An extensive review of the research concerning the effect of different variables on student ratings is presented. A study is then reported comparing the effects of different sets of instructions on student evaluations of the course and instructor. The results indicated that the students who were informed that the results of their ratings would be used for administrative decisions rated the course and instructor more favorably on all aspects than students who were informed that the results of their ratings would only be used by the instructor.In the mad rush to make courses "relevant" and meet new demands of accountability, colleges and universities have proposed many methods of evaluating the effectiveness of instruction. Such proposals generally indicate that many elements of the instructional setting need to be evaluated by several different audiences. Unfortunately, most proposals that are operationalized rest solely on the use of student ratings of instructors and informal colleague opinions. That students are able to provide reliable and valid evaluations of instructional quality has come to be recognized (Aleamoni, 1978;Costin et al., 1971).Much of the research on student rating of instructors has been concerned with the effect of different variables on these ratings. Due in part to the use of different course evaluation forms and to the use of differing research methodologies, the results of these investigations are often discrepant.Some of the variables which have been investigated include (a) reliability and validity of student ratings, (b) reliability and validity of student rating instruments, (c) class size, (d) sex of the student and sex of the instructor, (e)