Historical instructor

THOMAS PURNELL

Adjusted rating
RMP difficulty
captured reviews
About this rating

Raw average: 2.87/5 from 61 quality ratings. The adjusted rating blends this with the UW review average (3.66/5), weighted as 20 additional ratings. Smaller samples stay closer to that average. Each captured review is counted once in the prior; this does not correct who chooses to leave a review.

RMP profile ↗ · All captured review dates; profile matched by name.

What students say

Original student reviews · all captured dates

ENG214 · course not matched
Quality 3/5Difficulty 3/5
Overall the class went well, but it took a lot of extra work; the lectures weren't very helpful because he often ended up on tangents and examples used in class weren't relevant to the exams or HW assignments. Discussion was where the majority of learning happened.
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ENG214 · course not matched
Quality 1/5Difficulty 4/5
Not good. Lecture attendance was mandatory but never really relevant to what our assignments and tests were on, forcing me have to teach practically everything to myself. Lectures were a big waste of time and almost always boring as a result. The TA, Joe Moran, was fantastic, though!
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ENG214 · course not matched
Quality 1/5Difficulty 4/5
Do not take this class. Lectures are mandatory, but are unhelpful and rarely relate to course material. Homework is confusing and graded harshly, even though key concepts are barely explained in lecture. Prof makes simple concepts sound complicated. Had to teach myself most of the content.
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ENG709LING510 · course not matched
Quality 5/5Difficulty 3/5
Tom is great! He knows a lot and is excited to reach and learn. I wish I could take more courses with him!
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ENG319 · course not matched
Quality 3/5Difficulty 3/5
The whole class was very dense and complicated at times. He would brush over certain things that are harder to grasp, but also hold onto concepts throughout the entire semester even when they didn't connect to new learnings (like assessments on old material that wasn't elaborated too specifically).
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ENG319 · course not matched
Quality 3/5Difficulty 4/5
Overall, not a bad course for a 3 week, 3 credit winter break class. All of the lectures are pre-recorded, but there is A LOT of material to cover. Some of the grading guidelines were a little fuzzy, but I enjoyed the material. If you're considering the class, try to find it outside of a condensed timeline!
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Personal experiences, not a representative survey. Profile matching and captured coverage are shown in the source details.

