Margin-of-Error Calculator for Student and Course Evaluation Data

An online calculator developed by Kenneth Royal, PhD at North Carolina State University helps educators assess the statistical stability of student evaluation of teaching (SET) results. The tool computes a margin of error that accounts for score variation and smaller sample sizes typical in educational settings. It is based on research published in journals like Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education and Medical Science Educator.

Use Cases

• Calculate statistical margin of error for course evaluation scores based on sample size and response rate.
• Assess the interpretative validity of student feedback based on score variation and standard deviation.
• Determine adequate sample sizes for reliable evaluation results in educational settings.

Strengths

• Calculator is based on peer-reviewed research published in multiple academic journals.
• Formula accounts for score variation (standard deviation), which traditional margin-of-error calculations may not.
• Designed for educational scenarios where smaller sample sizes are common.

Limitations

• Description metadata is limited; actual data quality requires manual inspection after download.
• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.

Provenance

Source

North Carolina State University

Collection Method

Likely developed as a statistical tool based on academic research.