In Miyamoto et al. (2015, this issue) the authors looked to substantiate the presence of the spacing effect, referenced from the psychology literature, in several MOOCs. Their secondary analyses constituted a robust, empirical finding on the correspondence between session distribution and certification but with only a coarse, analogous…

Hills and Hertwig (2012) challenge the proposed similarity of the exploration-exploitation transitions found in Gonzalez and Dutt (2011) between the 2 experimental paradigms of decisions from experience (sampling and repeated-choice), which was predicted by an instance-based learning (IBL) model. The heart of their argument is that in the sampling…

The author is pleased to see that the future directions of the Council for Children with Behavioral Disorders (CCBD) are being addressed. The celebration of the 50th birthday of the inception of CCBD has set the occasion to carefully examine the status quo of the organization and to set future directions, as appropriate. The authors of "New…

We argue that the report by Templer and Arikawa contains misleading conclusions and is based upon faulty collection and analysis of data. The report fails to hold up for quality of data, statistical analysis, and the logic of science.

R. Kliegl, A. Nuthmann, and R. Engbert reported an impressive set of data analyses dealing with the influence of the prior, present, and next word on the duration of the current eye fixation during reading. They argued that outcomes of their regression analyses indicate that lexical processing is distributed across a number of words during…

Dealing with data from multiple family members presents problems for researchers, as many of the techniques available for dealing with such data are problematic, and there is no way that is unique to each family. Proposes and gives an example of the use of Q factor analysis as a means of combining data from multiple family members in a unique way…

The richness of the information available in cross-classification tables, compared to the information conveyed in the typical correlation coefficient, is emphasized in this paper. The kinds of information to be found in cross-classification tables are described, and several examples of the use of cross-classification patterns in research are…

A dependency on correlational data allows one to avoid theory building and even to avoid defining terms. The social science community is being seduced by data and would do well to resist what is available simply because of its ease of tabulation and redundancy. (RL)

The author contends that model misspecification can occur even after researchers have selected the generally most appropriate class of methods, or general linear model techniques. It is suggested specifically that canonical correlation analysis may provide more meaningful results, as compared with regression, particularly if analysis is augmented…

People can use a variety of different strategies to perform tasks and these strategies all have two characteristics in common. First, they can be evaluated in comparison with either an absolute or a relative standard. Second, they can be used at varying levels of consistency. In the present article, the authors develop a general theory of task…

Discussion of the use of scientific information disseminated in primary subject literature focuses on a study that developed a methodology for hypothesis testing that measured document obsolescence by means of citation analysis and content obsolescence by expert opinions and then compared the results. Information validity and information utility…

A third followup survey within a National Longitudinal Study (NLS) of the high school class of 1972 finds that there is little difference in group variability in survey response when considering background characteristics, while significant differences in response rates are found when considering the group patterns of response to prior…

Surveys the use of information technology and related factors by researchers in the biological sciences in the United Kingdom. Information environments, background variables, communication activities, use of computers, and publishing activity are discussed; and results are compared with an earlier study of researchers in all sciences. (LRW)

Describes a study conducted at the University of West Florida with the Navy that investigated the effects of cooperative tutoring on academic performance. Treatments for the experimental and control groups are described, and performance based on cognitive style as determined by scores from the Group Embedded Figures Test is discussed. (24…

Discusses problems in academic research and their effects on libraries. Topics discussed include the trend toward rapid publication in the scientific fields; competition for academic research and development funding; the relationship between federal funding and publications; the role of libraries in the research process; and the role of vendors.…