The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development's (OECD's) Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) surveys, which take place every three years, have been designed to collect information about 15-year-old students in participating countries. PISA examines how well students are prepared to meet the challenges of the future,…

Every five years, the U.S. Census Bureau conducts a Census of Government Finance, as authorized by law under Title 13, U.S. Code, Section 182. The 2007 Census, similar to annual surveys and censuses of governments conducted for many years, covers the entire range of government finance activities--revenue, expenditure, debt, and assets (cash and…

This report is a follow-up to "Gaining Ground in the Middle Grades" (Williams, Kirst, Haertel, et al., 2010). That study specified a comprehensive set of actionable practices that differentiated higher academic achievement among 303 middle grades schools in California. In doing so, the study provided a compelling and coherent account of…

Hierarchical data analyses in different discipline areas are reviewed in this article to compare statistical applications between the Hierarchical Linear Model (HLM) software and the Statistical Analysis System (SAS) MIXED procedure. Similar features of the two software programs are illustrated through reconfirmation of an HLM example using the…

This report presents estimates of the population for July 1, 1970, to 1982 for Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands of the United States, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the remainder of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands. Census counts for 1970 and 1980 are also shown for each of the areas. In addition, the report…

The concept of statistical significance is explained, with specific numerical illustrations. (MNS)

New data from the Current Population Survey indicate that women have fewer years in their current occupations than men, a factor which affects the earnings disparity. (Author)

This article reviews data from the 1979 Staines-Quinn study of job satisfaction levels and contrasts them with data from similar surveys of the same era. The Staines-Quinn study's conclusions differ from conclusions of other studies and the authors examine the possible reasons for this. (CT)

With the increased popularity of qualitative research, researchers in counseling psychology are expanding their methodologies to include mixed methods designs. These designs involve the collection, analysis, and integration of quantitative and qualitative data in a single or multiphase study. This article presents an overview of mixed methods…

The 2004 National Study of Postsecondary Faculty (NSOPF:04), conducted by RTI International (RTI) and sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), is a nationally representative study that collects data regarding the characteristics, workload, and career paths of full-and part-time postsecondary…

The "Nation's Report Card," the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), is the only nationally representative and continuing assessment of what America's students know and can do in various subject areas. This report summarizes some of the sophisticated statistical methodology used in the 1992 Trial State Assessment of…

Similarities and differences in the univariate and multivariate analysis of repeated measures designs are discussed, using a hypothetical data set studying the effects of practice on the algebra performance of four students to illustrate both methods. When data are analyzed through the univariate approach and the homogeneity assumption is…

The purpose of this study was to examine the degree to which agricultural education research has adhered to a structured approach over the past decade. Specifically, the study sought to determine the types of research conducted in agricultural education, the extent to which researchers used conceptual and theoretical frameworks, the extent to…

This manual describes the methods, procedures, techniques, and activities that were used to produce the Academic Library Survey of 2004 (ALS:2004). This manual is designed to provide guidance and documentation for users of the ALS data. Included in the manual are the following: (1) an overview of the study and its predecessor studies; (2) an…

School choice remains an important part of the national discussion on education reform strategies and their benefits. While a variety of policies encourage parents' selection of schools for their children--for example, charter schools, magnet schools, and district open enrollment--scholarships that allow students to attend a private school have…