Effects of grading practices and time of rating on student ratings of faculty performance and student learning

Abstract

The effects of grading practices (strict, lenient) and time of rating (after a lecture, after taking an examination, after receiving feedback on performance on the examination) on student ratings of faculty performance and student learning (i.e., performance on an examination) were assessed in two experimental studies. Results indicated that (1) student ratings were directly affected by grading practices and this effect was a function of the time at which ratings were cornpleted, and (2) student learning and students' ratings of faculty were positively correlated, and grading practices had no effect on student learning. Implications of these findings for the administrative use of student ratings are considered.