Steven Best - University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA

Professor: Steven Best

Department: English

College: University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: ENGLISH173
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

"Encourages" critical thinking but if it doesn't alien w/ his views he makes your opinion invalid and penalizes you with your grade. Overall rude & unhelpful and it takes him like five minutes to finish a sentence because of all the "umms". He probably co-taught the class with Professor Young because he can't get students to enroll in his classes.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: ENG130D
• Grade Received: B-
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

We all called him Professor Worst. He was basically just rude to all the students, only cared about his pet themes, didn't help anyone who needed it and clearly favored a few cherished favorite students. I learned little in the class and got my worst grade at Cal. Avoid if you want to keep your GPA up.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: ENG133T
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Prof Best is one of my favorite professors so far at Berkeley. His lectures are full of information and knowledge that's really important and helpful for constructing your papers. He forces you to learn how to think for yourself instead of just telling you what to write about or how to write it, which I think contributes to his poor rating on here

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: ENG133A
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Incoherent and inarticulate. Says "umm" all the time. Umm umm umm.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: ENG190
• 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: N/A

Comment:

great professor!

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: ENG133A
• 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:

Best generates good discussion and creates a comfortable atmosphere. He is funny and really knows what lies at the heart of the text. He takes his time with the literature to the point that I could write an essay for him without doing the reading. He values good writing, so if you get a bad grade you probably deserve it.

Rating # 7

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

WORST TEACHER EVER! I wish I had seen all the comments before taking this class. At one point in office hours BEST told me my ideas were useless.He assumes his students are dumb and gives out grades that are unfair and biased. He is rude and ignores any idea BUT his own. Trust me,this is my 4th year here and this is one of the WORST teachers EVER.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: ENG133T
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

might be the worst professor in the Eng dept. He can not express himself in lecture whatsoever. His idea of lecturing is flaunting his intellingence without actually forming complete sentences. He literally does not make sense if you try to question him or give any alternative perspective he just says, he does not understand. HARDEST GRADER. DON'T.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: ENG133T
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

I can not describe how frustrated this professor made me. His idea of feedback is huh??? what??? literally that is the kind of feedback he gives. In class during lecture if you do not subscribe to his interpretations then he plays ignorant. However, he might just be his lectures don't make sense and he is absolutely useless in office hours.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: ENG133T
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Absolutely horrid. I had read all his ratings but had hoped that it would go okay, NOT THE CASE. He's so rude and his feedback on essays are not constructive at all. The person who wrote that he's a brilliant professor, is probably Best himself. Warning: DON'T TAKE HIM!!!

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: ENG130D
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Definitely high level thinker. His ideas on McTeague and Sister Carrie are fantastic. It's true, his lectures are complicated, and he's not super approachable, but I think his pov is worth whatever aggravation you might have from actually having to go to class and read what he assigns.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: ENGL195
• 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:

brilliant scholar, terrible teacher.Gives stammering lectures. Neither constructive nor informative w/feedbk. Picks favorites in small classes. Many Undergrads and grads I've spoken to about him have the same criticisms yet few are willing to speak up. We're all convinced we're the problem until we talk to eachother and realize it's him!

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: 130D
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

I don't know why this professor has such a bad rating!! He is by far my favorite professor at berkeley. His essay topics are hard and he does have high expectations-go to his office hours for help. Amazing, interesting lecturer. Very prepared and kind. Definatley do not listen to what others say!

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: 130D
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

I know some students who loved him. I am not one of them. I actually thought his expectations were either too high or too unclear--either way it screwed me over. It was like walking in fog in that class. His lectures could be kinda fun to listen to, though.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: ENGLISH130D
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

You can tell he's intelligent and has some great ideas locked away somewhere inside that head of his, but he's attrocious at getting them out. Each day his lecture would consist of one idea being repeated in different ways. He's also a very tough grader, mostly due to student's lack of understanding what is expected.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: ENG130D
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Worst professor I have ever had at Berkeley. Basically, what everyone else said. He is highly arrogant and thinks he is brilliant. He needs a lot more work before he can be an even average professor. He is only interested in hearing his own voice. Stay away!!!!!!

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: 45C
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Very young but brilliant. Still feeling his place and seems out of focus and is not great in terms of clarity. Basically he will say one awesome thing per lecture, but you will have to wade through alot to get there.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: ENGLISH100
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

No Comments

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: ENG130D
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

His assertions are a bit of a stretch. His lectures are horribly unorganized, only deal with a few pet themes of his, and are littered with…uh…prolonged…um…………pauses. I usually tune out his lectures halfway through class.

Rating # 20

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

Brillian Man. Fun just to sit and listen to him go off about what he knows best -- English lit, especially if you get a 20thC. course with him. Plus, he's hilarious and entertaining.