This Digest, intended as an instructional aid for beginning research students and a refresher for researchers in the field, identifies key factors that play a critical role in determining the credibility that should be given to a specific research study. The needs for empirical research, randomization and control, and significance testing are…

This digest discusses the common sections of a research report and highlights frequently made mistakes. At every stage of the research activities, the researchers should think about the eventual research report. The report should be planned to focus on a single important finding or a highly related group of findings. Suggestions are made for the…

Materials in the ERIC system on teacher inservice education and workshop activities are surveyed. (HTH)

The Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) bibliography provides an exhaustive list of references to studies adding to the understanding of the development, nature, and use of the test, and is divided into two sections: (1) the first section lists 125 annotated citations that contain research studies on the GRE; (2) the second section lists reviews…

The majority of this publication is comprised of 13 feature articles covering a wide range of topics in the areas of educational technology and library and information sciences. Also offered are related abstracts found in the ERIC Database and the latest news at the ERIC Clearinghouse on Information & Technology, including the publication of…

This supplement contains the annual listing of research in mathematics education for 1994. Chapter 1, "Dissertation Research Reported in 1994" (Michael L. Bumbaugh & Sigrid Wagner), lists 251 dissertations abstracted in Dissertation Abstracts International during 1994 along with an index of dissertations by institution. Chapter 2,…

Recent emphasis on stricter educational accountability measures has resulted in a profusion of educational and psychological tests available in today's market. This ERIC Digest has been prepared to meet educators' needs to find information about tests quickly and easily. Three resources discussed are the Test Collection database, the Mental…

This Digest summarizes trends in grading practices and introduces issues related to standards-based reporting. A large majority of schools use a traditional grading system, and many teachers have a great deal of autonomy in making decisions about grades. Given the latitude that teachers have in developing grading policies and differences in…

Recognizing the contradictory or inconclusive findings on class size in English, this booklet provides a summary and analysis of existing class size research and describes the kinds of research that would shed new light on the question of class size and secondary English. The first section contains the report of the Task Force on Class Size and…

Abstracts of 51 papers presented at a conference on foreign language teaching are included. Each abstract is one to two pages in length. Specific teaching methods as well as general pedagogical ideas are treated. Several papers deal with specific languages, including Latin, French, German, Spanish, and Slovak. Instruction in a specific language…

This Digest defines student engagement and describes various methods used to measure it, both in empirical research studies and at the classroom level. Student engagement has been defined in various ways, but it is evident that students who are engaged show sustained behavioral involvement in learning activities accompanied by a positive emotional…

This two-volume annual report is the first in a series of reports summarizing the activities and accomplishments of the Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC) program. The second volume discusses trends and issues in the areas of education covered by each of the clearinghouses. These discussions focus on critical research findings and…

The role of review in mathematics instruction is briefly summarized in terms of reasons, timing, and types. Promoting retention is the primary reason for reviewing; continuity, assimilation, diagnosis, learning prerequisites, and confidence are also noted. Research clearly indicates that review should be systematically planned and incorporated…

This digest describes some of the problems researchers face in communicating educational research data to general, nonresearcher audiences. Accessibility is one problem. Most research on effective educational practices does not filter down to the people who contribute or control funding. Another problem is that of readability. In the rare event…

The principal focus of this brief report is on findings and observations from relatively recent research on the learning of mathematics. The distinction between learning and the concepts of curriculum and instruction is first reviewed. Then Piaget's theory of intellectual development is discussed, with the conclusion that it does not provide a…