kinda cute, fun instructor

Lots of assigned reading compared to other GWRIT classes.Everyday there's a quiz

a cute person, quizes everday, though. Allows points to be made up on essays.

pretty easy teacher, easy going, a lot of easy readings-easy way to get pts.

clear,do readings and you will do fine

hard for gwrit class. quizzes everyday, takes points off for grammatical errors

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class isn't that bad, but quizzes every day

quizes everyday are unnecessary. we are in college and dont need a quiz to prove we read. essays are good, grades on grammar, kinda rude sometimes

nice lady but quizzes everyday on reading. lots of reading! alright grader on essays. there's a final exam (who would've thought for gwrit)

You learn a lot. Quizzes every day to boost your grade. If you participate and have a good class she will love you. Always willing to help.

nice teacher and funny. if you get her off topic, class will go by faster. she is an ok grader on essays. quizzes everyday but all you really need to do is scan the reading:)

She is a nice lady. Loves her job. Pretty picky on papers. Quiz stuff is annoying, sometimes you read the material but still dont get the answers right.

Great teacher. Very helpful, always nice, and is smart. She is pretty goodlooking for a teacher and knows what she is talking about. Clss isn't boring and a one point quiz daily on the reading (these points really do not factor into the grade at all).

Nice, cute, annoying quizzes EVERYDAY, paper grading nazi, but very possible to do well

awesome! take her if u can! she rocks... grades easy.. do the readings. chances to bring up grade.

She is really sweet and I liked her alot. She is a pretty easy grader on papers except -1 for ever grammer mistake but you can earn them back! Quizzes are a pain but pretty easy for the most part they help grade!! TAKE HER!

I liked Dr. McDonnell, but the quizzes everyday were pretty annoying. Easy grader on papers and you get to earn your grammar mistakes back. Final paper is pretty easy, worth 3 quiz grades. The peer comment sheets and conferences were annoying, but easy.

very good teacher. her class is not that hard and discussions are fun.

i really liked her, not an easy class, quizzes everyday on readings, 4 papers, very hard grader on papers but she lays out exactly what she expects

What a bunch of whiners in this class. Here's a novel concept-- take a class, do the work and don't expect to get a good grade for not doing the work. She tells you what to expect and what she expects-- this is college after all. Grow up!

Lots of readings, quizzes, and discussions that have nothing to do with writing. Not fun.

She's tough, but I learned a lot-- unlike these whiners who clearly didn't do the work and can not even spell!! She's awesome!

she was great. had quizzes everyday, but they were helpful, she gives so much extra credit there's no way you can do badly. real fair grader. learned a lot. take her class!

Fun Teacher....makes class interesting. Lots of quizzes, but they make you think. Papers are not as much fun. Most the time you can follow directions and do fine, but if you have a really hard time with papers in general, then it might be a challenge. Learned a lot though. VERY HELPFUL!

I don't know how so many people could say mean things about this professor. She's great. I went to her office before every paper and she helped me so much! I've gotten an A on every single one. Quizzes aren't the best, but reading is a half hour tops. I would recommend her!! Take her!!!

She is wonderful! I really enjoyed this class. We mostly got to write about what interests us. She also let us revise our papers after getting them back and turn them in again for a better grade! Definitely take her!

This professor is the greatest! There is a lot of busy work but it keeps you on point. The nicest lady and is VERY willing to help. I would def. take her again! If you can get her, DEF DO IT!

I love her and think she's awesome! Probably the best teacher I have ever had. She's challenging, but you'll learn a lot. I actually look forward to going to her class and I enjoy it.

A very fun class but you don't really learn anything that you didn't in high school. Be aware that if you get on her bad side she'll mark you down in the papers. Besides this, the papers are the easiest papers I have ever written. She does mark off for grammar mistakes (1 pt each) but you can get the points back if you correct them.

Great teacher; very informative and helpful. The papers she assigns can be time consuming but I found them very rewarding. If you ever need help writing she's more than welcome to assist you. I can't reccomend her enough.

