Shiers, Alden  

Shiers, and not Sheirs, these Polyratings' guys have no respect for instructor's names, even if you write them about it to tell them, but hey, it's free, so respect doesn't matter when you're not getting paid enough, right? Well, back to Shiers. He is really really knowledgeable in the area of economics. He knows his stuff, that is for sure. Only a few times was he not able to answer questions, but honestly not very many people asked questions because he presented the material very clearly. I normally like to read before I go to class, so that I can have questions, but I didn't do that for this class, so I don't think that I got out of the class what I could have. Shiers is a little bit boring. He is I believe from Maine, and his intonations are strange, and are part of what makes him a little quirky. He will TALK about, he WILL talk ABOUT, things in class, IN CLASS, like THIS, LIKE this,...so that the intonation is just wrong, plus he repeats things and he strains (---spell check) when he talks on those stressed words. All foreign exchange students, do not learn your intonations from this teacher, they are not normal!!! If you do not come to class rested, you risk zoning out, and perhaps wanting to rest your head. If you drink coffee, bring a cup. But it is economics, so I am not sure how interesting this can get. Although I must admit that I did enjoy economics a lot more than I thought that I would, that is I enjoyed some, instead of hating it like I thought that I would. Shiers is big on the Wall Street Journal, I didn't buy, but I am not sure if it would have helped me or not, you're gonna get propositioned about the Wall Street Journal, come day one. He has Powerpoint presentations that are clear and precise, but three or four days he doesn't have them. He has them made for an old book, so don't get thrown off by the chapter titles. Be prepared for like three to four pages of notes, both sides on an average day. He has a box fetish in his Powerpoint style, so if you like things neat and orderly, bring a ruler, because there are boxes everywhere. He doesn't really use the book at all during class. There were three tests in my section. Two midterms weighted at 30% and a final weighted at 40%. The final was a lot easier than the midterms, but it would have been nice if he had told us to bring a calculator. My five years without taking math caught up to me all at once. The Study Guide is worth it, but it is riddled with mistakes, he'll probably tell you about it, because my class was the guinea pig class, and he knew nothing about the mistakes. If you know the answers, and if they're correct, in the Study Guide, and you at least read the chapters in the book, you can get an "A" in the class. I did the Study Guide, but I didn't drill it, so I ended up with a "B", but I read everything in the book, went to every class, paid attention minus one day, and did all of the Study Guide questions, except for the last two chapters. So, if you want a good grade and you can commit to doing at least what I did, then you will get at least a "B." I give my stamp of approval to Shiers. He is also nice during office hours, and helpful, so don't feel like you can't approach him, because he is fully approachable! Shiers is a great teacher, teaching what I find a horrible subject. Enjoy! =)

Do NOT take this class with shiers. Ok, i feel bad for the guy, he really is a nice guy but a HORRIBLE teacher! If your looking for a class with no work, then take him, but your grade only consist of 2 midterms and a final. His test are sooo hard and unclear. I read the book and studied my ass off and still got C's on all his test. The average grade on his tests were low C's. There were about 1-2 A's on each midterm. He basically gives you all the power point slide notes in the beginning and then in class he just goes through all the power points and reads them! Its so pointless. IF you can definitely take another teacher unless you are good at econ and dont want to do any work AT ALL!

I'm an Economics major, one of the brave and few at this campus, so I like Econ! Mr. Shiers, from what I heard at some point in time was a good teacher, but lost his 'spirit' shall we say, and it shows! This teacher was soooooo boring that the lights would shut off in the room because no one was moving. We were all perfectly still and perfectly bored to death! He would have to jump up and down, flapping paper to get the lights back on because the whole class was basically lathargic. His non-exciting voice, and how he explained important issues would put the whole class to sleep. I don't think I've ever had a more non-interesting teacher at Poly. If you like classes where you learn everything yourself and don't need the teacher, this is the one for you. He only gives 3 midterms and one final, so it's fairly straight forward. But, his tests are hard, and he doesn't grade on a curve. There were no homeworks or any other fluff projects to save your grade, just exams. And if you bomb one, it's hard to pick yourself back up. I repeated the course a quarter later, and went from a D in his class, to an A in another professor's class.

Shiers is a good teacher, a bit boring, but still a good teacher. His lectures are very easy to follow, everything is on PowerPoint so the lectures are very clear. To clear things up there are 2 midterms, not 3 like the fool above mentioned, maybe if he had paid attention to what was going on he wouldn't have gotten a D in the class. I don't see any reason why anyone should get a D in this class, I never read the text and missed a couple of classes and still got a B+ in the class. I would recommend Shiers for ECON 222.

