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Pay Attention, Its simple, Just listen to him, thats all

Great teacher, easy class... entertaining

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The class is really really really easy. You don't learn all that much though. He stands at the front of the class and makes fun of France (which is fine with me). You can go to class like 2 times a month and still pass fine.

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he had the class come up with questions for the exams and then everyone is emailed a copy of the questions for a dollar (that dollar covers the whole semester).And 50% of the class questions are on the test the rest of the questions are from the text

fairly easy class, come to class, pay attention and always use the study guides and you can't go wrong, this semester was harder due to flakes in the class that messed up the study guide system

Use the study guides and you can't go wrong. You will learn a lot about current events, and why you should hate the French. The always makes class entertaining.

One of the best professors at Northern Michigan University. We love you Dr. Ball!

I'd recommend this guy for everyone, unless you are timid. He's not afraid to speak his opinion and challenge yours. Stick up for your beliefs and go to class, and you'll do just fine, and come out all the better as a student, and as a person.

GREAT professor. 299 it is SOOOOOO much fun and 404 was alot of fun too. He keeps class intresting, but easy. Paper was a pain in the ass, but worth it.

dont bother reading the book because eveything is based on the lecture anyways

This class is a breeze! He is a nice guy, a little on the opinionated side, but generally nice!

He's super opinionated, makes the class entertaining at times... study your "study guides" and you should ace all of the quizes... the tests on the other hand aren't the easiest, pay close attention to lecture and stuff.

Study guide system makes quizzes an easy A and gives you half the answers for the tests, but I feel my time was wasted in this class. Forty minutes of each class was dedicated to current events, leaving about ten minutes to actually cover class material

He is really a great guy if you get to know him. He is very helpfull if he sees that you are trying. Give him a chance.

Very smart. Challenges your point of view. Tests are kind of hard.

I love his views. Challenges students to speak up. We need more truck drivers to turn professor for these unique views.

This guy knows his stuff. He can point out the textbook's inaccuracies and knows details about a lot of political happenings. Tests aren't the easiest, but it's an interesting class.

He is a great prof. Know his stuff real well, plus he is fun. Good guy

really knows his stuff, gives you about 25% of all the questoins on your exams prior to taking it. kinda of hard to follow though

At first he comes across as kind of a jackass...but once you realize that he's only trying to get students riled up and involved in the conversation, it's really easy to see what an intelligent person he is.

A wonderful teacher, shares his views but welcomes others. He puts up a fight for what he believes in but it makes it more interesting. I really liked him as a teacher, the tests are simple. If you want to take PS101, take Dr. Ball

fun teacher, most of the time class is interesting! Loves to share his views on things, to see what people will say.... Gives you the chance to pass the tests!

At first you think he's a crazy truck driver who someone managed to con the university into hiring him as a prof. It's all an act---he's brilliant and a great teacher. I also think he's a closet liberal!

He seems very aloof and can appear a total jerk. But once you talk to him and get in a few good arguements with him, he is pretty cool.

funny as hell. he's seen alot. He met MLK,JR. when he got arrested at a civil rights march. I mean seriously how cool is that?

I love the truck driver comment...so totally right on! Take him if you can...it is an experience all on its own. No doubt that you WILL walk away being able to say you actually learned something from that class.

Funny, unconventional, easy, conservative, discussion oriented. Some hate him, others love him.

had him for about 5 classes and was by far the best teacher i have ever had. I was never a good student because i never cared but once i had him it opened up new door for me. The best teacher i have ever had in my life and will never forget him

Dr Ball is by far the best and most interesting professors that i have ever had. I took him for ever class that he taught and i absolutely love him. He has an abundance of information. He is play the devils advocate just to get a debate going and he can argue anything.

He writes the exams expecting you to find an exams from the previous semesters. Don't read the books, don't even buy them. Just use the study guide and previous exams.

Awsome guy

Best Political Science teacher ive ever had. No liberal bias which is rare amoung college professors i liked him and liked the class. id take it again in a heart beat

Hes a good PS teacher, who usually stays neutral on the political state.

Excellent Professor. One of the best at the school.

Very interesting guy

Grand Teacher

He brings a good sense of humor and a good argument to class...for intro to PS he has the class write up a quiz ?s for quizes/exams and someone in the class volunteers to type them all up and email them to all the students, and most of them are used...all this for a $2 fee.

very funny outlandish teacher. you never know what will come out of his mouth. lots of people don't like him because he offends just about everyone he possibly can. I personally find this very entertaining.

