The What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) Standards Briefs explain the rules the WWC uses to evaluate the quality of studies for practitioners, researchers, and policymakers. An aspect of a study is considered a confounding factor if it is not possible to tell whether the difference in outcomes is due to the intervention, the confounding factor, or both.…

Whether the goal is to identify and describe trends and variation in populations, create new measures of key phenomena, or describe samples in studies aimed at identifying causal effects, description plays a critical role in the scientific process in general and education research in particular. Descriptive analysis identifies patterns in data to…

Every college struggles to create processes of quality assurance and continuous improvement to demonstrate and ensure its service to students and community. Accreditation is one avenue that ensures some uniformity across many institutions in the eyes of the public. While this paper focuses on accreditation processes and meeting the needs of…

Career development practitioners understand that the value of career and employment services extends beyond attachment to the labor market. However, "soft" outcomes such as increased self-efficacy and improved ability to manage transitions are difficult to measure. Convincing funders and policy makers of the significance of such outcomes…

Meta-analysis is a set of procedures used to quantify, integrate, and analyze the findings of a large number of research studies. The article describes the new statistical techniques used and provides an example of their application to data regarding gender differences in throwing velocity of children and adolescents. (Author/MT)

Discusses the military's use of job aids to address the following problems: how to put more training into instructional programs without increasing course length; how to save training development time and money without sacrificing student achievement; how to reduce training products; and how to increase short- and long-term performance. (MBR)

To establish meaningful links between preservice and inservice teachers' background experiences and abstract concepts, relevant research studies are simulated in teacher training sessions. A simulated research activity is described, using the example of helping teachers understand models of memory to better teach mnemonic strategies to handicapped…

Provides a method of classifying and exemplifying the types of discrepancies which are commonly found after comparisons of the content of scientific papers with their bibliographies. Lists and explains some of the major discrepancies and offers strategies for dealing with the problems. (ML)

This description of the role of the Information Services Division of Exxon Research and Engineering Division in emergency management covers the information technology developed and used for internally generated and published information, and how this information is used to prevent emergencies and deal with them should they actually occur. (EM)

Discusses the issue of academic fraud in the form of science research malpractice. Topic areas considered include: malpractice studies; causes of misconduct; normal and deviant research behavior; and distinguished research characteristics in production, reporting, dissemination, and evaluation. Consequences of malpractice and…

To better appreciate the role computer-assisted video instruction serves in education, this article examines the major features of the individual component technologies--computer assisted instruction, film, videotape, and videodisc; discusses potential effects and pitfalls of computer-assisted video instruction; and reviews research on its…

A midwestern university is testing a program that uses the Apple II computer to help students in an advertising research course develop their skills in preparing and presenting research reports using computer generated graphics for both oral and written presentations. One of the course requirements is the preparation of a final project, including…

Discusses a national program designed to encourage the integration of writing more fully into the college curriculum. Addresses the opportunities for improving writing instruction by focusing on the laboratory reports done by students. (TW)

Suggests research in science education is necessary to improve science programs; reviews science education research results on reasons students see little value in science education; and discusses science education goals and what is known about how children learn, suggesting findings in these areas should be considered in developing science…

Reviews literature related to learning styles and gender differences. Determines that abstract and reflection are associated traditionally with mind or masculine, whereas concrete experience and active experimentation are associated with the body or female. Calls for additional experiential activities to provide a more gender-balanced approach to…