Barnes, Timothy  

Look at the dates and times of all the posts praising this guy. Several in one day, each using the word "interesting" in various phrases, make me think that Barnes has found Polyratings and is rating himself over and over again. What kind of student says they "highly recommend" a teacher? That's clearly the professor talking. Just though you should all know before you sign up for him.

I have never had this teacher or gone to a college class, but I think the other comments are very good about this porfessor and I would recommend taking his classes just from all the good things I have stumbled upon on this website. I hope that I have the opportunity to work with this fabulous teacher someday.

i go to UCDavis

The Best Teacher at Cal Poly BAR NONE, he makes you work but I learned SO much from this guy. It was worth the hard work and I was actually interested in going to class. An amazing professor

Tim Barnes was my advisor. he rocked. he was a visiting professor at richmond college... where i spent a summer. then i had the advantage of having Dr. Barnes as my US professor.. in early american history. it is because of Dr. Barnes that I am a Jeffersonian. He rocks.

na

Best lecturer I have yet had. Presents materials in a precise, consice manner. Provides help when requested. Sparks an inteest in the topic

Dr. Barnes presented the material in an easy to take notes format and in an entertaining manner. He gives the option to take either a multiple choice test or an essay test so u are not hindered by your writing skills or filling in bubbles skills. Truly one of the best teachers i have ever had.

Excellent teacher, puts much enthusiasm in his lectures. His notes are easy to follow in outline form. Be prepared for his tests. He only has three total tests in the class. At the end of the quarter there's 100 points possible so don't slack on one test. He's a great guy and I'd recommend him for any class.

One of the best professors I've had at Poly. Excellent lecturer and is very enthusiastic about his craft. I actually looked forward to comming to his lectures. His exams were challanging though. He offers a choice between a multi-guess or an essay format. But the tricky questions on the multi-choice makes it important that you to take very accurate notes. He curves his grade though.

One of the best instructors I have ever had. Incredibly engaging lectures. Has genuine care for students. Challenging tests but very fair. He is well worth the risk and challenge because the knowledge learned is very important for life. Presents all points of view/opinions on subjects. Pretty funny also.

Dr. Barnes is SO KNOWLEDGEABLE!!! I was amazed at the amount of information this man knows. This class was definitely interesting. One word of caution though...TAKE THE ESSAY TESTS! His multiple choice tests are possibly the hardest test I have seen so far at Poly.

This man has a true gift, I take the class at 7am, and have never seen anyone disinterested in a lecture. Any teacher that can keep a room crammed full of students as attentive as he does at 7am on a monday morning deserves more praise than can be given in words. One warning, his tests aren't for the light hearted, take head and study in depth.

One of the best teachers I've had at Poly. Has a true love of what he teaches which keeps students awake and interested. I almost wish I could take the course again, although he makes a point of isolating students who are late. Highly recommended

I would seriously be surprised if their is a better lecturer here at Cal Poly. Dr. Barnes is extremely lively and animated. His lectures are really interesting--mostly because of the way he lectures. I highly advise going to every class because a lot of info is covered in each class. Do not show up late! Enjoy the course, Barnes was great.

Dr. Barnes knows just about anything you could ask him about history. His lectures are very interesting and hold your attention well, but the tests are very hard. He expects you to make "clear and precise distinctions" and every test question starts with "each one of these answers is correct EXCEPT" and that makes it very difficult. The reading also gets dull too.

good teacher, be prepaired to read essays outside of class for 1/3 of your grade

harsh, abrasive personality; whiny, annoying voice; talks about himself in the third person; beware if you come in late--he will either yell at you or glare at you; improved slightly with time, but not much

Professor Barnes is an awesome prof. I always hated history, but he just made it interesting. His tests arent all that easy, and the essays you have to read are rather boring but not too tough. He is an awesome lecturer i would recommend him to all. Just dont be late to class he doesnt dig that.

Professor Barnes made a lecture on a subject which can sometimes be boring interesting enough to keep my attention. He explained each topic carefully, made sure everyone was following, and warned us about what material would be covered on the test. Barnes was an excellent professor.

Barnes is an awesome instructor. I am not a history person, and he could not only keep my attention, but actually got me interested in what he was talking about. He is always enthusiastic and ready to help a student in need, even at 7 in the morning. His tests are hard, but the class is worth it. TAKE THE ESSAY TESTS!!! TAKE HIS CLASS!

Great teacher. I'm only a freshman, but i will be surprised to find a better lecturer. I have always despised history, but this was the only single history class i have enjoyed. Great lectures, but dont be late to class, he'll tear you a new one. And his tests arent that hard. Lot of reading.

This guy is really great. He knows everything about American history and he is a really nice guy too. He makes sure that you understand the material and he presents it in a very clear and efficient way. There are two midterms and a final that make up your grade. Your can choose between multiple choice or essay- Multiple choice is much easier. The only thing is he doesn't like when you are even a minute late and he will stop the entire class when you walk in. Other than that he is a great guy and you should definetly take him for history 204.

This guy is great. Every lecture is like a story time of US History. THe only drag is the readings are relatively hard and boring. Tests are fair but tricky but if you pay attention in class you will surely pass them. Hes really mean about people comin in late.

one of the best teachers here, he got me excited about the subject and I thought he had one hell of a lecture.

I could not ask for a better teacher. I have yet to find anything I don't like about him. I strongly recomend Dr. Barnes for any history class.

Dr. Barnes ROCKS! He makes history interesting, even at 8am. He is a bit quarky but you'll grow to enjoy that. He really likes to interact with the students and loves all questions. Also he grades his tests on a huge curve and gives you the choice of either multiple choice or essay, i would recommend the essay. There is no hw just reading, i suggest you do it too. I'd recommed him to anyone.

Dr. Barnes is a great teacher I learned a lot. His tests are difficult. Make sure you read and take notes on your readings. I would recommend re- typing your notes and study them. He grades on a curve. I would recommend taking him.

