The purpose of this paper is to offer an analytic perspective to policy makers and educational practitioners regarding how to use longitudinal achievement data to evaluate schools. The authors further discuss the potential practical applications of their models for superintendents, researchers, and policy makers. The premise of the study is that…

The interpretation of a Thurstonian model for paired comparisons where the utilities' covariance matrix is unrestricted proved to be difficult due to the comparative nature of the data. We show that under a suitable constraint the utilities' correlation matrix can be estimated, yielding a readily interpretable solution. This set of identification…

A study comparing citations received by patents in given year to number received in subsequent years found that, even though influential patents remain influential, both highly and infrequently cited patents age at same rate. Distribution of patents by number of citations received is stable over time. (17 references) (EJS)

The usefulness of path analysis as a means of better understanding various linear models is demonstrated. First, two linear models are presented in matrix form using linear structural relations (LISREL) notation. The two models, regression and factor analysis, are shown to be identical although the research question and data matrix to which these…

Results of data analysis on 470 journal titles illustrate complexity of the fuzzy set theory modeling process, which consists of three factors--number of missing issues, citations, circulations--and its limitations in making journal binding decisions. Procedures of research, data collection, and data analysis are discussed. Matrices are included.…

The study described in this paper produced a comprehensive model for the design of micro- or minicomputer systems containing concepts and practices that educational administrators can use for the successful design of school district computer systems. This report focuses on the methodology used to build the model, which included the following…

Describes experiments relating information to decision making. The experiments were developed to validate previously suggested conceptual model of information flow and its relation to decision making and to establish specific values for significant parameters involved. Background and summary of recent research and experimental design and research…

This paper illustrates the transformation of a raw data matrix into a matrix of associations, and then into a factor matrix. Factor analysis attempts to distill the most important relationships among a set of variables, thereby permitting some theoretical simplification. In this heuristic data, a correlation matrix was derived to display…

In order to determine the effectiveness of multidimensional scaling (MDS) in recovering the dimensionality of a set of dichotomously-scored items, data were simulated in one, two, and three dimensions for a variety of correlations with the underlying latent trait. Similarity matrices were constructed from these data using three margin-sensitive…

Attitude measures frequently produce distributions of item scores that attenuate interitem correlations and thus also distort findings regarding the factor structure underlying the items. An actual data set involving 260 adult subjects' responses to 55 items on the Love Relationships Scale is employed to illustrate empirical methods for…

Discusses the importance of teaching thinking skills in a rapidly changing environment and describes a framework for developing school material that cultivates decision-making skills. An instructional model that describes decision-making strategies, necessary cognitive skills, and the educational objectives for the promotion of each skill is…

This study examined the effect of type of correlation matrix on the robustness of LISREL maximum likelihood and unweighted least squares structural parameter estimates for models with categorical manifest variables. Two types of correlation matrices were analyzed; one containing Pearson product-moment correlations and one containing tetrachoric,…

A state educational indicator system being developed by the Pennsylvania Educational Policy Studies (PEPS) project at the University of Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania) is described. The extensive database that has been established as part of the PEPS project includes thousands of variables that are descriptive of the 500 Pennsylvania school districts.…

A Monte Carlo study of five indices of dimensionality of binary items used a computer model that allowed sampling of both items and people. Five parameters were systematically varied in a factorial design: (1) number of common factors from one to five; (2) number of items, including 20, 30, 40, and 60; (3) sample sizes of 125 and 500; (4) nearly…