BORING! Also strict grader

Very helpful in meetings. Actually cares. Doesn't follow MLA for everything.

Not easy, more interesting than other English teachers. Caring.

One of the best English Profs in SJSU,Great humor ,and cares about students.

Interesting. Expects a lot from students. Good teacher. You will learn a lot.

One of the best English professors. Expects his students to work hard, but is very helpful.

great teacher, loved his class!

If you are not an English major and are looking for a 100w class to take, I would not take this course. I am an "A" student, and this was the only class I have ever not passed (I put great effort into the course too). Good teacher, but very diff

pretty hard. expects a lot from you. one of those crazy english fanatics

demanding and strict. took this class as a freshman and i was actually 'scared' of him.

I always have a hard time in English class, but I thought he is pretty cool. He is a great teacher if you want to learn something.

I liked him as a teacher. He was very helpful. Office hours are a must. Hard grader but GREAT professor.

He's a GREAT teacher. His class is for students who really wanna learn. He's very helpful. If you show that you work hard, he'll do his best to help you to succeed. He wants to see your success.

Strachan is so cool and awesome once you get to know him.

A challenging professor, which makes sense 'cause it's upper division core coursework. I'd reccomend him because i felt really prepared for the major after taking his class. If you go in for office hours he will help you out.

Strachan is quirky; uses big language, is sarcastic, sometimes says things like, 'yo dude don't dis me!'. Sometimes he asks a question, makes a joke, and you forget what he asked you. You might feel a bit lost. I don't think he hates women.

If you want to learn something take his class, if not then take another Prof. He does single people out, but it's all in good fun. He grades fairly well on essays (mostly got high B's on mine) If you put time and effort in writing your essays you will be rewarded, if not then you deseve to fail.

You can learn a lot from this guy especially how to pass the final with a good grade. He grades pretty easy, i didn't try that hard and i got a B. He's pretty nice. Read all the stories assigned and look up words you don't know cuz it'll be on his quizes

He asks individuals for their thoughts and interpretations, so be prepared to speak up. Is very helpful if you are having difficulties and need to talk one on one. Takes an interest in students' progress. Expects his students to work hard and be prepared for class. Doesn't single women out.

He is a reasonable professor. I took the 100w summer 6 week class. I would advise only enlish majors take this class. It was fairly labor intensive but the class was enjoyable and often entertaining. I did hate to be put on the spot though and once he realized how much it bothered me he stopped.

Great prof! Very fun class. I honestly hated it when it was over. He is a very knowledgable and intelligent guy.

This was one of my favorite classes. He was very helpful and very discussion orientated. He is not the easiest professor if that is what you are looking for, but he does put forth a lot of effort ensuring that his students grasp the concept he is teaching. I thought he was a great teacher and would gladly take another class from him.

Nice guy that expects alot out of students, do the reading or fail, super helpful in office, not an easy class-especially for non english majors- but it is interesting, I would much rather be challenged by him than bored to death like most other classes,

Yeah It's a tough class and he expects alot from students but come on your in college that's a good thing

while an overall good professor, his real strongpoint is his feedback.

A GREAT professor, one of my best/favorites. Unlike most, he actually challenges students to their full potential, and genuinely cares. Also gives great/intelligent help/feedback. Not the easiest professor, but you'll feel good after taking him.

Strachan is great because he puts people on the spotlight. You can see their face when they don't know the anwser. He probably takes pleasure in watching students suffer. He knows he's doing this and probably gets off on it. That's what Strachan is the man, he owns noobs like you.

If you like science fiction, this is the class for you! I don't like science fiction, but it kept me some what entertained. There is alot of reading and one essay to write. The tests are hard. good luck!

He is not the easiest professor, but he takes the time to help all students and ensure that they are able to do as well as possible in the class. He gives you great feedback on all of your papers which makes it a lot easier to do well on your final drafts. Overall good challenging professor. You will learn a good amount.

Not an easy class, but he provides great feedback on your essays. You will be better off after passing his class. Don't expect any easy ride, Do your work, don't make excuses and you'll be fine.

Prof. Strachan is the AWESOMEST teacher at SJSU. My favorite prof. at SJSU!!! His comments on your essays are great & they help improve your writing. Great teacher, learned a lot in his class. Very caring and helpful during office hours. You have to work hard in his class but totally worth it!

Just go to class and do your work. Try not to do it last minute. The Prof. is ever picky on grammer mistakes and word tense, but grades fair. It worth taking this class even though this Prof is hard at grading. Overall do all your work and you'll pass.

well lets see...he is a good teacher...picks on people which forces you to pay attention. goes over essay a lot...and gives you a lot of examples...he is always there if you need him...about 4 essays...and you gotta do a lot of work...its not an esay A and i didnt get it even though i did all of my work and never missed a class, but its a fun class

I guess he's in his element in the IA and IB classes but Critical Thinking is ridiculous. He's extremely clear (some of the time), so that will help, but we didn't get many essay assignments in this class so we didn't get all these wonderful comments people are talking about. He's out there, but bearable.

He was difficult but I think he really wanted to make students better writers.

