Richard Straw - Radford University, Radford, VA

Professor: Richard Straw

Department: History

College: Radford University, Radford, VA

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: HIST111
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Dr. Straw has a good sense of humor and is friendly to everyone. Attendance is not mandatory, but if you skip you won't pass! He requires a lot of reading which requires a couple essays throughout the semester. Tests are lengthy and require essays as well. Be prepared to study, take LOTS of notes, and stay on top of the reading.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: HIST111
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Doesnt tell you whats gonna be on the tests

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: HIST375
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Course focuses more on the feelings of immigrants than stats/history. You need to buy all five books. Write-ups due every week. Loads of major assignments given in the last couple weeks (book report, presentation, research paper). midterm and final exam, written, no clear rubric. Expect to have last minute assignments emailed to the class.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: HIST112
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

All he does is talk to you, no visual aid with learning. His notes are all over the place along with his lecture. His tests are mainly on the textbook anyway. He's an okay person but I wouldn't recommend taking his class.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: HIST112
• Grade Received: D-
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

HORRIBLE. all he does is talk, doesn't allow for any class involvement you're just being talked at. He doesn't use D2L AT. ALL. Not helpful at all, AVOID AT ALL COSTS!

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: HIST111
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Great professor if you are interested int history. Everything he puts on his tests come straight from the lectures. He has a strict attendance policy so dont skip. He doesnt put his lectures online so dont expect that. He has a dry humor and uses that throughout his letures. Also dont be distruptive or rude.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: HIST111
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Very clear cut, funny professor. Loose attendance policy but make sure you follow it.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: HIST112
• Grade Received: B-
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

He's nice and funny but make sure you show up for class because every class missed you get deduction from your grades. Also check for online assignments that are not discussed in class because he will not tell you about them and they are a. If part of your grade. He lectures a lot but you will need to study and take more notes on the book.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: HIST111
• Grade Received: C
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

He is a caring professor and will try and work with you as much as possible. His class is hard but, it is worth it in the end.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: HIST111
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Professor Straw loves history, however he should not be a teacher for it. He gives 4 grades throughout the entire semester which are all exams. All he does is lecture there are no PowerPoints worksheets or quizzes. When asked for help he acts like you're invading his time now. Unless you are very good with history I would not recommend him.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: HIST111
• Grade Received: B-
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

There are only 4 exams and that is the only grades you have. Every class is lecture without a presentation or any visual aids. Very scattered when lecturing. Claims the test answers come from lectures, but you HAVE to read the book in order to do well on the tests, and even then the tests are really hard. Barely any feedback on any test was given

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: HIST111
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Straw is a great professor, and I am very interested in history, but his lectures always seem to drag on because he repeats himself a lot and doesn't really get to the point most of the time. His tests are pretty easy if you show up to class and take good notes. When I walk out of the room, I always understand what we just talked about.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: HIST112
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

This class was great! He doesn't take attendance but that doesn't mean you can skip lectures. Reading is very important; some test questions he doesn't lecture about. Tests are essay based, and timed. Lectures bring a humorous twist to the information we've all been learning about since the sixth grade. He's engaging, and funny!

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: HIST112
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

The guy is really knowledgeable and comfortable teaching. Real stickler for attendance, but most of the tests are based 80% on class notes. E-Book could be very useful, I just didn't bother with it. Fun class, easy enough, learned some cool stuff I didn't know, got an A. Highly recommended for a history class

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: HIST111
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Go to class. Listen to lectures. Read through chapters before test. Great professor. Actually cares about the class, so attendance to him is important. It may not seem like it but he does care about your grade, don't hesitate to email him for help.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: HIST
• 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:

Dr. Straw is the worst professor I've ever had. He rarely shows up to class, when he does he is disorganized and doesn't lecture on the subject matter. He literally sat down and had us teach ourselves (in group work), for most of the semester. Seriously, just a completely joke of a professor. I'm sorry Radford still has this guy.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: HISTORY375
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

I took a 100 level class with him my freshman year and he was very thorough in lectures. But in his his 375 class, he babbles about nothing, doesn't give us any perspective on the actual subject, and requires us to teach ourselves through our textbooks. He's also disorganized, lazy, and overall not really nice.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: 112
• 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:

this teacher is the only teacher at Radford that I have met that honestly has no interest in helping his students I would never recommend this teacher to anyone he made me decide not to minor in history he's rude and isn't clear on what is going to be on the test or what he is teaching he puts random words on the board yet doesn't explain them

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: HIST112
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Dr. Straw keeps the class interesting. But you must take good notes, or you'll fail. The tests are challenging - and those are your only grades. But at the end of the semester if you attend class regularly he'll give you extra credit opportunities

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: HIST112
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Dr. Straw is in the business of selling textbooks, not teaching history. Lectures were boring and nearly useless. No class discussion. Overdependence on the text. I was personally disappointed.