McDevitt is probably the best lecturer in the econ department. He goes over the material very quickly so you basically just end up taking notes in class and reviewing them before the tests. If you follow his steps and are willing to prepare yourself before the tests you'll do fine. Make sure to go to lecture though and start studying a few days ahead of time. If you try and cram the night before it won't go well. His tests are hard but are very relevant to the material and the study questions. If you do the study questions a few times and really understand the concepts behind them then you'll be fine. If you have him for a class like Econ 11 or 101 then make sure that that is your top priority as these classes are hard and very important to get into the major.

True. His class is not easy. But its not also crazy hard either. the bottom line is you have to deserve your A. Every single lecture was enjoyable and informing. Study Questions should be your best friend. do them over and over. If you are one of those smart people, you may be able to pull an A off w.o. going to lectures. But you probably wont understand the logic behind the material which Mcdevitt covers really well during his lectures

Professor McDevitt may be hard but is the most fair professor I have ever had. His exams are a bit tough, especially the multiple choice, but the material is stuff he touches on in lecture. DO NOT BUY THE TEXTBOOK. Make sure you go to lecture and UNDERSTAND the material and examples. You must do the study problems. He is organized, consistent, and knows his stuff. He always tries to relate the material to real life examples. He actually makes you understand the concepts rather than memorize them. Do not underestimate his midterms because you will need every point you can get for that A. Regarding the final, if you are cramming...don't worry TOO much about the material covered before the 2nd midterm. THIS CLASS IS OBVIOUSLY NOT AN EASY A.

Professor McDevitt is very organized and structures with his lectures. His tests do have tricks in them, but as long as you study and understand the material, you should be able to see those little tricks. One helpful hint is that he gives away hints during class when he says things like, "I want you to do this example on your own." He is byfar one of the better Econ professors I have had at UCLA. He is very welcoming at office hours and always willing to help. I also recommend that you go to his extra office hours because he also drops hints during that time. Don't get the textbook because it is just a waste of money. But buy his lecture notes because those are really helpful for when you miss class or do not understand a concept from class. Always do the Study Questions even if your TA does them during section because the Study Questions came from questions of his previous exams. He also does curve the examinations. An "A+" is completely doable. It is not hard to get a perfect score on an exam (I did it on one midterm). During lecture, don't listen to your i-pod or fool around because he will embarass you and ask you to leave.

I have to agree with almost everyone else on here that McDevitt is a great teacher. The A definitely takes hard work, but it's not a ridiculously large amount of work that he's asking for. He pretty much hands what he wants from you directly. Lecture notes definitely help but I wouldn't depend on it for EVERYTHING. It is essentially the same but some minor nuances for certain concepts have changed and he seems to like to ask multiple choice questions on small things you never think would be important. It is definitely essential to understand the study questions and be able to do them without looking at the answers or the notes. I have to say that memorizing them isn't everything though because he never asks any question in exactly the same way twice. What helped more was to repeatedly do the lecture notes, as in write down all the definitions and draw the graphs until you completely understand them. After learning the notes, if you can do the study questions on your own, then you're pretty much ready to do well on the test. It's all about understanding the concepts.

McDevitt is by far the best Econ professor I've had in the 4 econ classes I've taken here. He explains the concepts very well, and wants you to learn the material, not just do well on his tests. His examples and study questions are right on with his exams, so you know what you have to learn. If you can wait for a quarter when McDevitt is teaching Econ 11 or 101 I recommend it.

Prof McDevitt is awesome! I'd taken Econ 1 & 2 with Hau and pretty much hated economics--but McDevitt got me interested again and actually got me to understand everything not only in 11, but also all the stuff I had "learned" in Econ 1. He's a very straight-forward lecturer and he presents everything in class in a very simple manner--the book, however, is worthless! Just go to class and don't buy the book. His tests are a lot like the homework he passes out so drill those backwards and forwards. Office hours are also really useful--he gives a lot of the variations that appear on the exam (he'll also sometimes go into more advanced stuff from later classes, but you don't have to know that, so as long as you don't get confused by it, office hours are GREAT!!!)

What most people say about McDevitt is true: he's not too interesting, but he's a darn good professor. He explains things clearly and concisely. All you need is the lecture (take good notes, don't miss them) and don't bother with the book. Somehow he memorizes his lectures perfectly--he knows it backwards and forwards. Get old lecture notes and follow along. Try to get old midterms and finals, also.
McDevitt also makes it easy for you to ask questions to him. He makes extra office hours, so if you need them, take them. Section isn't mandatory, so shop around for a good TA that will supplement his material. He's a nice guy, but even if he weren't, it'd be okay. He's frank and no-nonsense, which is refreshing because you get what you ask for.
Tests aren't easy, but the key is understanding. Study questions help significantly, but again, know the concepts. Memorizing questions isn't that helpful. Time is a factor, so know your material and work fast. His multiple choice is tricky, but spend time on it. Free response isn't too terrible either. The curve is relatively generous, but don't expect this to be an easy A. Overall, I recommend him because he'll teach you what you'll need to know without too much pain. It is supposedly a weeder class, so don't freak out. At all means, take him before thinking about anyone else!

McDevitt is a wonderful teacher. DON"T MISS A LECTURE, and if you are confused about ANYTHING, ask him!!! Don't buy the book, cuz it's a waste of money. Go to his office hours with a set of questions you come up with going through his notes and study questions. If you spend enough time looking over his notes and the study questions, you will do fine in the class. Good luck~

Hey, I thought McDevitt was hillarious in lectures- I love it when he gets into it and spazes out a little. Anyway, McDevitt is the reason why I decided to go for an Econ major. His lectures are clear, to the point, and easy to follow. I still use the notes and practice problems from that class. Great guy all around- Take his class. I just wish he taught more upper division stuff...