He's a hard grader, but you need it to write professionally!

Love the bowties!!

The class is difficult, and the 5-point grading scale SUCKS... but there's usually a generous overall curve at the end. Best recommendation: go to every class you can, TALK TO THE TAs or Josh ABOUT YOUR PAPERS!!! ESP THE FIRST ONE!!!!!! very picky about w

This class was one of my faves because he made the material actually interesting. However, they are the toughest graders I've ever had!

Josh Boyd is one of the knowledgable professors in his field and a joy to learn from. His class might be tough, but its definately worth taking

This class grading system blows. The material is interesting, but damn you 5 point grading system!

Boyd is the best professor I've had at this school. Yes, the class is hard. But Boyd does a great job of teaching and assisting students.

He tought me a lot, but his grading policy was ridiculous. You can write a perfect paper but mess up a minor thing on your references page and get a D or F.

run away

Quality professor that was challenging. More professors need to be like Josh Boyd.

No Comments

excellent speaker, however, i sometimes think his public speaking skills hide the fact that he's not really saying a whole lot in lecture. he is definitely always friendly and easy to ask questions of. seems like the T/A's do most of the grading. for what it's worth, this class is probably the most difficult non-math course i've taken in my 9 year college career.

Josh Boyd is a very smart professor and probably one of the best I've had in the Comm dept at Purdue. I actually had to take the class twice because it is difficult, but the second time around I did so much better. The grading system is confusing but it was a pleasure being in his class (twice). And his bowties are awesome!!

You will work your butt off in his courses, but it's worth it. The 5 point grading scale was horrible. I worked my a$$ off for a B...and I am pretty proud of that grade because most people re-take that class.

Boyd us an amazing professor.. I wish I could have him again for another class

He is a very interesting teacher and I do not mind going to his class at all. He loves what he does and he is very knowledgeable.

The best professor I've had at Purdue. One of the only ones I've had that actually care about his students. He rocks

Wonderful speaker. I actully enjoyed going to lectures. He is a really nice and understanding guy and I am glad I had the oppurtunity to have him as a professor!

He's funny to listen to and I didn't mind lectures at all, especially because he has such an extensive collection of bow ties. Go to EVERY lecture, and take notes! Make sure you talk to your TA's about EVERY paper, because as everyone before me said, the 5 point grading system is KILLER!

The bow tie he wears is funny... but it gets old (just like his class). Grade scale is messed up 1-5, not A,B,C,D,F. Overly difficult grading on papers. Curves class at the end

He is informative but he is an harsh grader

Class was difficult but I finally felt like I got my moneys worth for attending a world-class university. Like others have said, Boyd can seem arrogant. In some communications with him over the semester via email he did offend me by making negative assumptions about me and my performance in the class. Just take him with a grain of salt.

I think Prof. Boyd is hard, but fair. I feel he is the most helpful at Purdue. He is a true professor. At least he didn't rely on TA's heavily. He is passionate with the material. I personally loved his classes.

Boyd's class isn't easy by any stretch of the imagination, but you do learn a lot. His grading policy is harsh, but he's structured the scale so it kind of works itself out in the end. You spend much of the semester with no real idea how you are doing. Attend EVERY lecture (and recitation), and do EVERY homework assignment asap!

he is pretty tough i admit - but he is an excellent professor. I rather work my butt off in an interesting class than be bored out of my mind, and he always has your attention. probably the best com professor i've had at purdue.

josh boyd in probably the best professor i've had at purdue. he teaches you stuff that you are actually gonna use in the real world. com 204 and 253 are very different though. if you have taken 204 and are taking 253, the classes are very different. you fee like you hate your life in 204 but it all pays back in 253. i hope he is never replaced!

I've never had a more beneficial class and professor as Boyd. I learned more about real life situations than I could have ever imagined. If you are interested in PR you should take this course. It makes everything a bit more real.

While this class is difficult Boyd is by far one of my favorite Professors at Purdue.

I have graduated and have found that most of my classes i took at Purdue are useless, however i have been able to apply the things i learned in Prof Boyd's course to my job and daily thinking. He wasn't the easiest professor, but if you actually put some work into his class, you will get a huge return on your investment.

