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Excellent lecturer, clear, organized.

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He has a great sense of humor!

clear notes, gives you exactly what you need for papers and such

he's funny. hard reading texts. a lot of law in this class

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Great prof. Interesting lectures.

He is a great prof. his class can be fun but hard to understand. If you do your work you can get an A

Agree with below that the quality of the TA you end up with makes a big difference. I had Rudy Baker and he was brilliant (former lawyer). He really broke down the material and explained it in a way I could understand --- doesn't hurt that he is hot!

teaches from powerpoints. well-prepared and does his best to be engaging. impress him by doing the reading. your TA grades everything so is important. first paper is crucial. use office hours. and TA rudy baker was not hot.

Great prof. TA Dave Bridge was great. If you don't like Dave, you probably can't take constructive criticism. Bridge laid everything out perfectly and provided his students with the best possibility to succeed in the course. The lectures were sometimes dry, but the information was really useful. Good overall class

Professor Barnes was very clear and interesting, and the readings were well chosen. Class was a great experience. (Law, Politics, and Public Policy?don't remember the course number.)

He is an awesome professor. I walked in wanting to become more aware about politics since I had to take a GE anyway, and walked out with the class as my favorite.

VERY funny. He likes to make lame jokes a lot in his class. The lectures are powerpoint based, so it can be boring a lot of times. But attendance in his class and visitations at office hours are key! He will explain to you on how to do the assignments. His class is tough but he is willing to guide you through it.

Extremely knowledgeable in his field. The class may seem intimidating at first, but the readings are actually very interesting and there is a lot of time to catch up. Material laid out very clearly, he does a lot of review, and if you still don't understand his office hours and TA office hours are greatly helpful. Definitely recommend!

He is extremely hot and extremely smart. I have NOTHING but good things to say about Professor Barnes. TAKE HIS CLASS! Doesn't matter which one, just do it. He's amazing.

If you have to or have a choice in taking this class, do so. You won't regret it unless you're completely cynical. Show up to class to understand the finer details of theories and the readings....and to take notes that will practical write the papers for you and help you study for the tests. If you have a choice Justin Berry is a great TA!

Great professor, he repeats the material a lot, but it's clear. TAs are about as good as TAs can get, and grading is fast and fair. Towards the end of class, I rarely went, but still got an A-, and left with a lot of respect for the teacher. In his last lecture he gave a very good parting speech, a last note if you will, definitely worth taking.

Not nearly as serious as he appears. He tries to convey a lot and does a pretty good job. 2 papers, a midterm and a final. None of them unreasonably difficult, but the papers are a little long for a g.e. (10 pages). Most of grade depends on t.a.

Barnes is a hell of a talker. He used to be a lawyer and it really shows. Feeds you a bunch of material, but he presents it well. Overall I wouldn't say the class is hard, but definitely not a walk in the park. Attend class, take notes, you're set.

This course title was misleading. The class should be called "Story Time with Jeb Barnes." Also his name isn't Jeb, Jebadiah or any variation of the name. It's John Elliot Barnes... Anyway great class, get to know your TA if you want an A. Jeb has no control over your grade.

Great professor! He has about three jokes and four stories and you hear them all after the first hour. Overall he is a really dedicated professor and he does his best to help you pass the class. He really cares about his student, so go to his office hours. Also get to know your TA because they control your grade.

This class to great for anyone with an interest in attending law school or going into politics. Barnes is a great professor with amazing TAs. This class changed that way that I think about the judiciary. It's not an easy class, however an A is attainable. While the class is boring at times, it is worth the effort.

Great professor, but the class is kind of boring. Have to stay on top of your reading especially the second part of class. Take good notes and do well on the term paper and you should be fine. I got a B+ without reading the textbook much at all actually.

Great class if you're interested. A good amount of reading for a GE, and most of it is pretty necessary. Lectures are great. Parker Hevron is a GREAT TA; when I had him, the group reviews really showed how much more on top of it he was than the other TA's.

A phenomenal lecturer who uses his PowerPoints effectively. He clearly outlines expectations for both exams as well as the two papers, so much so that he even wrote the thesis for our first paper. He does assign a lot of reading, but I stopped doing it halfway through the semester and have maintained an A. Overall, he truly cares about students.

