2.6
Quality3.4
Difficulty26%
Would Retake104
Reviews26%
Would Retake
104
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
13
4
20
3
22
2
22
1
27
What Students Say
“Ott is a great lecturer and if you read/engage in the material you'll be able to have a deeper understanding of the intricacies of environmental ethics as an evermore relevant field of study”
PHIL287 - 5.0 rating“Only two papers, a midterm and final”
PHIL130 - 4.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
79%
Textbook Required
33%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B+
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-0.42 avg changeRatings by Course
ENVS283
5.0
(1)287
3.3
(3)PHIL287
3.2
(24)130
3.0
(1)PHIL130
3.0
(14)Difficulty by Course
PHIL183
4.7
130
4.0
PHI187
4.0
PHIL187
3.8
PHIL181
3.6
Reviews (104)
Took this class for civic engagement core. This class is SOOO much more trouble than it's worth. An outline of one chapter from each book we read (4 in total...sounds easy, but the books are pretty much impossible to understand), a group project, a quiz every Friday, participation is 10% of your grade, and 2 papers.
He's not here to hand you an A, but he will award your hard work. The material is dense, but the subject matter is fascinating. His lectures are very thorough, and he's excellent at tying his themes/arguments together. He's also really cute.
Do not take this class if you are a slacker. It is NOT an easy class at all. He expects a lot from his students. I enjoyed the class largely because I could tell he was really passionate about the material. Overall there are 4 outlines, quiz every week on readings, two papers, and a presentation. Also very attractive in a nerdy/intellectual way...
Terrible professor. Do not take his class! His notes are all over the place, and he makes no sense, even when you come to class prepared. Quizes every friday, 4 chapter outlines(one from each book), and 2 papers. Highly NOT reccomended.
Way too much work for a core class. Very opinionated, don't even try arguing with him, he always thinks he's right. Not too hard of a grader. Again, wayyyy too much work - but then again, most CVC engangement core classes are pretty work heavy.
This is the worst class I have taken at Loyola. I am a double major who has had his fair share of bar prof's but this guy is redic. Between the way too intensive readings,the nonsensical notes and the inability to communicate with students it just adds up to be not a good class.Although he does like what he does, he just doesnt have what it takes
Very thorough and encouraging for class participation. The readings were hard to keep up with but helpful. A lot of work but I must admit offers valuable insight on our past and ongoing relationship with our environment. He does get pretty excited during his lectures but I guess that adds to his charm. Enjoys debates with his students.
Awful.
Amazing class, one of the few I have actually learned something in during college. Don't have to do all the readings, he only tests on what he lectures so make sure to come to the lectures, take good notes, pay attention and understand what hes saying, and you'll be able to slack on the readings sometimes. Brilliant and passionate professor.
Great professor, very passionate and knowledgeable about the subject, he's not opinionated but if a student disagrees and doesn't explain themselves well, he will thoroughly point out all of their the weaknesses, do the readings (they really help) and go to all the lectures, ask questions, and the tests will be no problem - very interesting class!
One might say eating glass is a better time then this class. He makes things more complicated then they really are. If you are wrong, he makes you feel completely dumb because only he and the book are correct. His grading is average, just make sure to turn in ALL assignments on time or your grade will be punished.
Although this class is about the environment, its still really heavy on the philosophy aspect of it. He knows ALOT and expects you to know a lot too. A pretty tough grader/overall prof but he really loves what he does, so ya gotta respect that (i guess).
He understands that the majority of the people who take his class are only those who need the civic engagement requirement. So, he makes the volunteering component simple in comparison to the other profs. He is willing to help you with your assignments, unlike most profs at this university. If you choose to take this seriously, then have a blast!
He bases a large percentage of the grade on class participation and then disagrees with anything anyone says in class. There are too few grade opportunities in the course and the tests are on the small details. He doesn't explain what he wants out of the writing assignments and then takes off points if you don't give him what he wants.
He loves discussion(10% of your grade + 5% attendance) 2 reading analyses 2p (10% confusing & unclear of what he wants) 10 out of 15 weekly reading question summaries(10%) get full pts for turning it in. One final 4-5p paper (20%) midterm & final each 15%, 10hr volunteer(10%)+reflection paper(5%) Class felt like a WI because theres so much writing!
