David Gormong | PlanetTerp

Information	Review
David Gormong INAG110 Expecting an A Anonymous 12/06/2024	He's a really nice guy. I'm not a fan of public speaking (idk many people who are) but I do feel like I took a lot away from this class, he doesn't grade harshly at all, and he's a really personable dude. Would recommend this teacher, his class was helpful and not overwhelming or scary.
David Gormong INAG110 Expecting an A+ Anonymous 12/05/2024	David Gormong is an AMAZING teacher. Public speaking is objectively horrible, but he made the classroom such a safe space to practice and get better! He was a fair grader - if you do what he asks you get a good grade. The work load is so reasonable, never felt overwhelming at all. Definitely recommend taking his class for your comms credit
David Gormong INAG110 Expecting an A+ Anonymous 12/05/2024	Professor Gormong is an amazing teacher and he cares a lot about his students. Every class period always starts with some getting to know the students and he really shares things about himself too. The grading is very light and as long as you show up and try you are going to succeed in his class. I highly recommend this class and him as a professor.
David Gormong INAG110 Expecting an A+ Anonymous 12/05/2024	He is the best type of professor - not only does he care a lot about his students, but he cares about the students truly learning to be less afraid of public speaking and making them the best speakers they can be rather than the actual grade. This class is not only very light in work, especially since the big speeches (there are 4 of them, but the 1st is practically not even a speech) are very open in topic which allows you to choose something you actually enjoy. I thought I wouldn't enjoy this class as much since it's a speaking class and I hate public speaking, but this class became one of my favorites because of how close the class was and how kind he is. He fosters a very nice community in his classes.
David Gormong INAG110 Expecting an A+ Anonymous 12/04/2024	I almost dropped this class before the semester started because I was so nervous about public speaking and I'm so happy I didn't! Prof Gormong is an incredible sweet and kind man who truly cares about all of his students and wants everyone to succeed. He makes you feel super comfortable in the class and it really makes a difference when it comes to public speaking. The weekly practice speeches can be annoying but they end up being really helpful to get used to talking in front of others and are graded very easily. I looked forward to his class throughout the semester and I would recommend it to anyone needing a comm credit!
David Gormong INAG110 Expecting an A Anonymous 12/04/2024	TAKE THIS PROFESSOR! He is very nice and ensure that students succeed. Public speaking may seem scary, but Professor Gormong ensures that everyone performs well and he is considerate when grading. There are extra points assignments here and there if you need a grade booster. My public speaking improved because of this class. Professor Gormong also creates a welcoming and opening environment for students. For almost every class, we are doing something that is graded, for instance, practice speeches that last less than one minute, so I recommend attending every class if possible, but he is understanding if you are sick or needs an absent leave if you email him prior.
David Gormong INAG110 Expecting an A+ Anonymous 12/04/2024	All the recent reviews are correct, very chill class with fair grading. The speeches are also help you get better at speaking without adding additional stress on you. Best choice for oral communications credit!
David Gormong INAG110 Expecting an A+ idworkin 12/04/2024	Professor Gormong did a really great job! I learned a lot about how to give speeches, and he really focused on helping us get more comfortable talking in front of the class and making sure we were all included. A lot of times I would feel nervous before speeches or worry about mistakes I thought I had made, but the grading was pretty generous. At the same time, he still gave good feedback on specific areas to improve. I would highly recommend this class and Professor Gormong because it's a great way to get your gen ed credit, get better at communication, and have a fun and social class.
David Gormong INAG110 Expecting an A+ Anonymous 12/03/2024	PLEASE TAKE INAG110 WITH THIS PROFESSOR!!! He is the sweetest man ever with such a great personality. I would choose to take his classes over and over again if I could. Grading wise he's pretty easy going. he will dink you for points if you obviously don't try but nothing's unfair. Take his class, treat him well, and actually talk with the guy. He is so nice.
David Gormong INAG110 Expecting an A+ Anonymous 11/18/2024	He is a super sweet professor who genuinely cares about his students. He grades speeches very fairly, and there are numerous opportunities for extra credit in his class. There are weekly quizzes on the chapter and mini speeches on the chapter, but I never read the whole chapter and did fine as he goes through all the material right before the quiz. genuinely recommend taking the class with him as he is probably one of the best professors at UMD. I improved my public speaking skills and can't recommend him enough.
David Gormong INAG110 Expecting an A Anonymous 05/11/2024	Incredibly sweet man who wants the best for everyone. Super encouraging and gives great feedback. He facilitates a healthy classroom environment that makes everyone feel welcome. A little harsh when it comes to grading speeches, but overall just prepare for a day or two before your speech and you'll get an A.
David Gormong INAG110 Expecting an A+ Anonymous 05/08/2024	I am a very anxious public speaker and coming into INAG110 I was very nervous. Professor Gormong made the class and environment so comfortable. We knew everyone in the class, and we all were friends which made it so much easier to speak in front of them. The grading is pretty easy as long as you put in the work to do well. The bigger speech assignments were flexible in what we talk about so we could talk about something we were passionate about. We had weekly readings which we had to do small weekly speeches on and chapter quizzes which sounded like a lot to me, but it really wasn't. The readings were never too bad and the class is structured to where the small speech was on Monday and the quiz Wednesday so we were prepared for the quiz without really needing to read if we were paying attention. Overall I grew as a speaker and would highly recommend this course to others who need to take a communications course.
David Gormong INAG110 Expecting an A+ Anonymous 05/07/2024	Prof Gormong is an AMAZING teacher. Even though I'm not the biggest fan of public speaking, I genuinely look forward to going to classes. He has excelled at creating a comfortable and welcoming environment in class where he is accessible and friendly, and everyone in class is friends too. There are a lot of mini speeches which seem annoying at first, but they're guaranteed A's and really good practice just to get comfortable speaking in front of class, there are even opportunities to make them funny. The big speeches are NOT graded harshly at all as long as you make an effort and stick to the rubric, which we go over in class. You also really get used to speaking and it becomes a chill experience. There are also many in class activities incorporated into the class like canvas quizzes based on speeches and stating that you were present that give good grade cushioning. Not a ton of prep assignments for the speech, just organizational things to help you out. I would 10000% recommend taking this class with Gormong to anyone who needs an oral comm credit still, he's genuinely the nicest guy and best prof.
