W. David Pierce - University of Alberta

Professor: W. David Pierce
Department: Sociology
College: University of Alberta
Rating # 1
Overview:
  • Course: SOCI241
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 1.5
  • Course Difficulty: 5.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
Avoid this class - absolutely terrible teaching style. Exams are ruthless, testing on random specific details of concepts leaving you feeling like "are you serious?"
Rating # 2
Overview:
  • Course: SOC241
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 1.0
  • Course Difficulty: 5.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
Terrible prof. Lectures are boring, he is condescending and the tests are very poorly written. Hes not into teaching the material at all. His lecturing style has no passion for the material and he just reads slides
Rating # 3
Overview:
  • Course: SOC242
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 2.0
  • Course Difficulty: 4.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
This class seemed like it would be interesting-- but it definitely is not. Pierce will test you on things that he randomly points out in class, that are not memorable or even related to social psychology. Midterms are hard, final is cumulative. Sometimes Pierce is kind of funny, but generally a difficult and boring class.
Rating # 4
Overview:
  • Course: SOC241
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 1.0
  • Course Difficulty: 5.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
Lectures are extremely dry trivia without guidance from prof to build narrative or connect dots, no emphasis on any one point. Exams are bizarrely difficult. Extremely poor quality class, very disappointed. Didn't do anything wrong technically so I can't even appeal my grade or complain. He shouldn't lecture if he's as indifferent to it as he acts.
Rating # 5
Overview:
  • Course: SOC241
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 1.0
  • Course Difficulty: 5.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
Knowing your stuff isn't enough in this class, you need to do insane online tests with the awful textbook that don't relate to what he actually tests on. You also need to show up every single day and take note of everything, because he'll say something offhand in September then test you on it. Ridiculous overall.
Rating # 6
Overview:
  • Course: SOC241
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 1.0
  • Course Difficulty: 5.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
I can't believe I paid money for this course. I wanted to learn social psychology, not what Pierce thinks of this and that. Actually tests on his opinions and things he said randomly at the beginning of the semester, annoying when you do poorly but know the material. I've done the worst in this out of all of my courses in my whole two prior years.
Rating # 7
Overview:
  • Course: SOC241
  • Grade Received: A
  • Overall Rating: 1.0
  • Course Difficulty: 5.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: Mandatory
Comment:
Everyone is exactly correct. He's a nice man but holy cow his lectures are dry, confusing, conflict with the textbook, and are difficult to get the point of. Exams are insane ("What did your prof say this one time in September?"), when he says everything in lecture is testable he means it literally. Didn't learn much, rehashes psych 104 mostly.
Rating # 8
Overview:
  • Course: SOC241
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 1.0
  • Course Difficulty: 3.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
He may not intend to be but he comes across very condescending. Do not bother asking questions or speaking up in class. He will not welcome it. Test are m/c and even if you memorize the text you will not do very well. He tests are small details from lecture. Getting them right is mainly luck. Especially when he words them so badly. AVOID.
Rating # 9
Overview:
  • Course: SOC241
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 1.0
  • Course Difficulty: 3.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
He isn't terrible one-on-one and I dont think he means to come across so terribly in class, BUT he is very condescending towards his students. He is a terrible teacher, and should stick to research. His tests are absurd. M/C and he tests on random facts from the class (which are worded terribly). AVOID. I am an A student and I got a B.
Rating # 10
Overview:
  • Course: SOC241
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 2.0
  • Course Difficulty: 5.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
David Pierce is one of the hardest profs I have ever had. His two midterms are 70 q multiple choice, and the final is 90. Each question, of some detail hidden in the text or comment he made in a lecture one time, has 5-6 multiple choice answers. Unfair exams aside, his lectures are dull and monotone. I do not recommend!!!
Rating # 11
Overview:
  • Course: SOC210
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 1.0
  • Course Difficulty: 5.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
Had this prof a bit ago for stats. Flew through slides with few examples and expected you to connect the dots for the math. Passed, only because I sat in on a different stats class and got math tutoring. His class was a waste and overly difficult for what it was.
Rating # 12
Overview:
  • Course: SOC241
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 1.0
  • Course Difficulty: 5.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
More slides in one lecture than my 3 hour night class (that covers 2/3 topics in one class)! Gives info that conflicts with text often, can't answer most questions. Dropped! Avoid this man.
Rating # 13
Overview:
  • Course: SOC241
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 2.0
  • Course Difficulty: 5.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
Admits he tests on niggling details of things he mentioned in class. Dumps info but explains nothing. Lectures w/a ton of slides, some of which aren't available online. Forces stupid textbook readings and chapter exams on mypsychlab but midterms are mostly from inclass. Outdated info abounds. Dropped to hopefully take with a better prof later.
Rating # 14
Overview:
  • Course: SOC315
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 1.5
  • Course Difficulty: 3.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
Dr. Pierce is definitely a great researcher, but avoid his 315 class. It is set up as a do-it yourself class. He has not put in the necessary work to create assignments which further greater understanding. He will not connect the dots for you but expects you to do this independently. Overall, he struggles in teaching science to art students.
Rating # 15
Overview:
  • Course: SOC315
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 2.0
  • Course Difficulty: 3.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
Not very helpful, makes his TAs do everything for him (doesn't show up to his exams), but material is easy if you study and attend class, and his grading rubric is incredibly fair.
Rating # 16
Overview:
  • Course: SOC315
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 2.5
  • Course Difficulty: 3.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
Terrible prof. Condescending, especially when you ask questions. Work load is okay, good in case you did not to well on the midterm. The class itself is actually not bad, and he is very good a teaching. Just as a person who you need to go to for help, he sucks. Lab is easy!
Rating # 17
Overview:
  • Course: SOC241
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 1.0
  • Course Difficulty: 5.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
Worst prof ever. If you stay conscious during a lecture, you're superman. Tests are ridiculous and maddening, with useless questions about minute details. Annoying, and can't even decipher his own slides. Forces you to do online tests, which are pointless and a waste of time. Overall, he made an interesting class painful and horrible. AVOID.
Rating # 18
Overview:
  • Course: SOC241
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 4.0
  • Course Difficulty: 3.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
Good course- lectures are quite interesting if you pay attention. Exams are challenging because some questions aren't worded clearly. Don't expect an easy A, but it's worth taking.
Rating # 19
Overview:
  • Course: SOC210
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 4.5
  • Course Difficulty: 2.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
Actually really funny if you pay attention to him, quite kind! I liked him.
Rating # 20
Overview:
  • Course: SOC241
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 2.0
  • Course Difficulty: 4.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
Avoid. Extremely patronizing, insulting, and condescending towards his students. Very set in his ways - if you make a comment in class, it will not be heard and Pierce will continue on his recitation of overpriced textbook. Mandatory online component is an absolute joke, and a sick way to make hundreds of students $80 poorer each term.
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