Studies of group differences in intelligence often invite conclusions about groups in general from studies of group differences in selected populations. The same design is used in the study of group differences in other traits as well. Investigators observe samples from two groups (e.g. men and women) in some accessible population, but seek to…

Designs for sequential sampling procedures that adapt to cumulative information are discussed. A familiar illustration is the play-the-winner rule in which there are two treatments; after a random start, the same treatment is continued as long as each successive subject registers a success. When a failure occurs, the other treatment is used until…

The equating methods and sampling designs used in the empirical studies in this special issue on the use of matched samples for test equating are described. Four requisites for equating are listed, and the invariance of equating functions requisite is identified as the focus of this issue. (SLD)

The concepts, definitions, and notation that have evolved with the development of telephone survey design methodology are discussed and presented as a unified structure. This structure is then applied to some of the more well-known telephone survey designs and alternative designs are developed. The relative merits of the different survey designs…

The effects of using different data analysis methods on estimates of treatment effects of educational programs were investigated. Various regression models, such as those recommended for Title I program evaluations, were studied. The first effect studied was the amount of bias that might be expected to occur in the various settings. Results…

The effects of certain characteristics (e.g., sample design) of National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) data on statistical analysis techniques are considered. Ignoring special features of NAEP data and proceeding with a standard analysis can produce inferences that underestimate the true variability and overestimate the true degrees of…

A general longitudinal model is presented for estimating school effects and their stability. The model, capable of separating true changes from sampling and measurement error, controls statistically for effects of factors exogenous to the school system. The model is illustrated with data from large cohorts of students in Scotland. (SLD)

Describes and evaluates a learning model for information filtering and selective dissemination of information which is an adaptation of the generalized probabilistic model of information retrieval. The model is based on the concept of uncertainty sampling that allows for relevance feedback both on relevant and nonrelevant documents. (Author/LRW)

In the Spring, 1996, issue of "CRESST Line," E. Baker and R. Linn commented that, in efforts to measure the progress of schools, "the fluctuations due to differences in the students themselves could conceal differences in instructional effects." This is particularly true in the context of the evaluation of adequate yearly…

Issues concerning the selection of judges for standard setting are discussed. Determining the consistency of judges' recommendations, or their congruity with other expert recommendations, would help in selection. Enough judges must be chosen to allow estimation of recommendations by an entire population of judges. (SLD)

Procedures for obtaining student samples for the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) and deriving survey weights for analysis of survey data are described. Sample designs are economically and operationally feasible, and weighting procedures result in increased precision of estimates as they account for the probabilities of student…

This paper is about the structural equation modelling of quantitative measures that are obtained from a multiple facet design. A facet is simply a set consisting of a finite number of elements. It is assumed that measures are obtained by combining each element of each facet. Methods and traits are two such facets, and a multitrait-multimethod…

Research efforts have established that the Mantel-Haenszel procedure (MHP) is an effective method for detecting the presence of test items exhibiting differential item functioning (DIF). While the MHP has been advocated for situations where item response theory based methods may not be usable, recent findings have suggested that the performance of…

The three RMC models endorsed by the U.S. Office of Education for the evaluation of Elementary and Secondary Education Act Title I programs are based on narrowly conceived approaches to evaluation--the measurement of cognitive achievement gains. Each model requires the comparison of observed student performance with an estimate of what level of…

This partially annotated bibliography of journal articles, dissertations, convention papers, research reports, and a few books and unpublished manuscripts provides a comprehensive coverage of work on latent trait theory and practice. Documents are arranged alphabetically by author. The period covered ranges from the early 1950's to the present.…