Carney Curve

Boston College course evaluations · every published number, ranked class by class

Top of the board1.ECON 9902962.LAWS 8856973.PRTO 3300984.BSLW 2299975.PHIL 4932986.LAWS 8308987.SCWK 9960998.EESC 99011009.MUSP 16609610.UGMG 10109811.UNCP 55119712.SCWK 883197

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.

Instructor record · Earth and Environmental Sciences · Midterm Spring 2024 – Fall 2024

Alan Kafka

Earth and Environmental Sciences · 18 evaluation records across 6 classes

On each class's board
EESC 22015th of 5 instructorsEESC 1187only instructor on recordEESC 22073rd of 3 instructorsEESC 3398only instructor on recordEESC 5398only instructor on recordEESC 66914th of 4 instructors Provisional
What the overall is made of
61BC evaluations18 records · weight ×1.0 · Midterm Spring 2024 – Fall 2024
50RateMyProfessors14 ratings · weight ×2.0 · 46% would take again
—Student reviewsno reviews — does not contribute

Sources are averaged by how much we trust each one and by how many records sit behind it, so a handful of reviews nudges the number rather than replacing it.

What the challenge rank is made of
2ndMore challenging than 2% of BC instructorsranked against every one we hold
71BC — “Intellectually Challenging”18 records · raw score out of 100

Boston College's own “intellectually challenging” question — 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. RateMyProfessors separately rates this instructor 68 out of 100 for difficulty — that IS a difficulty measure, but it is about the person across everything they teach, not about any one class, so it is shown here rather than folded into the number above.

What the workload rank is made of
27thMore work than 27% of BC instructorsranked against every one we hold
42BC — “Workload”18 records · raw score out of 100

Boston College reports workload 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.

Ratings from outside BC

Not evaluation data

Collected from RateMyProfessors, not from Boston College: 14 ratings, 46% would take again, difficulty 68 out of 100. Difficulty is not a quality signal in either direction — a harder course is not a worse one.

Anyone can post there — no @bc.edu check and no enrolment check — so it is weighted alongside the evaluation data, never above it.

The line

All 13 items · means across 18 records
The Professor4 items
Clearly Explains MaterialThe instructor was effective at creating an understanding of difficult subject matter.
682nd pctl
Available Outside of ClassThe instructor was available for help outside of class.
818th pctl
Brings Out Your Best WorkThe instructor motivated me to do my best work.
692nd pctl
Sparked My InterestThe course stimulated my interest in the subject matter.
723rd pctl
The Course3 items
Well-Organized CourseThe course was well organized.
652nd pctl
Clear Learning GoalsThe learning objectives for the course were clear.
723rd pctl
Useful Beyond the CourseWhat I learned is applicable beyond this course.
722nd pctl
Assignments & Feedback3 items
Assignments Help You LearnAssignments and exams contributed to my learning.
671st pctl
Gives Feedback PromptlyI received feedback on my work in a timely manner.
705th pctl
Meaningful FeedbackThe feedback I received on my work was meaningful.
735th pctl
Workload, difficulty & attendanceNot ratings
WorkloadHow 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.
4227th pctl
Intellectually ChallengingThe course was intellectually challenging.
712nd pctl
Attendance MattersAttending class was necessary to do well in this course.
632nd pctl

Bar length is the rank against every comparable record we hold, not the raw score: BC's questions all have a median around 4.5, so a raw-scale bar would be nearly full on every row and would tell you nothing. 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.

Class by class

6 classes · 18 sections

How each position is worked outPositions 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.

EESC 2201 Environmental Systems: The Human FootprintOvr61Chal2ndWork25th
On this class's board5th of 5 instructors

5 sections on record · course itself rated 57 out of 100. See the full board for EESC 2201.

TermSecInstrCourseWork
Spring 202201574940
Spring 2022026264—
Spring 202203585140
2024FALL101656340
Midterm Spring 2024016559—
All 13 items for EESC 2201
The Professor4 items
Clearly Explains MaterialThe instructor was effective at creating an understanding of difficult subject matter.
721st pctl
Available Outside of ClassThe instructor was available for help outside of class.
837th pctl
Brings Out Your Best WorkThe instructor motivated me to do my best work.
752nd pctl
Sparked My InterestThe course stimulated my interest in the subject matter.
772nd pctl
The Course3 items
Well-Organized CourseThe course was well organized.
651st pctl
Clear Learning GoalsThe learning objectives for the course were clear.
691st pctl
Useful Beyond the CourseWhat I learned is applicable beyond this course.
838th pctl
Assignments & Feedback3 items
Assignments Help You LearnAssignments and exams contributed to my learning.
753rd pctl
Gives Feedback PromptlyI received feedback on my work in a timely manner.
652nd pctl
Meaningful FeedbackThe feedback I received on my work was meaningful.
712nd pctl
Workload, difficulty & attendanceNot ratings
WorkloadHow 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.
4025th pctl
Intellectually ChallengingThe course was intellectually challenging.
722nd pctl
Attendance MattersAttending class was necessary to do well in this course.
641st pctl

Bar length is the rank against every comparable record we hold, not the raw score: BC's questions all have a median around 4.5, so a raw-scale bar would be nearly full on every row and would tell you nothing. 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.

