BIOL 4070

Ray Keller is fabulous. I don't think that he is that organized, but regardless he is very knowledgeable in his field. I didn't spend much time in the lab and our grade consisted of 2 4-5 page lab reports (including pictures) and 2 notebook checks. I don't think that anyone got below a B in the course. I personally got an A-.

This class is pretty awesome- you get to design and conduct your own experiments. The first part of the class is learning general info about Xenopus frogs, and the second half is conducting a group experiment. You do the the experiment on your own time (you have a flexible schedule, but sometimes you have to come in late at night or on the weekends to work on your embryos). Keller and Caroline (TA) are really smart and helpful. This class was a great way to learn about dev. bio and get experience with current lab equipment and techniques. Grade was participation, lab notebook, and final lab report (50%).

This class was amazing. Instead of being your typical canned lab, you get to decide what you research and as long as you get approved the rest is up to you. The independence is thrilling, and a good experience and Keller is ever the enthusiest about new finds. The only grades come from the lab notebook you keep and your final lab report but keller helps you on both of those so unless you ignore his advice you cannot go wrong.

It's a fairly disorganized class, but there's a lot of room for individual research and study. You're in and out of the lab at odd hours outside of class as well as in class research. The professor is really flexible.

Yes, this class is fairly disorganized but it's an easy A class so whatever. To be quite honest, I don't understand how anyone could not get an A. For the most part, you're working on your independent research that either Keller and/or Caroline suggest or come up with your own idea to test on the Xenopus laevis embryos. WARNING: because this IS a developmental class, the experiments you choose to perform are very time-dependent. You may be in the lab at odd hours (7AM or 11PM for example). Grade breakdown: 10%=participation, 40%=lab journal, and 50%=lab report on your independent research project (written in the style of an actual research paper). Good luck!

Keller is a great professor, and you can tell he really enjoys his work. He is willing to meet at all different hours to help with your projects and goes out of his way to make it all easy for you. Definitely take if you need an upper level lab.

Great class!

Extremely easy class. NO EXAMS. The entire course grade is based on keeping a lab notebook, and a lab report based on your semester project for the class. That's it. At least a guaranteed B, if not higher.

Great class to get undergrads hands wet in research. It totally builds up confidence if you've never worked in a lab before. Keller is the man!

This class seems easy and fun at the beginning and Keller leads you to believe that everyone will do well. But at the end of the semester, my groups project wasn't working and despite our good papers he gave my whole group Bs when other groups with the same project/problems got As so I guess he kind of picks favorites. Also its risky because your whole grade is based on a notebook that you keep and the paper you write at the end so his grading is veryy subjective