Nolan, Frank  

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Mr. Nolan is great, especially if you are an Arch major, because he anticipates the end of the quarter work load for us and assigns the one research paper you have to do, due in the middle of the quarter so you get it over with and it doesn't become one more thing you have to worry about during dead week.

seemed to be in love with the girls more than teaching

Excellent teacher in every respect. Helpful to students, great sense of humor, really seems to care about us as students. He's always available for help in critical thinking classes.

The tests correspond with the homework. If you do the homework you will do well on the tests. The class is rather fun, and was one of only a few classes at Cal Poly that I looked forward to going to. Since you have to take a 125 class, take Nolan.

Lazy

I never thought Critical Thinking could be interesting or fun but Mr. Nolan accomplishes both. He's lively and motivated and works hard in class. I earned every inch of my B but it was worth it.

Tough class, great instructor. You have to take this class so take it from someone who knows what they're doing like Mr. Nolan.

Critical thinking is pretty hard, and Mr. Nolan seems pretty laid back about it but his tests are pretty hard. He has a great sense of humor though and really knows what he's talking about. I really liked how he would take any questions, even if they'd already been asked, and help someone until they really understood. The final was easy. Since it's a required class, take Nolan.

Mr Nolan kicks serious ass. Most people get B's but going to class was something to look forward to. He gave three quizes and two midterms and a final. His lectures were interesting and to the point. He let us out early half the time. During office hours he was really helpful and he knows how to explain the material so that you can understand it. Mr. Nolan is a great person and I would say you are missing out if you don't take his class.

Mr. Nolan doesn't use a regular point system so if you're one point away from a B on the test, you'll get a C. Kind of crappy that speech professors at Poly aren't required to know how to count. Oh well. Just pay attention in class and you'll be fine.

I did the homework (which was MINIMAL) studied for tests...which took about 15 minutes really...because Nolan did an excellent job of clarifying any possible difficulties students had with the material. Truly an easy class made even easier for students. Sense of humor made the setting more laid back which was a very welcome stress reliever. TAKE NOLAN for Cr.Thinking 125.

I had this class at 7:40 in the morning twice a week and I wanted to get up in the morning and go! Mr. Nolan may be laid back but he makes the class fun. Do the homework, ask questions when confused, study the night before test/quizes and you'll do fine! And the easy is SUPER easy. The only downside is there isn't points just letter grades. But it really isn't hard to get a B, trust me!

Mr. Nolan is a very nice professor. He is always available to help you out during his office hours. Make sure you do the homework, The test is pretty much the homework. I would have received an A, but I didn't do well on the first test. You should definently take Nolan.

L-A-Z-Y. If Speech isn't your major, and you don't give a rats ass about Critical Thinking, take this class. Mr. Nolan is so lazy that he makes the tests easy so they wont be hard to check. Very, very bad though when it comes to answering students questions, and explaining their misunderstandings.

Yowzaa! This guy is great. He really makes the material interesting.

Took a potentially boring course and made it really interesting. He knew everybody's names, graded fairly, and was very down to earth. I recommend Mr. Nolan.

Maybe this stuff just made sense to me, but I would say that this class should be a piece of cake no matter who taught it. I slept through class about half the time, but it was definitely a breeze with Nolan. Take him... it's an easy A.

this guy is so cool. He has one of those voices that turns boring material interesting to listen to. I recomend you take him. He makes sure you understand the material before every exam.

This guy's a JackBall. He sometimes cancels class because he just feels like it, and on quiz days we just leave after taking a quiz that lasts 3 minutes. No lecture, just waste my time. I have never before in my entire life met such an incompetent *teacher.(I wouldn't call him a professor or even an instructor) Anyways this guy refuses to give you a percentage of your grades, whether on quizzes or exams, rather he gives you a letter grade. This guy needs to go back to the stone age. It doesn't matter if you miss 4 questions on the exam or none, you still get an A, but if you get a 89% on the exam, he'll just treat it as a B. At the end he just *averages the letter grades for your final grade.(I know he can't compute simple math either) I am confident I got robbed of an A because of his stupid primative method of computing grades. I don't know why he has to be the only idiot on campus to do this.

Mr. Nolan is an awesome teacher. Other people said that he doesn't know the material, but that isn't true at all. He explains it really well, and if you have a question, he'll take as long as it takes and will give your plenty of examples. He is very easy going, not intimidating at all, like most teachers. The class is a breeze. Take Mr. Nolan, you'll get at least a B with no effort at all.

