2.5

Tara Callaghan

Psychology - St. Francis Xavier University

2.5
Quality
3.3
Difficulty
33%
Would Retake
93
Reviews
2.5
Quality
3.3
Difficulty
2.5
Helpful
2.5
Clarity

33%

Would Retake

93

Reviews

Rating Distribution
Official

5

7

4

24

3

9

2

31

1

22

What Students Say

Classes are so boring

PSYCH100 - 1.0 rating

Her classes are dull as hell, she has pointless online quizzes weekly and difficult, time consuming labs without having a lab time slot

PSYCH260 - 2.0 rating
Class Info

Online Classes

100%

Attendance Mandatory

43%

Textbook Required

25%

Grade Predictor

Your expected effort level

LowHigh

Predicted Grade

B+

95% confidence
Based on 30 grades
Most common grades:
B+ (8)
A (5)
B- (4)
Grade Distribution
A(8)B(7)C(3)D(1)F(0)A-/B+(11)
Based on 32 reported grades
B+: 8
A: 5
B-: 4
B: 3
Common Tags
Tough grader (16)
Get ready to read (15)
Lecture heavy (10)
Accessible outside class (6)
EXTRA CREDIT (3)
Caring (3)
Test heavy (3)
Lots of homework (3)
Rating Trend

Stable

-0.04 avg change
Jan
Feb
Apr
May
Jun
Oct
Last 6 months
Ratings by Course

PYSCH385

5.0

(1)

PSYCHOLOGY100

4.0

(1)

PSYDEV

4.0

(1)

PSYCH374

4.0

(1)

PSYCHOLOGY

3.5

(2)
+14 more courses
Difficulty by Course

PSYCH372

5.0

PSYCHOLOGY

4.0

PSYCH100

3.8

PSY260

3.7

PSYC260

3.5

Reviews (93)
4.0
3.0
PSYC100
Feb 25, 2002

helpful to go see, just classes are insanely borring

2.0
3.0
PSYC100
Mar 2, 2002

the most monotone voice EVER

3.0
4.0
PSY260
Apr 6, 2002

No Comments

1.0
3.0
PSY260
May 14, 2002

No Comments

4.0
3.0
PSYC260
Grade: B
Nov 5, 2002

an interesting course, nice person

5.0
1.0
PSYCH260
Nov 7, 2002

maybe if what she taught us in class was on the exam i wouldnt fail

2.0
5.0
PSYC260
Nov 25, 2002

No Comments

4.0
3.0
PSYC260
Dec 2, 2002

So boring

2.0
3.0
PSYC260
Dec 11, 2002

knows her stuff but bad teacher, boring classes, not recommended

4.0
3.0
PSYC100
Feb 17, 2003

She is a good prof.Don't plan on staying awake. Follows the book so read ahead!!

2.0
3.0
PSYCH100
Feb 20, 2003

super nice and smart but ...disorganized and doesnt go slow enough for notes

5.0
3.0
PSY260
Feb 28, 2003

Very nice lady, helpful and understanding.

2.0
3.0
260
Mar 12, 2003

soooooo boring and dry. rather watch paint dry on a wall..

4.0
4.0
PSYCH100
Mar 31, 2003

Nice proff, but verrryyy boring....makes tests hard too

4.0
4.0
PSYC260
Apr 1, 2003

She knows her stuff. But exams are a little difficult, you have to know a lot

4.0
4.0
PSYC100
Apr 5, 2003

No Comments

2.0
5.0
PSYCH260
Apr 8, 2003

No Comments

1.0
4.0
PSYC100
Apr 13, 2003

Very boring and difficult....not very helpful with a review for the exam....and a very bad professor overall....

2.0
3.0
PSYCH100
Apr 19, 2003

BORING AS HELL !!!!! exams were hard...multiple choice tricky....read the book!

2.0
4.0
INTROPSYCH
Apr 23, 2003

Hard to understand, very vague, boring classes and hard exams.

1.0
3.0
PSYCH100
Nov 9, 2003

Worst prof i had at X. Thanks for the gift though!

2.0
4.0
PSYC100
Dec 12, 2003

Boring lectures, hard exams... learnt lots tho somehow...

