2.7
Quality2.9
Difficulty46%
Would Retake105
Reviews46%
Would Retake
105
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
10
4
18
3
31
2
26
1
20
What Students Say
“He is the worst professor I have had at SVSU so far”
ENGL201 - 2.0 rating“IF you don't like being put on the spot don't take him”
ENG212 - 1.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
92%
Textbook Required
100%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
A-
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Stable
-0.14 avg changeRatings by Course
ENGLISH336
5.0
(1)ENGL417
5.0
(1)ENGL201
3.6
(5)ENGL205
3.2
(5)ENGL202
3.1
(7)Difficulty by Course
203H
5.0
ENG203H
4.5
ENG203
4.0
ENGL312
3.5
ENGL201
3.4
Reviews (105)
No Comments
male lit majors might enjoy this class otherwise don't bother.
He's a great guy. The class discussions are great. Not tough at all in grading. Very easy to get an A!
This is an awful class. He doesn't tell you what he wants so when you write you don't know what to write about. All we do is sit and talk about stupid stuff all class time and he is just horrible to listen to. I really can't stand this class
Interesting guy, fairly easy. Go to class, and keep up on reading and you'll be alright. Not my fravorite teacher or least...
I absolutely hated this class. It was so boring and the discussions were seemingly pointless. He rambles on and on and if you don't participate you get a lower grade.
Thompson talks about irrelevant stuff and you learn nothing. Plus, if your views are different from his, drop the class. And what's up with the holistic grading?
No Comments
This guy could really use a communications class. I'm not really sure what he's trying to say when he's talking. Very unclear about the grading process.
Good class, good professor. He directs class discussions but lets you do most of the talking. He makes you think and keeps you interested in the subject. If you read the books and pay attention in class you'll do well.
OH MY GOD RUN! especially if you have ANY views that he disagrees with. i learned nothing except how to pass a class on sparknotes alone
This class is so hard. The midterm was hard. But I liked the books he picked to read in the class. But he's too hard for my taste.
if you're a christian, don't take him. if you're a republican, don't take him. all he does is support those who agree with him and make fun of those who don't. i hate this class and cannot wait fo it to be over. i will NEVER take him again
Do whatever you need to do not to take this teacher.His purpose for teaching is so that people will listen to him.He doesn't teach he preaches. His assignments are never clear. I honestly didn't learn anything from him but not to take him again.
Teaches a political science course like english. His views are skewed towards his beliefs, but he DOES leave the table open to all. Strange class, seemed a little disorganized...
I thought this class was so easy, pop culture. all we did was talk about the media and do 5 papers. Super easy though. wasnt very prompt on giving papers back. did a 10 presentation on the last paper, but it wasnt too bad. we did livejournals too.
I have had Dr. Thompson way too many times, but an easy A is an easy A. Horrible teacher. Talks above the students, thinks he needs to demonstrate his vocabulary rather than make himself understood. Long, pointless assingments, easy grader.
He has a strong grasp of the English language, he just does not know how to effectively teach it. No personality. I think he really needs some coaching on how to connect with his students. His English 112 class needs revision.
Gary Thompson is a very helpful teacher. He is not strict with grading and doesn't really mind if you need more time with things. He is quite leniant. I suggest taking him if you have the chance. I had a lot of fun in the class too.
Stay away from Gary Thompson! This man is an idiot. You learn nothing from him, he's unclear about assignments and they're all useless anyways. If you by some chance have to take him don't have an opinion, unless it is the same as his or you will suffer the consequences.
very unclear about assignments and his grading scale?
anyone who doesnt like him probably isnt too independent. it is not that he is unclear about assignments he just wants you to be creative! DUH! all you have to do is not worry too much about what he wants because whatever you do is probably fine. Easy and fun class!
He first seems to be very difficult, but he actually is a fair grader, and he lightens up about half way through the semester. Not a bad guy.
Easy grader. Sort of nerdy, but you can appreciate some of his jokes. Good professor.
This class will make you hate American Literature (haha, especially Cooper). I'm not a big fan of his teaching style, as he generates discussion by quickly putting people on the spot, as opposed to giving us time to contemplate his questions. A bit condescending
Very boring, very blah, very annoying. Not a hard grader, but hard to listen and sit through. Don't take if you wanna learn.
He has a big vocabulary, and will talk above you.Volunteer in class, or he'll get you out of the blue.Okay book choice, but not divided well between Mondays and Wednesday when you have class on Tuesday all day.Late on paper topics and unclear.Take good notes and note references.Wrote 3 papers, got 1 back, other two we have to pick up next semester!
