Roberts, Mark  

I met Mark in 1990. We worked together at a gas station on broad street trying to make ends meet back before either of us had many of the responsibilities that seem to take over our time. Mark was always driven, as any real man is, and I always admired him for being real. I cannot comment on his poker skills but he throughly enjoyed playing even if he lost. He was always a gifted linguist and would win almost any argument, so you had to pick your fights carefully. I took a class from him in 1996 or so, as the time seems to mesh together, but I believe it was the best class I can remember. He was not easy on me by any means but I still remember the challenge after this many years. Best teacher I ever had the pleasure to know. Dalton Rasmussen

I didn't exactly have his class at the best time of day, but he actually made me interested in going to class - I never fell asleep! Now seriously, he was a wonderful teacher. His manner of speaking made you want to listen to every single word - it was as if he never wasted a breath and every thing he said was worth hearing. As far as how he conducted class : he made sure he new everyone's name, wanted to talk one on one about the big assignments, very encouraging and only positive reinforcement. He was more like a writing coach than an English teacher. Very good.

Mr. Roberts is a great writing professor. He cares about the students, and works very hard to make each student improve their writing skills. The readings are interesting. He is funny and amusing. Worth taking.

He is a great teacher and if you see his name as the instructer-take it. He truly is a writing coach not a teacher. There are four essays that he personally helps you with. He actually teaches you proper grammer and mechanics that were previously neglected in prior teachers. He is ver fair in grading. Homework consists of short reading essays and there are simple discussions in class that lead to only 5 pop quizzes with one word answers that are extremly simple.

Mark is one of the best teachers I have ever had. By the second class he knew all our names. He is a great teacher who really helped my writing to improve. Since everyone has to take Eng 114, TAKE IT WITH MARK!! He is one of the best teachers you will have.

Mark is awesome! He makes English so much fun, and you learn a lot about writing. He makes the transition from high school writing to college writing a great experience, because he teaches you a lot about what professors are looking for. He is hilarious, and makes you want to come to class. He also goes through the readings thoroughly, and he makes you think about things you may not have noticed in them. I'd recommend him to anyone, because he is the BEST!

Mark Roberts is the best teacher I have ever had. His knowlege of the material is outstanding. Also, he's very good at assessing weaknesses as a writer and helping students get better. He's also hilarious, and relates to the students very well.

Mr. Roberts is a tremendous teacher. He makes you enjoy being in English, something not many teachers can do. I hope to have him as a teacher again in the future. If you have the opportunity to enroll in a class of his, don't hesitate.

One of the best damn professors I have ever had. The class isn't hard as long as you do all the assignments and show up a majority of the time.

Mark was excellent! He was really enthsiastic about english, it made you WANT to go to class! He did have pop quizzes on the readings, but they weren't hard. We did do a lot of writing, some challenging some not.

I would try to get this teacher at any expense. I had to miss two classes because I was sick and I felt that I let him down. Truly one of the best teachers I have had at this school!!

Awesome teacher!

He is the best teacher i had so far, i know that doesn't say a lot cuz this is only my 2nd quarter here, but really, he is a really good teacher. He has thought provoking lectures and the reading assignments are not long and actually enjoyable to read. They aren't like those thick ass novels from high school. He gives 6 pop quizzes at the start of class and counts 5 of them. Basically if you read the story the quizzes aren't hard. I took this guy at 8:10 am. It sucks like crap walking and sometimes running from ghetto Stenner Glenn to the english building, but it is worth it. He's a lot better than other english teachers from what I heard. You write 5 essays, 2 of which are in class ones. At the end, u have to submit your best essay, which should be revised and include 1 in class essay. These 2 go into your porfolio which accounts for 80% of your grade. So basically if u want to put the least effort into this class and get a decent grade, write one REALLY good essay. The quizzes are the other 20%. Good luck

Mark Roberts is about the best kind of instructors out there. Even if you aren't into writing Mark get you into it. Pay attention to the tips in the handout packet and apply it to your writing. The readings in the course were also very interesting and thought provoking. I'd take this guy for anything to tell you the truth. I actually wanted to go to his class at 8am every morning....now how many instructors are that good?

Mark Roberts is about the best kind of instructor out there. Even if you aren't into writing Mark will get you into it. Pay attention to the tips in the handout packet and apply it to your writing. The readings in the course were also very interesting and thought provoking. I'd take this guy for anything to tell you the truth. I actually wanted to go to his class at 8am every morning....now how many instructors are that good?

Mark Roberts made getting to class in the morning exciting. You won't fall asleep. He didn't lecture so much as he interacted with us. He learns everyone's names, and he speaks to you like friends. If you don't like to be called on, you will get called on because he knows, but unlike most teachers, he rewards your comments instead of putting you down. I would suggest you find a class that he teaches just so you can meet him. He is a great teacher, and he is very helpful in office hours.

Roberts, what else can you say! By far, the best English professor at Poly. Very impressive memory, second day of class he had everyones names down. Just a few essays, and some light reading everynight and thats it. Very helpful in office hours. The pop quizzes hurt me, I missed everyone of them because I had a hard time getting up (reason for c). Other than that try in any way possible to take him.

Mr. Roberts was an awesome teacher. He memorized all of our names in just one day and he is the funniest teacher on campus. by far he is the best teacher i have ever had- i went to every class mainly because of his teaching style, not because i enjoy english- i would highly recomend him- take his class if you have the chance- there are a few pop quizzes and no final-

Roberts was such an amazing teacher. He by far is the greatest teacher that I have ever had in English because he taught it so well. He is a great guy that is alwasy there to listen and to help you. He isn't like one of those teachers that shuts the door in front of your face. I had his class early in the mornig and every morning I would look forward to going to his class. I would absolutely recommend you taking him

Roberts was such an amazing teacher. He by far is the greatest teacher that I have ever had in English because he taught it so well. He is a great guy that is alwasy there to listen and to help you. He isn't like one of those teachers that shuts the door in front of your face. I had his class early in the mornig and every morning I would look forward to going to his class. I would absolutely recommend you taking him

The BEST teacher at Cal Poly!! I looked forward to his class every day. He's very funny. The class is not extremely difficult, but you do write 3 or 4 short papers and a couple of inclass essays. The assigned readings are short and very enjoyable. I highly recommend taking him for english -- he's awesome!!

This professor is the absolute BEST teacher at Cal Poly. Well as far as my vast experience of 8 teachers goes, he is the best of them. I learned quite a lot from him, enjoyed talking to him in class and at office hours, and loved the lectures. He is freaking interesting to listen to. Funny as hell. I woke up early in the morning to go to class only cuz I did not want to miss what he had to say.

Roberts is definitely an awesome guy. I had him very early every morning but yet did not seem to mind as much as i typically would. You can tell he really knows and loves his job. He gives little reading assignments every night but it takes maybe 15 minutes at most. There are a few essays but its not that bad - i would always write my essays the night before and did fine. His love of his job is reflected in his teaching. It's clear that he loves what he's doing. Overall his class is great and I would suggest him to anyone who needs to take this.

I took Engl 251 with Mr. Roberts before I took 134. His approach for both classes are so different, but he's still entertaining. I heard that some people think he can be condescending; however, I think it's his sarcastic sense of humor coming through. This quarter we had to do a descriptive essay, comparison essay and two expositories. There were also 2 in-class essays. The in-class essay prompts tend to be pretty boring, so be prepared for that. If you want to get an A on your essays I would recommend going in to see him during his office hours because he's quite helpful. He gives six pop quizzes on the nightly reading which are usually pretty easy and can also boost your grade. Overall, I highly recommend Mr. Roberts for 134 and 251.

if i could take mark for every class here at poly i would do it in a second! he is the coolest teacher i've ever had. he is really laid back and doesn't talk down to students, he talks to the class like we are all friends of his. i felt comfortable going to his office hours all the time and he is seriously the coolest professor around.

Roberts is an awesome teacher! Out of all my teachers I have had at highschool, Roberts beats them all. And even though English is my worst subject he made it sooo enjoyable. He can relate to his students and is sooo funny. It was a morning class and I never once fell asleep. He is a great teacher and his class is great. You write alot of essays but he grades fairly and is willing to help anyone and everyone out with their writings. Great teacher, everyone who has to take english should take him!

Dr. Roberts is a really good teacher. I thought english was going to be a pain, but he makes it easy to deal with. I was not bored at all in class, and he really does present the material clearly. Best thing: no final, worst thing: very hard to get an A (but very easy to get a B). I would take him again.

Prof. Roberts is a GREAT english teacher! Even though this was my first quarter at Cal Poly, he set a standing for all my future professors. He is very approachable and is willing to help you with any aspect of the class you are having trouble with. The class is made up of 2 in class essays, 4 out of class essays (I think..), and once a week quizzes on the short readings he assigns every night. As a person who had this class at 8am...it was a drag to get up and go to class, but he was one of those professors where he made it worth it. He's also very laid back about tardiness. Enjoy his class if you have him, and if you don't...you're missing out!

Mark Roberts will rock your socks

Roberts was a great teacher. He is very intelegent, teaches well, and has a great sense of humor. I would say he was the best english teacher I ever had! He does grade fairly tough on essays though.

