David Shawn - Boston University, Boston, MA

Professor: David Shawn

Department: Writing

College: Boston University, Boston, MA

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: WR120
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

He gives good feedback on papers (make sure you go to his office hours with your drafts!) and was consistent with grading and expectations. He appreciates people that speak up in class, but have your opinions ready at all times (he just calls on people sometimes when no one volunteers). Nothing is inherently "wrong" to him if you can defend it

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: WR100
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

Great prof, very insightful and helpful. He makes you work for it though. Go to office hours and talk to him about your papers, and he will help you so much. Do the readings because they are relevant. As for all WR150 classes, attendance is mandatory.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: WR150
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

Professor Shawn is an extremely nice guy that cares about his students. There are three major research papers done for class, each with multiple deadline due dates to enforce consistent research. However, he's a very good teacher, gives great feedback, but is a tough grader, so make sure you spend time researching for your paper

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: CASWR100
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

Those saying he's a tough grader didn't ever go to office hours, he's really specific on what he's looking for in each of your papers so go to office hours at least twice for each paper with a draft in hand and specific questions in mind and he'll tell you exactly what to do to get a good grade, super nice and helpful if you put in the effort

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: WR100
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

My writing has definitely seen a great improvement since this class, I am so grateful for Prof Shawn!! Hardest grader I've ever come across, but well worth the mental anguish.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: CASWR100
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

One of the best teachers ever! He is so caring and is super helpful! Go to his office hours because he will help immensely! He is really one of the best professors ever! I am so sad that I won't have him next semester. I HIGHLY recommend taking his class! You will do well if you go to office hours! Even if you don't, he is still super nice !

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: WR100
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

Great speaker, passionate about his subject. Readings usually take less than an hour, try to never miss class, and absolutely participate! His papers require some more in-depth analysis, but go to office hours! Talking to him makes everything clear. Take the class if you enjoy Abraham Lincoln. I grew a lot as a writer and as a reader.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: WR100
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

Professor Shawn is a very passionate teacher and enjoys getting to know his students. He does assign a decent amount of reading and long essays. However I still had days without homework. Professor Shawn always makes himself available to his students. I seriously encourage going to meet with him. He is a great help if you struggle with a paper!

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: WR100
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

Interesting class, makes it engaging, but tedious over time. But do not expect a good final grade, all grades received in this class are 2 grade levels below what you deserve. Extremely harsh grader, does not recognize your efforts.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: WR100
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

Professor Shawn is kind and very intelligent. He made the class feel like a community, and was always very excited to talk about Lincoln. I learned a lot about developing my writing even though I thought I was a very good writer to begin with. He is very accessible and extremely helpful if you take the time to go to his office hours.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: WR100
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Professor Shawn is a tough, but fair grader, and is readily available for any help you might need. His was my favorite class of the semester, he is very funny and always in a good mood. If you want to learn how to write, take his class!

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: WR150
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Great professor. Don't take this class unless you're very interested in Lincoln himself as a person because it's not really about the Civil War at all. His class is pretty clear and he is always available to help outside of the classroom! May be a little boring at times, but had an overall good experience.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: CASWR100
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Professor Shawn is really great. I went to his office hours frequently, and he was always willing to help me. He even let me rewrite my paper when I forgot to include a source. The class is very interesting if you are AT ALL interested in Abraham Lincoln. Shawn is a tough grader, but he is reasonable.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: WR150
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

Wonderful professor. Extremely helpful inside and outside of class. Go to office hours!! He's incredibly understanding and will sometimes let you rewrite papers. He was also very excited about his subject, which was inspiring and motivating. Take this class!

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: WR150
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

For a mandatory freshman writing class, way to much work. Every night it 70% of my work was devoted to his class. His grading is way too difficult as well. Said i wrote one of the best papers in the class... got a B-/C+....

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: CASWR100K4
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

He is very nice, but doesn't seem too interested in grading our papers. He takes way too long to get grades back. Not even confident he fully read our final papers because the grades came back so fast. He repeatedly told me how great my writing was and how impressed he was, but gave me a B/B- on the paper. Class time is pointless, but mandatory.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: WR100
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

He is a very nice teacher and an even better person, but the topic is not interesting or motivating. He expects a lot from you and ends up grading you quite harshly. If you take the time you could have a great grade, but it is writing so not that many people care enough to get excellent grades.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: WR150A1
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Professor Shawn was very helpful. He expects a lot from his students, and rewards those who really give their best. I learned a lot, worked hard and it eventually payed off.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: WR100
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Really kind and helpful. At first I did not find him that great but as the semester went on I started to really like him. He will give you all the help you need. Take his class

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: WR100
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Really likes this professor. He is helpful inside and outside the classroom. May be a tough grader but you really learn things in his class.