Great professor. I hated writing, but his composition class was very helpful and helped me improve greatly. He's a funny guy, never too serious, but always to the point. A lot of examples to help get your ideas together and know what he wants. Definitely take him.

Stivers is an awesome professor. He was very helpful and a really nice guy. The class was very manageable and I usually actually enjoyed being there. He's pretty funny and a great professor, and I'm sure any of his classes would be good, he knows what he's talking about.

this teacher is amazing. seriously. an A is VERY hard to get on papers, but YOU CAN DO IT!! HE WILL HELP!! i really became a better writer. in-class critiques are VITAL to getting an A on a paper. do the journals, he really does check them. ask him to tell you about his plagarism stories from his other college. FUNNY!!

Very open-minded. My advice to you is do his extra-credit assignments. Its like getting a full letter grade higher on your final grade. I went from C to an A easily. He's also very forgiving, he helps you out, and he's never too serious in class.

I agree with everyone else. He is smart and helpful. also very nice. it is hard to get a full A on a paper but he sits down and helps you with everything. Very good extra credit to help you on your way. also looks like a young dr. jeckle..

Professor Stivers is AMAZING. The papers are actually interesting. We got to pick a film to write about and we even got to watch Memento. I enjoyed every class and regret every class I didn't attend. You basically organize your papers in class so its not that difficult to write on your own. He also sounds a bit like Tim Gunn.

TAKE STIVERS!! He's amazing, I hate writing but he makes it really easy. You do a lot of peer reviews in class which make it really easy to crank out that final draft. He's funny and always keeps it interesting

Stivers is a great teacher. I was not looking forward to this class at all but his papers are actually okay. He was extremely helpful and was always available and willing to help during his office hours. I would choose this class again if I had the choice and recommended him to everyone taking english next quarter. GREAT TEACHER!

Stivers is awesome. He's really nice and super understanding, if you have any sort of problem with your work he's completely willing to help. invites you to his office hours every class. take him for comp 1, you wont be disappointed.

One of the best english professors I've ever had. He helps students soo much with papers- and your writing will get so much better if you come see him or email him. Also, he's super friendly and jokes a lot.

This professor is a very tough grader, but he keeps the classes fun and pretty interesting considering the subject.

Loved this teacher! His projects are fun, like writing about your favorite movie and a magazine article. He is a super nice guy and always offering help sessions. If you go, he will usually pad your grade a bit. He gives re-writes too. He uses the textbook a lot, but everything you learn is relevant to a career in the arts, so its not so boring

Took him for Detective Narratives- he's awesome. We read a lot and had a lot of class discussions, and also wrote a few things. I'd reccommend taking him- his lectures are interesting and he challenges everybody to think.

So much dry humor, which is highly enjoyable. He's a strict grader on papers so KEEP UP ON ALL YOUR JOURNALS. It'll save your grade even if you get C's on papers. ALSO, do every single paper. He's a brilliant teacher and I'm glad to have had him.

LOVE. Everyone sees English 123 and thinks, "oh, this class is going to be dumb." Not if you take Professor Stivers. He makes the class engaging, challenging, and fun. He walks into the room on the first day and you can't help but like him after 30 seconds. His assignments are interesting and relevant to each other.

great english teacher. knows what he's talking about, is extremely helpful and clear with what he wants for each assignment. This class focuses mostly on organization of papers, so if you have issues with grammar or sentence structure go in for extra help. If you are an experienced writer then he will only make you better and you'll do well

his good

Stivers is great. If you have the chance, take him. He lets you know exactly what he wants and offers extra help for every paper. The assignments are also great! I only went for extra help once and wished I had done it sooner and more!I learned so much from this class and kept the bedford handbook and continue to use it!

Stivers is brilliant. Absolutely brilliant. He's ridiculously cool and I would crack up during class at his subtle yet hilarious remarks. The subjects of the essays he assigns are interesting and well-rounded. Talk to him about music and ask him how his dog is doing. Plus, he's kind of a silver fox.

