Background: A systematic literature review was conducted on mixed methods area. Objectives: The overall aim was to explore how qualitative information from interviews has been analyzed using quantitative methods. Methods: A contemporary review was undertaken and based on a predefined protocol. The references were identified using inclusion and…

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to critically analyze the value of the written comments section on student evaluations of teaching and develop a framework to improve the interpretability of such data. Design/methodology/approach: The paper reviews past investigations into the reliability and interpretability of student evaluations of…

This article discusses the importance of mixed-methods research, in particular the value of qualitatively driven mixed-methods research for quantitatively driven domains like educational accountability. The article demonstrates the merits of qualitative thinking by describing a mixed-methods study that focuses on a middle school's system of…

The application of educational research to practice remains an issue of concern, and yet there has been relatively little consideration of this in relation to reviews of research. While the professional user review hitherto represents the most relevant approach, this involves users applying the findings of an earlier review rather than carrying…

Qualitative researchers in school psychology have a multitude of analyses available for data. The purpose of this article is to present several of the most common methods for analyzing qualitative data. Specifically, the authors describe the following 18 qualitative analysis techniques: method of constant comparison analysis, keywords-in-context,…

Meehl's taxometric method was developed to distinguish categorical and continuous constructs. However, taxometric output can be difficult to interpret because expected results for realistic data conditions and differing procedural implementations have not been derived analytically or studied through rigorous simulations. By applying bootstrap…

This article illustrates how to (a) use schoolwide data to monitor student responsiveness to primary and secondary prevention efforts to identify students for tertiary preventions and (b) design, implement, and evaluate a function-based intervention in collaboration with two general education teachers, who served as the primary interventionists.…

Numerous misuses of statistics are described and illustrated, and ways of recognizing and avoiding such misuse are discussed. The following five categories of statistical misuse are identified: a lack of knowledge of the subject matter, the quality of the basic data, the preparation of the study and the report, the statistical methodology, and a…

The purpose of this research was to develop, test, and demonstrate a systematic methodology of triangulation. Triangulation is a technique used to establish credibility of data gathered in qualitative ways. Triangulated conclusions are more stable than any of the individual vantage points from which they were triangulated. Using a previous study…

Monte Carlo studies of statistical tests are prominently featured in the methodological research literature. Unfortunately, the information from these studies does not appear to have significantly influenced methodological practice in educational and psychological research. One reason is that Monte Carlo studies lack an overarching theory to guide…

Multidimensional scaling (MDS) and its potential use for research and evaluation in health-related professions are discussed. Useful data types, interpretation of results, and various applications of MDS are presented. MDS is less restrictive than factor analysis since it does not assume a linear relationship between the objects/variables of…

Concern over the validity of statistical tests performed on data that may not satisfy underlying assumptions has prompted methodological researchers to perform Monte Carlo studies for frequently used tests. Unfortunately, these studies appear to have had little impact on methodological practice. One reason is the lack of an overarching framework…

In response to a frequently articulated call for "ecological" validity from instructional communication investigations, this paper reports on methodological issues which evolved during the development and application of a coding scheme for content analyzing teacher compliance-gaining messages. Starting with a consideration of the…

This study aimed to describe, compare, and analyze the use of specific types of data utilized in decision-making by administrators of more and less effective community colleges. The study utilized a modified version of Kim Cameron's "Assessment of Organizational Effectiveness on Higher Education" to measure and rank community college…

This report discusses various methodological issues confronted in the Reading Literacy Study conducted under the auspices of the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA) and issues relating to analysis of the data. The study analyzed in the report involved fourth- and ninth-grade students (9-year-olds and…