A Monte Carlo study was conducted to estimate the efficiency of and the relationship between five equations and the use of cross validation as methods for estimating shrinkage in multiple correlations. Two of the methods were intended to estimate shrinkage to population values and the other methods were intended to estimate shrinkage from sample…

Identified are systematic visitor observation techniques to provide data to show visitors' reactions to interpretive programming. Use of this data should enhance the ability of the interpretive naturalists to plan, conduct, and evaluate interpretive programming. The suggested techniques can be accomplished without outside help, and can be…

This is one of three volumes presenting the procedures and results of a research effort investigating the effects upon student outcomes of training teachers to implement individual study and self-directed study in their classrooms. In this volume correlation matrices drawn from tests of student variables and achievement are presented. Item…

Methods for ordering and selecting variables for discriminant analysis in multiple group comparison or group prediction studies include: univariate Fs, stepwise analysis, learning discriminant function (LDF) variable correlations, communalities, LDF standardized coefficients, and weighted standardized coefficients. Five indices based on distance,…

Stability of Type I error rates and power are investigated for three forms of the Box test and two forms of the jackknife test with equal and unequal sample sizes under conditions of normality and nonnormality. The Box test is shown to be robust to violations of the assumption of normality when sampling is from leptokurtic populations. The…

Study of college faculty has been hampered by the variation in types of institutions, the difficulty of obtaining an accurate faculty sample, and poor response rates to large-scale surveys. This document examines various approaches to conducting large-scale faculty surveys, and describes a suggested procedure to mitigate methodological problems.…

This report contains the results of the first statewide educational learner pilot assessment in Wisconsin. The objectives of the program were: (1) to develop and refine the statewide assessment process including instrument development, instrument administration, analysis, interpretation, and dissemination of the results; (2) to provide a…

The present study evaluated methods by which speech samples for equal appearing interval scaling of articulation defectiveness could be prepared with a minimum time expenditure. Ten public school speech therapists rated 40 one minute edited and 40 unedited speech samples on a nine point equal-appearing interval scale. The speech samples were…

A study of the "efficiency and efficacy" of evaluation practices of the Illinois Division of Vocational and Technical Education as conducted by Educational Testing Service is reported on. The study was directed toward understanding how evaluation practices of the Division, with largest emphasis upon the performance of the Three Phase System used…

This report presents considerations for sample design and estimation procedures for the Health Examination Survey, one of the major survey programs employed by the National Center for Health Statistics. The survey collects data which provide national estimates and distributions of various health characteristics related to the growth and…

In an attempt to improve the economic well-being of the disadvantaged, this study investigated the possibility that excessive hiring requirements might be a major factor in unemployment of particular groups in the population. This was accomplished by surveying a random sample of employers in 10 major entry and near-entry level occupations in the…

This evaluation report on the Green Thumb program is the first in a series of three reports that will constitute a comprehensive evaluation of Operation Mainstream (OM). Operation Mainstream is a collection of programs designed to employ as enrollees poor, chronically unemployed adults. This evaluation relies primarily on cross-sectional and…

This study was designed to assess the conceptual structure of the Task of Public Education Opinionnaire (TPE). Since the development of the instrument, several psychometric techniques have been formulated. Two of those methods, image component and alpha factor analysis, were applied to the items of the TPE after the correlation matrices were…

A second-year interim report on a three-year cooperative study involving a regional sampling of 41 Kentucky school districts is presented. The ultimate goal of the project is to develop methods of sampling and annually assessing the extent of learners' needs and to stimulate educational programming based on the reduction of learners' needs. Major…

A subject by item matrix of test responses is shown to be a useful heuristic in criterion referenced and norm referenced test analysis, and in the teaching of measurement. The pattern of responses within the matrix provides indications of item interactions, weak deceptors, and conventional test statistics. The strong visual analogy between the…