This is one of the best classes I've had. He's incredibly smart and an entertaining lecturer. If you're seriously interested in government, I would highly recommend you take this class. It's a tough class, but worth the effort. This class is spiritually fabulous as long as you eat your intellectual spinach and remember its like voting in chicago.

Barnes is a terrific teacher. He's so brilliant, captivating, and makes the class interesting with the use of documentary screenings and real life relevant examples. I'm a political science major and I found the class to be difficult but I learned so much it was worth it.

Challenging class, but worth it. He goes relatively fast, but keeps class engaged and interested. Midterm, paper, final. Class not mandatory but you should go, discussions have attendance.

He is an amazing professor, who breaks everything down, often and consistently till its drilled in your head and you can recite it back. Sooo helpful during office hours especially for assignments, basically writes the paper for you. His courses are not easy by any means but they are definitely worth taking!!

One of the most intelligent and interesting professors at USC. This class is polisci like you have never seen it before. Make sure you understand all the jargon he makes up and uses in the class, otherwise it gets very confusing. Still, I learned so much from him. Office hours is the key to an A. Be CONCISE and CLEAR on both papers. Work for an A.

GO TO OFFICE HOURS!! That's the best advice I could give. He is very specific during office hours about what he wants and expects in assignments. Going to his office hours saved my grade and made writing papers 100x easier. Reading is not always necessary as he goes over terms and theories in lecture very thoroughly and quite often. One of the best

Great class and professor

One of the best professors Ive ever had!! Such a great guy that likes to help out his students. TAKE HIM!

You won't do well if you don't attend class and take notes. Only problem is that all his notes are in chart format so it is really difficult to get everything down. This class needs to be called Charts 130. Also, if you don't use the words "on balance" in your assignments you fail the class. Charts.

He pretends the class is way harder than it actually is.

Barnes is fire. He's passionate, smooth, and easy to talk to. He acts like POSC130 is the most difficult class you've ever taken, but as long as you memorize the infamous chartstake notes, you'll be fine. He spends the first 20 minutes of class reviewing what he said last time. You don't have to read. Pay attention in lecture. TAs are awesome too.

Jeb Barnes is one of the best professor on campus. I took him for a GE and it was probably one of my favorite class at USC. The class itself can be challenging if you don't read or grasp on the the concepts quickly. You definitely don't have to be a political science major to take the course; I'm not. 2 papers, 1 midterm, and 1 final.

I loveeee Barnes!!! He is a great professor. I really enjoyed his class. I really wish he taught other classes at SC. I definitely recommend him!! Plus he's great eye candy.

Barnes has firsthand experience as a lawyer and can talk eloquently on a range of legal matters. He is hilarious and makes tough concepts memorable that way. You definitely need to come to class, and makes sure you have a good TA that can explain tougher concepts and help with the 2 large essay assignments. Easily accessible during office hours.

Professor Barnes knows politics, policy and the law. His experience is extensive and he offers his perspective and and wisdom easily. He is a little dry, and not everyone will like him. But you will learn. Not the easiest GE. 2 papers that got more complex and a final that you need you study for. You will work in this class... And learn. (:

Jeb is a great teacher. Best I've ever had. The class was difficult but he is a great teacher so if you want to do well, you will! I am taking him next semester!

I also took Barnes for POSC130 as a freshman (very difficult). But I took him again my sophomore year, because I wanted to see if I can do better. Anyway, his course readers are absolutely mandatory (essay(s) depend heavily on content). He does his best to completely explain concepts in lectures, and so expects you to put that information in essays

An engaging lecturer who really knows what he's talking about. The assignments aren't difficult IF you take good notes, do the readings, and pay attention in class. He values participation a lot. Outside of class he is very approachable and happy to help at office hours. I recommend this class if you are genuinely interested in politics.

A truly knowledgeable and entertaining lecturer, who prepares his students for the assignments and assessments of the course. Each assignment is significant, but none take a great deal of time. He is always available and has some interesting stories about being a lawyer and life in general. Ask him about his surfing.

professor barnes makes pretty boring material somewhat entertaining. i think that he is and will be one of the best professors i have/will take at USC. very few actual assignments, all of which count a lot, but he is extremely clear about expectations and they were all relatively easy. michelle is a great TA- she grades all work

Professor Barnes makes posc 130 fun and interesting. He is very engaging during lecture, and explains material multiple times. He is available to talk outside of class, and you are well prepared for the midterm and final.

