Two experiments were conducted to determine the effects of teacher grading standards on student ratings of teacher performance. In experiment one, three teacher characteristics were factorially manipulated: instructor expressiveness (high, low), lecture content (high, low), and grading standards (B, C+, C). In experiment two, student incentive (high, low), instructor expressiveness (high, low), and grading standards (B+, B, C+, C) were manipulated. A complex relationship between grading standards and student ratings were found. Under certain conditions, assigning high grades improved ratings; while under other conditions, high grades either adversely affected ratings or did not affect them at all. (Author/JAC)