The author defines the aims of cross-cultural research in art education and examines the problems inherent in such research, using as an illustration a summary chart of Child's cross-cultural studies of esthetic sensitivity. Emphasis is placed on the need for rigor in research design and execution. (SJL)

Shows why newspapers should use live telephone interviewers instead of automatic telephone interviewing devices to collect marketing/readership data. (RL)

The author outlines the advantages of illuminative, or descriptive, research in education and points out the need in this field for verification and cumulation, proposing a national depository for descriptive case records. (SJL)

The gender of participants in 1,929 articles (1991-2000) in journals relevant to mental retardation was determined. Gender was not reported in 26%. When gender was reported, 6% of the investigators used females only, 8% used males only, and 60% used both sexes, respectively. The need to specify gender is stressed. (Contains references.) (Author/CR)

A method is presented for determining the optimal number of conditions to use in measurement designs when resource constraints are imposed. The method is illustrated using a multivariate two-facet design, and extensions to other designs are discussed. (SLD)

Discusses conceptual and methodological issues in quantitative research studies in social work where subjects come from a variety of cultural backgrounds but where ethnicity is not the main variable under study. Addresses the following aspects of multicultural research: problem definition, methodology, data collection procedure, data analysis, and…

The purpose of this review was to examine research designs in studying knowledge utilization. The results are based on 32 studies of knowledge utilization, and the report describes the various types of research designs and their strengths and weaknesses. Survey research methods are appropriate for dealing with either of two aspects of a…

This book presents six papers on Latino migrant workers and recent Indochinese refugees in the United States, most of which focus on problems of fieldwork. The book's three sections, "Migrant Workers,""Indochinese Refugees" and "Research Summaries and Reports," each contains two papers and an introduction. (1)…

The following organizations and agencies sent their suggestions and comments on the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Elementary/Secondary Education Data Redesign Project: American Association for Counseling and Development, American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education, American Library Association, Indiana University,…

One popular method of generating large quantities of social science research data is telephone research. The interviewer's communication skill is a critical factor in determining the reliability and validity of such research. The interviewer should have a clear, pleasant, and understandable voice; be able to read through the questions fluently;…

Community data concerning drug and alcohol usage patterns was assessed via a unique "personal delivery" system. The system, which can be used for collecting other community data produced a return rate of 45% and was very economical. This system largely overcomes the main drawback of the mailed questionnaire (low return rate) by (1) having…

The selection of appropriate data sources for institutional research is discussed. It is suggested that the provision of timely, accurate information for administrative decision-making depends on the researcher's ability to determine which data are relevant to the problem. This is of particular concern for institutional researchers because they…

THIS PAPER HAS TWO PURPOSES--(1) TO PRESENT A SUMMARY ANALYSIS OF EDUCATIONAL POLICY REGARDING RESEARCH REQUESTS IN 15 BIG CITY SCHOOLS AND SOME COMMENTARY ON THE PROCESSING OF SUCH REQUESTS AND (2) TO MAKE THEORETICAL SPECULATIONS REGARDING CERTAIN ORGANIZATIONAL FACTORS IN LARGE SCHOOL SYSTEMS WHICH OPERATE AS RESEARCH RESTRAINTS. IT IS…

This paper offers a critical look at the current research base supporting development and evaluation (D&E) models of instructional products. The author, accepting as valid a definition of D&E models as "exemplary models, outlining designs or conceptions of things worthy of imitation," examines current interest in their…

This paper summarizes the data management techniques used in a large-scale longitudinal study of intensive, innovative programs. Emphasis is placed on the scope of data collection, the methods used in the study to keep track of students over several years, the techniques used to collect data about students in public schools, the quality control on…