Based on an independent analysis of the data used to evaluate the Developmental Economic Education Program, questions are raised about the methodology and conclusions reached by Walstad and Soper in an article published in the Winter 1982 issue of the Journal. The original study is also defended in two replies. (Author/RM)

In response to a paper on risk and resilience models in learning disabilities research, this article suggests two factors that render this framework appealing to special education researchers: its optimistic empowering nature as the trainability of identified resilience factors is assumed and its emphasis on factors external to the individual that…

Criticizes an earlier essay that questioned the validity of contemporary educational research practices, especially those involving experimentation. Argues that research using experimentation is valid and can lead to new and generalizable knowledge. (FMW)

Provides a conceptual basis for understanding factor analysis as an analytical technique. Illustrates the basic concepts of factor analysis through Edward L. Rainbow's data from a study of variables influencing students' musical aptitude. Suggests that this technique is most appropriate in music applications where the interrelationships between…

Research articles published in 10 major journals during the years 1984-1987 were evaluated to determine how many satisfied the recommendations of the Council for Learning Disabilities' Research Committee on reporting subject data. Only 4 of the 277 articles included acceptable information in 7 recommended areas of subject data. (Author/JDD)

This article describes four single-subject research designs comparing two or more interventions with young disabled children--the multitreatment design, alternating treatments design, adapted alternating treatments design, and parallel treatments design. Problems in using these designs include multitreatment interference, nonreversibility of some…

This letter points out flaws in van der Lely and Howard's argument that children with specific language impairments have no deficits in verbal short-term memory. The original methodology is faulted for providing uninterpretable assessment of verbal short-term functions and for failure to follow memory techniques from previous studies. Sample…

The 1992 American Association on Mental Retardation definition of mental retardation is critiqued. The definition is seen as lacking precision and necessitating identification dependent upon assessment of behavioral dimensions for which there are no reliable measurement instruments. These problems, which are attributed to advocacy concerns, are…

Reviews the literature on the effect of prior knowledge and text familiarity on document comprehension and usability. Discusses current methods for assessing subjects' topic familiarity. Presents an empirically based method for effectively assessing topic familiarity. Explains that the method includes use of two subject groups and reliance on…

This discussion of issues of definition and classification of attention deficit disorder (ADD) emphasizes the heterogeneity of the diagnosis, the overlap of ADD with reading disability, and lack of consistency across studies. A systematic classification study is proposed to develop a unitary, empirically derived classification for ADD. (Author/DB)

An evaluation of one therapeutic service offered to sexually abused children in the United Kingdom exposed the methodological issue of false negatives among the comparison group, suggesting that researchers cannot assume that nonreferred comparison subjects have not actually experienced sexual abuse. (DB)

This article describes the multielement design, often recommended in single-subject research, and discusses its advantages and disadvantages for research in early intervention with handicapped children. The article concludes that the multielement design has many advantages, though multiple treatment interference is an issue of concern. (JDD)

Our system of research self-regulation, designed to provide internal checks and balances for those who participate in research involving human subjects, is under considerable stress. Much of this crisis has been caused by what we call mission creep, in which the workload of IRBs has expanded beyond their ability to handle effectively. Mission…

The hypothesis is the device scientists use to translate questions, theories, or proposed explanations into a form amenable to empirical research. This edition of W. W. Charter's treatise on clear, conceptual definitions and precise operational hypotheses, which was originally developed to assist students in educational policy and management…

Researchers and educators sometimes need to be reminded of the broad range of factors which have a crucial impact on how writers write. This paper offers a personal checklist of six factors which have been shown to be important, yet which are easy to forget in in heat of research because of the tendency to become immersed in a particular agenda…