The eight contributions to this special issue provide an informative focus on many aspects of peer-based victimization in schools. Often using sophisticated quantitative and analytic procedures, they advance our knowledge in several important domains, pointing out important contextual variables, interactions, and mediating factors in the negative…

Based on the work of William Stephenson, the "Q methodology," formulated in 1935, is compared to classic oral history in a case study of urban renewal. Results showed the methods to be complementary, both providing the same general description of citizen reaction to the project. (JDH)

Conjoins Q methodology with the interviewing techniques of the oral historian in a study of eight surviving contributors to "The Anvil," a midwestern proletarian magazine of the 1920s and 1930s. Finds four factors, labeled as the patron, the revolutionary artist, the Jack Conroy factor, and the humanist. Discusses the limitations and advantages of…

Students assessed as having different personality types were queried concerning their perspectives on peace. Two hundred seventy-five students (ages 14-18) from Poland, West Germany, and the United States defined peace and indicated the degree of influence they felt they have on the future. Differences in definitions of peace, optimism, and degree…

Discusses Q methodology in light of modern philosophy of science and hermeneutics. Outlines and discusses the basic steps of conducting Q-method research. Suggests that Q methodology allows researchers to understand and interpret the subjective text of respondents without confounding them with external categories of theoretical reflection. (RS)

Reviews a doctoral dissertation that used Q methodology to examine educator's attitudes toward music education, based on Sam Reese's four positions regarding music education philosophy. Suggests that the study should have been based on a model with known or established accuracy. Recommends further research on music education philosophy using Q…

Distinguishes Q methodology from conventional hypothetico-deductive methodologies and from conventional communication approaches. Illustrates epistemological principles through a single-case study of cultural narcissism examined in terms of responses to pictures appearing in "Time" magazine. (RS)

This study examined whether school board members give highest priority to representing their constituencies or to voting their consciences. It also looked for correlations between demographic characteristics and the way school board members respond to constituent interests. Data were gathered by a questionnaire submitted to the population of 110…

Dealing with data from multiple family members presents problems for researchers, as many of the techniques available for dealing with such data are problematic, and there is no way that is unique to each family. Proposes and gives an example of the use of Q factor analysis as a means of combining data from multiple family members in a unique way…

Qualitative assessment methods typically are holistic and integrated. Compared with standardized tests, they offer a more active role for clients, a more intimate connection between assessment and the counseling process, and greater adaptability to ethnic, cultural, age, gender, and other individual differences. (Author/TE)