ENGL 117
Literature of California and American West
Description: Lecture, four hours; discussion, one hour (when scheduled). Enforced requisite: English Composition 3 or 3H. Study of literature in English dealing with exploration, settlement, and emergent cultural awareness of Western U.S. P/NP or letter grading.
Units: 5.0
Units: 5.0
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Most Helpful Review
Spring 2014 - professor Allmendinger is worth taking. Aside from 117, I've taken him for two other classes, including his GWTW seminar (which is literally an oral report, participation and a final paper). He's really helpful and answers emails extremely fast. His classes are mostly discussion based and consist of a midterm, 10 page paper (of a topic of your choice including a creative option like an extended ending of one of the books you read, etc) and a final. Each part is divided equally, and if you do badly on the midterm he'll shift the grading scale especially if you do better on the paper or final. He genuinely wants you to do well and offers extra credit for providing absent students with notes. He's entertaining and makes sure to let students leave half an hour earlier because he knows it's hard to sit in a chair for 2-3 hours. He's worth taking, I've also heard great things about his detective fiction and it's his most popular class aside from his Gone with the Wind seminar (which is literally just the book and movie). Don't hesitate to take him, he's great.
Spring 2014 - professor Allmendinger is worth taking. Aside from 117, I've taken him for two other classes, including his GWTW seminar (which is literally an oral report, participation and a final paper). He's really helpful and answers emails extremely fast. His classes are mostly discussion based and consist of a midterm, 10 page paper (of a topic of your choice including a creative option like an extended ending of one of the books you read, etc) and a final. Each part is divided equally, and if you do badly on the midterm he'll shift the grading scale especially if you do better on the paper or final. He genuinely wants you to do well and offers extra credit for providing absent students with notes. He's entertaining and makes sure to let students leave half an hour earlier because he knows it's hard to sit in a chair for 2-3 hours. He's worth taking, I've also heard great things about his detective fiction and it's his most popular class aside from his Gone with the Wind seminar (which is literally just the book and movie). Don't hesitate to take him, he's great.
Most Helpful Review
I took Honors Collegium 117, not English 117 I love Bristow! I was in a seminar with him, and it was amazing. He is passionate, a great discussion leader, and is fun to talk to. He is always available in office hours, and can really help clarify your ideas for essays. Would recommend, definitely!!!
I took Honors Collegium 117, not English 117 I love Bristow! I was in a seminar with him, and it was amazing. He is passionate, a great discussion leader, and is fun to talk to. He is always available in office hours, and can really help clarify your ideas for essays. Would recommend, definitely!!!
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Most Helpful Review
GE60ABCW Final Grade: 60A - A-, 60B - A, 60CW - inprogress This class straight up was the easiest suck fest ever. I was bored shitless every lecture. I would always end up just surfing the web, watching old episodes of the Daily Show and Colbert Report, and making jokes about Decker's bald head. Seriously, I felt like CRAP going into the final. When I took the final, I felt so unprepared, but I got an A, so it couldn't have been that bad. The class is straight up whack. You are suppossed to make "connections" between music, culture, and political science events, which is easy yes, but it's very hard when you have to identify some abstract signifiers. I mean seriously, when analyzing music, do you actually believed they consciously knew what they were doing and had alterior motives to their work? NO! Oh and the funniest thing is Decker's power trips. Decker makes the least amount of cash of any of the professors in the class (Fink is dept chair, so he makes close to 180k). Decker probably barely clears 65 so he feels obligated to be in charge and assert his "power" so that he can feel good about his bald self. Seriously, don't take this class, too much stress for too little reward
GE60ABCW Final Grade: 60A - A-, 60B - A, 60CW - inprogress This class straight up was the easiest suck fest ever. I was bored shitless every lecture. I would always end up just surfing the web, watching old episodes of the Daily Show and Colbert Report, and making jokes about Decker's bald head. Seriously, I felt like CRAP going into the final. When I took the final, I felt so unprepared, but I got an A, so it couldn't have been that bad. The class is straight up whack. You are suppossed to make "connections" between music, culture, and political science events, which is easy yes, but it's very hard when you have to identify some abstract signifiers. I mean seriously, when analyzing music, do you actually believed they consciously knew what they were doing and had alterior motives to their work? NO! Oh and the funniest thing is Decker's power trips. Decker makes the least amount of cash of any of the professors in the class (Fink is dept chair, so he makes close to 180k). Decker probably barely clears 65 so he feels obligated to be in charge and assert his "power" so that he can feel good about his bald self. Seriously, don't take this class, too much stress for too little reward
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Most Helpful Review
I took English 10A with Professor Kipling, and the class was fantastic! I learned so much. All the readings were quite interesting, and Professor Kipling is a great lecturer. He is friendly and cracks jokes to keep things entertaining. The midterm and final were also very fair; it is possible to get a high A (or even a 100) if you read what you're supposed to and go to lectures. I learned a lot from this course--I'd definitely recommend taking English with Professor Kipling.
I took English 10A with Professor Kipling, and the class was fantastic! I learned so much. All the readings were quite interesting, and Professor Kipling is a great lecturer. He is friendly and cracks jokes to keep things entertaining. The midterm and final were also very fair; it is possible to get a high A (or even a 100) if you read what you're supposed to and go to lectures. I learned a lot from this course--I'd definitely recommend taking English with Professor Kipling.
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