This paper suggests ways in which social scientists, while being sensitive to and meeting the needs of the community under study, can contribute to the fund of knowledge regarding racial and cultural minorities. (Author)

This study estimated a component of within-school variance which has been overlooked in policy research studies and program evaluations performed to date: the effect on pupil performance of different teachers within a single school or program. Results indicated that teacher effects accounted for 30 to 40 percent of within-school variance. (Author/…

Pupils in ten primary schools were taught two lessons, separated by a two week interval, by ten student teachers. After each lesson both pupils and student teachers completed questionnaires concerning their performance and attitudes. Results of students' assessments of their teachers proved quite reliable. (Editor/RK)

Presents a model which provides a theoretical framework for conducting research regarding the determinants of a professional's intention to participate in continuing education. The framework's three components are the professional's (1) attitude toward participation, (2) perception about what significant others think about his or her…

Summarizes the history, categorization, and issues related to electronic publishing and discusses its possible impact on print publishing and the future of libraries. A study that will be conducted to examine that impact is described, including the research questions, null hypotheses, research design, data collection, schedule, and budget. (CLB)

The purposes of this paper are: (1) to review some of the major studies of applications of item response theory (IRT) methodology to test equating and synthesize their results; (2) to discuss what questions are as yet unanswered and what problems exist with research methodology; and (3) to provide direction for future research. (Author/LMO)

From a priori and post hoc data collection perspectives, this paper describes the interrelations among (1) power, alpha, effect size, and sample size for hypothesis testing; and (2) precision, confidence, and sample size for interval estimation. Implications for special education researchers working with convenient samples of fixed size are…

Reports the design, methodology, and results of a research project which examined the effectiveness of bibliographic displays produced by online catalogs. A means of testing displays against several hundred thousand records at a reasonable cost and using that to test several display possibilities is described. (CLB)

Presents three broad areas--writing anxiety, motivation, and beliefs--that seem to be ripe for study in terms of affect, and suggests that the constructivist views refined by George Mandler could be helpful to drive such research. (NH)

Develops a conceptual and analytic framework for rural sociologists to document program results and consequences and to aid policy and program decisions. Addresses program/policy evaluation from perspectives of structural analysis, control programming, and simulation. Emphasizes dynamic, nonrecursive nature of evaluation processes. (LFL)

This study collected exploratory data on a group of organizational adjustment variables (procedural, personnel, process, structural, and strategic) among a group of schools and school districts. Results provide a preliminary basis for suggesting that the adaptive organizational behavior of schools and school districts may be influenced by…

Examines secular trends in research on Afro-American children appearing in CHILD DEVELOPMENT between 1936 and 1980. A statistical analysis revealed dramatic changes in the frequency and type of research on this population, and identified some of the changing social issues and perspectives that are reflected in the research. (Author/BB)

How social studies researchers can use National Assessment of Educational Progress Public Use Data File tapes to delimit the problem of generalizability of research results is described. An example using data from a trend study of a citizenship education project is used to demonstrate the procedure. (Author/RM)

This article describes the evolution of Raymond B. Cattell's data box (covariation chart), a synoptic conception of psychological data, from its introduction in 1946. Analytical techniques and related methodologies developed from this model by Cattell and other psychological researchers are discussed. (BS)