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 2021 – Spring 2026

Mary Troxell

Part-Time Faculty · Philosophy · 46 evaluation records across 4 classes

On each class's board
PHIL 10891st of 20 instructorsTHEO 10882nd of 19 instructorsPHIL 10881st of 19 instructorsTHEO 10894th of 25 instructors
What the overall is made of
97BC evaluations46 records · weight ×1.0 · Fall 2021 – Spring 2026
100RateMyProfessors6 ratings · 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
93rdMore challenging than 93% of BC instructorsranked against every one we hold
95BC — “Intellectually Challenging”46 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 74 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
65thMore work than 65% of BC instructorsranked against every one we hold
59BC — “Workload”46 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: 6 ratings, 100% would take again, difficulty 74 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 46 records
The Professor4 items
Clearly Explains MaterialThe instructor was effective at creating an understanding of difficult subject matter.
9892nd 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.
9892nd pctl
Sparked My InterestThe course stimulated my interest in the subject matter.
9994th pctl
The Course3 items
Well-Organized CourseThe course was well organized.
9793rd pctl
Clear Learning GoalsThe learning objectives for the course were clear.
9690th pctl
Useful Beyond the CourseWhat I learned is applicable beyond this course.
9794th pctl
Assignments & Feedback3 items
Assignments Help You LearnAssignments and exams contributed to my learning.
9593rd pctl
Gives Feedback PromptlyI received feedback on my work in a timely manner.
8942nd pctl
Meaningful FeedbackThe feedback I received on my work was meaningful.
9260th 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.
5965th pctl
Intellectually ChallengingThe course was intellectually challenging.
9593rd pctl
Attendance MattersAttending class was necessary to do well in this course.
9794th 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 · 46 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 1089 Person and Social Responsibility IIOvr96Chal81stWork78th
On this class's board1st of 20 instructors

15 sections on record · course itself rated 96 out of 100. See the full board for PHIL 1089.

TermSecInstrCourseWork
Spring 202631989480
Spring 202501979360
Spring 202531969860
Spring 202301979660
Spring 20230210010060
Spring 202303949360
Spring 202331959560
Spring 202332909360
Spring 202333969660
Spring 202201969660
Spring 202211969660
Spring 202217949160

Showing the first 12.

All 13 items for PHIL 1089
The Professor4 items
Clearly Explains MaterialThe instructor was effective at creating an understanding of difficult subject matter.
9883rd pctl
Available Outside of ClassThe instructor was available for help outside of class.
9672nd pctl
Brings Out Your Best WorkThe instructor motivated me to do my best work.
9779th pctl
Sparked My InterestThe course stimulated my interest in the subject matter.
9984th pctl
The Course3 items
Well-Organized CourseThe course was well organized.
9784th pctl
Clear Learning GoalsThe learning objectives for the course were clear.
9680th pctl
Useful Beyond the CourseWhat I learned is applicable beyond this course.
9887th 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.
9147th 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.
6078th pctl
Intellectually ChallengingThe course was intellectually challenging.
9681st 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.

THEO 1088 Person and Social Responsibility IOvr97Chal82ndWork44th
On this class's board2nd of 19 instructors

14 sections on record · course itself rated 94 out of 100. See the full board for THEO 1088.

TermSecInstrCourseWork
Fall 202401979360
Fall 2024029692—
Fall 2024031009160
Fall 202431949540
Fall 2024321009340
Fall 202433959740
Fall 2023018682—
Fall 2023319291—
Fall 2022011009560
Fall 202202979460
Fall 2022031009660
Fall 202231989860

Showing the first 12.

All 13 items for THEO 1088
The Professor4 items
Clearly Explains MaterialThe instructor was effective at creating an understanding of difficult subject matter.
9880th pctl
Available Outside of ClassThe instructor was available for help outside of class.
9883rd pctl
Brings Out Your Best WorkThe instructor motivated me to do my best work.
9884th pctl
Sparked My InterestThe course stimulated my interest in the subject matter.
9983rd pctl
The Course3 items
Well-Organized CourseThe course was well organized.
9889th pctl
Clear Learning GoalsThe learning objectives for the course were clear.
9888th pctl
Useful Beyond the CourseWhat I learned is applicable beyond this course.
9783rd pctl
Assignments & Feedback3 items
Assignments Help You LearnAssignments and exams contributed to my learning.
9684th pctl
Gives Feedback PromptlyI received feedback on my work in a timely manner.
8731st pctl
Meaningful FeedbackThe feedback I received on my work was meaningful.
9467th 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.
5544th pctl
Intellectually ChallengingThe course was intellectually challenging.
9682nd pctl
Attendance MattersAttending class was necessary to do well in this course.
9780th 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 1088 Person and Social Responsibility IOvr98Chal72ndWork81st
On this class's board1st of 19 instructors

9 sections on record · course itself rated 93 out of 100. See the full board for PHIL 1088.

TermSecInstrCourseWork
Fall 202531939060
Fall 2022011009360
Fall 2022021008760
Fall 20220310096—
Fall 2022311009860
Fall 2022321009560
Fall 2022331009060
Fall 202101969160
Fall 2021119595100
All 13 items for PHIL 1088
The Professor4 items
Clearly Explains MaterialThe instructor was effective at creating an understanding of difficult subject matter.
9987th 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.
9882nd pctl
Sparked My InterestThe course stimulated my interest in the subject matter.
9985th pctl
The Course3 items
Well-Organized CourseThe course was well organized.
9782nd pctl
Clear Learning GoalsThe learning objectives for the course were clear.
9575th pctl
Useful Beyond the CourseWhat I learned is applicable beyond this course.
9885th pctl
Assignments & Feedback3 items
Assignments Help You LearnAssignments and exams contributed to my learning.
9684th pctl
Gives Feedback PromptlyI received feedback on my work in a timely manner.
8834th pctl
Meaningful FeedbackThe feedback I received on my work was meaningful.
9357th 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.
9472nd pctl
Attendance MattersAttending class was necessary to do well in this course.
9888th 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.

THEO 1089 Person and Social Responsibility IIOvr96Chal75thWork47th
On this class's board4th of 25 instructors

8 sections on record · course itself rated 95 out of 100. See the full board for THEO 1089.

TermSecInstrCourseWork
Spring 202401948960
Spring 202431999440
Spring 202301979560
Spring 202302100100—
Spring 202303949160
Spring 202331939760
Spring 202332909560
Spring 20233310010060
All 13 items for THEO 1089
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.
9884th pctl
Brings Out Your Best WorkThe instructor motivated me to do my best work.
9778th pctl
Sparked My InterestThe course stimulated my interest in the subject matter.
9983rd pctl
The Course3 items
Well-Organized CourseThe course was well organized.
9676th pctl
Clear Learning GoalsThe learning objectives for the course were clear.
9466th pctl
Useful Beyond the CourseWhat I learned is applicable beyond this course.
9779th 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.
9251st pctl
Meaningful FeedbackThe feedback I received on my work was meaningful.
8832nd 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.
5747th pctl
Intellectually ChallengingThe course was intellectually challenging.
9475th pctl
Attendance MattersAttending class was necessary to do well in this course.
9675th 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.