David Gormong INAG110 Expecting an A+ Anonymous 05/06/2024	Prof. Gormong is a great teacher. The reviews from a few years ago are inaccurate. He is supportive and encouraging, a fair grader, and tries to keep class engaging. There is a graded participation assignment every class, so I recommend not skipping, but there is no real reason to skip as the class is engaging and even fun. You can easily get an A as long as you stay on top of your assignments outside of class and follow the rubric that he gives for larger speeches.
David Gormong INAG110 Expecting an A Anonymous 05/06/2024	Gormong was one of the best professors I have ever had. He made a class I was nervous about taking, one of the best classes. He is very lenient and great with communicating.The class is super easy, there's weekly quizzes on the textbook but it's super easy. There's four major speeches which get longer as they progress but they're not terrible. You're given an objective and you're free to write about whatever and you're able to have notecards. Anyone taking this course for sure try to register for him specifically.
David Gormong INAG110 Expecting an A+ Anonymous 05/06/2024	Professor Gormong was an excellent teacher. He tries to be as involved as possible and asks us about school and life as we are waiting for class to start. He explains the speeches well and is not a harsh grader. He does lots of practice speeches so everyone can practice each skill we learn. He also has lots of extra point assignments to boost your grade like journals entries, and class activities. I was glad to have him as a teacher.
David Gormong INAG110 Expecting an A+ Anonymous 05/06/2024	Amazing teacher. Takes time to connect with each student and is very social and kind. His lectures are brief and too the point, and he explains the curriculum very well. Homework only includes speech prep and practice, and the occasional readings (that are not graded). He's an extremely fair grader on speeches as well, you'd have to intentionally miss the rubric or just not do the work to get anything less than a -A. He tries to grade your speech based on your own effort and ability, not in comparison to your classmates.
David Gormong INAG110 Expecting an A+ Anonymous 05/06/2024	I loved Professor Gormong's class. He is extremely kind and treats everyone with the utmost respect. He was able to foster an environment where college students could be vulnerable and honest with each other, which I think is extremely commendable. He takes his time to get to know his students as well. I would recommend his INAG110 class to anybody who needs to fulfill their Oral Communication requirement.
David Gormong INAG110 Expecting an A Anonymous 05/06/2024	100% recommend this course and professor for your COMM requirement. The class environment felt super comfortable and safe and I actually looked forward to coming to class each day. Public speaking is scary for a lot of people (including me) but Professor Gormong helped to relieve a ton of that anxiety.
David Gormong INAG110 Expecting an A+ Anonymous 05/06/2024	Great proffesor. Cares about the student's success and overall well-being. Fostered a fun environment in the class where everyone became friends and it was a class that I looked forward to despite it being my first class in the morning. This is also a pretty easy A if you do everything on time and follow the rubric. Very forgiving grader. Definitely take him!
David Gormong INAG110 Expecting an A+ Anonymous 05/06/2024	Prof Gormong was one of the kindest and genuine professors I've had a UMD. He was highly involved in our work and truly wanted his students to learn. He cares about his students and truly wants the class to be a safe place especially since public speaking can be difficult. He is very clear and fair with his grading. Pay attention, but also have fun. I would take Gormong again if I could!
David Gormong INAG110 Expecting an A- Anonymous 05/06/2024	Professor Gormong is great. He made INAG a lot less painful than it otherwise would've been and was extremely fair with grades and gave prompt feedback on all major assignments. I'd highly recommend this class and professor Gormong specifically.
David Gormong INAG110 Expecting an A Anonymous 05/02/2024	He's a great teacher and explains things really well. He actually believes that this class is meaningful though. This class sucks at first with public speaking but you get used to it and it's one of those requirements you just have to get through. If you show up and do the work you'll get an A.
David Gormong INAG110 Expecting an A Anonymous 05/01/2024	Professor Gormong cares about his students. I have become a lot more confident by taking this class and it was one of my favorites. It's perfect to take freshman year because you meet people- it kind of feels like a high school class because it's intimate and that's what I loved about it. This class was funny at times too, and Professor Gormong makes sure it's a safe and supportive space. He is such a real and genuine person and you can easily connect with him. I definitely recommend him. One thing is that if you speak fast and under the time limit you can have some points taken off, and as someone who speaks fast I learned to slow down a lot. Great class, great professor and I liked my classmates too. The graded speeches themselves are chill, the hardest ones were probably the middle two- the Informative Speech and the Persuasive Speech. He's really accommodating, so make sure to email him if you're absent because attendance is mandatory. There are a lot of practice speeches, where you get full credit for showing up and doing them, and at first, it was daunting but over the semester you learn it's really not that deep. Also, a lot of ways to bring your grade up. Good class for people with public speaking and social anxiety. :)
David Gormong INAG110 Expecting an A+ Anonymous 04/09/2024	Professor Gormong is one of the best professors in my opinion. He is the sweetest person out there and very understanding. He doesn't grade harshly at all and is very fair. I would recommend him to anyone! The one downside to the class is having to do mini speeches each class but everyone gets a 100% on them so it helps if you don't do as well on a quiz or actual speech. He really cares about each of his students and takes the time to get to know everyone!
David Gormong INAG110 Expecting an A+ Anonymous 01/03/2024	All the reviews saying that he was a harsh grader no longer apply. He explained to my class that he had been required to do so in the past due to his old boss, however he has since changed his teaching style. He gives you all you will need in order to be sucessful in the class, as well as provides good feedback to help you do better on your next speech. The class consisted of weekly pass/fail practice speeches, reading quizzes (super easy), and 5 big speeches. This class can truly help you become a better public speaker as Professor Gormong truly cares about the success of his students.
