3.3
Quality3.1
Difficulty61%
Would Retake200
Reviews61%
Would Retake
200
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5
59
4
49
3
33
2
34
1
25
What Students Say
“useless class, don't bother showing up a textbook will teach you more, heck a tree could teach the class better”
COMM305 - 1.0 rating“Do you want group projects, presentations, and exams”
COMM305 - 1.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
83%
Textbook Required
60%
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COMM355
5.0
(1)COMM203
5.0
(1)COMM100
4.0
(59)305
4.0
(4)COMM350
4.0
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COMM301
5.0
200
4.0
COMM355
4.0
COMM440
4.0
COMM4
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You get to decide the amount of points for everything you do, even your final. little quizzes called RAT's every other week. Most things are done in teams. Its a class unlike any other
I ended up with a great team so this class worked out well for me. If you end up with a bad team then you will be screwed for the entire semester. The weekly quizes are very difficult as well.
one of my favorite classes. a dramatic change in teaching style from everything i have ever done before. an excellent teach, a wonderful mentor, and a generally good natured soul. anyone who takes his class should be prepared for fun.
All of the work in comm 250 is done in teams. My team had five people (all of whom were smart) along with myself. If your team is good, you'll do fine. If your team sucks, then prepare for a long semester.
This class is not hard, but there is a LOT of group work. If you don't live near campus or you hate group work, don't take this class. The rat quizzes are easy if you just do the reading. Tests are not hard, lots of busy work.
hard class but the guy is awesome... especially if you like classic rock
Andrew Finn made it clear that teaching was his tertiary concern. He said research and tenure were his primary concerns, in no uncertain terms. He always said "ask your TA" if you had a question. TA's the knew nothing, he was just not accessible
The class is a bit difficult and so are the quizzes. Most of the things we studied had no point and were unexplained. Your grade is based on your group, so if you get a group that sucks than your in trouble. Finn is unorganized and usually has horrible TAs that grade hard and unfair. Dont do it..
I took this with him the first semester he taught it. Worst prof I've ever had. DO NOT TAKE THIS GUY FOR ANYTHING.
WORST TEACHER I have ever had, no control over the class, DIDN'T Teach! Gave quizzes every week called RATTs on like 8 chapters worth of stuff. I wouldn't wish FINN on my worst enemy. BAD, BAD. Take a teaching class.
Unfortunately this is a required class for communication majors. If at all possible, choose another prof. He is not nice, rather full of himself, and doesn't really teach.
Worst teacher ever. Had to remind him twice that I was present for two speaches that he said I missed. Once before the midterm and the other the day of the final. Only use the book for the midterm and for the final.
decent grader. very into participation. n himself. (he even has his own radio show and website..) he spends a lot of time talking about himself. and his life. and he'll occasionally throws stuff in about the test. or the upcoming speech. basically same****, different day. and you don't need the book for anything except the midterm and final.
OK Professor, All Comm classes do same speeches and exams. Boring class, don't avoid taking him, but don't try rearange your schdule to fit him in
You would think in a class where the major grades are the midterm and the final that he might go over some of the material from the book in class-No. Spends too much time talking about himself. Actually practiced his speech to our class. Going to class is a waste of time but mandatory. Also doesn't give full credit for anything. I didnt like him.
He definitely knows what he's talking about but he tends to talk about himself A LOT. His class isn't hard but his tests are. You need to read the chapter to understand the material. He's fun I liked him. He has taught me a lot.
This class is pretty easy. I think the tests are pretty straight forward, sometimes I don't even read the chapters and I still do really well. He's a nice guy and a good teacher. There isn't a huge work load and the only homework you ever have is doing tests online and speeches.
He's extremely passionate about what he does and really knows what he's talking about. the tests aren't incredibly easy but the 8 speeches aren't hard to do well on, only the last four are graded. He makes public speaking interesting.
Doesn't teach anything. Just waste time talking about himself all the time. His grading is really subjective and tells you one thing and does another. AVOID him at all cost
Alright, if you are going to take Finn for either Public Speaking or Interpersonal Communication you need to be sure to do two things: 1.) Be at every single class, and 2.) Volunteer for anything he asks. Dr. Finn is very big on participation and attendance and makes it a huge chunk of points at the end.
Class pretty easy, but boring. Must be present, otherwise you'll lose points. Participation is a must. Tends to talk about himself A LOT. Interrupts students constantly; talk down on them. However, can be quite nice at times.
Class is completely pointless, but entirely mandatory. If you want to do well you have to read the book. Finn spends all of his time talking about himself. If you want to do well with him you have to participate even if it means making experiences up. Avoid taking Finn if you can because he will make a mandatory class hell.
hes an ok guy. you gotta work in that class to get an A. study for the chapter quizzes because they are hard. if you just do all the work and do well on papers you'll get an A. also, try to go to class everyday.
I walked into class on the first day and saw an REM video playing on TV. And it was a different one each day: Led Zeppelin, U2, The Who, Pink Floyd, Fleetwood Mac, etc. This guy is pretty fun. Not a SUPER easy class, but an A is achievable if you read the book and prepare for the chapter tests. Lots of extra credit opportunities.
Dr. Finn made public speaking class not so bad. Always plays music before class. Good guy.
This class is easy but if you take it with Finn you should at least take it moderately seriously. Skipping classes and not showing up for speeches doesn't fly. Do the assignments, show up to class, prepare for your speeches and the class is easy. If you feel like you don't want to go to class often you should take another class. Professor is good.
