40 course evaluation survey questions for instructors and course creators
Below are 40 course evaluation survey questions grouped into seven sections: overall evaluation, course content and structure, instruction quality, materials and resources, assessments and feedback, workload and difficulty, and open-ended reflection. They work for university courses, online courses, and cohort programs. A typical end-of-course evaluation uses 12–20 of them; a mid-course check-in needs only 4–6. Rate statements on a 5-point agree/disagree scale and keep responses anonymous.
How do you use this question bank?
Decide first whether this is an end-of-course evaluation (summative — judging the course as a whole) or a mid-course check-in (formative — fixing things while there's still time). End-of-course surveys can run 12–20 questions across all sections below. Mid-course check-ins should be 4–6 questions, heavy on "what should change right now".
Use a consistent 5-point scale (strongly disagree to strongly agree) for statements and a 1–5 rating for the overall questions. Anonymity matters enormously here: students grade courses honestly only when their own grade can't be affected. Run it through any tool that supports anonymous collection — Formkii is a free option teachers use because responses are unlimited.
| Evaluation type | When to run it | Length | Goal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mid-course check-in | Week 3–6 of the course | 4–6 questions | Fix pacing, clarity, and workload while it still helps this cohort |
| End-of-course evaluation | Final week, before grades are released | 12–20 questions | Judge the whole course and improve the next run |
| Post-completion follow-up | 1–3 months after the course | 3–5 questions | Did the learning stick and get applied? |
Overall evaluation questions
- Overall, how would you rate this course?
- How likely are you to recommend this course to a friend or classmate? (0–10)
- Did the course meet the expectations set by its description?
- Was this course a good use of your time and money?
- Overall, how would you rate the instructor?
- How does this course compare to other courses you've taken on similar topics?
Course content and structure
- The course objectives were clear from the start.
- The course content matched the stated objectives.
- The course was logically organized, with each topic building on the last.
- The pace of the course was appropriate — not too fast, not too slow.
- The content was up to date and relevant.
- Real examples and case studies helped me understand the concepts.
- Which topic deserved more time? Which deserved less?
Instruction quality
- The instructor explained difficult concepts clearly.
- The instructor seemed knowledgeable and well prepared for each session.
- The instructor made the subject engaging.
- The instructor encouraged questions and participation.
- The instructor treated students with respect.
- The instructor was available and responsive outside of class (office hours, email, forum).
- What does this instructor do especially well?
Materials and resources
- The course materials (slides, readings, videos) supported my learning.
- The required readings or videos were worth the time they took.
- The learning platform was easy to use.
- Recorded sessions or notes made it possible to catch up when I missed something.
- Which material helped you most, and which could be cut?
Assessments and feedback
- Assignments and exams tested what the course actually taught.
- Grading criteria were clear before each assignment.
- Grading felt fair and consistent.
- I received feedback on my work quickly enough to learn from it.
- The feedback I received told me how to improve, not just what I got wrong.
- The number of assessments was appropriate for the course.
Workload and difficulty
- The weekly workload was manageable alongside my other commitments.
- The difficulty level was right for me — neither trivial nor overwhelming.
- Roughly how many hours per week did you spend on this course outside of class?
- The prerequisites listed for this course were accurate.
- I felt adequately prepared for the assessments.
Open-ended and outcome questions
- What is the most important thing you learned in this course?
- What should change in the next run of this course?
- What should stay exactly the same?
- How do you plan to apply what you learned?
Run a tiny mid-course check-in around week three with just three questions: "What should I keep doing? What should I stop doing? What should I start doing?" It rescues struggling cohorts months before the end-of-course evaluation would have told you anything — and students notice when you act on it.
Tips for using these questions
- Keep evaluations anonymous and say so explicitly, including that responses are only viewed after grades are submitted (if that's your policy).
- Give class time for it. In-class or in-session completion gets far higher participation than "please fill this in later".
- Separate the course from the instructor. "The course was disorganized" and "the instructor explained things poorly" are different problems with different fixes.
- Ask about specific behaviors ("explained difficult concepts clearly") rather than vague traits ("was a good teacher") — you get actionable answers.
- Compare across runs, not against perfection. A 3.8 that was a 3.2 last term is a success story.
- Tell the next cohort what changed because of feedback. It raises response rates and signals the evaluation is real.
Frequently asked questions
How many questions should a course evaluation have?
End-of-course evaluations typically run 12–20 questions, taking five to eight minutes. Mid-course check-ins should be much shorter — 4–6 questions. Beyond 20 questions, students start satisficing and the data quality drops.
Should course evaluations be anonymous?
Yes. Students soften their feedback when they believe it could affect their grade or their relationship with the instructor. Collect responses anonymously, say so clearly in the introduction, and only review results after grades are finalized if you can.
When is the best time to run a course evaluation?
Run the main evaluation in the final week of the course, while everything is fresh but before exam stress peaks. Add a short mid-course check-in around week three to six — that's the one that can actually improve the current cohort's experience rather than only the next one's.
What scale should course evaluation questions use?
A 5-point Likert scale from "strongly disagree" to "strongly agree" for statements, plus a 1–5 rating for overall questions. Use the same scale across all statements and across terms, so results are comparable from one run of the course to the next.