PUBPOL-103CNS
WAR & DIPLOMACY FACT/FICTION
Not in Fall 2026
Term
Overview
Feedback is mostly positive. The strongest signal is that students say they actually learn something useful. Best for students who want substance, not a disposable elective. The sample is still thin, so treat this as directional rather than definitive.
DepartmentPPS
Terms offeredFall
Typical enrollment15–15
Semesters of data1
4.0
Hrs / week
6
Responses
15
Enrollment
40%
Response Rate
Evaluation Scores
Overall quality
Teaching, content, and experience combined.
4.3
Intellectually stimulating
Challenges students to think deeply.
4.5
Instructor effectiveness
Explains concepts and facilitates learning.
4.7
Difficulty
Higher means harder.
3.0
Feedback Analysis
Feedback Analysislow
Analysis based on student evaluations
Based on 19 comments across 1 sections
Feedback is mostly positive. The strongest signal is that students say they actually learn something useful. Best for students who want substance, not a disposable elective. The sample is still thin, so treat this as directional rather than definitive.
Student Reports
How hard is the A?
A is doable but not automatic
The signal here is more do-the-work-and-you-should-be-fine than easy-A chatter. Students do not describe the A as automatic, but the evidence also does not paint grading as punishing.
Homework Load
Moderate homework load
Homework load looks moderate. The recurring signal is steady weekly work, but not a course that turns every assignment into a grind.
Lecture Load
Lighter lecture burden
Student comments describe this as more discussion-, seminar-, or workshop-driven than lecture-dependent. The lecture burden itself does not sound like the main source of friction.
Strengths
• Students repeatedly say the course teaches something concrete, whether that is content mastery, research skill, or a strong foundation.
• Discussion is a clear strength; students repeatedly describe the class conversation as engaging and useful.
• Readings, films, or outside materials come up repeatedly as a real strength rather than filler.
Tradeoffs
• There is no single dominant complaint theme, but the feedback is not uniformly glowing either.
Best fit for
Best for students who want substance, not a disposable elective.
Watch out for
• Most of the signal comes from a limited sample, so be careful about over-generalizing.
• A large share of the evidence comes from one instructor's version of the course, so this may not generalize cleanly.
Student Responses
I learned how to do historical research, primary source analysis, and even literary analysis.
Fall 2025 · Siegel, Jennifer
1. Analysing historical documents 2. Differentiating between historical fact and fiction 3. Researching about scholarly historical work
Fall 2025 · Siegel, Jennifer
I learned how to look at sources critically and consider different biases. I learned how to write essays without a rigid structure/rubric. I also developed the ability to efficiently read and annotate longer readings.
Fall 2025 · Siegel, Jennifer
I learned how to read/skim large swaths of writing, how to have constructive conversations/discussions/seminars on pieces of writing, and learned new things about specific moments of war and piece thorughout history and how historical fiction and fact interact.
Fall 2025 · Siegel, Jennifer
- How entertaining historical fiction can be - How to interpret different historical accounts on the same event
Fall 2025 · Siegel, Jennifer
Rating History
Rating history
Error bars show \u00B11 std dev
| Term | Instructor | Overall | Difficulty | Hrs/wk | Enrolled |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall 2025 | Siegel, Jennifer 4.9Rate My ProfessorsQuality4.9Difficulty2.7Would retake100%Based on 7 ratingsClick to view on RMP → | 4.3 | 3.0 | 4.0 | 15 |
Instructor
Also teaches
PUBPOL-296 WARS OF EMPIRE3.6PUBPOL-302D POL CHOICE/VAL CONFLICT4.1PUBPOL-509 MODERN INTELLIGENCE HISTORY4.7PUBPOL-807 MASTER'S PROJECT I2.9