Suggests that there is a tendency in social science and program evaluation to adhere to some methodological practices by force of custom rather than because of their reasoned applicability. These ideas include regression artifacts, random measurement error, and change or gain scores. (Author/SLD)

Agrees with L. Mohr that researchers are too quick to assume that measurement error is random, but disagrees that the idea of regression toward the mean has been a distraction and the notion that change scores analysis should be avoided in favor of regression analysis. (SLD)

Responds to C. S. Reichardt's discussion of regression artifacts, random measurement error, and change scores. Emphasizes that attention to regression artifacts in program evaluation is almost bound to be problematic and proposes some arguments in support of this position. (SLD)

Mail questionnaire items that are susceptible to order effects were examined using data from 168 questionnaires in a Florida Cooperative Extension Service evaluation. Order effects were found for multiple-response and attributive questions but not for single-response items. Order also interacted with question complexity, social desirability, and…

Potential methods are explored for removing or otherwise controlling random measurement error, assessment artifacts, irrelevant variation in outcome measures, and confounding sources of covariation in a structural equations model. Using examples with measures of quality of life and functioning, the authors consider these methods for field…

The quality of educational data in Nepal was evaluated by investigating three questions: (1) the extent of reporting error in national education data; (2) accuracy of error estimation; and (3) levels at which error is introduced. Evidence suggests that data may be more accurate than decision makers suppose. (SLD)