EESC 1187 Geoscience and Public PolicyOvr63Chal1stWork25th
On this class's boardonly instructor on record

3 sections on record · course itself rated 58 out of 100. See the full board for EESC 1187.

TermSecInstrCourseWork
Spring 202401666040
Spring 202301655940
Spring 202201595540
All 13 items for EESC 1187
The Professor4 items
Clearly Explains MaterialThe instructor was effective at creating an understanding of difficult subject matter.
731st pctl
Available Outside of ClassThe instructor was available for help outside of class.
762nd pctl
Brings Out Your Best WorkThe instructor motivated me to do my best work.
701st pctl
Sparked My InterestThe course stimulated my interest in the subject matter.
761st pctl
The Course3 items
Well-Organized CourseThe course was well organized.
682nd pctl
Clear Learning GoalsThe learning objectives for the course were clear.
764th pctl
Useful Beyond the CourseWhat I learned is applicable beyond this course.
690th pctl
Assignments & Feedback3 items
Assignments Help You LearnAssignments and exams contributed to my learning.
600th pctl
Gives Feedback PromptlyI received feedback on my work in a timely manner.
683rd pctl
Meaningful FeedbackThe feedback I received on my work was meaningful.
651st pctl
Workload, difficulty & attendanceNot ratings
WorkloadHow 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.
4025th pctl
Intellectually ChallengingThe course was intellectually challenging.
711st pctl
Attendance MattersAttending class was necessary to do well in this course.
580th pctl

Bar length is the rank against every comparable record we hold, not the raw score: BC's questions all have a median around 4.5, so a raw-scale bar would be nearly full on every row and would tell you nothing. 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.

EESC 2207 Environmental Systems: EarthquakesOvr47Chal3rdWork25th
On this class's board3rd of 3 instructors

3 sections on record · course itself rated 46 out of 100. See the full board for EESC 2207.

TermSecInstrCourseWork
Spring 202401464240
Spring 202402404640
Spring 202403575040
All 13 items for EESC 2207
The Professor4 items
Clearly Explains MaterialThe instructor was effective at creating an understanding of difficult subject matter.
600th pctl
Available Outside of ClassThe instructor was available for help outside of class.
680th pctl
Brings Out Your Best WorkThe instructor motivated me to do my best work.
640th pctl
Sparked My InterestThe course stimulated my interest in the subject matter.
700th pctl
The Course3 items
Well-Organized CourseThe course was well organized.
621st pctl
Clear Learning GoalsThe learning objectives for the course were clear.
681st pctl
Useful Beyond the CourseWhat I learned is applicable beyond this course.
590th pctl
Assignments & Feedback3 items
Assignments Help You LearnAssignments and exams contributed to my learning.
691st pctl
Gives Feedback PromptlyI received feedback on my work in a timely manner.
746th pctl
Meaningful FeedbackThe feedback I received on my work was meaningful.
722nd pctl
Workload, difficulty & attendanceNot ratings
WorkloadHow 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.
4025th pctl
Intellectually ChallengingThe course was intellectually challenging.
763rd pctl
Attendance MattersAttending class was necessary to do well in this course.
651st pctl

Bar length is the rank against every comparable record we hold, not the raw score: BC's questions all have a median around 4.5, so a raw-scale bar would be nearly full on every row and would tell you nothing. 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.

EESC 3398 Statistical Analysis of Scientific DataOvr76Chal37thWork25th
On this class's boardonly instructor on record

3 sections on record · course itself rated 73 out of 100. See the full board for EESC 3398.

