Western Kentucky University / H / Joe M. Hardin

He's a good and funny teacher, his assignments aren't bad at all and he allows you to write your papers in class and helps you out whenever you need him.

Mr. Hardin is a great teacher. He is very laid back and easy to talk to. We had a small class so it was more of a discussion every day rather than a class you sit and take notes. He would just assign our papers and then give us a few weeks to turn them in. Between those papers the classes were pretty pointless because we would just sit there and talk about our topis and how to begin writing our papers. There isn't a final and we didn't even get to all the papers we were supposed to write. He is a pretty fair and easy grader and an over all really nice man!! I would highly suggest taking him if at all possible.

Dr. Hardin is a monster. A horrible, grotesque, overbearing monster who will devour your self-esteem and spit it out like dung brownies with nuts. He is JOEZILLA!!!

Kidding.

Dr. Hardin is great. Such a nice man who cares about his students and truly knows his stuff. This guy can explain grammar, writing, cultural studies like Britney Spears can go through husbands. Hmm. Not the best simile. Is that a simile? I think it is. Hey, it is a simile. Here's the definition from dictionary.com: "a figure of speech in which two unlike things are explicitly compared, as in 'she is like a rose.'"

I digress.

Seriously, the dude knows his stuff and is superb at explaining it.

Go into this class understanding that Dr Hardin takes a non-traditional approach.

1. There is almost no lecture (I know, I know, you're sad to hear this).

2. He will occasionally drop the F-Bomb -- but he means it in the nicest possible way.

3. The class is centered on cultural studies -- looking at mainstream/pop culture with the tools of literary criticism ("What does the mall say about American culture at large?"). So, your class discussions will focus on American culture more so than the mechanics of writing. But if you have any questions whatsoever on writing/grammar, ask and answers shall be granted.

So what do you get with the good Doctor?

1. No textbook -- the readings are online or distributed in class, and the savings are passed on to you.

2. A chance to sit in class with a great teacher.

3. You'll never get a 100 on a paper, but you probably won't spend much/any time in the deadly C zone. He will work with you. Really, he will.

And I've saved the best for last: for the next-to-last class, we had a party. A party I said! And after the last class he said that...he...loved us. Sure, it was a bit uncomfortable; I squirmed a bit and couldn't make eye-contact, mostly because I was crying. Literally crying. We all sang "Kumbaya," inserting F-bombs along the way.

Ok, that's not true. But we did have a partay, and he did say he loved us, and that he would help us out in the future in whatever ways he could. I think he rocks -- and not just because he used to be in a band. How many English professors used to be in a band!

The man is not afraid of either the F-bomb or the L-word! Which is just my way of saying that he is a great guy.

PS For extra credit, compliment him on all the weight he has lost. Way to go Joe!

Joe Hardin conducts a very relaxed class. All you are required to do is write 4-5 papers. He grades pretty rough but the paper topics are about advertising, television, and other media which is better than writing a 5 page paper on a 20 line portrait of a character in Canterbury Tales. This class is a big relief in the college career of an English major.

He is a good professor and funny. He doesnt grade papers to hard. There are no tests. But he has a mouth like a sailor. If cussing doesnt bother you, you might consider takihg him.