Kathryn McArthur - University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON

Professor: Kathryn McArthur

Department: English

College: University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: ENGL208C
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

In online classes don't attempt to ask her questions. When emailed or contacted through discussion posts, she seemed to avoid answering the question asked, focusing more on grammar errors found in the email. This made it difficult to correspond with her. She was also a harsh marker. Her tests were in MC format with "choose the MOST right answer."

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: ENGL208C
• Grade Received: B-
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Thoughtful lectures, approachable, tough but fair marker.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: 208C
• Grade Received: WD
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Was the most frustrating class I have taken, and it is only a 200 level course. She was a bit of an unreasonable marker. Course could have been great, but too much reading, and marks were back to late in the course. Take something else if this course is not mandatory.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: ENGL208C
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

was really looking forward to this. Turned out to be a nightmare of a course. Workload isn't hard at all, but there is no marking scheme or no description of standards. Prof is extremely rude and unhelpful. Vague feedback written on my essays. probably the worst course I've ever taken, including organic chemistry and physics. AVOID AT ALL COSTS

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: ENGL208C
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Not an easy marker. Not helpful, very hostile tone.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: ENGL208C
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

The worst, most inconsiderate, and rude prof this university has. She is unclear about her instructions and holds ridiculous standards for her students. She is intimidating, making it very difficult to ask her questions, and is very easily irritated. I loved the books, but she ruined the class for me completely. She shouldn't be allowed to teach.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: ENLG208C
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

I took this class with McArthur and got horrible marks on my essays (though I'm an English major). I filed a reassessment challenge after and my mark went up by 10%. Definitely consider doing so if you're in the same boat.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: ENGL208C
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Absolutely the worst professor I've had in my 4 years of university. I did not read comments on this website about her prior to taking the class so I went into the course completely unbiased. Not only are her expectations UNREASONABLY high for a second year english course with no prerequisites but she bullies her students. DO NOT TAKE THIS COURSE!

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: ENGL208C
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Worst prof I have ever had. Hardly passed the course. I've never got such a bad grade before. I don't even know why the school lets her teach.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: ENGL208C
• Grade Received: B-
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Easily the worst prof I've ever had. Open contempt for students, REFUSES to give clear guidance and feedback on assignments, very questionable marker--I'm SMART, and she failed me on the final exam. Multiple times she posted emails she got from students to the public message board (anonymously, but still) so that she could attack them, apparently??

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: ENGL208C
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

AVOID HER AT ALL COST. She has ridiculous expectations, she is extremely unhelpful when you ask her for clarification, she is rude. Worst prof I've ever had.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: ENG208C
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Worst class I have taken in uni.The professor is rude & very unhelpful when it comes to assignments. I asked her for clarification & she told me to figure out myself. Her expectations are beyond reasonable & she destroyed my love of children's books. Her whole life is child lit & she assumes we should just "get it" because she does. Terrible.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: ENGL208C
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

I was so excited about this course and children's literature. This prof absolutely ruined it. She is just horrible. She has crazy expectations. You will not get a good grade if she is teaching your class. Avoid her AT ALL COSTS.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: ENGL208C
• Grade Received: P
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

While KM's recorded lectures for this online class are fascinating, she seems to struggle with interacting with students. Indeed, she is often quite abrupt. This is a shame because it makes students hesitant to ask questions publically, and distance students really benefit from seeing colleague's questions asked and answered.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: ENGL208C
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

I wanted to believe that she wouldn't be as bad as everyone was saying on here but, after half of a semester, this became impossible. She marks brutally, asks for odd things in her assignments and refuses to give individual feedback. She is also quite rude in the public discussion boards. Completely put me off the course.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: ENGL208C
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Avoid taking this class with her if at all possible! She is an extremely hard marker, especially considering it's a second year elective course. She doesn't give clear or constructive feedback, even when asked for it, and is quite rude and full of herself in interactions with students.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: ENGL208C
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

I was initially very interested in this topic but the prof is horrible and really ruined it for me. She is highly critical about the most minute details (especially for a 2nd year elective) and instead of actually providing assistance, such as tips for improvement(even when additional feedback was sought!) she reuses the same blanket statements.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: ENGL208C
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Highly unrealistic expectations regarding assignments; grading based mostly on grammar and not content in writing.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: ENG208C
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

HORRIBLE. the course itself is incredibly interesting. Such a fasniciting topic. However this professor is probably the worst ive ever had. refused to give individual feedback, so i never knew what i could do better on, just what the class in general could. was horrible at marking on time. not even all projects marked going into final exam. BRUTAL

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: ENGL208C
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Definitely a hard marker. The course material is very interesting, though, and she presents it rather well. I'm taking this course as an elective, while interesting, I'm not sure this is healthy for my GPA with her criteria. Wondering if I should have asked about auditing the course.