# DAVID MCDONALD — Courses & Reviews | UW–Madison [View on UW Courses](https://uwcourses.com/instructors/DAVID_MCDONALD--instructor_96f41f4f652df9e0845ccc05) ## Dataset ### revision e243353dcb7d79b7247ced91d69443ef4c2a6349 ### repository twangodev/uwcourses ### schema version 6 ### importer version 7 ### projection id 85abe9ff8837c2c5a134368dcc4cfc85eb723524b21ddeb3d2e953887d2f0c8f ### observed at 2026-09-07T15:55:43.033547+00:00 ### built at 2026-09-11T07:45:51.576183+00:00 ### courses 8951 ### current instructors 5754 ### limited false ### terms * 1272 * 1264 * 1262 * 1254 * 1252 * 1244 * 1242 * 1234 * 1232 * 1224 * 1222 * 1212 * 1204 * 1202 * 1194 * 1192 * 1184 * 1182 * 1174 * 1172 * 1164 * 1162 * 1154 * 1152 * 1144 * 1142 * 1134 * 1132 * 1124 * 1122 * 1114 * 1112 * 1104 * 1102 * 1094 * 1092 * 1084 * 1082 * 1074 * 1072 ### term 1272 ### departments | subject | count | | --------- | ----- | | AAE | 90 | | ABT | 20 | | ACCTIS | 36 | | ACTSCI | 14 | | AFAERO | 10 | | AFRICAN | 87 | | AFROAMER | 71 | | AGROECOL | 21 | | AMERIND | 53 | | ANAT\&PHY | 7 | | ANATOMY | 2 | | ANESTHES | 8 | | ANSCI | 57 | | ANTHRO | 95 | | ART | 125 | | ARTED | 10 | | ARTHIST | 121 | | ASIALANG | 129 | | ASIAN | 109 | | ASIANAM | 28 | | ASTRON | 38 | | ATMOCN | 69 | | BIOCHEM | 51 | | BIOCORE | 10 | | BIOLOGY | 14 | | BIOMDSCI | 18 | | BME | 66 | | BMI | 41 | | BMOLCHEM | 10 | | BOTANY | 69 | | BSE | 44 | | C\&ESOC | 73 | | CBE | 48 | | CHEM | 101 | | CHICLA | 52 | | CIVENGR | 133 | | CLASSICS | 47 | | CNP | 10 | | CNSRSCI | 50 | | COMARTS | 137 | | COMPBIO | 15 | | COMPLIT | 11 | | COMPSCI | 138 | | COUNPSY | 78 | | CRB | 19 | | CS\&D | 71 | | CSCS | 40 | | CURRIC | 193 | | DANCE | 93 | | DERM | 8 | | DS | 88 | | DYSCI | 35 | | ECE | 155 | | ECON | 145 | | EDPOL | 114 | | EDPSYCH | 97 | | ELPA | 70 | | EMA | 53 | | EMERMED | 17 | | ENGL | 206 | | ENTOM | 40 | | ENVIRST | 148 | | EP | 15 | | EPD | 67 | | ESL | 16 | | F\&WECOL | 60 | | FAMMED | 22 | | FINANCE | 50 | | FOLKLORE | 40 | | FOODSCI | 43 | | FRENCH | 63 | | GEN\&WS | 145 | | GENBUS | 72 | | GENECSLR | 17 | | GENETICS | 60 | | GEOG | 113 | | GEOSCI | 83 | | GERMAN | 82 | | GLE | 48 | | GNS | 38 | | GREEK | 27 | | HDFS | 41 | | HEBR-BIB | 13 | | HEBR-MOD | 10 | | HISTORY | 233 | | HISTSCI | 56 | | HONCOL | 13 | | ILS | 43 | | INFOSYS | 9 | | INTEGART | 7 | | INTEGSCI | 22 | | INTER-AG | 18 | | INTER-HE | 11 | | INTER-LS | 22 | | INTEREGR | 16 | | INTLBUS | 21 | | INTLST | 50 | | ISYE | 83 | | ITALIAN | 53 | | JEWISH | 56 | | JOURN | 88 | | KINES | 128 | | LACIS | 26 | | LANDARC | 61 | | LATIN | 24 | | LAW | 120 | | LEGALST | 48 | | LINGUIS | 35 | | LIS | 89 | | LITTRANS | 78 | | LSC | 52 | | M\&ENVTOX | 7 | | MARKETNG | 62 | | MATH | 153 | | MDGENET | 8 | | ME | 130 | | MEDHIST | 43 | | MEDICINE | 60 | | MEDIEVAL | 32 | | MEDPHYS | 39 | | MEDSC-M | 29 | | MEDSC-V | 41 | | MHR | 68 | | MICROBIO | 45 | | MILSCI | 16 | | MM\&I | 22 | | MOLBIOL | 6 | | MS\&E | 59 | | MUSIC | 165 | | MUSPERF | 126 | | NAVSCI | 20 | | NE | 44 | | NEURODPT | 11 | | NEUROL | 7 | | NEURSURG | 4 | | NTP | 11 | | NURSING | 111 | | NUTRSCI | 65 | | OBS\&GYN | 18 | | OCCTHER | 39 | | ONCOLOGY | 14 | | OPHTHALM | 5 | | OTM | 43 | | PATH | 34 | | PATH-BIO | 29 | | PEDIAT | 26 | | PHARMACY | 31 | | PHILOS | 77 | | PHMCOL-M | 11 | | PHMPRAC | 45 | | PHMSCI | 60 | | PHYASST | 37 | | PHYSICS | 88 | | PHYSIOL | 3 | | PHYTHER | 37 | | PLANTSCI | 52 | | PLPATH | 35 | | POLISCI | 192 | | POPHLTH | 58 | | PORTUG | 33 | | PSYCH | 101 | | PSYCHIAT | 22 | | PUBAFFR | 54 | | PUBLHLTH | 23 | | RADIOL | 11 | | REALEST | 41 | | RELIGST | 90 | | RHABMED | 9 | | RMI | 24 | | RP\&SE | 102 | | S\&APHM | 17 | | SCANDST | 73 | | SLAVIC | 89 | | SOC | 149 | | SOCWORK | 87 | | SOILSCI | 46 | | SPANISH | 83 | | SRMED | 21 | | STAT | 94 | | STDYABRD | 52 | | STS | 8 | | SURGERY | 25 | | SURGSCI | 33 | | THEATRE | 91 | | URBRPL | 60 | | UROLOGY | 5 | | ZOOLOGY | 89 | ## instructor ### instructor uid instructor\_96f41f4f652df9e0845ccc05 ### source legacy ### identity basis name\_only ### identity status unresolved ### name DAVID MCDONALD ### first observed at 2025-12-14 04:50:04.653658+00:00 ### last observed at 2026-01-22 01:00:26.555427+00:00 ### ratings #### review count 21 #### quality 4.29 #### difficulty 3.33 #### quality count 21 #### difficulty count 21 #### profile id rmp:616661 #### source url #### match basis exact\_name #### observed at 2026-09-07 16:44:43.449081+00:00 #### courses ##### course 11b609e5cd34e9a42dfe7d73 ###### review count 1 ###### quality 5 ###### difficulty 3 ###### quality count 1 ###### difficulty count 1 ##### course 8a99b73b3619d48a8b2d237a ###### review count 1 ###### quality 5 ###### difficulty 3 ###### quality count 1 ###### difficulty count 1 #### bayesian quality 3.9825296505105343 #### prior mean 3.6596857835465957 #### prior weight 20 ### current false ### courses None recorded. ### revision e243353dcb7d79b7247ced91d69443ef4c2a6349 ### instructor url /instructors/DAVID\_MCDONALD--instructor\_96f41f4f652df9e0845ccc05 ## history None recorded. ## timeline None recorded. ## term 1272 ## courses None recorded. ## reviews ### items ```json [ { "observed_at": "2026-09-07 16:44:43.449081+00:00", "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4", "source_review_id": "UmF0aW5nLTM3NjUwODM5", "source_instructor_id": "rmp:616661", "instructor_name": "David McDonald", "course_label": "HIST201", "course_id": null, "course_uid": null, "review_date": "2023-04-18 02:20:58 +0000 UTC", "comment": "The best lecturer I've experienced. He's extremely knowledgable and passionate about his work, and he's approachable for questions/feedback about assignments. His grading policies are firm but fair - overall a fantastic professor!", "source_url": "https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/616661", "quality_rating": 5, "difficulty_rating": 4 }, { "observed_at": "2026-09-07 16:44:43.449081+00:00", "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4", "source_review_id": "UmF0aW5nLTMzNzYyNjkw", "source_instructor_id": "rmp:616661", "instructor_name": "David McDonald", "course_label": "HIST201", "course_id": null, "course_uid": null, "review_date": "2020-11-03 05:20:42 +0000 UTC", "comment": "This class is an insane amount of work, but professor McDonald goes out of his way to make himself accessible to you and will go above and beyond to help you succeed if you take the initiative. I learned and grew so much from this class. He shows genuine interest in your life and really cares about his students. One of the best profs I've had.", "source_url": "https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/616661", "quality_rating": 5, "difficulty_rating": 4 }, { "observed_at": "2026-09-07 