Nelson, Linden  

Dr. Nelson is a nice guy and a competent teacher. His lectures can become boring, but most of the time he presents the material in a straightforward manner and helps you better understand the lecture class.

Nelson is a great teacher for recitation. He keeps your interest, even though the classes are short. His example experiments in class are really interesting and help to prove his points. The material presented isn't all that much and the final is really easy. I'd definitely recommend him for your recitation instruction.

Worst recitation prof, he went over material from the big lecture like twice, and then used to rest of his time talking about this research that he's doing that makes no sense on how the heck he's measuring it. Basically, given the choice, take Ryujin (he lectures in class the most) or Breaux (Ryujin's wife, also really good) because they know what's going on and tell you what to study for the tests

Nelson is a great teacher - he has a lot of experience in the field he teaches in, and the lectures are very interesting and informative. Tests are straightforward and easy to pass as long as you study what he says to study. Highly recommended!

Professor Nelson is very sweet and helpful. The reading is rather interesting and his tests are 50 multiple choice and not cumalative. The only complaint I have is that he is very boring, two hours is too long to spend in that class.

Dr. Nelson is a super nice guy! He's not the most dynamic teacher, but the information in psychology is interesting and he knows his stuff! This class had 2 midterms (50 mult. choice each) and then a final of 75 questions (25 review, 50 new material). The tests are really straight forward if you do the objectives he hands out in class. . . They're 100% from the text, and you don't even have to read if you thoroughly answer the objectives. (That's what I did.) Don't think you can skip class, though, b/c he has you do a "journal" question for every day, and it usually pertains to what was discussed or done in class. Don't worry about those either, though, b/c they're not hard at all. Just don't let them pile up to be written the day before they're due. I'm a HUGE procrastinator, but I just made sure I didn't get more than 3 journal entries behind and I did fine. He's fair and really wants students to do well. He's approachable and understanding. I recommend him.

Prepare to show up for every class. Prepare to be bored out of your mind. I am taking a minor in Psychology and find it interesting, but the class is sooooo boring and everybody jokes about how boring it is. The tests are cake, he gives you test objectives weeks in advance. If you have a seating chart and have to be there or risk losing points. You must be in class to get your journal assignment which is a large part of your grade. Dr. Nelson just talks to slow the class just drags.

This class was not only interesting, but it was also taught in a way so that everyone had a fair chance to get an A in the class. The first week of class, Dr. Nelson gave out his learning objectives for the first test (consisting of about 70 questions from which he chooses 50 to ask on his multiple choice midterm). There are 2 midterms and a final and the only other assignment was a journal (which was 1/2 page typed entry per class period answering some broad topic that was discussed in that day's lecture). Like most people in the class, I waited until the last week to start mine, so it took me about 4 hours to complete it...but had I done one a day, it wouldn't have taken me more than 15 minutes to do each one. This class was taught fairly, and though the videos he showed were fairly dry, they covered fairly interesting information and were always relevant to the lecture. Dr. Nelson is extremely approachable, very fair, and always willing to listen to you. Though we did have a seating chart, we chose where we would sit and it was mostly so that he could learn our names. We were allowed to miss 2 class meetings (and thus 2 journal entries) without being downgraded, which seems fair to me. I highly recommend him as a professor for this course!

this guy is well rehearsed in social psych and he's very involved in the subject outside of teaching. However, his lectures can get VERY DULL and he can go on and on in monotone. His videos that correspond to the lectures are interesting, and he does some cool demonstrations too (but not too many of them). His tests are mostly multiple choice with a few paragraph answers, which he gives a bunch that may be on the exam ahead of time.

The other ratings on Linden Nelson cover the course content and Dr. Nelson's general demeanor well. HOWEVER -- Dr. Nelson clearly has a political agenda, and uses the classroom to advocate for his personal political views. As a 41 year old, independently-minded business owner, taxpayer, and Cal Poly student beholden to no man or political party, I find his modus operandi to be well below the expected standards for a university professor. Outside the classroom, Dr. Nelson emphasizes Peace Studies, and he is affiliated with organizations which promote peace globally. While I, too, promote global peace, the foundation upon which Nelson's understanding of peace is built differs from that of many. Bottom line -- PSY 252 has little if anything to do with Peace Studies and Dr. Nelson would be well-advised to refrain from political activism in the university classrom.

