2.9
Quality2.2
Difficulty24%
Would Retake207
Reviews24%
Would Retake
207
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
29
4
63
3
43
2
44
1
28
What Students Say
“I didn't enjoy this class”
ANTH201 - 3.0 rating“The quizzes can be tricky sometime but it's not bad”
ANTH201 - 4.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
25%
Textbook Required
46%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
A-
Grade Distribution
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Declining
-1.19 avg changeRatings by Course
201
5.0
(1)ANTH400
5.0
(1)ANTHRA
5.0
(1)ANTH291
5.0
(1)HSP423
4.0
(1)Difficulty by Course
ANTHO201
4.0
ANTH215
3.1
ANTH201ANTH361
3.0
ANT201
2.7
ANTHR201
2.2
Reviews (207)
No Comments
Easiest class I've ever taken. Only go to class on test days, his "lectures" aren't helpful - they are basically class discussions. The class is really too big for useful discussions, but whatever. He uses blackboard a lot, which is very helpful. The test is basically the study guide. EASY A!
The first day of class he took attendance of 150 students. Oh man. Don't go to the lectures. He spends 30 minutes on one powerpoint. He also uses the word 'um' a lot. The class and projects were a little unstructured and unclear at times. Although I did get an A. The study guide is the test. Remember that!
I did not like him. His use of the word 'um' is really distracting. He also constantly asks the class questions but no one answers. He is clear about his liberal views, and he doesnt answer questions well. He cuts people off when they are talking in class. The study guide is about 12 pages long on average, so be ready to devote a couple hours to it
This would be a very interesting subject, however professor James makes it boring. He says "um" every other word which is not only distracting but annoying. His study guides are very long but they are basically the test just in a different order. He is also slightly rude at times and interupts people. However its a really easy class.
This was an amazingly easy class. Paul was always cheerful, smiling, and had a good sense of humor. His class wasn't really necessary to go to because none of the powerpoints he used in class were on the tests, and even if they were, he put them up online on blackboard. Class was way too easy. Slacked my way through and got an A-
No Comments
Easiest Class EVER. If you want 5 credits handed to you with an A grade then this class is it. He gives you the test. Spend 3 or 4 hours studying the study guide the night before the test and you'll never need to show your face in class or read the book. Almost all the answers are on his slide verbatim.
Good class to take. Although lecture was a bit boring, I enjoyed some of random facts he talked about. The projects are fairly easy, and although they were confusing, I think that his next quarter teaching will be a bit more organized when it comes to the assignments. Study guides = the tests, so definitely do them. Good GUR to take!
His lectures consited of him reading directly off of his powerpoints, not allowing enough time to write down notes. But when asked if he could put up the powerpoints he would post them the day after they were presented in class.Did not give study guides until day before tests, not very clear assignments and not worth going to class.
Paul is enthusiastic about the subjects that he teaches and really wants students to learn. Sometimes he is a bit preoccupied, but overall a great prof. Somehow he has not lost his vision and willingness to try to make positive changes in the world.
This teacher is cool, awesome, and a very nice person. Not the best teacher as far as clarity goes, but I recommend him if you are just looking for a chill, easy class, with a great person as a teacher.
If you take him, don't even go to class. I went to class like 5 times and it was the easiest A I ever had. He gives you a multiple choice study guide with the answers in back, then puts those EXACT questions on the test. Do the readings and you're fine. He's a pretty cool guy too though.
Nice guy, I think he tries to hard to have everyone like him. There is absolutely no reason to go to class, but I always went cause I felt bad for him. Maybe 20 out of 60 kids showed up each day. He posts the power points, the study guide pretty much is the test. He's nice and pretty interesting. Good GUR to take!
Use classmates to collaborate on the study guide and you're set. Good, knowledgable dude and SUPER easy class.
Good teacher and it is a real easy class
The teacher is nice, but I found him boring. He reads off his powerpoints (which are online) and his notes which are always disorganized. I think he tries but is young and unexeperienced. He assigns lots of reading but if you do the reading and FILL OUT the study guide you will pass the class with an A no attendance needed.
No Comments
he's a great guy, i like him a lot. Though at 8:00 AM it's awfully tempting to just get the power points he posts online and sleep in more than go to class...
Super easy class and the work he assigns is super fun! i enjoyed the class even though it is not my major! Attendance is not mandatory, but he does give a lot of test hints out for the essay questions. He does attended to go over his time limit...alot!
Just a poorly put togather class.
Paul is a great professor. The exam questions come right off the study guide, so if you do that you'll do very well in the clas.
Paul is a great professor. The exam questions come right off the study guide, so if you do that you'll do very well in the clas.
No Comments
I only went to class the first week, hardly studied, didn't attend my group discussion week, never did extra credit, and walked out with a good grade. The papers were easy but time consuming. It's hard to believe this was a college class. I feel bad because Paul is a nice guy and I find the subject interesting but it's just not worth going to.
Seriously, no exaggeration, boring. He reads from his power points as you follow along on screen to the bouncing cursor he uses to keep his place. I don't know what kept me awake. I made an A, I think that everybody did. I found it hard to do my best work when lackies were scoring the same marks as me. And he can be thoughtlessly rude.
This is pretty much the easiest class I have ever taken. I went like the first 3 days and got a solid A. He gives you a study guide with 75 multiple choice questions and their answers, then puts 45 onto the test without changing them.
just reads off powerpoints...totally boring!
