PSYC 2300

Proffitt is the man. This is one of my favorite classes that I have taken at UVA, and definitely in the Psych department. The class is no walk in the park, but the information is really interesting, and Proffitt is a a VERY fair tester. Going to class is crucial to understanding, but if you study what he lectures on, you should do just fine. I highly recommend this class to anybody and everybody

This class is predicated on lecture attendance. Studying the book will only get you so far and really doesn't compare to being in the class even though the TAs provided notes. GO TO CLASS

All you need to do well in this class:
1) Attend lecture and take good notes (which you can later compare against the TA notes),
2) Look at the diagrams in the books, and
3) Take the practice tests on Collab.
The material is actually very interesting and answered a lot of questions I've had ever since childhood. (You can probably get at least a B+ if you do the above, but if you want an A, you should try to read the textbook.) Proffitt is a very good lecturer, but he is difficult to approach outside of class in that he kind of makes you feel like you're wasting his time. Overall, however, a worthwhile class!

Almost all of the information on test comes from lectures. Going to class is ESSENTIAL. The class requires a lot of studying and understanding but it is very interesting!!!

Probably the best psych class I've taken so far (out of 6), even if it really focuses more on what initially appears to be anatomy/biology. You'll look at the world differently after this class. Proffitt is exceptional at explaining concepts (as well as what to draw/write in your notes) which are often pretty abstract. Reading the book is interesting but optional- I preferred to focus exclusively on the lectures. He explains things so well that going over them again in the book actually made things less clear a lot of the time. So, I ended up not reading the book for any test except for the 1st and I did fine. Get used to hearing the word "kapusta"- a LOT

nothing really much to say except it was an awesome class. It's all about listening and understanding his lectures which are pretty straight forward. Study the material well, compare it to the TA's notes and it's very easy to get in the high 80's in exams. there are 3 exams and a final exam, and your grade depends all on those exams. It's pretty hard to average a 94 on all the exams, i found getting an A is pretty tough but getting a B+ or A- is pretty easy.

There are some up-sides, and there are some down-sides, but overall it's one of the more rewarding and interesting classes I've taken so far.
The good things: 1) Proffitt is really a very enjoyable lecturer and knows how to enliven the class with a few quirky quips here and there. 2) You don't really have to read the book. In fact, I'd venture so far as to say that you don't even have to buy it... though maybe you should, because occasionally it's good for clarification/reinforcement. 3) The quizzes and final are very straight-forward. All you really have to do is have a solid understanding of the concepts (so that you can recognize them in examples & suchlike), and remember a good set of terminology.
The bad things: 1) Even though Prof Proffitt is awesome, the class did get a bit tedious at times. 2) A good chunk of the quizzes were just straight-up memorization. But, if you study for a couple days prior and understand everything, a good grade isn't difficult to pull off.
Basically, doing well in this class is predicated on attending every single lecture, taking good notes, having more than a half-hearted understanding of the material, and memorizing a bunch. Overall, easy enough for most to handle.

LOVED Proffitt. Great professor; I actually enjoyed going to class.

Proffitt is the man. He seriously knows his stuff, and as a result, the midterms and final are almost entirely from lecture. If you take good notes during class, go to all the classes, and study your notes, you'll be set. I got an A+ in this class by doing that and I had limited psych background before taking it. The TAs are very helpful. Also, all the midterms and final are the same format and there are practice tests from earlier years given out before each midterm (and the final). There is limited outside reading (just textbook, which you only need to skim) and absolutely no other work. The only grades are midterms and the final. Take this class! Favorite professor at UVA thus far.

This class was interesting, as were the lectures. However, the tests were pretty challenging and graded a bit harshly considering the questions are short-answer. There is a lot of information on every test, so study ahead of time. Also, it helps to read the textbook diagrams because there will always be a few questions on every test pertaining to them (and they make the difference between a B+ and an A.