Hands down the best teacher I have ever had at UCSB. He makes every class like sitting in a comedy hour where he tells a story for an hour and then relates it to the bigger picture. I have learned way more in this class then any other class because he requires you to actually understand and apply the concepts rather than rote memorization

Great professor!! I learned so much from his class! You will get A if you study hard.

Hes awesome, grading is easy, but you need to work

He's a very intelligent and witty professor. His lectures are entertaining and you need to go to pass. 2 midterms and 1 cumulative final (each test is split perfectly in half by lecture and readings) You don't necessarily need to do the readings just know the vocab and read the chapter reviews. 3 papers, very straightforward. Great class!

I loved Abra. He was funny and the lectures are interesting. You definitely have to take good notes (from lecture and the readings) if you want to get a good grade. If you are interested in what he is teaching, it makes the class more interesting. If you aren't the type to do the readings, do not take his class.

Abra was absolutely brilliant. He's hilarious in lecture which makes the material very digestible and easily recalled on exams. The text was dense but essential as he asks very specific questions on exams. If you can't make your own outline, stay away as he doesn't even broach the readings in class. 2 midterms, 2 papers and a comprehensive final.

I've taken two comm classes with Abra and he is by far my favorite professor at UCSB. I leave class with a new perspective on things after every lecture and he is really funny and relatable. Midterms are always super straightforward as well. He will inspire you to think differently about social interactions you encounter on a daily basis.

Even though my class was at 8am, Abra is able to keep your interest, and made clear what he wanted you to gain from his lecture. Abra and his TA both make themselves very available, because this is a difficult class because he does not coddle. He wants you to know everything for your benefit and will not coddle students with study guides.

I am very conflicted about Abra. His lectures were honestly very entertaining and interesting, I always left feeling like i learned a lot and got some good laughs. That being said, this class was HARD. So much info, so little time. Tests were split 50/50 by lecture and reading, but reading half was so hard because we didn't know what we had to know

Considering I am not a morning person, Abra does a brilliant job in keeping my attention at 8 in the morning. The lectures are always very engaging but the tests are a challenge. Tests are literally half lecture and half reading. The lecture section isn't bad if you attend daily and focus but my gosh best of luck with the reading

This class wasn't as bad as people made it out to be. Abra is a very clear and entertaining lecturer. There are two 2 pg papers and one 4-6 page one, all easy and straight forward. Two midterms (multiple choice) and a final (multiple choice and essay with prompt given before). The tests are hard but the grading scale makes up for it (80% is an A)

Professor Abra has been by far my favorite professor at UCSB! His lectures were entertaining and insightful, and as long as you pay attention and read it is easy to pass. He has a skewed grading scale, so an 84% and above is an A+. I cannot wait to take more classes with Abra!

Honestly one of the best teachers I've had at UCSB. He really makes you think about the material in different ways that you wouldn't have thought of before. It's obvious that he loves what he does, but the class is tough so you have to put effort in. Midterm is all blue book, final is all blue book and there's one legal analysis paper.

Abra is THE best prof I've ever had. He has taught the most eye-opening, world-shaking, passionate lectures I've ever heard. In both courses I've taken with him, he managed to incorporate existential reality bombs that also relate to the material. Can't really be described. The stuff he's taught me about the news, govt, etc. have changed my life.

BEST PROF. & CLASS EVER. He has the most exciting and interesting lectures and topics. He teaches in a way that keeps you on your toes, and allows you to have the material ingrained. He's so passionate about each of the topics he teaches, and it shines through. Wishing I wasn't graduating so that I could take all the other courses he teaches!

Abra is enthusiastic and engaging, and his expectations for both the exams and paper are straightforward. One thing I will say is lectures are purely auditory and if you don't learn like that it's not always easy to pay attention. There are barely any readings but you have to do them to do well on tests. Take this if you're at all into science.

Abra stuck strictly to verbal lectures without powerpoint, but I found the content of his class so interesting and him as a person a pretty good lecturer it wasn't hard to pay attention. Interesting material/topics in a class I didn't expect to enjoy.

class is early in the morning but it was worth it because he kept my attention. He's funny and great at lecturing. You will need to read and pay attention the midterm is a bit difficult. I would take him again- TAKE IT!

Best Prof I have had at UCSB. Don't be scared, he is awesome!

Best professor I had at UCSB. You actually learn in his lectures and you must attend lectures and do the readings in order to do well on the exams. His lectures are very clear and uses great examples and gets to the point. He is also funny which keeps the class engaged.

Personally one of my favorite classes I have ever taken. No power points he simply stands up there and talks with a few hand drawn visuals on the board, so if you miss class you won't pass. Two midterms and a cumulative final, as well as two super easy 2-page memos. Overall not too much reading and a fairly easy class if you show up for class!

my favorite professor! His lectures will stay with you. He's funny and uses common sense. Great lectures. i only wish he didn't teach at 8 am

One of my favorite professors at UCSB. The material is relevant and stays with you. The reading are clear and add to the lectures. The exams are fair and should be easy if you went to class and read. Learned so much and would take any class with Abra. Little early though.

