Troubleshooting and Frequently Encountered Problems

Even with continued improvements, there are still opportunities for errors to occur as evaluations are filled out and processed. Please refer to the list below as a guide to avoid and troubleshoot against such errors. Collaborative efforts to minimize these problems will improve the timely return of evaluations to faculty. 

1. Missing Course ID Codes: Missing course ID codes remain the office's most frequently encountered problem with completed course evaluations. Faculty should take the time to remind students to write and completely bubble in the correct course ID on the evaluation form.
   
   
2. Missing Faculty ID Codes: Missing faculty ID codes are the second most frequently encountered problem with completed course evaluations. Again, faculty should take the time to remind students to write and completely bubble in the correct faculty ID on the evaluation form.
   
   ID codes are updated at the beginning of every academic year. Faculty who may have not received a code during a year may have subsequently been assigned to one. Administrative assistants and faculty can check and print out the updated code list by clicking here.
   
   
3. Bubbles Not Filled in Completely: Check marks, X's, dots, dashes, lines, and various other marks cannot be read by the Scantron software. Reminding students to fill in answers completely will considerably reduce the time necessary to prepare incorrectly marked forms for processing.
   
   
4. #2 Pencil Not Used: Beginning in Fall '04, only #2 pencils can be used to complete the course evaluation forms. Blue, black, red, pink, teal, lavender or any other ink color cannot be read by the Scantron software. Faculty should see their departmental administrative assistant for packets of #2 pencils before administering evaluations.
   
   
5. Stray Markings and Folded Forms: Stray form markings and folded forms require manual corrections in the Scantron system. Students should be reminded that all comments on the evaluations should be written on the back, not the front, of the form.
   
   
6. Multiple Response: The selection of more than one answer choice to a particular question also requires manual corrections in the Scantron system, and can in some cases, render a particular question's data invalid. Students who inadvertently select two answers to any one question should clearly indicate their desired answer.
   
   
7. Multiple Course Sections in One Envelope: Occasionally, evaluations from two or more courses will arrive in the same envelope, potentially making it difficult to separate the individual forms by course. Faculty and administrative assistants are reminded that once the evaluations for a course are administered and completed, they should be placed in a manila envelope and that envelope should be sealed. It is not to be opened by anyone except authorized staff within the Office of Academic Affairs.