Book not needed. Teaches with powerpoint, and gives you a print out. Good sense of humor. Leans toward the left politically (he equated monkeys to Republicans). He kind of looks monkey-ish, which suits the class. 1 Quiz, assignment per week.

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He is a great teacher and very interesting! Loved the class and would take it again! I think everyone should take it! If you want an easy/interesting class then take this one! ROCK ON TAFF!!

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he is the best teacher i have ever had, honestly. but dont come in late or you will get booed.

Awesome Teacher

this guy is awesome. He is the only teacher I really talked to

Love his class. Great Teacher.. Lets you know waht is expected on quizzes and tests..Book not needed. Memorize everything on powerpoints and you are set. Critical thinking essay assignments fun

short people will live longer than tall people-that's what I learned!

Awesome teacher, amusing and makes the class interesting. Loved using powerpoint for everything.

He also teaches Antro., he's an awesome prof!

like everyone said. he is awesome. very funny. he never used powerpoint when i took two of his classes. he must finally be catching up to todays technology.

Great teacher, very interesting topic. I didnt mind his research paper, seemed fun to me ;)

Dr. Taff is my favorite proff at CBC; due to his down-to-earth mannerisms and his sarcastic sense of humor. He knows all forms of anthropology like the back of his hand. He will clarify ANYTHING and EVERYTHING a student needs to know. I highly recommend him.

Very interesting ... he knows and loves his subjects and conveys that to the class every step of the way. He is always willing to answer questions and debate issues, and in fact encourages us to discuss sensitive, difficult topics in class! Highly recommended!!! I had a good couple of quarters with him!!!

Taff is charistmatic, friendly, and entertaining, making his vast amount of experience and knowledge easy to digest. There was one challenging paper, but he graded fairly lenietly. Very good instructor.

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Awesome teacher, you should hear his monkey/gorilla impressions! Knows what he is teaching and makes it fun while at the same time making sure we learn the most possible.

I really enjoyed his class and his teaching style. Very clear and informative, yet funny and willing to entertain student questions. I actually think he's kind of cute. :-)

Very good techer.

I took Dr. Taff's Intro to and Physical Anthro classes and he is the best professor I've ever had. He's incredibly intelligent, extremely funny, and has an answer for everything, his lectures are entertaining, and the material and assignment guidelines help in other classes. Not an easy A, but take good notes, do the work, and you'll be fine.

Great, interesting class with a great, interesting instructor. Loved the class, left it wanting more. I definitely recommend.

What a great professor! He really knows his stuff. Funny, too! Just do your stuff on time, read, take notes, and pay attention. Doesn't take too much and you'll leave satisfied. :] I definitely recommend taking at least one course from him.

Professor Taff makes his class fun, interesting, and very informative. I'd definitely recommend him to anyone who needs to take this class.

He is the coolest teacher I've ever had. He explains everything, and is willing to help you. He made class fun and interesting. He's the best teacher!

Course could have been dry and boring, but thanks to Taff's ever-present humor it was enjoyable. Take lots of notes! He gives handouts of all Powerpoints that you can write your notes on for quick reference. He encourages questions/debate. Weekly quizzes feature essay questions. Term paper is on a topic of your choice in Physical Anthropology.

an awesome teacher! always willing to help you out

really cool instructor! He is funny and a joy to watch. His lectures are great. I was always sad when class was over. That is very rare for me.

Loved him makes everything fun!! cusses a lot and has tons of energy.

He has been my favorite teacher at this school. He is enthusiastic and funny and the lectures were very interesting. I'm planning on taking him again because I learned so much. As long as you pay attention to the lectures you should get a good grade.

I would highly recommend Taff. He is very easy to understand and makes his lectures fun and interesting, even if you don't have a lot of interest in the topic. One of the best teachers I've ever had. You do have to do the work, and pay attention, but it's not too hard. The class was graded on a curve.

