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  • Understanding the Written Comments

Understanding Written Comments

The open-ended questions in the CER questionnaire are where the nuances live. Numbers tell you how frequently a teaching practice was observed; comments tell you why students responded the way they did. Reading and interpreting this feedback thoughtfully is one of the most valuable things you can do with your report.

The Three Open-Ended Questions

The CER questionnaire includes three open-ended questions, which students answer in their own words:

How to Approach the Comments

What is the best way to read the comments?
Read the comments after reviewing the numerical results, so you have context before engaging with the qualitative feedback. Then apply the following principles:

  • Look for repeated themes. A concern raised independently by several students carries considerably more weight than a single isolated remark. Frequency of a theme is a reliable signal that it warrants attention.
  • Balance comments against the mean. If an item scores 4.5 but one comment is strongly negative, keep it in proportion. Read the comment thoughtfully, but do not allow it to overshadow a broadly positive picture.
  • Do not dismiss unique comments. Even a single remark can point to an experience you were unaware of, and may represent others who chose not to write. Consider it alongside the numerical data before deciding how much weight to give it.
  • Separate what you can control from what you cannot. Not all comments call for the same response — see the category framework below.
Tip: If your initial reaction to the comments feels emotional, set the report aside for a day or two before returning to it. This is a normal experience and one that is widely acknowledged by teaching specialists. Coming back with fresh eyes tends to make the feedback feel more useful and less personal.
What do the word clouds in the report show?
Your report includes a word cloud for each of the three open-ended questions. Words that appear larger were used more frequently by students in their responses. Word clouds provide a quick visual overview of dominant themes at a glance — for example, if the word workload is prominent under “What did you like least?”, that is a clear prompt to read those responses carefully.

However, word clouds cannot capture context, tone, or nuance. They are a useful starting point, not a substitute for reading the actual comments. Always follow up by reading the full responses to understand what students meant.

Should I acknowledge the feedback of my students?
While you cannot respond directly within the CER system, many lecturers find it effective to briefly acknowledge the feedback at the start of the following semester. A simple statement such as “Based on your feedback, I have adjusted the pacing of the assessments this semester” signals to students that their input was read and taken seriously.

This practice reinforces that the CER is a genuine mechanism for improving the course — not a box-ticking exercise — and tends to improve student participation rates in future semesters.

Categorising Comments: What Is Actionable?

Not all comments call for the same response. A useful way to approach them is to categorise each comment by where responsibility for addressing it lies. This helps you focus your energy on what you can realistically change, and identify what may need to be escalated.

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Next: What to Do Next