2.3

William McBride

English - Illinois State University

2.3
Quality
4.0
Difficulty
21%
Would Retake
123
Reviews
2.3
Quality
4.0
Difficulty
2.3
Helpful
2.3
Clarity

21%

Would Retake

123

Reviews

Rating Distribution
Official
123 total ratings

5

15

4

19

3

17

2

23

1

49

What Students Say

This class was surprisingly difficult and poorly crafted from an educational standpoint

ENG124 - 1.0 rating

I preferred to have an F (the only one I'd ever gotten) than deal with him anymore

ENG328 - 1.0 rating
Class Info

Online Classes

100%

Attendance Mandatory

72%

Textbook Required

71%

Grade Predictor

Your expected effort level

LowHigh

Predicted Grade

C+

95% confidence
Based on 26 grades
Most common grades:
A (7)
C (5)
F (4)
Grade Distribution
A(8)B(5)C(7)D(2)F(4)A-/B+(0)
Based on 30 reported grades
A: 7
C: 5
F: 4
Not sure yet: 4
Common Tags
Tough Grader (14)
Get ready to read (13)
Graded by few things (10)
Tough grader (8)
GRADED BY FEW THINGS (6)
EXTRA CREDIT (6)
Lecture heavy (5)
Beware of pop quizzes (4)
Rating Trend

Declining

-1.01 avg change
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Last 6 months
Ratings by Course

DRAMA000

5.0

(1)

ENG384

5.0

(1)

107

4.0

(1)

DRAMA

4.0

(4)

LITFILM

4.0

(1)
+23 more courses
Difficulty by Course

ENG107FILM

5.0

ENGLISH328

5.0

ENGLISH107

5.0

ENG550

5.0

ENG185

5.0

Reviews (122)
4.0
3.0
ENG107
Apr 7, 2004

he looks like mr. clean. his class is interesting, but he's a hard grader on papers. i recommend him! :)

4.0
4.0
107
Oct 31, 2004

Lectures are really interesting if you are interested in the course topic. Hard grader on papers, but if you don't leave the work until the last minute, you'll do fine.

4.0
4.0
DRAMA
Dec 6, 2004

I was probably the only in my Spring 04 class that liked this teacher. He was so rude and obnoxious, he was amusing.He knew a lot about drama and pushed the envelope but fell into the typical "I want my students to read a 250+ play/novel in one weekend".

4.0
4.0
DRAMA
Jan 7, 2005

No Comments

4.0
3.0
LITFILM
Jan 20, 2005

He may be rude sometimes, but he is a funny kind of rude. He's a great teacher. We read great books and saw great movies. I didn't realize that Shrek had so much detail in it!

5.0
3.0
ENG107
Mar 14, 2005

This class is about analyzing movie style. The papers are hard & require a lot of time & thought. I only read a few of the suggested readings, & stil got a B. He tells u exactally what needs to be in the papers, so dont think he wont notice if its not all there, your grade will suffer tremendously.

2.0
3.0
ENG107
Apr 13, 2005

Really excited to take this class, but didn't learn anything, just preached out of his book that has yet to be published. If i had watched 17 movie two dozen time each i could teach that class. Lots of reading and papers that are unclear. Dont take unless you have to or have a death wish.

1.0
5.0
ENG107FILM
Apr 18, 2005

i had a 4.0 gpa going in to this class, i try very hard and am going to struggle to get a C. worst mistake i've made at ISU so far taking this class. he is a BRUTAL grader. he doesn't teach you anything. if you are in this class get the heck out.

5.0
2.0
ENG107
Apr 19, 2005

Work hard and it will pay off. Don't be afraid to ask questions and voice your opinion. His TA grades half your papers so it wouldn't hurt to do get to know him/her as well.

1.0
5.0
ENG107
Apr 20, 2005

I took this class thinking it would be fun, i was terribly mistaken. The grading system sucks, there is no graded homework except the papers and the quizzes only count for 1 point each. If you don't do good on the papers, which you probably won't your screwed. Don't take it, unless you want to fail

2.0
5.0
ENGLISH328
May 11, 2005

I hate this professor! All he wanted to do was talk about sex, even when the play had nothing to do with it. If you tried to argue otherwise, he'd shoot you down. If you did not have your stuff read, then he'd ask you to leave class. I strongly recommend that you avoid him at all times.

1.0
5.0
ENGLISH107
May 15, 2005

This was possibly the worst class I've ever taken.You have a few days to read a whole book then you get a quiz over the most irrevelant details of the book. These quizzes are only worth 1 point each. Your grades come from papers where you will be lucky to get a high D on them. It's not worth your time and you'll get ridiculed for asking questions.

