A correlational study was conducted using ACT (American College Test) sub-test scores and actual grades earned in corresponding subject areas in order to determine if the ACT was an effective predictor for student's grades at Southern West Virginia Community College (SWVCC). Study subjects were all students (n= 241) who had ACT test scores on file…

Nine methods of smoothing double-entry expectancy tables (tables that relate two predictor variables to probability of attaining success on a criterion) were compared using data for entering students at 85 colleges and universities. The smoothed tables were more accurate than those based on observed relative frequencies. (Author/CTM)

(See also TM 501 087, TM 501 089 and TM 501 090.)

Describes a study conducted to determine the accuracy of the Cohort-Survival Method of Enrollment Forecasting, based on enrollment data collected over a ten-year period from a random sample of 42 Missouri school districts. Compares forecast accuracy with the enrollment stability and location of each of the districts. (JP)

Changes were studied that occur when the correlations between the six Medical College Admission Test scales and the scores on the Part I examination of the National Board of Medical Examiners are corrected for restriction of range. (MLW)

Describes two invariance tests, the jackknife procedure and Procrustean rotation, and applies them in a discriminant analysis for this heuristic study. Invariance testing helps to prevent overemphasis on findings of statistical significance and overgeneralization of a research result, and thus is gaining favor as an indicator of result importance.…

Where do those in schools start sorting the wheat from the chaff, genuine growth potions offering long-term improvement from the elixirs, short-term opportunism and/or unrealistic expectations? The current and growing emphasis on evidence informed policy and practice is as good a place as any. The purpose of this article is to take up the issues…

The purpose of this study was to examine technical features of new and existing curriculum-based measures of written expression in terms of writing task, duration, and scoring procedures. Twenty-five third-, 43 fifth-, and 55 seventh-graders completed passage-copying tasks in 1.5 min and picture, narrative, and expository writing prompts in 3-7…

Medicine is a profession with a long history of research and high standards of methodological rigour and evidence-based decision making. These standards are being transferred into medical education. Universities are starting to collect high-quality data on their admissions systems. This has not been a short-term proposition. Medical courses are…

Several advantages to the use of factor scores as independent variables in a multiple regression equation were found. To help select the most desirable type of factor score on which to calculate a regression equation, computer-based Monte Carlo methods were used to compare the predictive accuracy upon replication of regression of five…

This memorandum reports results of an analysis designed to obtain answers to the following questions: (1) How does the Overall High School Average compare with Converted Rank in Class as a predictor of Freshman Year Grades in college? and (2) Will more detailed information provided by analysis of high school records by subject help to improve…

Meta-analysis of research on a topic may exclude reports that do not present their results in a statistical form amendable to summarizing procedures used. This article illustrates how researchers can consider this aspect in computing statistics from their data. An illustration of how that can sometimes be done is presented. (Author/JAZ)

A study of the predictive validity of Tinto's theory of college student attrition is described. Compensatory interaction between levels of goal and institutional commitment indicated that institutional commitment had its greatest positive influence on retention for students with low levels of commitment to completing a college degree, and vice…

Results from a study of 61 learning-disabled (LD) elementary students provide evidence that the Handwriting Scale included in the Test of Written Language is a valid measure of LD students' handwriting and that LD students have handwriting difficulties. (IAH)

A review of 47 health care education research articles in 9 medical and health care disciplines looked for evidence that the studies attempted to predict success in the health care professions. Results indicated very few of the studies used any of the three major methods for testing predictive validity. (Author/MSE)