You will have to go to class to understand the material, along with what is expected of you on the papers, final, and midterm. I never did any of the readings and did just fine. Be sure to go to your T.A. for questions since they will be the one grading your papers and tests.

Although he doesn't take attendance, he gives out so much information in class that you won't want to miss them. Readings are difficult but with his explanation, it's much easier to understand. At first, it's gonna be hard to do the paper because this is a new area for me. As I learn more, I get a clearer idea of framing my essay. And his OH helps!

Absolutely loved this class. Professor Barnes is one of my favorite professors at USC. Its important to do the readings. Also go to office hours! Hes super helpful in office hours. Highly recommend this class and professor.

The class is very repetitive and it makes going to lecture unappealing. With that said, its a pretty easy class if you go to both lecture and discussion. Barnes knows what he is taking about.

Barnes is a professor who is good at making a rather dry subject engaging. His papers are well outlined and office hours also does wonders. I will say that your TA grades everything so I would recommend meeting with both. I did not find the reader to have anything that wasn't covered in lecture. Take Barnes.

One of the best professors I've had as an under grad. Prof. Barnes is really great at making lectures engaging, informative, and clear. Beyond fulfilling a GE requirement, the course gave me a whole new perspective on the US legal/court system that shapes the country's policy. Have to work for A, but grading guidelines are clear.

Barnes is one of the most brilliant professors that I have learned from. He is funny and clear in the things that he teaches and really makes you feel engaged the whole lecture. The work is challenging and you will need to grind for an A but it is totally possible! A good GE if you want a challenge.

Clear and interesting lectures. He seems incredibly knowledgable. I've heard people say this class is really hard, but as long as you pay attention in lectures and study for tests (which are really easy), an A is easily attainable. You also don't need to do the readings if you pay attention. TAs do all grading.

I was always complaining about Barnes and about all the readings he assigns and how much of a pain in the ass this class was. However, as I am studying for my final I realize that the class was super interesting and taught me a lot. Barnes truly cares about his students and basically throws answers out during office hours if you go see him.

Jeb Barnes is an amazing professor. Be prepared to read, otherwise, you will not understand the lecture. The tests are essay style, so if you do not like that, then do not take the class.

He's an amazing lecturer and extremely smart. TBH, most people are very intimidated from the first few weeks (myself included). You prob won't know what's going on till several weeks in (but it gets much better!). Midterms/finals are very easy, and people either nail or fail the two papers.

He explains things very clearly and lecture slides are thorough. However, classes do get very repetitive - this also means it's not totally mandatory to go. You can find all the terms easily on Quizlet, so revision is easy. There's 2 essays and 2 tests, so pretty standard. I did none of the readings and did okay. About usual level for a GE class.

Lectures are pretty repetitive, but there's stuff you need to know in it so I would definitely go. Textbook was awful. Grades kinda hard for a GE. Barnes was a great lecturer, but my discussion section was absolutely pointless.

Gives great feedback on every assignment. Going to office hours is extremely helpful for the assignments.

This was for Law, Politics, and Public Policy. He made a very daunting subject feel approachable. Very few assignments, but the papers are tough. If you pay attention they aren't too hard, but it's not a breezy class. He is very helpful. He allowed asynchronous learning, so didn't take attendance; attendance not mandatory. I felt my grade was fair.

The grade is determined on 4 papers (2 of which are determined after the semester that are worth 60% of the grade). You could miss any lecture (I was behind like 2 months) and still get a good grade. ALWAYS CHECK THE PRIMER! Easy GE...

Professor Barnes was AMAZING. His class was so interesting and very easy to follow and understand thanks to his great lectures. He was always available to answer questions and was super in depth. 10/10 would definitely take again.

Barnes is an excellent lecturer who brings a lot to the table. However, he has unreasonable expectations when it comes to grading. All TA's are given strict instructions so the highest grade 99% of the class can receive is some sort of B. The average grade on papers and exams is a B-. Good choice for a GE if you want to do pass/no pass.

Funny and experienced guy, who tells stories about his lawyer days in class. Powerpoints are great and he is really receptive to answering questions. All four papers are graded by your TA, so your grade depends on them. Make sure you go to office hours to get advice on your papers instead of procrastinating!

One of my favorite classes, Barnes is hilarious and is so willing to answer any questions. The class really centers on the DCV vs. CCV argument, so if that doesnt make sense within the first few weeks this class wont be easy for you. The TAs grade your papers so go to them with questions, but also youre given a rubric for most of papers anyways!