David Gormong INAG110 Expecting an A+ Anonymous 12/15/2023	Professor Gormong is one of the best professors I have had during my academic career at UMD. Not only does he grade fairly, but he makes the class easy with his quizzes, worksheets, and speeches. Regardless, of the previous reviews from a year ago up to now. I assure you he is one of the best INAG-110 professors on this campus. If you put in the work and effort YOU will pass. So please take his class as he grades very fair and cares about every single one of his students. Please do not judge a book by its cover this review should be the most current as of why you should take his INAG-110 class. His quizzes require you to read the online FREE version of the textbook, but at max it takes 20-30 minutes to review the content. So expect a tiny bit of the work to be put into that. Practice speeches are quite easy if you put in the time and effort only taking 10-15 minutes of my time to do. Please take this class, great professor, great takeaways from public speaking, and an easy A if you put the work into it.
David Gormong INAG110 Expecting an A Anonymous 12/12/2023	The reason Professor Gormong's ratings are so low is because they are from when he was a harsher grader/instructor which is no longer true. I took this class completely uncomfortable with any form of public speaking but he really made the class welcoming, comfortable, and inclusive. The class consists of weekly practice pass/fail speeches, weekly (easy) quizzes, and 5 big speeches. As long as you put in effort and show that you tried you will get good grades in this class. (the lowest grade on our big speech was an 84). Professor Gormong really cares about his students and is extremly accommodating because of it. He gives you all that you will need to be successful in his class, and makes it fun and lighthearted at the same time. This class was a refreshing break from my harder classes and gave me a chance to breathe. I really recommend this professor for INAG110.
David Gormong INAG110 Expecting an A+ Anonymous 12/08/2023	Professor Gormong is a caring and dedicated professor who genuinely cares about helping his students improve. There are 3 graded speeches, a group presentation, and a final presentation. A lot of class times are dedicated to short practice speeches which are graded by participation. Sometimes there are quizzes based on the info from the textbook but it's mostly common sense. Just show up to class to continue collecting participation points. A lot of the reviews here state that he doesn't give much extra credit, but he has changed his policy and offers 4 extra credit opportunities over the semester.
David Gormong INAG110 Expecting an A+ Anonymous 12/08/2023	Amazing professor! I recommend anyone who has to take a Comm class to take Professor Gormong's class. He is very understanding and wants you to succeed. He truly cares about his students and takes the time to make personal connections.
David Gormong INAG110 Expecting an A+ Anonymous 12/08/2023	Professor Gormong is a great teacher. He very clearly truly cares about his students and tries his best to ensure his students succeed not only in his class but in life in general. Super friendly guy. The class itself is easy if you do the work and he offers plenty of extra credit opportunities.
David Gormong INAG110 Expecting an A+ Anonymous 12/07/2023	Professor Gormong is so kind and genuinely cares so much about his students. This class could be really annoying but he really tries to make it as painless as possible. He made us do a lot of practice which may seem annoying at the time but it actually really helped me improve. I feel like my public speaking skills really improved a lot and I got a lot more confident. Theres four big speeches which get progressively a little harder, but he prepares us really well and as long as you follow the rubric you should be totally fine. There are like maybe 10 small quizzes based on the textbook but they're really easy and you don't usually need to read the textbook in depth. Definitely try to get Gormong if you can!
David Gormong INAG110 Expecting an A+ Anonymous 12/07/2023	I loved Prof. Gormong for this class! I know some other reviews said that he graded harshly, but I asked him about it and he said that his old boss required this stricter grading, but his new boss does not. He graded my class very leniently. The rubrics for the speeches were really clear and you'll get a good grade if you follow it. We also had weekly quizzes based off of the textbook, but I just did control F for all of the topics and took like one note each topic and got a 100 on almost all of the quizzes.
David Gormong Anonymous 12/07/2023	Wonderful Professor and has improved a lot since the low star reviews! I would recommend to anyone. Made the class feel comfortable, especially those with anxiety in public speaking.
David Gormong INAG110 Expecting an A- Anonymous 12/07/2023	Teacher mad calm
David Gormong INAG110 Expecting an A+ Anonymous 12/07/2023	He really wants you to have a good grade in the course but he does narrow down the rubric for speeches really specifically. And is strict with attendence and rules. But he is very nice and you will get an A.
David Gormong INAG110 Expecting an A+ Anonymous 12/07/2023	Absolutely amazing teacher! Connects with his students and really cares. 100% recommend him to anyone and everyone.
David Gormong INAG110 Expecting an A+ Anonymous 12/07/2023	Take his class!! Professor Gormong is a very nice person and I think grades very fairly. He creates a fun and very not intimidating atmosphere to present speeches. Your public speaking will improve a lot this semester and course load is pretty light. There are weekly practice speeches with quizzes and 4 big presentational speeches- very manageable.
David Gormong Anonymous 12/07/2023	I honestly don't know what some of these reviews are on about; the course is easy, the speeches aren't difficult in the slightest, and other assignments are easy to complete. Just don't be lazy.
David Gormong INAG110 Expecting an A+ Anonymous 12/07/2023	Although Professor Gormong made it so that we had weekly work that can seem pointless, at the end of the class you realize that the work was helpful to your improvement. Your grade depends on how much work you put into the class, but it is very easy to just pay attention and you will be successful. Overall he grades pretty easily until the last speech and by then you already are a better speaker so it should be easy.
David Gormong INAG110 Expecting an A Anonymous 12/07/2023	Very good at what he does, as long as you do your stuff and complete your assignments on time, you're going to get an easy A in the class. Do not believe the other reviews that say he is hard, or mean, genuinely one of the nicest professors you will ever have.
David Gormong INAG110 Expecting an A+ Anonymous 12/06/2023	I loved Professor Gormong. His class does require more work than other comm courses, but I definitely recommend him. This was a very easy A. He grades extremely leniently and there are easy participation points each class. I would definitely take him if you have the chance!