2.0
5.0
PSYCH260
Feb 4, 2004

Tara's class is simply taught by power point. She is very uptight, and does not want to take the time to listen to what you may want to say or know more about e.g(made me wait an hr when we had an appt. scheduled)

2.0
4.0
PSYCH100
Mar 30, 2004

Doesn't care about intro courses - never shows up. Tests are written before she lectures on the material... i mean, wtf?!

5.0
3.0
PSYCH260
May 9, 2004

If you show up to class and pay attention you'll do well. She knows her stuff and is enthusiastic about it. The more you participate in class, the more you'll like it. Do service learning.

2.0
4.0
PSYC260
May 10, 2004

Callaghan is a tough prof. She thinks that everyone is as brilliant as she is and she doesn't understand when other people can't comprehend some of the material in the course. Plus her exams are absolutely brutal!!

3.0
1.0
PSYC100
May 22, 2004

Okay, she is the crappiest prof in the world as far as teaching goes. DO NOT take if you want to learn anything. DO take if you don't plan on attending class and can learn easily from the book (cause that's all that the tests are on)

4.0
5.0
PSYCH100
Jan 18, 2005

awful in class essays(gives no prep and barely related articles).Exam is the complete wrost.Speedy figners on the power point (class is based on this,you may as well get them offline and just read the book,no indulgence into material).Have had a single good class. HARD TEACHER,HATES INTRO ANYTHING

3.0
2.0
DEVPSYCH
Apr 1, 2005

Good prof, lectures can be boring (all powerpoint), so it aint the end of the world if you miss a class or two (ive missed plenty!)...In class essays can be a pain to write, but she marks fairly easy, I would reccomend her for developmental psych if you want a good mark in it.

5.0
3.0
PSYCHOLOGY
Apr 16, 2005

Shes very helpful when needed

4.0
1.0
PSYCHOLOGY100
May 10, 2005

Easy class - all you have to do is read the textbook, skipping won't hurt you. She bombs through the slideshows so you're best off just listening and downloading them off the net. The hardest part is her quizzes on the chapters. Nice person and always interesting to see what she wears to class.

1.0
2.0
PSYCH100
May 12, 2005

Horrible proff, all slides and she flies through them. dont go to class, just read the book and download the slides. write simply and clearly on essays and youll be fine.

4.0
2.0
PSYCH260
May 23, 2005

Tara tests her students through in class essays instead of memoriation. You do research and bring in one page of info to write an essay in the quiz time, so don't bother if you can't write a decent essay. I barely went to class as it was all powerpoint, and only read the chapters outlined by her for the in class essays. Really good class.

2.0
5.0
PSYCHOLOGY
Aug 23, 2005

She was absent for 2/3 of class time, impossible to improve grader, and very confusing during lectures.

3.0
5.0
PSYCH100
Sep 5, 2005

pretty tought cookie...flies through the slides...wouldnt recommend her i dont think, maybe if you want a challenge

4.0
4.0
PSYCH101
Sep 11, 2006

I thought she was great. It's pedagogically sound to review material independently before she lectures on it. The lectures are to add clarity which, to me, they did. I really liked her as a person and thoroughly enjoyed her course. I took two more from her after that. Those of you looking for easy marks? Grow up! High School's over.

1.0
3.0
PHYC100
Jan 4, 2007

Dont bother asking for help

4.0
4.0
PSYCH100
Mar 2, 2007

She's a really good prof, but don't expect a free ride. You will need to put in alot of time and effort to get top grades. She's a nice person, knows her stuff and teaches as if you have already done preliminary reading of the chapter. She does not readily make herself available for extra help. Take her course,you will actually learn and retain

1.0
3.0
PSYC100
Mar 7, 2007

very uninteresting

1.0
3.0
PSYCH260
Mar 10, 2007

Ditzy and airy. Her teaching style is not good at all. Slideshows in University? Umm... no.

