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TBALL is AWESOME!

just awesome!

fabulous! loved him! very entertaining

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Kick ass professor

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group tests!

Great teacher, funny and interesting

Slowest talker ever. Boring as anything. EASY EASY EASY

Easy, laid back class.

Good class, very laidback. Study notes and book and tests will be fine.

Go to class and study the night before tests, and you'll get a good grade.

awesome prof!! really easy going and it's a relaxing class!!

cool guy, lots of fun, tough grader... too hard to do well on speeches

very easy, laid-back class; good teacher, i definitely recommend him

Awesome Prof., laid back class, all you do is play game, get on his good side

Very nice, class is pretty slack, just few presentations, tests are really easy

Easy overall but the man won't give A's... but extra credit makes up for it

easy fun class, nice guy.

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This guy is the man! A pleasure to take the class, awesome material, helpful!!!

Communications=JOKE! JUST went to class only on required days and took an A.

Laid back, speeches=helpful, class material=whatever, GCOM sucks but he is cool

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really easy class, great guy, not much work, extra credit, definitely take him

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not a lot of homework and projects, only 2 speech presentations (1 individual, 1 group), very organized notes for tests, speaks in a very easily understood manner when teaching, usually lets students out early

Awesome guy, you'll want to hang out with him. He makes the awful subject of GCOM fun. Easy test and fair grader. Near no homework.

very chill teacher! class is kinda boring but easy

Easy class...awesome guy..friendly...class is easy...no hw...just some small stuff...cool guy

Awesome guy, class sucks @$$, but he makes it better. No homework at all.

Tim is an awesome teacher!! We had to do 2 group presentations that you do have to work for, but not hard at all. Study for the tests and you will do fine. If you take this class Tim's the guy to take it from.

Tim is great!! the class isnt that easy but he makes it fun and not boring. the only work you have to do is the 2 group projects...not hard at all. definitly take tim!

He's a really good teacher, and a really good guy. He's funny, he's cool, and he'll help you if you need it. There's very little homework, and his tests are all from the powerpoints (available on black board) and from the book. He's a great teacher.

Tim is an awesome guy. Easy class. Easy tests. Fair Grader. Take him definitly

Laid back and funny, class material is not interesting but he makes it tolerable. Some work outside of class (community service learning, journal assignments, group project and presentation) but tests aren't hard. I def. suggest taking him for 350.

He's a generally good guy, and his class is resonable. I like the subject, but he would of made it interesting either way. Oh and the presentations are a ****. But that's GCom for ya.

Tim's a great guy, though I honestly don't remember learning anything in his class. It all felt like common sense to me...

Really nice and honest teacher. Definitely not easy - you have to read the book and study hard for tests, but he is really helpful and always willing to meet outside of class if you have questions or problems. You will have nightmares about the lit review though - don't take this class with 261!

Tim is very personable yet professional. I found him to be very helpful and understanding. I dont advice taking 280 with 261 either; its not suicide but fatal. I would recommend Tim for 280!

Dr. Ball is great. Class is great. Book is boring. He is HOTTTTTTTTTTTTT. Get in line ladies.

he deserves a chile

Tim is a really fun teacher to have. I was nervous about presentations, but he gradually eases you into it. I think he's very friendly, personable, and approachable. Definitely would suggest!

Tim is the greatest. I mean, the class has to suck, just by definition, but he makes it tolerable. Workload isn't very much, mainly just preparing the presentations. Calls off class occasionally. Does have a 3 limit attendance policy tho, which definately sucks.

Dr. Ball was an AWESOME guy. Nice, funny, and approachable. The classes were boring, but the class itself has boring material so it's not really his fault. Grades pretty easily and gives study guides for tests. Makes taking 280 (required for scom majors) not so bad! Take him!!!

Ball is such a great guy. His class isn't EASY, but you learn a lot and he makes it so much fun. Very laid back!!

I think he's cute, lol. He's a cool guy and even though the class is boring, just being near him is an incentive enough to go.

Awesome class! Dr. Ball rocks my socks off - he's funny and amused easily. He's happy to answer any questions that anyone has, regardless of it's connection to the lecture. Let's us out early, friendly, gives study guides, multiple choice tests...I can't wait to take him again!