16:44:43.449081+00:00", "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4", "source_review_id": "UmF0aW5nLTI3NTMzNDkx", "source_instructor_id": "rmp:616661", "instructor_name": "David McDonald", "course_label": "HIS418", "course_id": null, "course_uid": null, "review_date": "2016-12-16 15:42:43 +0000 UTC", "comment": "He doesn't really use the board or powerpoints in lecture. He just speaks which can sometimes be difficult to follow. Would recommend following along with the required readings from the textbook, and the additional readings he posted are helpful for the papers. Was graded on 2 papers, 1 midterm paper, an in class final and a final paper.", "source_url": "https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/616661", "quality_rating": 3, "difficulty_rating": 3 }, { "observed_at": "2026-09-07 16:44:43.449081+00:00", "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4", "source_review_id": "UmF0aW5nLTI2MDk0ODA2", "source_instructor_id": "rmp:616661", "instructor_name": "David McDonald", "course_label": "HIST417", "course_id": null, "course_uid": null, "review_date": "2016-02-28 13:19:12 +0000 UTC", "comment": "Took this class sometime. Professor McDonald is, hands down, the best lecturer on campus. Easy to approach, eager to help if you demonstrate initiative. His lecture on Rasputin remains the best I heard during my four years in Madison. Highly recommended.", "source_url": "https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/616661", "quality_rating": 5, "difficulty_rating": 4 }, { "observed_at": "2026-09-07 16:44:43.449081+00:00", "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4", "source_review_id": "UmF0aW5nLTIyNzkxODMx", "source_instructor_id": "rmp:616661", "instructor_name": "David McDonald", "course_label": "HIST417", "course_id": null, "course_uid": null, "review_date": "2014-01-25 11:13:50 +0000 UTC", "comment": "He's an old-styled lecturer, so you'll have to listen to what he says to take notes in lectures. He is without a doubt an expert in Russian history and an amazing orator. Papers were fair as long as you read and went to lecture. For the final he gives out a very helpful study guide. If you're interested in taking Russian history, take his classes!", "source_url": "https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/616661", "quality_rating": 4, "difficulty_rating": 3 }, { "observed_at": "2026-09-07 16:44:43.449081+00:00", "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4", "source_review_id": "UmF0aW5nLTIyNTc1MDMz", "source_instructor_id": "rmp:616661", "instructor_name": "David McDonald", "course_label": "HISTORY417", "course_id": "HISTORY 417", "course_uid": "course_11b609e5cd34e9a42dfe7d73", "review_date": "2013-12-16 17:25:28 +0000 UTC", "comment": "Professor McDonald is super interesting. He knows his material really well and presents it with the competency of someone who's been doing it for along time. He's extremely helpful, but don't be fool because he grades papers hard. So put a lot of time and effort into writing them.", "source_url": "https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/616661", "quality_rating": 5, "difficulty_rating": 3 } ] ``` ### total 21 ### page 1 ### courses | course\_uid | course\_id | | -------------------------------- | ----------- | | course\_11b609e5cd34e9a42dfe7d73 | HISTORY 417 | | course\_8a99b73b3619d48a8b2d237a | HISTORY 418 | ### matched true ## social Image false