2.0
3.0
PSYC100
Mar 21, 2007

She is a very boring teacher to listen too but overall is not that bad. Her tests are not that hard if you just study the concepts she tells you to! There are no papers to write just in class essays which she gives you the questions for in advance..Soo if you are willing to put the work in she is not that bad...She just usded slides and reads righ

4.0
2.0
PSYC100
Mar 23, 2007

Okay so her classes are a little dull, but she does try to make them intresting. Only problem I had was her quizzes. The quizzes frigged me up everytime, they had to be on the most randomnist thing ever... I was like that was in the book? Other than that do well on the in class essays and you shall be fine

1.0
5.0
PSYCH100
Apr 23, 2007

Horrible prof!!!!!!

4.0
3.0
PSY101
Aug 20, 2007

Her classes can be dull but educational and reinforces/highlights text, all off powerpoint. You'll need to study the textbook closely not just skim notes to do well on tests but really, if you are a hard worker they are not difficult. She gives study concepts and the tests are extremely short so you'll never have to race against the clock.

4.0
4.0
PSYC100
Sep 7, 2008

yes her lectures are dull and make you want to sleep but that's okay because she doesn't take attendance and posts all her lectures online. Just make sure to study the chapters in the book like your bible and it's all you really need to follow. she doesn't make you do any papers except for in class essays which aren't bad.

2.0
3.0
PSYCH260
Apr 6, 2009

Her classes are dull as hell, she has pointless online quizzes weekly and difficult, time consuming labs without having a lab time slot. Additionally, you have to prepare for 4 in class essays and only write 2 making you waste alot of time and effort preparing for 2 pointless essays. Horrible professor!

1.0
5.0
PSYCH100
Jun 5, 2009

Classes are so boring. Very monotone. I had to teach everything to myself. Brutal woman to listen to and is rude. Never smiles either. In class essays were given all the time and she assigned a lot of work. don't take her class.

2.0
3.0
PSYC260
Nov 15, 2009

Nice lady but a mighty, mighty flighty prof.

4.0
3.0
PSYDEV
Nov 29, 2010

She's a great prof! As long as you put in the effort, she is very willing to help, and you will do well. Slightly disorganized but equally very understanding and willing to bend if YOU need it and have a GOOD reason. Get to know her, she's an awesome person and will go out of her way to provide you with opportunity.

5.0
2.0
PYSCH385
Jun 13, 2011

Amazing professor. In all honesty, what you put into is what you'll get back. She is super approachable and always interested in what you have to say. Her cultural psych course (new this spring) was challenging for sure but completely worth it. Really interesting content!

2.0
3.0
PSYC374
Mar 16, 2014

i tried so hard to pass her tests.. i failed all 3.. i read all the material and everything i needed and still failed her test. since it is online cant clarify the questions so i write what i feel is appropriate and do not have time to finish. i hate it. not enough time to think let alone breath. Good luck future students..

2.0
5.0
PSYC260
Mar 31, 2014

If you need to take Developmental Psyc, do not take it from Dr. Callaghan. The difference between her and other profs is a class average of 48% to 86% on the first midterm. Her slides are boring and lack any direction. She gives out way too many review questions and expects every student to be at an Honours Student level, which is not the case.

2.0
4.0
PSYCH260
Grade: A+
Jun 18, 2014

Super unorganized.. Nice lady though! Never knew whether to write down what was on her slides or what she was saying... Stuck to the slides and did well! Make sure you read the text book! Unfortunately she doesn't tell you what to read before you read it! Tests were relatively easy as long as you knew the material!

4.0
1.0
PSYCH374
Grade: A+
Jun 19, 2014

This class wound up being really easy. 20% of your mark is making a blog/participating in online discussion. There are 3 midterms (where you can copy your answers straight from the textbook) so no final exam. Would recommend.

4.0
3.0
PSYC100
Grade: B+
Jan 9, 2017
Would take again

Very kind and approachable. Highly but understanding and cooperative.

Respected
TEST HEAVY
EXTRA CREDIT
5.0
3.0
PSYC260
Grade: A-
Feb 28, 2017
Would take again

Great Prof. Uses great life examples for the Dev. Psyc. that make your understanding much better for the course. She gives you Review questions that are ALWAYS on the final exam! Though they are tough, you will usually have a month or more to prepare for them. Super good to see in the office. Not many Assignments (1 per semester)

Gives good feedback
ACCESSIBLE OUTSIDE CLASS
Caring
1.0
5.0
PSYCH372
May 29, 2017
Wouldn't take again

this is the worst class i've ever taken, feedback very vague, quizzes are so difficult, and not enough time is given to do well. 10 multiple choice worth 40points is just too much.