This professor was truly amazing. The lectures for the class were able to hold my attention. Dr. Barnes made the class interesting ang fun. He does assign reading for homework. I strongly recogmend that you do it for the test, because a third of the test is a reflection of the reading. The tests are hard but if you stay on top of the reading and pay attention in class you should do well.

This is the best teacher I have ever had. He looked hella mean in the beginning of the school year but hes really nice. Seriously tho, everyone wants a teacher that doesnt put you to sleep. This dude will keep you awake fo sure. Hes hella smart and so organized. He clarifies everything for you and damn i wish all teachers can teach like this guy. Tests are kinda hard, but i totally recommend him.

Dr. Barnes is awesome. I hate history but he made it really interesting. I hishly recomend his class. Beware though, the reason for my C is his inpossible multi. choice tests. Don't worry to much about dates and names, you just need to know concepts. DO THE READINGS!

Dr. Barnes was great! He was very interesting and always kept your interest with his interesting facts. He is very into history and is very energetic. This guy definetely knows his stuff! I recomend him for history 207!

Dr Barnes is a great lecturer, he keeps you interested, even when there is nothing to be interested in. I definitely recommend his history 207, it is a great class. His tests are hard, but if you go to class and do all the reading, there is no way you can't pass.

I had this class at 7 in the morning and if I didn't have Barnes I don't think that I would have gone. He made the subject very interesting. The tests are difficult if you don't read. The questions based on the lecture are fairly easy.

I took this class when I was a sophmore--now I am a senior. I thought Barnes was great. Now that I have learned a great deal from other classes, I am convinced that he is a real light weight who excessively simplifies the historical process. Students love his lectures because you can follow them so easily. Does ease of understanding in any way describe the human condition? I don't think so. There is little order in our world today. My studies convince me that things were equally complex. I don't want to say that Dr, Barnes exactly lied about historical phernomena, but he certainly distorted it. I am saying this both as a cautionary note to him and a caveat to the better students who really want to understand history. They are better off taking Dr. Cotkin, Harlan and Stefanco for American history or Clark and Krieger for their fields in Africa and Europe.

Dr. Barnes was so far one of the best professors I've had at Cal Poly. I had History at 7 in the morning and he was so excited about the lectures that he actually got me interested and wanting to come to class. Each class period would fly by even though we took alot of notes. He is very strict on being late and he tries to scare you about the tests but they're not so bad. One suggestion when you read the outside class essays take notes on the thesis and the author's solution, you will do so well on the multiple choice test if you do. I would definitely recommend Dr. Barnes to anyone who is taking History 207.

Professor Barnes is the most outstanding teacher I've had so far here at Cal Poly. He kept me awake during all his lectures; always keeping me interested. All throughout high school I hated history, but since having Barnes, I'm really started to like it. He makes sure that all students understand everything and even tosses in a lil' humor when lecturing. His midterms are a lil' tricky though, but if you do the reading and review it a few times, you should be fine. When I went to his office hours he was very helpful and genuinely caring. One more thing...don't be late to class or else he'll stop the lecture just to stare you down. TAKE THIS PROFESSOR! HE'S AWESOME!

Teacher fills up at least 3-4 pages of notes per class which is only an hour long. He keeps you awake in the 7 am class. But you cant miss any classes. His tests are very hard. Each question says "all of the following are true except.." and 4 answers seem perfectly fitting and then the 5th answer is always "all of the following are true". He changes a single word to make one of the answers wrong. His view on history is pretty bias but it is ok for fulfilling your GE's. You have to read about 6 essay's per midterm each essay is about 30 pages. They suck! Good luck. He is a good guy and is pretty intersting

This guy is an asshole who doesnt give two shits about students. His tests are way too hard and he asks tricky questions to try to throw you off. When you go into office hours to look over what you missed on your test, he jsut sits at the computer doing his own thing instead of helping you. Also, he will do whatever he can to make you look stupid in front of the class by asking you a question you most likely dont know, and shouldnt know. Hes annoying and if you miss class, he will know. DONT TAKE THIS GUY!!!!!!! he sucks!!!! take quinney!

Barnes is an awesome teacher! He is incredibly knowledgable and a great lecturer. You can have a choice on the tests, either a Scantron of an essay test. I took the essay tests and found them to be fair. Just do the readings and take notes. His class was one of the most enjoyable classes I've taken at Cal Poly.

I think Dr. Barnes is a good teacher, but I feel that he doesnt really care about the students. I went to his office hours and he really does sit there at his computer. I studied really hard for the first test, but still did poorly because the test were tricky and did not accurately reflect the my knowledge of the material in the class. What was hard was not studying for the test, but actually taking the test. His exams are multiple choice, but they are really long and difficult to read. If you can't read and understand a sentence quickly, you will do bad on his exams.

Gotta love this guy!!! I seriously think he is the best history teacher alive. Not only is he funny, but he is so in sync with the class and their learning speed. He always makes sure that you understand and have enough time to write your notes. His tests are pretty tough, but he at least gives you an option between essay or multiple choice. Just make sure you do the reading and go to class. Also, *Don't EVER be late!!!*

I'd have to agree with the guy below me, I loved this class and Barnes is an absolutely wonderful lecturer. If you don't understand a sentence on one of his exams, just ask him he's more than happy to clear it up. The only real qualm I have with this class is the book. It is insanely boring and often rephrases the same point over and over again within a chapter. Luckily, Barnes doesn't require you to memorize trivial details. (The book spends 7 pages listing everything stolen in the Richmond Bread Riot. Don't worry you don't have to memorize it all.) Keep in mind though that this is NOT an easy class. I thought his tests were definitely doable, but I probably spent a good 8 hours a week reading/studing for this class. Also, don't ever be late!