Abra is a great professor! he doesn't trick you and is clear about what hes looking for. He doesn't use powerpoint (verbal lectures) but it wasn't hard to follow at all because he lets you know whats important. this class was very entertaining for a morning class and especially for a comm class! 1 mdtrm and 1 final (1/2 take home 1/2 mult. choice)

Abra is among the best professors I've had. He keeps people engaged and is a natural educator. I would definitely take any classes he offered as he easily conveys the material and makes the class fun, despite it being 8am. The papers let you explore facets of law you're interested in - while the tests were hard his grading scale made up for it.

Abra is an amazing lecturer, he's really smart and engaging. The book will be your life though, he asks the most detailed questions from there. The papers were okay too. The curve was a life saver, he's a great professor but it's definitely going to take a lot of dedication on your end.

I loved Abra's class, but I didn't get the best test grades. I am a DSPS student who needed accommodations, and still got a D on both exams, but an A on the few assignments we had. Other DSPS peers had the same issue. If you can devote 4 hours a day to reading the material, I recommend this class. If you're a full time student, I would not.

Abra is one of the best professors I've ever had. Tests are short answer (less than a sentence usually), half on lecture half on book. Reading and showing up to lecture is therefore necessary, but the material is interesting. Not that tough overall, as long as you read and study hard! If there was a second class for 173, I'd definitely take it!

BEST PROFESSOR I'VE EVER HAD!! You'll need to read the whole textbook and show up to every class - his tests are 50% reading and 50% lecture. It's worth the work though, he's amazing!!

Go to class and read the textbook - midterms and final are 50% lecture material and 50% textbook. If you skip one of these components you will have a very difficult time. Abra is one of the most engaging lecturers and makes the content interesting with his examples even if it isn't. 10/10 would take another class from him again

Straight forward grading criteria: 50% of the tests directly from his lectures, and the other 50% from the textbook. He's an extremely smart guy. His lectures are hilarious and easy to follow because he relates the concepts of sociology to the stories he tells in class. He makes you think about society in a whole new way. Take his class!

One of the best professors I've ever had. His style is unique in that he just talks and occasionally uses the chalkboard, but man, he is engaging and interesting to listen to. His tests are half textbook, half class, so you must do both to get an A. The class has a nice curve to it, and there are 3 short paper assignments, of which you pick 2 to do

Abra is great. His lectures are hilarious and engaging, so its easy to follow along even though he doesnt use PowerPoint. Just be sure to also do the readings! He curves generously too, which is rare in the comm department. Grade is based on 1 midterm, 1 easy paper, and the final. I loved his class so much that Im taking him again next quarter.

I love Gordon!!! Hes been the best professor Ive had in the comm department so far. He doesnt use PowerPoint but he doesnt need to. Super engaging, if you go to lectures, pay attention and skim the readings for the main points youll be fine. His lectures always have a big ah ha moment and it really gets you to think. Will take him again!

He's not /technically/ a professor, but definitely my favorite lecturer in my entire undergrad experience here at UCSB. Tells fun stories and connects them to bigger picture concepts. First class where I feel like I didn't do a brain dump right after the midterm, just because concepts are so cool. Also doesn't have that many readings.

Due to COVID I had to take Dr. Abras class online and it was asynchronous so I thought it was going to be difficult to stay focused and do well but his lectures were great and easy to pay attention to! You can tell hes passionate about this subject and is very knowledgeable so it makes lectures interesting. Definitely recommend!

With the circumstances of covid19, Dr. Abra's lectures were still so interesting and I felt like I finally learned something for once while online school has just felt really dragging. The work load is not much and easy to get through. Textbook could be helpful but I did fine without it.

This class was taken online through an asynchronous format. There's 6 modules in all and have 2 paragraphs assignment for each module. This is more of a work at your own pace class as long as you complete the modules before the deadline. There is a 8-10 page essay that is due the end of the quarter. Very relaxing class and easy

Take any class with Dr. Abra!! He's an awesome professor and cares so much about his students. The class was asynchronous so it's all at your own pace. The layout of the class is very simple and organized and his lectures are fun and engaging.

Abra is one of my favorite comm professors I've taken a class with. His expectations are straight forward, his lectures as engaging and interesting, and the assignments are simple if you pay attention and try.

He's a great professor, I am on my last year at UCSB and he's the best professor I have ever had. The material is interesting and easy to grasp. overall great class

Overall, I really liked Abra. His lectures are creative and funny. Don't try to write down what he says word-for-word; taking hand-written notes are helpful since he wants you to understand the main idea (what's on the board is important!). He'll use a lot of examples which will come in handy during exams. Keep up with readings and you'll do fine.

Dr. Abra is an amazing lecturer. He is very hilarious and helpful. Get ready to read since the reading takes 50% of the exam. The paper prompt is a bit vague, so it is necessary to get help from him and TAs.