Helpful, clear, funny, practical, informative,and attractive. This is a lot coming from me because I hate english. It's my worst subject but hes does a really wonderful job. you do a lot of work but its worth it. I learned a lot and appreciate what he does. his humor is great, listen for it. I want him as a teacher again, without question here :)

he is a really good professor, has 4 multiple draft essays required to fulfill the class. Good grader! Really funny and he always let us off early. I would highly recommend him

He's a really dedicated teacher, if you ever need a revision between submissions, he's more than happy to offer criticism, but be warned: He won't pull punches.

What a great teacher... I thoroughly enjoyed taking his class. He cares about his students and is interested about what they have to say. If you need to take english or an english elective, take this man!

He is a great teacher. The essays you have to write are about movies, artworks and yourself. You will learn a lot about writing from his class. I never knew I could write great essays, and I did thanks to him.

This is one of my all time favorite professors at SCAD. The entire class is made up of reading scientific articles in the book and then talking about them. Sometimes the reading is difficult but he is excellent at breaking down the reading which is why attendance is a must. He is very funny and makes class interesting and fun to come to.

Take Professor Stivers. He is funny and empathetic and you can tell he's very passionate/interested in his job. Make use of your time with him to interact with him because he's a pretty awesome guy.

Not much interest before taking this class. I mean, What the heck is MEDIA LITERACY THEORY?? Taking his class now (as of writing) and if you EVER take this guy, go to his office hours and talk to him as much as you are able. Possibly the most interesting professor I have met so far at SCAD.

so he looks like the lead singer of weezer, i should have told him that. all of the essays are related to things of the art world which make them much easier to write about which makes them turn out better. very helpful. fun to listen to when he tells stories and great sense of humor, you will laugh every class. highly recommend!

I'm over half way through the class and I've enjoyed it. I think he is a great teacher who is very understanding of us as students and knows what is enjoyable and what isn't. He's actually really funny too. The class was not that difficult. The essays weren't too hard and you are given a day to edit them before you turn the final in.

Eventhough his voice is very monoton, he is an extremely funny and nice guy. Understands that some subjects are boring and tries to get through them. Workload is average and you can pass without doing all the work. I would recommend taking this couse, I liked it alot.

Stivers has an amazing dry humor and the sideburns of Martin Freeman. While his lectures are really long and information heavy (MLA, citations, etc) the papers are another thing entirely, they're fun to do and all about art! If you can keep up with all the soft deadlines for papers you'll be fine and have a good laugh in his class.

No matter how hard I tried and had professionals read my papers he still gave me a B+. Really cool and relaxed guy. I almost always fell asleep in his class. Lectures are long and boring but he knows. I enjoyed the freedom we had to choose topics to write about in our papers.

Stivers is the BEST! I really enjoyed this class! I did minimal reading, but took a ton of notes and paid lots of attention in class and have had no issue. He assigns a handful of response papers through out the quarter, but they never took more than an hour to do. As long as you try, you're going to be fine! I wish I could take this class again!

Take advantage of the help he offers! He is a tough grader of papers, of which you have five (4 1-page responses and 1 6-page original detective biography). Try not to skip this class: most of the information in lectures is given through him talking, not PowerPoints, and sometimes it's hard to get it all down!

Professor Stivers is one of the more academically oriented professors at SCAD, but he makes literary theory and detective narratives really fun. They're subjects he's passionate about, and you learn to love it too. Prepare for lots of PowerPoint lectures and journal entries.

One of the most engaging lecturers I've had and is genuinely funny with a clear passion for detective fiction. He talks fast, but just know the reading well for his surprisingly easy tests. His projects and papers are not terribly time consuming, just a lot of textbook reading, but the book is pretty entertaining too so manage your time wisely.