Mr. Nolan is great. His class is fun and interesting. I suggest taking him for Speech 125

Boy, some people do like to have their tantrums. If you missed an A by 1 point then you get a B. Those of us who *earn* A's get tired of listening to you whiners. Mr. Nolan is a good, fair teacher, I recommend him to all my friends.

Highly recommend. He is a really good, caring teacher.

I liked Mr. Nolan a lot. Critical Thinking is hard, especially if you are not of the "logical" mind set, but he goes out of his way to make the class interesting and understandable.

This is one of those classes where you pretty much have to teach yourself. The good part is, there's not much to teach. Besides one fairly difficult first exam, the rest is pretty much writing. Classtime consisted of watching videos or listening to discussions in which no one was enthusiastic enough to get involved. Not to mention that there was no philosophy whatsoever, go figure. Basically, an easy way to fulfill your A3 if you don't want to take english 145.

i LOVED prof. nolan!!!!! he was soooo nice!!! the only thing bad about the class is the material he had to cover. the first half is extremely boring but the second half is pretty enjoyable. the workload is light, but there is a pretty big term paper so keep on top of things. i enjoyed going to class because prof. nolan was just a really really nice guy. take him if u can!

Nolan is the type of teacher a slacker loves. He lets you out early and never gives homework. But I find his lack of faith in teaching disturbing. He not once used the black board and never got out of his chair. His midterm is hard but the rest of the essays require little effort. Inorder to get an A I sence you must do a little kissing or have nice legs. But he is an easy B what more can you really ask for

frank nolan is awesome..he is such a cool liberal hippie type guy who runs his class way informally..he always wears sweats and lets you out at least 45 minutes early..the class is pretty easy you write a couple essays and they are all based on class dicussion..you dont technically even have to go to class, but if you do he has interesting things to say and he's pretty funny! i totally recommend this class

Well, Lets just say my first day of class (I was violently ill the night before)the first thing he said was, "Oh my god you look like hell". The guy isn't too bad, aside from wearing dirty socks and birkenstocks. He is not a great teacher by any means, we memorized terms, had some class discussions, turned in three essays, and i ended up with a B. Its not a difficult class, but your really not getting your money's worth! Take it for a GPA booster! :)

Mr. Nolan's class was very enjoyable. I got a kick out of him!! He is funny, loves class discussions, and is very willing to listen to many points of view. I think he grades a bit on the easy side but explains the material so well there should be no problem getting an A. Take him!

Professor Nolan is a funny teacher, at times. He always sits in the chair behind the table at the front of the class with his silver cup of coffee & drinks out of the 1/4 part of the cup. He also uses the phrase, \"NO NO NOO\" in a distinct way. The best part of this class is that you DONT HAVE A FINAL! You have 3 essays during the quarter and 1 midterm. 1. 1500 word persuasive/research essay (about 4-5 pages) on a choice of 1 of 3 topics he choses. due at the end of the first month 2. 750 word essay on forgiveness (response to readings, questions, or your opinion). 3. 750 essay which will be turned in on your finals schedule day (all you have to do is show up on finals day to turn in the paper and thats it). The midterm is pretty easy, if you study. Its all on vocabulary. Don\'t worry, you go over them a lot during class in a packet that he gives you! Theyre things like \"argument\", \"issue\", \"ad hominem\" and you practice finding these terms in sentences in your packet. I like this class because we didnt really do much ( that may sound bad) but i had this class from 8-9am MTWR (but furloughs basically every monday!), so i was pretty tired at that time and he just told stories, or went over questions anyone had from vocabulary, or readings. As far as readings, its not reading books, but reading chapters from books. Theyre kind of long, and as far as im concerned, you really didnt even need to read them unless you wanted to really be involved in the discussion during class. He basically talks about it & you read a lot of it in class. You go to the library a handful of times, basically once for the talk about how to use the library sources, and other times to work on your essays. As far as grading, he gives you letter grades and then takes the average of your letter grades for your overall grade. He says he doesnt go by #s. He doesnt take role, but if a lot of students in the class are not there, he will give out a \"quiz\"-which is to write your name down. When you go to the library, you sign your name on a sign in sheet.

