Explores the prediction of the referential theory, which maintains that the relative complexity of discourse representations plays a key role in determining the perceiver's immediate parsing preferences. Results indicate that semantic/referential principles are applied immediately in an online ambiguity resolution and preempt general world…

Two studies are reported. In the first, the effectiveness of student ratings in improving college teaching was investigated. Teachers in five diverse colleges were assigned randomly to a feedback (treatment), no-feedback (control), or posttest group. The feedback and no-feedback groups used a student rating from in one of their classes at…

Two issues in the controversy over the use, interpretation, validity, and relevance of student ratings are explored here: the definition of preferred teacher behavior in terms of the rating instrument used, and the relationship between the student's expected grade, grade point average, and the ratings recorded. The objectives of the present…