Marchbanks, Paul  

Marchbanks is one of the hardest working, most organized, and most efficient teachers at poly. He is young and is still very enthusiastic about the subject. The class is pretty rigorous, expect to have a reading from the anthology every night to be discussed in class, while reading and writing essays for a book discussed outside of class. HERE IS HIS WEBSITE: http://cla.calpoly.edu:16080/~pmarchba/ click 231 or whichever

Professor Marchbanks is amazing. His class is challenging because he expects a lot out of his students. There is reading every night and a lot of different types of assignments. However, this class is so fulfilling. I came out of it feeling like I learned a lot and the class was worth my while. There may be other classes that fulfill this GE and you could breeze through and be bored silly, but why would you want to do that when you can actually learn so much through this class? Take Marchbanks, you will be glad you did!

Professor Marchbanks is amazing! He expects a lot out of his students, but he is very fair and presents everything you need to do in a very organized manner. He is always available if you need help and he always will get back to you in a timely manner. He is probably the best teacher I have had at Cal Poly. It is not often you can find a teacher who is strict, yet has compassion and really cares for his students. Even if you're not a fan of poetry, he will make you care. Take this class, not because it is easy, but because you will learn and walk out of the class feeling fulfilled and like a better person because you took it.

It would be a disservice to not review Dr. Marchbanks. He is one of the best professors I have ever had. He has a love for his subject and for his students. He has high expectations, but he makes them very clear and if you do what he asks you will do very well. He is an excellent lecturer, but most of his classes take place as discussions which are always very interesting. He is clearly very intelligent, but is not indimidating and he has a fun sense of humor. This is the only class that I can imagine where we would spend a day theorizing methods of time travel or drawing pictures of war poems and I would still feel intellectually stimulated. The class became good friends by the end of the quarter and I'm positive that everyone really enjoyed the class. Please take Marchbanks. You won't be sorry.

dont take this class to fill up a GE. Paul Marchbanks ... takes his class way too seriously. You have a quiz EVERY day on the readings (which are pretty much written in a foreign language) there are like 6 different versions of the quizzes, he hands them out at random times during the lecture to ensure nobody comes just to take the quiz, he emails us 3-4 fucking times a day with changes and new material...and to top it off he just emailed me saying \"here is the material we\'ll be looking over once you finish the midterm...dont forget to bring an extra scantron because you might have a quiz right after you take your midterm\"....seriously Paul? getting ... fucked by your midterm is not enough in one day? ... the worst part is he doesn\'t let you know for certain if you will have a quiz...ever....bottom line is this guy sucks ... and you shouldnt take this class unless you think old british writing and romance is fucking awesome.

I agree with the person below me to some extent. I do not like how he might give us a midterm and a quiz on the same day. That is just messed up because we have to do extra reading and make sure we know that material on top of all the reading we had to do the first 3 weeks. I dont know if he isnt used to teaching a large class or he is but hes not doing a good job at it because I dont even know what I am suppose to get out of this class. Dont mind that... I dont even know what the midterm is going to be on! His quizzes are bad enough and if his midterm is the same, 3/4 of the class is going to fail it. His quizzes include really tricky T/F questions, fill in the blank from lines in the poems we have to read (about 40 pages a lecture), and random stuff from the previous lecture. Oh dont forget you cant ask a clarification question while you are taking the quiz either. So enough of the quiz/midterm...about the class he skims through everything! He lectures by reading the poems we read for hw and when he makes a comment half way through the reading, you dont realize it until hes done making the comment. By the end of the lecture he realizes he is running out of time so he goes even faster! Overall I would not recommend taking his class especially if it is a large lecture hall. He might be better in a small class because apparently he gets good ratings when that is the case.

This class, to put it NICELY, is absolutely ridiculous. Let me first point out that this class is a GE, yet you are required to put in more time/money/effort than you probably would for your own major classes. We were told to buy 5 different books for the class, 4 of them coming in a \"packaged set\" which you can only get NEW from El Corral (so pretty expensive). You are also given a quiz EVERY class, sometimes 2, which each require a scantron. So including exams (2 midterms and a final), you\'ll use about 20 scantrons in this class. Yet another unnecessary expense for this horrible class. He even gave us a quiz AFTER our midterm. The lecture is so monotonous, all you can do is try not to fall asleep. Marchbanks also creepily requests that you send him a picture of yourself, so he can \"learn your name\". I caution you in doing this because 1) Who knows what he actually uses it for and 2) If at any time you are not completely involved in the lecture/the material, you will be frowned upon. This includes casually whispering to friends in class, which is apparently wrong, even though its a 120 person lecture. I\'m taking this class C/NR (Thank GOD), but I still regret even enrolling it in at all. If for some reason you HAVE to take this class, MAKE SURE it is C/NR, or be prepared to die a slow and painful death....only after you have wasted your time and money.

