2.6
Quality4.1
Difficulty30%
Would Retake88
Reviews30%
Would Retake
88
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
88 total ratings5
12
4
16
3
20
2
14
1
26
What Students Say
“Avoid her if you can, and save your gpa”
PSYC4320 - 1.0 rating“She says that it is not her fault if we are not prepared”
PSYC4320 - 1.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
38%
Textbook Required
65%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-0.90 avg changeRatings by Course
PSYC1000
5.0
(1)PSYCHOLOGY
4.5
(2)PSYCH3100
4.0
(4)PSYCHOLOGY3100
4.0
(1)PYSC4740
4.0
(1)Difficulty by Course
PSY3100
5.0
PSYCH4740
5.0
PSYCHOLOGY3100
5.0
PSYCH4802
5.0
PSYC3500
5.0
Reviews (87)
DO NOT TAKE PROFESSOR SHOUP!!! Very unclear about all of the concepts. We were not taught a lot of the material that she put on the tests. She is very tedious in grading both tests and homework assignments. If you argue that an essay question is correct, she says she will take off even more points. No extra credit. A lot of homework every week.
PROFESSOR SHOUP WAS GREAT!!! Whoever made that other posting must have had a chip on his/her shoulder. Like, ok, so the tests also covered material from the TEXT BOOK. She graded fair and had strong commitment to quality. Maybe I just liked here because I got an A, but I feel like I earned it! THANK YOU DR SHOUP!!
Shoup doesn’t seem to actually know how to teach a class!! She reads her PowerPoint presentations word for word and when you ask a question she becomes flustered and will quickly tell you to just e-mail it to her because she can't find the answer on her PowerPoint’s. She is a Very critical grader and I would avoid taking her classes at all costs!!
read directally from her notes did not answer questions.
Challenging class, but if you study the notes thoroughly and ask for clarification it is possible to do well. She provides a lot of feedback on papers, but if you take her criticisms seriously you will do well on the second rewrite of the paper with no penalities to your grade!
Very attentive to students in need.
Dr. Shoup is a very intelligent person. She may keep you on your feet, but only because she cares for you to really know the material. She is there to answer any questions and honest when you need to correct specific errors to better your work. If you want to learn, take her class. But, if you are just looking for an easy A, don't expect to be lazy
LOVE LOVE LOVE Dr. Shoup! I took her for Sensation & Perception, then for experimental. She is definitely not easy, but if you want to learn as much information as possible for the money you pay, take her, she is an awesome investment. She lectures well with organized powerpoint lectures. I'm sorry I couldn't take more courses taught her.
She criticize your papers and expect a lot from your paper. Avoid taking her!
DO NOT TAKE HER - I feel that she was not very clear in her presentations. She basically read from her lecture notes, and did not explain most questions well. I also feel that she covered to much on exams, and should have broken them down some. She also should have offered other assignments considering that most of the class did bad on her exams.
Dr Shoup is HARD, but I actually enjoyed her class. She can be a little brutle with her feedback and not very clear about what she wants, but you are guaranteed to learn in her class. Not sure I would take her again, but that's only bcz it can be tough on ur self esteem when she respondes to the assignments you work so hard to complete.
What a HORRIBLE class. DO NOT TAKE Psycholinguistics with this Rachael Shoup all she does is read her lectures off of PowerPoint. When you ask her a question she is vague and not helpful. The text was too dense and she tries to cover every single thing in all the exams. Would have learned something valuable had she not tried to cover so much.
This Professor is merciless and she is very unreasonable. You should be prepared to go in her class with a Doctorate degree. She WILL require you to be a Doctor while you are in her class. Thus it is not a good idea to have other units that you are taking apart from hers...
Easy class, reasonable manner; do the reading and take the quizzes on time and you'll do fine. She's a decent teacher, and appreciates intelligent banter. No complaints.
My experience is very good thus far. Dr. Shoup is very clear in lectures and her exams stick to the material. Very challenging class, but she give students a chance to make up points. to. Her extra credit is lots of work but very worth it because you learn so much about your incorrect answers. Recommended professor.
Good professor who sticks to her lecture notes for quizzes. Book was not too hard. She keeps lecture interesting if you don't mind powerpoints. She's quite fair with grading.
