Setting up a successful interinstitutional data-sharing project involves commonsense guidelines: be clear about what is wanted, take advantage of what already exists, use appropriate technology, staff adequately, recognize institutional differences, and concentrate on achieving insight rather than precision. (Author/MSE)

Five categories of student outcomes in graduate and professional education are identified: timely degree completion; knowledge of the discipline; preparedness for professional practice; preparation for research and inquiry; preparation for teaching. A framework for assessing each is offered and various methods for collecting data on student…

Historically, statistics have been important in intercollegiate sports. At first, the data were kept as game statistics, but more recently they have been used for institutional research, accountability, compliance with regulations, and public relations. (MSE)

A statewide performance funding initiative provided a strong incentive to examine student outcomes. The result has been a systematic program of data collection and dissemination that has significantly affected both the curriculum and the university's budgeting process. (Author/MSE)

Efforts to assess quality of academic life at Vanderbilt University (Tennessee) resulted in a plan to merge qualitative and quantitative measures and uncovered political, logistical, and fiscal issues in collection and use of the two kinds of data. Although qualitative databases are costly, they are also very useful in different ways. (Author/MSE)

An overview of college guidebooks examines their origins, development, types, impact on both consumers and colleges, and current trends and future prospects. It is argued that publishers will gain credibility by standardizing data collection and reporting formats and by no longer trying to rank colleges on criteria that change annually and fail to…

A draft code of ethics for college and university institutional researchers and related activities, prepared by the Committee on Standards and Ethics of the Association for Institutional Research, is presented. It addresses issues of individual training and competence, responsibility, confidentiality, relationships within institution and…

The draft code of ethics prepared by the Committee on Standards and Ethics of the Association for Institutional Research is reviewed by section, with commentary on the precepts involved and the code's provisions for individual training and competence, responsibility, confidentiality, relationships within institution and community, and conduct…