I completed his US History II class. As long as you read the chapters and complete the study guide questions before the test, you will make an A. The book review is not very hard. I completely recommend him. Not a heavy workload.

always engaging, tests directly from notes, a great story teller and very understanding. his classes run smoothly and his students respect him. it's smooth sailing if you just follow his agenda.

bad ass if you took the notes

Nice man. Dresses like 1975 and knows alot about 1975. Looks like he is in a time machine with the way he dresses.

Pretty good prof. at least a couple of trick questions per test..ok distance learning course.

AWESOME TEACHER!Its obvious that he knows his history and is very passionate about it.Personally history just doesn't interest me,but with his funny stories and entertaining class I always looked forward to his class everyday.No textbook use and he puts notes on the board for you and that is all you need to pass.Study the notes he gives & your good

Great teach knows his stuff! Go to class and take notes and you'll make an A! Funny guy, good man!

Interesting.

I took his Honors class- US Wars in film and print. I had a very hard time with his testing style and his class became the first class I ever dropped. He is easy to follow and tells great stories to accompany the notes, but don't take his honors class if you aren't prepared to write a book review AND a 12 page research paper using "primary" sources

Dr. Purcell is an awesome teacher. I have no interest at all in history and attended almost every one of his classes. He is great at teaching and knows his stuff! The down side are the tests and the historical book reports. Tests are really hard and no matter how much you study, your grades will not reflect it. Tests are extremely "nit-picky"

(distance learning) Do exactly as he says and find the answers to the study guide in the text. Then study that obsessively. He makes you write one 8 pg paper of your choice *upon approval, it isn't hard or a lot of work. No forums!! He is a very fair teacher. No extra credit. I would definitely recommend him if you want to earn an "A".

This guy is halarious. he actually makes history fun. he does silly accents a lot. his class is easy, just write down the notes word for word. his tests are exactly like the notes.

i did this class online and i didnt even read the book and just studied the study guides and did my research paper and passed the class with an A

Took distance. Very nice teacher. Fair grading. Tests were quite difficult and didn't really match up very well to objectives. Reading the text is a must! Work hard and you will get a good grade! Take this professor! :)

He's awesome. I know a lot of students were wondering where he was, he's very hands off in the online classes, but if you do what he instructs on his webpage you'll be good. Always willing to help and respond to questions. Easy A if you do your part. Use his study guide for tests!

I took him for honors HIST. He is a good teacher. His lectures are awesome. The Tests are hard but if you read the text and study the notes you will do fine. grades the book review and 12 page paper easy. AND is REALLLLYY LAID BACK!

SUPER EASY "A" The best professor ever! I repeated him for 1302 and don't even bought the book You just have to take notes and review them carefully, if you want an A have to write 2 book review (downside) His test are exactly his notes, just be aware of tricky questions, like changing words or asking something he didn't stress on class

Took him my very first semester of college online and he's by far the easiest professor I've had! Highly recommended if you need the credit, but don't care for History :)

I took him for History 1 and 2, great guy! He knows his material extremely well. Make sure you take notes, don't need the book. Very understanding of students other courses and gives the option of taking the test in the testing center instead. Very straightforward with grading and information. Tests are exactly like the class notes.

I had Purcell for both Honors History 1 & 2 (US Wars in Film & Print)and I loved every minute. He's like an uncle who entertains you with the best stories and he really makes history come alive. He's tricky with the tests and goes almost entirely from his lecture. The papers are in-depth, but he's the best professor I've ever had.

I have him online very hands off he gives you the review for all the tests about 15 questions per chapter. with 4 chapters that 60 questions half are the test. each question you have to know about 3 to 4 points. take it in class online you must read just to get a C. a B is a book report. an A is a 9 page essay

Easy teacher, the class is not going to be an "easy" A but getting an 'A' is VERY obtainable. took his online Hist 1302 class. Each test review has 60 questions, and 30 questions appear on actual test. clear when responding to emails and helpful. In the online class, to get an A, you have to do a term paper. Tests are taken at testing centers.

First off, he's head of the department and knows his stuff. He's a great storyteller who breathes life into history. Ironic sense of humor. Not particularly demanding of his students. Not a Howard Zinn type to fill in between the lines. A pain-free history class, if that's what you're looking for.

Loved Al! His lectures are incredibly entertaining - he doesn't just preach from the textbook like other history teachers, and tells hilarious stories and random facts. He is very understanding of his students. Use his tutorial guides when studying for his tests. The book reviews are interesting, just do them well in advance. Highly recommend him!

I took his distance 1302 course. The tests are generic, made by the history dept - stuff right out of the book. He'll give you a list of questions to review and 1/2 of them will be on the test. He requires a 2000 word A paper or a 1000 word B paper (you can also get a B with a B average on tests). He is quick to respond to e-mails and very helpful.

