Carney Curve

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

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 · History · Fall 2021 – Spring 2026

Dana Sajdi

Associate Professor, Director of Graduate Studies · History · 9 evaluation records across 6 classes

On each class's board
HIST 1806only instructor on recordHIST 80003rd of 3 instructors ProvisionalHIST 3120only instructor on record ProvisionalHIST 41221st of 2 instructors ProvisionalHIST 5009only instructor on record ProvisionalICSP 7101unrated · 5 instructors on record Provisional
What the overall is made of
93BC evaluations9 records · weight ×1.0 · Fall 2021 – Spring 2026
Student reviewsno reviews — does not contribute
RateMyProfessorsno ratings — 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
79thMore challenging than 79% of BC instructorsranked against every one we hold
92BC — “Intellectually Challenging”9 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.

What the workload rank is made of
85thMore work than 85% of BC instructorsranked against every one we hold
65BC — “Workload”9 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.

The line

All 13 items · means across 9 records
The Professor4 items
Clearly Explains MaterialThe instructor was effective at creating an understanding of difficult subject matter.
9574th pctl
Available Outside of ClassThe instructor was available for help outside of class.
9358th pctl
Brings Out Your Best WorkThe instructor motivated me to do my best work.
9682nd pctl
Sparked My InterestThe course stimulated my interest in the subject matter.
9786th pctl
The Course3 items
Well-Organized CourseThe course was well organized.
9051st pctl
Clear Learning GoalsThe learning objectives for the course were clear.
9047th pctl
Useful Beyond the CourseWhat I learned is applicable beyond this course.
9474th pctl
Assignments & Feedback3 items
Assignments Help You LearnAssignments and exams contributed to my learning.
9377th pctl
Gives Feedback PromptlyI received feedback on my work in a timely manner.
9370th pctl
Meaningful FeedbackThe feedback I received on my work was meaningful.
9475th 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.
6585th pctl
Intellectually ChallengingThe course was intellectually challenging.
9279th pctl
Attendance MattersAttending class was necessary to do well in this course.
9588th 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 · 9 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.

HIST 1806 Podcasting the OttomansOvr87Chal24thWork43rd
On this class's boardonly instructor on record

3 sections on record · course itself rated 82 out of 100. See the full board for HIST 1806.

TermSecInstrCourseWork
Spring 202601878340
Spring 202401868460
Spring 202201897960
All 13 items for HIST 1806
The Professor4 items
Clearly Explains MaterialThe instructor was effective at creating an understanding of difficult subject matter.
9026th 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.
9240th pctl
Sparked My InterestThe course stimulated my interest in the subject matter.
9449th pctl
The Course3 items
Well-Organized CourseThe course was well organized.
8012th pctl
Clear Learning GoalsThe learning objectives for the course were clear.
8211th pctl
Useful Beyond the CourseWhat I learned is applicable beyond this course.
8820th pctl
Assignments & Feedback3 items
Assignments Help You LearnAssignments and exams contributed to my learning.
8620th pctl
Gives Feedback PromptlyI received feedback on my work in a timely manner.
9040th pctl
Meaningful FeedbackThe feedback I received on my work was meaningful.
9039th 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.
5343rd pctl
Intellectually ChallengingThe course was intellectually challenging.
8624th pctl
Attendance MattersAttending class was necessary to do well in this course.
9249th 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.

HIST 8000 Colloquium: Introduction to Doctoral StudiesOvr96Chal72ndWork
On this class's board3rd of 3 instructors Provisional

2 sections on record · course itself rated 89 out of 100. See the full board for HIST 8000.

TermSecInstrCourseWork
Fall 2023019284
Fall 20210110093
All 13 items for HIST 8000
The Professor4 items
Clearly Explains MaterialThe instructor was effective at creating an understanding of difficult subject matter.
9669th pctl
Available Outside of ClassThe instructor was available for help outside of class.
9670th pctl
Brings Out Your Best WorkThe instructor motivated me to do my best work.
9670th pctl
Sparked My InterestThe course stimulated my interest in the subject matter.
9663rd pctl
The Course3 items
Well-Organized CourseThe course was well organized.
9044th pctl
Clear Learning GoalsThe learning objectives for the course were clear.
9043rd pctl
Useful Beyond the CourseWhat I learned is applicable beyond this course.
9460th pctl
Assignments & Feedback3 items
Assignments Help You LearnAssignments and exams contributed to my learning.
9260th pctl
Gives Feedback PromptlyI received feedback on my work in a timely manner.
9887th pctl
Meaningful FeedbackThe feedback I received on my work was meaningful.
9887th pctl
Workload, difficulty & attendanceNot ratings
Intellectually ChallengingThe course was intellectually challenging.
9472nd pctl
Attendance MattersAttending class was necessary to do well in this course.
9467th 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.

