Comments on: The grades remain the same http://secondavenuesagas.com/2009/01/21/the-grades-remain-the-same/ A New York City Subway Blog Sun, 12 Feb 2012 23:51:31 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Benjamin Kabak http://secondavenuesagas.com/2009/01/21/the-grades-remain-the-same/#comment-58451 Benjamin Kabak Sat, 24 Jan 2009 22:01:52 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/?p=2082#comment-58451 The surveys are available online. That's one of the methodological problems with them in fact. The surveys are available online. That’s one of the methodological problems with them in fact.

]]> By: herenthere08 http://secondavenuesagas.com/2009/01/21/the-grades-remain-the-same/#comment-58450 herenthere08 Sat, 24 Jan 2009 21:59:25 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/?p=2082#comment-58450 Actually, the survey should have also been available online. But there is a reason for having paper surveys distributed at randomly-chosen stations. This allows the survey results to reflect a greater portion of the riding public, since not everyone has access to the internet. If the surveys were only posted online, they you could have biased results since the people who do have internet access may have differing opinions than the people who do not have internet access. Oh, by the way, I just mailed my survey today hehe. oops. Actually, the survey should have also been available online. But there is a reason for having paper surveys distributed at randomly-chosen stations. This allows the survey results to reflect a greater portion of the riding public, since not everyone has access to the internet. If the surveys were only posted online, they you could have biased results since the people who do have internet access may have differing opinions than the people who do not have internet access.

Oh, by the way, I just mailed my survey today hehe. oops.

]]> By: Alon Levy http://secondavenuesagas.com/2009/01/21/the-grades-remain-the-same/#comment-58409 Alon Levy Thu, 22 Jan 2009 19:56:16 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/?p=2082#comment-58409 That's for an individual class. I know teachers who've averaged something like 6.8 on a 7-point scale over hundreds of students. That’s for an individual class. I know teachers who’ve averaged something like 6.8 on a 7-point scale over hundreds of students.

]]> By: Duke87 http://secondavenuesagas.com/2009/01/21/the-grades-remain-the-same/#comment-58405 Duke87 Thu, 22 Jan 2009 15:40:23 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/?p=2082#comment-58405 That's a much smaller group, though. So the normalizing effect isn't as great. That’s a much smaller group, though. So the normalizing effect isn’t as great.

]]> By: ChickenUnderwear http://secondavenuesagas.com/2009/01/21/the-grades-remain-the-same/#comment-58403 ChickenUnderwear Thu, 22 Jan 2009 03:00:06 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/?p=2082#comment-58403 It is a complete waist of money. If they really wanted feedback the MTA would put the survey on their website, or better yet put it on the screens of the vending machines. It is a complete waist of money. If they really wanted feedback the MTA would put the survey on their website, or better yet put it on the screens of the vending machines.

]]> By: Robert http://secondavenuesagas.com/2009/01/21/the-grades-remain-the-same/#comment-58402 Robert Thu, 22 Jan 2009 02:46:31 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/?p=2082#comment-58402 He also wants people to feel like they're being listened to. Even if nothing is done about what they say, it makes people feel better. He also wants people to feel like they’re being listened to. Even if nothing is done about what they say, it makes people feel better.

]]> By: Mr. Eric http://secondavenuesagas.com/2009/01/21/the-grades-remain-the-same/#comment-58400 Mr. Eric Thu, 22 Jan 2009 01:34:25 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/?p=2082#comment-58400 If they removed alot of the useless questions from the list the grades would be lower than c averages. Just rate the important things like on time performance, getting a seat, safety on trains and stations. If they removed alot of the useless questions from the list the grades would be lower than c averages. Just rate the important things like on time performance, getting a seat, safety on trains and stations.

]]> By: Alon Levy http://secondavenuesagas.com/2009/01/21/the-grades-remain-the-same/#comment-58399 Alon Levy Thu, 22 Jan 2009 00:50:28 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/?p=2082#comment-58399 That's not true. I can attest that student evaluations of teachers can cluster near A's, when the teachers are good. That’s not true. I can attest that student evaluations of teachers can cluster near A’s, when the teachers are good.

]]> By: Duke87 http://secondavenuesagas.com/2009/01/21/the-grades-remain-the-same/#comment-58398 Duke87 Thu, 22 Jan 2009 00:31:24 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/?p=2082#comment-58398 Problem is, there's a normalizing effect to polling large groups on stuff like this and just taking the average. No matter how good your system is, some people will still be dissatisfied. No matter how bad it is, some people still won't mind. Whenever you average the results, they will tend towards the middle (In this case a C grade). So the grades aren't as mediocre as they might appear. Any line that manages to pull down a B- is an exceptionally good one, and any line that manages to pull down a D+ is an exceptionally bad one. Any line that pulls down a C is, well, average. Notice how, while there were no As, there were no Fs either. Because in order for the mean grade to be that high or that low, nearly everyone would have to vote on that end of the scale, which is unlikely to happen, statistically. Do a similar poll like this on something that's fairly popular and you still won't be seeing too many As. Just more Bs and fewer Ds. Problem is, there’s a normalizing effect to polling large groups on stuff like this and just taking the average. No matter how good your system is, some people will still be dissatisfied. No matter how bad it is, some people still won’t mind.

Whenever you average the results, they will tend towards the middle (In this case a C grade). So the grades aren’t as mediocre as they might appear. Any line that manages to pull down a B- is an exceptionally good one, and any line that manages to pull down a D+ is an exceptionally bad one. Any line that pulls down a C is, well, average.

Notice how, while there were no As, there were no Fs either. Because in order for the mean grade to be that high or that low, nearly everyone would have to vote on that end of the scale, which is unlikely to happen, statistically.

Do a similar poll like this on something that’s fairly popular and you still won’t be seeing too many As. Just more Bs and fewer Ds.

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