Abstract

MATOS-DIAZ, Horacio  and  CROUCH RUIZ, Alfred J.. IS STUDENT EVALUATION BIASED? THE CASE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PUERTO RICO IN BAYAMON. Rev.econ.inst. [online]. 2008, vol.10, n.18, pp.241-260. ISSN 0124-5996.

There are two different positions about student evaluation process. Its defenders argue it is an objective and trustworthy mechanism, and its critics consider it is a biased process that does not fulfil its objective. This study analyses the evaluations of a group of 187 full-time professors of the UPR -Bayamón during eight different semesters in the periods of 1998-1999 and 2003-2004. Results indicate that evaluation is influenced by professor, student and class characteristics, and they are consistent with the fact that the process could be biased, because there is a significant relation between the student evaluation of the professor and the class grade expected. For instance, professors can “buy” better evaluations promoting higher expecting grades to the students, and stimulate the phenomenon of “grade inflation”.

Keywords : student evaluation; premium; penalties.

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