Some people are given a gift for teaching. Prof. Roberts got that gift and then some. He is seriously the most awesome person to have a class from. If i could ever take another one of his classes, i would in an instant. Lectures are very entertaining and informative, he talks to you like a person and not a lab rat, and in office time he can help you so much with your writing. This guy knows his stuff like no other. Take his class, take it now. Don't consider any other teachers, i feel fortunate to have been in his class.

He was good teacher and class was entertaining. I felt like he pushed us to write really good essays. My only problem was that it felt like every class was "glorify Mark Roberts" day. Students kiss ass like no other (not really his fault, i guess). Hes one of those people who knows hes good. Talent or cockyness? its your call...

Mark Roberts is the Man! As a freshman, having him as a professor really made the transition from HS to College easy. He is very interested in making you write the best you can. I was horrible in english in HS and dreaded essays, yet his class actually motivated me to write my essays early instead of last minute. Easy to talk to and gets his students to participate in class discussions. It's more like talking to a friend than a professor. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED PROFESSOR!

Mark is one of the most personable teachers I have ever met. The man just beams of wit and has an aurora of intelligence. You seriously feel blessed just to sit in a class taught by this man. Get him if you can, fight to crash if you don't.

This teacher cares about you, and wants you to improve your writting skills. He's helpful and he wants you to get a good grade. He doesnt seem to give out many A's though.

GREAT TEACHER!!! If you want a fun and interesting english class take Roberts. You have four out of class essays, and its easy to get a B in the class. Roberts is hilarious and you'll enjoy going to the class.

He is a real big dog, teachering them material like none other. I have never really liked English, but I liked going to his class every day, it was never boring. He taught a lot about grammar, but it was never overwhelming. His grading is fair and he always will answer a question. MDub fo life!

Mr. Roberts is AWESOME!!! I learned more english in this one quarter than all of high school!! He wont waste your time with stupid assignments and the nightly reading is actually enjoyable. No final, grade made up of 6 quizzes(drops lowest score), 2 in class essays, and about 5 essays. Def. Take Roberts!!!

best teacher at poly. nuff said......

I ended up with a B+ in the class. This class was so much fun to attend and professor roberts is awesome. He is extremely funny and down to earth. There was an entire week where we only had to come to class once which was really cool. No midterms or final and there are 6 pop quizzes which are easy if you read the material (BE WARNED THAT THE QUIZZES ARE ALWAYS ASSIGNED FOR THE MOST BORING READINGS). Overall, he's awesome...take him!

roberts was a cool guy, he is laid back and makes jokes so class is never boring. i liked having him because his office hours were so useful. there isnt that much work, a little bit of reading every night and like 5 papers. the work really isnt that bad and by going to office hours you can really improve your writing. i really enjoyed his class

Roberts was a great teacher. He made his class fun and interesting. he is by far my favorite teacher at cal poly so far and i recommend him to everyone. he made english fun and easy to learn. i enjoyed his class very much

go into his office hours because it helps sooooooo much. witty teacher AND knows his students by name. i loved going to class. if you have a high enough registration status, take him. cause you won't be able to take his class if your not first priority.

Great professor. Makes the class interesting. No tests, just a handful of quizes on simple reading. The book is composed of short stories, about 10 pages each. There are a decent amount of papers but he grades extremely well. Very helpful, especially outside of class. He provides lots of help with paper drafts in office hours. Great guy and great class.

best teacher ive ever had, i never got an A on any essays until i got to this class. First day of class he says forget everything you learned about bullshit writing in high school. Almost makes me want to give him bad remarks so nobody will take his class that way there will be room for me. GREAT TEACHER

Best teacher ever at Cal Poly if you can take him even if you have to change your whole suhedule for him! He is that awesome!

Roberts is absolutely amazing. He was just a great teacher and I consider myself one of the lucky ones to be able to take his class. If you get a chance to take Roberts, jump on it. You won't regret your decision.

Roberts is awesome and laid back - the most fun english class I've had in the past 5 years. So what if I got a C, I'm lazy.. Bottom line: he rocks, take his class if you can.

Roberts is the best teacher I could possibly have had in my first quarter of freshman year. He taught me so much about grammar that I never even knew existed, and I think really developed my abilities as a writer. If possible, take him for 134. He was easy, but informative, his grading was kind of tough on essays, but not too bad. He cancelled a lot of Friday classes. I'd say a good 10 classes were cancelled. However I did enjoy the class and he was really great to have class discussions with... his humor definitely helped as well.

In class he's great but he's a hard grader on papers

dude, mark is a pretty pimp guy...at first I thought it was going to be freikin boring cuz hey, its english, but he really made it worthwhile. We did a few grammar excercises in class, and after that we basically just talked about the reading (which was actually somewhat interesting) and had open debates (which you didnt have to participate in if you didnt want to). There was like four essays you had to write, but it wasnt to hard because he let you write it about whatever you wanted. He's a pretty fair grader, and trys to help you improve more than anything. He's really open and easy to talk to, and has a lot to offer. He's pretty chill, and always let us out early. If you have to take english, DEFINITLY take mark roberts...he's by far the best english teacher at poly.

This guy is hilarious, and rather easy. He will help you on the essays. The book in class is pretty much worthless, but be sure to actually read it for quizzes. I learned a lot, both about english and other stuff.

Amazing professor. His lectures were worth going to. His main ideology teaching this class was to break the convential five-paragraph essay format and to get writers to write in a voice of their own. He had grammar exercises and other in-class essays to illustrate how writers could write an A-grade paper. Make sure you starting working on all the essays the day he assigns it. It will keep you relaxed and help you write better. I went from a 78 on the first to an 82 to an 86. I got a C because I missed a few classes and unfortunately those were the days he had quizzes. Show up to all the classes and it won't be too hard to get a B. Read the textbook assignments daily because that's what the quizzes are based on. Also, make sure that before you turn in your assignment you ask his opinion about it during office hours. It could change your grade from a C+ to B+.

A pretty easy class. Roberts is an easy-going guy who doesn't grade too hard.

Roberts is awesome. He makes the class interesting and just gets striaght to the point. He's a funny guy and his lectures are just interesting. Do the work, and don't miss class because he gives quizzes randomly on the reading. There is barely any reading, and when there is, it's actually interesting. Take this class if you can.

Mark Roberts gave new life to me after the death of my intellectual soul (senioritis). He speaks as though he is some highly educated car sales man and yet it grabs your attention. This entertaining and productive tour guide of literature brought out the best in my writing while also kicking me in the ass. Sure didnt get a great grade, but I blame my high school for that. Mark Roberts gives all of his students a jump start into what real college is like with a fair but tough course load. I enjoyed every minute!

Professor Roberts is an excellent professor. Very caustic, but his sarcasm only enriches the classroom. He stuck with the syllabus, which is always appreciated. His charisma makes him very approachable and he painlessly gets through all the intended material.

Mr. Roberts is the best teacher i have ever had. His classes were extremely fun and not boring. I really hate English, but he made the class enjoyable to attend. He is also a very easy grader and I would definately recommend taking this teacher. He is the best.

Roberts is great, probably the greatest teacher I will take at Poly. Go to get advice on your essays and find out the meaning of life. He's a great guy. He's really not worried about grades, and he taught me more about grammar/writing skills than any English teacher I've had. Take him

This man is a total PIMP. It should be illegal to be that awesome. He teaches well, reall nice. Funny, the sarcastic funny. He doesn't mind getting some constructive criticism about him, or the course; but he also stings back with something hilarious comebacks about you. You really do more work than all other Eng Teachers, but he makes up for it by not giving midterm or finals since he makes you do a lot of essays. Best line of the quarter: "Congratulations!! You all passed your college-graduation writing requirement, too bad you have to be a Junior to take it. It gives your brain time to rot a lil."

Basically this guy is one of the coolest teachers i have aver had. I've even seen him outside of class and he is nice and talkative and always remembers your name. It's a lot of writing, but go to his office hours the days of conferences and he'll help you alot. HIGHLY RECOMMEND HIM

Take Roberts! Seriously he's hilarious. He makes class fun. The workload is normal for an English class. Just do the reading, take some notes, and turn in your homework and it's a piece of cake.

Professor Roberts is OUTSTANDING. So far he has been my best and favorite teacher here at poly. Homework every night is a few pages of reading about things that are actually interesting and relevant to everyday life of students and teenagers. Along with this there are 3 essays for the class which he spreads out in time and has you complete in parts to help pace yourself. Not only is the class easy if you put in effort, Roberts is a great guy who likes to joke around and make the students comfortable. If you have the opportunity to take him, DO IT!

Roberts is amazing! He is seriously one of the most thought provoking teachers I have ever had. Going to class was enjoying! Homework consists of nightly readings out of a good textbook. Make sure to read, he has pop quizzes! The material covered is also great. If you want a teacher who actually teaches you how to write then take Roberts! His grading is very hard though. Receiving a B is easy, but an A is nearly impossible. So don't be surprised if a returned paper has marks all over it! Overall, definitely take Roberts if you have the opportunity.

Mark Roberts was great. I'd recommend him to all incoming freshmen. There were 3 papers due over the quarter, and 2 in-class essays. The reading assignments were easy and actually interesting. There were 7 pop quizzes throughout the quarter on the daily reading material. He was very helpful with writing, had reasonable expectations of student schedules and skills, and kept the class interesting on a day-to-day basis.

Professor Roberts was really relaxed. He grades fairly and it is definitely worth your time to go see him in his office hours. He is really really cool and has some great topics to write on. He takes his class seriously, but it is taught at a relaxed pace. I took this class at 8 am and got up looking forward to attending his class!