Must attend class, as there is a test every time it meets. I left after the test and simply watched lecture on EB replay (her lecture style is boring). Never even looked at book, as tests 100% from lecture notes she posted on BB, with a little elaboration during lecture. She also drops lowest 2 test scores. I thought class was a pretty easy A.
most difficult professor I've had at this school. she's a control freak & lazy about updating her teaching methods. crams too much info in small amount of time, along w/ being vague & unclear. her attitude destroys a students confidence. Its a set up for failure if you're a working student. RUN AWAY. its not worth it.
Very nice lady but very brutle with grading especially with material that you worked very hard on, often made you feel like your suppose to be an expert in what she teaches you. Sometimes hard to understand what she really wants you to do with assignments. Never used textbooks and just read from her powerpoints. I would never take her again.
Go to every class! You do not ever need the text book, all of her exams are on information covered in lecture. It's not easy information, but as long as you're paying attention you'll do fine. Even if you miss a class, she puts power points up on blackboard.
I Would never take her again If I can help it. Easily one of the driest classes I have ever taken. Outdated lecture style. She does not engage the class(asking for input, questions etc). She literally talks & talks & talks for hours. No homework, but a quiz is given every class. She drops the two lowest scores when calculating your final grade.
If given the choice I would never take her again. She grades harshly. There was three projects, two midterms, and a final.
Dry powerpoint lecture class. I would have preferred a midterm and a final over the routine quiz every week. She bases quizzes solely on the slides and doesn't like the slightest errors on the written quiz portions. Bland, routine teaching style with hardly any engagement. Easy if you focus on memorizing the lectures during & after class.
Her teaching styles are weird. You have to go to her office hours and see her after classes if you are not understanding something and she will assist you the best she can.
4320-no need to read book or stay in class. Quizzes 100% from PP, took quizzes and left every class-got an A and avoided dry lectures. 3100-lot of work and very harsh grading based on standards that constantly change. However, easy to get an A if put in effort and study PP and worksheets. She allows revision of all work. Books not necessary.
This is a pretty straight forward class but she makes it ten times harder!She is by far the hardest grader in CSUEB. Maybe even california. she will rip your self-esteem and Don't be mislead and think she is sweet in the first couple of weeks. she will definitely make up for it in your paper with her mean and brutal comments and feedback.
Very nice woman. BUT- unreasonable expectations for a TWO UNIT class. Hardest grading i've experienced on a proposal thus far. takes a long time to return work/grades. Will have you so on edge. Avoid if possible. But, she really is a nice lady!
She is a very difficult teacher to work with, her grading is very strict and her exam are difficult. She wants you to assume what she will ask on a test and most of her tests are asking for you to know more detail then she gives out in her lectures or power points. Even her study guide isn't enough to pass her quizzes.
She is very intelligent. Her tests are unnecessarily difficult. If you're not getting As or Be on the first few tests, drop the class and take it with a different teacher.
Doesn't grade hard, just isn't a pushover like a lot of other professors. She expects you to act like a college student and learn the material. Homework is often only there to raise your grade and to solidified the concepts.
Dr. Shoup is tough, but if you make an effort to meet with her for help you should do well. She's a very hard grader, but allows you to re-do your papers for a new grade. If you need help she's very willing to meet outside of class. Definitely a tough class though! And some of her instructions are more complicated than necessary.
WARNING: You're graded solely on quizzes only which is every week. 20 MC and a short answer (she wants you to write the answer the way she describes it and nothing else). She's not very helpful and the majority of the class usually leaves after the quiz. She's also not every considerate to her students also. Psych majors beware of taking her.
I loved this class. Professor Shoup is very organized, posts her powerpoint lecture well in advance, and as long as you show up, do the readings, take notes, pay attention, and ACT like a college student, then you should do well. There is a small test each week, which I liked better than having to cram for a big test that covers several chapters.
This class isn't bad. It's a lot of detailed information, but she gives a test every week so you don't have to memorize too much at a time. She's pretty straightforward with her grading. My only issue is, EVERY question she's asked. she says she doesn't have the answer! She seems like she just learned the material herself!
Dr Shoup is a tough grader! She drops your lowest score but it's still very hard to get an A. The material is challenging but as long as you study and do good from the beginning you will be fine. The book will help somewhat ... but ultimately you are studying what she lectures.
