It is well-known that for normally distributed errors parametric tests are optimal statistically, but perhaps less well-known is that when normality does not hold, nonparametric tests frequently possess greater statistical power than parametric tests, while controlling Type I error rate. However, the use of nonparametric procedures has been…

Student ratings of the overall effectiveness of their instructor were recorded from 75 sections of college algebra freshman classes at California State University, Long Beach. These ratings were appraised in relation to seven independent variables, including number of students per class, number of rows per class, mean student grade, instructor,…

Context: Ambulance transport of pediatric trauma patients to designated trauma centers in cases of moderate and severe injury is not always performed, which has been shown to result in poor treatment outcomes. Determination of factors involved in inappropriate patient transport, especially in rural areas, remains an important avenue of research.…

This study examined the relationships between racial identity attitudes and religious orientation among African American college students. The participants were 270 African American college students from 2- and 4-year colleges in the Northeast. Multiple regression analyses were conducted and the results indicated that racial identity attitudes…

The purpose of this study was to determine whether supervisors' supervisory styles are related to master's-level counseling students' satisfaction with supervision and their perceived self-efficacy. Multiple regression analyses of data obtained for 82 participants indicated that particular supervisory styles were significant predictors of…

Two Monte Carlo studies were conducted to explore the Type I error rates in moderated multiple regression (MMR) of observed scores and estimated latent trait scores from a two-parameter logistic item response theory (IRT) model. The results of both studies showed that MMR Type I error rates were substantially higher than the nominal alpha levels…

Through the administration of self-report surveys, this study examined the relationships among a) parenting styles, b) family structure, c) academic achievement, d) birth order, e) gender, and f) humor on the initial personal-emotional, social, academic, and commitment to college adjustment among 257 first-quarter college freshmen. Multiple…

We evaluated the predictive accuracy of short forms of the Wechsler intelligence scales for individuals with high functioning autism. Several short forms were derived from participants who had received the full procedure. Stepwise multiple regression analyses were performed to determine the strength of association between the subtests included in…

The effectiveness of the Tabu variable selection algorithm, to identify predictor variables related to a criterion variable, is compared with the stepwise variable selection method and the all possible regression approach. Considering results obtained from previous research, Tabu is more successful in identifying relevant variables than the…

Preference structures that underline a survey or experimental responses may systematically vary during the administration of such measurement. Maturation, learning, fatigue, and response strategy shifts may all affect the sequential elicitation of respondent preferences at different points in the survey or experiment. The consequence of this…

This study explored the relationship between vocational interests and noctcaelador, defined as strong interest in, and psychological attachment to, the night sky. University students (N = 134) completed the Vocational Preference Inventory (Form C) and the Noctcaelador Inventory. The results indicated that students scoring higher on noctcaelador…

This study addresses the utility of the resilient, overcontrolled, and undercontrolled personality prototypes for predicting children's and adolescents' problem behaviour in a longitudinal general population sample (N = 491). Both parents and one child participated in the study at two measurement occasions separated by a 3-year interval. The major…

Two studies investigated the influence of age, language, and family background on the development of preschoolers' social cognitive skills. Study 1 examined variability in economically disadvantaged preschoolers' understanding of fantasy and evaluated the relation of age and language to children's skill in this area. Children were shown drawings…

There has been a remarkable improvement in access and rate of adoption of technology in higher education. Even so, reports indicate that faculty members are not integrating technology into instruction in ways that make a difference in student learning (Cuban, 2001; McCannon & Crews, 2000). To help faculty make informed decisions on student…

Background/Context: Although prior research shows that the nature and extent of private tutoring practices vary significantly from country to country, differences between Eastern and Western countries in terms of their cultural and institutional aspects of private tutoring choice have not been closely examined. We need to bridge the gap by…