Despite the value of the comparative perspective for the study of higher education is widely recognised, there is little consensus about the specific methodological approaches. Quantitative tools outlined their relevance for addressing comparative analyses since they are supposed to reducing the complexity, finding out and graduating similarities…

Contains seven articles discussing the application of meta-analysis to research on outcomes in psychotherapy. Provides a framework for understanding meta-analytic procedures and outlines major techniques. Reviews criticisms of integration of psychotherapy outcome research. Evaluates comparative therapy outcome research and discusses limitations of…

The problem of the comparability of change scores is investigated. Change quotients and residual change scores are evaluated as alternative approaches and methods for estimating the true change and true score residual, the reliability of change scores and residuals, and procedures for constructing confidence intervals for residuals are explored.…

The relative precision of four methods of estimating missing data in principal components analysis was investigated. Artificial data with known characteristics, obtained from Cattell's "Plasmode: 30-10-4-2," was used with one third of the data on half of the variables being systematically eliminated. The four methods of missing data estimation…

Noting that there are signs of a relaxation in the long tension caused by the methodological "cold war" between quantitative and qualitative research proponents, this paper points to communications research as one area where the trend is developing. Placing communications studies in the framework of current public attitudes toward…

This paper comments on the impact of computers on statistical analysis and presents a concise, nontechnical overview of five statistical methods now being applied in educational research. Appropriate uses of these techniques are pointed out, along with dangers concerning misapplications. (PP)