1.1 Using Average Scores to Understand Your Results

The report summarizes student responses using averages, which can provide a helpful overview of results. Research and institutional experience suggest the following general guidelines for interpreting average scores on the 5-point scale:

• 4.5 or higher — Very strong evidence that this practice is working well.
• 4.0–4.4 — Solid performance, with possible opportunities for small refinements.
• 3.5–3.9 — Mixed results; likely worth exploring potential improvements.
• Below 3.5 — Indicates a need for closer examination and possible changes.

When interpreting averages, it is important to consider the number of student responses behind the score (also shown on the report). Average scores are most meaningful when based on a sufficient number of responses:

• 30 or more responses
  Averages are generally stable and useful for interpretation.
• 20–29 responses
  Averages can still be informative but should be interpreted with some caution.
• Fewer than 20 responses
  Averages become more sensitive to individual responses. In these cases, we do not recommend using benchmarks alone to interpret results.

Low response counts do not mean the results should be ignored. Instead, if responses are low, review the response distribution for more insight.

Additionally, you can increase the number of responses included in the visuals and averages displayed on the report by including more sections of the course or more semesters you taught in the report filters. Doing so can help you view more stable and meaningful averages.