Dr. Barnes is a great instructor. His style of lecturing is clear, well-organized and easy to follow, and is also entertaining (which can sort of be attributed to the way he intones his voice). He seems to be a pretty nice guy, and is approachable if you have questions. Dr. Barnes is extraordinarily knowledgable about US history, and it definitely shows in his classes. I didn't like the texts for the class much, though--the essays were sort of pointless and hard to read, and they didn't further my understanding of American history all that much. What they DID do was drop my test scores. The other thing that sort of disappointed me, as a history major, is the fact that we did not complete the entire curriculum, but this could be attributed to the fact that I was in the five-week section. The course is supposed to cover from about 1600 to the present, but we only got to the Progressive Era (the early 1900s). But overall, I'll say that Barnes is a great instructor who teaches a good class!

Dr. Barnes was so funny. . .though I felt extremely challenged and got many low grades I really understood what he taught. Every day I walked out thinking I learned a bunch of new things. He is great, take this class.

Dr. Barnes was a good teacher. His lectures were great, they were interesting and the 50mins flew by which is great for a history class. He is probably the most interesting history professor I have ever had. However, his tests are something else. He doesn't test you on the material like most teachers do, he tests you one the ideas behind the information. I feel like I learned a lot in his class, but my test scores side something else. If you are a great test taker and are an abstract idea thinker you will probably be fine. If you have any problems with tests I would take someone else. I worked my ass off in this class and I barely got a D. He is a interesting teacher but his tests are unreal!

I read someone's review about Barnes and had to write back. I am a conservative ag major and although I had the class as a sophomore, I'm a senior now, he's THE BEST TEACHER YOU WILL EVER HAVE AT CAL POLY!! Oh, and he's an AG HISTORIAN to boot (in case someone told you he's too liberal), plus his tests were straight from the notes, easy to answer and easy to get an A even for an ag major like myself. He is the best history teacher because he tells you cool facts and relates the history like a story so if you can listen then you'll do well. TAKE BARNES!

i didnt like dr. barnes. I studied my butt off for his exams and always failed them. i really think it didnt matter how much i studied for his exams because i didnt know how to take them. he didnt help me very much when i went into his office hours.

CAL POLY MUST HAVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This guy is the absolute best teacher I have ever had. If you are an American History buff like me--or just a little rusty on the subject--this class is a must. Dr. Barnes presents the material in such a way that you have no choice but to learn. I would fail the class again just to take it.

Although I haven't taken a lot of classes yet I am sure that he is one of the best teachers I've had/I'll ever have. I actually like going to his lecture at 7 AM and I am NOT a morning person. He presents the information in a clear and organized way so you know exactly what he is emphasizing (ahem:: concepts that will be on a test ), but he also makes it really interesting. I was skeptical at first because I've never been a fan of history (bad experiences with dry teachers) but I have no problem with it the way he tells it. TAKE BARNES!!

By far the best teacher I've ever had in my entire life!!! I hated history before this class, and never cared to learn it. But I had class four days a week at 7 am, and never missed a class, because I honestly wanted to go. He was so interesting, and also so interested in what he was teaching, that he made me want to learn more. He was awesome! If you have the opportunity, you should definitely take him!!!

he is a very tough professor test wise, but his lectures are funny, informative, and well organized. i took the essay test 3 times and i received 3 c's. i was told that the essay test was easier but i dont know if that is true. the essay test is extremely difficult but at least there is partial credit. DONT BE LATE to his class and study for it and you should be fine.

Barnes is a very interesting guy and makes the class exciting. He is very easy to follow along with and he will stop and clarify anything you need him to. The only bad thing about his class are his tests. Your grade is based off three midterms and they are hard. A word to the wise....take the written test. I Know it is scary to take a written test but his multiple choice tests are impossiple to get an "A" on. The essay tests are passable. If you are taking this class and want to get and A or B, you need to study your butt off. Good luck!

Barnes is an EXCELLENT teacher! I don't like history & got landed with his class at 7am, but ended up really enjoying it! He really knows his stuff & his lectures are lively, very organized, and he puts more emphasis on the items you need to know for tests. There are only 3 exams (includes final, not cumulative), you choose multiple choice or essay, and they are difficult. You have to do the reading (short essays about social changes) and attend all the lectures to do well on them. But if you can handle morning classes, I would DEFINITELY recommend him!

4 Years of college, and this guy is the best teacher yet!

Well I just took the final and I think I got an A. Anyway first let me tell you that this class is no walk through the park, but it is by far the best class I have ever had. Dr Barnes is the best professor I have ever had, He should be lecturing at Harvard!

Good old Mr. Barnes. DO NOT EVER BE LATE! He stops the entire class, ridicules you, and then starts over. However, his lectures are very organized and interesting. He spared us the boring details and didn't make us memorize every history detail. He makes you buy two small textbooks and has you read essays in them. Pay close attention to these essays...like numbers and percents...about a 1/3 of his tests are on these essays. His tests are difficult..."all of the following are true except...". I would pick the multiple choice, and as long as you are a good note taker and study you will do fine. I would take Barnes again...I enjoyed going to his classes(the tests were the only bad thing).

His lectures were actually quite interesting. But then his tests were so impossible, it didn't matter how hard you studied and if you knew all the material word for word...you still weren't going to do that well. All we had were three tests which was terrible!

I had this teacher during my firt quarter my freshman year. It was a little shocking at first because your grade is based solely on midterms and the final. The class consisted of a 50 minute lecture and the tests. It sounds boring but Dr. Barnes is so interesting. I don't even like history but I went to every single one of his lectures. Study hard and often. Don't be late and don't be afraid to ask him questions if you're unsure about something on a test.

Great prof., I higly recommend Dr. Barnes. He's always there to help and very considerate... don't be late though!

Barnes is by far the best history teacher I've ever had. He is very passionate about his subject and well informed. He does have his own opinions on certain subjects, but never lets this influence his teaching or how he presents material; he is very objective. Grade is based on three tests (multiple choice or essay, your choice). I only took the multiple choice and it was the hardest test I've ever taken: you really have to know the material. Despite this (and his class being at 7am), Barnes is a must have!

You must take this guy. What an awesome professor.