Bases 15% of your grade on your participation in discussions - so if you're not comfortable talking a lot, your grade goes way down. Very confusing lectures/notes, and super boring. Very hard grader - looks at very specific details rather than seeing if you understand the argument as a whole. Would not recommend, way too hard for a 100-level core.
Take this class only if you enjoy participating in class and are a fan of the environment. The requirements seem pretty clear and def visit his office hours. Be prepared to work for your grade. I slept through many lectures but the readings made the class worth it.
Try to avoid taking this class if you can. Participation and attendance are like 20% of your grade, which is fine but it is so hard to even get a word in when he talks so much and also anything you say is wrong. He is a really hard grader, this class is more like a writing intensive class. Lectures are very boring and very confusing!
Dr. Ott is pretty good. I had him for a night class 5-8pm on Tuesdays. He assigns readings every week and you're required to do a short write-up on what you learned from the readings. One big presentation/paper. The final is 5% of your grade. He can get boring because he talks a lot...he encourages class discussion but he dominates the discussion.
required readings every week with 3 questions/comments. midterm was fine and gave a study guide with exact questions/terms to know. harsh grading for papers which he assigns 2-3 of. Good articles,he explains very clearly and answers questions, helpful in office hours and extended a paper deadline because of proximity to the midterm -overall enjoyed
I loved this class and Prof Ott was amazing. The material is fascinating and his explanation of subjects is very thorough. Whenever anyone had questions he was always quick to explain and always was willing to help. I didn't think his grading was hard- just read the essays he gives you! One of my favorite classes at Loyola.
All he does is babble and make points that don't connect to the text. His grading is arbitrary. Honestly I think he rolled a dice for grading. The girl next to me paints her nails during class and got an A on the midterm and yet the rest of us who pay attention got C's, where the logic is in that I have no clue.
I don't know what anyone is talking about. You just have to show up to class and listen to his lecture just like any other college leveled class. All he wants you to do is ask questions about the readings. He explains all the readings in class and all you have to do is take good notes. Everything he talks about in class is in his tests.
Lectures are sporadic, dry, and seem meaningless. Perhaps this comes from me seeing philosophy as pointless, but I learned very little. Two papers with open-ended, unclear directions and exams that have seemingly randomly chosen scores. He's a cool guy, but good luck on the class itself. Also reading makes no difference. Must ask 3 questions a week
Easy class. Only two papers, a midterm and final. Although, lectures are very hard to sit through. They are very dull and monotone, in other words boring.
A passionate teacher and knowledgable about the subject. But environmental ethics was not what I expected, was more philosophical than applicable to actual ethics. I would have enjoyed a bit more engagement with students. Not clear on what is expected of class sometimes, but easy. Show up to class, follow along and you will do fine.
Great class. Great professor. Lectures are interesting. Not a heavy course load.
His Environmental Ethics class is definitely more philosophical, but it definitely made me look at environmental issues in a new way. Can be too opinionated in class and kinda boring. Just try and make sure to participate in class.
I found this class boring and it is because I do not like Philosophy . However, as long as you attempt to skim readings and take good notes you should be "ok" for the exams, which are very detailed. Make sure to participate because participation points can really harm your grade. He's not very useful in office hours and he talks nonstop.
Read and PARTICIPATE. Go to office hours to discuss your final paper thesis. He is kind of a jerk about his political beliefs considering philosophy is so subjective. He's condescending but easy to beat in an argument if you know what you're talking about. Over all he's a harsh grader and annoying. But it's still possible to do well in the class.
His lectures are very clear, a little boring but he explains everything very clearly, even if you dont read any of the readings, he will go over everything in detail and he is very passionate about philosophy and can tell he loves it. barely any homework, 2 papers, 2 exams. highly recommend him!
Show up to class, take notes (which is not hard, he writes his mind charts on the board), and pay attention: You'll get an A. He is really passionate about the subject which makes you actually enjoy the lectures! I don't like philosophy nor am environmentalist, but I loved going to class. Recommended.