If you need the books for comms 145 cheap, give me a call 916-600-1419

Nolan is super duper chill. If you took English in high school, which we all obviously did, then there is no reason you shouldn't pass. He gives you a packet at the beginning of the quarter that consists of all your assigned readings, writing prompts and midterm material. During lecture he would read off of it word for word. If you already know persuasive techniques/terminology and have decent writing capabilities then no need to show up to class. We would watch movies and discuss the readings (which I personally never did & also don't buy them when you could use google). I took AP English and this course was comparable to remedial high school English so I got an A with minimal effort. Although it does seem like he would grade arbitrarily and I have a suspicion he doesn't actually read your essays. The midterm is very similar to the worksheets in the packet, there is one major research paper, another short essay on compassion or forgiveness and the final is a simple 750 word essay on your conscience.

This professor is very lazy. I went to class once a week, and didn't miss anything. AND I still got an A in the class. My writing is only decent, so I'm not complaining! If you take this class you will learn nothing, but its a super easy G.E. and you won't have to spend much time at all preparing for it.

Pretty easy class. 3 papers. Two are 2 page and one 4-5 page paper. One midterm multiple choice. Make sure you study terms for this and you will do fine. Overall, great A3 to take. Also, he like to talk about random topics during class, and sometimes it is interesting.

He is very lazy and his grading is inconsistent and based on how liberal your viewpoint is, the more liberal the better chance you will get an A. It doesn't matter how great of quality your writing is or how good your argumentation skills are he just wants you to spew back his opinions. The midterm was way harder than it should have been. The material it contained was not presented well in class or presented in a way that would help you for the exam. Overall, it is a shame to call this lazy ass a professor.

Nolan is very laid back. His lectures are not very helpful. You get a packet at the beginning of class which includes everything you need for the class. He would pick random people to read out loud sometimes and he would talk about what you read. But he pretty much rephrased everything...so he didn't explain much.He is pretty chill. I would say it is one of the easier GE's.

This is the easiest class you will ever take. The first day of class Nolan gives you a packet that has everything you need to know about the class in it. The class is based on 2 750 word essays, 1 research paper, and one midterm. The midterm is easy if you can memorize deductive/inductive, claims, and specific literary devices he outlines in his packet. If you study at all you'll get an A/B. Also, he doesn't believe in grades so you get an average of your 4 scores as your total grade. If you go to class (which I did once every two weeks) you'll be bored out of your mind and never go again. The books are unnecessary to read or buy all you need is the dumb packet he gives you and you just gotta turn in all your papers and show up for the midterm and you'll get an A. If I spent more than half an hour on any of my essays I easily could've gotten an A.

sooo ummmm uhhh ummmm yeah. so does that make sense? huh? luuuuvvvlleeeyyyyyy

Professor Nolan is quite a character. Class can be boring at times, especially because he repeats himself a lot. Getting a good grade is not exactly a piece of cake, but it isn't terribly difficult either. Everything is weighted pretty high, but the tradeoff is you don't have as many assignments to complete. Definitely go to his "library days." He loved my first draft of the final paper so much that he wrote an "A" on it and told me to turn it in a week later. This is a good class to take if you have a busy schedule.

Honestly, this class is kind of a joke. There are 4 days of class a week, and on average I went to 2 because he doesn't teach anything. Don't procrastinate on the papers and you should be fine. Also, don't buy the books because you don't need them. If you're looking for an easy A3 to take, I say go for it. Just don't expect to learn much.

Easy class. Nolan is a super chill professor. You don't have to come to every class. You have one midterm (33%), one 1500 word research paper (33%), and two 750 papers (33%). Don't buy the books. Would definitely recommend for an easy GE.

Nolan is really chill. While I appreciated that I could get an A in this class by only showing up 4 times, I don't feel like I learned anything. Really easy A, but a complete waste of money.

This is a great professor. Frank Nolan is The Dude from the Big Lebowski.

Dr. Nolan rocks. He is such a chill guy who's down to have deep conversations about the subjects discussed in class. Everyone says to take this class because it's easy, and it is, but for me it was also very interesting I enjoyed it a lot. Nolan is the bomb and IS totally the Dude from Big Lebowski, not sure if he realizes that or not though...

Out of all the GE A3s this has to be the easiest one. You do not learn anything and do not even have to show up to class, but I would recommend going every once in a while. Only 3 essays and a midterm. All straightforward and very easy to get an A even with little effort. He is a very nice teacher, but can be scary when he raises his voice. Would definetly recommend.

