Institutional researchers use skills from their diverse backgrounds to collect, analyze and report data about their institutions to stakeholders representing various interests and levels of data literacy. However, there is little research into how these professionals process data and none into what aspects are important to institutional…

Survey methodology is the dominant approach among universities in the United States for reporting employment outcomes for recent graduates. However, past studies have shown that survey methodology may yield upwardly biased results, which can result in overreporting of employment rates and salary outcomes. This case study describes the development…

This paper introduces institutional ethnography (IE) as a useful and systematic process for examining organizations and work data through the lens of stakeholders, at different levels, and considering the different forces at play. Drawing from ethnomethodology, IE focuses on how everyday experience is socially organized. Ideological shifts have…

The methods and models for categorical data analysis cover considerable ground, ranging from regression-type models for binary and binomial data, count data, to ordered and unordered polytomous variables, as well as regression models that mix qualitative and continuous data. This article focuses on methods for binary or binomial data, which are…

Multilevel modeling (MLM) gives researchers the ability to make inferences about organizations where nesting factors will bias results and the assumption of independence is not tenable. This article provides an overview of the variety of data sources that lend themselves to conducting institutional research (IR). It not only serves as a repository…

The increasing demand of constituents to conduct analyses in order to help inform the decision-making process has led to the need for Institutional Research (IR) guidelines for community college educators. One method of maintaining the quality of research conducted by IR staff is to include professional development about ethics. This article…

This paper describes the strategies used at the University of Puerto Rico (Humacao) to overcome limitations resulting from a low response rate to their alumni surveys. Evaluation of earlier experiences with alumni studies led to identification of two principles for effective alumni studies: (1) the alumni study has to be a collaborative effort…

This proceedings document is comprised of the 18 papers, panel presentations, and work shares presented at a 1996 conference on institutional research. The papers are: (1) "Using Cohort Analysis To Evaluate the Impact of a Support Program for Minority Students" (Hershel Alexander); (2) "The Institutional Researcher as Program Evaluator:…

Three factors are considered that contribute to the perception that the higher education research effort has done a poor job in dealing with problems confronting academe. The first factor is the magnitude of the higher education enterprise and the number of problems and issues inherent in it. The second factor is the level of support for research,…

A report on a study of the use of space facilities in universities in England is mainly concerned with the methodology involved in the study. An extensive appendix provides information on 24 different technical aspects of the study. (FPO)

Institutional comparison groups can be selected in several ways, depending on the comparison issue. The method chosen involves both technical and political considerations. (Author/MSE)

The selection of appropriate data sources for institutional research is discussed. It is suggested that the provision of timely, accurate information for administrative decision-making depends on the researcher's ability to determine which data are relevant to the problem. This is of particular concern for institutional researchers because they…

Institutional research (IR) in community/junior colleges in past years has been limited to gathering data for external agencies, concentrating on raw demographic data and student flow studies. IR should be directed toward providing data for administrative decisions and for successful maintenance of college operations. In spite of the heavy demands…

Many do not consider the effect that missing data have on their survey results nor do they know how to handle missing data. This chapter offers strategies for handling item-missing data and provides a practical example of how these strategies may affect results. The chapter concludes with recommendations for preventing and dealing with missing…

This case study documents a successful application of data-mining techniques in enrollment management through a partnership between the admissions office, a business administration master's-degree program, and the institutional research office at Willamette University (Salem, Oregon). (Contains 1 table and 3 figures.)