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 · English · Fall 2021 – Spring 2025

Robert Lehman

Associate Professor · English · 16 evaluation records across 9 classes

On each class's board
ENGL 108081st of 90 instructorsENGL 213316th of 16 instructorsENGL 7026only instructor on record ProvisionalENGL 3333only instructor on record ProvisionalENGL 4122only instructor on record ProvisionalENGL 4303only instructor on record ProvisionalENGL 4562only instructor on record ProvisionalENGL 7033only instructor on record ProvisionalENGL 9908only instructor on record Provisional
What the overall is made of
86BC evaluations16 records · weight ×1.0 · Fall 2021 – Spring 2025
96RateMyProfessors5 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
87thMore challenging than 87% of BC instructorsranked against every one we hold
94BC — “Intellectually Challenging”16 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
82ndMore work than 82% of BC instructorsranked against every one we hold
63BC — “Workload”16 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: 5 ratings, 100% 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 16 records
The Professor4 items
Clearly Explains MaterialThe instructor was effective at creating an understanding of difficult subject matter.
9039th pctl
Available Outside of ClassThe instructor was available for help outside of class.
9140th pctl
Brings Out Your Best WorkThe instructor motivated me to do my best work.
8937th pctl
Sparked My InterestThe course stimulated my interest in the subject matter.
9036th pctl
The Course3 items
Well-Organized CourseThe course was well organized.
9048th pctl
Clear Learning GoalsThe learning objectives for the course were clear.
8733rd 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.
8948th pctl
Gives Feedback PromptlyI received feedback on my work in a timely manner.
9261st pctl
Meaningful FeedbackThe feedback I received on my work was meaningful.
9261st 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.
6382nd pctl
Intellectually ChallengingThe course was intellectually challenging.
9487th pctl
Attendance MattersAttending class was necessary to do well in this course.
9378th 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

9 classes · 16 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.

ENGL 1080 Literature CoreOvr76Chal39thWork78th
On this class's board81st of 90 instructors

4 sections on record · course itself rated 72 out of 100. See the full board for ENGL 1080.

TermSecInstrCourseWork
Fall 202401847560
Spring 202401787860
Fall 202212918660
Fall 202102524960
All 13 items for ENGL 1080
The Professor4 items
Clearly Explains MaterialThe instructor was effective at creating an understanding of difficult subject matter.
8410th 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.
828th pctl
Sparked My InterestThe course stimulated my interest in the subject matter.
8510th pctl
The Course3 items
Well-Organized CourseThe course was well organized.
8420th pctl
Clear Learning GoalsThe learning objectives for the course were clear.
786th pctl
Useful Beyond the CourseWhat I learned is applicable beyond this course.
751st pctl
Assignments & Feedback3 items
Assignments Help You LearnAssignments and exams contributed to my learning.
8313th pctl
Gives Feedback PromptlyI received feedback on my work in a timely manner.
8421st 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.
6078th pctl
Intellectually ChallengingThe course was intellectually challenging.
8939th pctl
Attendance MattersAttending class was necessary to do well in this course.
9463rd 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.

ENGL 2133 Studies in NarrativeOvr86Chal64thWork81st
On this class's board16th of 16 instructors

4 sections on record · course itself rated 78 out of 100. See the full board for ENGL 2133.

TermSecInstrCourseWork
Spring 202504908280
Fall 2023018074—
Spring 202301887760
Spring 202201888060
All 13 items for ENGL 2133
The Professor4 items
Clearly Explains MaterialThe instructor was effective at creating an understanding of difficult subject matter.
9239th pctl
Available Outside of ClassThe instructor was available for help outside of class.
8818th pctl
Brings Out Your Best WorkThe instructor motivated me to do my best work.
9033rd pctl
Sparked My InterestThe course stimulated my interest in the subject matter.
8921st pctl
The Course3 items
Well-Organized CourseThe course was well organized.
8730th pctl
Clear Learning GoalsThe learning objectives for the course were clear.
8934th pctl
Useful Beyond the CourseWhat I learned is applicable beyond this course.
8717th pctl
Assignments & Feedback3 items
Assignments Help You LearnAssignments and exams contributed to my learning.
9149th pctl
Gives Feedback PromptlyI received feedback on my work in a timely manner.
9045th 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.
6781st pctl
Intellectually ChallengingThe course was intellectually challenging.
9364th pctl
Attendance MattersAttending class was necessary to do well in this course.
9043rd 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.

ENGL 7026 Aesthetics: Philosophy, Politics, ArtOvr96Chal93rdWork—
On this class's boardonly instructor on record Provisional

2 sections on record · course itself rated 89 out of 100. See the full board for ENGL 7026.

TermSecInstrCourseWork
Fall 2024019390—
Spring 20220110089—
All 13 items for ENGL 7026
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.
9671st pctl
Brings Out Your Best WorkThe instructor motivated me to do my best work.
9559th pctl
Sparked My InterestThe course stimulated my interest in the subject matter.
9876th pctl
The Course3 items
Well-Organized CourseThe course was well organized.
9570th pctl
Clear Learning GoalsThe learning objectives for the course were clear.
9146th pctl
Useful Beyond the CourseWhat I learned is applicable beyond this course.
9247th pctl
Assignments & Feedback3 items
Assignments Help You LearnAssignments and exams contributed to my learning.
9474th pctl
Gives Feedback PromptlyI received feedback on my work in a timely manner.
9885th pctl
Meaningful FeedbackThe feedback I received on my work was meaningful.
9990th pctl
Workload, difficulty & attendanceNot ratings
Intellectually ChallengingThe course was intellectually challenging.
9993rd 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. 1 of 13 questions were not reported and are left out rather than shown as zero.

