The High School Longitudinal Study of 2009 (HSLS:09) is the fifth in a series of National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) secondary longitudinal studies. The core research questions for HSLS:09 explore secondary to postsecondary transition plans and the evolution of those plans; the paths into and out of science, technology, engineering,…

In order to obtain accurate and factual data, a survey instrument must be well constructed and a survey planned carefully and conducted under strict conditions. Of importance in planning a survey is a determination of previous and on-going research through an extensive literature review. In designing the survey, the researcher should aim at…

The authors define action or "on the job" research as a type of applied research undertaken by practitioners in order to solve practical problems and improve operations in the educational or institutional setting. Advantages and disadvantages of using action research are presented and procedures for conducting it outlined. Two tables list…

Tips on constructing survey instruments and examples of alternative formats for questionnaire items are provided in this paper. The 18 tips cover such areas as instructions for respondents, wording of questionnaire items, grouping of items, handling of difficult or sensitive questions, fixed-response items, open-ended questions, and questionnaire…

The manual provides vocational educators with information and guidelines regarding the design and use of questionnaires and interviews for gathering data and the construction, tabulation, and analysis of both open ended and forced response survey instruments. The first of nine chapters deals with surveys as a data collection technique, discusses…

This booklet is intended to serve as a step-by-step layman's guide to conducting a community survey, tabulating the findings of the survey, and presenting a final report of the survey findings. It is written in simple nontechnical language and contains numerous examples of various survey forms and procedures. Among the major topics discussed are:…

This book aims to support and prepare practitioners to undertake small-scale inquiries and research investigations. The processes of research and inquiry-based learning help teachers come to terms with the complexities and challenges of teaching as their responsibilities widen to include the notion of the teacher as researcher. This major shift in…

Based on recent study on availability of publications in two developing countries, this article outlines methodology for similar studies in a wide range of settings. Acquisition and interlending policies, barriers to availability, and survey of interlibrary loan demand are discussed. Checklists for discussions, coding instructions, and…

Preliminary guidelines are presented to provide a methodology for conducting user studies in the information field, particularly in developing countries. Topics covered include: user needs in planning a national information system; the identification of user groups; the design and organization of user studies, including background research survey…

Techniques and procedures for conducting graduate follow-up surveys are summarized. Initial considerations include: survey objectives, standardization of questions, differentiating follow-ups from alumni campaigns, those who need the information, those who have responsibility for the survey, and various populations to be surveyed. Specific issues…

Project FOLLOW-UP was conducted to develop, test, and validate a statewide management information system for follow-up of Texas public junior and community college students. The results of this project was a student information system (TEX-SIS) consisting of seven subsystems: (1) Student's Educational Intent, (2) Nonreturning Student Follow-up,…

The purpose of this handbook is to document a procedure for obtaining information about the interest of people for additional job training. (The procedure will result in a set of tables providing information on interest in job training for use in planning educational programs. It is designed to be flexible enough for use in areas as small as…

This instructional module is intended to present an overview of the interviewing process and to describe and allow practice in the basic skills and techniques of conducting a survey research interview. The module is designed for both undergraduate and graduate courses in research methods or as part of any established course in education or social…

This book offers advice and information to help librarians manage and interact with computer technology in their institutions. Chapters 1 and 2 provide a background in systems librarianship, outlining the skills that may be needed and defining the specialty. Chapters 3 and 4 show how traditional library skills such as the organization of knowledge…

This guide from the Public Libraries Association (PLA) describes a planning process to be used by individual library systems to establish their own standards appropriate to local conditions and needs; design strategies to reach those needs; and inaugurate a planning cycle that involves continuous monitoring of progress and regular adjustment of…