Reviews for Patricia Ann Shields
Average Rating:| Anonymous Course: BSCI222 Grade Expected: A December 24, 2011, 7:40 am | well first off, this class is hard. SHe has a lower grade distribution than the other teacher who taught it my semester koucher. I couldn't fit koucher into my schedule so i took patty. First of all she is interesting, out-there professor (alcoholic) or as many say shes "Patty". The class is hard to get an A in, but possible if you do all of her study guide questions and homeworks. THe way her exams work there are at least two big response questions that were close to or exactly the same as the homework questions. I remember on the second exam the average as a 58, but the two free response questions most people did wrongly were almost verbatim from homework questions she answered. If you can do pretty well of the three exams 85 and above, and you do well of other work, you can get an A i think. Also if you have an A before the final, you don't have to take the final (you can leave with your A). I would recommend taking patty if your actually more interested in genetics, but other than that, if you can get an easier professor you can do so. but if your stuck with patty REMEMBER: DO THE ASSIGNED HOMEWORKS. |
| Anonymous Course: BSCI222 Grade Expected: A December 23, 2011, 7:14 am | I chose to take Shields over Kochner after reading many reviews about what an interesting and relatable teacher Shields was. Looking back, I would not take genetics with Shields. That being said, I am not a bio major. I'm a biochem major who thought taking genetics would be interesting and an "easier" A than other science classes. After talking to other students in Kochner's class, I do believe I understand the material more. If you are looking to truly learn genetics and possibly get a B instead of A, then I would take Shields. Lastly, do realize this is a 4 credit class. There is a ton of work that goes along with this class. Weekly quizzes and HW assignments, not to mention the other random assignments due certain weeks. |
| erika_14 Course: BSCI105 Grade Expected: A December 22, 2011, 7:59 pm | Shields is a great professor. She may be harder than the other teachers and her exams may be more difficult, but in the end, you feel good about how much you have learned. She goes really in depth in the material and this material overlaps with BSCI222 so you're more prepared for genetics. Shields is an awesome lecturer. You HAVE to understand every single little thing. DEFINATELY go to GSS sessions and review sessions - she holds them before exams and you can ask her anything you have trouble with and she will explain it to you. So all in all if you have to take Shields, you have to go into it knowing you're gonna spend a lot of time with the material. And remember - she NEVER curves. I honestly didn't think I'd get an A but somehow I aced the final and that bumped my grade. So just try hard and ask for help! |
| terp121 Course: BSCI222 Grade Expected: B December 18, 2011, 3:38 pm | Dr. Shields is a good professor, but is very difficult. A tremendous amount of effort is needed in order to get a decent grade. She tries to trick you on her exams and even brags about how difficult her exams are. If you ask a question in lecture that she thinks is "stupid" then she will not hesitate to patronize you and tell you that your question does not make sense. However, she does provide about thirty points of extra credit, and you are not required to take the final if you are satisfied with your grade. If you want to take the final, you are allowed to drop your lowest exam score. Overall, I would recommend taking the other professor. |
| Anonymous Course: BSCI222 Grade Expected: B December 17, 2011, 10:42 am | Dr. Shields was amazing. She was a great lecturer (funny, engaging, etc) and was very responsive to student needs. The tests were hard, multiple choice, short answers then 2-4 long answers. There were weekly quizzes and homeworks for discussions which were not too bad, just annoying. My TA was awesome and before each test had ~40 questions for us to do to help us prep. I loved this class, which I needed for Pre-Med, and I absolutely recommend Dr. Shields. She also does "take the grade or take the final", most people take the grade and you have one less final to study for! |
| Anonymous Course: BSCI222 Grade Expected: B December 3, 2011, 8:02 pm | If I had to do it over again, I would not take Shields. Compare Shields and Kochner's GPA distribution. 10% of the class gets more As in Kochner's class than in Shields. I don't know how to study for her tests. My second and third test scores have gone down even though I do well on the online quizzes and have done all the HW assignments, gone through the clicker questions, lecture notes, and read the book at least three times. This is the only class that my test scores have gone down the more I study. Shields is a good lecturer and does seem to relate to her students as long as you don't piss her off with stupid questions. Her tests aren't hard, but she grades really strictly so it's hard to get a good grade. You need to write the specific words/ reasoning or she won't give you credit. |