WONDERFUL teacher. Gives pop quizzes (a lot in the beginning of the sem.) to make sure you've done the reading. These actually help your grade a ton bc she offers bonus and the questions are easy if you've read. She assigns a lot of reading, but it's interesting.She'll make you a better writer and you'll be proud of your papers for years to come

Mrs. McDonnell is a wonderful professor. Take her, if you can. She's helpful, and I feel like I have learned A LOT about writing papers. Reading quizzes slack off toward the end of semester, but the reading is interesting and informative!

Really nice, really smart, and funny too. One of my favorite teachers so far.

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Take this class online if you can. Mrs. McDonnell has you read about writing...that's boring. You don't want to have to take those pop quizes on that boring reading, but its still easy to get a good grade in the class. I have a lot of friends who took GWRIT 103 online & I wish I had still.

It's a challenging class, but it's definitely worth it. 4 papers, her grading can seem harsh, but after the first paper you should be okay--just pay attention to her comments. She provokes interesting class discussions. The quizzes get annoying but it's extra points, so not a big deal. She's approachable, and I learned a lot. Take her.

Excellent teacher; works hard to see that her students learn.

She's a good teacher overall. She assigns reading but sparadically quizzes on the reading. She doesn't have too many grades: just 4 projects and a couple quizzes and that's it. So do well on the projects and you've got a B or higher easy.

gwrit sucks in general and mcdonnell can be a bit of a hardass. but she does push students to be a better writer and i did learn a lot in her class. quizes are not easy and there is a lot of reading, but then again such is life of gwrit. she does have good office hours and makes herself available.

Mrs. McDonnell is an ok teacher. She is pretty nice but the workload is rediculous for a gened. A LOT of reading and she makes you keep a portfolio for papers (lots of work). She is a hard grader but give you opportunities to earn back points lost for silly mistakes. Generally a rough class, but tolerable.

She's a really great teacher- really knows what she's talking about! LOTS of work, especially for a gened. Homework everynight- reading in books, and quizes at least once a week on the reading. DO THE READING!!! takes off points from your essays for typos/grammar but you can get it back. 4 papers, quizzes and participation.

This teacher is amazing. She is very helpful and for the first time really has taught me to write well and what makes a good paper. She also made me more confident in riskier writing styles. I did feel that the reading was a little much in the class but dont let that stop you , it is an amazing learning experience. tip: Go to her with your papers.

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She is a teacher who obviously cares about her students. When we complained about having too many daily quizzes, she listened and cut down on the frequency of them. There are four textbooks and four papers, but it's not too bad because she's so willing to help you! I recommend her highly.

She is a great professor! She truly wants to see you learn and is willing to help. She assigns readings pretty much every night which can sometimes be annoying when they come from different textbooks. (you must buy 4) Attendance isn't mandatory, but she gives "random" quizzes in class on the assigned readings, so you should go. Challenging but fair

She's challenging but fair and always willing to help you out. Don't come late or she makes you say a password when you knock (I guess she still does that). Overall, I would recommend her.

She is hard and gives a lot of random quizzes but as long as you do the reading material you will get a 100%. Her writing system is interesting and helps you learn better writing. She is always open to office hours and is very helpful and understanding.

Discussion style class based off the homework reading. Class included an internship in the writing center that was very hands-on. Karen was very nice and personable everyday, super easy to talk to. Graded hard, but always explained why you received your grade.

The textbook reading was heavier at first, but towards the end it wasnt so bad. Probably one of the easier writing classes to take

Loved her! She is willing to meet with you about ANYTHING! The reading at the beginning of the semester is annoying, but helpful! Even though it says that the Easy Writer book is recommended on the textbook list, BUY IT! Hard grader, however, always willing to help. So sweet, and my writing definitely improved! So glad I took her!