If you show up to class everyday and truly understand everything he's saying (sometimes this requires asking questions which is good because then you're participating) then you should get a good grade. I didn't study for the midterm and I got a B+. It's not a hard class, just requires understanding. Would take again. Use office hours for papers.
The lectures are hard to follow & boring. He hardly ever writes anything on the board, & when he does his hand writing is always completely illegible. There is a lot of long, confusing reading, & when you ask him to clarify topics, his explanations usually just make you more confused than before. Don't take this class as a core, it's not worth it.
Not a terrible class, but pretty bad. The lectures are incredibly boring and it is very difficult to pay attention. His explanations don't make very much since, but it does help a little if you ask questions. Skipping class gets you marked down participation points, and you are supposed to ask a lot of questions (even though hardly anyone speaks).
To be honest it wasn't that bad. I didn't get the grade I wanted because I didn't put forth as much effort. It's there if you want it, fairly business like, but you need to actually try... It's college.
Many students complain that he is boring, etc but I enjoyed his lectures! It is true that this class is more philosophy based and if you are engaged during the lecture, there is a lot of relevant topics to learn from. If you come to class, read the material and take good notes -you can earn a good grade.
A tad awkward, but he loves Philosophy and wants to share the ideas with his students
I really enjoyed his class, but students have split feelings for Paul
So this class is one that you probably will think is boring if you go tired, cranky, andor hungover with the mindset that it'll suck. But if you go to class determined to muster up some genuine interest in the subject in order to learn, Paul's lectures are very enlightening. If you're able to do this and take good notes, you're set!
Really cool and smart dude. The subject matter is a tad bit bland, but it is what it is. Two essays, two mini 10 question quizes, and two exams along with participation comprise all the points. If you like to participate in class, and have an open mind, i highly recommend him. As long as you go to class and take notes, all will be good with Paul.
He is a great professor who knowledgeable and has a passion for ethics, which make his lectures interesting. The material can be difficult to read and lectures long, but he is very helpful during office hours. Go to class and take very detailed notes! 10 quizzes, a term paper, some other small papers, and a final.
Paul is a terrible professor. He changed the syllabus 3 times. He did not answer my emails - I had to ask him to answer it after waiting 3 weeks and sending 1 email every week. He's too quiet and you can barely hear him speak. 10/10 DO NOT TAKE HIS CLASS
Worst teacher I have ever taken. He has changed the syllabus 3 times, and seems everyone is more than struggling. He does not give lectures or go over material just gives weekly tests on the complex reading without explanation. Meet with him after class and leave feeling more confused about material. No outlines for expectations & forces his views
Listen here, prospective philosophy student, Paul is not good at his job. If I had to pick one word to describe Paul it would be execrable. I had to look up that word so I could actually convey how I feel about this guy. Like seriously. Get out while you can. He changed his syllabus three times, he does nothing but ramble in class, and he sucks.
80 percent of your grade gets determined in the last week of class, and there are difficult quizzes every week on material not covered in class. You can go in for extra help, but he will not give definitive answers or opinions on anything. Absolutely ridiculous amount of work for a core class, and it is not worth the headache with Professor Ott.
Dr. Ott is a great lecturer and if you read/engage in the material you'll be able to have a deeper understanding of the intricacies of environmental ethics as an evermore relevant field of study.
Dr. Ott is a great professor. He is knowledgeable & certainly doesn't force his views on anyone. He does, however, make you think. He is all for students voicing their beliefs & pokes holes in them; not to say you're wrong, but to challenge your argument so you know WHY you're defending it. Not gonna lie - he's a tough grader. Would take him again.
Worst prof I have taken. Majority of grade undecided until last week of course, forces his views on students, HUGE workload for a core class. Avoid Paul Ott at all costs
Professor Ott's lectures are very boring. No powerpoints to take notes, just write down everything he says even if it doesn't seem important. Might be on quizzes, might not be: those are hard too. Basically just had a miderterm/final paper and those he barely gave feedback on. Not the best professor for a subject that seemed interesting to me
This class had some interesting lectures. Professor Ott knows what he is talking about and he's really passionate about the subject of environmental ethics. That being said, he was a little too passionate and was very condescending if you had a different opinion than him. There are quizzes, and two papers that he grades very subjectively on.