Take this with someone else!1 Exam every week & she gives a study guide, but it is way too much information! She drops the lowest 2 scores. Sounds simple? Wrong! Exams are tricky! Tests are out of 30; 22 multi choice questions, 2 bonus questions from previous week and 10 point short answer. BE SPECIFIC Or you lose points! She uses East Bay Replay
The most difficult class this far. Quizzes each week that are equivalent to midterms each week. Be prepared for the short answer questions by writing exactly what she has on the power points. Very tough,but this way of teaching was ideal since each chapter builds off of the previous chapter.
don't take her! She makes the class way harder than what it needs to be. Does not allow students to develop their own ideas. She expect everyone to think just like her. She's rude.
Gives weekly quizzes on BlackBoard which are hard to get 10/10. She words her questions in a way that can be confusing and misleading and some of the options for answers are misleading as well. She gives exams about every two weeks, allows 1 hour of class time, yet her exam is 40 scantron along with 5 or 6 short answer with multiple parts.
Tests and quizzes are hard. She provides study guide for exams but you really need to understand and know the material because questions are confusing, she divides it in 2 parts, 1 multiple questions and 2nd written part (be prepared to memorize). Exams are given every 2 weeks. Provides extra credit, worth 6 points. I wouldn't take her.
Her class was extremely difficult! Her lectures are her literally her reading her power points (boring), her quizzes and exams are very hard and confusing. She grades hard and expects you to explain it WORD FOR WORD on the written part. there's 14 (online) quizzes and 5 exams total. Honestly, shes the worst teacher I've ever had. Don't take her!
While Rachel Shoup's classes are not easy, they are not impossible. She provides study guides for 4320 and 4345 nd that is every possible thing that will be on the test. About 90 % of the answers can be found on the ppt, but there are sometimes questions that are in the book. A lot of memorization is required, so her classes are time consuming.
Sensation and Perception is an intense class. It's very physiology heavy and a LOT of material to learn in a short time. Very interesting material, but not easy. I'm graduating, and this class will likely be my only B since I have been here. Again, it's a good class but she's going to make you work for it! ( Which is good!) NOT an easy A!
Avoid her if possible. Terrible teacher. Tough grader, makes her exams difficult, and tons of work. Doesn't give As for papers, always finds something wrong. I would never recommend to anyone. Encourages students to drop & says average on exams are Ds. Find a professor that cares
Gives great feedback on papers, however, I felt like she wanted us to write papers how she would want it written. The class was not that difficult however the way she words things on tests are difficult! I'm sure she's a great person but, If you're a family person, take someone else or wait till you have all the time in the world for her class.
There is a quiz every class and the questions are very detailed. I find it hard to manage my other classes because this class demands so much studying. The quiz contains 20-22 questions and also short answer questions. Only take this professor if you have to. Avoid her if you can, and save your gpa.
Worst teacher I've ever had. She's not helpful at all, is very condescending when you email her with questions, and doesn't clarify anything in the book or her lecture. She's rude and is a very harsh grader even if you answer almost word for word of what she asked.
This professor has been the hardest instructor I've ever had. She asks questions on the weekly quizzes that are way different from the study guide. When you ask a question during lecture, she says "I don't know". She is also rude when you try to talk about how difficult her quizzes are. She says that it is not her fault if we are not prepared.
There is a quiz worth 30 pts. every class period. Quizzes are based solely on what is covered in lecture (I used the text only a couple times as a reference for clarity, websites were also useful). Overall, I found the material itself really interesting and Dr. Shoup very willing to help students if they needed.
There's a lot of reading and critical thinking in this class - it is time consuming, but not impossible to do well if you put in the effort that is required. Thorough feedback is given on papers, take it seriously and you'll learn a lot in the process and probably improve your writing if you do. She is very willing to help, you just have to ask.
Expect to study her lectures for this course. You have a midterm covering 4-6 chapters every 2 weeks. You HAVE to memorize the short answers to pass. No extra credit. The material is thick and hard to absorb, so do not take this course if you have a heavy unit load. Studying is 5-10 hours per week in preparation for midterms in order to get a B.
Such a sweet lady. She sets up her class in a way that makes it easy to pass. She gives a quiz every week at the beginning of class, no midterms, no finals, AND she drops your three lowest quizzes. Very helpful.
I really did not learn anything. This is the worst class I have ever taken in my life. All we do is sit in class and the teacher gets mad when we ask her questions. She does not like to answer questions. She is very rude and disrespectful. When I asked her about my grade she said do the math. We have a test every week and her study guide is not hel
I took this as a night class 6-9:45, she lectures the entire time. There are weekly quizzes online due every Sunday & Exams every 2 weeks. SG's given for exams but includes literally everything from that section. Exams are both sort answer and MC. She grades SA very critically. Lectures are on EB replay. Don't take this class for elective credit.