5.0
4.0
ENG107
Jul 30, 2005

I saw people were bad mouthing this class, and I'd really hate for people not to take this class just because some adam sandler movie lover couldnt handle looking deeper into a film. Dr. McBride and his TA were always willing to answer questions in person and via email, and make you think about aspects of film often overlooked. Alot of ez reading

1.0
5.0
ENG107
Aug 3, 2005

Can we say Jerk? I failed this class, but thank God I took it pass/fail. I asked to see my final paper, to see why I failed and he said no. He's too hard, on a "Dr." power trip, and grades like he's teaching at Stanford or something. Worst teacher I've ever had at ISU, by far!

4.0
4.0
DRAMA
Sep 5, 2005

See, the thing is, you have to really participate with this prof. I graduated two years ago and I still miss his teaching style. Not for everyone but if you're really into arguing, he's your man. He's not the kind of prof who's trying to make everyone like

5.0
5.0
ENG285
Sep 14, 2005

McBride was awesome. He was difficult, but he made class so fun and enjoyable. I wish a lot of professors were like him.

1.0
3.0
ENG107
Oct 27, 2005

Mc Bride (I refuse to call him a Doctor) is a worthless terrible human being, if you want to come to class to learn nothing, waste valuable time, and fuel an insecure man's ego by listening to his diatribes about nothing, take this course, I'm shocked he's still teaching anywhere, let alone a state university, I want my tax dollars back

4.0
1.0
DRAMA
Nov 18, 2005

I love it when English majors complain about professors who hold them accountable for reading books. Dr. McBride might not be the world's most compassionate teacher, but he is able and, at the very least, knows the content of the works he teaches. And at least he doesn't give you a list of books to read and then spend every night on theory.

2.0
4.0
FILMANDLIT
Dec 12, 2005

At the beginning I thought his class would be interesting and fun but he is a very hard grader. It is a general education class for most students and he makes the grading scale be a 92 for an A. His papers are confusing and he makes comments in class that really have nothing to do with the movie or what we are doin in the class...TERRIBLE TEACHER

3.0
4.0
FILMANDLIT
Dec 29, 2005

I'm not gonna lie...his class is hard. It is however the most interesting class i've ever had. I would recommend it to the Movie Buffs but not the lazy people. If you don't like a grade you got you can argue it...but according to Mcbride...everyone has an opinion but not all opinions are right, so be ready

2.0
5.0
ENG285
May 23, 2006

Does not do justice to the plays by making you read a new one each week. Moves too quickly to analyze what he says, and thus most people accept his arguments blindly and are trained to think like him. Goes off on personal rants that bash religion too much. Hard grader.

3.0
4.0
ENG18961
Apr 5, 2006

Very tough. Papers, which are the only component of the grade, are very confusing. Most lectures have nothing to do with papers, but he takes attendance so you have to go. You don't need to buy all the books, he quizzes over reading but they don't count for much.

3.0
5.0
ENG285
Sep 10, 2006

I doubt there were complaints about the reading in in general, just that we needed more time for it. Comprehension is a large part of reading and moving so fast makes it hard to grasp. I could have gotten the most out of the class if I was given more time for the reading

4.0
3.0
ENG189
Oct 4, 2006

Good class! It actually does require some responsibility, but Film Style & Lit really helped me with paying attention to detail and getting a regular reading schedule down. A little tough for gen ed... I guess... people should just be more responsible for classes anyway. What did you expect?

2.0
5.0
ENG189
Nov 30, 2006

This class is okay. It should not be a gen. ed though, because it's difficult and is concentrated on a specific audience of art lovers; not movie lovers. Just because you love movies does not mean you will enjoy this class, take it from me. I love movies, but I hate picking at the little things in the background, I just want to watch it.

2.0
5.0
ENG189
Dec 4, 2006

A jerk who grades very tough, if u dont see it his way your wrong so its basically based on luck

4.0
3.0
ENG189
Jan 7, 2007

Don't procrastinate on writing the papers. This is a LITERATURE class so expect to be reading a lot. McBride is a nice guy and really smart.

1.0
5.0
ENG189
Jan 16, 2007

Difficult class, i expected much more overall. Not very helpful or clear very boring. 90% of your grade is based off 4 papers no final

5.0
2.0
DRAMA000
Aug 19, 2007

Ten years later, I still think back to the lectures from that class. The kind of professor every thinking person hopes for.

4.0
5.0
ENG550
Sep 2, 2007

Dr. McBride was extermely interesting...after 11 yrs. I still remember much of his class & projects.

3.0
4.0
ENG285
Oct 8, 2007

Really odd professor. He's likeable, but has some odd stances on issues. Otherwise his class is intense, but enjoyable.

