Kevin Russell - University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB

Professor: Kevin Russell

Department: Linguistics

College: University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: LING1380
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Dr. Russell is definitely not the easiest professor, but not the worst either. This course was extremely useful, however did require a substantial amount of effort. Sometimes was a bit unclear, so go to office hours and ask questions. Not sure if attendance is mandatory as notes are eventually uploaded, but I was too scared to miss a class.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: LING1380
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

The class is medium difficulty. The midterm and final pretty straightforward, their directly from the notes, so know every detail of your notes well. You do not need the textbook. The weekly quizzes get harder ever week and they're worth (40%) of your grade. He never posts the lecture notes on time, he goes to fast for you to write them in class.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: LING3140
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

This prof is very hostile and has a "know-it-all" sort of attitude. There is lots of heavy reading which is mostly very dull and hard to get through. His grading methods is a joke, no clear explanations or guidelines as to what he wants. He will also go into way to much detail on stuff that literally isn't relevant and isn't testable.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: LING1380
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

His lectures don't always make sense and you often get very lost. Exams are NOT multiple choice, they are written answer and he wants very specific answers. He does NOT answer emails and is not helpful when you ask questions or go to his office hours. If other profs offered for your course take with them! also weekly quizzes get VERY challenging!

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: LING1380
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

WORST PROF I HAVE EVER HAD. He is very condescending and his lectures are boring, he will beg for questions and then avoid giving a proper answer. He expects you to understand everything, weekly quizzes get harder and you have to learn by making mistakes and he doesn't provide much help. He also makes fun of his students for not understanding.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: LING3140
• Grade Received: WD
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

He has a knack for making things sound complicated. Even the simplest idea will turn out to be the most confusing idea once it goes through him. It seems that he is trying to give students good analogies but I found those irrelevant most of the time. However, he will expect you to understand the materials as the course progresses.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: LING2420
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

He gives you weekly quizzes but you will probably feel that you are not ready for the quizzes. you're gonna learn things by making mistakes through those quizzes. Most of the time I felt confused in the class and the assignments are overwhelming. I would not suggest other people but he seems to be the only one who teaches phonology so good luck

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: LING1380
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Really funny, likeable guy! Makes the material interesting with jokes and lighthearted notes. All notes provided online if you miss a class. Only downside is weekly quizzes that get harder over time and count for major marks. Gets tiresome.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: LING2420
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

i dropped this course after the first two classes. very confusing explanations coupled with the constant telling of bad/creepy jokes and some strange desire to make students feel intellectually inferior - i am extremely frustrated that he seems to be the only professor to teach phonology because i do not want to take it with him. two thumbs down.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: LING1200
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Continually condescending. Learned nothing from him. Fails at all jokes. Should learn HOW to teach. Frequently spends 20mins at beg of class to ask if anyone has questions and when they do ask he dances around answering them. Moves through material too slowly. I wish they would give the job to someone who was better qualified at teaching.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: LING2XXX
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

He's an outstanding professor in all the important areas. People who have a problem with him are either delusional or accustomed to being excessively coddled. I have a hard time imagining a more competent and dedicated professor and would unconditionally recommend his courses to anyone attending university for the purpose of learning.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: LING1380
• 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:

Had him for phonetics, although the course was kind of hard he was a good prof and very approachable. LEctures are sometimes a little all over the place though

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: LING0000
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Had him for morphology. Really nice guy, really approachable and helpful. Not too organized, lectures all little all over the place. Fair marker, he isn't picky as long as he gets what you mean. As far as linguistic profs go, one of the better ones for sure.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: LING1200
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Brilliant and helpful with a good sense of humor. He likes to teach and it shows. You won't be disappointed taking his classes.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: LING1200
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

He's so sarcastic I wish he would just shut up once and a while with all the jokes and put some effort into actually teaching us things. I thought he was a good prof at first but after passing his course with flying colours and moving on to further studies I realized his class is so slack I learned hardly anything. Waste of time.

Rating # 16

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

Pay attention and you will do fine. His slides are so good that I have been through two courses with him and never opened a textbook- and got A's in both classes. As long as you can tell when someone is making a joke you will be fine.. people who say they feel dumb or offended by him are likely dumb and oversensitive. Really. Great prof.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: LING1200
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

He tends to go on & on longer than needed. Ask a simple question & he goes on a 20 minute tangent even if you just wanted to know the next test date. I can see why some people think he makes them feel dumb; sometimes his attitude is justified & they're just slackers that don't want to work, but lots of the time he's needlessly sarcastic & cutting.

Rating # 18

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

I've taken 2 courses with him, as much as he makes you search for answers he is awesome at answering questions given by students as long as you don't give him attitude and ask stupid things. This guy is awesome.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: MORPHOLOG
• 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: N/A

Comment:

Great Prof! If you just listen to him as he teaches you will learn the material then and only need to quickly review notes and text. Students who say he makes them feel dumb are simply forgetting that he has his PhD, they're 2nd year students who are foolishly challenging something that he obviously knows, they don't pose questions, they just argue

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: MORPHPHON
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

I found him (and the material) to be boring, and I just cant get over his 'social akwardness' (as someone put it polietly) where he puts people down and makes them feel dumb. I realize that its not preschool, but its seriously not necessary...