I took this class as a large lecture, and disagree completely with the comments below. Yes, you have to buy 4 books, but I only paid around 50 for the set at El Corral (compared to 30 each at what was formerly Aidas). Marchbanks knows his stuff, and tries to utilize the time we paid for as much as he possibly can. If you go to each lecture, having read the material already, the quizzes are not a problem. And if you still find yourself clueless, he is really helpful during his office hours and promptly replies to email. You can\'t just skim through the readings, which shouldn\'t be a surprise since this is a literature course. In order to succeed on the midterms, you need to be familiar with the texts and know what makes them unique. Something I really appreciated is that he gets the grades posted by the end of the day of the exam. He definitely has his funny moments, and is a legitimate nerd.

This professor is terrible for large lectures. His quizzes and tests are all multiple choice with really ridiculous questions like...memorize this one word in a poem or memorize this author that wrote this sentence in some poem that I wont tell you...The class is also ridiculous because it makes you read tons of material that takes way too much time for a 4 unit class.

This class is a waste of my 3 months of my life!

I had to do poorly on all my other classes just to do good in this one class. Marchbanks should teach with more understanding for his students!

Warning, you can not have a social life with this professor. He makes you spend all your days memorizing useless poems and author names!

Fail the hard working students and pass the ones who gets lucky in his midterms and tests. He doesn\'t test on your ability to understand the readings, he tests on the ability to memorize specific words of the readings! How can I possibly use that in my future careers!

Worst professor in Cal Poly!

Take this class if you want to waste your life. It does nothing to help your career.

He gives no opportunities for extra credit, extremely heavy homework load, tests are BS, he focuses on making us memorize useless facts. So what if I know what Wilde\'s life is like, I want to know how to make mine better, not worse!

worst class i\'ve ever taken at poly. 3 or 4 hours of reading every night just to get by this class without failing. basically have to memorize 50+ poems and a novel word for word if you want to get an A. didn\'t learn a single thing during the quarter. i went into this quarter thinking this would be my easiest class but in fact it was easily my hardest. those 25 or so kids that dropped the class in the first two weeks made a very smart decision. most useless class ever!!!!!

This is a GE! It shouldn\'t be as hard and ridiculous as Marchbanks makes it.

What kind of English class has no essay!!! This class is so poorly graded that most people failed or hate it. I\'m one of them! And I\'m sure you can see below that tons of people hate it as well by the way it was graded and taught!

Worst Calpoly professor ever! His grading method sucks, and he doesn\'t realize how stupid his questions are!

It is an insult to all other doctors to call this professor a doctor. Unless you consider him as a doctor of memorizing useless literature. He makes us memorize nearly 50 poems and 2 novels. As an engineer, why would I want to memorize such useless junk. Maybe understand a little about it or read some for fun, but memorize?!?! What a waste of my 3 months of my life. I want that time back Marchbanks!!!

I wasted money, time and my grades in my other classes taking this professor. I hate him so much because he wasted my life! I spent so much effort in his class and ended up with nothing. He is the equivalent to the devil to me. The worst professor I have ever had in my career. And I have lost all respect to literature thanks to him. I hope karma hits you back and you rot in hell.

Dr. Marchbanks is a great professor. He made himself as available as possible, and has an obvious passion for this subject. Due to budget cuts, many of the courses have to be offered as large lecture, and as such, certain aspects of his class suffered. So, if you don\'t like that...don\'t attack the teacher, attack the state. We didn\'t get to write any essays, who would even try to fairly read 125 essays? Honestly, it was an easy set up. Read the texts, understand them, go to lecture. Yes, there were quizzes everyday, to encourage people to actually engage in the reading. His lectures were informative and he tried his best to have time for student input. The exams were all multiple choice, which is much easier than the other English exam I had to do in 240 (all of those were fill ins and short answer). He had the exams graded and posted on blackboard the same day you took it. Honestly, it is college, GE or not, grow a pair and do the work. And maybe, just maybe, you will actually learn something about yourself and expand your horizons beyond your egocentric world.

Once upon a time, there was a Cal Poly professor named Paul YouRockMySocksOff Marchbanks. He was passionate and intelligent and designed his class to bring out the analytic mind in his students. He desired them to interact with the literature, which he handpicked with a clear purpose behind what he wanted his students to understand. He represented what good and effective English teachers should be. He revealed the heart behind British literature, which can be elusive at times, and he truly wanted his students to learn and set up his curriculum to do so. Is it so wrong for a teacher to want their students to learn and be challenged? What kind of students have we become to verbally abuse the teachers that are most passionate about their subjects?

I honestly thought that Marchbanks was a really passionate professor (which is refreshing for an English teacher) and he was very knowledgeable about his subject. I didn\'t find the work beyond that of any other college classes. It\'s an English class. I would expect daily reading. Most English professors give pop quizzes to evaluate whether or not students have done the reading, and to help prepare students for the exams, especially those students who would procrastinate much of the reading, which is probably most of them. Marchbanks\' class and expectations were not at all unreasonable for a college-level English literature class, and I would take the class again.

I can\'t believe all of these people hate Marchbanks. He is organized, professional, funny and likes movies. We watched part of The Ring in class. Booyah. Go to class, do the reading thoroughly...you\'ll be fine. And if you\'re not, go to his office hours or make an appointment with him. He\'ll take care of you.

