Carney Curve

Boston College course evaluations · Fall 2021 through Spring 2026, ranked class by class

Top of the board1.PRTO 3300982.UNAS 3348903.MUSP 1670944.COMM 1060925.MUSP 1660926.ECON 9902887.BSLW 2299918.PHIL 4932939.COMM 19029010.UGMG 10109311.MUSP 26009912.TMPS 803495
How this list is ordered

Positions account for how many records stand behind each number, so one perfect review does not outrank a semester of them. Every score shown is the real average — only the ordering is adjusted.

Class record · ENGL · MCAS

ENGL 1080

Literature Core · 90 instructors on record · 257 sections

How the curve score is built
70Teaching80 raw · 26th percentile of BC classes
+1Easiness adjustmenteasiness 80 · 50 raw workload · lighter than 61% of BC classes
71Curve scorethe teaching curve +1 for the workload · at most ±6 either way

Boston College's ratings are bunched at the top — the median instructor averages about 88 out of 100 on the raw scale, and 44% of them clear 90 — so a raw score cannot separate anybody. Every figure here is ranked against BC classes and that rank is re-expressed out of 100, which is what turns a raw 88 — the middle of the university — into a figure that says where somebody actually stands. On this scale 77 is the median, 84 the top quarter and 91 the top tenth. Workload is then an adjustment on top of that, worth nothing at all for an ordinary one. Lighter work than 61% of BC classes.

What the course score is made of
80BC evaluations257 records · weight ×1.0 · Fall 2021 – Spring 2026
—Student reviewsno reviews — does not contribute
—RateMyProfessorsno ratings — does not contribute

The class itself, averaged across everyone who taught it — who taught it is the board below.

How is this worked out?

That is what a student picking a section is actually choosing between: the board carries each instructor's own score for this class, and the score above is the class averaged across all of them.

What the challenge rank is made of
18thMore challenging than 18% of BC classesranked against every one we hold
84BC — “Intellectually Challenging”257 records · raw score out of 100

Boston College's own “intellectually challenging” question. It is not a measure of difficulty, grading or workload.

How is this worked out?

Boston College's own “intellectually challenging” question for this class only — students answer it positively about courses that stretched them, so it measures intellectual challenge and NOT grading, workload or quality. Almost every BC class scores high on it, which is why it is shown as a rank rather than a score.

What the workload rank is made of
39thMore work than 39% of BC classesranked against every one we hold
50BC — “Workload”257 records · raw score out of 100

One of Boston College's five workload bands, not a number of hours. Higher means more work, not worse.

How is this worked out?

Boston College reports workload for this class only as one of five bands, not as a number of hours, and it does not publish what the bands mean — so this site will not translate it into hours. Higher means more work, which is not the same as worse.

In Literature Core, students explore the principal motives which prompt people to read literature: to assemble and assess the shape and values of one's own culture, to discover alternative ways of looking at the world, to gain insight into issues of permanent human importance as well as issues of contemporary urgency, and to enjoy the linguistic and formal satisfactions of literary art. Literature Core will strive to develop the student's capacity to read and write with clarity and engagement, to allow for that dialogue between the past and present we call history, and to provide an introduction to literary genres. For course descriptions of the individual sections please see:www.bc.edu/literaturecore

The board

90 instructors · ranked on this class onlyCompare the top 3
Filters the rows below. Positions are always against the whole class, so a rank does not change when the list is narrowed.

Scores are real averages. The order also accounts for how many records back each one — the count is under every score — so one perfect review does not outrank a semester of them. 22 of the 90 rows carry a mark saying so.

