Willingham is highly respected and an awesome lecturer. He treats college students like colleagues and that is refreshing to say the least, especially with his successful books and frequent interviews with the New York Times! His personal research is very interesting (on learning methods), but he is clear in his lectures and SO approachable if you are feeling lost. TAKE COGNITION WITH WILLINGHAM, especially if you are a psych major. You will regret it if you leave without the opportunity to work with him. Yes, very tricky test questions. But straightforward expectations. I liked that.

First off, Willingham is the man. His lectures are hysterical, on point, and cover some really interesting material on how we think. That being said, the 2nd test and Final are difficult to say the least. Fortunately, you take 3 tests in the class and get the lowest dropped, but the Final counts for 40% of your grade and pretty much makes or breaks your grade in the end. However, this class makes up for its difficulty in how enthralling and personal Willingham makes the material. He uses fantastic examples of cognitive principles from our every day lives, making it instantly applicable to celebrity's stupdity or the mindless games every student plays during Finals week. A pretty approachable guy too, I'd recommend his class to anyone who has a slight interest in the topic, and is alright with not getting a certain A in the class.

Professor Willingham is one of my favorite professors at UVA. The material is really fascinating and he makes it more so by really involving the class in his lectures. However, even if you love the class, don't expect it to be easy. His tests are very difficult. Even if you put in the hours reading and going to lectures, some of the questions can still trip you up. Going to his Q&A sessions is helpful though.

Willingham is legitimately hilarious, and an all-around great teacher. The book is dense, but skim it and read carefully through the powerpoints, and you'll be fine.

I love this class. Willingham knows his stuff and is very good at explaining it to the class. He's funny as well.

Midterm counts for 60 % of final grade. There are 3 midterms and the lowest one is dropped. There is a slight curve, but don't depend on it too much. Emphasis on lecture in the midterms but need to read the book also to do well on the exams. Currently in this class, and it gets much more enjoyable as the semester goes on.

The class is interesting and the readings are not difficult, but the exams are miserable. The reason why the exams are terrible is because the MCQs are basically all trick questions. The answer may be right, but it's not the best answer or you will read one thing in your book, but what he says in class is the correct answer. Also, the material we read for the first exam did not match up at all with what he was teaching, so you don't know what to study.

This class was wicked awesome, and I kind of wish I could take it again. Willingham is the coolest professor I've ever had, and I've had some seriously amazing professors. He's hilarious, easy to understand, very patient, and playful. Yes, playful. The class covers a wide range of material, but it isn't overwhelming.

A lot of people seem to think Cognition was super difficult, but I really didn't think so. What makes it sound difficult is that the three midterms and the final are graded on a legitimate bell curve--meaning most people will get a C. However, if you actually do what Willingham tells you to do (most people don't, and they pay for it), it's pretty easy to get an A. 1) Go to class. He posts the slides, but they aren't enough. 2) Read the book. There are always a couple of questions on the exams that you can only answer if you've read the assigned chapters. The reading is light, and it's worth your time. 3) Make the outlines. I'm convinced this was why I did well in the class. 4) Go to the optional discussion sections. They might seem like a waste of your time at first, but it's a great way to make sure you understand the material and to review what you just learned. 5) Take a look at the book Willingham wrote even though it isn't the assigned textbook. It's called Cognition: The Thinking Animal. It's basically a transcription of his lectures, so it's funny, well-organized, and a great reference. It used to be the class textbook, and I don't know why he switched because his book is better than the assigned one. If you only have time to read one textbook, though, read the real one (obviously).

It's a fantastic course, and it will change the way you think about the world! XD

Tests were difficult, so study hard. As for Willingham, you'll learn a lot from him and he's willing to help students during office hours.
Definitely recommend this class!

Dan is awesome and his lectures are very engaging. Interesting material and taught well. Exams aren't really as hard as everyone says they are if you do the reading and go in with high expectations.