Catherine McNamara

SPEECH11 · SPCH1 · SPEE1 · SPEECH11570 · SPCH101 · SPEC1 · SPEEC1318 · SPECH1 · COMM101 · COMST11 · COMM11 · COMST1435 · SPEEC1435 · COM11 · SPEAC1 · COMMSTU11 · SPEEC3070 · SPEECH1 · SPEEC1 · COMMST11 · 87 lifetime ratings

AI rating: 58/100
RMP rating: 3.7/5
Take again: 61.11%
Difficulty: 2.2

The decision

if you engage and rehearse speeches; avoid if you need consistent warmth or strict structure.

Best fit · Effort For RewardPolarizing GraderFunny LecturesSpeech FocusedAttendance MattersMixed Feedback

Many students find her funny and
Others report favoritism, condescending tone, and
Course is often an easy A if you show effort, rehearse speeches, and attend

Key questions

Four answers before you build your schedule.

Is this an easy A?

EasyA

76/100

Many call it an easy A with only a few speeches and if you prepare and show interest.

; some online hybrid reviews still call it easy while others call grading picky.

Is the course easy?

Beginner

72/100

Public speaking load is light on content depth; difficulty is mostly performance anxiety and a couple exams.

Both formats describe a beginner speech course; online hybrid adds weekly busywork for some.

Is attendance flexible?

Mandatory

28/100

Attendance is often graded and .

; online reviews rarely detail attendance policy.

Is this professor recommended?

Depends

55/100

About half love her support and humor while half warn of rudeness and .

In-person is mixed positive; online and hybrid skew more negative.

Course guide

See how this professor fits your week.

Grading

Fair

52/100

Speeches can be graded leniently if she likes your effort, but favorites and .

Format shift

Online hybrid .

Workload

Light

74/100

Usually , and a midterm or final with .

Format shift

Some online hybrid sections add weekly graded online assignments.

Teaching experience

Average

56/100

Funny and caring for engaged students, yet frequent reports of condescension, mumbling, and disorganization.

Format shift

In-person praise is stronger; online reviews stress poor communication.

Assessment method

Balanced

48/100

Speeches carry major weight alongside midterm and .

Format shift

Luni fit check

Weigh these signals against your actual schedule.

Get help balancing workload, grading, and timing when no option is an obvious fit.

Course format

Compare the in-person and online experience.

Classroom format

In person

46 reviews

High confidence · Best fit for Effort For Reward

In-person speech classes split between warm funny support that builds confidence and complaints of moodiness, favorites, and .

Main concern

If she dislikes you or you bomb the because few graded items carry most of the points.

What students said

“She never judges. Make sure your speech is relevant and watch her wow your speech!”
COMMST11

“If you get on her bad side she grades you tougher. Lectures can be boring but the class is an easy A.”
COM11

“I have her right now for spring of 2016, she is the rudest teacher I have ever had.”
COM11

Remote format

Online

4 reviews

Medium confidence · Best fit for Self Taught Pro

Online and hybrid reviews lean negative , and condescending tone, with one easy-A hybrid note.

Main concern

Weak email support and .

What students said

“Useless beyond words. Instructors should not be allowed to teach a hybrid course with an online element if .”
SPEECH11

“Just show up to class and do the HW which is super easy and this is a VERY easy A.”
COMM11

“She makes the class way harder than it needs to be with the .”
1434

Exam style

Know what to expect from exams and major assignments.

Exams usually cover PowerPoints and notes; while speeches are live.

Midterm and FinalTake-Home QuizzesSpeech PerformanceLecture Notes Based

Assessment risk

Standard

58/100

Low score means less forgiving assessment conditions.

In person

and ; speeches graded live with feedback.

In-Class MidtermIn-Class FinalTake-Home QuizzesLive Speeches

“ and final in class based on lecture notes.”
COMST11

“make sure to go over your lecture notes and textbook before taking the midterm and final.”
COMM11

Online

Online hybrid mentions weekly online assignments and rather than proctored webcams.

Weekly Online AssignmentsHybrid FormatEmail Communication Issues

“They are 5 points each and if you get one word/concept wrong, she takes off 3 points!!”
1434

“All she does is generic copy and paste responses despite students' request to clarify.”
SPEECH11

Student evidence

See what students actually said.

Top student voice
“McNamara is a funny individual. She is a great person (from what I've seen) but not a great professor.”
Voice snapshots generated from 50 reviews (4 online, 46 in person), highlighting polarized teaching and grading. Credibility rating: High.

🎯 Teaching Quality

56/100

“Shes super funny. Has a good heart because she wants to make sure that all students understand the assignments”

👍 Recommendation Rate

55/100

“I love this professor! She only has her students do speeches about things that interest them”

⚖️

52/100

“She is a tough and , and judges your speech based on if she likes you/the topic”

📗 Easy A Potential

76/100

“Only 3 presentations which are very easy. ”

Theme 1

👨‍🏫 About Teaching Style

She breaks the ice the first day and you immediately become comfortable with EVERYONE.
love her lectures. i've overcame my anxiety in public speaking.
Her lectures were boring and uninspiring.

Theme 2

📈 About Difficulty & Grades

Easy A
Once you do bad for a midterm or or even a B
Just show up to class and do the HW which is super easy and this is a VERY easy A.

Theme 3

❤️ About Character

She is EXTREMELY rude and or condescending when you ask her questions.
She is genuinely a very nice and understanding person
She can be a little rude when it comes to judging your speeches

Data context

See exactly what the AI read.

Analysis sample

Recent reviews read by the AI

Lifetime ratings

86/100

Evidence confidence

Fifty reviews across many years with detailed and polarized narratives give solid but mixed signal reliability.

Inside 50 stored ratings

Quality ratings

5 out of 536

4 out of 519

3 out of 516

2 out of 511

1 out of 55

Course coverage

COMM117 reviews

COMMST117 reviews

COM116 reviews

COMST115 reviews

SPCH14 reviews

Show 17 more courses

SPEEC14 reviews

SPEECH112 reviews

14341 review

14531 review

COMM1011 review

COMMSTU111 review

COMST14351 review

SPCH1011 review

SPEAC11 review

SPEC11 review

SPECH11 review

SPEE11 review

SPEEC13181 review

SPEEC14351 review

SPEEC30701 review

SPEECH11 review

SPEECH115701 review

Reported outcomes

A range results lead the reported letter grades.

20 reported outcomes

A range

A+ 3 · A 8

B range

B+ 1 · B 3

C range

C 3

D range

No reported values

F

No reported values

No letter grade reported

Not sure yet 1 · Not_Sure_Yet 1

Catherine McNamara

x x if you engage and rehearse speeches; avoid if you need consistent warmth or strict structure.

Four answers before you build your schedule.

EasyA

Beginner

Mandatory

Depends

See how this professor fits your week.

Compare the in-person and online experience.

Know what to expect from exams and major assignments.

In person

Online

See what students actually said.

🎯 Teaching Quality

👍 Recommendation Rate

⚖️ x x

📗 Easy A Potential

👨‍🏫 About Teaching Style

📈 About Difficulty & Grades

❤️ About Character

See exactly what the AI read.

Quality ratings

Course coverage

A range results lead the reported letter grades.

A range

B range

C range

D range

F

No letter grade reported

if you engage and rehearse speeches; avoid if you need consistent warmth or strict structure.

⚖️