Honestly, if you want an easy A. Take this guy. I don't think I learned one thing from him though. Reading the sunflower was kinda fun. He says you need to show up every day, but he takes role maybe 3 times for the whole quarter and it only does something at the end of the quarter if you're on the border (it can only move your grade up). Just make sure to study for the midterm because that's 33% of your grade and is by far the hardest part of the class, but is fairly easy, telling you just how easy the class is. 1 mid term (33%), 1 1500 word essay (33%), 2 750 word essays (33%).

Take this class! Dr. Nolan is incredibly kind and entertaining. If you have a tough quarter, this class is an ideal, easy A class to balance out your schedule. Your grade is made up of a 1500 word research paper (33%), 2 750 word papers (33%), and midterm (33%). There is NO FINAL EXAM! I spent three days on the research paper, one day on each smaller paper, and one day studying for the midterm. I easily got an A on everything in this class! You do NOT need to attend class regularly, I went to about half of the lectures. When I did go, we usually had thought provoking discussions(: Make sure to go to class on the days he presents the topics for the essays and the days he gives back the midterm and essays!

GREAT professor and GREAT class. Not too difficult. Professor is chill and walks around the class without shoes sometimes. Weighted grades: 33.33%- Research Paper 1500 words 33.33%- Objective Multiple Choice Exam on Information in the Packet 33.33%- 2 Short 750 word essays

Franny, Franny, Franny.... excellent professor. grades are 33% 1500 word research paper, 33% exam, 33% two shorter 750 word essays. It is a very fun class with interesting discussions. I recommend you sign up for COMS 145, which is taught in winter and spring quarters.

TAKE THIS CLASS FOR GE AREA A3. It is so easy, there is one midterm and 3 essays and that is the entire grade. He basically gives you an A on your essay if you have correct grammar and punctuation. Also, there is no need to show up for class after the midterm except to turn in your essays. If you are somewhat competent, this class will be the easiest A you have every gotten in an english class.

Nolan is actually the coolest dude ever. If you want to get to know him and chat during office hours and after class he is seriously cool. And if you happen to get MONO and don't show up to the last 6 weeks of class except to turn in your essays, he is still a bro and gives you a very decent grade. 10/10 would recommend, even if its at 7AM.

This class was so laid back. All he really cared about is if you showed up and turned things in on time. He gives you a ton of time to work on your assignments and is a fair grader.

Nolan is a very fair, easygoing and fun guy. He cares about his students and isn't so keen on busy work or anything either. His one midterm he gives wasn't very difficult, if of course you study, and although most teachers for English 145 kill their students with huge essays and speeches, Nolan doesn't. He makes you write three or four 500-700 word essays and one 1,500 essay and isn't a super harsh grader. Overall a very good and fun class to take. I learned a lot from him and about myself taking this class. He is entertaining and if you are opinionated, he loves you.

He is a pretty good teacher if you don\'t understand something just ask and he will explain it again. He can tend to be a little one sided on some issues and not allow for his views that are presented in class to be discussed. There was one midterm and no final. Study for the midterm it affects your grade heavily. Then there are two papers. One is 1500 words and he gives you class library time to work on it. The second one is 750 words and due durring the final time. I would take Nolan again if I he was teaching an English class I had to take.

If THE DUDE from the Big Lebowski was a professor this is him! Very Chill, easy to understand lectures. Grades fairly on writing assignments. Just go to class.

Prof. Nolan is a very nice guy. He really does care about how much students learn, and is open to all points of view in controversial discussions. He encourages intelligent debate, and really makes the subject matter come to life. Unfortunately, he stretches himself too thin. He teaches at many other institutions and this undoubtedly subtracts from the time spent at Cal Poly. His grading seems random and hurried, and he sometimes acts as though he really wants to be somewhere else. About half of the lectures were just movies for the whole 2 hours.

Nolan is the best teacher that I have had at Poly. His class discussions are really interesting (if you participate). He is really nice, shows interest in his students, lets you out early, provides the perfect work load, shows movies, and gets you motivated. I looked forward to class.

