2.6
Quality3.9
Difficulty21%
Would Retake88
Reviews21%
Would Retake
88
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
15
4
12
3
21
2
16
1
24
What Students Say
“Would not recommend taking him”
SPCH1315 - 3.0 rating“Absolutely avoid at all cost”
SPCH1311 - 1.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
93%
Textbook Required
57%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B+
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-0.46 avg changeRatings by Course
INTRO
5.0
(1)SPEEC1311
5.0
(1)SPEECH
4.5
(2)1315
4.3
(3)PUBSPEAKING
4.0
(1)Difficulty by Course
PUBSPEECH
5.0
SPCH
5.0
COMM1302
5.0
COMM1301
5.0
SPEEC1314
5.0
Reviews (88)
Ralph Long is a teacher who takes his job very seriously. He believes Public Speaking I will be the most pivotal class you will ever take in your lifetime, and it is the defining moment in your life. The work load he gives is absurd. He does not teach.
No Comments
Long is a nice man. That being said, his class isn't the easiest. It's very difficult to miss a class and not expect to drop to at least a B with his grading system (counts off major points for each absence). There's a lot of grades and the tests are difficult but he's helpful if you need it.
Ralph Long is a teacher who takes his job very seriously. He believes Public Speaking I will be the most pivotal class you will ever take in your lifetime, and it is the defining moment in your life. The work load he gives is absurd. He does not teach. This is the first class I have ever dropped.
He will put you to work but if you study hard his class will be insightfull and a great experiance.
He thinks Speech is the most important thing in life. He has like 4 tests that are hard. Alot of speeches that he grades extremley hard! My suggestion dont take him!
Long's class was fun. He was easy to listen too and he would make the boring interesting. His class wasn't hard.
he's.... well different... but very nice does his job well.
To me, this class comes easy. Long covers material quickly, but it's nowhere close to being too fast. If you read the book, keep up with assignments, and pay attention to writing your speech, then you should be fine.
Ralph long is a unorganized, his test are extremly hard no one in my class made above a 68 on his test and he grades the speeches like were suppose to be professional speakers. i think he needs to be informed its an intro to speech class!! Don't take him it a waste of time and money!!
Ralph Long is a great professor. He is fun and good. He does take his job seriously, however if you are prepared this class will come easy to you. I highly recommend taking his class.
He is not organized, he doesnt follow to his sylbis and he doesnt document grades very well, i had to turn in six assignment that he had already graded, lucky i saved them. i would not recommend him to anyone
I know the person who wrote that one rating, and she is wrong, I made an 80 on that test. IT's just that she sits with people who all did poorly.
Great teacher very entertaining.Very tough and demanding and who grades very hard on your speeches.Tests are very tough and he rarely teaches out of the book. Be prepared for your speeches, rehearse and make sure your speech is within the time limit. Read and take notes over the material in the book before taking the tests and you will do fine.
hes a good teacher, but his tests contradicts what he says in class.
he sucked
He is interesting but he is very demanding. If you love to read and have a lot of time on your hands to reasearch a lot and study you should take this test but if you have other demanding classes dont take his class. BELIEVE ME DON'T TAKE HIS CLASS IF U ARE BUSY.
ugh! Horrible teacher, stay away! He grades ridiculously hard on your speeches. His lectures are boring and pointless. You just have to read the book to pass the tests, which are still VERY hard. Save yourself and pick someone else.
Great prof! Provides vivid examples to complement course material. Tests are based from text, requires some memorization. Hard marker, but fair.
Unfair. Told class he never gave "A" b/c there was no such thing as a perfect speech. Tests not clear in what he was asking. Rude. ABrupt. Graded by IF he liked the content of a speech, not by the speech itself. Unfriendly. Don't take him. Aims to give a bad grade from the beginning.
Very unfair. If he doesn't like the topic of your speech, he gives you a bad grade or makes you do it over. Told the class that he did not ever give an "A" b/c there's no such thing as a perfect speech. Rude. Abrupt. Out to fail most students. Learned zero.
He has a very nit-picky outline format that you will spend hours trying to get correctly unless you want to loose 10 points everytime on silly outlines. He also "doesn't belive" in giving A's on speechs,
No Comments
in his first lecture, he repeated every point no less than five times. he made a typing error. it read 220 instead of 200. he mentioned this five times. then he mentioned it again three mintutes later for good measure. he's supposed to be teaching us how to give a proper speech, but he can't give one himself. i'm not okay with that.
I don't know why everyone is saying such mean things about him, I think he is a great and interesting teacher. I have learned a lot about giving speeches, and he is hilarious! The tests are easy although there is a lot of them. Speeches are not very often which is good. Our class is a lot of fun.