Most approachable prof ever. Great sense of humor & willing to use it. Going to his class was never a chore and I almost never left feeling like I didn't get something out of it. In my experience, if there are deficiencies in his teaching style they only show up in extenuating circumstances. Highly suggested.

He is one of the most fun teachers on campus, he is easy to talk to and will explain a topic very clearly if you have trouble understanding the first time. His tests are hard so the book and notes are very helpful...the notes are best.

Great teacher, fun and interesting even out of his specialty. Look forward to taking anthropology w/him or another class. Psych was great and pretty easy

Wonderful teacher. He should get paid a lot more than my other teachers. He's simply the best! I seriously loved his class.Great sence of humor and his lectures are just perfect. Best teacher i've had. Wouldbe willing to take this class again just to listen to him!

Dr. Taff kinda reminds me of my grandpa in a good way. he is easy to talk to and his lectures are actually pretty interesting, he makes sure everyone knows their stuff and doesnt judge you or make you feel uncomfortable if you need to ask him something. i loved his class, and totally recommend taking him :)

Probably the best professor at cbc. he's hilarious, and he almost feels like a friend. he teaches clearly and makes sure everyone understands before he moves on. Tests can be hard but studing lecture notes will better your grade. only downside to this class is that you will be sad once it ends.

He reminds me of my dad.

Really great professor! He actually made things interesting and was pretty hilarious!You do have to do your work, though. I didn't use my book at all! Don't waste your money on the psych book.

Great teacher! Learned more than I ever expected! Very interesting, plus he always answers any questions that you have.

He's an amazing teacher!!! i've had him for Biological Anthropology and General Psychology. You really dont need to buy the book unless you're interested in the extra information. All you really need to buy is the powerpoint booklet that he designes for the students.He's the only teacher so far that i feel confident enough to talk to.TAKE THE CLASS

He's an amazing teacher!!! i've had him for Biological Anthropology and General Psychology. You really dont need to buy the book unless you're interested in the extra information. All you really need to buy is the powerpoint booklet that he designes for the students.He's the only teacher so far that i feel confident enough to talk to.TAKE THE CLASS

Absolutely fantastic teacher! He made the class really interesting, and made it fun. He loves to joke around and be sarcastic, but in the end he's always sticking to the topic. He makes it easy to understand the material, and the amount of work for the class is great and completely reasonable. Highly recommended.

Ididn'tusethebookonce.You MUST buy or atleast print off the slides he has.I recorded his lectures too.There is a quiz every thursday worth 10pts. 5pts short essay 5 MC/FillBlank.4Critical reviews do them early.If you fail the midterm the only way to pass the class is todo well on the Final.Make flash cards during class.Study vocabulary.Know ur Ppl!

Taff is the man!

Great online instructor! I would take another class with him online or in the classroom. He is very knowledgable. Such a fun class!

Amazing teacher! If your looking for easy, then you shouldn't be at college. Taff can be a bit hard, but it's only because he wants you to retain what he's saying... He's one of those teachers you say hi to in the hall and talk to after the class ends.. He is by far my favorite teacher at CBC and if you get a chance, take some classes with him! :)

Mark Taff is by far my favorite professor at CBC. He teaches challenging subjects so do not expect it to be an easy class, however his lectures are always entertaining and you learn exactly what is on the tests. He WANTS you to do well and is always willing to help you. Great professor.

Very interesting class grades tough but don't be alarmed its on a curve.

My favorite professor of all time. He really cares about his students and is an excellent resource, and I learned a TON in his class. I would take more of his classes if I could!

I have taken nearly every one of his classes. He is by far my FAVORITE teacher at CBC. He makes his classes challenging but not impossible. I recorded all of his lectures and would listen to them before tests. Nearly all of his classes are taught on slides and textbook use is minimal. HeLOVES his subject and makes classes entertaining.

I took Cultural Anthropology online with Professor Taff and I liked it a lot. I learned so much valuable information, and I can honestly say that I view the world differently after taking this course. This should be a mandatory class like math is because the information you learn is applicable in every aspect of life.

