Course evaluation form: questions that show what to change

A course evaluation form asks students to rate the parts of a course they experienced, such as goals, assignments, pace, and workload, then leaves room for specific comments. Use the same scale and wording every term so results can be compared, and keep the questions about the course rather than personal traits. Close the form before final grades are posted, so a grade a student has just received is less likely to shape the answers.

Question bank

The questions that make a course evaluation comparable

How clearly did the course explain what you were expected to learn?

Strongly disagree, Disagree, Neutral, Agree, Strongly agree

Tests whether the goals reached students before the first assignment. A weak result points to the syllabus or the opening weeks, which you can change before the next offering.

How well did the assignments and tests match what the course taught?

Strongly disagree, Disagree, Neutral, Agree, Strongly agree

Separates an assessment problem from a teaching problem. If teaching scores well and this question does not, review the assessments first.

Was the pace of the course too slow, about right, or too fast?

Too slow, About right, Too fast

A balance question shows which direction to adjust. An agreement score on its own does not say whether to speed up or slow down.

What should stay the same next term?

Optional written response

Protects practices that work from being removed by accident when the team reacts to criticism.

What is one change that would most improve this course?

Optional written response, one change only

One change per answer produces a list you can sort and assign. A general complaint is hard to act on.

Field blueprint

A one-page course evaluation with comparable scales

FieldTypeRequiredWhy you ask it

Course and section

Use the course code your registrar uses.

For example: ENG 110, section 3

Short textRequired

Keeps each offering separate, so one section's results are not averaged into another's.

Term

FallWinterSpringSummer
DropdownRequired

Lets you compare the same course across terms, which a single set of responses cannot show.

Ratings

Answer each statement about this course as it ran this term.

Section header

Marks where the rating scales start, so the comment boxes that follow read as optional additions.

The learning goals were clear

Strongly disagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly agree
Single choiceRequired

Matches the first question in the bank, so the same result can be compared from term to term.

The assignments matched what we covered

Strongly disagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly agree
Single choiceRequired

Separates assessment problems from teaching problems in the results.

The workload was reasonable for this course

Strongly disagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly agree
Single choiceOptional

Shows whether expectations need adjusting before the next offering.

Pace

Too slowAbout rightToo fast
Single choiceOptional

Shows which direction to adjust. An agreement score alone does not say that.

Overall rating of the course

Rate the course as a whole, not only the instructor.

RatingRequired

A single summary measure to track next to the agreement questions across terms.

What should stay the same

For example: the weekly lab questions

Long textOptional

Keeps practices that work from being removed by accident during a redesign.

One change that would most improve the course

Name one change. One specific suggestion is more useful than a list of complaints.

Long textOptional

Gives the course team a concrete suggestion they can sort, assign, and check next term.

Try it

Test the ratings and comments on a phone before students see them

Preview · not a real form

Use the course code your registrar uses.

Ratings

Answer each statement about this course as it ran this term.

The learning goals were clear Required
The assignments matched what we covered Required
The workload was reasonable for this course
Pace
Overall rating of the course Required

Rate the course as a whole, not only the instructor.

Name one change. One specific suggestion is more useful than a list of complaints.

At a glance

Check the length before you send it to students

9Fields
5Required fields
4Estimated time (minutes)

Estimate based on question types; actual completion time varies.

Read the results

Read the results question by question before deciding what to change

  1. Report the number of answers beside every result

    Show how many students answered each question, not only an average. Optional questions get fewer answers, and a small section can move an average a lot. Say when a result is based on too few responses to report.

  2. Compare the same question across terms

    Trend lines only mean something when the wording, the scale, and the order of the choices stay the same. If you change a question, start a new line for it rather than comparing it with the old one.

  3. Read the comments next to the lowest score

    Start with the question that scored lowest and read the comments written in response to the course as a whole. Group them by theme and keep the student's meaning. A comment points to something worth investigating; it does not prove the cause.

  4. Pick one owner and one date

    Write down the change, the person who will make it, and the term when you will look at the same question again. Share the summary with the course team before the next planning meeting.

Mistakes to avoid

Four habits that make course evaluations hard to act on

Closing the form after grades are posted

A grade a student has just received can shape every answer that follows. Set the closing date before final grades are posted when your calendar allows, and say that date in the introduction.

Mixing campus services with teaching

Questions about the room, parking, or the library are real concerns, but they do not measure the course. Send them to the team that can act on them and keep the course form about teaching, materials, and assessment.

Publishing an average without the counts

A similar average can come from many answers or from very few. Show the number of responses beside each result, and do not publish a ranking of courses unless your policy requires it and the groups are comparable.

Quoting a comment that identifies its author

In a class of a few students, a specific comment about one assignment can point to its author. Tell students who will read the raw comments, and remove identifying details before you quote anything in a report.

Frequently asked questions

What should a course evaluation form include?

Include a few agreement questions about goals, assignments, pace, and workload, one overall rating, and two optional comment boxes: one for what should stay the same and one for a single change. A course evaluation does not need a question for every topic in the syllabus.

Is a course evaluation the same as an instructor feedback form?

No. A course evaluation asks about the course as a whole: its goals, materials, assessments, and pace. An instructor feedback form focuses on how one person teaches. Use the course form for every offering and a separate form when you want feedback on the instructor.

Can I use this form for a workshop or a one-off training session?

Yes, if the questions still fit. Goals, pace, and the usefulness of the content apply to short sessions too. For a single training day, a training feedback form may be a closer fit, and it may need fewer questions.

Should a course evaluation be anonymous?

Be precise with students. A form can ask for a name or leave it out, but a small class can identify an author from the details of a comment, so do not call the form anonymous unless your setup and your school's policy support that word.

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