School counselors need to understand survey methodology even if they do not use it as research practitioners. Counselors can be better consumers of survey research by noting response rates, sampling techniques, reliability and validity in research articles. (JAC)

Argues that teachers need to become "informed consumers" of standardized tests in order to influence decisions about test use and about ways to help students perform at their best. Six strategies for considering the content of a test form are presented. (LR)

Discusses methodological issues that may adversely affect the research process and impede understanding of Latinas, particularly those affected by AIDS. Gives suggestions for strengthening qualitative and quantitative methods when conducting research on Latinas. Describes the growing awareness of important clinical subgroup differences based on…

This article presents the author's rejoinder on commentaries of his article which illustrate the variety of perspectives with which people approach poverty measurement issues. Some of the comments highlight the theoretical concerns underpinning poverty measurement efforts, whereas others focus on empirical considerations. As a social scientist,…

The enactment of No Child Left Behind (NCLB) has pushed to the forefront the ever-present need to conduct high quality research and translate our research findings to practice by emphasizing evidence-based practices for schools and related settings. Currently, much of the discussion surrounding evidence-based practices has focused on defining…

Social support from intimate and confiding relationships has received a great deal of attention; however, the study of the community as a relevant source of support has been comparatively lacking. In this article, we present a multidimensional measure of community support (Perceived Community Support Questionnaire, PCSQ). Through exploratory and…

Computer interfaced electrostatic charge sensors allow both qualitative and quantitative measurements of electrostatic charge but are quite sensitive to charges accumulating on modern synthetic materials. They need to be used with care so that students can correctly interpret their measurements. This paper describes the operation of the sensors,…

Every public university is engaged now in serious and ongoing accountability appraisal with significant time and resources dedicated to the task. The academy's commitment to accountability is real. Focusing on accountability for undergraduate education, one of several important functions of public universities satisfies a need, but it should not…

Problems of scale typically arise when comparing test score trends, gaps, and gap trends across different tests. To overcome some of these difficulties, we can express the difference between the observed test performance of two groups with graphs or statistics that are metric-free (i.e., invariant under positive monotonic transformations of the…

The articles in this volume explore various conceptions of assessment and evaluation and the ramifications of these perspectives in a number of countries across many diverse art educational settings. Kit Grauer introduces the theme in "An Editorial: Values and Evaluation." In "International Perspectives on Evaluation and Assessment…

School psychologists have considerable measurement expertise when compared to physicians, social workers, and other professionals delivering psychological services to schools and children. However, psychologists are far from qualified to portray themselves as measurement experts. It is important to know psychologists' boundaries of measurement…

The Construction and Building Subcommittee of the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) has established seven National Construction Goals for the construction industry and is developing baseline measures for current practices and progress with respect to each goal. This document provides a detailed set of baseline measures for the NSTC…

This paper was prepared for school officials and researchers who plan to conduct an assessment of student writing but have limited field experience with this activity. The paper identifies twelve critical questions assessors should consider, and it explores issues involved in reaching a decision about each from the perspectives of measurement…

Recommendations are made for the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) assessment of informative, persuasive, and imaginative writing. Five major objectives should be assessed by NAEP: (1) writing as a way of thinking and learning; (2) writing to accomplish a variety of purposes; (3) managing the writing process; (4) controlling forms…

Three kinds of instructionally sensitive achievement tests are described which provide useful information on formal schooling proficiencies: placement, progress, and attainment tests. Procedures to design, develop, and empirically verify attainment and placement tests are presented. The methodology is designed to ensure that the test instruments…