This report summarizes research on retention and dropouts. Although there has been a recent resurgence of retention programs aimed at students who encounter subject-area difficulties, many studies have questioned the value of retention, especially if it is not accompanied by programs of remediation and individualized learning. However, researchers…

Discusses how the authors' review of literature on ability grouping prompted them to look closer at the objectivity of research in general. Concludes that predispositions to specific topics of research, prompted by preexisting values and characteristics of the particular reader, affects the objectivity of the reader in interpreting research…

Analyzes professional and methodological problems facing Black scholars in the communications field. Calls for the development of new rhetorical tools that would be more applicable to the Black experience than existing, traditional methods. Considers ways of meeting both community and personal goals, and presents a Black communication impact…

Further development of research regarding the effectiveness of parent education programs depends upon a shift in conventional strategies of program evaluation. Current evaluation methods have been dominated by an interest in the outcomes of parent education programs. It is suggested that program evaluations should examine relationships between…

Presents both logical and empirical evidence to illustrate that the conventional scoring algorithm for ranking tasks significantly underestimates the initial level of group ability and that Slevin's alternative scoring algorithm significantly overestimates the initial level of ability. Presents a modification of Slevin's algorithm which authors…

The board that advises the Secretary of HEW on ethics has given a qualified approval for further review of federal funding for research on human embryos conceived in the laboratory. Issues and concerns that influenced the board's decision are addressed. (JMD)

Compares three treatment modalities for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) including stimulant treatments, primarily methylphenidate; behavioral treatments, including contingency management and parent training; and cognitive-behavioral or self-regulation therapies. Discusses methodological quandaries, constricted focus, and…

This tutorial reviews auditory research conducted with monolingual and bilingual speakers of Spanish and English. Based on a functional view of bilingualism and on auditory research findings showing that the bilingual experience may affect the outcome of auditory research, it discusses methods for improving descriptions of linguistically diverse…

Discusses the past inadequacies and omissions of Asian American studies. Discusses the need to further the understanding of the Asian experience in the United States through critical scholarship, fresh perspectives, and new approaches to the study of Asian diaspora, such as exploring the international dimension. (JS)

Following an overview of the need for evaluation training, the Analysis of Evaluation Training Materials Project is described and the coverage, methodology, and usability of materials available for training educational personnel in evaluation skills are considered. Problem areas in evaluation, identified by the National Institute of Education…

Discusses the use of standardized achievement scores to measure the quality of practice-oriented school improvement activities in school districts. Focuses on four areas of concern: the multiple functions of schooling; documentation and data collection; real world complexities; and ethics. Recommends that cautions be taken against exclusive…

Discusses the features of feminist research in psychology. Evaluates proposals for distinctively feminist research methods. Refutes suggestions that experimentation and quantitative research are inherently less feminist than other approaches. Rejects criteria based on sex of participant or researcher. Concludes that any research method can be…

Explores individualism and conservatism in psychology, particularly in the psychology of women. Discusses causes and consequences of conservativism in the psychology of women. Questions rationale for studying gender differences instead of the society creating these differences. Presents an alternative construction to feminist research aimed at…

Discusses strategies researchers can use to help young children understand the research process and be better able to give informed consent. Argues that proxy consent from parents (historically used as a substitute for children's informed consent) does not fully meet the requirements of informed consent. (Author/GR)

Policy considerations that affect immigrant ethnic minorities in the Netherlands are addressed by the articles in this volume. The articles cover the following topics: (1) the recent history of migration and general outline of government policy toward immigrant groups; (2) housing and the concentration or dispersal of ethnic group populations; (3)…