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 · History · Fall 2022 – Summer 2024

Dominic Ferrara

History · 10 evaluation records across 4 classes

On each class's board
HIST 100214th of 15 instructorsHIST 101210th of 11 instructorsHIST 111312th of 12 instructorsHIST 102811th of 13 instructors Provisional
What the overall is made of
71BC evaluations10 records · weight ×1.0 · Fall 2022 – Summer 2024
—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
14thMore challenging than 14% of BC instructorsranked against every one we hold
81BC — “Intellectually Challenging”10 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
26thMore work than 26% of BC instructorsranked against every one we hold
40BC — “Workload”10 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 10 records
The Professor4 items
Clearly Explains MaterialThe instructor was effective at creating an understanding of difficult subject matter.
8213th pctl
Available Outside of ClassThe instructor was available for help outside of class.
8411th pctl
Brings Out Your Best WorkThe instructor motivated me to do my best work.
765th pctl
Sparked My InterestThe course stimulated my interest in the subject matter.
787th pctl
The Course3 items
Well-Organized CourseThe course was well organized.
8320th pctl
Clear Learning GoalsThe learning objectives for the course were clear.
8113th pctl
Useful Beyond the CourseWhat I learned is applicable beyond this course.
797th pctl
Assignments & Feedback3 items
Assignments Help You LearnAssignments and exams contributed to my learning.
8012th pctl
Gives Feedback PromptlyI received feedback on my work in a timely manner.
8422nd pctl
Meaningful FeedbackThe feedback I received on my work was meaningful.
8320th 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.
4026th pctl
Intellectually ChallengingThe course was intellectually challenging.
8114th pctl
Attendance MattersAttending class was necessary to do well in this course.
8529th 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

4 classes · 10 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 1002 Europe in the World IIOvr73Chal17thWork25th
On this class's board14th of 15 instructors

3 sections on record · course itself rated 71 out of 100. See the full board for HIST 1002.

TermSecInstrCourseWork
Spring 202307726540
Spring 202311767640
Spring 202313727240
All 13 items for HIST 1002
The Professor4 items
Clearly Explains MaterialThe instructor was effective at creating an understanding of difficult subject matter.
8411th pctl
Available Outside of ClassThe instructor was available for help outside of class.
8715th pctl
Brings Out Your Best WorkThe instructor motivated me to do my best work.
794th pctl
Sparked My InterestThe course stimulated my interest in the subject matter.
804th pctl
The Course3 items
Well-Organized CourseThe course was well organized.
8727th pctl
Clear Learning GoalsThe learning objectives for the course were clear.
8313th pctl
Useful Beyond the CourseWhat I learned is applicable beyond this course.
804th pctl
Assignments & Feedback2 items
Assignments Help You LearnAssignments and exams contributed to my learning.
8313th pctl
Meaningful FeedbackThe feedback I received on my work was meaningful.
9044th 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.
8417th pctl
Attendance MattersAttending class was necessary to do well in this course.
9038th 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 1012 Atlantic Worlds II: Race, Religion, and the Struggle for DemocracyOvr76Chal19thWork25th
On this class's board10th of 11 instructors

3 sections on record · course itself rated 74 out of 100. See the full board for HIST 1012.

TermSecInstrCourseWork
Fall 202309706440
Fall 202315757840
Fall 2023168380—
All 13 items for HIST 1012
The Professor4 items
Clearly Explains MaterialThe instructor was effective at creating an understanding of difficult subject matter.
8717th pctl
Available Outside of ClassThe instructor was available for help outside of class.
859th pctl
Brings Out Your Best WorkThe instructor motivated me to do my best work.
804th pctl
Sparked My InterestThe course stimulated my interest in the subject matter.
859th pctl
The Course3 items
Well-Organized CourseThe course was well organized.
8935th pctl
Clear Learning GoalsThe learning objectives for the course were clear.
8726th pctl
Useful Beyond the CourseWhat I learned is applicable beyond this course.
827th pctl
Assignments & Feedback3 items
Assignments Help You LearnAssignments and exams contributed to my learning.
8210th pctl
Gives Feedback PromptlyI received feedback on my work in a timely manner.
8729th pctl
Meaningful FeedbackThe feedback I received on my work was meaningful.
8519th 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.
8519th pctl
Attendance MattersAttending class was necessary to do well in this course.
8624th 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 1113 The African Diaspora and the World IOvr61Chal2ndWork25th
On this class's board12th of 12 instructors

3 sections on record · course itself rated 60 out of 100. See the full board for HIST 1113.

TermSecInstrCourseWork
Fall 202203565240
Fall 202205666640
Fall 202209606340
All 13 items for HIST 1113
The Professor4 items
Clearly Explains MaterialThe instructor was effective at creating an understanding of difficult subject matter.
752nd pctl
Available Outside of ClassThe instructor was available for help outside of class.
814th 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.
690th pctl
The Course3 items
Well-Organized CourseThe course was well organized.
744th pctl
Clear Learning GoalsThe learning objectives for the course were clear.
732nd pctl
Useful Beyond the CourseWhat I learned is applicable beyond this course.
783rd pctl
Assignments & Feedback3 items
Assignments Help You LearnAssignments and exams contributed to my learning.
742nd pctl
Gives Feedback PromptlyI received feedback on my work in a timely manner.
7910th pctl
Meaningful FeedbackThe feedback I received on my work was meaningful.
743rd 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.
787th 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 1028 Modern History IIOvr75Chal21stWork25th
On this class's board11th of 13 instructors Provisional

1 section on record · course itself rated 60 out of 100. See the full board for HIST 1028.

TermSecInstrCourseWork
Summer 202403756040
All 13 items for HIST 1028
The Professor4 items
Clearly Explains MaterialThe instructor was effective at creating an understanding of difficult subject matter.
8513th pctl
Available Outside of ClassThe instructor was available for help outside of class.
804th 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.
804th pctl
The Course3 items
Well-Organized CourseThe course was well organized.
8522nd pctl
Clear Learning GoalsThe learning objectives for the course were clear.
8519th pctl
Useful Beyond the CourseWhat I learned is applicable beyond this course.
700th pctl
Assignments & Feedback3 items
Assignments Help You LearnAssignments and exams contributed to my learning.
8518th 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.
8520th 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.
8521st pctl
Attendance MattersAttending class was necessary to do well in this course.
8521st 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.