Professor Ott is an extremely dry teacher. His lectures go on and on and rarely get to the point. He does not care about your opinions unless you are agreeing with him and you do better if you tailor your papers to agree with his views. His classes go on forever and there is quiz almost every week.
I have never regretted taking a class as much as I regret taking this one. The class has no connection of ideas and for the amount that we read we do not go into depth at all. Also his lectures/super long answers to questions are boring and convoluted.
I decided to take this class as a freshman and I'd say a good chunk of the class has withdrawn, myself included. If you don't agree with his opinions you're out of luck. No clarity on grade until literally the last week of the semester, so there's really no way to check on how you're doing. Super dry lectures.
Professor Ott is a very heavy, monotonous lecturer. He doesn't encourage participation, it's either him or his TA lecturing for the entire class period. There is one major group project, one extremely major term paper, the final, and I think 4 quizzes throughout the class. He's a nice guy, but the class can get pretty irritating and boring.
I am really surprised to see such so many negative comments, he isn't that bad. Lectures may be boring, but he definitely cares about the subject. Had him for an engaged learning class, grade is based on participation (20%), quizzes (20%), paper (20%, 5 pp), and engaged learning project (40%; 20 hrs of practice, group presentation, reflection).
The class wasn't that difficult. You do have to work hard in your essay and do the readings in order to be able to participate and do well on the quizes but otherwise, the class is okay. Going to his office hours helps.
He gives quizzes for the readings from the book. Your final depends on a group presentation, compilation of Q&A from class discussions, and a paper. Going to office hours and discussing the topics with him is helpful for doing well on the quizzes.
I took an Engaged Learning section of this course. It was not that bad. The completion of volunteer hours weighs the most. Read because the readings are what the quizzes are mostly based off. He gives both individual and group quizzes. Go to class if you wish to UNDERSTAND the readings, which would be important for your course paper.
He is a very dry teacher who ONLY lectures. There is no class discussion or engagement its jusy him talking 24/7. It is very easy to zone out and the topics are so difficult to understand that you cannot afford to not pay attention.
Not bad, but lectures are not very engaging . Rather than using readings to help explain a point or idea, we just analyze papers without a strong main focus. His power points are wordy and unorganized--he also types questions on the slides, gives the answers in class, but then doesn't include them on the slide which makes it difficult when studying
Taking class was seriously a mistake. Ott's class is SO boring, I just online shopped during every lecture. Students study like crazy and do all the work, but fail quizzes because they're unreasonably difficult. Ott just rambles and it's really hard to follow his train of thought. A few papers (longest is 5-7 pages). Cannot believe this is core
Weirdly specific about grading. Each quiz you take twice, once by yourself and then again with a group, and both count. Unnecessary readings that he makes you send questions on for credit. No final though, just a group presentation which is nice. Hard paper grader unfortunately which brought most people's grades down a lot.
Felt like I taught myself everything. He lectures all of class every class and most of what he says isn't very useful considering you have access to the class slides. Quiz grades are unreasonable since you take each quiz individually and with a group, and both count no matter what. Tough essay grader, vague instructions, sometimes condescending.
Long and boring lectures that don't expand beyond the book, which does a better job explaining than he does. Easy final, just a simple presentation about a moral issue. Quizzes are okay, but reading yourself is fundamental to pass.
This man was so dry. It was impossible to pay attention because it was only lectures with no discussion or class participation on hard material. He also would then create very difficult quizzes as the only grades for the class, severely hindering his student's GPA's. For a class I was so excited about he really made it impossible to enojoy.
Not a thing that comes out of this man's mouth makes any sense. Quizzes are taken individually and then immediately after in groups, the group one counts for less credit. His lectures are incredibly dry and impossible to engage with. Entirely too much group work. It seems almost impossible to pass this class.
very hard to pass. bases his quizzes off of lecture notes, but does not give clear lectures so the quizzes are very hard to pass. there are 3 papers and he grades them very difficultly. if you choose a topic that he doesn't agree with then don't expect a good grade. would not recommend unless you are a philosophy major.
Its not an easy A but its possible. Hes kind of awkward but he really knows what hes talking about. The people who are complaining are usually the ones who spend the class period on their phones or laptops not paying attention. Just do the readings, pay attention during lectures, and see him once or twice in office hours and youll be fine.
