evals

My Teaching Evaluations

Unedited*

Doctoral Public Revenue (v666) Spring 2009

[What did you like best about this course and/or instructor?]

Thought provoking. Research papers were very useful activities. I think I have much better understanding on how to do a reseearch. Thank you!

I learned so much this semester. The course was well organized and that reflects well on the instructor who put it together. Thank you Professor Ross for making yourself so accessible.

He is very kind and eager to discuss any topics.

My instructor was very enthsiastic about teaching this course.

Great, thanks.

I wish more professors were like you. You were great!

[What Did you Like Least about this course and/or instructor?]

I still struggle with the math component so it takes me longer to follow the work on the board. It was getting easier towards the end of the semester.

Need some materials for classes such as hand-outs to use the class time more effectively and touch more things.

I need more assurance and explanation (too much formula, formulas...) Too theoretical, I need more practical examples.

More real life examples. Wish we had more time to cover more topics.

Cost-Benefit Analysis (v401) Spring 2009

[What Did You Like Best about this course and/or instructor?]

Good Webpage

His teaching style and ability to relate the material. I learned a great deal from this class and wish I could take another class with him.

No book.

The material was taught very well. I feel like I have learned a lot from this course. All of the real world examples were really great.

He was open to discussion, seemed to be flexible, lay out & organization of class structure.

Nice guy. Very to the point.

His in-class policies.

Good instructor, good notes.

Very helpful outside of class. Moves at a good pace. Very good class!

Very good teacher, knew the material well. Used several examples that were easy to understand.

He was very exceptional when helping explain & re-explain confusing topics. Especially if you went to office hours.

Everything, it was an outstanding ocurse. The prof was one of the best I've had at IU. He explains material well as well as relating to his students. If you go to class you will get rewarded with better grades.

Made the stuff interesting with real life situations.

J. Ross, the economist, is a nice guy.

Very willing to help in office hours, approachable.

I liked that there wasn't a book to buy, which encouraged me to come to class.

The fact that we didn't have to read the book. Homeworks and tests were challenging enough.

Instructor was knowledgeable about the subject matter.

A lot of good information that will be useful in life. I liked the writing on the chalkboard more than powerpoint...more effective.

One of the best professors I've had in SPEA. Knowledgable on all topics covered as well as anything else related to the material. Taught the class in a way that made the students think outside the box using the tools, taught during lecture. Very enthusiastic on the topics covered.

Interesting, fairly well taught.

Very enthusiastic about material.

No textbook, cool HW - Webassign to do assignments.

He was a nice dude and had relevant funny real world examples. Good course.

He wrote clear & detailed notes.

Engaging, does not use powerpoint, committed, tells applicable, interesting stories. I've had many professors in my 3 years with SPEA - Ross is one of the best. Give him a raise and never let him go. Professors like him will guarantee that my degree from SPEA still means something in 30 years.

Enthusiastic.

[What Did you Like Least about this course and/or instructor?]

All class notes

No power point

Hard to read chalkboard.

Last section was kind of blurry, should we have read? Just study notes?

No power points.

Should incorpoarte more projects. Should take attendance / was never taken after the midterm.

Nothing.

Should put notes online.

Use Oncourse more with a gradebook that's easier to read.

Writing everything on the chalkboard is a waste of time. As college students, we can usually write notes by listening and picking out important points.

Case Study was really hard. I would like a seperate class devoted to the case study.

I felt like the material covered in class was asked in a more confusing way on the tests. The tests were difficult.

A lot was repetitive from A201, A202, F300, E201, E202, v361, v346 (a lot of classes required in SPEA).

Assignments were not always explained well, help outside of class was minimal when went to office hours.

Boring, because all he did was write on the board the whole time. Use power points.

The word problems from exam were hard to comprehend.

Not much real world application/discussion.

Public Management Economics (v517) Fall 2008

Professor Ross made the material interesting and easy to understand (layman's terms). He was also so enthusiastic about the course that it made class much more enjoyable. He was a great Professor!

More interesting case studies.

The instructor went above and beyond other instructors I have had. He was always available for students questions, thoughts & ideas. He made us feel comfortable to stop in his office & really acted like he cared that we understand this material.