Nolan is a pretty easy professor who doesn't even teach you very much to be honest. Basically you just sit in a circle, hold hands, and talk about forgiveness and other hippie stuff. Well not exactly, but it was pretty close to that. There is one midterm test that is pretty easy, a 5 question final that isn't even graded, and a few papers. Basically, Nolan is the professor to take if you want a high grade with minimum work, or if you would just like to be heard... about anything at all.

nolan's class was fun at first because we worked in groups and didn't really do much, but his jokes and off-topic ranting got old pretty quick. the class was kind of a joke. we took a simple mult-choice test about logic in writing, wrote a 5-page research paper, and wrote four 2-3 page papers throughout the quarter. mainly, we "read" exerpts of stories in class, watched movies, and wrote a paper about whatever the main theme of that particular unit was about. it was a total sinch for me, but that might be because i was a pretty good writer coming into the class...basically, he is great to take for 145 if you already know how to pump out papers. if not, this class doesn't teach you anything anyway, so it might turn out to be a ball-breaker. if you are a good writer, no need to pay attention to get an A, and if you are a bad writer, this class won't teach you shit...and you can get a B or C without trying too.

Definately take this guy! He can be a little strange sometimes but he's totally cool. You hardly do anything in class the whole quarter, just a few essays and one research paper. He's really laid back and helps you out with anything. He's completely reasonable and you usually get out of class 45 minutes early. If you can get him!

Nolan is a pretty chill guy, if you get past the religious side of him. SCOM 145 with him is more like a Philosophy class or a course on altruism. He's a pretty mediocre grader when it comes to the paper. In this class you have one midterm, two papers, and a final paper at the end. Just pay attention to some things he talks about in class because if you use them on the papers, he likes that and gives you good grades. And that's about it. If you go to class everyday, you'll do fine.

So this class is a fairly easy way to earn your A3 requirement. There are no speeches, just one midterm and 4 papers. There is one research paper (1250 word) and then one 750 word and a couple of 500 worders. The topics are a little strange but not too bad. Nolan himself is a laid back teacher and pretty easy to get along with. Subject matter gets boring but considering the amount of work required its a pretty easy class, however you may learn more about writing in other classes

This is probobly the most pointless class at Poly. I dont think that learning was involved at all in this course. Some days i wasnt sure if i was in a speech class or a philosophy class. There were four papers (1250 word, 750 word, and two 500 word essays), and the last one didnt even count. The first four weeks are really slow and are spent studying vocabulary terms that dont even have real definitions, they're ones he made up. The test is confusing, but he gives a lot of free-bees, so that was nice. Nolan is a nice guy and the class is really easy. I think i went a total of 4 times the entire quarter and i earned a 'B.' The times that i did go i was bored out of my mind. So if you want a class where you actually learn something take someone other than Nolan.

Well he is a nice guy but honestly this class is the most pointless class i have ever taken. HE teaches us nothing about argumentative writing which is what i was actuall interested in and just decided to lecture us about how we live our life. Now if he was a philosophy teacher or a psychology teacher i would probably give him an A but since his material has nothign at ALL to do with the subject he is supposedly lecturing on i must give him a D. Nice guy could be a good teacher but its pointless. Still take the class just dont ever go its easy

YOU HAVE TO TAKE NOLAN!!! I'm actually kinda bummed that this quarter is ending simply because I'm not going to have him next quarter. I learned so much from this man in such a small amount of time. He truly cares for all his students. I was really busy and forgot to do an essay and he was completely understanding and let me turn it in late for full credit. He didn't even ask questions. He just kind of assumed that my "printer was broken" or that "I was sick." Even if that was the case, he still let me make it up. He is the most insightful teacher at Cal Poly and challenges students to think outside the box. Very personable guy and all around EXCELLENT teacher, my favorite so far!!!

Okay, So Nolan is a really nice guy. He makes you want to come to his class only because he is nice and he rambles about real life crap. But in reality, this class really annoyed me. I mean, we learn absolutely nothing. You have to take a midterm, which is based on pointless vocab terms that you have to basically memorize, a research paper and two shorter essays. I think that if he had been an easier grader I would have loved the class. Problem is, he was not an easy grader and I wound up with a B+, when I know I write at an A level. Our class had to read two books, and we were not tested on either of them, so basically I wasted a lot of time reading them. Overall, this class is super light in work load, but his grading is a bit harsh.

He's pretty easy, but he grades sooo harshly, but that's just me, plenty of people got A's. i just wasn't good at writing, anyways its an pretty easy class and he's a nice guy

nolan already knows what grade he wants to give you before you even do anything. he is biased and going to class is a waste of time.

Great prof! You will really enjoy and learn in his class!