Classes with THOMAS PURNELL

Recorded teaching history

Distinct courses recorded per term

Explore courses taught by this instructor →
Browse recorded courses
TermCourseTitle
Spring 2026ENGL 890Pre-dissertator Preliminary Exam Research
Fall 2025ENGL 175Literature and the Other Disciplines
Fall 2025ENGL 214The English Language
Fall 2025ENGL 890Pre-dissertator Preliminary Exam Research
Spring 2025ENGL 319Language, Race, and Identity
Spring 2025ENGL 414Global Spread of English
Spring 2025ENGL 799Independent Reading
Spring 2025ENGL 890Pre-dissertator Preliminary Exam Research
Spring 2025LINGUIS 482Junior Honors Tutorial
Fall 2024ENGL 214The English Language
Fall 2024ENGL 905Seminar-topics in Applied English Linguistics
Spring 2024ENGL 319Language, Race, and Identity
Spring 2024ENGL 414Global Spread of English
Spring 2024ENGL 799Independent Reading
Fall 2023ENGL 214The English Language
Fall 2023ENGL 314Structure of English
Fall 2023ENGL 799Independent Reading
Spring 2023ENGL 319Language, Race, and Identity
Spring 2023ENGL 414Global Spread of English
Fall 2022ENGL 314Structure of English
Fall 2022ENGL 414Global Spread of English
Spring 2022ENGL 319Language, Race, and Identity
Spring 2022ENGL 709Advanced English Phonology
Spring 2022LINGUIS 510Phonological Theories
Fall 2021ENGL 315English Phonology
Fall 2021ENGL 316English Language Variation in the U.s.
Fall 2021LINGUIS 310Phonology
Fall 2020ENGL 214The English Language
Fall 2020ENGL 414Global Spread of English
Fall 2020ENGL 990Dissertation Research in English
Fall 2020LINGUIS 699Independent Reading
Spring 2020ENGL 319Language, Race, and Identity
Spring 2020ENGL 709Advanced English Phonology
Spring 2020ENGL 990Dissertation Research in English
Spring 2020LINGUIS 510Phonological Theories
Fall 2019ENGL 214The English Language
Fall 2019ENGL 414Global Spread of English
Fall 2019ENGL 990Dissertation Research in English
Spring 2019ENGL 319Language, Race, and Identity
Spring 2019ENGL 709Advanced English Phonology
Spring 2019LINGUIS 510Phonological Theories
Fall 2018ENGL 316English Language Variation in the U.s.
Fall 2018ENGL 414Global Spread of English
Spring 2018ENGL 319Language, Race, and Identity
Spring 2018ENGL 420Topics in English Language and Linguistics
Spring 2018ENGL 799Independent Reading
Spring 2018ENGL 990Dissertation Research in English
Fall 2017ENGL 316English Language Variation in the U.s.
Fall 2017ENGL 990Dissertation Research in English
Spring 2017ENGL 314Structure of English
Spring 2017ENGL 319Language, Race, and Identity
Spring 2017ENGL 799Independent Reading
Spring 2017ENGL 990Dissertation Research in English
Fall 2016ENGL 316English Language Variation in the U.s.
Fall 2016ENGL 990Dissertation Research in English
Spring 2016ENGL 315English Phonology
Spring 2016ENGL 319Language, Race, and Identity
Spring 2016ENGL 699Directed Study
Spring 2016ENGL 990Dissertation Research in English
Fall 2015ENGL 314Structure of English
Fall 2015ENGL 316English Language Variation in the U.s.
Spring 2015ENGL 314Structure of English
Spring 2015ENGL 420Topics in English Language and Linguistics
Fall 2014ENGL 315English Phonology
Fall 2014ENGL 316English Language Variation in the U.s.
Spring 2014LINGUIS 682Honors Seminar-senior Thesis
Fall 2013LINGUIS 681Honors Seminar-senior Thesis
Fall 2011INTER-LS 102First-year Seminar in the Humanities
Fall 2010LINGUIS 699Independent Reading
Spring 2010ANTHRO/LINGUIS 301Introduction to Linguistics: Descriptive and Theoretical
Spring 2010LINGUIS 101Human Language
Spring 2010LINGUIS 310Phonology
Spring 2010LINGUIS 482Junior Honors Tutorial
Spring 2010LINGUIS 699Independent Reading
Spring 2010LINGUIS 990Thesis
Fall 2009LINGUIS 699Independent Reading
Fall 2009LINGUIS 990Thesis
Fall 2009LINGUIS 999Independent Reading
Spring 2009ANTHRO/LINGUIS 301Introduction to Linguistics: Descriptive and Theoretical
Spring 2009LINGUIS 101Human Language
Spring 2009LINGUIS 303Historical Linguistics
Spring 2009LINGUIS 482Junior Honors Tutorial
Fall 2008ANTHRO/LINGUIS 301Introduction to Linguistics: Descriptive and Theoretical
Fall 2008LINGUIS 101Human Language
Fall 2008LINGUIS 481Junior Honors Tutorial
Fall 2008LINGUIS 699Independent Reading
Spring 2008LINGUIS 303Historical Linguistics
Spring 2008LINGUIS 510Phonological Theories
Spring 2008LINGUIS 682Honors Seminar-senior Thesis
Spring 2008LINGUIS 999Independent Reading
Fall 2007LINGUIS 310Phonology
Fall 2007LINGUIS 999Independent Reading
Spring 2007LINGUIS 303Historical Linguistics
Spring 2007LINGUIS 482Junior Honors Tutorial
Spring 2007LINGUIS 682Honors Seminar-senior Thesis
Spring 2007LINGUIS 699Independent Reading
Fall 2006LINGUIS 990Thesis

Teaching history may be incomplete. Course pages contain course-specific feedback and citations.

Instructor identity & provenance 
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