Impact bias in student evaluations of higher education

GRIMES, Anthony, MEDWAY, Dominic, FOOS, Adrienne and GOATMAN, Anna (2015). Impact bias in student evaluations of higher education. Studies in higher education, 42 (6), 945-962.

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Abstract

In the context of higher education, this study examines the extent to which affective evaluations of the student experience are influenced by the point at which they are made (i.e. before the experience begins, whilst it is happening and after it has ended). It adopts a between-groups quantitative analysis of the affective evaluations made by 360 future, current and past postgraduate students of a UK business school. The study validates the proposition that affective forecasts and memories of the student experience are considerably inflated in prospect and retrospect; a finding that implies a significant impact bias. It is concluded that the impact bias may have important implications for influencing the effectiveness of student decision-making, the timing and comparability of student course evaluations, and understanding the nature and effects of word-of-mouth communication regarding the student experience.

Item Type:	Article
Research Institute, Centre or Group - Does NOT include content added after October 2018:	Sheffield Business School Research Institute > Marketing and Strategy
Departments - Does NOT include content added after October 2018:	Sheffield Business School > Department of Management
Identification Number:	https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2015.1071345
Page Range:	945-962
Depositing User:	Anthony Grimes
Date Deposited:	13 Sep 2018 10:33
Last Modified:	18 Mar 2021 01:31
URI:	https://shura.shu.ac.uk/id/eprint/22201

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