Not all that bad initially, seemed like a doable class. Has 8 quizzes (Drops 2). I did her study guide and studied pretty in depth. The study guide not helpful, her questions are worded very tricky, barely related to lecture, and she does not offer extra credit. Many of us kept scoring low on her tests. Tried to talk to her, but she wasnt helpful.
Dr. Shoup is very knowledgable when it comes to history of psych, but the class was HARD. She lectures right off a powerpoint which she posts online. Quizzes (8 total, 2 are dropped) are hard, and the questions purposely tricky. There aren't many assignments in the class overall, so it's easy to fall below a C if you slip up.
I think I am the only one who is genuinely enjoying her class. Her study guides are extremely helpful on the quizzes and tests. She's very knowledgeable and provides pictures and videos. Her PowerPoints are clean. Some questions she gets from the textbook so make sure to read. Ive learned a lot already. Not an easy A but I'm not complaining.
Do not take her. I did not understand her teaching method. Started with 30 classmates now 12. She will put you on the spot when doing group group. Rude when you ask her questions
WARNING! READ! AVOID taking her! Not Worth it! SAVE YOUR TIME, GPA and MONEY! Heavily trick-worded exams that study guides, quizzes, and lecture slides AREN'T helpful toward ALL exams. Extremely critical grader on short answers. Quiz questions ARENT related to Exams questions.Her Night class started with 50 students and now only 10 students remain
Worst class ever taken at Cal State University East Bay. Very tough professor don't take her! I didn't learn anything from this class besides regurgitate densely complex study material to the exam that are irrelevant in real life. Don't select her for psyc-320, instead take a different instructor because quizzes and exams are very tough.
Low ratings here aren't wrong, they're correct. The "short answers" aren't short, they're questions that must be answered as long as an essay. Do not take this professor. Professor grades tough on "short answers" and and expects you write perfect word-for-word responses. And these exams are very difficult to the point the questions are trick worded
I do not understand why professor like her are still teaching. Horrible reviews about her are real. CSUEB MUST BE DESPERATE TO STILL HAVE HER TEACHING HERE.
The course changed professors last minute and we ended up with Professor Shoup. Expects you to do tests over the weekend and only gives an hour to do 50 questions. Super hard tests that my classmates and I struggled to pass. Overall terrible professor.
There are no assignments or papers, and 20-question quizzes are given each week, but they only count for 10% of the final grade. Grading is mainly based on 4 exams, each with 50 questions, and should be completed within an hour. No extra credits and no later work will be accepted.
Class consists of quizzes and exams. Gives study guides and quizlet that help study for exams. Reachable by email. Exams are hard but if you study enough you'll pass.
I had to get on antidepressants to get through her lecturing. thank you big pharma.
I have no idea how she has any 5 star ratings. She is insufferable, and extremely degrading when you ask her questions.
Class is mostly graded on 4 tests- 40 multiple choice questions and 20 point written portion. You do the MC over the weekend (i print out all the lecture slides and have them in front of me when I take the MC portion. its not that hard). She posts 5 possible written questions on a study exam then picks two or three of them for the written portion.
I've taken this professor for two classes. Very clear outline of what she wants from you. Lectures every class (pro-tip: download/print the lecture guides and fill in as you go), 4/5 big exams, 2-3 assignments every week. She really tests you, if you're lazy or want an easy A - go elsewhere. She's fair and will work with you.
Took her for an online PSYC320 course and she was just ok. 2 lectures every week followed by a quiz, and 4 exams throughout the semester with the 4th exam being non cumulative. Pretty boring and slow, I had to use 2x speed to get through the online lectures. Make sure to study for the exams because they were pretty hard lol. Would not take again.
Passionate about the subject she teaches. Class mainly consists of lectures and tests that make up a significant portion of your grade (70%). She provides study guides and quizlets to help prepare. Exams are challenging, but if you study hard enough, you will pass. However, since there aren't many assignments it is easy to fall below a C.
This class was beyond difficult and not a fun or easy environment to learn in. She is quite nitpicky and will dock points on questions in short answer exams. Requires that you write the specific word she wants you to write. If you answer a question wrong during class, she will mostly shame you instead of saying the reasons why it was incorrect.
