2.9
Quality3.4
Difficulty42%
Would Retake110
Reviews42%
Would Retake
110
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
28
4
17
3
17
2
22
1
26
What Students Say
“The class was a mess from start to end”
COMM440 - 1.0 rating“He has a good heart, but often comes off harsh”
COMM280 - 2.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
88%
Textbook Required
45%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
A-
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Stable
-0.14 avg changeRatings by Course
COMM102
4.0
(1)COMM111
3.6
(16)COMM240
3.5
(26)FDCOM201
3.5
(2)COMM440
3.3
(3)Difficulty by Course
FDCOM110
5.0
COMM100
5.0
COMM120
4.0
FDCOM101
4.0
COM280
4.0
Reviews (110)
The class was challenging, but if you ask a lot of questions and try not to procrastinate you should do pretty well. The classes are small so it is easy to speak up in class. Participation is important since it is a large portion of your grade.
Great teacher. Very nice.
This guy is ridiculous. He would give us assignments and leave the entire class guessing as to what he wanted us to do. He made no sense during his lectures and stifled any kind of thought-provoking conversations. His classes were unbeareable.
His in class work is very easy. It's really easy to get a B, but you have to work for an A.
Okay, teacher. He is very helpful but somewhat disorganized. He lectures but it is not relevant to any tests. Fairly simple just come to class and participate. Grading policy needs to be more organized and clarified.
Bro. Williams is the best writing teacher I've ever had. And I've had a lot of them. He REALLY knows his stuff. Granted he is pretty disorganized, but he won't penalize you for his disorganization. Take his 101 class if you want to really learn how to write. Oh, yeah, he likes PR Majors just fine.
pretty much the most disorganized teacher. He is very disheveled. He is very knowledgeable, but doesn't do well in explaining anything. Oh and he doesn't like P.R. majors.
I like Bro. Williams as a person but this class was horrible. I learned barely anything useful and he's the most disorganized teacher I've ever had. I felt that it was a big waste of time. Do not take this teacher if you value learning.
Bro. Williams is really passionate about the subject matter. He really cares about the students. I enjoyed his class.
Nice guy, not-so-great professor. He is disorganized in how he teaches and prepares his courses. It is apparent he feels strongly about journalism, but I didn't get much out of the time I spent in his classroom.
Bro. Williams is a horrible teacher. Assignments are unclear, but graded very hard. Bro. Williams also has a tendency to favor the female students in the class. It's really kind of creepy. If you want to hear about how hard his life is and then listen to people talk about their feelings, this is the teacher for you. Simply put: Avoid at all costs.
rude if you were not on his good side.
He is a great person, but yes class did feel pointless at times. You basically read a ton of material on line then come to class and discuss it. Assignments aren't always clear. I felt that there was a lot of reading assigned for this 2 credit class. Really nice guy though.
DO NOT TAKE THIS CLASS FROM THIS TEAHCER. IT was terrible. There is no redeeming quality to the work or the course. If you want to bomb shell your GPA. Take this course. If not Take it from somebody else, ANYBODY ELSE!!!!!!
I thought for a communications teacher he didn't communicate very well. He Wouldn't answer emails with clarity. On self Evaluations when grading is your opinion he docks where ever he can. Even on blogs that are opinionated where it should be a completion grade he docks relentlessly of nothing. WASTE OF TIME COURSE!!!! AVOID THIS TEACHER!!!
He's so great. Very intelligent, very respectful and kind, very good teaching methods.
I was so unimpressed with Williams, he is very unorganized, rude, and over all a bad teacher. oh, and his normal speaking voice is YELLING.
The only nice thing about this class is that we didn't have to buy a textbook. We had some cool assignments but actual time spent in class was a huge waste. There was a lot of confusion as to due dates and assignment instructions. It was really frustrating and I felt like I could have been doing something more productive with my time.
He is so hard to understand. Nothing is ever clear and I left class wondering what I was supposed to do. Take it from someone else if possible. You'll hate this class
He was an alright teacher but I had a hard time understanding what the assignments actually detailed. When you ask him to explain it to you he does it in a matter that is hard to understand and you find yourself going back to him and asking him how to do it again.