English is obviously a failed and corrupted subject in Cal Poly. It seems like all the defense for this professor is from students who obviously had the time to study and didn\'t have that hard a work load from other classes. But for those who think he is a good professor, think about this. Imagine taking 16 units worth of his class. You would be spending time memorizing 200+ poems and 8 novels for one quarter. Doesn\'t that sound silly. This is why so many people hate him so much. It was too much of a work load for most people.

How many people did he fail? How does he feel after he ruined so many people\'s lives? I feel sorry for those well deserving seniors not graduating just because of this professor!

You definitely have to study for his class, but that shouldn\'t be surprising for any college course. I work 45 hours a week, and took a full load of classes on top of day to day life and was still manage to well in his class. Make sure you understand the readings well, and always go to lecture! He tells you what everything means.

This class has a pop quiz everyday, some of the questions are so specific that it does not really test if you read the material or not. However, the midterms are actually not that hard, IF you go to his study sessions before each test (I\'m not sure if he had one for the first midterm). He tells you everything you need to memorize for the midterm. With that said this is a straight up memorizing class, you dont really learn how to interpret poems or readings from this class because you might think one way but when he explains the reading you will be totally off. I was fortunate enough to get a C on the first midterm without going to the study session but failed my second midterm because i didnt go. I went to both study sessions for the final and managed to bring my grade up to a C+. So to summarize this class, his questions for the quizzes are retarded. His midterms are memorizing his perspectives. Good luck!

You never know what he wants. He lectures on one thing and tests on something diff. Unpredictable grading. It was like there was one person lecturing, and another writing the tests, wtf?

This was the last class I had to take to graduate! I regret taking this professor because he made my last quarter a living nightmare. I had to spend too many hours studying just to pull off a passing grade. This is by far the most hours I\'ve ever put to any class I\'ve ever taken in Cal Poly. Not only that, it\'s towards a class that\'s not my major or anything. Some people say he\'s really passionate, but he is a very terrible at making questions. Most of the questions were unrelated to what he talked about in class. Just like someone said, he makes you memorize answers for his midterms. I recommend avoiding this professor at whatever class level you are. If you look at all the ratings, it seems like he has dropped drastically in his teaching quality!

Failure as a professor. I\'d suggest avoiding him even if it means delaying a quarter.

Dr. Marchbanks is a great professor! I was in a lecture of 150+ kids and he learned everyones' names by the end of the second week! He definitely enjoys teaching the material too. He picked really fun books to read too. This class is no joke though. You HAVE to do the readings for every class. There are reading quizzes every class and they can help you're grade. Bottom line- study your ass off for this class! And don't take it on a heavy course load.

Mr. Marchbanks is possibly one of the best professors I have had at Cal Poly. I was in a large lecture class with him and he learned most everyone's name by the end of the quarter. At first the course started with older literature but by the end he had incorporated more modern and main-stream texts. He encouraged everyone to contribute and offered extra credit for doing so, he never belittled a student or made them feel stupid (no matter how ludicrous their contributions to discussion sometimes were) and he was an overall good guy. Mr. Marchbanks' class was one I always looked forward to as I really enjoyed the lectures he had prepared and the class discussions. He also was an interesting person in general and shared stories about his life and his past and his family. He made it very clear that he is very much in love with his wife and this I found to be endearing as well. Take Marchbanks!

Mr. Marchbanks was awesome. I loved his class. I see him around occasionally and he always says hi to me. He still remembers my name and I wasn't one of the students who contributed a lot either. I was glad to take an english class from him because I had had a few really horrible english professors prior to that here at poly.

I was graduating last June in 2010, and needed this class to graduate. Dude, honestly I don't give a shit about english, or what some king in Britain said in a book! Although my expectation was I would ace this stupid GE like I did all the other GEs in my five years at Poly. This dude made life miserable! Daily quizzes, with exact quotations from readings from horse hit material. WTF man! Anyways, if you're genuinely interested in the material, take the class, otherwise avoid.

I loved Marchbanks' class! He was awesome! The books he chose were interesting and I enjoyed reading them and I enjoyed the class overall very much. I wish I had been an English major, I remembered how much I love English literature when I took this class. If you have to take a C1, I recommend taking Marchbanks if you can.

Marchbanks likes to talk to his students. The class was very appealing too. We read stuff post-apocalypse novels and comics some really awesome like Watchmen and The Walking Dead and some really boring like War of the Worlds (in my opinion). Half the class just left the classroom right after the quiz but you shouldn't do that. Even if you thought you aced the quiz, the stuff he talks about in class will help you on the midterms.

This class was terrible. The reading was ALOT for a GE, the quizzes were nearly impossible and nit picky and did not test if you actually did the readings or not. There's a quiz at the beginning of every class, and half the class would leave after the quiz for a reason. His lectures are useless, even though i sat through each one of them. The tests are difficult and are not GE level. Marchbanks is a dick in office hours and unhelpful.

