James Potter - University of California Santa Barbara

Professor: James Potter

Department: TBD

College: University of California Santa Barbara

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: COMM102
• 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:

Don't take any classes with him, EVEN if the subject interests you. I read all of the terrible comments on here before taking his class and I wish I had listened! He's smart but severely lacking in teaching and interpersonal skills. He's so close-minded, passionless, and doesn't value his students at all:/

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: COM102
• Grade Received: D
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

He writes this in the syllabus. The "therefore" makes no sense. "Because of the requirements of social distancing in effect this Spring, this course will be completely online. Therefore, the professor will not be lecturing on the course material during class meetings; instead you are expected to learn the material by reading on your own."

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: COMM102
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Rambles on and on in lecture about topics that aren't even related. Would not recommend taking him for any class tbh. The book itself wasn't too bad though.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: COMM130
• 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:

Entire class is based on two tests about the entire textbook.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: COMM138
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Potter doesn't use lecture slides so if you don't pay VERY close attention during his 3 hour lectures and write down every word that comes out of his chapped lips then you're screwed for the tests. He makes mistakes repeatedly and doesn't seem to know the modern advertising industry at all. He takes off points if you ask questions during exams.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: COMM138
• Grade Received: INC
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

I have never made a post about anyone. This is how strongly I feel that he is the worst professor I have ever had. Rambles off of a sheet, tests on horribly phrased questions, docks people points for being >5 minutes late to class. Never again. No form of engagement, just talks and wants us to memorize and regurgitate. TA is nice though.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: COMM138
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

His class on advertising is really outdated and he seems pretty out of touch with the current field. He doesn't use lecture slides so the entire class consists of him reading his notes off a paper which makes it really hard to pay attention. His instructions for assignments are vague and he's very unhelpful if you ask for clarification. Stay away

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: COMM138
• Grade Received: C-
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

WORST PROFESSOR EVER. this class has some very useful material but the way it is taught and how we are tested is absolutely horrible. his tests are set up for you to fail. i could go into explantation but just trust these reviews and save yourself. U might be thinking advertising is your lane, but you'll still get an F because of the tests.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: COM101
• Grade Received: C
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

This was the worst class I've every taken. He uses his own highly inadequate textbook to try to explain dated media literacy concepts. His lectures ramble and are unintelligible. There are 2 lengthy essay tests which if you don't answer with his exact rendition of the right answer, you will probably fail.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: COM101
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

He is not too bad. I got a B on the midterm and that was super high for the average. Go to the class you get participation and read the book! The book is interesting. Create an outline on google docs with each chapter and get the main points. You need to understand the chapter as a whole.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: COM102
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Our class had two exams and a short quiz after each class. You could only ask questions during the first five minutes of exams and a lot of the questions were "application" based (compare and contrast concepts & theories). Assigned readings could have been better organized in my humble opinion. Overall, a challenging class, but changed my thinking.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: COMM101
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Doesn't use powerpoint. Just talks about a bunch of random things during lecture, and difficult to grasp what his main points are. Final is 60% of your grade, and each class has exercise which you get credit for. Overall, he grades his test hard. Got a B- on the midterm and feel like I knew everything going into it (it was during week 3).

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: COMM138
• Grade Received: C
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

GOOD CLASS MATERIAL BUT AWFUL PROFESSOR! Potter has tenure so don't even get excited about roasting him during evals. No Gauchospace, all lecture outlines given in class. 3 exercises (weighs more) and 2 exams (application q's & short response). GO TO TA OFFICE HOURS (srly). Points taken off during exams if you ask q's after 5 min mark. Good luck!

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: COMM101
• Grade Received: D+
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

He is very knowledgeable but around the the 3rd week is when everything went downhill. His lectures are very dry, and very BORING. I got 100% on attendance, class activities and a B- on the midterm. BUT the final, absolutely horrible- Cumulative, No Study Guide, and 60% of your grade, almost unrealistic to get a full A+ in his class.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: COMM101
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

This was one of the worst classes I have ever taken. He is a very knowledgable professor, but a terrible lecturer. His tests are horrid & he's a very hard grader. If he was more organized & had PowerPoints, students would enjoy this class more. It is very hard to pay attention in class, because his lectures are dry.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: COMM101
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

I honestly cannot believe this man is tenured here. His "teaching" style is nothing more than him quietly mumbling about nothing of substance in front of a bored class. His material is shallow, has no grounded research foundation, and he grades like a grade-a d-ckhole. It's sad that this guy teaches among incredible faculty in this department

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: COMM101
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Potter is well-intending but his course seems like an excuse to get people to buy his textbook. In lecture he gives a boring overview of the book chapter of the week but not in-depth enough to be useful. Although he frames the class as application-based, test are based solely on the book. You have to go to class because he gives tedious exercises.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: 138
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Very boring lectures, he reads off an outline thankfully. The projects are interesting and very relevant to the industry, but he is very vague about his expectations. His tests are pure memorization..

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: 138
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

DO NOT TAKE ANY CLASS WITH THIS MAN. HE IS THE WORST TEACHER I HAVE EVER HAD.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: COMM101
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

I don't understand why people are complaining about him. Everything for this class is in the book. All you have to do is go to class to do his super easy attendance exercises, then you can do whatever you want for the rest of the time and study from the book, which he wrote. His tests are essays, so as long as you know the material you're fine.