David Gormong INAG110 Expecting an A Anonymous 12/04/2023	I don't know what these 1 star reviews are talking about Professor Gormong! He is amazing. Actually the sweetest man I have ever met. His class is extremely easy and all he wants is for his students to be confident. There is no final exam and the speeches are very clear. It is literally impossible to fail this class. There's a quiz once a week but they are so easy. If you have the choice to take him do it!! He is AWESOME!
David Gormong INAG110 Expecting an A Anonymous 05/12/2023	Professor Gormong is truly great at his job. He makes class fun, makes an effort to get to know his students, and actually cares about making you become better at public speaking. His grading was not as harsh as everyone made it out to be in previous semesters--as long as you make a genuine effort you'll be fine in this class. 4 individual speeches, weekly MCQ HW based on the textbook, and a group presentation at the end of the year plus in-class quizzes that he reviews the answers for before submitting.
David Gormong INAG110 Expecting an A Anonymous 05/08/2023	Gormong is super nice and friendly. Speeches weren't graded too harshly unless you went over/under the timeframe that was posted on the rubric ahead of time. Most of the time you can get a good grade on your speeches if you just check every box. We had a lot of weekly homework quizzes that were based off of a chapter in the textbook, but they weren't really difficult at all. They offer a lot of extra points if you preform well and outside of class there wasn't too much work. He lets you choose when to sign up for speeches so you can give yourself as many or as little days as you need to prepare. The only thing is that during speeches he doesn't let you take a timer up with you or give any indication if you're talking too long or too short which was sometimes difficult because you wouldn't know unless you asked someone for your time or waited until the speech was graded. Overall, great professor and would recommend.
David Gormong INAG110 Expecting an A inky 05/08/2023	He is a great guy and really not that hard if youre willing to learn to talk to people in a new and more constructive ways.
David Gormong INAG110 Expecting an A+ Anonymous 05/08/2023	If you need to take a credit for your comms gen ed, definitely take INAG110 with Professor Gormong! He legitimately wants all of his students to succeed and he is pretty lenient with grading. I was terrified of public speaking prior to this course, but now I feel so much more confident. He's also just a really nice guy and super easy to talk to, so I really recommend him!
David Gormong INAG110 Expecting an A+ Anonymous 05/03/2023	I had really low expectations coming into this class, but I ended up LOVING it. There are 4 speeches and then one little group project at the end, and honestly they’re really not that bad. Talking for 8 minutes (the last speech) sounds really hard, but you just have to pick something you really like to talk about and it will come naturally, as well with the shorter speeches. There are weeklyish homeworks about the textbook, but just use ctrl-f and they shouldn’t take you longer than 15 minutes. There are quizzes, but he literally goes along with us in class and makes sure we all get 100 lol. Looking at earlier reviews, I am confused because Professor Gormong is great. He’s super friendly and seriously wants everyone to succeed and do well. His grading is fair to easy - I completely bombed my second speech yet he still gave me an A. He really promotes the whole class getting to know each other, so that helps take away a lot of the jitters before giving your speech. I cannot recommend taking inag110 him enough!!
David Gormong INAG110 Expecting an A+ Anonymous 02/06/2023	Grades very harshly, but pushes you to become a better public speaker. Does not easily give 100s on speeches, but will give you an A as long as you practice. Does give quizzes often in class, but he gives you the answers so its really just attendance
David Gormong INAG110 Expecting an A Anonymous 01/27/2023	Good professor overall, kind to students. 4 main speeches + group speech, grading isn't too harsh, pace may seem aggressive at first but pays off later in semester. Weekly textbook readings + MCQ HW, quizzes he gives you the answers for. Midterm and final are just like HW. No curves but shouldn't be necessary cause of speech grading. Some controversial topics at times but was generally respectful. Definitely helped me be more confident with speaking.
David Gormong INAG110 Expecting an A Anonymous 11/22/2022	Gormong helped me get better at speech/presentations. Class has very easy HW (sometimes just 1 question HWs or MC straight from the textbook), assignments are super easy, he grades the speeches very lightly, light quizzes that he gives you the answers for. The class is fun for the material he has to teach, he’s a nice guy and will make you better
David Gormong INAG110 Expecting an A- Anonymous 11/07/2022	Nice person, but a harsh grader. Getting an A would be far easier if you take this course with another professor.
David Gormong INAG110 Expecting an A- Anonymous 05/19/2022	If you are on this website, you are most likely looking for the best professor for this class with the best grading breakdown. If you want an easy A, do not take Gormong. He grades harshly on the four speeches for the class with major deductions for your grade if you are a second over or under the time requirements. Homework is easy but doesn't really affect your grade. Exams are harder than other sections and he makes the class use a lockdown browser in person to take them. Our average on the final exam was 78%. All the speeches we had had about an 85% average score. This being said, He is a very genuine and good person and is passionate about the course that he teaches. He tries very hard to keep the class engaged and knows about communications. However, this may be the reason he takes the class way too seriously. Unlike other professors in INAG, he does not offer extra credit in any form except for a .48% increase to your grade at the end of the semester. Take any different section if you want to raise your GPA with an easy comm credit.
David Gormong INAG110 Expecting an A- Anonymous 05/14/2022	Graded very harshly in comparison to other INAG teachers. Follows the curriculum too seriously and doesn't allow any electronics and doesn't post lectures. He also is very strict with the speeches and if you are not a perfect speaker immediately you will get a lot of points off. Takes points off for very small things. Expects way more commitment than is needed for this class. Honestly take any other teacher.
David Gormong INAG110 Expecting an A- Anonymous 05/13/2022	This was his first year teaching at UMD, so he followed the curriculum to a tee and was very very strict at grading. Lectures were insanely boring, and most of them had a quiz worth 5 points. He allows you to collaborate with students after so that you get a 5/5, but if you miss class, the 0/5 can really hurt your grade. He was by far the harshest INAG professor, grading speeches extremely harshly. The midterm and final exam were both in person, closed-book, and on a lockdown browser. I had an 89.9 that he refused to round up, but he assigned an extra credit final essay worth .48 points, so you could do that if you were within .48 of a letter grade. With other INAG professors, this wasn't the case. He was so insanely hard for absolutely no reason, avoid if possible because he will make your life and INAG experience so much harder than it needs to be.