I did not like his class at all he made it alot harder than it should have been!do not take him
hard professor, easy for the first couple of weeks and then flys through all the assignments....nice guy and gives you help if needed...if you do your speeches and kind of study for your tests you should pull of a B
I'm a junior at UTD. I take my classes very seriously. I take higher level classes. I'm an A student. Above average GPA. THIS IS THE MOST DEMANDING CLASS YOU WILL EVER TAKE. Do NOT take him for express unless you have NO LIFE. No job. No family. He'll work you to .DEATH.
I enjoyed Prof Long's class. It was tough, but I learned a lot. I felt he was very fair in his grading of speeches. If you pay attention, read the book (for the tests), and work hard, you'll do well. Remember.. you reap what you sow.
he assigns all of the speechs at the end of the semester for the last month of class instead of laying the work throughout the whole semester.i would not recommend taking him if all u want is an easy speech class that has nothing to do with ur major.
I'm taking Long's class now and, though he's very sweet, funny, and seems to care about his students, he's a wolf dressed in sheeps clothing. i worked very hard on my first speech and delivered it without "umms" and "uuhs", looked at the audience the majority of the time, and had an organized speech... that ended up being three seconds too short. s
Took his Maymester class. It was HARD! This guy is hard core! For 3 weeks I gave up sleep, my family, & my life for this class. Just pay attention, come to class, & do your speeches. I got an A! And I was so stressed I lost 20 pounds (seriously).
Long is pretty much useless when it comes to asking him for help.Is not consistent with his grading for speeches.Not a single person got above a 75 on both tests.The only teacher I know that calculated attendance.Im not talking about a point or two for missing a day.Attendance is 15% of your grade alone. You want to help your GPA.DON?T TAKE HIM.
Prof. Long is not hard he just expects you to go to class and complete your work assigned. He gives extra credit. You need the book for the 2 tests and the rest of his grading is based off of speeches and labs and attendance. It is a totally ok class if you just put in the effort.
first part of the class is really easy but in the last month you have a speech due ever other class. if you plan on taking him you will have to have a manucript, outline, and a visual on most speeches. speeches run in link from 3-8mins depending on what speech you are giving. if you take this class get familure with current events. No perfect speec
Good professor, nice guy. The book portions, tests etc are easy as long as you read and have common sense. He grades VERY hard on speeches, however. Gives little to no feedback as to how to improve speech grades. Don't take him too early in the morning, that was my downfall.
This class is not hard, but prof long is a little confusing. There are only 2 tests, but he doesnt make it clear whats on them. Most of your grade is speeches, which he grades picky, but they are still do-able. Just pay attention to the format he wants. each little thing you mess up is a deduction.
DO NOT TAKE HIM. PRF.Long is one of the WEIRDEST people that I ever seen. First month easy and it is a joy to listen.WORST part 2tests, he doesn?t make it clear what?s on them. Tests are very different from the book and from the notes in the class. You will do all your assignment but believe me the highest grade you can get is C-D and most F.
I had already heard from fellow students that he was bad but i thought they were just probably too dumb.They were right class seems to take FOR EVER, completly mono-tone and is EXTREMLY BORING! He is not clear on what we need to study for Tests and there are only 2 for the semester. I would not recomend him to anybody but in the end its up toyou
HORRIBLE i repeat TERRIBLE PROFESSOR
horrible professor
He grades hard on speeches and I never got the study guides he supposedly sent out and failed both tests. I try to be friendly towards him but he is a seriously grumpy old man with a bad attitude.
If you want an "A" on a Professor Long speech you had better do it right and not just get up and mumble over your note cards. Otherwise, he is a congenial and entertaining Professor. It takes a lot of effort to fail this class.
The lectures in class are entertaining.Pointers on speechhelpful. He grades hard on grammer though.Use writing lab!Last test is not current with the book. Soo even if you score a couple of A's on your speeches, and your first exam which you can take at home, dont anticipate a final grade of an A. It's just not possible.
Professor Long is enthusiastic, but a little tangential. He is very knowledgeable about current events and taught me several things I would otherwise never have found out about. The exams are a little difficult and tend to focus more on concepts than the specific powerpoints or notes. Overall, Long is a great teacher.
He can impart you with knowledge when he isnt spew'n out disclosed info bout himself which takes the majority of class. Tests=Textbook not class. Speeches are rapid fire, and harshly graded for some reason. I took speech prior to him, and passed and by no means was it easier. just more organized then what he brings to the table.
Its true about the tests not being over class, most of the lecture is relevant but consumed by trite details. For a man who is humorous, he must take himself quite seriously for he grades like an executioner. Warning, the all inclusive pink packet he handed out, didnt even have time limits on it or rubric for one of the three speeches
Class is easy, only two exams so be prepared. Grades hard on speeches, definitely no A's for effort in that class. If you miss a speech, you will fail. If you go over on your speech time or under don't expect anything higher than a C for a grade. Good lectures though
Pretty good prof! Took an express class with him and it was pretty easy. He gives time in class to work on speeches. Really passionate about what he's doing. Tells lots of stories and jokes. USE THE BOOK FOR TESTS! Asks questions that you have to look in the book for. Overall great professor, would definitely take his class again if I needed too.