Tough Grader
1.0
4.0
PSYC260
Dec 8, 2017
Wouldn't take again

Such a disappointment. This class would have been one of my favourites as I enjoy this topic a lot but the prof ruined it for me. Sets you up to do bad. Very unpleased. I have never met a prof that was as disorganized as her. She doesnt know what the heck is going on ever.

GRADED BY FEW THINGS
LECTURE HEAVY
1.0
5.0
PSY260
Dec 9, 2017
Wouldn't take again

One of the most disorganized and unreliable profs I have ever been taught by. Never replies to emails, don't even bother sending one- it wont get answered. Her multiple choice (online) midterms contradict her own powerpoint notes. What a treat!

2.0
4.0
PSYC374
Grade: B-
Apr 17, 2018
Would take again

Disappointed. Ive received high 80s and 90s in psych courses at X, and got 71 in this one. Average 2 required articles per lesson (some had 3-4), 8-10 2-3 pg papers (one per lesson), Two other 5pg papers, 2 quizzes (20% each), and One 3-5pg assignment. She did say in the beginning that it would be fast paced, but the amount of work was unexpected.

Get ready to read
LOTS OF HOMEWORK
SO MANY PAPERS
4.0
3.0
PSYC100
Grade: A
Jan 7, 2019
Would take again

Her lectures are very boring so I had a hard time paying attention, but as long as you study her lecture slides and read the chapters then her tests are very straight forward. With her exam review questions she basically tells you exactly what to study so very hard to do badly if you put some effort in.

Get ready to read
Clear grading criteria
3.0
3.0
PSYCH100
Grade: B+
Mar 28, 2019
Would take again

While quite monotone she is a very talented professor. Her lectures are very interesting and have great flow from one topic to the next. Not the best prof I've ever had but far from the worst.

Test heavy
Amazing lectures
Lecture heavy
1.0
4.0
PSY260
Nov 7, 2019
Wouldn't take again

Her lectures are so boring the entire class was falling asleep the whole time and is repetitive. She is a very unfair marker, especially on the online exams, where the questions are worth way too many points each (one question was worth 40 points). Would strongly recommend avoiding having her as a prof if you want to get a good grade.

Get ready to read
Tough grader
1.0
3.0
PSY260
Grade: Not sure yet
Dec 6, 2019
Wouldn't take again

shes literally awful her online exams and terrible she marks you wrong on questions from the book when you put the correct answer from the book just because she doesnt like the answer. Was learning something the same in another class so i knew my answer was right and she told me how wrong it was, she has no idea ejat shes talking about

4.0
2.0
PSYC260
Mar 26, 2020
Would take again

Although Tara isn't the best psych prof, mostly because her lectures boring. She tests easy, typically she gives you a list of "study questions" pre-midterm or -exam. These questions are the exact questions she uses on the midterm and exam, making it easy to do well if you put in the time and do the questions before hand

2.0
3.0
PSYCH101
Grade: D
Dec 13, 2022

Her voice literally put me to sleep, i would never take her class again. She never helped when you asked questions and when you need help she's useless. Super boring and pointless class, don't take it unless you need it.

Tough grader
Lecture heavy
3.0
2.0
PSY101
Grade: B+
Dec 20, 2022

She is very kind but lectures are boring so if you do the readings at home you don't need to go. Gives exam questions ahead of time but changes them a bit for the exam so make sure you understand them and don't memorize. She is often behind in lectures so prepare for quizzes according to reading dates, not lectures. Lots of chances for easy marks.

Get ready to read
1.0
4.0
INTROPSYCH
Mar 16, 2023

Lots of reading required, very difficult to get help from and hard to understand.

