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 · Psychology and Neuroscience · Fall 2021 – Fall 2025

Gene Heyman

Senior Lecturer · Psychology and Neuroscience · 18 evaluation records across 4 classes

On each class's board
PSYC 11106th of 6 instructorsPSYC 4171only instructor on recordPSYC 4433only instructor on recordPSYC 4471only instructor on record Provisional
What the overall is made of
75BC evaluations18 records · weight ×1.0 · Fall 2021 – Fall 2025
58RateMyProfessors49 ratings · weight ×2.0 · 41% 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
58thMore challenging than 58% of BC instructorsranked against every one we hold
89BC — “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 72 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
49thMore work than 49% of BC instructorsranked against every one we hold
51BC — “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: 49 ratings, 41% would take again, difficulty 72 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.
8212th pctl
Available Outside of ClassThe instructor was available for help outside of class.
8515th pctl
Brings Out Your Best WorkThe instructor motivated me to do my best work.
8213th pctl
Sparked My InterestThe course stimulated my interest in the subject matter.
8416th pctl
The Course3 items
Well-Organized CourseThe course was well organized.
8216th pctl
Clear Learning GoalsThe learning objectives for the course were clear.
8215th pctl
Useful Beyond the CourseWhat I learned is applicable beyond this course.
8625th pctl
Assignments & Feedback3 items
Assignments Help You LearnAssignments and exams contributed to my learning.
8421st pctl
Gives Feedback PromptlyI received feedback on my work in a timely manner.
8319th pctl
Meaningful FeedbackThe feedback I received on my work was meaningful.
7910th 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.
5149th pctl
Intellectually ChallengingThe course was intellectually challenging.
8958th pctl
Attendance MattersAttending class was necessary to do well in this course.
8633rd 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 · 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.

PSYC 1110 Brain, Mind, & BehaviorOvr65Chal34thWork30th
On this class's board6th of 6 instructors

9 sections on record · course itself rated 62 out of 100. See the full board for PSYC 1110.

TermSecInstrCourseWork
Fall 2025016057—
Spring 202501656540
Fall 202401615960
Spring 202401656240
Fall 202301646460
Spring 202301636040
Fall 2022016564—
Spring 202201706840
Fall 202101696340
All 13 items for PSYC 1110
The Professor4 items
Clearly Explains MaterialThe instructor was effective at creating an understanding of difficult subject matter.
762nd pctl
Available Outside of ClassThe instructor was available for help outside of class.
815th pctl
Brings Out Your Best WorkThe instructor motivated me to do my best work.
731st pctl
Sparked My InterestThe course stimulated my interest in the subject matter.
782nd pctl
The Course3 items
Well-Organized CourseThe course was well organized.
787th pctl
Clear Learning GoalsThe learning objectives for the course were clear.
809th pctl
Useful Beyond the CourseWhat I learned is applicable beyond this course.
804th 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.
757th pctl
Meaningful FeedbackThe feedback I received on my work was meaningful.
671st 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.
4630th pctl
Intellectually ChallengingThe course was intellectually challenging.
8834th pctl
Attendance MattersAttending class was necessary to do well in this course.
798th 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.

PSYC 4171 Research Practicum in Experimental PsychologyOvr87Chal42ndWork78th
On this class's boardonly instructor on record

4 sections on record · course itself rated 83 out of 100. See the full board for PSYC 4171.

TermSecInstrCourseWork
Fall 202501747760
Fall 2024019392—
Fall 2023019083—
Fall 202201888260
All 13 items for PSYC 4171
The Professor4 items
Clearly Explains MaterialThe instructor was effective at creating an understanding of difficult subject matter.
9027th pctl
Available Outside of ClassThe instructor was available for help outside of class.
9343rd pctl
Brings Out Your Best WorkThe instructor motivated me to do my best work.
9242nd pctl
Sparked My InterestThe course stimulated my interest in the subject matter.
9446th pctl
The Course3 items
Well-Organized CourseThe course was well organized.
8937th pctl
Clear Learning GoalsThe learning objectives for the course were clear.
8416th pctl
Useful Beyond the CourseWhat I learned is applicable beyond this course.
9141st 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.
9359th pctl
Meaningful FeedbackThe feedback I received on my work was meaningful.
9463rd 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.
8942nd pctl
Attendance MattersAttending class was necessary to do well in this course.
9676th 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.

PSYC 4433 Addiction, Choice, and MotivationOvr86Chal71stWork78th
On this class's boardonly instructor on record

4 sections on record · course itself rated 91 out of 100. See the full board for PSYC 4433.

TermSecInstrCourseWork
Spring 202501839060
Spring 202401969860
Spring 2023019298—
Spring 202201738060
All 13 items for PSYC 4433
The Professor4 items
Clearly Explains MaterialThe instructor was effective at creating an understanding of difficult subject matter.
8926th 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.
9457th pctl
Sparked My InterestThe course stimulated my interest in the subject matter.
9235th pctl
The Course3 items
Well-Organized CourseThe course was well organized.
8523rd pctl
Clear Learning GoalsThe learning objectives for the course were clear.
8725th pctl
Useful Beyond the CourseWhat I learned is applicable beyond this course.
9676th pctl
Assignments & Feedback3 items
Assignments Help You LearnAssignments and exams contributed to my learning.
9580th pctl
Gives Feedback PromptlyI received feedback on my work in a timely manner.
9360th pctl
Meaningful FeedbackThe feedback I received on my work was meaningful.
9463rd 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.
9471st pctl
Attendance MattersAttending class was necessary to do well in this course.
9677th 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.

PSYC 4471 Research Practicum in Experimental PsychologyOvr74Chal25thWork25th
On this class's boardonly instructor on record Provisional

1 section on record · course itself rated 71 out of 100. See the full board for PSYC 4471.

TermSecInstrCourseWork
Fall 202101747140
All 13 items for PSYC 4471
The Professor4 items
Clearly Explains MaterialThe instructor was effective at creating an understanding of difficult subject matter.
838th pctl
Available Outside of ClassThe instructor was available for help outside of class.
836th pctl
Brings Out Your Best WorkThe instructor motivated me to do my best work.
8615th pctl
Sparked My InterestThe course stimulated my interest in the subject matter.
836th pctl
The Course3 items
Well-Organized CourseThe course was well organized.
8011th pctl
Clear Learning GoalsThe learning objectives for the course were clear.
809th pctl
Useful Beyond the CourseWhat I learned is applicable beyond this course.
8614th pctl
Assignments & Feedback3 items
Assignments Help You LearnAssignments and exams contributed to my learning.
8621st 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.
8315th 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.
8625th pctl
Attendance MattersAttending class was necessary to do well in this course.
776th 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.