Dr. Shiers is a Normal professor. I got a C- in his first midterm and a B in second, and I didn't know my final. The final grade came out was a B. He didn't take attendence but I would recommond not to skip class because notes are very important in the exams

Ah, Alden Sheirs, what can I say? Alden is boring as all hell and it didn't help the class was at 7 in the morning. His entire lecture is on power point and you can get a copy of the slides at 2nd edition which I highly recommend getting. The book is alright but you definitely don't need the study guide. His tests really weren't that bard but for some reason a lot of people got Cs and D's...I don't know what the deal was but the course material was pretty basic, I mean supply and demand, it doesn't get much simpler than that. Maybe there were just a lot of really dumb people in my class, I don't know. Anyway, two exams worth 30 each and the final is the other 40.

What can I say about Dr. Shiers? He usually teaches at 7am, but his voice randomly gets very loud, so it keeps you awake! His powerpoints can be very funny and he just knows his stuff. He explains everything and makes sure everyone in the class gets it. His tests are straighforward and fair and as long as you do the reading and take notes during class, there is no reason anyone cannot at least get a B in this class. If not an A.

He was really boring!!!! I don't recommend taking him. The material was hard and the tests were harder, and him being so boring wasn't helpful.

Shiers is a good guy and her knows a lot but his class is EXTREMELY boring. I went to every class but left at the break almost every time bc i couldnt handle another hour. Power Point is online and that is pretty much the whole lecture so if ur someone who likes to read and doesnt need to go to class then this might be good for you. If you need to go to class dont take him

Probably the worst teacher I've ever had. Your grade is two midterms and a final, all on scantron. Learn by doing, huh? Lectures are just him reading the power point slides that I'm sure come with the instructors version of the book. It disgusts me that part of my tuition goes to his salary. I should get a refund, or at least a cookie.

Shiers really deserves more credit as a teacher than his mediocre polyrating. The class consists of two midterms and a final, and no other work whatsoever. If you wanted to study on your own and just show up for the tests, this class is for you. Also, the tests aren't difficult! the questions come straight from the concepts covered in lecture; as long as you are awake at least 50% of the time, you'll do fine on the tests. sure, shiers isn't a dynamic speaker, and won't be up there to entertain you, but he knows his econ. take him!

great dude! good class

Pros: you don't have to go to class, he never takes attendance (only on the first day of class), he doesn't care if you leave in the middle of class, 10 minute break, he's a really nice guy, multiple choice tests (if they're your forte) cons: awful textbook, he just reads everything from a powerpoint that he didn't even make himself (it's the book provided powerpoint), he doesn't explain the material, the class is so bland and boring; there are only 3 exams, and the final is worth 40% of your grade, he doesn't curve the class, you basically have to teach yourself everything, the material gets confusing, no notecards allowed on exams it was my worst class at cal poly so far

Shiers is a sweet guy, no doubt, but his class was awful. I'm never the kind of student who ditches class, but his lectures were so useless, and I felt that going to class was a waste of time. He would literally recite from his powerpoint that was made by the textbook company (it's a horrible book: it's wordy and confusing). So, rather than go to class, I just taught myself everything. It became a struggle at times, since the material became significantly confusing towards the end of the quarter. Don't be fooled by the first exam! Which is incredibly easy, since it only covers the first 3 chapters. The other two exams are harder in my opinion. Overall: this course was an absolute waste of money. I should have paid myself, since I was the only one actually teaching. If he's you're only option, whatever, you'll be alright. Just put in the work. If there are other options, choose another professor who actually teaches.

This guy... worst class I have ever taken. Could barely stay awake through any of the lectures. He reads directly off the powerpoint, talks with a lisp, and when questioned on material, gives a round-a-bout answer. He should not be a teacher at Cal Poly. I attended every class, did all the readings, yet the midterms and final were extremely difficult. I suggest never taking this teacher, even if you have to, just wait another quarter if he's the only guy open, #YOLO

Shiers means well, however he is not a good teacher. Avoid taking this class at all costs unless you enjoy teaching yourself. Going to class is completely unnecessary (except for the first class and for the midterms and final). All he does is speed-read off of a powerpoint that contains the information directly from the textbook. Don't expect him to be able to answer your questions in a direct way either. Spend 4 hours a week reading the textbook and go to class on test days. thats all it takes.

This guy is the WORST!!! I did horrible in his class because he really doesn't teach that well. He is super boring and when you ask questions he doesn't really answer them! AVOID at all costs!!!

