Since its inception, the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) has been committed to the practice of documenting its statistical methods for its customers and of seeking to avoid misinterpretation of its published data. The reason for this policy is to assure customers that proper statistical standards and techniques have been observed,…

In order to learn the concept of statistical techniques one needs to run real experiments that generate reliable data. In practice, the data from some well-defined process or system is very costly and time consuming. It is difficult to run real experiments during the teaching period in the university. To overcome these difficulties, statisticians…

This study presents several analyses of doctoral dissertation research completed by students in instructional design and technology (ID&T) programs from 1977 through 1988: (1) the number of dissertations completed during each of the 12 years; (2) the 46 U.S. institutions at which the research was done and the number of doctoral degrees in ID&T…

Principles that institutional researchers should follow are discussed. The most important dictate is to present decision-makers the bare minimum of information necessary for the task; the material should be simple, short, and succinct. A report to assist decision-makers should not include extensive supporting documentation. The first step is to…

A detailed examination of the Higher Education General Information Survey (HEGIS) data base--its content, development, and past and potential uses for researchers--is presented. Because knowledge of the data elements is crucial for successful secondary analysis, procedures for collecting needed information on the data in HEGIS are suggested. (BS)

This testimony summarizes in four propositions results from a review of recent estimates of the net federal, state, or local costs of immigration and is designed to explore why these cost estimates vary so widely and how to develop more credible cost estimates. First, the testimony proposes that various studies of the cost of immigration agree…

Examines the development of statistical power as a methodological concern in the communication discipline and the effects of this concern on recent empirical research conducted by communication scientists. (MH)

This paper describes DATASIM, a comprehensive software package which generates simulated data for actual or hypothetical research designs. DATASIM is primarily intended for use in statistics and research methods courses, where it is used to generate "individualized" datasets for students to analyze, and later to correct their answers.…

Seven potentially useful maxims from the field of human information processing are proposed that may help institutional researchers prepare and present information for higher education decision-makers. The maxims, which are based on research and theory about how people cognitively process information, are as follows: (1) more may not be better;…

Information reporting at traditionally black colleges and universities was reviewed, based on the Higher Education General Information Survey (HEGIS) files for 36 institutions. The objective was to determine the quality of the data submitted by seven of these institutions, and to suggest actions for improving the quality of the HEGIS information…

This supplement to "Postsecondary Student Terminology," a National Center for Education Statistics handbook, examines postsecondary education policy issues relevant to information needs about students, procedures used in identifying information items needed to statistically evaluate the issues, and an illustrative database for postsecondary…

This book reveals why so many students are entering college unprepared for college level work and often unable to complete a degree. This important book presents the findings of the Bridge Project, a major national research study conducted by Stanford University and funded by The Pew Charitable Trusts and the U.S. Department of Education. The…