PHYS 1425

This class is hard but Dukes is an okay professor; he is very approachable and he does plenty of demos. Only take this class if you have to because it is hard to do well in even though there is a generous curve. The 3 midterms are quite tricky and hard to study for, and sometimes your grade on tests is a coin flip as all the test Dukes gives are multiple choice and only 15 questions. The final is 40 multiple choice and they are a bit simpler than the 3 midterms but still difficult.

Dukes isn't horrible, but he isn't great. The class was easier for me because I had taken AP physics 1 and 2 in high school, and Dukes did fine teaching it as a refresher course, but for someone learning the concepts for the first time it may be more difficult. The demonstrations are useful, but he doesn't explain them well, so I would recommend looking up better versions online because those really helped me get the concepts. Study clicker questions for tests, because he will sometimes take them and use them verbatim on tests. Also, he doesn't teach fundamental theories well, so it could be useful to look up really basic questions that don't use numbers because those will inevitably show up on tests.

Seriously, don't take this course unless you need to. His lectures are boring and people only go for the clicker questions; you can do other homework while answering a question or two every 10 minutes or so. Dukes can be condescending if you ask him a question and he wonders why you don't understand a concept. His lectures are filled with random information that you won't need for the tests, and he reads formulas to you that are on the formula sheet. The demos are cool though and Al the demo guy is the real MVP. The tests are really difficult and they are only 15 multiple choice questions. I found the best way to study was to go through the powerpoints the night or two before the test and just skip the fluff. The best part of this class was when he would show basketball clips from March Madness at the beginning of class.

love Dukes even though this class wasn't easy. Demos in class made this one of my favorite classes of the semester. The tests were hard and sometimes the homework got ahead of the material but overall a good time

Dukes is a boring lecturer. MasteringPhysics taught me absolutely nothing. Do not go into the midterms expecting to get all the questions right. They are all multiple choice but even the highest scores normally aren't better than 12/15. The only things I will remember from this class is "Oh! Iclicker question", Jaguar XKRs, and Al the Demo Guy. Without Al this class would be total chaos because Dukes is so so clueless during the demos.

Dukes is a fine lecturer. It's not an interesting class--though to be fair, the material itself is pretty boring--but some of the demos are cool and you have to go because of iClicker questions anyway. My main issue with Dukes is that he didn't care if anyone actually learned the material--like if there was an iClicker question that 80% of the class got wrong, you'd think he would go over the relevant concepts so that people understand, right? Nope, he just moves on. Happened a bunch of times throughout the semester, especially towards the end when things get more complicated.

Also, he doesn't post lecture notes online until he's done teaching them, which is frequently after the related MasteringPhysics homework is due. So how are you supposed to know the equations and concepts that you need to solve the homework problems? Chegg is your friend!

Overall, this course is not easy (regardless of professor) but it's possible to do well if you're willing to put in the effort. I never went to Dukes' office hours but I heard mixed comments about how helpful he was in person. I found that just flipping through his slideshows was the most helpful way to study, especially since he'll occasionally recycle clicker questions directly from the slideshows to the exams. The three midterms and the final are all difficult but they're all curved pretty generously, so you'll be alright as long as you study.

Dukes was fine at lecture. His presentation was a little dry but it's mechanics so I can't blame him. If you've taken AP physics before this class will be pretty straightforward and if you haven't just read the slides before the exam and make sure to understand Mastering. You can't really complain about the exams since there was a pretty good curve.

This course is a pain in the butt, but looking back on it, it really wasn't that bad. Attendance is mandatory in lecture despite Dukes being the most boring professor in the world because of the clicker questions. I never paid attention in lecture. What really helps you is the Mastering Physics homework. If you choose to do these questions NOT the night before they are due and actually try to understand the concepts, they will really help you. The tests seem unfair because they are so short, but he does curve pretty effectively and has an equation sheet. The same thing applies for the final: the curve is really helpful. I got an 80 on the final but ended up with an A+ in the class, just for reference. Throughout the course you'll find yourself thinking that the class is annoying and boring, but in the end if you put in a decent amount of effort and don't just Chegg everything this class will end up boosting your GPA (especially since the accompanying lab will NOT boost your GPA).

It is very hard to learn physics from a lecture. If you come in with AP physics knowledge you should be alright, but if this is your first physics class it's not a fun time. I also found Dukes' lectures dull and annoying with Learning Catalytics (aka online iclicker) questions during class. This is all coming from someone who isn't a fan of physics so your experience may differ.

I would never recommend a class in the physics department at UVA to anyone. As students, we're expected to memorize formulas and memorize where to apply them. I do not think I have learned anything from taking this course. This may be related to my lack of interest in the topic and my lack of prior knowledge (didn't take AP Physics). Duke's lectures are extremely lackluster and he'll just read off slides with background and already worked-out problems. There are occasional demonstrations but there are hardly ever problems that will we work through as a class, which is the most useful learning strategy for me personally. Also, the two interactions I had with Professor Dukes weren't the best and I feel like he can oftentimes lack empathy for his students. To summarize, only take this course if it is required.