Buy all the books! The reading isn't terrible, esp as it gets later in the year. She grades hard on the projects, but she will help you and walk you through essay corrections to boost your grade. I really like her! She's funny and nice

Professor McDonnell is my favorite teacher at JMU! She has a great personality and always keep class interesting. She's very fair when it comes to grades and is more than willing to help anyone out. This class definitely keeps you interested and gets you thinking even after class is over. Take her!

Karen made 301 interesting and engaging. I didn't think the course would be exciting at all, but she really makes you think and allows for a lot of discussion. Her classes are also varied enough so that it never feels monotonous. Reading is sort of required (enforced by "pop" quizzes), but isn't usually too long or too difficult.

Overall I got a lot out of this class, but you definitely have to work hard for your grade. There is a lot of reading outside of class and pop quizzes on the material. There are four major writing projects and the last one counts as the final. She truly cares about the students and I recommend this class.

McDonnell is a great professor. I've taken her four times because I like her so much. From the very beginning you know what is expected of you & she is very helpful. This class focuses on pop culture & politics. Her lectures are very interesting; she shows a lot of clips from The Colbert Report & The Daily Show. READ the material & you'll be fine!

She's a really great professor! I took her for WRTC 314 and I feel like I have learned a lot. She does give a lot of readings, but if you keep up with them and the fewer big assignments, you will be fine! very good, fair teacher

Great teacher and great class. I highly recommend taking her, even though the amount of reading required for the class is cumbersome. Two papers, and quizzes at the beginning of every class. The readings assigned are interesting and the class itself is one of my faves at JMU

She does give a lot of quizzes, but they're normally pretty easy (even if you dont read). This was probably the hardest WRTC class I've taken though, which (as shocking as it may sound) was a nice change. But still not too bad, so don't worry. She's nice and gives good feedback on papers.

Karen was a good professor for WRTC. She really cares about her students and really wants to help. She LOVES The Breeze and all of our paper topics were based on Breeze articles. She gives pop quizzes and can be a tough grader, but you will get a lot out of this class if you put a lot into it.

This class was tedious at times with the amount of readings, but easy overall. You get to use your notes for quizzes, so write down anything you think is important, and you'll usually get 100 or higher on them. Tests can be tricky, but she makes study guides for them that have pretty much everything you'll need to know. McDonnel is there for you!

This class is definitely what you make of it--you get what you put in it. The course definitely challenged me, so don't expect it to be a breeze. Prepare to read a lot, to put in your best foot forward, and the results in the end should be a gradual learning curve of an inspiration for writing and appreciation for all literature. Never stop trying

McDonnell is a good professor and really enjoys what she teaches. There are readings due each class day and then a quiz in class (you can use notes on the quizzes so they are pretty easy). Put in the effort and the class is not that difficult, but you have to do the work/readings to earn the grade.

I love her. She is so sweet and cares about her students a lot and really wants us to succeed. She is very generous with her time and is not a tough grader. Even as an honors class, it's not hard. She is a great professor and helps your writing improve and become more personalized

I thought she was a great teacher who was usually pretty clear on what you were supposed to do and understood the subject very well. There were 4 projects, I did bad on one (got a D+) but still got a B- in the class while getting a low B on the other ones. Honestly not that hard if you put in some effort, but there is a lot of outside work.

Professor McDonnell is one of the nicest people I have ever met. She is an awesome person, and her class can be fun. There is a lot of homework but not usually an overwhelming amount. Her class is definitely worth taking, it made me a better writer for my other classes.

I love her!! At first, I thought I would struggle in her class but she generally WANTS to help you. She answers emails in under 30 minutes typically and always tells you the things you did wrong and why you got points off. She is SO sweet and the last project is so fun. I spent so much time on it because of how interested I was in it. Take her!!

Professor McDonnell is an amazing teacher, I used to hate writing and this class actually helped me a lot. The only assignments are four essays. She is a tough grader but if you sign up for her 30 minute sessions to go over your essay she will tell you exactly what she wants and exactly how to fix it. The class wasn't time consuming at all either.

