I did not like this class... maybe it's because I am an Anthro major interested in archaeology. I know that sounds weird, but I also got the feeling she DOES hate archaeologists. Wonder why? This class made me want to RUN away from evolutional theory screaming! Her lectures are boring, the readings are worse, and I was not inspired to do ANYTHING for the class but try to get out of it as quickly as possible. The tests are ALL multiple choice, which simply means, read, study and regurgitate. That's not why I am at UCLA, I did enough of that in high school. I got an A without even trying, or going to section. So if you want Anthro done easy, this class is for you.

Kennedy is horrible. Her lectures are so pointless, you have no ideas what is her points, and what will she test you on.

Don't bother buying the book. I made the mistake of buying the book and (i kid you not) did NOT open it ONCE throughout the whole quarter. This one of those classes where you just MUST go to lecture and take down the notes. Classes like these are pretty easy because all that you are tested on is the information covered in class, meaning, your own notes. she doesn't talk too fast so it's easy to take everything down. study your notes thoroughly a couple days before the midterm and final and you'll get an A in the course.

Professor Kennedy was dinitely very knowledgeable about the material. However, she is unbelievably boring. The subject material is fascinating but Professor Kennedy can put you to sleep faster than any professor can. I literally had to drink coffee and eat candy before lecture. She is a very fair grader and does her best to help students get the best grade possible. Overall it was an okay class, I got an A+. I'd take it again.

Professor Kennedy's class was one of the most informative classes I have ever taken. The option to write the paper and drop a midterm also takes some pressure off of the class, and she is very generous with her curve as compared with other professors. The class was incredibly interesting and I learned so much from this class. You definitely have to study for the midterms and final, but as long as you attend lecture and section you will do fine. Highly recommended to any students who actually go to classes that they sign up for.

DO not take this class. If i could go back I would not take it. Don't do it.

The previous students wrote things that weren't true. 1st, on a curve there is NO WAY you can get a natural A, B, C, etc. and be MARKED DOWN. PERIOD. The curve only raises your grade--never lowers it. We start out breaking down the grades into the natural curve--90%+ is an A, 80%+ is a B. Then from there we curve UP. If this student indeed got a 90% overall class grade they would have received an A. I invite this student to contact their T.A. for an explanation of how things work in gradingland.

2nd, the textbook was NOT outdated. It is the latest edition and less than 2 years old. However, as Anthropology is a constantly changing science, and many new findings have cropped up, the text needed to be qualified several times during lecture snd section--and then, it was only the chapters pertaining to fossils. If you want to take a class that never changes, stick with History!

Finally, the average on the final was a 68/100, not a 59/100. A 69 on the final would not have given this student an A unless he/she did extremely well on the rest of the class materials. Once again, the curve would RAISE, not lower a grade, but no way a 69 (a natural D) would get marked up to an A.

I am always astounded at how students feel they can come in here and print blatant mistruths. As a T.A. I wanted to set the record straight.

Dr. Kennedy definately knows what she's talking about. I found this class to be very interesting as it is about human evolution. Lectures are really boring though...and the book didn't help at all because it was outdated. Her midterms, and finals are straight from her lectures. If you memorize them, I promise you'll do well. Beware of her exams though, as her format is A, B, both A and B, B only, none of the above. This can really throw you off. Memorize the charts that she puts on the web because several questions on the exams are relating to them. And if you want to do well in this class, WRITE THE OPTIONAL PAPER!

I found Kennedy to be monotone and dead. I went into the class incredibly interested in human evolution but was sorely disappointed when I found myself falling asleep in lecture or attempting to navigate through her convoluted lecture structure. She is incredibly ambiguous and contradicts herself multiple times each lecture. Finals and midterms are heinous and she grades on a bell curve which means you can get a 90% or better and end up with a B. This class is terrible, so cross your fingers for good lecture notes and a TA with a sense of humor.

definitely a VERY intelligent lady. she made me feel like an idiot when i went to her office for a little bit of input/guidance on my paper about theories of origin of modern man, but the feedback she gave and her recommendations for researching other sources were extremely helpful. most people slept through lecture. or so i heard. i never really went after the first midterm, which i got a C- on ... B or B- with the curve. The average on our final was 59/100, so with a 69, I earned an A. The paper wasn't that bad. I was in the honors discussion, and went about half the time, did the reading about 1/4 the time ... but I ended up with a magic A at the end of the quarter. I did work my ass off for the paper though, and wrote a damn good one: like, I turned it in and thought "wow, did I really write that? I rock!" And I studied like mad the entire late afternoon-night-morning before the final exam. But I learned some pretty interesting stuff. If I wanted to be an anthro major, I would have been more into it, but I took the class as a GE. Even though I half-assed it for the majority of the quarter, when I did put in the effort, I found it to be worthwhile, and a lot of the course material is actually pretty cool to think about.