I took Paul James' class about a year ago, payed some attention, liked the class, and got a decent grade. At the time I realized I liked him as a prof, but since then I've come to really appreciate what he taught. I'd say with the clarity of hindsight he was my favorite professor at Western Washington; both as a teacher and as a person.
The content is really interesting but he puts all of his notes online and gives AMAZING study guides, so I don't feel a need to go to class. Three tests and three assignments are due the whole quarter. Pretty easy.
Paul is a pretty lax professor it's actually kind of refreshing. He wants student to do well and it's obvious. Takes a very long time to grade assignments, but I think that goes along with his personality -can't have it both ways. I would take other class with him.
No joke, this is quite possibly the most boring class I have ever taken. He reads straight off of his powerpoints, his notes are always a jumbled up mess, he is very disorganized and not very helpful. This class discouraged me from majoring in anthro, which was my intent at the beginning of the quarter.
SOOO easy. really nice guy too!
super easy class. he gives out study guides before every exam that covers EVERYTHING that will be on it.
Extremelly easy 201 class. You have to work in 303, but if you do the work you'll get an A. I really enjoy him as a professor. I would rather him teach Medical Anth or Stats. He specializes in Medical Anth in Latin America.
This class was super easy. You never need to read the main text book because he posts the lectures online and the study guides he posts are the test questions. The only thing you really need to do is go to discussion days because those notes aren't posted. He is really excited, but sometimes boring and goes off topic.
James is a very nice guy and the class is easy. However lecture is very boring.
Ok. Let me tell you something about this horrible person. All the assignments are ok until. The Wikibook. No. Seriously, you spend hours upon hours trying to just FIGURE IT OUT. It's pointless. He doesn't answer questions. He's not helpful. PS: =We- wrote the textbook for Spring/Fall Quarter. So. You're all screwed.
I took this class last quarter and honestly didn't learn anything. Prof. James, although nice and relaxed, turned the otherwise interesting subject matter into an incomprehensible mess. He read directly from the powerpoint slides (which didn't make sense anyway) and couldn't care less about attendance. An easy "A" but completely dry and uninspired.
Easy class. Extremely boring and uninspiring. Nice guy, but he tends to say "um" or "you know" very frequently. Easy GUR, but dont expect to learn much
James is a good guy. Lectures are all online, but you learn a lot more if you go to class because you get to hear his stories and examples. The study guides are really long, but if you take the time to fill them out then the tests are easy. Great class!
He is AWFUL. Very nice, but doesn't really answer questions or respond to emails. He is very awkward in office hours too and isn't much help. Also says "you know," and "in any case," every other word. SUPER distracting. The Wikibook is the dumbest assignment/project ever. It's pointless. I don't recommend him!
This man is an awful teacher in every way. The class is boring and all he does is read off his powerpoints. He is not helpful at all when you need help. You are never motivated to come to his class and the wikibook assignment is ridiculous, it is all just busy work. DO NOT TAKE this teacher if you ever want to be interested in anthropology again!!!
He is highly involved in his area and shares his enthusiasm with the class.He is committed to the class and wants to help his students succeed. He got me interested in Anthropology and i highly recommend his classes. Best class i ever took so far.
If you're going to take anthropology 201 to fulfill a GUR, then take it with him. He is not the most interesting person to listen to, but his class is very fairly graded so as long as you keep up, you will get a decent grade in the class.
This 200-level class had the amount of required reading and homework I'd expect from a 400-level class. He lectured straight from his slides, but he'd be far more engaging if he just bagged the slides and talked about his experiences in Latin America. This was like a boring repeat of the anth 100 class I took at community college.
Nice prof, easy going. Attend discussion days, do the assignments, complete the study guide for all quizzes and you will have an "A". A little disorganized, but he really knows his stuff.
Such an easy class. Just be sure to attend and listen to the lectures and review the powerpoints before tests and your set. Plus the teacher is a chill guy, so that certainly helps.
I loved this class. Not only is it the easiest thing I've ever taken, but it was very interesting. Paul James can be kind of spacey (or high), but he is a great person who knows his material. I got an A without doing any of the reading or study guides but make sure to go to class every day and listen. His comments WILL be on the exams.
Easy class, hes a really chill teacher, but the lecture could be a little more interesting. I wanted to point out that the WIKI assignment is not mandatory, there are 3 other options, so just don't choose it.
I liked him. He seems spacing but is very interested in his subject and cares a lot. Wants us to learn and find passion.
He's a super chill guy. Lenient. His lectures are interesting, even though there are a few lectures that makes you sleepy. Nevertheless, the class was packed everyday and in 201, you watch a really really life changing movie.
Awesome guy! Very chill, lenient about most things. Easy class. Lectures are interesting because he uses a lot of personal experience from his work around the world. Excellent GUR!
Full of himself! Teaches as though North Americans are evil, except for him b/c he helps people. haha His teaching style is too low quality for a university level.
This class was an easy A. If you like reading. He does have his boring days, but at times he can be funny and interesting. Very helpful. He kind of has his opinions on westerners so to speak, so if you can just ignore that sometimes it wont be as annoying. lectures are the tests. if you pay attention and read the books/lecture notes, easy A
Paul James is a goofy guy. A lot of dry humor, but he makes it very interesting. Tests are bi-weekly, and the lowest of four are dropped. Half of the final is word for word what you've seen on other tests...so it was fairly easy to get an A!
