Three British studies recently compared the examination results of pupils from comprehensive schools with those of selective schools. Each study reached somewhat contrasting conclusions. Major differences among the studies are discussed in order to clarify reasons for the contrasting interpretations and to illustrate the major difficulties in…

Presents an inventory of social science published reports about the elderly in Mexican, Puerto Rican, and Cuban subnationalities in the United States. Assesses information on service availability and utilization, extended family support, migration, and also research problems. Indicates that Cuban and Puerto Rican elderly have been disregarded by…

A review of the literature before 1966 on racial preference among black children showed that black children, in a variety of geographical, social and methodological settings, prefer to play with white dolls and white playmates. However, since 1966, black children have indicated a preference for black dolls and black models, across geographical,…

Examines data analysis at three levels: analysis of data; secondary analysis is the re-analysis of data for the purpose of answering the original research question with better statistical techniques, or answering new questions with old data; and, meta-analysis refers to the statistical analysis of many analysis results from individual studies for…

The main purpose of this article is to generate a functional model of evaluation that EMSs can be able to empower online communications characterized by imperative decision making task. The evaluation process of EMSs must merge the multicultural strategies of the theory of "Media Richness," and the ethical concerns of the critical approach. "Media…

There is overwhelming research and anecdotal evidence suggesting that traditional letter writing has significantly dwindled due to the increase use of email, online chats, telephone, and other electronic communication devices. People who became mainly dependent on internet relay chats in the late 1990s found themselves developing a new phraseology…

Over the last decade, policymakers, practitioners, and funders in the youth development field have become increasingly reliant on social indicators as tools to identify areas of need, to target resources, to set and monitor progress toward measurable goals, and to assess policy and program effectiveness. This report to the William T. Grant…

In large-scale assessments, some amount of background material is generally collected. Background questionnaires in the National Assessment of Educational Progress are the subject of this report. Most of the questions in NAEP background questionnaires have asked about course taking patterns and course content, but it is argued that the material…

The first of three papers from this symposium, "If We Can't Define HRD in One Country, How Can We Define It in an International Context?" (Gary N. Mc Lean, Laird D. McLean), questions the possibility of defining human resource development (HRD) in a worldwide context. Several factors were found that influence a country's and an individual's…

This book-and-CD package provide a lively, hands-on introduction for teachers and scholars in the humanities and social sciences. New technology is changing the nature of research and teaching in the humanities and social sciences. From specialized online forums to Web-based teaching and distance learning, computers are being used to expand…

This volume provides an overview of the tensions, dilemmas, issues, and possibilities that characterize educational research. The contributions of more than 20 researchers examine the state of educational research, its future directions, and some of the major trends that have affected the field. The contributions are: (1) "An Auspicious Moment for…

Remarks on four flaws in Dr. Woo-Sam's critique which appears in this issue. (MB)

This article suggests a number of ways to improve field research on interactions among student characteristics and group counseling techniques. A greater variety of research strategies is urged to create and field test specific counseling treatments for particular students. (Author)

Further development of research regarding the effectiveness of parent education programs depends upon a shift in conventional strategies of program evaluation. Current evaluation methods have been dominated by an interest in the outcomes of parent education programs. It is suggested that program evaluations should examine relationships between…

An analysis of research methods textbooks in psychology showed that little coverage is given to control issues in research, such as experimenter expectancies and subject bias. However, space and attention given to research ethics has increased considerably. This is probably due to imposition of controls from the government and the profession. (CS)