Absolutely loved the class. He is very forward thinking and shows you resources you probably didn't know existed. He is really outside of Rexburg focused and is really knowledgeable on what is going on in the journalism world. My interest and ability to write really improved. Be ready to step out of your comfort zone on assignments.
you will constantly have projects in his class that will overwhelm you. he isn't very clear on what he expects and grades extremely harsh for a 100 level class. he spends most of the time talking about random topics that have nothing to do with what we are doing at the time. just don't take his class
To be honest it really pushed me to be better.... but the class was ridiculous. There were literally 6 different finals. It helped me learn more than other teachers but was extremely hard.
He doesn't teach clearly, very disorganized, he's altogether ridiculous. I did not have a good experience from him, and I was extremely excited for this class before I had my first class. After that I dreaded going. You'll regret taking his class.
I actually liked Bro. Williams. At times it was a bit confusing to know what he expected out of assignments, but we tries to make it as clear as possible when all is said and done. The assignments are relevant and make sense to the course. You just have to stay on top of things.
I liked Brother Williams. He has you write only a couple of papers throughout the semester that are meaningful and will help you become a better writer. If you have any questions he is glad to help any students outside of class. He not only gives you constructive criticism, but he also tells you your strengths which is very motivating as a student.
It's obvious that Brother Williams is a well known teacher in the Communications Department. However, in class, it was very hard to keep up with what he wanted. He was never too clear on assignments, which made it extremely difficult. Although, if you are great with attendance, i'm sure anyone would be fine. And don't be afraid to ask questions.
Dear heavens above, this man is the most disorganized teacher I've ever had. Pro: He uses technology in the classroom. Con: He can't get the due dates right with online submission. Also, he doesn't ever publish due dates until they're a day away, which means you're gonna be stressed all semester. Very unclear about his expectations and assignments
It really is unfortunate that you can't avoid taking this class form Brother Williams. He has borderline unrealistic expectations for his 200-level students. His schedule is always a mess and he always changing things around, but when meetings get cancelled and you can't write your story he doesn't offer solutions, just bad grades.
The syllabus has all of the due dates from last semester. Very unorganized. He does have interesting things to share, but he's a "my way or the highway" kind of teacher. Easy class if you attend and know how to speak confidently.
He is probably the most knowledgable journalism teacher on campus, you will become a better writer, getting an A isn't hard but it's not an easy A by any means, very entertaining
Pros: -He learns everybody's names -He is a really interesting person to talk to -He knows his stuff -He recognizes his own shortcomings -very friendly Cons:-This was the most disorganized class Ive ever taken -I Learn is a mess -Expectations and Deadlines are extremely unclear which is frustrating.
Big bit of advice, be proactive and dive into your projects early on in the semester! He gives you plenty of time to get them done (including lots of class time, big plus) but you have to set your own timetable. He knows his stuff and made me appreciate research more, however I rarely knew when things were due and always had to ask classmates.
The whole semester you will be planning your group project. Other busywork too. he is confusing about what is due and is answering questions. A bit boring but an easy class to pass if you do your work. Class has a lot of details.
Brother Williams is a really smart, and a top notch teacher. He tries so hard to make every one understand what he's talking about. You can tell he really cares about his students. He has an online textbook for the sake of saving us money. Seriously guys, he's great!
If you need a mentor, he is your man! Before I knew him he was just another teacher, after i realize he is the most high quality teacher I had all year. Very knowledgeable. His class is easy if you just put forth the effort. The curriculum changed starting with us. Learn AP style an you will go far. I cannot stress enough how great this man is!
Personally, I love Brother Williams. He has his PhD in Journalism and in my opinion, is one of the most learned teachers in the comm dept. For a 200 class, there is quite a lot of work and a group blog but so fun. If you are planning on going into journalism, he's who you want to take. I'm taking even taking 280 from him next semester!
Brother Williams is a compassionate teacher. He is knowledgeable and has a lot of experience in the field. The class lectures are sometimes a little all over the place, but interesting. He is good to work with you with deadlines.
