2.5
Quality4.2
Difficulty36%
Would Retake104
Reviews36%
Would Retake
104
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
13
4
20
3
16
2
25
1
30
What Students Say
“If you can get a different professor, do so”
WRIT1002 - 2.0 rating“I really tried, but even going to tutoring didn't help”
WRIT1002 - 1.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
80%
Textbook Required
42%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B+
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-0.29 avg changeRatings by Course
ENG
5.0
(1)ENGL1102
5.0
(1)LITS3321
5.0
(1)ENGL31C
4.0
(1)CLASSSECT
4.0
(1)Difficulty by Course
COLLEGEWRITING
5.0
WRITING
5.0
ENGL3009
5.0
ENGW3001
5.0
ENGW101
5.0
Reviews (104)
No Comments
His topics and boring and hard. I spent weekends locked in my room trying to do the work and barely got B's. When you ask for help he is just as unclear and confusing as he was in class.
topics difficult and very unclear
No Comments
No Comments
This class is tough. You have to definitely work, and go to class to pass it. You learn if you try very hard to think differently/ more advanced, but its hard in the beginning. Just try to get the hang of it, if you can catch it...
Hardest teacher ever. and not a nice guy either.
You always feel like you are wrong in this class and it never seems as though he tells you the correct answer.
pretty hard, but in the end is helpful
No Comments
Sammond is a ridiculous teacher,he doesnt teach how to write a paper in class,he only discusses the topics and what they mean.He told me that i have no logic to what i am writing about but then later tells me that i am quite clever in incorporating the views of the reading in the same paper!
Topics are boring. Very funny guy but that aside, the class is s@#t.Perfect for messing up your GPA!
He was the worst teacher I have ever had.
Do not take this professor! His topics are rediculously hard and and he is not very helpful! No matter what you do you will never be right in his class. The only positive is that is he is a funny guy, but not worth messing up your GPA!!!!!!!!
Sammond is one of my greatest teachers. Forces you to think on topics. This isnt a cake walk class. We're in college it shouldnt be a cake walk class. He is a very hard teacher, yet he brings out the best in your writing. Nice guy, very smart and helpful i will be taking him again next semester.
His Topics are rediclously unclear. I spend hours writing this papers and still only pull off B-'s. The class time is ok and goes by fast because its mostly discussion about cool topics. He would be a great teacher if he made his topics more clear!!!!
topis are ridiculously hard, and unclear. his grading is out of this world. he doesnt know a thing about english, hes a big pile of ****ing ****. he makes me sick, dont take him he sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks!!!!HE SUCKS!! absolutely perfect for messing up your GPA.
Sammond was hard, really hard. But I learned more about English than I learned all through high school. All the hard work paid off
Anyone who thinks that Sammond is a bad professor doesn't know how to write. He is the type of professor that you should expect in college. He is not easy, but he is the only teacher that will tell you that there is no right answer, all he asks is that you actually THINK about what you're writing.
Fantastic professor. Gave out hard assignments, but they were very good ones. Learned so much from him.
limits you by forcing to prove every thesis paper from 2-3 essays he assigns. somtimes these essays are too loosely connected, and having to integrate all of them in the same argument is annoying. you end up having to write an opinion that is not your oun just to meet the requirements half the time. seems like a nice guy the assignments just suck
He is unhelpful, and unclear with his assignments. He does not want you to do well and he will do everything he can to make your opinion his, and if it isnt you will fail! take his class if you want your gpa to go down!
DO NOT TAKE THIS CLASS. he grades really hard and his assignments are too complex for a freshmen writing class. also he doesnt explain the assignements and avoids questions when you ask them....and is very unclear. bottom line he sucks.
He is a ridiculous person all together. He gives way too much work and he likes to corner students. He is nice but could be a really sarcastic. The papers we had to write were ridiculous and the title of one was, "the aesthetic of indifference." He also likes to tell you on the last day of class that you are getting a B then changes it to a C.
this guy was just an absolute jerk. Claims to be there for the students, and to help, but is ridiculous with assignments, and will backstab you in the end with your grade. He thinks he teaches at harvard, and brings his kid in to get some sympathy from you. The man is prideful, and a terrible, terrible professor. DO NOT TAKE HIM! YOU ARE WARNED!