Had Dr. Taff for Anthropology of Religion and enjoyed the class. DO THE READING. Unlike his other courses, this one relies heavily on the text (ensures things stay objective). He is really approachable and in his office during his office hours. I will say he is bad about getting grading done in a timely manner though.

Best teacher! Alot of things from real life started to make sense and hes very clear and throughal. His quizzes are fairlyaif you study the vocab. Id take him again

Everyone should take at least one class with Mark Taff. Yes his classes and challenging. Some of them you have to do all your reading! I took Cultural and Archaeology with him face to face. Definitely makes you think, you have to write, read and LISTEN. He is great outside the classroom, always try to clarify if you have a "hole" in your notes.

Dr. Taff is a brilliant person. He is extremely knowledgable in his field, he knows what he is talking about through and through. There wasn't a single day I didn't enjoy going to his class, if not to learn something new then to at least enjoy his humor. Highly recommend him. His classes are hard if you're lazy. I got 4.0's, but I worked for them.

Taff, is an amazing Professor. He could make talking about dirt interesting.

Brilliant man who has a fun sense of humor. However, I found this class to be very hard. I'm a 3.8 and above student and pulled a 2.8 in this class. Be prepared to learn a lot of basics, i.e. parts of the brain, the body's chemicals, etc.

This class was extremely challenging, his grading is very hard, I feel I learned a good amount however I do feel I had to work my ass off for the grade I got... Normally a straight A student I barely pulled a B. He gave no clarification as to why he was grading me so harshly even when I asked for examples of A work.

Don't get the book, he only tests based on his PowerPoints and lectures. Taff loves what he teaches and it shows, and fortunately the curve he makes make passing the tests possible. I'd recommend him.

Dr. Taff is one of the only professors on CBC campus that I feel really deserves the title of 'Doctor'. I have taken three classes with him to date. He is open minded, intelligent, and fair. Midterm and finals are typically pretty hard, as well as comprehensive, but I recommend taking one of his classes at least once. He's awesome.

Dr Taff is a fun and engaging professor, with passion for what he's teaching. That passion is easily contagious. He is VERY particular about terminology and specifics, and NEVER uses the textbook. Its only the fact that he grades on a curve that makes his class pass-able!

My second class with this prof. I've enjoyed his classes both times.

Dr. Taff is a super cool guy and I enjoy attending his class, however his class is extremely challenging. He grades on a curve so it's hard to tell if your doing good or not. Taff is a super nice prof and always makes everyone laugh, but if you're looking for a 4.0 this is not for you... Very challenging quizzes and tests are comprehensive!!

Dr. Taff won't hold your hand, nor will he budge on grading. He's an honest, excellent teacher and and if you head into his 101 class expecting to work, he will change your life. He's hilarious, open minded, outgoing, and entertaining. If you plan on skipping class or putting in little effort, don't go. But if you do, trust me, it is worth it.

He's a fantastic teacher! His lectures are really interesting if you're into the subject. The tests are all based on his lectures so there really isn't a need for the text book. The class is tough but if you really study vocab you shouldn't do too bad. I'd certainly take another one of his classes!

Respected by students. Will have one long paper due at the end of the quarter. Clear cut about his grading policies. Tough Test grader, but an 85 percent or better is a 4.0 in his class. He also grades on a curve. Good sense of humor and interesting lectures. Actually loves teaching, not just the subject.

Taff was great. I took his class online, so unfortunately I missed out on his lectures, but his feedback to the weekly discussions was fantastic. I wish that, in his online classes, he would post videos or something. Taking this class online was definitely a self directed read the textbook experience. He's a fair grader and unbiased.

He is a great professor. His grading is very clear and he grades on a curve which can help if you fall behind a little bit. There's no doubt that you won't pass the class if you do the homework and do a little bit of studying for the quizzes. He's very funny and passionate about teaching. I definitely recommend the class!