One of the hardest grades I have ever worked for but go see Boyd in person about your papers. Do your daily assignments and take good notes. 5 points scale is very irritating at times but he is a fair professor when you get to know him. One of my hardest classes and one of the hardest B+ I have ever worked for

He is one of the best professors I have ever been taught by. As long as you go at least 3 times to the TAs to get your paper checked out before you turn it in, you should be fine. He's so interesting and helpful, you have no reason not to enjoy his classes, unless of course, you enjoy being lazy.

It was tough but I learned a lot. All the lectures are interesting and easy to follow but assignments are killer. DON'T GET LAZY. If you are not clear about the lecture or any material email him. He's really helpful. Though it was hard i'd retake it if I have time. AWESOME CLASS.

Prof. Boyd is an AMAZING professor. I had him for COM 253, a Public Relations course and I was EXCITED to come to class. Attendance is not mandatory but if you don't come you miss out on the notes and homework assignments. There is no textbook so taking good notes is a must, but i guarantee a fun and interesting class every class period.

Boyd is a great teacher, but don't slack off. Come to class and make a friend to get notes from in case you missed something. Get your major paper checked by him or the other TA, not yours at least twice. Always go to recitation and class, and always do the weekly assignments because they help out in the end with the few extra points.

Boyd is the best professor I've ever had. If you have a chance to take com253 DO IT! Don't be discouraged if you thought he was a tough grader in com204, he goes much easier on his 253 class. As long as you attend class and take good notes it's hard not to get an A.

I might not have received the best grade in this course but it was truly a great experience. He really teaches you to think critically on your own. Just be sure to go to your TA multiple times about the papers.

Advice for anyone taking his class: MAYMESTER IS EASIER. Don't be afraid that is it a lot at one time, it really does help to keep you on track. For the papers: Focus on each paragraph having a topic sentence, once you are done with your paper go back and place each topic sentence with these to connect. Best professor at PURDUE!

Easily the best class I have taken at Purdue with the best professor ever! The class was diverse and interesting. It was hard work, don't get me wrong, but it seemed worth it in the end. My writing improved 10x by the end of the class. Josh Boyd is also a total cutie with his awesome bow ties. He made it worth coming to class everyday.

Professor Boyd has proven to be an incredible professor and mentor. Although his class is considered difficult by many, he requires that you exert your best effort and expand your thinking in order to receive the grade you want. He is a professor that truly cares for his students and promotes success in all aspects of his teaching.

He was a very engaging professor. You must go to class since there isn't a text and there is homework assigned through the class and recitation.

Very tough class. Don't take for granted. Grading is tough and everything is only on a 5 point scale. Tough to actually be interested in what he is talking about

Professor Boyd is one of few professors at Purdue University who will make you try your hardest in this class. If you take this class you will find it in yourself to do anything you can to get the grade you need. It takes a great amount of effort and time to do well in this course.

The absolute best professor on campus. Very interesting lectures and I am a much better student because of this class. TA's were also great!

Professor Boyd is a wonderful teacher. I respect that he takes his work very seriously and it makes you want to do well in the class. You can always expect great feedback and him to stick to a routine and the syllabus. Offers office hours and lots of help.

He's very engaged in lecture and clearly enjoys what he's doing. I had an easy time staying focused in class and understood material. The major papers are a huge part of your grade, so be ready to devote time and even meet with him or a TA during office hours. The midterm was harder than the final, for me. Also, no textbook is nice. $$

Currently taking the first online maymester version of COM 204. I'm telling you, TAKE THIS VERSION OF THE CLASS. Easily the best, most organized online class I've ever taken. It's not necessarily easier than the semester long class but getting it all done in one month makes it fly by and you can easily stay focused. Definitely would recommend.

Lectures are fun and entertaining, however the class is challenging

Joshua Boyd is an awesome prof! EXPECT. TO. WORK. FOR. THE. GRADE. This is a writing intensive class. Everything is on a 5-point scale however it is possible to get back on track if your train becomes derailed. He was one of the most interesting profs I have ever had. He knows his stuff and is absolutely hilarious. I got 35 on both papers .