I really liked this professor! He is a little weird but what english teachers aren't? We had one test and it's hard if you don't know exactly what your doing. But the test is not a very big part of your grade. There are also 2 out of class essays and one in class essay. Pretty easy! Doesn't grade very hard. Cares about his students. Definitely don't need to go to every class! Do good on the essays and you'll get an A!

Really wonderful professor. He understands what a GE class is for and doesn't take it too seriously.

Professor Nolan is a wonderful teacher. He presents material in a way that captures a students attention. If ever a student looks like they atre about to die of boredom he sends the class out early. The class had five grades: one test (which was easy enough), one in class essay, one out of class essay and a research paper that he counts twice. The only problem with this teacher is that you get almost all your papers back at the same time, which means you never are allowed to improve on your work, because you dont know what you did wrong in the previous papers. He rarely gives a's and with those who got one it is because they wrote papers that spoke to him! Overall I would definetly take Nolan again.

this guy is the man. this was the only class i looked forward to going to. he got the whole class involved and was very animated, never had a boring period. he's more than willing to stay after and talk with you as well. this guy is great and i'm going to take his other classes just so i can have him again.

This class was sort of a joke. All of the logic stuff he teaches you at the start he says is worse than getting your teeth pulled, but he has to do it anyway. The rest of the class is spent reading a few short stories and watching movies about forgiveness and war. He discussions are interesting, but I wasn't sure what I was learning in this class. You do have to an essay which he gives you a lot of different options for and then a 5-7 pg research paper and then one inclass essay. The problem is that you don't get those papers back till almost the end of the quarter and don't really know how you are doing or your grade till the very end. But---if you are looking to get this GE out of the way without a lot of work, take him.

Take him!!! Very personable, exellent commincator, understands students and helps them to understand the material. However, if you have to take this class after you have already taken a 125 course, it is a waste of your time because the first 4 weeks of material are taken from that class. Go to the evaluations office and get a form to try to waive the class because really, you aren't learning anything new.

Professor Nolan is awesome! Not only is this one of the most fun classes I've ever taken, but also one of the easiest. There is not too much writing and not that much reading either, yet he makes the class really fun with lots of interesting class discussions. Make sure you do the reading and participate a decent amount and you should do just fine.

This guy is awesome. He is probably my favorite prof so far. Very laid back and accomadating, does what he can to help students. The assignments aren't too hard, and the class is really enjoyable. I would definitely take another class from him given the opportunity.

Awesome teacher!!! Not only is he funny, he understands that a good amount of students have lives outside of school. His tests are cake and he gives plenty notice when there are midterms and when the research paper is due. He pretty much tests only on what he discusses in class and the inclass essays are easy since a good amount of time they have to do with things that are opinion geared, so as long as you present your arguments well, you are good to go. There really isn't much homework. Most of the time you get to do work in class. Take Nolan if you want to enjoy a class and not do too much work.

Professor Nolan is pretty kick back; he comes to class wearing birkenstocks and he likes talking to the students a lot. However, it was kind of annoying when he would spend class time talking about random things; it was usually in the beginning of class. Anyway, the actual classwork is not too demanding. There's one midterm (multiple choice), a research paper, and two other papers based off reading that you do in the quarter and you only have to buy one book, a novel. The test wasn't too bad as long as you go over the terms well, but he can be kind of a hard grader on the papers. I have always gotten good grades on my papers throughout college and I got a C on one of them. It also seemed like the grading was inconsistent. He also doesn't tell you anything about the content of your paper- there's just a few grammar marks and a grade at the top. And he doesn't give much advice on how to actually write an argumentative paper, which is what the class is for. Mr. Nolan is really approachable though, and he seems willing to work with students. He sparks discussion on interesting, sometimes even controversial topics. You read, or watch a movie, then discuss. He'll say, "Does anyone have absolutely anything to say or ask?" So you get plenty of chances to ask questions/discuss. He usually lets class out early if it's a long lecture, and it doesn't take a lot of brain power, so I definitely recommend this if you're looking for a relaxed, do-able GE class.

Kirk was such an awesome professor! He gives you real examples for everything he teaches to make sure everyone understands. He grades your papers fairly and his quizzes aren't bad at all.