So professor Thompson is pretty borring so what....any class where you show up and write some half-assesd papers and pass is well worth taking. I got an A in it and never listened to a word he said. Just take it cause It's half way interesting and he's an esy grader
This was a boring, but easy class. Paper topics (when given) were entirely too vague. He was unhelpful when approached with questions. Thinks putting students on the spot will stimulate discussion...it does not. No one participated bc we beat the same dead horse for weeks and when he called on people no one had anything to say, so class dragged.
The topics and books were interesting! All 8 that we read, but his paper topics are unclear!!! He is alright!!!
Thompson is a talker. He likes to have long class discussions that often go off on students' personal tangents. We had a lot of papers in his class. Nice guy, though, and it's a ton of fun making him blush by bringing up subjects that range on taboo... (i.e. I mentioned the idea of anal sex with one of our novels... he turned beet red... funny)
I have had him 3 times and for this class I loved all the knowlege I received from the material we read. I have him again in the fall and I am looking forward to his class. He is laid back and loves to debate.
I liked this professor overall. But he was unclear on his assignenments. He would assign a paper to write, and if you were unclear on what he wanted and wrote what you thought it was about, he would mark you down for not hitting on the point. I ended up with a B+. But I couldn't believe I had to learn about comic books in a college class.
he does go off on tangents at times, but the class is overall enjoyable and easy. you get to write about topics that you care about and he's a pretty easy grader. show up, talk during discussion, and write somewhat interesting papers and you'll do great in the class.
There is a lot of reading, but his book lists are always good. In-class writing about once a week, 3 papers, and one final exam. He expects you to do a thorough reading, and no, SparkNotes will not help you answer what he's looking for. Do the reading and be prepared to talk--the course is discussion-based, but it will help you understand! :)
Sure, he is quite the talker - class lectures can be al ittle boring at times, but it was generally an enjoyable class. His assignments are a little vague, but he gives you the flexibility on them - attempting to make a good argument will net you a good grade. Not always clear, but helpful. Exam was a little tedious.
Probably the worst professor I've ever had to take.
One more thing I forgot...If you don't like being put on the spot do not take this class. It's kind of sad when the entire class sits there with their heads down praying he won't call on them. FEAR is really not a good way to run class discussion. His ego gets in the way of learning.
He doesn't have a big ego, he just likes his classes to be involved with what they're learning. His interactive classes are much better than sitting in a boring lecture for hours. He is a little unclear about assignments, but it gives you freedom to write. Do the work and you'll be fine. He's also an easy grader.
Expectations are pretty clear. Read the book, come to classs and talk about it. Not completely his fault that its difficult to discuss the same book for 3 hours, esp. when half the class doesn't keep up. Does tend to ramble in discussion, and also assumes students have more background on subjects, so he tends to speak over students' heads.
Horrible teacher!! WORST PERSON EVER!!! IF you don't like being put on the spot don't take him! I got called on during each class period on what my opinion was about the subject we were talking about...then he would yell at me and say I was wrong in front of the entire class. I thought opinions were your own..I transferred colleges b/c of him!
He is a nice professor. A little boring, but if you read the books you will do fine. I had European Lit. and that was boring, we have 2 papers that we have to write. He graded fairly easy, but if you didn't agree with him you might get a lower grade. He does call on people, but not that much.
Very very boring teacher, and unclear on what his papers and lectures are about. You end up writing many papers for his class, and he takes forever to return them. He tries to have people participate in class but no one ever pays attention and he ends up repeating himself many times. If you don't mind writing papers, he okay of a teacher.
Very boring. Not just boring, but ungodly boring. He assigns an impossible number of books to read. However, he is really easy, and very nice. I didn't read any of the books, and managed a B. His grading for papers is easy as well. When papers are assigned the topics are unclear as to what you are supposed to be writing about.
VERY BORING! Going to class was a drag everyday because i never learned anything. All our assignments were blog posts, 5 papers, and one presentation. The class was easy and he was a tough grader on papers when he was unclear with what he wanted to begin with. Was so happy to be done with his class.
He is a good professor, I just wish he was more organized and up front about what he wants from you. The class sessions are good and he creates an atmosphere where you feel like you can say anthing, but outside of class it is completely different. His office hours are useless, don't even go. I left more confused than when I got there.
