Use the distribution of ratings to evaluate the usefulness of the mean. The response rate for the instrument is the number of students who responded to the survey divided by the number of students enrolled in the class. If three-fourths or more of the enrolled students responded, the results are an acceptable reliable sample of student opinion. Low response rates suggest the possibility of serious bias in the results and these results should be interpreted with caution. There are several other factors in addition to the quality of instruction that may influence course evaluation ratings.
Students tend to rate instructors and courses favorably.
The average ratings on each SRTI item for all courses are well above the numeric mid-point of the scale. Copyright 2000 University of Massachusetts Amherst. This is an official page of the University of Massachusetts Amherst campus.