William Virgil Davis - Baylor University, Waco, TX

Professor: William Virgil Davis

Department: English

College: Baylor University, Waco, TX

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: ENG3390
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

William Virgil Davis' contribution to me as a professor was life altering. It is in his classroom that I learned critical thinking and gained the capacity to look beyond the surface of the material and coalesce new thought. I will be forever grateful to him for the effect he has had on my life

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: ENG2304AMLIT
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

DrDavis Lectures-A Must* SimplyFantasticIfIMay.* ParticipateInClassEarnsTrust,* ofBestProfessorOfOurDay!*FromHisStoriesYouWillGather,*InfoFromOurPastPrizeWinners.* RedeemYourSweat-OftenLather.* ThisClassAin'tForTrueBeGinNers!* Much i learned and Proud I Am!*TisHiddenKnowledge,ThisWeLust,* Don't Let The Door Before You Slam!* DrDavisLectures-A Must!

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: ENG5374
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

He's a good writer and has many interesting stories, but he's self-absorbed in the extreme. He only teaches to show off his knowledge and see how closely students can emulate his writing style. He's hard to impress and even harder to read, and his feedback is all but useless. His writing courses might be bearable, but avoid his literature courses.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: ENG4371
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Davis is a great lecturer. He's a storyteller, and from his stories you learn intimate details of the people you're studying in class. His classes demand a lot of reading, but it is all worth it. He may be intimidating at first, but if you ask questions and engage yourself in the work, he'll be happy to help you. Be prepared to add to disscussion.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: ENG4000
• 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:

He took pleasure in the difficulty of the class and was impossible to please. Offered almost no feedback and gave a huge amount of work. He's brilliant, but I think his main object was to have students leave the class thinking he was brilliant--rather than to leave the class knowing a little more themselves.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: ENG4305
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Dr. Davis is definitely tough. His obsession is poetry, and you will need to read widely. He's not easy to impress, but he's a good listener. His creative writing class is excellent and will make you a much better poet. Davis himself is quite a good poet, and I recommend reading some of his work. His class and stories are worth the work involved.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: ENGL4644
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Very difficult. Intimidating. Has interesting stories. Is brilliant.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: ENG4385
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

The English Department is packed with great profs. Davis is not among these. He's not a bad prof. (he actually has some very interesting stories), but his people skills are lacking. Also, his grading methods are questionable. Life's too short to pay for Davis to teach you: take Hanks, Garrett or Ferretter.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: AMERICANLIT
• 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:

Very unprofessional. For example, during the first week of class he railed against us because we had not read an assigned reading. There was a valid reason on why the entire class had not read the book-no bookstore had the book. A few days later he checked the Baylor Bookstore and the book still had not come in yet. He never did apologise.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: 20THBRITLIT
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

By far the most difficult class I took, ever. But I learned more from his pomposity than I thought I could. Impressive, formidable, endearing.

Rating # 11

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

Yes, he is a pompous jerk, but he does know modern poetry well. If you are willing to struggle with his abrasive style it could pay off but there are other profs at Baylor that can teach poetry well without the attitude.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: ENG3390
• 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! Never explains anything! Not helpful at all, never encourages, and only smiles when criticizing others! Do not take him!!

Rating # 13

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

Extremely bright and often entertaining, but I know of 2 people who had to drop out of grad school because of his incompetence at directing a thesis. He's too enamored of his own cleverness to bother helping others.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: ENG2311
• 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:

Awful Awful AWFUL do NOT take!

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: ENG4369
• 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:

Dr. Davis is too pompous for his own good. Horrible professor

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: ENG3390
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Great lecturer: "The Bill Davis Story Hour"