Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA) is a relatively young method of causal inference that continues to diffuse across the social sciences. However, recent methodological research has found the conservative (QCA-CS) and the intermediate solution type (QCA-IS) of QCA to fail fundamental tests of correctness. Even under conditions otherwise ideal…

Spatial regression models provide the opportunity to analyze spatial data and spatial processes. Yet, several model specifications can be used, all assuming different types of spatial dependence. This study summarizes the most commonly used spatial regression models and offers a comparison of their performance by using Monte Carlo experiments. In…

Social research is rich in methods for analysing societal differences. Yet, although qualitative characteristics are a key component to understanding such differences, the analysis of qualitative data remains a major methodological challenge in most social research, particularly when aiming to compare more than a few cases. The article proposes an…

As participant recruitment and data collection over the Internet have become more common, numerous observers have expressed concern regarding the validity of research conducted in this fashion. One growing method of conducting research over the Internet involves recruiting participants and administering questionnaires over Facebook, the world's…

The purpose of this study was to analyze and compare recent research papers on foreign language education in Turkish context with those published in international context to shed light on researchers and policy makers for future studies. This study filled a gap in this field and also aimed to increase the rate of acceptance of research papers…

The focus and purpose of this research is to examine the benefits, limitations, and implications of Individual Participant Data (IPD) meta-analysis in education. Comprehensive research reviews in education have been limited to the use of aggregated data (AD) meta- analysis, techniques based on quantitatively combining information from studies on…

In this paper, the writer discusses the philosophical underpinnings of the two dominant research methods in social sciences; quantitative and qualitative paradigms. The natures of two paradigms are quite different so this leads many researchers to discuss these issues in a comparative way. This paper tackles the knowledge and understanding of…

Choosing the most appropriate method to handle missing data during analyses is one of the most challenging decisions confronting researchers. Often, missing values are just ignored rather than replaced with a reliable imputation method. Six methods of data imputation were used to replace missing data from two data sets of varying sizes; this…

Father-to-son occupational mobility is lower in Poland than in the U.S., mainly because Poland has a large traditional agricultural sector with high occupational inheritance. Education, which is affected by father's occupation in both countries, has a much larger effect on occupational attainment in Poland. (Author)

Reviews the causes and correlates of political normlessness in Argentina from 1955-73. Findings indicate that political normlessness was related to antipathy toward the economic and political status quo, support for opposition political movements, and a general perception of political powerlessness and incompetence. Additional cross cultural…

A research study asked suburban middle school students what they would do if they and their brothers were fighting on opposing sides of a war battle. More than 75 percent chose non-aggressive responses. Significant differences were found between boys and girls, and between fifth and sixth graders versus seventh and eighth graders. (AV)

Discusses the relationship between reduction in financial resource levels and changes in patterns of organizational decision making at five state universities. Findings indicate that the retrenchment caused by financial stringency has been accompanied by increased uncertainty among university personnel. Additional research using a larger data base…

Assessed traditional and nontraditional women's and men's perceptions of ideal people in terms of personality traits and physiques. Findings from 80 male and 80 female undergraduates show that both traditional and nontraditional males and females favored a mesomorphic body type for males, androgynous for females. Nontraditionalists preferred…

Data concerning political attitudes and knowledge were collected for 30,000 adolescents in nine countries. Findings indicate that students in countries with a high degree of international contact were more internationally minded. Sampling procedures are described. Available from: Elsevier Scientific Publishing Company, P.O. Box 211, Amsterdam, The…

A comparison of multisite educational research projects involving qualitative research methods is reported. In phase 1 of the project, telephone interviews with key staff members of 25 projects determined ways in which each project handled important qualitative design and implementation choices. Phase 2 consisted of a more intensive study of 5…