No Comments
He is a horrible teacher and class wasn't boring. I participated in his class a lot and did the work, but I ended up with a C even though he told me I had a B. I confronted him with this, but he didn't change the grade. The theme for one of our papers was "the aesthetic of indiffererence". He gave us a ton of uneccessary work. DON'T TAKE HIM!!!
He may appear to be a hard professor, if you're not willing to work. (you're only in college...) He's a man who knows a lot about everything. Very intelligent. I've written my best papers in his classes. I took him twice and will be taking him again for Summer. He may seem tough, but he's great.
Probably the most difficult class I've ever taken. And, though I almost hate to admit it, one of the best teachers. He takes the role of a guide, not a lecturer. Active participation is a must. If you're willing to write until your fingers go numb and think until your brain implodes, you will learn a lot and excel in this class.
Took Spring 2004. He's but a tough grader. I talked to him after class, during office hours, & went to the Acad. Supp. center w/my papers. He told me at the last day of class I had a B then gave me a C as a grade. He refused to change my grade & I contacted him all summer. He loves the aesthetic of indifference.
Not bad, bit difficult, if your willing to work hard take him if not then don't bother.
Tough teacher, hard grader, never tells you want he want or explains work.
i'm taking this class right now, and i've NEVER gotten so many c's on papers in my entire life.we ask him many questions all the time,and all he does is dance around the answer to the question, and just give you a big useless jumble of statements.....unless you enjoy immense frusteration, don't take this class.
He is a tough grader, but you will learn how to write. Basically, show up for class and you'll be okay. Academic support is helpful
Yes he's hard but hes a great prof. You will learn if your a hard worker and approach the class with an open mind. Basically take the class if your interested in learning. If your looking for an easy A or lazy avoid him.
Amazing teacher - he?s really quite kind and helpful, if sarcastic (reminiscent of a non-musical Tom Lehrer). He will listen/respond even to the most asinine pupil. Might pester you if you don?t participate-he wants everyone to be involved. Very fair grader, very reasonable about late work, very intelligent, kind of hot in an austere way. Take him!
This guy is the worst teacher I've ever met.I worked very hard in his class and he gave me a C. What kind of teacher gives only Cs? I would never tell my enemy to take his class at any point in time. Students is you do not want a drastic drop in your GPA do not take this teacher. He is a nightmare!
Each day of class I keep wondering why prof. Sammond hasnt been fired...why he's still confusing people with his junk he calls teaching.
I really like Sammond, I think he's a good guy. Pushed me with my writing, interesting readings... definitely knows what he's talking about. I liked his sarcasm. Don't know why anyone would say anything bad about him unless they got a bad grade and are bitter...
He's a good professor no doubt about it. But definitely a strict grader. But he make the class somewhat entertaining to be in.
hope you dont care about your GPA because it will greatly suffer. the actual class was interesting and somewhat entertaining, but he takes WAY too long to return papers.the class that seemed like fun and easy going quickly turned into a nightmare. this class is not worth getting bad grades.
I will admit he keeps the class interesting, but when it comes to the papers we write, he is so very strict. He sloppily grades assignments and gives sloppy explanations about the comments/grade that he gives.Even with academic support, you will do average/below average in his class. If you ask me about him, he made me want to defenestrate myself.
There are so many bad things said about him because they are true! Don't expect to perfectly in his class, and expect to be confused when you get back papers.It's not bitterness that makes us write these ratings, either. If you care about your GPA, avoid this professor.
One of my favorite professors. His assignments are challenging, but I learned a lot from his class. I found every class interesting and really enjoyed the discussions. Its not like a highschool writing class and requires you to think on a higher level and develop time management. If you are actually a good student you will do well in his class.
