Revisiting the Determinants of Student Evaluation of Teachers Scores

Despite a large literature, convincingly establishing the determinants of student evaluations of teaching (SET) scores has been elusive, largely due to incorrect statistical methods and a paucity of data. The data used in this study comprise a much larger span of time than in any previous research - some 987 economics classes over 18 consecutive semesters. This permits a proper treatment of unobserved heterogeneity. Efforts are also made to correct for endogeneity. Results indicate that instructors cannot "buy" higher SET scores by awarding higher grades. The level of the class, the time at which the class meets, the level of experience of the instructor, and the class size are all found to be significant determinants of SET scores. The study also suggests ways in which the results might be used to adjust raw SET scores to remove the influence of factors beyond instructors' control