William Childs - The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH

Professor: William Childs

Department: History

College: The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: HIST398
• 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 texts picked were terrible, the discussion boring, and the originality minimal. I love history but this class was painful.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: HIST564
• 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:

This is not a cake class, and he and the TA are not an easy graders. BUT you will learn a lot from him. All he asks is that you try. There's a decent amount of reading but if you like history, you'll enjoy it. Attendance is not mandatory yet it is crucial to attend to hear what he says. He's willing to help but you must approach him.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: HIST598
• 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:

The most contradictory grader I have ever had. In addition, he is ambiguous, he will just underline something in a paper with no explanation as to if it's good, bad, out of place...I spent countless hours trying to meet his expectations and my final paper grade was the same as my rough paper. My major GPA is a 3.6. My two grades from Childs: B-, C+

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: HIST387
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

An insane amount of reading for a 300 level class, not to mention the hardest grading scale ever for his exams (all essay and short answer). Very condescending and unapproachable. Don't take for a history elective, your GPA will suffer, even if you're a stellar writer.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: HIST398
• 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:

DO NOT GET CHILDS FOR THIS CLASS. His grading scale is out of this world. I am (was) a 3.7 student majoring in history and I barely got a B- in his class. He relies on three books every quarter, which are required. All three books are absolutley pointless to read. Avoid his class at all costs.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: HIST398
• 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:

Very difficult to keep up, lots of reading, and lots of papers to write. If you have a full time job, forget it. I dislike the author Gaddis, but it appears Childs likes him. Avoid Childs for this class.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: HIST398
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Very Hard Class. There is an assignment every week and a lot of reading. You should probably Participate in the class as it will help your grade in the end. Has no problem helping you with his paper, but he really doesn't tell you how to improve it. He does not give A's on papers until the end of the quarter. Be cautious

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: HIST387
• 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 hard grader. This professor grades harder than any english teacher I have had in the past. If taking this as an elective I would suggest looking for a different class. Exams are very hard 1st one consists of 5 short answers (2 pages each) 2nd one consists of 1 essay (5 pages) and the third one conisists of 4 short answers & 1 essay (13 pages).

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: HIST398
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

I felt lost in this class from the first day. I read 5 books and wrote 10 papers. Dr. Childs grades tough, but the class somewhat improved my writing skills: He told us after the first paper that our writing as a class was "atrocious." This kind of teaching is not enjoyable. He is willing to help at office hours, but I avoided them.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: HIST565
• 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:

Unrealistic grading expectations. Thinks undergrads should be able to produce the same quality work as grad students. Very challenging, did more work for this course in one quarter than my other 3 combined.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: HIST565
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

I went into this class with high hopes. Within the first week I regretted taking his section of 565. His historical knowledge is minimal compared to other professors offering the same course. Quite disappointing considering it is a higher level class. When challenged with difficult questions he typically responds with a poor and ambiguous answer.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: HIST565
• 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've despised this class from day one. I finally figured out why today. A student asked a pretty decent question this morning about Hiroshima, and Childs - who clearly didn't know the answer - basically told him the question was stupid. The more he lectures the more it becomes obvious that he's not very smart. He compensates by belittling us.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: HIST597
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

He doesn't care how much you know, he just wants you to write how he would on papers. If you get the TA to grade your papers and not him you might be ok.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: HST597
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

If you want to get a good grade in this class, you need to be a good BS'er. Childs expects the world from your papers, yet makes his questions extremely broad. You need to work hard. Forget the stupid quizzes and just worry about doing well on the tests. Even our TA agrees he is completely unreasonable, though, so good luck.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: HIST565
• 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:

The class was very difficult, but if you pay attention to his lectures and take A LOT of notes you'll do fine.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: HIST565
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

This class was real interesting. His southern slang made the class less dull. He also showed movies and played radio clips. I liked the class overall, but the TA I had was way too hard in the grading. On B papers, she gave C-'s. It was BS and be careful.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: HIST597
• 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:

terrible.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: HISTORY597
• 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:

His class was truly an awful experience. He grades so that the average is a C, not because you necessarily deserved a C. Asks very open-ended questions on assignments, but is looking for a specific answer with specific evidence. STAY AWAY!!

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: HISTORY597
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Total Ass-hat. Very smart, but expects way to much from basic assignments. Seems to grade everything so that he makes the 78% avg, but doesn't grade to performance. Unclear expectations and deceptive questions on tests.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: HIST597
• 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:

Prof Childs is more concerned about cheaters and NOT giving good grades than actually teaching anything. As a senior history major, I was very disappointed with the class and prof.