James Dobbins - Oberlin College

Professor: James Dobbins

Department: TBD

College: Oberlin College

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: EAST151
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Engaging and knowledgable lecturer. He was helpful when I went into office hours for feedback on my essays. I'd recommend his class to anyone interested in East Asian history.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: EAST152
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

He was a great professor. Interesting lectures (but obviously you have to be interested in the topic). Really open to students and a wonderful person. Easy/reasonable tests, slightly harder on essays.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: EAST152
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Dobbins really knows his stuff! I had almost no interest in EAS before Japanese Thought & Religion but afterward I came out a major. His lectures were really interesting and informative and he obviously knew it all forward and backward. I found the readings time-consuming and uninteresting but all the necessary information is available in lectures.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: EAST151
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Very reasonable exams, grading for exams is on the easy side. Essay grader is tougher and feedback isn't always helpful, but I love his lectures. They're 50 minutes of story telling.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: EAST18063
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

My computer broke, and he wouldn't give me any leeway on my paper. (By broke, I mean the hard drive cracked.) I brought it in, but he still didn't cut me any slack.

Rating # 6

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

He is patient and well informed. A real classic understanding of the religion. I wish he was more helpful on essay feedback.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: EAST151
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

his lectures are very well organized and structured, but his tone can be a bit monotonous.the discussion groups are very useful, particularly if you plan not to do assigned readings very often.he makes a huge effort to be available to meet with students, and does a pretty good job given the size of the class.his tests are fair, grading is easy.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: PURELANDSEM
• 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:

Although discussions can drag, he is very knowledgable and very clear. You're never guessing how to approach an assignment. He's very available and very interested in the subject. He's also very responsive to questions and points. Remember, though, he's a footnote nazi. To a scary degree.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: FYSP158
• 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:

He definitely loves teaching and the subject matter and is interested in the success of his students. A very nice guy who knows his stuff.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: JAPANESETHOUGHT
• Grade Received: A+
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

No Comments

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: 100RELIGION
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Dobbins was dry and not that interesting... he was pretty helpful when approached, but man... so boring. The material was alright but... so boring...

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: RELG101B
• 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:

Lectures are on the dry side and occasionally hard to stay with, but he loves questions and discussion, and seems to light up when someone raises their hand in the middle of a lecture. He reciprocates so much interest.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: RELG118
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Dobbins is awesome. He was always more than willing to help with any problems I was having, going so far as to put up with more than he probably should have. He is passionate about what he teaches, and I really do think he knows everything. Also, he took me to Japan. That alone means he's awesome.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: RELG218
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

It's an easy class, but really boring. For a religion class I was expecting some actual action/interest: no such luck.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: RELG118
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

A bit dry in lectures, but really knows the subject matter. Really helpful and great at simplifying and explaining complex ideas.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: RELG
• 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:

Professor Dobbins is a good lecturer and an excellent academic. While he tends to be reserved, this should not be conflated with disengaged. If you want a teacher with lots of knowledge of the field and clear expectations, than Dobbins is for you. On t

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: RELG101
• 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:

BORING!!! Why does this man teach classes at 9:35 am? And the course was rushed. But, all the same, a really nice guy.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: RELIGION
• 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:

No Comments

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: RELG235
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

I didn't find his Religion class at all stimulating, and when my computer died (with my term paper on it), he was not at all understanding...I even brought in the computer to show him!

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: RAAWF
• 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:

This man single-handedly rejuvenated my passion for academics. A brilliant teacher of incomparable focus and clarity.