This is a pretty easy class if you do the reading and study a little for the tests. He's a nice guy and knows what he's talking about. Some pretty cool stories about his travels. Take this class if you need a GUR, are at all interested in anthropology, or need an easy A or A-.
This class is way too easy! No need to put in any effort, just show up for tests. If you're serious about Anthropology, take it from an actual professor. This guy is a joke!
Joke - the subject of anthro is interesting so take it with someone else, he is really a great guy and he means well but its way to easy, random and you offer think "why are we learning this" - nice guy though easy GUR but boring!
Very easy professor. But you don't learn a thing in his classes. If you need an easy A take 201 but if you're an anthropology major or minor don't bother. You will learn more watching the discovery channel than in his class.
he told the class on multiple occasions that physical anthropology isn't a course he enjoys teaching, and it really showed. His lectures are just him reading off the slides (info he took from the book) and his tests were unbelievably hard.i didn't feel like he prepared the class for the tests, which is kind of the point of lecture.
Lectures are fun and interesting, he's easy to listen to and not bad to look at (if you like ponytails).
One of my favorite profs so far. cool dude, always smiling, interested in what he's teaching. sometimes he doesnt get through everything because he tells stories, but all of them are really interesting and relative to what you're learning. not 100% organized and doesnt teach straight from the book, so a lot of people freak out. just be open-minded.
The most unhelpful professor I've ever had. Really doesn't teach anything during class, easy quizzes but useless information. Also, he doesn't remember people at all.
easy class. print out the powerpoints and take notes. everything is on the study guide. didn't go to class for the last 2 months, and still got an A. piece of cake.
Paul James is a cool guy, his class was pretty boring to me though, probably because I'm not in to anthropology. Very easy class, funny guy, tests are not super hard and he has cool stories. Good professor.
Cultural Anthropology is probably my favorite class this quarter. I don't understand how people could complain about his teaching, but to each his own. Tests are easy, just pay attention in class and to smaller details.He's funny and SUPER cute(this however did not influence my review). If you like Anthropology, you'll like prof. James
Paul James is probably my favorite teacher this quarter. He's always in a good mood and is always calm. His lectures can be boring, and the weekly reading assignments get old, but I am definitely searching for more classes taught by him! He's the man. Oh yeah, and if you take Anth 201, be sure to attend the pot luck.
Very interesting class. Paul James knows what he is talking about and is very laid back. Tests are not too difficult, and readings are hard but not mandatory to do well on the test. James seems interested in what he is talking about and does his best to relate it to us. Recommended for GUR class.
This is probably the only MTWRF class that didn't get annoying to go to everyday. Paul seems so kind and happy all the time and always seems interested in what he is teaching. There are some boring parts of this class but he's fun to look at and/or listen to even if you aren't comprehending what he is saying. Take this class. doooo ittttt. now
I took this class for GUR and I ended up loving it. He is a nice guy and it is nice to have a teacher so interested in his subject. Tests were fairly easy, and the weekly discussion groups weren't the greatest. I recommend him as a teacher if you want this GUR.
Nice and clearly interested in his field. Classes are okay, but I definitely skipped on occasion and didn't get the impression I was missing anything important
Super amusing guy, he laughs a lot and like classroom participation. One day a week is mandatory to discuss reading but you don't actually have to do anything. he always forgets his notes but he does well on his own with ppt. interesting class, assignments are easy, tests are not too bad.
Not a bad teacher, interesting, clearly loves his work. Rambles a bit and his powerpoints can be ridiculous walls of text. FINAL ASSIGNMENT WAS RIDICULOUS. Too much work, and I could have not done it at all without impacting my grade.
Paul James is a wonderful teacher, very interested and experienced in anthropology; uses a lot of personal stories to illustrate topics. Weekly readings are interesting but LONG. But you don't have to read all of them. I would highly recommend this class, and I want to take more classes from him!
Paul James has a lot to say and uses great examples, but he backs himself into a corner a lot. He starts saying something he realizes might be inappropriate and stops, laughs, and has trouble moving on. He also asks questions that you would think are rhetorical, but they aren't.
Only one day of class is mandatory, long assigned readings and homework though. Tests are super easy, just study the slides. He himself is fun to listen to and has some really interesting anecdotes.
Very straight forward class, just go to discussions and do the assignments (2 per quarter) and weekly reading responses (1 a week). Fill out the study guides completely to do well on the tests! I definitely recommend taking it with Paul James!!!
Awesome prof. The reading were very interesting and the class was easy.
Interesting prof, has a lot of good stories and gets sidetracked with them frequently. Loses his notes sometimes but manages without them. It's an easy, yet interesting class.
While Paul James is really enthusiastic about the material, the class is flawed. The readings are overly long, even when they can be enjoyable. The final was overly difficult and unevenly weighted on the "cumulative" material. As far as James goes as a professor, he is Ok, but don't bother trying to email him - he isn't very organized.
Wow- I would take every course James offers if it were possible. Interesting, amusing and obvious passionate about his work. Love it.
He is a wonderful instructor, but he lacks confidence in himself. He is unbelievably kind and truly tries to instill some humanity and charity in his students. He is doing good work despite his obvious doubts that he is making a difference.