David Gormong INAG110 Expecting an A Anonymous 05/06/2022	Okay for starters Gormong is a very nice professor and he really does care about teaching us important communication skills. The way he grades presentations is ridiculous. He talks points off for every little thing and make sure you hit the time or you'll get a lot of points off. The way he grades is directly out of the book and he doesn't let anything slip. Also when you go to ask him a question about the grading he gets super defensive and almost rude. He gives a lot of homework throughout the semester, but don't get me wrong it's easy homework. For the amount of homework he gives there is almost like no point because it doesn't effect your grade at all. The midterms and finals are dumb because you have to take them in person and with a lock down browser, when you should be able to take those online and not in class because that's what other professors do. Overall, he is a nice person but a tougher grader for an oral communications class that is just supposed to be an easy GenEd. I mean in my opinion everyone should be getting a 85+ automatically if they are getting in front of the room and talking about the topic. Honestly the class wasn't that hard and the presentations weren't that bad but I would suggest to take a different professor if you can.
David Gormong INAG110 Expecting a B+ Anonymous 04/22/2022	Would not recommend if you're genuinely not good at public speaking or have anxiety
David Gormong INAG110 Expecting an A Anonymous 12/21/2021	This was his first year teaching so I assume that's why he took the course so seriously. My friends had other INAG professors and, in comparison, Gormong graded the harshest and took off points for the littlest things which did add up. His midterm and finals were also both LockDown browser, closed-book, and made us come in-person for it while other profs allowed you to take it home and open-note. If you take INAG with him, you actually have to put in a little more effort than if you were to take the other profs so if you were looking for an extremely easy A, take any other professor. Other than that, it is very doable to get an A with him as long as you use gestures (he takes those super seriously) and practice your speech often. I am very relieved that his class is finally over and, if I could, I would have taken a different professor.
David Gormong INAG110 Expecting an A Anonymous 12/17/2021	This professor is very nice tho a bit awkward at times. I feel like someone else perfectly summarized his teaching style but let me reiterate that he is new and because of this I feel like it is the reason for why he is so strict on following the curriculum to a tee. One thing that did make me hesitate to give him a higher score was that he does give pop quizzes sometimes, although on some of them, he allows you to collaborate with your fellow peers. However, twice he gave a matching quiz and once you get one wrong, you basically get two wrong and these five points, although small, can have a huge impact on someone's grade. I feel that he is a lot more harsh than some of the other INAG professors I've heard about from my friends when it comes to grading your speeches. He really cares about your movements in your speech, along with your hand gestures and make sure you practice at least two nights in advance because he will take off points if you look at your note cards too much. Other than the speeches, I feel that the other assignments are just busy work and can be completed in thirty minutes or less. He doesn't allow electronics but people in my class constantly go on their phones and he doesn't say much about it (this didn't really bother me because I have other classes that also don't allow electronics but it might be an issue for someone who doesn't like to write out their notes). He really does care about his students and their opinions but also just making sure that all of us understand the content that he is presenting. As long as you work hard, prepare well for each speech, and listen to/attend class lectures (also he does not post his powerpoint slides or recordings of his class lecture because he thinks this will make his students think they can just skip his class), it should be easy to get an A in his class.
David Gormong INAG110 Anonymous 12/14/2021	Pros: 1.) Friendly & easy to approach. He smiles a lot and respects his students. He's not one of those professors who would stare at you blankly if you told a joke. 2.) You can tell that he's very passionate and enthusiastic about the subject that he teaches. If a professor hates their job, the students probably will hate the subject. 3.) His assignments are very easy. 4.) Lenient on grades for speeches. 5.) When you're presenting your speech, he gives his full, undivided attention and occasionally nods (which personally makes me feel less nervous). Cons 1.) Speeches are worth 60% of your grade so if something random occurs and you miss any...you're pretty much doomed. I know this class is supposed to prepare you for public speaking, but even 40% would be reasonable. The midterm and final need to be worth WAY more. Or maybe he can incorporate other assignments...for example projects. 2.) Though his assignments are easy, with other classes college can be overwhelming. There is no leeway for late work at all. You don't even get 50% of the credit. 3.) I never understood why we couldn't have electronics in class (even for notes). We're adults. If someone gets carried away on Instagram, that's their problem. 4.) Pop quizzes
David Gormong INAG110 Expecting an A Anonymous 12/12/2021	Since this was his first semester teaching at this university, he followed the curriculum that he was given rigorously and did not allow much leeway. We have 5 total speeches (4 individual, 1 group - tho this speech was a breeze). While he knows his stuff, he is kind of boring. He does not post his PowerPoint online as he believes this will cause students to slack off in his class. You are expected to take notes by hand unless you are excused by UMD to use an electronic device. What I found most annoying was two things. He gives pop quizzes on the occasion and while they are worth 5 points, they can be unexpected and hurt your grade a little bit. The other thing is that when you are giving a speech, and you go even a second above or below the time limit, he will deduct 3 points from your final grade. If you are giving a speech worth 50 points, those 3 points mean the difference between a letter grade. Plus when you are giving a speech, you have no way of knowing the time so you really have to practice to get within a certain time frame. I will say, he did not grade that harshly on speeches and he is approachable if you have a problem. He is a nice professor and you will learn a lot in this class. You get weekly reading quizzes which aren't too difficult, and a weekly video response which if you put the minimal work in on those, you will get 5/5. There are definitely better professors out there for this course, but Professor Gormong is new so he is getting used to the culture here at UMD.
David Gormong INAG110 Expecting an A+ Anonymous 12/09/2021	This is literally the worst teacher I've ever had. He completely invalidated my thoughts and opinions 100% of the time and treated me with blatant disrespect in front of my class. Do not under any circumstances take INAG with him.