Marchbanks is a really nice teacher in person. His expectations for his students however are high and the work demands A LOT of time. I was in a large lecture hall and had this class Mondays and Wednesdays from 8-10 at night. I did struggle really bad in the beginning, but managed to pick it up later on. I find it a bit unfair on how this class demands a lot of time though, let alone the reading itself can amount to, on average, at least 2 hours if you speed read. Here are some pointers for taking this class that I wish I knew ahead of time: Take this class only if you are taking 12 units in total. Trust me, the amount of reading you do is very time consuming, especially reading old literature and poems. DO YOUR POINTS ON INFLECTIONS! Seriously just do it, it can be tedious but it'll help a lot. Copy down the daily quiz questions and answers. The first midterm I took consisted of all of these quiz questions you took prior to the first midterm. Goodluck, if you can find a better professor I would suggest so...

Professor Marchbanks is one of my favorite professors at Cal Poly by FAR! Winter quarter I had to take English 231 at 8 to 10pm two nights a week. For it being a large lecture class I was very curious to how it would be taught. Professor Marchbanks' first priority was to learn all of our names. He did an amazing job of it too. By the end of the quarter he had them down. One of my favorite things about his class is he loved class discussion. It was really cool being able to discuss our readings in such a big class. He loved our feedback and always listened to everyone's thoughts. The novels we used focused quite a bit on the world ending and they brought up many ideas that I had never thought of before. This class made me think more, analyze more, and put myself into different situations, more than I have in ANY other class at Cal Poly. Hands down, the best GE I have had to take. If you get the chance to take Marchbanks at any time of your stay at Cal Poly, I would totally recommend him!

Winter quarter I took this class with Marchbanks, and it has definitely been one of the most influential classes I've had here to date. First off, Professor Marchbanks is an incredible teacher. I had to crash the course on the first day of instruction, along with at least fifteen others, and we were all able to get in. It was a huge lecture hall but he managed to learn everyone's names by the end of week two. The class focused on the apocalypse and dystopia, and lots of lecture time was made up of class discussion. Although I was never even brave enough to speak, Marchbanks still always greeted me by name and knew exactly who I was. He really cared about all of his students, and did everything he could to make sure we understood the concepts and succeeded on quizzes and tests. One of my favorite things about this professor is how much he values every bit of insight and every response from his students. He always found some aspect of everything put forward in discussion that was relevant and important to the material in some way. His teaching style as well as his humor and care for us all made it so easy to make it to this 8-10pm class twice a week. The material covered is obviously not the most uplifting and encouraging area of literature, but with Marchbanks it was all still worthwhile to learn and was made really applicable to today and our own lives. I came out of this class with a new perspective on both literature and humanity as a whole, and I learned things that I will take with me from here on out. There are four books we read through in the course, and I landed a C only because reading is just not my strong point. However, midterms are fair as long as you pay attention during review of the daily quizzes and actually read. Again, as long as you actually read. This is not a class you can Sparknote your way through, but no need to worry. With Marchbanks, you won't want to. He made me want to read and want to understand the concepts we discussed. He made this class worth it. :)

If you take this class as a lecture, be prepared for a lot of reading. I'm a slow reader and it would take me three to five hours to complete each reading assignment before the next class. The books are awesome and motivates you to actually do the reading. If you read what is assigned, you will most likely get an A. I never studied any of the readings and only a handful of notes before the exams and did well. Always attend class because the discussion is the most important part and will help you a TON! Professor Marchbanks is very clear what he wants you to remember through the quizzes and passages he asks you to highlight. I loved this class even though I took it from 8-10 pm and strongly recommend it to people who enjoy reading. Best part...No Writing Assignments!!

If you dont read every single page/know it backwards and forwards, know page numbers of exact quotes, know that families/lives of the authors, have the ability to compare texts/quotes of multiple texts, read through long drawn out and difficult to understand question AND speak up in class then you are likely to fail/barely pass. This man has no heart. Its really tough to love the class as a whole but the lectures are very informative, lively and interesting....his tests make the class ridiculously difficult but overall i recommend taking it, especially with Marchbanks, just dont expect an A without having this class be your main focus for the quarter

Having a lot of reading sucks. However, it's not as bad when the books (one is a graphic novel) are really interesting , and when your professor spends the entire lecture detailing the most important points in the previous night's readings. read: MARCHBANKS IS AWESOME. I took ENGL 231 as a large lecture class, meaning no essays, but three midterms and the final. Note: the midterms are cumulative, and I didn't know that going into the second midterm.....but it's okay! Questions aren't SUPER specific though there are quote questions--if you have a general understanding of the characters in the books, you'll be fine. Participation is not required, though highly recommended as it can give you that edge you need to make it to the next grade level come the end of the quarter, and Marchbanks learns everyone's names remarkably quickly. I actually really regret missing two classes, because the discussions are always really interesting. [shoutout to my fellow ARCH majors, this class is 100% possible to take alongside a difficult studio,] if you can't finish the reading, he always goes over it in class. tldr: HIS CLASS IS AWESOME. TAKE IT. sidenote: he mentions his wife and kids at least once per class, so you know he's cool.

Fantastic. Don't listen to any of the people who were bitter that they didn't do well in a survey course. Marchbanks is a great professor and a nice person as well. He doesn't shy away from the difficult topics we encountered while reading some of the modernist authors, and is very open about how his personal perspective has influenced his interpretation of these works. He is incredibly respectful and open to any new viewpoints expressed in discussion. His tests and essay assignments are difficult because he expects you to work on your writing and to really think about what you are reading. Basically if you are looking for an easy A, or even an easy B, you are not going to find it here, but if you have a genuine interest in what he's teaching, and are looking for an interesting and intellectually stimulating class, then take Marchbanks.