He's really funny and very nice, however there are a lot of papers and he's a fairly tough grader. It's a good class if you're willing to read a lot of boring instructions in the text book and are able to write a fairly large amount of papers, if not, I'd say find a different class...

Although he can be picky at times, he gives effective cristitism and really just wants each student to be the best writers they can. Solid selection if you're looking to get your English credit out of the way. Get ready for open discussion in the class room, participation is an important aspect of this class

He's a great guy and very funny, but if you aren't good at making friends, be aware that he gives a lot of group projects so you might feel left out a lot. While he does give a lot of papers to do, they aren't particularly difficult or time consuming and can be interesting if you make it about a topic that you like.

David Stivers has been the best teacher at SCAD I've ever had. The books he had us read were so interesting and the way he lectured about them opened my eyes to a new kind of comprehensive reading. He's also got the best dry sense of humor which is a huge plus. I wish I could have him teach every class. Amazing subject matter and amazing professor.

A real treat to have as a professor. He kept me awake during a 2:00-4:30-- that in itself is a feat. Really fun to have a conversation with, interesting lectures, and a fair grader. Took his detective narratives class as an elective, but would absolutely take him again if given the chance.

Absolutely amazing professor!

Legit one of the best professors ive ever had. he makes class so fun, but at the same time you learn so much. HIGHLY recommend!!

David Stivers was one of the best english teachers I have ever had. He is a bit of a tough grader but if you pay attention and show that you care there is no reason why you shouldn't pass. He is funny, cares about his students, and puts time aside to help you when your struggling. I learned so much. Would definitely take him again in a heartbeat.

He is so hilarious yet very professional. He might be a hard grader, but I can tell that he is very serious in trying his best to help his students learn how to write and read. His teaching skill is excellent. He always leads us step by step in how to write. He gives out great feedback, grades our assignments on time

This class was definitely a lot of work. However, it was fun. I enjoyed the professor and I liked what I read.

good man yes

Great Professor, highly recommend taking him!! Very funny, but knows when to be serious and super helpful when it comes to explaining things. He walks you through each paper step by step. Participation is a big thing in his class, attend help sessions and office hours! English is my worst subject but if you take his direct advice you'll easily pass

I'm a pretty big fan of Stivers, I'm taking another one of his classes next quarter. He gives you very clear criteria. He is always available during office hours and he gives you very clear feedback on your essays in you come in and see him (if you fix everything like he tells you to, there is no reason why you shouldn't get a good grade.)

Throughout my time at SCAD, David was my favorite professor by an extremely wide margin. He speaks to his students like they're equals, has a great sense of humor, and is refreshingly passionate about what he's teaching. I formed a deep love for noir literature and history in his class that has followed me through grad school.

Really great guy, loved his jokes and the fact that he actually cares for his classes. The readings are helpful! He does focus on artwork/studying art, so perhaps choose another professor if you're looking to read literary novels. No tests, only papers. He's a harsh grader, but he is always accessible for questions. Class average on papers was a B.

Professor stivers is quite the character. In my opinion, his class can be fun. You dont have to read the textbook, its mostly there as reference when you need it for papers. The papers themselves arent that difficult, but i suggest going to office hours/extra help when its available as his feedback is the most important.

Stivers is really great and the class was as I expected. His grading is fair and the essays weren't terribly hard. Just make sure to participate in the live discussions. If you do that and attend his office hours, you'll get an A.

Best prof!! Stivers is hilarious and his lectures are engaging, he genuinely wants you to participate and share your opinions. Hope to take him again!!

Professor Stivers is an amazing professor! He makes understanding difficult or convoluted topics both interesting and easy to understand. Just know the class isn't a walk in the park, the readings are dense, there are 4 papers, and there is a group project. As long as you attend student hours and pay attention in class, you'll be golden.

