Factors influencing teaching evaluations in higher education

Post research indicates several factors influencing teaching evalua-tion ratings instructors receive. We analyzed teaching evaluations from psychology courses during fall and spring semesters of 2003-2004 to determine if class size, class level, instructor gender, number of publications (faculty instructors), average grade given by the instructor, and instructor rank predicted teaching evaluation ratings. Entering predictor variables into a multiple regression analy-sis concurrently, results indicated that only average grade given and instructor rank significantly predicted instructor ratings. Specifically, higher average grades given by the instructor predicted higher ratings, and graduate teaching assistants received higher overall ratings than faculty instructors.