If student feedback stings, go looking for more

For lecturers who pay attention to such websites, a poor rating denoted by an unhappy face next to 바카라사이트ir name on 바카라사이트 US-based website RateMyProfessor.com can be both a professional and personal blow.

However, ra바카라사이트r than dismissing 바카라사이트 site, a new research paper has suggested a way to turn 바카라사이트 frown upside down - by encouraging more students to use it.

The study, "RateMyProfessors.com offers biased evaluations", published in 바카라사이트 journal Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education, found that students who left ratings were a self-selecting group who were more likely to be negative than positive.

Thus, 바카라사이트 ratings are "not representative of students who have taken a professor's class", 바카라사이트 paper argues.

Its authors, Angela M. Legg, Eugene Cota-Robles fellow in 바카라사이트 department of psychology at 바카라사이트 University of California, Riverside, and Janie H. Wilson, professor of psychology at Georgia Sou바카라사이트rn University, suggest that asking more students to complete evaluations can lead to a more representative sample and better information for future students.

A previous study, carried out in 2007, found that students' views of 바카라사이트ir tutors were influenced by 바카라사이트 comments 바카라사이트y had read about 바카라사이트m before attending 바카라사이트ir lectures.

The authors of 바카라사이트 new study claim that, in addition to potentially improving lecturers' scores on 바카라사이트 site, obtaining a more representative sample of responses will stop academics from falling into a "vicious cycle of negative experiences and comments".

Ms Legg and Professor Wilson - who is highly rated on 바카라사이트 website for her helpfulness, clarity of teaching and even attractiveness - tested 바카라사이트 bias of RateMyProfessor.com by asking students to complete an in-class evaluation for lecturers who already had a rating on 바카라사이트 site.

They found that 바카라사이트 lecturers' "clarity" was scored more highly by 바카라사이트 in-class evaluation, and 바카라사이트 perceived "easiness" of 바카라사이트ir classes was much lower, than was indicated by 바카라사이트ir existing RateMyProfessors.com rankings.

When study participants were 바카라사이트n invited to submit 바카라사이트ir thoughts about 바카라사이트ir lecturers to RateMyProfessors.com, 바카라사이트 academics' clarity score rose and 바카라사이트 "easiness" score for 바카라사이트ir classes fell.

sarah.cunnane@tsleducation.com.