I took this course online. It was really difficult and requires a lot of studdying and reading. If you read the chapters more than once and take tons of notesand answer the question he provides you can do ok. You really need to study in this course. I am taking his 1302 with him in class to see if it i anyeasier. He is a caring teacher.

I took his honors class, and he is AWESOME! He really explains history well, tells lots of funny background stories that makes the history come alive. He also doesn't care about dates. BUT, his course is not easy. This is college guys. It's not easy. It's hard to get A's on the tests, and the papers are LONG. Totally take him guys!

He is AWESOME!! Great teacher. Clear, simple and to the point. If you follow the power points but also use his tutorial on his website you can ace it. I recommend studying with a buddy using the tutorial really helps for the test. Love this guy. I will be taking him again.

Great professor. Loves what he teaches. Had him for an online class and a lecture class. Both experiences were great. He is very clear about what is on the tests. Only have to take 5 tests. I expected college history classes to be more difficult, but he made them easy. The hardest part was writing the research paper, but he is very helpful with it.

If you read the chapters and answer the study guide questions you should do well. He also has on his web page sample tests that follow the study guide, go through them prior to the tests and you should have no problems. He is very responsive!

Excellent professor with an outstanding sense of humor, he teaches the class with active emphasis, tests are based on his online tutorials and are hard but straightforward, his use of the textbook is excellent, and he teaches the class as if it was a journey through history. Anyway, anyone who wants to take history must absolutely take Dr. Purcell!

If you study the tutorials he has online, you pretty much will make an A or B. Did not pick up my book after 2nd test. Just study tutorials. Will take him for Hist 1302

Very easy course to take, you really only need to study his online tutorial to get an A or B on test. Online course only requires 5 tests. Two options for a B include 1:Book Analysis & 80% on tests, or 2:Just 80% on tests, For an A:Large research paper 7-8 pages in APA format.

Just like with History-1, Dr. Purcell is an excellent professor, since he is funny, knowledgeable, and matter-of-fact with history. Although he doesn't use the book as much in History-2, he still uses it, and his course goes in depth about American History. Again, I still highly recommend Dr. Purcell for those who want to go into history.

I really enjoyed this class. You must study the book and attend lectures. It's a great class if love learning about history. It can be rather depressing with the realization of inhumane things humans do to each other. Textbook cost me a .01 plus shipping. Fascinating read.

Dr. Purcell provides a study guide and syllabus. All of his instructions are crystal clear. All I had to do was follow the study guide, make my flashcards, study and I passed the tests. I have a hard time memorizing so the way he had his questions structured really helped. He always answered my emails and was very helpful.

He is super smart and funny! Really reasonable. Enjoy going to his class :-) Only complaint is his multiple choice tests get a little confusing because of all of the "all of the above" questions. Other than that, great class. Don't need the textbook!

Awesome teacher, very leniant about due dates, taking him again!

Took this class online. 5 tests. I was able to master each test's material in less than 2 hours because of his online practice quizzes which pretty much have the same questions as the test. Unless you get at least an 80% on each test, you have to write a paper to get a B or higher. He emails back very quickly and is friendly!

His class was awesome. I always did the readings and study guide and then spent about 2 days (2 hours each) studying his online study guide - I would make flashcards out of each question from the online study guide and study those. I averaged a 99 on all test. Only downside is the 6-7 page paper you need to write to receive an A - wasn't too bad.

Very thorough instructor. Lots of studying required. Will answer questions if asked, though the syllabus and study guide cover enough that very few are necessary. Don't expect to earn any passing grade without putting in a lot of study time. Smart, hard working students will succeed. Stupid, lazy ones will fail.

Dr. Purcell was fair and lenient on deadlines, and quickly responded to emails. He was understanding to my work and home constraints. You will have to manage your time and complete a research paper for an A. I took HIST 1301 & 1302 online and made an A both times. If you are self motivated I recommend the online course.

Great on-line class. Professor Purcell communicates very quickly over email and is very helpful with questions. His tests seem to be so much more simplified than that of other professors teaching exact same class. I was able to use the old edition book saving $$$ and managed to do very well!

Good professor! Lectures can be entertaining at times, but they're usually kind of dull. Tests (4) are pretty easy if you study hard, but they can trick you if you aren't 100% prepared. Have to do QUALITY book reviews (1-2) on top of tests to get a B or A, which is a pain but I believe ACC requires this for all intro History classes... Oh well!

Purcell is a very smart person and knows his subject very well. The class is boring to me but I'm not a history major so that's to be expected. I appreciate that he assigned a textbook that is affordable and easy to find, and he lectures very well. He gives every opportunity to do well, including letting students take the tests late.