Tough grader
Get ready to read
Lecture heavy
3.0
2.0
PSY101
Grade: B+
Oct 12, 2023
Would take again

lectures are so boring, talks in a very monotone voice, lectures are not needed to do well in her class, made us do a quiz a week that was based fully on the textbook. Midterms and finals were easy as she gives a list of questions at the start of the semester that are basically the exam, study those and know your definitions and you'll do fine

Get ready to read
Lots of homework
Test heavy
4.0
3.0
PSY101
Grade: B
Jan 16, 2024
Would take again

Overall a good person, however she copies lectures exactly from what is written down by notes, easy to take the class completely online

Tough grader
Get ready to read
Accessible outside class
1.0
3.0
PSY101
Grade: B+
Apr 17, 2024

Her slides were basically the textbook, lectures were SO boring it felt more productive to not go to class. The Inquizitives were really the only thing that helped me do okay in the class. Would not recommend.

4.0
3.0
DEVPSYCH
Apr 26, 2024
Would take again

Overall, she is a great professor and I definitely recommend her if you need to take a Psyc course.

Get ready to read
Gives good feedback
Accessible outside class
3.0
4.0
PSYC100
Grade: A
Jun 19, 2024

boring lectures but was alright

Get ready to read
Respected
Lecture heavy
5.0
2.0
PSY101
Grade: A
Jun 30, 2024
Would take again

I really enjoyed Dr. Callaghan's class. I found the content very interesting, and you can tell she has so much knowledge and enthusiasm for what she's teaching. The weekly inquizitives and zaps were an easy way to boost your grade, and she made it clear what was going to be on the exams. She's a great professor.

Get ready to read
Clear grading criteria
Accessible outside class
2.0
3.0
INTROPSYCH
Nov 12, 2024

I loved psych in high school and now, I dislike it. Her slides are exactly what the textbook says so I wouldn't even say going to class is beneficial. She made attendance mandatory after our first midterm because the average was 52.5. Truthfully, I think she needs to reevaluate her teaching methods. She also mixes up fMRI and MRI in her lectures.

1.0
5.0
PSY101
Grade: C
Nov 27, 2024

This professor ruined my major!

Tough grader
Lecture heavy
Test heavy
1.0
5.0
PSY101
Grade: C-
Dec 6, 2024

horrible teacher

Tough grader
Graded by few things
Accessible outside class
4.0
3.0
PSY101
Grade: B-
Dec 7, 2024
Would take again

She's a bit of a tough grader on midterms, but if you need any help, she has multiple office hours. On the exam, you get to have a 'cheat sheet' one-sided next to you during the exam. Her writing assignment we had was fairly short, and she was an easy marker on that. The quizzes are easy, which helps boost your mark.

Tough grader
EXTRA CREDIT
Accessible outside class
4.0
2.0
PSY101
Grade: A
Dec 10, 2024
Would take again

Dr. Callaghan is a super sweet person and you can tell she knows her stuff. Inquisitives and ZAPS are an easy and great way to boost your mark. Lectures can often be slow and dull but not intense. writing assignment wasn't too long and she was very liberal with the grading of it. Midterm and Final are fair and you will do fine as long as you study.

Caring
1.0
2.0
PSY101
Grade: B+
Dec 11, 2024

I wouldnt take this class the lectures are really boring and everythings just from the textbook her marks are kind of all over the place and i literally just played games the whole time

Tough grader
Lecture heavy
2.0
4.0
PSY101
Grade: Rather not say
Dec 17, 2024

Professor Callaghan wasn't my favourite. Her powerpoints were plain and I found it difficult to be engaged with the lectures. She is a very tough marker, if it's not how she wants it you will not receive full points. But if you read the textbook and do the zaps and inquizitives you'll do fine.

Tough grader
Get ready to read
EXTRA CREDIT
2.0
4.0
PSY101
Grade: C
Dec 18, 2024

Professor Callaghan i wont be recommending her for psych 101she was a horrible grader this was due in part to her having it so that if it. wasn't in the words that she wanted exactly then it wasn't going to get full points. she was extremely boring in lectures to the point that when less then half way though the semester i stopped going but passed

Tough grader
1.0
4.0
PSY101
Grade: A+
Dec 19, 2024

Seems like a kind person but her grading is very inconsistent. Dr. C relies heavily on the textbook however my long answers on the final came directly off my cheat sheet, almost directly from the textbook, and she still graded them wrong. Lectures are hard to follow and zaps are not consistent with what we're learning. We were often weeks behind.

