Knows her stuff -- tough but fair

REALLY hard but good teacher

Makes you think, tough but fair, classes are fun and interactive

Extremely tough teacher, learn a lot and great sense of humor

very tough and has a loud voice(excellent teacher)

Wow, she's awesome, opened our eyes to the world

very interesting classes, great discussion, outlined expectations even though they were high...difficult, especially for first year students but a very interesting class atmosphere...good mark is attainable with hard work

Brillant teacher and person, an honour to know her. I learned more from her than any other prof so far...a credit to the uni and her department.

extremely knowledgeable.

Martha is an excellent teacher! I love her teaching style, and I will agree she can be hard, but its worth it. She knows how to teach, and she can be a lot of fun in class... just give her a chance! She definately knows her stuff... just ask her, she has lots to say!!! GREAT TEACHER!!!

Wow, she is hard, but fair. She sure knows what she is teaching! It is worth it taking here classes, even though they are heard, she makes them fun. I didn't know they hired comedians at UCFV, neither did I know that they had grad schools for comedians. She must have taken one of them, great prof!

In the past, I was critical of Martha. Now, I humbly revoke all. She is very smart, hilarious and demands you to challenge yourself. She has a 'power to persuade'.

Martha utilizes world wide events as part of her daily classes. Her knowledge and ability to motivate individuals allows her to stand out amongst all other professors. Martha demands that you prepare for her course by reading and participating in discussions. Martha will always be a great teacher due in part to her high motivational level.

Tough instructor but fair. If you want to be a slacker and take an easy GPA booster course- do not take one with Martha. If you want to learn and be forever shaped and impressioned by what you learn- take a class with Martha. She teaches class for the real world

Great Prof. Loved the class

As long as you read the text, exams were a breeze.  She made me want to go to class just to hear the lectures.  She tells you what will be on the exam, you just have to listen for it.

Can't say enough good things about Martha. Extremely smart and interesting. Wants to make sure that her students understand the material.

Informative and charismatic. would recommend any of her classes, if you're interested in abstract thinking.

Was very nice and interesting. As long as you read the text and attend the lectures the class should be no problem.

love, love, love martha! Best teacher I've ever had, hands down. You learn, and you enjoy what you learn. She changes the way you look at things. If you have the chance, take a class with her.

Martha keeps the information interesting, and makes it relevant to the students, often drawing upon recent headlines. I look forward to her lectures, and would definitely take another class taught by her.

She was very funny and a lot of fun!

Yes, a lot to grasp for the exams, but she covers everything in detail beforehand, so you can prepare or not. Extremely engaging and interesting to listen to. The 3 hours flew by as Martha easily integrated theory into real life stories which encourages criticial thinking. Loved the class!

i had martha for soc 101 - she is absolutely fabulous. i will continue taking classes with her because her classes are interesting and very engaging. It's true that she doesnt return emails right away, and doesn't mark papers or exams immediently. but if you have the patience....its worth it. i learnt a lot, and i just don't expect things back rig

I had Martha for Socioloy 101 and 245. She is my hands down FAV prof. LOVE HER. Yes she is sometimes late and doesn't return papers/exams right away (if at all..) but she get her point across and u will remember what she says. Her exams r very difficult but if you do the readings you will be fine. Be prepared to laugh and really get into the disscu

I really enjoyed the class and the material. I thought the Martha was extremely entertaining and and great insight into the material. I think if you had a problem with the course it's because you didn't read the material prior to class- this was necessary for an A. This was my favorite class and favorite prof. in all my years at UFV.

I took the same class as the last few people who wrote about Martha. DO NOT LISTEN TO THEM! She is a wonderful prof who cares about her students. Know that she does have a bit of an email issue but insistent emailing sometimes happens. That has NOTHING to do with her teaching ability! She is a great prof and will make you fall in love with Soc!

Awesome prof! Extremely knowledgeable, authentic, and genuinely passionate about the subject. Lots of humor and she always leaves you with something to think about. High expectations, so only take the class if you intent on showing up and engaging in lectures. If you want to do well, you will!

Great prof. There was great discussion, she was always clear of what she wanted from you in projects and gave you a lot to study for exams. Definately would take her again.