Mark Roberts is hilarious and he's a really cool guy--but I think he's really overrated. He doesn't give A's on papers. I don't know anyone in our class who ever got an A on something they wrote. And I'm a pretty good writer, so I can't imagine how devastating this class must have been for kids who hate English. However, he is always there for students who take the extra time to reach out and go to office hours. But a lot of us don't have time for that! I almost never saw how our reading were relevant. If you're taking this class, MAKE SURE YOU READ--even though the material can be really boring and has nothing to do with the class. He assigns like 20-40 pages a night and quizzes on really specific details like, "what did the writer say in the last sentence of the second to last paragraph of the article?" This class will probably help you improve as a writer, but I have a feeling a lot of other 134 teachers help your writing AND give grades that help your GPA.

Roberts was a great teacher. He was very relaxed, and he obviously new what he was talking about. Basically, all he taught was everything that you learned through all your past English classes, but he made it so much more clear. English was a class that i have always hated and struggled in, and he made me understand it better by giving the class easy steps to follow in order to improve.

Roberts is a GREAT teacher!!! I absolutely hate English and writing at all costs but had to take this for a GE and he made it soooo much easier! If you have to take this class take this teacher because he starts from the beginning and truly teaches you how to write a good paper. Very fun call, funny, and keeps it very interesting. I have no bed things to say about him, he is always willing to help and often lets you out of class early!! take him, you'll look forward to the class!

I loved LOVED Roberts. He is a really relaxed guy who knows how college students are. He gave us just the right amount of homework and the readings that were assigned were not boring or too long. Make sure you do read though, because sometimes the quizzes can be specific. He is a fair grader, but I did have a tough time getting A's on my essays. English IS one of my favorite subjects, but I have a feeling that everyone can enjoy this class. I would take this class again every quarter if I could!! He's great!

ROBERTS is a super nice guy and was a really good teacher.... i would recommend taking him.... he grades kind of hard because I don't know a lot of people got A's on papers but go into office hours and he will help out a little bit. He won't tell you exactly what to do but he will for sure help you if you're stuck.... there are pop quizzes that were pretty lame and sometimes are pretty detailed but just do the reading... overall great professor and a super laid back guy who knows his stuff!

awesome teacher. ridiculously sexy. take mark roberts. now.

Easily the best English teacher I\'ve ever had. I plan on taking more of his classes even though they\'re not required.

Professor Roberts is a really nice teacher. I hate writing essays so I mainly bs my essays which is why I got a C but other than that he is great. He has a few random pop quizzes every other week which are worth 10% of your grade and the rest are just from essays. I HIGHLY recommend him.

Dude Roberts was AMAZING! The only reason that I got a B in his class was because I took his class during summer school and didn't really try. He is by far the coolest teacher on campus and he is awesome! The way he lectures is so sick because he brings everyone into the conversation and the class was never broing! He even comments on how he hates to do the boring crap, like grammer and punctuation. All you have to do is read the stories that he tells you to and write a decent paper, and half the time we got to pick our topics. And on top of that we got out of class, about 90% of the time early. And if you are feeling uncomfortable about part of the class go and talk to him because he is always open to talk to you! TAKE HIM EVEN IF YOU HATE ENGLISH BC HE WILL MAKE YOU LOVE IT!!!!

He runs an entertaining class, but is often unclear or misleading regarding his expectations on assignments/tests. He has pop quiz essays throughout the quarter.

Roberts is an awesome teacher. He genuinely cares about his students. You can ask him any question, and no matter how dumb it is, he will answer it without making you feel like an idiot. He also cracks jokes constantly in a sarcastic way. Still, you have to keep up with reading because he often asks random students what they thought about certain issues or he will just give everyone a pop quiz. If you take notes in the margin of your book, this helps because then you can just skim the notes to refresh your mind about what you read. Often the quizzes are just asking to summarize the passages you read and give your opinion with support. This isn't tough because the reading is fun and is often on controversial issues so the whole class gets into a fun argument. His exams are tough, but if you do the reading and study a few days in advance, you can easily get an A. He is also very helpful in office hours and what I loved about him was that although I'm an awful writer, he always gave me pointers on my rough draft without making me feel dumb or inadequate. He just really knows what he is doing. Roberts really wants you to do well. He's also not bad to look at!

Not only was he one of the best professors I've had, he's also the sexiest! I'd take his class just to stare at him all day!

Roberts is so ridiculously good looking. Not to mention, a good english teacher. Definitely a good choice for a ENGL 145 teacher. And ladies, if english isn't your favorite subject in the world, take him...you'll be able to concentrate and enjoy time in class just from staring at him :)

Yes! Done with ENGL! God, I hate ENGL. That said, however, Roberts is a good teacher to get this nonsense out of the way with. Simple essays and fair midterm determine your grade. The killer is the corrections you have to do. They are totally pointless and take forever. Other than that, I\'d say this teacher is not the easiest but certainly on the easy side. English could have been much more painful, but he made it a bit more stress free. Plus, if your a lady or a dude who\'s into men, I hear he\'s pretty good looking; no doubt that will help you get through the class. I recommend.

Dr. Roberts is BEYOND amazing. I looked forward to his class every day because he is hilarious and presents the material in a totally clear and straight-forward manner. There are 7 pop quizzes but they always cover the reading from the night before so as long as you do that you are set. He has three papers, one of which is the final, and he is a fairly easy grader so those werent too much of a hassle. The midterm is all short answer but the questions are directly from the notes so as long as you study youll do fine. Go to his office hours for any questions because he is super helpful and clear about what hes looking for (essay topics, midterm Q\'s, etc.) Overall, Roberts was an incredible professor. Take anything you can with him!

Roberts was a GREAT professor for 145. The daily homework was minimal-only reading about 10 pages out of a super easy book (DO the reading!). There were 7 (i think) pop quizzes over the reading which is more reason to do the reading!! There were 3 papers-a definition essay, claim essay, and research paper. Roberts is really clear on what you\'re supposed to do for every assignment and does a great job of presenting the material and I learned a lot and it was interesting because we got to discuss issues every day (super easy). I highly recommend taking Roberts. My only problem was that I had an 89.45 and he DIDNT raise it to an A- so make sure you do EVERYTHING to get the grade you want!

Roberts is absolutely the best English teacher that I have ever had. I thought that I was a good writer going into this class, but I feel like he made me 100xs better. The class has daily reading, usually around 10 pages on current issues, one midterm which is difficult, but fair, and three papers. He is extremely fair in his grading and he will make you a better writer you can be sure of that. Hes also extremely helpful in office hours. Make sure you study for the midterm, but even that is pretty fair because he warns you what will be on the test. Awesome teacher, take him if you can.

Roberts is an excellent teacher. He is extremely helpful and straight forward. When I first started the class I thought he was a little cocky but it's just his personality - you learn to love it! There are three essays, a pretty tough midterm and 6 pop quizzes. You have to read almost every night but the reading is interesting. Thoroughly enjoyed the class and would love to take him again.

Very smart, funny, and a great teacher. So worth fighting to get into his section.

He is a very good professor who sets very clear expectations from the beginning of class. The class itself consists of a lot of reading (every night), quizzes, 3 essays, and 1 midterm. Professor Roberts has high expectations, which I liked, but it is very hard to write the A paper he is looking for. If you like a challenge and want to learn a lot take Roberts.

Mark Roberts is a super smart man. he also loves baseball-- that's besides the point though. His class had 3 major essay's: a 2 page informative paper, a 5 page argumentative paper, and a 10 page research paper. He also has a midterm which isn't as difficult as everyone says it was; take Robert's advice...use flash cards! If it weren't for the midterm, my grade would have been toast. He's a very lenient grader when it comes to points on the midterm, but study for it! If you have a problem with english, Roberts is the man... he will literally take your essay apart and tell you whats wrong with it. Furthermore, this professor grades with low standard deviation. As long as you try, you'll get a C. if you don't try you get a D, and if you plagiarize, you'll get an F. Write a pretty decent paper and get a B. but you'll need to write a near PERFECT paper to get close to an A. Good luck. He's a great professor and you'll learn a lot, but don't expect an A unless you're an AWESOME writer-- emphasis on AWESOME.

Great teacher, explains everything really well with everything on the syllabus for each day, and is a really funny guy. You will never get bored in this class, and it's never bad to go to. However, I highly recommend not taking Roberts because it is IMPOSSIBLE to get an A. He grades essays and his midterm incredibly hard, and there is no bs work to make up for it. The class consists on 3 essays and a midterm, but he doesn't give out A's on any of those 4 things, so his class will kill your GPA.

You are lucky if you get Dr. Roberts

Roberts is an awesome guy who teaches an awesome class. He begins right at ten after and leaves as the clock strikes the hour, but in between you definitely get your money's worth. He presents all the material clearly and in an interesting way. He is super intelligent and is willing to do anything to help you out. Definitely not an easy A because he expects a lot from his students but I would consider becoming an English major if Roberts taught all of my classes. Only warning is not to buy the "required" Writer's Reference text. The only text you need is Elements of Argument. Anyways--great guy. Take his class.