This is the first time I have not recieved an A in a history class. I watch the history channel 24/7 and know a lot about the colonial period and WWII. So, for some reason I thought that I would get an A in this class. Boy was I wrong. They need to rename this course "American History According to Barnes." Barnes is a pinko that would not survive in the real world so he hides at the university making his students miserable.

All in all one of the best teachers I have ever had in my life. I had him for 7 AM classes MTWR, and I'm not much of a morning person but I went to every lecture except one (I went to a concert the night before). His lectures are informative, and presented in a way that you don't get bored. I never liked history, but this class was fun, and I walked out of it knowing much more than I did going in. I cannot recommend Dr. Barnes enough. He's a great guy, and the class is great. Take him!

The tests are crazy hard. I totally knew all the material but the questions were so tricky. There is a good curve, I guess. I dont think I should have gotten a C because I did the reading, went to class everyday and studied. The lectures are usually pretty interesting. But dont show up late or not pay attention because he will make fun of you in class

Barnes is a fairly good lecturer but oh my god his class is BORING.... you do nothing everyday but sit there and listen to him lecture the whole entire class.... also the tests are crazy hard.... ive always gotten A's in history and this is the first class i didnt.... i studied so hard and went to see him like twice and it didnt help because his tests make no sense are SUPER SUPER hard.... oh and if your late to class or arent doing what your supposed to he will embarass you in front of the class.... avoid taking him if you can... take Wilson if you can...

hey was a very good lecturer and was good at keeping me awake but his tests were CRAZY. the class was four days a week i rarely missed it (like 3 times all quarter) and got a D in the class. i did all the readings and studied but his tests are nuts! the only other person i knew in the class failed so yaa he was a good teacher and interesting but if you need a good grade, DONT TAKE HIM.

he was a really good lecturer but his tests were insane. almost every question is "all of the follwing EXCEPT" and they are very tricky. you have to go to class everyday or you will seriously fall behind. he has these random books full of short stories and 1/3 of each test is based on these stories so you have to do a bit of reading. i do not recommend this class if you are hoping for a good grade.

The lectures are presented cleary and in an easy to follow format. The entire class time is devoted to lecturing, except for the three test days. Each tests comprises 1/3 of your grade. They are HARD tests, mostly because they focus on detail and are ALL worded as "which of the following is true about ____ EXCEPT:" Make sure you read all of the multiple choice options COMPLETELY, because many of the answers look as if they could be right if you don't read the entire option. Many of the the multiple choice options have "none of the above" listed as an option. Reading assigned by Barnes for each test act as 1/3 of the questions on the test. I loved this class because he was a hilarious guy who really had the best interests of the students at heart. You might notice that I escaped the class with a C (the first in my life) but its the proudest I've been to receive such a low score. Despite the grade, I came away with a wealth of knowledge and know that if I ever have the chance to take a class with Barnes again, I'd do it. He'll make you work and study like none other, but in t he end, its totally worth it, even for a C.

Great teacher. Lectures every class and makes it very interesting. He is the best history teacher I have ever had. Take good notes, do the readings (that's the only homework) and I would reccommend typing your lecture notes and taking notes on the readings to study for before the midterms. 3 midterms, 1 about every 3 weeks, the final is just another midterm.

Dr. Barnes knows A LOT about american history. I couldn't believe that every lecture he could come to class and talk non stop for the full hour on the subject. For this class, it is ESSENTIAL that you take GOOD notes. I had to do a lot of studying for this class just to get a C...A LOT of studying. His test questions were confusing and even if you knew the material, that doesn't mean you would do well on it. I learned a lot from the class, even if the grade I earned doesn't show for it.

Dr Barnes was a great professor. Tests are hard, but the lectures are great. I learned more in this class than I have in any of my prior history classes!

Whoever said the professor is just writing good stuff about himself is sadly mistaken. If you've ever had him you'd know that's definitely NOT true. He's the most interesting history teacher I've ever had and I have him at 8am and actually enjoy the lectures. He's very entertaining and knows everything about American history. There's three midterms (the final is the third midterm) and the only homework is readings that are included in the midterms. The midterms are difficult and you will have to work to get a good grade in this class but I would definitely recommend Barnes because he teaches you a lot and is willing to help you improve.

Dr. Barnes is absolutely the most adorable man you will ever meet. He is an amazing teacher and teaches his subject in such a manner you will WANT to go to his lectures everyday. His tests are tough and you will have to work hard for what you get, but believe me, no other teacher will make you want to learn about this information like he does. take this class!

I read all of the evaluations before selecting prof Barnes and they all say the tests are hard but I figured since he was such a good lecturer that I would be able to handle it. Well he truly is an awesome person and an amazing speaker. I would love to take another class from him... however when people describe his tests as hard that is such an understatement. I am a history major I love history I did the readings and missed maybe two classes the whole quarter (I had him 4 days a week) and I got an F on the first test. They are border line impossible. Multiple choice all with the option of none of the above and every single answer very plausible. You could do an essay test instead if you chose. I think he grades on a curve though cause I got a B overall in the class. If you really want to actually learn history take his class. Hes great.

His lectures are good and don't put you back to sleep at 8 in the morning. However his tests are wicked. I studied a ton before going into them, but landed a little above the curve every time. The fact that there's always the possibility of none of the above and trying to find the statement that isn't correct was challenging. The readings are long and sometimes hard to grasp what you're looking for. He's helpful in his office hours, but this is not an easy class.

Far and away my favorite professor at Cal Poly. He demands a lot of work but insipires you to do it. He is unbelievably knoweledegable on his subject matter and conveys that through his detailed lectures. If you get a chance, take him. You won't regret it.

Good professor, you will learn a lot in this class. However, the class grade is from 3 tests, and his tests are very difficult. Even if you have a very good understanding of the material the tests are still difficult.

Barnes is the best ever. Most engaging lecturer I have had at Cal Poly, and a sense of humor to boot. He is the kind of professor who made a student who hated history look forward to a seven a.m. M-Tr class. Tests are tricky, but not impossible to pass. You will need to do the readings and put a good hour or two each day studying the week before each midterm, but it will pay off. Take him if you get the chance.

