More than one-third of U.S. newspapers use various kinds of systematic survey research other than that provided by Gallup or Harris, and broadcast networks have polling units that are part of their news divisions. However, as most of the media employ them, opinion polls provide a genuine basis for "broad, sweeping generalizations." News…

The recommendations in this paper are based on the findings of a survey of 32 institutions that had subscribed--for a fee--to receive live via satellite one or more of five staff development teleconferences for school teachers and administrators. The teleconferences, which were one-way video/two-way audio productions, were broadcast during 1985-86…

This narrative description summarizes the planning and implementation of a periodical use survey conducted during fall 1985 and spring 1986 to determine who uses the Fitchburg State College Library periodical holdings and which periodicals are used. Relevant literature is discussed, the purpose of the survey is explained, and survey procedures are…

This discussion of ways to solve the problem of overdue library materials reviews three pertinent articles from the library literature, several studies of the Oklahoma City Metropolitan Library system, and a 1985 study at a southwestern public library. Attempted solutions are cited, including fines, overdue notices, retrieval methods such as the…

Results are presented for the fourth annual survey of all U.S. school districts by Quality Educational Data, Inc. Findings are displayed in tabular form and include information on the following: market penetration by major brands of microcomputers in school districts and buildings; school districts that use microcomputers and the brand or…

To investigate the experience of American and Canadian university libraries with remote access catalogs, self-administered questionnaires were sent to the 137 directors of all Association of Research Libraries (ARL) libraries and all libraries of Canadian degree-granting institutions. The study was designed to: (1) survey Canadian and U.S.…

Arguing that the study of use of personal space is an important aspect of understanding the total communication process in libraries, this document reviews the literature on personal space research that has been conducted over the last 20 years. Following a general review of the roots of such research, the numerous studies that are described are…

The University of Wyoming (UW), the state's only 4-year institution, offers extended degree programs throughout the state and has as many students enrolled in credit courses off campus as on. This research was undertaken to gather data about student perceptions of library services and to establish baseline data on the characteristics of…

This report presents preliminary descriptive data from a national survey of U.S. elementary schools, conducted in 1985, which focused on the schools' instructional uses of computers, including efficiency and cost-effectiveness. Specific topic areas covered include: (1) what hardware is in different types of schools; (2) which teachers use the…

The way that a college can transform its periodic self-study process into an ongoing program is addressed, with a focus on the contribution of the institutional research office. Also considered are data elements that self-studies most often require and the way that data elements relate to judgments and interpretations made through the self-study.…

A study was implemented to conduct a long-range observation and analysis of the process by which computers are channeled into educational practice. Data collection involved a structured interview with knowledgeable representatives of 35 school districts in Wisconsin. Participating schools were selected randomly and stratified by size. Questions in…

A quantitative or meta-analytic review was conducted of studies comparing computer-based education (CBE) to conventional instruction in precollege classrooms. Seventy-four studies were included in the review; sources included earlier reviews by Hartley, Burns, and authors from the University of Michigan, and the ERIC and Comprehensive Dissertation…

This study conducted at Texas A&M University compares two types of training approaches using ERIC SilverPlatter (ERIC SP). Education students received either: (1) a one hour training session on basic search commands and strategies, or (2) a four page instructional handout that described basic search commands, Boolean logic, and special…

This report describes a use study designed to facilitate the selection of books that will be needed and used by identifying heavily used subjects and publishers in an academic library's collection of nursing books. Discussions include the study background and significance, study limitations, and basic assumptions. In addition, the procedures for…

This report examines participation rates in the Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) program. TRIM2, a microsimulation model that simulated the eligibility and benefit rules of the AFDC program on a state-by-state basis, showed that there had been a dramatic decline after 1981 in the rate at which AFDC families were applying for and…