Potential sources of bias are classified as ethical compromises, value inertias, or cognitive limitations. Thirteen specifics of intuitive thinking and judgmental processes are described. The author wishes to alert naturalistic evaluators to common failings. This list can be a useful checklist in reducing, integrating and drawing inferences from…

This paper presents (1) a review of national policy guidelines for the evaluation of vocational education; (2) a description and analysis of the typical responses of state and local agencies of evaluation requirements; (3) some evaluation issues that may be applicable to vocational education evaluation; and (4) suggestions for improving vocational…

The relationship between class size and school achievement is investigated in this "meta-analysis" of the class size literature. In addition, some methodological considerations of meta-analysis are discussed. (JKS)

This paper focuses on evaluation-related behaviors of school principals. The role of principals as clients of professional evaluation is examined. Research that views principals as evaluators is reported. Concepts drawn from the literature are used to explore ways of studying the rationality that principals employ to make decisions. (Author/JAZ)

This synthesis of six commissioned papers on state education agency evaluation practices describes the sources of influence or factors affecting the context of their evaluation practices. Evaluation is viewed as testing, management, and policy formation conducted within a highly complex social setting. (PN)

This exploratory paper analyzes the federal policy for an impact study of research and development projects in vocational education. Positive effects were found on student outcomes, project personnel, and on occupational education practices. (Author)

A model is described which illustrates two general uses of multiple analyses to evaluate quasi-experiments: obtaining estimates of the treatment effect, and checking the validity of the experiment. (MH)

Flexner's report on the procedures, agents, and effects of medical school accreditation emphasizes common sense and unstructured observation, rather than objective social science. Flexner would probably declare that lay people, rather than the National Education Association or the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education, should…

Thirteen evaluation methods are analyzed by orientation. Typically, clients want politically advantageous studies; evaluators prefer questions-oriented studies; audiences favor a values orientation. Evaluators must recognize the narrow scope of question-oriented studies and the perspectives of client and audience. (CP)

The author advances the argument that evaluation is unique not in purpose, but in environment. The evaluator operates within ethical, organizational, and political contexts in order to achieve utilization of a context-responsive evaluation. (LMO)