Barnes may be the best professor I have ever had, that being said, don\'t take this class if you want an easy A. His tests are difficult, but not impossible, it just takes lots of work to do well and probably some office hours. If you have an easy quarter and lots of free time or are not daunted by hard work, I highly recommend Barnes.

This guy was totally rude. I tried to crash his class a little late that he said was \"full\" yet pass said there was still 4 spots open. Basically when I explained I really needed this class to graduate he said \"Well, do you need an F to graduate?!\" among other comments about how I probably wouldn\'t make it very far. Luckily I got into a different class. jeez.

Professor Barnes was an excellent teacher. He was engaging and he made history really interesting for once. I never once found myself asleep during his class and learned a ton. His tests are pretty hard, just don\'t overthink the questions and study your notes and reading a little bit everyday before the midterm and you will have no problem.

The lecture portion of this class is actually very interesting. I\'m not much of a history person, but Barnes made me actually want to know more! Taking notes is probably the easiest and most important part of this class besides the readings. Make sure to pay attention to every single word that he says, because you never know what might come up on a test. After the first test, i was devastated because i practically failed. But, after continuous visits to Barnes\' office, I made huge progress on the next two tests and was very happy that I came out with a C. This is not an easy General Ed class, but I still recommend it because I learned so much. Make sure to also read the readings far in advance and multiple times- it helps a lot! Overall Barnes is a great teacher in my opinion

DO NOT TAKE HIM! He is a good lecturer, but his tests are impossible. Wasted way too much time on this class with nothing to show for it.

Dont take his class. It's a GE and he makes it impossible to get an A. That's usually what's cool about GE's. Not with this guy. He's an asshole too, so I really don't recommend him.

Barnes is an amazing lecturer. However, his tests are IMPOSSIBLE. Your grade is based on three tests that are all weighted evenly, and that is it. If don't do particularly well on tests, like me, do not take his class. If you do, study VERY hard or you will not pass.

Barnes is a good teacher, that teaches you many interesting things about history. I learned a ton of information that i thought was really cool. But the way he grades this class is not the best. Barnes only grades out of 3 test and nothing else. Also, the test are very hard, some say impossible! I ended up learning a lot, but it was not worth how much work i put in and the grade i received. So basically this class is very difficult, i would not take this teacher if you care about your grade.

He was an amazing teacher, at first I was not excited to take a 7 am history class but he is really passionate about his subject and imparts the knowledge to the students. It was a very enjoyable class and I learned a lot about history. The grade is only 3 exams (either multiple choice or essay, you have the choice) but if you studied the lecture notes and did the readings then you should have gotten a good grade.

Barnes was absolutely stupendous. He was the best history teacher I've had. I had him 8 A.M. and he had no problem keeping me awake. He's so in love with history and I think that rubs off on his students. I know that rubbed off on me. Yes, the tests are hard, but if you take really, really detailed notes and study them A LOT you'll do fine. Therefore, if you're looking for an easy GE, don't take him. But if you truly want to learn, you should definitely take him. Also, office hours are great. He's very, very helpful and always happy to see students.

Yeah...those multiple choice test are fucking hard...don't take barnes

So he tells you about a curve on his midterms...but those curves are not used in the final grading...then WTF is the point of telling us the curve!?

I went to office hours to get tips on studying after I bombed the first final, which greatly improved my second exam score. Office hours don't really help otherwise. You have to pay attention to every thing he says in class. Any detail, and every detail, will be on the exam. Two midterms, one final. Final is basically another midterm, not cumulative. About 30 problems on each exam. Usually on multiple choice test, you look for the write answer but on his exams you look for the wrong one. "All the following are examples of ______, EXCEPT ONE." That is literally the format of ALL his questions. His classes can be extremely dull, but don't doze off. The tiniest details will be on the exam.

Fuck you barnes and your stupid test.

Barnes is awesome. He loves what he teaches, teaches it well and his passion seems to transfer to his students. However, the class is very difficult is you miss one day of lecture you're already off. He lectures fast and you better be prepared to take notes straight for the class straight. His test are extremely difficult and you'll need to know the notes like the back of your hand. You should be a good note taker and relatively good test taker. Overall if you like american history take Barnes he'll inspire your love of it even more.

No....just no....

This class was so god damn hard. The other recent reviews are incredibly accurate. I am a great test taker so I thought I could cruise through it but those tests... those test are outrageously difficult for a GE class. If you have a photographic memory go ahead but if you don't stay far far away.

Dr. Barnes is a sweet, dedicated man. He knows his material very well and creates a nice flow to his lectures, making them easy to outline. As long as you go to class, take detailed notes, and study them thoroughly, you'll do just fine. Although it seems scary that he only has three tests (each worth 33 points with each point representing a percentage of your grade), he definitely curves the class. I got Cs and Bs on his multiple choice tests but I ended up with an A for my class grade. Overall, I enjoyed his class (even though it was at 7 AM).

He lectures using notes that look like they have been around since 1950. He seems like a nice guy but hates it when you are late to class. (sorry professor, but 8am lecture and I just don't mix) You need to buy and read the books for this class. The assigned readings do not come up at all during class but they make up almost 1/2 the test material. Do not miss any days of lecture or you will be behind (unless you get very good notes from a friend). His tests are always an option between a multiple choice test and a writing prompt. Most people go for the multiple choice, but be warned all of the questions are "All of the below EXCEPT..." or "all of the above, none of the above, one of the above questions" which make them more difficult than your standard multiple choice test. Overall, go to lecture and do the readings and you should pass easily.

