The statistical analysis of data from a single-subject design is somewhat controversial. The procedure most often chosen to examine data from a single-subject design involves the visual inspection of the graphed outcome variable over time. Problems associated with this procedure are discussed, and questions about the use of traditional statistical…

This report compares three approaches to descriptive research, focusing on the kinds of descriptions developed and on the methods used to develop the descriptions. The main emphasis in all three approaches is on verbal data. In these approaches the importance of interpretation and its intuitive nature are emphasized. The three approaches, however,…

A discussion of constructing research designs that avoid the conflict between securing internal validity at the expense of external validity. Several such designs and examples of their application are offered. (HB)

This report is the outcome of a conference on the Utilization of International Twin Registries for Collaborative Research on Stress, Health, and Aging, held to consider the roles and limitations of twin and twin-family registries in a variety of studies concerned with behavior and health status with advancing age. (Author)

Controversy over the proper place of significance testing within scientific methodology has continued for some time. The suggestion that effect sizes are more important than whether results are significant is presented. Effect size can be defined as an estimate of how much of the dependent variable is accounted for by the independent variables.…

A review of the literature revealed that control (or placebo) vignettes are not used in numerous studies in all areas that employ vignette-based methodology, which is a serious methodological and theoretical flaw. The nature of this flaw and its methodological and theoretical importance is outlined in this paper, as well as procedures and a model…

Qualitative and quantitative research approaches are generally considered to be mutually exclusive. It is possible, however, that a synthesis can be achieved at the level of interpretation and explanation of findings. This paper is divided into four sections to provide: (1) an understanding of explanation and the explanation problem in research;…

Previous efforts to investigate the equivalence of rating sources for job analysis ratings have reported conflicting results. In the present research, correlational and generalizability analyses were conducted to examine the equivalency of rating sources for over 70 state civil service job classifications. Incumbent and supervisor ratings (N=697)…

The history of research on distance education was studied. Major research done on distance education in such diverse areas as the United States, Venezuela, and Europe was analyzed. It was discovered that the earliest attempts to develop theories of distance education were mainly concerned with identifying its very concept. Like most educational…

A total of 80 infants who were 7 months old were asked to discriminate happy and surprised expressions based on compound or component changes in the eyes, mouth, or entire face. Four stimuli were employed: black and white photographs of a Caucasian female modeling happy and surprised expressions, and two hybrid expressions created by transposing…

Short-term studies often do not capture the full story of the effect that a researcher is trying to describe. If one wishes to elucidate long-term educational processes and outcomes, the only direct way of doing so is to stretch the duration of research projects and to study the same subjects over time. The limited availability of valid…

This manual discusses cost effectiveness in evaluating training modalities in population education for Asian and Pacific nations. Chapter 1 defines training modalities and offers 10 models that are in use in this geographic region. Chapters 2 and 5 discuss evaluation, cost effectiveness versus cost benefit analyses, estimating and analyzing costs,…

In order to consider the study of human communication from an interpretive perspective, this paper addresses two questions: (1) What count as data? and (2) What do data count as? The paper's first section reviews the 1977 Symposium issue of the Western Journal of Speech Communication to identify what constitutes legitimate human communication…

Most, though not all, qualitative research is naturalistic in that the researcher enters the world of the participants as it exists and obtains data without any deliberate intervention to alter the setting. The resulting accounts of what people say and do form the basis for inductive rather than deductive analysis--theory is created to explain the…

A conceptualization of generalization and its place in educational research is proposed. Problems with existing approaches to generalization include limited concepts, misleading or simplistic results, perception variance or change, and the discouragement of sensitivity due to convenience. Researchers should distinguish between conclusions which…