I left his class as a confident writer. Provided excellent feedback on essays and gave suffieient time to do the research needed. He was consistent on his office hours and always helped students which approached him after class asking for help about essay topics and such. I would definately recommend prof. Strachan to any student looking to improve

I loved this class. His lectures were fun, and he required participation. The class does get harder as it moves along, but he spends enough time on each section so you get it. But we didn't get any of our work back, which is a major downside. We only got our first test back. I was positive i was going to get a B, but i was surprised igot an A.

Great professor. Clear on explanations and if not, very patient in explaining things over and over again. Somewhat of a hard grader but if you show up, do all the work, and study the material, you'll pass the class. My hardest class but got an A+. Learned a lot from his class but be prepared to be called on in class.

He is kinda of an ass. He is an okay teacher, can be boring. He always picked on me in class and it got annoying after a while. He made us write several essays. He is a kinda harsh grader. He has a weird sense of humor. A little reading required and talks about it in class. Most of the grade is the essays.

(Took him spring 08) He was a HARD professor. DO not take him if you don't want a hard prof. He is really strict, but I think he was very approachable and very clear. He was really mean though, picking on students, but thats what made everyone feel comfortable with each other (at least for me).

he's a great teacher. you need to do the reading in order to not be embarassed in class every time. no other work except for essays and reading, but you need to go to class. he really helps with the material but you need to be caught up with it because he calls on people randomly. keeps things interesting!

Throws hissy fits when you don't do your work and reading.

Overall, he is very good at explaining material so that it is understandable and very clear. However, I was very disappointed by the lack of feedback from him especially on essays, because it left all of us unaware of what to correct in our papers. He's a very hard grader, and can be extremely snide if you answer a question wrong. Unnapproachable.

His lectures are interesting since he explains the materials quite well. Just make sure to read the material before hand since he calls out randomly on people... Overall... just participate actively in class, read the materials, and turn in your paper on time.

Very dedicated professor, I cannot say enough. Professor Strachan is a very intelligent, quick thinking man who is crystal clear with all of his lectures and really helps you develop your critical thinking skills. If you want to get a quality education and develop better judgement and critical thinking skills, TAKE THIS CLASS, IT'S WORTH IT.

It's been 6 years since I had class with him and even though I was always scared to go to class I learned more from that class and his instruction than I did in most classes. Hindsight is a bugger. The class was mostly a challenge because he requires lit crit which most undergrads don't yet know.

IF YOU ALWAYS ATTEND CLASS AND WANT TO IMPROVE YOUR WRITING SKILLS, TAKE THIS CLASS AND 1B WITH HIM. Yes, Strachan's class is hard. I hated English until his class. I learned more in 1A and 1B with him than middle school and high school put together. Readings are easy, essays are plentiful, and grading is somewhat hard. Yet, still worth it.

IF YOU ALWAYS ATTEND CLASS AND WANT TO IMPROVE YOUR WRITING SKILLS, TAKE THIS CLASS. Strachan grades hard and there are a bunch of essays, and i couldn't have enjoyed it more. I don't know if I've ever worked harder in a class and got a B-. Since then, ACED THE WST, GOTTEN MANY COMPLIMENTS ON MY WRITING, and it's all thanks to him.

Very good teacher if you want to learn how to write at a professional level. He's helpful if you have a question and very approachable at office hours. Essays are the bulk of the class. Gives occasional quizzes on readings. Only problem is that he takes forever to grade sometimes, but the feedback is helpful. Lectures are entertaining

Professor Strachan is very articulate and clear in his instructions, but he picks on students sometimes in an offensive way. We used the St. Martin's Guide nearly every class, so purchase that textbook. He counts participation, grades not too hard on essays, and is helpful if you go to his office hours.

This class could be tough work, but what you get out of it is worth it. Read the book; do the homework. It helps you to understand the material. The exams and essays weren't bad. Sometimes he doesn't give people enough time to process a question before calling on them, which could be why people feel that they're being picked on.

really interesting person

Professor Strachan, in short and based on my experience this past semester, is quite worth it. His vast knowledge on the subject and his clarity make lectures a pleasure to listen to. If you are SERIOUS about learning something, take Strachan.

In fall 2012 he had some personal issues, which is why many reviews say he is absent often. He does pick on students, but mainly to get them to give deeper answers; he EXPECTS his students to give quality answers. If you show him you are capable of critical thinking + if you do the readings then you should be ok. He LOVES students who participate.

Strachan can seem rude. Sometimes he interrupts & doesn't give you enough time to reply. But read, participate in discussions (they're interesting if you do) and do the work. He helps if you approach him. Nice guy. Great class if you want to actually learn some English (which you all should). Clearly outlines essay requirements multiple times too.

He's alright if you attend class, do the homework readings, and participate in class. What I didn't like was the numerous essays and how tedious they were. He also lags on grading our essays and has cancelled a lot of classes this semester. I would've preferred it if he cancelled class and cut out some of the essays that were due.

In this class, you definitely have to do the work, but it was worth it. Ralph's lectures were clear and to the point. It's very helpful to come to class and listen to what he says, as well as reading the book. He tells you what you need to know for the module tests.

His class wasn't that hard. I got an A and I didn't even need to turn in the final draft of Essay 4. As long as you go to class and participate in the discussions, you'll do fine.