The Senate confirmation hearings concerning Robert Gates as director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) highlight the problems evaluators share with the CIA of keeping policy imperatives out of the search for truth. The CIA at least has a structure for keeping information pure, but many evaluations do not. (SLD)

An error in the data analysis for a study reported in a 1988 paper by Kail is cited. The paper postulated a model that explained individual differences in the speed of processing on cognitive tasks. Reanalysis of the data suggested that support for the original conclusions is considerably weaker than reported. (LB)

Presents a nontechnical introduction to the field of statistics. Includes discussions on descriptive statistics, random variables, mean, standard deviation, standardized scores, and inferential statistics. Describes six statistical software packages available for IBM personal computers and compatibles. (KR)

Ecological case study data were used to determine high school pupils' and university students' ability to organize and use these data to predict outcomes of interaction between populations within a community. The poor quality of answers given by the respondents suggests that explicit teaching, prior to the use of the case study, may greatly…

Analysis of mortality in a population of 1,300 people with mental retardation living in the community revealed that 14 people died over a 4-year period. Cause of death was avoidable in three patients. The sentinel health event methodology and case-by-case mortality reviews are recommended for monitoring avoidable deaths in community residential…

Used structural equation modeling with latent variables to examine group differences and test competing models about cause-effect relationships in passive longitudinal designs. Within example based on three-wave longitudinal study of adolescents' alcohol use, assessed generalizability of measurement model and structural model across gender and…

Presents an introductory activity in statistics in which a mathematics class is divided into groups to "draft" teams of major league baseball players. Describes the drafting procedure, charting the team, scoring, roster changes, and gathering and evaluating data. Includes draft list, daily box scores, and cumulative box scores. (MKR)

Compares 174 music theory and composition professors' opinions about eminence among contemporary U.S. composers to frequency of works performed by 29 U.S. symphony orchestras. Finds faculty-perceived eminence and programing practices moderately related. Suggests some consensus among faculty and orchestra surveys regarding composer eminence. (CH)

Seven articles discuss aspects of transaction log analysis, including introduction and definitions; history and development; components of an ideal logging facility; research methodologies; applications to a variety of library functions; practical and logical limits of the methodology; and future developments needed to enhance successful use of…

Describes 15 types of educational telecomputing activities that can be integrated into students' academic explorations. Three categories of activities are presented: (1) person-to-person communications, including LISTSERV discussion groups and electronic mail; (2) information collections, such as database creation; (3) and collaborative problem…

This paper describes content analysis as a data analysis technique useful for examining written or verbal communication within early intervention. The article outlines the use of referential or thematic recording units derived from interview data, identifies procedural guidelines, and addresses issues of rigor and validity. (Author/JDD)

Presents research results on photosynthetic, carbon monoxide utilizing bacteria. Discusses applications of the research and offers three sets of experimental procedures and data that students analyze to determine which bacterium from a soil sample uses carbon monoxide fastest. (Contains 21 references.) (MDH)

Examines the presentation of counseling and clinical psychology in introductory psychology textbooks. Finds their representation to be generally consistent with empirical data. Notes the shift in the representation of counseling between the 1970s and the 1980s. States textbooks formerly provided more coverage of clinical psychology than…

Activities designed around packaged items such as toothpicks are used to teach students to identify variables, gather and analyze data, use statistics, and draw conclusions based on evidence. A computer database used to keep track of data is described. Curriculum extensions in writing, math, and art are included. (KR)

Relationships among student background, initial commitments, social integration, academic integration, and predisposition to transfer were investigated with Hispanic (N=422) and White (N=147) students enrolled in six southwestern community colleges. Ethnic background had no relationship to predisposition to transfer. (Author/MLW)