2.4
Quality4.2
Difficulty100%
Would Retake87
Reviews100%
Would Retake
87
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
14
4
12
3
12
2
24
1
25
What Students Say
“He is a horrible grader and his lectures make no sense”
PYSC110 - 1.0 rating“He is a sweet guy, and sometimes funny”
PSYCH110 - 2.0 ratingClass Info
Attendance Mandatory
60%
Textbook Required
100%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B+
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-0.54 avg changeRatings by Course
PSYC110H
5.0
(1)PSYCHINTRO
5.0
(1)PERCEPTION
5.0
(1)INTOPERCEP
5.0
(1)PSYC201
5.0
(1)Difficulty by Course
101
5.0
110
5.0
PSYC320
5.0
PERCEPTION
5.0
COGNPSY
5.0
Reviews (87)
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I had Dr. White for Honors intro. to psych. The class was difficult, but he made it fun. He expected alot, but it was all do-able. I thouroghly enjoyed his class!
poor teacher. Unclear in instructions, expects something from nothing. Will not work with students falling behind. Steer clear!
Very thourough in his explanations, willing to help, interesting and humorous, over-all a great teacher if you're willing to work. Very benificial for Psych majors because you will actually retain the info presented.
Lectures too disorganized and confusing. He tries to make it iteresting but often gets off-track.
very funny and interesting. you will not fall asleep i actually looked forward to his classes. you have to take good notes and learn the material not just memorize it. go to class so you don't get behind! no papers...just quizzes and a final.
one of the worst teachers i have ever had, because of him i no longer want to major in psychology. grades papers way too harshly and was deceitful regarding the information that would be on the final exam.
He is very unclear
He sucked!!!! Friends of mine who took that class got an F when the rest of their grades were straight As ... Do not take a class with White if you can help it.
I loved White. Very good lectures and I understood everything. No papers, Quizzes and and a final. Drops the lowest quiz grade. Funny in class, and you remember what he taught you. I'd take him again. The people who said he was bad are dead wrong. Take him...you'll see.
This guy is So0o boring. Anyone who thinks he is remotely funny must be a complete loser. no offense. He's CREEPY. He makes jokes about how he killed his dog. Oh yeh thats hilarious? He's like 900 years old and wears a bow tie EVERY day. This class is passable, but not if you're easily bored...
Hard teacher, all over the place, unclear, alright quizzes, I get straight As and got a B+ in his class.
I liked the class a lot. His sense of humor is very quirky, and he initially rubbed me the wrong way, but I grew to enjoy his lectures greatly. His tests are, at times, very unclear and should be more focused, but if you dedicate some time outside of class to sort of pre-write what you'll say, you'll get A's. Recommended.
I had problems with this class. His lectures aren't bad, but his tests are terrible. Unfocused and open-ended, I did well on tests I thought I tanked and poorly on slam dunks. It's a crap shoot. Don't take him.
Duncan White is a real nice guy. He is way smarter than any RIC student can handle, he is way up there, ya know? But, as for devotion to the field and comprehention of the topics he is great. He does joke about his dog "****boots" alot... but thats cool with me. I hope he gets a better office and much more money, the guy is worth it. I got an A.
Dr.White is an excellent professor. He teaches the material in a way that is interesting. Class is interactive, and because of this the material stays with you. If you go to class, take good notes, and STUDY there should be no reason to do poorly. He's brilliant and really cares about the student. I would reccomend him to anyone.
Funny guy...although some classes were very boring....easy to do well if you actually read and study...
unfair to rate him since there is so much packed into a semester. corny jokes but tries to make class interesting. gave lots of extra credit opportunities though.
never had him but i've heard HORROR stories. I've witnessed his "passion" for teaching....school had a blackout &kids left, he made his classes stay and have class in the dark!
weird, annoying, not at all understanding. Cannot make up test and quizzes even if your father dies!!!! Godd person though! Even though he is out of his tree!
Dr. White wasn't so bad, his lectures weren't exactly thrilling, but I walked out knowing the material. maybe he is a little creepy, and the bowties aren't the greatest fashion statement but the quizzes and final were pretty easy. After you take the quizzes he gives them all back, and our final was a packet of photocopies of every quiz, we could pick the 3 or 4 we wanted to do. It doesn't get easier than that.
Yes, he's demanding of students, but why are you in school? My favorite professor on campus! I learn a great deal from every class. You have to put work in and you have to study and learn the stuff inside out. BUt for those who complain: either you aren't understanding the material (have you spoke to him about this?) or you're used to professors not demanding comprehensive knowlegde of the course work. If you want to learn and like a challenge, I highly recommend him. And, yes, he's funny.
