Issues concerning student evaluation of instruction are addressed. Answers to the following questions are provided: Are students in a position to identify the factors that make instruction effective? Do they know what makes teaching good? If ratings are high, does that mean students are learning more? Is there a relationship between instructor ratings and student learning? Do student evaluations of instruction agree with judgments made by faculty and others? Do student ratings tend to be lower in required courses where prior interest in the subject matter may be low? Are student ratings lower in larger classes? Do student ratings change over time? Do students change their minds about effective and ineffective instructors after graduation? Are student evaluation results different depending on when they are completed during a course: Is there a "best" time to administer evaluations? Do comparative data that rank instructors against each other or measure them against a set of norms tell faculty what they need to know in order to improve instruction? To what extent are student assessments of teaching effectiveness a function of an instructor's wit and personality? Is there a relationship between grades and ratings? Publications that provide additional information are cited for each area. (SW)