He's awesome! Super helpful and he will make you smile every class. Overall and awesome teacher. Highly recommend taking the class if you're looking for a fun GUR
Paul James is awesome! He always has a smile on his face, and he really connects with the students, and appreciates feedback. There is a reading quiz every week, and an exam every 2 weeks, but they're easy as long as you use the study guides, and he puts his powerpoints on BlackBoard. Overall awesome teacher and class!
He's a good teacher but the subject itself it average. There's a lot of notes to take but he posts them on blackboard anyway. He's a really cool teacher and is sometimes awkward but in a funny way. There's only about 5 tests and you only need to do 2 out of 5 assignments which aren't bad at all. There's also weekly quizzes on readings: not hard.
The really takes in to what you have to say. Really helpful, makes time for you. Really wants his students to learn. His lecturers are really fascinating, loved everything about the class. DO the weekly readings they are important. Defiantly going to take another class from him.
Boring, but easy. I went to class almost everyday but it's definitely not needed. Four test and a final total but you get to drop one test. One quiz every week from the readings he posts online. Quiz questions are common sense if you do the reading. And you do two big projects that are required. If you do them you get full points. Overall very easy
Extremely easy but the level of reading required and the usefulness of knowledge gained make the class not worthwhile
I totally loved this class, I dont know why he's getting such bad reviews. He's a little easy,and disorganized but he teaches multiple courses. He certainly knows his stuff. I wish I had had him for my 201 class, instead of skeletor. I've only heard good things about him from everyone else too. PLUS, he looks like a sensitive Fabio..
I think he could benefit from a smaller class size but all in all i enjoyed the class. It gave me an interest in anthropology that i had never had before to the point where i'm actually planning on majoring in it now. Nice guy though, knows his stuff, he's just better on a one on one level. Use his office hours!
First of all, Paul James is a beautiful man. and his class is super easy. the test questions are either straight from the book or topics he discussed during lecture. which are not always on the power points, so attendance is beneficial :) anyways yeah, i love paul james.
Paul has tons of experience and it shows. 3 exams with weekly reading quizzes which he gives the questions to you at the beginning. Fun class, go to class because what he says is in the tests but overall interesting class!
Paul is an AMAZING professor. I greatly enjoyed his lecture class, and he has a lot of experience that he loves to share. Lectures are optional, and he posts the slide on blackboard, however many of the exam questions are details that are given in class. There are a couple exams and weekly quizzes over reading material. Funny guy and great class!
Unorganized is an understatement, he hasnt updated blackboard in like 5 years and he said he would have 5 quizzes but we only had one all quarter. May be a good teacher for lecture class but he is awful at trying to generate discussion. Very easy A though, no tests but a couple fun in class activities.
he is really nice but his lectures will put you to sleep and the tests are really hard
Loved his class. Big class, not too intimate but he has a great attitude. Tests are multiple choice and most classes are lectures. Weekly quiz with 1 question, not too hard. Gives good review. Extra credit opportunities are available. Seems passionate about his work. Sometimes he goes on tangents, but it shouldn't be used against him. Great class.
Had him for the 6 week summer session and it was awesome. We had a bunch of foreigners in the class and with the very small class size made for very interesting discussions. James is a very passionate and intelligent teacher I would definitely recommend taking him, especially summer quarter where you would be in a 16 person class, rather then 180.
I really enjoyed the class. The work load wasn't too bad and the assignments were easy if you took the time to do them.
Boring and slow lectures, often catches himself getting off topic or bringing up controversial topics that made me feel uncomfortable. Besides that, pretty simple class. Lowest test can be dropped, weekly quizzes on boring articles he gives you, and 2 essays that you can get full credit if you just do it. Definitely the guy to take for this class.
He's a cool guy but I would NOT recommend this class unless you seriously love anthro. He's not clear in the lectures, just rambles for an hour and a half and the tests are extremely hard. I don't suggest taking this class if you're just looking for an easy GUR.
Paul is really nice, and although his lectures can sometimes drag on, they are easy and often interesting. The only downside is that he can be disorganized and get very far behind on lectures, but I never felt it hurt the class at all.
I took ANTH201 for a GUR two years ago and fell in love with the anthropology from that course alone. Paul James is really friendly and is clear of his expectations for the class. He is a relaxed, soft spoken prof. I went on to take ANTH361 with him simply because he taught it. Take him! I am an anthropology minor partially because of him!
This class is boring, and annoying. Prof. James is incredibly disorganized, and yes it does affect the class. I also found him rather pretentious and ignorant to some of the subjects we went over in class. My recommendation is don't take the class.
Class was unstructured, semi-boring, not content-wise per se, but the lecture was dry. Also, really slow at grading assignments.
No need to go to class, all assignments have nothing to do with lecture. He seems like a very nice person. I got 100% on every assignment so I feel like he didn't even read them.
Paul is awesome. Full disclosure: I'm an Anthro major and a culture nerd, but this class was really interesting. Paul will tell lots of stories during class and is very knowledgeable. Do the reading, go to class and you will get a good grade. He's a cool guy, just get to know him better and go with the flow.
Awesome teacher super chill.
Paul is really informed about his topic. However, seriously scatter-brained, loose on expectations and doesn't grade assignments in a timely manner. When he does, his feedback is vague at best. It's difficult to know what he is looking for so ask questions and don't skip (he'll often give clarifications in class.)