Abra is very passionate but the criteria isn't crystal clear. His lectures are great but you definitely have to do a close reading of the readings to do well on the tests. Should definitely go to office hours for help on the papers, he's very helpful and will give you ideas there. I would take this class again but it isn't an easy A

Professor Abra's lectures were easily the most interesting and engaging lectures I've ever listened to. He is very passionate about what he teaches and genuinely wants students to succeed. While attendance is not mandatory, it is highly recommended as the exams are mostly based off of lecture. I learned a lot and would definitely recommend!

NGL, if someone told you hes hard.. they are either really stupid or were to busy partying they had to make an excuse. He gives u reading and doesn't provide notes because he doesn't use a whiteboard or anything but if u just show up youll get atleast a B on his test. I got an F on one of his MTs and failed his other 2 test and still managed a B+.

Dr Abra has been one of the best lecturers I have experienced in my education career. I have taken three of his COMM classes, and each of them were worth every penny of my higher education. He truly has a passion for teaching, and he knows how to do it right. He truly gifts thought-provoking material that will last a lifetime. Take his classes!

My favorite professor at UCSB! His classes are all lecture style but he makes them super engaging, I never missed having PowerPoints. He is super friendly and is always willing to help his students. His tests are very fair and easy if you read the articles he posts and attend class. I have never had a problem in any of his classes I've taken!

Dr.Abra is seriously one of the best professors I've ever had. He's so knowledgable and makes subjects super interesting. As long as you go to class and do the readings you will succeed.

Very interesting lectures. Take Abra if you are actually trying to take advantage of your education. You will learn things that will actually be useful in your life after graduating. You do have to do the readings and attend lectures to do well.

Abra is pretty good! His lectures were very engaging, although it can be a bit hard to follow along as he doesn't use slides at all. The readings are essential and will be tested on, and pacing for the class was off quite a bit as we didn't get through all of the syllabus topics in lecture, but were still expected to know them from readings.

Abra is the best Comm professor I've had at UCSB! He knows exactly what he is talking about and his course content easily reflects on day-to-day lessons, I find myself telling my housemates stuff he has mentioned in class. He is funny and has great rapport with his students. His classroom remains full throughout the quarter-- a great sign. Love him

Dr. abra is the best prof i have taken. I have taken multiple of his classes, he does not use power points and talks out loud but makes it very clear what you will need to know. He is passionate. He has an authoritative tone but its just how he talks. Do the readings or you will not do well, they are usually manageable.

Dr. Abra is the best professor at UCSB! He is passionate and his classes are very intriguing. His lectures are incredible and he has great research backing up his claims. He is engaging and I like how he does not use powerpoints, but makes it clear what you need to know for the exams. Do the readings for sure and come to class. There's no busy work

Professor Abra is by far one of the best comm professors I have had. He is so incredibly engaging and makes the class content he is teaching fun to learn. His grading criteria and what he expects from his students is very clear. If you do not go to class you wont do well on final or midterm. Readings need to be done. Very funny personality.

I loved legal communication with Professor Abra it was a really cool class and I learned a ton of cool stuff. Professor Abra is really funny and great at lecturing. Attendance isn't mandatory but he does not post the lecture notes so you should go to class.

Dr. Abra is a very intelligent professor, and cares a lot about the social sciences. His classes help me actually apply the knowledge I gain as a COMM major into the real world. His new class, Music Communication, was interesting, even though it had a few bugs. He expects a lot from his students, but those who do the work have a great experience.

Music comm course was super interesting lectures extremely engaging. He doesnt use slides & interacts with the class a lot which I loved. Graded on 3 exams (2 midterms & final) & 1 final paper. Dont take the course if you dont read you will do poorly. Readings are dense but start them early (no other homework). loved this class overall!

Professor Abra's lecture style was great. I enjoyed the no slides and it made me actually pay attention and engage in the material. He wants the best for his students and pushes them to do his best. I had a great experience with him and the class material! Definitely recommend this course if your looking for a life applicable comm course.

Dr. Abra was my favorite lecturer throughout all of my time at UCSB.He was the only lecturer that I have ever really learned anything from. I've taken like 5 classes with him just because his lectures are so engaging. You do have to pay attention and you have to read for a good grade, but the material in his lectures will make you WANT to.Take him!

I haven't finished the course yet, Im in Comm129. I love him so much, I am very picky with my professors. He is so engaging and cares what he is lecturing. He doesn't use google slides, only lectures and uses the chalk board. Honestly he is my favorite professor ive had in my four years in college. T

Be prepared to grind. There's a ton of reading, and he doesn't post his lectures, so you pretty much have to show up to every class if you want to keep up. As long as you stay on top of the work, it's definitely worth it and you'll get a lot out of it. He's super charismatic and makes the lectures actually interesting.

This is my absolute favorite course I've taken at UCSB. Lectures are fantastic, but you do need to take detailed notes. There are no lecture slides and lectures are unrelated to the readings. Readings are fairly dense, but if you pace yourself and don't procrastinate you'll be fine. Do not squander the opportunity to take this class.