| defeatthehuns Course: BSCI222 Grade Expected: B December 3, 2011, 6:34 pm | Dr. Shields is an incredibly brilliant and knowledgeable professor. She herself is awesome and definitely cares more about her students than most of the other professors I've had so far. That being said...if you are one of the really forgetful flaky types(like me) this is not the class for you. There are lots of busy-work assignments to keep up with and with other classes to worry about, I and other students have missed the deadlines for a bit of them. I gave her a high rating because she is truly an excellent teacher, but I would have probably still taken it with a different professor, looking back. She is a harsh grader, and her exams are very difficult. There were 7 TA's helping to teach our class. I had a good TA, but some of my friends had this clueless TA who didn't know how to answer ANY questions relating to genetics at all, so if your TA sucks, then you're gonna have a harder time with the class than others. Shields is a great professor, but her class was HARD and I'll be glad to be done with it. |
| Anonymous Course: BSCI105 Grade Expected: A- August 4, 2011, 5:33 pm | She was a tremendous professor. Biology is a hard class, and she warns you of that. But she makes so many resources available to you and really wants to help you learn. If you have to take BSCI105, take Shields. No question! |
| Kris10 Course: BSCI105 Grade Expected: May 17, 2011, 9:59 am | While she is very entertaining in lecture, she is very pretentious and condescending and has expectations for the course that are far too high for a 100-level course. She said so herself that only 12% of the students in the class were biology majors, yet she expected us all to be fully invested in HER class (like every high school teacher who thinks only their class is important). She also almost considered herself Mother Theresa for the clicker requirements and the Mastering Biology quizzes, the ladder of which were not as easy as she though and weren't as helpful to our grades as she boasted. And if we didn't do them (like on the 2 times I forgot) she'd go off on a rant of "This many students are just throwing away their points, right into the trash." My roommate who was also in the course was having some clicker issues even though she went to most lectures. What was Dr. Shield's opinion of people who didn't have any clicker credit? "You're all skipping my class, saying 'Screw Dr. Shields'" like it was personal. While the extra credit opportunities she gave were extremely helpful, not all of us taking the course have a goal of curing cancer. As a psychology student in that class, it would have been nice of her to acknowledge that there are some topics (photosynthesis, for example) that not all of us need to know on an expert level. |
| Anonymous Course: BSCI105S Grade Expected: B May 11, 2011, 1:27 pm | One of the funnier teachers I've had. I'm not huge into cell bio, so I didn't like the class very much, but Shields made it interesting every day. Go to class and do the clicker questions. Even if you get it wrong you get points, and a lot of her questions on exams are from the clicker questions. Lab grades will really help your grades too. I got an A in lab, and that brought my overall grade up by a whole letter. |
| Anonymous Course: BSCI105 Grade Expected: B April 25, 2011, 4:38 pm | Shields' is an awesome professor. She is one of the most entertaining lecturers you'll ever have the pleasure of hearing. She makes the material easily digestible and puts a lot of effort into forcing everyone to understand what's going on (regular clicker questions, Guided Study Sessions, her own reviews, accessible office hours). That said, it's possible to come out of the class knowing nothing at all (but not doing very well on the exams). The class itself is somewhat difficult. Like all huge intro lectures, there's a lot of annoying work that you have to do, and it's hard to get A's on all of them. You've got 13 homework assignments, 3 tests and a final, in-class clicker questions (you just have to answer them, it doesn't matter if you got the answer correct) and a plethora of work you've got to do for lab. Whatever. You could do way worse than taking this class with Patty Shields. |