Tons of reading, no homework assignments, just tests, and the A & B option papers. His grading criteria is very clear and I'd say he is a fair grader. Tests are very tricky, make sure to know namesdates and DO the study guide- tests are directly from that!! I made a sad sad C in the course :( Great prof though, I would still recommend

Professor Purcell is great! He is so passionate about what he teaches that it is really easy to understand and keep up with his lectures. You basically just take notes from his powerpoint slides and his tests questions are almost word for word straight from there. He may mix up a few words to trick you though, but it's still easy if you study.

The best professor I have had. He is very clear about the information that will be on the test and every lecture he has a powerpoint with notes that you copy down and it is exactly what is on the test. Only 4 tests the whole semester, well spread out and 2 book reports but he grades very easily. If you have questions he answers them with no problem

The first test is a map test which is super easy, I got 100%. There are 4 more tests that are more difficult. They are only 30 questions and you must read the book but he provides a study guide. But, the study guide is like 80-90 questions. There is no homework. If you get an 80 average you write a 2000 word paper and you can get an A!

Read the required material and do the practice questions and you will get A - B's easily on the tests. You MUST read the material because his questions aren't black and white. If you do the A term paper, just look at the reading list prior and start reading at the beginning of the semester. He will always answer e-mails

A teacher like no other! You get the option to take the exams outside of class at the learning lab, which is really cool. Very info heavy tests though. Make sure to memorize each army leader and their roles. Take notes! He gives the answers in his lectures if you listen. Textbook is definitely good to have!

It's not an easy class. You will have to work for your grade. Prof Purcell is very nice and smart. His lectures are very interesting and informative. Come to class, take note, do the online tutorial and you be fine. 1 book review for a B & 2 for an A.

Professor Purcell is great. Pay attention to SPECIFIC details as the test questions are slightly tricky. You're allowed to retake the exams for a 70 if needed. Also you can take the tests in the testing center as well. Real chill guy. Interesting lectures. put in the effort and you'll do fine.

Very good experience. I did the distance learning for history 1302. Follow the study guide & syllabus! Youll get a good grade :)

Good professor with a passion to teach and very knowledgeable. Saying that you must go to class because he no longer posts his slides online. All test questions come from his slides but are worded to confuse you can be difficult at times. IN ORDER TO MAKE AN A YOU MUST READ 2 BOOKS AND DO 2 BOOK REPORTS. FOR A B YOU MUST DO ONE.

It was all right. Theres an essay at the end of the online course, I tried very hard and het emailed me back 10 min after I sent it saying I got an A, so I'd say its lineant. Test are not super easy. I'd spend a lot of time reading the textbook and taking notes from it. Also a bunch of tests.

I took the online history 1301 in the spring. Try to get a 100 on the maps test because it will help you if you dont do well on the future tests. I would say avoid wasting time on the questions in blackboard and just do the practice tests and take notes and study off of those.

Took the summer 6-week online class. Its difficult trying to make time EVERY DAY to set aside 2 hours to read through the book and answer the study guide, but thats what you have to do. Fast-paced, so keep up by setting goals: complete 10 questions/day, then study that. Tests are not clear-cut, but the research paper isnt bad if you start early.

I took the online 6-weeks summer class and overall I would highly recommend this course to anyone who is a looking to complete their U.S History credit. During the course you will have a test each week that will cover 4 chapters. The professor does provide an optional, but highly recommended reading guide that you can use to study.

He gives you the option of using an online textbook or buying an older version that you can find in paperback (which is the choice I recommend if you like having something physical in front of you). You have to keep up with the reading, but if you take notes according to the study guide and then study them the tests are pretty straightforward.

Good teacher :)

This was the easiest and best history class I have ever taken. Prof is nice, clear cut and doesn't try to trick you. Each lecture slide corresponds to a question on the review which corresponds to a question on the test. As long as you know the slides (they aren't hard or long) you will pass just fine. Go to class, he doesn't post the slides

Not sure why there are bad reviews for this prof. Took him for both HIST 1&2, super straightforward online class. Honestly barely used the book, mostly studied for tests from Quizlet and made an 87 average over the 5 tests. Writing the research paper for an A is hefty-- start early and you'll thank yourself. Don't take if you can't manage your time

I did minimal work in his online HIST 1302 class, and I still got an A. You have to take around five tests, and he gives you a study guide for each of them. Just Google the answers to the study guide questions, and you can pass the tests. Don't bother reading the textbook. To get an A, you also have to write a research paper, but it wasn't hard.

I took this guy for HIST1301 and HIST1302. He's a really talented lecturer and storyteller. What he does is he goes over the need-to-know for the test and then he'll tell some really cool obscure story you've never heard about that has to do with whatever time period/person he's talking about. He makes the class really interesting and Id recommend.