RECOMMENDED! Bro. Williams is an awesome teacher! He is passionate and knows what he is talking about. Advice: Be proactive and get started with things early so the end does not crush you. Always have a backup ready if you need to attend a meeting (cxled meetingout of luck unless prepared). Don't be afraid to ask questions but do research first.
Brother Williams was a great teacher for COMM 111. He is very passionate about writing and will help you to be a successful writer. His assignments are all posted online so class is just basically a recap of the online work. I didn't mind that actually. He can be a little intimidating at first but he really is a great teacher. Very inspirational.
Brother Williams really knows what he is talking about. He is easy to listen to and is very passionate. He helped me find my love for journalism while giving real-world experience. He does like group work, but is fair grade-wise if you have a slacker in the group. Don't hesitate to ask questions, but try to do your research first!
This class is about comm research. You would expect to have lectures about the criteria of the course. This class focused more on what was talked about in devotional from the past Tuesday and less about research. Very flippant! Boring class. Online would be a better option then sit through this class...
Brother Williams has been a struggle for me. He has good intentions, but he can be very condescending. He knows his stuff, but he cares way too much about grammar and punctuation-so much that it sometimes seems more important than the actual content of what we do. Will put you on the spot. Somewhat disorganized. Can be funny. Nice guy.
I really enjoyed this class! Brother Williams can be difficult, but for the most part he is a professor that is easy to pass with as long as your doing what he tells you. It's definitely a class where you need to take notes. Just work hard and you'll do great and learn a lot of things from Brother Williams.
Brother Williams makes no sense. He's a genius of a man but has a difficult time staying organized. He stresses the importance of correct grammar and punctuation and then has typos in almost all of his homework instructions. I can tell he's trying but when he speaks he sometimes will stop in the middle of a sentence and not continue.
Homework takes a long time to complete, is sometimes unclear, and his grading criteria focuses more on spelling and grammar than the actual content. Lots of busy work. He interrupts his students and goes on tangents a lot. It's really hard to focus in this class.
Be prepared to work hard. He is a really smart man but doesn't always know how to teach it. Sometimes you will have to go to his office to understand him better. He told me that as long as you do your work and hand it in on time you will pass with at least a B in the class. I did. His class was really hard for me and I dreaded it everyday.
Bro. Williams is such a nice guy, however, he is a terrible teacher. I want to learn how to improve my writing, instead he lectured on history, which is fine, but wouldn't talk about any assignments coming up! we were all left hanging, wondering what we were supposed to do for each assignment. He also takes FOREVER to grade papers.
Frankly, I haven't had a worse teacher. He takes it quite personally if students aren't extremely interested in his class, yet he doesn't often seem prepared to teach. He puts on a show and talks really loud with obscure words. He seems to have a good heart, but the class is extra difficult because you leave class not knowing what is going on...
He has an incredible heart but his class is a mess. Unclear grading criteria, boring lectures (no attendance grade, ask me why I kept going idk), and TONS of busy work. I worked super hard for my grade. I did learn about research, but hated every second of it. Take this during a time you have fun classes and GET A GOOD GROUP!
I hated this class, but you have to take it so... suck it up and try your best. You use excel a lot so make sure you have it downloaded on your computer and pay attention when he teaches you how to make graphs, etc. Choose your group wisely! You'll be working on your final project with them. The class is boring and disorganized so, good luck.
Bro Williams is a really great person. His class is all about data and numbers, which is not everyone's thing. His class is a pretty easy B as long as you complete the assignments on time. He's not a tough grader at all, although he does care about grammar. I'd take his class again just because he is a really genuine good guy.
I love Brother Williams! He is one of my favorite teachers ever, and I have no idea why he has such a bad rating. He is one of the nicest humans ever. If you have common sense, and do your homework, this class is super straightforward and not hard at all. Don't let his rating fool you! He is a great teacher as long as you ask him questions.
I can't stand this professor. His lectures are weird and sporadic; I never felt like I got much out of them. He focuses heavily on the AP Styles book and forces you to write the way that he likes to write or else he'll mark you down heavily. I would recommend taking this class from any other professor before taking from Bro. Williams.
