yeah, not bad... he's a little scatterbrained but very intelligent and genuinely interested in what he teaches. occasionally jumps a little ahead of the rest of us though.

I liked him.

Nice guy BUT seems to have a passive-aggressive thing. Can be very difficult (as in stubborn) sometimes and then oh-so-helpful later on. Maybe he's just moody. Pretty easy class though, and I'd never taken a Ling class before.

A good teacher. Not particularly compassionate of those having difficulties, but really cares to impart his knowledge and is fair, organized, and generally explains things well.

Nice guy, though a bit inexperienced. Helpful outside of class time.

He is very enthusiastic and prepares his class with care. It's nice to be tought by someone that likes what they're doing. He's a bit unexperiece and goes to fast sometimes. I like him bc he says "I don't know" and doesn't make up stories. He's

Always upbeat about what he teaches. He does throw a few curveballs here and there and gets snippy when people talk over him (no blaming him there :P) but overall he's pretty cool.

Good stuff, hard material but its taught well.

I love him, he is the best prof ever! He enjoys linguistics and teaching so much it is infectious!

One of my fav. teachers so far

I like him... he gets mixed reviews though.

Definitely increased my interest in the HPSG theory. Just make sure to get your assignments in on time, and not have the power go out on you or your computer crash - he's very strict when it comes to deadlines.

McKercher cares about students and ultimately wants them to succeed which I think makes him a great prof. His tests come straight from his lectures (make sure you go cus a lot is not in the text). For a first year class the reading is pretty heavy, but he explains it in class which makes it ok. Interesting class although can be alot of handwaving.

Dave is an awesome prof! It's easy to get an A if you do the readings and come to class. He really gets to know his students and he's super friendly!

Heavy reading. Easy papers. If you do them you will get full marks. Tests come from the text & lectures, no funny business. Go to class or you will miss stuff that is on the tests. He loves linguistics. Sometimes he didn't know the answers to questions. Picked on people to say stuff in class. Not personable. Interesting course that becomes bland.

I think people are being a little harsh on here. He knows his stuff, has a passion for what he teaches and he transfers that well to his students. If anything, he encourages experiential learning and if students are not going to contribute to class discussion, that's their own fault. Approachable nice guy. Yer mistaking superficiality for enthus.

I found Dave interested in the topic matter, well versed on the material and engaged in the class. He does not stand for any rudeness in his class, but if you show up and do all the assignments you will learn a lot from him.

Good prof. Knows his material very well, however, assignments can have little tricky bits. Just wished I had more opportunity to APPLY what we learned (which was a LOT) before assignments rather than just on the assignments themselves which counted for marks obviously.

Awesome, funny, and supper smart prof. If you get the chance, you need to take a class with this guy! DAVE ROCKS!

Dave is such a sweetheart. He is a little sensative, where I can see how people think he comes off rude - but I think that is just because YOU are rude as a student. It is a very interesting class, pretty easy as long as you just do your papers. Which are a page long, not hard. He loves what he teaches, and is totally approachable and kind-hearted.

Dave is engaging & I really enjoyed his Language & Thought class. The readings were tricky (for 1st year) but he was good at explaining everything. The papers assigned each week were great study aids and his tests were pretty straightforward, so long as you went to class.

I've taken almost all Dave's classes and he's very consistent: knowledgeable, an engaging lecturer, and a hard marker. He definitely has his favourites (and un-favourites) and will grade you accordingly. Go to his classes, though, because he knows when people have been missing them. He's a really great guy, though, and a good prof overall.

Students either loved him or hated him. He really knows semantics. The journal articles are sometimes very difficult to understand, and reading them is time-consuming. Requirements for exams are very clear, and they are easy as long as you study. Class was interesting and there were lots of class discussions. Many intersting examples.

Dave is a great teacher. Always very helpful and enthusiastic.

Great prof; one of my favourites. He's passionate about the topics and he clearly knows what he's talking about. He admits when he doesn't know the answer for something, which I've come to respect. I've taken a number of courses with him now, and I think he's better in higher levels rather than entry level.

In a class that is already very easy, McKercher somehow manages to make things even clearer. He is very upfront about what he expects on tests, posts week-by-week study guides, and is a pretty easy marker. Gives participation exercises and tends to explain things slightly differently than the test, so attendance is a good idea. Great prof overall!

He's an awesome guy, though he may seem rough at times because he has little tolerance for slackers. As long as you do your work and pay attention, everything is golden. He's really enthusiastic!

I learned so much in Syntax and I think Dave is personable and helpfull. If you take his classes as an entry to linguistics, which is quite likely, expect to have your mind blown! But dont be affraid! it will come. Personally I had a couple good cries over work in syntax and Mr. Mckercher was always there to help me out.

This is the fourth class I have taken with Dave. In my first year I wasn't too fond of him, but now he is my favourite teacher. He expects a lot from his students, but there is nothing wrong with that. He is friendly and helpful if you go talk to him, very passionate and very knowledgeable. If you respect him, he will respect you in return.