Took his class as a GE and loved it. Papers are a bit challenging and everything is graded by the TAs. Dives into the concept immediately so kinda confusing at first, but is super accessible outside of class for questions. He made the class very engaging and wanted everyone to understand. One of my favorite profs and classes, would def take again.

Gives great feedback on every assignment. Funny and always explains the subjects clearly.

Barnes is a great prof, and makes a boring subject quite interesting. However, the papers are VERY hard and the content is difficult. If you want an A you need a complete understanding and need to participate and go to office hours. I loved Barnes and his lectures but they juggled difficult concepts that he often failed to address in depth enough.

If you are looking to take POSC130 just for an easy GE, I would look elsewhere. It is a broad class that tackles difficult material, and even though I did well on the papers, they were looking for something VERY specific and rather hard to nail down. If youre interested in the topic and willing to work hard, you will do well!

Really great professor and he knows his stuff. The lectures got pretty boring at times, but they were not mandatory. I was upset with my TAs grading but he lets you challenge your grade which is very fair. I guarantee some people came out of the class empty handed and that is a shame because professor Barnes is really there for you and cares.

Barnes is easily my fav professor! He KNOWS his stuff and is super passionate about teaching (he literally made a pdf of the textbook so we didn't have to purchase one). He always makes time for questions/ clarifications and everything you need to know is covered in lectures/ slides that he posts so if you go over them the class should be a breeze.

Prof. Barnes is super cool. Sometimes very dramatic, but cool. He knows what he's talking about and always keeps lectures interesting. It is a hard class, to be honest, but I learned A LOT and definitely want Barnes to be my professor again.

Professor Barnes prepares you well for what the course evaluates. POSC 130 only covers the constrained vs. dynamic views of the Supreme Court, and nothing else. That is the sole premise of this class. Grade is determined by 4 papers and participation in the discussion. As long as you look over the slides and put some time into the papers, easy A

Great class! Definitely a challenge, but worth it. I learned so so much and professor Barnes is a great lecturer. A great portion of this class is a final group project which is fun and Professor Barnes gives great direction and feedback. As long as you attend lectures, listen to his feedback, and work hard you'll do well and enjoy the class.

Professor Barnes is very smart and cares about what he teaches. If you want guidance, he's available and you can definitely learn a lot from the class. However, the textbook is kind of a scam and the whole class revolves around one topic (DCV vs CCV) so it gets redundant. Easy A but lots of writing. You can get away with not doing a single reading.

The class was pretty enjoyable. It's sort of weird that he wrote the textbook and came up with all his own terms... like the terms "constrained court view" or "logic of the triad" don't exist outside of his class lol. But I still feel like I learned a lot. Beware, the research paper was HARD. also your TA does most everything. I loved my TA (kayla)

Prof. Barnes is clearly extremely knowledgeable and explains things well (the textbook is his own writing and very concise) but the class isn't what it sounds like. It's not a general overview of "law, politics, and public policy." It's all about judicial theory (but it is interesting). There's only a few assignments and he's a really tough grader.

Professor Barnes is very knowledgeable and the lectures and textbook provide exactly what you need for the papers, but the grading is super unclear and they look for very specific answers. Office hours will be your saving grace! Participation is important in discussions but not so much in lectures. There is definitely a grade distribution at play.

Loved Professor Barnes. First class he talked about his expectations and was very consistent with it.

That class is almost entirely graded by 4 papers, and each is weighted differently. If you miss a very small detail or slightly misinterpret the prompt, you will not get a good grade. I would not recommend this class if you are not required to take it. The TAs all cross check and quality check grades, so your TA will not have sole authority

I won't lie this class lowkey convinced me to change out of the POSC major. But I can confidently say that Professor Barnes is one of the most informative and passionate teachers at USC. His lectures can be boring and his grading from TAs is pretty difficult, but he is so well informed on his topic that it becomes hard not to be in awe of his skill

Professor Barnes is objectively the best lecturer I've had at USC. He is an extremely passionate and articulate speaker. BUT, if you aren't interested in POSC or you're taking this class for a GE (like me) it is a little rough. Every major assignment is a paper (midterm/final included) so be ready to write. TAs do all the grading so beware.

