Unfair Examinations and Student Ratings

Student ratings of course effectiveness are frequently administered on the day of the final examination, a time that assures the greatest return. The present investigation was designed to study whether such ratings, given immediately after the final, would be biased by the presence of unfair questions on that examination. Two equiv alent student groups in afreshman medical gross anatomy course took different versions of the final examination, one de signed to be fair (F) and the other unfair (U). Students then rated the examination, course, and instructors. The F version was rated more favorably than the U version, but ratings of the course and instructors were equivalent between groups. These data indicate that ratings of course and instructor characteristics that are unrelated to testing remain unbiased by an examination designed to be and recognized as unfair. Data also show that a total rating score may be reduced significantly if a substantial number of rating items pertain to that examination.