2.0
5.0
ENG185
Dec 3, 2007

You are graded on papers in which you have to write about vague and hard to recognize camera movements in films. Do not expect fair grading either. There are no tests and the class is almost solely on film not literature reguardless of it's title. May sound good at first, but student beware, this class is terrible. Also, most of the movies suck

1.0
5.0
ENG124
Dec 4, 2007

Worst teacher ever...completely unorganized...unrealistic expectations....DO NOT TAKE THIS CLASS

1.0
5.0
ENG124
Dec 24, 2007

this class doesnt sound bad i thought it'd be fun to watch movies but its really hard. he tests you on books and the questions are so detailed u can never get an A on any of the quizzes...i mostly got like Ds on them.. hes not a very nice guy and the class is pretty much based on papers which he and his t.a.s grade REALLY hard. DONT TAKE THIS CLASS

4.0
2.0
ENG124
Mar 18, 2008

I took this class in the Fall of '07 and I LOVED it! I would especially recommend this class to anyone who has an appreciation for film, or anyone who is interested in analyzing films. You have to work hard for an A, but its possible. Quizzes don't matter that much, but you have to go to class. If you have a good attitude, the teacher is hilarious.

2.0
4.0
ENG284
Jul 24, 2008

He's not a bad guy, but he is very egotistical. I enjoyed the topics we discussed, but when it came to writing papers, etcetera, it felt like anything I would say was bull**** to him. Big downer for writing papers. The class, on the other hand, was fricken awesome. I got to read a lot of really cool plays!

5.0
3.0
ENG124
Nov 12, 2008

So, Film Styles is a fun class to be in. The papers are a little difficult, but nothing most people couldn't get a B on. There are very few assignments in the class, and the quizzes count for a total of 5 poitns. That's like, half a percentage point in the final grade. Summary: fun class, a little hard, good teacher.

2.0
4.0
ENG124
Dec 8, 2008

Seems like interesting material, but he grades hard. I went to class every single day except like once and took notes and paid attention and i still got c's on some of my papers. He makes rude comments and thinks way too highly of himself. oh and you have to sign in everyday so unless ur really smart dont take this class

2.0
5.0
ENG285
Mar 20, 2009

I loved what we read, they were great plays. But the lecture itself was awful. He came across very **** and **** and created an environment of dislike of him. I really love reading so the high amount of work was no trouble for me, but the lecture and McBride ruined this class for me.

4.0
5.0
ENG252
Aug 10, 2009

I love Bill. I have to say that some people don't like him at all. I took this class as a freshman and had to contend with Bill and five seniors. It was scary and tough. But I held my ground, and got an A. 2 papers and web posts. Taking the second part of the class this semester. ENG 255

1.0
5.0
FIL124
Aug 16, 2009

DO NOT TAKE THIS CLASS!!! Vague assignments with riduclous standards...

3.0
4.0
ENG152
Jan 4, 2010

DO NOT TAKE THIS CLASS unless you want to dedicate your time to this "elective". he wrote the book, makes up his own vocab/film terms, MANDATORY attendance after 3 misses your grade drops a letter. most of the movies are black and white and not interesting. just dont..

2.0
5.0
ENG124
Mar 2, 2010

terrible class. im a senior and this is my last gen ed. i thought it would be fairly easy but in truth it is harder and more stressful than my main studio class for my major. i dont really care what a stylized moment it. i just want to pass this class so i can graduate. note to future potential class takers: dont do it!! take a different class!!

4.0
4.0
ENG124
Mar 22, 2010

Loved this class, but because it is really interesting, not easy. Going to get help on the papers is a good idea, seeing as they are very specific in what they are looking for. don't take the class if you want to watch movies and pass out, you have to try for an A. I paid attention, got help on my papers and received a 99. Its not impossible.

4.0
2.0
ENG124
Apr 22, 2010

VERY strict attendance policy. Do not do other things in class, he will snap at you. Interesting, fun to listen to. There's a film screening once a week at night. There are 3 essays, 1 of them an in-class essay. Not a bad professor, but I do not recommend this class at all.

3.0
4.0
ENG124
May 12, 2010

Whatever you do, do not take this class. His quizzes are super specific and are questions he can't even remember the answers to. The papers are near impossible to get a good grade on even if you go in for help. I had a 4.0 before this class and lost it because of this. Also, he grades the class out of one hundred points so its not easy to get an A.

1.0
3.0
ENG124
Jun 9, 2010

took this over the summer. never met him, seems like a jag. wrote the "textbook." VERY vague, unorganized, doesn't explain what i get wrong on assignments. if you don't understand something in txtbook, he acts like its not his problem. not a hard class, just annoying that hes so disorganized and seems rude.

1.0
5.0
ENG124
Jun 18, 2010

I took it this summer as well. I agree with everything the last person said so I don't feel I have to add on. It's just terrible!

3.0
5.0
ENG000
Aug 19, 2010

He's a tough grader, but his Lit and Film class is very interesting. I took it as a Freshman in 1993 and can still remember it. Where else can you watch Caddy Shack, Blue Velvet and other classics and get credit for it? Bill's a great teacher and this is a great class. You'll have to work hard for the grade, but then again, welcome to college...