Is this class an easy A? Not really? Is it worth taking? Yes. I wouldn't say this class is exciting, especially as a GE, but Jeb makes it worth your time. You will have 4 papers, including your midterm and final, but Jeb makes sure you go into each paper essentially having a road map of what to write and really seems to care about his students.

barnes is super articulate and an amazing lecturer. that being said, DON'T take this class as a GE. this class convinced me to change my major out of POSC. my TA was great, tho the grading criteria is vague in this class and you are graded essentially by four papers. get the concepts down and you'll be good. :) and don't be afraid to ask for help!

The lectures are engaging. The course material seems niche but is relevant to today's politics. Attendance is not "mandatory" but is extremely helpful for assignments (attend review lectures!), as Prof. Barnes helps the class understand the material in a larger context of the course themes. Meet with Barnes or your TA for help with assignments!!

Not an easy A, but a very engaging class that I learned a lot in. He's lowkey funny and uses lots of images and graphs to get his more confusing points across. Everything he does connects to the broader themes of the class, so there's no actual "busy work".

Class is challenging, your grade is determined by two papers, midterm, final, and participation. It's somewhat manageable since there are coherent rubrics and templates for each paper, but material is comprehensive and somewhat dense. Barnes is an amazing lecturer -- at the last lecture, we all gave him a round of applause. Go to office hours!!

NOT an easy A. However, Professor Barnes is very engaging, funny, and passionate about the material so you will learn a lot. Lectures aren't mandatory but helpful especially when theres an upcoming assignment READ THE TEXTBOOK Barnes gives you essay outlines/a lot of resources to get a good grade it just all depends on how much time you put in.

Difficult class but Barnes really is very intelligent and nice. He wants you to do well, he just wants you to put in the effort to come and see him. I learned a lot in the class but I more-so recommend to people interest in posc. If you're not really interested in these topics Idk if I'd take it because you kinda have to be all in to grasp it all.

Definitely not an easy A, but if you put in the time, the class will be much more enjoyable. Office hours are really helpful to clarify questions and ask for advice from Barnes. Your TA grades frankly everything so it's in your interest to ask them for guidance as well. My TA was Laura and she was very helpful! Good luck!

For a lower division and a GE course, it's not an easy A, but if you read the textbook, attend most lectures, and go to office hours with Professor Barnes (or your TA), it's very easy to get feedback and do well on your papers, which make up for most of your grade. Midterm and final are straightforward and the expectations of the class are clear.

Professor Barnes is clearly passionate about his field and his lectures clearly reflect it. He is a great person and very accessible out of class. However do be wary: the way he taught POSC130 makes it very complicated for Non-PoliSci majors. If you are taking the class for GE, prepare for dense lectures and content you may not fully understand.

Favorite lecturer of the year. Made his lectures interesting and engaging. Material itself is interesting but it can be difficult at times. Reading the textbook is important if you miss the lecture or didn't understand at first. The papers are difficult but he goes over them in detail multiple times. The two exams straightforward and pretty easy.

PROF BARNES IS AMAZING, great person and amazing lecturer. Really cares about his students and ACTUALLY LOVES TEACHING. The class and assignments cover complex topics but he is beyond helpful. If you read and clarify assignments/topics with your TAs you will do very well. Overall you just need to pay attention and engage, you will do just fine.

Prof. Barnes likes to ramble on in lectures. You are graded only on a few papers and attendance is not needed to pass this class. There are confusing topics discussed in the class if you are not a poli sci major.

Expert in the material b/c he has decades of experience as a lawyer (litigator). While the lectures can be a drag, he tries to make it relatable. Regular week is readings from online textbook and chapters uploaded to BB. Case Study hardest assignment. SC Opinion Analysis (10%), Midterm (20%), Case Study (35%), Final (25%) Section Performance (10%)

Pretty easy A if you go to lectures and a couple office hours. No exams. Graded on essays and projects.

The lectures can be hit-or-miss, but engaging with the readings and meeting the professor during office hours makes a difference. Using unstuckstudy and the discussion sections helped me stay on top of the material. Not an easy GE, but doable if you're willing to put in the work.

Barnes is a great professor & this is a great course. It wasn't too difficult to where I was pulling all-nighters to study, but the content wasn't easy either. They're difficult concepts, but he makes sure to explain them & is available to explain more during office hours. There are no tests, only 3 papers (& a group project), which is great!