He was so confusing about what we were doing in class, it was like he didn't even know and he had expectations for us?! He would just laugh and smile and say "you know" instead of explaining and then if we didn't respond quickly he would get pissed and do a random non-thought out assignment for credit in 5 minutes.
Interesting class, he kept me entertained and talked about the subject matter in a context that the class could relate to. Some people might have thought he left certain topic loose ended but I felt like he wasnt trying to change your opinion, just give you the facts and have you think about your own viewpoint
Such an easy-going professor, which made the class, material, and assignments tolerable. He thoroughly explains himself, posts the slides, and allows you take home the exams so you can study them for the final because the final includes some questions DIRECTLY off the previous exams. This class was one of my favorites at WWU.
Paul is a funny and smart teacher. Lectures were interesting, quizzes and exams were easy if you follow the readings (I especially enjoyed Dance Lest We All Fall Down-it's an engaging and relevant book). Occasionally he'd give everyone full marks on a quiz just because. :)
Paul is a great professor, you learn a lot just by going to class and listening to his stories and thoughts. As long as you do all the assignments and put in the little effort he requires, you can get an A.
Awesome professor! The material used in class is very interesting and really gets you thinking. He has many viewpoints and isn't one sided on what he teaches. There weren't tests and the class wasn't too difficult but if you showed up you learned a lot! Loved it!
This class was SO BORING. I never went. Paul James definitely loves anthropology, but he was often all over the place. It's a really easy GUR though.
You can tell he's excited about the subject but his lectures are so boring and tangential that its hard to sit through the full 80 minutes. HUGE amount of reading that he advises you skim weekly in prep for a quiz, but still takes up a ton of time. His TA was a toughish grader but he drops the low test score so it evens out.
He was really nice and funny but would constantly go on tangents during lectures. Hard to stay focused for the whole 80 mins, the reviews for the exams weren't completely helpful. Don't take unless you are extremely interested in Anthropology, it was a waste of time.
easy to look at and pay attention to
Take someone else! Boring and all over the place, no need to come to class. If I wasn't already dead set on an ANTH major, he would have discouraged me from doing it. NEVER replies to emails, although it is a very easy class (tests, assignments, and reading).
Paul seems like a nice guy with a lot of world experience, but he's just not an interesting lecturer. The weekly readings range from two pages to thirty, which is frustrating. Then he "quizzes" you on the readings, waiting until the end of the lecture to give the quiz, which is also annoying. His "discussions" are pointless - everyone skipped out.
Paul James is nice guy, very laid back, and its clear that he is enthusiastic about his subject. He's just not enthusiastic about teaching it. His laid-back attitude is more boring than engaging and I regularly skipped class, as I figured I would learn more alone than by forcing myself to endure his lectures. I don't recommend him.
He's a sweet guy, and I think I would've liked the class more if it were smaller. He just talks and talks and talks. I love the material, but class was lengthy and unnecessary. Discussion days are mandatory and it's a good amount of your grade so definitely show up for those, however bland. The tests are really easy if you read up on the material.
This is an easy GUR. The only days you really need to show up are discussion days since you get credit for those. There aren't a lot of assignments but there is a significant amount of reading. Paul is an okay lecturer but I get the feeling that he doesn't care much about this class.
First quarter teaching 215. He used labs from another prof's class, so the content did not match the lectures. He had to look up most of the answers to our lab questions. Carl was my TA and he was SO SLOW. It is currently the last day of dead week for me and he still has not graded half the assignments. Be ready to hear his wrong opinions in lect.
He was so boring. Paul is really into this subject and I can tell he's passionate about it, but his lectures are so boring I always end up sleeping or playing games on my phone. The stuff we do in this class is a joke. Do the homework and do well on the quizzes and you'll pass. Easy A. The quizzes can be tricky sometime but it's not bad.
He was very enthusiastic about the class, however, he was not at all helpful when I needed help on something simple. Very dismissive and doesn't seem to care much. Also takes FOREVER to enter grades.
He's a super nice guy and passionate about his field. However, he is not efficient at entering grades nor good at communication. He often went off on tangents during lecture so I stopped attending and learned everything through the textbook. Attendance is not important if you're willing and able to self pace and learn the material on your own time.
Really unhappy about how this class turned out. I love that he is super passionate about what he does, but his tangents feel like they last forever and we have five slide PowerPoints in a lecture and we spend about 20 minutes per PowerPoint slide.. It is frustrating because I find myself zoned off half the time. Also really confusing canvas page...
It's obvious that Paul loves anthropology, but doesn't care much about this introductory class. He seems focused on other things, like his higher level classes and his research. Can be unclear with assignments and doesn't respond to emails for a few days. However, his stories are interesting!
Avoid Paul James at all costs!!! He is so unclear and wrapped up in himself and his research. Does NOT care about introductory classes and would be a lot better in a small class setting.
He's a great professor in which he has a laid back demeanor and flexible due dates. Interesting lectures and easy on the eyes
The grade consisted of quizzes, a culminating project & several participation points. All lecture slides are posted. Prof. James is very approachable & tells great stories, but can dance around or dismiss questions & the huge class size didn't help anything. Attending class will help you greatly on the quizzes & assignments. A good class.