The quizzes are almost impossible. He ended up putting them online for our last two because the class was not close to passing them. The papers seem straight forward, but he is a tough grader, giving a not-so-desirable grade on a paper that would be an A in another class. This was much tougher of a class than expected, especially for basic ethics.
Literally accused me of plagiarism when I didnt even use any online sources and didnt give me any resources when he knew he gave me a 0 on an assignment that was worth 30% of the grade. Terrible professor and very boring
The worst teacher I've had. Teaches as if this is a graduate class and not a class for students who have never taken ethics before. I have straight A's in all of my other classes, (nursing major). However, despite never missing a class, taking all notes, and reading, I only had a 50% so I had to withdraw from the course. Take a different professor.
Dr. Ott uses powerpoints during his lectures which help on the quizzes. If you take notes on the powerpoints, and then during the online quiz refer back to them, you will do somewhat well. He grades paper super hard for a core class and he knows most people aren't doing well so he gives extra credit opportunities.
This man is insufferable. He is condescending when ever a students brings up a question or discussion topic. He grades the essays harshly and expects a great deal of online participation from his students. I attended class everyday, regularly asked questions, and posted to the forums once in a while and received a 40% in participation.
I dislike giving bad reviews. I got an A but this was a terrible class. Do not take unless you are required to. Quizzes are incredibly difficult, so I recommend reading material multiple times. He has potential to be a great teacher but seems to not care about the job or students. Seeing him in office hours will help. Do ALL forum posts!
Maybe good for higher level, but not for intro ethics. Very dry and unclear lectures, and tough grader with high expectations on the papers. However, the quizzes were fair and he was quite helpful and approachable during office hours.
I took the writing intensive section of this class and it was bearable. There was a lot of helpful feedback and interesting lectures, however, the quizzes were very difficult required a very deep philosophical knowledge & his paper grading was intense. He was last minute on explaining paper topics, but he was understanding & would extend if needed.
He doesn't give good lectures. He never changes his tone and is super boring. Don't recommend him if you a looking to take his class.
I'm sorry but this professor is one of the worst one's I've ever had. I moved into his class early into the semester so I missed the first two classes, so I tried contacting him by email to help me find book required from the class and he just replied with two words. "Try amazon." That's literally it. He does not care much about his students.
DO NOT TAKE OTT. I took him freshman year, worst decision. His quizzes are necessarily wordy and confusing, the material is basic but he makes it so confusing and does not answer questions. Everyone else I have spoken to both upperclassmen and people in my grade has either dropped him or stuck it out and hated their lives.
I did not enjoy Dr. Ott's class at all. His lectures are not interesting and he does not make the material easy to understand. There are weekly quizzes over what's discussed in class, but they are still difficult. The midterm was incredibly time consuming and expects lots of participation. I withdrew from the class.
The guy is very intelligent and knows what he's talking about. But he seems to forget that not everyone has a degree in philosophy. He is an extremely tough grader. I went in for office hours and left even more confused on many occasions. If your work/explanations don't meet his strict criteria, you're gonna get a bad grade. DO NOT TAKE HIM!!!
I would never take Paul Ott's class again. He is a super nice professor; however, his class (considering its a core requirement) is extremely difficult. His quizzes are horrible and aren't necessarily related to the in-class lectures.
Professor Ott is alright. His class is actually quite easy, his quizzes are very questionable but you if take the notes in class, you'll pass them. The debate was actually quite interesting if given a good topic.
A reasonable workload for a writing-intensive course, and due dates are known well in advance. He's clearly knowledgeable, and he can draw interesting connections between class readings and other texts. He tends to grade quickly. He is also a dry, awkward lecturer who can sometimes come across like he's disinterested in what students have to say.
Dr. Ott is super chill and his class is pretty easy. The miderm is take home and short answer. if you go to class and take good notes you don't need to do the readings because he explains them in lecture. there is barely any homework but weekly quizzes, that literally take less than 10 minutes to complete. i recommend taking his ethics class!
I don't know why everyone hated on Dr. Ott. He was honestly a very understanding professor. He gives opportunities for extra credit at the end of the semester and is very easy when grading the reading responses. His lectures can be a little dry or boring, but the material is interesting. His class was not bad at all.