This class is prolly one of the few beneficial classes at GMU. Finn class teaches you how to better your self in public speaking.I came into this class as a joke and now I am so happy I took this class. Hes one of the nicest guys you'll ever meet and the stuff he teaches WILL BE BENIFICIAL for you in the future. Dont skip and do the online quizzes.
He's a great teacher and will help you become a better public speaker! Although I did take the class because my friend said that there was no final, but because so many kids kept skipping his classes he gave us one! In all its an easy course, just do the work and go to class and you will be fine.
I don't know how much of this is his fault, but comm 101 is really a useless class. it was really hard to bring myself to go. he also just talks about himself a lot. you don't have to read either. i would say avoid, but it's a gen ed.
he was a pretty good professor--i would say that i learned a lot, but he can be a little rude. He doesnt like to communicate with his students if they need help, and he has students that he "prefers" over others. You need to buy a brand new book set for his class, so be ready to waste $100--you'll actually use it...
Good professor. He will make you a better public speaker. His class is quite interesting, although there is alot of work to do. He does require a few "outside" class assignments which can be annoying at first but a great experience afterward. Be prepared to complete all of your work and show up for class if you want a "A". Class has a written exam!
He is awesome! Even though you have a lot of works to do, you DON'T have to work much on it. He gives grade well. If you work about maximum 2 hours per week, you will get A, I guarantee you. And he made me a better public speaker! This class will be so HELPFUL to you, also. Take his COMM 100 class right now!
From the get go, he laid down his expectations and requirements. He assigned 10 speeches if I remember correctly, 30sec things at first, but the last speech is around 8mins. He does ask for a little more work than other comm prof, but he really helped develop my speaking skills and I now feel a lot more comfortable talking.
very nice professor, helpful if you need it
Amazing professor. He plays music at the start of class and the speeches you have to give are not too bad.
Great Teacher! Helps you learn how to get over your fear of public speaking (If you have one that is). I recommend taking COMM 100 w/ him because he's probably the best COMM teacher.
Amazing teacher! He is super friendly and definately knows how to help students become better public speakers. Super helpful. TAKE HIM YOU WON'T REGRET IT!!
Gives you probably the most work out of any COMM 100 professor. Must attend a toastmasters meeting. Speeches overall are not that hard though. Must read textbook, online exams are more than 10% of your grade and you actually have to read the chapter. Nice as a person but doesn't give you enough feedback.
Dr. Finn is the best professor I've had so far. He's very helpful if you put effort into the class. There's usually an online quiz once a week, a speech each week, and all the work is spelled out in the syllabus. Easy A if you put in a little bit of effort.
Gives you probably the most work out of any COMM 100 professor. Must attend a toastmasters meeting. Speeches overall are not that hard though. Must read textbook, online exams are more than 10% of your grade and you actually have to read the chapter. Nice as a person but doesn't give you enough feedback.
Dr. Finn was awesome for comm 200. Everything you do is in teams which can get annoying but it's really helpful for taking quizzes. There are only 4 major single assignments and they are all easy A's. I highly recommend taking him bc he is really willing to help the students as long as you participate.
Dr. Finn's class is an easy A. Online quizzes are open note, speeches were easy, and final exam was decent. Take his class, its a great GPA booster.
I took Dr. Finn for Public Speaking and I liked his class. Come to class, do your speeches and hw and you'll be sure to pass. He can be a little smart mouthed but overall he is a nice fellow. He plays music in the beginning of the class. Turn in everything on time and show up to class and you'll get an A and become a better public speaker
Only take this class if you really want to become a better speaker. He really helps with that. If you are taking this as a GPA booster, choose another teacher.
Ugh, where do I begin? Finn is NOT organized, you don't know what he expects, and tests always have errors. Also, he TALKS while you are taking the tests! Always plays irrelevant music before class that is NOT good, and the class is sooo boring. Managed to get an A after having to find out why he "lost" one of my papers. Dreaded this class.
Online exams are open-book. Practice your speech well, you will get better grade if you show him that you put lots of effort in your work. There are various assignments so your grades won't totally depend on speeches only.
He knows what he's talking about within COMM. He doesn't necessarily care how well we do in class but he was my adviser and we talked about class and how I could improve. Basically, if you do the work, you'll get an A. He doesn't respond to e-mails very often, so ask in class. Sometimes the work adds up so stay updated. Very interesting person
Finn is AEWSOME! For Comm 200, there's lot of group work, but he knows how to make groups work. Show up to class and listen to the lectures and you'll be A-okay. Make sure to read the book and know the "assumptions" for each chapter. Finn's cool, funny, and makes the lectures the same. One of fav class @ Mason so far. A must talk for COMM 200.
Finn related well to his students. If you try a little in this class you will do well.
Comm 100 is not a hard class, but he makes it more difficult by giving much more work than other comm 100 teachers. The speeches are easy. He also gives a final exam as well as a speech instead of just a speech. Overall its not hard, just annoying to put work in what I thought would be a very easy class
I was dreading this class but I chose Finn based on his high reviews. Alot of speeches(11 total and a few impromptu speeches) but only the second half are graded. Grades easily. Finn greatly helped my public speaking. Put in the work and you will become a better speaker.
Finn is one of the best professors I have had. Although it is true he is hard to contact at times, he does care for his students. It is an amount of coursework but he is helpful. Shows music from his time before class, it makes one appreciate music. All in all, Finn is a must for public speaking.. Take him.
Professor Finn is one of the best professors here at Mason. He does have an amount of coursework, but honestly, they are not hard to complete whatsoever. As long as you turn in the assignments on time, do your speeches, and come to class, you are guaranteed no lower than an A-. His online exams are very easy--you can use the book to help you too!
