This course is new, and the curriculum is a total mess. The professor wants students to attend lectures but does not allocate any individual participation marks, so many students do not bother showing up since it’s easy to get a good grade without attending. Instead, there is a 5% participation mark assigned to the entire group. If anyone fails to attend for any reason, the mark is deducted from the whole group. This is unreasonable because we are adults — things happen, and we cannot control other people’s lives. Participation should be assessed individually. Additionally, the TAs do not pay much attention during class. For the group project presentations, there was 1 mark allocated for students who asked questions to other groups. My group asked three questions, and there were two TAs marking the presentations, yet neither of them awarded us the point for asking questions. I only realized this when I reviewed my marks and went through the appeals process. Furthermore, 50% of the total grade is based on teamwork, which is a significant portion of the mark. The professor also decided to change the percentage weighting of each assessment at the end of the semester without conducting any survey, which was unfair. If you happen to take this messy course, be very careful with every mark you receive from the TAs, as there is a possibility they may overlook or forget to award points. Review your grades carefully and request a reassessment if necessary. Lecture participation is not essential if you are able to study independently. The quizzes are easy and conducted online.

Anonymous, Semester 2, 2025