1.0
5.0
ENG124
Oct 15, 2010

DO NOT TAKE THIS CLASS! He purposely tries to fail students. I took this over the summer and he is the worst teacher I've ever had. He is worthless when it comes to help. I asked him for help on writing a paper and his exact response was "I can't write the paper for you!"

2.0
5.0
ENG127
Oct 25, 2010

He seems really lazy, because he doesn't actually teach anything, he has a "textbook" that he wrote where he tries tries to explain stylized moments. His writing is unorganized and gives the impression that McBride is trying too hard to sound "smart". If you don't agree with his point of view, you're wrong. He didnt explain any of my paper's grades

3.0
3.0
ENG285
Nov 17, 2010

There is not a day he doesn't take attendance. We read a lot of plays and discuss them. The work is easy and we have to be prepared for class or he will play you. The lectures can get kind of boring. We've only had one paper so far and I didn't do too bad on it. But you definitely need to keep up with the plays.

2.0
5.0
ENG124
Dec 1, 2010

HORRIBLE TEACHER! I took this class thinking it was going to be a fun course and an easy A. It turns out it was neither. He told us not to come to class for it was going to be all online, therefore, he didn't teach a single thing and expected the student to know all that he wanted to see on papers. Papers were impossible also. I rate him 0/10!

3.0
5.0
ENG124
Dec 13, 2010

I just finished this class, and have been warning everyone I can to never take it. I took it thinking it would be an interesting look into the world of film, but really it is more about him stoking his own ego. If you have an opinion on a paper and he thinks you are wrong, he just gives you 0 points. He also think that any collaboration is cheating

1.0
5.0
ENG124
Dec 14, 2010

honestly, worst teacher ever. he does not help his students at all. he thinks all opinion questions are his way or they are wrong. if you want to contact him its via email and he is very unclear in what he wants in his assignments. he is so rude and so unwilling to help students. i thought this class would be fun and interesting. definitely not.

2.0
5.0
ENG285
Jan 11, 2011

He knew his stuff and it was rather interesting, but was really hard because there is A LOT of reading and writing. When writing papers for his class, ALWAYS cite all your sources! Especially stuff he's said in class, cause if not he'll claim you plagerized.

3.0
2.0
ENG285
Jan 17, 2011

Heaven forbid you should have a different interpretation of the material than the way he sees it. He is so incredibly full of himself. He thinks he is god's gift to ISU. I have never met a more arrogant and pathetic professor. He teaches not so his students can learn something but to listen to himself lecture and stroke his own ego.

5.0
2.0
ENG124
Apr 30, 2011

An excellent teacher with an excellent manner of teaching who appreciates student input. A bit enigmatic at times, but he always got the point across to us that he wanted to convey. I enjoyed my time in his class.

5.0
3.0
ENG384
May 20, 2011

What a bunch of whiny babies! Bill was probably one of my favorite instructors during graduate school. He's tough and expects you to read, but that is what college is all about, losers! Do you expect him to give you a grade beyond your competency? EARN IT! I aced the course, because I followed instructions and was prepared. GREAT teacher!

2.0
5.0
ENG285
Jul 20, 2011

This man is no credit to the university. His willingness to help is very poor and if you don't agree with him, he fails you. Teachers are supposed to educate their students, not inundate them with personal opinions.

4.0
3.0
ENG285
Feb 6, 2012

This man is a genius. He requires you to read, but appreciates your opinion IF IT'S CLEAR YOU READ THE BOOK.

4.0
2.0
ENG285
Apr 18, 2012

I didn't like some of the plays Bill chose, but I can honestly say he is one of the most brilliant people I have ever met. He doesn't agree with your opinion sometimes, but he does have an open mind nonetheless. He does take attendence, but coming to class only benefits your interpretation of the reading. Very easy A/B class. I enjoyed it a lot.

5.0
3.0
ENG285
Apr 26, 2012

Dr. McBride is a New Yorker who is not afraid to speak his mind and push you to get something out of his class. Do the readings and participate in class discussions and you will succeed in his course. Overall, if you are doing what is expected of you which is not much and ask him for help you will easily get an A in his class

3.0
3.0
ENG124
May 17, 2012

It was an interesting class and he always made himself available for help if you needed it. The only problem is that if you do not have exactly what he wants, you get points taken off even though it is YOUR interpretation of the film.

2.0
5.0
ENG124
Dec 18, 2012

McBride was TERRIBLE. I sent all my papers in for proofreading and he was NO HELP. If you dont put exactly what he wants you fail. (FYI he doesnt give rubrics for papers because its up to YOU to figure it out) what kind of bs is that? Smartass, mean, worst teacher ive ever had...aren't gen-eds supposed to be easy/at the least passable....?