Great public speaking professor. Helped me get over alot of nervousness I had about public speaking. There are a good number of speeches and you attend a Toastmasters meeting, but do all the assignments and try your best and your effort will be rewarded!
This guy is great for Public Speaking. It's minimal work for a good grade. There is no reason for you to get anything below a B+ unless you just blatantly don't do any of the work and never show up for class. Also, he talks alot about rock music, so if you enjoy any of that, you'll probably love him.
Just make sure you go to class, grades for attendance and participation.
Dr. Finn is one of the best professor here at Mason. He genuinely cares for his students and guide you with your public speaking nerves (if you have any). Participating in class alone gives you a minimum of a C, so doing your outlines, exams, and speeches will definitely guarantee you no lower than an A-. I definitely recommend this class! :)
Dr. Finn is one of those rare professors that genuinely cares about education and getting students to look at things from different perspectives. All you have to do for his class is SHOW UP and do a little bit of speech preparation in your off time. He's a little goofy at times, but keeps the class interesting. I wish I had another class with him.
Dr Finn is an amazing teacher. I was very nervous of taking a Public Speaking class.Dr Finn provides clear guidelines for the speech that are easy to follow. Remember to show up for classes, as you get points for participation.
Honestly speaking Professor Finn is not the nicest professor. He is very blunt and is not afraid to call you out if you make a mistake, thus making you feel fairly bad about yourself. The class is a joke but you have to sit through boring lectures like how he saves money going to concerts. Save yourself the trouble and choose another professor.
Nice enough guy, has some pretty entertaining stories too. In all honesty though, the amount of work he gives is NOT equal with the fact it's only a 200 level class. Generally gives a lot of assignments with very specific guidelines. In my opinion, his expectations of the class are way higher than the reality of it.
as a person Finn is a decent guy but that's where the positives stop. he needs to calm down and realize this is a gen ed and that he didn't need to add so many more speeches on top of other speeches. he makes this much more complicated then they need to be. this is 100 level class and all of my business classes with calculus require my energy.
He's a fair teacher who follows the syllabus. Yes there is a lot of work (even though it's 100 level) but you know it's coming. The teaching style is fine and the stories are good. All the work is easy, but a lot of it is time consuming. Not a bad class to take if you have to.
Self centered in a passive way, literally only talks about how he gets concert tickets for cheap. Getting a decent grade isn't hard, but be prepared to hate yourself during the process. Takes himself very seriously but no one else really does. Quizzes are useless. Papers are gold. That's it.
Every assignment is easy up until the final- which essentially ripped me a new one (and I'm a pretty decent student). Didn't get our study guide until four days beforehand, and he expects you to remember a lot of garbage that isn't relevant. Basically I hate this professor a lot and wish I could use the expletives to explain that.
I would take this class with another professor. He is in love with himself and admits he adds more assignments than the other teachers. Got an A but it was annoying
I've taken COMM 350, 200, 100 with him. He's helpful nice old man. Classes are okay, too much assignments and way too group work based- that's the only part I didn't like. Grades according to syllabus which is clear and fair. Besides literally half your grade being group oriented, he's better than most other comm professors so I'd recommend him.
Avoid taking him at all costs. He thinks he knows everything. He constantly interrupts students when they are talking basically saying to them "what you are trying to say is not important, but what i am about to say is more important." seriously don't take him
I would have enjoyed this class if it had not been for Prof Finn's dragging talks. He talks forever and mostly about himself. He's extremely liberal and expresses his views off topic in class. The tests are graded on a weird scale and the exam was cumulative. Don't take this class. Seriously.
He means well and is nice but his class is boring. There are too many assignments to keep track of and throughout the semester I felt like I was struggling to keep my head above water.
Finn is a great teacher who knows his stuff. but it's a lot of reading and A LOT OF GROUP WORK.
He puts you in groups on Day 1 so you will majorly be working in groups throughout the semester. He does talk about concert tickets and plays music before class (so something to look forward to if you arrive early) but discussion on those topics are brief. Read the book!! I would take his class again it was interesting!! Finn is Not a bad teacher
Finn gives a lot of busy work assignments, sometimes too many to keep track of, even for him. He's also super scatter-brained which makes understanding the assignments even harder. You have to be prepared to work in groups and participate for the entire semester. His in-class discussions are interesting, but not worth taking his class for.
I have to say, if you want to maintain your GPA, DON'T take his. But if you want to learn something, he is a nice choice. He assigned much more than other professors did, for example, toastmasters meeting. He is also a tough grader---compared to others. The good news is, he will curve on the final exam---or maybe not.
Class is completely unclear: unclear about deadlines, unclear about assignments, unclear about everything. The class just feels very unorganized. The tests include questions like "The books definition of communication is ___ but what is Dr. Finn's favorite definition?" Numerous emails which cause more confusion. Very terrible class.
Not clear in the slightest. All work is group work. Has 5 assignments due all over each other, leading to an insane train wreck, and all of those are group projects. He mandates that the groups meet all the time, which is difficult to manage with 5 group members, but necessary to sift through all of the crap which are his projects. Do not take.
UNORGANIZED. During the "public speaking" section of his course, he is focused much LESS on public speaking and MORE on busy work; he wants a full-research (APA) presentation done with PPT. And, on top of a huge assignment like that, he assigns group projects simultaneously. It is NOT a comm class it is a busy-work, research class. Teaches nothing
Professor Finn is a nice guy and means well, however his class and teaching style are a joke. He spends 25-30% of the class talking about how he gets cheap concert tickets, assigns so many projects that he even forgets he assigned them, and his quizzes are based off of not only the reading but his personal opinion on the reading. Avoid this guy.