If you want to learn in this class, you will learn. If you want to bs your way through and expect her to magically teach you how to write, you aren't going to learn anything. If you spend time with Prof outside of class and do your work, you will become a better writer. If you don't try in this class, you won't do well. Be prepared to work.

Professor McDonnel is one of the most interesting professors I have ever had. Classes are interesting and it's easy to engage. She does lectures with slide shows and speaks so its also really easy to take notes. This class is so interesting and I have learned so much that is applicable to the real world. I 10/10 recommend this class!!!

i know prof mcdonnell has a lot of negative reviews. personally, i think she's great. her sarcasm and demeanor can definitely rub people the wrong way, but as long as you do the readings and take notes, you'll be perfectly fine. "pop quizzes" but you're allowed to use any notes you have, and there's usually lots of bonus points. i like her a lot!

She is a great professor if you actually want to improve on writing. And, I think if she can tell that you are putting in effort, she will grade accordingly. However, the workload she gives out is unreasonable. Around 2 hours of textbook reading due each class(I am a slow reader, though). I enjoyed her lectures and her feedback.

She is definitely not for everyone, but if you're an easily offended person, don't take her class. She yells at people a lot but it's sarcastic. Pop quizzes every now and then, 2 case studies, you lead the class discussion once for like 15 minutes, and a final. Attendance isn't mandatory but necessary. Lots of reading for homework.

Not one of those professors who take everything so seriously, she is easy to talk to when you have issues and also doesn't grade essays harshly at all. Attendance isn't mandatory but you can't make up pop quizzes you miss, which usually comes after a reading is assigned. No midterm/final, and the work can be pretty fun to do.

I took Dr. McDonnell's class just for a freshman gen ed course; she was a good professor overall. Class isn't mandatory, but pop quizzes can't be made up. She has a very interesting personality and is unfunny, but is a kind hearted person you can tell. As long as you do your work and show up for pop quizzes, you will be fine.

I LOVE PROFESSOR MCDONNELL!! She is without a doubt the best teacher I have had. I genuinely looked forward to going to her classes. She was extremely engaging and helpful. She really wants her students to succeed, which makes her very approachable when asking for help. I wish I had her for every class!!

Professor McDonnell's class is quite demanding, but engaging if you're willing to put in the effort. The readings and pop quizzes can be challenging, but using resources like Unstuck AI helped me stay on top of the material.

Prof. McDonnell is challenging for editing but it is not too hard to get an A. Show up to class, do the readings assigned, and take notes on what she says even if you think it's not important. She is honestly hilarious and does care about her students. If you're not afraid to work hard and truly learn the ins and outs of editing, take her.

I love Professor McDonnell! Her class is SO hard but I learned so much. She requires somewhat of a lot of reading, but the chapters are short. Picky grader sometimes, but if you put in some effort, you won't make any less than a B. I've applied what I learned in her class in every aspect of my life.

301 is a lot easier than 300 with McDonnell. The class content is mainly based on readings so as long as you do those you'll be fine. Lots of extra credit and she grades easier than in Editing. I can't believe I'm saying this but I wish the course would've been a little more challenging and engaging as someone interested in law.

I've taken her twice now and she's a genuinely nice person- the class itself is just a bit demanding. Offers a lot of extra points in 301, but she's a bit tougher in 300. Probably the pickiest grader I've ever experienced, but she does care for her students and she's very knowledgable and passionate. I'd recommend taking her (especially for 301).

I love Karen's teaching style bc she makes her classes interesting by showing funny/relatable (though some people think unrelated) comparisons that help you better connect to the material. Not going to lie, if you want an easy class without critical learning, she is not the one for you. I loved her rigorous curriculum. Speak up and you'll be fine.

Love Karen's teaching style bc she makes her classes interesting by showing funny (though some people think unrelated) comparisons that help better connect to the material. Not going to lie, if you want an easy class without critical learning, she isn't the one for you. I loved how challenging it was as an overachiever. Speak up and you'll be fine.