Counters arguments of Donald N. McClosky on formalism in the social sciences and claims he fails to identify important arguments that justify the practices he criticizes. Agrees that, although exposing accepted methods to critical examination is useful, this broad attack implies the rejection of good social science as well as bad. (NL)

Three nonparametric alternatives to the parametric Bartlett test are presented for handling the K-sample equality of variance problem. The two-sample Siegel-Tukey test, Mood test, and Klotz test are extended to the multisample situation by Puri's methods. These K-sample scale tests are illustrated and compared. (Author/GDC)

Refutes Peter Mueser's criticisms of the author's position on formalistic research approaches. Restates that statistical significance is virtually useless. Claims mathematical economists take their intellectual positions from mathematics departments bringing irrelevant intellectual values into economics. (NL)

Using reasonable values for the parameters in both null and alternative hypotheses about covariance matrices, an optimal and feasible combination of number of subjects, significance level, and power of the test were determined for an empirical study of the measurement of musical ability. (Author/BW)

Criticizes methodological tendencies of economics and sociological researchers who do not ask "how large is large?" Reliance on statistical significance and existence theorems shows the limits of formalistic rather than humanistic research approaches. Argues that serious scholars develop whole arguments and understand the rhetoric of…

The Rasch simple logistic model is used to examine the relative item parameter values of a personality inventory with respect to populations cross-classified by sex and country. While items conform to the model within each of the populations, half the items show significant discrepancies among the populations. (Author/RL)

A method for statistical analysis of semantic differential data in educational evaluation is discussed. Estimated scores for unobserved affective variables are obtained using the canonical factor regression method. This method overcomes previous prolems of bias and inefficiency in computing composite affective indices. In an application of the…

This paper discusses the determination of college faculty salary inequity and identifies the areas in which human judgment must be used in order to conduct a statistical analysis of salary equity. In addition, it provides some informed guidelines for making those judgments. The paper provides a framework for selecting salary equity models, based…

Some examinees' test-taking behavior may be so idiosyncratic that their scores are not comparable to the scores of more typical examinees. Appropriateness indices, which provide quantitative measures of response-pattern atypicality, can be viewed as statistics for testing a null hypothesis of normal test-taking behavior against an alternative…

This study used the restricted access database of the 1993 National Study of Postsecondary Faculty to examine faculty workload by academic discipline for full-time regularly appointed teaching and research faculty in public Carnegie research I and II and Doctoral I and II institutions (n=2,056). Data are reported for 14 disciplinary areas…