This paper explicates a pattern of scientific argumentation in which scientists respond to causal questions with the generation and test of alternative hypotheses through cycles of hypothetico-predictive argumentation. Hypothetico-predictive arguments are employed to test causal claims that exist on at least two levels (designated stage 4 in which…

As science teachers, they understand the importance of gaining student interest to promote learning. They know how challenging it is to spark the curiosity to truly engage students in the processes of "doing science." One often-used method of motivation is the demonstration of science in action. Demonstrations such as "discrepant events". They are…

This article compares student achievement of fourth graders in charter schools and district public schools in Newark, New Jersey. We find that Newark and New Jersey's charter schools mirror the educational inequalities of the state as a whole, as well as its Abbott Districts. The data indicate that charter schools are similar to district urban…

This study examined the construct validity of the "e-rater"® automated essay scoring engine as an alternative to human scoring in the context of TOEFL® essay writing. Analyses were based on a sample of students who repeated the TOEFL within a short time period. Two "e-rater" scores were investigated in this study, the first…

This study aims at understanding how the use of different reading activities affects readers' comprehension of short stories. Forty-seven students with an advanced level of English proficiency participated in the study where a quasi-experimental research design was pursued. The experimental and control groups of students completed different sets…

Data from a student satisfaction survey were analyzed to determine those variables that best predict student satisfaction and to build a discriminant model of student satisfaction/dissatisfaction. The survey was administered to 2,634 undergraduate students enrolled in a regional university during the spring semester, 1993. Based on the findings of…

In an effort to determine the correlation between assessment placement test scores and grade point average (GPA), a study was conducted at Terra State Community College (TSCC), in Ohio. A sample population was constructed of 93 potential students who took the American College Testing Service Assessment of Student Skills for Entry Transfer (ASSET)…

Thousands of older incarcerated youth (17-18 years old) pass through the juvenile justice system every year. Many are not viable candidates for traditional high school graduation because of limited earned credits and large gaps in education. The purpose of this study was to establish an effective and efficient means for determining students'…

The usefulness of the Iowa Algebra Aptitude Test (IAAT) as a predictor of student achievement in secondary mathematics courses was studied. Subjects were 977 students from 7 Iowa schools in grades 6 through 9. Data collected included their IAAT scores and Iowa Tests of Basic Skills (ITBS) mathematics skills test scores, as well as data about…

This paper reports on a study that asked six groups (totalling 175 third-year medical students), before taking their surgery clerkship, to make predictions about their experiences in the clerkship. For male students, those in the high-expectation group had records of consistently higher mean academic performance in their first 2 years of medical…

Five pre- and postevaluations were administered to 413 therapy aides who had participated in a workplace literacy program (which 273 had completed) to upgrade their job-specific reading, writing, and oral communication skills in five New York City psychiatric hospitals. Four of the measures showed significant pre-post gain. The data were then…

This monograph presents a collection of separate papers that focuses on pioneering projects in computer-mediated communication (CMC) and distance education. The first section of the monograph contains two papers describing the author's experiences with CMC projects that formed the foundation for his further CMC work: "NKI Electronic…

This research extends the "Purdue studies" of research library growth, presenting results that include library statistical trends during a 35-year period, 1951-1985. It serves to update Purdue's 9-report series (1965-1973) and is a validation study of Purdue's growth forecasts, 28 of which were published in 1965, then revised in 1971.…

The relative contributions of four individual difference variables to ability to solve analogically related problems in four separate problem sequences and for spontaneous and assisted transfer was examined. Subject were 116 university undergraduates enrolled in an introductory psychology course who volunteered to participate for course credit and…

This study attempted to identify indicators of success for developmental education students, particularly underprepared African American students enrolled at a predominantly Black university. The sample for the study included 922 students who responded to an 8-item questionnaire, which consisted of both traditional and non-traditional variables.…