Like him as a personal and his class was fun! He will having you laughing all class long. He loves his job and what he does. He grades very hard on the speeches. I mean really really hard! Attendence is a must in his class.
While a required speech class seems like it would be an easy A, Professor Long makes this class more difficult than other core classes. He is a very tough grader and few, if any, students will get an A overall. The exams are based on the book but require you to extrapolate the material to get the right answer. DIFFICULT!
HE IS A VERY COOL PROFESSOR! HE HAS A LOT OF CHARACTER... YOU DO HAVE TO GET UP AND SPEAK AND YOU WILL BE RECORDED SO YOU CAN EVALUATE YOURSELF (SO SPEAK LOUD AND CLEAR AND NO GUM).....I TOOK NOTES AND NEVER OPENED THE BOOK...IF YOU LOVE TO TALK THIS IS THE CLASS FOR YOU! I WOULD TAKE HIM AGAIN FOR FUN~
HE LOVES HIS JOB BUT IS A SUPER HARD GRADER. HE MAKES SPEECH ABOUT 50 TIMES HARDER THEN WHAT IT SHOULD BE WHICH MAKES IT NOT A REAL FUN CLASS
so just did chapters until spring break then after spring break speech after speech. unfair grader.
I took Dr. Long's course back in 1994, yes, 1994. He was tough, and the fact that I rembember him after almost twenty years should tell you something. I think he would be great, if you plan to major in speech--because he knows his stuff. The tests were impossibly hard. I wonder if he still wears those silly outfits?
Great Professor, you actually enjoy his class and learn something.
Grades very strictly and spends more time talking at students then allowing participation time. I've taken many speech classes in middle/high school and enjoyed them. Not this one. He seems to think there is only one way to speak and that is his way. He is certainly the worst PS teacher ive ever had. DONT TAKE IF GPA IS IMPORTANT TO YOU!
Absolute amazing teacher. Keep s it light and fun. Yes he grades hard but he makes it clear from the beginning. He understands that nobody is there but choice. So he keeps it fun.
First off make sure u even need this class instead of 1310 or else ur wasting ur time like I did. Aside from that he's a chill guy, but takes this course way too seriously. Don't expect an "a" bc it won't happen.. And when it comes to the test you can have the book right in front of u and still fail. The questions are very meticulous and detailed.
I have a very high GPA, very smart, and very dedicated to my studies.I give great speeches, and make a few As on the ones required in class.I loved Mr. Long's lectures. LISTEN:NOONE IN THE CLASS MADE AN A.Retook it to earn my much needed A, but shouldn't have had to. Nice guy, but not together on exams,lectures,and textbook syncing up.It's a shame.
He loves what he does, but he might love too much. HARD Grader. His tests are very TRICKY, even not missing class it is still confusing. You need a BOOK!! His lectures are FUN! I got my first B :( in college after 1 and half year. DON'T TAKE THIS CLASS IF YOUR GPA MATTERS TO YOU!! My GPA is not a 4.0 anymore, thanks Prof. Long. (
Would not recommend taking him. His lectures are interesting & he is funny, but not relevant to the 2 tests (which everyone BOMBED). He grades the speeches pretty tough considering this is an intro speech class. I don't think anyone in the class made an A. He's nice & funny, but he is tough. I wish I had taken a different teacher and gotten an A
He is tough when grading, but he gives you clear instructions. i recommend taking detailed notes and study the power points. his test are okay, just really need to pay attention the wording, it can be tricky. he is very good with feedback and helping students who truly want to learn.
You get tested on the textbook, but you never actually talk about it
Makes it impossible to get an A, most everyone failed the class, barely scrapped by with a B. Three speeches that he records and grades tough. Two tests each over half the book that he does not teach so you have to read the book yourself and make your own review. WOULD NOT TAKE AGAIN. DO NOT TAKE HIM IF YOU NEED TO PASS. Attendance is a grade.
Learning Community. I don't encourage anyone to take this class. The only reason I enjoyed it because I made friends. At the end of the semester no one thought they would get an A, but ended up most of us did because there was an error somewhere with the grading i believe. Gives a lot of personal experience but not good when it comes to the test.
Professor Long makes this class much harder than it should be. There was only ONE assignment before the drop date, so it was too late to avoid a poor grade after realizing I wasn't going to succeed in his class. He grades harshly and the tests have little to do with the lectures. Even the book wasn't very helpful. Also refuses to use Blackboard.
