Examines some of the primary outlets for IAC (Information Access Company) databases on the Web and evaluates when and why each source might be more appropriate to different situations. Features for DIALOG Web, DataStar Web, DIALOG Select, Dow Jones, and InSite Pro are compared. (Author/LRW)

Outlines the method developed by the Standards Development Program (United Kingdom) and used by the Employment Department to define, measure, and improve competence in the work force. Discusses functional analysis and how it defines the standards of occupational competence, elements of competence, performance criteria, range statements; and…

Discussion of the female-intensive specialization of youth services librarianship and their role in the American Library Association focuses on their jurisdiction over the Newbery Medal. Topics include the question of realism in children's literature; the Sayers Institute; and evaluation criteria. Contains 65 references. (LRW)

Explores some of the factors leading to calls for post-tenure evaluation. Compares the definitions of post-tenure review. Examines the arguments posed by advocates and opponents of post-tenure evaluation. Identifies the fundamental elements of an effective post-tenure review. (PA)

Describes how "Perspektywy," a major educational publication house in Warsaw, Poland, ranks Polish public and private secondary schools and higher education institutions. (EV)

Case study data from four higher education institutions on the use of portfolio assessment in nursing were mapped against criteria for rigor in qualitative research. Monitoring rigor was determined to be best done by students, teachers, and placement mentors. Discrepancies appeared between internal teacher monitoring and external examiners.…

From a longitudinal sample of nursing students, 193 completers and 43 noncompleters were compared, revealing significant differences in the groups' mean scores on admission essays but not admission grade point averages. Content analysis revealed how completers had internalized the role of nurse. (Contains 12 references.) (SK)

Provides an outline of a rubric for assessing instructional materials of inquiry-based activities. Discusses the strength of this rubric and how to apply it. (KHR)

Examined the relationship between students' composition scores and the writers' and raters' perceptions of a given topic: does a student receive a higher score if the rater agrees with the student's thesis? Findings indicated that there are other factors, such as students' attitude and cognitive ability that may affect raters' judgments of student…

Describes how law reviews are debating whether to change the qualification rules and competitions so that more minority students are admitted as members. (EV)

Discusses multimedia products for literature in elementary and secondary school response-based classrooms and describes results of a study that developed criteria with which to examine these products. Findings indicate that their pedagogical approach is not necessarily aligned with response-based practice, and adaptations are suggested.…

Presents a latent variable representation for multiple-choice items and option characteristic curves, and proposes a criterion for distractors based on distractor selection ratios. Results allow for testing the criterion from observable data without specifying a parametric form for the characteristic curves. (Author/SLD)

Studied the effect of different levels of scoring criteria specificity and written feedback requests on distribution of scores, correlation between peer and self-assessments, and quantity and nature of written feedback. Increasing the number of criteria decreased the mean scores and increased the standard deviations of peer and self-assessments.…

Discusses how a feminist conception of objectivity can be used to guide a needs assessment of the sexual health needs of men who have sex with men. In the example, a feminist approach was used to inform a needs assessment that involved 1,000 men. Applied criteria proposed by D. Haraway (1988): accountability, positioning, and partiality. (SLD)

A survey of postsecondary institutions in New England regarding recent changes in their admission processes and the factors that influenced those changes found that traditional admissions criteria continue to be weighted heavily in the admissions process and that recruiting and retaining underrepresented minority students remains a concern of many…