At first many may find Martha's tests and teaching styles to be rather difficult, but that is only because it is not of the norm. Her notes and everything she says relate to the text, but it is your job to put the two together, which is exactly what her exams require. Just like any class, listen closely, the test questions are hinted during lecture

Martha is probably the most entertaining profs I have ever had. She is very passionate about the course, and gives great stories that relate to lectures. No in class notes which made the class difficult as it is more of a conversational style lecture.

Martha is a fantastic teacher and by far my favourite and I'm not even a soc student! Her lectures are entertaining and she really gets the class involved. She is completely authentic and just fantastic! I would take her for every soc course if I could :) Kudos UFV for snagging her!

Hands-down, the best prof. ever! She's hilarious, and makes the 3 hours fly by! She loves her job and wants to teach (I can't say that for many of my other teachers). Show up, pay attention, and apply the knowledge from the text - you can't just memorize the material, you have to understand it - and you'll do great. Martha is very entertaining!

The previous rating should've been for Soc245 (not 331)!

The most entertaining prof. I've ever had! Martha rocks! You have to put in the effort though, and pay attention every class. Although she is the best prof.- don't expect your marks back anytime soon. Next term is starting and I still don't know how I did??? It's disappointing, but I would still take her again! You will love her!

This is my second class with Martha (I also had Soc 101 with her) and it was just as rewarding! She expects a lot from her students (like to apply themselves and engage in the material) but you sure learn a lot. If you rely on multiple choice exams, stay away! Definitely worth the work. I would love to take her yet again!

Martha is an amazing professor. I would love to take another class with her. Lectures are fun and enjoyable. UFV got a GREAT prof when they hired Martha.

She is soooo funny, totally gets you involved. The notes in the class arnt the best but as long as you read the text you will get it. I absolutely loved her class, and had a good time every class! She does explain things, and makes it clear what she expects on assignments and tests. She is also easy to talk to, and understanding as well. :D

Classes are SO entertaining, however stay away from her if you rely on M/C tests. Questions are all written and you REALLY have to understand the material. Be attentive in class and read the text and you'll be fine. The 3 hours of this class went by very quickly. Love her!!

Martha is a very laid back and funny professor who provides very interesting lectures. She grades fairly on papers but her tests are a whole different story. I would recommend her to anyone thinking of taking a sociology course but beware of her tests they can ruin your grade even if you get near 100 percent on all her papers.

I LOVE Martha! She's such a good prof! You can tell she loves what she teaches. I had her for Soc101 and it is by far my most favourite class, I leave there thinking about sociology all the time. Would recommend her and would definatly take her classes again.

Martha is the best prof I have this semester. Although she seems to go off topic a lot, everything is actually relevant to the course. Make sure you know her kids' names, they'll be the bonus question :P All in all, fantastic.

I love martha! She is funny and interesting and raises excellent questions in her classes. I took my class with her on Fridays and I never missed a class because she was that interesting. Her tests are long but she basically tells you the week before what will be on the exam. Not many surprises, just an excellent professor.

Awesome, and comical teacher. Makes every class interesting. Read, read, read or you will not do well on your exams. I would definetaly take another class with her.

I found her very easy going and helpful

Martha is a great teacher! She is such a comedian you don't even think about the time. Sometimes it's hard to tell what she wants out of you but if you listen to her and try your best you will do well. She really challenges how you look at society and its amazing! I strongly recommend her if you are O.K with written tests.

Her class is conversation based. She is funny and talkative. No quiz except one midterm and one final. You need to read the textbook before you attend the class.

Martha is an awesome prof. Although her methods are not "conventional" she is entertaining and very engaging. If you study the text, pay attention and have some fun creatively it will be a great experience

Martha was excellent!! Very engaging and easy to follow! listening to her speak was very inspiring, however if you cant follow along without a powerpoint or can not engage with the material,dont take her class. Awesome Prof!

Don't take this class if you're not willing to put in the work to receive a good grade. Martha expects students to engage in the course mater, which is not an unreasonable expectation. If you do your readings and apply the readings to your assignments, you will do well in the class! You will learns so much. Thanks for an awesome class Martha!

wonderful teacher, super interesting, if you read the text book and the chapters she assign the mark will be easy to achieve. she is fair, funny and incredibly intelligent! would recommend any of the courses she offers. the only reason people complain about her marling is because they are not connecting textbook material to real life.

She is very passionate about the subject and makes sure to present in the information in a clear way. She is funny, and talks loud so it's easy to understand her. Lots of class discussions. Tests are easy if you make sure to take notes, and listen to what she says.