RankInstructorCurveEasinessChallengeRMP overall
1Lorenzo PuenteEnglish9197 raw · 6 records68−2 to the score43rd9817 ratings · all classes
2Luke BrownEnglish fewer records9698 raw · 4 records81+1 to the score69th1003 ratings · all classes
3Christy PottroffAssistant Professor · English9196 raw · 3 records81+1 to the score13th—no page
4Maia McAleaveyAssociate Professor; Director of English Literature Core · English Provisional fewer records9899 raw · 2 records84+2 to the score44th966 ratings · all classes
5Kelly GrayEnglish8593 raw · 5 records82+1 to the score17th—no page
6Andrew PetraccaEnglish Provisional fewer records9798 raw · 2 records84+2 to the score21st—no page
7Kelley GlasgowEnglish Provisional9798 raw · 2 records84+2 to the score41st1004 ratings · all classes
8Megan Bowman ArndtEnglish Provisional9798 raw · 2 records84+2 to the score17th—no page
9Nicholas AdlerEnglish Provisional9698 raw · 2 records78±0 to the score29th—no page
10John AldenEnglish Provisional9297 raw · 2 records78±0 to the score21st—no page
11Julia WoodwardEnglish8592 raw · 3 records84+2 to the score5th1001 rating · all classes
12Lauren Crockett-GirardEnglish Provisional fewer records8794 raw · 2 records84+2 to the score13th—no page
13Noel IngramEnglish Provisional fewer records9798 raw · 1 record84+2 to the score12th801 rating · all classes
14Daniel DoughertyEnglish Provisional9599 raw · 1 record68−2 to the score6th—no page
15Rebekah WaalkesEnglish Provisional9599 raw · 1 record68−2 to the score65th—no page
16Robert BaskinEnglish Provisional9599 raw · 1 record68−2 to the score17th—no page
17Heather BrennanEnglish Provisional94100 raw · 1 record58−5 to the score9th—no page
18Robert StantonAssociate Professor; Director, M.A. Program · English Provisional9296 raw · 1 record84+2 to the score10th1004 ratings · all classes
19Amy BoeskyProfessor · English Provisional8894 raw · 1 record84+2 to the score50th889 ratings · all classes
20Alan RichardsonProfessor Emeritus · English Provisional8291 raw · 2 records84+2 to the score27th729 ratings · all classes
21Joanne MikulaEnglish Provisional8290 raw · 2 records84+2 to the score9th—no page
22Laura TannerProfessor · English Provisional8293 raw · 2 records68−2 to the score27th9412 ratings · all classes
23Justin Brown-RamseyEnglish Provisional fewer records8695 raw · 1 record68−2 to the score27th—no page
24Kristen CaseEnglish Provisional8694 raw · 1 record—13th—no page
25Aeron HuntAssociate Professor · English Provisional8593 raw · 1 record84+2 to the score36th867 ratings · all classes
26Benjamin PaulEnglish Provisional8190 raw · 2 records84+2 to the score36th—no page
27Thomas DichterEnglish Provisional8190 raw · 2 records84+2 to the score29th864 ratings · all classes
28Catherine EnwrightEnglish8090 raw · 3 records81+1 to the score23rd—no page
29Emma HammackEnglish8091 raw · 3 records78±0 to the score19th—no page
30Cassidy AllenEnglish Provisional fewer records8492 raw · 1 record84+2 to the score3rd—no page
31Jocelyn RiceUndergrad Management Honors/Ethics Provisional8494 raw · 1 record68−2 to the score14th—no page
32Jessica PauszekAssistant Professor; Director, First-Year Writing Seminar · English Provisional8391 raw · 1 record84+2 to the score16th1006 ratings · all classes
33Malamatenia WilsonEnglish Provisional8393 raw · 1 record—26th—no page
34Holly WiegandEnglish Provisional8092 raw · 1 record68−2 to the score36th—no page
35Nell WasserstromEnglish Provisional8089 raw · 1 record84+2 to the score27th807 ratings · all classes
36Margaret SummerfieldEnglish7887 raw · 4 records84+2 to the score6th—no page
37Paula MathieuAssociate Professor · English Provisional7888 raw · 2 records84+2 to the score15th787 ratings · all classes
38Isabel LaneEnglish Provisional7888 raw · 1 record84+2 to the score1st1003 ratings · all classes
39Theodore LehreEnglish Provisional7887 raw · 1 record84+2 to the score25th—no page
40Chandler ShawEnglish Provisional7787 raw · 1 record84+2 to the score2nd—no page
41Abigail TetzlaffEnglish Provisional7689 raw · 1 record68−2 to the score15th—no page
42Colleen TaylorAssistant Professor, English & Irish Studies · English Provisional7689 raw · 1 record68−2 to the score56th—no page
43Jovonna JonesAssistant Professor, English and African & African Diaspora Studies · English Provisional7688 raw · 1 record———no page
44Kara McCabeEnglish Provisional7686 raw · 2 records84+2 to the score29th1001 rating · all classes
45Marla DerosaProfessor of the Practice; Director of Undergraduate Studies · English Provisional7693 raw · 2 records49−7 to the score48th949 ratings · all classes
46Andrew SoferProfessor · English7687 raw · 4 records75±0 to the score22nd8211 ratings · all classes
47Brian ZimmermanEnglish Provisional fewer records7487 raw · 1 record68−2 to the score42nd7214 ratings · all classes