Take Roberts! He is by far one of the best professors to have for english. Or for anyhting, really. He presents the material clearly, and lets you know exactly what he expects of you. He makes an effort to know all of his student's names, and interacts directly with the class instead of just talking TO it. He grades fairly, but dont expect an easy A. Its possible, but incredibly difficult. He assigns reading almost every night, but they are short essays, nothing difficult. He gives 6 random quizzes on the reading from the night before so make sure you stay on top of it. The midterm covers everything in your notes as well as some terms from a packet you get at the beginning of the course and it pays close attention to detail. There is no final, just a 10+ pg research paper that you will more than likely procrastinate on. Overall, he's hilarious, down to earth, and incredibly well-read. I recommend him if you care more about a solid education and a great learning experience than a perfect GPA. TAKE HIM. kay bye.

Dr. Roberts is a pretty cool guy. This class sucks though, mostly because there is reading every night that you actually have to do because there are 6 pop quizzes during the quarter. He grades the essays pretty hard and I don't know many people who have gotten an A in his class. But regardless, he's a really good teacher and you will learn a ton in his class. He talks super fast and likes to randomly pick people out people in class to talk and answer questions which i always really hated..but other than that i really liked him. I'd recommend his class.

Professor Roberts was the best teacher I have had at Poly so far in my 3 years here. His lectures are great and the way he connects with the class is beyond what I've experienced in college so far. The 3 essays aren't easy but they are fair. He gives you enough warning when they're coming up and will help you along the way with any troubles you have. The reading is probably the worst part of the class but there aren't too many pages a night. Highly recommended.

This class was THE amazing college class experience I've been waiting for. Up to this point, I've about had it with math and science classes. I yearned for that college class where a great professor stirs a great debate; where I'd leave class having learned something new and intellectual. (You know, those college classes portrayed in TV shows). This class was it. Mark Roberts is amazing. He is a tough grader, and it is definitely hard to earn an A (you have to be an excellent writer, and study hard for the midterm, especially the fallacies). However, he makes it a point that the class will probably be the last English class some of us will take, and really drills down on fixing some of the most common errors in writing that we all make. He makes sure we leave knowing how to write and say things we should know but don't, things that we either never learned earlier in our education or things we've forgot to do throughout time(like how to correctly use a comma). THE GUY IS GREAT. He is a social liberal on most topics but a fiscal conservative. I highly suggest knowing his stand on political topics if you decide to write on it (since it will be harder to convince Roberts if he opposes said topic). TAKE ROBERTS! I can finally leave college with having taken a thought-provoking class.

Don't know what else to say that hasn't already been said. Mark Robertrts is an excellent professor, maybe the best at Cal Poly from what I've heard. Roberts is an intelligent but approachable person, and his lectures were engaging for the entire 50 minute class period. Essays are graded harshly but fairly. Study for the midterm and you have a chance to get an A. The class is not easy, but you'll no doubt become a more effective writer and arguer.

Mark Roberts is one of those professors that you will remember for the rest of your life. He is absolutely incredible at his job. I've already applied (argumentative) things I've learned in his class to my life with great results. He teaches you skills and real-life stuff that will help you in your future. This kind of teaching is rare and I plan on making the most of it. Unfortunately, he only offers one other class (that I know of) that I can take (ENGL 251). Seriously considering retaking this class with him in my future to reinforce everything I learned. I highly recommend Professor Roberts.

There's a reason he has the reputation as one of the best professors at Cal Poly. Such an engaging and interesting lecturer. Coming from a student who easily gets bored in long lectures, he never once lost my attention. He always had something to say and it clearly showed that he rigorously planned out each day. Tough but fair grader but if you take his advice anyone can do well in the class.

Roberts is awesome! I had this class at 8am and looked forward to going everyday. He keeps everyone actively involved in class and explains material very clearly. The class is a definition essay, a claim essay, a research paper, a midterm, and 6 pop quizzes. He assigns reading every night, but it is usually only around 5-6 pages. Take Roberts!

Professor Roberts was one of my first professors at Cal Poly during my first fall term. I could not have asked for a better teacher. I had the class at 8 am and was always wide awake. He presents the information very clearly and is more than willing to help you whenever you go into Office Hours. I took full advantage of Office Hours, going in several times a week, and there was a direct correlation between that and my grades on papers. He wants to see students succeed and will work with you if you take the initiative. His dry humour during class kept me interested and entertained, without becoming a distraction. Be sure to do the assigned nightly reading because there are six pop quizzes throughout the quarter. He does not negotiate points, but he will discuss why you got the grade you did on a paper if you go into Office Hours. I strongly advise you to take every single class you can from him and I give Professor Roberts my highest recommendation.

Dr. Roberts will make you a better person. He is a teacher who actually genuinely cares about all of his students; if you go into his office hours, he'll ask you about your life and help you with any essays or outlines or anything. You name it. He's awesome. He is a very fair grader, but definitely not an easy one. I would recommend completing all your outlines and essays before they are due, taking them to his office hours, and asking him to look over them. He is very thorough. His class is fun; he seeks participation, and there is no avoiding it because he learns your name by the second day of class. Do the reading, because there are pop quizzes. They're not too hard if you do the reading. I would highly recommend his class; you'll get a lot out of it.

He's a no bullshit kind of guy and a great teacher. If I had just tried a little harder outside the classroom, I could've gotten an A. He's a smart guy and cares to help if you care to listen

Roberts is a great professor. He really is motivated to improve everyone's practical writing skills, especially since this is the last English class most people will take. I really learned some valuable useful skills in both argument and writing. However does grade pretty hard. I'm a above-average writer (5s on English APs) and he gave me B's on most essays. I never met anyone in my class who got an A on his essays, which was pretty frustrating. He does grade them carefully and gives grades he thinks you deserve, but it can be a little annoying since it's a GE. I ended with an 89% which he didn't bump up. Overall though, I learned a lot of great skills and class was always interesting! Roberts is an engaging and funny professor, and if you get the chance to take his class, you should!

As an english major I was really worried about my first english course. Prof. Roberts was extremely helpful, and even though I pretty much camped out in his office hours he was continually supportive. His test are all short answer but I've always found his grading to be fair. He is a great teacher! Take him!

Long story short- I started this quarter dreading English classes, but Roberts helped me find how valuable arguments and logical reasoning are. Take his class NO matter what.

Take his class. You won't regret it.

Loved this class.The midterm is hard and full of very specific short answer questions, but totally passable if you spend some time studying. The quizzes weren't hard and the essays were all pretty enjoyable. I learned a lot in lecture. Roberts is an extremely reasonable grader. Overall, I highly recommend this class.

Roberts is a phenomenal teacher that really knows how to inspire his students. For a general ed class, I was pleasantly surprised to find such a passionate teacher. His lectures are engaging, and his assignments give you a lot of freedom in your writing. He doesn't give constricting prompts, and the workload is minimal considering it's an English class. If you can, take him.

Professor Roberts is the best English teacher I've ever had by far. He makes class actually interesting and you can tell he really cares about his students. For the first time in my life I was actually interested in an English class. Its not an easy course, but if you do everything he says you can easily get an A. I enjoyed going to this class every day and I am honestly sad I won't get to go anymore. Homework is manageable, and I guarantee you will become a much better writer at the end. They need to give this guy a raise.

Mark Roberts is by far the greatest professor I have had, and probably will ever have. If you have the chance to take him for any class, do it.

Wow, Roberts is just an amazing professor. I am actually sad that I will not be going to his class everyday anymore. This class was super interesting and Roberts always made it fun and exciting, so much so that the hour would pass so quickly! It was an easy workload and the pop quizzes were easy as long as you read. I feel I am a better writer after taking this class, and his constructive criticism helps a lot! The only problem I had was that he is a really harsh grader, and I felt that I definitely should have gotten an A on a paper that I had put a lot of work, time, and research into. It certainly makes it hard to get an A in the class. Other than that though, this class is awesome and you should for sure take Roberts for it!

roberts is not only a 10/10 english professor he's a 10/10 dilf. funny, cool, and smart. to all the ladies out there --- take mark roberts!!! you will not have any regrets. he's also so easy to talk to and wants you to succeed and become a better writer. even though i got a B i learned so much from him about english and life

Roberts is a really great professor. He is really clear about what he wants you to take away from his lectures and his midterm is super easy based on the information he gives you in lecture. He is also super interesting, sarcastic, and funny so going to class was not a drag. He is good at leading interesting discussions based off of the readings. As long as you keep up with the reading in class, it's pretty easy.

*I HIGHLY recommend taking Professor Roberts. He is a very knowledgable, funny, and relatable person. I was engaged every lecture, and looked forward to his class every time. His style of teaching is very direct, straight forward, and to the point. With that being said, everything that he says he says for a reason and isn't nonsense. I generally go through the motions with English class. However, Professor Roberts not only made me enjoy writing, he helped me to improve my writing. His class consisted of five pop quizzes (our in-class debate counted as one), a midterm exam, two essays, and a "final" essay. His expectations are high, and he is a tough grader. Nonetheless, he definitely provides you with the tools necessary to succeed in his class. If you have the opportunity, take Professor Roberts!

Roberts was super cool and the workload wasn't much but the pop quizzes KILLED ME. I even did the reading every night for class and still failed most the quizzes which made me get a C in the class (might i add my first C EVER) even though i got a B on every essay:) If you want an easy A or an easy English class, don't recommend this guy.

best teacher I've had at cal poly! really cares about students learning and its one of the only classes that doesn't drag on, at the end of every class I almost wish it was longer!

