Guidelines for the implementation of qualitative methods in special education research are offered, addressing rigor, sample selection, data collection, and data management/analysis. Five possible pitfalls are identified, including the quantitative-qualitative methods debate, premature data collection, the tendency to use a linear procedural…

Examines the ability of monolingual English-speaking subjects to judge whether two spoken samples are from the same or different unknown foreign language. Performance of subjects was only a small degree above chance, while at the same time giving reliable information about recognition and identification skills. Further studies are needed. (16…

An exploratory methodology is presented for analyzing teacher survival data and detecting/documenting involuntary layoffs as an influence on teacher employment. Employment data for over 14,000 teachers hired between 1969 and 1981 in St. Louis (Missouri) illustrate that mandated staff reductions were key factors in teacher employment trends. (TJH)

Discusses issues involved with selecting a methodology and data analysis technique for studying divergent views of the family. Qualitative and quantitative methods, and linear and nonlinear models, are described. Statistical and theoretical issues regarding the use of discrepancy scores are examined. (BC)

A portable and inexpensive blowfly trap, constructed from flower pots/buckets and mesh, suitable for introductory studies in blowfly succession is described. Investigations that examine species composition over time and the differences between baits are discussed. (KR)

The six chapters of this theme issue consider three trends in educational effectiveness research: (1) integration of effectiveness phenomena at different levels, (2) a more model-driven approach than in the past, and (3) increased complexity of analysis tools and techniques to suit the new emphasis on process. (SLD)

Asserts that much of research currently conducted in counselor education and supervision is unreliable and invalid. Presents tabulation of research designs and errors in manuscripts submitted to "Counselor Education and Supervision." Notes that over 80% of submitted studies were descriptive designs and nearly one-half had errors that invalidated…

Reports a series of experiments in teaching data analysis in an interactive graphics environment (IGE). Explains that students can graph distributions and relationships as they obtain statistical results. Describes microcomputer programs for IGE data analysis. Concludes that software capabilities are excellent for small data sets but too slow for…

Hypertextual ways to think about evaluation are explored, and hypertext computer programs are discussed. Hypertext is useful as a way to search out and link related material. It can help maintain, manipulate, and analyze nonnumerical evaluation data. (SLD)

Methods for evaluating the validity of job analysis data derived from activity inventories are proposed. The basic approach is to state assumptions about expected relationships and then check to see whether these relationships exist. The approach is illustrated through a survey of 38 nurses. (SLD)

Outlines a demonstration lesson showing third graders how to make and interpret graphs. Includes descriptions of purpose, vocabulary, and learning activities in which students graph numbers of students with dogs at home and analyze the contents of M&M candy packages by color. Argues process helps students understand large amounts of abstract…

Describes an activity for helping students understand and use data tables. (PR)

Explores the current status of technological support for qualitative research. Describes the development of computer programs that support the qualitative process. Focuses on Metamorph, an innovative text-retrieval software tool that quickly scans documents, manuals, and unstructured records to find information. (KS)

Describes a variety of analytic tools available to address questions about development, including growth-curve methods, hierarchical regressions, and both primary and secondary data analysis of project and extant data. Demonstrates some of these techniques using extant data from two projects to examine questions about treatment efficacy and…

Investigates effect of task type on resultant candidate discourse and input of the interlocutor. The experimental design ensured an information gap in one of the interview tasks for prospective immigrants to Australia. Findings indicate that candidate discourse differs in quantity and quality between situations when an information gap exists and…