All Hail Queen Dona!

The Best Teacher at SJSU

LOTS of assignments. Be prepared to be overwhelmed during the first half of the semester. Things get easier as time passes though. She offers a lot of EC, and is a really fun professor. Dona's a GIVER!

she's quite likeable and can be both stern and funny.

Good teacher. Good attitude. Helpful and fun. This is a good class to take.

She's the best teacher I've had so far. Expect a lot of work, but also expect to learn a lot.

She keeps everything interesting and she's down to earth! She can really help you with your future, rather then just teaching the curriculum!!! Take her!!!!!!!!!!!

If there's ever a class that Dona teaches, take it. She will help you, not only in the class, but for other classes as well. She's there to talk if you want advice on other classes/professors as well. Dona Rules!

awesome professor! understanding and caring. she's hilarious and makes class interesting. highly recommended.

where else are you gonna find a teacher thats also does stand up comedy at the improv! she's definately funny (although she does have moody moments every now and then) and she helps out! quite a bit work, but it's not hard. also, loads of extra credit!

Dona was the only reason I dragged myself out of bed for her 7:30am writing class. She's hilarious and a great teacher. Lots of work but you learn a ton while having a great time!

This class is easy if you go to all the lectures and do most of your assignments. All the assignments are small and easy to do except for the term paper. You need to start early on that and get all your research and interviews done. She gives "pop" quizes on what's happening in world, so you need to read the newspaper.

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I've taking her three times now and pretty much every thing people have written is accurate. She totally plays favorites, luckily I'm one of them, so I keep taking her. But if you're not, you're screwed. If you take her for 105, be prepared to be shocked. She'll talk about BJ's and other crazy****. Just get on her good side and you'll do well.

engaging and makes learning fun

I thought she was witty and made the class fun. If you don't have a sense of humor take it with one of the boring teachers. I don't understand some of the comments about favorites. It always looked to me like common courtesy or polite chit-chat but to a grumpy classmate it might seem like something else.

good teacher ... strict but good.

Shes a great lady. Not too easy, not too difficult. She tells you what she wants, so follow it. Kinda hard midterm, but she gave some EC to make up for it. DO NOT come to class late. If you are a slacker and are late or miss class a lot, your destined for faliure. Overall, i would definitly take a class with her again.

She' Awesome! Great teacher,she's not easy, but she's funny and makes the class interesting!! Highly recommend!

Great professor. I had her for 100W and now for 105. She makes the most boring material fun. Not the easiest but well worth taking.

Prof. Nichols is really cool and makes class fun. It is true that she is unorganized and doesn't hand back papers. This class seemed like a lot of work in the beginning but it gradually became easier and less time consuming. I didn't notice her play favorites.

Very fair. The class is run with mutual respect between student and professor. This is such an interesting class that students never want to miss. Makes you think.

Dona makes class fun. She has a good sense of humor and is willing to help. I recommend taking Journalism 61A from her. Her class is easy, but will prepare you for further Journalism classes. There was not a lot of outside work and there is a take home final!

Very friendly, very liberal (a little annoying), very interesting, makes the class one you want to attend. She's a "giver" and very fair in grading. Assignments are straight forward. You need to do the reading because the quizes and tests are based heavily off of it. I would recommend her to anyone.

Her husband (Ralph Nicols)and Dona always switched teaching the class. There are A LOT of assignments so make sure you come to class EVERYDAY! I didn't get published and got low scores on majority of my assignments but still managed to get an A-. (Hint: take ALL the extra credit they offer, b/c you will need it)

Dona is absolutely a fabulous prof! She is extremely helpful and truly cares about her students. Don't take her if you're hoping to do no work and get a good grade. She doesn't tolerate slackers or tardiness, so if you can participate and not be late you'll really love her !

Love, love, LOVE Dona! She absolutely prepares you for quizzes, exams and the final..... you just have to be in class to get a study guide.... Her expectations are laid out crystal clear from day one. Don't be late and you must participate, not that hard :) I loved her class and learned a lot at the same time. She's just awesome!

You won't learn anything, but this class KICKS ASS! It's so much fun, and Dona is amazing. Show up for her lectures (you'll want to anyway!), and you're guaranteed an "A!"

One of the best professors in my 4 year career at SJSU! I was freaking out about MCOM100w but Dona made it all better! Lots of little assignments but I actually think they were fun. She loves and cares about her students. Just be on time to turn in your assignments. Highly Recommended!

Really funny and entertaining. Sometimes its not clear what the class is about but she gets her point across about whatever shes talking. Take notes on films and read the book (even if she forgets to mention it, a lot) because a lot of test questions come from it, open note tests. Loved her!

Dona is hilarious!!! Love her and loved the class. She made all the assignments interesting and and we actually learned in her class, but in a fun way. Midterm was easy and so was the final. She tells you what will be on tests. Shes funny and entertaining. Go to class, do the work, you'll be fine! She wants everyone to pass.

She is the nicest professor I have ever had! I loved her and her class! I recommend you to go to all her lectures because there are super easy unannounced quizes and extra credit opportunities! Definitely recommend her!!! She is amazing!!!

Dona is so hilarious. I love her. I wasn't sure if journalism was the right direction for me until I took this class. I learned a lot. She is very open minded. We wacthed some interesting documentaries and had some fun papers. Most tests were open note and multiple choice with one short essay question. She also wrote me an awesome recommendation.

This professor was such an approachable, encouraging and even a person you could come to if you were having a hard time in life and she listens and offers advice and a caring ear. She is very personnable and a person who gives 100% to her entire class and she is very good at getting you prepared for tests so most kids get great grades. Great class!

