ENGL 4W
Critical Reading and Writing
Description: Lecture, four hours. Enforced requisite: English Composition 3 or 3H or English as a Second Language 36. Introduction to literary analysis, with close reading and carefully written exposition of selections from principal modes of literature: poetry, prose fiction, and drama. Minimum of 15 to 20 pages of revised writing. Satisfies Writing II requirement. Letter grading.
Units: 5.0
Units: 5.0
4 of 10
Most Helpful Review
Fall 2022 - Robert Mendoza was my instructor (he wasn't listed). This was genuinely the best class I took this quarter. Each class was run like a socratic seminar, and we just discussed the assigned readings. In terms of the workload, we were assigned a weekly discussion post that was not difficult if you stayed current with the reading. We read a collection of poems and short stories as well as one memoir and one novel. The material was contemporary and really engaging, and I think even non-English majors would enjoy this class. Robert is very kind, and it is very clear that he cares a lot about his students and our input (he would often end lecture by thanking us all for our participation). I was bummed that this class was cut short by the TA strike. If you need to fulfill your writing 2, definitely take this class!
Fall 2022 - Robert Mendoza was my instructor (he wasn't listed). This was genuinely the best class I took this quarter. Each class was run like a socratic seminar, and we just discussed the assigned readings. In terms of the workload, we were assigned a weekly discussion post that was not difficult if you stayed current with the reading. We read a collection of poems and short stories as well as one memoir and one novel. The material was contemporary and really engaging, and I think even non-English majors would enjoy this class. Robert is very kind, and it is very clear that he cares a lot about his students and our input (he would often end lecture by thanking us all for our participation). I was bummed that this class was cut short by the TA strike. If you need to fulfill your writing 2, definitely take this class!
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Most Helpful Review
Winter 2023 - I really enjoyed Herrera and found him to be super chill. Even though participation does matter for your grade, I always felt like the environment he created was super welcoming and made me feel less shy about discussing the books we read. The class felt like any other English class that I had taken, so it was pretty straightforward and the readings weren't too time-consuming. Most of my time was spent doing the final paper which had to be 12-15 pages long, but starting it ahead of time made it really manageable. He gave us feedback on the first 7 pages or so of our final paper, so that helped a lot too in figuring out what worked and didn't for writing. Overall, I'm glad I could take 4W with Herrera and thought he was super nice and understanding!
Winter 2023 - I really enjoyed Herrera and found him to be super chill. Even though participation does matter for your grade, I always felt like the environment he created was super welcoming and made me feel less shy about discussing the books we read. The class felt like any other English class that I had taken, so it was pretty straightforward and the readings weren't too time-consuming. Most of my time was spent doing the final paper which had to be 12-15 pages long, but starting it ahead of time made it really manageable. He gave us feedback on the first 7 pages or so of our final paper, so that helped a lot too in figuring out what worked and didn't for writing. Overall, I'm glad I could take 4W with Herrera and thought he was super nice and understanding!
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Most Helpful Review
Fall 2020 - Super cool guy and an awesome professor! The workload was relatively easy (cuz of covid), but it was very fair. The topics are interesting and engaging and overall fun! There was a variety of media we got to enjoy and analyze (podcasts, movies, traditional literature, short stories, etc.), and he's super chill and understanding! We could go into office hours before handing in our papers (we did not have too many papers), and he would help go over it and give critique. I don't think you have to go, but if you go, listen to his feedback, and revise, you're basically guaranteed an A on both papers. He let us crack jokes and make friends in this class (much needed during COVID), but he still taught us the material v well! Highly highly recommend this prof and this class!
Fall 2020 - Super cool guy and an awesome professor! The workload was relatively easy (cuz of covid), but it was very fair. The topics are interesting and engaging and overall fun! There was a variety of media we got to enjoy and analyze (podcasts, movies, traditional literature, short stories, etc.), and he's super chill and understanding! We could go into office hours before handing in our papers (we did not have too many papers), and he would help go over it and give critique. I don't think you have to go, but if you go, listen to his feedback, and revise, you're basically guaranteed an A on both papers. He let us crack jokes and make friends in this class (much needed during COVID), but he still taught us the material v well! Highly highly recommend this prof and this class!
Most Helpful Review
Winter 2021 - This has been my favorite class I have taken at UCLA thus far. Misho was terrific! She curates a really beautiful and thought-provoking experience in her 4W course. The readings she selected were phenomenal. We started the quarter off watching "I'm Thinking of Ending Things" and every week was something fresh and interesting. Her lectures are informative and helpful as well as the class discussions, which were always fruitful. Discussions were my favorite part and Misho created a warm and judgment-free environment to share literary interpretations. She's super-intelligent, very easy-going and she's got a great sense of humor. She gives great feedback on essays. I'm so very glad I was able to take her class and I would take another class with her in a heartbeat.
Winter 2021 - This has been my favorite class I have taken at UCLA thus far. Misho was terrific! She curates a really beautiful and thought-provoking experience in her 4W course. The readings she selected were phenomenal. We started the quarter off watching "I'm Thinking of Ending Things" and every week was something fresh and interesting. Her lectures are informative and helpful as well as the class discussions, which were always fruitful. Discussions were my favorite part and Misho created a warm and judgment-free environment to share literary interpretations. She's super-intelligent, very easy-going and she's got a great sense of humor. She gives great feedback on essays. I'm so very glad I was able to take her class and I would take another class with her in a heartbeat.
Most Helpful Review
Winter 2016 - I took 4w and got an A If you have to take 4w, take it with him. Jay is a great teacher. His grading is lenient. He grades upon improvement; he doesn't have a certain standard for an A or B, but it's quite subjective on the students level (given that the student knows how to write at a proficient high school level). Go to his office hours and be an active participant in the class. His readings are quite heavy, but doable. I'm not a sucky writer, but a slow reader and writer. So I slept 1 hour for the midterm paper (A-) and 45 minutes for the final paper (idk what I got but got an A in the class). attendance 20% Participation 25% Poem assignment 5% Midterm Paper (4-5 pages) 20% Final Paper (4-5 pages) 30% also there is some acting we did, which was enjoyable. on a difficulty scale of 10 being "wtf that was a joke" and 0 being "wtf" I give this class a 6
Winter 2016 - I took 4w and got an A If you have to take 4w, take it with him. Jay is a great teacher. His grading is lenient. He grades upon improvement; he doesn't have a certain standard for an A or B, but it's quite subjective on the students level (given that the student knows how to write at a proficient high school level). Go to his office hours and be an active participant in the class. His readings are quite heavy, but doable. I'm not a sucky writer, but a slow reader and writer. So I slept 1 hour for the midterm paper (A-) and 45 minutes for the final paper (idk what I got but got an A in the class). attendance 20% Participation 25% Poem assignment 5% Midterm Paper (4-5 pages) 20% Final Paper (4-5 pages) 30% also there is some acting we did, which was enjoyable. on a difficulty scale of 10 being "wtf that was a joke" and 0 being "wtf" I give this class a 6
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