He's a good teacher. Expect lectures. For COMM 280, he was always there to give feedback on our group projects. If the class misunderstands the assignment instructions, he is much more lenient about his grading. Bottom line, he's a great teacher to take if you don't mind the lectures. You should ask q's whenever possible, and you'll pass.
Bro Williams is a super nice guy. The class is pretty heavy on papers and writing, but it IS a journalism class. He's very willing to help and is pretty lenient in his grading. It's tough to get an A, but an easy B.
Bro. Williams is always changing his courses to try and meet industry standards, so he's always pushing us to be real journalists. My favorite parts of the class were the field trips we took. He really knows his stuff and wants to share his knowledge.
This is the class to take if you want a professor who knows a lot about journalism and has a TON of experience. True, there's cool courthouse/hands-on experience, but it's easy to get discouraged and feel like a bad writer. Vague instructions for assignments. Tbh it made me switch my emphasis. Didn't love this class.
If you wanna get confused and completely lost in class take him. He goes at a extremaly random pace and his ideas are all over the place. He DOES NOT wait for the students speed to catch up or even keep up with him. Also, I felt really uncomfortable in how he puts the students on the spot and tells them they did something wrong in front of class.
Bro Williams is pretty intimidating at first. I didn't like him for the first few weeks, but you get used to him after a while. The main thing is that he just talks very loudly. He's a genius, so listening to him speak can be amusing. There's a massive group project and a lot of little weekly quizzes and excel projects.
Brother Williams is an impressive academic but struggles to deliver a clear, coherent message. He speaks loud and fast, so good luck trying to keep up in class! Try meeting outside of class to make up for his impossible pace. He has a good heart, but often comes off harsh. He wants to be helpful, so just put in the extra time outside of class.
He has been a great teacher to share his experiences. He encourages his students as they obtain their goals. He knows a lot about journalism and he has devoted his life to it. The only thing I would recommend for him is to be more clear in instructions. His canvas course is also not the most organized looking and due dates change all the time.
The main reason as to why this class is so difficult is because Williams doesn't explain anything in detail. He expects the whole class to understand what he's teaching, when in reality the majority of the class is lost. He is extremely disrespectful and insincere towards his students. Constantly cuts you off, then makes you feel stupid for asking.
The class was a mess from start to end. Assignments and projects weren't explained in detail, the syllabus was vague and in-class discussions and readings had almost nothing to do with those assignments. He spends all of class rambling about whatever news story he read that morning, and rarely brings it in to supplement course material.
Brother Williams is a very distinct personality. He can seem very harsh and abrasive, but that is just his personality. He wants his students to succeed. If you don't understand something, ask for clarification. It can seem overwhelming but if you study, don't get behind and do the work and you'll get a lot out of it. There' tons of extra credit.
He is a very well educated professor and loves what he teaches. You can tell that he is dedicated to what he teaches, sometimes he can have so much that he wants to explain and cover that the class can get really overwhelming. If you take the time to talk with him one on one, work hard on projects, and take advantage of extra credit you will be ok.
Not the most popular professor but he grew on me towards the end of the semester. 1.5 hr classes seemed to drag. You'll use Excel a lot and work in a group for the whole semester. Bro Williams knows his stuff very well but can be off-putting in his demeanour including leaving classroom several times a class for 5-10 mins. Busy work included.
I read Brother Williams reviews on here and even though they were poor, I decided to give him a chance. Although I passed his class, I would not take another class from him. He's a harsh grader and doesn't allow you to receive any of those missed points back. When you ask him what you could have done better, he gives you a roundabout answer.
Bro. Williams is probably the most interesting teacher in the comm department. He gives you the syllabus early on and does not deviate from it. Prepare for a lot of group work that will take a decent commitment outside of class. He's one of the few tough graders in the department. Deal with the meandering lectures, do work, and get a good grade.
I have had Brother Williams for a few classes. Not out of choice but rather for availability for classes. He is not the most organized teacher so some classes are really tough to navigate through. He is a nice guy, but likes to go on rants about how much he misses being a reporter, and other things that dont pertain to the class.
I always look forward to Brother William's classes. He is so kind and sees all of his students as if they were his own kids. He is willing to work with you if you ask for help and although he can seem a little scattered if you talk with him he will help you figure things out. His work seems difficult at first, but once you do it, you find it's fun.