After enrolling in this class, I thought I had made a *huge* mistake when I checked PolyRatings to see how other students deemed Barnes. I automatically assumed the worst and expected to possibly not pass the class especially since history isn't my forte. However it just goes to show that it's all perspective. I loved Barnes' class. I dreaded having to wake up for a 7 am class, but Barnes is quite the storyteller and not once did I ever nod off during one of his lectures. At first he can come across as intimidating, but as the class draws on I could just see how much love this man has for history and how deeply he wishes to share that love with his students. As for everyone saying his tests are *impossible* this is a gross exaggeration. I am not the best test taker, but I received stellar grades on all three tests. The key to success is your note taking. Nothing that isn't mentioned in class is on the test (aside from the assigned reading of course). More often than not, Barnes uses the exact language in his lectures that he does when writing the test. Write down EVERYTHING he says in lectures, and you'll excel. Also, Barnes is very willing to answer any questions you have while taking his exams. I appreciated this because I must have asked him five different questions on the final regarding his word choice. This class was an absolute joy. I'll actually miss it a bit.

Barnes is an incredible lecturer and you can tell he's a master in history. While lecturing us, he never needed his notes, he had it all in his head - including numbers and dates. I was also in the 7am class and I agree that his midterms and final will always be word for word with his lectures. However, the readings in the book... don't get me started. I thought the book readings were very unclear and always jumped around, references a name from 3 pages before it or terribly transitioned to another topic. If you want to get an A in this class, you have to read the readings two or three times over because his exam questions on the reading will be VERY DIFFICULT AND TRICKY if you just read them over once. Lecture exam questions weren't so bad because Barnes was such a good lecturer. The trouble was the reading; don't skimp on it. If I knew that for the midterms I probably would have gotten a higher grade, so i'm letting you know now.

Professor Barnes is a really good professor. I love his lectures and they are very entertaining. He is very passionate about the subject. His midterms are really HARD. He tells you the curved grades for the midterms and I received B's on them WITH the curve for both midterms. When it came to the final, I would assume I got a decent grade too. But my overall grade was a C. If you love history and don't really care much about your grade, then go for him. If you want an easy A, look for another class to take.

When I first enrolled in this class, I dreaded the 7am start, but since I love History I decided to take the plunge. Fortunately, I had two friends along with me and it made much easier to get notes if I missed the class. Only because I had friends in the class was I able to survive those absences because attendance and diligently taking notes are extremely important to getting a good grade in the class. Pay attention to details because his tests are all composed of questions asking which answer doesn't belong; its harder than it sounds. Also in order to pass the class, you have to do the readings! Most of them are interesting, but there were times when I wanted to keel over due to repetition about the plight of Chinese immigrants. Overall, I would HIGHLY recommend taking this class if you are passionate about history or want to learn from a professor that is inspirational due to his love of our past. Remember take thorough notes and do the readings and you will pass the class easily.

Barnes is an excellent professor, but he is difficult. Go to every class and if you have to miss it, get notes from a reliable source. Also do all of the reading and study the material more than you think you need to. The final grade is only based on three tests, which can make it hard to get an A. However, if you don't do well, it's definitely not Barnes's fault.

This class is the most interesting one I have had while at Cal Poly. Barnes is an excellent storyteller and I actually looked forward to this class, despite it being at the crack of dawn. It does take a lot of studying, but Barnes is very clear in his expectation, and there is no homework or assignments outside of a reasonable amount of reading. I would absolutely recommend this class, but be prepared to study.

What an amazing professor!!!! He seriously is the nicest guy and his lectures are really interesting!! The tests are extremely hard but just write down everything he says and you'll do fine!

Not a bad class, decently intersting, just very difficult to get an A in. He lectures an abundance of material of which he tests only some of it, leaving probably 50% of just extra fluff. He's a good speaker, but in order to get the A in this class you really have to have nothing else to study for. I put in countless hours studying and still got a C, honestly not sure how else to study the material.... You will learn a lot but do not take him if you need a GPA bump (like I did)....

I hate history and who likes getting up at 6am to get to class at 7am. THAT SAID. This class made me love history and I did not miss one class because I loved the lectures. It is a great class---I found myself giving random facts to my friends that I learned in class. The tests are difficult, esp. because I am awful with "EXCEPT" questions, which is basically all of the multiple choice questions. If you make an effort to thoroughly read what is assigned and memorize your notes you should be pretty solid.

I took Prof. Barnes in 2007. I am now completing an advanced degree in American history at another university. I see that he is still teaching. I have to speak up on this to live with myself. I enjoyed his stories at the time. Sadly, most of what Prof. Barnes presented in class as current scholarship was out of date many years ago. This is a grave disservice to an otherwise excellent department. I don't think that thwey ever review the content of his lectures. It's time that he hang up his tennis shoes and bikes off to wherever old history teachers go.

He is awesome! He has his own way of presenting facts and including information that he finds most pertinent. Unfortunately, we only covered up to about 1900. He spends too much time on Revolutionary War/Colonial America. I liked this class, he is engaging. I sometimes would be surprised when 8am rolled around and class was done because I was so interested in what he had to say. Tests are hard.

Excellent lecturer. A little intense at times, but constantly entertaining. The grade is entirely based off of tests, but that's not bad if you test well. If you don't do multiple choice tests well, avoid taking him, but his tests aren't impossible. Do the readings and take notes on them. Take notes in class. Review your notes a few times a week. You'll be fine. Also don't be late. He will stare you down. Not fun.

