This research aims to make a methodological contribution to the mixed methods literature by investigating the value-added of empirical studies that are explicitly framed with the purpose of interrogating divergent findings. Case studies introduce the role philosophical paradigms can play in reconciliation process and reveal the potential to…

Problems inherent in relying solely on statistical significance testing as a means of data interpretation are reviewed. The biggest problem with statistical significance testing is that researchers have used the results of this testing to ascribe importance or meaning to their studies where such meaning often does not exist. Often researchers…

The use of messages as experimental stimuli brings with it problems regarding the interpretability and generalizability of findings. Some psychologists and communication researchers have argued that message stimuli must be treated as random effects. A review of the literature examined data regarding experimental designs used in recent…

This articles explores authoritive problems in interpreting art education in research, namely authorization and authorship. Authorization rites and rights are now under institutional surveillance. A researcher should proceed with ethical fairness. The process of authorship is one of the negotiation of conflicting meanings, and at times subject to…

The high incidence of reported posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among Vietnam veterans has prompted researchers to search for reliable assessment and treatment procedures for this disorder. Although some encouraging preliminary data on the use of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) have been obtained, it is uncertain if this…

This paper examines the problems caused by relying solely on statistical significance tests to interpret results in contemporary social science. The place of significance testing in educational research has often been debated. Among the problems in reporting statistical significance are questions of definition and terminology. Problems are also…

When comparing the DACUM (Developing a Curriculum) and curriculum conference methods of curriculum development, one finds that the product goals of the two methods differ but the process goals are similar. Both seek to generate information from a select group on which to base curriculum development, but the end product of DACUM is a chart that…

Problems with using stepwise analytic methods are discussed, and better alternatives are illustrated. To make the illustrations concrete, an actual data set, involving responses of 91 medical school admissions directors to 30 variables, was used. The 30 variables involved perceptions of barriers to medical school with respect to characteristics of…

In response to a frequently articulated call for "ecological" validity from instructional communication investigations, this paper reports on methodological issues which evolved during the development and application of a coding scheme for content analyzing teacher compliance-gaining messages. Starting with a consideration of the…

A major focus for research in preparation programs should be on the practice of administration. For some time, the preparation of educational administrators has been rooted in the traditional liberal arts approach--the approach of a discipline--as a model for preparing the practitioner. Emphasis has shifted to the concept of the accurate…

In order to examine the possible effects of violation of assumptions using parametric procedures, this study is an exploratory investigation into the use of parametric versus nonparametric procedures using a multiple case study design. The case study investigation guidelines outlined by Yin served as the methodology. The following univariate…

The efficiency and appropriateness of the cassette tape as a data collection medium was considered in this survey. A 19-item questionnaire was mailed to 117 agricultural teacher educators who had served at foreign locations. Most of the questions solicited qualitative data about their experiences, problems, and accomplishments. Respondents were…

Philosophical analysis was used to interpret a large-scale attitudinal survey that dealt with, among other factors, teachers' attitudes toward computers in the classroom. This analysis of the study considers the role of philosophical analysis in the context of empirical inquiry. To measure the impact of computers in the classroom on teachers in an…

The methodology of interpretation of qualitative data was explored using a grounded theory approach to the synthesis of data, examining the construction of categories in particular. The focus is on ways of organizing data and attaching meaning, as research problems embedded in cultural context are explored. A qualitative research training task…

Many Native Americans are reluctant to work with researchers who have not demonstrated a sense of obligation to their community. Research that has proven to be valuable has trained American Indians to collect data, incorporated participatory research methods, and supplemented quantitative data collection with qualitative research. The tension…