The concepts of need and needs assessment are examined in the context of information needs for college administrators. A description is included of the conceptual framework underlying the Needs Assessment Information System (NAIS), which was developed by the National Center for Higher Education Management Systems. Attention is directed to: (1)…

The Michigan State Data Center Program, a source of statistical information on the people of Michigan and its economy, creates custom products and mapping profiles from its deposit of major decennial, economic, and agricultural products from the U.S. Bureau of the Census. The Michigan State Data Center Program is an umbrella organization enhanced…

Data on which to base interinstitutional comparisons can be obtained directly from institutions or from a variety of secondary and tertiary sources such as national surveys, statistical publications, newsletters, directories, and organizations. Lists of these sources are included. (MSE)

This guide aims to facilitate research and policy analysis in rural education by linking substantive issues to the data sources of the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). The guide may be used in two ways: as a handy tool for scanning NCES data that are presented with immediately applicable issues; and to stimulate, with sample…