The testing of contemporary sociological theory often calls for the application of structural-equation models to data which are inherently collinear. It is shown that simple ridge regression, which is commonly used for controlling the instability of ordinary least squares regression estimates in ill-conditioned data sets, is not a legitimate…

An examination of typical situations concerning the status of a variable is followed by a discussion of the measurement and empirical problems involved in measuring current status. Arguments for more consideration of variability, particularly individual variation, are presented. Among the problems discussed are (1) describing large samples through…

This report provides an introduction to the use of opinion surveys in gaining information about a school system in order to make decisions. The topics addressed are reasons for surveying, selecting the respondents, survey methods, selecting the survey sample, structuring the survey, writing the questions, training interviewers, pretesting the…

This booklet is intended to serve as a step-by-step layman's guide to conducting a community survey, tabulating the findings of the survey, and presenting a final report of the survey findings. It is written in simple nontechnical language and contains numerous examples of various survey forms and procedures. Among the major topics discussed are:…

The ultimate objective of the New Office and Business Education Learnings System (NOBELS) is an office occupations curriculum congruent with the concepts in the organic curriculum theory. The final report of this phase of research has developed an inventory of 375 educational specifications in behavior terms that represent basic tasks performed by…

The fifth of a series of brief reports on the study of mental retardation in a Canadian province covers a period of approximately one year (September, 1969, through November, 1970). The period under review is primarily one of data gathering with the emphasis on the adequacy of the sampling procedure, follow up of incomplete interviews, and tapping…

In 1970 many Australian students, teachers, and schools participated in the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA) Science Project. The aim of the project was to measure the science achievement of students in Australia and 18 other countries, and to examine relationships between this achievement and various…

This study involving 352 students was designed to verify empirically the a priori use of multiple matrix sampling procedures in an elementary school using a nationally normed, commercizlly published achievement test. The study focused on effect of changes in item context, effect of previous exposure to items, and relative effectiveness of multiple…

The objectives of this study were to: (1) develop a rationale and structure for quantifying individual demands of people for vocational education, (2) demonstrate a method of quantifying these demands, and (3) develop a set of guidelines for administratores at State and local levels for determining individual demand for vocational education.…

An introductory textbook on psychological tests and measurements is presented in paper back booklet form. The style is informal and humorous, and the book is intended to appeal to the contemporary student. Ten chapters constitute the text: (1) On Measurement and Existence; (2) A Brief, Imprecise History of Psychological Testing; (3) The Creation…

Research was conducted to determine whether statistical sampling techniques' could be applied effectively in followup studies of high school graduates and, if so, what sampling model is most appropriate. Records at four high schools in the Santa Barbara area were examined to develop statistical, demographic profiles of two populations, the 1970…

It has been argued that item variance and test variance are not necessary characteristics for criterion-referenced tests, although they are necessary for norm-referenced tests. This position is in error because it considers sample statistics as the criteria for evaluating items and tests. Within a particular sample, an item or test may have no…

Some of the requirements and consequences of rigorous and valid educational evaluation research are explored in terms of problems in achieving two types of external validity, population and ecological. The former refers to the generalizability of inferences to subjects not included in a study, while the latter is concerned with the…

Bayesian statistical methodology and its possible uses in the behavioral sciences are discussed in relation to the solution of problems in both the use and teaching of fundamental statistical methods, including confidence intervals, significance tests, and sampling. The Bayesian model explains these statistical methods and offers a consistent…

Three techniques for assessing the adequacy of correlation matrices for factor analysis were applied to four examples from the literature. The methods compared were: (1) inspection of the off diagonal elements of the anti-image covariance matrix S(to the 2nd) R(to the -1) and S(to the 2nd); (2) the Measure of Sampling Adequacy (M.S.A.), and (3)…