Tough grader
Participation matters
Lots of homework
2.0
3.0
PSY101
Grade: B-
Jan 6, 2025

She kind of just read off the slides. The whole class is just the text book, she was a bit of a rough grader. I found that I felt as though most students didn't do well with the way she taught her classes. She have all the short and long answer questions before exams though so it's almost impossible to fail. Nice woman.

Get ready to read
2.0
3.0
PSY101
Grade: A
Jan 6, 2025

I really enjoyed Doctor Callaghan at first, but her midterm and final were terrible, she heavily suggested we use the text book to properly answer short and long answer questions. Although all of my short answers came from the book and were vetted by the teaching assistant and she still marked me wrong and told me I needed clarity.

Get ready to read
Lecture heavy
Graded by few things
2.0
3.0
PSY101
Grade: A-
Jan 7, 2025

She is a very nice person. Reads off the slides rather than actually teaching. I found her lectures hard to follow and i didn't understand how it related. There was a lot of little assignments that could be used to boost mark, but they were a nuisance.

Lots of homework
2.0
2.0
PSYCH101
Grade: B+
Jan 8, 2025

boring and not very helpful

Tough grader
1.0
3.0
PSY101
Jan 10, 2025

Not worth it lol

2.0
4.0
PSY101
Feb 11, 2025

Dr. C mainly copies the textbook and puts it in slides, and then reads them while talking in a fairly monotone voice. I personally found it very hard to follow along, and when looking around the room, you could tell some of the class was falling asleep. She seems like a nice lady though! Also, she has some grade boosters, but they can be a pain...

Tough grader
Get ready to read
Lecture heavy
2.0
3.0
PSYC262
Grade: A-
Apr 15, 2025

Lectures directly from the slide shows, ALL of the midterm questions are on Quizlet. The final: 10 LONG questions to prepare, little direction on needed detail. Went into it with a 97/8, ended with a 92. Cheat sheet had all the info from her lecture, slide shows, and I even read each article, but still lost 1/4 of points with no feedback. Annoyed.

Tough grader
Lecture heavy
3.0
4.0
PSYC262
Grade: B-
May 16, 2025
Would take again

I went into Callaghan's class thinking she was going to be terrible from what I'd heard. I actually found her classes really interesting and did well in the course until the exam. Beware, she marks really hard if it isn't multiple choice (the assignments are graded by someone else). She is understanding if you reach out, so always worth a shot.

Tough grader
Caring
Lecture heavy
1.0
3.0
INTROPSYCH
Grade: B+
Jun 1, 2025

Boring lectures. Voice puts you to sleep.

Graded by few things
Accessible outside class
Online Savvy
2.0
4.0
DEVPSYCH
Grade: B
Oct 2, 2025

Boring, monotonous lectures. Final Exam is only based on her own research which is only shared in small portions across the whole semester, and not available anywhere else. Super annoying to have to remember the smallest tidbit of information from week 2 about her own personal research with prosocial behaviour.

Tough grader
Get ready to read
Class Info

Online Classes

100%

Attendance Mandatory

43%

Textbook Required

25%

Grade Predictor

Your expected effort level

LowHigh

Predicted Grade

B+

95% confidence
Based on 30 grades
Most common grades:
B+ (8)
A (5)
B- (4)
Grade Distribution
A(8)B(7)C(3)D(1)F(0)A-/B+(11)
Based on 32 reported grades
B+: 8
A: 5
B-: 4
B: 3
Common Tags
Tough grader (16)
Get ready to read (15)
Lecture heavy (10)
Accessible outside class (6)
EXTRA CREDIT (3)
Caring (3)
Test heavy (3)
Lots of homework (3)
Rating Trend

Stable

-0.04 avg change
Jan
Feb
Apr
May
Jun
Oct
Last 6 months
Ratings by Course

PYSCH385

5.0

(1)

PSYCHOLOGY100

4.0

(1)

PSYDEV

4.0

(1)

PSYCH374

4.0

(1)

PSYCHOLOGY

3.5

(2)
+14 more courses
Difficulty by Course

PSYCH372

5.0

PSYCHOLOGY

4.0

PSYCH100

3.8

PSY260

3.7

PSYC260

3.5

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