Michael Palmer - University of Maine

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Michael Palmer - University of Maine

Professor: Michael Palmer

Department: Political Science

College: University of Maine

Rating # 1

Overview:

Course: HON111
Grade Received: Not sure yet
Overall Rating: 2.0
Course Difficulty: 3.0

For Credit: Yes
Textbook Used: No
Would Take Again: No
Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

For those of you signing up for spring Honors 112, only take it w/ Palmer if you can stand to listen to rants (off-topic, too personal, and often offensive) and want low workload. One page essay a week, but no prompt and extremely vague. Grading is incomprehensible. He at least tries to be personable? Good luck.

Rating # 2

Overview:

Course: POS201
Grade Received: C+
Overall Rating: 1.0
Course Difficulty: 5.0

For Credit: Yes
Textbook Used: Yes
Would Take Again: No
Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

Palmer comes across as disinterested and lazy. You basically have to restate exactly what he has said in class on your essays or you get a C. Often speaks at length about things that are unrelated to subject. Rob Glover teaches a summer session, if you're actually interested in learning something enroll in that section.

Rating # 3

Overview:

Course: POS201
Grade Received: N/A
Overall Rating: 1.0
Course Difficulty: 4.0

For Credit: Yes
Textbook Used: Yes
Would Take Again: No
Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

This guy seems to know Plato's Republic well, but his lectures were soooooo bad. He once spent half a lecture telling us all about his former alcoholism. Several times in class he caught us looking at the clock and then back at him because we all just wanted to get out of there. Seriously, either skip this class or take it with another professor.

Rating # 4

Overview:

Course: POS201
Grade Received: B+
Overall Rating: 2.0
Course Difficulty: 5.0

For Credit: Yes
Textbook Used: Yes
Would Take Again: N/A
Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

Failed to appear for our tests and was constantly late to class, then complained that we failed to understand the meaning of justice when we reported him. He also believes that women are incapable of writing serious philosophy. A class on political theory was reduced to just a reading of Plato's Republic. Very high grading standards; challenging.

Rating # 5

Overview:

Course: 30501
Grade Received: N/A
Overall Rating: 1.0
Course Difficulty: 5.0

For Credit: Yes
Textbook Used: No
Would Take Again: N/A
Attendance: N/A

Comment:

2nd class with Palmer. I didn't do so great in the first one so I took this as a challenge. I read the material thoroughly as well as did outside research on the subject matter. I attended every class and took thorough notes for a disabled student. On my first in class essay he gave me a C+. I felt cheated and he also seems to look down on women.

Rating # 6

Overview:

Course: HON111
Grade Received: A
Overall Rating: 1.0
Course Difficulty: 2.0

For Credit: Yes
Textbook Used: No
Would Take Again: N/A
Attendance: N/A

Comment:

If you do not care about the way you are treated as a person, but like to write short papers, his seminar is for you. Michael Palmer constantly makes comments that are degrading and disrespectful, especially to women. I cannot stand him as a person, but he does know his stuff and he isn't a particularly harsh grader

Rating # 7

Overview:

Course: POS201
Grade Received: N/A
Overall Rating: 1.0
Course Difficulty: 4.0

For Credit: N/A
Textbook Used: Yes
Would Take Again: N/A
Attendance: N/A

Comment:

He might have a great mind for theory, but the class was not worth my time. He spent more time trying to hit on the girls in my class than focusing on the book, and I felt that his tests were impossible to get anything higher than a C without kissing up to him. His lectures are abstract, and the 3 in-class essays don't seem focused enough.

Rating # 8

Overview:

Course: POS201
Grade Received: N/A
Overall Rating: 1.5
Course Difficulty: 4.0

For Credit: N/A
Textbook Used: Yes
Would Take Again: N/A
Attendance: N/A

Comment:

We were only graded on 3 in class essays. 2 of which he either showed up late for or not at all. The topics of those essays were what came to his mind first as he walked in the room. Very high on himself. Claimed he could have been the Prime Minister of Canada but decided to be a professor at UMO instead? Lied all the time and never made any sense.

Rating # 9

Overview:

Course: POS201
Grade Received: N/A
Overall Rating: 5.0
Course Difficulty: 2.0

For Credit: N/A
Textbook Used: Yes
Would Take Again: N/A
Attendance: N/A

Comment:

I will admit, going into this class I was nervous. You always hear rumors about Palmer and how bad he is. But please, give it a chance and go in with an open head. The man is brilliant, absolutely brilliant. If you seriously want to study ethics or philosophy his class is well worth any hardship you may face.