Lectures were long and boring, not engaging in the course. Quizzes were 20% of the grade & Exams were 80% of grade. Probably 30% of the exams was material that was taught in lectures, 70% comes from reading the textbook. Taught line for line from the textbook, there was no attempt to make it easy. Used a lot of abbreviations that were confusing.
I had a tough time in her class. She grades heavily on the written portion of the exams, making you complete the multiple choice questions over the weekend. Even then the written portion of the exams is hard to understand. There's more to say but I have a character limit. Otherwise, I would try to avoid taking her class.
SO disappointed. Every bad review is accurate, she really needs to rework the structure of her classes. 90% exams (very difficult and time-based, NO NOTES), and 10% quizzes (weekly and easy). What is on the power point presentation/study guide flashcards is very different than what you see on exams, and is just not very helpful. Never again.
I would not recommend! She gives long lectures, half of the information isn't even needed for the exam. The exams are timed, you won't even have enough time to think over the answer of the question. Cant keep your attention during lecture. Overall it is almost impossible to get an A in the course. There was only 5 people left end of the semester.
exams are worth 70% 🙁 my grade is not moving at all no matter how many assignments i do perfectly. like why are the exams so stressful too
Easiest class I've ever taken. Fully asynchronous, quizzes once a week, and all the answers can be found through research and the lectures/study guides. I've had a lot happening in my personal life and this class is the only one I'm sure I'll ace. Take this class asynchronous if you want an easy A!
Spare yourself the time and trouble she gives multiple assignments up until the end of the semester and during exam week. She gives a two part test and doesn't let us use notes. I've studied a good amount and used her slides and materials and still failed the test
Not a good professor honestly horrible her grading system is awful 70% exams 30% assignments Exams is hard you might be lucky to pass her class do not take her waste of money Studied for a month for an exam still didn't pass a class had a low test score 60% on the second exam that's bad don't take her u goin regret it I'm telling you.
DO NOT TAKE HER UNLESS YOU ARE GRADUATING IN THE SAME SEMESTER. 35% assignment 65% exam (was 30, 70). Lectures barely help with exams, assignments dont help with increasing grades. Exams are stupidly tough; confusing wording, questions are subjective. Stay home and wait until she uploads lectures. 99% of us struggled despite being prepared for them
WARNING: Terrible! Don't bother! She will purposely set you up for failure! Gives long lectures that have NOTHING to do with the exams. Studied for exam 3 weeks straight, 1-2x a day lectures, 3 hours of studying MINIMUM, EVERY DAY! Used study guides, her flashcards EVERYTHING and still TERRIBLE. JUST READ THE BOOK DONT FALL FOR WHAT SHE SAYS!READ!
Look this is a university course, it's hard, but persistency is key. ACTIVE participation is key, studying EVERY DAY is key. This is not just a class you take and go "hmmm let me get a job, hang out with friends weekly, watch tv and study 1x a week" NO. This class prepares you for accountability, be prepared to be accountable for your OWN learning.
Seeing her teaching in 2025 and these comments, I can tell she is trying to adjust her teaching style better for students. Multiple choice exams- where study guide helps, good lecture style with slides/notes that are same terminology for the study guide and exams. Be consistent, read the textbook, listen to lecture, take notes.
Honestly Professor Shoup wasn't terrible although her lectures were long and boring and I learned absolutely nothing from her during the lectures, the online textbooks were helpful! Just use those to study! To be honest its much easier :)
Dr. Shoup is a very solid professor! She's clear, organized, and fair in her grading. Her exams are straightforward and her lectures actually prepare you well! Answer the questions on the study guide prior to the exam (they help a lot)! She responds quickly and updates students frequently through her announcements! Her class is manageable overall!
I think she's a very nice person, she doesn't do much which is sad but she will still awnser questions and do normal professor stuff but I dont know, her slides are nicely made but she can sometimes have difficulties. its a long story but just know if you go to her class she's like mostly test heavy so get ready to study alot.
Class Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
38%
Textbook Required
65%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-0.90 avg changeRatings by Course
PSYC1000
5.0
(1)PSYCHOLOGY
4.5
(2)PSYCH3100
4.0
(4)PSYCHOLOGY3100
4.0
(1)PYSC4740
4.0
(1)Difficulty by Course
PSY3100
5.0
PSYCH4740
5.0
PSYCHOLOGY3100
5.0
PSYCH4802
5.0
PSYC3500
5.0