This guy rocks my socks off, too. He is one of those professors who pretends to be apathetic but really loves his students and teaching. It is a lot of work, but he rewards you if you put the effort forth. Research Methods was one of my favorite classes, which says a LOT about him as a professor :)

Overall the teacher wasn't that bad. He wasn't boring and the material wasn't hard. He made my first semester more enjoyable

Timothy Ball---what a GREAT man!! I loved him as a person, hated the class though. He always posts powerpoints but you can only miss 2 classes. His tests were impossible, but you have 6 papers worth 100 pts each to bring your grade up. He grades really easy on the papers too!! TAKE BALL if you want a fun and interesting class!!

Very interesting class, and Dr. Ball is awesome. He is very laid-back.

i love t-ball! gcom was an amzing class! tests were actually quite difficult. my avg. was about an 75. speeches really help boost your grade, i finished with an A. very nice guy. great teacher. MUST TAKE!!

He is very nice, but I find his presenttions to be boring and his class a waste of time. His tests are easy, but since his answer chooses suck, they are kind of hard. I don't like the speech topics or areas we have to deal with but the teacher is nice. My problem is more with the subject he teaches (and his tests) than him, he is very nice and if y

He's a great teacher. You just really have to read the text book and go to class. He isn't boring at all. I personally like this class. Very interesting. I never thoguht of communication the same way after this class. Speeches we're very nerve racking just because i'm not a big speech person but i eventually got better. Got A's actually... He's als

Kind of pretentious, but the more you get to know him the nicer he gets. No tests, just projects and presentations. Not an easy A, but I don't think this class will be easy no matter who you take it with. Go for Dr. Ball, he's pretty amusing with his sarcasm.

He is nice but he grades presentations really hard. the tests aren't hard and reading the book isn't necessary. you have to do service learning which is 50% of your grade which sucks. but all in all he's a decent prof so i recommend.

Tim was the best professor I had at JMU. I took 4 classes from him and each was great in its own way. GCOM is very boring for most but he's fair in his grading and puts the appropriate amount of effort into the class. The upper level Org Comm classes are awesome with Tim. Can't say enough good things about him - great professor

Such an awesome professor. This class was really interesting. It sets you up for the real world. He can grade presentations hard, but I did great on everything, you just have to try and you will do well. Such a helpful guy. Will help you at any cost. Classes are open discussion and are interesting and fun. Love this class & professor! Take him!!!!

LOVED HIM! Dr. Ball is one of the nicest men you will ever meet. His class has a very laid back atmosphere for a public speaking class. He told so many funny stories about himself, and rarely ever gave boring lectures. The speeches can be intimidating but he is a fair grader. Just make sure you prepare yourself and read the book before tests!

TAKE HIM! Dr Ball is super chill and one of the nicest men ever. He is really funny and has a dry sense of humor. I'm gonna miss this guy. He's kind of tough on grading speeches but he's reasonable. Again. take him!!!

He was a good teacher - tough grader on speeches (AND OUTLINES), but otherwise very good, very funny. Take him!

Very minimal work required. No homework. Your grade consists of 3 speeches,an essay (that relates to your speech), three tests and the final. The book is necessary, since he does not review for tests. He is a tough grader on speeches and outlines. But he is a good teacher - very funny and helpful.

Dr. Ball is the perfect combination of personable and professional. I have not taken a Communications professor or class that has helped me more than Dr. Ball's class. If you're lucky enough to have an opportunity to take Dr. Ball, leap at the opportunity. He is one of the best assets that James Madison University has to offer.

Pretty chill professor. I think he's a tough grader for a class like this. I wish that I had taken GCOM 123 instead, just because it's easier. But, Dr. Ball is really cool in that he treats us like adults and is very down to earth. He once even flipped off to illustrate a point...Haha, he's a funny guy.

Take Prof Ball! He's such a cool guy, and he's really helpful if you just ask. He gives study guides for each test that has everything that will be on the test, so if you fill them out you will get a good grade, and the speeches aren't bad. He's my favorite prof so far and I'm really going to miss him!

Dr. Ball was my FAVORITE professor this semester as a freshman! Definitely take him!! He is so much fun to be around, you will need to spend time studying, but class is lots of fun!