This is the most boring class. He doesn't answer questions, he just talks in circles. Also his class consists of two midterms (30%) and a final (40%). So if you bomb a test its really hard to come back. Overall he taught absolutely nothing and i would avoid this class at all costs

NO. Just no. Professor Shiers is without a doubt the worst teacher I have ever encountered, to give him the title "teacher" is even a stretch. DO NOT take this class, I don't care if you have to wait five terms to take macro, just save yourself and don't take him. He reads Powerpoints for two hours that a textbook company made, a skill that pretty much anyone can do. During one lecture I sat with my hand raised for 10 minutes (not exaggerating) before he called on me only to give me some bullshit extremely unhelpful answer. I attended every class, took notes on the Powerpoints, read every chapter, and completed the workbook (probably spent 10 hours a week at least just for this class) and got a B+ on the first midterm, B- on the second midterm and C- on the final. Oh and he doesn't curve anything by the way. Extremely difficult tests for his effectiveness of teaching. I know this is harsh but this guy has got to go or step up his game. Completely ruined my initial perspective of Cal Poly teachers, not impressed to say the least. Tips for possible success: Buy the review book and do it. Go to class for the first couple weeks and see if you get anything out of it, if you don't then don't worry about showing up anymore just use your time wisely. READ READ READ, the textbook is the only way to teach yourself. Really study hard for everything, make sure you truly know the material especially the math parts, the tests will require you to know the material beyond a basic definition. Good luck. Worst.Class.Ever. Sincerely, Livid Student

Professor Shiers is a very educated man but not the best educator in the world. His lectures consist of him reading off powerpoints he didn't make himself for two hours. I completely stopped going to class after the first midterm because I realized it was a huge waste of time. I got an A on the first midterm, B on the 2nd, and a B+ on the final and ended up with an A- in the class because he does curve it at the end. The exams consist of multiple choice questions but they are by no means easy because you have so little room for error since your grade only consists of three exams. In short, this class is the class to take if you do not want to go to class; however, you have to be disciplined enough to put in time outside of class to study and read the material yourself.

Shiers is such a sweet guy, he just reminds you of your grandfather (specifically the guy from UP). Clearly, I'm a girl and perhaps give him more merit than he deserves, but he does mean well and he is very approachable. Some people are unfortunately rude to him though. This class is definitely just a show up for the test type of class, but then again this is college where you are expected to be an independent learner. You eventually earn the grade you deserve so if you want an easy class without putting much effort than this is NOT your type of class because you must be able to learn things on your own and on your own time. There are just two midterms and one final. Each midterm is worth 30% of your grade while the final is worth 40%. His first test is easy and just gets harder and harder. Overall, I recommend him if you're a great independent learner. If not, start learning to. I obviously didn't try as hard as I wished, but he taught me a life lesson: no one will hand you anything, you have to earn it especially in this competitive job market!

Professor Shiers is a really nice guy; most say he even looks like the old man from Up. The class consists of him reading off a powerpoint which made it very hard to stay away in his class. Every now and then his voice would get louder so it would wake you up. Your grade is made up of two midterms and the final. I bombed every single exam. I never attended office hours which could've been helpful. I also didn't show up to every class because usually when I was there I would fall asleep. I suggest going to the workshop and reading the book if you want a good grade. I probably could've passed the class if I put in more effort. If you understand Econ without a problem then his class is for you but if you don't I suggest a different teacher.

Shiers is by no means the worst or the best professor professor here at Cal Poly. Overall, his class was quite manageable, with only two midterms and a final. Due to this, alot of students I know in his class didn't put in the time to understand the course, and didn't do so well as a result. If you're a decent student you should have no problem pulling at least a B in the class and I would recommend you to take it.

Shiers has little to no imagination and his lectures drag on without engaging anyone in the class. To be fair, his test do follow the textbook pretty well. I would recommend reading the textbook prior to his lectures so he may emphasize some key points or clarify a specific problem. The practice workbook actually helped me out a little bit too, so I would recommend that.

Okay, let's be honest, his lectures are pretty boring, but the class is very straightforward. The lecture material is clear and he is really good about asking if anyone has questions throughout the lecture. He also gives us a ten minute break in the middle of class, which is very much appreciated. If you read the chapters, and go through the practice questions for each chapter that he gives you, the tests are not hard.

The lectures for this class are really dull, but if you were to pay attention to the material and read the textbook you will be fine. It's a pretty straightfoward class (read the text, study the lecture). Dr. Shiers is very old and has bad hearing. He talks loud then soft then loud then soft. The material is pretty boring to learn, but it is simple. The test he has are very trivial. this class is very stressful despite how relaxed it may seem.