He was a good professor in the sense where he was passionate about what he was talking about. He is a little unorganized, especially with the ethnography project, but the tests are easy if you're coming to class for the lectures. He rambles a lot but in my experience that's how anth teachers do it.
Loved this class, helped me on a path to my major. He is an awesome lecturer, really engaging and interactive with stories from his travels. I hope to take more classes with him. There was a tedious group project but it was just a tiny speed bump
Paul is a little bit of a shy speaker and can get mixed up and off topic really fast, but he enjoys being asked questions and gives clear answers. I had fun in his class, and I hope to take another course with him again. The class isn't that hard if you do the reading and ask lots of questions.
SO boring. I love Bio and am into anth & was existed to take this, thought it'd be easy and fun. SO lame. Useless homework assignments that are silly and he goes over bored with. Hes way to into info graphics. Jumps around on slides. Obnoxious to listen to. Nice guy, take something else like 201 from him though he's kinda dumb in this class.
I didn't enjoy this class. He lectures so long and boring, and he assigns pointless homework. He NEVER responds to emails. But my biggest issue with him was that he is not very respectful of people's beliefs. He made fun of several religious practices while I was in his class. He's passionate about anthropology, but he's not good at intro classes.
This class was not fun to take. He reads off the powerpoint the entire time and is overall a dull lecturer. It's hard to stay engaged in his class which is a bummer. He wasn't great at answering questions or communication in general. The homework assignments weren't hard but felt pointless.
Paul James is EXTREMELY unorganized. His lectures consist of crude, inappropriate jokes, his own experiences that are irrelevant to test material, all over the place slides and always go longer than class time allows. He doesn't put out study guides until 2 days before exams. He rarely enters grades and grades late. Labs are fine due to the TA.
Paul is a really cool guy. I personally loved his stories about his travels because I found it made the class more interesting. He can be kind of scattered, but he uses a PowerPoint which is kind of nice. The books we read were interesting, and I ended up reading them just for fun.
This white dude drops slurs like it's nothing. Says the n-word repeatedly, uses transphobic language, and at the same time claims to be creating a "safe space."
TALKS TOO MUCH I BARELY LEARNED A THING JUST LOOK UP THE ANSWERS ONLINE cool guy tho
Too laid back. He may or may not give you a study guide for the tests. Attendance is not essential (go on the 1st day). He knows his stuff, but lectures can get boring. It isn't that hard to get an A if you turn everything in. He gives a small amount of extra credit opportunities. In person, a really nice and knowledgeable human being.
I would try to take a different Anthropology professor. He has a very weird, dark and uncomfortable sense of humor. He hardly ever lectures and when he does, he's reading off the slides and then gives 10-15 min tangents that don't really apply to the material half the time. Not too hard of a class, but he could have made it more interesting.
Lectures are inconsistent and rarely connect to the slides. He can be fairly inappopriate at times. Study guides are neither helpful nor consistently offered, and studying for tests is nearly impossible because of the sheer amount of material covered though the tests are multiple choice and not that difficult.
Not going to lie, this class was pretty bad. Paul was very disorganized and was constantly getting our class confused with his other one. We were way behind all quarter and would test on information that was given to his other class, but not ours. If you're going to take Cultural Anth, don't take it with Paul.
Prof. James tends to go on tangents during his lectures but his class was fun, intriguing, and fairly easy to pass. I would recommend taking one of his classes.
He gets way off topic all the time and wastes most of the class time. There's not a ton of homework and I didn't even buy the textbook. I slept in most of the classes and didn't have a problem with the tests. His test are the same every quarter from what I can tell.
Very unorganized and boring lectures. Paul goes off on random tangents that don't relate much to the topic we are discussing. Seems passionate about Anthropology but uninterested in this introductory level class. Quick to leave class, slow-no response to emails, and poor explanations. Would not recommend Paul as your introductory Anthro prof.
Typically there is one class a week which demanded group work, besides this the entire class is a long lecture with many anecdotes.
He loves his subject but is really bad at giving lectures-- very disorganized, it's hard to take notes on them, he goes off on a lot of tangents and jumps. He also makes you have group discussions, and there are readings for those, but you don't really need to read them to do alright in the discussions as long as you talk about something on-topic.
I did not enjoy this class. He goes on tangents that sometimes last for over 30 minutes. At some point 10 people got up and left simultaneously because he got distracted talking about foraging mushrooms. This class was very easy, but I definitely don't think he cares about the students learning anything. He just lectures and lectures some more.
He just lectures which would be fine expect he is not at all clear on what is important. He puts little details of his anecdotes on the exams so you really have to pay attention to every. single. thing. His tangents are weird and irrelevant but if you just need a GUR, it isn't the most difficult class. I would just opt for someone else.
Paul's class was easy. If you show up to lecture, read the discussion articles, and skim the textbook, it's easy to pass. He puts things on the tests that he said in lecture, so you should show up but you can pass without going to lecture. Going to discussion days are a must.
Paul gave the most boring lectures ever, he went on extremely long tangents that were often uninteresting and unrelated. In addition, we had discussion readings every wednesday however he only gave us 10 minutes at the end of class to discuss with our groups which made discussions rushed and meaningless.
Paul James has the voice of an angel, which makes it so easy to fall asleep to. Most days his classes would be very boring, with the whole class being a lecture that wasn't particularly interesting. All these slides are available online and the tangents he goes on are irrelevant, so participating is optional.
