A normally distributed data set of 1,000 values--ranging from 50 to 150, with a mean of 50 and a standard deviation of 20--was created in order to evaluate the bootstrap method of repeated random sampling. Nine bootstrap samples of N=10 and nine more bootstrap samples of N=25 were randomly selected. One thousand random samples were selected from…

A program obtained random samples from known populations, some of which violated the homogeneity assumption. Student t tests and Mann-Whitney U Tests were performed on the sample value. Where the t test led to incorrect decisions, the use of Mann-Whitney U test in its place led to poorer results. (JAZ)

Assuming vectors of item responses depend on ability through a fully specified item response model, this paper presents maximum likelihood equations for estimating the population parameters without estimating an ability parameter for each subject. Asymptotic standard errors, tests of fit, computing approximations, and details of four special cases…

Presents empirical evidence for economic inequity for Pilipino Americans, focusing on income and occupation. Explores explanations from two competing theories, one emphasizing individual effort alone (the human capital model), the other focusing more on the social structure (labor market segmentation). (LHW)

Presents noncalculus approximation techniques for two normal distribution problems. These methods may be useful projects for lower-level undergraduate statistics and computer science students. (PK)

Describes a statistical analysis of historical and recent presidential elections revealing enduring geographic patterns of partisan support and volatility. Discusses how they affect the Electoral College system and demand that a candidate build a geographic coalition. (CW)

Describes a document retrieval system that provides for user interaction at several search stages to acquire a detailed specification of the user's information need. The use of domain knowledge to refine the query and a browsing mechanism are described in detail, and further research questions are identified. (CLB)

This paper is concerned with the construction of effect size standard errors in situations where the effect sizes are independent but the data have likely been sampled from non-normal distributions, and possibly for different studies, from different families of non-normal distributions. Asymptotic distribution-free estimators are provided for two…

Reports algorithm for calculation of term discrimination values that is sufficiently fast in operation to permit use of exact values. Evidence is presented to show that relationship between term discrimination and term frequency is crucially dependent upon type of inter-document similarity measure used for calculation of discrimination values. (13…

Describes methodology for the gathering of useful collection management data and reports results of study which analyzed circulation data and sampled in-library use at a Government Printing Office depository to explore circulation and in-library use frequency distributions, circulation and in-library use, and age of publications used in the…

A method of item pool design is proposed that uses an optimal blueprint for the item pool calculated from the test specifications. The blueprint is a document that specifies the attributes that the items in the computerized adaptive test (CAT) pool should have. The blueprint can be a starting point for the item writing process, and it can be used…

Discusses a study conducted at Ohio State University Libraries to develop and test a model that accurately estimates number of terminals required in an online public access catalog system. Data collection, research methodology, standard statistical distributions, and queuing models are noted. Four references are cited. (EJS)

Briefly reviews psycholinguistic research, describes six categories of utterance, and reports on research into the relationship between level of thought and length of speech. Results indicate that both teachers and students take successively longer to express higher-cognitive types of utterances. (EAO)

Describes five statistical simulation programs developed at Wichita State University--Coin Flip and Raindrop, which demonstrate the binomial, Poisson, and other related distributions; Optimal Search; QSIM; and RANDEV, a random deviate generation program. Advantages of microcomputers over mainframes and the educational uses of models are noted.…

Determines the frequency distribution of Brainstem Auditory Evoked Potential variables (BAEP) for premature babies at different stages of development--normal newborns, infants, young children, and adults. The author concludes that the assumption of normality underlying most "standard" statistical analyses can be met for many BAEP…