I honestly would not recommend him. He's always forgetting that he assigned assignments and expects you to remind him. Spends majority of time talking about how he gets cheap concert tickets. Will assign something online, never explain it or even bring it up in class and expect it on time. If you have a question he won't email you back.
His teaching style is terrible. There has been more emphasis on his favorite band and how to get into concerts than the actual assignments and reading material. The tests say there will be information not found in the information discussed in class and that's almost all of it because he doesn't teach much of the actual subject.
Dr. Finn gave a lot of work but he was pretty cool. There were about 6 exams. On our own and group exam as well. Take him only if you work well with a group. I took him twice. Once for COMM 200 and once for COMM 305. The class was basically the same but just different info. I would take him again!
Loves talking about himself. Quizzes are opinionated (based on his opinions). Assigns projects and then forgets about them. Spends lots of time on public speaking-he canceled our only group presentation bc we spend too much time on individual speeches (yes in comm 101). Will criticize you openly. You'll enjoy this class if you like crappy bands.
Professor Finn is by far the hardest Comm professor I have had. His lectures start out by talking about old bands that no one cares about but at least it wastes time in the beginning of class. His syllabus, grading process, and assignments are all confusing, unclear & unorganized. I wish I had looked at his ratings before I chose his class.
I took Dr. Finn for Comm. 200 and it was the worst mistake of my life. He starts every class off with a band video that has nothing to do with communication, and how he gets great seats at a concert. Once he gets to actual communication information, he is not clear about any of it, and everything has to do with politics. Beware, he's a liberal.
I disagree with a lot of the comments on him. He is an easy grader and if you need extra time for assignments or need help just ask him and he will clarify or help you. He is a nice guy, but very boring lecture. I skipped all of his classes, but the test and got an A-.
He tried to make this class fun. Even though he started off class with music it was a nice way to relax before learning. Be prepared for team projects and as long as everyone pulls their own work then everything will get done. Overall, I would suggest doing it.
He is a nice guy and the work itself really isn't hard. Pay attention in lectures because some quiz questions come from it. I found myself very confused at times because he assigns so much work that it's hard to keep track of. But overall easy course, just do your best to stay on top of the work cause it might get pretty confusing at first.
Dr. Finn assigns a lot of home work and projects but if you do the work to his standards it is not that hard to get an A. A big thing is to participate in class he notices which students show up. The best advice I can give is to keep up with all his assignments and do the work.
Finn's lectures demand what an increasing amount of today's adolescents are becoming unfamiliar with---critical thinking. He has an inspiring outlook and welcomes the same from the students; any intellectual looking for a stimulating, perspective-changing course would love it. Hilarious, smart and empathetic man.
I took two classes with Professor Finn because I didn't find anything out of the ordinary. Yes, you have a lot of assignments and double the quizzes (individual and group) but I never had a problem. As long as you go to class and take the online quizzes the book provides beforehand, you should be fine. The group project is annoying (as always).
Professor Finns class relies on group participation. The more participation your team gives you, the better the overall class will be. Like all communication classes that I have taken, teachers share what they are passionate about as well as information on the course. If you stay on top of the readings and homework you will do well.
Class is mostly based on how well you can work with your group so be prepared for a lot of group work. I felt like for such a diverse campus we spent too much time looking the book on how to communicate across cultures. He also talks about things that have nothing to do with the class for the first 15 minutes and usually did not finish his lecture.
Professor Finn is clear and fair from the outset about group work and class participation. He is a communication prof, so working with other humans should be expected. Very funny and endearing educator, very enthusiastic about his subject. Helpful and full of clever anecdotes. Excellent team builder.
Professor Finn will give you great insight into the world of Communication. Attending class is compulsory to getting a decent grade - no shows hurt themselves and their team. Period. Otherwise, hang on to your syllabus and keep organized - there are no surprises in his testing, you just need to be prepared and be proactive with your group.
Finn inspired me to change my major to Communication. I originally took his class as an elective while I was studying neuroscience. I have since graduated and have an amazing career. I couldn't be more grateful for his enthusiasm and creativity. I've never retained more from a class than from his! He is a wonderful professor, two thumbs up!
Plays music (good music) at the beginning of every class. His class is set up in groups so you always have someone that can help you and Finn creates great projects. I really enjoyed the class!
I don't understand why his average rating is 3.3. I really enjoyed his course. His class is EASY but you do learn a lot along the way. One of those professors who give a very detailed study guide before the exam so you know exactly what to study. Allows late assignments. His class is an EASY A because his expectations and the assignments are easy!
The class is beyond easy. If you show up and try you pass. He plays music at the beginning of every class and then talks about it for 5 minutes. He likes to talk about himself and he barely lectures.
He has 5 tests in the semester, and he drops the lowest. He also has a couple of projects. If you are prepared to do the work, and you have an interest in cultures, you should be fine. The class is divided into teams at the beginning of the semester. I don't think you can pass without reading the books. Tests are short and class is interesting.
Prof. Finn is super nice, he is always willing to help if you have questions about assignments. There is a lot of group work, but I had a good "team" so I did not have any issues there. His quizzes were super easy as long as you reviewed the chapter in the textbook beforehand. Assignments were also easy, just make sure to follow guidelines.
Dr. Finn is very knowledgable and tries to make his class informative and upbeat. He was very offensive to anyone that did not agree with his personal opinions. There was an insane amount of group work which was very difficult for commuting students. Overall, a very difficult class.