48Marjorie HowesProfessor, English and Irish Studies · English7687 raw · 5 records82+1 to the score19th787 ratings · all classes
49Bonnie RudnerAssociate Professor of the Practice · English7686 raw · 7 records81+1 to the score11th8613 ratings · all classes
50Susan RobertsAssociate Professor of the Practice · English7686 raw · 8 records81+1 to the score25th9015 ratings · all classes
51Thomas Kaplan-MaxfieldAssociate Professor of the Practice · English7687 raw · 18 records81+1 to the score32nd—no page
52Rebekah MitseinAssociate Professor; Assistant Chair · English Provisional fewer records7180 raw · 1 record84+2 to the score27th964 ratings · all classes
53Daniel LeonardEnglish7484 raw · 3 records81+1 to the score3rd—no page
54Grace GerrishEnglish Provisional7387 raw · 2 records68−2 to the score25th—no page
55Matthew MesserEnglish Provisional7383 raw · 2 records84+2 to the score34th1002 ratings · all classes
56Vincent PortilloAssistant Professor of the Practice · English Provisional6980 raw · 1 record—29th965 ratings · all classes
57Gayathri GoelEnglish Provisional fewer records6876 raw · 1 record84+2 to the score6th663 ratings · all classes
58Troy WoolseyEnglish Provisional7286 raw · 2 records68−2 to the score40th—no page
59Pyunghwa LeeEnglish Provisional6776 raw · 1 record84+2 to the score1st—no page
60George O'HarEnglish Provisional6677 raw · 1 record———no page
61Sylvester KahyanaEnglish Provisional fewer records6674 raw · 1 record84+2 to the score5th—no page
62James SmithProfessor of English & Irish Studies · English Provisional7184 raw · 2 records68−2 to the score53rd—no page
63Elizabeth KirschnerEnglish Provisional6471 raw · 1 record84+2 to the score0th201 rating · all classes
64Susan MichalczykFilm Studies Provisional fewer records6373 raw · 1 record—13th6618 ratings · all classes
65Joseph NugentProfessor of the Practice · English7487 raw · 10 records68−2 to the score39th864 ratings · all classes
66Allison CurseenCooney Family Assistant Professor · English Provisional6071 raw · 1 record68−2 to the score9th—no page
67Clare DunsfordEnglish Provisional fewer records5969 raw · 1 record68−2 to the score5th604 ratings · all classes
68James NajarianAssociate Professor · English Provisional6981 raw · 2 records78±0 to the score13th863 ratings · all classes
69John YargoAssistant Professor · English Provisional6978 raw · 2 records84+2 to the score6th—no page
70Kevin OhiProfessor · English Provisional6978 raw · 2 records84+2 to the score12th685 ratings · all classes
71Fangfei WangEnglish Provisional fewer records6880 raw · 2 records78±0 to the score12th—no page
72Kenneth HaleyEnglish7079 raw · 3 records84+2 to the score5th—no page
73Emily PalermoEnglish Provisional fewer records6780 raw · 2 records68−2 to the score14th—no page
74Christopher BoucherProfessor of the Practice · English7284 raw · 6 records74−1 to the score14th9411 ratings · all classes
75Treseanne AinsworthEnglish fewer records7084 raw · 4 records68−2 to the score56th6612 ratings · all classes
76Krithika VachaliAssistant Professor of the Practice · English7181 raw · 6 records80+1 to the score9th702 ratings · all classes
77Sharon WoffordEnglish Provisional6376 raw · 2 records68−2 to the score9th—no page
78Rhonda FrederickProfessor, English and African & African Diaspora Studies · English Provisional6067 raw · 2 records78±0 to the score5th428 ratings · all classes
79Aaron DellEnglish Provisional fewer records5865 raw · 2 records78±0 to the score4th601 rating · all classes
80Sabina SullivanEnglish fewer records6571 raw · 3 records84+2 to the score2nd—no page
81Lauren WilwerdingAssistant Professor of the Practice · English6983 raw · 6 records68−2 to the score27th863 ratings · all classes
82Allison AdairProfessor of the Practice · English6779 raw · 5 records74−1 to the score33rd805 ratings · all classes
83Robert LehmanAssociate Professor · English fewer records6476 raw · 4 records68−2 to the score39th965 ratings · all classes
84Matthew GannonEnglish fewer records6677 raw · 5 records76±0 to the score6th466 ratings · all classes
85Matthew MerskyEnglish6876 raw · 7 records83+2 to the score14th388 ratings · all classes
86Kalpana SeshadriProfessor · English fewer records6373 raw · 4 records78±0 to the score11th5210 ratings · all classes
87Jean FranzinoAssistant Professor of the Practice · English6880 raw · 8 records76±0 to the score12th803 ratings · all classes
88Thomas EpsteinProfessor of the Practice · Classical Studies fewer records6376 raw · 5 records68−2 to the score29th6813 ratings · all classes
89Megan CrottyEnglish6778 raw · 9 records76±0 to the score9th628 ratings · all classes
90Frances RestucciaProfessor · English6475 raw · 9 records75±0 to the score29th6213 ratings · all classes