This was a bad quarter for me, personally. Don't get me wrong, I've taken every class he teaches, and I love them. But I had a lot going on, and didn't do my paper, and he was still willing to work with me. Not a lot of homework, only a few assignments

Gives good feedback to the class after he grades discussions (a mandatory part of the class, including 3 responses to other students). He's also very helpful when you have questions. The only problem I had was it takes a while to get things graded. Writing papers without a grade for my last paper left me wondering if I was doing it well.

Awesome teacher. Difficult class but worth it. Chose to take him again next quarter.

Taff has interesting and very informative lectures. This is one of the hardest classes I've ever taken, yet it prepared me for the rest of college. Lots of terminology to memorize and there's a long research paper at the end, there's also an additional book with the textbook. It was a struggle, but I'm glad I experienced it.

Taff was an awesome professor! Though I had to drop the class for personal reasons, I really enjoyed the time I was there. Taff is engaging and entertaining, and kind to his students even when they openly disagree with his point of view. I regret being unable to take another class with him.

This was a very hard class because of the amount of memorization of terms. Tests are hard. That being said I enjoyed the class. He has a dry sense of humor and injects stories into the lecture. You don't need the book because he posts everything on canvas. I would take him again though. I learned a lot.

Taff is extremely smart in his field, therefore he expects the same from his students considering he is teaching the subject. PURCHASE the slide handbook. His midterm and final are EXTREMELY hard! the questions are set up completely different then the lecture and he is a tough grader. The average on the final was a 67. Their is a curve for a reason

Dr. Taff is a great teacher for ANY class. Do take him. He;s funny and fun, but there will be work. Not an easy A but a solid class to take. Don't be scared of him, he likes loud students, and don't be afraid of asking questions. His grading curve makes canvas scary for your grade, but a 70% is a fine grade in any of his classes.

Dr. Taff is propbably the best educator I ever had. He is honest, and fair. Encourages students to be critical thinkers. Extremely approachable. His lectures are engaging. Take his class if you want a challenge and to learn.

Professor Taff is an excellent choice for a psychology class. He lectures everyday and you mainly just sit there and take notes, however I have learned so much in his class that way. He gives quizzes every week and essays 3 times in the quarter. If you choose to skip class you will not do well on the quizzes at all.

Bio Anthro was pretty smooth sailing. Doesn't give much homework (only 3 essays the entire quarter, spaced evenly), and lets you drop your two lowest quiz scores. The quizzes are really easy as long as you pay attention during lectures, and he gives VERY obvious hints for all essay questions. Awesome guy, really funny.

I took an online course. From what i am told the best part about Taff are his lectures. Communication for specific question was a little more difficult via email. He is extremely busy, but he also cares. Tests are tough!!! Just memorizing terms wont cut it. You need intricately understand concepts and how they are applied.

Taff is AWESOME!!! He lectures every day, but the lectures are interesting and easy to follow, he is also very open to questions. You should definitely show up to class, but every day is not mandatory. He also drops a few of your lowest grades at the end of the quarter to help you out, which is totally awesome!!! Overall he is a great professor!

Very funny. All of his quizzes are based on what he talks about in class. Not much homework. Grades on a curve.

Taff's class is one of the first classes I've taken so far and he is a great instructor. There is a lot of psychology terms to remember for quizes and tests. Though Taff often uses examples for the terms to make it easier to remember and at times is hilarious. He is accessible outside of class and is also inspirational.

Great professor! Make sure that you show up to class, he lectures everyday and the tests are based around what he covers. His lectures are fun to listen to, however he does tend to go on tangents which are also quite funny at times. He goes over a lot of material and is just an overall great professor. I highly recommend him.

Great teacher! Attendance isnt required but youll miss a ton of you dont go. Grades on a curve. Lectures are interesting and he gives funny examples. Always ready to help people if you dont understand, just ask. Overall not a hard class, just study a bit for quizzes and semester final and the final.

Discussions every week. Enjoyed the class. Mr. Taff gave feedback after every discussion which helps you better your discussion. Read the book! Turn in everything, this is the only way you'll ace the class.