It definitely isn't a fun class but if COMM 100 is required for your major I'd go with Finn. He is VERY lenient with due dates and even missed speeches. However, he makes attendance to a toastmaster's meeting mandatory for the class. The book is of no use but you have to buy due to the rip out sheets.
There is a lot of work to do, so I recommend to read the textbook and make a schedule for the assignments. You can learn so much if you want to. He is a very professional educator!
Requires group work, which can be difficult and can add a good deal of stress. You have to work for your grade but the work isn't too difficult.
He plays music at the beginning of every class, which is interesting and new. There is group work involved which isn't always the greatest.
spends the first 10-15 minutes of class talking about music which is interesting but totally irrelevant to intercultural communication. I don't think he has EVER given one lecture. He sets his entire class up into teams and they give presentations which take all class. We learn from the presentations but it'd be nice to hear him lecture once.
the most ridiculous and useless class here at GMU. Makes you drive off campus to go to a meeting that involves public speaking. Many tedious assignments and overall boring. Most of the class if Finn talking about himself.
useless class, don't bother showing up a textbook will teach you more, heck a tree could teach the class better. He plans to teach us about the different concerts he has attended yet NEVER plans the lectures for class!
Do you want group projects, presentations, and exams?! If your answer is no then don't take a class with Finn. Also you'll waste your tuition money paying for him to show you Seinfeld videos and talk about concerts, bc all i learned was that "there are no such thing as a sold out event"
gives dumb papers that he still hasn't graded or returned, talks about random stuff no one cares about, don't bother showing up to class it's a waste of time. Actually, do not take a class with Finn at all cost!
So Finn legit put up our grades last week and no one has an A in the class and most people are failing. It doesn't matter how much effort you put, he is so disorganized and doesn't teach that the class is a waste of time and money and will bring down your GPA. WHATEVER YOU DO AVOID FINN AT ALL COST
So stressful. The instructions for assignments are very "Wordy", making it kinda hard to understand what he expects. Never does grades in a timely manner, so you never know what you have in the class. He's kind of rude & not very helpful. Only thing I learned from the class is his favorite bands & there's "no such thing as a sold out event".
I ended up with an A- in the class only because I taught myself. If you're motivated and willing to teach yourself, the class won't be too bad. Because he mostly talks about concerts and his liberal views. Good luck if you're taking him during the election! You don't have access to grades so it's hard to gauge where you're at. Mostly group work.
The instructions for assignments wordy and make it confusing to figure out what you're even suppose to be doing. Never does grading in a timely manner, so you basically never know what your grade in the class is. Talks a lot about bands and concerts. Don't bother asking him for help he is your last option. The class is basically all group work.
Finn is a great Comm professor who would rather be at concerts than in class. Every morning, he starts off his class with a video of a band playing, then spends about 15 minutes talking about them. He still manages to get through all of the material though. Downside is that he makes you go to a Toastmasters meeting outside of Mason
Finn is a great guy who really wants the best for his students. He doesn't take well to people who don't try, but if you give your honest effort in class he's very willing to work with you. This is my second class with Dr. Finn and as long as I do the assignments up to his standards I know to expect an A.
Dr Finn is easy-going and relatable. He doesn't use blackboard for grades, so that's frustrating, but if you email him he'll inform you of how you're doing. Lectures are interesting and you work in the same group all semester. I think a lot of the people complaining on here are the same ones that didn't reach out to him at all this semester...
easy class, would take again with Finn
Finn is a nice professor, but if you don't like working with teams, (all the time) don't take this class with him. There are group projects and individual projects, and if you're group doesn't participate, you're screwed. His syllabus reads that he posts grades every few weeks, and he does not. He's clear with his assignments, but is hard overall.
I love Dr. Finn. A lot of people don't like him because he is very all over the place with his lectures and music opinions, but I always enjoy him. This is the second class I've taken with him, I never buy the books and still do well. You do need to do the assignments but for the most part they are very straight forward.
I think it is insane how Finn emailed his students asking them to give him a good review on rmp. My honest take of him was that he was disorganized as he failed to return papers back in a timely manner as well as barely lectured so we did not have a basis on the material for the exams so I did not learn any material from him directly.
VERY in depth group semester long projects. Yeah he's a great guy, but we RARELY went over material in class. We literally spent class listening to music and watching clips from the Daily Show. Then come time for the quizzes, it was material we had never discussed. What killed me is the amount of work: 6 quizzes, 4 long assignments, and exams. Ugh
5 major speeches (a pre-outline, an outline, a final draft, etc. each time). Research heavy. Group projects. More research. Weekly quizzes. Going out of your way to a Toastmasters club was mandatory. Textbook? (he gave pgs to those who needed them as long as they paid $1 each to give to donation eventually). Final involved. SUPER TEDIOUS.
He's a nice guy. He genuinely cares about his students and helps them to the best of his capabilities. The type of professor that he is one that I think most college students don't receive. He said that my class was the best class that he ever had,so we got a pizza party! I would encourage others to take him for COMM 100!
He plays a lot of music during breaks and before class, rock n rool enthusiast so to speak. He won't let you out of class early instead he will talk to take up time. He doesn't talk about random stuff though, most of the time it is interesting if you try to actively listen. I learned a lot and overall enjoyed the class.
Dr. Finn is an amazing professor to have! If you do your work, participate in class, and study for the quizzes & final exam, then your success has been written in stone.
Summer class is less painful with Finn. I agree with the previous comments (for the poor rating). I honestly did not learn anything for the pass 5 weeks but to pray for good grades on speeches. He always tell you to have good eye contacts when doing speeches, but he never look at you. Harsh grader, only give good advice for the last 2 days.