He is probably the worst professor I have ever had. His grading makes no sense and I honestly think if he doesn't like you your grades will suffer. my GPA is ruined because of him. I tried to get extra help but he wouldn't return my emails or offer any hint of caring. AVOID HIM!
ugh hes so annoying. horrible grader, CREEPY, sits like right up in your face, when u ask for help he doesnt answer your emails, i withdrew from the class becuse he was bringing my GPA down. AVOID HIM
I admit it: He is a tough grader, but he is a really great professor. Everyone who has complained that he doesn't answer questions directly or doesn't explain everything does not themselves understand learning beyond parroting back information. The point is to think about it and figure out the answer for yourself. The class is hard but worth it
Horrible professor!!! Unclear with work assignments. Talks about useless information. And strict grader. Dont take his class.
At first, I was extremely hesitant to take this class because of all the negative reviews, especially for my first college Honors English course! Don't get me wrong: of course he is one of the most difficult professors I have ever had. You have to work your butt off to earn a good grade. Give him a chance.
Be prepared to work your butt off. Learn from the comments on your essays, take notes in class, and stay on top of the writing. Homework often posted the day before, so always save time.
An absolute selfish prick. Does not respond to email questions when he's clearly online posting more assignments. Avoid at all costs. Coming from a senior with a GPA over 3.5 I would never have imagined dealing with such a tremendous amount of work from one single class.. A joke of epic proportions..
Had him for research writing and despite previous comments he was not a bad grader and was helpful. Would defiantly take him again.
Best professor I've ever had. Very intelligent and engaging. He is an inspiration to me.
He is very knowledgeable about almost anything. I really liked where he was engaging all the students in the conversation.
I loved his class. Dont get me wrong he is a very tough professor, and is an extremely tough grader. But I can honestly say I saw a drastic improvement in my writing. I took him for ENGW 1101 honors, and because he gave me a B+, I was exempt from taking 1102. He is knowledgeable about every topic under the sun, I learned so much from his class.
This class was very confusing and not hard. The way he explains things for papers are confusing. Also, he dictates what you should write towards the end of the semester. He is a brilliant man and thee is great conversation. If your looking to be walked through everything towards the end of the semester take him.
I loved Dr. Sammond as a person. He's so funny and his class was never truly boring but he was the hardest grader ever. I had to work 3x as hard in this class and still scraped by with a C.
Honestly if you do all the readings, participate in his class, and listen to his feedback on his papers you wont have a horrible experience. He may be frustrating at times, but if you go to tutoring for the papers and if he see's that you're putting effort into his class, you should have no problem coming out with a decent grade.
Easily one of the best english teachers I have ever had. At first his class can be a little intimidating, but once you realize you get what you put in, it is smooth sailing. He makes you work for your A and if you listen to his comments and his feedback on your papers, you should be ok. Really worth taking his class!
He's a really tough grader, and you will have a lot of writing assignments. On the other hand, he definitely cares about his student and wants them to do well. He is also hilarious!
I feel like this class was basically book club. You read about 50 pages a week on average and then talked about it in class. That's about it. I personally enjoyed this class.
He's what you would expect from an honors writing professor. The class is pretty hard, but not unbearable if you know what you're getting yourself into. Class discussions are helpful.
Great guy, rough teacher. However, if you put in the work and show that you care, you'll do well. He gives a lot of smaller assignments that become overwhelming and you end up reading books that you don't even use for papers. Also, his prompts are very specific, but at least you know if you do what he says you'll do well. Rewarding if you work hard
Very difficult get the grade that you actually wanted. His handwriting is very difficult to read and if you go to him to clarify his feed back on your paper each time, he says something completely different each time (in my case). Very hard to figure out what he actually wants for each paper. He is very nice though but tough grader in my opinion
literally does not know what he's looking for in terms of papers. he will tell you to do something and then shame you for doing exactly that. super unorganized. just a big no from me
Sammond will tell you to write an essay, not tell you how to write it, and then tell you that you wrote it wrong. He only cares about your ideas, and not much for the individual student. Going to his office hours was just him telling me everything wrong in my paper, and when I fixed everything it still was not a different grade apparently.
Not the worst English professor ever. Grades essay very toughly. If you show to him that you're trying hard then your essay grades will improve. Office hours will help you get a higher grade. Class is like a book club and the conversation sometimes feels off topic to the class but was interesting. Participation is important.
I had him for an English class. I usually enjoy English however he made me dread waking up in the morning. His work feels like an extreme waste of time and he assigns time consuming journals to do nothing with them but if you don't do them then your grade will drop.