| Hosea Course: BSCI105 Grade Expected: B- April 19, 2011, 1:21 pm | Dr. Shields is a very engaging lecturer. However, she may go fast sometimes and will even cram material up until the day before the test. You MUST attend every lecture because you will feel lost if you skip one. Reading the book may help somewhat, but she will often mention things that are not found in the book. She is very willing to help you understand concepts at any time. Even though she may seem mean sometimes in lecture, she just wants respect like any other professor. Her office hours are helpful and she truly wants you to learn the material. But you must help yourself! She truly makes you work for it. There is a tonnnn of material that she covers. Her exams will cover almost everything she goes over in class. They are difficult, but fair. This is why you must go to every lecture. Lab was okay, but the lab report was a pain in the ass because I had never written one before. If you get Seth as your TA, you're in good shape; he is not a hard grader and is pretty chill and laid back. Dr. Shields truly makes you work for your grade. But you come out feeling like you actually learned something. I worked fairly hard in this class but I will probably end up with a low B. |
| Anonymous Course: BSCI105 Grade Expected: A March 21, 2011, 7:58 pm | I do not understand why people seem to like Patty Shields so much. Maybe they took her for genetics, because for 105 she isn't all that great. She's not a bad lecturer and she's a nice person, but she doesn't really seem like she knows what she's talking about beyond what she teaches. If you don't know chemistry very well, don't take Shields. She doesn't feel the need to explain any chem because she "already had to take orgo and now it's your turn." Her tests aren't hard - with a minimal amount of studying you can understand the material. But her exam questions are always poorly worded. The hardest part of the class is figuring out what she wants, even on her clicker questions. I'm not a big fan of Patty. She thinks she's really funny and all but if you actually want to learn I would take Simon. |
| Anonymous Course: BSCI105 Grade Expected: B December 14, 2010, 4:14 pm | Exams are really hard. She is a good teacher but she has a weird attitude (somewhat condescending). Her exams are very unclear at times and she basically teaches this course as if everyone in her class is going to be a doctor. UMD BIO DEPARTMENT (REALITY CHECK) NOT EVERYONE IN BSCI105 is going to be a doctor. SOME OF US NEED IT JUST TO FULFILL A 100 LEVEL REQUIREMENT. It is an introductory bio course 100 level. Sheilds definitely does not treat it like one. She makes it extra difficult. I could have gotten an A but the workload and amount of information on the exams made it difficult for me so I ended up with a B. If you are a bio person who works really hard and enjoys studying take her. If not....stay away from shields |
| Anonymous Course: BSCI222 Grade Expected: B December 11, 2010, 3:55 pm | Awesome professor. She is approachable, will be straightforward with your concerns, keeps the class entertained, etc. There is busy work, but it helps boost your grade. Her tests are reasonable with half being MC and the other half being problems (which are usually easy to guess beforehand). You buy the lecture notes at the beginning of the semester and the exams and weekly quizzes are based off of that. |
| Anonymous Course: BSCI222 Grade Expected: A December 5, 2010, 1:22 pm | Even though there were many who complained that her tests were too long, or too hard, I found her tests reasonable. There are busy work that you will have to do, but I feel that it helped with some of the materials that are covered in class. Quizzes are usually from the outline she provides in class, and as long as you read, and go over her notes, there is no way you will not get an A in this class. She does not curve, so I hope you do not rely on a curve. Dr. Shields is very nice, and approachable! I give her A++++ :) |
| genbiomajor Course: BSCI222 Grade Expected: B November 30, 2010, 10:46 pm | Shields is a very entertaining professor. Her snide remarks and chirpy voice will surely keep you awake during class. She is a very clear lecturer and explains concepts well. Unfortunately, there is a trade off: her exams are really difficult and she does not curve. While the grades you earn on the exams make up the majority of the total points in the class, your grade can also depend on your TA. Each TA writes their own quizzes, which you have once a week in discussion. Some TAs give ridiculously easy quizzes, while others give incredibly hard quizzes. But, that's just luck. I found the textbook to be very helpful when studying for the quizzes, as well as the exams. If you want to learn and enjoy genetics, take Shields. If you are not a very diligent student and just want to boost or maintain your GPA, take the other professor (Kocher). |
