This paper examines the relationship between university ranks and outcome measurements. Many students select the university that they will attend based on these rankings In this paper the rankings conducted by two studies are examined. U.S. News and World Report rankings are based upon measures of the quality of input, retention while in school…

This article presents a model for the analysis of cost efficiency within the framework of data envelopment analysis models. It calculates the cost excess, separating a unit of production from its optimal or frontier levels, and, at the same time, breaks these excesses down into three explanatory factors: (a) technical inefficiency, which depends…

In tasks as diverse as stock market predictions and jury deliberations, a person's feelings of confidence in the appropriateness of different choices often impact that person's final choice. The current study examines the mathematical modeling of confidence calibration in a simple dual-choice task. Experiments are motivated by an accumulator…

This study summarizes recent and continuing research conducted by the Center for College Affordability and Productivity (CCAP) on the metrics used for measuring college performance. Unlike other rankings, this study does not concentrate on the inputs of college education such as endowment size, number of faculty, or the educational preparation of…

Procedures for generating evaluation questions in the Discrepancy Evaluation Model (DEM) are problematic as they are described in the literature. These procedures would lead to unmanageably or ineffectively long lists of questions. Any process of narrowing down the list must be drawn from other sources. One such source, developed for a specific…

Describes a method for measuring library impact by calculating the ratio of materials circulated in a time unit to those acquired in that period. A breakdown by Dewey Decimal Classification for a hypothetical library is reported, as well as how this ratio can be interpreted. (BK)

Applies the methods used in the analysis of input-output tables to the study of interdependence among the different subdivisions of organizations. (Author/IRT)

Examines research reported in major books and journals of comparative education since 1977, focusing on challenges to established research traditions and the field's responses. Highlights work directing attention to new subjects of inquiry and challenging the nation-state as the exclusive research framework, input-output models and dominant…

This and the next issue of "Organization Science" contain eight papers that deal with the process of organizational change. The five papers in this issue feature the theory of method and practice of researchers engaged in longitudinal field studies aimed at understanding processes of organizational change. (MLF)

Benefit-cost analysis consists of establishing ratios of benefits to costs for a set of project variants. The decision rule is to select that project variant where the ratio is a maximum. This paper argues that specification and estimation errors can contribute to findings for large-scale systems of benefit-cost ratios approximating zero. The…

The Study Group in the Economics of Education, which is responsible for the publication of this report, was established under the auspices of the committee for Scientific and Technical Personnel as an independent group of professional economists and educational planners. Its task is to bring the resources of academic thought to bear on the…

Discusses outcome and transaction accountability, with emphasis on the latter. (Author)

Study attempts to provide conclusive answers to questions concerning the worth of teachers, the efficiency of school operations, and teacher/classroom characteristics particularly within a racial-ethnic context. (EA)