Prediction of the difficulty (equated delta) of a large sample (n=213) of reading comprehension items from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) was studied using main idea, inference, and supporting statement items. A related purpose was to examine whether text and text-related variables play a significant role in predicting item…

This directory lists employees of the federal government who are involved in forecasting for policy formation and trend prediction purposes. Job title, agency, business address, phone or e-mail number, and specialty areas are listed for each employee. Employees are listed for the following agencies: (1) Bureau of the Census; (2) Bureau of Economic…

Evaluation is so paramount in students' lives that researchers have found that, for many students, one's self-worth is intricately tied to one's performance. Self-handicapping is a strategy that may be used to maintain one's self-worth. This anticipatory tactic typically involves the use of procrastination; by procrastinating, one clouds the…

A study examined the predictive validity of two methods of prior knowledge assessment: free association and prediction. Subjects, 72 sixth graders from suburban public and private schools, were divided into four groups: standard free association; standard free association plus prediction; definitional free association; and definitional free…

Similarity plays a central role in cognitive theories. Research has demonstrated that the similarity of a pair increases with its commonalities and decreases with its differences. These common and distinctive elements can take the form of parts of objects, relations between parts of properties of whole objects. Previous work has been unable to…

Setting performance standards on constructed-response assessments involving polytomously scored exercises presents a challenge for measurement practitioners. Some standard setting methods designed for use with multiple-choice, dichotomously scored assessments entail aggregating item performance estimates across a panel of experts. For these items,…

The concept of authenticity in foreign language pedagogy is discussed with particular reference to the methodology of instructing through the medium of authentic texts. It is suggested that the use of authentic texts in a classroom setting actually deauthenticates those elements that made the texts originally authentic; i.e., placing them in a…

Professional requirements for physicians specializing in nephrology were estimated to assist policymakers in developing guidelines for graduate medical education. In estimating service requirements for nephrology, a nephrology Delphi panel reviewed reference and incidence-prevalence and utilization data for 34 conditions that are treated in the…

A study that forecast the consequences of the projected growth in the number of practicing U.S. physicians during the 1980s and beyond is summarized. Attention was directed to the potential impact of the increasing supply of physicians on physician behavior, the cost of medical services, and access to services. Econometric modeling and analysis of…

A social psychology of problem behavior was employed in a longitudinal study of high school youth to predict time of onset of marijuana use. Nineteen personality, perceived environment, and behavioral variables among nonusers of marijuana were shown to account for a significant amount of the variance in time of onset of use. (Author)

Notes that unless a legitimatization or acceptance of organizational development within the role structure of school organization takes place, the chances of system-wide impact of applied behavioral technology on school organization will be limited. (AM)

As the result of a time-shortened degree experiment, 31 end-of-year freshmen were accelerated to junior status. The students showed high academic performance and few social problems, but questions of personal identity remained problematic. The best single predictor of academic success in the junior year was the freshman grade point average.…

The prevalence of variables frequently associated with low birthweight was compared in samples of 100 low-birthweight (LBW) infants and 100 normal birthweight infants, and the association with central nervous system function at 7 years was examined in LBW Ss. (Author/CL)

Investigated extent to which traditional indices (test scores, undergraduate GPA, letters of recommendation) and less traditional measures (interview ratings and biographical information) would predict each of two criteria of success in a subdoctoral program in applied psychology: a) academic competency (graduate GPA) and b) faculty ratings of…