Thompson is a pretty good teacher. His class is not hard but requires a lot of reading. I had to read 10 books this semester which just piled on to other readings I had. Not too much homework but you need to have a good feel for books. If you get the meaning you should be able to follow pretty well and have discussions.
Boring as all hell, but super easy. I think that's not bad for an upper-level english class at SVSU.
I wouldn't take him ever! He is very boring. He grades his papers very hard. He doesn't explain his assignments good. I will say he will work with you to pass his class. I wouldn't take him again,
He is the worst professor I have had at SVSU so far. He wants your interpretation on poems, plays, and stories you read for class but if they don't match his interpretation then you are wrong. We had to write a paper on your interpretation of a poem. I scored badly because he didn't agree with me. He is super boring to listen to and very confusing.
Professor Thompson is boring. There are a super lot of books to read and you HAVE to come to class ready to participate on the readings. He's an okay professor, but you need to be prepared.
So many books. You need them for in-class writing, discussions, and papers. Some are better than others. He posts his notes and videos online. I will warn you that he clears his throat A LOT. I would not suggest him if you get agitated by that easily. Other than that, he wasn't too bad.
He is very passionate about English. His paper topics are pretty clear, but you really have to work for an A. He kind of drags on in his lectures, but they aren't too, too bad. Just be ready to read and participate in class because he will call on you at least once during book discussions.
I took his Propaganda lecture and it was one of my favorite classes. There are not many big papers to write and a few small writings that are actually fun to write about. The class actually got my attention and I was hardly ever bored in a lecture. If you need to take ENG 212 for your major I highly recommend taking this one.
Prof. Thompson was very nice, but required a lot of reading. I never once read the books, and he often called on people daily without raising their hand. He wanted participation which is fine, but I hated that he would call on people. If attendance was not mandatory, I would never had gone to class, and still passed with an easy A.
Gary is a nice man, but he is an average professor at best. He gives little to no feedback on papers, mostly just gives general comments that don't indicate why he took off points. That being said, he tries to help students as much as he can and is a reasonable person. Beware: he likes to call on people randomly and he'll know you didn't read.
His class is very demanding, but it's not too hard. The amount of time you spend reading/analyzing the books is a direct reflection of your grade. I recommend buying the required books as soon as possible and start reading them, then the class is more like review. I like that he challenges his students, this isn't high school.
One of the worse professors I have ever had here at Saginaw Valley. If you do not have the same interpretation as him you are wrong. The exam was extremely hard and almost know way to study for it. By far the worse professor I have had. I do not recommend anyone taking his classes.
Professor Thompson requires a lot of reading from his students and he will know if you do not do the reading. There are a lot of quizzes but he always posts the questions beforehand on Canvas. Overall I like the content of the class but the lectures are a little dry.
Gives extra credit chances but its hard to get those points after he grades your work. You will have to write five papers and he wont give good feedback. Dry sense of humor, you will be bored.
Such a sweet professor! There are readings for each class and a quiz, but you are given the quiz questions before class (so you can easily get 100%). Two exams and a final. If you put in the time and actually do the readings you will do well. He offers extra credit too. Definitely recommend!
I loved Gary! He is such a sweet guy and is very easy going. Expect a quiz every class, but he gives you the questions a couple days before the quiz and lets you use notes. One paper in the class, two exams, and the final is an oral exam. Dont be intimidated by the oral exam it is super easy and he doesn't grade hard. Would totally recommend him.
This class tests more of your attention span than your intellect. You show up to class and almost everyday you have a quiz which is super easy. The rest of the class is filled with him digressing about the topics for discussion. He'll then call on random people who are just as lost as the rest of us for an open ended question.
really boring. if you desperately need this class you will be okay with him but get ready to be bored out of your mind. the lectures don't make sense and he talks in a very round about way. i would never recommend him.
Terrible. Was not very clear on grading or assignments. If he asked for your interpretation & it was different than his you were wrong. The course description did not match up with what he taught us in the class. More of a history class than an English class.
Definitely more of a history class than English, every lecture is basically a history lesson, so if you love history this is the English class for you. We read 12 books, quiz every class, did two oral reports (one is the final exam), and wrote 3 papers throughout the semester. Very slow grader so dont expect to know how your doing!
If you have a choice, do NOT take Thompson. His lectures are incredibly boring and he will call on you randomly during class even if your hand is not raised. You have a quiz each class, following a reading and they are fairly easy if you read the material. The papers do not make sense and there is no set rubric or word count. You basically wing it.