Boyd is the most incredible professor. He doesn't make any class easy, but he give you the information and opportunity to learn. COM253 is NOTHING like COM204, but he still does hold you to high standards.

Prof Boyd is an AMAZING professor. Hes so much fun in class and it's obvious that he wants every one of his students to succeed. He is easily my favorite professor at Purdue. Attendance isn't mandatory, but the powerpoints and notes are only provided in class. Assignments are also assigned in class. He gives ample opportunity for extra credit.

Boyd's lectures are enjoyable and easy to pay attention to. Very very hard grading. Prepare to write your best work and only get a 3 out of 5. Extremely hard to get an A

Attendance for this class is not mandatory but you need to go. Slides are not posted on blackboard and if you don't have the notes you will not pass. Along with the TAs, Prof. Boyd is always very willing to look at your papers and give feedback before you turn it in. Lectures held my attention and if you do all the assignments you should pass.

Boyd is a great teacher, but he's an ideologue who shoves postmodernism down the throat of his students. Critical thinking is highly recommended. The class is not challenging, but the workload definitely is.

An easy class as long as you apply yourself! It was a Learning Community, so we had a chance to get to know everyone a little bit better. I enjoyed this class very much!

He is an incredibly kind and understanding teacher. But, that being said, he does not put any lectures online so you definitely have to go to class and actually pay attention. The grading is tough so be prepared to put in the work.

Great guy. Respect the class, the exams are pretty easy, but the papers are B. R. U. T. A. L. if you dont go to your TA frequently for revisions.

Amazing professor. You have to put in a ton of work, but it is such a rewarding course. He is always willing to help, and is a super interesting guy. If you put in the effort, you will do well!

His class is incredibly well organized, his assignments and exams are reasonable, he offers lots of in-class extra credit opportunities. He is a genuinely nice guy and he taught our class of around 80 student and seemed to know the names of every single one. I took this class 4:30-5:45pm MW and I was excited to go every time

Makes learning fun again. One of those professors that makes you interested in a subject you thought you'd never care about, but you gotta put in the effort to get the reward.

A great professor and guy overall, makes you work for your grade. Is tough when grading speeches.

Every point counts in this class. I slacked, and I found it difficult to get decent grades on the papers and weekly assignments. This is also a weed-out course for COM majors though, so it makes sense. The only reason why I wouldn't take this class again is because I just wasn't cut out for it, but his lectures are actually really interesting!

Everyone told me that COM 204 was the hardest communication class at Purdue and I should be afraid, but this class was manageable as long as you do your work. Dr. Boyd is an amazing professor and lectures were always interesting, I found myself actually paying attention! To get a good grade, all you have to do is go to class and follow directions.

Professor Boyd is an incredible lecturer and is very engaging. He makes you work for the grade, but he has been my favorite professor at Purdue by far! I definitely recommend taking one of his classes, but don't try to blow them off.

He is an amazing lecturer, it's so easy and interesting to follow his lectures. He makes them very engaging and funny! I would definitely recommend taking his classes, but don't skip class. You'll definitely get stressed out in this class but worth taking to prepare you for the future. GO TO OFFICE HOURS BETTER GRADES

For some strange reason 204 became the easiest class of my entire semester. But some people found it difficult. Dr. Boyd is an amazing professor and he is super knowledgeable of the course. GO TO THE REVEIW SESSION AND OFFICE HOURS. It helps a lot. Start the class strong and you will be fine

I had him for COM 114 and he made a gen ed class seem really fun and enjoyable to go to. I looked forward to going to the class every other day and it was a great class to end my day with! Definitely recommend the Welcome to COM LC for incoming freshmen as it is the only way you will get him as a professor for COM 114!

On the first day of class, Josh will make it clear that this course is difficult. Embrace it! He cares about his students and wants them to succeed. Get feedback on the major papers as early as possible, study the practice exams, and put at least some effort into the daily assignments. Do this, and you'll get a B or better no problem.