Do not take!!!!! One of the hardest classes I have ever taken. SO much busy work and he is the hardest grader I have ever had in college. As an honors and straight A student, I was surprised when I received my first B, and I worked my ass off. His class itself is not boring the work outside of it is so tedious.
One of the best professors I have ever head. Dr. Sammond will challenge you to think deeply and work hard. If you are looking for an easy A do not take this class. However, if you are looking for a professor that will improve your writing and research skills, you cannot find a better professor.
Was super unorganized and was unclear about papers he assigned. Essay assignments would change throughout the semester as he couldn't make up his mind about what he wanted. After he reviewed your paper he would tell you to make a million corrections, and then after you made those corrections he would find a million more things wrong with your paper
Hes honestly the worst professor Ive ever had. Absolutely avoid if you can. For one class he printed out my paper with my name on it and spent the whole class just ripping me apart and trying to get my classmates to join in on the insults. Literally the worst person ever.
He was a good person, but one of the HARDEST teachers I ever had. I have always been a good writer, but his style is different from many teachers. I tried hard and spent hours fixing and re writing essays only do receive a B+ as my best essay. I never missed a class and always participated, I was .4 away from an A- and he couldn't bump me up.
Sammond talks on and on about random stuff. Doesn't tell you when things are due and is lost all the time. He grades so harsh even after he gives comments and you do the corrections. He's a nice guy but his writing class sucked. So much back and forth with him.
There's a lot of work, but you leave the class feeling like you learned more about writing AND history. The only thing you're graded on are the papers, which are a bit confusing at first because the prompts aren't that clear. Some of his feedback is all over the place and contradicts itself. But, overall, he is an amazing person and class is fun!
Rubrics are contradictory to what he says about the essays in class. I constantly rewrite my drafts because he doesn't even know what he wants us to write about. The actual class itself is not that bad, you do have to participate though and he WILL wait in silence for someone to answer a question. He posts things on webcampus at random times too.
Assignments are unclear and requirements for essays change every few days. The day before an essay is due he will give a presentation explaining the prompt which should have been given when the essay was first assigned. Overall very unorganized which makes the class frustrating.
I took him for two semesters (1101 & 2), and I've never been more challenged in a class than Dr. Sammond. But I can honestly say my writing has improved. His fashion of writing was very different than what I was used to, and when there's a paper, he goes over the requirements and examples every class. Can be a little confusing, but makes you think
Terrible english class. The prompts were unclear and the writing style very different. I had always done very well on papers and still do, except for this class. Hard to get in touch with and doesn't answer emails. Nice guy though
I was in the top 10% of SAT essay writers who never received below a B+ on a paper. Now I struggle to attain above an 80. His class is essay intensive you will have a draft due to every class with more homework depending. If you have this teacher go to every class participate and go to office hours its the only way to get a B, an A is impossible.
Extremely condescending, unclear prompts, grades very subjectively.
Professor Sammond gives an overload of homework including papers. His lessons are quite repetitive but not interesting. I dreaded going to his class but made sure to attend because of his mandatory attendance.
He is a good person and a funny guy. His papers are a bit different than what you are used to and expected, but it is a new style of writing. You will have 3 papers in his class and he will give continuous feedback on them all. You must follow his style of writing and format to succeed in the class. Follow his feedback and example essays to a "T".
Dr. Sammond is one of the smartest professors I have ever had. I have a lot of respect for the guy. He's intelligent AND HE KNOWS IT. He is a very tough grader but he is fair and will help even his lowest performing students achieve good grades.
I had him back in 2020 when classes were remote and he was fantastic. Every assignment was super clear as to what was expected of you and he was super open to class feedback. There is obviously a bigger course load with writ 1002 but it was always interesting work and we got to pick our topics. Highly reccomend!
If you don't buy into a politically left agenda, you will find the inferred meanings of Prof. Sammond's lectures agonizing. Every story is chosen to relay a message about current events. I was given a poor grade on my midterm because I didn't subconsciously default ethnically ambiguous characters into white people. Grading is somewhat vague.
