Jeffery Steele - University of Wisconsin - Madison, Madison, WI

Professor: Jeffery Steele

Department: English

College: University of Wisconsin - Madison, Madison, WI

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: ENGL140
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Steele knows his literature, however, his lectures are very dull as he just stands in front of podium and speaks for 50 minutes in monotone. There is a LOT of reading in this course (8 novels) so you have to keep up and not fall behind. The material is not hard, however, the TA's grade everything and your grade is based on 2 papers, midterm, exam

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: ENG168
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

Professor Steele was one of the best teachers Ive ever had. He gave very interesting insight for all of the books we read. You don't have to read the books but it helps when you follow along in lecture.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: ENG168
• Grade Received: B-
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

8 books. If you expect to keep up with the reading, you're likely to read 30+pages a day. Lectures are pointless: the professor just rambles, not helping with papers or tests. Grade determined by a few assignments; if you do bad on one, you likely get a bad grade. Very little writing practice along with poor instructions on papers and tests.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: ENG168
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: No
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

Would not recommend Prof. Steele. He's conceited, and arrogant. He does care deeply about the material, but the 8 books you read for the class are terrible. He uses the same 2 words all the time, and it will get annoying by the 2nd week. The 2 papers are fairly basic, and exams are long. Expects you to put his class before all else. Avoid the class

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: ENG168
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

Professor Steele is very knowledgable and you can tell he loves the topics discussed in class. There are two 4-6 page papers and 2 exams. The books are actually very interesting. For A's on papers and the exams, try to go beyond the ideas discussed in class. That is what they are looking for! Also go heavy on analysis rather than summary for A's!

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: ENG168
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

This man loves reading and loves ethnic studies. There are two essays both 4-6 pages and 2 exams. The exams are very hard to study for though and your hand will hurt after writing one (3 short essays and 1 long essay in 50 minutes). It is necessary to read the books which tend to be very entertaining to read so it is not terrible.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: ENG168
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Professor Steele is an extremely smart man that mainly lectures on the important aspects of the books and makes many of the concepts easier to understand. However, if this class isn't required for your major or you're not insanely passionate about reading, I wouldn't take it. It is a ton of reading and the books (in my opinion) were not the best.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: ENG140
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Horrible class. Lectures are just 50 minutes of him rambling and saying things that don't really make much sense. Exams are impossible to complete in the time allowed. Both papers were scheduled within two weeks of each other at the end of the semester. Impossible to get a well deserved grade. TA said she loved my paper, but gave me a B anyways.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: ENG140
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

Professor Steele is very knowledgable, however his lectures can sometimes get very boring. The nice thing is he tells his TAs to grade easier than they might themselves for an intro class so the class wasn't too hard overall.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: ENG140
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

He is tough. The man is a genius and the material is fun if you like reading. But he expects next to perfection from students. He tells his TAs that if a student's paper isn't above the TA's level, they cannot earn an A on that paper. Most TAs don't follow that, but it just shows that he is hard. Good lectures, but don't mess around with him.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: ENGL456
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Really excellent professor. Knows a ton of information and explains things well. and made a pretty "meh" subject to me (New York in the 19th century) fascinating. Also, if you miss a class (which I suggest you don't because lecturers are very useful) he records them for you and posts them online. However, there is A LOT of reading (200 pgs/wk)

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: 456
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

He is a natural teacher. Just amazing!

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: 243
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

great professor, take good notes and you'll pass easily

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: ENG168
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

Lectures aren't extremely exciting, but if you take notes you will get an A. Usually records his lectures and puts them online. His lectures are to the point and give all the info you need for papers and tests.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: ENGLISH168
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Have to read 8 books, all pretty average. 1 midterm and a final, w/ short essay quote ID's and a long essay on theme. Pretty easy if you read the books (or at least SparkNote). Two papers, knocked them out in a couple hours and got A's on both, but my TA was a pretty easy grader. Not the most interesting Comm B, tons of reading, but easy grading.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: ENGLISH168
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Prof Steele holds lecture biweekly. Discussion is mandatory and is a decent portion of your grade. Books are interesting and tests are fair. Get a hold of the reading list and finish a few books early. Enjoy! (Also, try to get TA Heather Swan, she's the coolest!)

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: ENG168
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Prof Steele is a very committed professor. He really cares about the material, and makes the reading more tolerable. He records his lectures, & puts them online. There is quite a bit of reading in this class, and he explains it so well, you might not have to read. Be prepared to read and write. JS is a good prof, and I would recommend him!

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: ENG217
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

I love this guy! He can be very socially awkward, but he cares a lot about the people who go through his courses. (I think professors with kids who have been to college are usually way nicer in that way.) And he really, really knows his stuff when he's talking about the areas he works in.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: ENG217
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Steele is hands down one of my favorite professors ever. He is passionate about everything he teaches and makes the most boring reading completely interesting. TAKE HIS CLASSES. He also adds in personal anecdotes that are hilarious and plays awesome music before class. love love love him. genius.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: ENG168
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

His lectures were pretty boring & useless. He believes in high attendance though, so you have to go to discussion. My TA wasn't the best, but overall the class is relatively easy. You'll have to read 8 books total. There are two exams, the midterm & final. Both exams involve multipe short essays & one long essay.