2.5
Quality4.5
Difficulty25%
Would Retake85
Reviews25%
Would Retake
85
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
85 total ratings5
17
4
13
3
9
2
11
1
35
What Students Say
“He ensures that you participate and engage with the material, while also giving wonderful feedback on any assignments”
ENGL538 - 5.0 rating“Do not take this class if you want to keep your current GPA”
HUMN211 - 4.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
95%
Textbook Required
50%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-1.08 avg changeRatings by Course
340
5.0
(1)ENGL538
5.0
(1)ENGL386
5.0
(1)ENGL331
4.5
(2)341
4.0
(1)Difficulty by Course
340
5.0
ENG330
5.0
ENG170
5.0
ENG230
5.0
ENG342
5.0
Reviews (84)
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there are plenty of eng teachers here so you have a choice to take him or not. DONT! His assignments will make you grit your teeth, the are aweful. He thinks everyone is an idiot. He grades way too hard. He will tell you to ask for help and when you do you won't answer your question and he will leave you more confused.
Warning!!Do not take this professor. i am an honor student, this is my first low b. he is an impossible grader. his lectures are not clear; they are filled with condesending remarks. i ran a thesis by him, he approved, said great idea, then gave me a C. i had a 4.0 and ended with a 2.9 because he trashed an idea he already O.K'd. Horrible!!!!!!!
First of all, Binney is a nice guy, BUT try not to take a class from him. It's a painful experience. His explanations are confusing and he goes off on tangents in a monotone voice. I did get a good grade, but that had more to do with prior lit experience and somehow I was on a his good side. It was probably a result of good attendance.
This professor is...interesting. Not only is the content of his lectures difficult to understand, he mumbles when he speaks. His assignments are unclear and it's nearly impossible to get an A. If you can, take someone else.
I took his course earlier this year. Some of the comments on here are dubious...possibly revenge for bad grades. Is this professor hard? Yes. Will you learn a lot? Also Yes. I'd urge anyone who takes their academic progress seriously to take his classes. If you don't or are looking for ease, then don't bother.
He is a complete liar toward your papers. For I presented him with a paper a few days prior to its due date. He read exerts in the paper and told me, "I really like what you have here." I then asked if I needed to change anything and he said, "No, this is good." On the day he handed the papers back I recieved a D-. He lies to students.
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Dr. Binney is extremely capable and intelligent, and he definitely knows his stuff. Pay attention and speak up in class and get your papers proofed by him before you turn them in. He's a tough grader, so if you're in college to get an 'A' in everything then you should avoid him, but if you're in college to learn he's worth taking.
Expects lots of reading: at least 1.5 hours a night. Pay attention and/or mark key parts of texts as well. Talk to HIM about the essays as his requirements are specific. Take tons of notes in class and talk too. The concepts he goes over in class have to be in the essay. Advanced writing expected.
Go to him on each and every paper. Ask for the sample BEFORE the first paper. Take notes on his concepts because they show up in the midterms and finals. Read your text carefully. Speak proficiently on the readings in class. Be prepared for philosophy and theology--do what he wants. It won't be simple.
hard class. FRICKEN HARD CLASS. i considered myself to be a fairly good writer AND have taken a poetry class prior to this one. HIS GRADING IS IMPOSSIBLE. it doesn't matter how long you work on an essay. you will not ace it. nice guy, just ridiculously hard.
I considered myself a good writer...always getting A's on paper my freshmen year and in high school, but I can't get higher than an 82 on a paper in his class. His expectations are really high! He mumbles a lot when he talks...and he talks fast at that. The only plus is that he isn't too bad to look at.
The class itself is not bad, you talk about the poems, analyze them out loud, and you think it's okay. Then you get your essays back that you've spend ten hours writing and you've only got a C. His grading is the TOUGHEST I've ever seen, and getting papers back made me want to cry and hide in the corner until Christmas break. I learned a lot tho
I would absolutely recommend Binney to anyone who wants to learn and be challenged. Yes, it is a difficult class, but it's the best I've taken at EWU. Expect to have your brain broken, but by the end you'll be surprised at what you've learned. Do the reading, speak up in class, and give yourself time for the papers. You'll live.