I don't suggest taking him, he is a horrible professor. The power went out in HM, so he made us all sit on the floor in the hallway of his office for class. Very hard to follow, he teaches way over your head. He always kept our class over the time, so if you take him don't schedule a class right after. Tests and quizes are not relevant to lecture.
didnt like the class
He can be tough, and the instructions on his quizzes are usually confusing, but he is an awesome professor, and you will definitely learn. You really have to study the material multiple times, as he is VERY thorough on his quizzes. Well worth taking!
He is such a nice and caring teacher. Yes, his quizzes may be a little difficult, and at times a little boring, but when I was concerned about my grade he was too. Keep all the answer keys from the quizzes, and that's the final=extremely easy. I love his stories he would tell in class!
I wasted my money buying my text book. He didnt teach a single thing out of it. Also, he never directly answers a question, so if you were confused the first time, you are even more lost the second time through. The material on the syllabus was never the same as in the text book so if you miss a class, dont count on finding out what happend.
Where can I start. Dr White is a very nice guy. The material was so bad I droped the class after 3 weeks. I have a 3.77 GPA but couldn't stand this class. I think that it is he just has a very abstract unique teaching style. He may be right for you but for me I couldn't do it. I almost poked my eyes out listening to one of the lectures... AHH
Dr. White is a good guy.. however, his teaching methods are confusing. I suggest bringing a laptop to class so that taking notes can be easier. trust me, your notes will be a mess if you try writing everything in order in a notebook. my notes were all over the place in the first few weeks of class until i got used to his teaching style.
Great teacher. Can be a little confusing at times. However his text book is written by him so if you don't know what's going on read the ch before each quiz for a better explanation. Use the ch summary to study from. BE in class, or you will miss some of his examples that he will use on the quiz. Funny guy. Will startle you at times.
Very abstract and all over the place. His lectures jump from one end of the spectrum to the next, and he always sidetracks with random stories. His teaching style is hard to follow if you like to stay organized! He is a little "out there"
He is horrible!! I am barely surviving this class. He is a nice guy, but an awful professor. Very abstract. Don't buy the book, what a waste of my money!!
Stay away if at all possible. VERY,VERY ABSTRACT.
One of the few TRUE geniuses I actually know. The man is far smarter than the average professor and his intellect makes students want to be like him. If you are not willing to work in class, don't take him.
Great teacher. He is one of the smartest psych profs. in ric. Can be a little confusing at times. He does not use the text book, so don't buy it. He only uses the material he assigns on Web CT (is written by him so if you don't know what's going on read it before each quiz for a better explanation). BE in class, or you will miss some of his example
very very abstract. quizzes were very difficult, his lecture is hard to understand and when you think you understand you take the quiz and realize you have no idea. stay awayyyyyyy
This is the hardest class I have ever taken. Dr. White is a good guy. But that doesn't help you out when you are struggling. The book is useless and his lectures are extremely hard to follow when he tends to go off on tangents. The biggest problem is thinking you have the information down and then taking his quizzes and finding out you don't.
very very nice guy. and smart too. knows his stuff. but its very difficult to do well. you have quizzes about every week and a half, which practically drains you. the material is very difficult (and abstract). take something else if you can unless you want a serious challenge. i struggled for a B-
nice guy but his quizzes are horrible and lectures are not helpful. I never missed a class and always made sure I paid attention in class and took notes. Nonetheless, this was not helpful for any of the quizzes or the final exam. If you are looking for a challenge or can afford to have a low GPA then take his class, otherwise dont even bother.
He teaches at a graduate level. Uses technical terminology and jargon and leaves most of the class in the dark. Really nice guy but as far as relating the material to the students or even making the material comprehensible or interesting, he hasnt a clue. He's brilliant but it hinders more than helps
Worst teacher I ever had! I studied my butt off and still failed his class miserably. Reason-His intelligence level is way beyond PhD and he does not fathom that maybe his students are not at his mindset!!! By the end of the semester the class shrank from over 20 people to less than 8. Stay away from his class! Biggest regret ive ever had!
Very smart and nice guy, but very confusing in lecture. He uses terms that were was over the heads of the class and much to specified for an intro class. His quizes and exams weren't terribly difficult if you managed to get a hold on the subject matter but that was a task in itself.
He is the most confusing man i have ever encountered in my whole life.
He's very intelligent, wrote the book for class, and makes dumb jokes. Grades by quizzes and exam at the end, no papers. Nice guy, but he teaches by talking AT you and explains things in a very complicated and ABSTRACT way. Doesn't grab attention, boring lectures. Work HARD, study your ass off. Not to mandatory attend, but i try not to miss class.
