The internet has had a vast and pervasive effect on many industries. It has resulted in the creation of new industries and has overhauled the dynamics that governed existing industries. One of the most traditional industries that is now struggling to cope with the changes brought on by the internet is the industry of higher education. Students can…

An advantage of well-designed survey research is that, typically, it yields large volumes of quantitative and qualitative data. A key challenge researchers face is mining and reporting these data appropriately and promptly to inform research publications and presentations. When mixed methods are employed, and researchers attempt to master computer…

This case study draws on my quantitative study of college entrance exam preparation (also known as "test prep") to illustrate how a researcher goes about setting up a quantitative project using existing datasets. I describe how I decided between two different datasets, a decision which required attention to how the research question was…

This case study considers how a non-equivalent control group design was used in a PhD study examining the impact of a multiple intelligence teaching approach on student engagement and learning. Two groups of second year undergraduate nursing students undertook the study: a treatment group (n = 26) and a control group (n = 18). The intervention for…

This case study uses structural equation modeling to examine the predictive validity of the Read Aloud Profile-Together, a measure of the distinct behaviors of parents and children during shared book reading, in relation to preschool children's early reading competency. Using secondary data analysis, this case study includes 800 parent-child pairs…

This is a keynote presentation given at AERA on developing a validity agenda for growth models in a large scale (e.g., state) setting. The emphasis of this presentation was to indicate that growth models and the validity agenda designed to provide evidence in supporting the claims to be made need to be personalized to meet the local or…

The way that graphs can be used to make calculations that are commonly used by institutional researchers is described using specific examples, and the technique of constructing computational graphs (and nomographs) is outlined. It is shown that once a calculation involving several variables has been represented by a computation diagram or a…

Describes the Monthly Data Grapher, a microcomputer program which helps visualize data to discern patterns and which is suitable for use with elementary school children. Some of its uses are noted and the microcomputer program itself is included. (MBR)