Stivers makes writing interesting and he's hilarious! The workload isn't bad considering we only had 3 essays the whole 10 weeks. He's always willing to answer questions and help out if needed. I didn't go to any extra help sessions or office hours and I've maintained an A, I just ask questions and get him to look over my paper after classes.

Overall solid. It's more of a writing class than English with no reading required. You have ample time to write papers but be sure to try hard on them as they are worth the bulk of your grade. Make sure to attend office hours even if you feel confident in your work. His grading is very particular so you want to hear his feedback before you submit.

Stivers was a great professor. Alot of people will say he's a tough grader but honestly if you bomb out your first draft paper on the day he assigns it and take peer review (in and out of class) seriously then you are going to be just fine. Participation is also huge in his course. Dont flake on the journal assignments its such an easy A.

We did three essays and he walked us through most of it. Go to extra help, ask other people to read your essays and you'll be fine. Don't be afraid to ask him questions. Also, though the lectures can be long, try to pay attention and don't get caught on your phone or computer games lol.

David Stivers was very kind and I don't get how others say he's a tough grader (at least in this class). Take peer reviews and his feedback seriously and you'll do just fine. He can ramble a bit but I actually enjoyed his lectures! He's refreshingly funny and cares a lot for his students. His passion alleviates the boring-ness some may feel.

He is not a tough grader! He is very fair, especially considering he basically walks you through each essay and provides plenty of resources and instructions on how to write it. If you take his feedback into account and pay attention to the lectures, it is not hard at all. The writing just takes a lot of time but the content itself is not difficult

For this class, you will have to write three papers. They're all manageable to do in a quarter as long as you do the drafts and journal entries. Going to office hours and extra help sessions definitely helps 100% !!! If you have a short attention span, lectures can get long and boring, but all of the information given is helpful and important!

This class was incredibly lecture heavy. Prof. Stivers is very funny, but still class was often boring. I recommend testing out of your English credit if you have the option. Otherwise, he's a lovely person, and makes lots of time for office hours. GO TO OFFICE HOURS.

Fun class, Multiple short essays

Fun class, the 2nd paper out of 3 is fun because you get to choose media to write about. English is a subject I struggle with but I got through it alright! If you're a heavy procrastinator it'll be a bit tough but he helps with managing that aspect. He also gives the nicest feedback I've ever gotten while being constructive overall I recommend him!

In this class be prepared to write, you have to turn in two drafts of a paper before turning in the final version. If you put in effort you will get good results. He teaches in possibly my favorite way, he jokes around but is also ready to work and is ready to help. His personality is best described as "goofy dad" which makes the lectures engaging.

I absolutely loved his lessons. I had him at 8am on a Monday and Wednesday and I am NOT a morning person, but he made the classes very energetic. He would always come into class with some form of animal story and he'd tell us, he'd joke around and was just overall a great teacher. . I would definitely take him again if I have the chance too.

He was a good professor and provided clear feedback through Blackboard and even set aside times to talk one on one for extra help. He reminded us of this each class. He also provides clear instructions that are easy to find later on blackboard. Overall he was a good teacher.

Amazing class and prof! It is a bit work-heavy for an elective, but the projects are fun if you like the subject matter (detective narrative). If you don't... why are you here? You do a lot of reading, a couple novels and a lot of short stories, but again, they're good, why are you here if you don't like them? Will miss the class.

Stivers genuinely cares about the stories he teaches and the history behind detective narratives as a whole. He made class fun with his passion and casual class discussions. There are 4 short pick your poison essays, and a final longer one. Be ready to write, but they're all short and class participation helps!

Stivers is a prof. I will never forget.Very knowledgable of the topic of Media Literacy+ explains complex theories in digestible ways. Work heavy(4 essays+few other things),but it's fun work if you enjoy theoretical essays. NO complaints about this dude! He's dope. If you don't like him... why are you in the class...you literally don't have to be.

Offers valuable feedback and makes the class interesting by giving you a choice on what you want to write about. Just get the homework done and you'll be good