His lectures draw on forever. He isn't teaching a 100 class, he is teaching like you are in grad school. Everything is physics related...which I understand is part of psych but not all of it. Lectures are boring and useless. He uses the same slides over and over again. They are only useful on the quizzes. He's super smart but not a good teacher.
He tells you abstract material that no INTRO class should be expected to know. Copying the slides was 1 thing but then he gets to a point where if your able to stay awake, LISTEN to what he says. Hard teacher, tough grading. VERY nice outside of class though. All tests multiple choice, so kind of easy. You never know whats going to be on the test.
DO NOT TAKE A CLASS WITH HIM. he is so smart that he always talks at a genius level and no one in the class has any idea what the hell he's talking about. he gets into way too much detail for an intro class, and his quizzes are so confusing. i studied so much for all of them and still failed.
very boring class. and he talks like hes the smartest guy who ever lived. funny at points but sometimes awkward. you need to pay very close attention to the lectures if your gonna pass
He's nice and helpful and the bowties are a nice touch- but he makes everything way more difficult than it has to be. Too smart for his own good in a way. Means well, some guys don't know their own strength, he doesn't know his own smartness.
Study very hard for his classes, not easy at all!!
I had Dr. White some years ago and he was a great professor. Many students shied away from his class because he has a reputation for having a more difficult class. If you pay attention to his lectures you'll be ok. He is a great guy outside of the class, great sense of humor. If you want to learn something, take his class.
I had Dr. White more than 10 years ago. I can still recite "Psychology is the scientific study of human kind and other animals in an attempt to describe and explain the underlying mechanisms of human behavior and their interactions which give rise to the behavior of the total organism as a unitary entity and integral part of the ecosystem".
This professor is in hot water with the department and I can see why. He teaches material that is way over the students' heads and is not at all relevent to the course. Fails to simplify concepts, he tries, but it is not good enough. Not at all fit to teach at the undergraduate level
This professor had the nerve to give us a packet as an exam and without telling us beforehand- expected us to finish it within an hour so he could speak at some Psi-Chi presentation. That's low. Putting your own personal benefits before the class. That really says a lot about what the professor is like outside of class. Terrible, terrible person.
I don't have much nice to say about Mr. Duncan White. I could not follow a word this man said. On top of that I asked for help and received none. I tried being tutored and even the tutor could not help because HE didn't understand Prof White. Nothing he says is understandable. He wrote the book - DOES NOT BELONG TEACHING UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS!
worst class ever. i took intro to psych and we covered material that's way too in-depth for an intro class. his lectures are boring and extremely scattered. his quizzes don't pertain to anything that has been covered in class. he has you print out 100+ pages of material on top of a book that isn't used. avoid taking a class by him like the plague.
you can learn alot from this class if you have an open mind and are willing to give your best efforts
This teacher is horrible. I think he made up his own language so that we could not understand him. He speaks in a way that is impossible for anyone to comprehend even the simplest statement. He could tell me the sky is blue and he'd say it in a way i couldn't understand. I can't stand this teacher
I agree with the other posters that he does seem to TRY to make the subject easier, but manages to make over simplify to the point of difficulty. He spent 60 minutes discussing how to take his quiz(es). The bulk of the class are upper level undergrads...we should all know how to write a paragraph by now. Total ivory tower academic-type.
Duncan is absolutely brilliant, but all his lessons are extremely wordy and he isn't very good at getting his points across. He tends to go on a lot of tangents, and is pretty absent-minded.
He was such a horrible teacher! It is hard to understand anything that he says! He makes things more complicated that it needs to be! I suggest not taking this class with him!
He's very enthusiastic/helpful, but knows a little too much about psychology for that brain of his. Attendance is mandatory b/c his quizzes dont match up with the syllabus, so you must attend class to know what will be on it. Only 9 quizzes(drops the lowest) & a final(which is all the quizzes combined). Book isnt needed, print out his powerpoints!
Extremely difficult class. I went into the class having taken a psychology class in high school that i really enjoyed, and i thought that i would enjoy this class and do well. Do not be fooled, The class was more of a Biology class than a psychology class.
Such an awful teacher, well for someone who is teaching an undergraduate course at least! This guy should not be teaching an INTRO class. His way of teaching is way to too much for that kind of basic class. Would not recommend him!!
His notes are completely unclear and disorganized. He abbreviates everything and he expects you to know what he's talking about. He talks like he's reading from a dictionary. And when you try to break down his notes into easier ways to think of it.. his tests use harder words. He should be teaching at a higher level, not INTRO to psych
Duncan White is the worst teacher I've ever had. Do not buy the book because it was a waste of money. He talks in circles and when he tries to simplify concepts he's makes them even more complicated. He gives frequent quizzes and does not give good study guides. I suggest that you DO NOT take this course with him, you will regret it.