Finn is a great professor. His class can sometimes be a lot of work, but he does give extensions on papers and grades in your favor. I would take Dr. Finn again.
Mr. Finn didn't help me learn much in class. He plays music at the beginning of the class and mainly talks about concert tickets rather than emphasizing the lectures. Will lecture for the last 15 minutes of class, and his tests are word for word from the text book and lecture, so you have to memorize a lot. Students lectured chapters in groups.
Fun, fun class. It's a lot of work and delivering speeches is scary, but he wants everyone to succeed. I'm a much better speaker, more confident after his class.
Finn was just okay. He is a really nice guy and I enjoyed listening to his stories, but he wasn't a speedy grader which left me unsure of where I was in the class until the last week, and his lectures were very average at best. If you do take him, take him in the Fall. There is a free 20 points only available then.
He made learning fun!
Was told that he wasn't a good professor early on by someone who had taken the course. They were COMPLETELY wrong! If you take the 7:30 am he plays concerts before class starts. He is really nice and inspirational at times. Takes the time to actually get to know you! Great professor at Mason!
Finn was a great professor. He can be a bit much at times, but if you put in the effort, you will be rewarded.
He is a good professor for sure. If you like classic rock, and learning the secret technique to getting concert tickets, this is the class for you. The downside: if you don't like group projects , or hard quizzes and tests... this may not be for you. Don't let his chill persona fool you, his quizzes are pretty tough.
He is a cool teacher!
Dr. Finn barely teaches about public speaking, but instead he will talk about music, himself, politics, and a book he is writing. He is a bit lazy and unprepared, so don't expect him to do anything that involves work on his part. He has cool stories, but thats about it. DO NOT RECOMMEND!
The class was a little heavy for a 100 level , there was so many things due every week . But the professor was great and will help you out or give you extended time if you needed it. This class helped me become a little more comfortable at giving speeches. Great class overall .
Prof. Finn's class focused on in-class lectures (take quality notes!). As long as you study the lecture notes and skim the books you will be fine. Group work is as must, but expectations are clear and reasonable. Finn's lectures are engaging and he is fascinating to listen to (he loves what he does!). Loved starting class with classic rock ;)
Dr. Finn is great, he is has a lot of unique stories to share that help you learn more about the material. He is very kind and understanding of college students, however he is very big on group work. He was also my most insightful professor I've had and I have to say I will miss hearing his lectures. If you don't take him, you are missing out.
Finn was a good professor overall. Plays loud music before class everyday. Gives a lot of homework, tedious assignments. About 5 graded speeches throughout semester. Does not respond to emails in timely manner or at all. Didn't end up with the grade I expected even though I did well.
This professor seems to be nice at first but does not do well with students who think outside the box and have their own opinions. He interrupts students to force his thoughts on you. One of the only good things I learned was how to get tickets for concerts.
He plays music and talks about all of the concerts he has been to for the first 30 minutes of class. Cool but not what we are here to learn about. omg group work for no reason. HE TESTS YOU BEFORE TEACHING THE INFORMATION. You have to read chapters, get tested, then take a group test, THEN he lectures. He isnt clear with what criteria for grades
Dr. Finn is a good professor. However, his teaching style is a little complicated. He tests you on the material before he lectures about it and its really complicated if you dont study it. Lots of group work, which is okay. He plays live concerts before class. Be prepared for a lot of studying.
As long as you don't miss/slack off on assignments and speeches, you should get at least a B.
spends more time talking about music and his opinions more than the actual curriculum. quizzes you on content before teaching it. assigns busy work just cause. you're in a group the entire semester.
you have to quiz on the material before he teaches you. He also gives you a 30 page final study guide and expects you to know every word for the final. He also doesn't allow for creative direction on the main presentation.
Finn is an acquired taste and a lot of people in my section didnt like him or didnt get him but despite his shortcomings and seemingly outdated methods, he means well, hes lenient and tries to be respectful and lenient of students and no matter how annoying the group/busy work can be, but you can tell he intends to teach well and he impactful.
Overall he's a good teacher, extremely understanding. Accepts assignments late and still get full credit. About 6 exams(Multiple choice) and 8 assignments; 1/4 of which is in the first two weeks of the class. Two group projects/one presentation. He reminds you every week what to do, so no excuses. Just study and stay on top of HW you'll do great
I enjoyed Finn's class and he cares about his students. It was hard but if I had a question, I'd meet with him during office hours. Though he does test you on the material before he teaches it, so your book is your best friend for this class. Assignments are sometimes confusing, so do not save them until last minute and you will be fine. Good luck!
The class was fun but you dont learn a single thing. Make sure to do all the quizzes on Bb and take notes on them, they'll save ur life for the final. The speeches are easy if you follow the outlines to a T. There are soooo many assignments and if you start missing some your grade will drop. There is absolutely no preparation for the final AT ALL.
Finn is a unique professor. You may find his personality and class structure to be too much at first. His instructions are long and often confusing and he can get carried away with his music. However, if you show up and do the work, you will find that his class structure is beneficial to you and that Finn is a competent and knowledgeable professor.
Finn's passion for communication, philosophy, music, & life resonate through his thoughtful discussions and lectures. A truly respected professional in his field. The structure of his class forces you to work closely with others, share your thoughts with the class, and rigorously budget your time. Be ready to think and mature as a human or get out.
You can tell that Finn cares about the material he teaches, and about his students. You're in a group for the entirety of the semester, which can be frustrating at times, but is admittedly helpful (you have a definite group of people to contact and bounce ideas off). If you put in the work, Finn makes class a productive and enjoyable experience.
