The measurement error in principal components extracted from a set of fallible measures is discussed and evaluated. It is shown that as long as one or more measures in a given set of observed variables contains error of measurement, so also does any principal component obtained from the set. The error variance in any principal component is shown…

The paper shows how the methodology for a pedagogical experiment can be improved through including the pre-research stage. If the experiment has the form of a test procedure, an improvement of methodology can be achieved using for example the methods of statistical and didactic analysis of tests which are traditionally used in other areas, i.e.…

This discussion constructs a survey data quality strategy for institutional researchers in higher education in light of total survey error theory. It starts with describing the characteristics of institutional research and identifying the gaps in literature regarding survey data quality issues in institutional research and then introduces the…

We are currently at an exciting juncture in developing effective means for assessing so-called 21st-century skills in an innovative yet reliable fashion. One of these avenues leads through the world of "epistemic games" (Shaffer, 2006a), which are games designed to give learners the rich experience of professional practica within a discipline.…

This paper intends to construct a survey data quality strategy for institutional researchers in higher education in light of total survey error theory. It starts with describing the characteristics of institutional research and identifying the gaps in literature regarding survey data quality issues in institutional research. Then it is followed by…

This report summarizes research findings and implementation practices for teacher and principal value-added models (VAMs), as a first step in the Team Pennsylvania Foundation's (Team PA) pilot project to inform the development of a full, statewide model evaluation system. We have selected 21 studies that represent key issues and findings in the…

The Center on Education Policy (CEP) report, "Has Progress Been Made in Raising Achievement for English Language Learners?", finds that some states have seen increases in the number of English language learners (ELLs) meeting proficiency standards under No Child Left Behind (NCLB), while others have seen decreases. The report notes some…

"Choice and Education across the States," published by the Heartland Institute, is an advocacy document that assigns letter grades to states based on the extensiveness of each state's school choice system. The report asserts, based on a faulty use of past research, that an increase in school choice will strengthen accountability and improve…

"How New York City's Charter Schools Affect Achievement" estimates the effects on student achievement of attending a New York City charter school rather than a traditional public school and investigates the characteristics of charter schools associated with the most positive effects on achievement. Because the report relies on an…

The purpose of this study was to examine the potential impact of selected methodological factors on the validity of conclusions from reliability generalization (RG) studies. The study focused on four factors; (1) missing data in the primary studies; (2) transformation of sample reliability estimates; (3) use of sample weights for estimating mean…

A new report published by the Buckeye Institute for Public Policy Solutions is a minor variant on six similar reports published by the Friedman Foundation over the past three years. The new report repeats some of the errors in the previous reports, and it follows a parallel structure, arguing that the costs of dropping out are dramatic for the…

Focuses on regression effects that arise from measurement error, and examines methods used to evaluate pre- to post-therapy score changes that attempt to take these regression effects into account. Discusses statistical and practical problems, identifies and analyzes specific examples, and distinguishes objectives of these methods from other…

Tests the "holistic construal" method of validating constructs and testing organizational hypotheses, using examples from organizational theory and data on wholesale distribution companies. Holistic construal is meant to explicitly represent theoretical and empirical concepts, nonobservational hypotheses, and correspondence rules and…

The purpose of this survey was to identify the statistics texts most frequently used by psychology departments and to see if a typical survey of textbooks used by a partial sample of psychology departments would be accurate in describing the entire sample of departments. Partial returns resulted in a meaningful error. (RM)

Graded or binary disagree-agree responses to attitude statements are often collected for the purpose of attitude measurement. The empirical characteristics of these responses will generally be inconsistent with the analytical logic that forms the basis of the Likert attitude measurement technique (R. Likert, 1932). As a consequence, the Likert…