| cmstillings Course: BSCI105 Grade Expected: B May 29, 2010, 3:35 pm | P. Shields is by far one of the best biology professors at UMD. Although she may be a bit tough, and her tests a bit hard with no curve, if you study for two or three days and do the things she tells you to in order to prepare, you will get a great grade. She warns you in the beginning of the class, if you are not a bio major get out now. So, she means business. But if there is ever something you have a question about take advantage of her office hours. She is always open to meeting with students, sooner rather than later. I went to her to review after every test to see how I would pan out in the class and she even gave me some points back! P. Shields also is a great lecturer. This class is phenomenal and she gives you every opportunity to pass, but still makes you earn it. The class has clicker questions and a lot of small tasks but they just boost your grade in the end. She prints out a notebook of $18 in the beginning of the year and if you attend lecture and use the notebook and text book to study along with the clicker questions you will pass. All in all, hilarious teacher, keeps you engaged and really wants her students to pass. If you have to take BSCI105 take it with her! |
| Anonymous Course: BSCI105 Grade Expected: May 16, 2010, 8:44 am | She's a great lecturer and she's funny, but her tests are HARD! You have to really understand everything to do well. There's no curve, but she does give some extra credit opportunities and easy exercises that you should get 100% on. Lab is supposed to help your grade, but if your TA is hard, then lab would barely help your grade. Unless you're a pre-med student or a biology major, you probably won't get an A in the class. |
| sillyputty184 Course: BSCI222 Grade Expected: A April 19, 2010, 2:00 pm | BSCI105: Same deal as 222. clickers, lectures posted, fair exams. I took Ap in high school but just didnt take the test. Easy A. BSCI222: Took her because I did well in her 105. REALLY knows her stuff. Confident woman that doesn't take crap from anyone. You have to go to discussion, which is lame, but an easy way to boost a grade. Drop an exam or skip the final. clickers. buying the notes helps A LOT Yeah she can be inappropriate, but she's always well intentioned and always funny. Usually what she says is what we are all thinking, or ends up being how you remember something. High A in both classes |
| tallboyt Course: BSCI222 Grade Expected: C March 2, 2010, 10:35 am | Interesting class. She good and nice one-on-one (especially when it comes to grade calculations), but if you are mean, she'll be mean right back. She does not curve (every point counts!) and has some extra credit points. She uses clickers: first question (which you have to be on-time to class for) is graded by correctness and all others are just participation. There are weekly quizzes and other assignments due (considered busy work). there are 3 tests OR 2 tests+final (one can be dropped, but if you drop it you have to take the final). Tests are hard and you need to take her basic lecture notes and put them in detail on your own. |
| tero4life Course: BSCI222 Grade Expected: A December 22, 2009, 11:49 pm | Outstanding professor. One of the very best biology professors at UMD! |
| Anonymous Course: BSCI222 Grade Expected: B December 17, 2009, 7:44 pm | She is a very good instructor. Her notes are organized, clear, and succinct. She compiled her notes in a notebook that you can purchase at the beginning of the semester for $13, so that you do not have to waste paper and ink to print the notes. I thought it was a very generous gesture, and it's well worth it. She has a witty sense of humor, and her voice is anything BUT monotonous. The subject of genetics is already interesting, and Shields does a fabulous job explaining all the concepts. The class is a lot of busy work though. In addition to lectures, there is a 2 hour discussion that meets once a week. During every discussion, you have a quiz and usually some form of assignment due, whether it's a mathbench quiz or a homework assignment. The discussions are fairly helpful to review what is taught in lecture. Shields also uses clickers, so make sure you attend class. She does NOT curve; in fact, an 89.5% is still a B. You must get a 90% flat to get an A, 80% for a B, 70% for a C, and so forth. However, she does provide around 20 points of extra credit. She also gives you the option of not taking the final exam if you are satisfied with your grade. However, if you are unsatisfied (i.e. on the borderline), she allows you to drop your lowest exam and replace that grade with the final. It is not easy to get an A, but it is not hard to get a B. Great professor- I highly recommend her. |