Super fantastic professor! I took this class credit/no credit but I wish I didn't!! I didn't study at all or read any of the books/poems I just showed up to class and actually listened to what he was saying and I got a B in the class. He is super knowledgable and enthusiastic about his subject which I really enjoyed! I will definitely go back and read the books when I actually have the time. Anyone whining about the workload or exams clearly didn't go to class. You don't have to read the books/poems to do well because he literally gives the answer to every question on the exam at some point in his lectures.

Professor Marchbanks is the sweetest, most helpful professor I've had. He actually cares about all his students and is very helpful in office hours; he lets you look at your previous test and repeats questions on future tests, making office hours extremely helpful. The books he assigns are interesting and his lectures are as well (even if the reading, like poems, are a bit boring). Definitely take Marchbanks if you can! You'll probably love him

While there are many readings, as long as you do them and attend lecture it is very easy to do well!

Yo this class was boof. I was taking 4 other classes with this one so i can graduate on time and holy shit this class took up more time than my other ones (got a C in an important major course cuz I spent so much time on hw for this class). The dude expects a LOT for this class being general education. Be very careful taking it cuz i will tell you right now, I treated it as anyone else would treat an english GE class and I got a D (nothing lower than a C on an assignment). So ya, if youre into books and shit go for it, but steer clear if books are scary. I fucked up big time taking this class, literally hated myself every time I walked into class or sat down to do assignments. Spent a lot of hw time thinking about anything else but the boring ass shit in front of me. Can't say he's a bad dude cuz he's not, he's good at his job, just too good. A little too into British literature, which is so not needed in this day and age. All the books are also old, so it's kinda hard to understand characters, authors, etc. Bottom line, drop if you're not feeling it at the beginning, not worth it if you won't put that much effort into the class.

I normally hate my Core English classes, but Marchbanks was the best by far! He really expects a lot of his students, but it is not that bad. He gives extra credit, gave full credit on quizzes if you got 3 out of 5, and clearly outlined what would be on the midterm/final. There is a group presentation and you have to go to his office hours three times to discuss papers etc, but you get 3 points for each one, so it is easy points. He cares a lot about his students and is so knowledgable, he went to school for like 8 years!

Dr. Marchbanks is one of the teachers at Cal Poly who genuinely wants to be friends with his students. He has us over for dinner, we can come hang out in his office anytime, and he even has group meetings at the park with his wife and kids. His classes require you to 1) read the assignment and 2) have something intelligent to say. I love the fun class work we do (drawing on the board, acting scenes from the books, presentations and mad libs). You have to be pretty dumb to not get a good grade in the class.

I use PolyRatings every time I sign up for classes - nine times out of ten, I end up loving the same professors everyone else does, and despising the ones most people hate. I\'m sure other students use PolyRatings religiously too, so that\'s why it makes me so sad to see that Prof. Marchbanks\' rating is so terrible. Is he a difficult professor? Certainly. Do you have to do obscene amounts of reading sometimes? Certainly. In fact, I don\'t think I would take him again, as his classes are indeed a LOT of work, and I\'ve got a pretty bad case of senioritis now. However, I\'m SO glad that I had the opportunity to take him for Core V last year! If you\'re looking for a challenging, stimulating English class with an intelligent professor, you\'ve found your match. As other people have noted, maybe he\'s better in a small-class setting?

I've taken 3 class with Dr. Marchbanks at Cal Poly and have found him to be one of the most knowledgable, helpful, and dedicated teachers I've experienced here. Regardless of what he's teaching, he demonstrates an incredible amount of knowledge and passion for the subject. While he is a teacher that expects a lot from his students in terms of reading, detailed knowledge of the material, and continued growth throughout the quarter, you will definitely get a lot out of his class if you put the necessary commitment in. Unlike a lot of other teachers, Marchbanks goes above and beyond in his commitment to his students; he offers up his personal time to meet with students to help them with anything they might be struggling with in the class, or just to discuss class material. I personally met with him multiple times when writing my final paper for the class and improved my usually-B level essay to an A. I definitely recommend taking Dr. Marchbanks if you are looking to genuinely learn and grow as a student.

Out of all the classes I have taken at Cal Poly, Dr. Marchbanks' course was one of my most enjoyable and rewarding. He shows an active interest in the students and really works to help them succeed. His teaching style never feels stale or repetitive.

Professor Marchbanks expects alot from his students and provides the tools to achieve the high level of success he demands. He used creative teaching strategies and was particularly good at facilitating discussion. His 304 course was well structured and his website very useful. He created questions to guide us through each of our readings but never hesitated to stray from his teaching plan to suit the interest of the students. A great professor!

Students deserve more professor like Dr. Marchbanks. He is so incredibly knowledgeable, passionate and engaging. While the course required quite a bit of work, Dr. M is more than fair in his grading. I can't wait to take a 400 level with him!