Brother Williams is fantastic. He's very knowledgeable and passionate about journalism. I loved the reading materials, which were thought-provoking and informative. He gives his students many opportunities to participate and I enjoyed class time. I learned a lot and I know I will be a better and more deliberate writer.
In the only interaction I had with professor Lane he was misogynistic and rude. While talking about my intended career path of being a translator he assumed that I was in the career to help people and said that another emphasis would 'meet my emotional needs.' He mentioned the foreign languages program at BYU and said 'if you can even get in...'
Good prof, just wish he didn't spread assignments out through the whole semester. Would make it a lot easier and more realistic. If not for that, I would take again. Very nice and goes out of his way to make sure assignments make sense. We talked more politics in class than I would've liked. Great guy but helped me realize I don't want to do news.
The best guy on campus.
Honestly one of the worst teachers I've had. Explains the homework and concepts very poorly, and grades extremely harsh on said assignments. If you can possibly have any other teacher for the subject, go with them instead.
One of the absolute worst teachers I've had here. He grades harshly on spelling and grammatical errors when all his assignments and tests have many errors in them. If you can take ANY other professor for this subject, please do.
He doesn't explain things well, and he grades extremely heavily on the assignments he explains. He'll sometimes just forget to say crucial parts of the assignment and grade you heavily on them. Do yourself a favor and don't take his classes.
I really tried to give Brother Williams a chance but he's just a crappy teacher. Everyone in my class agreed as well. The assignments make absolutely no sense and he cannot explain what To do in them even in the slightest. The Final is extremely hard as well because HE DIDN'T TEACH THE TERMS WELL ENOUGH.
I hated taking this class, he is the worst teacher ever honestly. Everything is unclear and most of the assignments just don't make sense. I'm guessing he's your only choice for this class, and here's my response to that: Change your major so you don't have to take his class.
I had to take this class and I hated it. He doesn't go by the syllabus, takes frequent breaks during class, is incredibly hard to understand, and is just plainly an awful teacher. Since I took his class I realized that it doesn't take much to become a teacher at BYUI.
Brother Williams tries to teach but he just isn't cut out to be a teacher. The material is presented in a weird and not understandable way. I didn't understand the assignments most of the time.
Do yourself a favor and don't take classes from this professor.
This guy knows the subject but has no idea how to teach. He is not a teacher. Teaching is a different skill that needs to be developed. A lot of busy busy work gets in the way of learning. The instructions are so hard to understand. Definitely, he needs more training in teaching and designing his material course. Also, he gives extra credit.
He spent most of the semester focusing on the use of commas and grammar in general. We wrote 3 papers in the whole semester and did about 3 drafts for each. We got so much feedback for the papers that it was really easy to get good grades on them.
A lot of people complain about him, but honestly, he's a great person. It's inspiring how passionate he is about journalism. Yes, this class can be hard and there are a lot of assignments, but the work can be done. He is more than willing to help IF YOU ASK. He really pushes you to be the best journalist and it's great. Get ready to learn excel.
He does not how to teach. He knows research, but not teaching. Lots of busywork.
This class taught me a lot about research, and although he doesn't have the best reviews, I found his class very interesting. He explains how to do the research in class, but if you miss class you might struggle trying to understand things. He's very smart and passionate so I thought it was cool hearing his insights during class.
Very nice professor. Super humble. He genuinely cares about all of us as students. This class is majority group work, so make sure your group vibes well together from the start. His grading rubric can be a little off, so sometimes grading can be a little frustrating. But overall, he is a great professor with an amazing talent to teach and inspire.
He's a great individual, cares about his students, but NOT cut out to be a professor. most chaotic & disorganized class I have ever taken with a million papers to write spread all throughout the semester in a way that makes no sense whatsoever. Tons of nonsense busywork and lectures that don't pertain to anything. Everyone in my class struggled...
Despite several negative ratings, I think he's a great professor! He's very knowledgeable, cares about the students, and has the BIGGEST heart!! It can be a tough class and lecture heavy, but I learned a lot!! I am so grateful for him and think he's a wonderful professor. Take his class!
