Presents an exposition of two data reduction methods--single-link and complete-link hierarchical clustering. Emphasis is on statistical techniques for evaluating the adequacy of a completed partition hierarchy and the individual partitions within the sequence. A numerical reanalysis of data illustrates the methodology. (RC)

Reasons for transforming dependent variable measures for use in analysis of variance is discussed, including nonnormality, heteroscedasticity and scale-induced interactions. It is pointed out that nonlinear transformations change the interpretation of interactions, and a method for reducing heteroscedasticity is described. (Author/RM)

The purpose of this research was to analyze recent statistics textbooks in the behavioral sciences in terms of their coverage of exploratory data analysis (EDA) philosophy and techniques. Twenty popular texts were analyzed. EDA philosophy was not addressed in the vast majority of texts. Only three texts had an entire chapter on EDA. None of the…

The importance of research in professional and personal development is increasingly being acknowledged. So why should children not benefit in a similar way? Traditionally, children have been excluded from this learning process because research methodology is considered too difficult for them. Principal obstacles focus around three key barriers:…

This guide gives middle school teachers and principals the tools they need to get answers to their questions about program evaluation. It shows how to use the information to work more effectively and efficiently and explains how to use program evaluation techniques to make sure that the approaches selected really solve the problems of interest.…

This report describes the imputation procedures used to deal with missing data in the National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988 (NELS:88), the only current National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) dataset that contains scores from cognitive tests given the same set of students at multiple time points. As is inevitable, cognitive test…

This book is a step-by-step guide to creating and analyzing linguistic corpora. It defines a corpus as a collection of texts or parts of texts upon which some general linguistic analysis can be conducted. It begins with a discussion of the role that corpus linguistics plays in linguistic theory, demonstrating that corpora have proven to be very…

Potential solutions to applied measurement problems are commonly evaluated using simulated data, largely because it is often impossible, difficult, or prohibitively expensive to supply the needed volumes of real data. However, answers proved by simulation studied generalize real-world problems only to the extent that the simulated data resembles…

Novices often struggle to learn qualitative data analysis, and benefit from intensive assistance. For teaching analysis more efficiently in the classroom setting, the workshop described in this paper explained and demonstrated an inductive, experiential method. The method introduces grounded theory analysis and helps students to identify,…

Over the years, methodologists have been recommending that researchers use magnitude of effect estimates in result interpretation to highlight the distinction between statistical and practical significance (cf. R. Kirk, 1996). A magnitude of effect statistic (i.e., effect size) tells to what degree the dependent variable can be controlled,…

In educational assessment, what students say, do, and sometimes make is observed, and assessors attempt to infer what students know, can do, or have accomplished more generally. Some links in the chain of inference depend on statistical models and probability-based reasoning, and it is with these links that terms such as validity, reliability, and…

The purpose of this paper is to enumerate a series of security steps that might be taken by those individuals or organizations that are contemplating Web-based tests and performance assessments. From a security viewpoint, much of what goes on with Web-based transactions is similar to other general computer activity, but the recommendations focus…

This paper studied how individual qualitative researchers perceive that their research procedures and perspectives have been influenced by the adoption of computer assisted qualitative data software. The study focused on Nud*Ist software (non-numerical Unstructured Data; Indexing, Searching, and Theorizing). The seven participants ranged from new…

Basic questions about the evaluation of professional development efforts are explored, including the nature and purposes of evaluation, the critical levels of professional development evaluation, and the difference between evidence and proof in evaluation. Evaluation, which is defined as the systematic investigation of merit or worth, can be…

This study had two purposes: first, to determine whether there exists a relationship between sex, family structure, power structure in the family of orientation, or social class and the kind of marriage role expectations of adolescents and to determine if those expectations are equalitarian. (Author/RK)