David Dunning - Cornell University, Ithaca, NY

Professor: David Dunning

Department: Psychology

College: Cornell University, Ithaca, NY

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: PSYCH389
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Not an easy A psych class but Dr. Dunning is clearly a really knowledgeable prof. The material is interesting but lectures are spent just talking about other psych studies. Exams are blue book and you actually have to read for them too! Read the textbook and the articles and you should be fine for exams since the lecture material is pretty easy.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: PSYCH389
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

One of the few lecture courses I've taken where textbook use is ABSOLUTELY REQUIRED--YOU WILL NOT GET THAT INFORMATION IN LECTURE. He's an entertaining lecturer--pay attention and do the readings and you should get an A. Memorizing the many names and experiments in lecture is probably the most difficult thing.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: PSYCH389
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Very condescending & rude to students. He made many mistakes grading & he doesn't really take responsibility for them. Unhelpful during office hours. I spent so much time, effort, & work on this class, and got 60-70% on every assignment no matter what I did. Curve at the end of semester was VERY surprising. Grading scale was never made clear to us.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: PSYCH487
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Now a Prof. at UMICH. Interesting class and lectures. Readings are necessary for exams, 1/3 of material tested. Recommend if you're pre law or interested in criminal psychology. Class wasn't too difficult once I got the hang of what he expected from the students. Tricky wording on tests though!

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: PSYCH2650
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

The class isn't really difficult if you pay attention and take good notes during the lectures and if you read the require readings. Studying for the tests is absolutely necessary. The lectures are really fun, though, and this was definitely my favorite class last semester.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: PSYCH2650
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

The best course I've ever taken. Dunning is a fascinating lecturer, very engaging with humor and flawless transitions. You must read and the tricky tests require studying and thinking critically (making outlines is helpful), but class is fun and the material is interesting. Quick, transparent grading. What you put in is what you get out. Must take.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: PSYCH2650
• 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:

Great lecturer! Really helpful and makes the class interactive

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: PSYCH2650
• 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:

Fantastic lecturer! Really animated and captivating. Great teacher!

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: PSYCH2650
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Dunning needs to be fired ASAP (but won't since he's got tenure). The WORST teacher ever at Cornell. Completely useless and quite smarmy to talk to, when approached for help. His exams are ridiculous and his lectures are his time to gloat about Stanford rather than the material. If you are smart, avoid him. Not worth the headache at all.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: PSYCH2650
• 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:

GREAT class, excellent lecturer; this was actually my favorite class of the semester. Previous reviewers have said that Dunning is pompous, but I just think he's very self-confident, which wasn't a turnoff for me. Prelims are manageable, my 3 written assignments were graded pretty hard though. Final was also pretty difficult. Overall good class.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: PSYCH2650
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Very clear lecturer and makes the material pretty interesting. A bit repetitive subject material and the readings are awful and long, but overall a very good class.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: PSYCH265
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Great professor. Presents the material in a fascinating way with a good sense of humor but without dumbing it down. Challenging but totally do-able as long as you take it seriously, go to class, and do the reading. Overall, great class.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: PSYCH265
• 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:

Hated this class. Dunning sucks. Really boring information, grades totally unfairly on exams , stupid writing assignments. Do not take this class if you're an engineer looking for a good or easy or interesting liberal arts class.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: PSYCH265
• 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:

Very entertaining professor, but it's a difficult class. I went to almost every lecture, but I didn't do the reading and came out with a not so good grade. Tests are tricky. The class is probably much easier if you read the textbook.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: PSYCH265
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

The course material is interesting, and he is a good lecturer but this professor is arrogant and not a very good teacher. To do well on tests you must memorize lectures and textbooks, which is not a very good learning method in my opinion, and although I got an A, a year later, I don't remember a thing.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: PSYCH265
• 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:

I could've gotten a better greade in nuclear physics. The best suggestion for those wanting to do well is to memorize the textbook verbatim. You'll still get a C though.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: PSYCH265
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Great class and definitely worth the effort. However, he is very cocky and is not understanding at all. As long as you don't talk to him outside of class, it's a good experience overall.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: PSYCHANDLAW
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

I was disappointed in this course. The text book was elementary and watered down, but you better read it three times over to ace the tests. I found Dunning to be narcissitic and cocky. He makes basic grammatical errors in handouts, lecture slides and speech, which are inexcusable at his level in the profession.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: PSYCH265
• 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:

Entertaining and upbeat lecturer and encourages class participation. However, he does have a big ego and his somewhat cocky attitude definitely comes through in class ("lalala I'm going to proceed with the lecture in my head and not give it to you until it's quiet") Exams not so bad if you study.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: PSYCH265
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

One of my favorite classes ever. It's not an easy A, but just do the work and you'll get one. Great lecturer and a very intersting subject. Two thumbs up!