I've taken him twice now. There's lots of reading assigned & 6 point quizzes on the reading each class. I didn't learn anything. His class is just him asking students questions about the books. He assigns 3 papers that he doesn't grade too harshly. He gives oral finals that he said we could use a notecard for, but wouldn't let us look at it.
Whether you like Dr. Thompson or find him impossible will depend strictly on one thing: are you a literature/creative writing major or taking gen-ed for nursing or teaching? If the latter, you will struggle. He asks ALL students to have the same command of the reading material as literature majors. Quizzes are easy points, don't miss class.
He assigns a ridiculous amount of reading and has a quiz over the reading each class. Lectures are unorganized and he doesn't set clear standards for any of the assignments. He takes forever to grade essays and waits until the week before to pass out exam study guides. He's a semi-nice guy but an awful professor.
If you dont absolutely need to take a class with Dr. Thompson, I wouldnt. It was more of a (very boring) history class than an English class. You have to read about 100 pages or more for each class and you should also raise your hand like 3-5 times per class for him to raise your participation grade. Ill get an A in his class, but I hated it.
Professor Thompson gives us a lot of books to read throughout the semester. We read anywhere from 50-100 pages per class and there were quizzes each class period based on the reading. We had discussions afterwards and his class isn't that hard it's just a lot of effort and reading! Overall great professor, accessible outside of class and caring!
Dr. Thompson was a pretty average prof, I enjoyed his classes and his sense of humor. The class is mainly based on reading and critiquing several long novels so get ready to read as that was the main focus of the homework. However, once we went online due to covid-19 I lost my mojo for the class. It was run asynchronously and immensely difficult.
If you don't need to take a class with him don't do it. You will have to read 100+ pages and a very long discussion post every week. The way he sets up assignments can be confusing at times. You don't benefit much from attending class, just going over what you talked about in the discussion post and he randomly calls on students to answer in class.
European history, not English. 100+ pages of reading assigned most classes. Very caring however calls on you randomly to answer questions a lot. Two essays, many discussion questions from the reading, one project, and a final. The final had more geography and history than questions relating to the books read throughout the semester.
Professor Thompson was okay. Although mandatory, class time felt useless because he just went over the same thing we learned without adding much insight so it felt like a bore. He had a great concept of grading papers without the names on them. Be ready to read a lot in the beginning. You only have to write 4 full length papers.
Lots of reading and essays, but he gives clear feedback in order to help you get better with the next assignment. Clear standards for the class and participation is important
YES there are a lot of books and you have to read near one chapter book every week. Thompson has some of the best classroom discussions and he is extremely intelligent. You will learn and enjoy the class if you put the effort in. People who don't put in effort (aka read the book and speak in class), in exchange, won't like his class.
He will lecture for the entire class period. You write discussions on the reading and that is the only homework besides exams/papers.
Thompson is what I would call an "average professor." I know I might not be not passing, but that is my fault. (mental health) Overall a nice guy. He does randomly call you out in class. The class isn't hard as long as you do the reading. It's a book a week with an accompanying quiz. Two essays. He is a bit harsh in his criticism.
AVOID! Around 100 different readings. Expect passage identifications from the long list of readings on exams. Passive aggressive, "sink or swim" and "my way or the highway" attitude. Doesn't respect students as people with other classes, jobs, or outside obstacles. I waited 4 years before taking this class in hopes a different prof would teach it.
Avoid at all possible cost. I'm an English major, I expect a lot of reading, but this was an insane and unmanageable amount of reading. Doesn't have a lot of respect for student's wellbeing, and thinks his class should be prioritized over everything else. Thinks students should be reading 24/7. Exam is just some quotes from texts, with no guide.
Class was okay definitely was ready for it to be over! It was difficult to me 4 exams be prepared to be called on every class period to answer questions. I would've preferred a different teacher so see if there's a different teacher before you take him unless you like a challenge.
He's the kind of guy that calls on you without raising your hand (yes all the time). He is also very rude to his students and is an overall unpleasant person to be around. Definitely would avoid at all costs.
The class itself is hard as there is a lot of books you have to read within a short amount of time, however the teacher was pleasant. It seemed that if you did the work and participated at least once every day, he would go easy on you. He tends to favor people who participate
I went in thinking he was going to be horrible, based on friends recommendations. ENGL 334 is a great class that he teaches. Hes not my favorite Prof but do-able. A lot of reading and TALKING. But if you read, he just likes participation. We have Presentations Just so everyone knows. I know thats a no for a lot of people
Literally like 10 books required for the class, at least one read a week with movies and videos to watch that you are tested on. Discussion posts are worth 30 and required to respond to 5. 2 essays, and the final exam you have 2 more. Assignments don't always pop up in the to do on canvas, so you have to look for them.
