Case writing should be based on empirical data gathered from first-hand observation and interviews and should provide enough data to enable the student to develop a fairly detailed and well-argued plan of action. Case research can be an acceptable, rigorous research methodology. (JOW)

Comprehensive assessment of educational systems can assist educators in improving the nature of formal education. Goals of education are long range and very general. By observing, describing and classifying teacher and student behaviors, realistic and immediate goals can be established. Effective assessment aids administrative decisions by…

Explains and illustrates a method of measuring institutional cost effectiveness, which considers the following criteria: numbers of students, credit hours, and courses taught per semester; overhead; instructional costs; and salaries. (DMM)

Reports on the methods and findings of a study to: (1) decide how to measure an institution's potential for change and its concomitant readiness to receive federal funds for improvement of instruction, and (2) to determine who should assess this potential--institutional representatives or outside evaluators. (AYC)

The design of an internal program evaluation system requires (1) formulation of program, operational, and institutional objectives; (2) establishment of evaluation criteria; (3) choice of data collection and evaluation techniques; (4) analysis of results; and (5) integration of the system into the mainstream of operations. (SK)

Three case studies of university communication audits are presented to illustrate recommendations and changes implemented in institutional communication as a result of the audit. (JMF)

Describes an institutional research office's establishment of an outcomes-oriented self-assessment model rooted in the college's mission and goals. Reports that the framework enables institutional research departments to evaluate their effectiveness, and more importantly, to use the results of self-assessment to plan future activities, thereby…

Examines and discusses the utility of the classification systems proposed for community colleges from the perspective of the American Association of Community Colleges. Provides insights for understanding the differences among community colleges. Concludes size appears to be the most important factor driving proposed categorization systems. (NB)

Discusses how diversity of mission, student intent, and student demographics should influence state- and institution-level assessment and evaluation of community colleges. (EV)

Compares seven multi-institutional community-based research networks in Appalachia; Colorado; District of Columbia; Minneapolis-St. Paul; Philadelphia; Richmond, Virginia; and Trenton, New Jersey. After reviewing the histories of the networks, conducts a comparative SWOT analysis, showing their common and unique strengths, weaknesses,…

Description of the accreditation process of the American Library Association addresses the purposes of accreditation, development of standards, eligibility, application for evaluation, visiting team, the visit, the team report, action on the report, appeal, reaccreditation, relations with other accrediting bodies, and advisory services. Issues of…

Provides an overview of the American Sociological Association's (ASA) Ph.D. certification program. Questions the need for certifying sociologists. Suggests a more sociological approach emphasizing the value of the discipline that would be exhibited if departmental accreditation replaced the process of certification. (KO)

Three business evaluation practitioners, representing the continuum from internal to external evaluation, respond to questions posed by three evaluation professors. The questions concern: the evaluator's role; evaluation methods; objectivity; and ensuring the evaluation's quality. The greatest difference between internal and external evaluators…

Randomly selected recommendations (N=176)--concerning performance evaluations of programs of public organizations--made by the General Accounting Office (GAO) in fiscal year 1983 were analyzed. Reasons for the exceptionally high acceptance rate (between 51 percent and 77 percent ) are discussed, including the GAO's status as a formal legally…

Guidelines, jointly developed and endorsed by CAUSE and EDUCOM--two key organizations in the field of higher education information technology--are presented. They were created to provide institutions and regional accrediting associations with evaluation guidelines for information technology resources to use as a reference when developing their own…