Challenging for sure. I had to work pretty hard, but generally his lectures are straightforward and interesting. You can do well if you stay on top of your work and do all the extra credit.

He tries to help and clarify all reading and never puts down students when they have questions. The tests are a little difficult but there is alot of opportunities for extra credit and doing them will ensure a good grade. Keeping up is a must.

This guy isn't all that bad. He gives plenty of oppertunity to do well and get a good grade. The work is easy and the test are easy and the assignments are easy if you do them. You just have to pay attention and use your brain a little.

It is obvious that the bad reviews for Rooney come from those students that either failed the class due to the lack of effort they put forth. Therefore, I must disagree and state that Rooney is one of the most intelligent, and helpful professors at PCC.

Well, in fact, I consider Mr. Rooney the best professor I have ever had in my school career and that includes many schools in different States. I strongly recommend this prof. to anyone who is open to a change. Extremely intellegent and always prepaired.

Mr. Rooney is a good teacher. It is a little intimidating to have a teacher who is so intelligent that he makes most PCC professors look like classmates. It is a challenge well worth it. He is very cute, too.

His courses are not easy (lots of homework), but you will learn the material. He's enthusiastic and always answers people's questions. He does sometimes act like he knows everythign, but he is a Jeopardy champ and knows a lot more than most PCC profs.

He's not all that bad, even though i dropped his class. The other comments about how smart he is. Oh it's true! He does, on the other hand gives waay to much h/wrk and not enough time to do it in. Just be prepared to do a lot of hwk if taking this teacher. Overall good teacher and very informative.

I dropped too, but I think I could've gotten an A if I was a full-time student. He knows his stuff and is a good teacher, but he expects too much from CC students. We don't have photographic memories like him or every night to study. But he is upfront about it & is a decent and funny prof.

This class was boring but easy if you keep up on the work. People complain about the amount of work he gives but it really is not that much and not difficult at all if you're commited and not lazy.

Some people think they know everything, but he really does...Well, almost everything.The subject he teaches is not easy and requires commitment. If your looking for a class you can take a nap in(and believe me, you'll be tempted) this is not the one for you. On the other hand, if you're a serious student this class will prove to be very practical.

Notice how the negative comments can't spell or write clearly? No coincidence. Rooney is demanding but fair, and not that hard if you study the text and do the work. He's funny and smart as hell, which is a welcome contrast with some profs at PCC. But if you're dumb or lazy, he will give you the grade you deserve. Not for babies or drop-outs.

He's obviously brilliant, has a great sense of humor, and explains the material really well. I always enjoyed his lectures. The only time the class got slow was when he had to stop and explain things to students who just didn't get it. If you can prove you understand the concepts, it's easy to get full credit on tests and assignments.

Leave this guy alone; he has a great sense of humor, but his class sucks. Hears why: 1. All assignments (excepting exams) are graded from 1 to 3. What this means is his grading scale is wrong, you can get an F a D or an A. 2. As a young professor he feels he has to prove him self, as such he grades way to hard. 3. 60% of his class dropped, that

He is brilliant, which is why I took more than one of his classes. If you have a hard time in his class either you didn’t apply yourself or you simply aren’t bright enough. I am guessing that most of the people criticizing him on this website probably didn’t do very well in their English classes either. I suppose that was the teacher’s fault too.

Prof. Rooney is a smart guy - he pulled in over a $100,000 on two appearances on jeopardy. I bet the negative comments are from kids who wanted to float through another GED class without really studying. Pay attention, and you'll learn how how the arguments posted here are full of weak arguments and fallacy.

He is a smart and humorous guy, and I really enjoyed his class. He teaches well and tries to help students. His exams are basically from your hw. Hw is not hard at all. You will like his class.

You're supposed to read the chapter before he lectures on it, which is helpful, but makes class sooo boring. Extremely fast grader most of the time. He does assign a lot of HW but like 70% it uses the honor system; I never did those. I was surprised at how much of this class was just memorization/recall.