Thompson, I would say Is an average professor here at Saginaw Valley. He knows his stuff and is very knowledgeable, but his lectures, if you don't read, are very boring. His grading is average. You have observations, 2 essays, reading log, and a reflective journal he grades on. . He also gives quizzes that are hard. Email friendly. Accessible.
terrible at communicating anything
This is my second class with Thompson, and he is very knowledgeable about what he teaches. Quizzes are kind of unfair because he teaches it for 5 minutes then 3 weeks later has a quiz over it. Nice guy. Average professor. Reading logs. Reflective journals and 2 essays at the end of the semester. Class is very lecture heavy. Read a lot. Ok professor
Professor Thompson is a knowledgable professor and gives good feedback. He is a very easy grader as well. However there is an abundance of reading that is expected to be done.
Online Literature Studies class with this professor, he said he had not taught this particular class online before and that was extremeley evident. The way he set up the course was hard to follow and at one point he had the incorrect due date on one of the essays. Overly critical and nitpicky on essays in a non-constructive way. Should retire.
Professor Thompson is very understanding. He has a 5% late penalty per day which I thought was very reasonable. When I explained my situation as to why my paper was l
Professor Thompson is a very easy grader but sometimes is not super clear with instructions. There is very much reading to complete the assignments are fairly easy and he knows what he is talking about.
I never found the class itself to be very difficult. He has a monotone voice and he talks a lot during his lectures. If you are someone like me where you tend to daydream and end up not paying attention, make sure you consciously pay attention because he will call on you randomly during class if no one raises their hand.
A lot of reading and papers to do. It's kind of hard to keep up with. Make sure you pay attention because professor will call on you and ask you questions.
Thompson will test your ability to stay awake during his lectures more than he will test you on the actual information. Be ready for him to call on you during his lectures at any point, so make sure you are always somewhat paying attention. Pretty easy grader.
Professor Thompson's instructions can be a bit unclear at times. There's quite a bit of reading to get through, but the assignments themselves are fairly easy. However, the course setup was a bit confusing, and at one point, he even listed the wrong due date for an essay.
Be prepared to read A LOT for this course, it is needed for the essays/ assignments. He also cold calls on people for answers from the readings so be prepared. Professor Thompson is a nice guy but definitely very old school with his teaching methods. The class is somewhat challenging but very rewarding and he provides great feedback on work!
Engaging lectures, clear expectations, and helpful feedback. Though the workload is heavy, using Unstuck AI alongside the textbook made the prep manageable. Participation is key - come ready to discuss and you'll do well.
I wouldn't recommend this professor if you struggle with reading or don't enjoy it. Expect over 100 pages weekly plus writing assignments. He often calls on students randomly, especially if no one volunteers or you're not paying attention. The class felt more like high school than college.
get ready to read a lot, like an obnoxious amount. Be ready to write a 5-page essay about what you're reading every few weeks. Im unsure why he felt the need to go on CONSTANT political tangents that would make eyes roll every time. Also, he calls people randomly and springs writing assignments at random. Heavy workload, boring, stay awake or pay.
This was Professor Thompson's first time teaching a Survey of Shakespeare course, and it honestly went well. He is a fairly easy grader, and there are no difficult assignments, just a lot of reading. The worst part of class is that you will likely get randomly called on. Lots of group work during class, too.
I am taking this English class, and we have done absolutely NO English work. We talk about AI. Is this a philosophy class? Randomly picks on people all the time. No one cares. Mono tone when he talks. Hard to stay awake.
Sweet and caring guy but gave so much work for no reason. Lot's of reading and writing assignments due every week and class discussions every class. He calls on you randomly so make sure to read. Overall an easy class, just a lot of work. I was doing homework for this class over my higher level science courses… which should not be my focus.
Class Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
92%
Textbook Required
100%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
A-
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Stable
-0.14 avg changeRatings by Course
ENGLISH336
5.0
(1)ENGL417
5.0
(1)ENGL201
3.6
(5)ENGL205
3.2
(5)ENGL202
3.1
(7)Difficulty by Course
203H
5.0
ENG203H
4.5
ENG203
4.0
ENGL312
3.5
ENGL201
3.4