Pros: good discussions, textbook (esp openings) is fun, group work with accountability Cons: Gives feedback too late for you to change anything. There are two group presentations (check the syllabus--no heads up about the second one!). He gives feedback on the first AND the second at the same time. If you're in Group #1, you're the guinea pigs.
Finn knows what he's talking about and its apparent that hes very knowledgeable. Sometimes the way he explains assignments is a little confusing because there's a lot of excessive descriptions. You really do need to read the book to get a good grade on the quizzes. He does spend a lot of time talking about the concerts he's been too but it's fun.
This class was definitley worthwhile and a great intro to the field. There are 5 "Team Projects", 6 tests, 8 individual assignments, and a final exam. I recommend using the textbook since a lot of the material covered in the assignments are from the book. As long as you are proactive and study you will be fine. Great class!
Class is very disorganized as topics change at whim from concerts to his opinions. Hes very left wing (as is the textbook) and constantly lets the class know. His politics even permeate the syllabus. He also teaches (so does the text) that language is a social construct so he basically refutes the point of communication.
This professor knows his stuff, but he can get all over the place. He has a low key love for music so you begin every class with a different band. The assignments are easy, you stick with a group of people and do most of your assignments (including quizzes) with them. He goes along with the syllabus the whole year and he makes class fun!
There are a ton of assignments, individual and team projects. You have quizzes every other week, based on material that you've read, not that he's lectured. Although his class requires a serious commitment, he was one of the best professors I've had. You can tell he actually cares about his students.
Professor Finn is a wonderful professor. I had him for COMM 200 and now for COMM 454. He will always play music before class starts and is always willing to discuss how you are doing in the class. He knows his stuff about the material, however he is probably the most eccentric and genuine teacher I've ever seen. You gotta take him at least once!
You can make a good grade in this course. It was challenging because the level of regard for student privacy is low (group work). The music is a nice way to connect but is too much for some people on test day (please give quiet reflection time). This professor has a great personality. Be prepared to attend, participate, and learn in each class.
Professor Finn is extremely caring and understanding. He wants you to do well, but isn't going to spoon feed you the information. You have to read to understand what is going on in the class and study regularly to do well. Although I received a B in the end, I could have done better if i had tried harder. He is a very interesting and genuine person
Dr. Finn is a polarizing professor because most classes he teaches are centered around group work, and many of his assignments have strange nit picky instructions. Dr. Finn really knows his stuff, and likes to incorporate current events and music into his lectures. It would seriously enhance your time at GMU if you were to take one of his classes!
This is not an easy class, but I probably learned more in this class than I have in all four years of college so far. He really makes you think. The hardest things are the quizzes "ARTS" as he calls them. I studies for hours and not once did I get a perfect score. I loved his lectures and he was a really cool professor. I highly recommend.
You need the book in order to pass, there were around 8 quizzes during the entire semester and the answers are all in the assigned chapters. There is no midterm but there is a final w/ a written portion. Attend every class and listen to his lectures. The class focused on team based learning so build a solid relationship with them.
While there is a lot of work to do in his class, he is not a hard grader. He grades everything which sounds bad, but in fact it actually helped bring my grade up. I bombed the quizzes and tests, but got points for showing up and for the assignments and group projects . He is also a very nice guy that encouraged us to succeed, and go to concerts ;)
While a nice guy, he seems very full of himself. Small group comm was kind of just a lecture for his book. ALL WORK IS GROUP WORK IN THIS CLASS. He will expect you to be able to meet outside of class with your group and have constant contact with them. Assignments are easy if you like your teacher to talk about anything but small comm. this is it.
Dr. Finn is a very difficult grader, he is very opinionated and will take points off speeches for things he doesn't like. If you aren't graduating the semster you are taking the course DONT TAKE IT, the commencement speech requires your full time at Mason, not fair for transfer students! If you like speech just wait for a better proffesor...
90% of your work in this class will be group, including meeting outside of class to do group activities. He lectures but it usually spirals out of control into something political or musical, so you wind up learning by reading rather than listening to lecture. He does care about your grade though, so be sure to talk to him if you need help.
Don't take him. You don't learn a single thing in his class. Every assignment is 100% pointless and a waste of time. He spends the first 30-40 minutes of class talking about his favorite bands, and never grades correctly or consistently. I just hate the fact that I wasted money taking his class because I can honestly say I did not learn.
He spends half of the class time talking about his favorite bands and concerts that he went to. Out of the whole semester in total we only had about one full class of lecture. His lectures are confusing and he will often go off topic. You basically teach yourself this class. He will get offended if you call him out on not doing his job.
Dr. Finn is an amazing professor and an even better speech coach! He is down to Earth and his love of music is infectious. He always starts his classes with music and has been to more concerts than anyone I know! He is very reasonable with assignment deadlines and gives more time if needed. Tells you exactly what you need to do on assignments.
I have Dr. Finn for two classes this sem. All you need to do is stay on track: participate, read, teamwork. it's possible to have high A's in both as long as you Do Not slack off. I am a bit worried about the final exams as it's one right after the other (scheduling disadvantage I didn't consider) however he provided study guides for both classes.
Talks about concerts and why he doesn't like Trump for half the class Keeps you to the very last second of class. Is super, super picky about structures for assignments. Didn't lecture in class once. STUDY FOR THE ART's. They consume like half your grade. To my fellow conservatives, all I gotta say is good luck.