DO NOT TAKE HIM!!! I am a 4.0 student and did poorly in this class? IT IS SPEECH?! He lectures about his own life, nothing that he lectures on is on exams, he does not give As, the majority of the class failed the midterm & final, attendance is mandatory and is a grade? The book is NOT helpful which he says the test material is from there. ITS NOT.
Tough grader. Lectures dont make any sense and are extremely boring and unnecessary, yet every single class is mandatory to attend. Gives absolutely no feedback so when you fail your first speech or test you will never find out what you ever did wrong. You dont learn anything, and you wont get an A; there is no reason to take this guy's class.
If you repeat one word you will have no points for speech fluency. I also cannot recommend the Maymester. It was impossible to get feedback from him in time, that would have allowed me to improve my performance. Tests are ambiguous, but he is very knowledgeable - inappropriate requirements for into to Speech - OK for speech major.
The lectures were fun as the professor was great at keeping students involved. The tests were extremely confusing as multiple answers were correct but only one was more correct...I read the textbook and was in every class and still could not make a B on the test.
Lecture was fun. However, he made the test and grading unnecessarily hard. Even you have studied all the note and book, he can make you get lost in his unnecessarily abundant words on exam questions. Besides his speech grading criteria really need improvement. I doubt that is a fair one.
His class is hard, the fact that it's speech makes it harder. I am okay with tough classes, but I am not okay with professors who purposely embarrass their students.
pr long class is hard and his class requires hard work. lectures are somehow fun. he's a tough grader and having an A is almost impossible.
Long is a good man but his teaching methods are horrid. He tells too many stories during lecture instead of just getting to the point. He also makes us do the speeches over current news instead of a subject that you enjoy which is extremely annoying. a lot of unnecessary work before speech.
Work graded unproportionately low for what was turned in. Grading didn't make sense, feedback was poor and limited. Majority of class stopped attending and many who did finish out still made below a C. Professors Long doesn't set his students up to succeed. Very unfortunate experience and poor academic environment. Absolutely avoid at all cost.
He should not teach a 1301 class for speech non majors. For Speech Majors, he's a great option to test your acumen, however if you just need the credit, look elsewhere. He is a funny guy and his lectures are somehow fun, but he is a tough grader who's attendance policy is near madness. Tests are difficult, speeches are worse. Take a different class
Tests are largely based on word-for-word from the textbook, don't depend on lesson notes to do well on tests. What you learn in class should be applied 100% in your speeches. Avoid signing up for his class, you'll most likely regret it. If you're not good at public speaking there's a very low chance you'll be getting more than a C.
He is very funny and engaging several speeches
Prof. Long cares about his students. He was always willing to help us out if we were struggling, confused, or needed clarification. Every story had a moral to it, and exemplified an aspect of speech. He graded fairly, and I used the feedback on my first speech to better my second. Our tests were open-book. It's very possible to obtain an A.
Gives Extra credit. Must go to class. gives extra credit twice. i hate giving speeches but he made it less stressful for me . on final exam is open book
Seems like he would rather be doing something else. The way he grades is not parallel with what the syllabus says. The assignments arent too bad, but you are better of going with a prof. who actually enjoys what they do and actually cares about their students.
His grading is too inconsistent. I give great speeches but his main focus isn't the speech, its the outline, woks cited, manuscript and all that not the speech itself. So there's no winging a speech, you have to actually prep for it. Attendance is't mandatory but it's 10% of your grade. Don't take if you want a easy A.
Avoid if you care about your gpa. He grades you on how you look while giving your speech, not the content or quality. If you show any signs of nerves, major points are taken off. If you are not a well versed, professional speaker this class is not for you.
I do not recommend him! He is unclear with what he expects and doesnt clearly answer questions whenever you ask him. He is a very tough grader and its almost impossible to make an A on a speech.
He seems very worn down and tired of teaching. I learned more about his personal life this semester than I did about public speaking. He does not give thorough instructions all! He takes off points of your participation grade if you miss only one class. This class is definitely not an "Easy A" and I would stay away if you're taking for credit.
He is a tough grader, he will not round up grades whenever it is 79 or 89.
He does not properly prepare his students for the assignments. After checking with the whole class everyone was very confused and didn't know what the assignment expectations were. He spends more time discussing his personal life instead of focusing on course material. I asked him for help several times and got nothing but well wishes.
Class Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
93%
Textbook Required
57%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B+
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-0.46 avg changeRatings by Course
INTRO
5.0
(1)SPEEC1311
5.0
(1)SPEECH
4.5
(2)1315
4.3
(3)PUBSPEAKING
4.0
(1)Difficulty by Course
PUBSPEECH
5.0
SPCH
5.0
COMM1302
5.0
COMM1301
5.0
SPEEC1314
5.0