Assessed the importance of the informational content of letters of recommendation. Personnel directors (N=98) rated sample letters. Results showed that example specificity and favorability increased the positive perceptions of the recommendee. Example specificity also enhanced the perceived credibility of the letter writer. (JAC)

Provides guidelines on how state and local administrators can develop an accountability system to meet Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Applied Technology Education Act requirements. Indicates that performance measures and standards should (1) be clearly defined; (2) be manageable; (3) include accurate and timely data; and (4) provide information…

Through a description and comparison of standards for evaluation and criteria for judging naturalistic inquires some potential conflicts in using naturalistic methods are identified. Analysis of problems suggests that compromises in the use of evaluation standards and criteria for naturalistic procedures are usually necessary. (Author/JAZ)

The Internet is a significant information resource for students due to the ease of access it allows to a vast amount of information. As the quality of the information on the Internet varies, it is important that students are able to evaluate such information critically. The aim of the study was to investigate how students evaluate Internet sources…

Four key entities participating in foreign assistance projects are (1) donors; (2) technical advisors; (3) host country counterparts; and (4) beneficiaries. Resistance to collaborative evaluation that each may exhibit is discussed, along with ways evaluators can overcome resistance and enhance evaluation outcomes, credibility, and utilization.…

Discussion of electronic publishing and scholarly communication provides an analytical approach for evaluating disciplinary conventions and for proposing policies about scholarly electronic publishing. Considers Internet posting as prior publication; examines publicity, access, and trustworthiness; and considers the value of peer reviewing.…

Background: Many studies have described associations between adult psychiatric disorder among adults and their biographic, socio-demographic and social capital characteristics. Fewer studies have focused on children, and most of these have looked at structural indicators of the neighbourhood. Our objective was to examine one aspect of social…

Evaluation is viewed as essential to decision making and social policy development. Since conventional methods have been disappointing or inadequate, naturalistic inquiry (N/I) differs from conventional science in minimizing constraints on antecedent conditions (controls) and on output (dependent variables). N/I is phenomenological rather than…

The determination of assessment content is often made on the basis of cost, political "clout", and relevance, in that order. Three areas of assessment content are discussed: Broad areas, specific areas to be measured, and non-test information. The broad areas and non-test information are policy issues, while the determination of specific…

The rewards and sanctions accompanying performance-based pay and promotion programs will not be valued or given credibility as long as teacher evaluations are not approached professionally. The effect of treating teachers as bureaucrats or professionals, the limits of bureaucratic evaluation, and the demands of professional evaluation are…

Adults read stories; then made plausibility judgments about statements with respect to the stories. The inherent plausibility of the queried statements, the amount of attention subjects focused on information necessary for making a judgment, and the interval between presentation of the relevant information and the test probe were varied.…

The political context of evaluation is described, with positive and negative influences. Strategies are proposed for preserving the credibility of evaluation in political contexts. Researchers must maintain the neutral posture of the basic scientist. (SLD)

Evaluation of industrial research and development (R&D) must be simple and low cost, and it must contribute to corporate goals without distracting researchers from their research. These points are illustrated with reference to General Electric's Research and Development Center, which is the company's corporate laboratory. (SLD)

Experts' opinion is proposed as a valuable evaluation tool. Advantages of this method include the relative cost effectiveness when compared with other data collection methods. It is a time-saving method important in formative evaluation when a decision must be made concerning implementation of a course of action. When experts are carefully…