Why did my popcorn burn?

I agree with Mrs. Larkin with the high heat; in addition, I've had experiences where sometimes it burns when you use too little oil or butter. For this reason I actually prefer to pop it in the microwave as it comes out perfectly always, but I guess paper bags are not always appealing in terms of health.

Sometimes my popcorn burns when my heat is too high. It helps to shake the pot frequently to distribute the kernels on the heat. And when the popping slows down, and you hear just a few kernels popping, remove your pot from the heat immediately and pour popcorn into a large bowl.