Nolan himself is an awesome professor (his lectures on argument), and the class is quite interesting.. but his grading structure overall sucks. I got a B- on the midterm, which was actually hard, and no matter how much time i spent or did not spend on any of the 3 essays i always got the same grade.. a C+. to make it worse the guy doesnt use the +/- system so i ended up getting a C in the class even though this class was my easiest class of the quarter.. i ended up getting my worst grade in it. it frustrated me because no matter what i did (visit his office hours, ask questions)i always got the SAME grade on each essay. it's like he already had that grade set in his mind for me. He also definitely had favorites in my class. THis class does not have a lot of work, however, and compared to other A3 classes, i would still recommend this class, as being the easiest and least amount of work required. and you get to watch a lot of movies

"So so so so so so so so ummmm...does anyone have absoultely any questions, comments, or insight about absolutely anything?" If this phrase (a phrase I heard at least three times an hour in his class) doesn't bother you, then you might not get as bored or annoyed as we all did in Mr. Nolan's class. My roommate and I both had him and both thought he was a realy bad teacher, if you can call him that. We hardly learned anything, he had an assistant grade our papers we wrote, and let us out a little early each time cause he had nothing to say to us. I really don't recommend him, then again, I got a B+ on a paper I spent less than two hours on and my roommate got the same grade after spending six hours on hers. Bascially, don't try too hard cause it isn't worth your time.

This class is pretty much a joke. Come occasionally write a few papers and the hippy man is happy.

mr. nolan's spc 145 class was pretty easy. it was, i think, the best choice i couldve made to fulfill the A3 elective slot. one test, a research paper, and 2 short papers, all worth 25% of your grade was all he graded. the first 4 weeks or so may seem dry, but after the big paper, it's all much easier. i'd reccomend taking his class to meet the A3 requirement.

This guy was alright. I think he's a little over-rated based on the posts I read in here before taking the class. Don't get me wrong, he's a really nice guy, and this is probably one of the easiest GEs you can take, but at the same time, I didn't just love the class like I thought I would after reading the evaluations of him.

Nolan is fantastic. I took his class for a GE but would have gladly taken it as an elective. He is funny and interesting and likes what he teaches. You have to write essays, only one multiple choice test though. It really helps if you get involved with the class discussions also. Make sure he knows your name, it helps. Great Class!

I would recommend this course to anyone who doesn't want to do any work and still get a good grade. If you actually want to learn something and feel like you are making use of your own time and money, i wouldn't suggest this class. Nolan does not teach you anything. The class is based on a packet he gives you with a bunch of random stories and definitions that you take a midterm on. There is one midterm, three essays, and one research paper. I went to class about 4 or 5 times and got a B+. I know i could've gotten an A if i wanted to but sitting through him saying "Um...okayyyy....does anybody have any questions, comments or insights? NO? Anybody? ARE YOU SURE??" was just about too much, even if the class was only twice a week. You get out early just about every class. The midterm, and all papers are all reallllllllyyyy easy. I'd usually do mine in about a half hour. Pretty much this class was a waste of my time but it was an easy grade.

This guy's fuckin tight...if anyone's a hippy like me then i reccomend taking this class taught by a hippy himself; can't go wrong

Professor Nolan is simply AMAZING! Overall work load for the class very reasonable. There was philosophy behing most lectures and they were engaging/very interesting. Just go to class and you should be fine! It was a pleasure having him as a professor.

Very stimulating class. He gives inspirational readings and is a very spiritual individual. The workload is a piece of cake. One of the few classes a actually looked foreward to attending. I highly, highly recommend him for SPC 145, which is the EXACT same class as ENGL 145. His viewpoints will get you thinking...

I am in this class right now....not done yet, but hoping this helps people registering for spring 06. Nolan seems pretty laid back, but it gets really really old after a while. Also, I'm down with hippies, but this guy just won't let shit go. Also, if you have placed any value on your own time, then you will hate this class, the second day, not the first, we spent almost an hour finding out everyones name and major. The reason it took so long is that Nolan had some story to go along with everyone....basically he just likes to hear himself talk. This class is easy, but be prepared to have a gun to your head 4 hours a week.

I certainly enjoy this class, and it get's me thinking....... but I'm not sure yet how much I've actually learned or improved my writing. Nevertheless, Nolan brings up some pretty stimulating and deep subjects to ponder over, and the class discussions in my class were lively. You'll find the class fun and easy, but don't expect to actually be doing too much Argumentative Writing. Oh, and even though it's a SPC class, there are no speeches; it's the exact same class as ENG 145.