Improvements: different books to complement the class; make tests harder, grade a bit harder or allow for more challenging work; make notes available online but continue writing on board in class (keeps the pace of class); more examples of math problems to ensure we understand the main point; more examples on how to use these in public policy; do more econ talk, instead of cases, or allow us to look up topics to relate to econ too.

He helped me see the importance of economics & gave me the confidence to believe I can continue to study these topics.

Instructor very enthusiastic & information was clearly presented. Examples were very helpful.

Some material seemed a bit basic for graduate level.

He clearly loves the subject, loves teaching and has really great examples that correlate to taught material.

The examples given in class were interesting & memorable. Class lectures were clear & easy to follow. Great class! Thanks!

He's energetic - loves econ.

Helpful and interesting.

Too easy, but I think it's good for other students.

Instructor was enthusiastic and funny.

Subject matter - just don't like econ.

He was enthusiastic and knowledgable about his subject. Very good & practical examples associated with boring economic models & theories.

More involvement opportunity for students would have been good.

Good Teaching.

The teacher made the information very accessible. He used real world examples. Also he was very helpful and he was constantly trying to make the course better for us. No complaints.

Enthusiasm

Used life examples to show the economics. The teacher was enthusiastic.

Writing on board hard to see the note.

Very interesting, & practical.

Speak a little bit slower.

He made material very easy to understand, good & amusing examples to help illustrate concepts.

The book, I barely read it. I found that lecture notes were all I needed to do well in the course.

I enjoyed this class a lot!

Interesting Topics.

Pace of course could be slow at times.

The instructor: made material interesting, well explained, relevant & clear examples, always available to help students, one of the best instructors I've had at SPEA.

Would have liked more practice questions in preparation for exams.

Overall it was a great course, I feel like I really learned the concepts well.

He gave many examples, was always available to help students and answer questions.

The class was not very difficult - I haven't decided if this is good or bad yet.

I enjoyed the creative examples & his enthusiasm in teaching, he seems to have a lot of fun.

I think if he used power point/slides to present material, less time would be wasted waiting for him to write on the board.

It was easy to see how this class was relevant & will be useful in the future.

I feel like we learned a lot less than the other econ classes, and so I'm afraid of being behind next semester.

I liked everything, seriously. The EconTalk Assignment was great - I would have preferred a few more of these mixed in with the case studies.

Liked: Real world examples; dynamic lectures; EconTalk

But: was not that challenging for me; more work with equations and there real world applications would help; I did not like the case assignments - most of the time I didn't know how to do them.

Engaging lecturer, entertaining - the material sticks and is made easily applicable because of his wonderful teaching style.

Subject matter does not always seem applicable to the public sector. More policies dealing less with corporate behavior.

After 4 years of undergraduate economics, I now have a better grasp of the discipline as a result of this one course.

He was clear and interesting to listen to. I liked that he used the chalkboard instead of powerpoints. As a result, he went at a good pace for comprehension.

No more case studies or at least link them to class.

Really liked the real-life examples and personal stories. Really enjoyed EconTalk assignment and would rather have done 5 of those than the cases from the coursepack. Would love to take another class taught by you.

I appreciated the instructors enthusiasm for teaching the material. I really enjoyed the numerous examples that made it easier to understand and apply the concepts and theories.

I disliked the disconnect between lectures and the assigned book, but understand this was unavoidable due to extenuating circumstances.

Instructor was very prepared; Examples made material stick; very clear instruction; liked case studies; EconTalk! Nice to be able to choose something we care about; Instructor made changes after first evaluation.

Loved the examples! Would not have understood the concepts w/out examples.

Lack of reading congruency.

Clearly loved teaching subject.

Disliked textbook.

Professor Ross was enthusiastic & knowledgable about the class. He made class interesting. He went above and beyond to help students, make them feel comfortable, & engage them. Ample examples of concepts. This was helpful & appreciated.

Made subject matter interesting. Very effective lectures. Took time to make sure students understood the concepts.

Get Power Point slides or post notes to OnCourse. Writing on the board is difficult to read & I hate that ``chalk on the black-board" sound.

