Professor profile for Edward Robinson
Student reviews of Edward Robinson
Review from a student who took 301
Robinson is a wonderful professor, and the class is genuinely interesting on occasion. The grading policies are very attractive: 80 and above gets you an A, 70 through 80 is a B, so forth. He even drops your lowest test score, which can allow you to skip the final entirely. This makes slacking all the more attractive. I put forth minimal effort throughout the semester, and pulled an A with an 80.91. Robinson posts his lecture slideshows online, but you still need to go to class because he will place extra information on the overhead sometimes. He has weekly homework assignments, but apparently he holds two help sessions. I never went; his outlines give you the answers verbatim most of the time. The only thing that sucks about this class is having to but the textbook. It is really expensive, and you are only expected to read maybe 4 pages out of it. Actually, you are supposed to read several full chapters, but I never felt the need and still made a decent grade.
Robinson is a wonderful professor, and the class is genuinely interesting on occasion. The grading policies are very attractive: 80 and above gets you an A, 70 through 80 is a B, so forth. He even drops your lowest test score, which can allow you to skip the final entirely. This makes slacking all the more attractive. I put forth minimal effort throughout the semester, and pulled an A with an 80.91. Robinson posts his lecture slideshows online, but you still need to go to class because he will place extra information on the overhead sometimes. He has weekly homework assignments, but apparently he holds two help sessions. I never went; his outlines give you the answers verbatim most of the time. The only thing that sucks about this class is having to but the textbook. It is really expensive, and you are only expected to read maybe 4 pages out of it. Actually, you are supposed to read several full chapters, but I never felt the need and still made a decent grade.
Review from a student who took Ast 301
I thought Robinson was an excellent teacher. If you print out the powerpoint slides he provides online, and actually go to class you will do relatively well. I ended up with an 83 and that was an A. (80 up is considered an A, but watch out he doesn't curve bc of it.) Granted it is easy to zone out in his class... but if you listen in he will give hints for test questions. You just have to be observant and go to class. He gives 5 exams and either drops the lowest or you don't have to take the final. Homework is a pain in the ass due everyweek almost.. but he offers a two help sessions (one for him and one for his TA) the day before its due... so basically its an easy grade if you go. My only advice would be to ACTUALLY DO the observing project it counts alot in the hw grade. Other than that I suggest him above all other AST profs.
I thought Robinson was an excellent teacher. If you print out the powerpoint slides he provides online, and actually go to class you will do relatively well. I ended up with an 83 and that was an A. (80 up is considered an A, but watch out he doesn't curve bc of it.) Granted it is easy to zone out in his class... but if you listen in he will give hints for test questions. You just have to be observant and go to class. He gives 5 exams and either drops the lowest or you don't have to take the final. Homework is a pain in the ass due everyweek almost.. but he offers a two help sessions (one for him and one for his TA) the day before its due... so basically its an easy grade if you go. My only advice would be to ACTUALLY DO the observing project it counts alot in the hw grade. Other than that I suggest him above all other AST profs.
Review from a student who took ast 301
He is a okay teeacher, better than any other ones. His notes and powerpints are online so you don't have to write frantically. One test grade is dropped and 10% is homework and projects. He has help sessions every week, including his TA. Tests are MC.
He is a okay teeacher, better than any other ones. His notes and powerpints are online so you don't have to write frantically. One test grade is dropped and 10% is homework and projects. He has help sessions every week, including his TA. Tests are MC.
Review from a student who took ast 301
Robinson is a really nice guy and tells jokes on a daily basis. Even so, lecture can be, and often is, boring. His notes are available online, which is nice, since only a few can stay awake during lecture. Homework is due on a weekly basis. There are 5 tests and your lowest test grade is dropped. An 80 in this class = an A!!!
Robinson is a really nice guy and tells jokes on a daily basis. Even so, lecture can be, and often is, boring. His notes are available online, which is nice, since only a few can stay awake during lecture. Homework is due on a weekly basis. There are 5 tests and your lowest test grade is dropped. An 80 in this class = an A!!!
Review from a student who took Ast 301
I admit his lectures were boring but the notes were on the web. It may seem hard to understand them but if you bring them to class and read along as he lectures its really easy. Besides that an 80 is an A. REALLY EASY A.
I admit his lectures were boring but the notes were on the web. It may seem hard to understand them but if you bring them to class and read along as he lectures its really easy. Besides that an 80 is an A. REALLY EASY A.