While Marchbanks seems to have a reputation as a tough professor, I found his class to be challenging and enjoyable. Reading and written assignments were staggered so that the course was never overwhelmingly busy. For example, we had no final during finals week, just a term paper due. He clearly outlined his expectations for us on the midterms and papers, and gave lots of clear feedback. And the guy has tons of office hours, so there's very little excuse to not go seek help if you need it. Most importantly, the discussions and activities in class were really fun. We'd talk about our favorite movies and TV shows to illustrate what we like about storytelling, and one time we reenacted scenes from our readings with duct tape. One of the best lit classes I've taken at Poly.

I'm an English major, and this class was my favorite out of all the English classes I've taken. Dr. Marchbanks challenges his students, but his exams are fair if you do the reading and study your notes from his lectures. He is incredibly dedicated to his students and really wants you to do well. He gives great feedback to help make you a better writer, and he is always available to meet with students in office hours. I would reccommend for anyone to take a class with Dr. Marchbanks. The reading load can be intense and by no means is his class an easy A, but it is worth it. Plus, Dr. Marchbanks is just a really nice and cool guy!

Although Marchbanks gives a heavy work amount, he is one of my favorite professors. I have only taken him for an English major class, but I would recommend him for any English class at Poly because you will learn much more than you anticipated. He is extremely open to different interpretations and will give you a fair grade as long as you are actually trying. Keep up with the reading, it's easier to do in little chunks than all of it at the very end.

Dr. Marchbanks class was my favorite English Core class I have ever taken! He creates a really welcoming atmoshphere and does an excellent job of bringing everyone into the conversation. I have a difficult time speaking up in class and in his class I felt so comfortable sharing my opinions. He has really interactive classes and there is something different to do in class everyday. I really enjoyed his class and Dr. Marhcbanks is one of my favorite professors at Cal Poly. I highly recommend taking Dr.Marchbanks!

Prof. Marchbanks has become my favorite professor at Cal Poly, and this has been, by far, my favorite Core class for my English degree! He helped me regain a new appreciation for literature. I feel like I have grown so much from this class in both my reading as well as my writing. Marchbanks is a great man who makes a personal connection with his students. I like the way he set the class up because he gave questions to ponder as you read in order to get you thinking about analyzing the literature and to give you direction as you read. Our whole class had great camaraderie because of the fun way he ran the class that made everyone feel included. He even had video screenings to incorporate with the books we were reading. Marchbanks is an encourager in office hours and is an extremely fair grader with fair tests. Any class that you take will him, will make your quarter amazing because he is just an all-around good guy who cares about his students, their learning, and their success.

Professor Marchbanks is a great professor and you will learn a LOT from his class. It is honestly incredible how dedicated he is as a professor. He goes far out of his way to help his students and seems to genuinely care about his students as individuals. Yes, you will have to put in an effort for his class, but the intellectual reward that comes from the effort is well worth it. He finds a way to make the material interesting and make you feel like you have gotten your money's worth.

Professor Marchbanks was quite the game changer, after reading his winding two-path syllabus and sitting through his initial lecture, I was extremely intimidated and overwhelmed. However, throughout the course, with his willingness to help, enthusiasm for the material, clear expectations, and refreshing alternative class formats (once we had to draw pictures for a quiz), I ended up loving the class and even earning my first A in a core class. Marchbanks is one of those professors who really wants you to do well and will go the extra mile to see to it that you understand the material. He also is super passionate about it himself and "nerds out" a little sometimes--it's great! Anyways the point is, if at first you feel a little nervous, give him a chance!

Dr. Marchbanks' class was one of the most enriching classes I've had so far at Cal Poly. He knows the material super well and makes coming to class interesting! It wasn't the easiest class I've ever had but he makes you want to put in the work and impress him. If you have the chance, I'd 100% recommend taking one of his classes -- GE, Core, 300, or 400 levels!!

I really enjoyed this class! Though it was challenging at times, Professor Marchbanks worked to help his students to succeed. He is a really knowledgeable professor and seems to put a lot of thought into his classes and lectures. He is one of my favorite professors at Cal Poly and I would definitely recommend taking his classes.

Such an incredible professor! From the very beginning of the quarter, Marchbanks presented his expectations clearly and in detail and I knew exactly what I had to do in his class. He continued to mix up how he presented material -- from discussion circles, to chalk drawings, to duct tape scenes, he always found a new way for us to explore the course material. He really makes you want to read and discover new ideas in each text, and he's great at providing a creative atmosphere. Definitely one of my favorite English teachers at Poly.

Dr. Marchbanks is definitely one of my favorite English teacher. Engl 304 has been my favorite Core class and Dr. Marchbanks is a great teacher. He is a difficult and challenging professor, but offers students all they need to succeed, with very open office hours. He has a unique reading curriculum with his two paths of reading, Path 1 is in class and Path 2 is outside of class. He also has lots of little assignments, which is good because if you do poorly on one, it won't hurt you that much. Also, his "final" was in week 9, which gave us plenty of time to write our term paper with less stress. About 3 small essays and 3 tests total, with very fair pop quizzes. Reading amount is also fair. Marchbanks is awesome!!!