Professor Ross was very interested in the material. He made it fun and interesting. I wanted to attend this class.

I would like to have the outlines he teaches from provided to me.

Dr. Ross was very helpful outside of class and had extended office hours frequently. Class kept my attention.

The class was like an hour and fifteen minute infommercial for libertarianism, which made learning the concepts more challenging.

More teaching concepts, less teaching opinions.

Very clear & effective teaching style; Gave clear examples to emphasize concepts; He has a good personality & kept the lectures interesting.

More direction w/the case studies would be helpful.

This was my favorite class this semester.

Professor Ross was very enthusiastic about teaching the course and made the material much more bearable. He was very easy to understand & presented effective material. He was also very easy to communicate with (via phone, email).

Nothing. I am very pleased.

Great professor - made econ interesting!

He loves his subject and loves teaching. He encourages students to ask questions in (and out of) class, and never makes people feel stupid.

Notes written on the board are good, but the graphs can get complicated and it would be great to have them available online, as well.

You know it is a great class when you show up early and still can't find a seat.

Prof. was enthusiastic & good at conveying difficult concepts in a non-intimidating, entertaining way. Notes and study guides were very helpful.

Didn't like that multiple choice questions made up such a large part of test.

Overall, very glad I took this class!

I think the subject is interesting (theory anyways, not the math part) & will be useful in the future. The instructor made the class & learning environment more interesting. This is the only class I didn't typically fall asleep in.

No suggestions, good job.

The professor's enthusiasm about teaching; the professor provides practical examples.

Too much of outdated case write-ups.

The course was good.

Ross is very enthusiastic & knowledgable, presents information & interesting lectures - with examples - always helpful.

I don't feel I really learned anything that will be helpful for me in any career. Seemed to be very little never useful information that I got into econ classes in undergrad. More examples, link to case studies or policy problems encountered in the real world would be nice.

Insightful examples & ``Real World" applications. Great degree of excitement over the material/subject of economics, very helpful after class/office hours.

He paces around the room, speaks very quickly & uses idioms that an international student may not grasp.

The concept to ``retool" his teaching midsemester was greatly appreciated.

Instructor was very willing to help students & clarify material. Very good at responding to emails-excessible (sic) and helpful.

Great detailed lectures, very clear.

I really appreciated how Prof. Ross made himself very approachable to his students. I never felt intimidated to ask for help.

Sometimes I felt the students would take over the discussion and lead it on a tangent. i would have liked for Prof. Ross to cut these shorter.

Prof. Ross needs to not cut himself down so often. He's a good teacher.

Intermediate Microeconomics (ECON 301) Fall 2007

"Outstanding teacher. This class was my favorite class all semester. I learned quite a lot of material. Justin made the class interesting."

"The instructor is great."

"J Ross knows his information well, very prepared. Energetic, you can tell he enjoys his job. Sad to see him leave WVU."

"He's awesome."

"Excellent Prof."

"Great teacher."

"Great teacher. Nice guy."

"Gives real life examples to teach topics."

"Dr. Ross knows Econ front to back. Great teacher."

"I have no complaints about this class. He taught it very well and explained it so that everyone could understand."

"He was always more than willing to go out of his way to help you understand everything."

"Good teacher, good teacher to student relationship."

"Cute teacher."

Principles of Microeconomics (ECON 201) Summer 2007 Summary

"I've previously withdrew from Econ 201 in the spring of '07 because I literally couldn't understand my teacher; didn't have this problem with Justin."

"Best course I have taken so far. Extremely useful in everyday life. Instructor was easy to understand."

"Good examples and clarity in speech was ok. I know you may think your early rants at the beginning of class are fun and "eye opening" but they get to be tiresome. I think you seemed to be more enthusiastic about them than you are about the class itself."

"He kept the class interesting, which caused me to want to attend. He didn't read off the slides. I enjoyed the random material. For the extra credit, I think that it would have had a better outcome if we were allowed to write about what we thought was the most interesting chapter instead of the one you picked."

"The instructor spoke in a clear, defined tone, and outlined the information necessary for assignments and exams very well. I am not a fan of the internet homework system, though it does allow for quick grading."

