Four approaches to estimating interrater reliability in early childhood special education research are illustrated and compared: correlation, comparison of means, percentage of agreement, and generalizability theory techniques. Generalizability theory techniques are proposed as a method for estimating the amount of variance attributable to…

Argues that writing instructors have a significant role to play in producing important computer-writing research. Asserts that the insights these instructors gain from teaching inform their research and guide their research practices by allowing them to distinguish subtle patterns and questions worthy of investigation. (PRA)

Tests hypothesis that people recall their expectations in ways that are consistent with outcomes. Finds that autobiographical recall may be generally reconstructive and potentially biased. Canadian students reported their preparations and expectations for an undergraduate examination. Observes that more than 90 percent of the students did not…

Design, analysis, and use of an interview task to identify preservice teachers' conceptions of teaching science are discussed. A copy of the task ("Interview-about-instances of science teaching") is included, and selected interview responses are presented and discussed. Results are discussed with regard to implications for research and…

Research over the past 15 years concerning parametric and nonparametric statistics and 10 recently developed nonparametric techniques for testing interactions in experimental design are reviewed. The new nonparametric techniques are robust, powerful, versatile, and easy to compute. A fabricated dataset is used to illustrate the technique. (TJH)

Comparative research on teachers' perspectives and classroom behavior must focus both on external systematic and institutional influences and on individual differences in teacher personality and background. One such systematic study of French and English elementary school teachers identified "meta-national" similarities and international, local,…

A review of 208 studies of children with learning disabilities (LD) published in 10 major journals between 1988 and 1990 examined the extent to which recommendations concerning research design and reporting made in 1980 and 1984 have been implemented. The review found continuing problems, including imprecise subject descriptions, heterogeneous…

Addresses the problems related to research design and the improper interpretation of survey results at the institutional level. Analyzes the validity of student opinion surveys. Discusses the importance of response rates. Encourages developmental educators to question results of surveys when outcomes are contrary to the findings of research…

Presents an opinion on the appropriate use of significance tests, especially in the context of regression analysis, the most commonly encountered statistical technique in education and related disciplines. Briefly discusses the appropriate use of power analysis. Contains 47 references. (Author/SV)

Explains the author's process in constructing and validating a survey, called the Preferred College Classroom Environment Scale, for her dissertation on women's perceptions of themselves in the college classroom. Offers suggestions to educators who want to construct their own surveys for program evaluation or similar types of research. Contains 30…

Discusses formative experiments in literacy research. Outlines six components of a formative experiment. Offers an example of a formative experiment and describes establishing a pedagogical goal, specifying and justifying an intervention, collecting data, adapting the intervention in light of data, unanticipated effects, and changes in the…

This study addressed the validity of using a five-state multifaceted approach to defining reading disabilities. Comparison of 204 reading-disabled (selected by criteria such as intraindividual differences and low achievement) and normally achieving junior high students on motivational, cognitive, and metacognitive variables (usually associated…

Review of the research literature on functional assessment-based interventions for students with or at risk for emotional and behavioral disorders identified key issues in the design of these studies. Issues included (1) an emphasis on descriptive analysis; (2) interventions employed and procedural integrity; (3) generalization and maintenance;…

Stresses the importance of teaching students to be good consumers of research problems and questions. Contends that students must be able not only to appreciate the questions that others ask, but also to produce research and research questions on their own. Provides activities that help promote both good consumers and producers. (CMK)

Comments on researchers' efforts to develop and refine a methodology to use in a study that investigated patterns in general education teachers' integration practices (EC 618 917). The need to combine qualitative and quantitative methods in more creative ways to investigate actual practice in special education is discussed. (CR)