If you are looking for an easy A class where you can silently sit in the back and succeed, do not take this class. However, if you are looking to expand your knowledge of literature and have a rewarding experience, DO take this class. There have been few English Professors and courses I have truly loved at Poly, but this is definitely one of them. Marchbanks is extremely knowledgeable and passionate about what he teaches. Although it is true that he demands a lot of his students, his is very clear about what is expected and is more than willing to help students out. Don't be intimidated by the workload - yes, it is a lot, but it is doable!

I'm an English major. In my opinion, Marchbanks is one of the best English professors at Poly. Yes, his classes are challenging, but he supports his students in anyway possible. He cares. He had us over to his condo several times for office hours, movie viewings, discussions, and help with the final term paper. He opens up his schedule to students to accommodate our needs. He's hilarious, witty, and insightful. Take his class.

Dr. Marchbanks is a great professor who really cares about his students. The class material is always interesting, and it's clear that he loves what he does. I highly recommend his classes!!

I have loved almost every English class I have taken at Cal Poly until this one. Marchbanks does not understand that we are busy students who do not have time to read hundreds of pages a week. The way the class is set up is in two paths. Path One is like a regular English class with readings and in class discussions. On top of that, there is Path Two where you have to read 2 lengthy books on top of the in class readings. Marchbanks had my group of three girls go to his apartment to be interviewed on our Path 2 book (it sounds creepier than it was but still super inconvenient!). This class is two classes in one and we should be receiving more than 4 units for it. His tests are incredibly hard and his expectations of us are incredibly high. We have 12 quizzes a quarter, 3 exams, 2 papers, and an interview. If youre taking this class its probably required so my advice is to start reading before the quarter even starts because odds are you will always be behind or barely making deadlines. goodluck!

Marchbanks is awesome! If you're still complaining about the amount of work expected/assigned at the end of the ENGL core, then maybe this isn't the major for you. Everything he assigns has meaning behind it, even the path 1 and 2 readings. He genuinely cares about his students, encourages participating, and has overall made me a better a better student and writer.

Dr. Marchbanks is the best teacher I have had at Cal Poly by a long shot. I absolutely loved him and will be taking his class again in my final quarter in college. He expects a lot out of his students but its motivating and he is there to help you. He genuinely cares about each one of his students and he is understanding towards each student’s individual needs throughout the quarter. He chooses reading materials that are relevant and has a way of making it so we all really care about what we are reading and how we can relate it to our lives no matter the date of the publication. I highly recommend taking a class with him of you have the chance, he is awesome.

Dr. Marchbanks is one of my favorite professors at Cal Poly! His classes are so interactive! He lead us in great discussions about the reading, used movie clips in class, and always had a different activity for us to do. He seriously wants to see every student succeed. I grew so much in this class and I rediscovered my love for my major. He encourages participation, cultivates confidence, and assigns excellent books to read. Take Dr. Marchbanks! You will love this class, bond with your classmates, and learn from an incredible professor!

Dr. Marchbanks is an excellent professor. I was dreading taking my first English class since high school, and I especially didn't want to be taking it during my summer vacation. I have to say that I was extremely happy after the quarter ended that I ended up in Dr. Marchbanks class. He does expect a lot of his students, but come on, we're in college. He makes the assignments and daily readings very clear, and his web page is very thorough and updates it thoroughly. He's always available to help his students, offering office hours, plus time out of class at his home. In the 5-week class, we did a LOT of reading, but if you stay on top of it it's really not that bad. There are two opportunities to pass the GWR and he helps students improve their writing and gives great feedback. Don't get behind! Like I said, the class is definitely challenging, but if you attend class and stay on schedule, you should have no problem getting an A or B. If you care at all about writing and poetry, you should definitely take this class. Even if you are just in need of a GE English class (like I was), try to get Dr. Marchbanks!

pop quizzes every freaking day, on the stupidest stuff, dates and passage identification, etc. tends to think that you have no other life outside of his class, and his coursework proves it. Overall it is an easy class, but definatley there is some pointless information being spread around, some of our quizzes included drawing on the chalk board and enacting a scene from a book. He's so in touch with his emotions, it makes you want to laugh...kinda reminds me of allen from two and a half men on cbs...

Dr. Marchbanks is a nice professor but he assigns a ridiculous amount of reading. Plan on spending your Saturday nights writing papers. He fails most of the GWR tests. He has frequent quizzes and attendance is crucial. Take Shakespeare instead!

Marchbanks is an awesome teacher. He is extremely accessible to his students in terms of office house. I absolutely hate English but he managed to make it bearable and I actually learned something in his class and felt like my writing dramatically improved. Be warned...he requires a lot of reading but as long as you do it and keep up you should have no problem getting a decent grade in the class. I would definitely recommend Marchbanks because even if English isn't your best subject, he is extremely willing to help you improve and succeed.

