Duffy really tries to get to know everyone. Lectures can be a bit disorganized, just make sure to understand the main points and read the book. Come prepared for section, as he expects participation (discussion) from everyone in the class. The final project is really fun! If you don't mind some reading and writing I'd highly recommend.

I took Duffy's summer course, Detective Fiction, and it was amazing. You will have to read a bit but it is an english lit class so that's expected. He managed to make discussions interesting, and made a genuine effort to get to know every student. The exams were also pretty easy, and the final project was fun! Take him if you can!

I took this course Spring '22! It was not easy, but it was fun. For exams, I recommend going over the poems + readings and looking into the meaning behind each. Professor Duffy is kind, supportive, and funny. He offers extra cred for the memorization of poems or a performance. I highly recommend this course if you're interested in Irish literature!

Duffy is my favorite professor at UCSB! He approaches learning in a way that includes educating the "whole self," in other words, he emphasizes the importance of life experience and pushes you to be creative, interesting and ambitious in your thinking about yourself, school, the world and others. I took 2 classes with him and would take 100 more

Professor Duffy has been my favorite professor at ucsb! The way he thinks about writing is very interesting. You have to do the reading, but he chooses interesting and distinct (helps with IDs) writing. The tests are fair and he gives freedom with papers and projects. I'm already in another class of his and planning to do a third.

Horrible unrelated tangents about a random thing. tries to be funny but not my thing. I feel like he is wasting my time and exhausting me with every word he says. He always runs over time and acts like it's rude or people start leaving while he incessantly talking.

The best English professor at UCSB. No, he is not an easy A, but he makes you think in a completely different way. The rest of the English department could take a lesson or two from him. If you are actually looking to experience the beauty of literature, professor Duffy is a must. The best professor I had at UCSB.

Professor Duffy can be intimidating during lecture if you don't participate. The tests are essentially quotes taken from the books we've read and they are intended to be ID's. If you are not a heavy reader I would not recommend taking this class as Sparknotes would not be enough.

Favorite English professor at UCSB! Lectures were interesting--if you care about literature. He really cares about soliciting feedback and ideas from students. GO to his office hours, he's very easy to talk to, and he gives great life advice.

Professor Duffy is a really kind person but if you are the type of person who likes organization I would NOT recommend taking this course. His lecture style is disorganized and tangential which made the class really difficult to enjoy.

He was so smart. He was so wise. His "tangents'" --I've never met anyone smart who protests against tangents--he was an absolute delight to learn from, like having an extremely smart, talented friend talk to you for an hour and twenty minutes. He was a pure delight, a treat.

I heard so many good things prior to taking him but he was impossible to follow as he would go on such idiosyncratic tangents that only someone who was an expert in his field could follow along

I loved this senior seminar, and I would definitely recommend taking it. He is entertaining, hilarious, and so knowledgeable about the material. The class is engaging and a perfect ending to my English classes at UCSB.

Extremely passionate about English, makes lectures enjoyable/interesting. Does a great job of clarifying the readings. Grades are based on section participation, a creative 8-pg paper, 1 midterm, & 1 final. Exams include quote ID's, short ID's, & essays. Most quotes are from lecture, & he covers a lot of passages, so attend class & pay attention!

This was a fantastic class. he really encourages creativity, makes you come up with original responses to things and challenge yourself. If you don't like doing that, probably not the class for you. Reading was dull at times, but the perspective he puts out during lectures makes it interesting. I always felt totally inspired after lectures.

He is the reason I became an English major. His lectures change your perspective on daily life, and talking to him is inspiring. His class is not difficult, provided you keep up with the reading he talks about in class. I've taken four of his classes in my time at UCSB, and all I can say is that his lectures have changed my life. Take his class.

Kept lecture surprisingly interesting, and if you go to every lecture you definitely won't need to do the reading. The paper is fun enough but the midterm and final is brutal for anyone who struggles with wrote memorization as you will be asked to identify any of 20 works by author, title and date by one quote.

The class itself was pretty interesting and Professor Duffy really made the texts enjoyable. However, the midterm and final were killers. He asks that you memorize the author, date, and title of more than 20 works and then has you identify them by random quotes he pulls. You must go to class in order to pass!

He is a really enthusiastic professor. I've never been a huge fan of English but somehow he managed to keep the class always interesting.

Professor Duffy is one of the best professors I have had while at UCSB. I love how he is very passionate about what he teaches and how he makes the texts interesting.

Took the class for GE requirements and thought it sounded interesting. I was prepared for a really boring lecture but he was pretty interesting. Keeps it entertaining with lots of stories and random rambling, but funny Irish man who knows his stuff. Don't really need to do all the reading if you attend all the lectures!

Professor Duffy is a really sweet guy and an interesting lecturer. The grading for the class was pretty random as there was 20% devoted to participation although there were no sections. Also, he gave very little time on the midterm so make sure you can be a speedy test taker! Otherwise, pretty enjoyable!!

He's just so cute and delightful! He's totally understanding and easygoing, and loves picking on people in lecture - but he's so sweet about it and laughs and makes everyone else laugh and he's just such a good guy! I hope he reads this and knows how loved he is by UCSB students.

I had a great quarter with Professor Duffy! He is always in a great mood, and is very knowledgeable! In order to do well in the course, you must go to class. The novels chosen for this course were very fun :-) Highly recommended professor!