Nice guy and all but not very clear with instructions and a harsh grader on speeches. Take him if you feel comfortable with your public speaking skills, if not then I wouldn't recommend.

This class was definitely really easy, especially since we only had to go to the sessions with our TAs. Tests revolve around the textbook. Speeches are easy.

Dr. Ball is a great guy and certainly wants his students to succeed. Tests aren't bad as long as you read the textbook but he is a little harsh with the grading on speeches. If you feel comfortable with public speaking I would take him... if not I wouldn't recommend. I liked him though.

The lectures are super boring and long and Dr. Ball just reads right off an outline. You only really need to go to the sections with your GTAs, but attendance is mandatory with Dr. Ball. The class was easy with a lot of fluff assignments and you don't have to give your speeches in front of him, so it isn't a lot of pressure.

Lectures are probably the most boring thing I've ever sat through which stinks because attendance is mandatory. Lectures were read straight from an outline with little or no additional information added. Tests were okay if you studied the book. Grading scale was bad; you could only get an A if you got a 95% or above which is virtually impossible.

I took the honors group class. We didn't do anything until the end and then he graded really hard. He is very good at taking feedback. No extra credit. Thinks he knows everything and is funny but he's not. I did do cool interviews and used camera equipment. I loved my group and that made the class awesome. No speeches. just visual presentations.

Dr. Ball is a great professor. He has a dry sense of humor but he's actually so nice. Gives study guides for tests & gives points back on test questions most people missed. Gives extra credit if you take the MREST by a certain date. Grades strictly on group presentations but gives lots of good, constructive feedback. Wants to see students succeed!

His lectures are pretty long and monotoned for the most part but the slides are information packed (in a good way). His test questions are fair as long as you study. He cares about his students and their success. He puts everything online and gives lots and lots of feedback.

Lectures can drag on, but Dr. Ball makes them funny. Graduate students teach on Fridays and give lectures randomly which make the class sometimes interesting. Tests are taken online in class, and study guides are provided so they aren't too bad.

Nice guy and knows a lot on the subject. Tests were usually easy B+ to A- if you knew the basics of the material. Puts a lot of weight in your grade as attendance so you have to show up AND answer the tophat questions correctly to get good "participation" grade.

Professor Ball is really nice and his lecture class can be really fun. He tries to tie recent events into the lecture. You don't have to do much work just read the chapter and answer a couple questions. He gives study guides for you to do for the tests. Overall he's very nice and I recommend you to take his class.

Dr. Ball is a kind man who makes lectures entertaining, even if the content is dull. Large lecture class on Mon and smaller sessions(30 students) and a graduate assistant on Wed. The presentations are graded harshly but you should improve by the second speech and receive a better grade. Personally, I liked the style of this class (laid back).

fun, interesting helpful class. prof is nice and helpful, though slightly monotone voice. quite a lot of projects/presentations, most independent, one in pairs you choose. very slow in grading. quite a bit of work but not horrible, and no tests, and examples and rubrics for almost all. to my knowledge, better to take him than whitfield

A lot of people complained about this class, but I didnt mind it. On Wednesday we had large lecture with Ball, then on Friday we were in smaller classrooms with GAs. The smaller classrooms are where the 2 group presentations were done. Attendance is mandatory for the Friday session, but not really for lecture. You have weekly reading quizzes that

Enjoyed taking his class but not sure what I really learned. Felt time in class could've been better used and more specific feedback would be good. Be ready to present multiple times. MAKE SURE you get a good group or your grade will reflect, and be nice to other groups because they grade your presentations (not him...)

SCOM super easy with him. super specific about the presentation you have to make and only one lecture with him once a week and one class with a TA. attendance not mandatory for lectures and lectures quite frankly aren't important if you miss them, attend the first couple for basic information. weekly quizzes due 5 min before lecture, short and easy

Tim Ball is a solid choice for SCOM 123. The class itself isn't hard as long as you do your work. His lectures are engaging and entertaining.

Professor Ball is a solid choice. He grades harsh on speeches (total of 2). Each week there was an easy WS that we would do in break out rooms. No quizzes. Tests weren't too bad, he posted a study guide for each exam including the final. Expected people to participate in class. Lectures were focused on powerpoints that were posted online.