All 90 instructors listed.

60 of 90 rows are marked provisional: fewer than 3 records stand behind the number. That is thin evidence, not a bad instructor — the record count is in every row. The RateMyProfessors column is an instructor's overall figure across everything they teach, not a figure about this class.

How this board is built and ordered

Positions account for how many records stand behind each number, so one perfect review does not outrank a semester of them. Every score shown is the real average — only the ordering is adjusted. The comparison here is the class itself: a thin record is read against how this class was rated overall, not against the university.

Every instructor with an evaluation record for this class is on this board — it is not a top ten, and nothing is hidden behind a “show more”. Curve is the instructor's score for THIS class only, ranked against every instructor we hold and printed back out of 100, with the raw BC average underneath it; nothing on this board is an average across the other things they teach. Easiness is an adjustment on top of it, worth up to about ±6 — BC's workload item, ranked and turned over, so a lighter section gains and a heavier one loses, while an ordinary one changes nothing — and each row prints the adjustment, signed. The board is ordered on the same figure it prints, adjusted for how many records back it. Challenge is BC's “intellectually challenging” item shown as a rank against every class we hold; students answer it positively about courses that stretched them, so it is not a measure of difficulty or grading, and it is never marked better or worse.

That site has no course dimension, so its figure is shown for information and kept out of the ranking.

The line

All 13 items · means across 257 records
Instructor4
Course3
Feedback3
Workload & Challengenot ratings

Bars are ranks, not raw scores. Nothing here is graded good or bad.

What each item asks
Explains Clearly
The instructor was effective at creating an understanding of difficult subject matter.
Available
The instructor was available for help outside of class.
Motivating
The instructor motivated me to do my best work.
Sparks Interest
The course stimulated my interest in the subject matter.
Organized
The course was well organized.
Clear Goals
The learning objectives for the course were clear.
Useful Later
What I learned is applicable beyond this course.
Assignments
Assignments and exams contributed to my learning.
Fast Feedback
I received feedback on my work in a timely manner.
Useful Feedback
The feedback I received on my work was meaningful.
Workload
How much work the course took outside class, on Boston College's five-band scale — the band boundaries are not published, so this is not a number of hours.
Challenge
The course was intellectually challenging.
Attendance
Attending class was necessary to do well in this course.
Why these numbers are curved

Both the number and the bar are the rank against every comparable record we hold, printed back out of 100. BC's questions all have a median around 4.5, so on the raw scale every cell here would read in the high eighties and every bar would be nearly full — thirteen numbers that tell you nothing. Each cell prints its raw BC figure and its percentile underneath, so nothing is hidden by the transform. Every bar is one ink colour — nothing here is graded green or red. The hatched bars are not ratings at all: a higher number on either describes a different course, not a better one.

Game log

257 sections · newest first
InstructorTermSecInstrCourseWork
Luke BrownSpring 202602999540
John AldenSpring 202603989760
Brian ZimmermanSpring 202604878260
Lauren WilwerdingSpring 202605787460
Krithika VachaliSpring 2026068973—
Lauren WilwerdingSpring 202607807160
Thomas EpsteinSpring 202608797360
Kelly GraySpring 202609999640
Kristen CaseSpring 2026109492—
Maia McAleaveySpring 202611999340
Frances RestucciaSpring 202612757560
Robert BaskinSpring 202613999560
Thomas Kaplan-MaxfieldSpring 202614928140
Allison AdairSpring 202615767340
Lorenzo PuenteSpring 2026161009560
Matthew MerskySpring 202617756840
Joseph NugentSpring 202618888460
Daniel LeonardSpring 202619858040
Julia WoodwardSpring 202620969240
Joanne MikulaSpring 202621928140
Daniel LeonardSpring 202622898460
Krithika VachaliSpring 202623786860
Catherine EnwrightSpring 202624908540
Marjorie HowesSpring 202625888240
Rebekah WaalkesSpring 202626999960

Showing the first 25.

How to read this board

Instructors are ranked on their record in this class only, never on their average across everything they teach. Scores are out of 100 — Boston College's 1–5 agreement scale, ×20, the way these numbers were printed for years. Workload is BC's own five-band figure, not a number of hours, and is shown as a rank. A dash means the question was not reported, and is never a zero.