Five comparisons were made relative to the quality of estimates of ability parameters and item calibrations obtained from the one-parameter and three-parameter logistic models. The results indicate: (1) The three-parameter model fit the test data better in all cases than did the one-parameter model. For simulation data sets, multi-factor data were…

Data collected by the Appalachia Educational Laboratory (AEL) in its 1980 Needs Assessment Project was reduced to eight marker variables for use in subsequent individual state factor analyses. These variables concern (1) high need family situations; (2) effective career education/guidance; (3) increased school capacity for working with families;…

Methods and results relevant to the introduction of item characteristic curve (ICC) models into classroom achievement testing are provided. The overall objective was to compare several common ICC models for item calibration and test equating in a classroom examination system. Parameters for the one-, two- and three-parameter logistic ICC models…

This "Technical Guide" describes the methodology and concepts used to measure and grade the performance of the 50 states in the higher education arena. Part I presents the methodology for grading states and provides information on data collection and reporting. Part II explains the indicators that comprise each of the graded categories.…

Examines data on circulation and in-house use of academic library collections to assess differences according to use, measurement technique, and time period. The discussion examines differences in current periodical use and other kinds of uses, differences between circulation and in-house use, and the reliability of short sampling periods. (13…

Purpose: The authors describe the procedures used to explain an unexpected finding that adolescents with Down syndrome (DS) had a lower mean length of utterance (MLU) than typically developing (TD) children in interviews without picture support, but not in narratives supported by wordless picture books. They hypothesize that the picture support of…

Periodically, Maryland's sixth, eighth, tenth, and twelfth graders are surveyed to determine the nature, extent, and trend of alcohol, tobacco, and other drug (ATOD) use among adolescents. The "2007 Maryland Adolescent Survey (MAS)" presents the latest findings regarding ATOD use by Maryland's adolescents and compares State and local…

It has been proposed that the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) increase its efforts to gather and analyze data on student background, teachers, households, and schools. Adoption of this proposal would result in the inclusion in NAEP of additional background variables and subpopulations, to be defined by states. NAEP specification…

The capability was studied of each of three models for producing indices that will reproduce school effectiveness rankings established a priori through simulation. The models used were a within-group regression technique, a regression model using individual scores, and a regression model using means. Data for 54 hypothetical schools on input, SES,…

To trace the process whereby Americans enter the labor force, work and education histories were collected from a random sample of about 1,600 Americans, with blacks oversampled. The two variables examined most closely were race and social class. The level of entry into the labor force as measured by occupational prestige was found to be strongly…

The purpose of this study was to compare five methods of computing school effectiveness indices (SEIs) from longitudinal data. The methods were within-school regression, within-school regression corrected for the unreliability of measurement, mean difference scores, average individual residual scores, and school residual scores. The sample…

Overlap (two libraries own same title) and duplication (one library has more than one copy) in children's collections of books and audiovisual materials were measured. It was found that there was less overlap between two school libraries than between a school library and a public library. Six references are cited. (EJS)

Empirical comparisons are made of three statistical sampling methods evaluated for estimating total number of relevant documents in collection for given query: simple random sampling, random sampling which assigns unequal selection probabilities to individual documents in collection, and curve fitting and extrapolation. Nine references and…

Data gathered in application of Paul Kantor's demand-adjusted shelf availability model to medium-sized academic library indicate significant differences in shelf availability when data are analyzed by last circulation date, acquisition date, and imprint date, and when they are gathered during periods of low and high use. Ten references are cited.…

Evaluation of large-scale programs is problematical because of inherent bias in assignment of treatment and control groups, resulting in serious regression artifacts even with the use of analysis of covariance designs. Nonuniformity of program implementation across sites and classrooms is also a problem. (Author/GSK)