"Justin is an outstanding teacher - one of the best that I have had. He has an unflagging and inspiring enthusiasim for the material. His lecutre combines clarity and thoroughness with frequent engaging/funny/surprising illustrative anecdotes and examples that helped me to better understand and remember the material. He clearly spends considerable amount of time on class prep and makes teaching a top priority. I highly recommend that studnets in any major take anything and everything that he teachers. My only quibble with the course was not the quality of hist eaching, but rather, the (from my perspective, biased) idological thrust of the material. Based on my comparison of the courses textbook to other standard intro texts, I believe that the common themes of htis course were less balanced than we as economics students deserve. The basic theme of the course was the market is always best, so we should just get out of its way. Many prominent economists would be more suttle in their analysis....But I understand that B&E recently received a $1.6 million grant from BB&T bank to promote "free market" thought. I guess incentives do matter....That said, thanks for the excellent course."

"He was very knowledable about econ and really cared about the subject he was teaching."

"I don't think I need to expand on the items for which I marked Justin 'Excellent,' since they're straightforward. The most valuable aspect of the course, for me, have been learning to think more critically about the way different coutnries' economies work - it's now easier for me to see through the B.S. that the govt, politicians, etc feed the populatce. Also, I have enjoyed his enthusiasm for the subject matter. The only real problem I noticed are that Justin sometimes makes mistakes in spelling & punctuation. I think that is important not to pass language mistakes to students who are still developing those skills."

"The instructor was enthusiastic and engaging with good and varied teaching methods and sources. He was always available to answer questions or discuss economics problems. He went out of his way to provide relevant reading materials and should be commended for this. Though he had a strong bias to neoclassical economcis and did not acknowledge the wide disparity of theires within the field of economics. The course would benefit a lot from an objective acknowledgement of contradicting economic scholol of thought (Keynesian & Marxism) and the inherent limitations of economic models in onbserving the wide spectrum of life. The textbook was also somewhat biased and all questions were answered from this one relatively narrow point of view."

"I thought it was going to be a very boring class, and it might have been if not for Justin. It's obvious that he's an intelligent young man & his enthusiasim combines with his criticism to make everyone equally offended yet interested. I really enjoy econ 201, something I never would have imagined."

"Ross is the best teacher overall that I had. Very easy to talk to & was always available. The first teacher to list personal cell phone number is very impressive too me."

"He is a very helpful instructor. He uses simple examples to clarify everything that seems to be complicated. He uses examples from our daily life."

Principles of Microeconomics (ECON 201) Spring 2007 Summary

"I am lazzy so I stayed to the right all the way. P.S. the in-class examples, jokes, and stories really made the class better and improve the learning experience."

"Always stayed on Track. Did a mini-review of previous class every day that helped."

"He made classes interesting and laid back."

"Great teacher, used real-life applications to concept to help understand them better."

"My understanding of the information being taught was excellent, thanks to use of real-life situations and examples."

"Good teacher, wanted everyone to understand."

"Very Good! Great knowledge over course material and did an excellent job bringing in real life examples."

"He seemed to love teaching and the subject itself. I didn't care for his homework assignments. There should have been more assignments to give us better chances of getting A's."

"Overall a very good teacher. Easy to understand and not an asshole."

"He definitely goes over things at a pace that makes the material easier to understand."

"I loved how he used real world examples to reinforce the subject."

"Good class, that second test was a killer."

"Prof. Ross made difficult subject easy to understand."

"Excellent jokes, interesting examples. However he couldn't get the movie working on the computer (not really your fault)."

"He really tried to help me on the course."

"Always cheerful. Try not always doing notes, hand out notes every once in a while so you can spend more time giving examples and showing how it relates to the real world. It helped me understand the stuff more."

"Excellent teaching style, very easy to understand."

"He tried to answer every question to the best of his knowledge."

"I liked that he gave lots of examples. It would be nice to review in class or get the review material earlier."

"This was a good class. As a senior History & English major, it made me wish I had taken more economics classes. The teaching style was very effective, good lectures, and lots of willingness to work with students."

"Mr. Ross is a very good teacher with a passion for teaching economics. I would recommend him to everyone. I gave him no low ratings."