David Gormong
INAG110

Expecting an A
Anonymous
12/06/2024

He's a really nice guy. I'm not a fan of public speaking (idk many people who are) but I do feel like I took a lot away from this class, he doesn't grade harshly at all, and he's a really personable dude. Would recommend this teacher, his class was helpful and not overwhelming or scary.

David Gormong
INAG110

Expecting an A+
Anonymous
12/05/2024

David Gormong is an AMAZING teacher. Public speaking is objectively horrible, but he made the classroom such a safe space to practice and get better! He was a fair grader - if you do what he asks you get a good grade. The work load is so reasonable, never felt overwhelming at all. Definitely recommend taking his class for your comms credit

David Gormong
INAG110

Expecting an A+
Anonymous
12/05/2024

Professor Gormong is an amazing teacher and he cares a lot about his students. Every class period always starts with some getting to know the students and he really shares things about himself too. The grading is very light and as long as you show up and try you are going to succeed in his class. I highly recommend this class and him as a professor.

David Gormong
INAG110

Expecting an A+
Anonymous
12/05/2024

He is the best type of professor - not only does he care a lot about his students, but he cares about the students truly learning to be less afraid of public speaking and making them the best speakers they can be rather than the actual grade. This class is not only very light in work, especially since the big speeches (there are 4 of them, but the 1st is practically not even a speech) are very open in topic which allows you to choose something you actually enjoy. I thought I wouldn't enjoy this class as much since it's a speaking class and I hate public speaking, but this class became one of my favorites because of how close the class was and how kind he is. He fosters a very nice community in his classes.

David Gormong
INAG110

Expecting an A+
Anonymous
12/04/2024

I almost dropped this class before the semester started because I was so nervous about public speaking and I'm so happy I didn't! Prof Gormong is an incredible sweet and kind man who truly cares about all of his students and wants everyone to succeed. He makes you feel super comfortable in the class and it really makes a difference when it comes to public speaking. The weekly practice speeches can be annoying but they end up being really helpful to get used to talking in front of others and are graded very easily. I looked forward to his class throughout the semester and I would recommend it to anyone needing a comm credit!

David Gormong
INAG110

Expecting an A
Anonymous
12/04/2024

TAKE THIS PROFESSOR! He is very nice and ensure that students succeed. Public speaking may seem scary, but Professor Gormong ensures that everyone performs well and he is considerate when grading. There are extra points assignments here and there if you need a grade booster. My public speaking improved because of this class. Professor Gormong also creates a welcoming and opening environment for students. For almost every class, we are doing something that is graded, for instance, practice speeches that last less than one minute, so I recommend attending every class if possible, but he is understanding if you are sick or needs an absent leave if you email him prior.

David Gormong
INAG110

Expecting an A+
Anonymous
12/04/2024

All the recent reviews are correct, very chill class with fair grading. The speeches are also help you get better at speaking without adding additional stress on you. Best choice for oral communications credit!

David Gormong
INAG110

Expecting an A+
idworkin
12/04/2024

Professor Gormong did a really great job! I learned a lot about how to give speeches, and he really focused on helping us get more comfortable talking in front of the class and making sure we were all included. A lot of times I would feel nervous before speeches or worry about mistakes I thought I had made, but the grading was pretty generous. At the same time, he still gave good feedback on specific areas to improve. I would highly recommend this class and Professor Gormong because it's a great way to get your gen ed credit, get better at communication, and have a fun and social class.