3.0
5.0
ENG124
Dec 19, 2012

Professor will make you wish you never watched a movie ever again. He always disagrees with you no matter what, and doesn't help you with your paper at all. Uses Hotmail and forgets to check it, resulting in no communication. Don't take the course.

3.0
4.0
ENG124
Mar 18, 2013

Gives very vague instructions for essays but wants a very precise answer. Grades homework easy and essays very hard.

4.0
4.0
ENG124
May 15, 2013

McBride is a tough grader on essays but he is fair as long as it's clear you have put in work and show that you know the terms! He gives extra credit for those who need help. Don't be discouraged if you don't do well on the first essay. He is more than willing to help and make sure you do well.

5.0
2.0
ENG308
May 24, 2013

Interesting materials; informative presentations from outside and inside the classroom

2.0
4.0
ENG308
Aug 9, 2013

I had high expectations for this class going in that first day. But the course DID NOT LIVE UP TO THEM AT ALL!! Don't get me wrong he's a nice enough guy but if you don't agree with his opinion then ur screwed. The amount of reading expected is astronomical and the printing cost is excruciatingly high. The class was very hard to pass, very hard.

1.0
4.0
ENG128
Dec 16, 2013

McBride shows no interest in helping students. His grading makes zero sense. Seriously, avoid this class if you can.

2.0
5.0
ENG124
Dec 16, 2013

If you do not have the same opinion as McBride he will tear you apart about it. Worked my a** off for this gen ed and McBride showed no effort to help when I reached out to him. I would seriously avoid taking this class. Seemed like an interesting class but IT IS TOUGH TO PASS.

5.0
3.0
ENG328
Jan 14, 2014

Despite what others have said, I really enjoyed McBride's class and have even signed up for another class with him. He was very understanding when I missed classes due to a personal problem. He was clear enough with assignments and offered help almost every class period.

2.0
5.0
ENG124
Mar 6, 2014

I dropped this class because I'm pretty sure McBride didn't even read my entire essays, just picked out parts he didn't like. Claims "meaning is in the eye of the beholder," but your meaning means basically nothing if it's not the same as his. Expects you to know his "meaning" behind everything. If you don't you get half points. DO NOT TAKE.

2.0
5.0
ENG124
May 12, 2014

He does not care about this low level gen ed class and he has ruined my 4.0 with his lack of teaching ability. He does not teach you the skills you need to know to get good grades on his papers. Btw, he wrote his own book so you can get no outside help except from him. He comments were often insulting and his grading system is very frustrating.

1.0
5.0
ENG124
Grade: D+
May 13, 2014

I cannot begin to explain how rude and how horrible of teacher he is. Doesn't help you at all and simply just says no when he thinks you're wrong, even about an opinion question. Grades incredibly hard and I worked so hard for this class. Won't answer emails as well. Do not take at all, not worth an online class.

1.0
5.0
ENG124
Jul 21, 2014

This class was extremely confusing and very unorganized. Nothing was laid out and clearly written for the students to succeed. DON'T TAKE THIS CLASS ONLINE. IT IS TERRIBLE!

1.0
4.0
ENG328
Grade: F
Dec 3, 2014

I graduated from the English program in 2010 and I still remember this class as a miserable experience. I had a personal conflict with McBride so deep that I just stopped going to his class and made up the course requirement elsewhere. I preferred to have an F (the only one I'd ever gotten) than deal with him anymore.

1.0
5.0
ENG124
Dec 17, 2014

He was a hard grader. If you email him, he doent reply on time. If you ask him a question he will restate the syllabus of that you have already read 100x to figure out what you need to do. This course was more specific for an artsfilm major than just a gen Ed class. I wouldn't wish this on anyone.

2.0
4.0
ENG124
Feb 19, 2015

Would not reccomend. His teaching assistants are just as close minded and rude as he is. You would think someone who is teaching about film and style would be open minded. He isn't. There's also no variety in his assignments. Every week its the same two questions about a different film. Did not challenge me in the way I was hoping. Frustrating.

1.0
3.0
ENG124
May 13, 2015

DO NOT TAKE HIM. I am a straight A student and I got a C in his class. He will make you watch movies that are over two hours long and then complete an assignment. The assignments were only worth 3 points each + time consuming and were NO help to the grade. Makes you write papers, if it's not exactly what he wants he will fail your paper.

2.0
5.0
124
May 13, 2015

I took Professor McBride for Eng 124 and it was the worst gen ed I have ever taken. Him and his TA's are all close minded. You would think they would be able to help more, but they don't. He tells you to have your own opinion but the only right opinion is his. So when you write an essay make sure it's what he wants to see.

1.0
5.0
ENG124
Nov 8, 2015

AVOID CLASS AT ALL COSTS. Absolutely nothing positive to say about this course or professor.