ENGL 3333 British ModernismOvr96Chal100thWork78th
On this class's boardonly instructor on record Provisional

1 section on record · course itself rated 92 out of 100. See the full board for ENGL 3333.

TermSecInstrCourseWork
Fall 202301969260
All 13 items for ENGL 3333
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.
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.
9675th 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.
9677th pctl
Meaningful FeedbackThe feedback I received on my work was meaningful.
9677th 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.
100100th 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.

ENGL 4122 Kafka Beckett CoetzeeOvr69Chal16thWork78th
On this class's boardonly instructor on record Provisional

1 section on record · course itself rated 64 out of 100. See the full board for ENGL 4122.

TermSecInstrCourseWork
Fall 202101696460
All 13 items for ENGL 4122
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.
783rd 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.
731st pctl
The Course3 items
Well-Organized CourseThe course was well organized.
766th pctl
Clear Learning GoalsThe learning objectives for the course were clear.
764th pctl
Useful Beyond the CourseWhat I learned is applicable beyond this course.
711st pctl
Assignments & Feedback3 items
Assignments Help You LearnAssignments and exams contributed to my learning.
732nd pctl
Gives Feedback PromptlyI received feedback on my work in a timely manner.
9148th pctl
Meaningful FeedbackThe feedback I received on my work was meaningful.
8936th 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.
8416th pctl
Attendance MattersAttending class was necessary to do well in this course.
8417th 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.

ENGL 4303 Philosophy and LiteratureOvr85Chal100thWork78th
On this class's boardonly instructor on record Provisional

1 section on record · course itself rated 84 out of 100. See the full board for ENGL 4303.

TermSecInstrCourseWork
Spring 202301858460
All 13 items for ENGL 4303
The Professor4 items
Clearly Explains MaterialThe instructor was effective at creating an understanding of difficult subject matter.
9557th pctl
Available Outside of ClassThe instructor was available for help outside of class.
9345th pctl
Brings Out Your Best WorkThe instructor motivated me to do my best work.
9559th pctl
Sparked My InterestThe course stimulated my interest in the subject matter.
9338th pctl
The Course3 items
Well-Organized CourseThe course was well organized.
9358th pctl
Clear Learning GoalsThe learning objectives for the course were clear.
8727th pctl
Useful Beyond the CourseWhat I learned is applicable beyond this course.
9678th pctl
Assignments & Feedback2 items
Assignments Help You LearnAssignments and exams contributed to my learning.
9362nd 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.
6078th pctl
Intellectually ChallengingThe course was intellectually challenging.
100100th 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. 1 of 13 questions were not reported and are left out rather than shown as zero.

ENGL 4562 Marx, Marxism, and Modern CultureOvr98Chal100thWork25th
On this class's boardonly instructor on record Provisional

1 section on record · course itself rated 96 out of 100. See the full board for ENGL 4562.

TermSecInstrCourseWork
Spring 202501989640
All 13 items for ENGL 4562
The Professor4 items
Clearly Explains MaterialThe instructor was effective at creating an understanding of difficult subject matter.
9672nd pctl
Available Outside of ClassThe instructor was available for help outside of class.
9885th 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.
100100th pctl
The Course3 items
Well-Organized CourseThe course was well organized.
9680th pctl
Clear Learning GoalsThe learning objectives for the course were clear.
9890th 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.
9471st 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.
100100th 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.
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.

ENGL 7033 Doing What Happens: Action and Event in Modern LiteratureOvr93Chal81stWork93rd
On this class's boardonly instructor on record Provisional

1 section on record · course itself rated 87 out of 100. See the full board for ENGL 7033.

TermSecInstrCourseWork
Spring 202401938780
All 13 items for ENGL 7033
The Professor4 items
Clearly Explains MaterialThe instructor was effective at creating an understanding of difficult subject matter.
9349th pctl
Available Outside of ClassThe instructor was available for help outside of class.
9349th pctl
Brings Out Your Best WorkThe instructor motivated me to do my best work.
9562nd pctl
Sparked My InterestThe course stimulated my interest in the subject matter.
9659th pctl
The Course3 items
Well-Organized CourseThe course was well organized.
9363rd pctl
Clear Learning GoalsThe learning objectives for the course were clear.
8934th 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.
9152nd pctl
Gives Feedback PromptlyI received feedback on my work in a timely manner.
9675th pctl
Meaningful FeedbackThe feedback I received on my work was meaningful.
9674th 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.
8093rd pctl
Intellectually ChallengingThe course was intellectually challenging.
9681st pctl
Attendance MattersAttending class was necessary to do well in this course.
9361st 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.

ENGL 9908 Ph.D. Seminar: Seeing Things Hidden: Modern Literature and Visual CultureOvr90Chal90thWork93rd
On this class's boardonly instructor on record Provisional

1 section on record · course itself rated 88 out of 100. See the full board for ENGL 9908.

TermSecInstrCourseWork
Fall 202201908880
All 13 items for ENGL 9908
The Professor4 items
Clearly Explains MaterialThe instructor was effective at creating an understanding of difficult subject matter.
8819th 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.
9345th pctl
Sparked My InterestThe course stimulated my interest in the subject matter.
9025th 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.
9033rd pctl
Assignments & Feedback3 items
Assignments Help You LearnAssignments and exams contributed to my learning.
8830th 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
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.
8093rd pctl
Intellectually ChallengingThe course was intellectually challenging.
9890th pctl
Attendance MattersAttending class was necessary to do well in this course.
9571st 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.