HIST 3120 Study and Writing: The Arabian Nights from Baghdad to HollywoodOvr100Chal100thWork
On this class's boardonly instructor on record Provisional

1 section on record · course itself rated 90 out of 100. See the full board for HIST 3120.

TermSecInstrCourseWork
Spring 20220110090
All 13 items for HIST 3120
The Professor4 items
Clearly Explains MaterialThe instructor was effective at creating an understanding of difficult subject matter.
100100th pctl
Available Outside of ClassThe instructor was available for help outside of class.
100100th pctl
Brings Out Your Best WorkThe instructor motivated me to do my best work.
100100th pctl
Sparked My InterestThe course stimulated my interest in the subject matter.
100100th pctl
The Course3 items
Well-Organized CourseThe course was well organized.
100100th pctl
Clear Learning GoalsThe learning objectives for the course were clear.
100100th pctl
Useful Beyond the CourseWhat I learned is applicable beyond this course.
100100th pctl
Assignments & Feedback3 items
Assignments Help You LearnAssignments and exams contributed to my learning.
100100th pctl
Gives Feedback PromptlyI received feedback on my work in a timely manner.
9044th pctl
Meaningful FeedbackThe feedback I received on my work was meaningful.
100100th pctl
Workload, difficulty & attendanceNot ratings
Intellectually ChallengingThe course was intellectually challenging.
100100th pctl
Attendance MattersAttending class was necessary to do well in this course.
100100th 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.

HIST 4122 Odysseys in the Western and Islamic TraditionsOvr100Chal79thWork
On this class's board1st of 2 instructors Provisional

1 section on record · course itself rated 100 out of 100. See the full board for HIST 4122.

TermSecInstrCourseWork
Spring 202401100100
All 13 items for HIST 4122
The Professor4 items
Clearly Explains MaterialThe instructor was effective at creating an understanding of difficult subject matter.
100100th pctl
Available Outside of ClassThe instructor was available for help outside of class.
100100th pctl
Brings Out Your Best WorkThe instructor motivated me to do my best work.
100100th pctl
Sparked My InterestThe course stimulated my interest in the subject matter.
100100th pctl
The Course3 items
Well-Organized CourseThe course was well organized.
100100th pctl
Clear Learning GoalsThe learning objectives for the course were clear.
9574th pctl
Useful Beyond the CourseWhat I learned is applicable beyond this course.
100100th pctl
Assignments & Feedback3 items
Assignments Help You LearnAssignments and exams contributed to my learning.
100100th pctl
Gives Feedback PromptlyI received feedback on my work in a timely manner.
100100th pctl
Meaningful FeedbackThe feedback I received on my work was meaningful.
9571st pctl
Workload, difficulty & attendanceNot ratings
Intellectually ChallengingThe course was intellectually challenging.
9579th pctl
Attendance MattersAttending class was necessary to do well in this course.
100100th 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.

HIST 5009 Senior Colloquium: The Question of PalestineOvr94Chal100thWork100th
On this class's boardonly instructor on record Provisional

1 section on record · course itself rated 97 out of 100. See the full board for HIST 5009.

TermSecInstrCourseWork
Fall 2024019497100
All 13 items for HIST 5009
The Professor4 items
Clearly Explains MaterialThe instructor was effective at creating an understanding of difficult subject matter.
100100th pctl
Available Outside of ClassThe instructor was available for help outside of class.
9455th pctl
Brings Out Your Best WorkThe instructor motivated me to do my best work.
100100th pctl
Sparked My InterestThe course stimulated my interest in the subject matter.
100100th pctl
The Course3 items
Well-Organized CourseThe course was well organized.
100100th pctl
Clear Learning GoalsThe learning objectives for the course were clear.
9786th pctl
Useful Beyond the CourseWhat I learned is applicable beyond this course.
100100th pctl
Assignments & Feedback3 items
Assignments Help You LearnAssignments and exams contributed to my learning.
100100th pctl
Gives Feedback PromptlyI received feedback on my work in a timely manner.
9151st pctl
Meaningful FeedbackThe feedback I received on my work was meaningful.
9149th 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.
100100th pctl
Intellectually ChallengingThe course was intellectually challenging.
100100th pctl
Attendance MattersAttending class was necessary to do well in this course.
100100th 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.

ICSP 7101 Readings and Research--GradOvrChalWork
On this class's boardunrated · 5 instructors on record Provisional

1 section on record · course itself rated — out of 100. See the full board for ICSP 7101.

TermSecInstrCourseWork
Spring 202604
All 13 items for ICSP 7101

Nothing reported

None of the evaluation questions were reported for these records.

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.