Rooney is definately my fav prof. Although I had to take his class twice I have enjoyed both my experiences. He definately knows what he is talking about yet there is a good amount of homework and "argument" papers (1page). He made philo interesting to me and he is a very humourous guy. Did I mention that the textbook is relatively cheap too?

One of my favorite professors at PCC. Very funny and very smart. Lectures are clear and the tests are resonable. Plus he givesout a lot of extra credit.

He's great. I am having fun at every class and always want to be there. I won't say the class is easy, some of it I just don't seem to get, but I don't think that's because the professor is tough, such is the subject. Anyway, if I had to take philo again, I'd take it with Rooney.

I do not understand how anyone can say this guy is arrogant or anything negative. Sure, his class might be hard but during the lectures he's as clear as he can be in a PHILO class. If you really "THINK" about everything you do then you should do fine in his class. He definitely knows what he's teaching and there's really very little to memorize.

Professor has geeky sense of humor =) Not much 'thinking' just logic. If you do well then you will have no problems writing strong essays or making good arguments in your other classes. Keep up with the assignments, pay attention, E.C brings grade up to one letter, and you will do fine!

Rooney knows his stuff and is helpful in helping his students. However, that is if enough of his students remain in the class. We started with 35 and ended with 7 people taking the final exam. The text book is LAME. The tests are extremely tricky. Take another professor.

I looked forward to going to Rooney's class every single time. He's the best teacher I've had so far in PCC - but he'd say this statement is too vague. He is clear, funny, and reasonable. At first I was very puzzled by the subject (Logic), and he made it clear. I absolutely will take his class again, any time.

Rooney is an excellent professor. He kept lectures clear and used several real life examples. QUizzes and tests are real life examples so study the material and be able to deduce them to real life arguments. He has quiet the sense of humor. I really recommend him.

hard class

Though the class is difficult, Rooney is funny, helpful, and makes intro to critical thinking very interesting.

he has a sexy brain!!! and he has the best humor. he knows everything about everything! I'm so impressed. I took the intro philo class but would take any other also, you learn a LOT.

Great professor, good sense of humor. Hardly any homework. If you read the text and study your notes, you will have absolutely no problem on the tests.

The syllabus warns you, this is a hard class.. but one that is worth the effort! If you value your education and like a challenge, this is the professor for you. He knows his stuff, and wants you to learn! But, he will not cater to the lazy or the uninterested. If you want an easy A, look elsewhere! If you want to learn, you're in the right class!

dope teacher. I usually sleep in class and not care about subjects that arent my major but this guy is loud and explains the material so clearly and makes it interesting. I still slept in class sometimes though. Good teacher i recommend him.

I took Professor Rooney's class, and I have to admit I was dubious at first and thought it was really hard. But then, after I woke up from a doze during a lecture, it all started to make sense. I now use the power of logic in my everyday life. For example, women are now completely unable to refuse me, and I got a $5,000 discount on a new car.

This guy rules. Super interesting/smart/funny. If you're a 13th grader, STAY AWAY! However, if you're interested in learning incredibly valuable logic skills, take his class! p.s. 13th-graders, please STAY HOME and stop wasting our time!!!!

If you want organized, stick to the schedule, follow the book, no surprises, then this is your class. Material is a little dry, but Prof. Rooney is detailed and gives you everything you need to get an A. Grading is fair and objective so its up to you to do the work.

His class is pretty hard, you definitely have to read the book and study it. But he's funny and I liked the class.

Yes, he is picky, like a math prof -- because you have to KNOW the material and USE it and can't just BS. He is late, but never keeps students over or docks anyone for tardies. So many slackers in this class seem shocked that they have to do WORK and THINK. If you don't do those things, yeah, he might not take you seriously.

Test are pretty hard

Lectures are fun, but this is not an easy class.

