Introductory Statistics is a required course for most college students in order to graduate. Research has been conducted for determinants of achievement in college mathematics courses; however, there has been little investigation for statistics courses. In this exploratory study, data concerning students' grades received in this course, the…

Most college students do not meet physical activity (PA) guidelines, and ethnic disparities exist. The present study examined the utility of the theory of planned behavior (TPB) in explaining PA intentions and behavior in black and white college students and whether any TPB relationships were moderated by ethnicity. Black (n = 170) and white (n =…

The present study evaluated the effects of both a traditional lecture and the conservative dual-criterion (CDC) judgment aid on the ability of 6 university students to visually inspect AB-design line graphs. The traditional lecture reliably failed to improve visual inspection accuracy, whereas the CDC method substantially improved the performance…

The serious problems associated with the use of stepwise methods are well documented. Various authors have leveled scathing criticisms against the use of stepwise techniques, yet it is not uncommon to find these methods continually employed in educational and psychological research. The three main problems with stepwise techniques are: (1)…

The National Center for Education Statistics' annual statistical report on the condition of education in the United States is presented in two volumes for 1990. This volume covers postsecondary education, while the first volume addresses elementary and secondary education. Condition of education indicators (CEIs)--key data that measure the health…

A non-linear version of redundancy analysis is introduced. The technique is called REDUNDALS. It is implemented within the computer program for canonical correlation analysis called CANALS. The REDUNDALS algorithm is of an alternating least square (ALS) type. The technique is defined as minimization of a squared distance between criterion…

The initial steps necessary for constructing an analogies test are described. Basic mathematics being the context, the aim of the test is to predict student performance in research statistics courses characteristic of graduate education and social science programs. Items involving analogies in a quantitative context were built, sorted into two…

The Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) is a large international comparative study of the reading literacy of young students. The student population for the U.S. 2001 PIRLS (hereafter simply referred to as PIRLS) was the set of all fourth-graders in the United States, corresponding to the grade in which the highest proportion…

A technique for evaluating the relationship between game statistics and outcomes of contests is proposed. The technique can be used to determine the relationship between selected game factors and winning or to determine how often various results of certain instances of play occur in a contest. (PP)

Explored the independent and joint effects of organizational commitment and job satisfaction on variables relevant to employees' withdrawal intentions. Participants (N=175) completed instruments relating to organizational commitment, job-facet satisfaction, and intention to quit. Results indicate commitment bears a strong relationship to…

In South Carolina, 10,169 individuals with mental retardation were served by the state disability agency and 22.7% were employed during 1997-2000, with 68% keeping their job for more than 1 year. Food service, manufacturing, disability services, grocery, and retail companies employed the majority of those who worked at least 3 years. (Contains…

A microcomputer program that computes statistical power for analyses performed by multiple regression/correlation is described. The program features a spreadsheet-like interface, outputting the effect size and value of power corresponding to the input parameters, including predictor variables, sample size, alpha, and error type. (TJH)

Surveyed 1,773 Massachusetts adolescents to explore relationships among the following topics: (1) alcohol and drug use; (2) perceived susceptibility to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV); (3) use of condoms; (4) effectiveness of condoms in preventing infection; (5) barriers to condom use; and (6) behavioral cues about AIDS related to condom use.…

Multiple regression analysis is discussed as useful for studying the effect of a variable while controlling for the effects of others and for estimating the total effect of all predictor variables together. It is suggested that in English-as-a-Second-Language proficiency measurement, regression coefficients should not be the basis for judging…

Compared sexual risk behavior of female athletes and nonathletes. Examined mediation, reverse mediation, spurious effects, and moderated causal models, using as potential mediators physical development, educational aspirations, self-esteem, attitudes toward pregnancy, involvement in a romantic relationship, age, ethnicity, and social class. Found…