She is very passionate about the subject and makes sure to present in the information in a clear way. Make sure to keep up with the readings and course material she discusses in class, if you do that than you'll do very well in the class. Overall awesome teacher that I reccommend to anyone.

Attend all classes, otherwise it will be difficult to pass the exams. Exams are brutal, paper is much easier. I love her teaching style, it's engaging, and she doesn't read off a powerpoint, she wants everyone involved. If you have questions ask in class, or right after. She doesn't get back to emails at all.

Great teacher. She made class so interesting and fun. She doesn't do notes but you can do that yourself. Test are very hard but most of it is strait from the textbook.

Great professor! Tests were long and all writing, but she tells you what is on them if you're listening. Her lectures are pretty fast paced, funny, and make you think.

Martha is an amazing prof. I took 3 of her classes. She expects you to do the readings before class because her lecture style is "conversational" ie) everyone participates in discussion, and there is no discussion if you haven't done the readings. She knows her stuff, is funny, makes you get creative, and challenges you a lot. Take her classes!

Martha was one of the best professors I've had at UFV. She is 100% the FUNNIEST prof; every lecture involves at least a few laughter outbursts. She makes lectures very involved and vocal, and keeps your interest with humor. Very kind, but the exams are HELL. They are 100% written, so study and study hard for them. Learned so much with her.

Really great teacher who is passionate about her subject areas. Don't skip class because you'll miss something important you need on a test. Tough but fair grader and gives you about 80% of the test material before the text through obvious hints during lectures.

Martha is an amazing professor- so talented and professional! Her lectures and course materials are engaging, thought-provoking and inspirational- she's also very funny and student-focused. I never wanted her classes to end. UFV is priviledged to have her! You will most definitely learn a lot from this teacher.

Amazing prof!!

Really enjoyed her class and would take any class that she teaches. Pre-reading the chapters for that class is helpful as she doesn't cover it all in class. She gives hints for what will be on the tests. Engaging class with lots of open conversation/inputs. Overall, AWESOME instructor

Martha is AMAZING!!!! You will not regret taking her class. I have had her 3 times and have always enjoyed and done well in her classes. I love how enthusiastic and passionate she is. I always want to learn more. Tests are fair and she loves when you participate. Such a great and caring teacher! HIGHLY HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!!!!

I looked forward to Martha's lectures every week. No power points,just take notes from her lectures. She is a very tough marker on tests so make sure you know your stuff and definitely do the readings. She is also s very slow marker.

Martha was awesome. I took this class out of curiosity as I needed a chill elective and I was not disappointed. The class was such a break from my usual course load and she's hilarious. Classes flew by! Would definitely recommend if you're looking for an interesting class to earn a few credits.

Martha is a gem. She is such a wonderful professor who gets you to connect each class with the world around you. She doesn't believe in "safe spaces" but thinks all students should be challenged and look closely at their biases. Martha is one of the best professors you will ever have.

I had Martha for Soc. 245 and she was great. You'll be fine for lectures if you just skim through/skip the readings before class, but definitely do the readings to study for midterm and final. Had one 8-page paper, but the topic materials were interesting and you got to choose what to write on. Her lectures are great, but be prepared to take notes!

Martha is a fantastic prof. Loved her to bits. She keeps the class engaged with her sarcasm, wit, and overall knowledge of the material. But, you NEED to be @ class. Lectures are discussion style, which makes attendance vital. Tests are very fair, as it was all from the reading / discussions. Highly recommend her.

Martha does not have slides. Her lectures are done through conversation and she writes on the white board key ideas. Read the chapter before class as it makes lectures easier. Upper level courses have learning contracts where you create your own assignments, but I never had that. Because of her I am taking a minor in sociology she's incredible.

Martha Dow is an excellent instructor. It s the only class in which the whole book was covered. Excellent discussion style class. Exams include both book and class discussion material. Exam preparation is excellent. A lot of material is covered. Fair grader.

Martha is the best professor I have ever had and really hope I can take more classes with her in the future. Her lectures are discussion style (so don't skip) and 3 hours absolutely flies by. She has a great sense of humour and makes her classes very enjoyable. I looked forward to them every week. The books are important to read for the two tests.

I have taken several classes with Martha and I have enjoyed each one. This class was an incredible learning opportunity. Martha encourages students to research topics that they are passionate about. I cannot recommend her enough, She will absolutely change your outlook on life.