You are lucky if you get Roberts he is by far the best teacher for 145

I do not recommend taking Mark Roberts for GE classes. For a bit of background, I technically took the honors version of this class because there was extra room so administration emailed me about the opening- I am not an honors student. I am, however, used to getting A's in English classes while putting in very little effort, and got a 4 on the AP Test for English 132 without taking the course. My point is, I'm a pretty good writer. Anyways, the quarter isn't quite over but I'm expecting to get a B of some sort. Professor Roberts is a very smart and entertaining teacher. He teaches material well and keeps class entertaining, but- as many people in my class agree- he's a hard grader, his class requires lots of work, and he's a little stuck up. That's not to say he doesn't teach some very valuable lessons about how to assess arguments, make your own arguments, research, and pursue truth, but for a GE I would have rather ended up with an A in the class. Throughout the quarter there are 6 pop quizzes on daily readings, and one of the pop-quizzes he dropped on us the day before the midterm (the only one exam in the class). Some comments from my peers include "He's kind of mean, but I'm okay with it because he's really likable", and "I spend the majority of my time doing work for this class, a GE". It seems that ultimately Professor Roberts cares about students but doesn't care about their grades. Professor Roberts expects way too much considering this class is a GE. For anyone but the very serious English major, I recommend taking someone easier like Jennifer Ashley who is just as enjoyable of a teacher. If you take Roberts and want an A, you can probably still crank out essays one or two nights before so long as you do very well on all the other assignments and the midterm and already know how to write well. If you want an A on your essays, ask other people to proof read, and edit your final drafts a few times because this man will give you a B for almost any minor issue.

hes such a savage. his class is the highlight of my day and its so fun. he only has 6 quizzes and as long as you do the readings its easy. his form of savagery also translates in the midterm; it was basically just the notes with blanks. but its only worth 20% of your grade so its not too bad. you do have quite the essays to write but you get to chose what they're about and he doesn't care as long as it falls within the type of essay he wants (IE argumentative essays must be arguable)

This guy is the man. I wish he was my uncle and we could kick it at thanksgiving and family reunions. Im going to miss him hella.

oh my god. to start off I just wanna say that he is absolutely the best professor i've ever had at poly, if you get the chance take him. NOW ONTO THE MORE IMPORTANT STUFF..... HOLY SHIT THIS GUY IS THE SEXIEST MAN I HAVE EVER INTERACTED WITH IN MY ENTIRE LIFE. I literally only wanted to go to class so I could hear him say my name everyday and look at his DILF of a face. GAWH DAYYUMMMMM. if you're reading this mark, I love you. the only reason I got an A in this class is because I wanted him to like me. end of story. period. ps. ladies, it takes about a week for these feelings to set in, so give it time. be patient. and HOLD ON TIGHT.

The hype is real. Best professor I've had at poly. Gonna miss this dude

Professor Roberts is the best professor I've had at Cal Poly. I went into this class thinking I knew everything there was to know about writing, but boy was I wrong. I really worked my butt off to do well in this class, but overall I felt Roberts was a fair grader. His lectures and readings were interesting and I enjoyed going to class everyday. For someone who hates writing, I loved this class. I would take it again in a heartbeat.

Roberts is a dog. This man is the biggest homie I have encountered in my time at Poly. Make sure to show him all the thirsty girls in his polyratings for a good laugh.

Professor Roberts is easily one of my favorite professors now at cal poly. I hate english but somehow i looked forward to this class every day. if he is an option to take absolutely choose him, facilitates great discussions, genuinely helps you become a better writer, and is actually entertaining to listen to. 10/10

the hype is real y'all, roberts is the goat

Professor Roberts is a great English teacher. He genuinely cares about students and always gives good advice on how to improve your writing. He assigns daily readings which need to be completed because we have discussions in class and pop quizzes very often. He has students take notes and the midterm questions come directly from these notes. He does seem a little intimidating at first but he is actually really nice and understanding of the struggles of being a student. There is no final test which is so nice. There are 3 papers you have to write, but his class is organized so that small pieces of your paper are due every week, so the workload is never unmanageable. He seems to grade the papers fairly. Overall, I really enjoyed this class and would recommend him as a teacher. Just be warned that you will have to print a LOT of things and you will need to buy the textbook.

The hype is real everyone. So far Roberts has been my favorite professor at Cal Poly. His class is challenging at times and some say he is a hard grader, but he honestly teaches you so much and I have learned so much from his class. He is very clear on what he expects for each assignment and is really helpful if you go in for office hours. His class is made up of 3 essays (one of which is a long research paper that is your final for the class), a class debate, points for outlines/small assignments, 6 pop quizzes, a media presentation, and a midterm. The pop quizzes really aren’t that bad as long as you keep up with the reading and know the main points from each assignment. The midterm was challenging and I spent a lot of time preparing but was able to pull of a B+. The midterm is all short answer and the questions are based off the handout packet you work through throughout the quarter, and notes that he verbally gives in class. Make sure you copy down everything he says word for word and study HIS definitions for the midterm. If you put in the time, you should be fine. Overall, I’m really going to miss his class. Definitely take Roberts if you get the chance.

I promise that you want to have Professor Roberts for ENG 145! I had this class 4 days a week and truly was excited to for each lecture. Roberts is funny, entertaining, and extremely clear about what he wants from you. If you follow what he says and pay attention, you will get an A.

Very mild professor. He speaks very smoothly and clearly, just like his beard. His handouts are the best handouts I've seen in my life. Times New Roman font, simple formatting, everything on there helps you do the assignment. Just make sure to get the outline down pat before you actually write the essay. Take good notes, keep up with the reading, and study for the exam. You'll be in good hands.

I hate English, but Roberts is funny, makes real life connections to the material to keep his students interested, and isn\'t too bad of a grader. Keep up on the reading and go to class. Oh, and STUDY FOR THE MIDTERM. Even if you are a good writer, it won\'t help you on the midterm. You have to study. It will kill your grade. I would have gotten an A in this class easily if not for the midterm.

Definitely take his class if you can. Roberts is such a good professor!! He would crack jokes the whole class but was also super smart and informative. Literally the only homework is a couple pages of reading out of the textbook (which you do need to do because he has 6 pop quizzes throughout the quarter) but the class is very manageable. He sets up the schedule so you will succeed and is super helpful and nice during office hours. He's such a cool guy and knows so much about english, definitely sign up for his class! P.S. he loves if you talk in class/give your opinion about stuff, don't be afraid to say what you want!

Roberts was the best english teacher I have ever taken. He knows EVERYTHING about literature. He must reference at least 20 pieces of writing each class period, constantly making connections and providing us with examples. He makes lecture exciting, adding his own humor and stories to the lessons for the day. His midterms were very straightforward and the essay prompts couldn't have been more clear. He is always willing to help, he is young and relatable, and I will truly miss going to his class every day. English majors should all take this class. It gave me a good beginning for my next 3 years of CORE classes.

Mark Roberts is an amazing person and an amazing (and hilarious) professor. He really helped me improve my writing and analytical skills. Also, the reading material for this class was awesome. If you get the chance, you want to take Roberts. His class is an experience you don't want to miss out on because he really brings a lot of insight to the literature.

Intelligent, humorous, fair, and sort of sexy. You would do yourself a favor by taking a class Roberts teaches.

He makes this class so much fun. He has fun teaching this class so the students do as well. You actually look forward to coming to class. He is an excellent teacher!

I took Mark 3 years ago in my first quarter and he intimidated the hell out of me! His skill in remembering everyone's name meant we each knew he'd call on us eventually. He was an exceptional teacher that I recommend to ALL! If you didn't know how to write before his course he was determined to help you succeed. His class is tough but well worth it for his knowledge, enthusiasm, and care for his students.

He is one of my all-time favorite professor's at Poly. If you don't like to write, he can help you throught it. FUUNY MAN! I actually liked going his class. I took it my freshman year, and he is one person who made a difference in my college experience.

He's the best prof i've had here at poly. by far. i would go to his class seven days a week.

Mark is by far the best teacher I have had at Poly. He made going to english fun. He will make sure to help you on your papers. If you don't like taking English, take it with Mark! He will make the class fun. He remembers everyone's name which is remarkable in itself. He is a very funny man. Be careful, he will pick on you....but it is all in good fun :)

There is no way that someone could not like this professor. Mark is not an easy teacher at all, in fact he is pretty tough, but it is SO worth it. You learn in his class about how to write so well. You also learn about valuable lessons for life. The best teacher of my life, I want to take him again, even though English isn't my favorite subject, this guy makes you want to go to class and want to learn. You are truly missing out if you do get to experience Mark Roberts as your teacher at Cal Poly.

man this guy's sarcasm is unbeatable. All his comments are so funny! He wants simplicity in essays. He doesnt grade hard but there are essays due every two weeks. He looks at outline first which is very helpful. If you try hard in his class even though you aren't too much of a writer (like me) you would end up with a B. Oh yeah all those little "Pop quizes" help the grade too just make sure you really read the novels he assigns.

Excellent! Even for a class with as much reading as Ancient Literature, he made it fun and interesting. I learned a lot more with him than I would have with another prof.

Excellent instructor but lots and lots of reading. First midterm very easy since it is only on two books but the final is over a ton of books so it is very hard to study for. The essay questions on test usually will look very similar to the prep sheet he will give you before the test. The passage ID's on the tests were hard in my opinion. Roberts makes these very old books fun to read.

