Presents six assumptions underlying action research, or research by classroom teachers. Contends that teachers can conduct legitimate and useful research if it is qualitative or interpretative not quantitative. Concludes that art education and art educational professionals have much to gain by engaging in action research. (CFR)

A version of the randomized response survey unrelated question technique is presented in which the answer to the unrelated question is known to be yes. Raw data become a direct linear transformation of response to the sensitive question and can be used in analysis at the individual level. (SLD)

This review offers a general theory of utilization of educational evaluation and considers factors affecting utilization, including evaluation context factors and evaluator-controlled factors. Special challenges in evaluating programs for gifted students and design shortcomings common in evaluation of such programs are identified. Specific…

Outlines a framework for examining children's socialization that combines microlevels and macrolevels. Applies the framework to a case study of student failure in the Solomon Islands. Concludes that children's failure had less to do with home socialization than with larger societal processes that shape schooling in the Solomons. (MM)

Changes in information retention resulting from changes in reliability and number of intervals in scale construction were studied to provide quantitative information to help in decisions about choosing intervals. Information retention reached a maximum when the number of intervals was about 8 or more and reliability was near 1.0. (SLD)

Ways to improve data comparability among national college faculty surveys are discussed. The surveys and some of their attributes are identified. Faculty sizes are estimated and weights for faculty in selected disciplines and institutions calculated. Weights were designed specifically for surveys conducted in 1969, 1975, 1980, and 1988.…

Reports on a study that examined transaction logs of end users of PaperChase searching UM-MEDLINE at the University of Michigan to describe the use of various search features and to determine the effects of search experience on the use of search features. Boolean operators are discussed, and further studies are suggested. (23 references) (LRW)

Participation of minorities and females in secondary-school courses in six school districts in Ontario during 1988-89 was studied to determine who benefited from courses and develop a comprehensive and fine-grained manner for reporting results for any combination of group-characteristic data. In all, 2,308 students responded to a mailed…

Finds that introductory psychology textbooks present limited and often confusing coverage of research methods. Presents two research models that delineate separate dimensions for data collection procedures, research designs, and research settings. Contends that these models provide better coverage of research strategies. Includes suggestions for…

Responds to Floden and Klinzing's article, "What Can Research on Teacher Thinking Contribute to Teacher Preparation? A Second Opinion." Agrees with it, but discusses questions raised but not answered. Questions what expertise in teaching is, how this expertise is communicated, and who these experts are. (JS)

Institutions varied widely in amount and type of data collected in tracking research proposals. Many do not collect predicted data or much data of national interest. Most do not require prior approval of use of human subjects, recombinant DNA, or hazardous substances. Only one required certification of integrity of scholarship. (Author/MSE)

Described is a cost-effectiveness analysis applied to the question of the probable impact of 69 actions advocated for improving science education. The major objectives and the 11 categories of interventions are discussed in regard to effective schools and implementing educational change. (KR)

Presented is an investigation of the effectiveness of in-school preparation regarding a field trip to an outdoor education site. Methods, instrument development, and results for the research questions are discussed. (CW)

This article reconceptualizes performance as a generative metaphor for educational research based on theoretical and methodological points of contact between instructional communication and performance studies. Asking which aspects of educational experience are open to performance-centered research, it considers new research agendas. (SLD)

Responds to commentaries in this issue by Greta Fein and by Daniel Walsh and Gary King on criticisms of quantitative research. Argues that the data-driven nature of child development research has an impact not only on how research questions are answered but on what questions are asked in the first place. (MDM)