I am currently taking Nolan's class. Honestly this class has me perplexed. Nolan is an amazing guy who is determined to better the world by giving his students "perspective". He preaches the value of being altruistic, which is a worthy lesson. However I may be improving as an individual, but certainly not as a student. Nolan has yet to teach how to write a successful argumentative paper and then only makes grammtical corrections on the papers we submit. He needs to either grade on substance and continuing using his worldly approach or grade on technique and actually teach. This class entails a midterm (study b/c it is the only actual exam of the class), one 1250 research paper, and two 750 papers that are fairly open-ended. This class is slow for the first half of the quarter, but picks up. Don't stray away from Nolan, but do not expect to take much away scholastically.

You basically do nothing in this class. The grade is based 25% each on a 1250-word research paper, 2 750 word essays and 1 midterm. The essays are small, easy and if you don't get the grade you want you write a 700 word appeal and he increases it by half a grade (aka +/-). LOVED IT!!!

I would recommend taking nolan. the class is pretty easy. it consists of one midterm, one research paper, and two essays. i thought he was a harsh grader but there were students who got A's. all we did in class was discuss things which i didnt mind. I had the class at 7 in the morning but was able to stay awake druing it because nolan is such an interesting guy. however, i really didnt learn anything from his class. its pretty much a discussion class. overall, i would say definitly take nolan to fulfill your A3 GE

I would highly recommend this class, definitely my easiest class last quarter. I'm not the greatest writer and i always received A's and B's on all my papers. He is not a harsh grader. If you miss class it makes no difference, you basically just need to show up to turn in papers and take the mid term

anyone need some nolan books for coms 145 cheaper than bookstore 805-215-8467

I learned absolutely NOTHING in this class. Everyday was just a rambling of what he thought was essential to life. You do nothing in this class, you dont even have to go. There is one midterm, research paper, and two small essay papers. You buy books and not even use them at all, I didnt read one thing for this class and got a B+. If you basically dont want to do anything, dont want to learn anything, consider yourself a "philsophical anarchist", like being called boys and girls, and like hearing the words "HUH" and "Yeah" an average of 45 times per class, then take Nolan!

Nolan's class was a joke. If you are Catholic AND a hippie you will like it, but I'm pretty Nolan is the only one of his kind. You tell him your opinion on an issue and he skews it into his own. Don't buy any of the books because he barely talks about them. Take this class if you want to do nothing and get a decent grade.

Nolan teaches his "argumentation" class as if he is a philosophy teacher. He loves to hear the sound of his own voice, and won't listen to anyone's argument. If you state your opinion, he will somehow manage to tell you how you really believe everything that he does. He treats his students like children and constantly refers to everyone as "boys and girls", in a degrading matter. As much as he tells you not to, write your papers to agree with his point of view because he is definitely biased towards his self proclaimed "zen catholic" ideals. You don't need to buy the books or go to class, he claims he will give quizzes if people don't show up, but he never does. If you can stomach listening to his biased rambling for 4 hours a week, then it may be worth the easy grade.

I thought he was a very nice guy with interesting stories but I could never tell what my grade was really and though it was easy I felt I learned nothing.

I thought COMS 145 was really easy. It is a much better choice than taking ENGL 145 from talking to my friends. The class has 3 papers and a midterm. There are two novels he wants you to read but I didn\'t and still got by just fine. The midterm was really easy as long as you study a decent amount. The grading system is really weird but I ended up on the right side of it with an A. Overall, take Nolan and you\'ll be very happy with your decision

Mr Nolan is the man. This is class was really easy and can be pretty interesting. 7 am may have been a bad choice cuz I was always falling asleep, but the material is not hard and the readings are good. He\'s a funny and nice and easy going guy. Definitely glad I took his course instead of English 145

It is hard not to think a lot of what Nolan says isn\'t just his opinion. Nevertheless, some interesting real life issues were discussed. Not a bad class to take.

Nolan might be the laziest teacher I have ever seen. His class is a waste if time and if you want to become a better writer then this class is no help. He never grades anything in a timely manner and never has a true idea of what he's going to teach. I felt like most days we would just sit there and listen to him blab on about his son, and make innapropriate suggestions that If you tutor his child he'll give you extra credit. Overall I can't possibly suggest taking this class.

Besides always talking about his "Life Partner", whatever the hell thats supposed to mean, he's cool. Very vocal about a lot of subjects...a real Hippie, i was hoping he would smoke some dank w/ me after the school year, but that never manifested

This is the first C I have recieved in my entire life. I hope that says something to all of you out there watching their GPA. Do not take him--this class was a nightmare!