David Gormong
INAG110

Expecting an A+
Anonymous
12/03/2024

PLEASE TAKE INAG110 WITH THIS PROFESSOR!!! He is the sweetest man ever with such a great personality. I would choose to take his classes over and over again if I could. Grading wise he's pretty easy going. he will dink you for points if you obviously don't try but nothing's unfair. Take his class, treat him well, and actually talk with the guy. He is so nice.

David Gormong
INAG110

Expecting an A+
Anonymous
11/18/2024

He is a super sweet professor who genuinely cares about his students. He grades speeches very fairly, and there are numerous opportunities for extra credit in his class. There are weekly quizzes on the chapter and mini speeches on the chapter, but I never read the whole chapter and did fine as he goes through all the material right before the quiz. genuinely recommend taking the class with him as he is probably one of the best professors at UMD. I improved my public speaking skills and can't recommend him enough.

David Gormong
INAG110

Expecting an A
Anonymous
05/11/2024

Incredibly sweet man who wants the best for everyone. Super encouraging and gives great feedback. He facilitates a healthy classroom environment that makes everyone feel welcome. A little harsh when it comes to grading speeches, but overall just prepare for a day or two before your speech and you'll get an A.

David Gormong
INAG110

Expecting an A+
Anonymous
05/08/2024

I am a very anxious public speaker and coming into INAG110 I was very nervous. Professor Gormong made the class and environment so comfortable. We knew everyone in the class, and we all were friends which made it so much easier to speak in front of them. The grading is pretty easy as long as you put in the work to do well. The bigger speech assignments were flexible in what we talk about so we could talk about something we were passionate about. We had weekly readings which we had to do small weekly speeches on and chapter quizzes which sounded like a lot to me, but it really wasn't. The readings were never too bad and the class is structured to where the small speech was on Monday and the quiz Wednesday so we were prepared for the quiz without really needing to read if we were paying attention. Overall I grew as a speaker and would highly recommend this course to others who need to take a communications course.

David Gormong
INAG110

Expecting an A+
Anonymous
05/07/2024

Prof Gormong is an AMAZING teacher. Even though I'm not the biggest fan of public speaking, I genuinely look forward to going to classes. He has excelled at creating a comfortable and welcoming environment in class where he is accessible and friendly, and everyone in class is friends too. There are a lot of mini speeches which seem annoying at first, but they're guaranteed A's and really good practice just to get comfortable speaking in front of class, there are even opportunities to make them funny. The big speeches are NOT graded harshly at all as long as you make an effort and stick to the rubric, which we go over in class. You also really get used to speaking and it becomes a chill experience. There are also many in class activities incorporated into the class like canvas quizzes based on speeches and stating that you were present that give good grade cushioning. Not a ton of prep assignments for the speech, just organizational things to help you out. I would 10000% recommend taking this class with Gormong to anyone who needs an oral comm credit still, he's genuinely the nicest guy and best prof.

David Gormong
INAG110

Expecting an A+
Anonymous
05/06/2024

Prof. Gormong is a great teacher. The reviews from a few years ago are inaccurate. He is supportive and encouraging, a fair grader, and tries to keep class engaging. There is a graded participation assignment every class, so I recommend not skipping, but there is no real reason to skip as the class is engaging and even fun. You can easily get an A as long as you stay on top of your assignments outside of class and follow the rubric that he gives for larger speeches.

David Gormong
INAG110

Expecting an A
Anonymous
05/06/2024

Gormong was one of the best professors I have ever had. He made a class I was nervous about taking, one of the best classes. He is very lenient and great with communicating.The class is super easy, there's weekly quizzes on the textbook but it's super easy. There's four major speeches which get longer as they progress but they're not terrible. You're given an objective and you're free to write about whatever and you're able to have notecards. Anyone taking this course for sure try to register for him specifically.

David Gormong
INAG110

Expecting an A+
Anonymous
05/06/2024

Professor Gormong was an excellent teacher. He tries to be as involved as possible and asks us about school and life as we are waiting for class to start. He explains the speeches well and is not a harsh grader. He does lots of practice speeches so everyone can practice each skill we learn. He also has lots of extra point assignments to boost your grade like journals entries, and class activities. I was glad to have him as a teacher.

David Gormong
INAG110

Expecting an A+
Anonymous
05/06/2024

Amazing teacher. Takes time to connect with each student and is very social and kind. His lectures are brief and too the point, and he explains the curriculum very well. Homework only includes speech prep and practice, and the occasional readings (that are not graded). He's an extremely fair grader on speeches as well, you'd have to intentionally miss the rubric or just not do the work to get anything less than a -A. He tries to grade your speech based on your own effort and ability, not in comparison to your classmates.

David Gormong
INAG110

Expecting an A+
Anonymous
05/06/2024

I loved Professor Gormong's class. He is extremely kind and treats everyone with the utmost respect. He was able to foster an environment where college students could be vulnerable and honest with each other, which I think is extremely commendable. He takes his time to get to know his students as well. I would recommend his INAG110 class to anybody who needs to fulfill their Oral Communication requirement.

David Gormong
INAG110

Expecting an A
Anonymous
05/06/2024

100% recommend this course and professor for your COMM requirement. The class environment felt super comfortable and safe and I actually looked forward to coming to class each day. Public speaking is scary for a lot of people (including me) but Professor Gormong helped to relieve a ton of that anxiety.

David Gormong
INAG110

Expecting an A+
Anonymous
05/06/2024

Great proffesor. Cares about the student's success and overall well-being. Fostered a fun environment in the class where everyone became friends and it was a class that I looked forward to despite it being my first class in the morning. This is also a pretty easy A if you do everything on time and follow the rubric. Very forgiving grader. Definitely take him!

