Skip to main content
Log in

Effects of anonymity and retaliatory potential on student evaluations of faculty performance

  • Published:
Research in Higher Education Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The present study, employing a 2×2 design, examines the independent and interactive effects of two experimentally manipulated variables, Anonymity (A) and Retaliatory Potential (RP), on students' ratings of faculty performance. Data were obtained from 188 students at a large midwestern university using an instrument that had been specially developed for the study. A hypothesized main effect was found for A: The professor was rated more positively by students completing signed ratings than those completing ratings anonymously. The data showed no support, however, for the hypothesized RP main effect or the A×RP interactive effect. Practical implications of the study's findings are discussed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Aleamoni, L. M., and Spencer, R. E. (1973). The Illinois course evaluation questionnaire: A description of its development and a report of some of its results. Educational and Psychological Measurement 33:669–684.

    Google Scholar 

  • Anikeeff, A. M. (1953). Factors affecting student evaluation of college faculty members. Journal of Applied Psychology 37:458–460.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ash, P., and Abramson, E. (1952). The effect of anonymity on attitude questionnaire responses. Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology 47:722–723.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bausell, R. B., and Magoon, J. (1972). Expected grade in a course, grade point average and student ratings of the instructor. Educational and Psychological Measurement 32:1013–1023.

    Google Scholar 

  • Becker, G., and Bakal, D. A. (1970). Subject anonymity and motivational distortion in self-report data. Journal of Clinical Psychology 26:207–209.

    Google Scholar 

  • Benson, L. E. (1941). Studies in secret-ballot technique. Public Opinion Quarterly 5:79–82.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bledsoe, J. C., Brown, I. D., and Strickland, A. D. (1971). Factors related to pupil observation reports of teachers and attitudes toward their teacher. Journal of Educational Research 65:119–126.

    Google Scholar 

  • Braunstein, D. N., Klein, G. A., and Pachla, M. (1973). Feedback expectancy and shifts in student ratings of college faculty. Journal of Applied Psychology 58:254–258.

    Google Scholar 

  • Butler, R. P. (1973). Effects of signed and unsigned questionnaires for both sensitive and nonsensitive items. Journal of Applied Psychology 57:348–349.

    Google Scholar 

  • Centra, J. A. (1974). The relationship between student and alumni ratings of teachers. Educational and Psychological Measurement 34:321–325.

    Google Scholar 

  • Corey, S. M. (1937). Signed versus unsigned attitude questionnaires. Journal of Educational Psychology 28:144–148.

    Google Scholar 

  • Costin, F., Greenough, W. T., and Menges, R. J. (1971). Student ratings of college teaching: Reliability, validity and usefulness. Review of Educational Research 41:511–535.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cronbach, L. J. (1951). Coefficient alpha and the internal structure of tests. Psychometrika 16:297–333.

    Google Scholar 

  • Elinson, J., and Haines, V. T. (1950). Role of anonymity in attitude surveys. American Psychologist 5:315.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fischer, R. P. (1946). Signed versus unsigned personal questionnaires. Journal of Applied Psychology 30:220–225.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fuller, C. (1974). Effect of anonymity on return rate and response bias in a mail survey. Journal of Applied Psychology 59:292–296.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hamel, L., and Reif, H. G. (1952). Should attitude questionnaires be signed? Personnel Psychology 5:87–92.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hays, W. L. (1973). Statistics for the Social Sciences (2nd Ed.). New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston.

    Google Scholar 

  • Heilman, J. D., and Armentrout, W. D. (1936). The rating of college teachers on ten traits by their students. Journal of Educational Psychology 27:197–216.

    Google Scholar 

  • Holmes, D. S. (1971). The relationship between expected grades and students' evaluations of their instructors. Educational and Psychological Measurement 31:951–957.

    Google Scholar 

  • Holmes, D. S. (1972). Effects of grades and disconfirmed grade expectancies on students' evaluations of their instructor. Journal of Educational Psychology 63:130–133.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hudelson, E. (1951). The validity of student rating of instructors. School and Society 73:265–266.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kennedy, W. R. (1975). Grades expected and grades received—their relationship to students' evaluations of faculty performance. Journal of Educational Psychology 67:109–115.

    Google Scholar 

  • King, F. W. (1970). Anonymous versus identifiable questionnaires in drug usage surveys. American Psychologist 25:982–985.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kosen, D., Kitchen, C., Kochen, M., and Stodolosky, D. (1970). Psychological testing by computer: Effect on response bias. Educational and Psychological Measurement 30:803–810.

    Google Scholar 

  • Maslow, A. H., and Zimmerman, W. (1956). College teaching ability, scholarly activity and personality. Journal of Educational Psychology 47:185–189.

    Google Scholar 

  • McKeachie, W. J., Lin, U., and Mann, W. (1971). Student ratings of teacher effectiveness: Validity studies. American Educational Research Journal 8:435–445.

    Google Scholar 

  • Parent, J., Forward, J., Canter, R., and Mohling, J. (1975). Interactive effects of teaching strategy. Journal of Educational Psychology 67:764–769.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rayder, N. F. (1968). College student ratings of instructors. Journal of Experimental Education 37:76–81.

    Google Scholar 

  • Remmers, H. H. (1928). The relationship between students' marks and students' attitudes toward instructors. School and Society 28:759–760.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rodin, M., and Rodin, B. (1973). Student evaluations of teachers. Journal of Economic Education 5:5–9.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rosen, N. A. (1960). Anonymity and attitude measurement. Public Opinion Quarterly 24:675–679.

    Google Scholar 

  • Royce, J. D. (1956). Popularity and the teacher. Education 77:233–237.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rutkowski, K., and Domino, G. (1975). Interrelationship of study skills and personality variables in college students. Journal of Educational Psychology 67:784–789.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schuh, A. J., and Crivelli, M. A. (1973). Animadversion error in student evaluations of faculty teaching effectiveness. Journal of Applied Psychology 58:259–260.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schwab, D. P. (1975). Course and student characteristic correlates of the course evaluation instrument. Journal of Applied Psychology 60:742–747.

    Google Scholar 

  • Snyder, C. R., and Clair, M. (1976). Effects of expected and obtained grades on teacher evaluation and attribution of performance. Journal of Educational Psychology 68:75–82.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stewart, C. T., and Malpass, L. F. (1966). Estimates of achievement and ratings of instructors. Journal of Educational Research 59:347–350.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stone, E. F., Schmitt, N., and Rabinowitz, S. (1977). Determinants of student ratings of faculty performance. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the Academy of Management, Kissimmee, Florida, August 15.

  • Sullivan, A. M., and Skanes, G. R. (1974). Validity of student evaluation of teaching and the characteristics of successful instructors. Journal of Educational Psychology 66:584–590.

    Google Scholar 

  • Voeks, V. W., and French, G. M. (1960). Are student-ratings of teachers affected by grades? Journal of Higher Education 31:330–334.

    Google Scholar 

  • Weaver, C. H. (1960). Instructor rating by college students. Journal of Educational Psychology 51:21–25.

    Google Scholar 

  • Weigel, R. G., Oetting, E. R., and Tasto, D. L. (1971). Differences in course grades and student ratings of teacher performance. School and Society 99:60–62.

    Google Scholar 

  • Weinstein, A. G. (1976). Some relationships between attributed social power of faculty and student course evaluations. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Institute for Decision Sciences (Midwest Division), Detroit, Michigan, May 6, 1976.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Stone, E.F., Spool, M.D. & Rabinowitz, S. Effects of anonymity and retaliatory potential on student evaluations of faculty performance. Res High Educ 6, 313–325 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00992176

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00992176

Key words

Navigation