In the May 2010 issue of "Psychological Bulletin," R. E. McGrath, M. Mitchell, B. H. Kim, and L. Hough published an article entitled "Evidence for Response Bias as a Source of Error Variance in Applied Assessment" (pp. 450-470). They argued that response bias indicators used in a variety of settings typically have insufficient data to support such…

In this article, the authors clarify and provide additional tests of the key elements of their age-period-cohort analysis of non-marital birth rates in this March 2009 issue of "Social Forces." Where Steve Martin, in his commentary, has suggested specific alternative specifications or interpretations of their findings, the authors have…

Fueled by a culture fascinated by numbers and increased accountability, data-driven instruction has become a mighty force as it joins with the tools of technology to handle the mammoth task of gathering, sorting, analyzing, and synthesizing data. Success stories from districts all over the country attest to the positive results of implementing…

Responds to an article that questioned the authors' previous attempts to define "subject difficulty" and compare subjects based on their level of difficulty. Argues that "subject difficulty" is a reasonable term and is important to the interpretation of examination data. Questions arguments that only qualitative judgments of…

Describes a methodology for student involvement in courseware evaluation and for utilizing student reactions in purchasing and implementation decisions. The evaluation forms used in a survey of 2,308 Indiana students are presented, and the results of that survey are discussed. (18 references) (CLB)

Responds to Rubin and Knox's (1996) article concerning data analysis in single-case evaluations. Refutes the assertion that ambiguous data patterns discourage clinicians from doing single-case evaluations, and questions the assertion that emphasis on single-case designs should be reduced in the social work curriculum. (JPS)

Support for the validity of the equipercentile assumption is presented in contrast with the conclusion of Powers, Slaughter, and Helmick (EJ 289 091). Observed "gains" from pre- to posttests are better attributed to stakeholder bias, posttests that match curriculum content too closely, or a combination of these factors. (Author/DWH)

Relativism is an inevitable consequence of our interpretive mode of being in the world. This is so for both our daily lives and our professional lives. What does not overly concern us at the former level should likewise not concern us at the latter level. (Author/BJV)

Triangulation strategy results in evidence characterized by the following: (1) convergence; (2) inconsistency; and (3) contradiction. In order to render the data sensible, the researcher or evaluator must report data collection procedures, as well as the three levels of information from which explanations of social phenomena are constructed. (BJV)

Responds to Rubin and Knox's (1996) article concerning data analysis in single-case evaluations. Takes issue on three points: misrepresentation of single-case experimental designs, logical inconsistencies, and skewed portrayal of weaknesses existing in single case designs. Discusses possible reasons why single-case designs are often…

Reviews three areas of limitations in the comparative evaluations of early intervention alternatives for disabled children presented in this volume: (1) inaccurate outcomes measures; (2) a misconception of parent training programs as representing true family involvement; (3) and the lack of control over the integrity of treatment given study…

Data analysis problems, particularly involving the likelihood of obtaining visually ambiguous graphs, pose a barrier to efforts to promote increased use of single-case evaluation by practitioners. Uses findings from an evaluation of a cognitive-behavioral intervention with adolescent sex offenders to illustrate data analysis problems. (JPS)

While the "Standards for Evaluations of Educational Programs, Projects and Materials" provides a good checklist of prerequisites, such standards do not guarantee indisputable outcomes. Reanalysis of reading comprehension and mathematics mean achievement data from an international evaluation study illustrates how political bias can…

Calls for simplicity when presenting data on student achievement. Data should help teachers improve teaching and learning, and focus on specific goals such as determining how many students are succeeding in a subject and, within that subject, what are the areas of strength or weakness. (Contains 22 references.) (WFA)

Discusses the relationship between effective organizational communication and specific library contexts and reviews the historical development of communication audits as a means of studying communication effectiveness. The generic structure of such audits is described and two models are presented in detail, including techniques for gathering and…