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 · Philosophy · Fall 2022 – Spring 2026

Daniel Mckaughan

Associate Professor; Convener of the M.A. program · Philosophy · 23 evaluation records across 6 classes

On each class's board
PHIL 11192nd of 2 instructorsPHIL 11212nd of 2 instructorsPHIL 99901st of 2 instructorsUNAS 11222nd of 2 instructorsPHIL 6615only instructor on record ProvisionalUNAS 11201st of 2 instructors Provisional
What the overall is made of
95BC evaluations23 records · weight ×1.0 · Fall 2022 – Spring 2026
80RateMyProfessors1 rating · weight ×2.0 · 100% 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
75thMore challenging than 75% of BC instructorsranked against every one we hold
92BC — “Intellectually Challenging”23 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 80 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
56thMore work than 56% of BC instructorsranked against every one we hold
54BC — “Workload”23 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: 1 rating, 100% would take again, difficulty 80 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 23 records
The Professor4 items
Clearly Explains MaterialThe instructor was effective at creating an understanding of difficult subject matter.
9787th pctl
Available Outside of ClassThe instructor was available for help outside of class.
9789th pctl
Brings Out Your Best WorkThe instructor motivated me to do my best work.
9685th pctl
Sparked My InterestThe course stimulated my interest in the subject matter.
9782nd pctl
The Course3 items
Well-Organized CourseThe course was well organized.
9794th pctl
Clear Learning GoalsThe learning objectives for the course were clear.
9795th 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.
9589th pctl
Gives Feedback PromptlyI received feedback on my work in a timely manner.
9792nd pctl
Meaningful FeedbackThe feedback I received on my work was meaningful.
9792nd 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.
5456th pctl
Intellectually ChallengingThe course was intellectually challenging.
9275th pctl
Attendance MattersAttending class was necessary to do well in this course.
9483rd 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 · 23 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.

PHIL 1119 New Scientific Visions I/Perspectives IVOvr93Chal84thWork81st
On this class's board2nd of 2 instructors

6 sections on record · course itself rated 90 out of 100. See the full board for PHIL 1119.

TermSecInstrCourseWork
Fall 202502979180
Fall 202504979260
Fall 2023019391—
Fall 2023029691—
Fall 202203888960
Fall 202204888860
All 13 items for PHIL 1119
The Professor4 items
Clearly Explains MaterialThe instructor was effective at creating an understanding of difficult subject matter.
9775th pctl
Available Outside of ClassThe instructor was available for help outside of class.
9564th pctl
Brings Out Your Best WorkThe instructor motivated me to do my best work.
9777th pctl
Sparked My InterestThe course stimulated my interest in the subject matter.
9773rd pctl
The Course3 items
Well-Organized CourseThe course was well organized.
9890th pctl
Clear Learning GoalsThe learning objectives for the course were clear.
9891st pctl
Useful Beyond the CourseWhat I learned is applicable beyond this course.
9248th pctl
Assignments & Feedback3 items
Assignments Help You LearnAssignments and exams contributed to my learning.
9576th pctl
Gives Feedback PromptlyI received feedback on my work in a timely manner.
9990th pctl
Meaningful FeedbackThe feedback I received on my work was meaningful.
9989th 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.
6581st pctl
Intellectually ChallengingThe course was intellectually challenging.
9684th pctl
Attendance MattersAttending class was necessary to do well in this course.
9783rd 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.

PHIL 1121 New Scientific Visions II/Perspectives IVOvr96Chal79thWork46th
On this class's board2nd of 2 instructors

6 sections on record · course itself rated 93 out of 100. See the full board for PHIL 1121.

TermSecInstrCourseWork
Spring 202602979560
Spring 2026041009560
Spring 202401939160
Spring 202402938960
Spring 2023039793—
Spring 202304989640
All 13 items for PHIL 1121
The Professor4 items
Clearly Explains MaterialThe instructor was effective at creating an understanding of difficult subject matter.
9778th pctl
Available Outside of ClassThe instructor was available for help outside of class.
9881st pctl
Brings Out Your Best WorkThe instructor motivated me to do my best work.
9774th pctl
Sparked My InterestThe course stimulated my interest in the subject matter.
9773rd pctl
The Course3 items
Well-Organized CourseThe course was well organized.
9889th pctl
Clear Learning GoalsThe learning objectives for the course were clear.
9890th pctl
Useful Beyond the CourseWhat I learned is applicable beyond this course.
9673rd pctl
Assignments & Feedback3 items
Assignments Help You LearnAssignments and exams contributed to my learning.
9579th pctl
Gives Feedback PromptlyI received feedback on my work in a timely manner.
9678th pctl
Meaningful FeedbackThe feedback I received on my work was meaningful.
9679th 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.
5646th pctl
Intellectually ChallengingThe course was intellectually challenging.
9579th pctl
Attendance MattersAttending class was necessary to do well in this course.
9674th 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.

PHIL 9990 Teaching SeminarOvr98Chal2ndWork2nd
On this class's board1st of 2 instructors

4 sections on record · course itself rated 86 out of 100. See the full board for PHIL 9990.