Dr. McKercher is a great proff. His lectures are never boring and he always gives great examples. Everything he says is very clear and his lecture comes out of the textbook. However in class he does go over things that are not in the textbook. So go to class. His tests are somewhat tricky though. But if you go to class and study you should be fine!

Wasn't a big fan of him when I had him for 203, he was better in 370A and even better in Semantics. Tells you exactly what to expect for tests, assignments are challenging but really help you keep on top of things for the tests. Attendance is important. A lot of example in class end up on the tests. Respect him and he'll respect you. Funny guy too.

Dave is a good teacher with high passion and warmth. He has been called completely approachable and completely not - Beware: this other side to him can be too much. He despises even discrete cell phone use & yawns - things everyone does - but takes them to a whole new level of personal offense. He will not hesitate to be condescending about this.

Very passionate about the subject material, and if you keep up with readings and go to class you should be fine. He tells you exactly what you need to study- study what he tells you too and you'll likely get over 90 on the tests. Drink caffeine before class, he doesn't tolerate yawning. And he will call you out on cell phone use.

Dave is an amazing prof. He doesn't tolerate cell phone use or yawning, and will call you out if you miss a class, but as a general rule he respects you if you respect him. He is incredibly knowledgeable and helpful if you ask questions. Attendance is VERY helpful and necessary for tests. I've had him for 5 LING classes and look forward to more!

I liked Dr. McKercher a lot. I found he is quite clear in his explanations and his tests are also clear and easy if you study. He's there for extra help during office hours if you need it and I did not find him condescending at all. He's quite funny, as well.

Such an interesting class! Do the readings, ask questions (he likes that)and prepare for the participation marks. For tests, the written is straight forward, the multiple choice is harder but you'll be fine if you study. He uses different ways of teaching (movies, ted talks, etc)which kept the interest levels up.

Dave definitely demands your full attention at any given moment in the class. I believe, at least for this course, he made the assignments and tests extremely easy, and I think the only reason anyone got less than an A- on anything was because they simply did not read the textbook or use his office hours to clarify concepts.

Dave is a very nice professor who expects you to do your best. If you don't you will notice it relatively quickly. So make sure you do your stuff. He can be very pedantic and is very strict with deadlines, but overall he is the right kind of professor that will keep pushing you, so it is not too laid back. That's how you learn.

Dave is an excellent professor! My favourite Linguistics professor at Uvic by far. His lectures themselves are only clear if you have done the appropriate reading, so definitely follow the syllabus. It may seem like a lot of homework but his assignments are very straightforward and helpful for understanding the material. Also just a nice, fun prof!

Read your textbook, Dave doesn't re-teach the material. He supplements it with research and examples to help apply your knowledge. He can sometimes rush through material but gives clarification during office hours. Attendance is a must because there are participation exercises (no marks for just doing it, you need to get the answers right).

McKercher is by far my favourite professor. Doing the readings is not necessary as long as you go to every lecture. He only test on material discussed in class and he reuses many test questions throughout the term. As long as you at least pretend to be interested in the lectures he will like you and won''t pick on you. He is also very approachable.

This is a really great class, and he is a really great prof. The grading was fair, the tests were fair, and the assignments were actually really interesting. This was probably my favourite class this semester. He is really easy to talk to if you need help or need something clarified. I would strongly recommend this class and McKercher to anyone :)

Not sure what all the recent hate for Dave is about, but it seems like someone in my 325 class decided to post multiple times for some reason which is unfair. Personally I think Dave is a fantastic professor, and I would (and have) taken any class he teaches. He clearly has a passion for teaching and genuinely cares about his students.

I have not met a more intimating prof yet. While others here are complaining that he pretty much reads out of the textbook, which he does, it definitely makes the textbook info more clear. He made fall in love with morphology

If anything I think Dave is misunderstood by students who are used to profs who don't care. He has a strict no cell phoneno talking rule, and he'll call you out and embarrass you if you break it (which is understandable, the guy just wants to be respected). If you attend lectures and pay attention, there's no reason you shouldn't like him.

I don't know why there are so many negative reviews on here, looks like someone's petty and personal vendetta.. I've taken 2 classes with Dave so far and found him to be intelligent, passionate, and funny. His tests can be tricky, but fair. He is my favourite Ling prof so far, and I will definitely look for more classes with him! Recommended :)

Dave is by far my favourite linguistics prof at Uvic. He's quirky and very smart. Only intimidating if you text or talk in class- respect him. His office hours are super useful and he seems to like seeing students take advantage of them if they need help. Tests are fair. Go to class and study hard, show interest and I know you'll love him too!

He seems like he can be a little short with people when they trail him off topic; oddly, he called a girl out for yawning in one of our classes. Overall though I really enjoyed his lectures, they were organized to fit well with the reading material. The assignments were a great way to explore topics that weren't covered but WOW lots of reading!

