If you are taking this class just to get by with an easy A, low stress, and you don't have to do work, Professor Zimmerman is not a good choice. He is a great and engaging lecturer and if you read the books and take notes on the lectures, you should do fine although that is still a ton of work. He is really responsive and readily available.Rate My Professors ↗
Historical instructor
DAVID ZIMMERMAN
What students say
Original student reviews · all captured dates
I'm taking this course for summer, and it's absolutely terrible. He expects us to complete so many things that would be complete in a full 16 week semester, into 8 weeks which is unreasonable. TA's usually grade everything, and depending who you have could impact your grade. Don't take as summer course.Rate My Professors ↗
Be prepared to work, but if youre engaged with the material and listen to lectures youll be fine. Definitely not an easy A.Rate My Professors ↗
He is a great guy who personally gets to know his students. His class is the worst class that I have taken so far in college. He is the hardest grader that I have ever had which was dumb for an introductory 100 level class made for non-lit majors. The class was an unbelievable amount of work as well for a class that fulfills a breadth class. 0/10.Rate My Professors ↗
If you are not an English major, avoid this professor at all cost. Lectures are mandatory, incredibly boring, and pointless since you're not allowed to use lecture ideas on the papers. I had to spend more time out of class on this introductory literature course than I did for courses that I actually cared about in my major.Rate My Professors ↗
Lectures were mandatory and boring. The class heavily focused on "originality," which made students unable to write about topics from lecture or discussion. The focus on originality made the essays seem arbitrary. The grading was … Read full reviewShow less
Lectures were mandatory and boring. The class heavily focused on "originality," which made students unable to write about topics from lecture or discussion. The focus on originality made the essays seem arbitrary. The grading was very tough, and the expectations were extremely high. The class contradicted what I learned in other lit classes.
Personal experiences, not a representative survey. Profile matching and captured coverage are shown in the source details.
Classes with DAVID ZIMMERMAN
Directed Study
1–3 creditsENGL 699 is a directed study course for junior or senior English students.
No offering record · Spring 2026
historical GPA · grades
Spring 2022–Spring 2022 · limited sampleSeminar-american Literature
Credits unavailableA graduate seminar focusing on the study of a specific theme within American literature.
No offering record · Spring 2026
with this instructor · course overall, matching historical terms
historical GPA · grades
Spring 2026–Spring 2026 · limited sampleDissertation Research in English
1–12 creditsENGL 990 is a doctoral dissertation research course in English requiring instructor consent.
No offering record · Spring 2026
No recorded grade history
Recorded teaching history
Distinct courses recorded per term
Explore courses taught by this instructor →Browse recorded courses
| Term | Course | Title |
|---|---|---|
| Spring 2026 | ENGL 699 | Directed Study |
| Spring 2026 | ENGL 817 | Seminar-american Literature |
| Spring 2026 | ENGL 990 | Dissertation Research in English |
| Fall 2025 | ENGL 795 | One-credit Seminar |
| Fall 2025 | ENGL 990 | Dissertation Research in English |
| Spring 2025 | ENGL 990 | Dissertation Research in English |
| Fall 2024 | ENGL 795 | One-credit Seminar |
| Fall 2024 | ENGL 990 | Dissertation Research in English |
| Spring 2024 | ENGL 455 | A Study of an Outstanding Figure or Figures in American Literature |
| Spring 2024 | ENGL 990 | Dissertation Research in English |
| Fall 2023 | ENGL 173 | Ethnic and Multicultural Literature |
