WILL DIE FOR ABIGAIL GOLDMAN

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Professor Goldman goes out of her way to make sure that students are treated fairly (she grades anonymously and doesn't know who submits each exam, and is incredibly accommodating of circumstances that affect the class). She does spend the first 10 minutes of each class talking about how the class is structured, which doesn't add much, but the rest of the class was really engaging and everyone in the room leaves wishing it were longer. I'd definitely take this class again- one of the most engaging and interesting ones I've enrolled in at UCLA.

To put it simply, Professor Goldman cares. She's an energetic teacher who clearly wants to see her students improve as writers. And this class was a lot of writing, as expected. There are plenty of instructions to help guide you, but it can be overwhelming sometimes. Just go to office hours to clear things up if there's confusion.

Participation is crucial so don't take this if you don't want to be involved. Attendance is also important.

Ultimately, I was highly entertained by Professor Goldman and appreciated that she approached things in a down-to-earth manner.

This is by far the class I attended the most consistently since starting at UCLA – in part because I enjoyed Abbe Goldman's lectures, but mostly because I was completely lost without them. The knowledge Goldman imparts in lecture cannot be duplicated through reading the course reader or skimming friends' notes, but is extremely valuable. She deconstructs good writing so that it's simple without being formulaic, which will change your life – and that's not a dramatization.

I definitely didn't give Goldman the attention she deserved, but still got a lot out of the class. She edits all of your homework assignments (turned in anonymously) and gives you tips on how to improve for the next week's assignment. In class, she also aggregates the most common flubs and analyzes particularly good portions of readings and collected assignments. You don't need to be interested in journalism to take the class and the skills she teaches aren't strictly journalistic. She'll call you out in edits if your homework is missing pieces to the story, but that's more dependent on your ability to construct a coherent piece. That said, if you've never played the reporter role, her homework assignments might force you out of your comfort zone (if you'll let them).

Goldman really makes you think about the intention behind your writing - from the really broad structural strokes to the grossly detailed syntax. She's myopic, but relevant and it's well-worth any anxiety she might induce while trying to get you to participate in lecture.

I wouldn't say you need to try very hard to get a good grade, and certainly not for a passing one. But Goldman has that quality that makes you want to impress her and try harder, if only to prove you're as competent as she makes you think you are.

Abbe Goldman's class blew away most of the classes I've taken during my time at UCLA. This class dramatically improved my writing skills and helped me understand best practices for clear and concise writing.

Goldman issues about one assignment per week, which she grades anonymously. DON'T WAIT UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE TO WORK ON THESE. Abbe is a very experienced editor and can tell if you didn't work on the assignment until the last day.

The class was interesting during lecture, rigorous in grading and overall a really well-balanced 10 weeks. I would absolutely recommend taking this class for anyone interested in communications, PR, journalism or really any job that requires writing and working with others. Abbe is a terrific journalist and professor, and UCLA is pretty lucky to have her.

Abbe's class is hard, but once you get through it all, you'll really value what she has taught you.

What is good about this class is how hands-on it is. You have a weekly assignment (500-word or so). So, rather than going through lectures after lectures and having no idea where you are until the midterm, you know where you are and where you can improve week to week. She also gives a detailed feedback on your writing, which helps you a ton in her class as well as outside of her class.

Abbe is also funny in her lecture, which helps get through the dreary 9:30 a.m. lecture. She sometimes make fun of people, even in her class, but does so in a way that you feel appreciated rather than actually being mocked.

In short, take this class! I had no reason really to take this class, but I took it and ended up really enjoying it and learning a lot.

This class was great in so many ways. It helped me to develop better writing skills that are more applicable to real-world situations than the academic style of writing. Abigail Goldman challenged us to write well within tight deadlines and in different formats (opinion, breaking news, etc.). The skills I learned have already proven to be valuable and I encourage you to take this course early in your academic career because it will help you in your other classes.
In addition to the benefits of the course itself, you will love Abigail Goldman. She cares about her students and challenges them to grow beyond their expectations for themselves (i.e., what all great teachers do).
Great course. Fantastic professor.

Anyone interested in journalism or just improving their written communication should take Professor Goldman’s seminar! It’s almost impossible not to become a better communicator after 191a.

The class covers a different topic each week (profiles, opinion, explanatory, PR, etc) which is discussed in lecture, and usually you have a short (<500 words) writing assignment as homework. The assignments are returned with detailed comments/feedback, which can be surprising if you’re used to just getting a grade on a paper with no explanation, but this is part of what makes the class so great.

Professor Goldman is awesome and knows a lot about the industry from first-hand experience, and she’s happy to answer any questions in class or in office hours. She has a refreshingly unapologetic sense of humor and will tell it like it is, but is extremely caring as well.

Abbe is one of the best and most dedicated professors I’ve had, and it shows in her class. This isn’t one of those classes where you can skip lecture and just cram right before the midterm/final. You need to put in some effort, but Goldman will meet you halfway and more. I’ll definitely be using what I learned in this class long after the quarter is over.

Abbe is one of the best professors I've had thus far. She's very willing to work with students and help them improve their writing, regardless of the level at which they start.

I'm impressed with her organization, especially in lectures; I've learned a lot from every class sitting.

She grades fairly, with a rubric, so I always know exactly what she expects and what to improve on, and she grades anonymously, so you always get the grade you deserve.

She has several office hours every week, and she's very willing to work with students on assignments before they're turned in. Going to office hours and having her look briefly over your work is super helpful; she'll tell you what to improve on and you'll end up with a better grade.

The workload is manageable: light weekly readings and weekly writing assignments (400 or 500 words). Make sure you go to class; it's helpful when you sit down to do the writing, but attendance factors into your grade too.

Abbe's experience in journalism makes her great for this class. She effectively and efficiently taught me a valuable skill set – I'd recommend her to anyone who wants to learn to write well.