Martha, though a little bias, provides an amazing environment to teach from. She is funny and easy to engage with. My 3 hours classes with her flew by, would totally recommend her. Very insightful and provides realistic expectations and preps you fairely for mid-terms and finals.

I loved Martha's class. I was worried since I had never taken a SOC class before, but her lectures were fun to attend and she gives the opportunity to make your own projects (and study your own interests). She also prepares you and marks very fairly on exams! Thanks Martha!

Amazing non-traditional lecture style. No powerpoint. Uses conversation and current events to drive topics and relate to text material. Makes you work for your grade but ability to get A+ is there!! Very transparent of her questions and expectations on the exam. Opens your eyes to deviant behavior beyond criminality. Thank you for great experience!

Martha is really funny and I enjoyed going to her lectures. The only downside is you need to read the textbook before class to understand what is going on. The final paper is interesting but pretty open-ended and not very clear which caused problems for me because I'm used to research papers. Overall she's great and I had a lot of fun in her class.

Martha is extremely nice. She is always available to answer emails quickly. I felt like there was substantial homework in this class but I suppose nothing that is too hard, just lots of writing. There were also no exams. The only downfall for Martha was how long it would take to get marked assignments back.

Martha is AMAZING!! Her course doesn't involve many assignments but I would highly suggest reading the textbook chapters that she assigns for the week because when you get to class she just talks about the chapters to make them clearer. She makes the course content fun and you can tell she really cares about the well-being of all her students:)

I was nervous to take this course, but I watched this great interview and felt much better about my decision. I learned a lot about the professor and highly recommend watching the Bigger Than Me Podcast interview she did.

Would absolutely take another course with this prof!

She's awesome! It's easy to get engaged in class and she makes it a fun time. She doesn't use powerpoints but honestly the class runs super smoothly without them. Attending classes and reading the assigned textbook chapters really helps. The guidelines for assignments are clear and you know what's expected of you. Great class, great professor!

She is one of the best professors I've taken here. The exams are insane, but she is very clear about what will be on them -- if you are there and doing the readings, you'll be great. Participation helps a lot but don't be worried if you aren't a big talker. Best class I've taken. I 100% recommend it.

Professor Dow was the best prof I have had at UFV so far. She is very interesting, has engaging assignments, and makes learning the subjects fun. Would recommend, excellent prof.

Martha is the best professor I've had at UFV. Her lectures are always interesting and engaging. There are weekly textbook readings, 2 papers, a midterm, and a final (both worth 35%) as well as a participation mark. You definitely have to work for your grade but she makes learning fun. She is also very caring and understanding of students' lives.

Great professor. She is truly passionate about what she is teaching. She is very knowledgeable and gives great feedback with opportunities to improve. Her exams are written but she also has given many opportunities to explain your answers for better marks. I will definitely be taking her classes in the future.

This is the second time I have had Martha as a prof and can not recommend her enough. She is truly amazing and such an engaging prof. There were weekly readings, 2 papers (she made the second paper optional), a midterm, a final (both worth 35%) as well as a participation paper (10%). You need to work for a good grade but she makes learning fun!

Martha's class was fantastic. Her lectures are much more discussion based which makes them very engaging and helps you to apply learnings to the world around you. Though attendance isn't mandatory, its helpful come exam time. Exams are all short/ long answer so I would recommend making questions from course content to study from.

One of my most favorite professors. Going to class and participation is mandatory.

I love Martha! She is funny, kind, & a really fair marker (not easy, but fair). However, she HARDLY answers her emails so you have to talk to her in class. We had all written Qs for midterm/exam & 2 "make your own assignments". Learned a lot from her, highly recommend!

Lectures are EXTREMELY engaging and she prioritizes class group thinking a lot, which I like. Really wants people to engage each other in thought. Her lectures are mostly speaking with drawing on the board. Can be scattered and unstructured, but it's easy enough to understand the point she's making. Extremely sweet person, very lax with deadlines.

This is the third class I've had with Martha. Her classes are always engaging and filled with great conversations. Getting a good grade requires hard work and class participation. This course was graded entirely from 3 papers and one final exam. Our class went into the final exam knowing 0% of our grade. Many of us students felt it was unfair.

Professor Dow is passionate about the material. Her class has a lot of writing, but the workload is manageable. unstuck ai helped me stay on top of the readings and concepts.