Rating # 10

Overview:

Course: POS201
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:

Feels as though teaching an into course is beneath him. Rants a lot and goes off on hour long tangents about his medical problems and love life. Not a class you can skate by in. You can do well, but you really have to work for it. The subject is dry and so is Plato's Republic.

Rating # 11

Overview:

Course: POS201
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:

Palmer is definitely out there but the guys brilliant. His classes are definitely worth attending. Must go into the course with an open mind. Took his class 1st semester freshman year and Plato was a little over my head but If you meet with him the guy will work with you for hours and those are even more interesting than class.

Rating # 12

Overview:

Course: POS201
Grade Received: N/A
Overall Rating: 3.5
Course Difficulty: 4.0

For Credit: N/A
Textbook Used: Yes
Would Take Again: N/A
Attendance: N/A

Comment:

I'm not sure what would make one believe Mr. Palmer to be arrogant, if anything, he is self-deprecating and humble. His lectures are tangential, but amusing he is honest and certainly not PC. My only complaint (and I've been doing poorly) is that he does not place more emphasis on important points than on unimportant ones which makes studying hard

Rating # 13

Overview:

Course: POS201
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:

Arrogant. Self Centered. Stuck on himself. If I take the time to go to class he should at least show up on time. Never explains anything relevant. Grading is extremely incomprehensible. Wont give grades higher than a C for most people. I tried giving him a chance but I just found myself disliking him and his absurdity more and more.

Rating # 14

Overview:

Course: POS201
Grade Received: N/A
Overall Rating: 3.0
Course Difficulty: 3.0

For Credit: N/A
Textbook Used: Yes
Would Take Again: N/A
Attendance: N/A

Comment:

The class was at times fairly interesting, but he does become sidetracked more often than is appropriate. He always is clear to say that everything he says is, "pertinent to political theory", but at times it is hard to see the significance. Fine class, engaging professor.

Rating # 15

Overview:

Course: POS201
Grade Received: N/A
Overall Rating: 5.0
Course Difficulty: 5.0

For Credit: N/A
Textbook Used: Yes
Would Take Again: N/A
Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Best damn professor the University of Maine's got. He speaks his mind and doesn't refrain from being honest. The best part is he makes you think, not in the typical manner but out side the box. More professors should be like him.

Rating # 16

Overview:

Course: POS201
Grade Received: N/A
Overall Rating: 5.0
Course Difficulty: 4.0

For Credit: N/A
Textbook Used: Yes
Would Take Again: N/A
Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Palmer is extremely knowledgeable in the subjects he teaches, and his in-class essay exams are extremely reasonable to be successful on. It is absolutely important to go to every class because he pretty much outlines the whole readings and blatantly alludes to what material is important to study for the in-class essays.

Rating # 17

Overview:

Course: POS102
Grade Received: N/A
Overall Rating: 1.0
Course Difficulty: 1.0

For Credit: N/A
Textbook Used: No
Would Take Again: N/A
Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Contrary to what many who post on here say, Palmer's so-called "intelligence" is really just smoke and mirrors. He has some clever insights and quips, but they are pieces of nonsense that he recycles in ever class. His Introduction to Political Theory class should be called, "Introduction to Palmer's Egocentric Views."

Rating # 18

Overview:

Course: HON111
Grade Received: N/A
Overall Rating: 2.5
Course Difficulty: 2.0

For Credit: N/A
Textbook Used: Yes
Would Take Again: N/A
Attendance: N/A

Comment:

I liked him enough to take his 112 class too. He's very smart, but sometimes too smart. He gets so off topic it's amazing. Once started a sentence about poetry and touched on racism, 18th century females in Britain, bacon, The Village People's YMCA, emphysema, movies and ended the class by drawing a map to explain why 300 is the worst movie ever.

Rating # 19

Overview:

Course: POS203
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:

Response to previous post: He doesn't teach POS 203. Perhaps you are confusing with Ken Palmer (same last name)?

Rating # 20

Overview:

Course: POS203
Grade Received: N/A
Overall Rating: 3.0
Course Difficulty: 5.0

For Credit: N/A
Textbook Used: Yes
Would Take Again: N/A
Attendance: N/A

Comment:

DO NOT TAKE THIS CLASS. it's online and palmer doesn't grade anything himself. it all goes to his T.A. who doesn't grade based on content. The class is absolutely pointless.

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