Lots of online discussions, short essays, and multiple choice quizzes. There are a few critical reviews which were interesting to read, however, he is a tough grader that gives good feedback. For not fully believing in Biological Anthropology, I actually enjoyed this class and was able to respectfully discuss my own opinion.

He's a great teacher. Lectures every day but does his best to keep it interesting. Assignments are also simple and not frequent. Show up and take good notes and you'll do fine.

Dr. Taff is great. He's a very tough grader (he likes test averages between 60-70) and has high expectations, but curves his course grade. Pay attention during lectures, do the weekly readings, prep A LOT for exams and you will keep up. He really likes it when students ask him questions or challenge his thoughts, as long as you're thoughtful.

Very clear in lectures and is very good at giving the appropriate feedback

Great professor. Not a lot of assignments. Grades on a curve. Accessible outside of class. A lot of information to take in but makes his lectures interesting. Take a lot of notes and take the time to study for quizzes and exams.

He is an amazing instructor, a lot of information but he makes it fun. i would recommend using a recorder. always willing to help. if you are looking for an easy A you wont find it in this class.

Try's to convey a very large amount of psychology in one quarter but with his printed slides it's very easy to take notes and follow along. Clearly states what he will cover in tests. Don't miss class and pay attention and you will pass!

He makes the class very interesting and grades with a curve - I recommend this professor.

Mr. Taff is a super caring and kind professor. However, be warned that he loves to recycle the same jokes and he's not very good at explaining more complex topics. He claimed the textbook was mandatory, but I opened it maybe once or twice all quarter and finished with 87%.

Awesome professor! Cares about about students and what he teaches. His lectures were heavy and very entertaining. For our class we did 4or5 analysis papers, 7quiz and 2 exams-midterm and final. He is a tough grader, but he really try's to make you understand the material. He is available outside class for questions and is willing to helping you.

After three years and a lot of soul searching, I took the scary leap to go back to college and was TERRIFIED. Science is not my forte but Taff was amazing, seriously. He has made coming back a great experience. My advice: Do the weekly readings and put effort into your work, ask questions when you need clarification and you WILL get a good grade!

This is the second time I have taken a class taught by Mr. Taff and he a great teacher to have. What is expected of you is clear from day one and if you are having trouble with anything he is more than willing to help you understand. You receive your assignments at the start of the week and due at the end, pretty straight forward.

I loved Professor Taff. He clearly cares a ton about his students and wants them to succeed. The class is fairly easy, but you'll have a lot of quizzes and 4 analysis-type papers. The book isn't mandatory, but I would recommend getting it just because it'e helpful to be able to refer back to it for quizzes and things like that.

Professor Taff CLEARLY told us what would be expected on the quizzes. That was very nice. He is accessible outside of class and genuinely cares about his students. The only downside is his language he didn't really censor it. Overall, as a professor, he is great.

Taff always gave really good feedback and materials to help you succeed. If you have any questions, contact him and he will help as much as he can. He loves when people ask questions. I found Quizlets to study and they helped a lot because I am really bad with textbook studying. There were 4 main essays, but only the top 3 grades are put in.

Great professor clearly cares about students success. Work hard and you will do great. Super chill and laid back professor. Really nice and helpful. Definitely recommend.

Mark Taff is a very kind and respectful Professor. I think I would have liked his class even more in person. I am glad I took a course from him and I would take another, if given the opportunity. This class is a bit difficult, but he will guide you in the right direction!

Professor Taff is passionate and cares about his students. The workload is manageable, with quizzes and essays. Unstuck AI was a great study tool alongside the textbook. Overall, an engaging class worth taking.

This was years ago. I took two semesters of Anthropology with Prof Taff. He was engaging, informational, professional yet fun and entertaining. He had been at UC Berkeley and spent time with howler monkeys (6 months?) If we behaved, would make howler monkeys calls as we were exiting the lecture hall. Always fun and will always remember that class.