A New Explanation for Students’ Course Evaluation Tendencies

Abstract

This study of the student course evaluation process discovered significant correlations between course ratings and variables representing commitment and course-end attitudes toward the course. It found relationships of lesser significance for attitude change measures, while demographics provided generally nonsignificant correlations. Stepwise regression equations developed for their power to predict course ratings relied most heavily on course-end attitude variables. Factor analysis of the variable set revealed 6 factors underlying the course evaluation structure studied, and this analysis guided formulation of new regression equations having reduced predictive power but greater independence among included predictor variables. Conclusions focused on the study’s contributions to understanding the course evaluation process and suggested steps an instructor might take to improve his ratings.