Review from a student who took AST 301
On Pick A Prof I read that this guy was easy. He is not. (When I think of easy I think not a lot of work.) If you are a slacker and do not like to go to class EVERYDAY, don't take this. The notes are on the internet but there are so many to read through and they are confusing and boring. Plus he adds stuff in class. You have a HW assignment due every week and the only way to get the right answers are to go to the review every week (usually Thurs night.) The tests are hard and the final is optional. I got a C with SOME effort--I went to class about 3/4 or half the time and did go to the reviews.
On Pick A Prof I read that this guy was easy. He is not. (When I think of easy I think not a lot of work.) If you are a slacker and do not like to go to class EVERYDAY, don't take this. The notes are on the internet but there are so many to read through and they are confusing and boring. Plus he adds stuff in class. You have a HW assignment due every week and the only way to get the right answers are to go to the review every week (usually Thurs night.) The tests are hard and the final is optional. I got a C with SOME effort--I went to class about 3/4 or half the time and did go to the reviews.
Review from a student who took Ast 301
I also took Robinson because of what I saw through Pick a Prof. Maybe it's just me, but the class itself was really difficult. It deals a lot more with physics and very abstract ideas then concrete things and "simple math" like he says. I struggled for a B. If you don't have to take Astronomy, you'd probably be better off taking some other science class like genetics or biology.
I also took Robinson because of what I saw through Pick a Prof. Maybe it's just me, but the class itself was really difficult. It deals a lot more with physics and very abstract ideas then concrete things and "simple math" like he says. I struggled for a B. If you don't have to take Astronomy, you'd probably be better off taking some other science class like genetics or biology.
Review from a student who took AST301
Robinson is a wonderful professor. He's also an incredibly nice guy. Very easy to talk to. He's obviously very passionate about what he teaches, so you definitely won't feel like you're listening to Ben Stein when you go to class. Sometimes he makes jokes, and he'll even recite a sonnet about Astronomy or something random like that on occasion. He nearly perfectly fits the archetype of the eccentric, grandfatherly scholar. I'd compare his personality to Elder Gutknecht's (for any fellow Tim Burton nerds out there). The grading scale for this class is VERY generous, as an 83 earns an A, a 73 a B, etc. There is a short and easy homework assignment every week, and he gives one-question mini pop-quizzes, during which you are allowed to use calculators, laptops, phones, your neighbor, etc., to help you come up with the answer. Easy. Finally, he gives a 10-question exam every Friday. The exams aren't open-note, but as long as you've paid attention to the week's lectures and have done a bit of studying, it's easy to ace them. And what's great is that the final exam is optional. Should you choose to take it, your grade for the final will replace your four worst exam scores. Honestly, I don't understand how anyone can manage to NOT get an A in this class. Yet past years' course averages have apparently been mid to low Bs. I suppose it just depends on whether or not you're willing to pay attention to lectures, take notes, do homework, and do a MINIMAL amount of studying. It's really very easy when you apply yourself enough, and it's also an interesting class. If you aren't a lazy piece of crap, this class is definitely a GPA booster.
Robinson is a wonderful professor. He's also an incredibly nice guy. Very easy to talk to. He's obviously very passionate about what he teaches, so you definitely won't feel like you're listening to Ben Stein when you go to class. Sometimes he makes jokes, and he'll even recite a sonnet about Astronomy or something random like that on occasion. He nearly perfectly fits the archetype of the eccentric, grandfatherly scholar. I'd compare his personality to Elder Gutknecht's (for any fellow Tim Burton nerds out there). The grading scale for this class is VERY generous, as an 83 earns an A, a 73 a B, etc. There is a short and easy homework assignment every week, and he gives one-question mini pop-quizzes, during which you are allowed to use calculators, laptops, phones, your neighbor, etc., to help you come up with the answer. Easy. Finally, he gives a 10-question exam every Friday. The exams aren't open-note, but as long as you've paid attention to the week's lectures and have done a bit of studying, it's easy to ace them. And what's great is that the final exam is optional. Should you choose to take it, your grade for the final will replace your four worst exam scores. Honestly, I don't understand how anyone can manage to NOT get an A in this class. Yet past years' course averages have apparently been mid to low Bs. I suppose it just depends on whether or not you're willing to pay attention to lectures, take notes, do homework, and do a MINIMAL amount of studying. It's really very easy when you apply yourself enough, and it's also an interesting class. If you aren't a lazy piece of crap, this class is definitely a GPA booster.