"The professor possess an almost Disney-level of enthusiasm, and his curving of tests is good. The professor does not need to write out every word in a sentance on the board. Lecture, notes, and time would all benefit if the main point is written on the board."

"Instructor was punctual. Had incentive to teach and would be recommended."

"The examples that were given were good. However, with examples you may want to actually agree with some students, you always seemed to disagree with them even when their examples were good."

"I enjoyed how you related this class to the real world. I also like that you don't use a book. Even though I don't like economics I usually enjoyed your class. I was a little confused on the material for test 2. I don't know if you could change your approach to it."

"Very enthusiastic teacher who has mastered material and excellently conveys to students."

"I think Justin was enthusiastic and made the material interesting. He seemed to care a great deal and answered questions well."

"Very hard class and assignemnts. Give more extra credit opportunities and more assignements."

"He spoke clearly and provided answers to most questions. The syllabus should have an outline of the semester (class by class)."

"One of the best teachers I've had here. I am a huge fan of not using PowerPoints. Made lectures very interesting with lots of real world examples. Keep it up!!!"

"Very well organized and prepared. Used every minute of class to teach us. Always helpful and ready to explain."

"Honestly I think this course was a complete waste of my time. I don't understand why anyone in the field of nutrition would need this class. I think the instructor should stay away from personal topics he knows nothing about. Saying children in schools shouldn't be taught nutrition is just idiotic. Instructor needs to focus on things that are less personal and opinionated."

"Enjoyed some topics talked about. Teacher was enthusiastic about topics. Maybe present the material a little differently - taking notes not so effective."

"Did a wonderful job with examples and allowing bonus point chances. Anyone that does poorly cannot be upset if they didn't try for bonus! I really am thankful for a math background, since it helps me to understand the concepts but even with out such knowledge I would have beena ble to get by. Really made a "boring topic" interesting and could even keep me interested and engaged (even with ADHD)!"

"The assignemnts built on the in class notes were challenging enough to prepare me for the tests. The class lectures were kept very interesting with comparisons made to examples that could easily be understood. Overall, I would definitely take another course with him as an instructor and recommend him to others."

Intermediate Microeconomics (ECON 301) Fall 2006 Summary

"Justin performed well, this being his first time teaching ECON 301. His knowledge of material outside of the course presented in class proves to be a quality tool in his lectures."

"Homeworks were good to understand what was going in the material. Maybe give more of a detailed outline of the course, also a study guide would help."

"Good teaching ability, made sure he went in depth. Real-life examples help a lot."

"Very outspoken, speaks with knowledge on the subject, always well prepared for class. No low ratings."

"Homeworks were excellent because they reviewed important class material and were good aids in studying for the test. Probably you could use more real-life, current economic situations and relate them to class theory. You did this a few times in class and it helped me understand the concept better - do it more."

"Nice guy, always there to ask questions if to help. Fair."

"Mr. Ross is one of the best professors I've had at WVU. He cares more about us learning and understands the material better than anyone else I've had. He's a great person and if WVU had more people like him the standards would be much higher."

"I never was sure what to study for the exams. One bad grade can hurt your final too much since there are only 2 exams."

"Great practical examples. Great help in assignments outside class. Great explanation in topics and off topic knowledge. Could be more careful in preparing materials and notes as mistakes were found several times."

"I feel that more tests could help understand the material better. Possibly a bit slower with writing on the board, and explain more things."

"The instructor was well-organized and explained the material well."

"Instructor's board writing and speech both were extremely clear which I have found to be a problem in other classes. Was very organized and good about getting materials returned in a timely manner."

"Always available, never condescending, and very concise in answering questions. With a course like this which is guaranteed to be small, class involvement will take it to a new level."

"Always helpful, inside and outside of class. Relates course material to life situations. Makes learning enjoyable. The only Econ course I wanted to go to this semester. Could use less review and more new stuff."

"Gave very good examples to better understand the subject matter. Was very helpful in answering questions, and was flexible with his office hourse allowing me to meet with him when it was convenient for me."

"Great course and great teacher. My favorite class all semester."

"The instructor showed a genuine enthusiasm for the material and teaching. He made it a point to make sure the class understood the material before he moved on. Assignments were very helpful in studying for the test. This is the best economics course/instructor I have taken at WVU."