SUPER boring lectures. He drones on and on and on. Be ready to get your phone and headphones out.
Paul James seems like a cool person but he's the WORST professor. All of his lectures are on canvas which is the only good thing about this class. There is no point going to class since he reads directly off of the slides. He's dry and boring. Do not bother buying the textbook. Also every Wednesday and Friday is mandatory. The final is cumulative.
Also - if you have a DRS plan, NEVER take a class with Paul. He will accommodate you, however do not expect him to email you back and he will consider your extensions as late work therefore he will dock points off assignments. I had to ask my case manager to contact Paul several times. It was beyond frustrating.
He is aloof and doesn't seem to care much about teaching a lower level class, other than constantly mentioning his field work hes done in the past, It was not memorable but not all that difficult.
Paul has interesting stories and tries to be relatable to millennials. However, he is extremely unorganized; his lectures, slides, and even syllabus are scattered; he spends too much time talking about examples and not nearly enough on the actual topics. Condescending. Personal help just as messy as class.
His lectures are awful! His voice is too quiet and the content is boring, he reads directly off the slides and doesn't seem interested in the students. He is super offensive for someone who is interested in people, said the n word in class and made it super hard to concentrate. Talks about his divorce. Awkward, uncomfortable. AVOID
Not a very fair teacher, gives different opportunities to the same classes but different times. Very boring lectures
Does not care for undergrad students. Attendance is mandatory Wednesday and Friday. Very sweet man but his lectures will absolutely put you to sleep.
He makes no sense and is lost in his personal life.
Great professor, although he goes on tangents often. He's very passionate about the subject and has an incredible background to support it. If you pay attention, and skim the textbook every now and then, you shouldn't have any problem passing. Reading is pretty light, and the projects are given far in advance, plenty of time to work on them
His class isn't the best class I've ever taken but it's not the worst by far. Let's be honest it's an intro level lecture style class full of a bunch of people that don't really care about the topic. If you're not into anthropology you're not going to like his tangents but it's an easy class and if you're interested in the topic you'll like it.
He is sooooooo boring to listen to. His class is extremely unorganized and some of his assignments make no sense. Would highly recommend not getting him as your professor.
I didn't find him boring, just disorganized and prone to tangents. He has cool stories from his fieldwork, and the tests include details from these stories as well as the slides and textbook. We did a project that was confusing since it wasn't at all how the syllabus explained it. Take notes and pay attention to examples in class and you'll be fine
Real nice guy, people give him a lot of flack for going off on tangents, but really he's just very into his work and likes to talk about the studies he's done in other countries. Though, truthfully he's not the most organized guy, but if you go to class, study for tests, and do the 2 projects, you will come out of the class with an A.
Paul is a great guy who teaches a great class! However, you do have to work for a good grade. In addition to exams, there are papers, Wiki editing, and group discussions. Make sure to go to class.
honestly he is a really cool guy with some cool stories about his experiences that relate to the topic, but he is sooo boring and talks the whole time. Don't most professors though? Something that really bothered me was that the slideshows had way too many words per slide since he didn't condense them whatsoever. there are quizlets for his tests
Paul is a very scatter-brained teacher. He often goes off on tangents during his lectures that leave you confused and make you not want to pay attention, then adds a test question based off the tangent. Tests are mainly vocab based from the textbook, but progressively got more lecture-based questions as time went on. Low assignment count.
He is an awesome professor who wants to see his students succeed. If you ask him for help he will definitely help you to the best of his abilities.
Has a really weird teaching style, makes me feel like I walked into some random class in the middle of the quarter. He goes off on tangents that don't really help you understand the concepts. He asks to many rhetorical questions and is overall has a teaching style that I doubt many can grasp, buyer beware.
Bro, The first day of class I knew he was going to be boring, he just rambles on dumb things than puts them on the test. Yea sometimes he can be funny but this class is just so boring, Plus we did this assignment that has to do with another class he teaches. Just study and you should be fine, go to the discussions. Good luck, bring snacks.
He has good anecdotes, but is terrible at lecture. It's really just one big storytime and vent session. He would curse just for the laughs it seemed. I don't feel like I learned much of anything. The tests are tricky. I really wouldn't recommend this class in the slightest. Don't miss discussion days, they are easy points.
Lecture is interspersed with personal anecdotes but they're really interesting. Takes notes and read them all before the tests and you'll do fine. There's a couple projects, one was solo and the other was in groups of 1-5, not too bad but don't procrastinate on them. Very easy class, very interesting.
Paul goes on multiple tangents every single class period but it is clear that he is knowledgeable. Quizlet will be your new best friend.
He is a good professor, and tests aren't that hard. Make sure you show up on discussion days, that's where half of your points will come from. He can go off on tangents and is a bit scatter brained, but overall a decent class as far as GUR's go.
Paul is an interesting dude. His exams are not difficult by any means and he often supplies a study guide although it's not always very helpful. He gets pretty personal sometimes which can be a little uncomfortable but he's not a bad prof and is pretty accessible outside of class.
His lectures were long and boring. He made no attempt to answer student's questions during lecture. The reviews for all exams, including the final, were not posted until the very last second the night before, guaranteeing that students would be up late cramming for the tests. He puts questions about himself on exams. Do not recommend.