If you attend class and participate you will get a good grade. Dr. Ott explains the readings very clearly and easy to understand. Assigns weekly quizzes that are not hard at all. Take him!!
Dr. Ott is undeniably a smart guy and the course content was interesting. However, he doesn't explain philosophical principles super clearly and it's difficult to follow his winding lectures. He's a fairly hard grader and quizzes can be tough. Enjoyed the class once I got the hang of it, but I wouldn't take it again
It is clear that Ott is a really smart guy who cares a lot about ethics and is genuinely a nice person. For a writing intensive class, it's actually very little writing, and he's a fast greater. All he does is lecture. There are no slides, almost no opportunities for participation, no extra credit. Do not expect to learn much, but an easy class.
Paul Ott is just okay. The class was informative, but nothing special. He is terrible at facilitating discussion and the article selection could have been much better. He loves to challenge everything you say in a way that makes you not want to talk. That being said, the class is easy. I took it as a writing intensive but it didn't feel like it.
His classes are just lectures on the reading with no slides. If you do the readings, the quizzes are easy. For a writing intensive class, its not very intensive, which is good. It is an easy class. If u pay attention in class, literally everything is so easy.
The class is overall easy. He doesn't assign many assignments at all. The only reason you'd run into a problem is because the class is boring, its entirely lecture based with no slides and not many opportunities for student participation.
Professor Ott was not my favorite lecturer, but his class was fairly easy. He is not a harsh grader, but make sure to participate at least a couple times in the class for participation points.
Not the most interesting class, lectures are a little boring, not too much work. Try to listen to lecture as well as take some notes he's pretty representative. you'll have one big group project and two tests in person. there are weekly quizzes that are easy to forget about so be careful.
Professor Ott is NOT as bad as everyone is saying. He has weekly quizzes which are 5 questions and they usually have an extra credit question or two. They are super straightforward. There are 3 times you are required to speak during class and the question you ask doesn't have to be crazy complex, mine are always simple and I get always full points.
Professor Ott is extremely vague. He never answers questions fully and his class is fully based off of his opinions of readings. He gives very little room for interpretation and writes all of his notes by hand on the whiteboard. If you skip his class, you're done for. Good luck ! I for sure do not recommend !
Don't take Professor Ott PLEASE. Do yourself the favor. He expects at least like 40 pages of reading a week, but I quickly realized I could get away with not doing it. You do need to pay attention to his painfully boring lectures because the weekly quizzes are like word for word what he says. Offers no help for anything and explains nothing. ever.
This class was so boring. We spent every class talking about readings nobody read, he wanted us to ask questions which we didn't so it was just him talking to us about the reading. There were no actual presentations done by him. He brought up abortion for no reason almost every class. The only time I enjoyed the class was the group presentations.
He is a nice person but like the other reviews said, doesn't really care about what his students have to say. For the required participation with the question, he would just challenge everything I said but wouldn't explain why. Almost failed this class. Would not take again.
The class was sort of difficult to follow. It's never really clear what should be written down for notes and what is just there. There are weekly quizzes and readings, two exams, and a group project. You have a high chance of getting a good grade if you participate and do good on the quizzes. You also have to read!
bro sucked ngl. he teaches like you already have 5 years of experience behind the topic and expected you to automatically understand him.
Paul Ott's class is a mixed bag. Lectures can be dry, but if you stay engaged and use tools like unstuck study for study prep, you can do well. Quizzes are tricky but manageable.
All the bad reviews are clearly from people who didn't do any reading or studying. His lectures can get a bit basic, but the class isn't hard. If you just do the reading, his lectures make good sense and are relatively engaging. If you can't take notes, maybe avoid though. He is very helpful if you talk to him after class or during office hours.
Class Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
79%
Textbook Required
33%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B+
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-0.42 avg changeRatings by Course
ENVS283
5.0
(1)287
3.3
(3)PHIL287
3.2
(24)130
3.0
(1)PHIL130
3.0
(14)Difficulty by Course
PHIL183
4.7
130
4.0
PHI187
4.0
PHIL187
3.8
PHIL181
3.6