Professor McKercher makes the lectures interesting, he reads passages from texts, shows videos and incorporates class discussion into the lectures. However, he expects you to write notes at light speed and rarely repeats himself. If you can follow his pace you should be okay!

Great prof, loved his teaching style. He breaks down complex ideas into easy to understand pieces. He gives lots of examples and his midterms were very similar to the final. He can be a little blunt at time but he doesn't get off topic.

I loved McKercher as a prof. I wish he taught more classes, and I do plan on taking his classes in the future. This is one of two classes I've had with him, and I can definitively say that going to his lectures are crucial. He doesn't rely very heavily on the textbook, but they do help. Take lots of notes, and if you're listening, then you're fine.

Awesome! Took this class by fluke and had no idea what to expect of linguistics, but ended up loving his class. Don't show up late or use your phone in class- he really hates that. Easy assignments. He is ridiculously passionate about linguistics and is very engaging. His lectures are a bit tight packed but he is a bubbly person & quite enjoyable

Dr. McKercher is an excellent professor. He does not post his notes online, rather he uses the document camera to show results of a specific study and explains it verbally. He talks pretty fast, so it is a bit of getting used to, but he makes you pay attention! Really interesting topic, and engaging teacher. One of my favourite professors!

Dave is a great professor. If you take all of his course offerings you will really connect some dots and walk away a bit smarter.

A very good professor. Always gives positive/non-condescending responses to people participating in class, even if they're wrong. Funny. Does good exam prep. Do not use your phone in his class, he hates it. Review preceding midterms/quizzes before other midterms/quizzes or the final, some questions are extremely similar.

I've had a few classes with McKercher. His classes are always well organised, homework is distributed fairly throughout the course. Grading criteria is clear. He is a little awkward and is often on a different page from students when there's a misunderstanding. Very passionate and knowledgeable and wants to help. Just ask questions and clarify.

People either love him or hate him, but I think he's a great prof! His lectures are clear and well-organized, and it's obvious that he's passionate about what he teaches. His tests are fair, and it's not hard to get a good mark. He's sassy and easily offended though, so don't be caught on your phone or checking the time!

Dr. McKercher is an awesome prof, super passionate and enthusiastic about the material. He doesn't post the slides online, so don't miss class! There were 6 homework assignments based on lecture, and the 2 midterms tested the same or similar problems.

Ive had 3 classes with Dave. If you respect him in class, as he should be, you wont have a problem. Hes a wonderful prof with a great sense of humour who is very passionate about linguistics. Hes sassy and is tough, but fair and that can be taken in the wrong way. He explains things clearly and really cares about his students. Friendly in O H

Dave is probably my favourite prof in Linguistics. He takes a little bit to warm up to, but his lectures are very easy to follow. If you are used to taking notes from slides you might have some difficulty with his classes, because he doesn't really use slides. But if you show up to class and take good notes, you won't have any problem doing well!

My favourite Linguistics prof! I took as many classes with Dave as I could while doing my Ling degree (110,203,325, 398, 370 A & B). I don't understand the people that dislike him or have left him bad ratings. They must be the same humour and respect devoid people who get offended and surprised when told they can't stare at facebook 24/7 in class.

Dave did a great job with this course. Lectures were somewhat difficult to take notes because he teaches directly out of the textbook, but if you get the major points down and go to the sections in the textbook you'll do fine. He is always great during office hours. Textbook wasn't great but as long as you read it you'll do well. iClickers daily

Dave is by far one of the most inspiring people at uvic. He genuinely cares about his students and wants them to do well. If he sees you are making an effort but are still struggling he will take that into consideration with his marking. He's very helpful one on one in office hours. Course was tough, would recommend taking 203 before taking it.

Dave is very caring and wants you to succeed. His lectures are always packed full of information but in a very accessible way. He's super helpful and easy to talk to one on one. Use office hours!! Dave is very clear of what he wants with his assignments, he does not use ambiguous language on his assignments or tests. Go to class, do your readings.

Amazing professor. He respects everyone and wants everyone to understand the concepts and succeed. Very clear with his explanations so I barely even read the textbooks, just showed up to his lectures and took notes. He is super helpful in his office hours! He is super sassy and makes class interesting and fun. He makes a difficult class easy.

Dave is def my favorite ling prof here! He is very caring and open to questions and ideas. He sometimes gets sensitive about electronics and people yawning in class. Tests are based on the lectures so go to class if you don't want to do the readings. He jumps between many studies so that might be hard to follow, but he loves to answer questions.

Dave McKercher is a polarizing person. I am writing this years after graduation, now that I myself am teaching university courses. I have come to set the record straight. Dave only received low evaluations from students with low work ethic. Dave had no tolerance for lick-spittles, lazy people, or rude people. Good on him. He is the best prof ever.