Marchbanks is amazing! One of my favorite teachers at Poly. Granted, you will be doing a huge amount of work in his class, but in my opinion, it's totally worth it as long as you don't slack off. I took him for summer (5-week session) so it was even more work since it was condensed into half the normal amount of time. We read several chapters each night and were quizzed almost daily. He has fun assignments and group projects and you really do learn a lot! I am NOT an English person at all, but this class was a lot of fun! I would highly recommend taking him, again, only if you think you can handle the work load. He is a very enthusiastic teacher and he has you over at his house to work on assignments and get his feedback. If I needed anymore English courses, I would definitely take Marchbanks again!

Marchbanks is a great teacher! However, the class is very difficult and involves a TON of reading so I wouldn't recommend taking this class with a huge load of other classes. There is a midterm that involves multiple choice questions and an essay, and a final that is the same. Both essays have an opportunity to pass the GWR. There is also a term paper. Marchbanks was always very nice, supportive and gave great insight.

This is the first time I amactually graded a professor on polyratings. Marchbanks is the first professor that I have wanted to tell people to take! He is great! I am not a fan of English classes AT ALL. I do not enjoy reading and taking part in large discussions but Marchbanks makes it fun and enjoyable. The class is difficult, but he is extremely fair and always willing to help. Probably one of the best English teacher I have had. If you need a C4 with GWR, take his class! You won\'t regret it. However, be ready for a challenge. You sure won\'t get an A handed to you!

Straight and to the point: - Yes, the class has a lot of reading - Yes, you are expected to know the reading well for class discussion - Yes, his class is not an easy A With that said, do I regret taking this class? NO. I am so thankful that he let me crash it. I thoroughly enjoyed Dr. Marchbanks as a person and as a teacher. - He is by far the most organized and professional teacher I have had - He is passionate about his classes and knows how to formulate questions to foster meaningful class discussion - He cares about others opinions and encourages them contribute to class discussion in a positive way - He takes his class content seriously, but also enjoys joking around to make discussion fun - He establishes strong relationships with EVERY one of his students I would recommend taking a class with Marchbanks to anyone willing to LEARN and enjoy it. Isn't that the reason we are here after all?

Dr. Marchbanks easily became my favorite teacher at Cal Poly. His class, however, was an entirely different entity in its own. I personally thought the curriculum was intriguing (although extensive considering the sheer amount of required reading), but many of my peers often left classes in horror. His view, as best as I could describe it, is that students should be expected to learn about the grotesque in life and human nature in order to grasp a greater understanding of God. Quite often you will read (in a short story or book) or see (either through an explicit--and I mean explicit, Lars Von Triers movie or gruesome Salvador Dali painting) which will shock you in some classes. This, however, should not discourage you from taking the class. This was the first course I took at Cal Poly where each time I finished a reading or left the classroom I felt I had learned something valuable. The course is broken into a few easy quizzes (I recommend you ALWAYS do the reading!), a few essays in which he asks for a lot of textual evidence, and a midterm and final (which are fairly difficult). If you read and comprehend the subject material you will do well. Lastly, there is a participation grade. My advice is that you give as much valuable input as possible in order to boost your overall grade. He will call on you if you don't participate willingly because he truly cares about each student as in individual (as evidenced by his ability to learn everyone's name and personality on the first day of class). This is not an easy course, but I received an "A-", so it is not impossible either. If you have the chance, the stomach, and the time needed to take Dr. Marchbanks' class, then I highly recommend that you do so.

He requires you to speak up in class, but it isn't too bad after a while. I don't enjoy writing and this class didn't have many papers, but I learned a lot and helped me have an open mind about things. He works with you if needed and it helps a lot.

This class is so far my least favorite class I've taken. I was not expecting an easy class, however it is still a general ed class. This professor is an awesome person, but he makes it extremely difficult to succeed if you are not an English or Art major because he treats it as a major specific class. Expect to struggle, dedicate majority of your time to this class, and read A LOT. Our midterm consists of a 33 question portion, in which we only have 15 minutes to do, and a 400 word essay. I am majorly regretting taking this class and I don't recommend it to anyone.

THIS IS REVIEW IS FOR NON-ENGLISH MAJORS THINKING ABOUT TAKING HIS CLASS AS A GE I have read the reviews below and was beyond surprised. I will not disagree with everyone on the amount of reading, it does take between an hour to two a night and if you wait until the weekend to do an entire week\'s reading, that will be your entire weekend. But what do you expect from a literature class? Marchbanks does expect a lot from a student that wants an A, but to be honest to pass all you have to do is the bare minimum. I loved Marchbanks\'s class! His class is not your typical literature GE that all you want to do is burn the books by the end of the quarter. I guarantee the subjects you discuss, you will have never discussed before in any English class. And for those of you who like me, aren\'t English majors, simply want to get out of the GRE and fulfill a GE, and tend to hate literature classes --this is the class for you. Marchbanks truly cares about his students and will do his best to help you succeed. If you fail after that, quite frankly it is your fault.

Dr. Marchbanks is passionate about his job. He presents the material in a clear manner, and he tries to have the entire class participate during lecture. The difficult part about this class is the time requirement. Don't try to take this course while you are taking senior project! (Side note: it can fulfill your GWR... which is awesome!)

I learned that if I were to take up hunting, I should shoot deer, not bears, because a bear will hunt me back if I successfully wound it. Fascinating! I didnt know that the key to production and operations management was so brutally simple!