I'm taking a psych minor, and after having Dr. Slem (the best professor ever) for PSY 201, this class was like taking a large sleeping pill. I had to bring a piece of candy with me to every class to reward myself for having the willpower to show up. However, in contrast to the lecture, the book was actually quite interesting, although the chapters were rather long. The tests were really easy; multiple choice based on the learning objectives that he hands out, plus three short answer questions which he tells you before the test. There was no paper or any other written requirements. I don't really know what the other reviewers are talking about with the journal, I guess maybe he stopped using them. So, if you want an easy A and don't mind staring into space for two hours, then this is the class for you.

Nelson's lectures were extremely boring, although he is a nice guy. The tests are simple as long as you do the reading and study the learning objectives.

This class was not bad at all. Professor Nelson gave a set of learning objective questions for each chapter upon which he based all test questions. He also gave (and went over) 7-10 potential short answer questions, 3 of which are on the test. The multiple choice portion of the test was directly from the book/learning objectives. The 3 short answer questions were based on class material only. The tests were fairly easy. His teaching method was kind of boring but he knew what he was talking about and was fair, clear etc.

Nelson is way way nice... but the class didn't really do much for me. I'm a Psych major and I've taken a few Psych courses and this class is definitely not one that is memborable... easy though. 3 exams, noncumalative, 1 paper.

This class was so SO boring. All I wanted to do the whole time was poke my eye out with a pencil... you can't leave though, because he keeps a seating chart and may mark you absent. The book is actually very interesting, though... that's basically where you learn everything in that class. You must do all the readings and study questions to do well on his tests, but after that your set for an easy "A." Avoid this teacher if you want to keep your sanity (and your eye).

Class is SOOO boring. Try to take someone else if you can. It wasnt hard; he gives you study guides for the tests, but the tests can be a little challenging, so make sure you study. I felt like i was watching a "dry eyes" commercial...so unless you feel like sitting in a class that makes you want to stab your eye out with a pencil, do your best to get someone else.

Ironic how much a social psychology teacher can lack social skills! This was by far the most boring course I have taken which is sad becuase it could be such an interesting subject. The pointless lectures are only attended because of 2 absence limit (although flexible) and a seating chart. If frequent conservative tangents and incessant repetition of basic concepts excite you than maybe this is your class. If not, AVOID THIS TEACHER and cherish the moments of your life that were not wasted on such a mind numbing experience.

Coming into this class I expected a lot of socializing being that the class is called Social Psychology. In all actuality, there were few if any instances where anyone talked which is frustrating as a male as this class was packed with a lot of beautiful girls. Aside from my male egoism the class is fairly easy as long as you answer all the test objectives.

Like everyone else said... BORING. I did sudoku in class every day. He makes a seating chart and checks off attendance every day (I think he tries to be sly about it but he's not). Just go to class, sit there and try not to fall asleep while slowly taking notes. He uses overhead slides... very oldschool! Just do the study guide and study it and you'll be good to go on the tests. I unfortunately didn't learn that until after the second midterm otherwise I would have easily gotten an A. The couple papers are really easy and not worth much. He's fairly lenient with late papers too.

Dr. Nelson's PSY 352 was a pretty straight-forward lecture and reading driven class, like most Psychology courses. Dr. Nelson tried to keep lectures interesting, though they could get dull at times. The reading, though there was a lot of it, was very interesting. Grades were determined by three homework assignments (short answer questions on the reading, probably 20ish per assignment, probably a 12-15 page thing) and a research paper (no midterms, no final), making the workload pretty simple (it only got bad if you saved the reading for the last minute). This means that you're hurt if you miss a class meeting and don't get the short answer questions for that session though. I'd recommend taking a Psych course with Dr. Nelson, he certainly knows his stuff and is willing to help you out if you need it.

What the guy/gal below said. Amen. I too took this class and have long since graduated from Poly, but I was cruising Poly Ratings for a kick and thought that I should pipe in and let you know how much of a joke this prof is.