David Gormong
INAG110

Expecting an A+
Anonymous
05/06/2024

Prof Gormong was one of the kindest and genuine professors I've had a UMD. He was highly involved in our work and truly wanted his students to learn. He cares about his students and truly wants the class to be a safe place especially since public speaking can be difficult. He is very clear and fair with his grading. Pay attention, but also have fun. I would take Gormong again if I could!

David Gormong
INAG110

Expecting an A-
Anonymous
05/06/2024

Professor Gormong is great. He made INAG a lot less painful than it otherwise would've been and was extremely fair with grades and gave prompt feedback on all major assignments. I'd highly recommend this class and professor Gormong specifically.

David Gormong
INAG110

Expecting an A
Anonymous
05/02/2024

He's a great teacher and explains things really well. He actually believes that this class is meaningful though. This class sucks at first with public speaking but you get used to it and it's one of those requirements you just have to get through. If you show up and do the work you'll get an A.

David Gormong
INAG110

Expecting an A
Anonymous
05/01/2024

Professor Gormong cares about his students. I have become a lot more confident by taking this class and it was one of my favorites. It's perfect to take freshman year because you meet people- it kind of feels like a high school class because it's intimate and that's what I loved about it. This class was funny at times too, and Professor Gormong makes sure it's a safe and supportive space. He is such a real and genuine person and you can easily connect with him. I definitely recommend him. One thing is that if you speak fast and under the time limit you can have some points taken off, and as someone who speaks fast I learned to slow down a lot. Great class, great professor and I liked my classmates too. The graded speeches themselves are chill, the hardest ones were probably the middle two- the Informative Speech and the Persuasive Speech. He's really accommodating, so make sure to email him if you're absent because attendance is mandatory. There are a lot of practice speeches, where you get full credit for showing up and doing them, and at first, it was daunting but over the semester you learn it's really not that deep. Also, a lot of ways to bring your grade up. Good class for people with public speaking and social anxiety. :)

David Gormong
INAG110

Expecting an A+
Anonymous
04/09/2024

Professor Gormong is one of the best professors in my opinion. He is the sweetest person out there and very understanding. He doesn't grade harshly at all and is very fair. I would recommend him to anyone! The one downside to the class is having to do mini speeches each class but everyone gets a 100% on them so it helps if you don't do as well on a quiz or actual speech. He really cares about each of his students and takes the time to get to know everyone!

David Gormong
INAG110

Expecting an A+
Anonymous
01/03/2024

All the reviews saying that he was a harsh grader no longer apply. He explained to my class that he had been required to do so in the past due to his old boss, however he has since changed his teaching style. He gives you all you will need in order to be sucessful in the class, as well as provides good feedback to help you do better on your next speech. The class consisted of weekly pass/fail practice speeches, reading quizzes (super easy), and 5 big speeches. This class can truly help you become a better public speaker as Professor Gormong truly cares about the success of his students.

David Gormong
INAG110

Expecting an A+
Anonymous
12/15/2023

Professor Gormong is one of the best professors I have had during my academic career at UMD. Not only does he grade fairly, but he makes the class easy with his quizzes, worksheets, and speeches. Regardless, of the previous reviews from a year ago up to now. I assure you he is one of the best INAG-110 professors on this campus. If you put in the work and effort YOU will pass. So please take his class as he grades very fair and cares about every single one of his students. Please do not judge a book by its cover this review should be the most current as of why you should take his INAG-110 class. His quizzes require you to read the online FREE version of the textbook, but at max it takes 20-30 minutes to review the content. So expect a tiny bit of the work to be put into that. Practice speeches are quite easy if you put in the time and effort only taking 10-15 minutes of my time to do. Please take this class, great professor, great takeaways from public speaking, and an easy A if you put the work into it.

David Gormong
INAG110

Expecting an A
Anonymous
12/12/2023

The reason Professor Gormong's ratings are so low is because they are from when he was a harsher grader/instructor which is no longer true. I took this class completely uncomfortable with any form of public speaking but he really made the class welcoming, comfortable, and inclusive. The class consists of weekly practice pass/fail speeches, weekly (easy) quizzes, and 5 big speeches. As long as you put in effort and show that you tried you will get good grades in this class. (the lowest grade on our big speech was an 84). Professor Gormong really cares about his students and is extremly accommodating because of it. He gives you all that you will need to be successful in his class, and makes it fun and lighthearted at the same time. This class was a refreshing break from my harder classes and gave me a chance to breathe. I really recommend this professor for INAG110.

David Gormong
INAG110

Expecting an A+
Anonymous
12/08/2023

Professor Gormong is a caring and dedicated professor who genuinely cares about helping his students improve. There are 3 graded speeches, a group presentation, and a final presentation. A lot of class times are dedicated to short practice speeches which are graded by participation. Sometimes there are quizzes based on the info from the textbook but it's mostly common sense. Just show up to class to continue collecting participation points. A lot of the reviews here state that he doesn't give much extra credit, but he has changed his policy and offers 4 extra credit opportunities over the semester.

David Gormong
INAG110

Expecting an A+
Anonymous
12/08/2023

Amazing professor! I recommend anyone who has to take a Comm class to take Professor Gormong's class. He is very understanding and wants you to succeed. He truly cares about his students and takes the time to make personal connections.

David Gormong
INAG110

Expecting an A+
Anonymous
12/08/2023

Professor Gormong is a great teacher. He very clearly truly cares about his students and tries his best to ensure his students succeed not only in his class but in life in general. Super friendly guy. The class itself is easy if you do the work and he offers plenty of extra credit opportunities.