Professor
Isaac Speer
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Most Helpful Review
Fall 2020 - TAKE THIS CLASS! As a transfer student I was nervous about the transition from a Community College to a 4-year University. Professor Speer made sure that my experience in this class was a positive one. I will admit some of the readings were difficult, but Speer went over them in class and discussed it until everyone understood. Such a caring and understanding person in light of everything going on. I really wanted to take him for Sociology 182 for Winter 2020, but the class filled up so fast, and rightfully so. Speer is hands down the BEST professor in this department. Honestly, the BEST professor at UCLA!! Also if you're good he'll show his dogs Bogart and Nyla.
Fall 2020 - TAKE THIS CLASS! As a transfer student I was nervous about the transition from a Community College to a 4-year University. Professor Speer made sure that my experience in this class was a positive one. I will admit some of the readings were difficult, but Speer went over them in class and discussed it until everyone understood. Such a caring and understanding person in light of everything going on. I really wanted to take him for Sociology 182 for Winter 2020, but the class filled up so fast, and rightfully so. Speer is hands down the BEST professor in this department. Honestly, the BEST professor at UCLA!! Also if you're good he'll show his dogs Bogart and Nyla.
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Most Helpful Review
Spring 2024 - This man is heaven-sent. THE BEST PROFESSOR!!! I'm not even exaggerating. He is super helpful and accommodating. Yes, there is a multiple choice and short essay part (for both midterm and final) but they're super easy if you do the homework. Also, there's a final paper (usually with a prompt but students have somewhat free range to talk about what they want as long as it follows the assignment) which is easy to do if you do the work. This is my fourth time taking him because he is just that good. With the protests going on campus, he was super understanding of the stress and severity of the situation. I don't want to say too much about how accommodating he was because I wanna gatekeep but also because I don't want people to take advantage of his kindness (call me a teacher's pet I don't care). I just can't truly express how much of an amazing human being he is. Aside from academia (which, he is also really good at), he has a heart of gold.
Spring 2024 - This man is heaven-sent. THE BEST PROFESSOR!!! I'm not even exaggerating. He is super helpful and accommodating. Yes, there is a multiple choice and short essay part (for both midterm and final) but they're super easy if you do the homework. Also, there's a final paper (usually with a prompt but students have somewhat free range to talk about what they want as long as it follows the assignment) which is easy to do if you do the work. This is my fourth time taking him because he is just that good. With the protests going on campus, he was super understanding of the stress and severity of the situation. I don't want to say too much about how accommodating he was because I wanna gatekeep but also because I don't want people to take advantage of his kindness (call me a teacher's pet I don't care). I just can't truly express how much of an amazing human being he is. Aside from academia (which, he is also really good at), he has a heart of gold.
Most Helpful Review
Fall 2025 - Personally, I enjoyed this class. However, I can see why people did not. The actual content of the class, while easy to understand, is pretty boring, which makes lectures very boring as well. However, I wouldn't really blame this on Speer himself, since no matter how you teach it, the concept of "Comparative and Historical methods" is going to be boring nonetheless. He did try to compensate for it, such as through interesting readings, case studies, and him being funny. The final essay, while 10 pages, allows you to choose any topic and the TAs grade it leniently. The tests are also really easy as long as you study and pay attention in class. Just a heads up that the further the course goes, the readings do become a bit longer and more difficult to understand, but they're still manageable. Honestly the only complaints I have are whenever you ask Speer a question, he sometimes does come off as a bit sassy (as others have noted), but IMO he's just blunt like that and means no harm. Also, he's becoming a bit paranoid of AI and will go on random rants about it (he also makes you do your work on a google doc so he can see your version history). However, since this class does not have any math whatsoever and it is very easy, I highly recommend it to get your methods requirement done. Note: speer says taking sociol 101 before this class is "recommended" but I didn't take it yet and still found this course really easy so you should be fine
Fall 2025 - Personally, I enjoyed this class. However, I can see why people did not. The actual content of the class, while easy to understand, is pretty boring, which makes lectures very boring as well. However, I wouldn't really blame this on Speer himself, since no matter how you teach it, the concept of "Comparative and Historical methods" is going to be boring nonetheless. He did try to compensate for it, such as through interesting readings, case studies, and him being funny. The final essay, while 10 pages, allows you to choose any topic and the TAs grade it leniently. The tests are also really easy as long as you study and pay attention in class. Just a heads up that the further the course goes, the readings do become a bit longer and more difficult to understand, but they're still manageable. Honestly the only complaints I have are whenever you ask Speer a question, he sometimes does come off as a bit sassy (as others have noted), but IMO he's just blunt like that and means no harm. Also, he's becoming a bit paranoid of AI and will go on random rants about it (he also makes you do your work on a google doc so he can see your version history). However, since this class does not have any math whatsoever and it is very easy, I highly recommend it to get your methods requirement done. Note: speer says taking sociol 101 before this class is "recommended" but I didn't take it yet and still found this course really easy so you should be fine
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Most Helpful Review
Fall 2020 - Professor Speer was such an amazing professor - he was very understanding and approachable. The class was recorded and attendance was not mandatory. The material was very interesting and applicable to what is currently happening today. We had weekly readings and reading questions to turn in. The questions helped me understand the main points of the readings. There was supposed to be a midterm, but he canceled it last minute and instead we had a cumulative final. We had to write an 8 paged literature review on a question we created in the beginning of the quarter. The final exam was take home.
Fall 2020 - Professor Speer was such an amazing professor - he was very understanding and approachable. The class was recorded and attendance was not mandatory. The material was very interesting and applicable to what is currently happening today. We had weekly readings and reading questions to turn in. The questions helped me understand the main points of the readings. There was supposed to be a midterm, but he canceled it last minute and instead we had a cumulative final. We had to write an 8 paged literature review on a question we created in the beginning of the quarter. The final exam was take home.
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