TermSecInstrCourseWork
Spring 202401958540
Fall 2023019790—
Spring 2023011008020
Fall 20220110088—
All 13 items for PHIL 9990
The Professor4 items
Clearly Explains MaterialThe instructor was effective at creating an understanding of difficult subject matter.
9882nd 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.
9671st pctl
Sparked My InterestThe course stimulated my interest in the subject matter.
9661st pctl
The Course3 items
Well-Organized CourseThe course was well organized.
9676th pctl
Clear Learning GoalsThe learning objectives for the course were clear.
9681st pctl
Useful Beyond the CourseWhat I learned is applicable beyond this course.
8927th pctl
Assignments & Feedback3 items
Assignments Help You LearnAssignments and exams contributed to my learning.
9362nd 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.
9784th 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.
302nd pctl
Intellectually ChallengingThe course was intellectually challenging.
732nd 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.

UNAS 1122 New Scientific Visions II/Perspectives IVOvr95Chal84thWork30th
On this class's board2nd of 2 instructors

3 sections on record · course itself rated 94 out of 100. See the full board for UNAS 1122.

TermSecInstrCourseWork
Spring 202602969640
Spring 202402908960
Spring 202303989640
All 13 items for UNAS 1122
The Professor4 items
Clearly Explains MaterialThe instructor was effective at creating an understanding of difficult subject matter.
9778th pctl
Available Outside of ClassThe instructor was available for help outside of class.
9774th pctl
Brings Out Your Best WorkThe instructor motivated me to do my best work.
9667th pctl
Sparked My InterestThe course stimulated my interest in the subject matter.
9768th pctl
The Course3 items
Well-Organized CourseThe course was well organized.
9782nd pctl
Clear Learning GoalsThe learning objectives for the course were clear.
9783rd pctl
Useful Beyond the CourseWhat I learned is applicable beyond this course.
9672nd pctl
Assignments & Feedback3 items
Assignments Help You LearnAssignments and exams contributed to my learning.
9578th pctl
Gives Feedback PromptlyI received feedback on my work in a timely manner.
9676th pctl
Meaningful FeedbackThe feedback I received on my work was meaningful.
9780th 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.
4730th pctl
Intellectually ChallengingThe course was intellectually challenging.
9684th pctl
Attendance MattersAttending class was necessary to do well in this course.
9568th 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.

PHIL 6615 Rationality and Religious CommitmentOvr94Chal70thWork78th
On this class's boardonly instructor on record Provisional

2 sections on record · course itself rated 90 out of 100. See the full board for PHIL 6615.

TermSecInstrCourseWork
Spring 202601918060
Spring 2023019710060
All 13 items for PHIL 6615
The Professor4 items
Clearly Explains MaterialThe instructor was effective at creating an understanding of difficult subject matter.
9666th pctl
Available Outside of ClassThe instructor was available for help outside of class.
9779th pctl
Brings Out Your Best WorkThe instructor motivated me to do my best work.
9668th pctl
Sparked My InterestThe course stimulated my interest in the subject matter.
9445th pctl
The Course3 items
Well-Organized CourseThe course was well organized.
9679th pctl
Clear Learning GoalsThe learning objectives for the course were clear.
9464th pctl
Useful Beyond the CourseWhat I learned is applicable beyond this course.
9457th pctl
Assignments & Feedback3 items
Assignments Help You LearnAssignments and exams contributed to my learning.
9470th pctl
Gives Feedback PromptlyI received feedback on my work in a timely manner.
9362nd pctl
Meaningful FeedbackThe feedback I received on my work was meaningful.
9573rd 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.
6078th pctl
Intellectually ChallengingThe course was intellectually challenging.
9470th pctl
Attendance MattersAttending class was necessary to do well in this course.
9357th 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.

UNAS 1120 New Scientific Visions I/Perspectives IVOvr95Chal82ndWork78th
On this class's board1st of 2 instructors Provisional

2 sections on record · course itself rated 92 out of 100. See the full board for UNAS 1120.

TermSecInstrCourseWork
Fall 202502959260
Fall 2023029691—
All 13 items for UNAS 1120
The Professor4 items
Clearly Explains MaterialThe instructor was effective at creating an understanding of difficult subject matter.
9776th pctl
Available Outside of ClassThe instructor was available for help outside of class.
9775th pctl
Brings Out Your Best WorkThe instructor motivated me to do my best work.
9882nd pctl
Sparked My InterestThe course stimulated my interest in the subject matter.
9878th pctl
The Course3 items
Well-Organized CourseThe course was well organized.
9992nd pctl
Clear Learning GoalsThe learning objectives for the course were clear.
9992nd pctl
Useful Beyond the CourseWhat I learned is applicable beyond this course.
9990th pctl
Assignments & Feedback3 items
Assignments Help You LearnAssignments and exams contributed to my learning.
9683rd 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.
9782nd 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.
6078th pctl
Intellectually ChallengingThe course was intellectually challenging.
9682nd pctl
Attendance MattersAttending class was necessary to do well in this course.
9782nd 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.

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.