I had him for Intro to Fiction and Brit Lit I. And although he was one of the hardest professors, he taught me so much. He knows his material: just attend class and make sure that you take notes. Conference with him on every paper and presentation. If you want a great education, take him: you can get an A in this class if your efforts show it.
He expects hard work and he gives honest feedback. Sometimes that sucks, but when you get a "real job" your boss will love you because you'll write better than anybody else in the office. Also, feedback from bosses won't suck so much because you've been hardened by the honesty that Binney provides. It really is a good thing. Trust me.
Binney is very knowledgeable, very helpful, and very nice, but he's also VERY hard. If you take his class you'll learn a ton of stuff, but you'll also have a ton of work.
Everyone talks about how difficult Dr. Binney is, and they aren't lying-he is probably one of the toughest teachers at this University. and although I loathed the workload at first and felt it unfair, I truly learned a lot. I would recommend Dr. Binney to anyone up to a challenge who actually wants to learn something. I'm a better writer for it.
Yes, he's hard, but don't listen to the negative comments. He's not at all unfair, just challenging. He's absolutely brilliant, and you will benefit from taking any of his classes. You will learn a ton in a short amount of time. He leads you through the material very logically. Show up, read, pay attention, and you will do just fine.
condescending subjective grader/ professor. gets by on witty jokes with younger students who are more easily intimidated-- and more forgiving of unacceptable behavior.
If you're looking for a float class, this isn't for you. If you want to learn a ton and work your butt off, you'll get a lot out of the class. It's definitely not for the faint of heart, but I'm very glad I took this class.
Loved this class. Binney is a hard teacher, and expects his students to do his work. While some may consider him to be too hard, he is a good teacher and expects his students to do their best. If you are willing to do the work required in any class you should be able to pass Binney's class just fine.
Binney has quite an appealing smugness about him. I didn't think it was possible prior to the class. I read Paradise Lost once prior to the class and I have a whole new appreciation for Milton, thanks to Binney. He was very passionate about the literature (his reenactments of the acts were fairly humorous). His paper critique was the only neg.
Binney expects a lot from his students and expects essays to be a certain format. He stresses that students should see him and you should. He can really help you out and he does want to help. His lectures are really entertaining. His Star Wars reenactments and squirrel stories are the best.
Almost everything that we discussed in this class was irrelevant toward the graded assignments. You could not show up at all and get the same grade; weekly quiz's are online, along with the midterm and final. The only thing you would want to go in for was the 2 writing assignments. Class just consisted of a bunch of random and heated debates.
Professor binney is a difficult instructor. His 2.5 hr Fiction class is a joke. You spend the first 3 weeks talking about nothing (small groups in class) then, all the sudden you have major essay papers assigned every other week. He grades difficult, in-fact you will most likely revise and re-submit papers numerous times. Hey..you've been warned!
Binney's teaching methods are atrocious. He tries to find various ways to teach structure, but they only confuse students more. Has impossible standards; expect to re-submit papers. As someone whose strength is English, this class was extremely difficult. Also he can be a bit condescending when you don't understand his confusing directions.
Binney commits himself to providing the most information possible for his survey classes. He is brilliant and passionate about his subject area. Attend and be prepared for discussion. Ask for clarification if you need it- he will insist on it for your essays. Put in the time and effort; ask for help for essay development, and you'll do well.
Takes forever to get back with you. Doesn't provide you with feedback. Very unprofessional. Would not take this class again with this instructor.
Extremely intelligent, makes you work hard- but isn't that something we should get use to? We are in college. If you go to his office and have him look over your essays, I guarantee you'll get a better grade. He wants you to succeed. Pretty hot, has these tiny chicken ankles though.
Can't deny, Binney is one of the hardest professors in the entire English department. He definitely pushed me, and I am a much better writer for it. I would definitely take a class from him again for that reason. Not bad to look at; has the smallest ankles I've ever seen on a man.
