Undergraduate students participated in a study to measure the effect of variables influencing teacher rating. Overall, students rated their instructors more positively when they believed evaluation was sponsored by the faculty rather than a student group. (Author/DEP)

Contrary to previous research, grading standards did not affect student achievement. The effect of standards on ratings was significant but not consistent for types of ratings (instructor expressiveness, lecture content), instructors, or differences in standards. Under certain conditions, higher grades either adversely affected ratings or had no…

The present study addressed the validity of student ratings of instructional effectiveness by exploring the relations among student ratings, course performance, and the perceived attitude similarity of students and their instructors. Findings fail to support the claim that perceived attitude similarity is a substantial source of bias in student…

Controversies exist in the research literature on student evaluation of instruction in higher education. In three studies, one of these controversies is explored, namely the relationship among student personality characteristics, teacher ratings, and student achievement. Findings suggest four conclusions relevant to summative evaluations of…

Limitations of the confirmatory factor analysis conducted by H. W. Marsh to demonstrate the multidimensionality of a rating form to assess student evaluation of teaching effectiveness are discussed. A secondary analysis suggests that dimensionality is not stable across solutions and a global factor can be retrieved. (SLD)

Primary research on student ratings of instruction is reviewed, and questions about the validity of such ratings as measures of teacher effectiveness are explored using nomological coding of 43 validity studies to examine causes of variability in coefficients of validity. Deficiencies of prior analyses and research needs are identified. (SLD)