He is very disorganized and jumps around. He wrote his own book and if you don't understand him speaking you'll have a hard time understanding the book. His exams are only 30 minutes and he teaches after them. He uses blackboard and his notes/slides are NOT in order. DO NOT TAKE HIM.
I fell asleep every lecture, reading the book was helpful. took me all semester to understand him. 10 quizzes 15-20 questions (2-4 extra credit ones) and the final is half or more than half depending on your grade. my quiz average was a C. the quizzes are like D) a,b,c E) b,c sooo annoying! no partial credit :( hes nice and replies to emails.
Worst teacher I have ever had. He does annoying voices and he constantly goes over the same things. 1 week before spring break and we are still doing chapter 1. Just because you can write a textbook doesn't mean you know how to teach a class of college students.
Dr. White is horrible! He wrote the book and his book is as incomprehensible as he is. His exams are impossible- multiple choice isn't bad but essays are tough because you don't know what he's looking for. Avoid taking him if at all possible.
Worst Teacher I've ever had!!! He should not be teaching a basic level psych class. He wrote the book and teaches you things that are his own theories. I tell everyone I know to drop his class. I retook it with a different professor and aced the class.
This is the worst teacher ever he is all over the place and is way to smart to teach a intro class if you have him get out while you still can. worst professor on campus
Had this guy a couple years back. Yes, he's tough, but he makes you apply yourself and he's extremely helpful if you need him after class. You'll actually leave his class with knowledge of the subject, and it stays with you. This is college people, it's not meant to be easy.
He is a sweet guy, and sometimes funny. But he's completely unaware of how smart he is. He should not be teaching an intro class. He makes everything way more complicated than it is. He is way too confusing and writes his own book which is also confusing. Would not recommend.
Do everything you can not to take this class. Dr. White is a kind and brilliant man but he is a very poor teacher. He uses a book that he wrote and the book should come with a decoder ring because it makes no sense! His lectures are boring and the exams are impossible. It was the worst class/professor I had the entire time at RIC
RUN WHILE YOU CAN. I had all goo grades except for this class ... when I say its near to impossible truly mean it... I felt I knew the material and I did!! but the way he tests you is UNREAL
Worst professor ever, I regret taking his class. Try to avoid taking him if you want an A.
this was by far the most confusing professor I've ever had, he answered no questions directly even after class or exams. if you didn't understand and asked for clarity he only repeated him self over and over. yet he was comical.
HE IS THE WORST PROFESSOR IVE EVER HAD. Was forced to drop the class because he makes ZERO sense. please DO NOT take this class. you WILL regret it.
Loved him. He makes you learn the importance of understanding the material rather than just memorizing it. I found myself repeating things he said in lecture to friends and family because I thought it was very interesting. Have to work for you grade. Quizzing style takes a little time to get use to. 10 quizzes total drops the lowest. 1 final exam
I'm usually an A student, but I couldn't manage with him. Lectures didn't make sense most of the time and asking for help was completely useless. I took this class over the following semester and got an A with a different professor. If you care about your GPA in the slightest, please don't take him. You've been warned.
Duncan white was probably the worst professor I have ever had in my life. i am usually an A student and i was failing this class within the first month. He is a horrible grader and his lectures make no sense. don't bother looking at the book either because he wrote it. Overall, horrible experience.
The dude is an absolute genius. He explains everything over and over until you get it. His grading policy: 10 quizzes and 1 Final. If you score higher on the final then your quiz average, then that's your grade for the year. If not then he averages the two. You can basically save your semester if you've failed every quiz by acing the final.
He is my favorite professor of all time. I wasn't an A student but i got an A in his class. He reiterates everything he says in different ways using metaphors. He is brilliant, hilarious, and tough. If you are planning a career in psychology he prepares you for GRAD school.
I was fortunate to have dr. White in his 1st psych class at ric. I was 31 and unsure of my abilities. It was his intro psych that got me hooked. My major changed from nursing to psych. Highly intelligent, creative and open to critique made him a very awesome professor. He played a major role in my self esteem and was a strong influence to me.
One of the best professors I have ever had. He has a brilliant mind and a great sense of humor. Believe him when he says, "read the material before class so you are prepared to ask questions. If nobody asks questions, I assume you understand the material and I will move forward". READ the material before class and ask lots of questions.
Class Info
Attendance Mandatory
60%
Textbook Required
100%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B+
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-0.54 avg changeRatings by Course
PSYC110H
5.0
(1)PSYCHINTRO
5.0
(1)PERCEPTION
5.0
(1)INTOPERCEP
5.0
(1)PSYC201
5.0
(1)Difficulty by Course
101
5.0
110
5.0
PSYC320
5.0
PERCEPTION
5.0
COGNPSY
5.0