TermSecInstrCourseWork
Fall 2024016060—
Fall 2023018080—
Fall 202201878040
All 13 items for EESC 3398
The Professor4 items
Clearly Explains MaterialThe instructor was effective at creating an understanding of difficult subject matter.
783rd pctl
Available Outside of ClassThe instructor was available for help outside of class.
9349th pctl
Brings Out Your Best WorkThe instructor motivated me to do my best work.
8310th pctl
Sparked My InterestThe course stimulated my interest in the subject matter.
8818th pctl
The Course3 items
Well-Organized CourseThe course was well organized.
755th pctl
Clear Learning GoalsThe learning objectives for the course were clear.
8314th pctl
Useful Beyond the CourseWhat I learned is applicable beyond this course.
839th pctl
Assignments & Feedback3 items
Assignments Help You LearnAssignments and exams contributed to my learning.
753rd pctl
Gives Feedback PromptlyI received feedback on my work in a timely manner.
8523rd pctl
Meaningful FeedbackThe feedback I received on my work was meaningful.
8833rd pctl
Workload, difficulty & attendanceNot ratings
WorkloadHow 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.
4025th pctl
Intellectually ChallengingThe course was intellectually challenging.
8837th pctl
Attendance MattersAttending class was necessary to do well in this course.
8833rd pctl

Bar length is the rank against every comparable record we hold, not the raw score: BC's questions all have a median around 4.5, so a raw-scale bar would be nearly full on every row and would tell you nothing. 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.

EESC 5398 Statistical Analysis of Scientific DataOvr63Chal0thWork39th
On this class's boardonly instructor on record

3 sections on record · course itself rated 60 out of 100. See the full board for EESC 5398.

TermSecInstrCourseWork
Fall 202401808040
Fall 2023019080—
Fall 202201202060
All 13 items for EESC 5398
The Professor4 items
Clearly Explains MaterialThe instructor was effective at creating an understanding of difficult subject matter.
600th pctl
Available Outside of ClassThe instructor was available for help outside of class.
9028th pctl
Brings Out Your Best WorkThe instructor motivated me to do my best work.
500th pctl
Sparked My InterestThe course stimulated my interest in the subject matter.
400th pctl
The Course3 items
Well-Organized CourseThe course was well organized.
601st pctl
Clear Learning GoalsThe learning objectives for the course were clear.
702nd pctl
Useful Beyond the CourseWhat I learned is applicable beyond this course.
600th pctl
Assignments & Feedback3 items
Assignments Help You LearnAssignments and exams contributed to my learning.
600th pctl
Gives Feedback PromptlyI received feedback on my work in a timely manner.
8013th pctl
Meaningful FeedbackThe feedback I received on my work was meaningful.
8010th pctl
Workload, difficulty & attendanceNot ratings
WorkloadHow 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.
5039th pctl
Intellectually ChallengingThe course was intellectually challenging.
500th pctl
Attendance MattersAttending class was necessary to do well in this course.
500th pctl

Bar length is the rank against every comparable record we hold, not the raw score: BC's questions all have a median around 4.5, so a raw-scale bar would be nearly full on every row and would tell you nothing. 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.

EESC 6691 Earth Systems SeminarOvr47Chal0thWork—
On this class's board4th of 4 instructors Provisional

1 section on record · course itself rated 43 out of 100. See the full board for EESC 6691.

TermSecInstrCourseWork
Fall 2021014743—
All 13 items for EESC 6691
The Professor4 items
Clearly Explains MaterialThe instructor was effective at creating an understanding of difficult subject matter.
500th pctl
Available Outside of ClassThe instructor was available for help outside of class.
8714th pctl
Brings Out Your Best WorkThe instructor motivated me to do my best work.
630th pctl
Sparked My InterestThe course stimulated my interest in the subject matter.
630th pctl
The Course3 items
Well-Organized CourseThe course was well organized.
560th pctl
Clear Learning GoalsThe learning objectives for the course were clear.
774th pctl
Useful Beyond the CourseWhat I learned is applicable beyond this course.
731st pctl
Assignments & Feedback3 items
Assignments Help You LearnAssignments and exams contributed to my learning.
430th pctl
Gives Feedback PromptlyI received feedback on my work in a timely manner.
400th pctl
Meaningful FeedbackThe feedback I received on my work was meaningful.
702nd pctl
Workload, difficulty & attendanceNot ratings
Intellectually ChallengingThe course was intellectually challenging.
630th pctl
Attendance MattersAttending class was necessary to do well in this course.
470th pctl

Bar length is the rank against every comparable record we hold, not the raw score: BC's questions all have a median around 4.5, so a raw-scale bar would be nearly full on every row and would tell you nothing. 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. 1 of 13 questions were not reported and are left out rather than shown as zero.

How to read this pageScores are out of 100 — Boston College's 1–5 agreement scale, ×20, the way these numbers were printed for years. Almost every class scores high on that scale (the median is about 90), so challenge and workload are shown as a rank against every instructor we hold rather than as a score; the raw figure is in the breakdown above. Neither describes quality, and neither is ever marked better or worse anywhere on this site. A dash means the question was not reported, and is never a zero. The position printed against each class is this instructor's place on that class's own board, computed from the same records the board itself is built from.