Dr. Finn is a pretty cool guy, in my opinion. Although the class is group based, you do have some individual assignments. As long as you show up, do the work, contribute in class, youll be fine and he will make an effort to help you.
One of the most tedious classes I've ever taken. You don't actually learn anything in class, and there is some sort of ridiculous project due every week. His class is basically like watching a reporter on CNN talk for 3 hours about nonsense.
Finn is passionate about what he teaches. However, he is a tough grader and he likes to assign group work. Luckily, I got a great group, but you need to be prepared to put in the work. He rarely lectures and the quizzes are a bit tricky. He teaches directly from the textbook and there is ALOT of assigned reading. Terrible at keeping up with grades.
You will spend most of your time agonizing over the ART's and he will never actually discuss the relevant material in class. You are on your own. Even though the ART's are a large portion of your grade, his inability to timely structure his class prevents any real educational value. Instead, you get to watch old concerts and Rachael Maddow...
Finn teaches COMM 200 through team based learning. It forces you to work with people and develop clear communication among group members. Finn's lectures are especially engaging as well. It is really important that you study for his quizzes and actually go to class because a lot of material is covered.
Genuinely cares about his students. I learned a lot in his class. Does team based learning where you are divided into teams of about 4-5. I wasn't a big fan of this. I got placed with a difficult/weak team. Dr. Finn acknowledged this at the end of the semester, but he knew I had worked hard. He made sure I received adequate participation points.
He's a great professor with a great sense of humor. He explains really well and connects with us (the students). He does assign a considerable amount of reading, but they weren't too bad--just focus on main points. The class was really fun. would definitely take him again :)
He's an interesting character. I HATE his ART exams because you have to read A TON and the extra layers he adds on top of his assignments and tests makes the class even more confusing and harder. However, he did grow on me as the semester went on. You'll either really love him or really hate him. Remember: There's no such thing as a sold out show!!
COMM 201 is small group communication and that is what this course is about. He breaks you into groups and if you like you group you will like this class. He does not teach in the classical sense so if you do not like randomness or straying from the textbook Dr. Finn is not for you. If you do the assignments and help your team you will do well.
Would really avoid him if you can. The way he structures his class and his militaristic expectations for assignments are so stressful. When you put more time and effort into a prerequisite class than almost all of your other classes combined in any given week, and still don't get a high enough grade for that prereq, there's a serious problem.
If you have a choice, choose someone else. Finn does seem to care about his students. He's just a mess. His "lectures" are more opinion than fact. You're expected to teach yourself from the book. I was lucky enough to have a good team, but some others were stuck carrying the workload of five people all semester. Also, he lost several of my grades.
The class is a lot of work, but the material is interesting if you care and the concerts are fun. Hes a cool dude and he has some really creative methods for teaching certain topics.
I took comm 200 with Finn and the class had a big focus on group projects. I typically hate group projects but Finn organized the class well and the group projects actually went really smoothly and it was nice to have a consistent group to work with in a class. Finn is a fair grader and a nice professor. I learned a lot!
Finn cares deeply for his students. The intro class I took was heavy on homework and group projects (which got tiring), but Finn always brought an enthusiasm to class that I really appreciated. He's smart and will work to help each individual student. He also has an impressive knowledge of the concert venues and music history.
He provides alot of homework and daily quizzes which made this class my most busiest compared to my other classes. He's still a good professor in my opinion but I do think measures should be placed in case someone ends up with a really bad team so that those people don't suffer because of other people not contributing, better for handling stress.
I took this class as a general elective, and because the professor was recommended, and I'm so happy that I did. Dr. Finn is my favorite professor at Mason. His teaching style is interactive and he makes the class fun. He took time out of every class to engage with his students and get to know us more. Highly recommend this class!
This man, while very friendly, is extremely disorganized. He would constantly confuse the groups he formed, and there was an instance where he sent my group an urgent email saying that something was due the next day, told us it was a mistake, then a few days later told us it was overdue. So, be prepared to deal with confusion within his directions.
He is the worst professor I've ever had. You have to teach yourself. Students must present a lecture to the class every week. He is incredibly picky and will rip apart every detail of your work. There is no preparation for the exam and he asks you questions about his OWN opinion, not the book author's. He told us to give him a good review on here.
Dr. Finn does not lecture about anything relevant to the course and talks about his political views instead. His comments about women are uncomfortable. He gave 'extra credit' tasks such as slowly moving closer to a stranger you're alone with in an elevator - imagine a 6' man doing this to a 5' woman. Unprofessional and why tenure shouldn't exist.
While Dr. Finn was a very nice guy, his lectures were a little bit all over the place. He gave quite a bit of homework and the syllabus and blackboard page were really unorganized. He also would never answer my emails. However he is really nice and funny and I love listening to his concert stories at the beginning of class!
I personally enjoyed this class and Professor Finn made it entertaining. He is very nice, understandable, and accessible. He is humorous but also blunt and straightforward. Group based class, 5 team projects and 8 individual projects. Final is cumulative and 6 chapter quizzes with a 25min time limit. 15 questions each quiz on 3 chapters at a time.
Finn is somewhat narcissistic, he is extremely strict about technology usage, including laptops to take notes; because he thinks you're not listening to him He overcomplicates his class with needless acronyms and names for assignments, and the group work can be annoying sometimes.
Professor Finn loves giving his music and concert advice before every class and is very knowledgeable about all the different aspects of communication. I enjoyed the informative music breaks as I'm a fan of rock and it eased the class into that day's lecture.
Great professor, loves music and attends concerts all the time which is fun to talk about. Weekly quizzes and brought his dog during the final.
Class Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
83%
Textbook Required
60%
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