Professor Ball is a good person and professor, but very lecture heavy and the material really doesn't prepare you for the exams.

Professor Ball is a very chill guy and his assignments are very easy. They're just interaction videos and online reading. For SCOM 123, he provides an online textbook which is helpful. The class is indeed boring, but easy. He responds quickly to emails and is overall polite.

Too easy, take this class. Attendance is optional I have not went in months, tests are online, multiple choice and he gives you days to take it. Weekly assignments are a few multiple choice questions that have unlimited retakes so you always get a 100. Take this class for SCOM

GROUP SCOM Tim Ball's lectures were okay, but most of the test were from the textbook. I would not recommend taking group scom because the grad assistant taught the smaller sections on Wednesday and mine was awful. Other than that, there were weekly powerpoint videos that were super helpful and only 4 exams.

I had Dr. Ball on T/TH from 9:35-10:50. His class is easy and interesting. His work load is fair with videos you often just have to take notes on and answer 2-5 questions. You can also take these multiple times so I never got less than a 100%. I highly recommend his class as he's chill and a great teacher. His lectures are easy to follow as well.

Such an easy class. Do not need to go to big lectures. Course is super easy. Just need to crack down for the final and you'll be fine.

Had Ball for my senior practicum and he is awesome. Very nice person, wants to see students do well, will engage you and ask you about your day. You can tell he enjoys working with students and is very relatable. His classes are always very clear and not hard at all. Solid pick and respectable professor!

Professor Ball is a very kind and caring man. On the first paper I got a 72 and when I went to see him in office hours for feedback my grade on the next paper was a 96. I will say that 240 was a lot harder for me than 241 because of the number of quizzes/exams. If you work hard in class and take Tim Ball, you won't have to worry. Do extra credit :)

Yeah SCOM is easy literally don't stress.

slow talker, lectures were boring and didn't feel interesting or useful. nothing to really complain about otherwise. good professor overall. attendance was "mandatory" but if you got the attendance qr code he put up at the end of class from a friend there's no way for him to tell. i spent more time with my graduate TA than i did with him.

His classes are really straightforward and easy. As long as you show up and do the assignment outlined you're fine. Dr Ball is approachable and honestly pretty chill. I recommend SCOM with him

Class depends on who your TA is! day 1 of class is online with your group the one is lecture with dr ball and the last is with your TA. The lecture you basically played games and did a little review. Since all SCOM has the same final this class won't prepare you but you're likely to have a high enough grade where the final does not matter.

Tbh I liked Dr Ball, classes set up like easy doc assignment mon online with a group of 5, wed entire class lecture, fri recitation with a TA and smaller class. 2 presentations in the year, lots of opportunity for extra credit. I messed up n forgot to turn in 5 assignments due in one day but other than that got good grades for everything else.

Tim Ball is a chill dude. His lecture just gets a little boring. You will have a TA and that's what you'll do most of your presentation work. Depending on your TA It'll be easier or harder cause they'll make it either jmu focused or just world-focused. Tests online take-home and videos with questions. There is a textbook, but it's online.

Ball was kind of boring but the class was very easy and you only see him one day a week. Wednesdays are with Grad assistants to work on speeches (paige was great choose her!). Only two speeches and some easy outside of class activities. Tests were online at home, easy A.

Definitely dependent on your TA but either way everything you do is online. Tests, homeworks, video lectures, all online. You only have two presentations for the semester and they are not bad. This class was light and I would recommend.

Professor Ball was a good choice for SCOM 123, you get paired up with TA's and mainly work with them. I would recommend Arie, but overall you have two presentations, three exams that are online, interactive videos, and IF activities. The final exam is in person and cumulative so be prepared for that. I would recommend him.

Class depends on the TA that you get. If you're decent at working in groups, you'll do fine in his class.

This is the best professor ever. He is so sweet and always tries to make the lectures fun and engaging. The lectures are super easy, and you don't have to take notes. The workload for this course is extremely light. He also genuinely cares about students and forming relationships with them. Definitely take this professor if you are doing SCOM 123.

Very easy class. If you don't like group work this isn't the class for you. But overall as long as you're prepared for your speech the class is really easy. All the exams are online except for the final. The professor is funny and a nice guy. As long as you go to class and memorize your speech you'll do good.