| Fall 2023 | ENGL 245 | Seminar in the Major |
| Fall 2023 | ENGL 680 | Honors Project |
| Fall 2023 | ENGL 681 | Senior Honors Thesis in the Major |
| Fall 2023 | ENGL 795 | One-credit Seminar |
| Fall 2023 | ENGL 990 | Dissertation Research in English |
| Spring 2023 | ENGL 167 | British and American Writers |
| Spring 2023 | ENGL 990 | Dissertation Research in English |
| Fall 2022 | ENGL 990 | Dissertation Research in English |
| Spring 2022 | ENGL 167 | British and American Writers |
| Spring 2022 | ENGL 990 | Dissertation Research in English |
| Fall 2021 | ENGL 795 | One-credit Seminar |
| Fall 2021 | ENGL 990 | Dissertation Research in English |
| Fall 2020 | ENGL 795 | One-credit Seminar |
| Fall 2020 | ENGL 990 | Dissertation Research in English |
| Spring 2020 | ENGL 314 | Structure of English |
| Spring 2020 | ENGL 455 | A Study of an Outstanding Figure or Figures in American Literature |
| Spring 2020 | ENGL 990 | Dissertation Research in English |
| Spring 2020 | ENGL/ILS 525 | Health and the Humanities |
| Fall 2019 | ENGL 795 | One-credit Seminar |
| Fall 2019 | ENGL 990 | Dissertation Research in English |
| Spring 2019 | ENGL 410 | Creative Writing: Playwriting Workshop |
| Spring 2019 | ENGL 990 | Dissertation Research in English |
| Fall 2018 | ENGL 145 | American Dreamers |
| Fall 2018 | ENGL 699 | Directed Study |
| Fall 2018 | ENGL 990 | Dissertation Research in English |
| Spring 2018 | ENGL 145 | American Dreamers |
| Spring 2018 | ENGL 990 | Dissertation Research in English |
| Fall 2017 | ENGL 168 | Modern Literature |
| Fall 2017 | ENGL 456 | Topic in Nineteenth-century American Literature and Culture |
| Fall 2017 | ENGL 795 | One-credit Seminar |
| Fall 2017 | ENGL 990 | Dissertation Research in English |
| Spring 2017 | ENGL 457 | Topic in American Literature and Culture Since 1900 |
| Spring 2017 | ENGL 990 | Dissertation Research in English |
| Fall 2016 | ENGL 795 | One-credit Seminar |
| Fall 2016 | ENGL 990 | Dissertation Research in English |
| Spring 2016 | ENGL 361 | Modern and Contemporary American Literature |
| Spring 2016 | ENGL 990 | Dissertation Research in English |
| Fall 2015 | ENGL 795 | One-credit Seminar |
| Spring 2015 | ENGL 145 | American Dreamers |
| Spring 2015 | ENGL 692 | Senior Thesis |
| Spring 2015 | ENGL 811 | Topics in Nineteenth-century American Literature and Culture |
| Fall 2014 | ENGL 168 | Modern Literature |
| Fall 2014 | ENGL 691 | Senior Thesis |
| Fall 2014 | ENGL 795 | One-credit Seminar |
Teaching history may be incomplete. Course pages contain course-specific feedback and citations.
Instructor identity & provenance
{
"instructor_uid": "instructor_6824ae8a421678c398850112",
"source": "madgrades",
"source_instructor_id": "3218880",
"identity_basis": "source_id",
"identity_status": "source_identified",
"name": "DAVID ZIMMERMAN",
"email": null,
"first_observed_at": "2026-09-06 23:14:58.172943+00:00",
"last_observed_at": "2026-09-07 15:55:43.033547+00:00",
"ratings": {
"review_count": 143,
"quality": 3.97,
"difficulty": 3.24,
"quality_count": 143,
"difficulty_count": 143,
"profile_id": "rmp:139649",
"source_url": "https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/139649",
"match_basis": "exact_name",
"observed_at": "2026-09-07 16:44:16.864859+00:00",
"courses": {
"course_3c3dc93169efc66289871184": {
"review_count": 2,
"quality": 5,
"difficulty": 3.5,
"quality_count": 2,
"difficulty_count": 2
},
"course_146e4c482bacab784a61cd07": {
"review_count": 2,
"quality": 4,
"difficulty": 2,
"quality_count": 2,
"difficulty_count": 2
}
},
"bayesian_quality": 3.931924636017987,
"prior_mean": 3.6596857835465957,
"prior_weight": 20
},
"grade_statistics": {
"gpa": 3.409,
"graded": 1104,
"counts": [
358,
359,
292,
59,
23,
5,
8
],
"sections": 55
},
"current": false,
"courses": [],
"revision": "e243353dcb7d79b7247ced91d69443ef4c2a6349",
"instructor_url": "/instructors/DAVID_ZIMMERMAN--instructor_6824ae8a421678c398850112"
}