John Schaeffer - Northern Illinois University

Professor: John Schaeffer

Department: English

College: Northern Illinois University

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: ENG315
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

He is very old fashioned, very boring sometimes. His quizzes are completely easy if you actually read the book. He is very hard grader regrading the papers and the essay on the mid term and final but overall its an interesting class.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: ENGL310
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Overall good teacher--lots of useless facts though. Go to class, take notes in class, that's about all you need. Readings can be hard but he tells you what the important things are during class.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: ENGL310
• 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:

i LOVED dr. schaeffer's class. he is extremely intelligent and as long as you come to class, take notes, and can write two papers you will do fine. pay attention to vocab he writes on the board becuase they show up on the tests. great prof. one of NIU's best. he's old fashioned, but his lectures were always interesting. i highly recommend him

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: ENGL200H
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Great teacher, full of TONS of information on anything and everything (English related or not!). You have to get used to his style, but overall his classes are SO worthwhile. He treats students like adults not children and expects you to do your best, but is willing to be patient if it takes you a bit longer than others to get there. I recommend!

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: ENGL300A
• 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:

Schaffer was probably one of the best professors I've had. He demands a lot, but your writing will improve.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: ENG503
• 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:

Full of information. Suggestions for future papers. Suggestions for additional reading. I learned a lot.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: ENGL300A
• 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:

Jesus, this guy is a goldmine for pointless facts. He gives great feedback on papers, and his grading isn't THAT ROUGH for a 300 level course. He rips apart your papers in his class corrections, but it all makes them better in the end, right? He's a really good teacher. But he's kind of a grouch.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: ENGL200
• 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:

Probably the worst teacher i have had at NIU. He is extremely rude to students in person and in his comments on papers. He also refuses to help, and won't excuse you even if you have a documented excuse (such as a cracked rib!). Avoid him if you can - he is absolutely terrible.

Rating # 9

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

Took him for two graduate-level rhetoric classes-- my favorite. He is "old-fashioned" in that he demands clear, sustained thinking. He is something of a intelletcual giant. He knows more about rhetoric, poetry, philosophy, English than most professors. He can be gruff, but c'mon? Take him to become smarter, not cos he's a fuzzy-wuzzy teacher.

Rating # 10

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

Schaeffer is a good instructor. Sure, he is a bit old-fashioned, but that is neither here nor there. He wants you to work, but is that really asking much? Take his classes and you will learn plenty. He sweats profusely, but is funny, sarcastic, and knowledgeable. A bit of a smart-ass, but hilarious if at others' expense!

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: ENG502A
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Very unclear on paper topic. He came in after Professor Van Cromhout passed away, no easy task, but he was confusing at times. Certainly an intelligent man, but made rude comments on paper that really didn't pertain to the topic...as a teacher myself, something I just don't think should be done.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: ENGL300A
• 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:

If you're up to the challenge -- and the challenge is considerable but fair -- you will become a much more critical and analytical reader, and a much more incisive and concise writer. Thank you, Dr. Schaeffer.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: ENGL503
• 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:

Schaffer is probably the most demanding professor I've ever had--and I don't make this observation to criticize. At times he can be a bit harsh, but he demands excellence. He is one of the most knowledgable professors I've ever had. The people who criticize him are just weak minded. Great teacher. Funny and interesting.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: ENGL200
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

This guy's assignment for research was very unclear, and I didn't appreciate the smart alec comments on my assignments either, even if they're graded well. He needs to rethink his career choice, if its too hard to be nice,& maybe try to remember what its like to be a student...it ain't easy. I tried my best, but not good enough for him I guess.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: ENGL200
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

A bit of an odd old guy, but he's not a bad professor by any means. He grades papers reasonably, and while we didn't exactly read the most exciting of books, it wasn't too difficult.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: ENG300A
• 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:

He's very unclear about what he wants as far as writing and sweats a lot.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: RHETORICGRAD
• 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:

Thirteen years later I am finally able to tell the world that John Schaeffer kicked my ass into a whole new level of understanding, discourse, and understanding discourse. If you feel challenged by his expectations, don't despair -- bite the bullet, charge forward, and achieve, for you will be richly rewarded.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: ENGL300A
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Dr. Schaeffer is a good teacher, he was interesting and he provided a lot of valuable information related to "real-life." His grading was a little strange, though and I got a lower grade than I should have. Oh well.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: ENG310
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

sweetest class ever

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: ENGL410
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

I definately benefited as a writer from this class. He gave quizzes on every single reading assignment, and he wasn't very clear on his expectations for assignments.