I took this class online because of covid-19 but I didn't mind the online platform! Lauri is such a sweet person and really wants you to succeed, meaning that she's 100% willing to give you the help that you need. There were only two essays this quarter, one around week 5 and then the final paper; she dropped one of the papers we were supposed to do because of election season (she understood how stressful it could be). The class is centered around the social, educational, and political value of comedy, and honestly I feel like my eyes were truly opened to what comedy is really about. I loved the discussions we had in class (which is for the most part what we did in class, discuss the shows and articles that go with them so make sure to keep up), everyone was so welcoming and nonjudgmental. I really recommend taking this class, it was enlightening and I feel like my writing really improved, plus I had more freedom to write the way I wanted to.

I took this class virtually during COVID

This class is incredible. Lauri is such a caring and genuine person and it really shows in this class. A lot of the work is watching Netflix comedy shows and then reading documents that go along with a general theme of comedy. Then you discuss in class. Talking in discussion forums on CCLE was important, and then we had a couple papers we wrote that made up a majority of our grade. She gives very honest and blunt feedback. It seems hurtful and it is really difficult to learn to take criticism and reconstruct your hard work; however, Lauri has improved my writing for the better. I would definitely recommend taking this class to get your diversity and writing I requirement!

This class was absolutely amazing!!!!! Dr. Lauri is an absolute gem. She is so thoughtful, helpful, and gives you so much one on one attention. I took this class online but it was so amazing!!! You learn so much, and your worldview changes so much. I am not even into English , but I would take this class over and over again.

I LOVE this professor. She really cares about her students, and offers tons of advice for those who need help. I came a little nervous to this class since English isn't my strong-suit, but Professor Mattenson's class made writing fun. I thoroughly enjoyed this class and would take her again!

You watch videos ~1hr each, take thorough notes on them, and write four papers on them throughout the quarter. The professor is extremely helpful when it comes to teaching students how to write, and is a genuinely kind and caring person.

I originally only chose this class to get credit for both Diversity and Writing I, but it quickly turned into one of my favorite classes that I've ever had.

The class revolves around analyzing comedy routines on Netflix (which serves as your textbook, though Prof. Mattenson accommodates) and analyzing the comedians' works for their impact on the socio-political sphere.
As long as you watch all of the routines, take thorough notes, and actually take the time to write your papers, you'll do well. You'll also likely come away from the class with some mental notes on how your writing needs to improve to be the best it can.

Lauri is awesome! Great person and fantastic teacher. She's very approachable and helpful during office hours. She really cares about each student and the content of the course. The homework takes a long time because you just watch hours of stand up comedy, but I felt like it was easy because I enjoyed it so much. Definitely recommend this class.

Lauri's class is really engaging and interesting! Her class is focused around stand up shows and their social implications. There's a total of four writing assignments due throughout the quarter and all of the homework assignments just include watching stand up shows. Watching the shows is interesting, although the downside is that it does take up a bit of time, since most of the shows are around an hour long and she wants you to take detailed notes on them for one of the writing assignments.
Personally, I didn't have too many issues with the writing assignments, but if I did, I felt comfortable enough to talk to Lauri about methods of improving. It's very obvious that she truly cares about her students and she's interesting in helping students improve.

I loved this class! Lauri is an awesome professor and you can tell she really cares about her students. Homework includes watching 1-2 stand-up comedy routines and reading a fairly short article each week (only for the first six weeks of the course). There is a 4 page midterm paper and a 6-8 page final paper, but no tests or quizzes on the readings and videos (definitely do them though, they're the backbone of the class!) You will have to submit your notes for each video you watch, so make sure to take detailed notes with lots of analysis. Participation matters, so definitely participate in class discussions. Don't buy any materials for this course, all the readings are on CCLE and the videos are all on Netflix. Lauri is super helpful and will answer all your questions and provide feedback on your assignments before submitting them. Definitely recommend this class!

I hate English. I went into this class Winter quarter as a freshman, not knowing at all what to expect. Professor Mattenson allowed me to delve into a side of me that I did not know existed, one with potential for writing and critical analysis. She made English enjoyable to me and that is something I will never forget.

This class has been my favorite course so far at UCLA. Lauri is an amazing professor; she made this class feel like a book club rather than a stressing class. Though she did assign essays, 3 I believe, they were very straightforward. I do have to say she grades essays a little tough, but this class is definitely worth taking. I have never engaged in a class like this before. She made every single reading interesting and capturing. It was a small class of about 20 people, and we all ended up bonding over how intrigued and fascinated we were by the class discussions. If you are looking for an engaging, fun, interesting class with an amazing professor, I recommend you take this course; you will not regret it.