Five criteria are proposed for evaluating performance in research studies: the directness of sampling, the responsiveness of the target, the reliability of the observers, the frequent assessment of the target during the intervention period, and the critical nature of the target. A case study illustrates effectiveness of the criteria. (Author/CR)

This study used species diversity indices developed in ecology as a measure of socioethnic diversity, and compared them to Coleman's Index of Segregation. The twelve indices were Simpson's Concentration Index ("ell"), Simpson's Index of Diversity, Hurlbert's Probability of Interspecific Encounter (PIE), Simpson's Probability of…

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 purpose of this paper is to discuss ways in which developmental psychology suffers from the lack of an appropriate technology of measurement and statistical analysis. The paper begins by noting that developmental psychology is the study of change; that individuals develop through a succession of "stages" which are separated by…

Research on the analysis of time-series data has shown that decisions reached through visual analysis of the data may be influenced by the statistical parameters of those data. The current study investigated the statistical properties of curriculum-based time-series data for 68 elementary resource room students in four Minnesota school districts.…

Multiple sources of complications in the analysis of multilevel educational data are described with emphasis on the determination of a method of analysis that will provide accurate estimates of teacher/class effects even when there are systematic differences in within-class regressions of outcome on input associated with teacher/class…

While the rationalistic approach traditionally employed in research and development efforts in the social sciences may be the best method of inquiry to use in the physical sciences, social scientists, and, more particularly, vocational education researchers, would do better to adopt a naturalistic method of research. The naturalist approach to…

This paper discusses a longitudinal, exploratory study of developmental dimensions related to object permanence theory and explains how multidimensional scaling techniques can be used to identify developmental dimensions. Eighty infants, randomly assigned to one of four experimental groups and one of four counterbalanced orders of stimuli, were…

The document, part of a series of chapters described in SO 011 759, examines sociological research methods for the study of change. The advantages and procedures for dynamic analysis of event-history data (data giving the number, timing, and sequence of changes in a categorical dependent variable) are considered. The authors argue for grounding…

The document, part of a series of chapters described in SO 011 759, considers the problem of censoring in the analysis of event-histories (data on dated events, including dates of change from one qualitative state to another). Censoring refers to the lack of information on events that occur before or after the period for which data are available.…

A strategy is proposed for dealing with educational research problems, using as an example a study based on data that had already been collected and using that data to discover how differences in school characteristics may result in differences in their students. The research method is based on concepts of analysis of covariance and is concerned…

The purpose of this report is to document and describe the origin, procedures, and progress to date of the longitudinal study of students from James Coleman's "The Adolescent Society" study. The organization of this report follows chronologically the sequence of events that were initiated by Coleman. A historical account of Coleman's…

A guide showing how the various aspects of rural life may be examined and how the facts about conditions of rural populations may be found and analyzed is presented in this manual. The manual is intended for officials in government, colleges, institutions training rural welfare workers, or others who may be involved in organizing and conducting…

The 1966-67 Towson Undergraduate Research Training Program consisted of: (1) three 4-credit hour courses in the basic concepts of measurement, experimental design, and data analysis; (2) a 4-credit hour course in the research literature of education; (3) a 6-credit hour research practicum in the summer session; and (4) a colloquium series,…

In this report, previous studies are reviewed in order to reconsider the assumption that lower class black children are generally deficient in their ability to produce syntactically elaborated speech. Though several studies have seemed to confirm the elaboration-deficiency hypothesis, the evidence presented is not convincing. Specific critiques of…