Richard Payne - Illinois State University, Normal, IL

Professor: Richard Payne

Department: Political Science

College: Illinois State University, Normal, IL

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: POL106
• 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:

Actually cares about the opinions of his students and promotes objective thinking. The two essay exams are hard and you must take notes on your own. I wish I had more professors like him-classes are worthwhile and you will learn a lot about the opinions, beliefs & behaviors regarding the construction of the constitution.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: POS300
• 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:

Dr. Payne was an excellent professor. He knows what is students are capable of--and expects it from them. He won't let you just get by with slacking--but considering you're actually suppose to be learning in college--don't be afraid of a slight challenge.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: POL106
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Worst teacher I ever had. Pushed his own agenda and never discussed what we needed to know. He talked about Jefferson, Washington, and Hamilton ALL DAY. Nothing on the test was discussed in class. 30 papers one page each for a total of 3% of the grade. Worthless. Learned nothing.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: POL106
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

He seems hard, but he is a big front.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: POL106
• 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:

Study the study guide that he gives you, it is EXACTLY what will be on the exam. Do that and you'll be fine on the tests. If you participate in class and act controversial once in a while he'll love you and you'll get an A hands down.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: POL106
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

If you are going to take this class, Be Prepared for A LOT of studying. He only expects excellence and all of his students are brilliant. Only take him if you have no other choice. You have to do two essay tests and they are HARD. He gets off track so much in class, and he wants you to just agree with all of his beliefs. This is hard, so beware now

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: POS105
• 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:

Would have been a better teacher if he got off his high horse. Pushes his own myopic agenda so hard he fails to see the holes in it. I got an "A" so I am not just being bitter but I do not think he cares at all about teaching or his students. If he is so good, what is he doing at ISU?

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: POL106
• 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:

Well, if I would have actually been able to stay in the class, I probably still would have hated him. The first day of class he kicked out 2/3 of the students because they were not honors students in an honors class. Then, the chair of POS department apologized for the eminent professor's actions and asked us to rejoin the class...yeah right!

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: POL106
• 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:

No Payne, no gain! That was pretty much the class motto. Great class and great professor. Tests are very hard, so form study groups and actually STUDY!!! He's challenging and thought provoking. If you're not up to the challenge, drop the class or don't even register. He only expects BRILLIANCE!!!

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: POS254
• 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:

It was great to hear about how accomplished he is, Distinguished Professor, Studied with Condoleeza Rice at Harvard as a Fulbright Scholar. Would have been nice if some of that was on the test, but he couldn't shut up about himself, and very little of the material on the two tests was covered in class. Go the day he gives out the review sheet

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: POS254
• 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:

A lot of reading and only two essays tests. He is very knowledgeable but gets off track. the tests arent easy and def take work to do well.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: POL106
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Payne is a professor that truly lives up to his name. If you take his class, you will be in a world of Payne. This is, however, one of my favorite classes EVER. Yes, he's hard. Yes, his tests are ridiculous. But I have never had a class before where I learned so much. I highly recommend him. No Payne. No Gayne.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: 2CLASSES
• 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:

Payne is one of the best professors I had in college. He was very inspiring, and gets you to think about stuff. Highly recommended.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: POL254
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

No Comments

Rating # 15

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

This guy doesn't care anything about teaching or students and I know he hated having to give me an "A" which I more than earned. What a piece of work.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: POL106
• 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:

He is the most inspiring professor that I have ever had. I decided to be a Politics and Government major because of him.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: POL106
• 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:

one of the hardest classes i've ever taken but also one of the few undergrad teachers who was worth the effort. he's an inspiration. would bust my ass again for him any day.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: POL254
• 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 can't decide if Payne "knows" he is right...or he's just not smart enough to KNOW he is wrong. He will say something in class completely wrong and then not call on a student afterwards because HE KNOWS that student will refute what he said. Seriously, he is the worst "teacher" I've ever had, maybe he would be OK if he got off his own agenda.

Rating # 19

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

Had him a couple times. He is TOUGH, but he is the only professor at ISU that is truly there to help students not just in college but in life. Our ideologies clashed, but he is a great professor who likes his job where so many other teachers just dont care. He is a true example of what Professors should be.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: POL106
• 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:

The text book is something I would expect in high school and he had no clue how to teach. He spends most of the class arguing about the war in Iraq. He reads the terms out of the book and calls it teaching and then expects you to know things for the test that aren't even in the book. His tests are impossible, why study?