Associative Evaluations: Nominations vs. Ratings. Technical Paper No. 253.

Two general methods of associate (peer) evaluations--the rating procedure and the nomination procedure--are most often used. While both techniques produce similar results, the variation in procedure used to obtain the data has limited most direct comparisons. Because of this, the differences between the several methods of making the evaluations have not been adequately explored. In this study, three methods of associate (peer) evaluation--one rating procedure and two nomination procedures--were compared in terms of reliability, interrelationships of techniques, relationships with other leadership measures, and relationships with concurrent performance measures. All three evaluations yielded levels of reliability adequate for use in short-range individual selections; all three methods measured the same individual attributes. The nomination method was suggested as the clear choice for operational use because of the additional benefits of minimal rater resistance, ease of scoring, and simple administration. (Author)