Based on the ACE Project on Leadership and Institutional Transformation, examines how universities can develop the capacity to assess change and determine the extent to which institutions are different. Defines transformation, describes types of evidence, presents a framework for determining evidence, suggests strategies for collecting evidence,…

Discusses the return-on-investment (ROI) process for determining the effectiveness of a training initiative in light of the organization's strategic plan for performance improvement. Describes data collection barriers and uses hypothetical deductive reasoning to overcome barriers and evaluate the effectiveness of an organization's training…

Discusses uses of household education surveys and the fact that not all educationally relevant data can be collected from schools. The two studies highlighted in this issue demonstrate the payoff from household surveys in their explorations of parent involvement in their children's schools and adult education. (SLD)

Presents the elements, components, and processes involved in setting and maintaining Web portals. Uses Santa Barbara City College as a case study of a portal implementation with the purpose of supporting knowledge management; underscores the role played and benefits gained by institutional research and the college as a result. (EV)

Examines and compares various outcomes of education, such as standardized test results, classroom observations, teacher reports, and teacher interviews, in terms of their potential to inform policymakers about policy influences on student outcomes. Suggests the need for clearer understanding of how these approximations are related to each other.…

Evaluates universe coverage, data coverage, and response rates of the Academic Libraries Survey. Includes examination of survey design and data collection, perceptions of regional survey coordinators, and reporting by public versus private institutions. (Author)

Explored effects of computerized, self-administered data collection techniques in research on adolescents' self-reported substance use and psychological well-being. Adolescents completing sensitive questions on only laptop computers reported higher levels of substance use and indicated higher levels of depression and irritability; they perceived…

Studied the stability of test anxiety over time by examining the level of reported cognitive test anxiety at three points in an academic semester. Results for 64 undergraduates show that it is practical to collect test anxiety data at times other than when a test is being completed. It does not seem necessary to collect test anxiety data prior to…

A group of 26 statistics students used instructor-provided data; 32 students were asked to collect their own data. No differences were found in course attitudes, but students who generated their own data reported decreased appreciation for the use of statistics. (SK)

Identified methods that six federal agencies reported using to verify and validate performance data used in complying with the requirements of the Government Performance and Results Act. Developed a framework containing four major approaches to assessing and improving data quality. (SLD)

Electronic commerce has intensified conflict between businesses' need to collect data and customers' desire to protect privacy. Web-based privacy tools and legislation could add to the costs of e-commerce and reduce profitability. Business models not based on profiling customers may be needed. (SK)

This article addresses the special problems of transcribing vowels in the evaluation of speech samples. It reviews the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) symbols and diacritics for transcribing vowels and discusses their importance in the transcription of disordered speech and dialect variation. (Contains references.) (Author/DB)

This article reviews conventions for transcribing suprasegmental features in spoken English. It proposes that symbols based on the International Phonetic Alphabet and its recent extensions be supplemented, in the area of intonation, by selected tonetic stress marks and examples of the autosegmental notation used in the Tone and Break Indices…

This article reviews major approaches to the transcription of disordered speech using the International Alphabet (IPA). Application of selected symbols for transcribing non-English sounds is highlighted in clinical examples, as are commonly used diacritic symbols. Included is an overview of the IPA extensions for transcription of atypical speech,…

Over time, improvements in HIV/AIDS surveillance and service utilization data have increased their usefulness for planning programs, targeting resources, and otherwise informing HIV/AIDS policy. However, community planning groups, service providers, and health department staff often have difficulty in interpreting and applying the wide array of…