Great Professor. Encourages debates, and it is hard to win with him because he knows so much. But if you know your stuff, speak up against him. It is unfair to say that he sides with conservatives, and this is coming from a liberal. I have a lot of respect for him.

If there's one thing that poly sci is about, its understanding that there are many opinions out there. I think we all take a healthy amount of that lesson out of Dr. Ball’s classes. And anyone, conservative or liberal, who encourages debate, encourages thinking! I knew it was Salvadore Allende

Interesting style of teaching, makes current events interesting

I love Dr. Ball! He is great and takes a real interest in his students and gets to know them on a first name basis. Gives you plenty of room for improvement for grades. If you have a problem, you can go to him and he will do his best to help you.

Dr Ball is definatly worth taking. You will learn a new way to argue. He has his own style, thats for sure. Current events are a huge deal to him and most of the class is spent on current things. Hint - find old tests!

Loved his class it was great. i took it over the summer and it was great. he was very helpful

VERY INTERESTING!!! If you like debate this class is for you, and if you would like to see a refreshng prof who is NOT brainwashed into the popular college ideology of bleading hear liberals. Even if you don't agree with him politcally, he is very fair. He respects what you beleive, but you better defend it, no matter what side your on.

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Very bright man. Even if you don't subscribe to his particular ideology, his courses are thought-provoking and highly valuable. VERY fair, provided you can support your perspective. If you can't, I'd be prepared to look like a moron, because you will.

I love Dr. Ball!! He's a good professor.

Love the class even though i dont agree with any of his ideals, but he let us give our own opinions, he helped me switch my major to poli sci and became my advisor i liked him so much. if you cant back your stuff up though you learn to keep your mouth shut, be prepared.

very good teacher ... he really cares about what he's doing.

Dr. Ball is so conservative he's turning inside out. If you don't get an A you should probably abandon all hope of a degree and move back into your parent's basement. Very easy, very knowledgable (if biased), will probably take another class with him.

I really did enjoy the class, but I had to drop it because we never really talked about the subjects we had to and the exams were so spread apart & covered so much information it made it hard to study for. He was nice & tried to get us to care about the world today. If I could I would try and take it again because it was indeed an enjoyable class.

Ball is great. Very conservative but he is fair to everybody. One of my favorite professors.

Amazingly knowlegeble teacher. Provides infinite opprotunities for success. If you have a chance, take this teacher. You will learn.

Tests are fairly difficult, he disagrees with the book a lot, but also takes a lot of questions from it

Dr. Ball is a very interesting and passionate professor. Great class to be in and will learn a lot. He is the only professor on campus who isn’t a liberal.

He is a man who tries to allow the student to make their own decisions on the world. He may go off on liberal students in the class but people learn better that way and it is more engaging.

Brilliant Professor - One of the few professors I've had who understands it's not the answer that's the key - it's how you got there. Prepare to defend your position. Walk away a better, more educated member of society who understands more of the ways of the world. Make sure you get to know this man - he'll serve your educational career well!

dr. ball is extremely interesting although many of his fun facts are not found on the test. it is very hard to decipher what is real world information and what is text information that will appear on tests and quizzes. no homework, quizzed every other week

Great teacher, i don't know what you can say bad about the guy. If you are at least somewhat educated and attend class you will get an A.

Good teacher curves the class so just try and get above the average

He's a wise man. One of the few professors to lead an actual life at some point. He knows how the world really works. His humor is not for the faint-hearted. If he offends you it's time to lighten up.

He's a super, um, controversial professor who's "teaching" methods are more than a little out-there. Don't take this class if you're looking for a serious learning experience... you'll sit and listen to the news for 20 minutes and then get about 30 of lecture that dates back to the Cold War.

Cares about students. Teaches us to think, not just go by what others say. He never penalizes students who disagree with him as long as they back up what they say with facts. Wish that was true of all profs. If you want to learn about the real world, take one of his classes. Fair minded and approachable teacher.

completely badass!

He is a poet warrior, man. He is a great man, a great teacher. I am a little man. He is a great man. He opened my mind to politics. He knows more than most. He does not buy into that liberal trash most profs mindlessly spew out. Too many profs are hypocrits preaching socialism while they live well. Prof. Ball knows liberalism is a farce.

