This document, one of a series of reports examining the possible contribution of other disciplines to evaluation methodology, describes the major elements of general systems theory (GST), cybernetics theory (CT) and management control theory (MCT). The author suggests that MCT encapsulates major concerns of evaluation since it reveals that…

Reporters appear to fall into three types according to the way in which they evaluate the credibility of their sources. All types demand corroboration, but they differ on the significance of intuition. (RL)

The process of reporting evaluation results is described in terms of communications theory. Results of several simulated studies of factors which influence the credibility of evaluators and reports are summarized, and implications are discussed. (Available from: Jossey-Bass, Inc., 433 California St., San Francisco, CA 94104, single issue, $6.95.)…

To better understand policy formation, evaluators should be aware of the perspectives from which legislators view evaluators. Illustrations of the impact of evaluation and research projects on policy are provided. (Available from: Jossey-Bass, Inc., 433 California St., San Francisco, CA 94104, single issue, $6.95.) (Author/GDC)

This paper discusses underlying assumptions of user studies and approaches to information systems design, and reviews key issues in the design of information systems in three major areas: (1) factors affecting information seeking and use; (2) formal and informal channels of information transfer; and (3) discipline oriented transfer patterns.…

This review takes a critical approach in summarizing and evaluating the methodology and scope of catalog use studies, with emphasis on the subject approach to card catalog searching. Subject access is defined in this report; however, the process of subject searching, described repeatedly in library literature, has been based upon common sense…

The Migrant Student Record Transfer System (MSRTS) is a nationwide computer-based communications network originally designed to transfer the health and educational records of migrant workers' children. This report assesses MSRTS data from September 1984 through June 1986 to determine the potential utility of such data for national studies of the…

This report examines federal, state, and local databases containing information on migrant workers and their children, identifies their common characteristics, and assesses their potential utility to inform educational policy analysis. General criteria used to evaluate each database's strengths and weaknesses include standardization, reliability,…