1.0
4.0
ENG124
Jan 4, 2016

The first day, he told us to buy the textbook he wrote. This was the last I heard from him despite several emails to him. The weekly writing assignments were graded by grad students that rotated every week. They were extremely vague, but you must answer them exactly how his book tells you with no personal interpretation. Stifles creativity. AVOID!

1.0
5.0
ENG124
Grade: F
May 4, 2016

His grading is ridiculous. You have to be the first to post or you won't get the full points. Essays are impossible to meet his requirements because there are "right or wrong answers in an essay.

1.0
3.0
ENG124
Grade: A+
Nov 6, 2016
Wouldn't take again

This class is not for everyone. The only positive aspect is that it is online and does not take much time. You won't know what to expect when turning in your papers. I received a 38/40 on the 1st paper then got a 32/45 on the 2nd. I answered the prompts using exactly the same methods. I still got over a 100 in the class. IT'S A MESS. Be careful

1.0
3.0
ENG124
Jun 17, 2017
Wouldn't take again

He is not clear in his instruction and will penalize students for his own mistakes. He always says, don't worry there's extra credit, but that still does not change the fact that he is not clear in his objectives and extra credit doesn't make up for his own mistakes. Take this course with another teacher. I generally get As but won't this class.

Tough Grader
1.0
5.0
ENG124
Grade: C
Jan 10, 2018
Wouldn't take again

Absolute worst teacher I have ever taken at ISU. Although there is not much work, it is very tough to do well in his class. He grades hard and if it is not his exact words from the book, it is wrong. Don't buy his book, its at the library. Do not take this class, consider it your warning.

Tough Grader
Get ready to read
GRADED BY FEW THINGS
1.0
5.0
ENG124
Jan 23, 2018
Wouldn't take again

I have been at Isu for 4 years and he by far is the worst teacher I ever had in my life. I am in his class now but I am definitely dropping the class. He is single minded and is a terrible grader. Worst online class of my life.

Tough Grader
Get ready to read
GRADED BY FEW THINGS
1.0
5.0
ENG124
Jan 30, 2018
Wouldn't take again

DO NOT TAKE THIS CLASS!!!! He is the most inconsiderate and rude professor I have had at ISU. He is more concerned with catching you cheating and breaking down your posts than he is worried about teaching the actual content. He gives vague instructions and takes off points if you do not give the exact answer he has in mind. I dropped this class.

Tough Grader
1.0
5.0
ENG124
Grade: C
Mar 19, 2018
Wouldn't take again

Grading criteria is horrible and he's not flexible whatsoever

Tough Grader
LOTS OF HOMEWORK
SO MANY PAPERS
1.0
5.0
ENG124
Mar 22, 2018
Wouldn't take again

McBride came off as arrogant, and his notes/emails were condescending. Is supposed to be a 100lvl, gen ed class but treated as 300lvl majors class. Graded harshly, despite following all instructions. Assumes he is always right. No original work is wanted, just rewording of his own text book. Originality gets low grades. Do not take class with him.

Tough Grader
GRADED BY FEW THINGS
1.0
5.0
ENG124
Grade: Not sure yet
Mar 23, 2018
Wouldn't take again

SHOULD HAVE DROPPED WHEN I HAD THE CHANCE. Grades very harshly, even when following the rubric as close as possible. He would take quotations out of my emails and reply to them with petty and condescending remarks. Do NOT take this class unless you want to fail. I am usually an A student, and I might possibly pass with a low C or D. AVOID HIM!!

Tough Grader
GRADED BY FEW THINGS
1.0
5.0
ENG124
Grade: F
Apr 9, 2018
Wouldn't take again

By far the WORST professor Ive ever had or heard about. Him and his TA must not have the same grading rubric because when this professor grades my papers, I get an F, but when his TA Justin does? 100%. He doesnt even follow his OWN rubric when it comes to midterms and finals. Dont torture yourself for a worthless professor and gen ed.

Tough Grader
SO MANY PAPERS
GRADED BY FEW THINGS
1.0
5.0
ENG124
Grade: A
May 15, 2018
Wouldn't take again

Horrible. Worst professor Ive ever had. This class is impossible! He gives XC and its the only way to pass the class with a decent grade. If you dont do any you will likely fail the class. Originality is not okay! I got an A but only due to the extra points. Without the XC would have barely had a C and I have a 4.0 GPA Dont take this class!

Tough Grader
LOTS OF HOMEWORK
EXTRA CREDIT
1.0
5.0
ENG124
Jun 2, 2018
Wouldn't take again

Being a senior he is by far the worst professor I have had at Illinois State. He is rude and hurtful about your own opinion even though his course is an opinion class pretty much about movies. Save your money and do not take his class. Its an 100 level course, it is harder than any of my major courses ever.

