Richard Backs - Central Michigan University

Professor: Richard Backs

Department: Psychology

College: Central Michigan University

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: STATS211
• Grade Received: C
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

uno not a good prof if you wanna learn ut but youll get by if you try

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: PSY211QR
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Dr. Backs seems to be losing his marbles a bit. He cancelled class quite often for unknown reasons and his lectures are not very helpful at all. I taught this entire course to myself. If you are struggling i recommend reading the textbook in depth and going to tutoring, your TA will be a LOT of help.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: PSY211
• 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:

Dr. Backs is the worst professor I've ever had. Doesn't know what he's doing & misspeaks & confuses people half the time. He is very specific about grading yet doesn't tell you exactly what he wants leaving you w/ a bad grade on homework. He is rude, unhelpful, has made me cry multiple times. I always go above & beyond and he still doesn't help.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: PSY211
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Dr. Backs may be one of the worst professors I've had at CMU. He doesn't give good feedback through email, and his assignments take way too much time to complete. I took this as a UP course and it was the worst mistake I've ever made..

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: PSYCH211
• Grade Received: C
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

PowerPoints are from the publishing company that the text book is from. He stands in front of class and reads directly off of them with very little help on how to actually do the homework. Cancels class often and the schedule is so messed up, it is hard to keep track of what is due and what is not.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: PSY211
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Even though it is a statistics course (lots of math) he reads from a powerpoint and does not actually explain how to do the work. He also gets irritated when someone asks him a question even though the entire class does not understand what he is explaining. He does give a lot of extra credit and I recommend seeing the TA.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: PSYCH211
• Grade Received: C
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

If you are a student with learning or physical disabilities do not taje him. If you are a student who needs an active Professor do not take him. He gives online sources, but you will have to teach yourself. He is very rude, and a plain jerk to every student (no matter how good). If statistics is a strong suit you will do just fine, if not beware.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: PSY211
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

The lecture was pretty borring but he gives a huge amount of extra credit. The book is helpful and the homeworks too.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: PSY211
• Grade Received: A+
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

I took the course online and got an A. He provides lecture notes as well as step by step instruction for SPSS. He gave us extra credit for an optional assignment. The class is online, so if you are good at teaching yourself you will do fine! He basically never was involved in the class so be prepared to be on your own! Ok if you can teach yourself

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: PSYCH211
• Grade Received: F
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

HE IS INCREDIBLY BORING!!!!!! The subject itself is already terrible so you would expect him to try harder to make it easier to learn but NO. I would consider myself an active learner so he was really bad for me so maybe it's just me but this was awful. Please for your sanity find a different professor.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: PSY211
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Tests are hard. You have to put a lot of work in the homework you turn in online and studying for tests. The SPSS homework don't teach you anything.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: PSY211QR
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Only got an A in the class because I studied incredibly hard and did ALL of the extra credit. He is not helpful. He actually asked me if I was stupid in front of the entire class when I asked a question. I have no respect for him. Try to get a different professor.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: 211QR
• Grade Received: A+
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

I took this online, but even for an online professor he was not very involved with the class. Homework assignments are credit/no credit, if you show your work then you get 100%. Exams are entirely multiple choice, but no notes, calculators, or formulas are allowed to be used while taking them so make sure you know the material.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: PSY211
• Grade Received: B-
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Exams are so hard, but homework is worth a lot so do good on homework and you will be okay

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: PSY211
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Dr. Backs did awful at explaining the material and even when the students were doing terrible in his class he did absolutely nothing to help them understand or get a better grade. I highly suggest taking this class with another professor.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: PSY211
• Grade Received: A+
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Online means having to independently teach yourself quite a bit, he clearly explains the concepts in his lecture notes and uses homework questions that coincide with what is put on the exams. It is more concept based than actual math questions on the exams but that's because it's important to know the concepts as well as how to do the math.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: PSY211
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Unfortunately I was not a fan of Professor Backs. When I asked a question he acted as though I was incompetent and he did not have time for me. He comes off as very arrogant and pompous. My suggestion is to find another professor.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: PSY211
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Worst professor I've ever head. He doesn't like it when you ask questions, he won't help you in his office hours. He will call you out in front of the whole class for having a tutor. He's rude and doesn't care about you, or if you pass or fail his class. I am a good student and I did horrible in his class. Take with anyone else!!

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: PSY211
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Backs is a terrible teacher. BUT, he does offer amazing extra credit (30 points) and drops one test, one homework and one SPSS assignment. You have to study very hard to get an A, but it's possible.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: PSY211
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

He's really not that bad. Make sure you print out all of the PowerPoint slides and take them with you to class, ask questions until you understand the material completely, and use the textbook and slides to study. There are a lot of extra credit opportunities.