For as far back as I can remember, with one exception, it has been my custom to use the last meeting of the course for course evaluations. Before the meeting at which the evaluations are done, I prepare students' final grades. At the beginning of the meeting, I give each student a sheet with the student's final grade and my signature. Because they know that I can no longer change their final grade, I ask students to put their names on the evaluations.
Names make a big difference.
Who says what influences the changes I make in the course. Having put the course on the net, I realized that it might help students if I put the course evaluations on likewise. In this section, I intend to do so. Students' names, obviously, have been omitted, as have any comments which would tend to identify the student. I have, however, responded to many of the comments.