STOCHIASTIC DOMINANCE (NOT)
The graph below compares my course evaluations to
the College's, using an unusual and revealing perspective. For each course, I receive a summary
"percentile" identifying where my scores compare to those in all similar
courses in COBA that semester. I then rank my percentiles from smallest to largest, and plot them in blue on the
graph below. In red is the "baseline"--the distribution that you would get by selecting course evaluations
randomly from across the college.
The crossing point (about 55th percentile) gives a rough indication of how I stand in the college generally--slightly better than average. The steepness of the line traced out by the blue bars indicates consistency--a more consistent instructor will tend to have a flatter line. Mine is relatively steep, perhaps reflecting the variety of courses I have taught and the variety of teaching styles I use. Stochiastic dominance occurs if the blue lines are never below the red lines. This would be a feat--I don't achieve it!