In 1881, Donald MacAlister posed a problem in the "Educational Times" that remains relevant today. The problem centers on the statistical evidence for the effectiveness of a treatment based on a comparison between two proportions. A brief historical sketch is followed by a discussion of two default Bayesian solutions, one based on a…

In introductory statistics courses, the concept of power is usually presented in the context of testing hypotheses about the population mean. We instead propose an exercise that uses a binomial probability table to introduce the idea of power in the context of testing a population proportion. (Contains 2 tables, and 2 figures.)

Between 2003 and 2013, the proportion of California 8th graders enrolled in Algebra or a more advanced course nearly doubled to 65 percent. In this paper, we consider the organizational processes that accompanied this curricular intensification. Facing a complex set of accountability, institutional, technical/functional, and internal political…

This study examines a 118-year continuous record of retention and graduation rates at a public university for long-term trends not observable in shorter studies. While the first year retention rates stayed level over much of this period, second year rates increased steadily by 1.2% per decade. In contrast, graduation rates at 4 years compared to 6…

In this article, a Bayesian model selection approach is introduced that can select the best of a set of inequality and equality constrained hypotheses for contingency tables. The hypotheses are presented in terms of cell probabilities allowing researchers to test (in)equality constrained hypotheses in a format that is directly related to the data.…

The theory of planned behavior (TPB) was used to understand psychological help-seeking intention for 3 common concerns: anxiety or depression, career choice concerns, and alcohol or drug use. Eight hundred eighty-nine university students completed surveys for the TPB variables plus belief in personal efficacy and control to solve the problems.…

A concise method for computing areas under the normal curve using only functions typically found on desk and hand calculators is given. One version of this method will give three-decimal-pace accuracy, and a second, simpler version gives accuracy to two places. (Author/JKS)

A computer program for testing the association of two nominal variables using Fisher's exact probability test is described. Theoretical corrections according to recent literature are made. Various methods of discovering the source of association at the cellwise level are given. (Author/JKS)

DSYSTM is an interactive computer program designed to perform a linear-graph analysis of contingency table data. The program is especially suitable for the analysis of change models. (Author/JKS)

In solving a problem, how does the subject single out an intermediate hypothesis? When a sequence of hypotheses does not lead to a solution, how does he revise them? Does he give up the entire sequence? Article considered these problems. (Author/RK)

The interest in developmental sequences and learning hierarchies is growing. One approach to the study of such sequences is to gather data on several variables, each of which corresponds to a stage, step, or phase in the sequence and to examine the associations between the variables as displayed in a contingency table. If the variables are…

Describes the OCLC Internet Resource project which investigated the nature of electronic textual information available through remote access using the Internet and the practical and theoretical problems associated with creating machine-readable cataloging (MARC) records using USMARC format for computer files and the Anglo-American Cataloging…

A sample of 2,290 airmen who were eligible for promotion to grades E-4 through E-7 was used to field-test the proposed weighted Airman Promotion System. Data included scores on the Specialty Knowledge Test and the Promotion Fitness Examination, points credited for time in grade, time in service, decorations, and Airman Performance Report mean…