Sooooo this class was a total drag. The fact that we even have to take a class like this is ridiculous. All that aside, Dona was a good professor. I didn't enjoy the constant changing of the syllabus though. I couldn't keep track. A lot of assignments are changed or dropped. She expects a lot but she's funny and tries to keep things entertaining.

Very likable and clear about what she wants on each assignment. Often gives a good test prep.

Dona is approachable and knows what she's talking about. There's never hw reading assignments, but her tests are basically all info from the textbook...so just hope you get a study guide and when you do, FILL IT AL OUT! She gives LOADS of extra credit, so take advantage of it! I honestly think I'm gonna get an A b/c of the extra credit...

Donna's class was pretty fun, she lectures w powerpoints but her exams come straight from the book. Quite a bit of group work but the assignments are really interesting and fun. She has a awesome sense of humor but is slightly unorganized. Attendance is not mandatory but she makes you check in w the TAs at the beginning of class & not a min after

Dona is awesome. She has the best stories and I felt that she was extremely organized and clear in what she wanted. I wasn't scared to talk and share my opinion on things as well. She's very welcoming. I'm already signed up for her MCOM 70 class!

Took her for both classes! She is extremely opinionated but a good professor nonetheless because she wants students to understand &take interest more than imposing her views. A bit unorganized, but take good notes and come on time. Books not necessary but help a great deal on tests. Winged midterms and Finals but still did good. DONT BE LATE

Dona is an amazing teacher that really enjoys teaching. This class was easy, just make sure to be there on time and every day, attendance is a big part of your grade. Exams weren't horrible because she curves them, MAKE SURE TO READ. Questions from book will appear on exams even if it isnt in the lecture slide. Take this class, great time easy A.

Who ever gave her low ratings are dumb. EASY ass class with a CHILL ass professor. Test can be hard got a 70 on a 5 page open note test. But she is a chill professor papers are interesting and short. Gives all the extra credit, i got 20points to twerk in class!

I was scared about taking my 100W class, but Dona makes it pretty hard to fail. You'll pass as long as you attend class and do the required amount of work. There were a couple assignments that were assigned that we never got to. Class was often disorganized, but it was pretty easy. I'll miss this class!

Great professor who assigns fun, creative projects. Do the work, DO NOT be late and you'll be fine. One of the more fun classes at SJSU.

GREAT TEACHER, not because she has a way of teaching her students about MCOM but because she is funny, nice, lenient grader, and all papers are personal opinion. Her quizes are fairly easy, BE ON TIME. In class tests are fairly challenging due to the lack of emphasis on her teaching and rather passion for the subject and rock n roll. FUN CLASS!EZ A

One of the best professors I've hard in my college career by far. She is very inspirational. Go to class and come early and you'll fall in love with what she teaches.

Dona is an amazing professor. She has a funny and easy going personality. I feel like every student in my class enjoyed her because everyone was always there and participating. The class, however, has a lot of assignments. Never fret! The assignments are easy but do require some time commitment. She gives daily in class assignments and EC.

Dona is pretty chill, but her lectures do not really prepare you for the tests and she knows it (gives hella extra credit). Take the class and do all of the assignment on time, do good on the pop quizzes AND DO ALL THE EXTRA CREDIT. You'll need it.

Whoever doesn't like Dona is actually crazy. This class is a piece of cake and so much fun. Literally all you have to do is go to class and do the very few assignments on time. so simple and if you can't handle it then why are you in college. One of my favorite Profs, love her so much I'm taking another class with her!

Donna is a fantastic professor. Just participate in class, do the assignments on time and take good notes. Donna is extremely helpful as well as funny. She is easily one of the best professors I've had.

Found this class absolutely interesting and enjoyable. She's not just any professor, she's a cool professor. Made learning fun. Especially during the rock n' roll chapter. Participation and attendance are crucial in this class. If you miss a day you may have missed an important lecture or a pop quiz. Get ready to dance on the table for extra credit

Prof Nichols is really nice, even though her syllabus has a 0 late policy, if you go talk to her (depending on the reason) theres a 50/50 chance she'll accept the assignment late. She is willing to work with students. ATTENDANCE IS MANDATORY, she does not lecture much but the little she does is on the test. Put effort into projects, she's critical.

Shes very understanding.

God Only Knows, there are at least two other professors who teach this same mediocre class. But only Dona's class is pure Good Vibrations. Look, Johnny, B. Goode to Dona, and she'll be good to you. You Can't Hurry Love, nor a good grade. Go to class and PARTICIPATE, you'll pass. & you'll gain an appreciation for Rock 'n Roll music!

Best professor I ever had!! If you need to complete MCOM63, I take her. Just do the stuff on time. She will help you on anything if your struggling with something in the class. Easiest A just like that

Dona is an amazing person. Education and people skills don't always play hand in hand because there are academic topics on the line. But with Dona, if you show up, listen to her feedback and work on making your work rock!... you will be just fine. But her people skills, sarcasm and great feedback just bring a charm like no other. Recommend to all!

Dona is one of the best professors at SJSU. She is very nice, understanding, and highly flexible with due dates. The work is not hard at all as long as you spend a reasonable amount of time and effort. Attendance is not mandatory but you may miss important information. If you have the opportunity always take a class with Dona Nichols!

Dona is very nice and her class was simple. Never a dull moment learning in her class, just take notes during lectures and that's about it.

For JOUR 130, attend class and get everything in on time. Project-based class and she gives you time in class to work. Can use for a journalism reel if you put time into the assignments. If you're involved in a student publication and a journalism student, she will likely switch around credits to your benefit.