If you're a COM major, you have to pass this class. Josh is a really great teacher and so are the TA's. Go to every single class and recitation and go to office hours if you want to be sure you'll get a good grade. He's a tough grader but this is a really good class. Weekly quizzes and assignments & 2 major papers. Go into it with a good mindset.

Com 204 with Josh has been very challenging because most of your grade is determined by 2 papers that can only be 1,000 words. Overall, though, his lectures are so entertaining. Also, go to office hours to get your papers reviewed. He and the TAs give really valuable feedback!

Boyd is extremely intelligent and makes class enjoyable. This class is hard and very paper driven. With only 200 points, its important to go to class and ask questions if you need help.

I LOVED Professor Boyd. I had heard bad things about Com 204, but once I went to the first class, he made me genuinely excited to get started. He gives plenty of time to do assignments and the advice he gives in office hours is amazing. Go. To. Office. Hours. He genuinely cares about his class and kept my ADHD brain engaged all semester!

I was nervous about this class going into it, but Dr. Boyd is an amazing teacher. The class is a little tough, but as long as you attend classes and complete the assignments you will be fine!

Before taking this class, I heard mixed results about it. I think the prof is super informative and gets into some of the theoretical concepts of communication. My advice: do not skip the lectures and go to as many office hours for your TA as possible. A lot of the content in the lectures are on the tests. Going to office hours helped me a ton.

Easily one of the most engaging professors and lecturers I have ever had. Boyd has taught this class for years and has perfected his craft. If you attend the classes and take the appropriate time to research and plan your papers, this will be one of the most enjoyable classes you will take. He is very gracious, but don't mistake that for indulgence

Dr. Boyd is an excellent instructor who truly cares about each of his students. This class can be challenging at times, but he is always willing to give extra credit to help students. Each assignment is directly correlated with that weeks material and he works with each student individually to raise their grade. Overall, great course!

Boyd is a very nice professor and knows a lot about what he talks about. My advice to you if you need to pass is to ask him about every homework or paper assignment. He has a very clear grading criteria and it is easy to miss one little thing and end up with a 2/5. Listen carefully to lectures and ASK QUESTIONS! Trust me, you need to.

Boyd and his TAs have very high expectations. You will be expected to do a lot of work, and really challenge your brain. At the same time, he is an amazing guy, very smart, engaging, tells funny stories, and is always willing to help. Dont skip class, and PLEASE go to office hours. It is a necessity.

It was very clear that he wanted you to succeed. At the start of the class, there are a ton of reading assignments paired with a quiz and a lot of them are loooong, so make sure to start them as soon as possible and keep up to date with them. In class, you have to participate in small impromptu speaking prompts but they're very low pressure.

Dr Boyd was a great professor, however I really disliked the course, as someone in fye, it was difficult for me to write at the high level he expected but through the course of the semester I learned a lot. Attending lectures is the most important part of this class because he does not record or post notes.

While his class made me question my intelligence and wonder if he even wants his students to succeed in his class, he does give somewhat entertaining lectures. I would recommend letting him give you feedback on papers, and ALWAYS going to lecture as he doesn't upload his slideshows. Every assignment is graded on a 5 pt scale, so put in effort!

GO TO LECTURE, go to office hours when doing papers. exams online.

Prof Boyd does a great job of explaining material in lectures and is very clear about expectations. Help was made readily available for major papers, you were able to submit a draft for feedback, and exam review sessions were offered. If you attend lectures, take half-decent notes, and follow instructions you should have no issues getting a B

I recommend taking thorough notes during lectures--though attendance isn't mandatory you won't pass if you don't go. There are two major papers, and I suggest starting early to have your TA review them before the final submission. The class is interesting, but the grading is tough, and you must put in the effort to earn a good grade.

This class was difficult, but if you put in genuine effort you can get a good grade! Go to office hours on both major papers! I got a poor grade on the first paper, but still managed to get an A in the class, so don't give up. Don't ever skip lectures, no excuses. He does not post anything online! This being said, his class will teach you a lot.

Very friendly professor, you can tell he respects his students. He is a very tough grader though. It is hard to get an A on the speeches but he gives awesome feedback.