This Professor was great. He took a topic that could have been relatively boring and made it super interesting. He always had jokes to tell, which kept eveyone awake, and overall was just a cool guy. Good class for the ladies.

I read all of the resposes here in polyratigs before choosing this teacher and I got the impression that Prof.Roberts was great. Yes, he is very intelligent, really knows this subject, and is interesting, although he is arrogant and not approachable. I felt like everytime I went to go talk to him I was wasting my time because it seemed like he felt by talking to me he was wasting his time. I would say he is a good teacher, but if you want a teacher that you can ask for help and is approachable, not arrogant, this is not the teachr to take.

Prof. Roberts is an excellent teacher. In this class we read a great deal of difficult material, but he was sure to teach it effectively. There are seven total POP quizzes, one midterm, and one final. This class was not easy by any means, as there was a huge amount of reading and due to the pop quizzes making up 30% of the grade, homework must always be done. However, Roberts makes this class fun and interesting. He is younger (as far as the ages of teachers go) and is very interactive with the class. He has a great sense of humor and knows just what our weaknesses are in reagard to the material. To take this class, you should be: a decent writer, a good studier of detail, interested in the B.C. authors, a good reader, and must attend class. All in all, take Prof. Roberts if at all possible!

Well I'll be honest the reading was a lot. He eases you in but after you hit like 30 pages that's how much reading you're going to be doing every night. Most of his lectures were interesting. His midterm and reading quizzes aren't that bad. The only thing on the midterm and final that was really horrible were the passage ids. The passage ids can be easy if its easy for you to memorize stuff. The out of class final isn't as easy as it sounds though. Overall I learned a lot and he was really easy to talk to during office hours. He was also entertaing during lectures.

He was a great teacher. I had him for English 114 now 134 and he taught me a lot. I'm an engineering major and as you would suspect why am I learning this. Well, it was a lot of reading and a lot of hard work but it was interesting to read how weird people were and still are today. Don't think that this is a GE course to blow off, you can't in Mark's class. Just do the reading and try to really get into it so that you can visualize what's happening. That way you will be able to remember who's speaking and to who and which work it's from(passage ID's.) Hey it was in the morning and I did come in tired but he makes it hella interesting with his jokes. Have fun reading! :-)

Prof. Roberts is the best teacher I've had so far at Cal Poly. He is hilarious, a truly funny guy who makes you laugh often in class. He also makes reading some terrible stories tolerable by relating them to you in ways you can understand. MAKE SURE YOU KEEP UP WITH THE READING. Do not fall behind because there are 7 pop quizzes he throws at you at any time. If you do the reading, the quizzes are easy. The passage IDs on the midterms and finals are also easy if you do the reading. The notes you take in class are somewhat pointless. They come in handy when writing the papers and on your essays on the test because it gives you relevant historical facts to throw in, but you don't really need to know the stuff to get a good grade. Basically do the reading and show up every day and you will get a good grade. Take this teacher any way you can, he is a great hilarious teacher. I would love to have him again.

I really really hate reading. I hadn't read a book in years, yet I was able to get through this class very easily. I thought that Prof. Roberts did a great job. I would definately recommend him to anyone. Expect reading every night, quizes on the reading (really easy if you read), one midterm and a final. Good class.

As everyone else has said, Mark Roberts is an amazing professor. We had to read two classics I had read in high school, The Odyssey and The Iliad. I thought because I had already read them, it would be a a breeze, but Roberts brought these stories to life in a whole new perspective. There is a lot of reading, but he makes it worth it. I realized he was one of the most talented men I had ever met when he started reading and speaking ancient Greek for the class.

Mark was the best teacher I have had at Poly. He really cares about his students and makes the readings...The Illiad, Odyessey, Aeniad etc really interesting and easy to follow. He brings relevance to our lives as students to old literature. THere is alot of reading but you don't even realize how much you are reading until the end. TAKE HIM! He is the best you will regret not having him as a teacher. I LOVE YOU MAN!

Roberts was the most amazing teacher! I can't imagine how much information he has on Greek and Roman culture, because as many random facts and biographies and highlights as he gave you could always tell there was a ton of knowledge backing just those facts up. You really need to keep up with the reading because he highlights only important aspects of the works and expects most of the learning to be done individually. His final essay was a fantastic studyguide, because no matter which topic you chose it forced you to study everything you had learned before and have an easy time with the final. Also, ATTEND EVERY DAY! You'll miss SO much if you don't, and he has a bunch of pop quizes randomly throughout the course which can definitely help if your grades are floundering. He's also really helpful in office hours, or any time you can catch him. If you never have him as a professor during your college years, you're missing out!

This guy is a excellent instructor. He really knows his Greek/Roman history and literature. His insight into the cultures that the readings come from really made them that much more endurable. Take this lecturer for any ENGL class you can.

Ok...first off let me start by saying that this guy is really cool and funny. He makes this material as interesting as it can be. Make sure you read every night because you really don't know when he'll give you a quiz. My most important advice is to make sure you study for the passage ID's. I didn't study for the midterm and got a C because I didn't think I needed to study. I studied pretty hard for the passage ID's on the final and got an A on the final. So hes a cool guy just make sure you study hard and read.

Mark Roberts is the best teacher I've had here at Poly. His lectures were always interesting and I never felt bored. He is probably one of the smartest people I know. He makes ancient lit. actually interesting and pretty relevant because he compares them to our world. His tests and quizzes aren't that bad. Just have to read and really it's not that bad! He makes you want to read the stories. By far the best!

This was a fun and interesting class. It really isn't that hard as long as you do the daily assigned reading. Even during a 5 week summer course it was only a few hours a night. It might seem like a lot of reading but it goes by quick and is essential to passing the class. His lectures are very interesting and present the material in a very easy to understand way. I would higly recomened him for this or any class.

Mark is hands-down one of the best professors I've ever had. He does wonders with this class. There's a lot of reading, but for the most part, he chooses a lot of good works. This is one of those classes where you want to show up for lecture, not because you might miss something, but because he's just so enthusiastic about the subject and makes class fun. There are a few pop quizzes, making sure you read the assigned pages, but they're usually just five short, fairly easy questions. One time he'll give an essay pop-quiz, and there are a few short papers to write, but it's not bad at all. Even if you don't need to take this class, it's worth taking it if you get Mark Roberts.

overrated.

I showed up to this class hungover every Friday morning. Mark Roberts inspired me to wake up in the morning and learn the literature of the Classical West with pounding head-aches and nausea. That says alot about the quality of this professor. What it says about me, however, is that I could have a drinking problem.

Great teacher...difficult class-the reading load can get fairly intense, although for the most part the selected works are very interesting and engaging! I will give him credit, his class went by fast everytime despite not giving us a break for the whole two hours...he may be one of the smartest professors at Poly...and it reflects on the amount you will learn. Very straighforward class, the tests don't have a lot of free points given out, so you have to know your stuff. Typically the tests consisted of 20 short answer responses and 4 passage identifications. You will get to the final, finish, and then think to yourself... what just happened? (summer classes help...) I highly recommend him for your C2 choice, and if you want to read the foundation of our culture--Greek and Roman Lit--this is the place to be.

One of the best teachers ever. Presents material clearly, but has a very good sense of humor while doing it. I always enjoyed coming to his class and knew exactly what was expected of me. As long as you do the reading and go to class you will get a good grade.

I have mixed feelings. Yes, he is a nice guy, but his knowledge of ancient literature was well below that of my high school teacher. Maybe that´s unfair because my highschool teacher really knew his stuff, but Roberts class was like a Spark notes version of what a high quality university lit class should contain. Nice guy, yes, effective lecturer, but sub mediocre scholar.

i didn't do as well as i wanted to in this class but thats just because i never really read any of the readings. so make sure you do all your readings and study really hard for the tests! there are passage IDs and short answers so make sure you study! you really need to know your stuff. but all in all... roberts is a good guy. i would recommend him

Despite 134 sounding like it has a firmer grading rubric, I have to say this (251) was the BEST class I've EVER had at Cal Poly. And I can say that with confidence since this was my last quarter... ever! Roberts is not only clearly intelligent and a source of vast knowledge, but can deliver the material clearly, succinctly, and in a fashion that connects all the dots together. The material from the ancient world is given modern day application and he's able to trace various world conflicts to specific passages of literature. The man is snarky, witty, dry-humored, but actually *funny* and *not mean*. He's NOT one of those professors who uses humor to pick at students, unless he actually knows you and even then it's fairly tame. The literature he covers is vast, and you must keep up with the reading, especially since there are 7 unannounced quizzes throughout the quarter, which are easy if you actually pay decent attention to what you're reading. There's a plethora material given at a remarkable, but not impossible, rate (use a laptop if you type better than you write!) and it seems easy to fall behind. Passage identifications are used on the 2 exams (midterm and final) and there is a paper at the end of the quarter. Roberts goes fast and covers a lot of material but will stop for questions and re-explain things if asked. He expects a lot from you, but he also gives more than most CP professors put in to their class and so the work becomes worthwhile. A great class to take if you have the *time*, made enjoyable by a respectful professor who's not nutty (though I dig Cushing and had him for the same course, he's a bit off his mark).

Roberts is a great teacher. The books you read are pretty interesting and are all on sparknotes! There are 5 or 6 quizes on the reading which are fairly easy. There is also a midterm and final but u gotta study to do well. Overall great class, great teacher i highly recommend this class.

