Nus Module Review for AY1617 SEM 2!
Here are the modules i took in this semesterLSM1102 Molecular Genetics
LSM1106 Molecular Cell Biology
CM1401 Chemistry for Life Sciences
SP1541 Exploring Science Communication through Popular Science
FMS1215B Plant Pathogens that cause plants to end up in a bucket
CFG1010 Roots and Wings
LSM1102 Molecular Genetics
A preallocated module. Talks about genetics, chromosomes/DNA/RNA structures, replications, transalations yada yada. Front part was largely similar to what I learnt in poly, it's the behind part about Mendelian/Population/Quantitative genetics that's quite tough (or more challenging)
Two 2-hour long lecture per week. There's 2 tutorial session (if i rmb correctly) that you have to sign up for. No lab. Webcasted (yay!)
Best thing about this mod: Prof Wu Jing Lu and Prof Chew Fook Tim are really good professor that stimulates your thinking. (there are 3 profs in total when i took this mod) MCQ for finals!
Worst thing about this mod: Finals are really tough! I think there are about 80 questions and time is really really tight. Prof Wu and Prof Chew part really needs you to thinkkk. I remembered towards the end of the exam i had about 10++ questions left of Prof Chew part I just randomly shade one answer lol.
This module is the basic need-to-know for life science student. Some content overlap with LSM1106 which is good because both module (1102 and 1106) are super content heavy and requires loads of memo work. Prof Wu's CA are based on questions he set + a research paper you have to read and understand and he will test on that. He had a component on setting your on MCQ questions + answering other people's MCQ questions on Peerwise. It's worth 5% and everyone will do it because hello free marks! Might seems abit tedious but good thing is they dont grade on the content of your question so you just anyhow set also can ahaha. Prof Chew 's CA is the hardest. HARDEST. I remembered seeing the questions and goes what.the.fuck.? Luckily it's open-book CA. Open discussion. Open electronics/anything you can think of lol. Just based on this you can alr tell how tough it will be.
Finals was quite tough and this mod is like memory work + understanding so.. If you really can't get prof chew's part of the genetics and all i suggest you memo the other 2 lecturers part. Prof Wu is the first lecturer, Prof chew is the last! Prof x (idw to name him) is the middle lecturer. Prof X's lecture is superrrr boring and kind of can read it on your own. He mainly test memo work so ...
Grade: A-
Recommended if you are really interested in genetics? (for non LS student)
LSM1106 Molecular Cell Biology
Preallocated module. I hate this module.
One 2-hour lecture per week
One 1-hour tutorial, 4x throughout the sem
One 6-hour lab, 3x throughout the sem
No webcast.
Best thing about this mod: Prof Long
Yun Chao that teaches the enzyme chapter is a really good lecturer! His lecture are sometimes interesting and he's funny.
Worst thing about this mod: The first prof!! omg he like dk how to teach one. Although he taught us two chapters only, most of the students dont understand his main point!!! (like what he's trying to get across) Super heavy content mod & memory intensive.
There's 3 prof that teaches this module like LSM1102. The first prof is the worst. Absolute worst. You will never know what he expects from you and his test is always like weird weird de. Like unexpected. There's calculation for his topic as well on pH and stuff. He never really teach us how to calculate, it's like he expects us to know alr. (dude you are suppose to teach us and not just flash us the answers okk)
I only went for one tutorial session because the tutorial timing is like 6-7pm and I dont want to stay till so late. The answers are uploaded though. Lab sessions are OK. I had a good TA and he explain stuff really well. You have to do lab report after lab which is damn sian esp when your lab partner is a stranger and you dont really talk and he always do last min work. Yep. The only good thing is the lab report are not graded. I skipped the last lab session though so i dont have to submit another lab report LOL. I screwed up for my midterms and finals (YES BOTH) cos like i think i didnt understand the questions? (yes my eng not very up there so..)
I was lucky I didnt get below C. So i can SU hehe.
Grade: B (SU-ed)
Not recommended for non LS student.
okay I'm finally back so lets continue!
CM1401 Chemistry for Life Sciences
Preallocated. Talks about chemistry (duh) but tailored to life science students (so technically doesn't go that deep into the chem stuff i guess)
Two 2-hour long lecture slots.
One 1-hour tutorial.
No labs.
No webcast.
Good thing is that when I was taking this module, they separated the students into Group A and Group B; so Group A will only go for Mon lecture slot, then Group B for wed lecture slot.