The hardest English prof youll ever have, but so worth it. He will push your skills from good to great. Binney is extremely passionate about the learning process. His expectations and harsh grading will take a toll on your health and social life. However, you will gain priceless experience and excellent feedback. Its worth it, his is brilliant.
Binney is brilliant. That said, he may be too smart to teach. He seems like one of those professors who teaches so that he can support himself while he researches obscurities. The concepts he teaches are vague and abstract, yet he expects you to understand them quickly, or that you already learned them. I'm an A student; I kept getting C's. Not ok.
Extremely out of touch with how it feels to be a student. Very vague questions that no one knows how to answer. Everyone in his class (at least 50 students) is failing, and there is something wrong with that. Not clear on assignments, shuts you down when asking questions and no answer is ever good enough. I would never take a class of his again.
Do not take this class if you want to keep your current GPA. VERY tough grader. Binney is super intelligent and knows it. He has a specific style of writing you must comply with. Gives you C's if you did well, B's if you're pretty good, A's are almost unheard of. Would not recommend this class.
Binney is a very intellectual person, and he lets you know it by acting in a very condescending manner when you don't understand very obtuse concepts. He shoots down every attempt to answer his vague questions, and he is always looking for something better than what you have to say. This will either motivate you or discourage you to no end.
Write EXACTLY how he wants or be prepared to listen to how he wants it over and over. I would say you can get away with cliffnotes for the stories, but pay attention to those summaries because he has random quizzes on the readings and a weekly essay. He is energetic, funny and is very helpful one-on-one.
Hard class, you read a lot and weekly essays and pop quizzes make getting a good grade difficult.
He ducked up explaining something on the first day and that set the class back a bit. But otherwise he's a good prof. Be ready to read. He expects effort
Worst professor I have had here so far. You can write word for word what he says in a essay and still be wrong. Doesn't listen to his students. I wouldn't take this class from him again.
His pop quizzes and essays will make it impossible to get a good grade. Even when your write exactly what he wants he'll write on his paper to stop by his office because you did it wrong. Be ready to read a lot, he makes dumb jokes in class some of them very offensive. Worst professor I've had at Eastern.
I hated this class more than any class I've ever taken. Wouldn't recommend to my worst enemy. I heard the other instructor for humn210 is much easier if you must take this class.
Binney is a very approachable professor and highly highly encourages interaction concerning weekly papers. You will have a paper assigned weekly and the topic is based off of what is discussed in class so don't miss! He is extremely vague concerning correction so keep a positive attitude and keep in touch with him for editing.
Binney will push you, no lie, but it is so worth. If you have any questions email him or go to his office hours he is always willing to help with papers. All of your papers topics come from discussion which is student lead after week 4. He's not going to baby you and wants students to be involved in class. Tons of work and you will learn so much.
Everyone says this is a hard class and it's true. Binney is the hardest professor I've ever had. I thought it wouldn't be that bad because I'm good at school but I was wrong, this was the worst decision I've ever made. I'm a 3.8 student and I will barely pass with a 2.8 (maybe). And this is the required GPA for the ed department.
I am a 3.9 student and I couldn't get more than an 81% on any of his papers no matter how hard I tried. His grading is ridiculous. He would tell me what to fix and then he would find more mistakes. There is absolutely no pleasing him. He's a funny lecturer at times but he's unclear and condescending when speaking with you.
Professor Binney is by far the most condescending and unapproachable professor I have ever had. In my class the average score on our final essay was 7.9/20. We spent over 30 minutes in class asking questions and he was nothing but rude, acting like it was the students' fault for misunderstanding. Don't expect to do well in his courses.
If you have learned any way of writing before university or before taking his class, be prepared to basically unlearn it. His lectures are ambiguous at best and each slide contains about 3-5 paragraphs. Don't be fooled by the short paper assignments, he grades HUMN 210 incredibly harsh. Also, there is no grading scale in his syllabus.
