Joseph Plavcan - University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR

Professor: Joseph Plavcan

Department: Anthropology

College: University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: ANTH1013
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Plavcan is a good choice for an easy science credit. He has a clear grading scale. He opens his quizzes for a whole week, and you can take it as many times until you get a 100. He also has random attendance checks. He'll provide all of his lectures and study guides to prepare for tests. You also have the option to drop the final.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: ANTH1013
• Grade Received: A+
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Plavcan is a cool dude, and keeps the class interesting. Don't take this class if you don't want to have to memorize species of primates, and their characteristics. Lots of material covered, but the exams are easy if you know your stuff. He gives you a study guide with all the info you need for the tests, so study that and you'll be fine. Lab's fun

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: ANTH1013
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

If you don't have to take anthro for your major i wouldnt. you definitely have to work for your grade in this class but its very doable. Plavcan is a little goofy but he's nice and you can get a hold of him fairly easy.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: ANTH1013
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

This class is so boring. He seems to really know the material but the subject is awful. Tests are really hard and cover too much material. Definitely would not have taken this class if I knew this beforehand. He's not a bad teacher but his style is not an effective way for me to learn. Maybe I would have liked it better with a different teacher.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: ANTH1011
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

He does random attendance. He doesn't accept any excuses. You really have to put in time studying to pass the exams. Go to the lecture and pay attention, it really helps. He covers a lot of information in every lecture.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: ANTH1013
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

I love Dr. Plavcan. Extremely passionate about Anthro and is really intelligent on this topic. His lectures are really interesting & hes a funny guy. 3 tests, final is optional if you like your current grade. 3 quizzes you can take many times, 6 attendance grades. Lots of terms but I got an easy A in this class bc i studied and came to class

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: ANTH1013
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

He makes class super interesting! You can take quizzes as many times up to a 100%. Study the material and youll do fine.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: ANTH1013
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Go to class, pay attention, and study. He is super entertaining and loves what he teaches. Definitely recommend. Plus gives great study guides for tests.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: ANTH1013
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Professor Plavcan is extremely intelligent and has an obvious passion for anthropology, but his lectures have so much material in them that even a straight-A student would have trouble keeping an A. During a lot of his lectures, he would spend 45 minutes telling an irrelevant story from his work in the field and then cram 20 slides into 15 minutes.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: ANTH1013
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Class is too difficult for a 1000 level. Too much information included on one test. Do not take this if you need a basic science credit.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: ANTH1013
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Yes, you will need to go to class, but the test so much easier that way. Yes, you will need to study for the tests. His policy (as of now) is that if you are happy with your grade after the first 3 tests, then your final is optional. He is a very respected teacher and I would take him again. He isn't hard, but it isn't a blow off class.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: ANTH1013
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

I took this class as one of my core science credits, and it was WAY harder than I ever expected. I am usually not bad at science, but this class was all about types of monkeys and evolution and was so boring and hard. Do not recommend taking this class unless you are interested in this stuff.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: ANTH1013
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

He really knows what he is talking about. If you don't go to the lectures, you won't do well on the tests. Drops your lowest test grade out of 4 so you don't have to take the final if you like your grade. He puts the lecture slides online but take notes on what he says in class.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: ANTH1011
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

This is one of the easier science core credits. If you read the book and pay attention in class you will do fine. Be prepared for a lot of information and hard tests. He always gave us a curve on tests and let a b+ be an A when I took it. If you're bad at science take this class.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: ANTH1013
• Grade Received: C
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Great teacher, knows his stuff. Tests are tough and cover a lot of information. If you're taking this class as an "easy science class," don't. It is a hard class and you really have to work to make a good grade. Lab is also horribly boring.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: ANTH1013
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Plavcan's a pretty good teacher. He's really in to his work and knows what he's talking about. Probably one of the smartest professors I've met. His lectures can be long and boring but he is more than willing to help especially if you go to his office hours! You just have to put some time in to studying for tests.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: ANTH1013
• Grade Received: B-
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

This class is too hard for an intro level class, especially if you aren't interested in the department. I had a hard time figuring out the material, and the only grades are from tests. He is entertaining but the class is way harder than some other science credits you could take. I wouldn't recommend this class.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: ANTH3903
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Best professor I've had yet. Hands down.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: ANTH3123
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

evolution of human mating systems great guy. definitely knows his stuff. go to class or you won't be able to keep up. no extra credit. 3 essay exams/ 2 each... hard to figure out exactly what he is gonna ask. don't try and bs essays- wont work.. extremely interning course.

Rating # 20

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

I found the class interesting but his tests were hard. The kind of guy you would want to have a beer with.