So technically you only have one 2-hour lecture + 1-hour tutorial. BUT there are certain weeks you have to attend both! (normally during revision week and stuff)
Best thing about this mod: If you managed to get Prof Fung Fun Man, it will make your life much much much easier!! He is a very good prof and explains concepts really well (even though sometimes he go through too fast & he has all these cold jokes)
Worst thing about this mod: It's really difficult to catch-up in the beginning esp if you don't really like chemistry + they tend to go quite fast during lectures.
Okay so, during the sem that I took this, they decided to remove the physical chem part (YAY). So no equations or calculations!! This mod is a flipped-classroom thingy, meaning you have to watch the uploaded online lectures first before going for lectures. Then during lectures they will upload some exercise worksheet and let you do in class, afterwards they will go through the answers. This method of teaching (esp for chem), is quite good because it gives you alot alot of practices! But at the same time, it is really time consuming because you have to complete alot of practice worksheet.
I think the profs understand that it is difficult for us students to catch up (coz they taught alot of concepts too) so there set up a lot of consultation questions! I encourage you to go for them esp if you really dont know what's going on. Finals was quite manageable and I believe everyone scored quite well for it.
Grade: B+
Recommended for non-LS students (if FFM is teaching)
SP1541 Exploring Science Communication through Popular Science
Compulsory Module for all science students. Talks about how to communicate to the general public on scientific discovery and so on.
Two 2-hour long tutorial.
No webcast.
One presentation (solo)
Two Essays
(Can't rmb the rest)
Best thing about this mod: TBH i hate this module.
Worst thing about this mod: Plain uninteresting and super burden mod if you are not intending to be a popular science author & stuff. (However I do have some friends that enjoy this mod so...)
I think for every tutorial session you have to read some article (some short, some long) or news links before coming. Then during tutorial they will split yall into groups to discuss the questions given. Honestly, I always skim through the readings just to find the answers to the questions. I have never read finish the whole thing before bcos to me its really a waste of time.
You have to search for 2 articles and write 2 essays to convey the information to the general public. So your essay have to be understandable, no technical jargon etc., you have to come up with a presentation on one of the article as well.
Grade: B+
Not recommended (Dont think you have a choice anyway)
FMS1215B Plant Pathogens that cause plants to end up in a bucket
Freshman Seminar Mod! CS/CU mod!!!
Generally for Y1s only. Y2/3/4s can take but priority to Y1s.
One 3-hour long tutorial.
No webcast.
Best thing about this mod: CS/CU!! I dont think you can do anything to fail it. Very light workload.
Worst thing about this mod: Group Presentation once every 2 weeks.
You have to first form a group of 3-4 people, and once every 2 weeks you have to do a presentation (topic will be given). The presentation actually quite okay, don't have to put in so much effort (unlike for your cors). I think my group just google the info and dump it into the slides & just present hahaha. There will of course be Q&A sessions but the people in my tutorial class is very nice and friendly.
Prof Wong Sek Man is teaching us and he's very nice too! (although he can be boring sometimes..) There's a field trip to botanical gardens (on a sat) where Prof Wong will explain all the plants there to you and stuff. Oh there's packet drinks and biscuits/snacks provided during every tutorial sessions hehe.
Grade: CS
Recommended!!
CFG1010 Roots and Wings
Preallocated. 2 MC. CS/CU.
Two 2-hour workshop session.
Weekly online lectures + quiz. (Weekly or once every 2 weeks)
Best thing about this mod: I think you might enjoy it if you really pay attention to what they are teaching? I know one of my friends did but not me tho.
Worst thing about this mod: Quite burdensome module. Esp when it's like 2 MCs...
I saw a lot of people asking if this module is compulsory, can drop or not and stuff. Honestly, I have no idea. But I heard (keyword: heard) that in order to drop it you have to sent an email to the roots&wings staff to explain why & a whole lot of troublesome process.
So if you are looking at how to survive this, let me teach you.
There's weekly or biweekly (bcos I forgot) online lectures and quiz after that to complete.
For me, in the beginning I do watch the videos but afterwards I don't watch them at all and just anyhow do the quiz. As a result, I think i only pass 2 of the quizzes?
There's some essays to do as well (short essays). I did most of them except for one component, the industry essay (15%).
All in all, I managed to pass this even though I didn't really put in alot of effort.
Grade: CS
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