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Hilariously old which makes his lectures funny, but his tests don't reflect his notes as well as they should. His class is easy if you put in the work but it's difficult to not skip his 8 ams

Take the essay tests. Memorize everything he says and just regurgitate it-you'll do well! The multiple choice tests are incredibly difficult. With the essay, there is no way you can't do well since the prompts you choose from are straightforward. If you don't believe me, ask him to see a sample of a previous essay test prompt, and you will no doubt prefer it after seeing/attempting at a scantron version. But if you really can't write, and if you're not the best test-taker, enroll in another course. Barnes is always willing to answer questions so never be afraid to ask. He is also really nice if you actually talk to him!

hate to admit it...but barnes is a great professor. this is no easy class! it's hard to put the work in, especially for a GE. i hated history, but this class made me interested in it a bit more. it seems this guy has had the same class structure for 20 years...he's a freaking dinosaur.he lectures straight from when class starts until 5 min after, never wasting a second. it was kinda exhausting, especially since he teaches 7am/8am. grade is based off 3 tests. your choice of MC or written. i took MC. they were insanely hard. 33 questions and each question has 5 answers all strucutred the same way: all of the following except...A,B,C,D,E (all of the above). there is so much info jam packed into a single question it's hard to pick out a minor flaw. after discussing with him in office hours after the difficulty he commented this: the test is hard? GOOD. i'm giving you a college education. anyone can tell you when the constitution was signed or who signed it or even why it was signed. but the accuracy of the details is what separates a cal poly student from some bum on the street.---pretty intense, but has my respect. he also told me he sets the highest grade for each test as the highest possible grade, so watch out for curve busters! and don't sit in the front row, unless you like getting spit on. or touched. or stared down. he picks on people a lot whenever he asks questions so pay attention. he likes to make fun of majors too, especially BUS. or if you're engineering and don't what the advanced fluid dynamics by now he'll tell you to switch..stfu, ahah. OH AND DON'T EVER BE LATE. if you're late to class, just skip it. he'll put you on a black list forever and hault the entire lecture. take notes on everything, and do the readings. the was a challenging class, but definitely a fun ride. would recommend.

Barnes is an amazing lecturer. I have NEVER liked history (except for art history), but I really enjoyed this class. Even at 7am, he brings history to life and makes it fun. The readings are really, really boring but his lectures make up for it. He's a kind-hearted soul. I want him to be my grandpa. Also, the multiple choice tests are literally impossible. Take the essay tests instead. They're WAY easier.

Terrible professor.

NON HISTORY PEOPLE: To start off, if you are like me and have always HATED history, don't be intimidated by this class. Barnes actually made lectures interesting and taught the class in a very organized way since he's been giving the same lecture for around 40 years. LAZY STUDENTS: In order to be successful in this class, you do need to go to class and pay attention. He assigns reading but they are on material outside of lecture (which I rarely did and it hardly affected my grade). He will absolutely call you out if you're on your phone or if you walk in late. omg...for the love of god, don't walk in late. But if you follow lecture and have a general understanding of the material, you will be fine with a C in the class. aka take it credit/no credit. GRADING: Professor Barnes stresses throughout the quarter that in order to get an A in his class, you truly do need to exceed standards. It doesn't seem fair to some students but that's how he grades. That being said, I got a C in this class lol.. but I think its fair. I glanced back at my notes before test and had a general understanding of material and did fine. MULTIPLE CHOICE/ESSAY: Barnes has 3 non accumulative test/essays. I chose to write the essays, even though I am not a great writer because of other reviews I read on the "impossible multiple choice". I got C on midterms and a B on the final. The 1st two were tough only because of the time crunch, but the one I wrote for the final was the best. The multi choice is 33 questions that are "all of the following are true besides...." They're A-E answers and E is "all are true". He tries to trick you and they all seem like legit answers. Soooo that's why I went with the essay. CONCLUSION: Take this class if you want to put minimal out of class effort into it and get a passing grade. I promise that if you go and just listen and follow his lectures, you'll be fine in the class. Again, if you've got this attitude like me, take it credit/no credit. But if you work your butt off, I am sure you'd achieve a way better grade. Up to you!

I took this class credit no credit because I knew that it was going to be a difficult class, and I went to lecture everyday, took notes, and studied with a friend. I never tried the essay tests because I just wasn't sure I would be good at an essay test. Anyways, he talks THE WHOLE HOUR everytime, and you are supposed to write down every word he says and basically memorize it. And then, you have readings that are outside of class that you will be tested on too. He curves the class a lot, but somehow I still ended up with a D. Overall I wouldn't take this class, it is way too hard for a GE and way too much effort.

I was never super interested in history, but I was good at taking history tests so I thought this'd be an easy GE. It was not an easy GE. BUT, it was an incredibly interesting one. I did some of the readings, but in order to do well at all, you need to take good notes (he basically tells you what to write down, so just write down what he says) and read the books (some of the readings were interesting, some not). I feel like I could've done better if I got the books sooner than the week before the second midterm, so don't put off getting them!

INCREDIBLE professor. He did an amazing job of keeping the class engaged even when it was at 7AM. He asks enough questions to make sure comprehension is at its highest. Barnes will gladly answer any further questions you have and his exams are fair as he emphasizes the right things during class. I can't speak for the multiple choice but I can say that as far as the essay questions went as long as you took good lecture notes it was easy to recall.

This professor has three tests comprise your grade. They can be taken either multiple choice or essay format. I took the multiple choice format for the first test, and got a C-. As a A student, I was not pleased with this grade. So I studied even harder and took the essay, and then failed. I talked to the professor and he said he could not do anything about it. I decided to quit going and take the F and do grade forgiveness later on. He is a good lecturer and keeps it interesting, but he does not have any understanding of student difficulties, especially since his tests are graded so harshly. I would highly suggest not taking this class.

This is the ONLY history class that I've ever truly enjoyed. Professor Barnes is a genuinely great professor who tells history like a story and really engages with his class. He is really awesome and I didn't even mind waking up for an 8 am because I always looked forward to this class. His tests are challenging but not impossible, if you study the notes and do the readings you will do fine. Take this class! You won't regret it.

Professor Barnes is getting such harsh ratings on here, but I don't get it lmao. He presents material that all makes sense, he assigns readings that, for the most part, are related to what he lectures in class, and he presents the material in such an energetic fashion! It's an 8am, and I get excited to see what he has to say every morning. I do have to admit, the tests are very detail oriented and are formatted around paying attention, but if you put in the effort you shouldn't have a problem. Not too many date memorizations, lots of conceptual things, which is so different from other history classes I've been in. Love him!