Want your questions answered with more questions? Take this class and you will love every second! Also if you want your gpa ruined by a class that has no relation to anything you will ever do in your life you will find yourself pleasantly surprised when you take this class! Want to sleep in today? Think again, you fail if you miss more than 2 days
This class isn't like the other lit classes. It's a lot more challenging, but not in a good way. The papers are confusing (even though he has a specific structure for them so that should tell you something), lectures never make any sense because he goes off topic so much, and if you ask for help, you can expect nothing but more confusion
Dr. Binney's classes are difficult compared to other English courses at EWU, but they are so worth it. Like any good teacher, his standards are high. You do have to read every document he gives to you carefully and follow the instructions. He doesn't give something out for no reason. I guess there's also a lot of reading, but English means reading!
Binney is a tough professor. Im an awkward person and always felt uncomfortable when I didnt understand something, but he never forces you to participate in discussions. Be ready for the papers and presentations ��
He is a stringent grader, but he gives you the requirements up front and if you conform to them you will score well. However, if you expect to get an A for a rote, half-assed paper, prepare to be disappointed. If you are looking for an easy A, look elsewhere. If you want to learn something, take Binney.
Tough class, he doesnt give useful feedback for papers, and with very few assignments it is hard to improve. Writing structure also very different from anything in other English classes.
Does not give useful feedback. Has admitted that people struggle with his class but he has done nothing to change it. If you wish to receive decent grade or help furthering yourself as a writer I would avoid Binney at all costs.
Rambles a lot in a 2 and half hour long class
This teacher is incredibly difficult to work with, and impossible to get an A with. He demands you to get your essay checked infinite times with him before turning it in ( I've done a paper with 5 or 6 responses from him) but that will not help you get an A. He is confusing with grading material and will tell different students different things.
Strictest English Prof Ever. If you miss more then two days of class without a dr note, he automatically fails you. Grade is composed of Bi-weekly papers, midterm and final. If you don't submit these papers to him for responses, you definitely will get a low grade, and his responses are all terrible and vague. If you can, find a different prof.
Way too many tangents in class that wastes time and we get behind because of him. Answers questions vaguely and it's doubtful you'll get a useful answer. He makes you print out 6 copies of each essay AND 6 rubrics to grade other people's papers (about 40 pages every 2 weeks), just for him to grade it and disregard your work. Avoid if possible.
He outright refused to grade some of my assignments, if you don't do the reading he'll know, he does pop quizzes.
Ive tried multiple times to squeeze all of the information I could but the character limit is too low to describe how hard my experience with Binney is. He is the worst professor I have ever had. I currently have a 48% in the class, and have all of my assignments in (on time). Do. Not. Take. Him. I have an A in every other class, but I am failing.
Lots of essays and have to peer evaluate. Highest grade you can receive is an 85 then you have to revise until he says it's A worthy. Pop quizzes on readings and lectures a lot when all the info is on the ppt. Very tough grader and takes attendance so show up every class. Readings are very boring and make you fall asleep. Would not recommend class.
Super tough class. Paper every other week, peer reviews after that. Self assessment essays after each paper. They are shorter, but graded hard. Doesnt seem to care. Would NOT recommend. Avoid if possible. If you have to take him, do the readings and ask questions.
Class is actually 345. AVOID AT ALL COSTS!!!
Binney shows students how to properly articulate concepts/arguments with a high standard. I really appreciated the essay example he provided, which included step-by-step instructions that explore the reason and impact of each word, sentence, and structure. I took his ENGL-250 (Genre) and I was blown away from start to finish of each lecture.
WORST professor EVER! I had a 4.0 going into his class and lost it all because of him. I ended with an A- which from the sounds of it is rare. Insane work load, unmanageable and practically undoable. Literally AVOID at all costs. He doesnt explain anything and most of it is philosophy that has no connection to the text. AVOID! UNHELPFUL!
Professor Binney is everything that you want in a graduate professor. He ensures that you participate and engage with the material, while also giving wonderful feedback on any assignments. Although his class is not considered "easy," he truly challenges you to step outside of your comfort zone and truly learn something. All I can say is thank you.
Pretty much required to see him in office hours, where he'll regurgitate what he said in class without any specificity to your paper. Hyper specific requirements with vague and unclear instructions, vague f/b. If you don't write the way he writes you will not succeed. Impossible standards. Avoid if possible, maximum effort does not equal success.
