Student evaluation of instruction: What can be learned from students’ written comments?

Extensive research has been done on student ratings of instruction on closed-ended questionnaires, but little research has examined students’ written responses to open-ended questions. This study investigated the written comments of students in 198 classes, focusing on their frequency, content, direction, and consistency with quantitative ratings on closed-ended items. Results indicated that about 45% of the students wrote comments. Comments were more often positive than negative and tended to be general rather than specific. Written comments addressed dimensions similar to those identified in the closed-ended items, but they also related to unique aspects of the courses as well.