Pretty interesting lectures, definitely learned a lot from them. Workload was not bad at all ,mostly 4 tests (proctored). For an A you need to write 2 book reports and will need the textbook for that. Study guides and tutorial questions are super helpful in doing well on the tests. Sometimes slow/no response to emails, but would take him again.

Prof was responsive. However, all instructors at ACC are required to do research for History which is not his fault for the difficulty of getting A in class. Grade is based only on FIVE tests. Make sure you get 100% on first easy test (Map) in order to help your other bad grades. Read book and DO THE STUDY GUIDE! Study Guide is your lifesaver!

The course was split between 3 exams and two papers. The papers were difficult, but the grading criteria was clear and unambiguous. The exams were based on the lectures - not the text, as long as you attend class and take notes on the slides the exams shouldn't be a challenge. His lectures provide valuable context and were interesting.

Absolute great guy. If you show you do the work he is willing to help. Gives you the study guide. Oh he uses DE proctoring so you can't cheat. I guess that is why he gets bad reviews by some people. You go Dr. Purcell. You do your work you will be fine. I asked him question on the material right away he helped me.

You only need an 80 avg to get an A. Nice guy over the phone. The study guide tells you what to know. C'mon what more do you want. "He forces you to read the textbook." What? What is do bad about that may I ask. Believe me he is a nice guy and knows history like no other.

I took his online class and I had a lot of technical issues, he was super understanding. Lot's of reading, some videos, and there were optional study sessions. 5 multiple choice proctored tests and one term paper. It was a tough online class but as long as you study you'll be good!

Class consists of 5 test, which you must get at least an 80 avg on to pass and one paper (if you want and A or B). Tests are entirely from study guide the prof gives and just doing those will make sure you pass. A lot of reading, but you can skim it and just use the guide. Using quizlet will help you a lot. Prof responded to emails pretty quick.

He was a really good teacher, he responded to emails very quick and graded pretty easily as well.

Prof. Purcell was great. I admit the tests were difficult at times with the wording but all it took was a quick email to the Professor and he sat with me for over an hour reviewing my notes and pointed out key words I needed to know for the test. I ended up getting a much better grade on my last test because of this.

Professor Purcell is such a wonderful professor. His class is not too difficult, pretty much all you need to do for the 4 tests is study the notes from his slides in class. There is a book report component of the course, this is significantly harder than the tests. He does give a very clear outline of what is expected from the report though.

Great professor! I can see why some might not like him because he is super "old-school" and does not input grades in the portal. But I thought this was a super easy class. He gives you access to a "study guide" that is pretty much identical to the unit exams you will take. If you memorize the study guide, you will do just fine. Super funny too!

Tests are relatively straightforward, take notes exactly on the slides in class and it's a fairly easy A on the tests. The lectures are really interesting and really helped me understand the material taught. The two book reports are a ton of work, but at least Dr. Purcell is lenient about report deadlines and gives feedback on the book reports.

Professor Purcell is one of my favorite professors. His lectures are very interesting and tests are straightforward. As long as you take notes and study them you'll be fine on the tests. There are two analytical book reports that are also required if you want an "A" They are straightforward, just give yourself some time to read the books.

I used to take Dr. Allan Purcell for World Civilization II in Spring 2023. This course would have two main parts. The first part was four unit exams and two analytical book reviews with an emphasis on World War II. The second part was a take-home final exam, which would cover world history since the 1500s.

Prof Purcell is a nice guy and this class is not hard. The lectures can be boring but you can honestly zone out or do other things as long as you take notes from the slides. The tests will be directly from the info on the slides. The book reviews aren't bad they're graded pretty easy. Study for the tests and do the book reviews and you'll be fine.

Dr. Purcell is an excellent professor. Knowledge of history is impressive. He makes you learn. The problem is many students in the class were lazy. It was sad. Good job Dr. Purcell!

I'd recommend Professor Purcell to anyone that enjoys well spoken and witty lectures. All the info you need to know is covered in his lectures so you only need the textbook for a few quotations on the very few essays you will write. He gives you every chance to succeed and has great study guides for his test. Definitely an old school professor.

Purcell is very passionate about history, therefore his lectures are very thorough and detailed. If you want to do well on the tests, use his website and the practice tests. The questions match the notes and syllabus, but on the tests they are worded differently so make sure you actually know the material. Overall a cool guy, but put in the effort.

GREAT GUY! Very nice & well educated on Military history, but the exams are difficult. Its a TON of memorization & the tests often throw curve balls. No homework/quizzes means test grades are VERY important. Also, 2000 word book reviews don't effect your grade, but are mandatory. A little frustrating, but I did learn a lot. Great guy, hard class.

Dr. Purcell was an amazing professor, and I thoroughly enjoyed his class! Your success in this class will be determined by your ability to pay attention and review outside the classroom. The information presented on his lecture slideshows is pretty much all you need to know for exams; I would also utilize his online tutorials for review.