Tough Grader
LOTS OF HOMEWORK
EXTRA CREDIT
1.0
5.0
ENG124
Grade: D
Jun 12, 2018
Wouldn't take again

This class was surprisingly difficult and poorly crafted from an educational standpoint. Both topics frequently mention in the class as "stylized moments" were nothing more than Professor McBride's attempts to resell and solidify his own personal definitions.

Tough Grader
Get ready to read
1.0
5.0
ENG124
Grade: C
Oct 29, 2018
Wouldn't take again

No matter how much effort you put in the class it will still not be what he's looking. Even when you email him asking for help he leaves you out to dry. Just pick another class not worth it even for an online class.

Tough Grader
GRADED BY FEW THINGS
EXTRA CREDIT
1.0
5.0
ENG124
Grade: Not sure yet
Nov 5, 2018
Wouldn't take again

He wrote his own textbook so don't even think about being creative it's frowned upon. Wasn't my first film class but will definitely be last, never in my life would I ever recommend this professor to anyone.

Tough Grader
SO MANY PAPERS
2.0
4.0
ENG124
Grade: B
Dec 10, 2018
Wouldn't take again

As a gen ed professor, he asks a lot of his students. This is totally fair to do, as long as the professor also puts in effort. Every assignment is the same, and is extremely dry. The only resource used for class is a textbook written by him. The papers are easy enough, just boring. Once you figure out what he wants, just do that and you'll be fine

Tough Grader
Clear grading criteria
4.0
1.0
ENG285
Grade: A
Mar 21, 2019
Would take again

super fun and easy

Graded by few things
Amazing lectures
Caring
1.0
5.0
ENG124
May 28, 2019
Wouldn't take again

I've been at ISU for four years and this was by far the worst professor I've ever had. No clear grading criteria, and all the assignments are based off a textbook he wrote. Any attempt to be creative will be met with a 0% - 33% for the entire assignment. Do yourself a favor and don't take this class.

Get ready to read
Tough grader
1.0
3.0
ENG285
Oct 15, 2019
Wouldn't take again

Really just awful. He wasn't clear on one of our two assignments that counted towards our grade, and he constantly took students words and turned them into something the student wasn't trying to say. Either that, or he was downright offensive to students. No concept of appropriateness in a classroom.

Graded by few things
EXTRA CREDIT
1.0
4.0
ENG124
Grade: F
Nov 6, 2019
Wouldn't take again

Please please please read the textbook. He wrote it and each chapter is about 10 pages of all of his own opinion on the movies you watch and then he will quiz you on it and the quiz is only 3 questions that are just strange ones from the chapter so pay attention when reading or you will not pass this class.

Get ready to read
Graded by few things
Test heavy
5.0
2.0
ENG124
Grade: B
Apr 22, 2020
Would take again

Dr. McBride is an all around great guy, hes always in a good mood and is always willing to assist his students with anything they need. Hes got a great personality and he lets it show throughout his content packed lectures, providing great comedic relief thru the course.

Clear grading criteria
Hilarious
Caring
1.0
4.0
ENG229
Grade: Not sure yet
Nov 10, 2020
Wouldn't take again

Comes off as VERY condescending and arrogant. Content is HORRIBLY dry. I can tolerate that so long as it is useful or matters, but that is not the case. I gathered less than nothing from this class. So hard to get inspired to go to class. No point to this course expect credit, might as well take another class. Wish there was more characters.

Get ready to read
Graded by few things
Tough grader
1.0
1.0
ENG300
Grade: A
May 21, 2021
Wouldn't take again

Professor McBride is one of the worst professors I have had during my time at ISU. I took ENG 300, a required course implemented by the English department to ready those graduating. Instead, he structured the course around vampiric studies. He is rude, does not allow diverse perspectives if not his own, and no clear grading rubric. Avoid him.

Get ready to read
Participation matters
Graded by few things
5.0
2.0
124
Grade: A
Apr 29, 2022
Would take again

Coming from an IT student, I don't get why all the reviews have McBride rated so low. He made it very clear what he was expecting from this class. I rarely went to class but that's because I had a general idea of what he was looking for when it came to assignments. He's not a bad guy and he was clearly enthusiastic to teach this subject.

Clear grading criteria
Gives good feedback
Graded by few things
1.0
5.0
ENG124
Grade: Not sure yet
Sep 27, 2023

RUN!! It is week 6 of the semester and I am failing his course. He is not nice to his students at all. Setting up a time to meet with him is never going to happen.

Tough grader
Get ready to read
Graded by few things
1.0
5.0
124
Grade: C+
Nov 30, 2023

If you aren't a theatre major RUNNN!!! the readings you must read in great detail because he will quiz you on a random line from the script.

