Research is reviewed on the use of direct observation methods to collect special education data focusing on seven major factors: reactivity; observer drift; the recording procedure; location of the observation; reliability; expectancy and feedback; and characteristics of subjects, observers, and settings. Recommendations are offered for increasing…

Several statistical rational and empirical procedures are presented for dealing with the problems of non-response or low return rates in surveys, namely mail surveys. Advantages and shortcomings of these procedures in educational research are discussed. (SLD)

A discussion of the need for research in pharmacy administration looks at the range of issues to be addressed, challenges to be addressed in undertaking research, and several different approaches to data collection. (MSE)

To establish a sophisticated planning mechanism that will translate readily to affordable tactical steps, university planners must have a good understanding of the cost structure of individual academic and administrative departments and of the efficiency and effectiveness of the staffs of those departments. (MLW)

Reviews the 25-year record of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), highlighting criticisms of test design and validity, sampling techniques, standards, and usefulness of results. Provides the newly organized NAEP with guidelines for selecting input variables and specifies nine variables to be studied. A sidebar describes NAEP's…

If language research is to arrive at valid analyses of speech behavior, both observation and elicitation methods of data collection will have to be used as necessary complements to one another. The advantages and disadvantages of different research methods are discussed. (CB)

The author identifies the unique contributions of the computer to vocational guidance, tells what is in the "grey area," and makes prophecies about the future of the computer and career development. (Author/CT)

Microcomputer uses by social researchers include writing programs, standard spreadsheets and data base management. In addition, microcomputers can increase the effectiveness and efficiency of information gathering by improving notetaking and organizing. Software developments will help make microcomputer data base management tools, now not…

Trends in vocational education research and development (R&D) were investigated for the 20-year period of 1963-1983. Hardcopy and computerized data sources were content-analyzed into data-generated categories. Graphs plotting relative frequencies of the identified, categorized R&D activities were analyzed for trends. Such R&D is concluded to be…

Describes the performance-based principal evaluation system developed by the Tupelo Public School District (Mississippi). Nine data collection instruments are outlined, as are the methods used to collect the data. Included with the article are two forms: the "Survey of Teacher Opinion" and the "Parent Opinion Summary Form." (MD)

A collaborative model of programmatic nursing research is described that was designed to build on individual research and maximize contributions of individual investigators through a carefully designed 4-year program. The program involved faculty in different clinical departments exploring health variables that contribute to nursing theory in…

Assesses the value of the Government Printing Office's 1983 "Biennial Survey" as a tool to support depository library planning and decision making. The survey data are evaluated in terms of reliability, validity, and utility, and recommendations are offered for improving the design, administration, and analysis of the survey. (CLB)

Reports agency publication policies established by the President's Task Force on Management Report and subsequent reductions in data collection and publishing activities. The impact of these policies on the availability and cost of federal statistical documentation collected by libraries is described. (CLB)

This study investigated the effects of personalization of cover letter and envelopes and the effect of teacher's sex, grade level taught, and the locale on responses to a mail survey of public school teachers. Significant effects were found for locale but not for personalization, sex, or grade level taught. (Author/JAZ)

Two techniques compose a new methodology for studying certain classes of qualitative information: the F-sort task for data collection and latent partition analysis for data summarization. A detailed presentation is given of its application to a study of teacher's views of facilitating student learning in the classroom. (Author/LMO)