Paul is VERY lecture heavy. He goes off topic and talks about some kind of example for a solid half hour before he basically gets off the first slide. The content is great but he also needs help with time management, discussion days we are supposed to have 20 min with our groups and there are times when we have 10 or less. Boring reading.
He wants you to get an A. Show up to class and take notes and you will understand his exams. he does weekly discussion groups in his cultural anthro class which are reading heavy but as long as you have something good to say so others can record it, youll get all the credit for them.
Lectures are not always super focused and the test reviews are not very clear or organized. The class itself isn't bad but a lot of it is self-taught.
Paul is such a fun professor! I am not an Anthropology major and took his class for a GUR and its great! He is very lecture heavy, but he makes his lectures interesting with the stories he tells! you will read a lot in class and you do need to study a lot (mostly his power points & the textbook) Overall great class and great professor!
Paul's class is easy. The lectures don't really help you on the tests just go over the slides and use his study guides. Put in minimal effort and show up Wednesday's and you'll pass. He wants you to get an A. He's a sweet guy the class is pretty dull though. Also don't buy the textbook but buy the other book you will barely use it though.
paul is a nice enough guy, but he doesn't teach the material as much as tell stories about his own experiences that dont really help on the exams. his lectures are mainly google definitions, as long as you go over them a bit and do the study guides youll do fine on the tests. show up wednesdays and youll get most of the points you need to pass
Paul James was a great professor except that it was very hard to get a hold of him outside of class. He did not respond to a single email of mine over the quarter.
He spends the majority of class time covering all of the same material that he has already explained or talking about his time in South American when he went to WWU. The class itself is pretty easy but his lectures are unbearably boring and you're better off just reading his slides even though they're barely decodable.
i have no idea why i didnt read these reviews before signing up for the class. im in this class right now and its so dreadful. i just skip every class except for wednesdays, and read over the slides, since he will just read over the slides super quickly then go off topic about some personal unrelated topic. hes also so cringy :/
What most students don't take into consideration is that lecture is boring because Paul is bored in general lecturing about it. You can tell he's passionate about anthropology, but not as a lecturing professor. He'd rather be out there applying his knowledge than lecturing. With that said, he is the NICEST guy and grades SO easy.
Boring class, but an easy A. No need to come to class, only for weekly group discussion days. Study the lecture slides at home and go over the reviews on Canvas before exams and you should pass no problem. You must pick 2 out of 4 individual written/project assignments, which are easy. I didn't crack open the book once, so don't buy it.
Paul is a professor that is only teaches so that he can get his own research money and it shows. All of his slides are white with black font. In one of the biggest lecture halls at wwu, he never leaves from behind the podium and cannot engage any of the students. I'm annoyed that I payed to take this class because it was all common sense content.
The class itself was very easy to do well in. There were discussions every Wednesday with a small group that was easy to get 100% on, and 1 project in the quarter we'd sometimes spend time on on Friday. Everything else is just reading off slides and going on tangents that felt redundant- none of the info felt new. The readings were interesting tho
He does tend to ramble, but overall hes a pretty good teacher and has an interesting class. As long as you memorize the words from the text book and pay attention in class to the examples, youll get a B. There are quizzes every other week and the questions from those are used on the final.
One-on-one, he seems like a good professor and it sounds like he is going to help you to succeed. In class, he doesnt really care what happens and doesnt follow through very well. His lectures are a struggle to get through and he doesnt know when to pause and when to keep going in the slides. I wouldnt take his class unless I had to.
Paul was fine. He does go on a lot of tangents. As long as you attend class when there are discussions (Wednesdays) and quizzes (every other Friday) you should be good.
It could be a very interesting class, but it's clear the he is only teaching what he is personally interested in. He goes on long rants about his views almost every class, and you have to learn everything at home. I recommend Anth 201, just not with Paul James.
Don't waste your time or money. He goes on so many tangents, his group work is a mess, he barely knows what he wants you to for the project. Take the class with literally anyone but him. Wish I could get a refund.
Look, Paul is a nice guy, he just isn't the most prolific lecturer. He is an anthropologist and is very smart and IMO should be out working in the field and not stuck in a classroom. This was not my favorite class overall and I would not recommend taking it. However, it was not super hard either and tests were pretty commonsense.
A horrible professor. I understand that given the circumstances professors are also struggling however Paul never replied to emails (not just mine, other peoples too), and didnt seem to care whatsoever. He uploaded lectures late, hardly posted anything on time, and had us scrambling to do his work for him. Wouldnt recommend.
Paul is very knowledgeable in his field, but it's clear that he's better as an anthropologist out in the world and not in a classroom. His lectures are messy and he goes off on tangents every 2 minutes. If you don't attend class it'll be hard to pass. I'd recommend taking this class just not with Paul James.
Paul is very knowledgeable and is very kind but those are the most positives I can say. This class is very unorganized and you don't have a clear framework for how many grades you'll be receiving until the very end of the quarter. I've also heard that he never responds to emails, so if you take this class, email the TA instead.
terrible at communicating. can't ever get help, and takes FOREVER to grade. F for him.
This class was just bad. Paul wasn't easily available outside of class, his lectures didn't really add much to the material, just rambled it out, and I'd say this course was slightly more difficult than it had to be. You definitely CAN get an A, but you won't enjoy your time doing it. Also, google his name to see if you're comfortable taking this.
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