Lectures are fun, but that class is not easy to get an "A". As long as you work hard and pay attention in class, you will definitely get the grade you want.

Professor is extremely passionate in the topic and provides examples from many aspects of life. He expects you to understand the concepts fairly well so the class may be a little difficult because it actually requires thinking as opposed to most other PCC classes. This class made a strong impact in my life. Highly recommended if taken seriously.

The previous comment is pretty funny, since Rooney does seem like he knows everything. I guess that rater was too dumb to study and got a bad grade. I studied, and got an A. Kinda a "duh, it's school, you hafta study" thing. Prof is demanding but not too hard.

Mr. Rooney helped me develop a critical thinking mind set. Although his tests are difficult if you do your study and not memorize, you will be fine. I think Rooney is a great professor, I would love to take his class again

This professor is great.He will teach you a lot about the subject. He is a hard grader, so pay attention and do the HW. he doesn't grade it, but its help-full. his assignments are short and his test are hard. take home quizzes too.

Amazing teacher. Intelligent & understands what hes talking about. Hard but well worth it. He teaches logic not writing logic. Very funny & loves his work. He only uses one small $20 textbook. Expect to use it a lot. My advice; you MUST be able to understand the principle AND apply it to the questions like math. Do not expect to write w/e you want.

Here's a new concept students should try: Studying. In order to pass his class, one must actually study, he teaches the material and it is up to the student to try to understand it, you actually have to use logic in his class not just learn definitions. Although he doesn't check the homework, it is the difference between passing and failing

He is one of the best teachers I had in this community college. Although he is hard, he is the fairest grader I have ever met. If you want to learn how to think critically you should take this class. He is very serious and isn't afraid to tackle very critical logical misconceptions. But if you want an easy A this isn't the class for you.

I am taking the final for this class tomorrow but overall a good class. The lectures are long but it really clarifies the concepts. At first he was very repetitive but with more material it was very helpful. His examples are funny, and if you don't think he's funny at all then you probably have boring classmates. You have to work but it's worth it.

Mr. Rooney is a excellent professor, his lectures are long, but crystal clear with the use of humor and enthusiasm which makes the class interesting. His class is composed of written work only, and he is a tough grader. You REALLY need to take notes, study the book, and avoid skipping class in order to pass the class.

I really liked him! He is intelligent, funny, and clear. If you're taking him for Logic in Practice, YOU NEED THE BOOK! You won't pass without it - the class is entirely based it. He conducts lectures through student participation. He is a bit of a tough grader, but you shouldn't have a hard time as long as you pay attention and know the material.

Do ALL the work. To get an A it is ESSENTIAL you understand the material. It is not simply knowledge based, but application. This class is basically using COMMON SENSE/LOGIC to see if an argument is bad or good. It will be HARD if you don't understand the material. if you actually pay attention and understand it, it is EASY. Extra Credit Possible.

The class was 3 hours long but his lectures made it feel so much shorter. He's clearly passionate and extremely knowledgeable about the subject. He has high expectations of his students so be ready to make an effort if you want to pass. As for those of us who survived to the end of the semester, we loved him.

Challenging class but smart and funny teacher. You must READ the book and take careful notes on how to do the exercises on the quizzes and tests. If you memorize the definitions and follow the examples, it's not that hard.

Professor Rooney was great. He is very funny guy but sometimes thinks he's a little funnier than he really is. As for the class it's pretty simple. The only homework is read and it's a must to pass the class. Unless you can listen and learn. Also there are practice tests online that he pulls questions from, so do those too!!

Knows what he's talking about. Everything is explained on the syllabus. You have to read the instructions and follow them. If you don't follow instructions, you lose points -- no duh. Not confusing if you know how to read. If you ask questions via email, he responds.

Good professor, just read the textbook and you should be fine.

Professor Rooney never missed one class meeting throughout the semester. You must get the book for class. The semester in all was 2 quizzes, midterm and a final and extra credit was available. No homework. Everything for the tests are in his lecture don't miss his class if you want an A. I missed 4-5 classes and was able to get a B. Good class!

