Reviewed is some of the experimental evidence for apostatic selection from work with artificial prey. Guidelines for further experiments are suggested including experimental design, analysis, variables, and selection in the wild. (Author/CW)

Offers a five-step design for assessing organizational effectiveness in small rural school districts: (1) consideration of major policy and technical issues; (2) defining the district's organizational components; (3) agreeing on measures of quality; (4) translating measures of quality into operational standards; and (5) assessing standards'…

Asserts that conducting an organizational survey efficiently and effectively requires detailed planning. Provides an outline of the general steps common to organizational surveys but cautions that the process cannot be covered fully in a brief article. Presents a five-phase process and discusses common problems and pitfalls. (CFR)

The 9 articles of this theme issue stem from a project on alcohol and drug abuse that involved 14 projects, 10 of which began with randomized clinical trials. These papers describe implementation problems associated with experimentation in field research and the focus on ensuring internal validity. (SLD)

Addresses the need for cultural sensitivity by social workers in practice and research. Discusses the need for professional self-examination and awareness of personal biases and prejudices to enhance sensitivity to cultural diversity. Also addresses issues surrounding cultural sensitivity in the context of client-participant attendance, needs,…

Argues that grounded theory, an explicit approach to the analysis of qualitative data, is ideal for applied settings and can be adapted to the limited, sporadic opportunities available to faculty and faculty developers who focus on classroom interaction and social relations. Introduces key features and techniques of this approach. (JB)

Maintains that both traditional and computerized scholars face problems when they attempt empirical research on women writers and women readers using currently available computational tools. Discusses factors that have inhibited empirical research and uses examples from research on 18th century English poetry. (CFR)

Notes that universities are looking increasingly to local programs as potential locations for research projects; provides Head Start directors, staff, and parents with an understanding of the importance of research in the continued development and improvement of Head Start as a national intervention project for children and families. Explains the…

Critiques the Ramirez et al. study of bilingual programs for its serious research flaws. Calls into question the findings of no consistent difference in the achievement of language-minority children regardless of how much Spanish or English is used in instruction. Proposes a reanalysis of the Ramirez data. (KS)

Longitudinal studies from the 1980s suggest that the greater the amount of native language instructional support for language-minority students, combined with balanced second language support, the higher they are able to achieve academically in the second language in each succeeding academic year, in comparison to matched groups being schooled…

This third in a series of articles on work conducted at the Texas Center for Educational Technology and the University of North Texas focuses on research designs for teachers to determine the impact of technology in the classroom. Highlights include research and the scientific method; qualitative versus quantitative research; and statistical…

The framework and procedures of generalizability theory are introduced and illustrated in this instructional module that uses a hypothetical scenario involving writing proficiency. Generalizability analyses are useful for understanding the relative importance of various sources of error and for designing efficient measurement procedures. (SLD)

Describes a study of 20 American historians that was conducted to better understand the nature of research in history. Highlights include choice of research topics, use of archives, writing habits, use of computers, the classification of historical knowledge, implications for libraries, and suggestions for future studies. (43 references) (LRW)

Describes how art teachers can conduct their own scholarly research in the classroom. Outlines the design of a Grapho-Linguistics program aimed at teaching reading through art. Describes art strategies development, administrative reactions, sample and data collection methods, testing techniques, and procedures for achieving publication of…

Describes the Center for the Study of Community Colleges' Transfer Assembly (TA) project, designed to provide a valid measure of the number of college transfer students. Indicates that the TA method shows that the national transfer rate has remained a consistent 22-23% for the past five years. (10 citations). (MAB)