I took this class because of the two classes I was enrolled in were cancelled after the first week so I was scrounging around for classes to be full time student and luckily (or maybe not..) his class had about 7 open seats so I asked to enroll. TERRIBLE CHOICE. He initially was very nice but then you realize how much he really does not care about his students. He treats class time like a show about himself and if you are not giving him the attention he thinks he deserves he does this squinty eye stare down thing with you until you either break eye contact or do it back at him. That being said he is practically a dinosaur and I was just waiting for him to fall into a coma the week he was awfully sick and would cough every minute and then speak through his phlegm. I am generally a good student and barely ever get anything below a C+. This class was literally impossible with a ton of reading and you have to attend every single class in order to get all the information because the reading and lectures do not correlate except that they are about events that happen during the same time period. I would recommend finding a friend in the class to discuss the readings. I took his class a year ago and am so done with that nightmare I had for an hour every morning, four days a week for a quarter.

The instructor was perfect in lecture, but I believe failed in the manner of testing our knowledge. The only 3 items graded were three midterms, each of which was multiple choice questions with five options that were phrased in the manner of, all of these are correct except. These are notoriously the most difficult type of test questions, so the fact that our entire grade in the class revolved about how we answered 99 of those exact questions was very rough. I found the tests to be much more difficult than the actual discussion material, and found it unfair that he expected us to piece together unspoken gaps of his lectures in order to find the answers to the test questions, especially with no warning that we would need to do this beforehand. Quizzes, or other assignments to help cement ideas in this class, would have been very helpful. As it stands, the way that this class was currently set up destroyed my gpa. I studied for two weeks the reading material and my lecture notes leading up to the first midterm, and because of the way that the exam was built, received a low enough F grade on it that I would have needed a B+ or higher on both of the following exams to get a 70% to pass the course. Given the amount that I had studied and how it wasn't proportional at all to the grade that I received, I was recommended by my advisor to drop the course because it was taking too much of my time from my other classes to study daily for it, and my daily studying proved to be fruitless with no chance of passing the class. I would recommend to everyone either not taking this class or that this class needs to be restructured in a way that is more beneficial to testing the knowledge of students.

Dr. Barnes is a hard teacher to take because his tests are slanted in a very liberal way. If you are an ag major or just a conservative republican, it helps to find the answer on the test you agree with, then cross that one out and look for the liberal answer to the question.

Barnes quote: "No, Dr. Barnes does not think so"

Barnes was very excited about the material and made it worth listening to. You will take a whole lotta notes. Tests were multiple choice or you could take an essay test, never took an essay test but multiple choice test was not easy when he says you must have a good understanding of the material he means it.

Barnes is by far the best teacher i've taken so far. He is an absolute crazy old man and if you sit in the front row you may get spit on. Honestly, he is facinating enough in his lectures that i sat in front every day and didn't miss a class. His tests are HARD but once you take the first one you get to know what to study for the multiple choice ones. Not only does he want you to ask questions, he gets people to contribute during the class which makes it fun. It was truly a privilage to take his class. I wish i had more history GE's just to take his class. take him if as long as your willing to work. it's worth it.

This guy's great. If you show up and pay attention you'll take more notes than any other class. He talks a lot and says a lot. He's helpful to students.

Barnes is incredible. Lovers of history and of classes that don't make you fall asleep should worship at the alter of Tim Barnes. He gives great feedback on your writing, and he's totally open to differences in opinion/interpretation, as long as you back it up w/ evidence. I had him for independent study, and for his colonial class a few years ago. He's tough, esp. the reading requirements, but hey, that's what you do in history. He'll make you a better writer, and he'll make you love early Am. hist. Hope I'm half as cool and half as smart as Barnes when I grow up.

Amazing teacher, despite the fact that his classes are all super early in the morning and his class are demanding you learn a lot and he is really really good. If I wasnt graduating this quarter I would be taking him again most definatley.

This is my first review of a professor, but I just had to do it because Dr. Barnes is easily the best professor I've had at Cal Poly thus far. Once you figure out how to take notes, shouldn't take more than a day, you'll be set for the rest of the quarter. His tests are straight from the notes, and he gives clear hints as to what will be on the tests. He is a great guy and will help you in whatever way he can. I cannot recommend enough that you take Barnes at least once while at Cal Poly.

I loved Dr. Barnes' classes. I had him for his Ag History class as well and that was what convinced me to take his 401 class. He is easily one of the best proffessors I have had here. He is a funny guy and also cares about the people in his classes. He had an essay part that you have to do, and I'd take his advice and do it early like he says or you will be busting your ass to try and get the reading done for the paper. His tests were pretty straightforward and from the notes and book material but he expects you to know a lot and present it in a precise and concise manner. I got a B+ in the class, but he is worth it. I'd recommend anyone to take one of his courses because they are very interesting.

Dr. Barnes is an excellent prof...i am 4th year history major and he is by far one of the best i have had...he cares about his students and it shows...his lectures are extremely organized and always interesting...take any class you can from him....great prof!

Without question one of, if not, the best professor at Cal Poly. His classes can be challenging but he is an amazing lecturer and always makes the material relative to today. His exams aren't difficult as long as you know how to study for them. Be clear and direct, and get to the point. I would highly recommend this professor to anyone whatever major you are.

Barnes is an amazing professor. I had his course at 8AM and I never missed a class. You learn a ton of information from his lectures. The tests are difficult but you will do well if you prepare for them.

Dr. Barnes is one of those rare professors who constantly work to improve their classes and better their own knowledge. (Inherited a little Puritan work ethic, Dr. Barnes?) Even for a 400-level course, Early America is a demanding class. The readings and his lectures are totally different, meaning you can’t miss out on either one and expect to do better than a C. Dr. Barnes is an awesome story-teller, so ask questions because he’s got so much more to say than just what’s on his outlines. Don’t get him going on the Loyalists, though, because he’ll destroy every perception you ever had about the Revolution. It'll be a sad day for the history department when he retires. Dr. Barnes, for all the work you do, for your infectious love of history, thank you.

BOYCOTT!!!