Political Theory was reading heavy but the tests were directly from the reading. One paper. Brings up interesting topics for class discussion; be prepared to think and defend ideas about what good democracy is, free speech, libertarianism, etc. Good class.

Professor Rooney have very interesting lecturing, his class wasnt boring. He was a champion of Jeopardy in 90s and 00s, very intelligent and have a lot of knowledges! Be prepared to study and work hard for a good grade, Professor Rooney is a tough but fair grader. Philosophy is a very useful subject, I appreciate knowledges I received.

Rooney's critical thinking class is the most worthwhile class I've taken. You won't get by in the class by just relying on the lectures, so read through the chapters a couple of times. You will learn more about critical thinking and improve your writing in this class than other Phil 25 courses. If you want to learn to reason well, take this class.

Rooney is a great professor. He is very knowledgeable and more than qualified to teach this class. He is nice enough and makes jokes in class that are actually funny. However, the subject itself has concepts that are hard to grasp and despite that, he does a great job of explaining them. You NEED to go home, study and go over the exercises.

He is a really nice professor and great guy. However, the class is pure lecture with very little in class engagement on the part of the student. Also, very little actual feedback on assignments. I wish he was a little more one on one to ensure we truly understand how to correct mistakes and answer to his standard. Would put it at more of a 3.5.

Took Political Theory last year. Two quizzes, midterm, final, and a paper that's basically a double book report. Lots of discussion in class. A couple of activities (games) in class that were dorky but alright. Interesting topics and though he has his opinions, he's pretty fair in giving people a chance to talk. Must do reading.

You absolutely have to study for the tests, but he is very accessible via email and he holds optional Zoom conferences that are very helpful.

Dude gave a flat +10% across the board for online class. Every Zoom meeting is recorded so you can watch at any time. I never attended a single one live. Review questions posted along with the main ideas on Canvas for free. Go over the review exercises, the exam questions are in those. Answered emails in middle of night.

Very smart, wrote part of the book. Everything is from the book. Writing assignments like math proofs. Low tolerance for bs. Held hours of extra Zoom meetings with recordings available online. Homework exercises are previews of test questions.

Professor Rooney is an incredibly intelligent professor. The class is difficult. The text was confusing at times, but he broke it down in a way that made it less intimidating. He was very interesting in Zoom lectures. If this class were in person, I am sure the lectures would have been even more enjoyable. Thank you! Highly recommended!

Took his critical thinking class. It really wasn't that hard. He works through every problem in the Zoom reocordings; do what he does on the tests and you will pass. He does in fact give a 10% bonus, so even though I didn't ace the tests, I still got a B. You myust read the book though. He is also very funny in a dry way.

Don't know abt other ppl but he emailed me right away when I emailed, sometimes in the middle of the night. He recorded all the Zooms; that was very helpful to see how to ace the tests.

Intro was very clear. Two tests, one paper. Easy.

Took critical thinking with him b4 the pandemic. He brought us bagels and donuts and coffee every class. Absolute sweetheart. It is true he can be a strict grader, but he tells you exactly what he wants upfront and in the feedback comment sheets he gives. You must follow the instructions in the book and in his comments!

I took this class during summer so it was a fast pace. Teaching is really clear and direct from the book, so make sure to do your reading and practice. Grading is fair. If you really want to learn take this class. I mean we are in college so you will get treated as such. I will recommend if you are taking your school serious :)!

He is definately not biased. Grading is super clear. I honestly think he rounded my grade up. MUST study the book definitions, he cowrote it.

Professor Rooney gives great lectures and assigns a bunch of great reading. I would take his Critical Thinking course if I didn't do Ethics with him. Do the reading, it is really important as there isn't enough time to cover all of the subject matter in depth during lectures. I would have gotten an A instead of a B, if I'd done all of the reading.