You do not know boredom until you have had Dr. Shiers. He has the most monotonous voice on the planet. It's really a struggle to stay awake. I am sure he knows his stuff but you could hardly tell. His lectures were very scripted and it sounded more like he was reading the lecture off of the powerpoint. He did not make an effort to teach. To me it felt like he was just doing this to make a living and he did not genuinely care for his students. I did not learn a thing in this class. It was a complete waste of time. The best part about the class was the 10 min break in the middle. Take anyone else. Literally anyone.

I think Dr. Shiers is an excellent teacher. Most students do not care enough to put in the effort and then do not do as well as they would like. Do not listen to the other reviews. If you come to class and pay attention you will do well. A majority of the class sits on their phones and computers and do not pay attention so as long as you take good notes and listen you will do well.

This class was so boring but hilarious at the same time. Dr. Shiers has an interesting way of talking where it sounds like he's almost about to fall asleep. His voice starts loud and then gets really quiet towards the end of his sentences. It's really funny, but at the same time, the lectures are super boring and in a warm room, so I always fell asleep. I'll admit, I wasn't trying at all in this class, so i did terribad, but I just wanted to share my two cents.

this IS an easy teacher. how did i get a D in his class? i guess i was trying to learn something. anyone who has taken economics knows that econ is a bunch of variables and graphs. i was trying to figure out the relationships between the variables, and i feel that shiers did not do a sufficient job in teaching that part of economcis. all he did was list the variables, write the algebraic equation of how they work, and draw the graph on the board. rinse, repeat. there was no explanation of how it pertains to REAL economies. there was no explanation of how it means. just variables, equation, graph. the homeworks were the same way. they were very easy, and did not prepare me for the midterm and final. the midterm and final was just a reprint of some of the problems from the end of each chapter, i guess the bottom line is this: Shiers was EASY, but i learned NOTHING, and i felt i wasted time and money taking his class.

Well, where do I start? Dr. Shiers has somewhat of a memory lapse. I will never forget the day that he taught the class about GDP. As usual, 80% of the class was asleep from his mono-tone voice. It just so happened that I was awake and paying attention. I noticed that he could not spit out the word GDP. Out of nowhere, he stutters G..G..G...D..PPPPP!!! Just imagine his monotone, quiet voice, converting into a scream. The whole class woke up and started laughing. Bottom line, he is washed up. I know this sounds harsh, but it is reality. It is obvious that he has lost that desire he may have had a long time ago. In fact, I heard he used to be a great teacher. Be prepared to sleep a lot and be extremely bored. He assigns two homework assignments every week that are usaully copied before class. I think he should have taught the class the type of material that applied to the exams. As I recall, the vast majority of the class received a C. A few pulled off a B. There were so many times the class was lost! This was one class everyone dreaded going to!! If you have the choice, do not take this teacher. If it is required, it sucks to be you!

Prof. Shiers knows his stuff, but he is a little boring with his lectures. Make sure that you do well on the exams or you will get a bad grade in the class.

This class was fairly dry, although it contains a lot of important info for the real world (information on bonds, interest rates, banking proceedures, etc.). On the first day, Shiers highly suggests that everyone subscribe to the Wall Street Journal, although you don't need this at all for the class. (Taking 337 will teach you how to better comprehend the Journal however.) The downside to Shiers is that his lectures are dry, due of course to the subject matter. The upside to his class however is that there are only two exams plus the final and no quizzes, papers, or projects. Basically all you have to do is take notes and study for the exams. The exams are not too difficult, and if you review your notes and read the assigned chapters you should have no problem. Don't bother reading every word in each chapter either, becaue Shiers tends to ask fairly general questions.

shiers is extremely boring and when teaching off his power point slides he is aweful(there were rare times when he actually taught and told something insightful). i got a 78 on the first test, a 65 on the second test, and the final was hard but somehow i got a B in the class. This means there was a huge curve, which is cool. Going to class is basically unnecessary. Read the book, do the multiple choice questions in the study guide (he uses some on his tests), and make sure you know the answers to the study questions he gives out before the test. Your time would better be served reading and studying rather than going to class. No attendance taken, no class participation grade, no howework, and no projects = don't have to be in class.

This guy is BORING. I made the mistake of showing up to class for the first few weeks. If you're disciplined enough to do the workbook and read then you DO NOT NEED TO GO TO CLASS. All Shiers does is regurgitate the same information in the book. Almost all of the test questions are straight from the workbook. The material is somewhat boring, but it's good information. Shiers knows the material; he just doesn't have any passion whatsoever for teaching. I'm a little upset I got a B+ because he said he'd curve the class. I had an 89%. How does that not qualify for an A-!? Whatever!