Mark Roberts is THE BEST professor I have had at Cal Poly. His extensive knowledge of ancient literature was astounding and he grades fairly. If you go into office hours he informs you exactly what questions will be on the midterm and final. We only wrote one paper which was worth a minimal percentage of our grade. Pop quizzes were difficult at first but reading the night before is a must and you will do fine when you are prompted. He also speaks and writes Greek! Most intelligent and passionate teacher at this school. And if these reasons are not good enough, HE IS SOOOO SEXY!!! I will definitely take classes with him in the future.

GREAT TEACHER. He\'s a fair grader. Tests are not too difficult - never multiple choice, usually short answer. Had readings everyday, then discussed them in class the next day. Pop quizzes are hard if you don\'t read. Sometimes sparknotes can get you through them. Other than that, he\'s an inspiring teacher especially if he\'s off topic. I took him twice because I enjoyed his classes so much.

This was seriously the best lit class i have ever taken. Professor Roberts is such a great teacher and he is so smart! Every day he lectures on the readings and some history that goes along with that time period, and this sounds like it could be really boring but its not at all. He makes it so interesting and pulls in relevant real life examples and even jokes. Also, he speaks and writes Greek which I though was pretty cool. The class is honestly not that hard. There are nightly readings but they seriously took me no longer then 1 1/2 hours to read (and i'm definitely a turtle reader). He has six pop quizes throughout the quarter that aren't that bad (sparknotes should be able to get you through most of them if you get lazy and decide not to read). The midterm and final are the exact same format and the final is not cummulative. They are both all written and he is very generous with giving partial credit. There is also a paper due at the time of each test but they aren't too bad (I did them both the night before and got B's). Lit is definitely not my strong point but I had so much fun in this class and really felt like I learned alot. He is just an overall good person who really cares about his students and I can legitimatley say I'm gonna miss this class.

Roberts is a great teacher. He involves himself with the class and really connects with his students. The only bad thing in his class was the time. I think that an hour is not enough time to get threw the subject. Along with the random 6 quizzes you take for the reading you read that night, you have a midterm and a final, which is not cumulative. On the other hand, he knows how to speak Greek which is great for knowing all the hidden messages the translators meant in all the readings. The readings are really good too. I enjoyed the classics, especially since they were on my 'must read' list. I got to read them sooner than later. All in all, good class. I loved going and you should try to get Roberts if you are at all interested in Greek-Roman Literature. -IF66

Roberts has by far been one of my favorite professors at Cal Poly. I'm not an engilsh person and I was actually really dreading this class, but he made me actually want to go to class every day. He is hilarious and a genuinely nice guy, he wants you to do well. I thought I would hate the readings but I enjoyed them. They were a little difficult to understand sometimes but I found that reading the sparknotes before and after really helped. The quizzes are very fair if you read. I found that reading sparknotes alone did not get me through them because I don't have the memory for it. You really should do the readings, it'll help your grade a lot and they don't take that long. The tests are a bit tough but if you study well you should do fine. The papers are short and simple. Overall I would try to take him, he is amazing.

Dr. Roberts is the Odysseus of professors - well spoken, incredibly smart, witty, and a badass.

I got wrecked in this class, but I can't really blame Roberts for that. I found him an enthusiastic teacher who related well to his students. He posed a lot of thought-provoking questions that the period didn't allow enough time to discuss. The quizzes and papers were straightforward, but I found the tests challenging due to the sheer amount of material. The reading was heavy by my standards (though I am an engineer), so remembering the details of each story was hard for me when combined with the topics covered separately during the class period. In the end, English 251 was a frustrating experience, but I'm glad I went through this frustrating experience with Prof. Roberts and not another English teacher. I only wish I could find the joy of reading like the others in my class did.

Dude, I got a C+ in Professor Roberts' class, and he is STILL THE BEST TEACHER I'VE EVER HAD!!! No, I do not care that the previous sentence is gramatically incorrect :P The only reason I got a C is cuz I was worrying about another class. DO ALL THE READINGS, even though there's a lot, and you'll be Totally fine. He's very lenient, he just wants to know you read. I hated the Odyssey before and he made me like it. And plus, we had some of the best discussions ever in that class. He is my favorite teacher. If you've got the opportunity, take him. You won't regret it!

I HAVE THE BOOK FOR THIS CLASS UP FOR SALE! It's in great condition and I'm asking $50. Literature of the Western World; Volume I. Its the same fat book they use every time for this class (ENGL 251). TEXT me at 949 584 7153 if you're interested.

Mark Roberts is amazing. He took ancient Greek literature that was very difficult to read and made it understandable, relevant to our lives, and helpful. You will love going to his lectures! You will learn not only about the literature, but about how to navigate your own life as well. If we had read The Iliad and The Odyssey with any other professor we would have missed out on so much!! Take his class for a better outlook on life.

Great class, and I told him this myself on my way out after taking the final. I'm an English major and I've never been all-that interested in Classical Lit, but this class helped renew my interest and shed new light on things that I didn't understand before. Even if you're not an English major (for whom this class is required) I would recommend taking this course. Make sure to do all of the readings as there are a few pop quizzes throughout the quarter (I won't say how many or when). For tests there are 2 take-home papers, a midterm and a final. Study your notes and the course packet back-to-front and remember to UNDERLINE ALL of the important passages you talk about in class, the passage ID's count for a lot of points on the midterm and final and are easy points if you know the passages. Great class, great teacher, you won't be disappointed!

Best teacher ever, if there is a class worth taking that you are not required to take it is his class. The man knows his stuff (Greek,Latin), his grades are fair, his essay's are short. One of my favorite teacher

Mark Roberts is easily one of the best professors at Cal Poly. His classes are interesting and a perfect balance of notes and discussion. Put some effort in, show up, and you'll definitely get something out of the class. I would strongly recommend this to anyone looking to fill their C1! You will not regret it!

Roberts is one of the best professors you can have at Cal Poly. He understands the inner meaning behind the translations of classic pieces of literature (with help from knowing ancient greek). The class is a lot of reading that you won't initially understand well, but you'll be missing out on a great class if you don't take Roberts.

Mark Roberts is a genius. There, I've said it, because I'll be damned if he isn't one. After a horrible experience with another English professor, Mark Roberts restored my belief tang literature is open to interpretation... And that life is full of vast possibilities. Or is it? See, you'll question a lot of your personal beliefs in this classroom, but for good. The man brings philosophy to the classroom discussion, and people are enlivened by his lectures. I suffer from ADHD, and found I still had the ability to concentrate (in short spurts) because Roberts is so engaging. I swear to God, half the class was in love with him. I say he grades really fairly. I procrastinated my first essay and got an A-. I tried to do that again for the final (I was going through an emotional trying time as well), and wound up with a B+. My final grade was also very borderline B+ so it didn't keep my A... That last quiz was really hard!!! I say if you actually do the reading (and pay attention to the text), this class should not be a struggle. Also, if you're a fairly proficient writer you should do well on essays. If you want an A, don't wait last minute, unless you really think you can pull that off. Roberts is open minded and gifted. Don't miss out on him, because his lectures will entertain and amaze you.

Dr. Roberts is mesmerizing to listen to. He is 'super chill' as some might call it, and always open to new interpretations of the texts. You'd think Classical Literature would be boring, but it was really fun, and the stories you get to read are awesome and SO punny. Reading is weekly and not that hard at all, you can probably finish them between classes and putting aside maybe an hour outside of class. The Final Essay was the most amazing assignment. He gives you questions to choose from- so whatever one YOU'd rather answer, and as long as you support your thesis with textual evidence- you have it in the bag. Overall- an amazing class with an awesome professor.

This review is a little late (2 years to be exact). But as I'm graduating, I'm thinking back to all my professors and Dr. Roberts was on I admired most. His passion, drive, and natural lecturing skills really stand out at Cal Poly. He might be intimidating at first since his intelligence is daunting, however, he really nice and funny. GO TO HIS OFFICE HOURS and ask questions in class. Make notes in the readings. He loves explaining things! That's how I did so well in the class. Ask questions! He responds to people who participate. TAKE HIM FOR ANY AND ALL CLASSES YOU CAN!!!

You are absolutely missing out if you don't take an english class from him. He is kind, extremely intelligent, and makes all material relevant. He is easily the best professor I have had at Cal Poly so far. I actually looked forward to going to his class.

Professor Roberts is a fantastic professor and an overall great human being. He is extremely knowledgable (in what feels like every subject). He has a great understanding of the material and has an answer to almost every question. His lectures are clear and engaging. He is a really nice and approachable guy who cares about his students. When taking this course, you really feel like you're getting your money's worth at Cal Poly. If you have trouble reading ancient literature, I highly recommend staying away from this class. Roberts assigns anywhere from 15-50 pages of reading each night. Depending on well you are at reading the material, it will take anywhere from 20-90 minutes a night. Within one week of this class, I knew I wanted to take it credit/nocredit. Despite taking this class credit/nocredit I was still constantly stressed out about the reading and potential pop quizzes. If you're lazy, don't take this class. If you're looking for a challenging, yet fulfilling class, I highly recommend it.

Mark Roberts is excellent. Lit has never been my strong suit but he made Greek and Roman literature interesting and thought-provoking. It is definitely a lot of reading but worth it. Never once did I not want to go to class. On a side note, he's like the biggest DILF out there, and when he speaks in Greek and Latin you'll be like "ugggg so much sexiness."