| Anonymous Course: BSCI105 Grade Expected: May 27, 2009, 2:49 pm | Shields was the only good bio professor I had back when I was still a microbiology major. I took BSCI105 in spring 2008 and I loved the class with her. She explains things really well, her exams are hard but fair (I mean come on, don't expect cell bio to be an easy class!), and she has these cool videos that reinforce a lot of major topics learned in class (like DNA synthesis, transcription and translation). You HAVE to read the book to fully understand everything. This is NOT because Shields is a bad professor. It's because cell bio and its processes are really detailed, and there's just no way she can teach it all in the limited amount of class time that there is. I had to work really hard in Shields' class, but it's worth it. With Shields, you end up really learning a lot and feeling good about it. Definitely take Shields. |
| Anonymous Course: BSCI222 Grade Expected: April 10, 2009, 7:33 pm | Excellent Professor! Showed every concept and was very engaging. The discussions did have some busy work but it did help me understand some of the material. |
| moonbeem7d Course: BSCI222 Grade Expected: C December 17, 2008, 4:09 pm | As a lecturer, Dr. Shields is great. She is really engaging and she makes learning about genetics really interesting. Her tests are really hard. I got 2 Cs and a B and expected to get a B in the course and then came the final. The final is comprehensive and was impossibly long. I had a very hard time finishing the exam in two hours. |
| Anonymous Course: BSCI222 Grade Expected: A December 11, 2008, 10:06 pm | When I read these reviews I was intimidated but I absolutely loved this class and Dr. Shields. She is an amazing teacher and does a great job explaining material and giving you the tools you need to understand it. She is very receptive to questions in and out of class, and I thought her exams were fair (though I believe she did say she shortened them from previous years). There can be quite a bit of work, but if you just go to class, pay attention, and do the required work, you can easily get by. I think it may also depend on how good your TA is at reviewing the material. Discussion can be long and boring but overall it is extremely helpful and cut down on a lot of my study time. Shields also holds review sessions once per week, and her guaranteed grade system was awesome. |
| angeleyez2008 Course: BSCI105 Grade Expected: B November 30, 2008, 12:01 am | BITCH BITCH BITCH!!!!This old hag may be a good instructor but face to face she is cold-hearted. She makes a lot of innapropriate comments and makes you not want to ask her questions.Her exams are fair overall, but she givess too much busy work. |
| Anonymous Course: BSCI222 Grade Expected: A November 18, 2008, 10:43 pm | WAAAAY too much busy work. its like high school all over again. Exams are hard and she does not give enough time. She does not curve. Do not listen to all the reviews saying she is good. |
| alyz Course: BSCI222 Grade Expected: B November 12, 2008, 9:29 pm | Clickers used Straight forward exams Overly excited teaching Inappropriate comments sometimes (funny though) Review session every week She seems happy to be teaching! :) |
| gundamwing4132 Course: BSCI222 Grade Expected: B May 1, 2008, 12:39 pm | Excellent teacher funny, very energetic and inspiring all lectures outlines were on blackboard and were very helpful clickers were used in class not much work at all fair exams |
| Anonymous Course: BSCI105 Grade Expected: April 27, 2008, 8:54 pm | Excellent professor, posts lecture notes online, and tests straight from the outlines. Doesn't offer much extra credit and DOES NOT curve. Lab isn't too bad if you have the right TA. A good grade is possible but you'll have to work for it. She wants all of her students to get A's, but won't just hand them out. She's very receptive if you have questions or need help. Reviews every week at various times |
| accwow Course: BSCI222 Grade Expected: A December 26, 2007, 10:21 am | Excellent professor. I really learned a lot in this class. She can be a little rude when you interact with her face-to-face, but her excellent teaching skills make up for her personality. |
| emilyes Course: BSCI105 Grade Expected: November 5, 2007, 12:38 pm | One of the happiest professors that I have had at Maryland. Dr. Shields seems to love teaching students and it shows in her lectures. She was also always willing to help students if they needed it. I wish I could have taken more classes from her! |
| afollmer Course: BSCI222 Grade Expected: A October 24, 2007, 4:04 pm | Dr. Shields reminds me of a cracked out drag queen. If I would have taken the class freshman year I probably would have loved her coddling style but as an upperclassman I thought the busywork was extremely ridiculous. |
| pinklacepajamas Course: BSCI222 Grade Expected: October 21, 2007, 11:37 am | Very engaging and dynamic teacher, although a little in-your-face and shocking at times. The workload is not bad, and discussion isn't horrible, depending on your TA. |