His writing classes were super hard for me I would sit down with academic support and work tirelessly to brush up my essays and bring my best writing to the table and it would just never be good enough for him. He would nitpick at every little detail. I had him for both 1002 and 1003 honors. He went off on tangents a lot during class time.
If you can avoid this man, you should. If you have to take him, do not sit near the front. He will put his feet on your desk (with open-toed shoes). Academically speaking, he is pretty cocky and his directions are often unclear. His comments on your papers are unhelpful. Many times, he does not take your own writing voice into consideration.
He ignores your voice in your writing. When he told me to put more RIO into my paper but when I did he gave me a worse grade. Will shit on every detail you include and ignore the citations you include. He is awful.
Spends the entire class time lecturing. Give a lot of work that, due to the way he structured his class, is only done in your own time. Ignores each writer's voice. Comments he gives on drafts are irrelevant at best and nonsense at worse. In one of my papers he said I didn't include three of the works I cited even though I did.
Very knowledgeable, tough grader, sometimes confusing. Lots of homework, essay drafts due every class, doesn't explain what we're supposed to do until after draft due date. Spends class in discussions more than focusing on assignments. If you figure out grading style, you'll do great. Otherwise, you'll struggle until you understand how he works.
This class was so stressful that every writing assignment ive done for any other class in college now feels like heaven compared to what ive done. He tells you what to do after the draft is due and spends a lot of time on other things in class that is not the essay.
It's a really straightforward class as long as you pay attention to due dates and follow the essay prompts.
Will have you write a draft every week for a paper but give vague/unclear instructions on how to write each paper, and when you get your paper back, the feedback is also vague and short. If you can get a different professor, do so.
Took AP English in high school/did well on the AP test, but this was ridiculously difficult. His expectations are confusing and even if you think you understand, he contradicts/makes new ones. I really tried, but even going to tutoring didn't help. He said once that my analysis wasn't important, wouldn't recommend, esp. as your 1st college course.
A lot of homework, and very unclear prompts. Insanely difficult grader and not his revisions on drafts were super vague suggestions. He is very condescending towards the students and makes the class really stressful.
Very unclear instructions. Talks down to students. Tough grader.
dr sammond will change the directions on papers every class without fail. he will go over the rubric after you have already submitted drafts. he does not follow any due dates posted on the syllabus. moreover, he will not grade anything until the last week of the semester, so you will not know your grade til then.
Professor Sammond can be challenging, but if you are driven to learn and have a good attitude you will succeed for sure. His rubrics are tricky at first, but he always answers questions and gives pretty good feedback. Be prepared to read and write a lot for homework. He has a good sense of humor and clearly wants the best for his students!
Thoroughly enjoyed Dr. Sammond's class. He made his classes very intriguing and tried his best to find some way to connect with his students. His papers are tough but he tells you exactly what to include in your essays. His feedback is sometimes hard to understand, but he is more than willing to assist you. If you try, you will pass.
This class was harder than my STEM courses. The professor's feedback was vague, and instead of being helpful, he often talked down to students. I tried academic tutoring many times, but it didn't improve my grade. His vague comments and unfair point deductions made the class more stressful than it should have been.
I had him first semester and heard many mixed reviews on him, but he turned out to be a good teacher. He left constructive feedback and was always willing to help us. He allowed us to correct our essays for a higher score and was overall a good teacher.
just don't take him if you have that option. will drain your day; classes are so boring and you will recieve unhelpful feedback on essay drafts. nice guy, but kinda a weird enviornment in class
I really liked him. His classes were a little boring at times but he's really nice and if you put in effort, he will care about you and your grade. I think he has a specific writing style he looks for which can make it seem like he's a difficult grader but he gives a lot of good feedback so make sure to pay attention to that. I took him twice.
Class Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
80%
Textbook Required
42%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B+
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-0.29 avg changeRatings by Course
ENG
5.0
(1)ENGL1102
5.0
(1)LITS3321
5.0
(1)ENGL31C
4.0
(1)CLASSSECT
4.0
(1)Difficulty by Course
COLLEGEWRITING
5.0
WRITING
5.0
ENGL3009
5.0
ENGW3001
5.0
ENGW101
5.0