lecture material at the end of class, meaning participation mattered. The quizzes were easy, open book and consisting of 5 questions. You were able to drop 4 of the lowest quiz scores. Midterm was take-home short answer essay, and 'final' was a more than manageable in-class test with short-answer questions and quiz-like multiple choice questions. Group work consisted of making 6 TikTok videos about the content you learned in class during discussion, which was easy and fun! The class was very engaging and low-stress, which gave me the chance to enjoy and absorb molecular evolution and its nuances! Really loved the class and would 100% take another class with Professor Knowles again.
Fall 2025 - Such an amazing and engaging professor! The lectures were extremely interesting as Professor Knowles uses analogies and drawings rather than simply reading off slides to get his points across. This year, the class was updated, and there were quizzes on lecture material at the end of class, meaning participation mattered. The quizzes were easy, open book and consisting of 5 questions. You were able to drop 4 of the lowest quiz scores. Midterm was take-home short answer essay, and 'final' was a more than manageable in-class test with short-answer questions and quiz-like multiple choice questions. Group work consisted of making 6 TikTok videos about the content you learned in class during discussion, which was easy and fun! The class was very engaging and low-stress, which gave me the chance to enjoy and absorb molecular evolution and its nuances! Really loved the class and would 100% take another class with Professor Knowles again.
Most Helpful Review
Fall 2023 - This class was sooooo laidback. There were quizzes, writing assignments, and participation in discussion as assignments. You could basically ask for unlimited extensions on the quizzes/assignments and they would be granted. Still, you shouldn't let them pile up, as I know several people did this and were left typing out 5 writing assignments in week 10, when everyone else was working on their final project. Dr. Knowles is super lenient, but could at times be passive aggressive and a bit unreliable, with them cancelling lecture one time and not even notifying us. Also, no one really knew what was going on for our final project, when it'd be due, or what needed to be in it, and Dr. Knowles acted like we had that knowledge. Still, my T.A. (Graham) was an angel and so helpful in this project. I should also note that if you plan on learning about aquatic ecosystems, you would be better off doing your own research. Most of Knowles' lectures consisted of reading off the slides, talking about the pictures, or rambling about something else. Still, if you want an easy A, I would recommend this class with them.
Fall 2023 - This class was sooooo laidback. There were quizzes, writing assignments, and participation in discussion as assignments. You could basically ask for unlimited extensions on the quizzes/assignments and they would be granted. Still, you shouldn't let them pile up, as I know several people did this and were left typing out 5 writing assignments in week 10, when everyone else was working on their final project. Dr. Knowles is super lenient, but could at times be passive aggressive and a bit unreliable, with them cancelling lecture one time and not even notifying us. Also, no one really knew what was going on for our final project, when it'd be due, or what needed to be in it, and Dr. Knowles acted like we had that knowledge. Still, my T.A. (Graham) was an angel and so helpful in this project. I should also note that if you plan on learning about aquatic ecosystems, you would be better off doing your own research. Most of Knowles' lectures consisted of reading off the slides, talking about the pictures, or rambling about something else. Still, if you want an easy A, I would recommend this class with them.
Most Helpful Review
Winter 2024 - Professor Knowles is a very funny and engaging professor! This is the second class I've taken with them so I knew what to expect coming into the class as it was very similar in structure. The classes consisted of lectures and a few assignments but the assignments changed drastically from what they originally were in the syllabus. To be completely honest, I am not sure if they are going to change the class structure again but there will be some type of verbal or written assignment in lecture whether it be an essay ( the original assignment) or a fun video about a topic about viruses (the assignment they ended up changing it to). Lectures were mandatory and there are quizzes on an assigned book about viruses at the start of the lecture about small details from the book which you can retake at the end of the quarter and they drop quite a few of the quizzes. Discussions were mandatory and each week a group was expected to present a viral ecology paper discussion homework consisted of asking questions about the paper that the professor wouldn't think to ask (which was super difficult to do at times and a bit vague for the TAs to grade based off of). Overall, you should take this class since they are obviously very passionate and know the material since this is their own research but just be open to going with the flow as things in the class can suddenly change and they are constantly wanting feedback or student input for the changes.
Winter 2024 - Professor Knowles is a very funny and engaging professor! This is the second class I've taken with them so I knew what to expect coming into the class as it was very similar in structure. The classes consisted of lectures and a few assignments but the assignments changed drastically from what they originally were in the syllabus. To be completely honest, I am not sure if they are going to change the class structure again but there will be some type of verbal or written assignment in lecture whether it be an essay ( the original assignment) or a fun video about a topic about viruses (the assignment they ended up changing it to). Lectures were mandatory and there are quizzes on an assigned book about viruses at the start of the lecture about small details from the book which you can retake at the end of the quarter and they drop quite a few of the quizzes. Discussions were mandatory and each week a group was expected to present a viral ecology paper discussion homework consisted of asking questions about the paper that the professor wouldn't think to ask (which was super difficult to do at times and a bit vague for the TAs to grade based off of). Overall, you should take this class since they are obviously very passionate and know the material since this is their own research but just be open to going with the flow as things in the class can suddenly change and they are constantly wanting feedback or student input for the changes.
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