title: Decreasing the ceiling effect in assessing meeting quality at an academic professional meeting.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The psychometric properties of evaluations at academic meetings have not been well studied.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To explore the ceiling effect in the evaluation of quality of a professional meeting and whether a change in the scale labels would decrease the ceiling effect.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study at two national meetings (2009-2010), attendees completed the evaluation on paper forms or online (5-point Likert scale).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 1,064 evaluations, the mean session ratings was higher among respondents to the paper version in 2009 (4.2; 95% confidence interval [CI], 4.1 to 4.3) as compared to online responders in 2009 (3.0; 95% CI, 2.9 to 3.1) or online responders in 2010 (3.0; 95% CI, 2.9 to 3.1)(p < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A ceiling effect was present in the evaluation of an academic meeting. A change in the evaluation scale labels decreased the ceiling effect and increased evaluation variability.
authors: Birmingham Southern College, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
authors: Swaroop
authors: S
authors: Vita
authors: Heidi
authors: H
authors: Coplin
authors: Kristen B
authors: KB
authors: Feiereisel
authors: Sarajane
authors: S
authors: Garten
authors: Alex J
authors: AJ
authors: Mechaber
authors: Carlos
authors: C
authors: Estrada
mesh_terms: D015982:Bias; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D003226:Congresses as Topic / Q000592:standards*; D003258:Consumer Behavior; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D006801:Humans; D012955:Societies, Medical; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States