Tough grader
Get ready to read
Participation matters
1.0
4.0
ENG124
Grade: C
Mar 18, 2024

I took this course for a gen ed credit and it's been harder than any of my major courses. He does not like creativity and you will only pass an assignment if its written perfectly to his standards. This 3 hour long lecture feels like a 3 day lecture and you will ultimately just fall asleep. GO TO CLASS THO he started to give pop quizzes this year.

Tough grader
Get ready to read
Beware of pop quizzes
4.0
2.0
ENG124
Apr 29, 2024
Would take again

I looked at these reviews of Doctor McBride before taking his class and it really scared me, however, it was actually a really fun class! I disagree with a lot of other people who have taken this class, he is very receptive to different ideas then his own, however you must be able to back up those ideas with evidence and strong reasoning.

1.0
5.0
ENG107FILM
Grade: C
May 3, 2024

He answers questions by copying and pasting paragraphs from his own textbook that he wrote. The wording of his book makes zero sense and he doesn't explain anything. If he doesn't copy stuff from his book he'll just tell you to re-read the book. He grades very harshly as well. Avoid this guy.

Tough grader
3.0
4.0
ENG124
Grade: B
May 3, 2024

McBride was a nice professor but this class was extremely difficult. He thought we were just all ENG majors and expected up to be able to recall film literature on the first day. His assignments were really time consuming and he graded them really difficult. The pop quizzes were also really dumb. Only take this course if it is your final option

Tough grader
Lecture heavy
Graded by few things
1.0
4.0
ENG124
Grade: C+
Dec 4, 2024

- Truly a nightmarish and condescending professor. Dr. McBride is very knowledgable in film study, however his insufferable character squanders any opporutunity to benefit from this course. More than thrice I was left speechless by his knack for vacuuming any and all enjoyability from studying film style and literature.

Tough grader
Get ready to read
Beware of pop quizzes
1.0
5.0
ENG308
Dec 11, 2024

I personally don't connect with his teaching style which made the course difficult for me. Half the time he would go off on talking about something for a couple of minutes and it would be a struggle to get back on topic. I took notes throughout the semester but it still felt like I didn't get much out of the course.

Get ready to read
Lecture heavy
3.0
4.0
ENG124
Grade: B
Dec 26, 2024
Would take again

McBride's class is tough, but worth it if you put in the work. Definitely use unstuckstudy and the free textbook to stay on top of the material. Attendance is a must, but the lectures are engaging.

5.0
2.0
ENG124
Grade: A
May 5, 2025
Would take again

mine was once a week. there are pop quizzes but as long as your answers are close or could be seen as the correct answer then you will get points, you can negotiate with him. he also gives out extra credit. he's so funny and you get to watch some pretty interesting films.

Hilarious
Respected
Lecture heavy
3.0
2.0
ENG124
Grade: A
May 19, 2025
Would take again

Professor McBride is a funny guy, although some of the things he says can be a little unhinged. As long as you do the weekly readings and know the film terms he uses, you'll be fine.

Get ready to read
EXTRA CREDIT
Beware of pop quizzes
5.0
1.0
ENG124
Grade: A
Jul 22, 2025
Would take again

Weekly quizzes are easy. The two or three papers assigned were very generously graded. I fear a lot of the negative reviews here are from students expecting the class to require zero effort (Film classes carry that reputation), but in my experience the class was not difficult or time-consuming.

Amazing lectures
3.0
3.0
ENG124
Oct 1, 2025

If you actually go to class and read what you're assigned you'll be fine. It does suck that he only has 5 quizzes, 1 exam, and 1 paper to be graded on but it's easy to show up once a week. As a person he's pretty cool just talks a lot but I mean what else can you do in a 3 hour class.

EXTRA CREDIT
Lecture heavy
Graded by few things
1.0
3.0
124
Grade: B-
Dec 16, 2025

Genuinely one of the worst teachers come to ISU. Not only is it a 3 hour class, but you are also going to sign attendance at the end of the class. You can study the course material for your quizzes and you can still fail the quiz because he'd leave things off there for you to learn. Bad teacher, bad class, take a different LAN class if you can

Beware of pop quizzes
Lecture heavy
Graded by few things
Class Info

Online Classes

100%

Attendance Mandatory

72%

Textbook Required

71%

Grade Predictor

Your expected effort level

LowHigh

Predicted Grade

C+

95% confidence
Based on 26 grades
Most common grades:
A (7)
C (5)
F (4)
Grade Distribution
A(8)B(5)C(7)D(2)F(4)A-/B+(0)
Based on 30 reported grades
A: 7
C: 5
F: 4
Not sure yet: 4
Common Tags
Tough Grader (14)
Get ready to read (13)
Graded by few things (10)
Tough grader (8)
GRADED BY FEW THINGS (6)
EXTRA CREDIT (6)
Lecture heavy (5)
Beware of pop quizzes (4)
Rating Trend

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