I do really like literature, but I am pretty picky about professors and I absolutely loved this class. And even my classmates who admitted they didn't like English at all said they really enjoyed being in Professor Roberts' class. Keep up with the reading because there are six unannounced pop quizzes in the class, and as long as you pay attention and take good notes on how he lectures the single midterm and final are reasonable. There are only two essays in the class, and although he's not the easiest grader they aren't worth as much of your grade, and he's very approachable, so you can talk to him about your essay or anything during his office hours. Overall he has an engaging lecturing style, and cares about his students, and I would highly recommend his class. By far one of the best professors I've had and I'm not even majoring in humanities.

Seriously take him whenever possible. English is perhaps one of my least favorite subjects and Mark was able to not only hold my attention in class but make me want to go each and every day! His quizzes and tests are more than reasonable and you will seriously learn more from him than any other professor.

I felt compelled to rate Dr. Roberts just because I found him to be such an amazing teacher. He actually makes the class really interesting and despite that fact that I hate all things English, his lit class became my favorite class for the quarter. He presents the material in such a great way that you can actually understand and is incredibly helpful in office hours if you go. His pop quizzes are super easy as long as you've done the reading, he doesn't ask really specific questions, but ones that you'd have to know the answer to if you read. His midterm and final are super fair and pretty easy if you do the study guide and readings. Underline all the passages he says to in class and just go over them a few times before the tests and you'll be fine. As for the papers, they aren't worth very much and he grades pretty much primarily on content so it isn't too hard to get a B on them. Yes you have to work in this class, but he is such an amazing professor that I didn't care and neither did the rest of my class.

Lots of reading, it is time consuming, but at least the material is interesting. Tests aren't too bad, just study the handout packet and know the main plot and characters of the reading material.

Oh my swineherd!

Legend has it, his wedding vows are archived in the National Library under the poetry section. Great teacher better person

This class is a TON of reading. This is not your basic gen ed, expect to spend at least 10 hours a week just on the reading for this class. It's a 4 day class, so each night you spend at least 2 hours reading. He also in class gives you history lessons on each of the books, so you're not only memorizing like hundreds of pages (because he tests you on literal quotes - you have to know who said it, who they were speaking to, and what book it was if given a quote) but also all the historical context he tells you in class. You'll also have multiple pop quizzes so you HAVE to keep up on reading or your grade gets screwed. And there's 2 essays that require a good amount of effort. He's a dope and really funny dude and I enjoyed the subject of the class but it's absolutely way too much information he expects you to know by the end of the quarter (like, almost as much as he knows about the subject). I highly recommend only taking this guy if you're in love with english literature and want to know everything about it and it's history. Otherwise, pick a different prof or take online.

I took this class in my last ever quarter at Poly as an engineering major, but if this was the first class I took in college, I would have probably switched majors. Of the 50 classes I've taken at Poly, this is my favorite class by far and Mark Roberts is without a doubt the best professor I've ever had at Poly. This is more than a literature class, this is a class about what it means to be human. This is a class that makes a distinction between employability and learning, a fundamental principle I wish Cal Poly took more notes on. Yes there is reading, yes there are pop quizzes. You are expected to put in time and study, as with any other class. I feel enlightened, I could not have asked for a better class with a better professor. What a way to graduate

Mark Roberts is the man. Initially, I was honestly dreading taking this class. However, by the end of the quarter I loved it. To be honest the daily reading was a lot and sometimes hard to keep up on because of my schedule. I was usually able to get it done though. The literature you read in ENG 251 is mainly Greek and Roman works which can be very hard to understand on your own, but Mark made it super interesting. I genuinely looked forward to going to lecture everyday, because he made it exciting to learn about and made lecture insanely funny and engaging. The tests aren't easy but if you read the material and show up to lecture you will do just fine. If you're going to take Great Books take it with Roberts, you won't regret it. #mancrush

This class was a lot of reading but Professor Roberts made it so easy to understand. I thought I would dread this class because I don't particularly like literature or history and this class was a combination of the two, but I really enjoyed it. There were 2 essays which were very easy prompts, and pop quizzes throughout the quarter but if you kept up with the reading they were very easy. The midterm and final are both short answer, no multiple choice but he was very kind about giving partial credit. He was an awesome professor and I highly recommend people take his class to fulfill their requirements, you definitely won't regret it. :)

Prof. Roberts is by far one of the best, if not the best teachers I have had at Polt thus far. I actually enjoyed going to class every day. Although I found most of the reading very boring he went over it all and made it understandable and a tad bit more enjoyable. I only hope that I have the chance to take him again in the future. If you have a choice take his class. He is awesome.

Roberts is hands down the most interesting and entertaining professor at Poly. If you don't take him your missing out on one of the best educational experiences this school can offer, regardless if English is your thing or not.

Makes learning fun and (God forbid) makes you want to learn. I'm an engineer and don't really like English, but I've never had a better teacher.

Best english teacher I have ever had. Goes over reading assignment every class and tells you what you need know. Occasional short history lessons so you get the reading. "Pop" quizzes-Easy if you read, if you didn't best guess to at least one of the questions is "they died" (you will understand if you take the class. Gives out a study guide for each test, if you don't know something go to his office hours he really helps. Test are split, 50% passage ID, and 50% essay. No final exam, just a final paper. Take him for 253 and any other great books class.

Professor Roberts is as good as it gets. He is the best english professor I've ever had, and not just at Cal Poly. Its english, so there is a daily reading assignment. He keeps the amount of reading reasonable and understands that we DO have other classes. He gives 6 unannounced quizzes on the reading throughout the quarter. Most of them are cake if you read. There are 3 exams on the reading that consist of passage identification and a short essay. The passage ID's are the only tough thing in the whole class, but definitely within reason, because when you go over the reading in class, he tells you what passages you need to know! Finally the final is an out of class essay. It doesn't get any better than Roberts, take him if you have the chance.

This is the best teacher that I have had at Cal Poly. He presents the material well, and is just an all around great guy. The tests are challenging, but he goes over everything you need to know the day before the test. Take Mark for this class. You won't regret it.

As an engineer, there is nothing more daunting than an English class. Give me my calculus and fluid mechanics over sonnets and prose any day. During my tenure, here at Cal Poly, I have never quite had a professor with the enthusiasm and passion that I have seen in Mark Roberts. Last fall, a group of students, Professor Roberts, and I went on a journey through the various great works of literature. With the encouragement and supportive assistance from Mark, we met such memorable characters as poor young Werther, the overambitious Frankenstein, and the ever-depraved Kurtz. We had the opportunity to delve into the works of Wordsworth and marvel at the eloquence of John Keats. Mark was our guide during this jaunt, providing valuable insight and fostering tremendously productive and intelligent class discussions in which every student felt welcome and eager to participate. Such a cultivating classroom environment, along with Mark

What an amazing class. The material we covered inspired me to minor in English. The themes are universal and the techer could not be better. He grades tough, but go to his office hours to make sure your essays are heading in the right direction

Mark Roberts is outstanding. He made me want to write to the best of my ability because I knew that he would have it no other way. he demands perfection, but in a way that you can't understand until you take his class. You want to write you best because he is the best. Cal Poly needs to realize what a star they have in Mark Roberts. if there was even one more teacher as talented as him, I would do cartwheels.

What is there to say about a guy like this? The truth is if every professor at Cal Poly was like this, then going to school would not be so bad. The dude is amazing, challenging, fair, engaging, personable, and basicallly everything that one would look for in a teacher. He gives everything he has, and it shines through. He is one of those teachers that touches lives, and well, that's rare and that's special. So, if it isn't already painfully apparent, I highly suggest you find a way to schedule one of his courses.

I found this class to be an easy A. I don't feel I really learned anything, but I guess some people got something from it. Class was often too touchy-feely for me. If you are female, I bet you will love it, but I, as a male, was always waiting for the fifty minutes to elapse so I could shake it off, because I can only take so much! Take this class for an easy A, but as far as learning to write better, I don't rate 302 high with this professor. He's not a bad guy, but I think he just took it too easy on the people. No disrespect.

Ice cold mack. Mark Roberts got game. As cold a cat as I ever saw. It isn't the streets, but he translates the pimp game to the class room. I took 302 as a sophomore, and per usual, I dusted it. A! Yeeahh! <chest bump> Anyway really, this player has an eye for nice writing. I dig that he emphasized clearness, but wish he didn't have to spend time teaching people what they should've learned prior. I know that taking his class gave another instrument to my arsenal, as a writer, and in dealing with womens. All the females in class love "Mark". They're all, "Hi Mark!" at the beginning of class. All, "Mark is dreamy..." I know he's married, but he is a PFL, a player for life!!! Oh, and homie's been supportive in my writing pursuits. Cool cat. Take his class. Smooth talker if there ever was. Take notes, observe, peep game.

Roberts is the best. You cannot go wrong here. Only reason i ended up with a B is because i am a senior, and i am so sick of school work that i could puke. There is also another 302 teacher to try if you cannot get Roberts. Her name is Dills. Dr. Roberts is a low stress person. he does not attempt to stress you out. also, his voice is so mellow and pleasant that if you happen to feel anxiety before class, he walks in soothes you with a kind voice and sweet demeanor. Oh yeah, you even improve your writng in this class,