"Straight forward and honest, obviously enjoys economics and has an enthusiasm for teaching it. Uses examples that frequently do not fit or are confusing."

"Gave a lot of notes, but weren't very useful when answering homework questions. No study guide to the material for tests. Examples from notes weren't helpful in solving homework problems. He needs to be more reasonable in giving tests. He needs more practice."

"His being available out of class was great. He always helped and was really concerned about his students. Some of the assignments had less time to be turned in than the rest."

"I liked how the homework assignments went right along with the notes. Didn't have to do self-teaching from the book. I don't like the fact that missing class can hurt your grade. Missing class would show up on the homeworks. Award for attendance, but don't punish."

"Mr. Ross was always helpful when I had questions concerning the homeworks or material I didn't understand. He is a very effective teacher and it really shows that he cares about his students and wants to help them anyway he can."

Principles of Macro (ECON 202) - Summer 2006 (32 students) Summary

"Always prepared, very willing to help, answered questions very thouroughly, really liked small weird but interesting facts told."

"The instructor always presents his enthusiasm and passion for his teaching. He did give excellent accommodation to ESL students. He is so nice. His lecture notes are not very organize. It will be better if he make a power point for his lecture. Also writing on board was confusing sometimes."

"Friendly, funny, great teaching methods. He made the classroom environment very friendly and positive. Would definately take him for another class. My Grade for him: A+"

"Very enthusiastic about his field of study & I genuinely believe he wants to be a better teacher. Teaching style is very flighty and hard to follow. It would help to have a more organized delivery of notes and a clearer outline of the material."

"I enjoyed the class. It did get a little drone with just writing notes for 1hr 15min, but that is how summer is. Wish I would have done better on first test, if teaching class in fall & +/- fail, I will definately take over w/ you. Maybe offer more than just mid-term & final? I like the writing on board over power point."

"He makes very good use of examples & conveys ideas well w/ them. Liked the DVD filming while it lasted, was a very neat idea. Course itself was boring, nothing against the instructor. Some of the HW questions were hard to understand what he wanted."

"You actually are in it for teaching, not getting tenior (sic) just to be an ass to the students because your previous teachers were. We need an alternate way to get all that is given in class. You don't use the book and if you miss copy something in class you are screwed if it is something thats not standard."

"He always answers questions completely. Returns assignments promptly. Gives feedback. Seems willing to help students if they need it."

"I enjoyed this class very much."

"I liked the overhead setup. Powerpoint presentations seem boring & impersonal. Speak with more confidence."

"Good teacher, there for the students, always in office if needed to ask questions. Not saying should use powerpoint, just write a little bigger on the board."

" Sometimes when using examples or trying to make things clear to the class, the examples would get off topic of make me more confused."

"Friendly guy, really seems to enjoy teaching. Class gets a bit tedious with 1:15 minutes of straight notes."

" He is a very good teacher."

"Liked the fact that you took the time to write notes on the board."

"Even though this was a smaller class, it was sometimes difficult to see small handwriting on the board. I thought his use of the projector was more useful."

"I thought that he was exciting (as much as school can be) when teaching. He showed that he knew the subject extremely well. I like that he put the notes on the board so that nothing was missed by the students. I beleive you will make an excellent professor."

"Good teacher. Instructor should write notes larger when writing on the board."

"Teacher helped me a lot even when I missed his class because of other classes. Always had a great attitude and cared about whether the students learned the mat. Suggestions: There was a lot of note taking. When writing notes, I am focusing on writing and don't "hear" the material as well. I miss a lot when writing."

Business Statistics (ECON 225) - Summer 2005 (9 students) Summary

"I hate stats so my overall rating is poor but teacher did not effect that. It's the course!"

"He was a greate teacher & explaining the concepts very well. He was always available to answer questions."

"Maybe slow down sometimes."

"The instructor tried to help us as much as he could while learning content. Always available for questions. Test questions were fair."

"He took time and explained concepts that were extremely difficult & made sure each student understood."

pdf's of these comments here

* Unedited meaning I have not left out any student's comments, even if negative.