Brother Williams is super nice, but I didn't feel like the class was very well organized. It was hard to find anything on the Canvas page. He gave a lot of lectures that had nothing to do with the class and didn't teach what was on the homework. He did offer TONS of extra credit though, so it was pretty easy to get a good grade.
I love Brother Williams. I've been able to feel the spirit so many times in class as he bears testimony of how Christ is involved in a journalism career, and how we as journalists can testify of Him. I recommend the class for everyone who is considering a career in journalism.
I'm not sure why there are so many bad ratings. He really cares about the subject he teaches and about the students. He provides many opportunities to be successful in the class.
I was worried going into his class because of the bad reviews here, but I don't get why he has them. He's a very nice person and good professor who genuinely cares about what he is teaching. He does everything he can to bring the spirit into his lessons. He offers tons of opportunities for extra credit.
This class has lots of quizzes, papers and interviewing. Brother Williams tends to go on rants that are not related to the class and expects everyone to know what he's talking about. There is a lot of reading in this class and extra credit opportunities. His due dates always change, either earlier or later. He expects you to go above and beyond.
Brother Williams is inspiring! Students who don't like Brother Williams are the ones who skip class, spend all of class on their laptops not paying attention, and are in it for an easy grade, not actual learning. If you demonstrate real effort Brother Williams always works with you! One of the kindest professors on campus. Also, he's GENIUS.
Brother Williams is the best! He really cares about his students and his teaching style is all about learning, not just the grades. He is super kind and understanding and wants to help you succeed. He is also so intelligent and knowledgable. Take his class but realize you'll have to show up and pay attention (wow, requires effort? Novel concept)
Bro Williams is legit. Anyone who doesn't like him is probably just not smart enough to vibe with him. If you have a college-level reading level instead of a third grade one you will probably love his class like I did
Bro Williams is THE best. And I do mean THE best. Brilliant-- check, great teacher-- check, cares about his students-- check, hilarious-- check, relatable-- check, basically the best ever-- check. I seriously love this man. I had to drop out of this class for personal reasons but he is a great teacher and I can't wait to be in more of his classes!
Very awesome leader.
Cares about student's even outside of class.
He wants to see his students succeed and learn material that will actually help them in the outside world.
Bro. Williams has a very sweet grandpa-like personality. He goes on tangents that don't relate to class pretty often. He does give a lot of extra credit tho, take advantage of EVERY opportunity (it will literally save you). He is a tough grader, but doesn't explain what he wants. Comm research is a flipped classroom basically with how he runs it.
The professor tries hard, but his teaching style can be confusing. Attendance is mandatory, and the workload is manageable. unstuckstudy proved helpful for study prep alongside the free textbook.
Bro. Williams is very passionate about his teachings, I loved it! He was kind and cared about his students and wanted to see them succeed. Williams was very understanding, no matter the problem or issue that raised, he wanted you to have the best grade you could get. He's a tough grader but it is for the best interest.
I wouldn't recommend taking this professor's class. If you do, be ready to teach yourself with his resources, which are sometimes cited from Wikipedia, even in a research class, which is concerning. Despite my accommodations, he ignored them and made me feel awful. He told me directly, “Maybe you should get over that.” Smart guy, not professional.
Best writing professor I've ever had. He's not for everyone, but no one can help you become a better journalist than Bro. Williams can.
The class was difficult for me because I do not like Excel or research. If you miss class, you miss the learning. He kindly offered extra credit, but they had strict due dates along the way, so no cramming at the end of the semester.
He's one of those instructors who get either really bad ratings or really good ones. Those who don't like him are some of those who do not like to do the work and wanted easy work. He's got high expectations and high love for his students. Those who take his class seriously will definitely learn a whole lot because I did and I'm grateful for it.
Class Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
88%
Textbook Required
45%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
A-
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Stable
-0.14 avg changeRatings by Course
COMM102
4.0
(1)COMM111
3.6
(16)COMM240
3.5
(26)FDCOM201
3.5
(2)COMM440
3.3
(3)Difficulty by Course
FDCOM110
5.0
COMM100
5.0
COMM120
4.0
FDCOM101
4.0
COM280
4.0