ENGL 273 was the class. Started the class with "I know you all have jobs and can't treat school like a job" before making it required for students to come to office hours at times that did not work for students who had jobs and did not accommodate. Overall confusing. When you think you understand, he makes you feel stupid for it.
The whole class was very hard and the concepts being discussed were extremely difficult to understand. If you can avoid him, do it. Prepare to do the reading or else there will be pop quizzes on irrelevant topics.
Binney is condescending and impatient with students. He cannot "dumb things down" even when asked many times, and there is no point in asking for help because he will just regurgitate the same nonsense over and over. He does not respond well to simple criticism and gets defensive when asked for explanations of feedback and grades.
SAVE YOURSELF AND YOUR SANITY. ENGL273 (Intro. to Theory) was the genuine BANE of my existence. His lectures are incoherent half the time/off topic. The peer reviews will make you rip your hair out. Egotistical and borderline narcissist when he provides "feedback" and comments. If you feel insecure about Theory you'll leave the class feeling worse
This was actually for Intro to Genre ENGL250. The class itself was interesting and not too difficult but Matthew binney. should not be teaching. If you voice concerns over the course he will be condescending towards you. He also has unrealistic expectations and treats his class as if it's the only one students are taking. #SurvivedBinney
If you've read the reviews, you may have noticed the patterns of what people think of Binney. I'm in week 5 of World Literature and it's starting to test my patience. To quickly say what's wrong: Unrealistic expectations, harsh grader, useless tangents, and by my experience: out of touch empathetically. Stats of reviews: 2.0 stars or lower:55%. Oof
AVOID IF POSSIBLE. I am so disappointed in Binney. The content is great, but be prepared for unrealistic expectations, crazy amount of reading, revise, rewrite, grade, and reflect your own paper AND 4 peer papers. Also, if you miss more than 3 classes you're dropped from it. You also have to have a doctors note if you're sick.
Very illegible. Changes his mind every two seconds on definitions. If you ask him a question he'll answer with "What do you think?" The peer reviews are so irritating, it's impossible to ever make him happy. Avoid if possible.
READ the text. Follow his structure EXACTLY. PRINT ur paper, bring to OFFICE HOURS, & write down the feedback you get. to succeed, u MUST learn how to define concept in terms of context & fxn. Do NOT let him get away with breaks shorter than 10 min/not answering your q's. ask several times. Ask him why he thinks baby seals are the same as walruses
You MUST read the texts or you will not do well in lectures. His teaching process is based on trial/error, from my experience; students try to apply definitions and he refines their understanding of a concept by explaining how the applications are right or wrong. Do not ask him about Legally Blonde, he'll go on for hours.
You will be exposed to the rigors of academia, but if you interact with the texts, take notes, participate in class discussions, and go to office hours to develop your paper with Dr. Binney, you will find success and become more capable in your field of study. I doubt I will ever have another professor of whom I will learn more from. Thank you!
Dr. Binney is the most knowledgeable professor in the English department. He is criticized for being a tough grader and coming across as abrasive at times, but I've learned more in his class than any other. The way I interpret literature has fundamentally changed since taking Dr. Binney, and that's what I would call a great professor.
Very knowledgeable and will help to guide you through the writing process. Not difficult at all, so long as you come to class, read, and follow the structure. My only ask is that I wish the course went more in-depth on Lévi-Straussian structuralism.
If you value your sanity, steer clear of this man. If you're an English major, I feel for you because you won't be able to. I was sick for the first couple of days of class, and he almost failed me. If that does not tell you what kind of person he is, I don't know what will. This professor helped me make my decision to transfer back to Minnesota.
Class Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
95%
Textbook Required
50%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-1.08 avg changeRatings by Course
340
5.0
(1)ENGL538
5.0
(1)ENGL386
5.0
(1)ENGL331
4.5
(2)341
4.0
(1)Difficulty by Course
340
5.0
ENG330
5.0
ENG170
5.0
ENG230
5.0
ENG342
5.0