If your ignorant he will tear you apart. He disagrees with everyone becuase he doesn't care how much you learn about political science as long as you learn to think for yourself somewhere along the way. He trains you to be your own person and challenges the very existence of your beliefs and morals.

If you're a liberal, don't sign up for his classes because you won't agree with anything he says. I found him entertaining, he would tear people apart if they were ignorant, and he chooses books he disagrees with so you can get both point of views and make your own decision.

First 20 minutes of every class he asks about current events and discusses, then the last 30 minutes he lectures. He tells it like it is and is entertaining, he takes attendance if the less than half the class shows up (for extra credit) The tests are hard but I got a B in the class and never read the book, just get a study group together IT HELPS!

Very Smart guy, knows what he is teaching...But expect to create new days in the calender in order to study for his low level class and still just barely pass. EXTREMELY HARD TESTER!!!!!!

I can't believe Ball's rating isn't a 5.0! He's an amazing professor that I've taken twice since, and loved more than any other at NMU. He is very clear about his expectations and he has full reviews before each test, so you always know what you'll be tested on. I'd be surprised if I ever enjoy another professor as much as him at NMU.

The first day of class he was like 15 minutes late. He walked in wearing a knitted baby blue sweater and a scowl on his face. He stopped and then said, "What, you'd look like this too if your wife made YOU wear this sweater. He was my favorite after that. Awesome professor-he made class interesting and fun.

Dr. is my favorite prof. I've ever had. One of the few Poly Sci teachers that doesn't spew left wing garbage. Super hilarious and super fair, the only way to fail a test is if you don't show up. He can be very lenient if you show you are trying. I highly recommend him. He is the only reason I regret having to transfer schools.

Prof. Ball is a rarity in the left wing world of academia.He is a straight shooter and really wants you to learn.He cares about students and will help.Prof. Ball made my NMU experience a positive one,still love and miss the UP.Thanks Bill!!!

Dr. Ball is the best professor you will find in the Political Science department.

I had Dr. Ball for comparative gov't. and international relations. Really easy classes, you have 20% of the test questions before hand. Read the material and attend class, easy A. Refreshing viewpoints mixed with lively class discussions make his classes enjoyable.

Brilliant intellectual with thorough understanding of domestic and foreign policy. Exams require hours of study, even from A students, no joke. Extra credit from attendance makes up for poor grades and is worth every minute. Truly a remarkable man, willing to consider and discuss any viewpoint logically. Uses empirical data to back up his position.

Real intelligent, worldly, knows a lot from real life experiences. He fought in Vietnam and marched with Dr. Martin L. King in Birmingham Ala in 1963. He is an empirical political scientist, so don't argue with him if you aren't sure of your facts. Cares about students, wants them to learn.

Ended up taking a minor in Political Science just to attend more of his classes. He's hust brilliant. A committed civil rights activist and engaged empirical political scientist. And he's fair, offers extra credit, and makes lectures interesting with some humor. Will support you out of school, and has a lot of advice about publishing your research.

Smart and funny teacher. Knows his stuff!!! As long as you show up and participate, you'll get a c. Bonus if you study and do extra credit! Definitely recommend taking notes and study groups. Quizzes based off questions submitted by class and some lecture. Lectures are essential to attend. Easy to access and definitely willing to help succeed.

I didn't get much from the lectures themselves, but reading really, really helps! Seriously, READ! He's a very caring prof who is really well respected and knows his stuff. He's an institution in the Political Science realm. Tests/quizzes are straight from the book and student-submitted questions!

He only grades based off of multiple choice tests so students won't be afraid to discuss ideas in class and openly contradict him. He just wants a good argument and has a good time messing with students if they don't have their information lined up. He also has one of the coolest backstories to becoming a professor.

Great professor loaded with real world experience, a rarity in academia today. Vietnam vet, Purple Heart recipient, marched with Dr. King in 1960s, worked in many many different jobs. Conservation views mixed with libertarianism. Will really miss him. Outstanding classes that made you think, not repeat.

A guy that has done it all, youll love his cool life stories that he talks about. Really cares about his students, wants you to do well, responds fast and available after class. Makes teaching fun, you learn so much! Great choice